That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Patty here. Koi  are basically colored Carp.  They are descendants of Asian and Central European Carp originally domesticated and used as food in China and Southeast Asia.  Their hardy nature and adaptability made them easy to propagate and transport to new locations.  Beginning over a thousand years ago, Asian breeders were selectively breeding these fish to develop natural color mutations into the brilliant and brightly colored fish that exist today. By the early 19th century through the early 20th century, desirable color patterns were established by the Japanese, and Koi started gaining world -wide popularity. 

As Pond season rolls around this year, many might be considering the addition of Koi to a water feature. Here are a few tidbits to think about before you purchase koi.

• Koi should only be housed in ponds at least 1000 gallons or more. The bigger the better. The depth of the pond should be at least 3 feet to help the fish to avoid overexposure to sun and heat and to allow them to survive harsh winter temps. If your pond does not fit these criteria, goldfish and comets will be a better fit for you.
• The bright colors shown by koi make them beacons for predators. Herons, raccoons, bears, and even cats and dogs amongst others may find koi a fancy meal if they can reach the fish. Proper depths and shade trees can help the fish to stay safe.
• Koi have big appetites. They are omnivores, and will enjoy a varied diet of staple pellets along with frequent treats of fruits and veggies like watermelon, peas, lettuce, and corn. Koi will also eat plants at the surface of the water and will happily dig at the roots of potted plants on the pond too. You may need to cage the plants to preserve them, or at least top the soil with river rocks.
• By encouraging these fish to the surface for feeding, they can become quite tame, often hand feeding. This behavior allows for visual health inspections that may need to be treated.
• Koi should not be fed if the temperature of the pond sees a constant of 50 degrees or lower as they cannot properly digest proteins.
• Along with their big appetites comes a lot of waste. Be sure to provide ample filtration and aeration particularly if you have a number of these fish in a minimally sized pond.
• If provided with a proper environment, koi can live for decades, and have even been reported as living more than 200 years!
• Wild carp can grow to almost 6 feet in length, and ornamental koi are known to reach lengths of about 3 feet in length. Carefully consider this in relation to the pond you plan on housing the fish in as they grow QUICKLY! Juvenile fish can double in size in a year, and though the growth rate can slow after 2 or 3 years, the fish continue to grow for 10 to 15 years. They’ll need plenty of space to grow and live comfortably.
• Koi spawn in the spring. Females grow bloated with eggs and males compete for the opportunity to fertilize the eggs when she releases them. You may see one fish being chased aggressively around the pond by several others. The female is the target of the attention. Supply breeding mats, floating plants, or plants at the bottom of the pond as a place where she can release her eggs. You may be lucky enough to see new additions to your population not long after, though survivability is usually not high unless the fry are collected and nurtured.

Koi can be the pride of a backyard pond, but they do require a bit more attention and a lot more space than goldfish and comets.  When you’re ready to add fish, give us a call or shoot us an e-mail with any concerns or questions so we can help you to have a successful pond experience.  Be sure to save the date for or annual Pond Festival, too, May 16-17 2009!

Image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Stan Shebs

What would the world be like without pets? A new bill proposed in House could make this a reality. All pet owners should be aware of a pending federal government resolution. HR669 stands for House Resolution 669 which is designed to change the way the government classifies non-native species. If passed into law it will have a tremendous impact on keeping pets in America. It will make it illegal to sell and breed many animals common in the pet trade including most species of tropical fish, ferrets, most reptile and amphibian species, corals, and many others. Though That Fish Place/That Pet Place is in favor of an effective invasive species law, we are convinced this is absolutely not the legislation to accomplish that. Please read Frank Indiviglio’s blog below to find out more and learn what you can do to help prevent this from even being introduced as a proposed law.

Frank Indiviglio here. By now many readers are no doubt aware of the bill known as House Resolution 669, which is currently before Congress.  If passed, HR 669 will dramatically impact, if not eliminate, pet keeping as we now know it.Check out the proposal as written here to educate yourself and form your own opinion.  For more information and some simple (i.e. “click of your mouse”) steps that you can take to register your opinions, please check out: NoHR669.com

A variety of well-informed arguments against the passage of HR 669 have been raised, many of which are summarized at the aforementioned web site.  I would like to present here a slightly different take on the issue, one drawn from a lifetime of work in the pet trade and as a professional zoologist and conservationist.

Inspiring Conservation

Pet keeping has inspired generations of zoo, aquarium and conservation professionals – the very people upon whom the future of wildlife and wild places depends.  Virtually all zookeepers, zoologists, conservationists, zoo curators, and aquarists – from Raymond Ditmars, first Curator of Reptiles at the Bronx Zoo, to today’s leaders – started out as children with pets, and from this fascination with animals sprouted a career.  This hold true for those with roots in city and countryside, poverty and wealth alike.

The Influence of Nonnative Species

In many cases, the pets that gave rise to and encouraged these people arrived here from afar.  In fact, all of our most commonly kept pet species – guppies, goldfishes, parakeets, canaries, dogs, cats and others, not to mention our domesticated “food animals” save the turkey – are nonnative.  The same holds true for invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians.

The reasons are often not apparent – for example, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and fishes from tropical regions are often far simpler to breed in captivity than are temperate species, which usually require a period of reduced temperature and day length if they are to reproduce.  The ability to breed so many exotic creatures encouraged many people to delve deeper, and to apply what they learned to the breeding of endangered species.  Of course, keeping such animals first hand has also long served to inspire a sense of wonder in us, and to urge many to go out into the world and discover just what animals live there, and what can be done to help them.

It must be remembered also that many native animals are legally protected and cannot be kept as pets, and that the ready availability of captive bred foreign species is an important deterrent to the illegal collecting of native wildlife.

The husbandry expertise and respect for animals garnered in the process of caring for them cannot but help find its way into the zoo and conservation realms.  Here in the USA, well-known conservation success stories, including the rescue of the American alligator and black-footed ferret from sure extinction, relied on captive breeding techniques that had long been utilized by serious pet owners working with similar species.  Similar scenarios, both here and abroad, are legion.

Problems Facing Zoo Breeding Programs

Zoos today are unable to meet the challenges posed by an unprecedented number of critically endangered species…all of the world’s zoos could fit comfortably into less than one half the area occupied by New York City.  It has recently been postulated that, even with international cooperation, the world’s zoos could sustain (as opposed to merely “exhibit”) perhaps 500 animal species…a mere fraction of the number faced with imminent extinction.

Pet Keepers Respond to the Turtle Crisis

It is just such a situation which led to the formation, in 2001, of the Turtle Survival Alliance.  This venture draws together zoo herpetologists and private turtle hobbyists in an effort to take concrete conservation action on behalf of the world’s turtle populations, the majority of which are in severe decline.  In one TSA effort, numerous private turtle keepers helped rehabilitate and house the survivors of a group of 10,000 illegally collected turtles that were seized in China and transported to Florida.  Today these animals, many in private hands, form the breeding nucleus for a number of species which seem destined for extinction in the wild in the very near future.

Pet Keepers Conserving Amphibians

The Disappearing Amphibian Crisis is much in the news today, and with good reason.  The situation for many of the world’s frogs and salamanders is so dire that zoos are collecting all the amphibians that can be located in certain habitats.  The hope is that these animals can be kept and bred for possible reintroduction once the threats posed by a rapidly spreading, deadly fungus can be addressed.

Once again, the expertise developed in part by pet keepers has played a major role in the rescue effort.  As concerns frog breeding, hobbyists have kept pace with zoo efforts.  For example, the blue poison frog, restricted in nature to a single mountainside in Surinam, is now a pet trade staple.  Similar stories abound, and the knowledge brought to the zoo field by pet keepers turned zookeepers is helping to assure that frog songs will continue to enliven spring evenings in the future.

The outlook for amphibians, however, is stark, and zoos do not have the facilities or finances to cope.  As with turtles, pet keepers with space and breeding expertise are being called into service as “foster parents”.  The most recent IUCN Red Data Book provides the grim news that one third of all amphibians are either threatened or already extinct.  Of these, 159 species are or may already be gone – 38 are known to be extinct and 121 species have not been seen in recent years and are likely no longer with us.  Those remaining are faring little better – 42% of the known species are declining in numbers, many dramatically, while less than 1% are increasing.

Pet Care Expertise and other Animals

The situation is likely just as critical for other groups that pet keepers have had great success in breeding, including parrots, tortoises and corals.  Where invertebrates are concerned, we do not as yet even have a handle on the magnitude of the problem.  We have closely studied a mere 0.2% of the estimated 30 million insect species, and a far smaller percentage of arachnids and other groups.

However, over 300 species of insects, spiders, scorpions and other terrestrial invertebrates, and a far greater number of aquatic species, are established in breeding populations by pet keepers worldwide.  The lessons learned in the process have been applied to captive breeding and reintroduction programs for a number of North American species, including Karner blue butterflies, burying beetles and red-kneed tarantulas.

Check out nohr669.com for information on how to get your voice heard on hr699

Anyone wishing to share their thoughts or opinions on this issue, may feel free to comment here, or on our facebook page.

Hey  Everyone!  Patty here.  Thought I’d take a minute to highlight some of the new and interesting things we’ve gotten in this week in the fish room.  With the Anniversary Sale coming this week, I’m sure there will be more to see and buzz about for the weekend, but here is a look at just a couple of the newest arrivals that are looking particularly pretty.  All of the regular favorites will be here for the sale along with some special goodies that will make the visit even more worthwhile!  We hope you can make it in this weekend!
Freshwater

Lake Tebera Rainbow
Like other Rainbowfish, this species is great for larger community aquariums. They are larger, but active and peaceful. Rainbowfish are also great additions for their shimmering colors.

Small blood parrot
This batch came to us with more natural looking coloration instead of the traditional brightly colored Bloody Parrots.

Lelupi
Lelupi are a staple in the world of African Cichlids, sought after for their interesting habits as well as their bright yellow-orange coloration. These are lovely!

Gold faced datnoid
Datnoids have a mystique about them that is quite a draw. This species has attractive bars and a golden sheen in the head and face. Enthusiasts should check these out!

Saltwater

Yasha haze
The Yasha Haze Goby has been around in the market for a few years now, but every time one arrives it’s beauty still astounds me. This is a great candidate for a reef or nano-reef system.

Orange-spotted Sea Slug
This pretty slug is a real spectacle! A Pacific native, its bright orange dots make it easy to spot.

Swissguard
Despite is rather cryptic, cave-dwelling personality, Swiss Guards and other related basslets like the Swales Swiss Guard (also here) have amazing color and will not disappoint in the right environment. They are most at home in a rocky reef home.

Feel free to contact our livestock department or a fishroom associate if you are looking for anything in particular before you come in or if you are interested in having something live shipped to your door.

In past blogs (here and here), we’ve gone over the basics of the Latin scientific naming system. Now, with spring and pond season just around the corner, it’s time to discuss a different naming system – Japanese Koi Nomenclature. Koi are considered some of the most valuable ornamental fish in some parts of the world and mature show quality koi can sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars much like purebreed dogs and horses. Though other countries raise and produce koi, a Japanese emperor was believed to be the first to begin the practice of keeping koi in ornamental ponds and led to the breeding traditions practiced today. Koi are still usually referred to by their Japanese names for color and pattern.

Like the Latin naming system, the color of the fish plays a large part in the naming system and can point to more specific details in a larger group. For example, Bekko koi are fish that have black markings on a white, red or yellow background. Ki Bekko koi refer to those with a yellow background (“Ki” = “yellow”). The term “hikari” in koi names is also used to refer to a metallic sheen to the scales. Some color terms commonly used for koi are:

The most common Japanese terms that are used in reference to koi are those that refer to the pattern on the fish. The most common varieties are Kohaku, Sanke and Showa but there are over 15 commonly-used varieties and each of these can be broken down farther into color variations within that pattern or through lines developed by various breeders.  Some of the most common varieties are:

• Kohaku – Kohaku koi are white with red markings. High quality Kohaku are pure white with no yellow in the coloring and have a deep, solid red color in the markings.
• Sanke – Sanke is one of the most popular varieties. Like the Kohaku, these koi are white with red markings, but Sanke koi also have black markings superimposed on the red and white. High quality Sanke may not be symmetrical in their coloration, but the color should be distributed over the entire body, except for the head.
• Showa – Showa koi are very similar to Sanke but can have much more black on their bodies. The black can be anywhere on the body, including the head, sides and belly (considered undesireable for Sanke koi). Hi Showa is an example of a subvariety of the Showa koi with more deep red color than others.
• Asagi – Asagi koi are one of the most distinctive varieties (and my personal favorite). These koi have blue bodies, white heads and red markings in the tail, fins and face.
• Bekko – These koi have black markings with a white, red or yellow base color. The name of the color is usually used to determine which type of Bekko a fish is (Aka Bekko, Ki Bekko, or Shiro Bekko).
• Goshiki – “Goshiki” literally means “5-colored”, in this case light blue, dark blue, red, black and white. The markings are colored over a white background. This variety can be highly variable in appearance.
• Hikari Utsuri – These koi have the same pattern as Showa and Utsuri koi, but have a metallic sheen to their scales.
• Hikarimoyo – These koi are also metallic but are made up of the metallic koi that are not Showa or Utsuri. Hariwake is a popular variety within this group; this subvariety is metallic silver with orange or yellow markings.
• Hikarimuji – Hikarimuji is another metallic variety but these fish are all one solid metallic color. Pure-colored metallic koi within this category are also known as Ogon koi, leading to the popular Yamabuki Ogons (pale metallic yellow) and Platinum Ogons (pure white and metallic).
• Kawarimono – This variety is like the Hikarimoyo variety in that it included all fish not included in the other popular varieties, but koi within this group can also be divided into their out categories describing their breeder lineage, color or scale traits. The terms “Gin Rin” (meaning sparkling scales) and “Doitsu” (referring to fish that are otherwise scaleless except for mirrored scales around the dorsal fin) are used more in this variety than most others.
• Koromo – Koromo koi are similar to Kohaku, but the scales of the red pattern in Koromo koi have dark edges, leading to an almost crosshatched pattern on these markings.
• Tancho – Tancho koi can sometimes fit within the Kohaku, Sanke or Showa categories, but the markings in Tancho koi are more specific. Tancho koi are white with one red patch on their head, preferably as circular as possible. Tancho Kohaku are the most popular with their pure white bodies and one red patch, but Tancho Sanke and Tancho Showa koi are also popular.
• Utsurimono or Utsuri – These koi are in some ways the opposite of Bekko koi. Instead of having black marings on a colored background, Utsuri koi are black with white, red or yellow markings. Shiro Utsuri, the black and white variety, are the most common, folowed by the more rare Hi Utsuri (red and black) and Ki Utsuri (yellow and black).

This list is far from all-inclusive of all the koi varieties and patterns but can give you a good start in learning the difference between all of the varieties available. As this list demonstrates, koi are some of the most collectible and carefully-bred fish around with a history going back hundreds of years. Koi and pond care can open up a whole new frontier for avid aquarists and the time to start planning your new pond or new pond additions is here! Chart referenced from Wikipedia here.

It’s that time of the year again folks. Time for the biggest sale of the year, from the largest pet store in the world: That Fish Place/That Pet Place. This year, we’ve got over 15,000 items up to 50% off, not including our world famous Tent Sale: featuring a big top full of DIY projects waiting to happen including discontinued and open-box items up to 70% off. Fish, Inverts and Live Rock are all 20% off too.

Check out the retail store flyer for a breakdown of all specials.

Manufacturer reps will be on hand from all of the top aquarium and pet supply companies, including Hagen, Current-USA, Coralife, Aquarium Systems, Tetra, Brightwell Aquatics, Seachem and Kent Marine. Door prizes will be available. Games for the kids and outside food vendors as well. Check out the Visit That Fish Place  page for directions to the retail store.

Aquatics Seminars include:

12pm Saturday April18th: Pond Care Basics from Lee Dawkins of Mars Fishcare. Lee has over 20 years of experience in the pond industry, and has been with Pondcare (the pond products division of Marz Fishcare) for 11 years. Lee will be sharing his wealth of knowledge about pond care with our guests, including spring startup, pond care basics, and common problems homeowners have with their ponds.  Come with your questions.

1pm Sunday April 19th: Proactive and Reactive Phosphate Control in Marine Aquaria by Chris Brightwell of Brightwell Aquatics. Phosphate control, is one of the most challenging, and probably the most important aspect of algae control in any aquarium, especially in marine and reef aquariums.  Chris will discuss methods and theory about removal and control of phosphate in marine aquariums, as well as preventative measures that can be taken to manage phosphates in the aquarium once they are under control.

2pm Sunday April 19th:H2Grow by Danielle Davidson of Seachem. Danielle is an industry expert in the field of planted aquarium, and will be doing a presentation about the chemistry and biology of planted aquaria. This discussion will include planted substrate and supplement that are available for the live planted aquarium.

Be sure to check out these great deals and seminars at That Fish Place/That Pet Place retail store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania April 18th and 19th. Stop by and say hi to our bloggers while you’re there too!