Setting Up Your Tropical Fish Tank – Steps 6 To 10
Setting up a tropical fish tank can be successfully achieved if you follow a multi-stage process. It can be broken down into ten steps, with steps 6 to 10 explained in detail here; water quality, aquarium plants,fitting out your aquarium, selecting healthy fish and adding fish to the tank.
6. Water Quality
The scale is logarithmic meaning that a pH of 4 is ten times more acid than pH 5. Distilled water is neutral, at the half way point of pH7.
Hard (alkaline) water will exist when water has for example flowed through limestone rocks (calcium rich) and soft (acid) water will occur after contact with decaying vegetation.
Domestic water is directly not suitable for the aquarium due to the chlorine content and proprietary products can be used for de-chlorination, before use.
Different species will have preferred conditions for both pH and hard/soft water. This may need to be considered when you select your range of fish and there are products available to enable you to adjust the hardness or softness of the water.
7. Aquarium Plants
Aquarium plants are multi-functional. They provide the necessary oxygen, they absorb the nitrate by-products, help reduce algae, provide hiding places, they look good and even act as food for vegetarian fish.
There are artificial plants available but you do not want to use them exclusively, although they are handy when waiting for real plants to establish themselves.
If your water is hard then a commonly used plant is the Amazon Swordplant (Echinodorus paniculatus) which has types with broad leaves or narrow ones. For the back and sides of the aquarium you can use Vallisneria with its fine leaves and there are several varieties to choose from.
For a quick growing plant you could try Sagittaria that is also a good supplier of oxygen.
The Cryptocoryne species are excellent in soft water areas, have a range of sizes are slow growers and do not need lots of light, for example the Cryptocoryne wendtii. Cabomba caroliniana is fast growing, good at supplying oxygen and can be positioned at the sides and back. The genus Ludwigia has over seventy species and is decorative and a food source.
Generally speaking you will want to plan out your planting as a sketch on a piece of paper with the smaller species at the front with progressively taller plants towards and at the back. You can add plants gradually especially if you are on a budget. In time your plan will be complete and you will then find yourself carrying out regular trimming to keep your aquarium neat and not looking overgrown.
8. Fitting Out Your Aquarium
Position your aquarium away from direct sunlight and extremes of temperature. Ensure the location can take the weight and is structurally sound. Place the tank on a bed of polystyrene to ensure a smooth base.
If using this type of filter, put the undergravel filter on the bottom of the tank and add gravel substrate to a depth of 2 to 3 cms from front to back. Add rocks to maintain the gravel outline.
Position the heater/thermostat at the side and fix with clips or suction pads. Install filters.
Connect air pump to tube and anti-siphon valve and air stone to air line; place in tank (or in ar lift tube for undergravel filter). Use rocks and plants to hide the equipment.
Place a cup on the substrate and fill the tank by pouring water in the cup so it does not disturb the gravel. Leave about 2 inches space from the top of the tank. Locate your plants with the taller ones at the back and sides. More bushy plants can go in the corners and smaller species near the front.
Top up the tank and fit the cover incorporating the lighting system and various tubes and lines for the thermometer, heater, filter etc.
Connect all the equipment and switch on. Change the air flow and water flow rate through the filter accordingly.
It will take a few hours to reach optimum temperature and leave for seven to fourteen days, monitoring the temperature and looking out for leaks, faulty equipment etc. And this gives the system time to settle and the plants time to establish themselves.
9. Selecting Healthy Fish
Before you buy your fish spend some time deciding on the species you want to have and their particular physical size and living requirements. Bigger fish may eat smaller fish, some like to be in shoals of their own kind, some are more aggressive towards others, males of some species may continually fight each other.
Obviously if you intend to breed fish then you need to get a male and female of the species and telling the difference is not always easy. Start off with fish that you know will get on together and are easy to maintain and also less expensive.
Buying from a fish only pet store may be the best option as the staff are likely to be more knowledgeable.
Look for ones that quarantine fish before sale, helping ensure you buy a disease free pet. Check out the tanks the fish are in that you want. Is the water dirty? Are the other fish in good condition?
Look out for the following signs of unhealthy fish: swollen stomachs,cotton wool like threads,white spots, scales sticking out from the body, abnormal swimming patterns, unusual positions (catfish and others tend to do this as normal behavior), jagged fins, milky eyes.
10. Adding Fish To The Tank
When you transport the fish home from the store, ensure it is in a plastic bag placed in a foam container to minimize the water temperature loss. There should be more air volume than there is water in the bag and the fish should not be too confined.
Before you introduce your fish into your aquarium give some thought as to whether you want to use a quarantine tank for a while to see if your fish develop any disease. If not, place the fish still in the plastic bag in the tank so that the temperatures can equalize and avoid sudden temperature changes that can kill the fish. This can take a couple of hours.
Look out for the bag coming into contact with the lighting and melting so you might want to turn the light off. After the two hours release the fish, give it some time to look around its surroundings then turn the light back on and feed it. This will help it settle down after such a traumatic experience.
Photos attribution: emdot kenpei nate
How To Recognize And Counteract Ailments And Disease In Your Aquarium – A to F
Most diseases in the aquarium are due to poor environmental conditions and can be successfully treated. Here we identify some major ailments and proposed treatments for anchor worm, constipation, fin rot and dropsy.
Anchor Worm
Symptoms: As the name suggests you will see worm like entities attached to the fish. The fish may be seen rubbing itself against the substrate, rocks or wood in the tank and swimming abnormally. The skin may be inflamed with greeny white threads hanging from it.
Reason: Caused by a parasite, Lernaea, which fixes its head (shaped like an anchor) in the body of the fish.
Treatment: Take the fish out of the tank and pull out the worms being careful not to break off the heads. Use tweezers (It seems that if you dip the tips of the tweezers in Potassium Permanganate first the worms head will release its grip once touched by the tweezers.). The wound can be treated with suitable antiseptic. It may be worthwhile using an an anaesthetic to calm the fish first.
For really bad cases you may need to treat the aquarium with Anchors Away, Dimilin, Proform La or Potassium Permanganate. But beware, permanganate is very strong and can kill your fish if not used appropriately. I have noted the use of Metriponate in Europe.
Constipation
Not really a disease but included here to help those aquarists whose fish suffer from it.
Symptoms: A swollen stomach is the obvious visible sign and if this condition continues the fish will become weak.
Also watch out for the fish not eating and laying on the bottom of the aquarium. Note that a swollen stomach is also a symptom of Dropsy so it could be confusing.
Reason: Can be caused by giving the fish the wrong food or in some cases the fish eats to much.
Treatment: Use Magnesium Sulphate with a dose of about half a teaspoon to a gallon of water. Magnesium Sulphate is also called Epsom Salts. You also need to review your feeding strategy to see if that is causing the condition.
Dropsy or Malawi Bloat
Symptoms: All dropsy cases have swollen stomachs and for cichlids its called Malawi Bloat. The condition can develop over a period of time or very suddenly. Could be mistaken for constipation but with dropsy the scales may stick out away from the body.
Reason: Could be due to the internal organs of the fish failing. Also poor aquarium conditions such as high nitrate levels, high sodium chloride (salt) levels could be the main factor. Bacteria and poor diet are also other reasons for this ailment.
Treatment: No medical treatment is prescribed. Check your tank conditions by measuring all water quality parameters.
Fin Rot
Symptoms: The fins of the fish are affected. You’ll notice some inflammation of the fins (red color), and possible disintegration of the fin. And in the case of catfish the barbells (whiskers) will suffer. Fish with longer fins than others are most at risk.
Reason: Like a lot of diseases, poor water quality can lead to bacteria causing the damage. Other reasons are other fish nipping the fins or poor food diet, lacking essential nutrients.
Treatment: Make sure your water conditions are as they should be. The area of infection can be treated with a suitable bactericide such as the Maracyn products. My research also suggests that the antifungal product Gentian Violet can be applied to the damaged area once the fish has been removed from the tank and has proved successful. (In Europe I note Myxazin is specified as a bactericide).
Look out for more articles in this series on disease in your aquarium outlining the symptoms, causes and treatments available. (Dropsy photo:Taipan198 )
2 Freshwater Tank Fish To Add To Your Tropical Community – C to D
Two freshwater tank fish are described here; the Congo tetra and the Croaking tetra. Discover their behavioral patterns, colors and any unusual physical features, temperature and water requirements, feeding likes and dislikes and optimal breeding conditions.
Congo Tetra – Micralestes interruptus (Family: Characidae)
Behavior
The Congo tetra is not an aggressive species and may grow to about 7.5 cms, with the female slightly smaller. Its is a fast swimmer that spends most of its time near the topof the tank
Water and Tank Conditions
Also known as the Rainbow characin this fish is alright in a temperature range of 23 to 27 degrees centigrade.
Features and Colors
This fish has brighter and larger eyes than usual. And another unusual feature is the caudal fin. The end of the fin looks more like a feather and shows up more with the male. These sometimes get damaged but will grow back so do not worry.
Colorwise, you will quite often see a yellow band along the flanks and at other times it will be purple and gold. Its back is a blue color with the main body green with scales that will look a different color depending on the angle you view them at; milky colors like an opal. This is called opalescence. And the property that shows different colors at different viewing angles is caled iridescence.
Feeding
Has no particular requirements so treat as a normal occupant.See below for feeding the fry.
Breeding Conditions
Not that easy to get them to spawn. Put them both in a small tank, divides into two (glass partition?) to keep them apart and feed them live food. Set up a breeding tank at about 25 degrees centigrade and make sure it is well planted. Put the male in first and the female hours later, say after a night.
Eggs will be found at the bottom end of the plants and you need to remove the fish straight away after spawning has taken place. At the above temperature fry will emerge after about seven days. These fry will be larger than other tetras and have a greater appetite so you can feed them more or less immediately with micro-worms and sieved freshly hatched brine shrimp.
Croaking Tetra – Glandulocauda inaequalis (Family: Characidae)
Behavior
This fish gets its name from the noise it makes when gulped air is expelled through its gills. You should see fine bubbles at the same time. Like the Congo tetra this freshwater tank fish hangs around near the top of the tank, feeding there also. Great for the community aquarium as its small, peaceful and will get on well with others .
Water and Tank Conditions
The Croaking tetra is affected by too large a change in water temperatures. Its optimal preference is between 20 and 23 degrees centigrade.
Features and Colors
The body color is blue and the anal, caudal and dorsal fins have white ends. Now and agin you will see dark green to yellow colors on all of the fins. Its is fairly easy to tell the differences between the male and female as the dorsal fin is rounded in the female but sharp ended in the male.
Feeding
Feeds at the top the tank and will accept all the usual fish food. See below for feeding the fry.
Breeding Conditions
This fish is not a regular breeder and it does take some work to raise the fry. A really well planted large breeding tank with shallow water at 25 degrees centigrade is required. Remove both fish after spawning and wait for about three days for the eggs to hatch.
Infusoria should be fed to the fry that will be on the small side. Give it about ten to fourteen days before micro-worms are tried. It has been reported that using tubed foods normally given to egg laying fish has been successful.
This article is one of a series on freshwater tank fish for the benefit of aquarists who can then decide which ones they would perfer to have in their community tank or in certain cases a species specific aquarium.
12 Tropical Aquarium Plants Recommended – Cuttings And Floaters
Recommendations are given for a selection of 12 tropical aquarium plants you can use to set up a planted aquarium. These are from the cuttings and floating plant types available.
A cutting, the (Bacopa caroliniana) is also known as the Giant Red Bacopa, the Lemon Bacopa and Water Hyssop. If you crush he leaves you will get the smell of lemon. The leaves are thick and have a rounded apex and tapering base and are arranged opposite each other on the stem.
It can grow above the water and flowers produced will be blue and have five petals. Flowers may show under water now and again but they will just rot away.
They are a slower grower than most stem plants (half an inch a week I’ve noted in one case) and the leaves can show a bronze to red color as they near the highest light levels at the surface of your aquarium.
They will grow to about 30 cms and will thrive under bright light, a pH range of 6.8 to 7.2 and a water temperature of between 21 and 27 degrees centigrade.
A floater, Crystalwort (Riccia fluitans)is also known as Liverwort and Riccia Moss. It is popular in breeding tanks in particular as a shelter for fry and will float unless you physically attach it to under water items such as logs and rocks until in due course it attaches itself.
This is similar to the way you would treat Java Moss and both would make attractive plants for your foreground in the tank. It can also be used to hide any protruding items in your aquarium.
On the surface it will quickly form a thick green mat and is ideal for nest building fish. It will adapt adequately to a wide range of light levels, a pH range of 5 to 8 and a water temperature of between 10 and 28 degrees centigrade.
As with Java Moss, from a maintenance point of view you need to keep it clean of algae which will have a detrimental affect on it.
A cutting, the Green Cabomba (Cabomba caroliniana) is also known as Fanwort and prefers to have soft water and bright light. It has fine fan shaped feathery leaves and the stems appear to be a tubular shape under the water. The leaves are finely divided and arranged in pairs on the stem.
It can propagate easily from small pieces and is another one of those invasive plants out in the wild. In fact it seems that in Washington, Fanwort is not allowed for sale as an aquarium plant any more and in general it is best practice to never throw away the contents of your aquarium into any waters.
A floater which can also be planted in the substrate, the Indian Fern (Ceratopteris thalictroides) is also commonly known as the Water Sprite, Indian Fern, Water Fern, Oriental Water Fern and Water Horn Fern.
It is a sturdy plant suited to beginner aquarists. It will grow to a height of about 30 cms, likes a high light levels, a pH range of 5 to 9 and a water temperature of between 20 and 28 degrees centigrade.
It is good for reduction of algae growth as its dense roots mops up nutrients that would otherwise be taken up by the algae. It will thrive even more if you introduce carbon dioxide into the aquarium but you are then in danger of it over-running the whole tank.
Other recommended cuttings plants are;
* Hygrophila polysperma
* Nomaphila stricta
* Rotala macandra
* Synnema triflorum
Other recommended floating plants are;
* Certophyllum spp.
* Pistia stratiatos
* Salvinia auriculata
* Vesicularia dubyana
Recommended Plants For Aquariums – 16 Tubers And Rooters
Recommendations are given for a selection of 16 plants for aquariums you can use to set up a planted aquarium. These are from the tubers and rooted plant types available.
A tuber, Madagascan Lace Plant (Aponogeton madagascariensis) is also known as the Madagascan lace leaf or lattice leaf. It originates from Madagascar and is a popular choice. It is a perennial plant that has tuberous rhizomes about 3 cm in diameter. It has oblong shaped leaves that can reach over 50 cms in length and up to 16 cms wide.
The leaves are unusual in that they appear as a lattice with no solid leaf matter in the holes of the lattice. Flowers produced can protrude above the water surface and there appear to be several sizes of this plant in circulation so they may be smaller than the measurements given above.
Informed opinion suggests that it will thrive better in moderate to bright light with the water temperature in the range of 15 to 26 degrees centigrade and the pH between 5 and 7.5. If you want to cultivate the plant you will probably find it is quite difficult.
A tuber, Compact Aponogeton (Aponogeton ulvaceus) is a very attractive plant that is better suited to a larger aquarium as the light green leaves could grow up to 100 cms in length, but generally will be about 50 cms. It is also one of those plants that is attractive to snails so look out for them causing damage. The leaves look like corkscrews in shape
It is pretty sturdy regarding water conditions but will be better of at a temperature of about 22 degrees centigrade and in water that is slightly acidic. With respect to light conditions then it will prefer a brighter location but will survive at lower levels. In fact even if you have it in a small tank with lower light levels you may well find you are cutting it back regularly!
A rooter, Radicans Sword (Echinodorus cordifolius) is also known as the Spade leaf sword or Creeping burhead and is good for a background aquarium plant. This plant is also better in a bigger tank but if you prune it regularly, leaves and roots, then you should be alright but might wish to choose a smaller plant.
A brighter light is preferred and it can grow up to about 50 cms with a nutrient rich substrate. A temperature range of 22 to 28 degrees centigrade is best with a pH variance of 6.5 to 7.5
A rooter, Pygmy Chain Sword (Echinodorus tenellus) is best for the smaller aquarium or in the tank foreground as it will grow to about 10 cms. It propagates via runners that go along through the substrate producing plantlets at intervals.
It will tolerate lower temperatures, for example down to 15 – 20 degrees centigrade. Medium to bright light is preferred, a pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 and use a fine gravel substrate. As with most plants, ensure they are able to receive all the light they need and are not overshadowed by taller plants.
Other recommended tubers are;
* Apponogeton boiviniamus
* Apponogeton crispus
* Apponogeton rigidiflorius
* Apponogeton undulatus
* Nymphaea maculata
* Nymphaea stellata
Other recommended rooted plants are;
* Anubias nana
* Cryptocoryne affinis
* Echinodorus major
* Echinodorus paniculatus
* Microsorium pteropus
* Sagittaria sabulata
Advice On 2 Types Of Freshwater Aquarium Plants To Use – Tubers And Floaters
This article describes how important freshwater aquarium plants are to a fishes surroundings, two types of plants that are available, the best ones to choose for your particular situation and the optimum conditions they require.
It is a mistake to regard plants as nothing to be concerned about. Plants play an important role in aquariums as they not only help to provide a safe and attractive environment for the fish they also help to maintain and improve water conditions in the aquarium by reducing nitrate levels.
And they can also help reduce the amount of algae grown. Wherever possible buy healthy plants that do not have dead or discolored leaves and that are really true aquatic plants.
Generally speaking there are four types of freshwater aquarium plants you can use; tubers, floating plants, rooted plants and cuttings. Here we cover the tubers and the floaters.
Tubers
A popular choice amongst tubers is the Aponogeton genus. You can get these to put into your tank where they will sprout roots and shoots or you can buy them already sprouted so you can ensure that they will be established.
With some species the leaves can be up to 50 cms and will be shed after around eight months, leaving a crown of leaves radiating from a stem at the base.
If these plants are then removed to colder conditions for about two months and returned to the aquarium where they will grow and some species flower. Seeds produced often germinate and produce small plants.
The length of the leaves depends on which Aponogeton species you have, for example the Aponogeton rigidiflorius. Soft water conditions are best with moderate to low light conditions. To stop the tuber from rotting the aquarium should be kept clean and algae removed from the leaves.
Another tuber plant to consider would be for example the Barclaya longifolia with its leaves shaped like lances. It flower under water and its seeds germinate. There are two forms of this species; one that has olive green leaves and the other deep red. In order to thrive they require a good supply of light.
Floating Plants
There are quite a few benefits to incorporating floating plants in your fresh water aquarium.
a) They supply an area of shading for those species of fish needing seclusion and shelter
b) They provide a site for spawning for fish that use this process
c) They give fry a place of refuge in their early days
d) They do not need to be established as they float or attach to rocks or wood
Riccia image by ictheostega via Flickr
Riccia (Riccia fluitans)and Java Moss (Vesicularia fluitans)can attach themselves to rocks or wood or even live outside the water. The flexible Indian Fern (Ceratopteris thalictroides) will thrive by either floating, planted in the tank substrate or above the water. These sturdy species do not have complicated requirements.
Gentle water movement, regular water changes and good lighting will suffice. And do not forget to look out for water condensation from your cover getting onto the leaves. This could lead to leaf rot and or burning in combination with the lighting system.
Other recommended plants:
Water lettuce
The Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes); has broad leaves in a radiating form with roots that are useful for sheltering and shading fry.
The Butterfly Fern (Salvinia auriculata); has round leaves with hairs on, again providing good shelter for fish. It is best to have pretty bright light for this plant and medium tohard water conditions.
But be aware of the one floating plant you do not want in your aquarium, Duckweed. This can grow out of control and clog up your whole aquarium environment.
