That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Hi Dave here,

I thought it was about time to post an update to the blog about the 700 gallon reef tank here at TFP. The tank is really starting to mature nicely, and we have seen some really nice growth from the corals in the tank.

For all the particulars of the tank, refer back to the original blog, the details of the tank, lighting, and filtration are discussed in detail. No need to rehash them here.

The tank has been running for about a year now, and things have gone very well. I wanted to post a few new pics of the tank so that you can see the changes since then. We have added a few new items into the tank since the original blog back in August of 2008. The majority of the corals that we put into the tank, originated from captive sources, or frags from our own propagation system, it has been really cool to watch them fill in and grow into larger colonies.

If anyone has any questions about the tank, please ask, I would be happy to explain what I can.

Until next blog
Dave

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.

Please see Parts I and II of this article for general information and for details concerning the care of elephant nosed and butterfly fishes.

Dwarf Clawed or African Dwarf Underwater Frog, Hymenochirus boettgeri, H. curtipes

This tiny (males to 1 inch, females to 1.4 inches) aquatic frog is a real pleasure to keep.  It is perpetually on the prowl, sticking its pointed little head into every nook and cranny in its ceaseless search for food.  A group so engaged is really quite comical to behold…they look like nothing so much as squadron of tiny, flattened divers!

Habitat and Habits

Dwarf clawed frogs move slowly about the aquarium bottom and among the plants, and save “free swimming” for trips to the surface for air.  In deep aquariums, they do best when provided with “ladders” to the surface in the form of (preferably live) plants.  They are at their best in heavily planted aquariums, and will utilize every square inch available to them. 

Small size and bold demeanors render these frogs ideal observation subjects. It is quite easy to provide them with a habitat in which they will reveal to you nearly all of their natural behaviors, and captive reproduction is not uncommon.  Dwarf clawed frogs are not favored aquarium animals in the USA, due largely to the fact that they are usually kept improperly.  Typically housed in bare tanks with active fishes that out-compete them for food, they usually expire in short order. 

Feeding Dwarf Clawed Frogs

In addition to dense cover, dwarf clawed frogs need a varied diet of small, live invertebrates.  Blackworms can account for up to 75% of their food intake, supplemented whenever possible with live brine shrimp (brine shrimp alone are not an appropriate diet), whiteworms, bloodworms, mosquito larvae and similarly-sized aquatic organisms.  Newborn guppies may be taken by particularly large individuals.  I’ve had my best breeding results when I provided my frogs with occasional meals of pond-seined fairy shrimp and other tiny invertebrates.

I have not had much success in inducing dwarf clawed frogs to accept non-living food items, but others have reported good results with some individuals.  I suggest that you feed them as described above, but experiment with Reptomin Select-A-Food  (freeze dried and pelleted components), freeze-dried fish foods  (mysis shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms) and frozen mosquito larvae.

As dwarf clawed frogs feed largely by day and elephant nosed fishes by night, competition for live blackworms is rarely a problem.

A Unique Hunting Strategy

Dwarf clawed frogs use a suction-based feeding technique, unique among amphibians, to capture their prey.  The tiny hunters lunge forward while extending the front limbs and opening the mouth, after which the body is recoiled.  Like other members of the family Pipidae (African clawed frogs, Surinam toads), dwarf clawed frogs are tongue-less.

Hybrids and Feral Frogs

Only Hymenochirus boettgeri and, to lesser extend, H. curtipes, appear in the trade; there is some evidence of hybridization between the two.  H. boettgeri has been introduced to Florida and is apparently well established.

An Important Distinction

It is important that you are able to distinguish this frog from young African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis).  The two are frequently housed together in pet stores….Xenopus grows quite large and will consume smaller frogs, fishes and shrimp.

In dwarf clawed frogs, the appendages of all 4 limbs (fingers and toes) are webbed; Xenopus possesses webbed feet only.  Dwarf frogs are also more flattened in body form, and their heads are very narrow, nearly “pointed”.

Giant African Fan Shrimp, Atya gabonensis

This stoutly-built West African native is bound to become more popular as time goes on.  Built more along the lines of a crayfish than a shrimp, yet completely benign toward tank-mates, it feeds by sweeping food into its mouth with feathery appendages.  Fan shrimp are quite social in nature, with groups often sharing the same shelter even when others are available. 

The Importance of Shelter

I have found African fan shrimp to be compatible with the other animals mentioned in this article, provided that they have access to secure shelters.  They seem to be very much “home oriented”, and become quite stressed when their retreats are disturbed in any way. 

Be sure to supply your shrimp with caves and other such hideaways that will not be disturbed by foraging elephant- nosed fishes (the other species pose no concerns), and do not move the shelters once they have been occupied.  Small rock dens  or Mopani wood shelters  are ideal.

Please see my article on the Natural History and Care of African Fan Shrimp  for husbandry details.

I was recently told of an unusually large (possibly 8 inch) fan shrimp that was residing in a local pet shop.  I went to see the animal, only to find that it had expired and had been discarded.  Please write in if you have observed fan shrimp larger than 5 inches or so – we have a great deal to learn about this animal…perhaps there is more than 1 species in the trade.

Further Reading

You can read more about the dwarf clawed frog and its relatives at http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/names.php?taxon=&family=&subfamily=&genus=hymenochirus&commname=&authority=&year=&geo=0&dist=&comment=.

 

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

Melissa here, just figured I would write this blog on some new Banded Coral Shrimp species we have in stock. Banded Coral Shrimp are members of the Stenopodidae family, and are referred to as “Boxing Shrimp” because of the way their large pincher’s are held. They are ready to take a swing at whatever comes close enough like a boxer would.  Banded Coral Shrimp should be given plenty of space to scavenge without their long antennae touching neighboring corals or anemones, and lots of caves to hide in. Banded coral shrimp are relatively hardy, but must be acclimated slowly to avoid any salinity and/or pH shock. They are intolerant of high nitrates or copper levels, but iodine is encouraged to promote proper molting.  Banded Coral Shrimp are generally peaceful towards fish, but may harass other small shrimp and are intolerant of others of the same genus. For this reason they must be kept singly, or in mated pairs.  In the wild, banded coral shrimp are know to feed on parasites, dead tissue removed from fish, and other tiny organisms. In the home aquarium, Banded Coral Shrimp will usually accept most flaked and frozen foods, plankton, and meaty items. They are also known to be effective bristleworm hunters in the reef aquarium.

Most people are familiar with the first species, Stenopus hispidus as the most common species in the trade.  They have a red and white banded body and claws resembling the stripes of the American Flag. I happen to have a pair of these banded coral shrimp in my tank at home.  They are out all of the time and usually only an antennae length away from each other. My female is constantly carrying eggs. Something really cool that I have witnessed several times was when my female is within a day or so of releasing her eggs the male waits on her hand and foot. He brings her food and makes sure none of the fish bother her. That is about the only time I ever see them apart. I would have to say my favorite invert would have to be these shrimp. 

Other species of banded coral shrimp we get in from time to time are the Golden Banded Coral Shrimp, Stenopus scutellatus and the Blue Banded Shrimp, Stenopus tenuirostris. They have similar red and bands on the tail and claws as seen on Stenopus hispidis, but have a bright yellow or violet blue body and white antennae. The Blue Banded shrimp also has golden bands between the red bands.

There is also another really cool species that recently arrived here, Stenopus zanzibaricus. This shrimp is mostly white with two red bands on the tail and two red markings on the proximal portion of the front arms. It has white claws and red antennae. Do not attempt to mix the Zanzibar shrimp with Stenopus hispidus because they will fight to death, usually with one usually  loosing the battle and its life.

Hello everyone! This is Craig. Just the other day I was helping a customer and was showing him some fish that would be hardy enough to cycle his brand new freshwater community aquarium. I went through the normal fish selections of zebra danios, blue danios, and white clouds. He expressed a certain… lack of enthusiasm towards fish that, while being sturdy and inexpensive, did not show as much character as he would have hoped. “Everyone has those fish…” is a common response to the zebra danios. Having thought about this a bit… I decided to put together a short list of fish that are durable, inexpensive, and… well… different than the zebra danio.

First on the list would be the brilliant rasbora. Rasbora borapetensis is a beautiful and hardy fish. An elongated fish with gold and black lateral stripes and a red tail, the brilliant rasbora will attain a size of close to 3 inches in length. In larger schools they are quite impressive as they cruise the aquarium in a tight formation. They will not nip at plants or long fins, so brilliant rasboras make a beautiful and active addition to the community aquarium.

Staying with the rasbora group of fishes, the harlequin rasbora ( Rasbora heteromorpha ) is another fish that is beautiful, hardy, and peaceful. The harlequin rasbora is a small schooling fish that is pink with a large black triangle covering the back half of the fish. Barely reaching 1.5 inches, this fish shows very well in schools of 8 or more. As the fish ages, the color intensifies and is really quite spectacular. The harlequin rasbora is a little gem that can be included in almost any small community aquarium.

Another hardy and colorful fish that can be used a “starter fish” is the Serpae tetra. The Serpae tetra ( Hyphessobrycon eques ) is a beautiful tetra that does best in schools of 6 or more. This fish has had a long standing history of being one of the more sturdy tetras and, when kept in a warm aquarium, can show a deep crimson color with a black spot on their sides. When kept in smaller numbers, the Serpae tetra can be somewhat nippy, but that problem is easily solved by adding more individuals to the school.

The cherry barb ( Puntius titteya ) is still another colorful and hardy small fish to add to this list. While most barbs have a tendancy to be little nippers, the cherry barb is quite a bit more relaxed and very rarely nips at fins. The males of this species are a nice cherry red, while the females are a burnt orange color. This barb swims toward the lower regions of your aquarium and will do best in groups of 5 or more. Mixing the ratio of males to females will produce the best color and will also produce some interesting courting displays from the males.

So, for those of you that want to start your freshwater community with a little more color or variety, there are options! There are actually more options than listed above, but these 4 species of fish are, quite possibly, the top 4 choices for cycling a new tank. Just remember to be patient when beginning your new aquarium, and you should have no troubles at all!

Frank Indivlgio here.

Check out: A Community Aquarium for Fishes, Shrimp and Frogs – West African Oddities – Part 1, to read the first part of this article.

Water Quality

Great care must be taken with water quality…in fact, the elephant noses’ sensitivity is such that they have been used to monitor water quality in industrial situations.  They should only be introduced to well-cycled aquariums, and the test kit mentioned earlier should be employed regularly to test ammonia levels and other water quality parameters.  That being said, when cared for properly the elephant nose will reward you with many years of enjoyment…I know of no one that regrets adding them to their collection.

African or Fresh-Water Butterfly Fish, Pantodon buchholzi

Inhabiting the same waters as the elephant nose and well suited to the same aquarium is the African butterfly fish.  Living on the surface and active by day, the butterfly fish is the elephant nose’s polar opposite.  The two rarely interact and nicely illustrate diverse and very unusual survival strategies. 

 

An Unusual Appearance and Lifestyle

Wing-like pectoral fins lend this oddball its common name, and long rays trailing down from the pelvic fin add to its unusual appearance.  When viewed from above it does indeed bring a butterfly to mind, but it is more likely a dead, floating leaf that the fish is imitating. 

This well-camouflaged predator spends its life floating quietly on the surface, where its appearance and upturned mouth suit it admirably as a specialized hunter of terrestrial insects that fall into the water.  In West African rivers teeming with competitors, the butterfly fish, much like the elephant nose, has evolved a unique way of exploiting a food source not available to most other fishes.

Feeding African Butterfly Fishes

African butterfly fishes feed only at the surface and will not dive for food.  While most individuals will accept flake and freeze dried diets, they really come to life when offered live insects.  Their reactions at such times will leave you with no doubt as to their dietary preferences.

Being highly evolved to feed upon a unique food source (land-dwelling insects), butterfly fishes do best when provided with the same in captivity.  They will take a variety of foods, but I have found them to fare best on diets comprised largely of small live crickets, newly molted (white) mealworms, mealworm beetles, wax worms and wild caught moths, spiders and other invertebrates (the Zoo Med Bug Napper  is a very useful insect trap). 

Canned insects  provide a convenient of increasing dietary variety.  Zoo Med’s Anole Food  contains small freeze dried flies – another great way to provide a natural food item to this most interesting denizen of tropical West African waters. 

As you might gather from the foregoing, butterfly fishes rarely thrive in typical community aquariums.  However, when fed properly and established in an appropriate environment, they are very hardy – living well in groups and not at all shy about revealing their unique hunting skills.  The powerful pectoral fins enable this fish to skitter across the surface when threatened and to jump well, so be sure that your aquarium is securely covered.

Further Reading

Please see my article The Use of Electrical Impulses in Elephant-Nosed Fishes  for further information on a newly discovered mode of elephant nosed fish communication.

You can read about the natural history of the African butterfly fish at http://www.fishbase.com/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=2075&genusname=Pantodon&speciesname=buchholzi

Next time we’ll take a look at some interesting invertebrate and amphibian members of the “West African Oddities Community Aquarium”.  Until then,   please write in with your questions and comments.  Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.