Bacteria in a Bottle...pg34
Koi Nutrition...pg38
THE
FISHKEEPER May/June ‘16
Vol. 7/No. 4
For the Aquarist: Freshwater & Marine
The
Congo
The
website for the aquarist
fishkeeper.co.za
Tetra
Freshwater Water Chemistry 101
Layout Techniques: Making the Best of Layout Materials
Aquarium Fish Aggression Feeding a Coral Reef Aquarium Page 16
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The Leopard Wrasse Page 08
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For the Aquarist: Freshwater & Marine
Africa’s only magazine for marine and freshwater aquarium hobbyists.
May/June
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Vol 7 / No 4 / 2016
08
features 04
FRESHWATER WATER CHEMISTRY 101
Maintaining the correct chemistry in your tank is essential to the health of your fish, plants, invertebrates, and other tank inhabitants. It will also ensure that you can enjoy the full beauty of your set up in pristine conditions.
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LEOPARD WRASSES
This article describes six species of Leopard Wrasse common in the aquarium hobby. These wrasses display unusual behaviours particularly burrowing into the substrate of the tank.
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THE CONGO TETRA
The Congo Tetra is one of the larger tetras, with males reaching sizes of up to 8.5cm. They are also very attractive, with their irridescent colouring. They are relatively easy to keep if their requirements are met.
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FEEDING A CORAL REEF AQUARIUM
Improved understanding of the nutritional needs of corals and other tank inhabitants makes it necessary to provide sustenance for all. This article gives ideas for a complete feeding regimen.
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LAYOUT TECHNIQUES: MAKING THE BEST OF LAYOUT MATERIALS DISEASES HUMANS GET FROM THE AQUARIUM HOBBY
Moolis Moolman describes the “side effects” of becoming and aquarium enthusiast, including such conditions as multiple tank syndrome, which will cause the sufferer to want to acquire more and more set ups as they become aware of all the possibilities.
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AQUARIUM FISH AGGRESSION BACTERIA IN A BOTTLE: SNAKE OIL OR NOT? KOI NUTRITION
regulars 03 40 40
From the Editor LFS Listing Advertiser’s Index
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t’s hard to believe but we are almost half way through 2016! As you can see by the front cover of this issue it was time for a freshwater feature article and what better species of fish to do an article than the beautiful Congo Tetra. This species is considered by many to be the jewel of tetras in the home aquarium because of its natural beauty. The Congo Tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus) was first described in 1899. Its habitat is in Africa; the Zaire River basin and Congo River upstream. It’s a schooling fish that inhabits muddy water feeding on crustaceans, insects, and some plant feed. Congo Tetras are extremely attractive African characins, growing slightly larger than most of its kind. In this article we learn all about the care and breeding of this tetra species. We often hear many people say you shouldn’t keep Discus with Angels because they’re not found together in the wild, but is this really true? Angelfish are frequently mates of Discus in nature. Normally they are in a minority within a large Discus group, but I was recently very surprised to hear of nettings in their natural habitat of 400 Green discus and nearly 250 angelfish together in one netting. Pterophyllum scalare are found normally in smaller groups of five to ten within a large Discus group and are, after Geophagus/Satanoperca/Biotodoma species, the most frequent mates of Discus.
P. leopoldi can only be found as mates of Heckel Discus (Rio Negro system), but less than with P. scalare, which also lives in the Rio Negro basin. P. altum is never found with Discus, as it does not live in their habitats. It is restricted to the upper Orinoco tributaries where no Discus has been found. So as you can see, keeping angelfish and discus together seems like a natural mix. Both are spectacular fish and the temptation to put them in the same tank is compelling. Both species come from the same area and live in a similar environment. Angelfish and discus are good candidates for blackwater aquariums. Once again we would like to thank everyone for their support in buying and reading The Fishkeeper magazine. We always do our best to provide the best articles and to distribute the magazine far and wide throughout South Africa in order to further promote the fishkeeping hobby which we are all so passionate about. Don’t forget, if you would like to subscribe to The Fishkeeper magazine you can do so on our website www.thefishkeeper.co.za and pay via credit card or bank transfer, or alternatively you can call us on 031 763 4054 and we can process your subscription over the phone. Happy reading, and happy fishkeeping!
The Editor
DEADLINES Issue July/August 2016 September/October 2016 November/December 2016
Colour Adverts 25 May 2016 25 July 2016 25 September
The Fishkeeper volume 7 | number 4 May/June 2016 Managing Editor Rolf Dennison Design Layout Rolf Dennison & Michelle Marston Advertisments Michelle Marston Subscriptions Pauline Visser Electronic Origination & Printing Dennison Publishing & Art Printers The editors welcome articles and photographs, which will be considered for publication on their merit. Payment is offered for articles and photos that are published. Disclaimer: The Editors and Publishers of Dennison Publishing do not accept any liability whatsoever with regard to any statement, fact, advertisement or recommendation made in this magazine and do not necessarily agree with the viewpoints expressed by contributors to The Fishkeeper. © 2016 by Dennison Publishing cc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.
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Editor: editor@thefishkeeper.co.za Adverts: adverts@dennisonpublishing.co.za Accts: accounts@dennisonpublishing.co.za Sales: sales@dennisonpublishing.co.za Bank Details: Dennison Publishing The Standard Bank of S.A. Ltd Hillcrest Branch 045726 Acc no. 062 557 971 Subscribe now! Subscribe online at www.thefishkeeper.co.za. You can also subscribe by filling in the subscription form in your Fishkeeper magazine and sending it to us at the above postal address. Your Fishkeeper will be delivered to you for just R210 for 6 issues including postage Please contact us if you have any enquiries Cover Photo: Congo Tetra Phenacogrammus interruptus Image © Hristo Hristov
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Freshwater
Limestone and coral based rocks are placed in the water as a substrate to create a more alkaline environment
ater chemistry is one of the most important engines of the aquarium. Water chemistry governs every factor within the aquarium and directly effects the health of fish and aquatic plants. Water from the tap can often have a water chemistry that makes it unfit for direct use in the aquarium. In these cases it may need to be adjusted to the species of fish or plant in the aquarium. This guide paves the way to easily adjusting your pH, KH, GH and other parameters.
pH is the most common area hobbyists have issues or require adjustments. pH is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of the aquarium water. 7 is neutral, above this up to 14 is alkaline and below this down to 0 is acidic.
All fish species have different preferences and ranges in which they thrive. Few species of fish thrive in completely neutral water. In the wild lakes are often alkaline due to leaching of
limestone that lines the base. Rivers such as the Amazon are acidic due to leaching from soils and clay beddings. This excess of wood and mud in areas like South America will lower the pH. Drier places with clay grounds and billabongs such as Australia also support a slightly acidic pH. Most fish species will adapt to a range of pH values. Although it is important to attempt to attain specific values, over time most species can adjust to small changes. Cichlids are an example of a fish with that require a higher pH. Limestone and coral based rocks are placed in the water as a substrate to create a more alkaline environment with a pH of 8 or higher. Most South American Tetras and Australian rainbows will prefer a lower pH of around 6.5.
Changing the pH can be difficult and needs to be done with caution. Before changing
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the pH it is beneficial to think if it is a requirement. As mentioned earlier, fish species will adapt to pH values within a certain range. Attaining specific values can be time consuming and difficult. Aquarium water contains natural buffers to restore the pH to its original value. Liquid pH up and down additives will initially have no effect. This is due to the liquid chemically reacting with the buffers and becoming neutralized. At a certain point the buffers will be run down and the liquid will have an immediate change in the water’s pH value. This is dangerous and can cause sharp swings that are toxic to the fish. Try to avoid using liquid pH additives as they are only a short term and unrefined solution. To change the pH you must change the water buffer level. The best way to bring the pH down is to use a commercial plant substrate, add wood to the water and peat to
Substrates such as crushed coral offer a brilliant white substrate and chemically buffer the water
the filter. Peat and wood are great but may initially stain the water a yellow colour. Powdered commercial buffers also work but they are not an exact science. They will need to be added to each water change to ensure the new water being added is the same pH as that in the aquarium. Raising the pH for housing species such as Cichlids is fairly simple. Substrates such as crushed coral offer a brilliant white substrate and chemically buffer the water to a pH of 8+. Limestone chips can be
added to the filter to increase hardness and also boost pH.
are more toxic but luckily are instantly converted to nitrates which are relatively harmless.
Ammonia is produced by fish waste and excretion. It can also become noticeable due to excess food and decaying plant matter. Ammonia is toxic to fish and should naturally be removed from the aquarium when it is consumed by biological bacteria in the filter media and substrate. A cycled tank has bacteria that consume the ammonia and turn it into nitrites which
If you have any levels of nitrite or ammonia it may be due to a mini-cycle caused by cleaning of the filter medium or a very large water change. It can also be due to over stocking and over feeding. Make sure you are careful to always keep levels of these elements down so that your fish are always never stressed. These will also occur when first setting up your tank.
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Peat and wood are great to lower the pH but may initially stain the water a yellow colour
In emergency situations nitrites and ammonia can be dealt with through small water changes done frequently. Use a water dechlorinate solution (often with a buffer to remove toxic ammonia) to neutralize the emergency situation. Continue water changes, remove any decaying matter, and try to pinpoint the reason for the spike. If possible it is sensible to move fish to another stable aquarium while levels drop and stabilize.
Nitrates are not an immediate danger to your fish like ammonia and nitrite. However over time nitrates can accumulate within the aquarium and become toxic to
the fish. If nitrate levels become extremely elevated (50ppm+) the fish in the aquarium may lose colouration, appetite, and general health. It is best to keep nitrates as close to 0ppm as possible.
 This can be done by having a densely planted aquarium. Plants consume nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous during their normal cycle. Fish excrement is composed of all these elements. This is a great way to make a mini-ecosystem that literally recycles micro elements within the aquarium, requiring less maintenance and adjustment. A tank with both a school of fish and a many plants will require fewer fertilizers due to the fish providing some fertilizer to the plants.

Water changes need to be completed at least once a week. Doing so will reduce the accumulation of nitrates in the water and sustain a healthier environment to your fish. If nitrates are consistently at elevated levels, consider 2-3 water changes each week.
KH is carbonate hardness and refers to how much carbonate is in the water. This becomes even more relevant when injecting CO2 into the aquarium. KH also provides a neat way to be able to estimate how much dissolved CO2 is in the aquarium at a point in time. Carbonate hardness
Plants consume nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous during their normal cycle and control nitrate levels
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also determines buffering capacity of the aquarium water. This is important in CO2 dosing to decide how much of a pH swing there will be in the aquarium when the lights are switched off. Higher KH will mean an improved buffer capacity. Most aquarium fish species do not enjoy high carbonate hardness, around 80ppm+ is desired to act as a good buffer and be tolerable for aquarium fish.
A higher KH will also stop your pH slowly dropping over time. KH can simply be raised by using a small amount of sodium bicarbonate in the aquarium. This should also be completed when carrying out a water change. One ½ a teaspoon will raise the KH by about 2 degrees in 100 litres of water. Scale this measure to your aquarium and add the required amount. A 200 litre 1m aquarium will have an increase of just under 2 KH with the addition of one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda (ensure it is not baking soda). If the KH needs to be continually boosted another way of raising it is to use a bag of crushed coral in the filter. Start with a
small half fist sized bag and work your way up. Coral may also raise the pH so make sure to add small amounts to avoid pH swings.
GH is the general hardness of the water. Humans can notice difference in water GH when they drink from the tap compared to filtered water. Tap water can be hard, which essentially means it is full of dissolved minerals. Soft water is at the other end of the spectrum and is devoid of minerals. Fish species do have preference to hard or soft water. Generally most species will be tolerant of a range of hardness as long as it doesn’t approach extremely soft or hard values. GH can be very important when attempting to breed fish or replicating natural habitats. Generally as a rule of thumb, the higher the pH the higher the GH. You will find that most fish species either prefer acidic and soft waters or alkaline and harder water.
The GH can be raised quite easily. In combination with raising the pH and buffer
levels of the aquarium, limestone chips placed in a filter bag will leach dissolved solids into the water and increase the GH steadily. Small bags of coral can also be added to both the tank and filter to effectively but safely raise the GH. Lowering the GH is slightly more difficult and can be costly. Diluting the aquarium water by using RO (reverse osmosis) water will offset the amount of dissolved solids. RO water has no dissolved particles. This will balance the water and reduce the amount of dissolved salts, reducing the hardness and bringing down your GH. Using small bags of peat, wood or plant specific substrate can also bring down the GH but will most likely bring down the pH simultaneously. These are the basics for water chemistry, but before you actually decide to go make any changes, realise that the fish may be just as happy as they are now and attempting to change the parameters is difficult and could potentially end in disaster. Think twice before attempting to adjust the water parameters in the aquarium.
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Marine ARTICLE: By Bob Fenner
nce considered difficult to keep, wrasses of the genus Macropharyngodon are good candidates for modern reef systems with plenty of hiding places and passive tankmates. The common name “Leopard Wrasses” might imply that these members of the Macropharyngodon genus are as tough as big cats. Unfortunately, that is not the case, as the common name mainly refers to the spotted appearance sported by most members of the species. The wrasses’ stealthy, stalking feline behaviour is also reminiscent of their namesake. The 10 or so described species of Leopards are small (reaching only 10 to 15cm at maximum) and feed by sifting the sand and searching for small invertebrates among the live rock. They are extremely shy overall and can only be kept healthy and happy for any real length of time in an established reef system of good size. Unfortunately, even when provided a large, established reef, many specimens die within a few weeks of capture due to stress from collection and transport.
Several species are somewhat commonly available, though none are available all the time. Rare Wrasse (Macropharyngodon bipartitus) M. bipartitus comes from the western Indian Ocean. It grows to about 12cm in length. Like most members of the genus, it exhibits sexual dichromatism (exhibits a different colour depending on the gender of the individual) and is a protogynous hermaphrodite (it begins its lifecycle as a female and becomes a male with increased dominance status). Choat’s Wrasse (M. choati) Coming only from east Australia, M. choati are rare and expensive. This is a small species that reaches up to 7.5cm in length. While many in this genus display orange or red colouration, typically in the form of highlights, it is usually against a green or dark background. This species is unique in that it features orange or red colouration on a silvery background, which makes for an interesting contrast. Potter’s Leopard Wrasse (M. geoffroy)
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Being a mimic of Potter’s dwarf angelfish (Centropyge potteri), M. geoffroy is often called the Potter’s Leopard Wrasse. Its range is from Hawaii to Micronesia and the East Indies. This is a very delicate species. Guinea Fowl Wrasse (M. meleagris) M. meleagris is the most common species in this genus offered to the aquarium trade. Simply called the Leopard Wrasse or Guinea Fowl Wrasse, it is found in the Indo-Pacific from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands to the Western Pacific. Looking at one it is easy to see why these fish are associated with a leopard’s colouration. It grows to 15cm in length. Black Leopard Wrasse (M. negrosensis) The Black Leopard Wrasse is usually offered as a miscellaneous item. Only the ones imported from Australia generally survive. It ranges in the Indo-Pacific from the Andaman Sea to Samoa. It reaches about 12cm in length. Ornate Leopard Wrasse (M. ornatus) The Ornate Leopard Wrasse is found in the Indo-Pacific from Sri Lanka to New Guinea. The best specimens are exported from
Leopard Wrasses are notable for burrowing and staying under the surface of sand substrates at night, or when frightened
Australia and Sri Lanka. It grows slightly larger than 12cm.
These fish have a penchant for zooming about their captive and natural reefs continuously during the day. However, they are notable for burrowing and staying under the surface of sand substrates at night, or when frightened. It is also possible that Macropharyngodon may dive into the sand on first introduction and stay there for days. This flight may not necessarily be from fear; they are likely just adjusting their circadian rhythm after having
been caught and shipped through several time zones. Other than checking to see if the wrasse jumped out onto the floor, I urge patience. Do not stir the sand up to find your errant wrasse. Be assured that with time, it will resurface.
Macropharyngodon wrasses rarely harass invertebrates other than smaller worms, mollusks, and crustaceans. They get along with all other reef fishes, with the exception at times of members of their own genus. When keeping multiple Leopard Wrasses,
place them in the tank all at once or, barring this, introduce only a single male per system, and a smaller, initial phase individual in turn. To be clear, only one male should reside in any given tank unless it is of huge volume, with only one female unless the system is hundreds of litres in volume. These fishes are generally encountered in the wild in groupings of smallish females with perhaps a few sexually undifferentiated young swimming about with them. Occasionally, if you have good vision and are keenly looking about, you may see a male (they are wary of divers), perhaps with a larger female in
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Macropharyngodon bipartitus
association. There are times when similar-looking wrasse species do conflict with leopards, with some Pseudocheilinus, Thalassoma, Coris, and Halichoeres wrasses notably fighting them for territory. Hawkfishes (cirrhitids) and some Dottybacks (pseudochromids) may also vie with Leopard Wrasses. If any of these fishes must be stocked with Macropharyngodon species, the Leopard Wrasses should be placed first.
Leopard Wrasses can be quite hardy, but they are vulnerable to starvation like Mandarin Dragonets. They need to be provided with the right types of foods on a regular basis. If you doubt the sustainability of your substrates in producing such live foods, I strongly encourage that you utilize a high-quality, completely nutritious, and palatable prepared staple. For picking out good Leopard Wrasses at the store, look for clean, full bodies: undamaged fins, clear, bright eyes, regular breathing and swimming behaviour, and no obvious damage about the mouth. Also make sure to perform the time-tested acid test to ensure that the fish will feed on the foods that will be offered. Smaller, initial-phase (female) individuals adapt much more readily than already-male, larger specimens. These males almost always ship poorly, being too high strung to be confined to small spaces.
Macropharyngodon choati
Macropharyngodon geoffroy
I class Leopard Wrasses with small Blennies and Gobies as species that should not be left at the store too long, a few days at most, perhaps even picking up on arrival if practical. The important take-home point here is to make sure you don’t procure too-thin specimens, as these rarely rally and return to a good index of fitness.
Leopard Wrasses are best kept in a well-established reef system featuring a deep, fine sandbed and copious amounts of small crustaceans, worms, molluscs, and more. These fishes are avid burrowers, hence the need for finer, rounder (not angular like silicate) sand. Sugar-fine aragonite substrate is ideal. Avoid sharper, larger grades, which cause stress, damage, secondary infection, and death. Wholesalers often get by offering a small tray of appropriate sand. These fish require stable, optimized water conditions and a good deal of substrate-derived live food items to subsist on. The operation of a vibrant, food-culturing refugium of size is certainly a bonus in their care.
Macropharyngodon meleagris
Systems under 375 litres with less than 45kg of good-quality (mature but not too old) live rock need not apply, as the likelihood of success in keeping Leopard Wrasses in smaller systems is extremely small. They need room to move, have a sense of being able to get away, and surface area for foraging. It is very important to completely cover the top of the system and not only have the water level down a few centimetres, as these labrids can really launch themselves out of systems with small enough openings topside.
The absolute need for nutritious foods has been mentioned enough. If you can’t provide live items, frozen/defrosted meaty foods of
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small size (mysids, cyclops, copepods, etc.) should be offered a few times (two, three, or more) a day, along with small pelleted food. To acquaint unfamiliar fishes with the pellets, successively mix some higher percentage of the dried sinking food in with other offerings. I’ve yet to see a fish that didn’t learn to take this food in a relatively short time.
Macropharyngodon negrosensis
This may perhaps be inconsistent to what you’ve heard others advocate, but I would not quarantine Macropharyngodon spp. There’s much more to be potentially lost than gained. Delaying Leopard Wrasse placement in a permanent display setting may bring added stress, likely damage (from the fish dashing about), and extended non-feeding. If anything, I might - if the specimens appear strong enough - subject them to a few minutes of a pH-adjusted freshwater bath to knock off possible external parasites. Macropharyngodon ornatus
Perhaps related to their adaptations to sand burrowing, these fishes rarely suffer from the usual external protozoan scourges of tropical reef fishes. If they’re to be treated for such, quinine compounds are strongly advised rather than dye, metal salts, or formalin-containing products.
Unlike many labrid genera, the sex of Macropharyngodon wrasses is easily distinguished. Terminal phase (male) individuals in good health are quite striking in appearance. Males are larger in body size, much more colourful, and definitely much shyer than females. Like other wrasses, they are protogynous hermaphrodites, first becoming functioning females from sexually undifferentiated juveniles and then becoming males. Spawning events in captivity in hobbyist and institutional setups have been recorded, though no young have yet to be raised in captivity.
There were times when virtually all imported Macropharyngodon wrasses died within days to weeks of collection. It is likely that still more than half don’t survive the travails of collection, holding, and shipping. Many also meet their maker through improper housing and/ or lack of available amounts of useful foodstuffs. Despite all this, you
can successfully keep these wrasses given practice at selecting good individuals and providing for their basic care as outlined here. Yes, the odds are not super when keeping these fishes, but their collection, holding, and shipping have greatly improved in recent years. Your likelihood of being able to buy successful specimens is good. Should you have a very well-established, large, healthy reef tank and are looking for a small, colourful fish addition that exhibits interesting behaviour, consider the Leopard Wrasses.
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Freshwater ARTICLE: By The Fishkeeper his beautiful Tetra originates from the River Congo as well as Central African rivers. The Congo Tetra Fish (Phenacogrammus interruptus) was described in 1899. Its habitat is in Africa – Zaire river basin, Congo river upstream. It’s a schooling fish that inhabits muddy water feeding on crustaceans, insects, and some plant feed. Congo Tetras are extremely attractive African characins, growing slightly larger than most of its kind. They have slightly compressed and elongated bodies which have an iridescent colouration. Generally, the mid body has a gold stripe while the flanks have a violet or turquoise colour. The fins of well looked after and healthy fish are long and flowing and vary in colour from grey to a lovely purple. It is rather a large fish for tetra kind – male size may be up to 8.5 cm and the female up to 6 cm. Lifespan is from 3 to 5 years. The fish has lush fins; the male fish have long veiled edges on the dorsal, fluke and anal fins. The male has a three-bladed tail with a pronounced middle blade. Congo Tetras are fairly easy to care
for if giving the necessary setup and if their needs are met. Nicely planted aquariums are especially good to have for these fish as this will provide cover for them to retreat to if they are startled or afraid. Either plastic or live plants will be good enough, however it is good to keep in mind that live plants will help keep the nitrates low. Plenty of swimming place must be left for them as well, perhaps (depending on the type of tank) placing the plants at the back and sides would leave most of the front enough swimming space. Water quality is an important factor as they can be sensitive. Good filtration and circulation will help make a perfect environment. Congo Tetras require a tank of no less than 100 litres because in keeping them it is advised to keep them in schools of six to eight. When putting the fish into a new tank you should use some substances for artificial water aging, some peat substances or put a peat stuffing into a filter. You may also use the water from a previously set up tank. Due to the fact that fish can jump out of the water, the tank should be tightly closed. The fish school prefers swimming in the upper and middle
The male has a three-bladed tail with a pronounced middle blade
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layers of rivers and lakes. Keeping them in lesser numbers may result in them being very skittish and stressed, as they don’t feel protected enough. And it is because of this that most of the Congo Tetras seen today do not look anything like the beautiful fish it supposed to be. They need the space to be able to swim and develop their beautiful colouration. While they are able to tolerate other neutral pH levels, Congo Tetras prefer softer water with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. The temperature range these fish are happy with varies from 24°C to 27°C. As for care, water changes should be done every month and be equal to 1/5 1/6 of the aquarium’s capacity, but this works only in case if there are no other fishes in the tank. If you have some other characin fishes in the tank, then increase the water changes gradually up to weekly changes of 20% of the tank capacity. Ideally it’s better to create a native biotope – dark tank substrate, lots of plants, some snags. You can put some plant leaves on the bottom to make the tank water brownish to more closely resemble the natural habitat in the River Congo.
As Congo Tetras are timid by nature it is not advisable to keep them with much larger fish, very fast fish, or fish that are aggressive toward them. This might stress them, again another reason why they might not be as colourful anymore. They will mostly occupy the middle and top waters of the tank. The best type of fish to be kept with them are other characins but this is not to say that other fish are not advisable, just be sure to keep fish that have more or less the same nature of the Congo Tetra. It may not be a good idea to keep fish that are much smaller than them either, as they can nip at them. They also tend to nip at young plants. Congo Tetras are omnivores and will generally feed on flake, live, and frozen foods easily. Give them a varied diet and feed live insect larvae and vegetables as an added diet to obtain the best of health.
The fish should have a plant diet, for example, some salad or dandelion leaves etc. can be added to the Congo
Tetra’s regular diet. It should consist of 60% of animal feed (blood worm, tubifex, or brine shrimp) and 40% of plant feed (filamentous alga, spinach, feeds containing spirulina) or Tropical Micro Pellet Fish Food or Hikari Tropical Semi-Floating Micro Pellets. Otherwise, if the fish diet has lack of plant components, the Congo Tetra may start eating soft parts of tank plants. One of the potential problems with this fish is that since it is rather timid, it may not be able to compete with more active tank mates for feed or it even won’t eat the feed till you are around.
Tankmates can consist of the majority of small African and South American Characin fishes, live-bearing fishes, Rasboras and Barbuses (except maybe the Tiger Barb), Corydoras, dwarf cichlids like dwarf butterfly cichlid. However, still it’s more proper to keep Congo Tetras in a school of 4-20 individuals separately from other fishes.
Males are larger, brighter coloured, and have larger fins than the female. The female fish is small, significantly less brightly coloured, and her abdomen is larger and more rounded. In general, it’s rather easy to differentiate between the adult fishes of this species.
Approximately 2 weeks before the Congo Tetra starts breeding the male and female should be separated into different tanks and fed well and high. The fish reaches sexual maturity at the age of 8-9 months. The spawning may occur both within a fish pair and in a school, but the latter is more desirable (the males should prevail in this case). A spawning tank should be of 20 litres for a pair or 100-150 litres capacity for a school. The spawning is seasonal and usually occurs in the morning. It’s initiated by adding fresh, soft water to the tank, increasing temperature and water flow, increasing the number of daylight hours, and feeding more. The eggs are deposited among the plants or on the tank bottom.
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Put a separating grid on the spawning tank bottom and it’s desirable to put a large bush of Thai fern on top of it. Water hardness is 1.5-3°, pH 6.8-6.5, KH up to 1°, water temperature 2528°C. After pouring water into the spawning tank, close it with clean glass and give the water about 2 weeks to settle. But don’t forget that the water settles using aeration. Put Congo Tetras into the spawning tank in the evening. Gradually raise the water temperature up to the optimal value. As a rule, the spawning stars in 2-6 days and it lasts for about 2.5 hours.
A well planted aquarium suits this species well as this will provide safety for them to retreat to should they feel threatened
The Congo Tetra is one of the largest tetra species, with males reaching up to 8.5cm in length and females up to 6cm
It is best to keep Congo Tetras in a school of 4-20 individuals separate from other species, since they can be timid and are often bullied by more aggressive fish
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The light should be bright and close to the intensity of natural sunlight. The fish will produce 300-500 transparent, not sticky eggs. After the spawning remove the fishes, the substrate and the grid from the spawning tank and replace almost all the tank water with water with the same parameters and colour it a little with methylene-blue. The eggs should be shaded and the whitened ones should be removed. The healthy eggs are round and completely transparent. The incubation time is 5-7 days. One or two days before larva appear decrease the tank water level up to 3-5 cm. The juveniles hatch in 6-7 days and they start swimming and feeding right away. Starter feed for juveniles is infusorians, rotifers, boiled egg yolk, starting from the second week of the juveniles’ life they can be fed with brine shrimp nauplii and cyclops, Vinegar eels. Please note that young that spawn in the main tank often stop growing and die due to the concentration of nitrogen compounds, hence the need for the spawning tank. In the end the Congo Tetra is considered by many to be the jewel of tetras in the home aquarium because of its natural beauty, and anyone with a decent sized planted natural aquarium should really consider acquiring a school of these tetras, you won’t regret it!
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Marine ARTICLE: By Sanjay Joshi n the past, the generally accepted practice advocated minimal feeding of reef aquariums. This was based primarily on the notion that reefs are very nutrient poor, and reef inhabitants, especially corals, could generate all their energy requirements through photosynthesis while fish could survive by picking off of live rocks. Adding food would only increase the bio load of the tank, and increase nutrients and dissolved organic matter. Feeding regimes were oriented towards feeding the top of the food chain - the fish - and the recommended practice was to feed sparingly once every 2-3 days. The natural coral reef is an ecosystem with a complex food web, comprising: 1. primary producers (phytoplankton, zooxanthelle, algae) that convert the solar energy, carbon dioxide and water into chemical energy stored as sugar, and 2. consumers which either eat the producers, or the by-products of producers, or consumers lower in the food web. Food provides the energy necessary for
vital functions to sustain life, for growth and reproduction. For an organism to thrive, the total energy demand must be met. Only a small portion (10-20%) of the food energy is converted into useful energy, with most being lost as waste and heat. Thus as we move up the food web, the amount of lower forms of food energy required to sustain the organisms higher in the food chain increases dramatically. In a typical reef aquarium, the complete food web does not exist in quantities large enough to sustain the ecosystem without any additional energy input. We typically provide this in the form of food that we add to the aquarium. However, in the past we have focussed only on feeding the highest members of the food web, namely the fish, leaving the other inhabitants of the reef to derive their energy requirements through other channels in the food web. This model assumes that the rest of the organisms can either derive all their energy through other pathways in the food web, or their demise or reduction in numbers is inconsequential to the proper functioning of a reef aquarium. This model of reefkeeping also makes it difficult to keep organisms with
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specialised feeding needs - sponges, filter feeders, etc. Over the last year or so, there has been a significant shift in the feeding approach for reef aquariums. The trend now is to try to feed the complete range of life forms that inhabit the reef aquariums - fish, corals, filter feeders, microscopic life forms, etc. Contributing to this shift in paradigm are several factors: 1. a better understanding of the feeding and metabolic requirements; 2. availability of “better� protein skimmers; 3. availability of a wider range of foods that can meet the requirements of the range and variety of reef organisms; and 4. a better understanding of the role of detrivores, micro fauna. The feeding and nutritional requirements of the organisms in a reef tank is varied and often very little is known about the specific nutritional needs of the organisms. As we strive for greater biodiversity in our reef aquariums, the role of feeding may play an important role. It is often difficult
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4. It costs you less and you can be sure Evaluation of the gut contents of a Montastrea coral contained copepods, ostracods, mysids, menatodes, polychaetes and other zooplankton
to duplicate the diet of the organisms in the wild, and substitutes have to be found. In fact, it is not even clear how much, how often, should corals and other organisms be fed. For the purpose of looking at the feeding requirements of the reef life forms, this article will divide them into several broad categories (based on type and size of food particles ingested), and look at how an aquarist can try to meet their feeding requirements. The broad categories are: Fish, hermatypic corals (with zooxanthellae), ahermatypic corals (without zooxanthellae), filter feeders, and detrivores.
Meeting the feeding requirement of fish is by far the easiest, and there is a wide variety of fish food available ranging from frozen foods to dry foods catering to the needs of the wide variety of fish available in the aquarium trade. The dietary needs of the fish can be easily satisfied by anyone or a combination of these and any fish whose dietary needs cannot be easily met should generally be avoided.
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Corals can be classified into two types. 1. Hermatypic - those housing symbiotic zooxanthellae 2. Ahermatypic - those without symbiotic zooxanthellae
The tubastrea species is one of the easier ahermatypic corals to keep due to the large polyp size and its ability to accept larger pieces of food
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Tangs need to graze continuously, and in most well established reefs there is very little macro algal matter available
Anthias feed in open waters and require feeding several times a day
Hermatypic Corals Hermatypic scleractinian corals (primarily SPS corals) use two modes of feeding autotrophic and hetrotrophic. Zooxanthellae are unicellular algae that live within the coral polyp, and are the primary producers that produce food energy via photosynthesis. The autotrophic mode of feeding involves the translocation of the photosynthetic products produced by the symbiotic zooxanthellae to the coral polyp tissues. Research has shown that the total energy demand cannot be met by photosynthesis alone. The corals spend energy for the following functions: respiration, mucus production, growth, and reproduction. Respiration accounts for 60-70% of the energy budget of the coral, and for most hermatypic corals the ratio of gross photosynthesis to respiration is slightly greater than one to one. Hence corals need to provide the additional energy needs via other means. The other mode of feeding used by the corals is the hetrotrophic mode of feeding. Hermatypic corals possess the unique ability of making use of all hetrotrophic modes of feeding known in sedentary benthic animals. These modes of feeding are: 1. Predatory prey capture by the polyps (zooplankton capture); 2. Sedimentary filter feeding using mucus nets (bacterioplankton); 3. Consume dissolved organic matter via active transport of molecules through cell membranes. To determine what corals feed on in the wild, researchers evaluate the gut content of corals in the wild and also experiment with the animals in laboratory. Evaluation of the gut contents of a Montastrea coral contained copepods, ostracods, mysids, menatodes, polychaetes and other zooplankton. Suspended organic material ingested by corals via sedimentary filtration included bacteria, protozoans,
detritus, faeces of fish, etc. Interestingly, research indicates that the scleractinian corals rejected algae and other plant material. Research indicated that even if plant material was ingested it was not digested and regurgitated. The size of prey captured by the polyps can be larger than the polyps, with the general rule being the smaller the polyps the more important the role of autotrophic feeding. Some of the laboratory experiments were conducted using artemia nauplii as food. These are basically a form of zooplankton. The polyps easily captured nauplii of size 0.70.9mm. Corals with larger polyps (e.g pocillopora, stylophora) also captured Artemia nauplii up to 1.4mm. Research in predatory feeding has shown that, even in corals with polyps active in the daytime, polyps hunt more efficiently at night. In ambient conditions on the reef (with wet bio mass of zooplankton ranging from 0.5-4 mg/L, bacteria 1.5-3 X 106 cells/ mL, and dissolved organic matter ranging from 0.5-2 mg of C/L ), as a rough average scleractinian corals could compose their energy balance as follows: 60-70% via photosynthesis, 10-20% predation, and 10-20% by feeding on dissolved organic matter and bacterioplankton (Sorokin 1995). The hermatypic soft corals are basically similar in respect to the scleractinians, but there is a wider range on the degree to which autotrophic sources of nutrition are used. Most researchers are of the opinion that octocorals are in general weak predators compared to the scleractinians, and may ingest passively floating particles of detritus, foraminifera, eggs of slow moving larvae of inverts, etc. For the purpose of feeding we can further classify the hermatypic corals into small polyped and large polyped corals. The large polyped corals (eg. Euphillia species, cataphylia species, etc.) also typically have large mouths and can be fed small pieces of
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shrimp and other chunky food (silversides, chopped sea food - fish, shrimp, squid, scallops, etc.). Anemones and mushroom anemones (e.g. Rhodactics species) can also be fed in a similar manner. Feeding the small polyped corals is a more challenging task, and one that is more open to debate. Ahermatypic Corals Corals from the genus Tubastrea, Dendronepthya, and non-photosynthetic gorgonians, do not harbour symbiotic zooxanthellae, and hence the autotrophic mode of feeding is non-existent in these corals. All the food energy requirements have to be met by hetrotrophic modes of feeding, making these corals more difficult to keep in reef aquaria. Aquariums housing these corals require strong currents and large amounts of planktonic food. Recent research has shown that Dendronepthya and other soft corals from the Red Sea obtain most of their nutrition from phytoplankton (Fabricus et. al 1995). The tubastrea species is one of the easier ahermatypic corals to keep due to the large polyp size and its ability to accept larger pieces of food. They need to be fed almost daily, and can be “trained� to open at specific times of the day, by feeding consistently at the same time every day.
In addition to the fish, corals and other invertebrates, a coral reef aquarium also contains a host of other life forms such as sponges, sea squirts, fan worms, marine worms, copepods, and amphipods, etc. Filter feeders typically feed by trapping small particles by processing large volumes of water through their body or appendages. Detrivores feed either on the detritus or ingest bacteria on them, or organics coating the detritus particles. In a well fed aquarium the needs of these organisms may be indirectly met. However, it has been the experience of many aquarists that
adding supplemental small particulate food (phytoplankton, blended food mix, rotifers, plankton surrogates, etc.) has increased the population and size of sponges, sea squirts, and fan worms. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that adding food targeted towards meeting the specific needs of these creatures is beneficial. In the following section, I will discuss some of the commonly fed foodstuffs, which will make it easy to provide nutritional sources of food and attempt to satisfy the feeding requirements of a wide spectrum of the food web.
The use of Nori (also known as Laver, a seaweed of the genus Porphyra, a group of marine red algae) which is used extensively in oriental cuisine has greatly contributed to maintaining the health of herbivorous fish, e.g. tangs. Laver is cultivated as a major food crop in the Orient. Nori (the Japanese term for laver) is sold as dried sheets in various colours from deep brown or red/purple to black-green, in plain dried form, roasted, flavoured etc. For use as food in the aquarium, the plain dried form is preferred, although fish will eat the
roasted variety - just stay away from the flavoured variety. Tangs need to graze continuously, and in most well established reefs there is very little macro algal matter available. The common means of providing this was to use land based leafy vegetables such as lettuce. In my personal experience, I have found most tangs start accepting nori very quickly and I have been able to maintain tangs in full-bodied form (without shrunken stomachs) using nori and other seaweeds. There is a large variety of naturally dried seaweed (kelp, dulse, laver) available in most oriental grocery stores and health food stores, and some of these are excellent food for tangs. A wide variety of seaweeds are also available through the aquarium companies (e.g Julian Sprung’s Veggies, Ocean Nutrition’s Seaweed Selects). To feed the fish, these sheets of dried algae can be attached to rocks with a rubber band.
A few years ago I had trouble keeping the Red Sea Anthias Squamipinnis alive for any significant period of time. The primary difficulty was in getting them to
feed. Anthias are planktivores that feed in open waters and require feeding several times a day. The Sweetwater Zooplankton was very readily accepted by the anthias as food, and I was able to wean them on to other foods. Now my anthias even relish nori! Sweetwater zooplankton consists primarily of cultured daphnia (water fleas). It is available in sealed jars with unlimited shelf life. Once opened, it needs to be stored in a refrigerator and will last for up to a month.
Phytoplankton are free floating microscopic plants that grow in the upper regions of the ocean where sunlight is plentiful. These small plants, which are composed of algae, are the bottom of the food chain for the entire ocean, and the largest group of primary producers in the ocean. There are several hundred species of phytoplankton. In a typical reef aquarium, the phytoplankton population is very low to non-existent - either it gets consumed faster than it can reproduce, or gets removed by skimmers. Phytoplankton serves as the primary food source for a lot of reef organisms.
A place where people can receive and give friendly advice on all aspects of reefkeeping in South Africa
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A place that in one year has given away around R20 000 in prizes to its members. Prizes have included Protein Skimmers, Light Units, Flow Pumps and even full systems! www.thefishkeeper.co.za may/june 2016 the fishkeeper
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Phytoplankton are free floating microscopic plants that grow in the upper regions of the ocean where sunlight is plentiful.
Spirulina algae is another excellent source of nutrition for marine fish and invertebrates
Phytoplankton come in a wide range of microscopic sizes. Based on the study on Dendronepthya (Fabricus et al 1995) the range of size suitable for corals is the range 3 to 20 micro meters. Examples of strains of phytoplankton are Nannochloris, Isochrysis, Tetraselmis, among others.
in the phytoplankton product one can then determine how much of the product to add. However, most suppliers of live phytoplankton do not provide this information, so I just aim to make the water turn a light shade of green. It usually clears up in an hour or so.
Although phytoplankton can be cultured at home, the process is often beyond what an average aquarist wants to get involved with. Recently several products have appeared in the market that have the potential to simplify the process of phytoplankton addition.
Interestingly, research indicates that the scleractinian corals rejected algae and other plant material. Research indicated that even if plant material was ingested it was not digested and regurgitated. This has interesting implications for the hobbyists since it could lead to the conclusion that “green water” or phytoplankton may not be a suitable food for hermatypic scleractinian corals. However, there may be indirect benefits to these corals from the increase in other microfauna resulting from the feeding of the phytoplankton.
The best strategy for feeding phytoplankton may be to use a mixture of several different species. Different creatures may have different tastes and may prefer one species over another. Studies using a mix of phytoplankton species have been shown to produce increased growth and survival when compared to animals fed a single species. When feeding with phytoplankton most researchers recommend feeding in doses such that the concentration of phytoplankton is in the 10,000-100,000 cells/ml range. Knowing the concentration
Several aquarists including myself have observed increase in the polyp extension of corals, and increase in feather dusters, sponge and tunicate populations, along with increases in other micro inhabitant populations. In addition to providing additional food source that can be directly
The use of Nori, which is used extensively in oriental cuisine, has greatly contributed to maintaining the health of herbivorous fish
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added to the tank, phytoplankton products can also be used to enrich artemia, and as a food supply for rotifers.
There is a large variety of artificial foods designed for the aqua culture of shrimp, clam, oyster and other seafood. These could potentially be used in reef aquaria to feed the filter feeders and even some corals. These feeds are available in sizes ranging from 5 microns to 250 microns. Over the last two years, I have been adding a “pinch” or two of Artificial Plankton and Rotifers (APR). After using the APR, I started to notice increase in the number of sponges and filter feeders in my tank. Also, the existing sponges increased in size. This was my first foray into attempting to feed the filter feeders, sponges and tunicates.
Newly hatched brine shrimp are an excellent food source for a reef aquarium. Additionally decapsulated brine shrimp eggs can be used. I use the decapsulated brine shrimp eggs as an additive in
Newly hatched brine shrimp are an excellent food source for a reef aquarium
my food mix, and also feed the tank occasionally directly with this. Spirulina algae, is another excellent source of nutrition for marine fish and invertebrates. This can be fed as spirulina food flakes, or in the powdered form to be used in a food mix. Another useful food additive is the Omega-3 fatty acids that are important part of the diet of most marine animals. The omega-3 fatty acids that are of interest are the highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), DHA and EPA. These fatty acids are an essential part of the diet for most marine fish larvae. It is often recommended that brine shrimp and rotifers be enriched with omega-3 fatty acids before feeding.
I have been feeding my aquarium more heavily than the average aquarist for the past two years. Rather than try to feed the fish, inverts and filter feeders separately I wanted a concoction that would satisfy most needs with single feedings, supplemented by specific target foods occasionally. Here a recipe that I (and several other hobbyists have used variations of this) have been using. I basically go to the sea food section in the grocery store, and pick up several shrimp, squid, sea scallops, mussel, clams, fish, and any other raw seafood that is available. The other main ingredient I use is nori. I also use other natural dried seaweeds that I have been able to find in the oriental grocery stores. First throw the nori (and other seaweed) into the blender and shred into small pieces. Do this while its dry and it breaks up into nice small pieces. Then, remove most of it to leave a handful in the blender and add half the seafood mix along with some water and blend it into a fine liquid paste. Then I add back the rest of the nori, the remaining sea food mix, along with some spirulina flakes, spirulina powder, decapsulated brine shrimp, vitamin drops, a few drops of algal paste, some artificial plankton and rotifers, some yeast and a few drops of Selco. Chop it in the blender so as to give some larger chunkier pieces. Place the mix into the freezer bags and spread it thin in the bag to allow breaking off pieces easily, and freeze. The finely blended stuff along with the other micro sized food will work fine to feed the filter feeders and corals, and the larger pieces along with the nori works well for the fish, and the other invertebrates such as star fish, and shrimp.
The exact proportion of each is not really all that important, I just try to make sure that there is enough variety to satisfy the wide range of life forms in the tank. I have recently experimented with adding broccoli, carrots and spinach to the mix. I have seen the tangs eat the pieces of spinach, broccoli, and carrots. Some other ingredients that I have added to the food include fresh fish, brine shrimp, freeze dried plankton, dried blood worms, and other fish food I have lying around. The basic idea was to create a one shot food recipe that will take care of the complete spectrum of life forms in the tanks. I feed about a 5cm square piece of this food every day in my 680litre tank. I prefer feeding at night before the lights go out, since the coral polys are more active at night.
Many reef aquarists have started feeding their tanks more heavily than in the past, and adding food targeted towards the specific needs of the complete food web. There is enough anecdotal evidence to indicate the visible benefits of feeding in these reef aquariums - in the form of greater polyp extension in corals, increased population and size of sponges and filter feeders, increased diversity in the population of the microfauna, and in the general health and appearance of fish and invertebrates. So, should you rush in and start feeding your reef aquarium heavily? NO! Increase in feeding should be gradual, providing enough time for your aquarium to adjust to the increase in food. The aquarium will adjust by allowing the existing animals to respond to the increase in availability of food by increasing their population. This increase is not going to take place instantly, and occurs over a period of time. Our problem is to balance food input and assimilation to keep the level of dissolved nutrient low. A good sand bed fauna and a good skimmer will generally help in keeping the nutrient levels low and allow you to feed at levels that suits the wide diversity of life in the reef aquarium.
• Sorokin, Y.I. (1995): Coral Reef Ecology, 2nd Edition, Springer Verlag, New York, USA. • Fabricius, K. E., A. Genin and Y. Benayahu. 1995. Flow-dependent herbivory and growth in zooxanthellae-free soft corals. Limnol Ocea www.thefishkeeper.co.za may/june 2016 the fishkeeper
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Freshwater ARTICLE: By Aqua Design Amano
In addition to its natural volcanic-rock shape, Unzan stone is available in various sizes, allowing you to easily choose the ones in the size suitable for your aquarium. This stone also has pockets for the placement of Wabi-Kusa, which help you make diverse expressions. This layout using Unzan stone has been created through Sozo Haishoku where only aquatic plants were replaced while the stones were maintained. This process provided the layout with a brand-new impression by combining with Wabi-Kusa Hygrophila pinnatifida.
DATA Tank: Cube Garden W180×D60×H60 (cm)
Aquatic Plants
Lighting system: Grand Solar I (NAG-150W-Green× 1; NA Lamp Twin 36W x 2) x 3 lighting for 10 hours a day
Wabi-kusa Hygrophila pinnatifida
Filter system: Super Jet Filter ES-2400 (Bio Rio L, NA Carbon)
Lilaeopsis Drasilliensis
Substrate: Aqua Soil-Amazonia, Power Sand Special L, Bacter 100, Clear Super, PENAC W, PENAC P, Tourmaline BC
Riccia fluitans
Eleocharis vivipara
CO2: Pollen Glass Beetle 50Ø, six bubbles per second with CO2 Beetle Counter (CO2 Tower used)
Glossostigma elatinoides
Air: Aeration with Lily Pipe P-6 for 14 hours while lighting is OFF at night
Fish Species
Additives: Brighty K & Green Brighty STEP2
Nematobrycon palmeri
Water change: 1/3 water change once a week
Otocinclus sp.
Water quality: Water temperature 25°C, pH 6.8, TH:20mg/ℓ
Caridina japonica
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Each layout material has its unique features. A good example for this is Unzan stone’s uneven surface and pocket for placing WabiKusa. The basic of layout is to make the best use of these features.
1. Pour Aqua Soil into the pockets on an Unzan stone. It is convenient to use a tool such as a spade.
2. Put your favorite Wabi-Kusa (Ă˜5) into the pocket with Aqua Soil.
3. This is an example in which Wabi-Kusa Hygrophila pinnatifida is used. This epiphytic plant goes well with Unzan stone.
4. This is an example in which Wabi-Kusa Eleocharis parvula is used. The runner will eventually drape over the stone.
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Unzan stone For Unzan stones featuring a good shape, it is important to place them in good balance rather than to arrange them. Using the Sozo Haishoku method, you can enjoy a layout having a different image just by replacing the Wabi-Kusa placed in the pockets on the stones. This layout depicts a group of stones standing on the field of Eleochalis acicularis. Its simple composition brings out the fineness of the stone arrangement. A collaboration with Wabi-Kusa Australian dwarf hydrocotyle
Australian dwarf hydrocotyle twining around the Unzan stones adds a natural ambience to the layout.
Australian dwarf hydrocotyle in yellowish green color softens the somber black color of Unzan stone.
Australian dwarf hydrocotyle grows fast and propagates vigorously. However, its stem wilts quite fast and if the green stem turns reddish purple, the development of new leaves will slow down.
Created following the basics of Iwagumi in terms of the position of the main stone, the size of each stone and the number of stones, this layout features the superb balance of arranged stones.
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The impression of the stones was softened by Eleocharis vivipara and Hygrophila pinnatifida. Now the wonderful combination of stone and green can be naturally enjoyed. The significance of stone varies depending on aquatic plants. Collaboration with Wabi-Kusa Hygrophila pinnatifida
Aquatic plants can easily be attached to Unzan stone thanks to its very rough surface. Hygrophila pinnatifida also matches this stone very well.
Epiphytic Hygrophila pinnatifida should adequately be thinned out because this plant will gradually cover the stone over time.
Hygrophila pinnatifida having epiphytic roots will develop large leaves once the roots start spreading. It is advised to trim off the excessively large leaves which may lead to layout imbalance for neater appearance of the aquascape.
This information covers from purchase to actual usage of layout materials so that you will be able to use them effectively and pursue creating a wonderful aquascape.
New wood
Branch wood will show its natural colour while being used in a layout. Branch wood has a bright yellow colour. However, this colour is observed only when the wood is very new. It will eventually turn natural light brown as it is used in the layout. New branch wood is almost unseasoned and prone to fungal growth; but once the branch wood has turned light brown in the layout, it will no longer have the fungus problem. Buoyancy of branch wood differs depending on the dry condition of the wood. The wood would most probably float if it has been kept out of water.
Old wood
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Be careful of excessive scrubbing of Ryuoh stone during cleaning. Due to the perception that calcium carbonate relates to white colour, it is often thought the rise in total hardness of water is caused by the white lines of Ryuoh stone. Nevertheless, the white portion of the stone is not much different from other bluish black portion of the stone in terms of the effect on water hardness. Rather, the dust occurred as a result of abrasion of Ryuoh stone is a great contributing factor to a higher total hardness of water. This dust is generated in the course of scrubbing process of Ryuoh stone during stone cleaning. Accordingly, minimizing the scrubbing of the surface of Ryuoh stone helps restrain the rise in total hardness of water. When the surface of Ryuoh stone is scrubbed, it is advised to subsequently change the tank water to remove the cloudy water caused by the stone dust.
Before
The stone looks whitish when on sale. Have you had an experience where you found the layout materials sold in a shop to look different from the pictures you had seen on Aqua Journal? Stones usually look more whitish in dry state compared to the colour that can be seen underwater. This tendency is particularly prominent in Kei stone and Ryuoh stone, but these stones will turn their original colours when they are used in a layout. If you are concerned about what colour the stone on sale will have in the layout, it is a good idea to request (of course, with an intention to purchase it) a shop staff to wet the stone to confirm its colour.
After
Grab layout materials having attractive shapes when you find them. When it comes to driftwood and stones which are natural layout materials, it is apparent that no two are ever the same. It is therefore advisable to purchase your favorite shape of layout materials when you discover them. The chance to come across your desired item will be greater if you visit a shop dealing with a wide range of materials. It is also important to keep a good communication with the shop staff so you will receive some useful information such as when a good layout material is coming in.
What are beginner-friendly layout materials? It can be said that the layout materials naturally having a good shape are beginner-friendly materials because they look great just by placing them in a layout. Some examples of such materials include multi-pronged branch wood and mountain-like Unzan stone. These materials also have additional advantages that they do not cause yellow water due to tannins leached out from them and also hardly give any impact on water quality such as rise in water hardness. Notes on the first use of the purchased layout materials The biggest concern about driftwood is buoyancy; and the buoyancy of wood differs depending on the wood species and dry condition. Branch wood has high buoyancy and requires pre-soaking as well as some stones to be placed on it as a weight. By the way, many articles say that boiling driftwood is a good preventive measure against leaching of tannins and other organic acid, the cause of yellow water. This method is, in fact, not recommended since the resin of some types of driftwood may leach out in the boiling process. The water discolouration is mainly due to humic acid which does no harm to living organisms. In view of this fact, it is advisable to use driftwood in a layout without pre-boiling and solve the yellow water problem by frequent water change and the use of NA Carbon. For stones, the concern of rise in pH level and water hardness can be offset by the use of Aqua Soil-Amazonia to a certain extent. In the event where the total hardness of water rises by more than 100mg/â„“, a Softenizer (water softener) should be installed in the tank, otherwise the growth of aquatic plants is likely to slow down.
26 the fishkeeper may/june 2016 www.thefishkeeper.co.za
THE PLANTED TANK Official Distributors of Aqua Design Amano Products Contact info@theplantedtank.co.za for more information, or call 083 742 1954 www.thefishkeeper.co.za may/june 2016 the fishkeeper
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Fishkeeping ARTICLE: By Moolis Moolman @ Pet Stop SA
es, every one of you reading this article is already infected by at least one of these diseases. The one disease I see and experience myself daily is also the biggest and most contagious disease of all. This is the “multiple aquarium syndrome” or sometimes called “aquarium aids”. Who is susceptible to this disease? Well everyone with at least one aquarium and definitely those with 2 aquariums. What are the symptoms? • An already running aquarium under your care • A need to keep one or more species that are not compatible with your existing aquarium inhabitants • An urge to start breeding a species in your aquarium OR • A desperate urge to upgrade your existing aquarium with a bigger one and no intention to empty the already existing aquarium. There are more symptoms but there are the most common symptoms I see in our clients. What are the possible solutions to this?
Well obviously the easiest solution is to give in to this and acquire that aquarium. But life is not always that easy or straight forward, for one there is the spouse factor. This is the major reason why this is called a disease; due to the consequences it will have on your health in this relationship and on your finances as well. Let me tell you my experience with this disease. I got married in 1987 and as my first birthday present from my lovely wife, I received a 3 foot aquarium. Before this I dabbled with 1 foot and 1 ½ foot aquariums, so this was a major step up for me, but unwittingly my wife was the cause of this disease in my life. Then my Pearl Gouramis started breeding. What an amazing experience this was! But also it was the final nail in my coffin, I WAS HOOKED. During the next 16 years I was the cofounder and chairman of Jacaranda Aquarium Club, had successfully bred over 90 different freshwater aquarium fish species, was the proud owner of 42 breeding aquariums in my house and 97 in my garage and attempted to open
a pet shop with a partner (I found out I am not made to be in partnerships). Now as you can imagine this was far beyond the point of no return, I was so infected that the only solution was either stop or make this hobby and passion a business. To try and stop was not an option as “Aquarium aids” is just that, you can cure the symptoms but not the disease, so I opened Pet Stop and the rest is history. What is the solution if you find you have “aquarium aids”? Make the best of it, DON’T go out and make it a business (like I did with my first attempt) if you do not have the necessary skills and capital. But at least use your time positively, and if you can make enough money to support your hobby even better. Another aquarium related disease is actually related to my last comments. It could be called “hobby blindness” or “clouded judgement”. This is a very serious disease and needs to be approached with a lot more caution. The symptoms are normally very clear to bystanders and totally obstructed from the person experiencing it. This includes: • A passion that overrides all other factors • The non-existence of a business plan or a plan that is not a business plan in any way shape or form • No in-depth knowledge of what is involved This disease is very serious as I have seen people losing everything they accumulated in life and having to start all over again.
Multiple aquarium syndrome is a common ailment among hobbyists
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The solution is very clear, though. An outsider has to intervene and give clear guidance, plus their direct support structure must be there for them in these tough times. Then a quality business plan needs to be drafted and tested. This is as
important as it is when you open any new business venture. We at Pet Stop SA have been asked so many times to assist that we are actually in the process of getting structures in place to help these hobbyists professionally in future, by starting a national franchise. Then there are the “breeder’s dreams”. This is actually not as bad as “hobby blindness” as 10 to 15% succeeds but the consequences for the rest of these hobbyists when they fail are not a pretty sight. This all start when a hobbyist experience what I experienced in 1988, those pretty Pearl Gourami’s want to breed, but not all hobbyists are as lucky as I was. The obstacles are enough to fill a whole book and still have stories left to tell. So this is a venture that I will never tell a hobbyist not to tackle, but I do have a few word of caution. Future breeders, I will try to compress the advice out the big book of life experiences to a short a list as possible. Firstly – KNOWLEDGE IS POWER – Yes knowledge is powerful especially if you want to be a successful breeder. Years ago I and a group of dedicated
hobbyists went to meet Oom Bert (Dr. Bert Polling) to talk fish. What a stunning weekend it was, one of the guys afterwards summed it up “IT IS LIKE DRINKING WATER OUT OF A FIRE HYDRENT”, but my point is, there we met a student called Zander that was busy training for his future, to become a professional full time aquarium fish breeder. Zander spent years with Oom Bert before he opened his aquarium fish farm and he told me it was still not easy. So get that all important knowledge by not only reading and listening but experiencing and attempting it your way and get a mentor. Secondly – Do not try and replace your day job with your breeding program. Out of my many years of contact with breeders, one thing became clear. Every year it gets even more difficult to compete with the prices of fish from Asia, take it slow. Start with one or two easy species and one or 2 more difficult species. Don’t tackle that elusive expensive species from day one, rather build up to them. Thirdly – Quality and size is everything. The quality of imported fish has increased in leaps and bounds so you
can not only compete on quality but you need an extra edge. Your extra edge will be size. The price of imported fish increase exponentially according to size, due to the cost of raising them AND the additional weight of the extra water bigger fish need. You will share the cost of raising them but freight will be no issue to you, so raise your fish to a larger size and you can easily afford to sell your fish below import cost. Giving you that edge. Fourth – build a relationship with pet shop owners and due to these relationships you will end up with a win-win scenario. You will always have a willing buyer and they will help you to know in advance what species and size will sell. As an added bonus they can also help you to keep your overheads lower. Fifthly – REMEMBER WHY YOU STARTED ON THIS JOURNEY, to enjoy your hobby!!! Enough of my rambling for now, go and enjoy your hobby in all its facets and try not to allow any of these diseases to ruin you, but use it to enrich your life and spirit.
• • • • •
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Fishkeeping ARTICLE: By Mike Wickham
Scratches an d scrapes, and missing torn lips scales coul d be signs of bulying in yo ur aquarium
ome hobbyists want their fish to be mean. They like it when their fish kick each other’s tail fins. When I was an aquarium retailer, such hobbyists would come into the store and ask which was the most aggressive fish. I dreaded that question because it was a hard one to answer — a judgment call at best. And I dreaded it because no matter which species I pointed to as being the most psychotic, murderous fish in stock, the next question was always a harder one to answer: The
hobbyist would want to know if the fish in question would get along with a list of other murderous, psychotic species they already owned. When you want to find a fish that will get along with your other fish, you probably shouldn’t start looking for the baddest fish in the store. Most hobbyists want their fish to coexist peacefully. They enjoy the calming effect of watching a relaxing community of fish in a peaceful aquarium. When a specimen deviates from friendly b e h a v i o u r , there’s reason for concern.
fish attack other en known to Bettas have be ve red fins ha that are red or
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Unfortunately, things can go wrong even in a well-planned community. That’s just the way it is. In nature, the strong dominate the weak; bullies torment the gentle; and many species simply view others as fish food. Even a peaceful species can have the occasional “criminal” individual. In this article, we’ll talk about aggression. We’ll start by discussing the things that make fish fight because the more you understand about fish behaviour, the more you can anticipate and prevent aggression problems in your aquarium. And for those times when the
Scratches and scrapes, torn lips and missing scales cou ld be signs of bulying in your aquari um
best planning fails and things still go wrong, we’ll list steps you can take that might make all the difference.
So, what makes a fish fight? It shouldn’t surprise you that fish fight over the same things that people do: food, mates, territory and so forth. It’s a good thing fish aren’t religious or political. Most aggression in the aquarium occurs over territory. Many species swim wherever they want and are fancy-free. They go where the current takes them; but others like to stake a claim to a certain area and call it home. Their territory provides a safe place to rest, hide or breed. The spot they claim may be the area surrounding a piece of driftwood or a corner of the aquarium. It might be a cave or large rock or an overhang of floating aquatic plants. Whatever spot they choose, the fish will allow some others to enter that area and punish others for coming too close. How does the fish “decide”? There are several factors. The first is whether the other individual is of the same species. In general, territorial fish are usually most territorial toward fish of their own species. They are particularly likely to be aggressive toward others of their own species that are also the same sex. That’s because one of the primary reasons for holding territory is to prepare a safe site for breeding, then to guard eggs and fry. So, if another fish looks to be of the same species, the same sex and a possible
The first thin
g you can try when attempt ing to preven to rearrange t aggression is the decoratio ns in the aqua rium
rival, it’s likely to be driven off. It depends on the reaction of the encroacher. If it is merely a neighbour wandering by, a gentle threat display or chase will drive it away. However, if the encroacher is a fish looking to take over the territory or steal a mate, a more fierce battle may ensue to determine if the current owner stays or goes. If the encroaching fish is of the opposite sex, a mating display may result. Fish use many things to determine if other fish are enemies. Colour, pattern and shape can come into play. The more a fish sees another fish as similar to itself, the more likely it will become a target. For example, the Betta fish (Betta splendens) will occasionally bother non-Betta species that happen to be red. Although hobbyists have bred Bettas into strains of various colours, the Bettas
still “know” deep down that wild Bettas have red fins. So, the red colour of a Platy or Serpae Tetra can be enough to make some Bettas aggressive toward fish shaped nothing like Bettas and not competing for territory or mates.
Some of the time, fights are obvious. You’ll see the bully beating on its victims. But not always. In fact, it’s more likely you’ll only later discover the damage done rather than see the fight itself. The fighting mostly occurs when there are no witnesses. It’s not that fish are smart enough to avoid the eyes of humans when they are misbehaving — it’s just that you can’t spend all your time looking at your aquarium, so you’re not there to see. Besides, when you are
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there, the fish are likely to be pressing their noses against the glass to beg for fish food. Their attention is going to be on feeding, not fighting. So watch for symptoms of fighting. Do any fish have split fins? Tail rot causes ragged edges on fins, but split fins are a sign of damage from tussling. Are any fish suddenly hiding? It could be from fear of a bully. Have any fish changed territories? Watch for scratches and scrapes, torn lips and missing scales. Are there obvious wounds or sores? Is anyone missing an eye?
In the barnyard, chickens peck at those they think have lesser status. In turn, they suffer pecks from more dominant chickens. A hierarchy results that is known as
the pecking order. The most dominant chicken is at the top of the pecking order. It’s usually a fine specimen with perfect feathers. The most submissive, most harassed chicken is at the bottom of the pecking order. It’s often a scraggly bird with feathers missing from its neck. And fish set up a pecking order, too.
Sometimes, fish just need to learn their place in the pecking order for things to settle down. The pecking order is likely to change over time as various individuals grow and mature. Even an aquarium that has been peaceful for a long time can go through a period of upheaval.
What can you do when the tropical fish in your aquarium start banging heads? If you witness a fight, your first reaction will probably be to grab a net and use the handle to separate the combatants. That will usually work temporarily but is not likely to solve the problem for long. The fish will just go at it again later. Letting the fish spar is actually a good first choice because it’s usually best to let the fish try to work it out among themselves.
Later, if it’s clear that the situation isn’t self-correcting, you’ll need to take stronger action. Because it’s usually territorial fish that fight, the first thing you can try is to rearrange the decorations in the aquarium. Move the driftwood, rocks and aquatic plants. Add some; subtract some. Make the aquarium look different. This forces the fish to establish new territories and can take away the advantage of a bully that already has its spot picked. Try to arrange the decorations in a way that provides plenty of hiding places and visual barriers. With aggressive fish, out of sight is usually out of mind. Merely moving a large decoration or group of aquatic plants may allow two previous sparring partners to set up territories where they don’t have to feel the threat of being watched all day. Redecorating is a good choice when adding new fish, as well. It doesn’t leave them as the only fish without territory.
, buy a net breeder For small to medium fish . You can isolate the and hang it in a corner bully inside for a week
Sometimes the damage to the victi m is so bad it will need to move to a separate aquarium for medical treatment
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When the steps I’ve suggested fail, you may have no choice but to separate the opponents. The first decision you will have to make is which fish to move. It’s a judgment call. Most hobbyists move the fish receiving the most beatings to protect it. If the injuries are severe, you will have no other choice because the injured fish becomes a target. All the fish start to join in, taking nips at wounds and causing further damage. Infection can set in and kill the victim. However, if injuries are minor, removing the victim is usually the wrong choice; it rewards the bully’s behaviour, and the intimidator is likely to focus on its next victim. The bully remains at the top of the pecking order. So my first choice is to set up a “fishy jail.” For small to medium fish, buy a net breeder and hang it in a corner. You can isolate the bully inside for a week. It’ll be able to see and smell
the other fish but won’t be able to attack them. It also lets the other fish establish stronger territories, so it may move the bully down the pecking order. I like the coarse mesh net breeders best because they let fish food and droppings fall through the bottom. You can also use the net breeder to isolate a slightly wounded fish so that it can heal without further injury. This has the advantage of letting the other fish see and smell the fish, so it won’t be viewed as a newcomer when reintroduced to the aquarium. You can also buy aquarium dividers to separate fish in your aquarium.
It’s easy to set up a quarantine aquarium to medicate a beaten fish or to temporarily isolate a bully. Usually, a bare 20 – 40 litre aquarium will work. Add a rock, piece of driftwood or plastic plants to provide a bit of cover for the fish, and a glass canopy to keep it from jumping out. A light isn’t necessary. You may need a heater, depending on where you live and the time of year; any small filter will work. I like to use sponge filters because they also work well if you want to use the aquarium to breed fish later. Sponge filters won’t capture eggs or fry.
Of course, the solutions I’ve mentioned don’t always work. Sometimes the damage to the victim is so bad it will need to move to a separate aquarium for medical treatment. Other times, the bully just causes more problems when reintroduced to the main aquarium and must be permanently separated. Don’t forget that when territorial fish grow, so do their territories. If you didn’t plan for this when you stocked your aquarium, a time will come when you will have to move some fish to other aquariums.
For injured fish, medication may not be necessary. Fish can heal themselves if provided clean water, good fish food and isolation from further damage. You may choose to gently net the fish and dab some iodine or mercurochrome on the wounds. Because a fish’s slime coat is its first defence against infection, adding a product containing colloids that temporarily bond to the fish until it regenerates its own slime, such as a conditioner made to deal with stress or fish slime, will help the fish regenerate a slime coat. A teaspoon of salt per 4 litres
also acts as a tonic and helps regenerate the slime coat. If injuries are more severe, treatment with a good antibiotic may prevent infection. Some good ones are kanamycin, sulfa drugs (such as triple sulfa) and furanoids (anything with “fur” in the active ingredient, such as nifurpirinol or furazone).
Lastly, for non-territorial species that become aggressive, sometimes the answer is not an intuitive one. Tiger barbs are the most well-known example. They like to school, and they like to chase each other around; but if you keep them in too small a group, they chase the other fish around and nip their fins instead. So sometimes, the way to stop a species from being aggressive is not to remove them but to add more. Keeping tiger barbs in groups of at least six usually guarantees their good behaviour. I hope I’ve given you some ideas for dealing with your vicious fish. Happy fishkeeping!
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Fishkeeping ARTICLE: By Moolis Moolman of Pet Stop SA
few weeks ago a client made a claim at the National Consumer Commissioner, accusing us of selling him a bacterial product that he does not need at all and added that it was “Snake oil” as stated to him by 2 large “reputable” pet shops in Pretoria. Well, needless to say, we won the case easily. Needless because I spend 4 hours
a week training my staff thoroughly and I myself do research on a daily basis. But this incident made me think, why did these shops make this statement? That is, if they made it at all. And why is there still this misconception about bacteria in a bottle?
34 the fishkeeper may/june 2016 www.thefishkeeper.co.za
Let’s start with my personal journey with bacteria. I had 2 major mentors in my aquarium hobbyist path when I started in this magnificent hobby. The first was Dr Bert Polling and the second was Oom At. Both these brilliant aquatic hobbyists had one constant in their approach to bacteria. You need to be a brilliant bacterial keeper to be a
good hobbyist!
tools to do it yourself.
Oom At took this to an extreme that I did not truly understand at the time. He went to some streams near Pretoria where he knew they are clean and healthy. There he collected substrate out of different parts of the river and treated it like live fish, with adequate oxygen etc. Then when he arrived home he added this to filters of aquariums that will only house stock a few months in the future. Later while he was training me and key personnel about microbes (his preferred term for bacteria) he went into detail about why he did it and how this ensured his breeding success with difficult/impossible catfish species. Then it dawned on me that the variety was as important as the amount.
First you need to understand the different types of bacteria, how they are packaged, how they work, and what they do. For the purposes of this article I will split bacteria up into aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Aerobic bacteria is the one that is needed to convert toxic inorganic compounds like ammonia and nitrite while an-aerobic bacteria convert organic materials like decomposed materials. Now it is obvious that if we have a new aquarium the decomposing materials will not be our problem but ammonia and nitrite will be our BIG problem. Both bacteria can be bottled and kept inactive for extended periods. Aerobic bacteria can be placed in a type of hibernation and anaerobic bacteria can be bottled in spore form. Now we come to a big problem, the process of keeping anaerobic bacteria in spore form in a bottle involves special inhibitors that kill all bacteria that is not in spore form. Can you see my problem - how can some bottles claim to have both in a bottle? I am no scientist so I need someone to explain this to me.
Dr Bert is renowned for his breeding successes and someone once said it must be his pipe smoke, as duplicating his success was sometimes impossible. But he would insist that the most important aspects were knowledge of the fish’s natural habitat, correct water parameters, and husbandry. I believe the most important factor for his success was his scientific understanding of microbes. This brings me to the subject at hand: can you duplicate this today in your aquarium out of a bottle? My answer would have to be a qualified yes. Why this qualified answer? Well, there are loads of products on the shelves and as we know, not all are created equal. My intention is not to evaluate them in this article, but rather is to give you the
But let’s assume that the producer (as most of the reputable ones do) did split them up. Can this really make a difference and how does this happen? Bacteria will naturally start to grow in your aquarium from the moment you place any item in the aquarium with bacteria on it. Then you add a fish or 2 and the bacteria start to multiply and then slowly add more stock until you get a well-established aquarium months later. But you need millions and millions
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of them to actively convert ammonia and nitrite fast enough to safely keep fish in your aquarium. Therefore months are not an exaggeration. So the theory is that if you add enough bacteria and their food in the aquarium you do not need to wait months, you can have an aquarium in a flash. We at Pet Stop SA can, out of experience, categorically say it worked for us. We reopened our shop 5 years ago after a devastating fire. Due to delays by the landlord we received the shop 2 weeks later than planned and therefore we had 2 days from filling our aquariums to opening day. But bacteria in a bottle saved the day; we did not lose any stock due to ammonia or nitrite. Score one for bacteria in a bottle! If you start out with the correct product, the only question should be “natural” or “unnatural”? There are schools of thought that no matter what, you need to go natural (wait the months). But, what is natural and how does it differ from unnatural? Natural is waiting for the bacteria to multiply by themselves and unnatural is adding the bacteria in amounts that are already sufficient to maintain a healthy environment. Now for a twist or two: if you add a variety of different PROVEN products you will end up with a variety of strains that will give your aquarium that pristine look all of our shop aquariums have. And if you add them regularly you will have a beautiful aquarium all the time. I myself was a natural person. I was trained and educated in the method and knew from experience that it worked every time. But then the shop incident happened and a whole new world opened up for me, now we can confidently deliver an aquarium and add the fish the same day – just like TANKED on TV.
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Koi ARTICLE: By Angela Beckx of Koi@Jungle
The food you are feeding your koi could be staining the water
oi nutrition is so important and often you may not realize how essential it is. A balanced diet is often the key to a successful koi pond as well as having happy and healthy koi fish. If you are feeding other animal pellets e.g.: dog, cat or trout pellets, to your koi fish it can lead to intestinal problems, cancerous tumours and generally weak, sickly fish. Feeding low quality koi foods can damage the health of the fish as well as staining the pond water.
Often koi ponds are not crystal clear and look dirty even with good filtration and it could be something as simple as staining caused by the food you are feeding your fish. In the wild koi have a varied diet, feeding on small insects, worms, and water organisms. In our ponds we need to try to give them as close to what they would eat in nature. Good brands of koi pellets will have a fairly high protein content (35% 45%) and supply all the essential lipids,
38 the fishkeeper may/june 2016 www.thefishkeeper.co.za
carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Check to see that what you are feeding does not have a low protein content (below 32%) and that it smells fresh. Stale or mouldy food is harmful to your precious koi. There are locally manufactured koi pellets, as well as imported brands available. A very popular brand that has a very wide range of koi food to suit all koi keepers’ budgets is Hikari Koi Food. They have an affordable entry level koi food as well as specialty koi foods that can make your koi’s white skin whiter and the reds deeper red. They have Silkworm treat foods and aggressive colour enhancing
foods made from Spirulina. This is one of the best brands from Japan that many top Japanese breeders use to feed their prize winning koi. Koi have a digestive tract rather than a proper stomach, so they can only absorb a certain amount of food at a time. Koi will benefit from more frequent feedings of smaller amounts of food during
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the day. The amount fed largely depends on the number and size of the fish in the pond. Overfeeding will put a strain on the filter system as well as resulting in cloudy, unhealthy water. Remove any uneaten food after 5 - 10 minutes, and give a little less at the next feed. Koi feed vigorously in the hot summer months. As autumn and winter approach the feeding will slow down. Along the coast in KwaZulu Natal, koi will feed throughout the year, taking perhaps only a little less during winter. Inland where water temperatures drop below 12 degrees, koi will go into a state of hibernation and stop feeding altogether. If your water is very cold, do not be alarmed should your koi lie at the bottom of the pond and sometimes even fall over – they are literally just “chilling out”.
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