Tropical Fish Fun

Continuing our discussion about the common aquarium mistakes, the next issue is overstocking.  Everyone has heard about the one inch of fish per gallon of water guideline.  That guideline is probably okay if you are keeping neon or cardinal tetras or some other small species, but beyond that it can really lead you astray.

Larger fish require larger volumes of water.   As a fish grows in length it grows much more quickly in mass and the bigger the fish the more food it eats and the more waste it produces and this relationship is closer to geometric rather than linear!  That is a 10 inch fish is not 10 times larger than a 1 inch fish, it is closer to 100 times larger!

You might ask why your local aquarium store has so many fish in it’s tanks?  There are several reasons: 1. Most of the fish are juveniles, 2. they probably have a very large central filtration system, 3. They probably have a large turnover so the fish aren’t there very long and 4. they are probably making large weekly water changes.  Remember water changes are the secret to having healthy tropical fish!

Even if you stock your tank probably you will still need to avoid the next mistake – overfeeding.  this is hard to do because feeding is the only time when you get to interact with your fish.  Lets face it aquarium keeping is mostly a spectator activity.  Besides, its hard to resist feeding those little guys when they are at the front of the glass begging when you approach the tank, but don’t do it!

So how much should you feed?  The basic guideline is no more than can be eaten in a couple of minutes.

Have some comments?  We would love to hear from you.  Please leave them below.

The point of this discussion is to talk about mistakes people make in setting up and maintaining their aquariums but the real issue is water quality.  All of these mistakes affect water quality and as a result the health of the fish.

The key to good water quality as I have said before is water changes.  Let’s face it, if you had a system where the water was changing constantly and being replaced completely every half hour there would be little chance of a buildup of pollutants.  I don’t know of anyone who has such a home system and who could afford the water (and heating) if they did?

So without this constantly changing water, pollutants are bound to build up so how do we control them?  The first way is… you guessed it, water changes!  So the first mistake is not making large enough or frequent enough water changes.  A simple guideline is 10% to 20% every week.

The second mistake (although it could be the first mistake that people make) is adding too many fish to the tank too fast.  If you have any experience with aquariums, you know about the biological filtration and the nitrogen cycle.  For those of you who are new or need a quick refresher here is my simplified version.

Fish produce waste in the form of ammonia.  Left over food decays and produces ammonia.  Ammonia is toxic to fish.  There are some bacteria that consume ammonia and turn it into nitrite.  Nitrite is only slightly less toxic than ammonia.  There are other bacteria that convert nitrite into nitrate which is nearly harmless (although large concentrations can cause problems).  That is the basic nitrogen cycle.

Anytime fish are added to a tank, it takes a couple of weeks for the levels of the ammonia eating bacteria to adjust.  The ammonia eating/nitrite producing bacteria have to do their thing before the nitrite eating bacteria can begin to build up.  The nitrite eating bacteria are slower to reproduce than the ammonia eating ones so it takes another four to six weeks for them to stabilize things.

If too many fish are added too fast the ammonia and or the nitrite levels can build up to toxic levels before the bacteria can adjust and the result is a trip to the store to replace your fish so slow and easy wins the race and saves your fish and your money.

That’s all for now.  Next time, two more mistakes.  As always, please leave your comments below.

PS. I purposely did not give the names of the bacteria because I find that people get confused about which is which and I really don’t think it is important.  My apologies to any biologists out there.

Most everyone struggles with algae control at one time or another.  As the saying goes there are two kinds of aquarists – those that have and those that will.  Finding the right balance in your system is a difficult task for many and until you have it down, most people need all the help they can get.

The good news is that there are some fish that will help you with this problem.  The bad news is that there are some fish that are sold for this purpose that are really not good choices.  First some of the bad choices:

The common Pleco (Glyptoperichthys, Liposarcus or Hypostomus).  These start off as cute little brown guys that can grow quickly to 16 inches and graduate to eating plants and creating a large amount of pollution in your tank.

The Chinese Algae eater.  These guys rarely touch algae (I wonder how they got that name?) and grow into some of the nastiest critters in a tank.

Farlowella catfish, royal plecos, zebra plecos and other small colorful plecos.  Although they will eat some algae, they need other supplemental foods to survive in your aquarium.

So what are the best choices?  Try these:

Ancistrus or bristlenose catfish.  These are some of the best algae eaters around.  In addition, they are an armored catfish and have sharp spines in their gills that make them tough enough to withstand some of the more territorial tankmates (read cichlids).

Siamese algae eaters (Crossocheilus siamensis).  These fish like to live in groups and provide outstanding control in more peaceful tanks or those with sensitive plants.

Otocinclus.  These are entertaining fish that need to be kept in small schools.  They are small fish and don’t do well with aggressive tankmates.  They are also somewhat sensitive and are not considered a beginner’s fish.

Goby Cichlids (Eretmodus) and Tropheus and Petrochromis.  These are good choices for Lake Tanganyika aquariums.  In addition Lake Malawi systems could benefit from Labeotropheus cichlids.

It should be noted that sometimes the fish do too good a job and clean out all the algae (actually few tanks will have enough algae to support these fish over the long run).  When that happens they will need additional food.  In that case, sinking pellets, fresh foods such as sliced zucchini, cucumbers, sweet potato and romaine lettuce or Spirulina wafers all make good supplements.

As always, please feel free to leave comments below.

I am generally against regulations, but there is one area that I feel needs to be addressed.  I know you can’t regulate against stupidity, but there are just some cases where something needs to be done.

My target for today is the blue ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata).  This is an attractive species that is small and would seem to be an ideal choice for your saltwater aquarium – except for a few of things:

- They are relatively expensive – I have seen them on sale for about $150,

- They are accomplished escape artists,

- They have a short lifespan

- They can bite through rubber gloves and other materials and the major problem…..

- Their bite can and most likely will kill.

Let me expand a little on this last point.  I have been told by a marine biologist who has studied cephalopods and in particular octopuses for many years that if an adult is bitten by a blue ringed octopus and they can get them on a respirator almost immediately for 24 hours the survival rate is about 25 percent.

I have not seen any published figures to back this up, but regardless, this is not an animal to be taken lightly.  There are several species that require special permits and other permissions to allow someone to keep them and this is another that should be added to the list.

I know there are some who would say that these creatures can not live for long out of water so they are easily contained but octopuses are notorious for their ability to get out of their tanks and after having done so, travel some distances.  Imagine the unsuspecting visitor who drops something and reaches behind a chair or other piece of furniture only to come up with a handful of angry blue ringed octopus!

Or even more likely, the aquarium keeper who is cleaning the tank when the blue ring decides to grab his/her hand…..

Yes, I know that people should be responsible for their own choices and the government should not intervene into our lives any more than necessary, but this is one of those cases where I think they should.  There are many venomous snakes that have restrictions and they are not nearly as deadly or as cunning as this creature.

I don’t expect that everyone will agree with me on this, but please feel free to comment below.

Just starting out with tropical fish?  Here is a good basic video on how to set up a tank:

Fishkeeping:
How To Set Up A Tropical Fish Tank

There are a few things that I would add:

1. Always do some independent research on the fish and plants you are adding to your tank unless you are absolutely confident your retailer is giving you good information.

2. Always check your plants for snails, snail eggs and other hitchhikers before adding them to the tank.

3. It is a good idea to quarantine your new additions for a few weeks before adding them to your tank.

I hope you enjoy this video.  Please leave your comments below.

Talk to a fishkeeper and you will find lots of opinions regarding the type of fish to keep and some are quite outspoken about the material their tank is made of.  Eliminating for the moment (although that may be a topic for a future post) the homemade aquariums where someone puts a transparent panel on the front of some kind of container, there are really only two choices for your aquarium: glass or plexiglass.

 How should you decide which to choose?  Or for that matter, why should you care?  Both types are great containers for your tropical fish and strictly from a functional standpoint, either would do well.

 The main differences between the two are in the cost and the properties of the materials.  Generally, glass aquariums cost more that plexiglass ones, both initially and if they need to be modified for your intended set up.  If you are going to want to have holes drilled in the tank for overflows, pump returns, etc., a plexiglass tank provides a much easier medium for those things.

 Glass is also heavier than plexiglass so if you are putting a large aquarium in your third floor walk-up apartment you might want to get a plexiglass tank unless you know 3 or 4 gorillas who are willing to help you carry it up those stairs.

 Plexiglass is softer than glass and can be scratched more easily.  If you have an abrasive substrate such as marine sand, you will have to exercise care when cleaning the panels of your tank or you could end up with very noticeable scratches.  With glass you do not have to worry as much because it takes quite a bit to scratch it.

 Glass is also a bit clearer than plexiglass, particularly when you get some of the newer materials (although for most applications, this is not a big issue and will not be noticeable to the average viewer). 

 The choice between glass and plexiglass is primarily decided by the type of system you are constructing.  Both are great materials for your aquarium.

 Do you have an opinion on paper vs plastic….I mean glass vs plexiglass?  Please let us know with a comment below.

The third gem of tropical fish that I would like to talk about is livebearers.  I am discussing the basic livebearers: swordtails, guppies, platies and mollies and not some of the more exotic species.  I know, some of you are saying “How basic and simple. That is a beginner’s fish……”  But let’s consider a few things.  They are relatively colorful, fairly simple to keep, easy to breed and active.  They have been a staple in the hobby for decades and most every aquarium store has them.

Today’s livebearers bear little resemblance to the livebearers of 20 or more years ago.  Captive breeding programs have brought us many new strains.  There are more color variations and patterns and fin configurations than ever before.

Available colors include black, yellow, red, green, blue, a variety of pastels and white.  In addition, there are a variety of color combinations and patterns such as the snakeskin where the body is covered in a chainlike or rosette pattern.

Fin configurations include the hi-fin where the dorsal fin is exceptionally large, the lyre tail and the delta tail.

Since most of the varieties are easy to keep and breed, these are the perfect fish for someone wanting to start to learn about fish breeding and genetics.  Most likely there is someone in your area breeding one of these gems, and most likely he or she is a member of your local aquarium society,

Check out livebearers and maybe you will be the creator of the next popular strain.  Have you already tried breeding them?  Would you like to start?  Please leave a comment below.

Killifish are another wonderful choice for your tropical fish aquarium.  With some exceptions, they are small colorful and easy to keep.  One of the drabacks to them is that they are rarely found in aquarium stores so you will have to find other sources for them.  The good news is that they can be found on line on aquabid.com or other auction sites.  Another great source is the newslette of the American Killifish Association (AKA) (membership required).  You can also sometimes find killifish at your local aquarium club.

You will need to research your choice before you purchase them (of course) because their requirements can vary greatly.  One of the thing you will have to deal with in regard to killifish is scientific names, since most everyone only used them when referring to killis. 

Great genera for starting out with killifish are Aphyosemion and Fundulopanchax.  Some beginner Aphyosemion species would include a. bivittatum, A. ahli and A. calliurum.  Suitable starter Fundulopanchax species would include Fp. Gardneri and Fp. filamentosus.  For those wanting a bit more of a challenge, there is Fp. sjoestedti.

Killis are often kept in very small tanks – as small as 2.5 gallons.  Water quality can be an issue with such small tanks so you must be careful if you are going to keep them in such a small tank.  Simple box or sponge filters are suitable.  Hardness and pH requirements can vary from species to species – more research.  The water temperature should generally be between 72 F and 75 F.

Killifish should be fed a varied diet to assure good health.  Live and flake food are generally accepted. 

Please leave a comment below.

Rainbowfish are small colorful fish that are very suitable for freshwater aquariums.  They originate from Australia and New Guinea and a few other islands in the area.  They are easy to keep and can be recommended to even the beginning aquarist. 

Rainbowfish are from the family Melanotaeniidae.  The family name is derived from the ancient Greek words “melano” which means black and “taenia” which means ribbon.  This is appropriate for the genus Melanotaenia because species within that genus have black markings on their dorsal and anal fins.  Other popular genera within the family include Glossolepis and Pseudomugil (Blue Eyes). 

They are a relatively small tropical fish so they do not need a large aquarium and they will not harm live plants.  They are active swimmers so the horizontal dimensions of the tank are more important than the vertical ones and there should be lots of open space.  Since size varies from species to species, you should research your particular species (as always) before purchasing.

 Generally rainbowfish come from very soft water so you may have to do some adjustments if your water is particularly hard.  Generally speaking they can live in water with a pH between 6 and 9, but as always it is better to avoid the extremes.  Water temperature should be between 75 F (24 C) and  82 F (28 C) with the higher temperatures being recommended for spawning and raising fry.

 Rainbowfish are omnivores and will eat practically anything.  Ideally their diet should be approximately 60% plant/algae based and 40% protein based.  Natural algae in your tank is an ideal food source.  You can also provide vegetables such as boiled peas, pumpkin and zucchini.  Feedings of mosquito larva, fruit flies, etc should be used to provide the protein.  Avoid fatty foods such as beef heart.

 Rainbowfish are occasionally found in aquarium stores, but in my experience the best place to find them is either at your local aquarium club auctions or on-line.

 I hope this brief summary has sparked your interest in this great group of fish.  Please leave your comments below.

So you have decided to add plants to your aquarium.  The next question you might ask is how do your light your tank? 

For most applications, the simple and efficient way is to use fluorescent lamps.  There are other choices such as metal halides or LEDs, but fluorescents are currently the most efficient both in terms of cost and output.  When it comes to fluorescents there are also several choices, but the best choice, again in terms of efficiency are T-5 fixtures. 

The popular thinking is to use about 2 to three watts per gallon, but more current information indicates that you can get by with just one to two watts per gallon.  The trick is to supplement with CO2 gas.  If you have an adequate supply of CO2, the plants can thrive with lower light levels.  The added benefit of the lower light is that algae is less likely to thrive as well.  Granted, gas CO2 systems are not inexpensive, but you should be able to make up the initial costs over time with your savings from the reduced electrical costs.

What do you think?  Please leave a comment below.