That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

The Marine Bio staff That Fish Place gets a lot of questions about husbandry of fish and inverts in aquariums. When adding any new inhabitant to an aquarium we recommend researching the conditions, max size, and temperament of the species you are interested in to ensure that it will be a good fit for your tank and the other creatures you may already be keeping. And, as always, quarantining new additions in a separate aquarium is highly recommended.  If in doubt, we’re always here to answer any questions you may have so you and your aquarium continue to stay happy!

 One question recently submitted was from Al in New York:

 I’m going to be starting up my 55 gallon set-up with blue rams. My questions are what will make good tank mates? What water conditioners might I need? Should I use live plants, and if so which do you recommend? How many rams should I add?

 Marine Bio Responded:

There are several fish you can keep with rams. Lemon tetras in a school of 6-10 would be nice. Serpae tetras in a large school of 8 to 10, or Brilliant rasboras in a similar school would also work well. These are fish (introduced gradually) that I would start with once the tank is established. Rams should not be added to the tank for at least 2 to 3 months after the introduction of your first fish. So you can maybe start with 6 Serpaes or Brilliant rasboras, and let the tank run for with nothing else added until the cycle is complete.

During this time, you can certainly add plants if you wish, but do not add more fish. I am a proponent of live plants in aquariums. They make for a beautiful and healthy environment, and many fish will do very well in a planted tank that is similar to their native waters. Plants that you can add may include Rotala, Ruffled swords, Ozelot swords, dwarf sagittaria, and Bacopa. These are all nice plants to start with, and there are others you may prefer, it is all according to taste and the lighting and conditions you present. Just make sure you add Flourish Iron or a similar product to your tank to help your plants to stay healthy.  

After you cycle your tank with the tetras or rasboras, you can add some Corydoras Catfish in school of 5 or 6 to help keep the bottom clean. Some smaller pleco species may also be considered.  Rubbernose plecos, for example, are great algae eaters in planted aquariums, as are Bristlnose and Medusa plecos. Gold nugget plecos and Queen Arabesque plecos would also work, and they are really attractive. When you are ready to add rams, I would think a small group of 5 or 6 would work out great for you, maybe 1-2 males and the rest females.

Water conditions? Well, rams prefer warm, soft water. So you want your temperature to be in the range of 80 to 82 degrees, and your pH should be around 6.5 to 6.8. You may need a buffer to maintain the keep the water at this pH and there are several available to choose from and keep on hand for water changes and maintenance including Seachem Discus Buffer.

Brandon here. Many aquarists that come through our fish room will ask what we recommend as algae eaters for their reef.  The answer is usually the same: snails, hermit crabs, or maybe a lawnmower blenny.  One of the most efficient algae eaters found on the reef is usually overlooked, the sea urchin.

Sea urchins are relatives of starfish and sea cucumbers, belonging to the phylum Echinodermata.  They are generally covered in hard spines for protection, little clawed arms called pedicellariae which are used to remove debris and detritus from the urchins’ skin and can also aid in protection, and tube like feet used for moving across the substrate.  Their mouths are surrounded by a structure called Aristotle’s Lantern, which is used for scraping rock and breaking food apart.  The Aristotle’s Lantern is what makes some urchins such efficient algae eaters.

While not all sea urchins eat algae, and not all that eat algae are desirable for a reef tank, there are a few that would make a great addition to the aquarium.  The Variegated Green Urchin, Lytechinus variegates, stays relatively small and clears live rock of virtually all types of algae.  One urchin that we use in some of our display tanks here at the store is the Tuxedo Urchin, Mespilia globulus.  These urchins also remain relatively small and do a number on different types of algae.  Another extremely efficient, algae-eating urchin is the Longspine Urchin, Diadema setosum.  These can grow very large, and have spines capable of puncturing skin and leaving a painful injury.

 Here are some urchins to avoid in the reef tank.  Rock-boring Urchins, Echinometra lucunter, do little to clean up algae.  They spend most of their time chewing holes in live rock.  Priest Hat Urchins, Tripneustes gratilla, are generally considered reef safe, and will even do some scavenging, but they can also grab immobile fish and inverts for dinner.  One urchin that we do not carry here at That Fish Place, the Flower Urchin, Toxopneustes pileolus, is very beautiful but can inflict a potentially deadly sting.  It is covered in what appears to be little flowers, but are actually pedicellariae.  These specialized pedicellariae have three jaws on the tip, each of which is hollow and filled with venom.  Upon contact they snap shut and inject venom into the skin, which causes extreme pain and even muscle paralysis, which could drown an unsuspecting diver.

Urchins are not for everyone.  While they will clean up most types of undesirable algae, they can also scrape coralline algae from the rock work, leaving it white and bare.  They also require good water quality in respect to temperature, salinity, and other factors.  Always be sure of the urchins’ specific requirements and adult size before purchasing.  Whether you have a reef tank or not, urchins can make very interesting additions to the aquarium.

Melissa here. Have you ever wondered if fish actually sleep? Well, wonder no more. They do in fact sleep, just not the way we typically know of it. Fish do not have eyelids to shut when they sleep do nor do they have characteristic brainwave patterns like REM sleep. Fish do, however, appear to have periods of reduced activity and metabolism.

Many reef fish like damsels and clownfish frolic around during the day, then tuck themselves into a crevice or cave to sleep at night. Parrot fish have an odd way of tucking themselves in bed: they secrete mucus to make a little seeping bag for themselves. Some wrasses tuck themselves under the sand while others are like parrot fish and encase themselves in mucus.

I used to have a clownfish that laid on his left side in the back corner of my tank. The first time I saw him after the lights went off laying on his side I thought he was dead. When I approached the tank I must have startled him enough to make him swim erratically for a few moments then act normal. My blue devil damsels have a particular rock they like to sleep in. As soon as the lights go out you can see both devil damsels turn dark in color and head into their rock.

I am sure many of you reading this have seen interesting behaviors with your fish when the lights go out. Please feel free to share.

As aquarists, we want our aquariums to be the best environment possible to support the beautiful fish, plants and inverts we love. One recent email presented a FAQ topic that may be helpful to some of you out there on the topic of water conditioning.Mike asked:

What water conditioner would you recommend to replicate the water conditions in the Amazon Basin that would be ideal for discus and freshwater stingrays? When a product is called water conditioner, does that mean it is used to turn tap water into water that is ideal for fish?

MarineBio@thatpetplace.com responded:

Making a home aquarium the ideal environment for the fish you want to keep can sometimes be daunting with all of the products available on the market today. Some fish can live and thrive in variable conditions, while others prefer or need specific conditions for optimal health and appearance.

“Water conditioner” is a general term for any water additive that alters the existing chemistry of the water. They are used to make the conditions in the aquarium friendly for fish in general, especially after water changes and other disturbances. These products usually do several things such as dechlorinating water, detoxifying ammonia, and help the fish to maintain or recover electrolytes caused by being stressed amongst other things. Each product may be a little different from the next, but they are all intended for the same basic purpose.

Some specific types of fish benefit from additional additives or equipment that helps you to mimic water conditions from their natural habitats. For example, discus and freshwater stingrays prefer soft, acidic water which may be created by using an RO unit to purify your tap water and adding a pH buffer to set the pH where you would like it. Seachem’s Discus Buffer would be ideal for buffering the pH on the low side where these types of fish prefer it. It will also help to reduce the hardness of the water if you’re not using RO. Additives like Blackwater extracts and Discus essential can also be beneficial as they add essential minerals, nutrients and elements that are found in their native waters.

Feel free to send us any questions you may have about your tank.

Until next time,

Patty

Hi folks,

Desiree’s blog about fish nerd vacations brought back memories of a trip I’ve taken recently. In October of last year I was fortunate enough to find myself in our neighboring country to the north. On our way to Montreal to visit a friend, my girlfriend and I stopped at the Toronto Zoo that we have read so much about. We knew that it was the largest zoo registered with the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and one of only five accredited zoos in Canada, but we still couldn’t contain our amazement once we arrived.

Fish and aquarium enthusiasts will be pleased with the zoo. A new exhibit in the Australia region of the zoo features several different aquariums representing the reefs bordering the continent. One of these contains live soft and stony corals, another is home to species of fish not considered reef safe (angels, butterflies, etc), and one contains several dozen moon jellyfish. They even have several aquariums dedicated to freshwater crayfish (the really cool ones from Australia). Other aquariums around the zoo include an enormous Lake Malawi exhibit, South and Central American biotopes, and one with endangered cichlids from Madagascar.

The entire zoo sits on 710 acres of land. There are over six miles of walking trails, and we walked almost all of them in a single day, which unfortunately did not leave us much time to sit and enjoy any single exhibit. The zoo has everything for animal lovers. There are over 5,000 animals at the zoo from almost every corner of the world. Herp lovers will enjoy the many species of snakes, lizards, and amphibians that the zoo has on display.

So if you ever find yourself in the Toronto area, take a day to check out the zoo. You will not be disappointed.

Until next time,
Brandon