Aquarium Fish Wonders

Breeding Angelfish

Mermaid — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:10:12 +0000

Q: I have 6 adult angelfish and I would like to breed them. According to the store where I bought my angelfish, 3 are females and the other are males. How can I confirm his claim, in another word, how to differentiate between the male and female? Last but not least, how can I help them breed successfully?

Even experts agree it is very difficult to differentiate the sex of angelfish. If the store “dared” to confirm the sex, then you have to take their word for it.

As to breeding angelfish, seasoned angelfish aquarists would usually purchase a group of angelfish at their juvenile stage and let them grow together. When these angelfish are sexually mature, compatible fish will pair off and mate, without any intervention from us humans. In any case, angelfish are very choosy about their mates.

What you will also notice is that the paired angelfish are constantly in each other company. When they’re ready to mate, they will occupy and clean a portion of the tank, chasing other fish away from their proposed mating spot. Again, you aren’t required to do any preparatory work for their mating ritual in order for them to breed successfully.

Adding New Fish to Aquarium

Mermaid — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:20:04 +0000

Travel is very stressful for fish.

Fish never eat when they are being transported, and moving them from place to place makes them much more susceptible to disease and death.

The ones you see at the aquarium shop may have already gone through several journeys—from the importer to breeder, for example. So the minute you buy the fish, try and get it home as soon as possible.

When selecting new fish, make sure they look healthy and do not have any injuries or disease. Keep a close watch on your new arrivals for several weeks to see if they look stressed or sick. A diseased fish can infect and even kill other fish in your aquarium.

When Adding New Fish

The main thing to remember is that the fish is already stressed enough, so try and keep any changes as gradual as possible.

Once you reached home, place the bag in your tank, so that the temperature of the water in the bag slowly changes to that of the temperature of the water in the tank.

Wait for about 15 minutes, then add a little tank water to the bag. Repeat this a few times, to allow the fish to get accustomed to the chemistry of the water in your own tank.

Then, gently use a net to place the fish in the tank. Do not place any water from the bag into the tank as it could contain bacteria and parasites.

What You Should Know When Adding New Fish

Most significant fish diseases are infectious. If the tank is crowded, the result can be disastrous as the ailment can spread like wildfire. If you see any signs of illness, try and place the infected fish in separate tank or container, and get treatment advice from your fish dealer.

Keep in mind that adding new fish will also increase fish waste in the tank. Therefore it will take some time for the existing bacteria in the tank to multiply in sufficient numbers to break down the fish waste.

Fish waste is converted into ammonia in the tank. More fish means more ammonia, which can also kill the fish. Too much ammonia removers the protective mucus membrane from fish, making them more vulnerable to infections. If your fish looks like it has difficulty breathing, this could be the cause.

Also, keep a close watch if your new fish are getting bullied by others, or if they are acting aggressively towards the other inhabitants. If this is so , you may have to create more areas for the fish to hide, or give some of them up!

Septicemia: Goldfish Have Blood Streaks

Mermaid — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:22:17 +0000

Q: Almost all my goldfish have blood streaks on their tail and fins. This started only recently. Is this disease curable? What should I do? I also notice that they are always swimming upside down. Is this behavior normal or it’s with the condition they are having now?

Septicemia in Goldfish

Blood streaks on fins and tail is usually a sign of septicemia. Although septicemia isn’t contagious by itself but poor water quality can result in causing other fish in your tank suffer the same condition. Having said, septicemia is a deadly disease and becomes incurable if no proper remedies are given immediately.

Septicemia in goldfish usually indicate a nitrite buildup in the water due to an increased concentration of waste material. Either your tank is too small or you’ve been overfeeding your fish.

What I would suggest is:

quarantine your affected fish.
do a 25-30% water change.
medicate both tanks with Maracyn Plus.
remove all carbon from your filter.
nourish your fish with medicated food and antibiotics.

Make sure you do not overcompensate your fish with too much of the medicated food just to speed up the process. This isn’t how it works. Once you notice improvement, cut down the feeding just a little and change the water regularly.

Goldfish Swim Upside Down

Goldfish also tend to have swim bladder problems. The swim bladder controls the buoyancy of the fish. If it doesn’t function well, the fish either swims on its sides and back, or sinks to the bottom of the tank. Unfortunately, there’s no cure for this.

How To Care For Your Fish While You’re Away

Mermaid — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:19:27 +0000

It’s time to pack your bags for that well-deserved vacation again. But instead of relishing delicious thoughts of a wonderful holiday, most pet owners often worry about leaving their pets behind. Dogs and cats can be sent to pet hotels or boarding homes. But fish?

Moving fish is a complicated process, and highly stressful for them too. Your best alternative is to keep your fish at home, and get a pet-sitter to look in on them. Having said, you might not need one at all. It all depends on the length of your vacation.

Short Vacation: Contrary to what you may believe, healthy fish can go a week without food. If you’re going away for the weekend, don’t even bother getting someone to feed them. Fry, on the other hand, require regular and more frequent feeding.

Long Vacation: If you are going away on a long vacation, there are two options you could choose from. Either you buy an electronic automatic fish feeder that dispenses just the right amount of food daily or elect a reliable friend or relative or hire a pet-sitter as your fish feeder.

Tips On Giving Fish Feeding Instruction To Your Pet-sitter

It is important that your fish helper—be it friends or pet-sitter—does not overfeed the fish for whatever reason. Excessive food can lead to bacterial build up, overworking your filter and thereby wiping out your entire tank. Separate the right amount of food into individual packages to take out the guesswork.

Remind them—and yourself, after you come back—that even if your fish have gone without food for a few days, they still shouldn’t be fed more than their standard servings to “make up” for the days they had gone without.

Choose the Right Fish Food When Using Automatic Fish Feeder

If you decide to go with the automatic fish feeder, make sure you choose “fast” dissolving fish food as some slow-dissolving fish food can upset the pH level of the water, leaving you with a mess and presenting a whole new set of problems when your return.

You can’t prevent the filter from choking or the heater from failing. But you can most certainly try your best to ensure it doesn’t happen.

Things To Do and Avoid Before You Leave

Give all tank equipment a thorough look through. Replace any suspect equipment a few weeks in advance to ensure the substitute works. Don’t wait till the last possible minute to do so, or your fish will be struggling to cope with stress while you’re away.

Adding new fishes should be avoided for at least a month before you go away. This is to prevent new diseases from being introduced into the water, which may take time to discover and treat.

Pet-sitting is a heavy responsibility. For all it’s worth, your efforts above may be for nought. In case of emergencies, give your pet-sitter (and yourself) some peace of mind by leaving behind a number to call: yours, the fish store’s, or a fish expert’s whose advice you trust.

What To Look For When Buying Aquarium Fish Tanks

Mermaid — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:50:38 +0000

Whether you are shopping for saltwater or freshwater fish tank, the best option is not go for the “package deals” that let you buy everything at one go. Though more convenient, these can turn out to be more expensive in the long run. The equipment may not be of the best quality either.

Selecting each piece individually is a safer bet. However, if you do decide on a package, make sure you’re getting good value for money.

In this article, we will look at buying good aquarium fish tanks for your needs.

Tips on Buying Aquarium Fish Tanks

Shape: When it comes to aquarium fish tanks, the regular rectangular shape is hard to beat. Not only is it easier to view your fish, you get to keep more fish. The large surface area means more oxygen enters the water, as compared with a high tank with the same volume. Besides choosing the wrong shape of an aquarium tank can dramatically affect your fish.

Cracks and Scratches: Examine the tank closely for these. Scratches can mean potential leaks. They also make ideal homes for unsightly algae, which become even harder to remove when embedded in cracks.

Material: Today’s aquarium fish tanks are usually made of glass sheets sealed together with silicone gel that withstands the water pressure. Glass tanks are more popular, but a lot heavier than plastic ones. They also break. Plastic (acrylic) tanks, however, tend to be a lot smaller, scratch more easily, and don’t give as clear a view of the fish. If you want compare the advantages and disadvantages of glass and acrylic aquarium fish tanks, the list is here.

Once you bought the aquarium fish tank of your choice, consider these points:

Before you set up a tank, fill it with water to make sure there are no leaks.
Where you place the aquarium is important. Once it is setup, it will be difficult to move it without dismantling the entire outfit.
Do not put the tank in direct sunlight. Algae multiply fast and the water will turn green in two days.
Keep the tank in a quiet corner of the house, so the fish are not unduly disturbed by people talking or walking in and out of the room.
Don’t put the tank near electrical equipment. Water spills can lead to electric shocks or damage the equipment. Proximity to a refrigerator can also disturb the fish due to vibrations and heat produced.
Easy access to a power point is a convenience to keep in mind (e.g. for installing a mechanical filter).
Since the average aquarium is likely to weigh more than 220lbs when filled, it’s important to ensure the aquarium stand is sturdy.
A polystyrene base between the tank and its support will help cushion the weight, and counteract any excess pressure from uneven parts of the base.
Clean your fish tank at least every other month.
Scrub the glass with an algae scraper to attack algae on the tank surface.

Why Do I Always Have Cloudy Aquarium Water?

Mermaid — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:43:06 +0000

Q: I religiously clean my aquarium once a week doing only 15% water change at a time. Lately, I’ve noticed the water condition turning rather cloudy earlier than a month ago. Why is this so?

Although you’re actually changing the water correctly, but there could be a few reasons why your aquarium is turning cloudy.

Possible Reasons to Cloudy Aquarium Water:

Your fish(es)’ activities are stirring up the gravel in your tank.
The cloudiness could also be caused by debris thrown from an unwashed filter that you switched on again after changing the water.
New food that you’ve introduced.
You might have mistakenly over-changed the water (maybe twice weekly instead of once).

If your problem persists, you can get some fish tank water clarifier solutions from aquarium store to help clear the water.

Aquarium Substrate: Gravel Basic

Mermaid — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:26:08 +0000

Gravel is one of the most common aquarium substrates used for the aquarium tank floor. Aquarium gravel is available in a range of colors and sizes. Not only is it rather pretty, it can anchor your plants (which you might not need to buy plant substrate for) too.

Use Gravel Substrate To Enhance Your Fish’s Color

aquarium substrate and gravel" width="100" height="300" align="right" />Choosing the right color is important. For example, blood-red gravel can look rather artificial, especially if your tank is set up like a little underwater Sherwood Forest with verdant emeralds and greens. Moreover, any red fish you may have will look dull and uninspired viewed next to your gravel substrate.

Opinion has it that dark gravel better highlights a fish’s colors. Apparently, fish adjust their colors to match those of their surroundings, and light gravel tends to wash out a fish’s true colors.

You can choose a variety of aquarium gravel and substrate here.

How Much Gravel Is Appropriate For Your Tank?

Generally, use about one pound of gravel per one gallon of water. The final depth should measure one inch, otherwise anchoring your plants can get difficult.

Cleaning Your Aquarium Gravel Before Using

Clean your gravel to prevent scum from forming on the water surface. Do not use soap, as even its residue can kill fish.

Place the gravel in a colander, and rinse it thoroughly under running water till the water turns clear. If you’re concerned about wasting water, soak the gravel in a tub and keep rinsing until the water is clear.

Before using gravel of unknown origin, boil it for 15 minutes to kill unwanted bacteria. But do check if the pebbles are plastic coated as boiling them will destroy the coating.

Not All Gravels Are Equal

Be aware that not all gravel is inert. For example, coral, seashells, and limestone release carbonated into the water, thereby affecting its pH and buffering levels. A quick test: drip acid (vinegar for example) onto a batch of the gravel in question. If it forms or bubbles, the gravel will leach carbonates.

And to be absolutely safe, fill a bucket of gravel with water and measure the pH over a period of a week. If the pH remains stable, the gravel is safe for use.

You may also want to check for sharp edges on pebbles or gravel bits that can scratch your fish hiding in the substrate.

The Final Touch: Now that you’ve got your gravel placed nicely at the bottom of your tank, the last thing you want to do is slosh water into it and send your nice arrangement flying in all directions! The trick: pour the water onto a plate or into the cup of your hand. This evenly distributes the flow of the liquid so that your gravel remains intact.

Blood Red Parrot Cichlid: Treating Black Patches and White Spots

Mermaid — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:45:46 +0000

Q1: My blood parrot cichlid has black patches and spots. I tried using “Ocean-free Super Fish Guard” but that didn’t help.

I’ve never used Ocean-free Super Fish Guard before, but according to my understanding it is used to remove chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals, buffer PH and reduces stress, stimulate protective slime, protect mucus and gills; which isn’t meant to treat patches and spot.

As to the patches and spots on your blood parrot cichlid, it could be pigmentation which you can’t do anything about it. However, if they look raised with ulcerated or irregular borders, there may be a bacterial infection or one secondary to a tumor growth. Treat the infection with anti-bacterial medication. As for tumors, you might want to check with your vet to see if it is into the possibility of excising away the growth.

Q2: My red parrot fish has white spots, and has not eaten for two weeks. The shop recommended raising the water temperature to 30°C, but there was no improvement. I used an anti-ich medication for five days, but it turned the whole tank blue and my red fish pink.

Your fish most likely has ich. You’ve done the right thing by raising the water temperature. This speeds up the life cycle of the protozoan parasites to reach the free swimming stage, when they will be more receptive to the medication.

Your medication cycle of five days is too short. Try a 12-day cycle. Give the tank one more course of medication even if you find no more spots on your fish. The anti-rich medication inevitably turns the tank blue, giving you the illusion of pink fish. However, everything will return to normal once the disease has been eradicated and water changes are performed.

How To Setup An Aquascape Aquarium

Mermaid — Wed, 06 May 2009 07:29:54 +0000

When setting up an aquascape aquarium, obviously the critical living things you need are aquatic plants—be it live or artificial plants—and along with other non-living decorative items and aquarium equipment. But first, let discuss why we need aquatic plants in aquarium and their main functions:

Function of Aquatic Plants In Aquarium

They visually enhance your tank.
They provide shade and shelter for the fish.
They keep water conditions pure by absorbing carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen.
They help remove nitrate, a waste product, by utilizing it as food.

Preparing Your Aquascape Aquarium

Plan the desired layout thoroughly beforehand. Ensure that everything that goes into the tank—plants, fish, rocks—is compatible with and suited to the system you have chosen (for example, tropical freshwater or marine.)
Add plants, branches, rocks and gravel to create an interesting variety of textures and shades. The design should incorporate ways to hide technical hardware (by positioning rocks strategically, for the fish to swim freely, and give reclusive species of fish places to hid.
If you are using a biological filtration system, fit the undergravel filter plate into position before adding your base material.
Pour the base material over the bottom of the tank. Create a slope that undulates from front to back, to give a sense of perspective to the aquarium.
Use bogwood or driftwood to enliven your aquascape. Weigh them down or push them deep into the gravel to prevent them from floating to the surface.
It is advisable to add some water before planting, so you can judge the effect of your efforts. Do not fill the tank completely until you finish planting. Run the water over the rocks to avoid disturbing the base.
Select plants that are healthy and easy to look after. Ensure plants are thoroughly cleaned before use. You can use artificial plants if you keep herbivorous fish as they would quickly denude your tank of the plants.

How To Arrange Your Aquatic Plants

Begin by placing taller plant species around the back and sides of the tank. Do not hide the glass completely—leave small gaps to create the illusion of space beyond.
Use medium-sized, bushy plants as space fillers, and place smaller species in the foreground. Low-growing species look good planted in front of rocks.
Make your aquascape attractive by selecting a “star” specimen plant which stands out from the rest of the plants, as a point of interest.
To create a natural look, plant each species in groups.
Do not push the plants too deeply into the gravel—the crown should be level with, or just above the gravel bed.
Spread the roots out in the gravel.

Treating Goldfish With Rotting Tails With Salt

Mermaid — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:16:12 +0000

Q. Dear Mermaid, my goldfish have split and rotten tails. Should I use table salt to treat their problematic tails?

There is two parts to your question.

First of all, salt, be it table salt or sea salt or aquarium salt, is used to treat tank water, not sick fish. Two possible causes of your goldfish with split and rotting tails could be attacks from other aggressive fish in the tank or excessively frequent changing of water that results in “chlorine disease.”

If you are treating the tank water, try using aquarium saline and malachite green instead of table salt. I strongly would NOT recommend using table salt or sea salt as the way to treat your tank water although I’ve heard many aquarists (who swear by it) used them to treat their tank water without any adverse effect.

Basically table salt is aquarium salt plus other additives (not suitable to fish). Unless you are able to find PLAIN table salt that contains ONLY sodium chloride (aquarium salt) in your local supermarket, please avoid using any regular table salt to treat your tank water.

We are talking here about Sodium Chloride with symbol NaCl, which is the main chemical in table salt. Table salt also usually contains small amounts iodine and calcium silicate. The iodine prevents goiter in humans that eat the table salt, and the calcium silicate prevents the table salt from caking. Read more here.