#so any saltwater aquarists

[ihazyourkitty]

I really try to avoid fact checking people in public comment sections on the internet, but sadly this time I couldn't resist.

There was a reel on Facebook explaining the "sad" reason why cetaceans in human care often receive ice. It's because they're given "dead fish" you see, and these frozen thawed fish contain less moisture than the live fish they eat in the wild, so the ice helps prevent dehydration.

First of all, this is half true. The other half is that many cetaceans just love getting ice.

Supplemental hydration can also include gelatin and squid. The latter two are not unique to cetaceans btw. Squid and specially formulated gelatin based foods are also used in many fish diets in part to provide additional moisture. They also count as enrichment, depending on the context.

In any event, this creator thinks it's sad... that caretakers are providing their dolphins additional hydration? What, does he also think it's sad that they get vitamins? Reptile keepers regularly dust their animals' food with calcium to make sure they don't get metabolic bone disease. Is that also sad? These things are standard zoological practices, not signs of neglect. Wouldn't it be sadder if they didn't do that?

(Reason #423 why framing matters).

"But it's not natural!"

Neither is running on a treadmill, but that doesn't mean it's bad for you. Also, I'm pretty sure ICE is one of the most natural things you could use....

"Well why can't they just give them live fish!?"

Because the logistics of sustaining a live colony for such a purpose would be an expensive nightmare. Do you know how many pounds of fish these animals need to eat in a day? Using them as an occasional form of enrichment might be feasible, but on the regular? Just. No! Tell me you don't know how fish care works without telling me you don't know how fish care works!

It's cruel to the fish, for the same reason that it's cruel to feed snakes live food (assuming they aren't picky eaters). Fish are not just props, they are live animals that can experience stress and pain!

Freezing the fish helps keep it safe to eat.

"Why not just release them back into the wild?"

Because that would also be cruel since they wouldn't know how to survive. Next question.

"How do they get dehydrated when they live in water!?"

Oh man. Oh man oh man.

Cetaceans get most of their hydration from their diet. A quick google search indicted that they can drink some salt water, though I don't know how true that is, and to be clear, their kidneys are likely much more efficient at filtering out salt than ours (someone who knows more about this, please feel free to correct me). Regardless, most of their hydration comes from their food. Lack of food leads to dehydration, both in captivity and in the wild.

But there was one guy who said that dolphins in captivity can't drink the water because it's chlorinated. This is not true. The residual amounts of chlorine left after their water passes through filtration is no higher than what is in your tap water.

(Btw, this is another reason why live fish aren't typically used, because you don't house fish in systems that use chlorine, even in small amounts).

When I pointed this out to the guy, his response was that "most of their diet contains water from the exact same source."

To his credit, he did back down when I pointed out that this was wrong. But come my friends! As a fish person, let me explain to you why this is not correct!

Fish blood chemistry is not the same as the ambient water around them. They would not be able to maintain homeostasis otherwise. You see, their gills and kidneys help them osmoregulate.

Freshwater fish blood contains more salts than the surrounding freshwater, which means the via osmosis, water will enter the body, and unless they can compensate for this, the fish will swell up like a balloon, lose necessary salts, and basically drown. So what do they do? Their kidneys produce large amounts of dilute urine get rid of this extra water. Meanwhile, chloride cells in their gills take up ions from the water to transport into their blood.

Saltwater fish, however, have the opposite problem. Their blood has less salts than the surrounding water, so they need to get rid of extra salt. How? Well, they actually do drink the saltwater, and then their kidneys help filter out the extra salt. They basically produce very concentrated urine. But the kidneys cannot do this alone, so the chloride cells in their gills also help by basically working in reverse. They move extra ions out of the blood.

Elasmobranchs, crustaceans, mollusks and other marine mammals that may also make up some cetacean diets will have their own methods of osmoregulation.

All of this is to say, no, eating saltwater animals does not mean you're literally consuming ocean water, as these organisms have specific mechanisms for filtering out the excess salts.

This is, btw, why you can't just put a freshwater fish in saltwater or vice versa. They will die. Nor is this unique to fish, most organisms adapted for one environment don't thrive in the other.* Case in point: we cannot drink salt water, because our kidneys cannot handle that.

But some animals can! Take the salmon for instance. They hatch in freshwater environments, then move to saltwater, and then back when spawning season comes. How do they do this? Well, there are specific environmental/developmental triggers that cause their bodies to start osmoregulating in reverse. This does not happen instantaneously, however. They need time to adjust. They will migrate to brackish water, and allow their bodies a few days to adjust before continuing.

Some species of fish have higher tolerances for wider ranges of salinity/total dissolved solids (TDS) than others. Fluctuating these levels can actually trigger spawning in some species too! Discus, for instance, can be maintained in relatively harder freshwater than what they'd experience in the wild. But for breeding purposes, it's recommended to use softer water with lower a TDS. Given that discus can be more finicky, however, any of these adjustments should be made gradually.

On the other hand, there might be another species where a more sudden change is beneficial. Tropical fish native to floodplains that will experience sudden onsets of flooding from the rainy season, for instance, may need precisely that sudden rush of freshwater with lower pH and TDS to trigger spawning. Even if spawning isn't the end goal, simulating these seasonal fluctuations can be a very effective form of naturalistic enrichment!

....Oh dear, I went on a very nerdy tangent, because SCIENCE!!!! Enjoy.

*this can actually be taken advantage of in certain treatment contexts! Saltwater aquarists will sometimes do what is called a "freshwater dip", where the saltwater fish is very briefly immersed in freshwater to help rid them of harmful external parasites or bacteria. Usually, it's used when fish are first brought into quarantine. It's not 100% effective on its own, but it's one of the many tools in an aquarist's arsenal. Oh! This can also be used on sea turtles in some rescue situations! Again... SCIENCE!!! >:D

[gremlinmodetweeker]

an offering of hopeful inspiration for you, my highest. for the cod cats au

https://www.tumblr.com/oleworm/767875671483711488/psikonauti-th%C3%A9ophile-alexandre-steinlen

aka: the reader either gets a fish or they fish sit for a friend

-- 📖

I'm so sorry for getting back to this so late, but I'm back to answering asks! Especially cat hybrid asks!!! I'm still a bit sick but I'm slowly getting better. It seems that I must have picked up a cold while on vacation, but I'm slowly improving!

Anyways! Enough about me! More about feesh. Btw this is gonna be hella self indulgent because I love fish.

Your friend is an aquarist, but they aren't just any aquarist. They love aquariums. Their love is teetering on obsession, but the way they channel their love makes you fall in love with them all over again.

Your friend is an incredible aquarist, but their specialty lies in strange and obscure fish. They have a saltwater tank devoted to sea horses, and another to moon jellyfish. They have a couple of brackish tanks devoted to gobies, mud skippers and puffer fish. But their big passion? The love of their life? It's a HUGE 150 gallon long tank filled to the brim with nano fish.

This 150 gallon is their baby, their pet project, their entire life. The only thing is... It's the most unstable. It's the most beautiful, but the hardest to keep.

So, when your friend regretfully goes on vacation, they entrust the only person they consider capable enough to take on their vision: you.

Your friend is gone for a month. They have some other friends helping with the saltwater and the brackish, but they asked you specifically to take care of the freshwater. Why they chose you? You are their most loyal friend, but your friend is smart enough to not force you to jump into saltwater or brackish without any help.

So there you are, moving into your friend's house for a month. The house is beautiful, immaculate, more of a greenhouse than a home. It's the perfect place to relax and enjoy your life. Your only problem is that you have to move König and Horangi in too.

You keep them confined to the bathroom for a week. In that week, you finally learn what peace means. You're able to relax and calm down, and you can watch over the aquariums beautifully. Your friend left you fantastic instructions to reference.

When you release König and Horangi, you realize how bad of an idea it was to bring them over.

Horangi is immediately in predator mode. He's infatuated by all the fish. For once, Horangi is hungrier than König. He's a nightmare around the tanks. Whenever you have to leave him alone he's forced into the bathroom, but he keeps getting out. You're terrified he'll eat all the fish, and yet... He just gets out. He never eats any fish. He wants to. You know he does. So why doesn't he?

You learn the answer when you come home a bit early.

You check in on the aquariums, and to your amazement König is the one looking at the aquariums. You thought he couldn't care less, but he seems to be quite content watching them.

Then he shifts a bit, and you see why he's actually there.

He's sitting on Horangi. Horangi is huffing and puffing beneath him and trying to get out, but König looks perfectly content. He slowly looks around to see you and gives you a tiny little 'mew' and then goes back to looking at the fish.

After that, you, König and Horangi develop a nightly ritual of looking at the fish. Horangi hates being put in a carrier, but König is happily resting in your lap and enjoying the evening and relaxing.

By the end of the week, Horangi learns not to eat the fish and instead relaxes and watches them with König. By the end of the month, you're all sitting in your friend's sofa and watching the aquarium together. It's nice, it's peaceful, and you start thinking about getting an aquarium for yourself. Surely your friend would help, wouldn't they?

[sweetbabymantykes]

urgent wuestion: mom bought me a sharpedo ive never trained pokemon before what do i do

Wait wait wait, time out. She...bought you a Sharpedo? As your first pokemon??? Has- has SHE ever had a pokemon before? Have you ever expressed interest in raising a Sharpedo? Where the hell did she go where they were just SELLING SHARPEDO???? I have so. So many questions. Anon, if she didn't get this pokemon from a certified breeder or a shelter, PLEASE look into the legality of wherever she got it from, there are VERY FEW places that will just sell fully-grown pokemon to someone, much less one as care-intensive as a Sharpedo.

That being said, it sounds like you want to make sure this pokemon is happy and healthy regardless, which is a good thing to want! There's a few basic standards of care to establish first- food, habitat, and trust.

Luckily, food is by far the easiest part of caring for a Sharpedo. Sharpedo, unlike their juvenile pre-evos, are obligate carnivores- which means they NEED to eat a diet of primarily meat in order to live. Outside of this requirement, though, they're some of the least picky eaters I know. You should keep them primarily on a seafood diet, and you can feed them any fish you want. There's standard water-type carnivore food they sell at the Pokemart, if you're able to get them fresh fish you can feed them almost anything, but in my experience their favorites are Lanturn, Veluza, Lumineon, Squirtle, and Wishiwashi fry- you don't even need to get stuff from an aquarist, you can just buy some fish at the store. Any seafood that's safe for a human is more than safe for a Pokemon. You can also feed them land meat, but most kinds tends to have much higher fat content than their natural diet of fish. Keep burgers and fried Combusken for occasional treats, rather than their main diet. Try not to let them eat wild pokemon, either. It may be tempting to let them just act on their instincts, but you cannot possibly know if that wild Lanturn it just ate had parasites or a communicable disease. If it eats one anyway, get it to a pokemon center asap to be screened.

For their habitat, you'll ideally want access to the ocean. If you're worried about them swimming off- don't be, they can go really fast, but only in short bursts. You should be able to keep up with them on foot. If that's not an option and they don't have a ball, consider getting them one, it'll make it a lot easier to train them. If you don't have access to the ocean, you will at LEAST need access to a clean body of water large enough for them to go full speed for a while- a quarter to a half mile long in either direction. They can zoom around on land too, but vastly prefer the water. That's just for enrichment, you won't be keeping them there while you're at home. If you have them in a ball there's a lot of habitat building you can gloss over, but as a matter of good husbandry you'll still need a saltwater tank for them to rest in. If they only swim in freshwater, they can swell up and get sick, if you keep them on land for more than 8 hours a day they'll shrivel up and get sick from dehydration. You'll need, minimally, a 500 gallon saltwater tank. Remember, this is a pokemon roughly the size of a grown adult, even if a lot of the height and width is just fins. You could maaaaaybe get away with 400 gallons, but it's gonna be tight. At the very least you won't need to worry about tank decoration. Aside from substrate/sand/gravel, you at least won't need to worry about decorating the tank. Sharpedo isn't that concerned with having hides or rock, they're more content to just swim around aimlessly. If you don't have the room or access to a tank like this, a lot of aquarists and aquariums have spaces for people to let their friends recharge in the water- but this is usually for people who are travelling and are away from their usual tank, not for people who live in the area and don't have a tank.

The hardest part, more difficult than finding the space for your Sharpedo, is building trust. The most common way trainers will build trust with their Sharpedo is by raising them from a Carvanha, but you unfortunately don't have that kind of luxury. And depending on where your mom got this pokemon, you could be at an even worse disadvantage, potentially having received a pokemon that has already learned to be wary of people. The first thing you'll need is a lot of patience. It takes a lot of time for even a wild Sharpedo to trust a human, but once you have that bond they're fiercely loyal. Despite their reputation as fearsome violent killers, they're generally a lot more curious or energetic than they are malicious. At the very least, their 'bloodlust' tends to be pretty well sated after a filling meal. I don't know how your Sharpedo will react to you, but here's my advice for getting it to trust you. Firstly: Don't touch it. I mean it, do not touch this pokemon unless you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO, and if you DO have to, wear gloves, and do it fast. Sharpedo skin will absolutely tear your palms to shreds if you aren't wearing any protective gear, and getting your hands in biting range of an already-stressed predator is a very good way to lose your fingers. Actually building that trust is going to depend a lot on what your Sharpedo's personality is. More energetic and aggressive natures will want to spend a lot of time doing things- battle training, agility courses, learning tricks, whatever. The more quiet and contemplative ones will just need time, there's not much you can do there except calmly spend time in their vicinity, feed them, and regularly bring them places where they can zoom around in the water to their heart's content. My own Sharpedo didn't really see me as someone worth trusting until after I had already won two badges with them- not all Sharpedo will be like that, but most of the stories I've heard from other trainers have had that similar thread of taking a looooot of time and effort until they truly trust you enough to exhibit that loyalty and comfort.

I just dumped like eight paragraphs worth of advice here, but I'm barely scratching the surface. For sure take this Sharpedo to the pokemon center to make sure they're up to date on their innoculations and see if there's any medical issues to be aware of, bring your new friend to a local aquarist to get a one-on-one professional opinion, spend time with your Sharpedo as an individual and pay attention to their likes and dislikes. They're far from mindless killing machines, they're complex, intelligent creatures with a discerning eye and sharply honed instincts. If you find yourself unable to care for your Sharpedo and are unable to find a friend or trainer able and willing to care for it in your stead, make sure whatever shelter you bring it to IS prepared to care for it- though I do still encourage you to try caring for it, anywhere that will just...sell pokemon FOR MONEY without any real vetting process will probably not leave their pokemon with strong senses of trust or very good mental health. Please care for this Sharpedo as best you can, and see what in arceus' name your mom was THINKING when she picked this up, holy hell.

[aquariuminfobureau]

The concept of brackishness causes aquarists some degree of confusion, because the distinction between fresh and saltwater is blurry, because saltwater does not mean the same thing as marine salinities, and because natural brackish waters - being estuarine - are communicated as a subset of river water.

Hydrologically this is correct, but nonetheless estuaries are saltwater, and emphatically not freshwater environments. Freshwater is defined by the mere absence of salinity, so that more than a miniscule of parts per thousand of salt, makes water saltwater. Thusly not all stretches of river are freshwater, and the brackish conditions of estuaries are non-marine saltwater.

To the aquarist, the only difference between managing freshwater and marine aquaria, is understanding how to measure and manage the factor of salinity. Therefore brackish aquaria are most helpfully understood as a variant of saltwater aquaria, not something that is intermediate in its implication. It is merely the case that their salinity is below that of a natural or simulated marine environment.

Zones within estuaries are subject to different salinities, as a result of degrees of tidal influences leaking upstream, along the lowermost river. 'Brackish conditions' is therefore insufficiently descriptive of any one stretch of estuary, or of the tolerance and optima of any estuarine organism, or of the communities that such organisms form.

Typically a brackish aquarium has a pH of 1.01 to 1.02, which is fine for a mangrove swamp biotope. Some organisms are suited to higher salinities than this, or to lower salinities. Typically, but not always, these species are also naturally found in true marine or freshwater environments, their distributions as the river neets the sea, varying according to their physiology.

In fact, true brackish environmental specialists are rare among fishes. Amphibious creatures such as turtles and crabs in and around estuaries, might frequent saltwater, yet rely on freshwater for drinking. Thus the presence of a species in estuarine habitats, might not indicate its physiological tolerance.

[crevicedwelling]

I'd like to start keeping worms but I haven't had any pet inverts before. I know earthworm species are very available, but are there other taxa that would be ok to start with?

given that “worm” is one of the most paraphyletic and least taxonomically valid words (any tube animal), I’d say… not really, unfortunately, bar any parasites you might be already carrying inside you.

as you said, plenty of earthworms available. red wrigglers (Eisenia, Dendrobaena, often mixed up) are quite hardy and thrive on vegetable waste, others less so. some aquarists culture aquatic oligochaetes like blackworms or Tubifex, though they just sort of sit around in clumps at the bottom of a few inches of water and eat particles.

leeches are also annelid worms, but you may not want to have to offer yourself as food, and the predatory leeches are just not available.

polychaetes are also annelids, and some large ones like Eunice are famous for wrecking aquaria (although to me that just sounds like they thrive in captivity) but saltwater seems like a huge pain plus expense to me.

there aren’t any commonly available flatworms or nemerteans, and given their capacity to become nasty invasive species, this is a good thing (at least, applies to the colorful predatory land-dwelling ones I favor. I suppose you could get some Dugesia from a bio supply site, though they don’t seem to fare well unless you’ve got an aquarium set up for them to infest.) land flatworms are also fairly tricky to culture, given that some like cooler conditions than humans do and all need clean moist soil and live prey.

stepping outside the Lophotrochozoa, nematodes are probably one of the wormiest little guys to ever do it, but unfortunately they aren’t particularly exciting as pets if you can even see them.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone keeping horsehair worms in captivity other than by keeping wild-caught adult arthropods and having them burst free seeking water.

another ecdysozoan, velvet worms… are not for the beginner, although some do thrive in captivity under expert care. in fact, anyone who can afford velvet worms should give that money to me. I want them. please dear god I want the little glue spraying mush beast but simply cannot live without my organs I’d have to sell to afford them

insect larvae are probably not what you meant by “worm” though many of them are referred to as such. I’ve probably made this post a bit silly by this point but if you are actually interested in arthropod “worms” I’d be happy to offer advice on keeping leps, beetles, or flies, as there are many fun insects with wormy enough offspring!

[colorfulfishbreeds]

Algae Eater Fish & 15 Facts You Should Know!

 What exactly is an Algae Eater Fish? This is most likely the question you're looking for. Let's find out right now with Kingaquarium.com!

What exactly is an Algae Eater Fish?

Algae eater fish are a type of fish that is commonly kept in aquariums and eats algae as their primary source of food. Algae eaters come in a variety of species, including plecos, otocinclus, and siamese algae eaters. These fish contribute to the aquarium's cleanliness by eating algae that grows on surfaces such as rocks, plants, and glass.

The Evolution of Algae Eater Fish

For centuries, algae eater fish have been used in aquaculture to control excessive algae growth in ponds and aquariums. The use of algae eaters dates back to ancient China, where carp were raised in ponds alongside bamboo-eating snails to keep the water clear.

Japanese aquarists began using Siamese algae eaters (now known as Crossocheilus oblongus) to control algae in their aquariums in the early 1900s. This practice quickly gained popularity around the world, and other algae-eating fish species, such as Plecos, Otocinclus, and Chinese algae eaters, were introduced into the aquarium trade.

Algae eaters are now a popular choice for aquarium hobbyists due to their ability to control algae growth and coexist peacefully with other fish species. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors and can be found in both freshwater and saltwater environments worldwide.

Overview of Algae Eater Fish

Algae eater fish are a diverse group of freshwater and saltwater fish species that are commonly kept in aquariums to control overgrowth of algae. These fish have specialized adaptations such as suckermouths, bristly teeth, or herbivorous diets that allow them to consume various types of algae efficiently.

The Siamese algae eater, plecostomus, otocinclus catfish, and Chinese algae eater are all popular species of algae eater fish. While these fish can help keep aquariums clean, it's important to choose the right species for your tank and to feed them a balanced diet in addition to algae.

It's also worth noting that, while algae eater fish can help control algae growth, they may not be able to completely eliminate it. Proper aquarium maintenance, including regular water changes and cleaning, is still required to keep an aquatic environment healthy and balanced.

Algae Eater Fish's Appearance

An "Appearance Algae Eater Fish" is a fish with physical characteristics that allow it to consume algae, which is a common food source for many aquarium fish. These fish typically have a sleek and streamlined body shape, as well as a flattened head and mouth designed for grazing on surfaces such as rocks and plants.

They may also have specialized teeth or sucking mouthparts to assist them in cleaning algae from surfaces. The Siamese algae eater, Otocinclus catfish, and Plecostomus are all algae-eating fish.

Algae Eater Fish Behavior and Temperament

Algae Eater Fish Behavior and Temperament: Algae eater fish are generally peaceful and social creatures who prefer to live in groups. They spend the majority of their time scouring rocks, plants, and any other surface they can find for algae and other organic matter. Some species may consume small invertebrates as well.

Algae eaters are not aggressive toward other fish, but they can become territorial when it comes to their preferred feeding areas. It's critical to give them enough space and hiding spots to avoid conflicts with other tankmates.

The Siamese algae eater, the Chinese algae eater, and the otocinclus are all popular algae eaters. These fish's behavior and temperament may differ slightly depending on the species, so it's always a good idea to do research on a specific type before adding them to a tank.

How Long Does an Algae Eater Fish Live?

The lifespan of algae eater fish differs according to species. Some species can live for tens of years or more, while others may only live for a few years.

It is critical to conduct research on the species you are interested in to determine their average lifespan and any care requirements that may affect their lifespan. Water quality, diet, and tank size can all have an impact on the lifespan of algae eater fish.

The Advantages of Keeping Algae Eater Fish in Your Aquarium

Algae eater fish in your aquarium can provide numerous benefits. They aid in the control of algae growth, thereby keeping the water clean and clear. This eliminates the need for frequent water changes and reduces maintenance requirements.

Furthermore, as they move around the tank, these fish can be fascinating to watch, adding an extra dimension of interest to your aquarium.

Certain algae eaters, such as Siamese Algae Eaters, Amano Shrimp, and Nerite Snails, are also known to consume leftover fish food and other organic waste, which contributes to the tank's overall cleanliness.

Furthermore, having a diverse ecosystem in your aquarium with various species of fish and aquatic organisms, including algae eaters, can help to create a more natural balance that promotes the well-being of all inhabitants.

How many different types of Algae Eater Fish are there?

There are numerous species of algae eater fish, including, but not limited to:

Algae eaters in Siam.

Plecos.

The catfish Otocinclus.

Algae eaters in China.

Shrimp with amano.

Each species has its own distinct characteristics and may be better suited for specific aquarium setups or algae problems.

How Should Algae Eater Fish Be Cared For?

You should do the following to care for algae eater fish:

Provide an appropriate tank: Algae eaters require a large aquarium with plenty of hiding spots and plants. The water temperature should be between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pH should be between 6.5 and 7.5.

Feed them correctly: Even though these fish are known to eat algae, they still require a well-balanced diet. Serve them a mix of fresh vegetables, pellets, and flakes. Overfeeding should be avoided because it can lead to health problems.

Keep the water clean: Because algae eater fish produce a lot of waste, keeping the water clean is critical. Install a filter appropriate for the size of your tank and change the water on a regular basis.

Avoid aggressive tankmates: Algae eater fish are peaceful and can become stressed if kept with aggressive fish. Keep them with other peaceful fish.

Keep an eye out for any signs of illness, such as loss of appetite, lethargy, or abnormal swimming patterns. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, seek veterinary care right away.

Following these guidelines will assist you in keeping your algae-eating fish healthy and thriving in their aquatic environment.

Algae Eater Fish Habitat

The natural environment in which a specific organism or species lives and grows is referred to as its habitat. Freshwater fish known as algae eaters are commonly kept in aquariums to help control algae growth.

They are most commonly found in ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams where there is an abundance of algae and other aquatic plants to feed on.

Algae eater fish play an important role in maintaining ecosystem balance in the wild by consuming excess algae and detritus.

Algae Eater Fish Tank Conditions & Setup

Tank conditions and setup for algae eater fish are determined by the species of fish and the type of aquarium in which they will be housed.

Algae eaters, in general, require a tank with a good filtration system, as well as a suitable temperature and pH level.

It's critical to select the appropriate tank size for the number and size of algae eaters you intend to keep, as well as to provide them with plenty of hiding places and vegetation to mimic their natural environment.

Additionally, make sure to feed them a well-balanced diet, as algae alone may not provide all of the nutrients they require.

Consider factors such as size, temperament, and compatibility with other fish species when choosing algae eaters for your tank. Placos, otocinclus catfish, and Siamese algae eaters are some commonly kept algae eaters.

Regular maintenance, such as partial water changes and cleaning the tank and equipment, is also essential for your algae eater fish's overall health and well-being.

Water Quality Preservation for Algae Eater Fish

It is critical to keep the aquarium clean and well-maintained in order to maintain water quality for algae eater fish. Change the water on a regular basis, remove any uneaten food or waste, and clean the substrate.

Filtration is also important for removing excess nutrients that can lead to algae growth. Testing the water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH levels on a regular basis can help ensure a healthy environment for the fish.

Overfeeding should be avoided because it can result in excessive waste and higher nitrogen levels in the water. Providing enough hiding places and swimming space is also important for the fish's overall health and well-being.

Algae Eater Fish Feeding and Diet

Algae eater fish eat algae and plant matter as their primary source of nutrition. They are commonly kept in aquariums to aid in the control of algae growth.

Placos, otocinclus, and Siamese algae eaters are examples of common algae-eating fish. It is critical to feed them a varied diet that includes fresh vegetables like zucchini, spinach, and lettuce.

Algae wafers can also be given as a dietary supplement. Overfeeding should be avoided because it can cause health problems.

Common Algae Eater Fish Diseases

Bacterial infections, fungal infections, and parasitic infestations are all common diseases in algae-eating fish.

Lethargy, loss of appetite, abnormal swimming behavior, and color changes are all possible symptoms. Depending on the disease, treatment options may include antibiotics, antifungal medication, or specialized parasite treatments.

To prevent disease spread, it is critical to properly quarantine new fish before introducing them to an aquarium and to maintain proper water quality.

Algae Eater Fish Breeding

To breed algae eater fish, you must first create an environment that encourages their natural breeding behavior. Algae eaters are usually peaceful, and breeding can take place in community tanks with compatible tankmates.

Provide a variety of hiding spots, such as plants, rocks, and caves, to help the fish feel secure enough to begin spawning. Algae prefer soft, slightly acidic water with a pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 and temperatures ranging from 72 to 79°F.

A varied diet of algae wafers, fresh vegetables, and live or frozen foods can assist in preparing the fish for breeding.

When the female lays eggs, the male fertilizes them and guards the nest until the eggs hatch. Small amounts of powdered or liquid food should be fed to the fry several times per day until they are large enough to accept regular fish food.

Fish that eat algae as pets?

Aquarium algae eater fish can be kept as pets to help control and reduce algae growth. They are popular among fish enthusiasts because they can assist in keeping the aquarium clean and healthy.

Placos, Siamese algae eaters, and otocinclus are examples of common algae eater fish. It is critical to research the specific needs and requirements of the algae eater fish species you intend to keep, as some may require specific water conditions or dietary considerations.

What is the cost of an algae eater fish?

The term "Algae eater fish price" refers to the cost of acquiring a fish species known to consume algae in aquariums or ponds.

The price of algae eater fish varies depending on the species and where they are sold.

Common species like otocinclus or bristlenose catfish can be found for around $3 to $5 USD per fish, whereas rarer or larger species like plecos can cost up to $50 USD or more.

It's also worth noting that the price can be influenced by factors like the size of the fish, its age, and where it was bred or imported from.

What happened to my algae eater?

Poor water conditions, overfeeding, a lack of oxygen, stress, or disease could all be factors in your algae eater's death. It's difficult to pinpoint a specific cause without more information about the events leading up to its death.

However, some common causes of fish deaths include insufficient filtration, irregular water changes, and incorrect water temperature.

To ensure the health and well-being of aquatic pets, it is critical to regularly monitor and maintain proper water quality and tank conditions.

What algae-eating animals can coexist with axolotls?

Snails such as ramshorn, mystery, and nerite snails, as well as shrimp such as cherry and amano shrimp, can coexist with axolotls.

It should be noted, however, that not all algae eaters are compatible with axolotls, as some may nip at their gills or fins.

Furthermore, it is critical to ensure that the water parameters are appropriate for both species and that there is adequate space and hiding spots in the tank.

Which algae eater can coexist with goldfish?

Placos, Chinese algae eaters, Siamese algae eaters, and otocinclus are some algae eaters that can coexist with goldfish.

However, due to differences in diet, temperament, and size, not all algae eaters are compatible with goldfish.

It's best to do some research on the specific species and their needs before putting them in a tank with goldfish.

Which algae eater can coexist with betta?

Nerite snails, Amano shrimp, and Otocinclus catfish are some algae eaters that can coexist with bettas.

It is important to note, however, that introducing any new animal into a betta's tank can be dangerous and should be done slowly and carefully to ensure compatibility and avoid aggression.

Which algae eaters can coexist with turtles?

Nerite snails, mystery snails, and some shrimp species, such as amano shrimp, are algae eaters that can coexist with turtles.

However, not all algae eaters are compatible with turtles, so it's best to research each species' specific needs and behaviors before introducing them into the same tank.

Furthermore, because turtles can be messy eaters and generate a lot of waste, proper filtration and regular water changes are critical for maintaining a healthy environment for all inhabitants.

Are Algae Eater Fish Compatible with Other Fish?

Algae eater fish can coexist with other fish species in general, but it depends on the specific types of fish involved. Some algae eaters may be aggressive toward other fish, whereas others may be more peaceful.

In general, keep algae eaters away from fish that are small enough to fit in their mouths or have long, flowing fins that may attract aggression.

Consider the size, behavior, and dietary requirements of the fish you want to keep with an algae eater. To ensure proper nutrition, it is also critical to provide a well-balanced diet for all fish in the tank.

Additionally, keep a close eye on all fish's behavior to ensure they're getting along and there's no aggression or bullying going on.

Can Algae Eater Fish Keep Algae at Bay in Your Aquarium?

Yes, algae eater fish can aid in algae control in your aquarium. Algae eaters are fish that consume various types of algae in order to keep your tank clean and healthy.

Placos, otocinclus catfish, and Siamese algae eaters are popular algae eaters. While they can be effective at controlling algae growth, it's important to remember that they may not completely eliminate algae in your tank.

To prevent excessive algae growth and keep your tank balanced, maintain proper water conditions and lighting.

[narelleart]

Let's talk about "Fish Cred"

Kind of a weird topic, I know.

But it's something I am constantly running into in aquarium hobbyist circles. Inevitably, in every group, there comes to be a small subgroup of individuals that become established as the "experts" that everyone else goes to with questions.

Sometimes (often) these are the people with the most "fish cred." But what that means, and what is valued, varies from group to group.

--

Does successful spawning of fishes qualify you to be an expert? ...Perhaps, if it's a species that's difficult to spawn. But probably not for "just add water" fishes, like guppies and Ancistrus.

Does working in a pet store or for an aquarium maintenance company make you an expert? ...Perhaps, but typically not. As many of us have experienced, pet stores are typically breeding grounds for misinformation. The average consumer assumes the employees know what they're talking about, but this is sadly rarely the case. Consider also that the big box store corporations that are dominant in America have their own husbandry information they peddle, which is pretty universally incorrect. Sometimes fish stores and their employees propagate good information, especially in small local shops, but it's unfortunately rare.

Does working as a professional aquarist make you an expert? ...Perhaps, but the types of systems aren't always equivalent. I've known aquarists who work in saltwater that have horrible freshwater husbandry at home.

Does a B.S. in Biology, Marine Biology, Fisheries, Aquaculture, etc. make you an expert? ...Perhaps, but probably not. Bachelor's degrees are pretty general and none of these prepare you for hobbyist aquarium husbandry. If you are an expert that has one of these qualifications, the degree may help you understand some concepts better, but you probably learned your husbandry elsewhere.

Does doing research on fishes make you an expert? ...Perhaps, about the things you research specifically, but it doesn't necessarily mean you know much about husbandry. I've been in labs whose husbandry looked like it hadn't changed since the 90s.

Does having kept aquariums for a long time make you an expert? ...Perhaps, but often not. I see too many "old school" hobbyists that are still doing what work for them 20, 30, 40 years ago. This hobby grows and changes as we learn more and as new tools and equipment are developed for us.

Does having written books about aquariums make you an expert? ...Perhaps, but nowadays anyone can write a book. There's no one preventing them you putting the same misinformation that gets spread on forums, youtube, etc. into a printed book.

...Do you even need any of these "credentials" to keep fishes well? No! A well researched beginner can keep their fish much more appropriately than a seasoned hobbyist. These are all arbitrary benchmarks, you don't need any of them to achieve expertise in husbandry.

--

Here's the thing with fish cred - a lot of people try to substitute these credentials for providing justification, whether their own or through references, for the husbandry recommendations they make. "I'm an expert and I said so" instead of "here's why I think this is best."

If you make decisions based on general "expertise" and not based on fact-based research relevant to the husbandry decisions you're making, you are going to care for your fishes poorly.

--

If you're familiar with me, you'll know I've amassed a lot of fish cred. I do have expertise in aquarium husbandry - but most of that is actually self taught and not relevant to my credentials.

I actually hate fish cred as an entry requirement for husbandry discussions.

It's convenient that I have a lot of fish cred to throw around for the people that only listen when you can meet ridiculous bench marks. If I bust out the fish cred, you know I'm annoyed and am trying to shut someone down that values those types of things. Typically I do this with people that have decided they're experts, often based on one of these arbitrary markers, but that ultimately are just spreading misinformation.

I would caution everyone to be wary of those that lead with their "fish cred," or really anyone that situates themselves as an expert without backing it up with actual shows of expertise. If you can't explain the tough concepts in terms a layman can digest, you're no expert. You need to explain why you make the claims you do, where those recommendations come from. Back it up. Otherwise you only make empty claims.

[encyclopika]

Animal Crossing Fish - Explained #229

Brought to you by a marine biologist on our last foray into freshwater...

CLICK HERE FOR THE FISH EXPLAINED MASTERPOST!

We're starting to come up to the actual end of this series for the foreseeable future. Since Pocket Camp continues to put on Fishing Tourneys and Goals Events that feature imaginary fish to fit their themes instead of actual species, I'm slowly running out of things to write about. So, today will be our very last freshwater fish - the Redtail Catfish.

The Redtail appeared in AC Pocket Camp for the February 2021 Catfish Goals event along with its cousin the Tiger Catfish, which we've covered. I must say, the icon for this one is spot on!

We have covered catfish before, as they are pretty prominent throughout the AC series. (If you want to check them out -> 1, 2, 3). There's a good reason for that. Siluriformes, the Order catfishes belong to, is one of the most diverse fish lineages. With thousands of species in both fresh and saltwater environments, they have a very wide distribution on every continent and ocean besides Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. Catfish are most recognizable by their extra long barbels (the "whiskers") which they use to feel and smell throughout their environments, which can have low visibility, as well as compensate for most species' poor eyesight to begin with. However, not all catfish have barbels like this and are instead scientifically categorized by features within the skull and swim bladder. Either way, you know a cat when you see one. Catfish boast perhaps the widest range in size, too - from tiny, parasitic species to massive giants that have sparked legends in the areas they are native. Though the Redtail Catfish (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) isn't massive enough to have garnered legends, it is still one of the largest catfish out there, topping almost 6 feet (2 meters), though 3 feet (1 m) is more common, as an adult.

By George Chernilevsky - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=97291562

Catfish are voracious eaters and will snack on anything they can get their mouths around. They are typically bottom-dwelling fish but many species are known to swim throughout the water column looking for prey. Sometimes that prey may even include humans if given the opportunity and at the right size. Redtails themselves were one species blamed for hundreds of deaths during the Sobrel Santos II accident on the Amazon River in the '80's, in which 500 people went into the water and only 178 were rescued. Redtails, as well as other large catfish species in the area are thought to have dragged people underwater. These are not lazy fish by any means. They are powerful swimmers and deserve our respect.

Despite their huge size, experienced home aquarists attempt to house this fish in their homes. Because Redtails get so big and they have no problem eating anything in front of them, they require at a 1500 gallon tank all to themselves. If you need an idea of how big that tank is - a grown man could snorkel in one.

And there you have it. Fascinating stuff, no?

[memfish88]

How To Change Aquarium Filter Without Losing Bacteria?

How To Change Aquarium Filter Without Losing Bacteria? The best way to avoid losing your biological filtration is by ensuring that you change your filter cartridge regularly, every 3 months or so and also ensure that the material you re-use is clean and free from dirt and dust particles. This way you can leave behind a healthy colony of bacteria capable of maintaining good water quality in your aquarium! Note: The following information applies only for mechanical filtration whereby old filter media needs to be replaced with new ones. If it’s simply a replacement of biofilters (carbon) then there is no need to worry about loss of bacteria.

How To Change Aquarium Filter Without Losing Bacteria?

Three Ways of Changing Aquarium Filter Cartridge without Bacteria Loss

The major cause of fish death after a tank maintenance is that bacterial bacteria (bacteriological filter) are removed from aquarium water. Therefore, Asian Tropica promotes three ways to change aquarium filter cartridge without losing bacterial bacteria.

By maintaining a healthy balance between different types of bacteria and other microorganisms it becomes easy for aquarists to maintain good water quality and healthy fish in their tanks. It also helps prevent diseases such as ammonia poisoning, nitrite poisoning or nitrate poisoning and keeps fish stress-free. Since filtration is therefore the most important and time consuming part of aquarium maintenance, Asian Tropica recommends three ways to change filter cartridge without losing bacterial bacteria.

Through this article we would like to share some tips with you regarding how to keep your water healthy while changing the filtration medium in your tank. Regardless of whether your tank is a freshwater or salt water one, it is very important to prevent loss of valuable bacteria when changing out filters because these little guys do such an amazing job keeping everything clean!. The key is not really getting rid of all the bio-growth but rather reestablishing equilibrium after a major change so that stability can be maintained in a new way.

1. Leaving the Old Filter in the Tank:

By leaving your old filter, the bacteria remain in your tank. This is actually a simple method that works for many fish keepers. If doing it this way, you should change 80% of the water every week to avoid debris buildup on the bottom of your tank. Another option is to remove all of the old substrate and then put half of it in a bag for three days and bring fresh stuff back in when you buy new media from store.

2. Reusing the Media of the Old Filter:

Take out all bioballs from an old filter cartridge and wash them with tap water or by soaking in aquarium water for about two hours (change water periodically). Put them into a plastic vase or bucket with some saltwater water (5%-10%) and let them sit in that water for a couple of days. By doing this, the bacteria will start to grow again but you have to be careful not to keep it too long because if algae starts growing on bioballs then they are useless. You should also avoid using tap water for re-use since chlorine may affect bacteria activity.

3. Colonizing the New Filter:

This is actually a very simple method, but one that can go wrong if you don’t follow instructions properly. All you need is a small container filled with aquarium water (about half full) and place your new filter media inside it for about 24 hours before placing it into your tank to colonize it. It is vital to change some of the water in this container every few hours to remove harmful substances that could affect your bacteria.

Asian Tropica recommends doing these steps before starting up a new aquarium or changing old filter medium to help reestablish equilibrium after major changes so that stability can be maintained in a new way. Following these tips will help you maintain good water quality and healthy fish in your tanks, providing them with relaxed and stress free environment in which they can thrive! For other useful tips on aquarium maintenance please visit our website at asiantropicaonline.com . Thank you for reading!

See more: Best Aquarium Bacteria Supplement For Fish Tank

Understanding Biological Filtration and Importance of Bacteria Loss Prevention

Biological filtration is an important part of the entire mechanical, chemical and biological filtration process in the aquarium. The term “bio-filtration” refers to a wide variety of bacteria which are used for breaking down toxic ammonia into nitrite and then into harmless nitrate.

The most essential role bacterial play in water cycling is nitrogen cycle or more especially ammonia cycle. Fish waste products such as uneaten food and dead skin cells contain amino acids that turn into toxic ammonia (NH3). This NH3 will be absorbed by water where it will be converted to ammonium (NH4+). Ammonium in small numbers can be tolerated by fish but when they reach dangerous levels, effects may include lethargy, no appetite, clamped fins and can lead to death.

Nitrosomonas bacteria then convert ammonia to nitrite (NO2-) which is just as toxic. Nitrobacter bacteria in turn converts the NO2- into nitrate (NO3-). The advantage of using an aquarium filter containing activated carbon is that it will absorb any residual odors from fish waste, thereby preventing unwanted smells form being released into aquarium water. It also helps to remove discoloration and makes looking after your tank much easier! Your biofilter therefore has two roles – one is to break down toxic waste products from the fish and second is to reduce odor.

Does The Aquarium Filter Cartridge Really Need Changing?

The short answer here is no, the filter cartridge does not need to be replaced on a regular basis and this is largely down to the presence of biofilms. All filter cartridges have pores that allow beneficial bacteria living inside them to colonize onto it’s media surface. As long as these bacteria remain alive they will continue to remove harmful compounds from your aquarium water and over time build-up of waste products in your tank will be removed before they reach dangerous levels!

In some cases however, you may find that your biological filtration has broken down due to too much nitrates being present for example or because you are using tap water. The best way around this problem is by ensuring that you use only well-decanted water or RO/DI water and also replace your filter media regularly.

Common Misconceptions about Aquarium Filters

There are many false beliefs regarding the necessity to replace aquarium filters on a regular basis, fuelled by advice given by pet shops where they are known to push for sales of new products as opposed to maintaining stock in older ones. Biological filtration is clean and efficient when it comes to removing toxins and harmful compounds from our swimming water but not all filtration systems need replacing on an annual basis! The only instance where you will have to change your filter cartridge regularly is if it has deteriorated badly – flaking or falling apart because of mechanical wear and tear or even being left out in direct sunlight all day long, etc. Asian Tropica recommend using quality products like Eheim which are robust and will last for many years if taken care of properly.

source https://memfish.net/how-to-change-aquarium-filter-without-losing-bacteria/

[reisemanaj]

Deep Sea Aquarium Secret Weapon

The battle for excellent water top quality in your saltwater fish tank is truly never ever finishing..

. What happens if I informed you there was an actually amazing secret weapon around that is naturally happening and will draw a substantial quantity of contaminants out of your water and look actually wonderful at the same time? And also no, it's not live rock ...

Seems too excellent to be true right?

Prior to I allow you in on what the solution is I desire show you my all new mentoring program: the Saltwater  Live Algae UK - Clean Macroalgae & Chaeto UK  Fish Tank Guidance Academy

I produced this program due to the fact that the majority of people who've purchased this leisure activity are incredibly unlikely to prosper at the saltwater fish tank maintaining, in fact 90% of individuals stop working at deep sea aquarium keeping within 24 months, the most common factor for failure is not being able to develop a regular, immaculate water quality setting required for marine life. My training program offer the tools I utilize to succeed.

Saltwater Fish Tank MacroAlgae

Can you see the trump card? Simply among the many benefits you will certainly get with my mentoring program ...

The deep sea "trump card" I am discussing today will certainly provide your storage tank these advantages:

Boost the look of your tank,

Provide food as well as shelter for your marine pet dogs

Outcompete pest algae species

Oxygenate your tanks water

Enhance your water top quality by eliminating phosphates, silicates and also nitrates ...

The trump card or experts pointer is the critical use of marine macro-algae; likewise referred to as saltwater plants! .

saltwater fish tank tips

Photo from my "Developing The Perfect Container Atmosphere" e-class. Having detritus biting inverts and macroalgae is a fantastic tidy team

There are 2 sorts of aquatic plants that generally take place in saltwater aquariums 1. The (primarily) good types; these are the macroalgae (meaning "huge" celled), the aquatic plants like Caulerpa as well as Halimeda and also dirtying forms; the coralline algae.

These are desirable species because they look natural, expand predictably, oxygenate the water, draw out nutrients as well as are healthy snacks for our family pets.

However there are a couple of invasive macro-algae varieties you would certainly not desire in your tank, so research your prospective types well.

A lot of macroalgae species come from the groups Chlorophyta (environment-friendly algae), the prominent coralline types from the group Rhodophyta (red algae) and Phaeophyta (brownish algae).

2. The (mostly) negative varieties: the micro-algae (definition "little" celled) these are single-celled algae types, which converge in our fish tanks en-masse as well as have an incredible reproductive capacity. Its these micro-algae's out-of-control growth that cause flowers that can intimidate our whole marine storage tanks. The most infamous of the micro-algae's are:

3. Blue/green algae (Cyanobacteria): Blue-green sludge algae is responsible for a lot of saltwater aquarium chaos, these single-celled organisms are a lot more pertaining to bacteria than algae. In colour this algae ranges from red completely via to bluish-black and also can be viewed as slime, hair-like strings or a smear of evil looking film. Green algae covers everything in its path as well as is very tolerant of water specifications however does ideal in high phosphate, well-lit environments. 4. Hair algae: Likewise known as filamentous green algae as well as officially as Derbesia varieties. This is one of one of the most frustrating algae's and also is really usual in saltwater fish tanks. Its growth as im sure you can presume looks like clumps of downy hair that are green.

Bryopsis: Bryopsis is an eco-friendly macro-algae and additionally goes by the wonderful name of Sea Brush, however this things is anything but charming in your aquarium. It grows really rapid and also its green-brown feathery mass can take control of your aquarium in a number of days! Bryopsis is typically presented on real-time rock and is generally misinterpreted for Hair algae or Caulerpa.

saltwater aquarium enhancing water quality

Desire some 1-on-1 help to develop the best storage tank possible and fast-track your success? I can help.

So, it's micro-algae varieties that cause the huge bulk of bug algae issues in marine aquariums.

They cause troubles by covering every item in the container (as well as the glass) consisting of corals and other invertebrates that they can asphyxiate, cause infection and also shut out their light every one of which can trigger damages as well as even fatality.

Some algae are even harmful if consumed.

Bug algae outbreaks likewise suck out huge amounts of oxygen from the water at night, block filters, ruin water high quality with their rotting biomass and normally look unpleasant avoiding us from seeing our wonderful fish as well as reefs!

saltwater fish tank ideas

Macroalgae on the other hand is extremely useful and also will do these 5 superb things for your tank:.

Out completing the pest algae varieties by utilizing up all readily available nutrients in the water faster and also better. This implies pest algae will not have a possibility to flourish.

Gives a wonderful auxiliary food source to herbivores as well as omnivores alike. Occasional browsing will also motivate the algae to grow well. Tangs, Angelfish, Blennies, crabs as well as snails all take advantage of algae expanding in the tank. A diet regimen abundant in algae is stated to considerably lower the incidence of head as well as lateral line disintegration illness (HLLE) in Tangs and also Angelfish.

As a water filter drawing natural nutrients out of the water such as nitrates, phosphates as well as silicates that come from the failure of food as well as waste. Corals specifically are extremely conscious these compounds. Algae likewise aids to soak up heavy metals as well as any kind of contaminants released by marine microorganisms.

Add much needed oxygenation to the water column. Marine plants absorb carbon dioxide and put out oxygen, you can never have adequate oxygen in a deep sea environment.

Offers your fish tank a much more all-natural, authentic appearance and also provides habitats for invertebrates and concealing places for invertebrates and marine fish.

Producing a perfect environment for macroalgae.

Macroalgae are really easy to take care of as well as just actually need fairly tidy water and the very same bright (high) lighting that photosynthetic corals and anemone call for, so are best for coral reef containers.

They require around 8 hrs each day of light to thrive. Interestingly pest micro-algae's do better in dark illumination.

They will not need any kind of extra feeding, as they will mop up excess nutrients in the water. Coralline (red) algae also need a calcium supplement to grow ideal.

If your marine plants are expanding excessive (this is usually a pretty slow process for macroalgae) you can simply cut as well as prune them as you would certainly land plants.

Directly I such as to keep the base of my fish tanks devoid of substratum (a lot easier to maintain clean this way and also motivate the development of dirtying macro-algae's across the base and also strategically plant clumps of Halimedia and Caulerpa on the real-time rock where it looks actually pretty.

Sorts of macroalgae.

1. Caulerpa types: This rapid-growing and popular macroalgae comes from the phylum Chlorophyta which are the green macroalgae's. There are greater than 100 different types of Caulerpa some types expanding high and also others growing as floor coverings. The "feather" as well as "grape" selections called after the types of their fallen leaves are one of the most prominent with aquarists. Caulerpa is a favorite treat for marine herbivores and is great for filling in empty spaces in aquatic containers. Caulerpa plants are affixed to each other by runners or rhizomes, which they make use of for securing themselves to the rock.

2. Halimeda: This Hawaiian macroalgae additionally of the phylum Chlorophyta incorporates calcium into its plate formed leaves so is not eaten by herbivores. It is a sluggish cultivator as well as types baseball sized, circular globs. It is an appealing and also durable macroalgae to have in your deep sea fish tank.

3. Coralline algae: The bright red/pink/white/ purple encrusting varieties of coralline algae (phylum Rhodophyta) are a big favourite of reef container proprietors. They always come presented on real-time rock however can also spread out onto glass bottoms, they can likewise be propagated by taking scrapings or existing nests to brand-new areas. Also being calcium absorbing they need suitable levels of calcium (400-- 440 mg/mL) like reefs. Additionally like corals reefs they do not tolerate much phosphates or nitrates as well as likewise need magnesium, which will encourage them to grow. Coralline algae is vital to holding together reef in the wild and is stated to create chemicals that advertise the growth of invertebrates, they likewise maintain bug algae away and also offer a magnesium source for the tank.

4. Turtle turf: Likewise called Maidens hair Chlorodesmis is also from the phylum Chlorophyta and looks like great blades of turf that look like tufts of bright green hair. In my viewpoint this is among the most eye-catching macroalgae's as a result of its colour and also form. It wont be snacked on due to the fact that it contains a deterrent in its leaves. It needs moderate to strong water present as well as lighting.

Fish tank macroalgae.

Photo from page 99 of "Creating the Perfect storage tank Environment": Turtle grass is rather appealing and also fish love it.

A GOOD IDEA: utilizing macroalgae as a filter that rubs the water.

One of one of the most effective uses for macroalgae entails growing it in a sump or refugium listed below or to the side of the primary container.

This algae "scrubber" when developed will enormously filter phosphates, nitrates, some heavy metals and contaminants from your water and add big quantities of oxygen.

Along with the obvious benefits an algae filter suggests pest algae will not be able to grow in your display screen tank. All you require is a constant flow of container water in and out of your algae chamber and also regarding 18-24 hrs of light daily for maximum result, the reason for near continuous light is so that launch of carbon dioxide at night periods is kept to a minimum, which will decrease pH.

You can also keep online rock, live sand in your refugium/sump and also raise amphipods and copepods to feed your marine life at the same time as expand algae. Algae in the scrubber needs to be regularly trimmed as well as excessive growth eliminated.

The very best alga to use for this job is Chaetomorpha or spaghetti algae which has come to be popular with reefers in the last few years. This algae expands in thick rounds resembling a round of environment-friendly fishing line. 'Sheaths eat this algae also. Chaeto expands under routine fluorescent lights.

With any luck this blog post will have shown you the relatively unknown huge advantages of macroalgae and the substantial advantages it can supply your aquatic system.

[meowsatan]

How do you care for macroalgae?

nitrate and phosphate degrees can conveniently go high, and result in an algae break out. Overfeeding as well as Live Algae UK  overstocking is the most typical factor for water quality Live Algae UK - Clean Macroalgae & Chaeto UK going bad like that. Microalgae that are able to do photosynthesis are essential to life in the world; they generate around fifty percent of the oxygen discovered in the ambience, they use the sunlight's light and also carbon dioxide in their growth. They are important to the life of our oceans and lakes as they go to the extremely lower of the food web, without microalgae the whole ecosystem would fall down. Chaetomorpha "Pasta Algae" is cultured by lots of marine aquarists to eliminate nitrates as well as phosphates from the water biotope. It is absolutely sufficient to harvest a handful of algae periodically to keep the biological equilibrium in an aquarium-- a cost-effective as well as easy option to several chemicals or resins.

Live Ultra Rare Frag Purple Fauchea Macro Algae Plant Refugium Reefs Saltwater.

This is important because both nitrates and phosphates can be dangerous or perhaps fatal to the residents of your fish tank. One more reason why we feel Chaeto is the very best option for your refugium is because it makes for an amazing home for copepods.

Live Frag Caulerpa Peltata Macro Algae Plant Coral Reef Refugium Reefs Saltwater.

If you're seeking something to use as nutrient export, I would certainly just obtain some stem plants and a suitable light. They'll expand rapidly, consume nutrients, as well as can be trimmed frequently as well as will achieve the same thing that utilizing Chaeto would certainly in deep sea. Commonly seaweed, chaeto, mangroves, sea-grapes, calerpa and so on In home aquariums, the refugium is generally situated in the cabinet beneath the major storage tank. By restricting the plants as well as creatures to the refugium, the major storage tank remains clean and also aesthetically pleasing, while the biological purification happens in the refugium. The suggestions goes over in this short article are merely to offer you an image of the conditions existing in what we think is the "ideal macro container".

The truth that they look great and are typically quite easy to expand is icing on the cake.

Maiden's hair algae as well as sea lettuce (Ulva spp.) are bright environment-friendly species of macroalgae that normally grow affixed to rocks and are normally offered that way for aquarium use.

They might additionally be put amidst your online rock where they would certainly obtain brilliant light.

If you're seeking a little green for your container (and probably food for your Scats?), you ought to most definitely take a look at these varieties.

If the storage tank you are using to filter your system is mosting likely to be seen, after that of course get a varied group of macroalgae as well as make a display screen sump or refugium. If you are as addicted to this leisure activity as we are, you will certainly have fun establishing this new tank. If on the other hand the filtration location of your container will certainly be concealed from sight, you are much better off with just some solid filtering macros.

Macro Algae 1.

It is lasting with low to modest degrees of illumination as well as prefers low to modest flow. Red Titan algae will thrive the best when affixed to your rock; it makes a striking addition to your display screen aquarium. Coralline is located in deep sea fish tanks and also it will certainly dirty rocks, aquarium wall surfaces as well as substrates. It is preferred by lots of aquarists as it gives the fish tank colour as it is located in reds, pinks, purples as well as white. Coralline can play a crucial function in the ecology of a fish tank as points like sea urchins will prey on it. Ironically I really feel fairly comfy with provding for the seahorses, yet certainly they can not be included until this trouble is looked after. It is utilized in the aquarium pastime because of its quick growth under reasonably adverse conditions. It is not used as regularly in the aquarium anymore as individuals currently favour Chaetomorpha. Lights can have an effective impact not only on the survivability of the algae, but also on its look. These other pigments are called phycobilins, several of which reflect red, and a few of which show blue.

Mangroves Live Plants Fish Tank Red Mangrove Deep Sea Freshwater Seeds Tank.

As a basic rule, environment-friendly macro is much better at filtering than the others, as it tends grow faster than the others. Caulerpa and Chaeto both grow really quickly, although as stated before, Caulerpa is not without its imperfections. Scroll Algae is among the very best at straining of the brownish macros, as well as Brown Gracilaria and Red Gracilaria are the best out of the red macros we have,, yet neither is like Chaeto. Mangroves, (which aren't a macro, yet a true vascular plant), is in our opinion the best at purification in terms of the volume it occupies in your container. 

However, because Mangroves mature and out of the storage tank, they need to be incorporated with Chaeto for optimal filtration results. This group of 10 stems of Ludwigia makes a great addition to any kind of small yard fish pond. This rooted freshwater plant does ideal along the edge in a foot of water.

 This team of 30 stems of Infant's Tears makes a terrific addition to any kind of small yard pond. This rooted freshwater plant does finest along the fringe in a foot of water or much less. Some macro algae give a very good environment for advantageous inverts like copepods and also amphipods to expand as well as replicate.

[vergess]

That is an extremely funny joke and I sincerely wish it were the reason why. But, the name "bastard eel" was invented by pet stores as an advertising gimmick to sell expensive exotics to inadequately prepared aquarists.

They handle captivity well enough, aside from growing to be 70cm (28") long, which you may recognize as "way the fuck too big for any home-sized aquarium."

You need ~200 gallons of water for each of them. For every individual eel, you need a tank longer than a king size bed, as well as reef structures for them to hide, live prey for them to hunt, and all the other complexities that come with keeping a tropical saltwater tank. And, due to the... detritus... of their hunting, you'll have to completely replace that massive tank of water at least weekly.

They're just not suited to home keeping.

But the bright colors and ~funny name~ make them a popular sell.

Thooooough... they're also pretty infamous for heinous bites, so I mean.

Both things can be true, probably.

This variant of the Goldentail / Bastard Moray is known as the Banana Eel due to its colouration and markings resembling a ripe banana.

(source)

[aquariuminfobureau]

Over the years, the aquarium focused corporation Tetra - named for the characin fishes - has printed a few volumes under its very own Tetra Press imprint. This book from 1983 is Marine Aquarist's Manual, by the noted German writer, Hans A. Baensch. In the English speaking world, Baensch is best known for an encyclopedic series of Atlas titles, that have a venerable status comparable to that of Axelrod's, though their factual content may be a bit questionable, and the research standards a little lazy. Not surprisingly the pages to the rear of this lesser volume, are used to pimp the publisher's own products, to the point some of them almost resemble a catalog. More interesting to me is the history of fishkeeping, as expressed in books, so courtesy of the fair use principle, let's review.

"Why more than one tank?" Well because we all begin with one tank, strange as it is to recall, so many years down the line. I don't know of any private fish keeper, let's be honest, who quarantines every new fish unless illness is already suspected. And when called for, any food grade plastic container may easily become a temporary, emergency aquarium, such as a hospital tank for isolation and medication.

To be a serious aquarist does involve a fair number of aquariums, but for me and others, a lot of them will be improvised and temporary for budgetary reasons. Filter material from an established tank provides an instant 'cycle', so that temporary setups can be improvised at short notice, assuming basic equipment is lying round spare. It's always a good idea to have at least two of everything that might break, be lost, or go wrong

The only difference between freshwater and saltwater aquariums, is the all important factor of salinity. Swing arm models of hydrometer are useless, and impressive looking digital models, though they may qualify as serious kit, can still malfunction. My weapon of choice is a high precision floating model, a proper scientific instrument worth investing in, though I've gone through more than one, because they're made of all too fragile glass.

The standard measure of salinity in the hobby, is (relative) specific gravity as abbreviated simply to SG, although other measures of salinity are more popular in hydrology and ecology. Sadly specific gravity isn't exactly constant, because this reading varies according to the water temperature. For this reason saltwater must be prepared at the same temperature as the aquarium into which it goes. Usually requiring a second heaterstat. The book is for beginners, so the text is accordingly nice and simple, and accompanied by a graph. Sometimes simple is better when dealing with a complicated subject matter.

Only in older books is the use of coral skeletons advocated as aquarium ornaments. This is because the live animals are killed to produce the dreadful decorations, that no longer more than barely resemble corals in life and health. Even back in the day, chunks of limestone as also used in Malawi and Tanganyika biotopes, looked better as decoration. Thankfully this ethically unsound practice of coral harvest has withered, and it's now difficult to buy the destructively harvested, bleached, colonial skeletons.

As is often the case in older books on marine fishkeeping, we are urged to "make it a principle to never keep fish and invertebrates together". This seems bizarre nowadays, in an age of home reefkeeping. Many hardy, non-vertebrate animals are as easily maintained healthy, as are aquarium fish suitable for beginners. And even in 1983 it was not uncommon to keep organisms such as long-spined Diadema sea urchins, and the Lysmata and Stenopus cleaner shrimp, in otherwise fish-only setups.

As the text says, this 1980s introduction does not even mention the care of the 'invertebrates', except briefly and with an explicit tone of discouragement. But what is an invertebrate anyway? Historically this label referred to anything from sponges, to corals and anemones, to hermit crabs, to snails, to octopuses, to sea squirts. Often even the 'unicellular animals' were included as invertebrates, but nowadays the vast majority of them are known not to be animals.

Phylogenetically, fish and ourselves nest within, and not apart from the 'invertebrates', because the latter is a useless synonym for the animals. Inclusive or exclusive of the vertebrates, the 'Invertebrata' possess far too broad a broad spectrum of anatomies, behaviors, and physiologies, to be considered as a whole, and then contrasted with the whole of the vertebrates. I don't know why people still consider a shrimp more akin to a sea sponge than a fish.

Long before the fad for anything thats allegedly an Aiptasia eater, the copperband butterflyfish, Chelmon rostratus, was already popular in the aquarium trade, yet dying in great numbers. The reason why is touched on in the text - butterflyfishes with long, flexible faces are probing suction feeders, consuming numbers of small, whole prey.

Furthermore C. rostratus does not store energy in great amounts of body fat, and eats such morsels throughout the day. Thus imported and acclimatized copperband butterflyfishes, almost always starve to death due to a prolonged denial of sufficient food. The water clarity is not in fact important to C. rostratus, because wild fishes are reported from silty environments. C. rostratus is a bit of a habitat generalist.

The range of fishes covered in the photographic care guide, is curious for its omissions and inclusions. Following the butterflyfishes, or chaetodontids, the author introduces us also to the angelfishes, or pomacanthids. He provides a full page to the big, showy genus Pomacanthus, but curiously none to the dwarf angelfishes of the genus Centropyge. This book was written before the preference of aquarist consumers for smaller species of fishes.

Rarely aquarium advice boggles the mind for defying explanation. Did you know that to make a Moorish idol feed, all you have to do is soak it in freshwater for 20 minutes, then offer it some algae? How is this supposed to achieve anything - witchcraft? Though this species naturally does consume algae, as do most of its acantburid and siganid sisters, it also grazes sessile animals.

What is the best tank size for a fish? The truth is all such formulas are pseudo-scientific. Fishes actually vary in their physiological trials, and it is not their length but their biomass, levels of activity, and surface areas, that would be most relevant to any such calculation.

A low stocking level relative to the overall water volume, indeed ensures that wastes are diffused safely until the next water change. But the carrying capacity is higher with efficient filtration, and there is less waste input with careful, economical feedings. Sadly no universal rule of thumb exists, as to stocking a fish tank correctly.

[ptechcanada]

What to Look for When Purchasing an Aquarium Refrigerator

Whether you plan on keeping exclusively cold-water marine life or tropical reefs, an aquarium chiller is a worthwhile investment. The chiller will allow you to preserve marine life at temperatures that you wouldn't normally be comfortable with at your home or office. An oxygen deficiency is a major concern for those who keep marine aquariums in warmer saltwater. If the water in an aquarium gets too hot from the sun or other sources, the marine life in it may not have enough oxygen to survive.

Response to the question, "What is a Reef Chiller?"

A "chiller," a piece of equipment used to regulate the temperature of the water, can be installed outside of a marine aquarium to help maintain a constant water temperature. The aquarium chiller works in tandem with the aquarium heater to keep the water at a constant temperature, even on cloudy or chilly days, when the heater would otherwise be ineffective. Equipment in an aquarium, such as lights and water pumps, can emit heat into the water, increasing the likelihood that a chiller will be required to maintain the ideal temperature.

Since the chiller produces so much heat, proper air circulation must be arranged. Water temperature will rise if the chiller is stored in an area with inadequate ventilation, such as an aquarium cabinet. Deciding early on whether or not to incorporate a chiller into your new aquarium setup will simplify the planning and construction of any necessary plumbing.

Several Types of Aquarium Cooling Systems and What They Do

The aquarium water chiller options include in-line chillers, thermoelectric chillers, and drop-in chillers.

In-line chillers are commonly used in saltwater aquariums and other big aquarium setups. For this chiller to function with an in-line filtration system, it must be plumbed in, so be sure to plan ahead and include it in your aquarium's layout. This chiller should be installed in a system where the sump water has already been filtered for optimal performance. Water flows over the chiller's coil to be cooled before being recirculated back to the sump and eventually into the aquarium via the main return pump. Sizes of in-line chillers range from half a horsepower to one horsepower.

A drop-in chiller's coil fits neatly into the aquarium's sump or wet/dry filter, making it the quickest and least complicated type of chiller to set up. The coil is watertight since it is constructed of titanium, which is filled with refrigerant and then shut. The thermostat links this coil to the compressor. The horsepower range for drop-in chillers is 0.5 to 0.3. Aquarists that keep saltwater reef aquariums are the most common users of the drop-in chiller. Drop-in chillers are ideal for compact cooling systems where additional components would otherwise be difficult to install due to the lack of available pipe space.

The principle behind thermoelectric chillers is that one side of a current running through two distinct conducting materials will heat up, while the other will reject heat. The aquarium water is cooled by the chiller, which has its hot and cold sides separated by insulation. Aquariums larger than 15 gallons are too large for thermoelectric chillers. These chillers are silent, however, they only work well with modest water flow rates in aquariums. This cooling system can be quickly overwhelmed by high flow rates.

Tips on Choosing a Reliable Aquarium Cooling System

Several factors should be taken into account before settling on an aquarium chiller. Do some research to find out what range of temperatures is ideal for the fish and other creatures in your aquarium. When it comes to heat, certain animals and plants are more equipped than others. Consider the size of your entire aquarium setup, including the sump, as a more powerful chiller, will be required for a larger system. Think about how much heat your aquarium equipment is emitting as well.

Copper heat exchangers in a saltwater aquarium can kill your fish, and stainless steel corrodes with time, so titanium is the only safe option. When choosing a chiller for your aquarium, it's important to remember that a larger chiller will do the job more efficiently and will run less often than a smaller chiller. When a chiller is small, it cycles on and off more frequently, causing it to work harder and consume more energy.

Here is where you can find the finest chillers and heat exchangers on the market.

[candycorals]

Ecoetech Pumps – Good Fit Device For Saltwater Aquarium.

The maintenance of saltwater aquariums is certainly more challenging than that of freshwater aquariums. It is important to be careful as well as knowledgeable when handling saltwater aquariums.

 When compared to freshwater aquariums, saltwater aquariums can house a wider variety of fishes and mammals. You are able to keep some of the brightly colored reef fish in a saltwater aquarium. Live coral, crustaceans, anemones, and jellyfish can also be kept in saltwater aquariums. There are even some advanced aquarists who keep octopuses and squids. There is also a wide variety of sea life in aquariums. Perhaps this is the reason why saltwater aquariums are so popular.

 This is the major reason why the Ecoetech Pumps have been in exploding demand for the saltwater aquarium. The coveted device has secured its position in the list of the world’s smartest return pumps. Outlined below we have illustrated a few attributes of this amazing and pocket-friendly device and they are:-

 It offers auto-calibration to your Saltwater Aquarium. As a return pump, this device averts the back siphoning and also renders to the natural water flow condition in the feed mode.

This highly equipped and high-tech device comes with a battery backup mode, and offers a breathable environment to the fishes and various aquatic animals if the power turns down.

To unlock the exorbitant potential of the device buy this device without any hitch from the reliable e-store only at https://candycorals.ca/. If you also wish to Buy Neptune Apex online then we would recommend you to have a quick tour of our website and see how you can make your fish tank healthy and lively. So, what are you waiting for? Without further ado, add a few worthwhile products to your cart and get them delivered to your doorstep.

[mado-science]

Recommended for everyone starting a SW tank I work for a major pet store, and this book was required reading to get a grasp on the saltwater systems. Written by a marine biologist, I find it's one of the best books on the market for understanding the basics of the salt water setup. Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies walks you through FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) setups and coral/reef setups, describes different kinds of filters and protein skimmers, explains the nitrogen cycle, and gives some basic insight to the different needs of fish, invertebrates, and other marine denizens. I recommend this book to anyone interested in how saltwater aquariums work, whether they're setting up a tank or not. Before you buy a tank, a stand, filter, or water, buy the book! Go to Amazon

informational but not the best I am a big fan of the "for dummies" series. While, I got some information out of this book, I felt as of it was a bit outdated and the information wasn't sufficient enough. I would recommend it to someone who is very new to the hobby but I wouldn't use it as your only source. I would also recommend you read the book by a computer so you can look up the fish and equipment discussed since the book doesn't provide very good visuals. Go to Amazon

I became interested in saltwater aquariums as a complete novice ... I became interested in saltwater aquariums as a complete novice and the prospect of setting up the aquarium was both exciting and intimidating. I am a big fan of the "... for Dummies" series as beginner guides for personal hobbies. This book was extremely helpful in both the content and the organization of the information. The author provides practical advice on everything from choosing fish to maintaining water quality. I completed the book feeling I had a solid start on my dream of having a salt water aquarium. It is a must-have for beginner salt water aquarium enthusiasts. Go to Amazon

Easy read with a great balance of readability and technical information. Should be in any new marine aquarist's library I'm a new aquarist. I bought 8 marine aquarium books from Amazon. I consider this one of the top books of the group and easily the easiest to read with a nice balance of information versus technical discussion. Not perfect, but definitely the one that I ended up making up my list of things I still needed to do. Not overly technical, as many of the books are. Easy read. Author is as good at writing as he is at being a marine biologist. Not perfect, but close. Could use some updating on lights and other areas, where the author either doesn't discuss the newest, better technology, or just barely covers it. I wish marine life discussions included color photos (instead of black and white drawings) and more pictures of different marine life. I'm already a big fan of the Dummies books and I always buy one when I'm trying to learn something new. This book is an excellent example of why everyone interested in new subject should by a Dummies book as part of their knowledge investigation. Go to Amazon

This book is AWESOME!! Incredibly helpful and packed full of valuable ... This book is AWESOME!! Incredibly helpful and packed full of valuable information. Clear and well written, this book is (in my opinion) a must have for anyone passionate about saltwater aquariums, whether you are just starting out with your first tank, or otherwise. Go to Amazon

Great primer on how keep marine aquariums I used to keep freshwater tribal fish. I've always been way of venturing in to meeting saltwater tanks. This book removed a lot of that fear. This book fires a great job of explaining how the saltwater aquarium work and Joe a novice can pick it up. I'm Lee's afraid and may well start a saltwater aquarium. Go to Amazon

Really good, basic information you need to know before setting up a tank This book really broke things down for me and helped me decide whether a salt water tank was for me or not. It may be Daltwater tanks for dummies but it didn’t make me feel like a dummy. Go to Amazon

Some of the info is a little outdated but it still has great information about the different kinds of animals you can ... I read this in a week it is full of information. Some of the info is a little outdated but it still has great information about the different kinds of animals you can care for. Go to Amazon

THERE ARE MORE INTERESTING BOOKS OUT THERE Good Four Stars Five Stars Four Stars Good buy One Star Four Stars but it looks like it will be very informative Perfect for beginners