Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Aquarium
It is important that you get the correct aquarium. This is the base of everything. This is the home of your tropical friends. So, it is very important that you take the time and effort necessary to ensure your success. There are many questions that you need to think about before purchasing your aquarium. It is important that you think about what kind of tropical fish you would like, how big they will get when they are full grown, what types of plants you want to put in the aquarium. First, lets start with what kind of tanks there are out there. There are two kinds of tanks- frame tanks which are made with frames made of anodized aluminum, plastic, or stainless steel and then there are frameless tanks. Both are caulked with silicone rubber. They do not rust even with sea water. Aquariums come in different shapes and sizes and all are suitable for keeping fish. Plastic tanks are just as durable but they do scratch easier than glass. If you are looking for an aquarium without sharp edges and corners, then you are looking for a plastic tank. Some plastic tanks are too thin and therefore the water pressure might cause the walls to belly out. Then all of your efforts will be lost. If you are looking to photograph your fish, then you will want to get a glass aquarium. Plastic tanks will distort the look of your fish. The handling of the tank is also important with plastic tanks to ensure that the surface doesnt scratch. The main advantage to a plastic tank over a glass one is how it looks. A plastic tank with rounded edges and corners looks amazing in your living room. There are a few different styles of glass aquariums. Molded one-piece tanks are great for breeding and small fish species and also as isolation tanks. I will speak about isolation tanks later and why it is necessary to have one on hand. One piece tanks are also easy to clean and will hold 5 gallons (20 liters) safely. One issue with molded tanks is the internal stress may cause larger tanks to crack or break. For this reason, it is important to protect your tank for temperature changes. It is also common that the glass walls are not even which makes your fish look distorted. Some people choose to use transparent plastic tanks because they are lighter and less fragile than the glass versions. They are also easier to repair. If a plastic tank should crack for any reason, you can repair it using plastic glue. The price is also another reason why people choose it over the glass tank. IF you are
What if a relative gives you a tank, how can I fix it so that I can use it??
I am sure everyone knows someone who has tried to build an aquarium and they were unsuccessful and gave up. It could be a neighbour or relative or friend. It is possible that this person will give you there aquarium in hopes that you can be more successful than they were. Okay, so, how do we not make the same mistakes? How do we use what they gave up to start us out for the time being? Most often these aquariums are the old-fashioned frame tank with glass panes cemented to the metal frame. You will need to seal the joints with a silicone rubber. Use only a silicone rubber with an acetic base. Ensure that you seal all joints. Dont forget to seal the lower edge of the frame that runs along the top of the tank. Remove all the grease with an alcohol or acetone solvent. Okay, you have the silicone rubber, now what do you do with it. You squeeze some of it out and put it in the seams. Smooth it out by using your finger. (Tip: add dishwashing detergent to your finger before you put silicone rubber on it so that it doesnt stick to your finger.) This will make that tank useable for several years. It will be able to give you some time to figure out what kind of fish you would like, what kinds of plants you would like and how big of an aquarium you will need to have the aquarium of your dreams. The aquarium that your friends will be running over to see.
Water
The next thing that is critical to your success is water. Whether you plants and fish live or die will depend on the water in the tank. The quality of the water will determine whether they live or die. Not all water is the same. Water is made up of gases, minerals and organic matter. The organic matter is from decaying leaves and wood and from plants and creatures in the water. There are two gases in water- oxygen and carbon dioxide. These are essential for all living organisms to survive. Fish and plants will absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide. The number of fish and plants in the aquarium will have an effect on the balance of the water. The balance will need to be naturally maintained or the excess needs to be removed. The water will be hard or soft depending on the minerals that are in it. IF the mineral content is high, then the water will be hard. If the mineral content is low, then it will be soft. You will need to find out what the mineral content of your tap water. How do you find this information??? You can call your local water department or you can measure it yourself. You can use indicator strips or a test kit that you can
As long as the pH stays around 5.8 to 7, you fish will be safe from ammonia poisoning. An aquarium that is not cleaned for some time will have a high amount of debris food and the levels of nitrogen will be high. If you circulate is water through an acid-enhancing filter material such as peat, it will convert to ammonium and your fish will be fine. This is the reason why when you decide to change the water in your tank after a long while, some of your fish die. It is because you have changed the environment and the pH in the aquarium has risen from the tap water. When the ammonium rises, there is a change in the ammonia and the fish die from ammonia poisoning. Long gone are the days where people believe that fish cant handle the water change. Now, they are devices available to eliminating cloudily debris without the removing water. It is important to know that aged water means the aquarium has plants but no fish for several weeks. Fresh water is tap water that has sat for a while. One kind of fish that is in constant danger of ammonia poisoning is an East African Cichlids. They are used to alkaline the water. They are heavy feeders and plants do not usually survive in their tanks. It is important to use powerful filters and change their water more frequently. How do you know if you fish is suffering from ammonia poisoning?
When you hear the word tropical fish, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Temperature of the water. In order to have any results with tropical fish, you will need a heater. The water should be about 73 to 79 degrees (23 -26 degrees Celsius). There are several types of heaters and several ways to heat the tank. An aquarium heater consists of a heating coil inside a glass tube filed with sand. It is regulated using a thermostat. The most common heaters are electric rod-type heaters without thermostats and automatic heaters with built in thermostats. If you buy your heater separately,
Lighting
Whether you fish and plants like constant sunlight or thrive in a cycled environment it is important to get proper lighting. Some will suggest that you place your aquarium by the window to get as much daylight as you can. The problem is that you cant control the sunlight. It is also possible that if you place the aquarium by the window, it will follow the seasons. It is not unlikely that you will experience some green algae and turn the water opaque and the plants may wither because it is too dark for them in the winter. Animals and plants are living organisms and they have their own internal clock that determines their daily behavior as well as their seasonal behavior. You have to remember that you are trying to create an environment that is closest to their natural inhabitant. The other area where the element of lighting is important is when you are thinking about breeding. Some species will spawn after sunrise and some will be after dusk. The growth of the plants and fish is based on the length of the day. The length of the day is usually determined by the amount of daylight that they receive. It is important to create an environment that fosters the most growth. Fish that are naturally from areas close to the equator are used to 12 hours of sunlight. To create an environment that is close to their natural inhabit, I advise that you have the aquarium lit for 12- 14 hours a day. I would also advise that you purchase a timer that will turn the lights on automatically. The intensity is also important to keep in mind with regards to your tank. The tank needs the lighting to be supplied for the plants and the fish in the tank. You want the lighting to resemble natural daylight. Your fish will need less light than your plants. Water will also act as a light filter. Smaller plants are more affected by the source of light than the larger plants. Larger plants are closer to the light source. How do you know how much light you need? A good rule of thumb is 0.4 to 0.7 watts per quart (litre) of water. An example is if you aquarium is 48X 12 X 21, your lamp should be about 80 to 140 watts. One thing that is common in the tropics is algae. It is for this reason that you should add algae eating fish immediately. The most common algae eating fish are Siamese Flying Fox, the Sphnenops Molly, and some kind of Bristle- Nose or Chinese Algae- Eater.
Algae
There are always some algae present in your tank. As soon as the environment in the tank changes, algae will thrive. Blue-green algae is the oldest form of algae. They form a dense blue-green, violet or brownish-black layer on the bottom. They will also be on the plants, rocks, etc. You can strip them off with your hand or siphon them off. It is important to get it all off the surface because they will continue to thrive as long as there is a trace of it present. Red algae look like dirty-green threads or beards from plants, wood and rocks. They are just as persistent as blue-green algae. The good news is that Simese Flyng Fox enjoy eating this kind of algae. Brown algae and gravel algae grow into a thin brown layer. This is usually caused by not enough light and oxygen. Just add more light and they will go away. The plants will produce enough nutrients once the light is introduced. Green algae will be light green and will float in the aquarium and make it opaque. It will sometimes appear in newly set up aquariums when the fish are overfed. It will vanish in a few days or you can introduce water fleas. Green algae only exists in tanks that are clean and well fertilized so, they are a good sign. The algae can be removed by hand or you can siphon it off. The drawback of them is they create webs around the plants which will decrease the amount of light the plants get. If you are going to remove them by hand, be sure not to pull out the plants. Some fish do like to eat the algae but it will grow faster than the fish can eat. You may need a chemical killer. Follow the directions when you are using these products. The easiest way to prevent algae is to ensure enough plants in the tank in the beginning. In a sparsely planted tank, algae will grow. Start out with a lot of inexpensive plants and replace them as you go a long. This will ensure that you dont have an algae problem. Snails Snails will eat the leftover food that t the fish refuse to eat. You will rarely have to purchase these because you will find snail eggs usually on the leaves of your plants or they will get in with live food. In warm water tanks, there are three kinds of snails. Ramshorn snails are found in most tanks. They will not damage plants unless they are in large numbers. Cabombia aquatica are sometimes subject to their attacks. Malayan snails live in the bottom of the tank. They only emerge at night. During the day, they will hide in the gravel. They do not eat plants but they will dig in the bottom of the gravel and can cause some rotting at the bottom of the aquarium. The South American will grow almost the size of escargots. They eat fish food and plants. If there is enough food, they will not harm the plants tin the tank. They are rare to be found in pet stores. In rare cases, you might add mud snails. Mud snails or Limnaea stagnalis will feed on plants and may carry some
Types of fish
Catfish:
Common Name: None. Scientific Name: Corydoras Undulatus Origin: South America Average size: About 2 inches. Care: Need to be kept in groups of 3+, as with all cories. Six or over is optimum. Care is the same as all cories. These are a fairly rare type, so check you don't have a similar species e.g., corydoras elegans. They like to hide, so provide plenty of cover. Mine like to hide behind the row of plants at the back of the tank. They can be kept with anything that won't eat them. They are quick little things, so avoid moving them (believe me, playing 'catch the cory', even when you're
Common name/s: Glass Catfish, Ghost Catfish, Asian Glass Catfish Scientific name: Kryptopterus minor Family: Siluridae
Common name/s: Spotted raphaael catfish, spotted talking catfish Scientific name: Agamyxis pectinifrons Family: Doradidae Origin: Amazon basin Maximum size: 6" Care: The fish is very easy to care for and places no demands on water, tank mates or furnishings, tolerates temperatures from 20 to 26 Celsius. Like all Doradids the fish is nocturnal and will refuse to be active by day, a cave or rocks/bogwood should be supplied for the fish to rest in/under during daylight. The fish are sociable and should be kept in a group of at least 3, they are not predatory but very small fish (neon tetras etc) may be accidentally eaten. Feeding: The fish should be fed after lights out, not fussy the fish will accept all sinking aquarium foods; the fish will also eat snails. Breeding: Unknown Comments: The fish makes a good addition to the clean up crews of tanks containing large messy fish. Common name: Sterba, Sterbai Cory, Sterba's Cory Scientific name: Corydoras Sterbai Origin: Brazil, South America Family: Callichthyidae Maximum size: 3 inches Minimum tank size: 15 Gallons
Characins
Family: Anostomidae Size: 7inches, 20cm Diet: This fish will accept dry and frozen foods (brine shrimp I found is preferred) as well as things like cockell and mussell occasionally. Compatibility: This fish is fairly peaceful, community fish, which is better off in a larger tank with fish of roughly the same size. Fish Id recommend to keep with the Anostomus are: Leporinus fasciatus fasciatus -Black banded leporinus size:12" Abramites hypselonotus -High-backed Headstander size 5.5" Distichodus affinis- size 8" Tank conditions: Temperature -between 22-26degrees C PH-around neutral Layout: A good environment for the anostomus would be that of a tank of around 3', gravel substrate with pieces of bogwood and lots of plants so this fish can swim around securely. Common name/s: Black banded leporinus Scientific name: Leporinus fasciatus fasciatus Family: Anostomidae Origin: South America, Amazon basin Maximum size 12" Care: As expected due to its adult size the fish requires a fairly large tank, one of at least 75 gallons with a high volume filter is recomended. The fish places no special demands on water parameters as long as the extremes of hardness and
Common Name/s: Buenos Aires Tetra Scientific Name: Hemmigrammus Caudovittatus Family: Characidae Origin: Argentina, Paraguay and Southeast Brazil Maximum Size: 3" (7cm) Care: Keep these fish in as larger group as possible, they are an active shoaling fish. They are an extremely hardy fish and can tolerate a large range of conditions Feeding: They accept most commercial flake foods but relish live and frozen foods Sexing and Breeding: Easy fish to breed. The Female has a rounder and fatter stomach whereas the males tend to have bright red fins and a slimmer stomach. There fish breed readily in the aquarium. They scatter their eggs among plants or in the substrate where the eggs tend to be eaten before they can hatch. Young that survive grow at a steady rate and do best on a diet of small live foods. Comments: An extremely hardy fish recommended for the beginner. These fish eat most plants found in an aquarium and for this reason they are not as popular today as they used to be many years ago. They have informally been called the "Lawnmowers of the Aquatic World" by many fish keepers. Common name/s: Cardinal Tetra Scientific name: Paracheirodon Axelrodi Family: Characidae Origin: South America Maximum size: 2" (5cm) Care: A soft, acidic water is preferred by these guys as most of them in the are wild caught from the amazon. As with most tetras, they should be in schools of, at the very least, 3. With these guys, the more the merrier. Keeping a large number against a dark background with a bright light makes them an absolutely stunning sight. Feeding: They will eat pretty much anything including flakes, pellets, and live foods. Sexing and breeding: Females are slightly larger, with a wider body. To breed, you must imitate the natural conditions in the wild. Soft water and a pH of around 5.8 is a must. They will usually spawn in the evening, and following spawning the parents should be removed from the tank. For the first few days, they will be feeding off their yolk sacs. Following the 3rd day, you may begin infusoria, then small live foods such as micro worms and vinegar eels.
Cichlids-African
Common name/s: Electric Yellow, Yellow Lab, Lemon Yellow Scientific name:Labidochromis Caeruleus Family:Cichlidae Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa Maximum size: 5" Care: This is a hardy and easily kept cichlid from the mbuna family, and an excellent choice for beginners and experienced aquarists alike. They are a very social fish that do well in groups of 3 or more. The minimum recommended tank size for these fish is 30 gallons. The aquarium should be decorated with a number of hiding spots including caves of various sizes. Sand substrate is appreciated by these fish, but is not necessary. Yellow Lab's are best kept in water with a PH of 7.5 or higher, at a temperature between 75 and 80. These cichlids make excellent tank mates for most mildly and moderately aggressive mbuna, aulonocara, and haplichromines from Lake Malawi. Feeding: Daily feedings of high quality cichlid pellets or flakes. Supplements of spirulina flake are recommended. Live or frozen invertebrates including brine shrimp and mysis may also be fed as a supplement. In the wild these fish are insectivores and micro-predators. Sexing and breeding: As young fish Yellow Labs are nearly impossible to sex. As they get older the males will grow faster and larger then the females. As they mature, males will typically display more aggressive behavior then females, and will often be seen digging a nest in a favourite cave. These fish are unselective breeders, and dominant males will mate with any present females. Nothing further then keeping conditions clean is necessary to promote breeding. As mouth brooders, females will incubate and hatch the eggs in her buchal pouch, and then continue to hold the fry until the yolk sacs have been consumed. A typical holding period for this cichlid is 4 weeks, and the female will not eat during
Common name/s: Apisto Panduro, Panda Apisto Scientific name: Apistogramma Panduro Family: Cichlidae Origin: South America, Rio Tahuayo (Lower Rio Ucayali, Peru) Maximum size: 3.5 inches Care:These Apistos prefer soft water and a PH level of 6.5. A good tank temperature is 80F. A good tank size is 20 gallons as a minimum and like to be kept in pairs of trios (1male:2females).Although beware, these Apistos are aggressive towards other Apisto species, namly females but are not aggressive towards other non Apisto tank mates. They like lots of plants (their natural substrate in leaf litter, but is not needed), rocks, caves and wood to swim about. They're a peaceful fish but can get territorial at times, like all cichlids do. They come out a lot when there are other fish such as tetras like the Neon that are also swimming about which tells them everything is safe. They shouldn't be kept with large and aggressive fish and make great community additions. Feeding: Frozen foods such as brine shrimp and bloodworm, they also take flakes and pellets. Sexing: Females are bright yellow with black markings on its chest areas, Males are blue and brown colours. Breeding: PH should be left at 6.5 and water hardness should be at 50ppm and feed frozen live and add freeze dried food to the mix. Lower the temperature and add cold water to the tank. They will spawn in caves and are very good parents. Once the eggs are hatched and the fry are free swimming (usually after 6 days), they should be fed freshly hatched brine shrimp, vinegar eels and micro worms. Comments: Often confused with the Apistogramma nijsseni, the males look very much alike and both species are called Panda Apistos.
Common name/s: White spotted pike cichlid, spangled pike cichlid Scientific name Crenicichla saxatilis Family: Cichlidae Origin: South america Maximum size:10" Care: Care is similar to that of members of the Central American Cichlasoma group of fishes, and a large tank with plenty of hiding places and robust tank mates is a basic. The fish does not do well in hard and alkaline water, a pH above 7.5 should be avoided, temperatures of 25 to 30 centigrade (77-86f) are preferred. The fish is aggressive to members of its own species and other pikes, but can be combined with other large, semi aggressive species. The fish is a predator and tank mates should be at least 4" to avoid becoming food. Feeding: Large meaty frozen and live foods, the fish rarely accepts pellets. Sexing: Males are larger and more brightly coloured, with extensions on the dorsal and caudal fins. Females have eye spots on the dorsal and caudal fins. Breeding: Difficult but possible, the hardest part is finding a suitable pair without them killing each other. The species is a cave spawner and after a brief courtship the eggs are stuck to the ceiling of a cave. The fry hatch within 4-6 days and can be fed with newly born live bearer fry. Comments: The fish is one of a large group of species of the saxatilis group (spangled pikes). All members of this group are predators and have many of the same needs and requirements.
Cyprinids
Scientific name: Balantiocheilus melanoptrus Common names: Bala shark, silver shark Family: Cyprinidae Origin: Southeast Asia Maximum size:13" Care: The large adult size means that this fish should be kept in nothing less
Common name: Dwarf red rasbora Scientific name: Microrasbora rubescens. Family: Cyprinidae. Origin: Myanmar. Maximum Size: 5cm/ 2 Care: A semi-hardy fish that likes a good open space at the top of the tank for fast swimming. Provide plenty of foliage for hiding in. Another lovely little shoaling fish that will suit any peaceful community tank. Feeding: Omnivorous; Will accept most flake foods, daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworms (live if possible.) Will eat pellets; however you may need to crush
Labyrinth
Common name: Siamese Fighting Fish / Betta Scientific name: Betta Splendens Family: Belontiidae Origin: Thailand & Various other asian countries Maximum size: 3 - 3.5" Minimum Tank size: 1.5 - 2G Temperature: 23 - 30C (74-86 F) The Betta is a beautiful fish that exists in all manor of colour variants from whites and silvers through yellows and blues to reds and blacks. Its beautiful flowing fins and graceful movement make it a wonderful fish to own. Care: Bettas originate in the shallow waters in Thailand (formerly called 'Siam', hence their name), Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and parts of China. They proliferate rice paddies, shallow ponds, and even slow moving streams. Because of their natural habitats being fairly enclosed areas Betta keepers can often get away with using tanks as small as a gallon but it is advisable to keep them in at least 2 gallons to keep them happy and give them plenty of space to swim. Being Tropical fish they love a humid climate and so having a heater in a betta tank is much more important than a filter, especially in a smaller tank were heat loss is quick. Having the "Labyrinth" organ means that they can also breathe air from the surface of the water as well as through their gills. The organ is a maze of folded skin that filters the air for oxygen, hence the name labyrinth. Feeding: Bettas will feed fine on dried foods and betta pellets as well as treats of frozen bloodworm or brine shrimp on occasion. They generally like more meaty foods and so will turn their nose up at most flakes. Bettas also love live food and will happily eat live brine shrimp. Sexing: The general rule of sexing is that the Males have long flowing fins whilst the females have much shorter fins. However, watch out for Plakats and other short finned bettas as well as longer finned females . Breeding: The Betta is a bubble nest builder and the male will build his nest for the female to lay her eggs in. When they are ready to spawn, the pair will display intense coloration and begin circling each other under the bubble nest. The male will wrap himself around the female who has turned on her back. As she expels
Livebearers
Common Name: Guppy Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata Origin: Central North America to Brazil Maximum Size: 2 inch Care: This fish is very easy to care for, they are a pretty hardy species and can tolerate a variety of water conditions, but prefer slightly alkaline water. Temperature should be 68-79 (degrees) Fahrenheit. The minimum tank size is 5 gallons. Feeding: Be sure to provide a variety of foods, preferably live ones, because a nutritious, complete diet will enhance their colors and ensure good health. Keep in mind that they will eat their young if they are small enough. Breeding: These fish are very easy to breed and they are able to have a batch of fry every 28 days. A pregnant female can be identified by the gravid spot (darkened area) behind her anal fin. An average brood is average is 40 to 50 babies. Sexing: The females are bigger than the males, the males are much more intensely coloured than the females. Males have a gonopodium. - See the article for explanation of gonopodium. Comments: Guppies live only about two years. There are many different colour and fin combinations available. It is advised to keep two or three females to every one male to prevent the males fighting it out between each other. Scientific name: Dermogenys spp. Family: Hemirhamphidae Origin: South and South East Asia; most imported fish are from Thailand and Indonesia Maximum size: Typically around 5 cm, rarely up to 7 cm Minimum Tank Size: Length at least 60 cm, depth relatively unimportant Care: Wrestling halfbeaks of the genus Dermogenys inhabit a variety of waters
Breeding: Breeding Platy's is said to be exceptionally easy, because the caretaker of the fish has to do nothing to start it, and usually can do nothing to prevent it. Platy's, like all other livebearers (Molly's, Guppy's, Swordtail's, and Mosquito Fish) give birth to live young, and do not lay eggs, so for a period of time, the fish is actually pregnant. Gestation usually lasts about a month, at which point the fry are released from the mother, and usually shortly thereafter are eaten by the mother and other platys. Determining whether a Platy is pregnant, like sexing, is not hard to do. If she exhibits one or all of the following signs, she is most likely pregnant. 1. She is much fatter than you remember her, and seems about ready to explode
Common name: Tailspot blenny Scientific name: Ecsenius stigmatura Family: Blennidae Origin: Cebu, Phillipines Maximum Size: Up to 2 1/2" Minimum tank size: 10 gallons Care: The tail spot blenny is a peaceful and easy to care for addition to the marine aquarium. This blenny has a long thin body with a black spot on the caudal peduncle and a yellow/orangish stripe over both eyes. You'll find that this blenny loves to perch on ledges or corals and stare at you. The only possible compatibility issue is with cardinalfish. The tail spot blenny is reef safe and is generally a hardy fish and fine for beginners. Feeding: Initially, the tail spot blenny may be difficult to feed after acclimation. However, it prefers algae since it is an herbivore. Crushed marine flake works well. You can try crushed seaweed or even put a piece of nori on a clip. It will graze on algae in the tank.
Common Name/s - Short fin Lionfish, Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish Scientific Name - Dendochirus Brachypterus Family - Scorpaenidae Origin - Indo- Pacific Maximum Size- 7" Care- These fish should be housed in a tank of at least 30 gallons. They like to perch and hide sometimes. They really are not picky about temperature or water params. A UV sterilizer should be used because these fish will eat cleanup crews. They need good filtration and water movement. Probably somewhere around 600 gph in a 30 gallon. Feeding Feed silversides, cocktail shrimp, scallops, squid and other fresh seafood. Can also be fed live ghost shrimp or Damsels as a treat. Never feed few feeders. They will cause fatty liver disease. Look for directions on weaning them in the other lionfish posts. Sexing - none breeding - will breed regularly by themselves. The fry cannot be raised as they are too small. Notes. These fish are poisonous. If symptoms persist after a few hours seek medical attention. These fish will eat small fish and crustaceans. Best kept with lionfish and scorpion fish. Common Name/s- Antennata lionfish, Ragged fin Firefish, Spotfin lionfish Scientific NamePterois Antennata Family- Scorpaenidae Origin- Africa , Indo-Pacific, Tahiti Maximum Size- 8" Care- This fish should be kept in at least a 30 gallon tank. They like a cave or crevice to hide out in. This species can tolerate a variety of substrates ranging
COMMON NAME - Dwarf Zebra lionfish OTHERS- too many too name but may include dwarf turkey fish, Dwarf lion , Dwarf zebra SCIENTIFC NAME - Dendrochirus zebra ADULT SIZE - 7" RANGE - Indo-pacific MINIMUM AQUARIUM SIZE - 30 gallons SEXING- no way to tell BREEDING- will spawn readily but cannot be raised past 9 days as the fry are almost microscopic. They are the size of a. SOCIAL- This fish is commonly classified as Agressive but this isnt true in the traditional sense. It wont go around attacking other fishes but it will eat anything that can fit in its mouth as it will see it as food. Get along with other fish of its kind. Also get along with other dwarves and all pterois species. Get along great with scorpion fish also. Like to perch and swim through the rocks. DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS- large pectoral and dorsal fins. Paler than the Volitan lionfish. SUGGESTED DIET- Silversides supplemented with squid, live ghost shrimp, cocktail shrimp, and other fresh sea foods. Feed every other day until the stomach bulges slightly or everyday until the belly looks full. REEF AQURIUM BEHAVIOR- will not nibble on corals but will eat clean up crews. Also will not like the high light that is needed on a reef tank. CARE IN CAPTIVITY- These are pretty easy fish to keep but can be a nuisance to train to frozen food. Needs good filtration as it is a very messy eater. THESE FISH ARE POISONOUS so u do not want to get stung. If stung soak the sting in very hot water. It will hurt for a few days. If there are any symptoms or swelling persists receive medical attention. TRAINING TO EAT FROZEN FOODS- when u first get your lion have a good supply of ghost shrimp. Establish a feeding schedule and make sure he knows who the food is coming from. When he starts to notice u as the feeder start to feed him frozen food once a week. then twice. then three times. And so on and so forth. Soaking the food in garlic is a good way to entice the lion to eat food. COMMON NAME: Eibl's Angelfish OTHERS: Orangelined Angelfish SCIENTIFIC: Centropyge eibli (Klausewitz, 1963) MAXIMUM LENGTH:5.9 in (15cm) NATURAL LOCATION: Western and Indo-Pacific MINIMUM AQUARIUM SIZE: 30 gal. (114L). SOCIAL: Shy, can be aggressive to smaller fish in tight quarters. DISTICTIVE CHARACTERISTICS: One of the larger Centropyge. Blended
Saltwater invertebrates
Common name/s: Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, Indo-Pacific White-Banded Cleaner Shrimp, Indo-Pacific White-Striped Cleaner Shrimp, and Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp Scientific name: Lysmata amboinensis Family: Hippolytidae Origin: Indonesia, Sri Lanka Maximum size: Up to 2" Care: The skunk cleaner shrimp is a very easy to care for addition to the marine aquarium. It is considered a member of 'the cleanup' crew and as such, will eat detritus and left over food in the aquarium. One interesting characteristic is that that cleaner shrimp will setup a 'cleaning station' where they will perch on live rock and clean fish of parasites. They will clean off their gills, their bodies and even inside their mouths. Overall, this animal is very friendly and extremely peaceful. The skunk cleaner has a yellow body with two red stripes running down its back and one white spot at the end of each. It is very active in the aquarium and adds color. It is also reef compatible. Best ranges are pH 8.1-8.4. EXTREMELY sensitive to copper, which is toxic. Needs good levels of iodine to molt. Feeding: The skunk cleaner is considered a carnivore but will eat just about anything in your tank and will survive on flake, shrimp pellets, frozen food including mysis and enriched brine and leftovers in the tank. As above, they will also eat parasites off of fish. Sexing: Hermaphroditic Breeding: Difficult, but usually occurs when at least 2 are present and after molting. Average lifespan is 4 years.
Common name(s): Emerald crab, mithrax crab, Emerald Mythrax crab Scientific name: Mithrax sculptus Family: Majidae Origin: Carribbean Maximum size: Up to 2 1/2" Reef compatible: Yes Care: Emerald crabs make up a member of what we call 'the cleanup crew'. They scavenge the aquarium for leftover food or algae and help to keep a marine aquarium clean. One of their claims to fame is that they will eat bubble algae (valonia) which is a nuisance hitchhiker on live rock. If food becomes scarce, emerald crabs can pick on fish or corals when they get larger. They will eat virtually anything including flake, pellet, frozen foods and seaweed.
Common Name/s: Koi Carp. Scientific Name: Cyprinus carpio. Family: Cyprinidae. Maximum Size: The size of Koi can vary, some Koi like Ghost Koi will max out at 15-20" will other breeds can reach 30-35" and sometimes a bit more. Care: Koi need a large pond of at least 1000 gallons. They also require a large filtration system that can cope with their waste. They need good water conditions to thrive and grow. Feeding: Koi can be feed a wide variety of commercial foods including high protein foods for growth and wheat germ through the winter months.