Archive for September, 2009
Cold Water Aquarium Fishes – The Fifteen Spine or Sea Stickleback
Sep 30th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Sticklebacks hold a special place in fish-keeping history – their fascinating breeding habits are credited with inspiring the development of the aquarium hobby in Europe in the 1700s. The Sea Stickleback (Spinachia spinachia) is one of the group’s few marine representatives, and a good candidate for one of the most fascinating fish breeding experiences imaginable.
The Sea Stickleback is native to the cool waters of the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean, along the coast of Northwestern Europe. One of the larger sticklebacks, it attains a length of 8 inches or so and is quite hardy in the aquarium. It stays along the coast, rarely straying into depths exceeding 15 feet.
Underwater “Bird Nests”
Male sticklebacks construct tiny nests consisting of plant material held together by secretions from the kidneys. Clad in vibrant breeding colors (sea sticklebacks sport bronze and silvery bars and silver-yellow abdomens) they then display for the females, who lay their eggs within the nests. Females have been shown to preferentially choose water 
flowing from nests of unmated males, even when kept out of sight of the nests.
The brooding male guards the nest from any and all intruders, exhibiting aggressiveness that is far out of proportion to their size. I once observed a male three spine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) chase off a cunner that outweighed him a hundred fold.
Diet
In common with their relatives the seahorses, sticklebacks prefer live foods such as brine shrimp, blackworms, Mysids and Daphnia. I’ve had some individuals take frozen foods, but such is by no means a certainty for all. I’ve found that sticklebacks seem to require quite comparatively large amounts of food, and lose condition rapidly if not fed adequately.
Sticklebacks are fairly slow feeders, and will be out-competed by active species. They are also quite pugnacious and prone to “fin nipping” their less agile neighbors. Marine species get along well with spider and hermit crabs, small puffers and sea stars.
Spawning Sticklebacks in the Aquarium
We are indeed fortunate that such unusual fishes are rather easy to breed…watching them do so is a treat rarely afforded those who study marine fish. Although quite territorial, small groups will co-exist if enough nest sites are available. Be sure to provide widely spaced groups of sticks and plants so that nesting pairs may have the privacy they require.
Several species will come into breeding condition if their water temperatures are allowed to fluctuate with the seasons, i.e. by keeping them in an unheated tank in a room that experiences seasonal temperature variations. You should also seek to provide a light cycle tuned to that they experience in nature.
Native Sticklebacks
Unfortunately, like many temperate species, Sticklebacks get very little attention from aquarists these days.
The Sea Stickleback is not readily available in the USA, but a number of other species can be collected here and kept in a similar manner. I have had good luck in breeding the Three-spine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in a densely planted marine aquarium. This species is usually described as a brackish water fish, but those I collected from the Great South Bay on Long Island, NY thrived under typical marine aquarium conditions.
Further Reading
An informative account of stickleback collecting and breeding is posted at www.glaucus.org.uk.
Please write in with your questions and comments.
Thanks, until next time,
Frank Indiviglio.
Ninespine Stickleback image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Dryke.
Sea stickleback image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Visviva.
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Loading ...Spawning Corydoras Catfishes
Sep 28th
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Among the 150+ species of catfish classified in the genus Corydoras, all native to Central and South America, we find some of the most beloved of all aquarium fishes. Yet despite their willingness to breed in captivity, not many aquarists make the effort. As we will see, however, the droll cory cats employ one of the fish world’s most unusual breeding strategies…they are definitely worth a closer look!
Startling Reproductive Behavior
Female cory cats are larger than males, and their body has a thicker, more rounded appearance. In some species, the male’s dorsal fin is thinner and higher than the female’s and is held in a noticeably more erect position.
Corys may breed in either pair or group situations. Males chase gravid females, with the pair eventually lying motionless and perpendicular to one another (this is known to aquarists as the ‘T-Position”). The male lies on his side, and, amazingly, the female then uses her mouth to withdraw sperm from his vent.
Fertilization – Internal or External?
How fertilization actually occurs is still open to some discussion. Most ichthyologists believe that the sperm exits the female’s gills, and is shunted to a unique cup that she forms with her pelvic fins.
Upon obtaining the sperm, the female lays 1-5 eggs into this cup. She then moves off to a pre-cleaned site, usually a plant or the aquarium glass, where she glues each egg individually. She repeats this process with the same or another male until her clutch of 10-25 eggs is laid, an ordeal that may last 3-6 hours.
Some researchers have suggested that the sperm passes through the female’s digestive tract, to be released along with the eggs, or that the female expels the retained sperm upon the eggs. In any event, a most extraordinary means of fertilization…why such a strategy would evolve has not, to my knowledge, been explained.
Breeding Corydoras
While Corydoras cats may spawn spontaneously, the most consistent results will be obtained if cool, highly oxygenated water is added to the aquarium, simulating the drop in temperature and rise in water levels that accompanies the start of the rainy season in most Corydoras habitat. Dropping the aquarium’s water level beforehand may also help.
While various species differ in their requirements, the formula that I have used for bronze corys (C. aeneus) seems to work well in general. After dropping the water level for 2-3 weeks and maintaining it at 76 F, I add water of 60 F in an amount equal to 1/3 the volume of the tank.
Caring for Eggs and Fry
The eggs can be left in place and the adults removed (some are egg predators), or they can be carefully transferred to a rearing aquarium (they are fairly large and sticky for a day or so after deposition).
The fry should be housed in shallow water (3-4 inches) at first, as constantly rising to the surface for air will weaken them significantly.
Cory cats are, despite their “scavenger” reputation, highly specialized predators on tiny invertebrates. Their fry are best reared on live blackworms, brine shrimp and Daphnia, with animal-based flakes and pellets being added as they grow.
Plan to be in it for the long haul…a bronze cory in my collection is nearing 21 years of age!
Further Reading
Peru’s popular panda cory (Corydoras panda), described in 1969, favors cool, fast moving streams. To read more, please see
http://www.redorbit.com/education/reference_library/fish/panda_corydoras/2190/index.html.
Please write in with your questions and comments. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
(+1 rating, 1 votes) Loading ...That Fish Place Aquariums and Fish Recap – Week of 9/21
Sep 25th
Greetings! The big news this week? MACNA!! Our team is on location in Atlantic City for this year’s main event, and Dave will be tweeting on all the cool stuff going on there. I’m sure we can also look forward to a blog recap highlighting the showstoppers.
In the news this week: more new species. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the diversity we find on this little blue planet blows my mind. This time the newly discovered critters were found at around 500 meters depth near the Canary Islands. Don’t be expecting to see these deep water oddities in your local aquarium store, but take a look anyway because they’re just cool.
There was also this article on a risque new Chimera or Ghost Shark species discovered off the Southern California coast!
As if there wasn’t enough at the beach to look out for as a hazard, people in New Zealand now have to be aware of puffers and puffer toxin when they’re frolicking on those beautiful coasts. This piece should hit home with aquarists, too, as fun and adorable as puffers are there is a risk involved in keeping them in aquariums that has to be kept in mind, as the toxin has the potential inflict some serious damage. Read more on puffer toxin in Eileen’s blog about toxins.
And now for a look at the future of the aquarium hobby! We all know that leaving our precious aquariums home alone for extended periods of time can be stressful, and many of us can relate to the horror of tank disasters that can occur while we’re on vacation or working long hours. Why not construct your own robot to monitor your tank? Seems like an impossibility? Not when it comes with the help of the braniacs at Erector! The Spykee Robot may be the key to giving you a little piece of mind.
This week we got some pretty cool stuff in the fish room in addition to all the favorites. Here are the highlights:
I’m a fan of Possum Wrasses. Also known as Arrowhead Wrasses and Pygmy Wrasses, these little beauties are fun to watch, s 
and they’re reef safe. Their small size makes them suitable for even smaller tanks. The Tanaka Possum Wrasse is the newest arrival!
We also received a lovely little Polleni Grouper. Only about 3-4″ and very pretty! Of course, I’ve never seen an ugly Polleni.
On the fresh side, the Zebra Loaches that arrived this week are looking particularly robust and active. Those attractive stripes would complement any community tank. The new Bug-eye Squeaker Cats, Synodontis contractus, also caught my eye. Synos are interesting looking cats in general, but the patterns on these are very attractive and the current stock is fat and happy. If you’re on the market for African Cichlids, I recommend the adult Pseudotropheus acei with their spectacular blue color.
Until next time, Patty
Pufferfish image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Mbz1
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Koi Ponds in Autumn – Maintenance and Dietary Changes
Sep 23rd
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. As fall arrives in the temperate zone, outdoor koi ponds will need some attention if all is to go well when the temperatures drop.
Basic Considerations
The metabolisms of both koi and the various bacteria that occupy the pond and filter slow down as temperatures fall. Your fish will not be as hungry as usual, and leftover food will not decompose as quickly as in the summer. Dead plants and other organic material in the pond may also remain more or less “intact” through fall and winter.
However, don’t be fooled by the relative “quietness” of this time….as temperatures rise in the spring, decomposition will begin and the resultant ammonia spike may kill your fishes. Therefore, take care to be extra vigilant in removing organic detritus from your pond as fall approaches.
Cleaning
Be sure that your pond filter is in good shape and running well…rinse or replace filter media and continue with routine backwashes.
If necessary, install a leaf cover or net. This is not merely an aesthetic consideration…decomposing leaves will rob water of oxygen, lower the pH and increase the ammonia level.
To control the amount of dead plant material that enters the pond, remove any aquatic or emergent plants that will not survive the winter.
Health Checks
It is especially important that your koi be in good health as the weather changes. Immune systems will be stressed by the falling temperatures, leaving the fishes open to illness and parasitic infection. Bacteria and fungi that are ever present, and may be of little concern to healthy fishes, will prove dangerous to those not in the peak of condition during the fall and winter.
Feeding
As fall progresses, switch your koi from high protein pellets to more easily digested foods or wheat germ based pellets designed for use in cool water. Do not feed your fishes when temperatures drop below 52 F.
Temperature
Make sure that heaters or surface de-icers, if required, are in good working order. If you utilize a heater, set its thermostat for 62 F. Koi will feed lightly at this temperature, but keep an eye out for leftovers. In unheated ponds, cease feeding at 51 F.
Further Reading
For optimistic readers already thinking spring’s arrival, please see our article Koi, a Matter of Extremes in Spring.
Please check out our koi and outdoor pond books for further information.
For interesting forum comments and photos dealing with overwintering koi under extreme weather conditions, please see the forum at koi-bito.com.
Please write in with your questions and comments.
Thanks, until next time,
Frank Indiviglio
Japanese water garden image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Solipsist
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Why cichlids – Diary of a Cichlid Maniac
Sep 21st
Hi, everyone. Jose here. Ever wonder why some people keep certain species of fish over others? Some people like to keep Oscars and Jack Dempseys because they eat other fish, others keep African Cichlids for their colors. Some choose bloody parrots because they are “cute” (hahaha, sorry), yet others of you have angels and rams for their elegant fins and coloration.
My reason for being a “cichlidiot” (cichlid idiot) at first was their color. I started out Mbuna from Lake Malawi. I got a 55 gallon, a bunch of rocks and plants, and kept Pseudos and yellow labs. Well, the plants got trashed, so it ended up being a tank full of rocks. Then I added the Electric blue Ahli 
and a Bicolor Peacock (let the games begin). That poor peacock didn’t stand a chance between the Ahli and the Mbuna. Lessons learned along the way, my obsession with cichlids of all types and from all regions has contributed to a lot of fun and interesting aquarium adventures through the years. So, away with the pretty little Mbunas and onto Malawi haps, like the Eye-biter, the Livingstoni, etc. I went. Besides the outstanding colors, each species also had some very interesting feeding and breeding behavior that fueled my interest.
Next came the Victorians. These were smaller than the big guys I was used to, but with color and spunk, careful mixing of pairs (a lot of females look alike and you can end up with hybrids) my reason for these guys was the fact that they were almost wiped out due to the introduction of the Nile Perch to their native habitats. Keeping fish like these is a great way to keep species going.
Next for me were the Tanganyikans. The Brichardi complex with its long flowing fins got me hooked, then, I fell in love with Featherfins and Shell-dwellers. Tanganyika is a very diverse lake with multiple types of spawning rituals. You have egg layers, and mouth-brooders, and egg scattering species, all very interesting to breed and observe.
Then we have the West Africans. These colorful and interesting fish live in the rivers of West Africa, and include different types of Kribs, Jewel Cichlids, and not to forget, some of the tilapia species. After a few years, my madness moved on to South American Dwarf Cichlids and then the discus. Breeding them was an accomplishment.
Dwarf pikes and rams were next on my list, and the fun and headaches of keeping Central Americans soon followed. They are bruisers; big, mean and with a lot of attitude, and even smaller centrals think they are their larger cousins with plenty of attitude for their size.
Finally I ventured into fish from Madagascar (most of which are either extinct or in danger of being extinct), which were a treat to keep. They are a lot like the centrals in behavior and habitat conditions. And I can’t forget to mention the Chromides from Asia and the new cichlid they’ve found in Iran.
Now that I’ve outlined the path of my decent into cichlid madness, I’ll talk about my favorites from each location in some future installments.
Until next time
Jose
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