That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Eileen here. With all of the water changes, filter changes, feedings, testing, supplements and other changes and maintenance we do on our aquariums, it can be difficult to remember what was done and when. Some problems with aquarium systems as well as regular maintenance are dependent on what has been happening with the tanks over time, not just within the very recent past. This is just one of the reasons that make it important to keep a record of the every day maintenance of the system as well as any other events that may have an impact on the health of the fish.

Keeping records of any activity with an aquarium system is not a new idea. Almost every public aquarium keeps records of everything that goes into or out of their water – this is even required by some scientific organizations to keep the aquarium’s certification or grants. Their records and even the records kept by stores like That Fish Place/ That Pet Place are obviously going to be very detailed than the average home aquarist might need, but it is a good idea to take their lead and keep track of your aquarium. You can use a computer program like Excel or Word  if you’d like, or you can simply keep a notepad and pen with your aquarium supplies.

So what should you record? The types of events you should keep track of can be divided into a few main categories: Water Chemistry, Maintenance, and Livestock.

l  Water Chemistry recordings would be the results of any regular water tests done on your tank (pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity, temperature, etc) as well as the dosages of any supplements or medications you add to the aquarium.

l  Maintenance records keep track of regular maintenance (water changes, light bulb changes, filter pad changes or cleanings) as well as any out-of-the-ordinary events like a new heater or a malfunctioning piece of equipment.

l  Livestock records help you keep track of what live fish, plants or invertebrates you are adding to your aquarium and what you are removing from the tank or lose due to deaths or illness. You can also make observations about any unusual behavior you are noticing in the livestock, symptoms of illnesses, what the fish are (or are not) eating, even their sizes from time to time to see how quickly they are growing.

l  Other events: It is also a good idea to keep track of any other unusual events that may affect your aquarium. Power outages, heat waves, cold spells, and other events that may not have an immediate affect on the aquarium can cause changes in the aquarium a few days or weeks later that can be traced back through your records. Even a houseful of guests can be important to record if it changes the activity around the aquarium or the feeding schedule of the fish.

Getting into the habit of keeping a few notes on your aquarium can make difference in the long run. After all, some of us have a hard time remembering what we had for dinner last week, much less when we last changed that light bulb, when we added that new invert to the tank or how well a certain fish has been feeding! A running record of some of these details can help refresh your memories, as well as keep track of your progress in the aquarium hobby.

Along these same lines, Current-USA offers a free downloadable computer widget to keep track of aquarium maintanance schedules. Working in conjuction with your records, the two together can go a long way toward helping you maintain a healthy system.

Until next time,

Eileen

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  I must confess that I like algae, perhaps because many of the creatures that I favor – shrimp, tadpoles, snails, loaches and others, do best in algae-rich tanks.  I’ve even encouraged algae to grow on the backs of aquatic snakes and turtles in zoo exhibits, much to the chagrin of the higher-ups! 

But, of course, algae certainly can get in the way of enjoying one’s pond or aquarium, and may endanger the health of the animals living therein as well.

Algae Diversity

Algae, which are not true plants, exist in a bewildering number of species.  For our purposes, we can roughly classify the commonly-encountered varieties as follows:

Green algae (hair, beard algae) thrive in well-lit situations.

Brown algae do well in low light.

Blue-green algae (actually a type of Cyanobacteria) and red algae live mainly in marine environments.

Controlling Algae

Nitrates and phosphates are the primary nutrients utilized by the most types of algae…limiting their concentration is the key to effective and safe algae control.

Algaecides and other “quick fixes”, while effective in the short term, do not address the root of the problem.  I always recommend that aquarists take the time to identify the reasons that algae has become established.  I have found this to be the most effective approach to algae control, be it in a betta bowl or a 77,000 gallon zoo exhibit.  And, because we learn much along the way and often utilize a number of fascinating animals and plants, the process is also very rewarding.

I’ll first discuss control methods that can generally be described as “natural” and will then mention a few more intensive alternatives.

Bacteria

The most effective algae enemy we might employ comes, surprisingly, in the form of another one-celled “non-plant/non-animal” – bacteria.  Many species consume the same nutrients as do algae, and can out-breed and out-compete even the hardiest types.

A number of species of beneficial aerobic bacteria (those requiring oxygen, which are also vital to water quality) will colonize gravel, filter media and other surfaces bathed in aerated water.  They will build up incredibly dense populations over an under-gravel filter, rendering it very difficult for algae to get a foothold. 

Nutrafin Cycle, which contains living bacteria, is especially effective in introducing these organisms to aquariums.  A number of other supplements, effective in fresh water and marine aquariums, are also available.

True Plants

Aquatic plants are very effective in capturing the nutrients needed by algae and limiting their growth.  However, many do not reproduce vigorously, so plantings should be as dense as possible.  In some situations, carbon dioxide supplementation and the use of plant food and iron might be useful.

Floating and emergent plants such as cattails and water hyacinth, lettuce, and lilies combat algae on two fronts – consuming nutrients and limiting light availability. 

If you are not ready to tackle aquatic plant gardening, you might consider using certain hardy terrestrial plants that thrive in water.  As long as their leaves can break the surface, peace lilies, pothos and aluminum plants will fulfill much the same role as true aquatic plants, and their root systems make for wonderful underwater effects.

Next time I’ll discuss how fishes, invertebrates and water additives can be used to combat algae.  Until then, please write in with your questions and comments.  Thanks, Frank Indiviglio.

Further Reading

To learn more about Cyanobacteria (“blue-green algae”), please see Aquarium Slime.

To read about adding beneficial bacteria to aquariums, please see my article Nutrafin Cycle.

Our customer service department here at That Fish Place/That Pet Place constantly gets calls and questions about products, and from time to time, we like to share some of the most frequent with our readers.

Question: Can I plug up my Hydor Koralia Aquarium Circulation Pump to my wavemaker?

Answer: Yes and No. The original Koralia Circulation Pumps , as well as the Magnum variety, are not designed for use with a wavemaker of any kind. The variable input required for such a function is simply not compatible with their design, and usage as such will ruin the manufacturer warranty (not to mention ruin the pump).

On the other hand, Hydor has created a series of Controllable Koralia wave pumps and controllers for just this purpose. Though the controllers are only compatible with controllable Koralias, they’re still the buy you want if you’re looking for the wavemaking feature over just a circulation pump.

Please let us know if you have any product questions or fish questions: we’re always here to help!

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.

Anchor worms are crustaceans (specifically copepods) and as such are more closely related to shrimp than to worms.  They often make their presence known in outdoor ponds as winter turns to spring.  Lernaea elegans, the most commonly encountered species, remains dormant during the winter and becomes active as the water reaches 55 F or so. 

Identification

Anchor worms bury below their host’s scales, but betray their presence by trailing ¼ to ½ inch-long portions of their black, thread-like bodies from infected fishes.  They usually attach about a fish’s gills, eyes or fins, but can occur most anywhere.  Other signs include inflamed or raised scales and efforts by fishes to dislodge the parasites (leaping, rubbing).

Infestations most commonly occur during the spring, when the parasites are searching for new hosts after their winter dormancy.  Conveniently for the anchor worms, the immune systems of pond fishes are at their weakest at this time, having been stressed by cool temperatures and the long winter fast. 

Secondary Bacterial Infections

Anchor worms rarely cause fatalities, but the wounds they inflict frequently become infected by opportunistic Pseudomonas and Aeromonas bacteria.  Ever present in the pond, these pathogens can easily kill fishes, especially those with depressed immune systems.

Avoiding Anchor Worms

Be especially careful to check for anchor worms when purchasing koi or goldfishes in the late winter or spring…those that have been wintered outdoors may be infected.  They also parasitize weather fishes, channel catfishes, hi-fin loaches and other species commonly kept in outdoor ponds.

Anchor worms of various species can also be introduced to your collection via tropical fishes which have been raised outdoors.

Treating Parasitized Fishes

Fortunately, Jungle Lab’s Anchors Away is an effective treatment for infestations of anchor worms and certain other parasites.  Be aware that this medication will kill crayfishes, snails and other invertebrates, and that carbon should be removed from your filter while treatment is ongoing.

It is also useful to add an ultraviolet sterilizer to your pond’s filtration system.  UV sterilizers will kill anchor worms in the free swimming larval stage (they are not effective against adults), thereby preventing re-infestation.

Further Reading

A detailed article (Food and Agriculture Association of the United Nations) on the life cycle of anchor worms and related parasitic copepods is posted at.

Please write in with your questions and comments.  Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.

Image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Brian Gratwicke

Dave here. Recently we’ve been getting some new items in at TFP worth taking a look at, so I thought I’d take Wednesday’s post and give an overview of a few of them.

1 . Frag Racks from EShopps

As our recent frag swap can attest (take a look here), lots of folks are fragging these days. These new racks are really inexpensive, and ridiculously handy at keeping the little guys going, even within your main tank. They attach with magnets too rather than crappy suction cups. The clear-ness is great too because it doesn’t obsruct the view of your tank all that much. They’re available in corner and straight versions too. Check them out online, or stop by the retail store. Our main frag tank has one installed.

2. Fluval E-Series Aquarium Heaters

Haven’t actually had a chance to try one of these out yet, but the reviews have been nothing but favorable. Anyone who’s ever had a heater breakdown and ruin your tank, or accidently broke the sleeve on your tank wall, will be impressed by the Fluval Es. Each one uses an LCD display to report the temperature, and actually uses a color coded system to alert you when the temperature fluctuates plus or minus 2 degrees. A fish guard keeps the sleeve away from tank walls and your fish. Temperature sets to the nearest .5 of a degree to for more specialized jobs. Basically, they’re the Rolls-Royce’s of aquarium heaters at this point. Take a look at the Fluval E Series heaters here.

3. Instant Ocean Salt in the 200 gal – Pro Sized Box

Ok, I’ll admit, sometimes having the empty salt bucket around for water changes and stuff is pretty handy, but Instant Ocean’s new ProSized Salt-in-a-box helps save waste/make things more green/Save the Planet…all that stuff. Cardboard is way more biodegadeable and friendly than the oil-rich plastics processing that takes place with the good ol’ 160 gal bucket, so as a reef enthusiast, it seems like the way to go. Each box has 4, 50-gal bags so you can actually dump it into your old salt bucket. Take a look at Instant Ocean Salt-in-a-box here.

Anyway, these are just of the few of the cool things coming into ThatFishPlace.com. For a l ist of all of our new Aquarium Items, click here.

Until next time,

Dave