That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Have you stopped by our Lancaster, PA retail store lately?  If not, you are missing out on our new and exciting 220 gallon cichlid aquarium display.  Created by one of our cichlid experts Erett Hinton, the aquarium is located in our spacious fish room and displays the beautiful and natural environment that cichlids can bring into your own home.

 

Why Cichlids?

The cichlid species is a diverse group of fish, each with distinct appearances and behaviors that make them attractive to aquarium hobbyists.  “I was fascinated by the color, variety and intelligence,” said Erett.   “Something that separates cichlids from other fresh and saltwater fish is that there are more variants in cichlids than any other variety of fish in the world.  New species are still being discovered every day and it continues to make the hobby more interesting.”

Erett is certainly no stranger to cichlids.  He has kept them since he was a young teenager, and operated his own cichlid breeding company in Florida.  “I ran it by myself for eight years, with about 200 tanks and 70 different African, South and Central American species.”   His experience is a tremendous addition to our knowledgeable fish room staff.

Erett has combined a variety of cichlids from the Malawi, Tanganyika and Victorian Lake regions into a single “African Cichlid Utopia Tank.”  The aquarium houses 71 fish selected from our fish room, included with a variety of plecos and clown loaches to give the ecosystem some added variety.

A total of 71 fish in a single aquarium may seem like a few too many, but there is a method to Erett’s design.  Cichlids are famously territorial by nature and if they were afforded space to take as their own, they would–and actively defend it.  “Crowding them takes their territorial behavior away,” says Erett, “and it creates more peace, with fewer fights and less fish loss.”

One resident that stands out is the Cyphotilapia gibberosa or Blue Mpimbwe cichlid.  The Tanganyikan native displays a prominent forehead with an attractive deep blue color.  The Mpimbwe has a calm demeanor and is not afraid to show itself to tank admirers, making it a perfect specimen around which you can build a show aquarium.

The selection showcases the wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes available from the species that you might not see from other types of freshwater fish.

Equipment

Erett has housed this eclectic mix of fish in a Perfecto 220 gallon Aquarium donated by Marineland.  The six foot long aquarium provides the living space needed for a large number of fish.  Erett chose lace rock and antique coral rock for the natural decor and crushed coral for the substrate.  “The combination of rock elements and substrate help exfoliate higher pH and water hardness, to a degree which cichlids prefer.  It also creates a habitat they can thrive in and replicates their natural environment.”

Erett has doubled down on the filtration to accommodate the large bio-load that comes with so many fish.  Filtration for the aquarium includes two Marineland C-530 Canister Filters.  Together they provide the increased water flow and circulation necessary for the large aquarium.  Erett also includes sponge filters with his aquarium set ups.  He explains, “Sponge filters provide surface area for a super colony of beneficial biological bacteria.  It serves as part of the filtration that is never tampered with, allowing me to make larger water changes without harming the natural stability of the aquarium.”

 

Making Cichlids Feel At Home, In Your Home

African cichlids generally prefer a pH around 8.2 and enjoy temperatures around 79 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.  They also prefer low nitrate levels, so frequent water changes and making sure not to overfeed are both critical.  Erett feeds a mixture of Pure Aquatic Cichlid Flakes and New Era Cichlid Pellets, both of which provide necessary nutrients for growth and help bring out natural vibrant coloration.

Replicating a cichlid’s natural environment with structural elements like rock and substrate, along with water quality parameters like pH and temperature, gives you the ability to view firsthand how cichlids would behave in their native habitats.  You can watch as they exhibit unique territorial behaviors and engage in breeding activity and ritual, allowing you to experience nature right in your own living room.

Come Check It Out!

This attractive cichlid display tank is just one of several hundred aquariums that can be found in our fish room.  If you’d like to check out the aquarium stop by our Lancaster, PA retail store.  If you have any questions about the tank or cichlids in general, you can ask Erett in person or speak with any of the members of our expert fish room staff.

 

The following components were used to construct Erett’s “African Cichlid Utopia Tank”: 

Marineland Perfecto 220 gallon aquarium

Marineland Perfecto 72 in. x 24 in. Glass Canopy

(3) Marineland 30 in. Single Bright LED Fixtures

Approx. 180lbs of lace rock and antique coral rock

Approx. 220 lbs of crushed coral

(2) Marineland C-530 Canister Filters

(2) Marineland Visi-Therm 400 watt Heaters

Sponge Filters

Air Pump and Airline Tubing

 

 

 

With the new school year getting underway, it’ll only be a matter of time before the first science fairs and lab experiments start up. We get lots of students visiting or contacting us in search of ideas and test subjects for project ranging from the simple to the complex so I thought I’d share some tips and some of our favorite ideas for easy (and affordable) aquatic science fair projects for students of all levels.

Before you begin…

Before you start any experiment or project involving live plants or animals, it is important to make sure you are prepared for the maintenance, care and cost of the experiment and livestock they are taking on. We’ve had many students that have a great idea for a project involving crabs, jellyfish, “Nemo” clownfish or other animals but don’t realize how much work and supplies are going to be needed to keep these animals healthy. They are also a commitment after the experiment is done; fish aren’t disposable and you have to be ready for them to go from Test Subject to Pet at the end of the project. Some experiments also require multiple subject that each need their own setup and supplies.

 

Time is another important factor to consider with these projects. Many experiments involving fish and plants are going to take some time before you will really start to see results like growth or changes to color or behavior. It can take at least a few weeks to reach any conclusions so if this is a last-minute project, you might be better off heading in another direction.

What do you want to know?

The hypothesis of an experiment is the question you are trying to answer or what you are trying to prove or study. Depending on your grade level, this might be observing an environment or behavior or it might be testing a number of variables against a control. If one of the ideas here intrigues you but you aren’t sure where to go with it, ask your teacher or let us know and we might be able to help point you in a direction.

 

The project ideas here are mainly freshwater. Saltwater science fair projects are definitely possible, but they are going to be more difficult and expensive. Saltwater aquariums have a lot more factors than freshwater and need more equipment and maintenance to keep them healthy. If you already have a saltwater aquarium, you may be able to adapt one of these ideas to it or come up with your own but it may be easier to stick with a freshwater experiment if you don’t already have some saltwater experience.

Some Aquatic Science Project Ideas

The Betta (“Siamese Fighting Fish”) as a test subject

• Betta splendens, also known as the Siamese Fighting Fish, is a good fish to use in aquatic studies and projects. They don’t need a lot of equipment or space, are easy to care for and are fairly inexpensive. They can be found in a lot of different colors and varieties but the most common kind that you will find in most stores is the Veiltail Betta. Some project ideas would be keeping bettas in a few different environments like a brightly lit versus darkened room, under a colored light like blue (“actinic”) light versus a white light, or warmer versus cooler temperatures. How do those changes affect each fish’s growth or coloration? You can take a picture every few days to compare any changes in their color or fins. Does the type of food or the color of the ornaments and backgrounds compared to the fish’s own color make any difference? Try different types or brands of food (flakes, pellets, frozen food, live food, freeze-dried food) to see how each affects the fish’s health.
• A good way to measure growth is to weigh a specific amount of water in a container without the fish, then weigh the same container with the fish. The difference between the two weights will tell you about how much the fish itself weighs and changes in that weight will tell you if the fish has gained or lost weight.

 

Fish Food Nutritional Comparison

 

• Anyone who has gone shopping for food for their aquarium knows how many choices there are for your fish. Flakes, pellets, frozen, freeze-dried, live, color-enhancing, vitamin-enhanced…the choices can be overwhelming. At the time that I write this, we have over 400 different fish food items on our website alone! For a science fair project, you can compare several of these foods and see how your fish react; feed the same kind of fish in separate but identical environments the same amount of different types or brands of food at the same time of day and measure how this impacts their growth, health and behavior. Maybe one kind of food is advertised as color-enhancing or another has a different primary ingredient…does one kind give the fish brighter colors or make them grow more during the time frame of the experiment? The fish should all be in separate aquariums to make sure they are only eating “their” food but you can otherwise use any fish – goldfish, bettas, livebearers like mollies or guppies. You can use the same method as above to record their growth.

 

 

The Nitrogen Cycle and “Cycling” a New Aquarium

• The Nitrogen Cycle is a process that every aquarium and contained body of water will go through as the helpful bacteria populations that take care of fish waste will go through. Every aquarist has seen this happen whether they realize it or not. As the first living critters in a tank produce waste or leftover food or other material decomposes in the tank, a bacteria known as Nitrosomonas change that waste from ammonia (NH₃) to nitrite (NO₂^–). Another population known as Nitrobacter will change that Nitrite into Nitrate (NO₃^–), the end product of the cycle which is usually removed by water changes or plants that use it to grow like fertilizer. If the levels of Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate could be put on a graph throughout the process, they should look like three hills with their peaks coming one after another. Can you set up and “cycle” a new aquarium and use test kits to record these values at a specific interval (every 5 hours, for example) and see if you can recreate this cycle? Does the number of fish change the levels or speed throughout this cycle? What about if the tank is cycled with a dead “waste” like leftover food instead of live fish?
• A project like this does use chemical test kits. The kits available from pet stores for aquariums are easy to use, but adult supervision should always be used around chemicals like these.

 

 

Fish Tricks

• Did you know fish can learn? Fish like goldfish have been “trained” to recognize objects and do all sorts of tricks like swimming through hoops or under limbo bars. There have even been “soccer matches” between saltwater fish to celebrate the World Cup. Training fish, like most animals, is all about positive reinforcement. Some companies have even made training kits just for teaching fish. Some experiments have trained fish to recognize certain colors by putting food in cups of one color (like red) but not others (like blue and yellow). Once the fish begins to associate the red cup with food, does putting a red ornament in the tank or red background on part of the tank make them choose that over the blue or yellow? How long does it take, and does any kind of fish learn faster than others? You can try putting one fish through its paces or train a few fish to compare their learning styles.
• Check out this video from Rochester Institute of Technology’s Professor Caroline DeLong to see how she taught a goldfish to recognize shapes

 

Hatching Brine Shrimp

• Brine Shrimp are popular as fish food in aquariums as well as in the wild, and there was a time that “Sea Monkeys” were popular as “pets”. Hatching brine shrimp can be an interesting endeavor. They can be easy to grow but need just the right salinity (salt level) and the newly-hatched shrimp will need equally tiny food. The baby brine shrimp also show a behavior known as “phototaxis”, meaning they are attracted to light. Brine shrimp eggs are inexpensive and can be purchased in their dry “cyst” form where they will hatch once back in the right water. Experiment with salt levels, food like phytoplankton and with light and see what factors make for the best hatches. Once the shrimp are hatched, they can grow to almost a half inch in length and make great fish food!

 

 

This is just a sampling of some concepts that aquarists face every day and there are a lot more out there like overfeeding, breeding and genetics in fish like guppies or mollies, water changes and water chemistry…the possibilities are endless! Popular aquarium fish are even ending up in important medical research. Have we given you any ideas for your next science fair project or laboratory experiment? What would you like to learn more about, and what are some of your favorite projects? Share your results and experiences with us…we’d love to see the results of your studies!

The Mantis Shrimp, fabled ocean warrior and legend of internet Marine Biology humor (Thanks to The Oatmeal, and zefrank1) is the inspiration for research of new composite materials.  There are many applications for high performance impact resistant composite materials, and scientists and engineers are always looking for ways to make materials stronger, lighter and more versatile.  There is particular interest from the military and industry for stronger and lighter materials for armor, aircraft and automotive applications.

Why Study The Mantis Shrimp?

Most Reef Aquarium Keepers are aware of the hunting prowess of the mantis shrimp, and the weapons that they have developed to capture their prey.  There are two main types of Mantis Shrimp, grouped by the form and function of their specialized set of second legs, called raptorial appendages.  The Slasher or Stabber type of Mantis Shrimp have developed a sharp spear that it wields with Ninja like skill, earning it the nickname “Thumb Splitter” from fisherman who find them in their nets.  The Second type of Mantis Shrimp is the Smasher, given its name for the club like weapon that it uses to kill prey and open the hard shells of mollusks, crustaceans and gastropods.  It is the Smasher type of Mantis Shrimp that has scientists and engineers studying its design, looking for insight into designing lighter and stronger composite materials.

Real Life Beauty and the Beast

The Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Odontodactylus scyllarus, (which is actually neither a mantis, nor a shrimp) is a common species of Smasher Mantis Shrimp found in warm waters of the Indo Pacific and Indian Oceans.  Sometimes kept by the more adventurous marine aquarium keeper, this little Stomatopod is an amazing combination of striking beauty, and ruthless hunter.  The Peacock Mantis can fire its smasher club 50 times faster than the blink of a human eye, at the speed of a fired .22 caliber bullet.  The Club fires so fast, and with so much force, that it actually boils the surrounding water in a process called supercavitation.  The resulting strike and shock wave are devastating to their intended prey.  Mantis Shrimp have been known to break glass aquariums.  Chuck Norris punches with a wet noodle compared to the Peacock Mantis Shrimp.  What has researchers so interested is the amazing durability of the Peacock Mantis Shrimps striking club.  The Mantis can strike its club weapon thousands of times, with a striking force more than 1000 times its own weight without breaking.

The Latest Research

In a recently published study “Bio-Inspired Impact-Resistant Composites” in the Journal Acta Biomateriala, a team of researchers led by University of California, Riverside, in collaboration with University of Southern California and Purdue University studied the structure of the Mantis Shrimp’s smashing club.  The team was looking for design elements that could potentially be used to improve industrial composite materials that are used in things like; aircraft, military armor, protective helmets and automotive panels.  What they found in studying the Peacock Mantis Shrimps Club structure was a helicoidal arrangement of mineralized fibers, which made the club incredibly impact resistant and energy absorbing.  They then applied this design architecture into carbon fiber-epoxy composite impact materials, and tested the performance against similar composite materials used in the airline industry. The results showed improvement in the overall material toughness, with real promise for manufacturing in the future.

Future Research

 The Mantis Shrimp research showed so much promise, that the research group has been awarded a 7.5 Million dollar grant from the Department of Defense to continue their research.  Ongoing research will include looking at structural designs of more than 20 organisms, like bird’s beaks, snail shells, antlers of mammals and others.  All of which are made from relatively simple biological materials like Chitin and Keratin, yet show incredible mechanical durability.  You can read more about the team and their research on the UC Riverside website.

Does anyone else have an image in their heads of a military decked out in Peacock Mantis Shrimp armor, driving Mantis Smasher vehicles?  No, well you should, that would be awesome.

 

Until next blog,

Dave

A fascinating study at the University of Western Australia has shown that male Guppies (Poecilia reticulata) specifically choose drab-colored “friends” in order to improve their own attractiveness to females. What’s more, the behavior is not instinctive, but rather seems to be learned through experience (via “broken hearts”, I wonder!). This is the first time that any animal has been shown to choose a social group based upon the physical attractiveness of its members.

For Guppies, Appearance is Everything
Female Guppies choose mates based on the brightness of their coloration, with orange being most favored. Researchers presented male Guppies with the choice of 2 groups with which to associate. One group was comprised of a female and numerous drab-colored males, the other a female and attractive males (orange spots covering more than 20% of their bodies).

The test males chose to associate with the drab-colored group. Drab test males were more likely to pay attention to the attractiveness of their male associates. Very attractive male Guppies, it seems, need not worry about such details, as they were “confident” of their abilities to attract a mate regardless of the competition!

Yes, Fish can Learn!
The study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B (V. 280, N. 1756), also confirmed what many aquarists have long suspected – fish can learn and profit from past experiences. Male Guppies raised in isolation from other males exhibited no preferences when given the choice of drab or colorful male associates. Researchers theorize that male Guppies learn to associate with drab companions based on their past mating successes…or failures, as the case may be! Please see the articles linked under “Further Reading” for more on fish intelligence.

Try This at Home
I’ve been able to observe the importance of male coloration in my own aquariums. I have long-established schools of “feeder” (wild type) Guppies in several tanks. Every so often I’ll add a large “fancy” male. Over the next several weeks, that male’s coloration, color patterns and/or fin structure will become very noticeable in the population, despite the fact that there may be 20-40 other males present. Please post your own observations below, thanks.

Deceitful Bullfrogs
American Bullfrogs exhibit a unique variation of this breeding strategy. Females select mates based upon the sound of the males’ calls, opting to hone in on those made by the largest males. Small males, who seem to know that they cannot attract a mate with their feeble songs, also listen for large males. Known as “satellite males”, the little fellows position themselves at the edge of a dominant male’s territory…far enough from him so as not to be attacked.

From this location they attempt to latch onto females that are swimming in to consort with the larger male. If successful, the satellite male steers his prize away from the larger male’s territory, in hopes of fertilizing the eggs that she is carrying. Although such trickery seems a bit under-handed, it is a good example of the “brains over brawn” concept!

Further Reading
Fish Intelligence: Experiments You can do at Home

Fish Personalities: an Interesting Study

The aquarium hobby is amazing and lots of content is created daily here and all over the Internet. The following is the first monthly installment of top fish articles and favorites chosen by our staff. Hope you had a great St. Patrick’s Day! Let us know what you think.

1. Why is My Aquarium Cloudy? – That Fish Blog

“Why is my aquarium water cloudy?” is one of the questions our staff gets asked literally every day both online and in store. Staff marine biologist Eileen Daub compiled some of our best advice for quickly IDing issues with cloudy, green or brown aquarium water. Have any more questions? Feed free to shoot us an email at mariobio@thatpetplace.com.

http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatfishblog/2014/02/24/aquarium-water-cloudy/

2. Oliver Knotts Fantasy Planted Tank – Advancedaquarist.com

I can’t get enough of planted or aquascaped aquariums – and this month has been great for articles around some amazing tank ideas. I love this fantasy take from Oliver Knotts. Our own Eileen Daub also through together some basic (and not so basic) simple ideas for sprucing up your aquarium this spring –

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/oliver-knotts-dragon-hunter-scape-planted-aquarium

3. New from Chemi-Pure – Chemi-Pure Blue – Reefbuilders.com

Great write-up from the guys at Reef Builders on what’s coming from Boyd Enterprises. Everybody’s favorite filter media – Chemi-Pure – is adding a new product to the line. Chemi-Pure Blue promises to offer marine aquarists a polishing option for you ultra-picky reef keepers – furnishing your reef with crystal clear water without impacting trace element levels. Sweet! Look for it now at TFP.

http://reefbuilders.com/2014/03/13/chemipure-blue/

4. African Cichlid Compatability Chart – That Fish Place – That Pet Place

African Cichlid compatibility can be a confusing topic! Our team has recently taken a look at this topic and put together a handy chart to help. Take a look and let us know what you think!

http://www.thatpetplace.com/african-cichlid-compatibility

5. Aquarium Pumps Saving Lives – NPR.org

This won’t help you with your tank, but this was such an amazing story we couldn’t pass it up. Simple aquarium pumps saving lives!

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/02/03/270962959/inexpensive-aquarium-bubbler-saves-preemies-lives

6. NOAA Study Find Unique Fish Dominate Pacific Deep Sea Reefs – www.AdvancedAquarist.com

This government study has concluded that over 90% of the fish in the waters of northwestern Hawaii are only found there! Amazing for biodiversity and underscores the need to protect every habitat and microhabitat.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/noaa-study-unique-fish-species-dominate-pacific-deep-sea-coral-reefs

7. Melev’s Reef Tank – Reefaddicts.com

Inspiration is not hard to come by when it comes to beautiful reef tanks. Check out this amazing reef tank over at reefaddicts.com.

http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.php/29082-Day-120-Four-months-in?s=069b4ffa401d2d2e9c3c9cd513489cc3

8. Keeping the Synodontis Angelicus Catfish – That Fish Blog

Catfish are a favorite of lots of aquarists, and synodontis catfish are the kings! Zoologist and lifelong aquarist Frank Indiviglio walks you through seeing up a tank for  his favorite Synodontis catfish – Synodontis angelicus

http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatfishblog/2014/02/14/synodontis-angelicus-catfish-the-most-spectacular-synodontis/

 

Have any great posts you’d like to share? Drop them below in the comments, and as always – good luck with your tanks!
Regards,
TFP Aquatics Team