Things fishkeepers should not do

New to fishkeeping? Here are some things new fishkeepers shouldn't do...

Copyright © Practical Fishkeeping

The most important consideration when keeping fish is the fish themselves. These live animals are totally dependant on you to keep them alive and healthy. They demand the right care and respect, and it is your duty to offer them the best conditions that you can.

Don’t stock too quickly

A common no-no. If you stock your tank too quickly, there will be insufficient bacteria to cope with the amount of waste being produced, and ammonia and nitrite will build up to toxic levels.

When you have a newly set-up tank, the choice in aquatic shops can be overwhelming. It is all too tempting to fill it with fish within days, but you must resist and cycle the tank first.

Cycling means maturing the tank by leaving it for days or weeks before adding fish.

In this time, beneficial bacteria will increase in number, covering all the surfaces inside the tank from the glass to the gravel to the filter media.



Bacteria can be added when you first set up the tank, giving it a kick-start into maturation.

Maturation products will either add live bacteria direct to the water or create a flock which offers a slimy home where the bacteria can live and multiply.

While bacteria are growing, water quality can change rapidly from being clear of ammonia to being high in ammonia and then nitrite.

You must not add fish within this time because they will probably die, poisoned by the ammonia and nitrite – yet the bacteria rely on ammonia produced by fish to increase in number.

Ammonia is food for bacteria, but toxic to fish.
Fishless cycling is another way of feeding the bacteria with ammonia, but not exposing fish to it.



Raw ammonia (available from DIY stores and some chemists) can be added daily to feed the bacteria and make them grow in number before you add any fish.

The point at which they consume all the ammonia every day, leaving none behind, is when you add fish.

Another way of doing it is to add Waterlife Biomature or its equivalents, available from aquatic shops. A new tank takes at least six weeks to fully mature, and should be stocked slowly in that time.

Don’t overfeed

Overfeeding is one of the biggest causes of fish deaths. The type of fish that you keep will determine how often they should be fed.

As a general rule, small fish like tetras and Guppies need feeding small amounts of food throughout the day. This can be as much as three times per day if your filtration and water changing regime is good.

Larger fish can be fed less often, and once or twice per day is fine. Very large fish (60 cm/24”and over,) should be fed every other day.

There are other considerations, and they include how active the fish is, and whether they are herbivores or carnivores.



Herbivores gain little nutrition from the plant or algae matter that they eat. As a result, they have to munch on it constantly. Mollies and mbuna cichlids from Lake Malawi are herbivores.

Carnivores are adapted to deal with large, protein-rich chunks of meat, but eat it far less often. Predatory fish that eat other fish should be fed once or twice a week on large, fishy foods. Oscars and Piranha are carnivores.

Don't leave the lights on too long

A common cause of algae. Phosphate, ammonium and nitrate aside, if you experience a lot of algae, you may simply have the light on for too long.

Lighting is developed to be brighter than ever before, and is aimed at encouraging a particular response from your plants or corals, or to enhance your fish colours.

Plants and corals typically need the light on for around 10 hours per day, but only really need full spectrum (all your lights) for six hours per day. Anything more than this and it may cause algae.

If you are using bright lighting for plants, make sure that you have sufficient plants to out-compete any algae.



This can mean 70% coverage in your tank. One or two bunches of plants, plus 10 hours of light daily, mean algae, so either increase their number or use plastic plants instead.

Fish aren’t really bothered about lighting, and most would prefer it subdued. If you don’t have live plants or corals, cut the lighting right down so that you just have it on when you are at home.

Four or less hours per day will make it difficult for any algae to grow, and the fish will be fine in ambient room light at all other times. Never leave the light on 24/7.

Don't forget to acclimatise your fish

This causes lots of confusion and you will hear differing opinions depending on where you shop.

When you buy fish from a shop, you must tell them how long it will take you to get home so that the fish can be packed accordingly. Always take them straight home.

Once home, turn the aquarium lights off. If the fish have been packed in the dark for several hours, expose them to the room light slowly so as not to shock them.

Float the unopened bag in the water for about 20 minutes to allow the water inside the bag to attain the same temperature as the water in your tank.

If the bag is sealed with a rubber band, remove it and roll down the sides until it floats freely on the surface of the water. If the bag is tied, cut the knot off with scissors and then roll the sides down.



Next add some water from the aquarium to the bag. This will slowly alter the water chemistry. Continue over the next ten minutes or so until the bag water is mostly tank water.

Gently catch the fish with a small net and release them into the tank, then discard the bag water, as it may contain ammonia.

Observe the fish over the next few hours and days, making sure that they settle in ok. The ideal is always to quarantine new fish for a couple of weeks. This makes sure that they are healthy and feeding before adding to the main tank.

Don’t mix the wrong fish

New fishkeepers tend to want a large variety of colourful, different looking fish, but not everything in the shops will be suitable.

Choose a good aquatic shop with informative labels and always ask for advice. Write down the make and model of your tank, and how many litres or gallons it holds.

Do your own research as well as asking advice from retailers. Read books and PFK to give you an idea of the sort of fish you wish to keep, and try the hardiest fish first.

Don’t be tempted by juveniles of big fish. If your tank won’t house them at an adult size, don’t buy them.



Aim to keep community fish first, as these often stay small, and are easy to keep. Non-community fish may be large, predatory, aggressive, or all three, and are not good for beginners.

A community of small fish offers you the most choice, and you will be able to fit more of them in your tank than any other fish.

Don't go for the cheapest

There are some things that are vital to the success of the tank. The filter, heater and test kit must be reliable or it could mean disaster.

Filters should be man enough for the job in hand, and capable of doing a bit more, too. Choose a filter with a large media capacity and multi media options.

For peace of mind, install two filters so that if one stops, the other will keep your fish alive. Two filters are also safer when it comes to maintenance as they can be washed alternately, keeping bacteria levels high.



The need for an accurate heater is obvious – most long-term fishkeepers have come across either boiled or frozen fish.

To err on the side of caution, fit two smaller heaters so that if one sticks on, it will not heat the water too quickly and you can do something about it.

When choosing any heater, make sure that it has a wide-enough temperature range to accommodate all the fish that you wish to keep. Discus need a heater that can heat up to 32°C/90°F.

Those that are controlled by microchip are more accurate than the antiquated, bi-metallic strip method of temperature control.

Several PFK product tests have revealed that not all test kits are equal. Many illnesses can be traced back to continual, low level ammonia and nitrite in aquarium water. A poor test kit won’t detect it.

Don’t overstock

With the exception of Malawi cichlids, you should never put too many fish in your tank. It is all about bacteria, and if there isn’t enough to break down all the fish waste, the fish will poison themselves with their own ammonia.

Overstocking most tropical fish can cause aggression, disease and stunt growth.

Oxygen will be depleted through respiration and your tank will be resting on a knife-edge.



One more fish and the biological filter may fail to cope, or your mechanical filter may clog, stopping the filter and killing fish.

Stocking levels do vary, and it used to be calculated by working out the surface area of the tank.

Nowadays with better filtration it is hard to give an exact figure, but PFK recommend the following:

Tropicals: 1” per gal/ 2.5 cm per 4.55 l initially, then up to a maximum of 2” per gal/5 cm per 4.55 l after six months.
Coldwater: 1” per gal/2.5 cm per 4.55 l.
Marines (fish and inverts):
1” per 4 gal/2.5 cm per 18 l.
Marines (fish only): 1” per
2 gal/2.5 cm per 9 l.
Ponds: 10” per 100 gal/25 cm per 455 l.

Don’t stop reading!

From the moment you first take up fishkeeping, your education will begin, but don’t worry – it’s not like school and is much more fun!

You will undoubtedly start off as a general fishkeeper, trying a bit of everything including all sorts of fish and plants. Instead of using trial and error, the best way to gain experience is to read as much as you can in books, the Internet and PFK.

Every expert was a new fishkeeper once, and a lot of their knowledge comes from studying their favourite fish in books and magazines.

As your experience grows, you may wish to breed your fish, and again by reading up on how to breed a particular species, you can make it happen.


Many of the world’s experts are simple hobbyists who read everything they could, applied it and then added their own experiences to what they read.

You can become an expert in a very short time in fishkeeping, and being the best at what you do can be very rewarding.

If you need further advice, please sign up to our forum where other fishkeepers will be happy to help you with your problems.

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Small fish for reef tanks

When it comes to choosing fish for the reeftank, a shoal of small fish can be truly stunning, explains Les Holliday.

If you are one of the many marine enthusiasts who make regular visits to ogle at the new additions to a dealer's tank, you�ll probably find the strange, unusual and difficult-to-identify fishes most intriguing. It's compelling to want to own a colourful little fish that none of your reeftank-owning mates have tried. But boldly going forth to explore new horizons can have its drawbacks if you don�t research a prospective acquisition.

The Banggai cardinal, Pterapogon kauderni, fell into the category of the unknown and unusual when it was introduced a few years back. Fortunately, this small zooplankton-feeding carnivore turned out to be easy to keep. It feels most secure kept in a small shoal, and en masse they can look very dramatic with their startling black-and-white livery which contrasts beautifully with other more colourful reef fishes.

Banggais are mouthbrooders, the male incubating both the eggs and fry in its mouth, and many hobbyists have bred and raised the young. A favoured method if you run your reeftank using a refugium is to isolate the brooding male in it. There the young are safe from predators, with a plentiful supply of tiny micro-organisms to feed on.

[Ed's note: Although relatively easy to keep and breed in the reef tank, Practical Fishkeeping does not advise that this species be kept due to its conservation status, which is declining due to over-collection.]

Other recommended cardinalfishes include the Pyjama cardinalfish, Sphaeramia nematoptera, the Orange-striped cardinalfish, Apogon cyanosoma, and the Flamefish, Apogon maculatus. These quickly acclimatise to tank conditions and accept most live and frozen foods.

Blennies and gobies

Blennies and gobies are a group where new species keep coming to light. Currently we have to think in terms of the true gobies, Gobiidae; the Dart gobies, Microdesmidae; the dragonets, Callionymidae; the jawfishes, Opistognathidae; and the blennies, Blennidae.

The main true gobies imported include the Lemon goby, Gobiodon citrinus, and Yellow goby, G. okinawae, two brilliantly coloured fish attaining no more than 3cm/ 1.2� in the wild. Both species are easy to keep, but are best kept singly as they are quite territorial. If a pair can be identified, they will live together amicably and spawning may occur.

The Valencienna genus also includes some good reef aquarium subjects, the most recognisable being the Blue-cheek goby, Valencienna strigata, and the Orange-spotted goby, V. puellaris. These attractive gobies are best kept in pairs. They prefer a deep layer of sand or gravel, furnished with small stones or live rock, under which they will make a cave using their mouth.

Deep sandbed filter enthusiasts often recommend these gobies as a means of preventing compaction of the bed, and an active sandbed filter in turn provides the kind of live foods on which they thrive.

Neon gobies

Other recommended members of the true gobies include the Neons, some of which are cleaners - Elactinus genie and E. oceanops being two examples [Ed�s note: These were recently moved from Gobiosoma to this new genus].

E. evelynae, sometimes called the Sharknose goby, and E. illecebrosum are coral-dwelling gobies, often living in groups of 20 individuals or more. Both cleaner and non-cleaner species accept frozen or live foods, but live artemia forms the best diet.

One goby I'd not recommend is the Catalina, Lythrypnus dalli, a vivid crimson with neon blue stripes. Hailing from the Gulf of California, it requires temperatures no higher than 22�C/72�F, and is not a good subject for a reef system.

Dart gobies

The Dart gobies were originally in the family Blennidae, then became members of the true gobies. Now the 30 or more species have their own family, Microdesmidae. The most recognisable species are those from the genus Nemateleotris and include N. magnifica, firefish, and N. decora, Purple firefish. It is difficult to find more startling colour than that displayed by N. magnifica, and once settled into aquarium conditions, it hovers in mid-water, flicking its elongated dorsal fin.

Both demand perfect water, and reef conditions suit them provided you can replicate their natural diet of planktonic crustacea by feeding live artemia two or more times a week.
Dart gobies can be quite territorial if kept as a small group. A pecking order soon develops, with the weakest being harassed and injured one by one until they hide and die, eventually leaving only a pair.

Then there�s Helfrich�s firefish, N. helfrichi, with yellow and magenta on the head and fins (found in pairs in the wild), and some Sleeper gobies such as the Feathertail Sleeper, Oxymetopon cyanoctenosum, and the Spot-tail Sleeper, Ptereleotris evides.

Dragonets

The dragonets, Callionymidae, require no introduction due to two species - the mandarinfish, Synchiropus splendidus, and the Psychedlic fish, S. picturatus. Both are instantly recognisable because of their bold patterns and colour.

These species are not coral reef dwellers in the wild, but live among debris in shallow water in back reef areas. They make good subjects in a quiet tank, especially if well supplied with microorganisms from a refugium and live brineshrimp naupli. Best kept singly or as a pair. Males have a longer dorsal fin and anal fin extensions.

Recommended species include the Ocellated mandarinfish, S. ocellatus, and the Star mandarin-fish, S. stellatus. Both are less colourful than S. splendidus, but more hardy than the popular species. Both are usually sold as Scooter blennies.

Blennies

The final family group is Blennidae. While most species favour the family characteristics - blunt head, elongated body and prominent cirri (small tufts above the eyes) - in terms of behaviour there are often quite different patterns. Some are bottom-dwelling and like to hide in crevices where they usually have an observation post on which they perch, a good example being the Bicolor blenny, Ecsenius bicolor.

The closely related Midas blenny, E. midas, also lives in crannies but is a free-swimming zooplanktivore. The Red lip blenny, Ophioblennius atlanticus, follows yet another behaviour pattern as it lives in tube sponges peering from its home.

You�d easily recognise Petroscirtes species which are free-swimming on the substrate and spend most of their time foraging. These are the real Scooter blennies. Scooters don�t have cirri, but the male has an elongated dorsal used for signalling.

Bottom-dwelling blennies feed on benthic creatures they find on the substrate and browse on algae. Frozen marine foods form a good diet, while those that feed in the water column usually accept frozen, live and flake foods.

Recommended species include the Earspot blenny, Cirripectes auritus; Ornate blenny, Ecsenius pulcher; and Striped scooter blenny, Petroscirtes temmincki.

Keep clear of the False cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus, which it closely resembles, tearing off flesh and scales. The same applies with any of the Sabretooth blennies, Plagiotremus species.

All the fishes here are small, safe with all types of invertebrates and other fish, and don�t contribute significantly to pollution levels. Reeftank conditions favour them as most will spawn regularly, and a number have been captive-bred.

Jawfishes

A group separately categorised among the gobies and blennies are the jawfishes, Opistognathidae. Identifying the location of these in the fish classification was difficult because of the similarities they have with dottybacks and fairy basslets, Pseudochromidae and Grammatidae.

Most significant were comparable external features such as the pectoral fins, their interrupted lateral line, and the fact that all members of these families are mouthbrooders.

They do, however, have similarities with Dart gobies and true gobies, and some species sport the ocellated dorsal fin markings of the dragonets. It was finally decided they should be categorised as a separate family, but associated with goby and blenny classifications.
Jawfishes are ideal as reef aquarium subjects. They are easy to keep, eagerly accept both frozen foods and live artemia, and make good tankmates for invertebrates.

The Yellow-headed jawfish, Opistognathus aurifrons, is the most commonly imported and prefers a tank with a substrate at least 10cm/4" deep, set among rocks where it will excavate the loose debris to form a cave or a series of caves if you decide to keep a group. Each cave will have only a single occupant, and the fish remain poised at the entrance, ready to move into mid-water to catch prey of free-swimming tiny crustaceans. In the aquarium, frozen or live food can be made to drift by its lair, or use a turkey baster to administer the food.

Other recommended species include Opistognathus rosenblatti, a colourful blue-spotted species from the East Pacific, and Opistognathus scops from the same area, which is sometimes called the Bullseye jawfish because of the prominent eye spot on its dorsal.

This article was first published in the October 2004 issue of Practical Fishkeeping magazine.

Read More

Small fish for reef tanks

When it comes to choosing fish for the reeftank, a shoal of small fish can be truly stunning, explains Les Holliday.

If you are one of the many marine enthusiasts who make regular visits to ogle at the new additions to a dealer's tank, you�ll probably find the strange, unusual and difficult-to-identify fishes most intriguing. It's compelling to want to own a colourful little fish that none of your reeftank-owning mates have tried. But boldly going forth to explore new horizons can have its drawbacks if you don�t research a prospective acquisition.

The Banggai cardinal, Pterapogon kauderni, fell into the category of the unknown and unusual when it was introduced a few years back. Fortunately, this small zooplankton-feeding carnivore turned out to be easy to keep. It feels most secure kept in a small shoal, and en masse they can look very dramatic with their startling black-and-white livery which contrasts beautifully with other more colourful reef fishes.

Banggais are mouthbrooders, the male incubating both the eggs and fry in its mouth, and many hobbyists have bred and raised the young. A favoured method if you run your reeftank using a refugium is to isolate the brooding male in it. There the young are safe from predators, with a plentiful supply of tiny micro-organisms to feed on.

[Ed's note: Although relatively easy to keep and breed in the reef tank, Practical Fishkeeping does not advise that this species be kept due to its conservation status, which is declining due to over-collection.]

Other recommended cardinalfishes include the Pyjama cardinalfish, Sphaeramia nematoptera, the Orange-striped cardinalfish, Apogon cyanosoma, and the Flamefish, Apogon maculatus. These quickly acclimatise to tank conditions and accept most live and frozen foods.

Blennies and gobies

Blennies and gobies are a group where new species keep coming to light. Currently we have to think in terms of the true gobies, Gobiidae; the Dart gobies, Microdesmidae; the dragonets, Callionymidae; the jawfishes, Opistognathidae; and the blennies, Blennidae.

The main true gobies imported include the Lemon goby, Gobiodon citrinus, and Yellow goby, G. okinawae, two brilliantly coloured fish attaining no more than 3cm/ 1.2� in the wild. Both species are easy to keep, but are best kept singly as they are quite territorial. If a pair can be identified, they will live together amicably and spawning may occur.

The Valencienna genus also includes some good reef aquarium subjects, the most recognisable being the Blue-cheek goby, Valencienna strigata, and the Orange-spotted goby, V. puellaris. These attractive gobies are best kept in pairs. They prefer a deep layer of sand or gravel, furnished with small stones or live rock, under which they will make a cave using their mouth.

Deep sandbed filter enthusiasts often recommend these gobies as a means of preventing compaction of the bed, and an active sandbed filter in turn provides the kind of live foods on which they thrive.

Neon gobies

Other recommended members of the true gobies include the Neons, some of which are cleaners - Elactinus genie and E. oceanops being two examples [Ed�s note: These were recently moved from Gobiosoma to this new genus].

E. evelynae, sometimes called the Sharknose goby, and E. illecebrosum are coral-dwelling gobies, often living in groups of 20 individuals or more. Both cleaner and non-cleaner species accept frozen or live foods, but live artemia forms the best diet.

One goby I'd not recommend is the Catalina, Lythrypnus dalli, a vivid crimson with neon blue stripes. Hailing from the Gulf of California, it requires temperatures no higher than 22�C/72�F, and is not a good subject for a reef system.

Dart gobies

The Dart gobies were originally in the family Blennidae, then became members of the true gobies. Now the 30 or more species have their own family, Microdesmidae. The most recognisable species are those from the genus Nemateleotris and include N. magnifica, firefish, and N. decora, Purple firefish. It is difficult to find more startling colour than that displayed by N. magnifica, and once settled into aquarium conditions, it hovers in mid-water, flicking its elongated dorsal fin.

Both demand perfect water, and reef conditions suit them provided you can replicate their natural diet of planktonic crustacea by feeding live artemia two or more times a week.
Dart gobies can be quite territorial if kept as a small group. A pecking order soon develops, with the weakest being harassed and injured one by one until they hide and die, eventually leaving only a pair.

Then there�s Helfrich�s firefish, N. helfrichi, with yellow and magenta on the head and fins (found in pairs in the wild), and some Sleeper gobies such as the Feathertail Sleeper, Oxymetopon cyanoctenosum, and the Spot-tail Sleeper, Ptereleotris evides.

Dragonets

The dragonets, Callionymidae, require no introduction due to two species - the mandarinfish, Synchiropus splendidus, and the Psychedlic fish, S. picturatus. Both are instantly recognisable because of their bold patterns and colour.

These species are not coral reef dwellers in the wild, but live among debris in shallow water in back reef areas. They make good subjects in a quiet tank, especially if well supplied with microorganisms from a refugium and live brineshrimp naupli. Best kept singly or as a pair. Males have a longer dorsal fin and anal fin extensions.

Recommended species include the Ocellated mandarinfish, S. ocellatus, and the Star mandarin-fish, S. stellatus. Both are less colourful than S. splendidus, but more hardy than the popular species. Both are usually sold as Scooter blennies.

Blennies

The final family group is Blennidae. While most species favour the family characteristics - blunt head, elongated body and prominent cirri (small tufts above the eyes) - in terms of behaviour there are often quite different patterns. Some are bottom-dwelling and like to hide in crevices where they usually have an observation post on which they perch, a good example being the Bicolor blenny, Ecsenius bicolor.

The closely related Midas blenny, E. midas, also lives in crannies but is a free-swimming zooplanktivore. The Red lip blenny, Ophioblennius atlanticus, follows yet another behaviour pattern as it lives in tube sponges peering from its home.

You�d easily recognise Petroscirtes species which are free-swimming on the substrate and spend most of their time foraging. These are the real Scooter blennies. Scooters don�t have cirri, but the male has an elongated dorsal used for signalling.

Bottom-dwelling blennies feed on benthic creatures they find on the substrate and browse on algae. Frozen marine foods form a good diet, while those that feed in the water column usually accept frozen, live and flake foods.

Recommended species include the Earspot blenny, Cirripectes auritus; Ornate blenny, Ecsenius pulcher; and Striped scooter blenny, Petroscirtes temmincki.

Keep clear of the False cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus, which it closely resembles, tearing off flesh and scales. The same applies with any of the Sabretooth blennies, Plagiotremus species.

All the fishes here are small, safe with all types of invertebrates and other fish, and don�t contribute significantly to pollution levels. Reeftank conditions favour them as most will spawn regularly, and a number have been captive-bred.

Jawfishes

A group separately categorised among the gobies and blennies are the jawfishes, Opistognathidae. Identifying the location of these in the fish classification was difficult because of the similarities they have with dottybacks and fairy basslets, Pseudochromidae and Grammatidae.

Most significant were comparable external features such as the pectoral fins, their interrupted lateral line, and the fact that all members of these families are mouthbrooders.

They do, however, have similarities with Dart gobies and true gobies, and some species sport the ocellated dorsal fin markings of the dragonets. It was finally decided they should be categorised as a separate family, but associated with goby and blenny classifications.
Jawfishes are ideal as reef aquarium subjects. They are easy to keep, eagerly accept both frozen foods and live artemia, and make good tankmates for invertebrates.

The Yellow-headed jawfish, Opistognathus aurifrons, is the most commonly imported and prefers a tank with a substrate at least 10cm/4" deep, set among rocks where it will excavate the loose debris to form a cave or a series of caves if you decide to keep a group. Each cave will have only a single occupant, and the fish remain poised at the entrance, ready to move into mid-water to catch prey of free-swimming tiny crustaceans. In the aquarium, frozen or live food can be made to drift by its lair, or use a turkey baster to administer the food.

Other recommended species include Opistognathus rosenblatti, a colourful blue-spotted species from the East Pacific, and Opistognathus scops from the same area, which is sometimes called the Bullseye jawfish because of the prominent eye spot on its dorsal.

This article was first published in the October 2004 issue of Practical Fishkeeping magazine.

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Photo in the News: Robot Fish Debut in London

October 7, 2005—This week the London Aquarium unveiled the newest "species" to join its collection: robo-carp.

Computer scientists at the University of Essex in the U.K. developed the self-guided robot fish, seen here swimming in the aquarium. The designers say it is the smartest such robot yet created—the fish uses artificial intelligence and built-in sensors to avoid obstacles and respond to environmental changes.

The fish's battery lasts for up to five hours, though the scientists hope to one day program it to search for and access a recharging station when it runs low.

"This work has many real-world applications, including seabed exploration, detecting leaks in oil pipelines, mine countermeasures, and improving the performance of underwater vehicles," project leader Huosheng Hu told the Associated Press.

The bot, which resembles a one-and-a-half-foot-long (half-meter-long) common carp, mimics the undulating motions of a real fish swimming and turning. Three of the cyber-fish will swim in a tank at the aquarium alongside their living counterparts.

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Whale Shark Rhincodon typus

Whale Shark Profile

As the largest fish in the sea, reaching lengths of 40 feet (12 meters) or more, whale sharks have an enormous menu from which to choose. Fortunately for most sea-dwellers—and us!—their favorite meal is plankton. They scoop these tiny plants and animals up, along with any small fish that happen to be around, with their colossal gaping mouths while swimming close to the water's surface. The whale shark, like the world's second largest fish, the basking shark, is a filter feeder. In order to feed, it juts out its formidably sized jaws and sucks in everything in the vicinity. It then shuts its mouth, forcing water to filter out of its gills. Everything that remains becomes the giant shark's dinner. The whale shark's flattened head sports a blunt snout above its mouth with short barbels protruding from its nostrils. Its back and sides are gray to brown with white spots among pale vertical and horizontal stripes, and its belly is white. Its two dorsal fins are set rearward on its body, which ends in a large dual-lobbed caudal fin (or tail). Preferring warm waters, whale sharks populate all tropical seas. They are known to migrate every spring to the continental shelf of the central west coast of Australia. The coral spawning of the area's Ningaloo Reef provides the whale shark with an abundant supply of plankton. Although massive, whale sharks are docile fish and sometimes allow swimmers to hitch a ride. They are currently listed as a vulnerable species; however, they continue to be hunted in parts of Asia, such as Taiwan and the Philippines.

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Whale Shark Rhincodon typus

Whale Shark Profile

As the largest fish in the sea, reaching lengths of 40 feet (12 meters) or more, whale sharks have an enormous menu from which to choose. Fortunately for most sea-dwellers—and us!—their favorite meal is plankton. They scoop these tiny plants and animals up, along with any small fish that happen to be around, with their colossal gaping mouths while swimming close to the water's surface. The whale shark, like the world's second largest fish, the basking shark, is a filter feeder. In order to feed, it juts out its formidably sized jaws and sucks in everything in the vicinity. It then shuts its mouth, forcing water to filter out of its gills. Everything that remains becomes the giant shark's dinner. The whale shark's flattened head sports a blunt snout above its mouth with short barbels protruding from its nostrils. Its back and sides are gray to brown with white spots among pale vertical and horizontal stripes, and its belly is white. Its two dorsal fins are set rearward on its body, which ends in a large dual-lobbed caudal fin (or tail). Preferring warm waters, whale sharks populate all tropical seas. They are known to migrate every spring to the continental shelf of the central west coast of Australia. The coral spawning of the area's Ningaloo Reef provides the whale shark with an abundant supply of plankton. Although massive, whale sharks are docile fish and sometimes allow swimmers to hitch a ride. They are currently listed as a vulnerable species; however, they continue to be hunted in parts of Asia, such as Taiwan and the Philippines.

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Parrot Fish

Parrot Fish Profile

It's hard to decide which of the colorful parrot fish's many unique characteristics is most remarkable. There’s its diet, which consists primarily of algae extracted from chunks of coral ripped from a reef. The coral is pulverized with grinding teeth in the fishes’ throats in order to get to the algae-filled polyps inside. Much of the sand in the parrot fish's range is actually the ground-up, undigested coral they excrete. There's its gender, which they can change repeatedly throughout their lives, and their coloration and patterns, which are a classification nightmare, varying greatly, even between the males, females, and juveniles of the same species. Finally, there are the pajamas. Every night, certain species of parrot fish envelope themselves in a transparent cocoon made of mucous secreted from an organ on their head. Scientists think the cocoon masks their scent, making them harder for nocturnal predators, like moray eels, to find.

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Manta Rays

Feeding Frenzy

When tide and current turn a tiny bay into a bowl of plankton, manta rays in the Maldives gather for a roiling, whirling feast.

Four hundred forty miles off the southern coast of India, in the archipelago nation of the Maldives, there is an uninhabited island named Hanifaru. It's not much to see from the air: a spray of tropical shrubs on what appears to be a truckload of sand. Hanifaru is so small a child could walk its entire scimitar-shaped coastline in a ten-minute stroll. The island's size isn't unusual for the Maldives, a collection of 1,192 tiny islands clumped in 26 atolls encompassed by the vastness of the Indian Ocean. But several times a year, when time and tide align, manta rays from throughout the Maldives converge here to feed in a spectacular coral-reef ballet.

From May through November, when the lunar tide pushes against the Indian Ocean's southwestern monsoon current, a suction effect pulls tropical krill and other plankton from deep water up to the surface. The current sweeps the krill into the cul-de-sac of Hanifaru Bay. If the krill stayed at the surface, they'd wash over the bay's coral walls and out to the safety of the open sea. But they can't. Instinct forces them to dive away from daylight. When they do, they get trapped deep in the bowl. In just a few hours a massive concentration of plankton builds up, a swarm so thick it turns the water cloudy.

Cue Manta birostris. "Just after high tide you'll see a few manta rays turn up," says Guy Stevens, a British marine biologist who's been researching the Maldives mantas for the past three years. "Then poof, a whole group will move in, and you'll get as many as 200 feeding for two to four hours in a bay no bigger than a soccer field."

These massive fish (the wingspans of Maldives mantas can reach 12 feet) are dynamic filter feeders, shoveling their shoe-box mouths through krill like threshers through wheat, inhaling prey. They barrel roll when they hit a rich patch, somersaulting backward to stay in the hot spot. They chain feed, following each other in a train of open maws.

In the tight confines of Hanifaru Bay, mantas must expand their repertoire, and Stevens has identified maneuvers rarely seen by scientists. When 50 or more fish chain feed in the bay, something extraordinary happens. The head of the line catches the tail, and the chain spins into a vortex. "We call that cyclone feeding," says Stevens. "When you get more than a hundred mantas doing that, they start to spiral out. When the chain breaks down, you get chaos feeding." The stately dance in the milky waters turns into a free-for-all, with hundreds of mantas bumping into each other. Adding to the confusion are whale sharks—languid, plankton-eating giants, each about the size of a 40-foot shipping container—that show up to share the spoils. Within hours the plankton run out, the feast winds down, and the mantas plow the bay's sandy bottom with their cephalic fins to throw hidden prey back into the water column.

Generations ago those hornlike cephalic fins earned mantas the name devilfish. Their terrifying size and bat shape fed an aura of mystery and menace, and mantas were vilified as ferocious monsters. That changed in the 1970s, when scuba divers found mantas to be gentle creatures. Sometimes they even permitted humans to catch joyrides on their broad backs.

Because of their accommodating nature, mantas today have achieved the dubious status of dive-tourism attractions, luring humans to swim with them in closer-than-optimum quarters. For a species considered near threatened, however, this newfound popularity could literally be a lifesaver. Mantas, with their slow reproductive rate, are vulnerable to overfishing, so a robust tourist trade could give local communities an economic incentive to conserve the fish rather than kill them. It's a delicate balance, though—too many humans could drive mantas out of feeding grounds like Hanifaru Bay.

To avoid that, Stevens has proposed turning the bay into a marine sanctuary. A new Maldives president has vowed to strengthen the archipelago's marine protections, but his government has so far been slow to respond to Stevens's idea. "I'm not ruling out declaring Hanifaru a marine-life sanctuary. But we need to increase our ability to enforce existing environmental laws before creating new protected areas," says Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam.

Meanwhile, scientific knowledge about mantas remains surprisingly thin. Only last year a leading expert proposed splitting the species in two: smaller resident mantas, like those in the Maldives that remain near shore, and larger transient mantas (with wingspans as great as 22 feet) that roam the world's tropical and semitropical oceans. And researchers are just beginning to learn more about those cephalic fins. "When you approach a manta, it will unroll a cephalic fin and wave it back and forth as if it's scanning," says Robert Rubin, a California-based marine biologist who's studied mantas in Mexico for 20 years. "Mantas are essentially flat sharks, and we know some sharks have electrical receptors in their faces. The hypothesis is that mantas use those fins to pick up electrical signals from other animals moving in the water."

In the Maldives, Stevens continues to catalog the local animals. (He's identified more than 1,500 individuals by their unique spot patterns.) His data also record the exact timing of the feedings, information that would be of great value to the local guide industry. Stevens hears the clock ticking, and he is scrambling to organize a self-policing regime among resorts and local guides before dive tourists overrun Hanifaru. "We don't want to ruin what we've got here," he says. If his plan works, Hanifaru Bay will remain a sanctuary for cyclone-feeding manta rays, with just enough room for whale sharks, and humans as well. 

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Coral Reef Color

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Why Are Coral Reefs so Colorful?

Startling greens, blues, yellows, and reds paint the creatures of the reefs. Scientists are learning to decipher the messages these colors convey and to see them the way fish do.

By Les Kaufman

Photograph by Tim Laman

Gaze at the vivid yellows, blues, and psychedelic swirls of a single emperor angelfish and you'll sense the whimsy of evolution. Go on to explore its home in lush coral reefs and you'll soon hit sensory overload, assaulted by colors and patterns that range from sublime to garish. Coral reefs are unquestionably the world's most colorful places. But why?

Scientists have long known that color plays a role in sexual selection and warning of danger. But only in the past decade or so have we begun to understand how wavelengths of light (and therefore color) appear at different depths and how various marine creatures' eyes perceive this light and see each other—far differently than humans see them.

To document how reef animals use color, I joined photographer Tim Laman for a total-immersion course off Fiji and Indonesia. It was an eye-opener, with virtuoso dis-plays of color at every turn. Beyond the world's reefs, where waters are turbid or murky, most creatures use nonvisual means of communication such as smell, taste, touch, and sound. But in the clear, sunlit waters of coral reefs, light abounds, vision predominates, and animals—both sighted and blind—drape themselves in blazing color not only to entice mates or threaten foes but also to advertise their services, evade predators, catch prey, even hide in plain sight.

Tim and I began our work by studying the healthy reef systems of Fiji (National Geographic, November 2004). Drifting 80 feet below the sea's surface, Tim aimed his strobe lights at a patch of reef to reveal brilliant shades of red on coral branches. But when we flicked off the artificial light, we saw the reef more as fish would see it—and it was a different world. Pale blues, greens, violets, and yellows met our gaze. The red was no longer visible, its longer wavelengths absorbed by water molecules and debris. Red pigments on marine animals may simply function as gray or black at depth; why they even have a red pigment we don't know. But we are beginning to understand more about the yellows and blues that so dominate the wardrobe of reef fish—and help make them prized targets of collectors.

Justin Marshall of the University of Queensland in Australia, George Losey of the University of Hawaii, and their colleagues study fish eyes. Using a technique called microspectrophotometry, they've analyzed the visual pigments and photo-sensitivity of various reef-fish eyes to determine how and what fish see. They've also measured the wavelengths of light reflected off reef features to calculate an "average reef color." It turns out that in natural light the yellows and blues that adorn many damselfish, wrasses, and angelfish blend well with that average reef background, providing camouflage from predators.

We witnessed the phenomenon of brightly colored fish hiding in plain sight throughout Indonesia, home to the highest marine diversity on Earth. In a tiny spot just southeast of Sulawesi, clouds of colored fish swam against a collage of vivid invertebrates encrusting the reef. With such an excess of pattern and color, no one creature stood out. Up close, regal angelfish flashed eye-popping bands of yellow, violet, and white. But recent studies show that as regals swim against the reef's visually complex background, their contrasting lines merge in a predator's brain. According to Boston University marine biologist Gil Rosenthal, as a reef fish retreats, distance and motion can make it difficult for predators to perceive fine details and distinguish closely spaced outlines of contrasting colors. So at a distance, spots and stripes blur together, helping even stationary fish merge into the background of the reef and the ocean beyond.

Sulawesi is rich in cephalopods—octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish—which have the biggest brains and most mercurial colors of all the invertebrates. We got to know one octopus particularly well. It spent its days systematically moving from one outcrop to another, probing for prey with serpentine armtips thrust deep into coral crevices. Just before jumping to a new spot, it would darken (except for one bold white stripe), then crash to the ground with arms outstretched, the webbing between them blocking off routes of escape for small creatures such as hermit crabs caught under its body. The webbing would then turn a nearly transparent white. To us—and perhaps to trapped prey—these white patches looked like windows of light and escape. We speculate that this color-change act is a ruse to lure small, cowering animals up to the "windows" and thus toward the octopus's mouth.

When at rest, this octopus became camouflaged against the reef, with shifting patterns of dark and light on its skin that matched the texture and color of the backdrop. This appears to be an impressive trick, given that octopuses are color-blind: Their retinas lack the cells that receive and process color. But apparently these animals get by without color vision, simply responding to contrasts of shade and light.

Useful in deception, color can also speak the language of love for reef creatures. But it's a quick chat. Many reef fish can blink their colors on and off in seconds, as we saw near the coast of Bali. Rising toward the shallows through a cloud of flasher wrasses, we watched the males shoot neon blue stripes across their bodies and outstretched fins, creating a miniature laser-light show. Spurred to passion by a male's display of lights, a female rose in the water column with her chosen suitor and released an explosive burst of eggs to mix with his sperm. Job done, the male instantly went drab, and the consummated pair sped to the safety of the reef. That moment of electric bliss must have exposed them to great risk from predators, so the ability to turn off color was just as important as turning it on.

The mechanism for this quick-change act is a class of skin cells called chromatophores. Controlled by both neurons and hormones, chromatophores create the appearance of color or pattern through pigments and light manipulation. Specialized chromatophores called leucophores render skin pale. To produce blue and iridescent colors like those used by the flasher wrasse, iridophores manipulate crystals of guanine, a common metabolic waste product, to scatter white light and then reflect specific wavelengths as needed. Such cells can instantly brand their bearers as terrifying, invisible, or irresistible.

With the right lighting and a bit of luck, humans can witness these vivid displays. But there's a lot that we'll never see, due to the limitations of human sight. Sailing along an island chain called Nusa Tengarra, Tim and I observed turbulence along the seam between the Pasic and Indian Oceans. This fertile mixing zone is rich with plankton, and the roiling water was jammed with plankton-feeding fish massing below the surface. We dived among great crowds of them. Clearly they were eating something—we could see their high-speed jaws flashing—but how did they spot their prey, zooplankton, which was white and all but transparent to us? Thanks to years of work by biologists George Lose, Justin Marshall, Bill McFarland, and their students, we now know that many plankton-eating fish can see ultraviolet light, which makes the zooplankton appear black and therefore more visible in the water. Humans can't see UV, and until fairly recently we thought UV light was virtually absent below the waves. We now know that UV can penetrate to depths beyond 300 feet, and that some fish not only see UV but also paint their bodies with UV reflectors to beam out messages to their kin. Damselfish, for instance, shout out to each other in UV, but their predators can't see it. Such findings make me wonder how much of the undersea world our own eyes miss.

Among the reefs' many marvels, stomatopods, or mantis shrimps, are the unrivaled visual masters, with the world's most complex eyes. Research by Marshall and marine biologists Tom Cronin, Roy Caldwell, and others has shown that stomatopod eyes have up to 16 separate kinds of light-sensing retinal cells, including four for UV light, plus sensitivity to patterns of polarization and exceptional spatial perception. (Humans have a paltry four retinal cell types and cannot see either UV or polarized light.) This intricate retina delivers visual information already processed to a shrimp's tiny brain, vastly reducing the work the brain has to do to interpret its world. Those compound eyes help the smashing peacock mantis shrimp locate prey. We watched one stare intently at a spot on the reef, using its powerful arms to smash at the rock again and again to reach a target we couldn't see.

The reef is a world where vision and color are clearly a matter of life and death for those wise enough to heed the message. One day I was not so wise. Bold colors can advertise danger, and most marine biologists are not so foolhardy as to reach out and grab an unfamiliar, brilliantly colored animal. But on a languid dive near Komodo, in a forest of soft corals, I spotted a gaily colored clown crab sitting on something I didn't recognize. I ignored the something and reached for the crab, who surprised me by holding his ground, unafraid. Now I know why. He could afford to stick out like a beacon because the something he was sitting on was his form of defense—a stinging hell's fire anemone. It took two weeks for the burn marks and pain to fade from my hand. Lesson learned.

Everywhere we went in the islands, anemones and corals bore bright pastel pigments that fluoresced brilliantly orange, red, or green. The molecules that create this fluorescence could serve as sunscreens, or as light absorbers to boost growth. But in some cases these colors can be co-opted by unrelated creatures. We saw one common coral with fluorescent pink splotches, which appear on damaged spots that are healing. Fish are attracted to the pink spots and bite at them. A small parasite has evolved to infest this coral, causing harm, which leads to more pink patches that attract fish. The fish nibble the spots, thus taking up the parasite and becoming its host. Even a small parasite has developed a way to use color for its own survival.

The world's coral reefs teach that color conveys information and can change over seconds or lifetimes. It can hide or reveal, warn or beckon, broadcast widely or target a select few. Science is beginning to crack these codes—vital knowledge that will help protect reef creatures and the fragile habitats they adorn so beautifully.

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Flying Fish Exocoetidae

A streamlined torpedo shape helps flying fish generate enough speed to break the water’s surface, and large, wing-like pectoral fins help get them airborne. Photograph by Peter Parks/Animals Animals-Earth Scenes

Flying Fish Profile

Flying fish can be seen jumping out of warm ocean waters worldwide. Their streamlined torpedo shape helps them gather enough underwater speed to break the surface, and their large, wing-like pectoral fins get them airborne. Flying fish are thought to have evolved this remarkable gliding ability to escape predators, of which they have many. Their pursuers include mackerel, tuna, swordfish, marlin, and other larger fish. For their sustenance, flying fish feed on a variety of foods, including plankton. There are about 40 known species of flying fish. Beyond their useful pectoral fins, all have unevenly forked tails, with the lower lobe longer than the upper lobe. Many species have enlarged pelvic fins as well and are known as four-winged flying fish. The process of taking flight, or gliding, begins by gaining great velocity underwater, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) per hour. Angling upward, the four-winged flying fish breaks the surface and begins to taxi by rapidly beating its tail while it is still beneath the surface. It then takes to the air, sometimes reaching heights over 4 feet (1.2 meters) and gliding long distances, up to 655 feet (200 meters). Once it nears the surface again, it can flap its tail and taxi without fully returning to the water. Capable of continuing its flight in such a manner, flying fish have been recorded stretching out their flights with consecutive glides spanning distances up to 1,312 feet (400 meters). Flying fish are attracted to light, like a number of sea creatures, and fishermen take advantage of this with substantial results. Canoes, filled with enough water to sustain fish, but not enough to allow them to propel themselves out, are affixed with a luring light at night to capture flying fish by the dozens. There is currently no protection status on these animals.

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White Cloud Mountain Minnow

The white cloud mountain minnow is an extremely hardy fish that can withstand a wide range of temperatures. They can be kept in an aquarium without a heater as long as the temperature does not drop below 45°F (7°C). They are peaceful and are suitable tank mates for a community tank as long as the aquarium temperature doesn't get too high. Many keep them in small desktop tanks.

The White Cloud Mountain Minnow will eat flakes, frozen, freeze dried and live foods.

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Freshwater Fish Species Profile and Care Information

Scientific Name : Tanichthys albonubes

Common Names : Meteor Minnow, Chinese Danio

Care Level : Easy, good for freshwater beginners

Life span : 3 - 5 years generally, possibly longer

Size : Up to 2 inches (5 cm)

pH : 6 - 8

Temperature : 45°F - 70°F (7°C - 21°C)

Water Hardness : 5° to 25° dH,

Origin / Habitat : China

Temperament / Behavior : Peaceful and best kept in schools of 6 or more.

Breeding / Mating / Reproduction : Easy. Give them a water temperature around 68°F and they will lay their eggs on the bottom of the tank. You will have to remove the adults because they will eat the eggs.

Tank Size : 5 gallon or larger.

Compatible Tank Mates : Many, given their generally peaceful nature.

Fish Disease : Freshwater Fish Disease - Diagnose, Symptoms and Treatment

Diet / Fish Food : Omnivore - will eat many food items including flakes, pellets and live foods.

Tank Region : All over the tank

Gender : Males will have more color than the females.

Similar Species : Cyprinids, Barbs

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White Cloud Tips

From: Zoe These are great little fish, but if you want peaceful fish these may not be the fish for you because these like to swim fast and madly round the tank.

From: Zygos5 These aren't peaceful little fish. If you keep only one in a small tank with other "prettier" fish like guppies... they will chase down the guppies and stress the he** out of them and do some damage to fins... They chase down harlequin rasboras as well... that's how peaceful they are! I like it when my harlequins chase and nip back! I'd keep white clouds in a school with other larger fish to keep them in line.

From: Ian G. An excellent and extremely hardy fish suitable for all hobbyists. These fish are best kept in large groups as they feel more safe, when kept individually in a community aquarium they will chase other fancy looking fish as a defence mechanism. Have also found this fish is best kept in an aquarium with a light which enhances fish colours rather than a standard bulb, as this really does bring out its true colours!

From: Ronnie Great little fish and very hardy, having survived an outbreak of Fin Rot which wiped out all my fancy goldfish but the white clouds are as healthy as ever!

From: Sophie Great little fish but keep a tight lid as they will jump out even if they seem happy. My fish are not too fast and do not chase any other fish. They are fine even with large fish like medium sized goldfish (10-15cm). Great fish 10/10 Excellent.

From: Jennifer I have a small school (6) of gold white clouds. I keep them with much larger fish, including assorted rainbows and Gouramis in a 55 gallon tank. They are indeed quite active, but really seem to leave all the other fish alone, including my smaller mollies and guppies. Very pretty little fish, and quite easy to keep.

From: Col Pretty and hardy little fish, but just a warning to Qld Australia viewers, don't put them in a pond. They are declared a noxious pest fish here. According to Officers of Queensland Fisheries, "White cloud minnows are exotic fish that have unfortunately become popular for mosquito contol. Native fish such as pacific blue eyes and hardy heads are much more efficient. White clouds may be kept in an aquarium, but are not to be released or kept in outdoor ponds where they can wash out during high rainfall. Penalties up to $150,000 apply to people who do not follow these rules." More information can be found here: http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/14082.html

From: Bob
White cloud minnows rock. They are extremely hardy, active, and have a certain spunk to them that is endearing. I had a group of 6 live 8 years. Most of the fatalities were filter incidents. who knows how long they would live in an undergravel filter tank.

Now I have a new school, also of 6. The previous group schooled in a 70 gallon tank. The new kids sporadically school about, but mostly roam the new 45 gallon at random.

Apparently, the males get into an interesting dance from time to time, fanning their red fins wide and circling each other. I suspect a higher ratio of females would make for a less boisterous lot, and you may see them school more then.

They lived well with a group of 3 Gold Barbs, which lived nearly as long as the white clouds. Did fine also with Mollies, including a homicidal silver lyretail. Seemed fast enough also to avoid any nips from Dwarf Gouramis, which although seeming slow, can move in an explosive burst of speed when they have the urge. Now the whiteclouds are alone in the tank again. Aforementioned homicidal Molly killed off several other Mollies, and the Dwarf Gouramis died suddenly.

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White Skirt Tetra

The White Skirt Tetra is a genetic morph of the Black Skirt Tetra. As far as care requirements go, they are virtually identical to those of the Black Skirt Tetra.

The White Skirt is sometimes the victim of fish dyeing. Sometimes you'll come across a fish called a "Blueberry Tetra" or "Strawberry Tetra" and it may be a White Skirt Tetra that has been dyed. Please do not buy these fish! Fish dyeing is a harmful practice and should not be supported.

They need to be kept in a group of 5 or more and may get fin nipped by others. They are fairly hardy and can be a nice fish for the freshwater fish beginner with a cycled aquarium. Since you need to keep them in a small school, you'll need to have at least a 20 gallon tank (114 liters). You can keep less of them in a smaller tank but you may see the White Skirt Tetras fin nipping others in this case.

They will really appreciate a tank with live aquarium plants. The live plants will provide places of refuge and help make them feel more secure.

Give them a good diet of vitamin enriched flake foods with the occasional frozen food as a supplement to their diet.

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Freshwater Fish Species Profile and Care Information

Scientific Name : Gymnocorymbus ternetzi

Common Names : Gold Skirt Tetra, White Tetra - same as the Black Skirt Tetra.

Care Level : Easy, can be recommended for a freshwater fish beginner with a cycled aquarium.

Size : 2 inches (6 cm), sometimes slightly larger.

pH : 6 - 7.5

Temperature : 75°F - 80°F (24°C - 27°C)

Water Hardness : 5° to 20° dH

Lifespan : 3 - 5 years

Origin / Habitat : South America, river basin areas

Temperament / Behavior : A generally peaceful fish that appreciates being in a school of 5 or more.

Breeding / Mating / Reproduction : Egg scatterer. The adults may eat the eggs. You will need a bare bottom breeding tank and will have to remove the adults after they release the eggs.

Tank Size : 20 gallons (114 liters) - remember, this is a schooling fish.

Compatible Tank Mates : You don't want to keep them overly aggressive tank mates.

Fish Disease : Freshwater Fish Disease - Diagnose, Symptoms and Treatment

Diet / Fish Food : This tetra should eat most common aquarium foods. Flakes, frozen, freeze dried and may nibble at some aquarium plants.

Tank Region : All over, but mostly in the middle and top.

Gender : The female will usually be larger and the male may have a wider anal fin. Females should start to plump around mating time.

Gallery Photos : White Skirt Tetra Photos

Similar Species : Characins, Tetras

Fish Lore Forum : White Skirt Tetra Forum

Tips
From: Addicted
I adore my white skirt tetras! They're so cute and they're so peaceful. I have 2 white skirt tetras, 2 silver mollies, 2 dwarf gouramis and one miniature pleco in a 20 gallon tank. My tetras get along so well with all of these fish, and they seem to be exceedingly happy even though they're only two. I recommend this fish for anyone!

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Zebra Danio

The Zebra Danio is one of the most popular tropical fish for many reasons. They are very hardy, attractive to look at and they usually do well in groups of 6 or more. They are a good first fish for beginners to the tropical fish hobby because of their tolerance of a wide range of water parameters.

Because of their hardiness, many will use zebra danios to cycle their new tanks. This is not a recommended practice because it can be very traumatic and stressful to the fish. They are frequently used as dither fish in aquariums since they are constantly out swimming all over the tank. Dither fish are used to help calm other fish that may be skittish. The scared fish will see the danios out swimming and may become more comfortable with their environment.

Behavioral problems with this fish, such as fin nipping, can usually be attributed to not having enough of these schooling fish in your tank. To prevent this fin nipping behavior try to keep a school of 6 or more in your tank.

They will eat vitamin enriched flakes, frozen, freeze dried and live foods.

Zebra Danio Photo

Freshwater Fish Species Profile and Care Information

Scientific Name : Danio rerio

Common Names : Zebra Fish, Striped Danio

Care Level : Easy

Size : Up to 2 inches (5 cm)

pH : 6.5 - 8

Temperature : 65°F - 75°F (18°C - 24°C)

Water Hardness : 5° to 25° dH,

Lifespan : 2 - 5 years

Origin / Habitat : India

Temperament / Behavior : They are usually peaceful but they can be fin nippers. They are best kept in schools of 6 or more.

Zebra Danio Breeding / Mating / Reproduction : Easy. Maintain a water temperature of 78°F and the female will drop its eggs in the gravel bed. The eggs will hatch in two days and you will have to remove the adults because they will eat the fry.

Tank Size : 10 gallon or larger.

Compatible Tank Mates : Other Danios, Corydoras and some Tetras.

Fish Disease : Freshwater Fish Disease - Diagnose, Symptoms and Treatment

Diet / Fish Food : They will take flakes, freeze dried (blood worms, daphnia, brine shrimp, etc) and live foods.

Tank Region : Middle to Top

Gender : Males have yellow in between the black stripes and female zebra danios are sometimes larger.

Gallery Photos : Zebra Danio Photos

Similar Species : Cyprinids, Barbs

Fish Lore Forum : Zebra Danio Forum

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Tips

From: Jim B. These are excellent fish for new tanks. They are very hardy and I've used them in the past to cycle my aquarium.

From: Sierra These fish are great! I swear, these danios could live through anything!

Yeah, I agree. The Zebra Danio is a very hardy tropical fish. Many use them to cycle their tanks without losing any of them.

From: Marc These fish are very energetic! It's fun to watch them dart around while they eat.

From: Scientific Great fish, I just added 4 zebra danios to a tank with 7 serpae tetras and a rainbow shark. As soon as these were added the other fish became more active swimmers. Also, it's nice that they tend to stay towards the top of the tank, it entices the serpaes to swim there as well.

From: Hillary My husband and I just started up our 20 gallon tank with three of the Zebra Danios and 3 Rasboras. After a couple of weeks we have added a few more fish and the Zebra Danios have begun nipping large pieces out of the other fish's tails. We had to seperate them from the other fish because they were tormenting them so much by chasing them all around. We thought that they were great fun when we got them and named them the Three Stooges, but now it looks like they will not be able to ever go back in the tank.

From: Linda I just set up a 36 gallon corner hex tank and just added zebra and red danios. They are amazing fish so fast they swim. I am enjoying them alot. Have heard they can tolerate the cycling process of a new tank. Which is a great thing! I also added 2 bleeding heart tetras and white clouds too.

From: Kat I got 3 of these energetic zebra danios when I read that they are great for cycling. Since then I have added two leopard danios and long finned as well. They all school together and it's like watching a flock of birds. When one changes direction the rest follow. When it was just the three of them they would nip each others fins, but now that there are more they have stopped. I also have 3 silver tipped tetras and they school with the danios just fine. Sometimes they chase each other but nothing agressive just for fun. Most of the time they are near the top of the 20 gallon I have them in but as they get used to the tank (recently upgraded from a 10 gallon) they explore more areas. They have begun to recognize me and will come to the front of the tank in the morning and when I get home in the evening to say hi... Or it could be "Feed Us" but either way they are a great, hardy little fish!

From: John Yes I must admit, these fish are very hardy! I had an epidemic where every fish except one zebra danio and one neon tetra died!

From: Paula Hi Hillary, they usually start nipping fins if you don't have enough of them in your tank. Try adding 3-4 more and see if that sorts out the problem. Good Luck. I'm getting some of these amazing fish today. They are so energetic!

From: Jones These fish are great! I have a 180 gallon tank with fifteen of them, a lake tanganyika cichlid, and a few other fish, and they have been great and are helping the other fish become more confident with the environment!

From: Lyn They are wonderful fish! I love their colors and their schooling behavior. It's hard to look at them carefully because they keep on darting in the water. Very hardy, too!

From: Zach Fun little fish to watch. I have 2 yellow Glo-fish, 2 Cherry Red Glo-fish (with are genetically engineered Zebra Danios) and one plain one. I would recommend going easy on high protein foods such as bloodworms with these little guys. Although they love em' they can make them constipated.

From: Dakota
I had a group of 6 zebra danios and loved them. They were very hardy and always active plus they were easy to care for lived for a couple of years... overall they were a great fish easy to care for.

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Yellow Tang - My Experiences

The Zebrasoma flavescens, or more commonly known as the Yellow Tang has been a favorite fish of mine (one of many) since the beginning of my saltwater hobby. The bold yellow color along with the white scalpel like blade on the caudal peduncle (base of the tail) that can be used as a weapon for defending itself or its territory is one of the many great aspects of keeping these tangs. They can be quite hardy once they get used to the environment and make a great pet fish. There are some things to keep in mind though if you’re interested in keeping one of these Yellow Tangs in your saltwater aquarium.

The first and one of the most important things to mention is that they, like many saltwater fish species, can be quite susceptible to most of the common marine diseases. Upon acquiring one of these beauties, the use of a quarantine tank for several weeks is highly recommended. Keeping them in QT can help settle them down from the stresses of shipping, it can be easier to get them eating something with less competition and you can observe them easier for signs of disease in a bare quarantine tank.

I’ve kept 2 Yellow Tangs since starting this awesome hobby. The first one I bought for a 30 gallon fish only with live rock (FOWLR) aquarium and it didn’t do well, all because of my ignorance. I didn’t quarantine this fish and it quickly passed on because of a severe ich infestation. The second one has done extremely well and I’ve had him/her for several years now.

The second Yellow Tang did develop ich in the quarantine tank and I should mention that I didn’t treat it with medication. I gave it the best diet I could which was lots of dried seaweed and high quality flakes and the ich soon subsided. After a week with no signs of ich I then left it in quarantine for about 3 more weeks with numerous (at least every other day) partial water changes. I think the great water quality through the frequent partial water changes and the good diet helped this fish fight off the ich. About a year later it developed ich again (after a too short QT period from some chromis) but it’s conditioned improved again quickly with no medications, just frequent water changes and the good diet.

Feeding this tang has not been a problem at all. They eat everything we put in the tank, from herbivorous flakes to dried seaweed to fresh gracilaria from the refugium. It is awesome to watch them attack the veggie clip that I use to hold the dried seaweed in the tank. I’ve learned to keep the length of dried seaweed at about 2 inches with the veggie clip, since any longer and it quickly becomes detached by the voracious tearing and ripping done by the tang and gets pulled into a powerhead intake.

I try to feed this tang this dried seaweed daily and it grazes on the live rock and back tank wall for any algae growth it can find. It also gets a few pieces of the gracilaria from the refugium a few times per week. I’m trying to grow out the gracilaria in the refugium with the hopes of maybe giving some to friends. I started with about a fist sized clump of the gracilaria and it’s tripled in size in the last month. Once I get more of the gracilaria I’ll start giving it to the tang more often. I’ve heard of hobbyists calling this stuff “tang heaven” and can vouch that mine loves the stuff.

Care wise, I keep mine in a 110 gallon tank that has plenty of water flow with ample surface agitation along with a heavy duty protein skimmer. Everything you read about tangs mentions that they like to swim and that they need plenty of swimming space, so the bigger the tank the better.

Behavior wise, my Yellow Tang gets along well with the other fish in the tank, including a Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus leucosternon). When first introduced to the tank the Yellow Tang established it’s dominance by chasing the PBT around the tank for a few laps but they’ve been doing well since then. A 110 is kind of pushing it for a PBT and it may get more aggressive with the Yellow Tang once it gets bigger, but then I will have to setup (I know you feel my pain, right?) that 300 gallon tank I’ve been salivating about. I’ll be saving and planning until then.

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Arowana Fish

(sometimes called dragon fish) can be a great choice for those that think big. Some varieties can grow up to Four feet long (120cm). They can be feisty, though become tamer with age to the point of eating from your fingers, and not the fingers themselves. The Arowana Fish comes from somewhat primitive origins (Jurassic Age), and some varieties are nicknamed “Bony Tongued Fish”.

Arowana fish are carnivores, though will generally eat nearly anything. Young Arowana Fish may be fed frozen or live brine shrimp, black worms, and even small fish. When older, some larger fish will do. Baby Arowana Fish should be fed maybe 3 times a day, medium sized twice a day, and adults once a day, or even once every other day. Variety is important for a well balanced diet in Arowana Fish just like for most other fish.

The Arowana eating habits produce a lot of waste and you should therefore, pay extra attention to water conditions (Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate) in your aquarium. Changing 25% to 33% of the water weekly is advisable, or better yet, 20% twice a week. You should maintain the pH neutral. Pay particular attention to the temperature and pH ranges suggested below on the various species, since if you have it too warm, it might cause them to age faster, look less Arowana, and even shorten their life. A to cold temperature might on the other hand kill them.

Generally, a good healthy Arowana Fish will grow to be at least 24 to 30 inches (60-75cm). Some varieties can become 48 inches (120 cm) in the wild. They may be aggressive (definitely not good community fish), and Arowana fish can sometimes be best kept alone in an aquarium. Remember that other smaller fish in the tank may become their dinner.

Arowana fish will often swim in the top of the aquarium, and are capable of jumping from the aquarium. Keep the aquarium well covered to avoid coming home to a dead pet. Silver Arowana Fish in the wild have been known to jump at insects in trees.

Arowana Fish may live for many years, and if well cared for Arowana fish may live longer than 20 years in captivity. If you keep the aquarium temperature towards the lower end, they may look young longer than they would in a higher temperaturel. Please pay particular attention to each Arowana Fish’s needs below.

The Asian Arowana or Golden Arowana (Scleropages formosus) is considered an endangered species. Care should be taken to follow the law in purchasing and transporting them. Asian Arowana fish generally can grow to about 36 inches, and are often much more expensive then the other Arowana species. These are well known and popular South East Asia where they are believed to bring luck. Feeding them healthy Guppies, Gold Fish, Frogs, or Shrimp makes a good stable diet. The temperature is best kept between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (24-30 C), and a pH level between 7.0 and 7.5 are advisable.


Asian Arowana - Scleropages formosus. Copyright www.jjphoto.dk

The Silver Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) comes from the Amazon Basin. They can grow to around 48 inches in the wild, and are usually the cheapest Arowana species. Silver Arowana can be more jumpy then the other species and more than one Silver Arowana have jumped to their death in a badly covered aquarium.

Silver Arowana may take a while to adjust to non-live food. Sometimes to the brink of starvation. Feed them meaty food like, fish, crab, or Shrimp (try to avoid the salt). This Arowana Fish thrives in temperatures between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (24-30 C), and pH between 6 and 7. Young Silver Arowana should not be in a tank shorter then 36 inches/ 90 cm, and as they get older, 48 inches/ 120 cm though when your Arowana fish reaches 15 inches/ 40 cm they will need a much larger tank. These Arowana Fish can become aggressive towards similar species and should be kept alone in the aquarium tank unless it is very big. They can also be kept with larger catfish and a few other species. They are a definitely predator and will eat smaller fish. As juveniles, they may be suitable for smaller home aquarium, though with growth, they are likely to outgrow the home and become suitable only for large public aquariums.


Silver Arowana - Osteoglossum bicirrhosum. Copyright www.jjphoto.dk

The Spotted Arowana (Scleropages leichardti) is mostly found from Southern Australia. They can grow to around 36 inches/ 90 cm (they do however only seldom reach this length in an aquarium), and are less sought after then the Asian Arowana. They are also called Dawson River Saratoga, Southern Saratoga, Spotted Barramundi, Australian Spotted Arowana, and Leichardti Saratoga. They tend to stay closer to the bottom than other Arowana fish species. This means that it sometimes is possible to keep them with Silver Arowana fish. As far as food, they are capable of eating most things that will fit their mouth (crickets, Hikari pellets, insects, etc). This Arowana fish species prefers a temperatures between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (24-30 C), and a pH level between 6.5 and 7.5. They may be territorial and aggressive.


Spotted Arowana - Scleropages leichardtii. Copyright www.jjphoto.dk

The Northern Arowana (Scleropages jardini) is found mostly in Northern Australia. They can grow to around 36 inches/ 90 cm. They are also called Northern Saratoga, Jardine Saratoga, Gulf Saratoga, Australian Gold or Pearl Arowana and Jardini Saratoga. They eat similar food as the Spotted Arowana (Southern Australia), and are less likely to jump out of the tank than other species (though they might). This variety of Arowana Fish is best kept at a pH level of 6.0 - 7.5 and temperatures of 72 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (22-27 C). While less aggressive then others, they are still predators and will likely eat anything that will fit in their mouths. They will eat Crayfish, Fish, Insects, and pellets with a little effort to get them started.


Northern Arowana - Scleropages jardinii. Copyright www.jjphoto.dk

The African Arowana (Heterotis niloticus) comes from western and central Africa. They grow up to around 40 inches/100 cm. They are more rare than other Arowana Fish species. They are predators known to eat small fish. This Arowana Fish prefers temperatures between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (24-30 C) and a pH level of 6.7 to 7.5 (7.0 preferred). They eat shrimp, fish, live worms, and insects in captivity.

The Black Arowana fish (Osteoglossum ferreirai) comes from South America in the Rio Negro basin. They grow up to around 40 inches / 100 com, though they seldom reach this length in captivity. The Black Arowana fish eat live fish, large insects, spiders, Tubifex worms, and may also eat pellets and flakes (not all specimens accept pellets and flakes). Young Arowana fish of this species tend to be delicate, though older fish tend to be more hardy. They prefer a pH level of 5-7 with 6.4 being the optimum level, and temperatures between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (24-30 C).

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Flower Horn Fisha

Flower Horn Fish is basically from the Cichlid family, which is classified under the genus of Cichlasoma, which is commonly found in South America. This beautiful hybrid is thought to be the end product of cross breeding between the Cichlasoma Trimaculatus, Cichlasoma Festae, Jingang Blood Parrot. To date, many of the better quality Flower Horn have been produced due to the intensified eagerness of breeders to produce the best show quality fish for the market.


As stated in some reports, the Flower Horn Fish is also known as a "mutated" breed of fish. Rest assured that this is just a claim. Flower Horn Fish have gone through intense selective cross breeding in order to have the best characteristics of the respective strains of the Cichlid Fish family. For instance, most breeders are striving to produce Flower Horn with a bigger nuchal hump on the forehead, better coloration, bolder black marking on the body (which at times resembles Chinese characters), more elegant fins, and wider body. No chemicals, or bio-genetic engineering have been incorporated to improve on the traits / characteristics of the Flower Horn. Thus, the claim that this is a mutated fish is unfounded.

In addition, this fish is very hardy, and can endure water conditions that are not suitable for most breeds of aquarium fish. This is also part of the reason why the Flower Horn is well received by many tropical fish hobbyists. But the ideal pH level in the water required, should be around pH 7 to pH 7.8 with water temperature ranging between 27 to 32C. For temperate / colder climate regions, they just need a water heater.


The Flower Horn is from the South American Cichlid family, and this fish is very territorial. They are also very aggressive in nature. Co-existing with other fish is not advisable, especially smaller fish. Some parties have claimed that we can "play" with the Flower Horn. In actual fact, Flower Horn is actually trying to get rid of the "intruder" (be it a stick or a person's hand). Therefore, it is advisable that we keep our hands to ourselves as the fish has quite a nasty bite depending on the size of the fish.

Here are some varieties of Flower Horn
Zhen Zhu = RD and BD

JK = Golden FH

Kamfas = Synsphillium or Parrot x ZZ


ZZ = Zhen Zhu

RD = Red Dragon

POTO = Pearl of the Orient

RC = Red Crystal

RG = Red General

SDK = Super Dragon King

RPD = Red Pearl Dragon

TB = Tunder Bolt

SP = Super Pendian

RD = Rainbow Dragon

FD = Fiery Dragon

BD = Blue Dragon

BCD = Blue Comet Dragon

DBD = Diamond Blue Dragon

BFD = Blue Face Dragon

KB = King Baccara

EM = Eastern Maiden

OGD = Oriental Green Dragon

GFF = Golden Fire Face


KAMFA

SRS = Super Red Shock

RM = Red Monkey

RS = Red Shock

JH = Jin Hua

RK = Red Kamfa

OK = Orange Kamfa

OP = Oriental Phoenix

RP = Red Phoenix

RBK = Rainbow King

HBK = Hell Boy Kamfa = Eastern Maiden X KKP

Buffalo = KKP+ RD = Kamfa bred by 65rivi


PARROT

BP = Blood Parrot

KKP = King Kong Parrot

Mammon = High Quality King Kong Parrot (Happy Breed Farm)

Darmo = High Quality King Kong Parrot (Rarefish)

DD2 = Desert Dynasty II
CGY = Colorful God of the Year
GD = Golden Dragon
JPG = Jing Ping Guo
JG = Jaded Griffin
KDC = Kimdingchu

Golden Monkey ALSO called KAMALAU
Kamalau is a Cantonese term which is the same as GM. In Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia, this term is commonly use among hobbyists.

GM = Golden Monkey

KGM = King of Golden Monkey

MGM = Marine Golden Monkey

MK = Metallic Kamalau

BKM = Blue King Monkey

DM = Diamond Monkey

KGM1 = King of Golden Monkey Generation 1

KGM2 = King of Golden Monkey Generation 2

KGMF = King of Golden Monkey Flowerness

SML = SonMalau = New Generation GM

Diff b/w kamfa and ZZ
1.KAMFA

















2.ZZ(Zhen Zou)


Sexing of FH.
#Age and length
2 months
(1mm - 30mm) .

#Characteristic
1. Juvenile stage.
2. Colors and body patterns are not noticeable.

#Sexing Method
No known method.
Observations shows larger sized fish within the same batch tend to be males.

#Age and length
2 - 5 months
( 30 mm - 150 mm)

Characteristic
Colors and body patterns are becoming more distinctive

#Sexing Method
1. Distinctive black marking on the dorsal fin indicates that it is a female. However, this is not foolproof. The same pattern does exist on some male Flowerhorns.

2. Observations on the shape of the genital papillae. V-shaped papilla indicates a male fish, while a U-shaped papilla indicates a female fish. Gently squeezing the abdominal region may reveal the papillae.

3. Male Flowerhorns will have broader body with higher dorsal, anal and caudal fins. It is also observed that male Flowerhorns will have thicker jawline and more distinctive body color.


#Age and length
5 months and above
(150 mm - 600 mm)


#Characteristic
Flowerhorns begin to mature. Distinctive and rather prominent head humps are visible on the male fish.

#Sexing Method
Female will start to lay eggs even without the presence of a male.


Some more characteristics to be observed.

#1 dorsal black spot:

flowerhorns are hybrids,therefore this method will not be 100%accurate.this method is usally use on pure bred cichlid
however the rest of the method we are going to talk about here will not apply to fries under 3 in therefore this one is included.

90%of fry with out dorsal spots,will be males.
60% of fry with dorsal spot will be females.

#2 body structure.

male flowerhorn often have more angular and muscular lines ,while females often have a rounder,smoother body line.

#3 Dorsal spine method.

look at the first 6 dorsal spines of your fh, males often have rounded and thick spines, while females have a more flatened and thiner look to the first 6 dorsal spines.

#4 pelvic fin and pelvic spine method.

female flowerhorn need to use their pelvic fin as a fan to fan the eggs while breeding,therefore when you touch the pelvic fin and pelvic spine of your fh,if it is soft,and the spine is not as hard that will make you bleed,your fish is highly possible to be a female.

#5 chest line(chin line) method.

if you view your fish from the side,behind the gill jucture and before the pelvic fin,right under the petoral fin,this is the chest of your fish,if your fish have a bulkier chest,the it is more possible to be male,females often have a smaller,and smoother chest(unlike human)...lol

#6 anal venting method.

hold your fish upsidedown,look at the anal vent,males have a V shape and females have a U shape.
now look from the side,males should have their tube pointed toward the back ,while females have straight tubes
Male organism


Female Organism




Source of Sexing of fh : FLOWERHORNUSA,AROFANATICS

Common Flowerhorn Diseases and Treatment

Caring for your Flower Horn is not just about feeding it, it's also about watching for potentially serious health conditions. Below are some of the problems your Flower horn might experience.

White Spot Disease

Cause and Symptoms

* The cause of this condition is Ichthyophithirius multifilis (ICH ) , a ciliated protozoan .
* Bad water quality can increase the likelihood that your fish will be victim to this parasite.
* Low water temperatures (< style="font-weight: bold;">Ammonia and the Nitrogen Cycle
With some fish, high ammonia levels are a horrible problem. It is astonishing, though, that Flowerhorn fish have good tolerance towards high ammonia levels in a water system. However, in order to optimize your Flowerhorn's potentials and beauty, good water quality management is essential. The nitrogen cycle is a big part of water quality management, and understanding it will truly help increase the success level of your tank.

All organisms excrete ammonia as waste. Proper waste management is crucial in order to maintain a healthy living environment. In aquatic environments, aquatic organisms excrete ammonia into their own living system. The nitrogen cycle takes place throughout a mature system in a man-made tank. In this environment, nitrogen products are recycled by different colonies of beneficial bacteria into different forms. The highly toxic forms of these nitrogen products are ammonia and nitrite.


In a matured fish tank system with a well circulating nitrogen cycle, many other toxins, mainly ammonia, are converted into harmless nitrate, nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas. This cycle will make sure that the nitrogen level in the water is in check, hence, maintaining it below the toxic level in your fish tank.

Normally, in a newly set up tank, the nitrogen cycle may not yet be mature, which means it may not be a complete one. There will be a surge of ammonia and nitrite in the water system (New Tank Syndrome) mainly due to amount of food the fish are fed and the wastes that are produced. This may cause your Flowerhorn to die if the ammonia level in the tank reaches the toxicity point. This is commonly known as ammonia poisoning. For a new tank, frequent water changes (partial wayer changes) are advisable even if there is a proper bio filtration system in your new tank. It normally takes about 1-2 month's time for the cycle to stabilize, then less frequent water changes are necessary.


While the surge of ammonia in your tank is a problem for your fish, it will encourage the growth of nitrifying bacteria, Nitrosomonas sp., to process the ammonia into less toxic nitrite. The resulting surge in nitrite will encourage yet another group of nitrifying bacteria, Nitrobacter sp . to convert them to even less toxic nitrate. Nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas will then be produced with the help of other bacteria and aquatic plants. The complete nitrogen cycle will normally take 1-2 month's time to mature and fully stabilize. After this period, a healthy population of beneficial bacteria will then be able to work on harmful ammonia and nitrite in the water system. Nevertheless, the number of fish and the amount of food given to those fish is an important factor in contributing the amount of ammonia in a system. Too much food will be a problem for you fish. Moreover, you must be moderate when it comes to the cleaning of your bio-media filters. If your system is too clean, the beneficial bacteria will be eliminated. Partial water change and constant removal of excess food and solid waste from the filters are crucial to the health of your tank.


Deworming
Deworming is basically an preventive measure to get rid of some common worms/bacteria/pasasites. Starving the fh once in a week is good. Apart from starvation, deworming can b carried out as follows..


Metronidazole, main ingredient of Metrogyl tablet, is best fed thru food than thru tank water. Also, under normal circumstances, fish will readily accept it thru food. Plus, by feeding metro thru food, we r preventing the nitrogen cycle from being wiped out.
Same with the other antibiotics like Terramycin (Ingredient- Oxytetracycline)



Metrogyl/Flagyl - for intestinal parasites/bacteria - One treatment of 3 days once in 3 months.


Terramycin - for gram-negative bacteria and columnaris virus - One treatment of 3 days once in 3 months.


Potassium Permagnate - as a 5 second bath - for most external parasites and worms - Once in a month (BE CAREFUL!!!)


Common salt - as long duration bath - as general tonic and stressbuster
as half an hour bath in concentrated solution - to get rid of ich - Once in a month.


Epsom salt - as laxative Once in 3 months.

Metrogyl treatment and Terramycin treatment is separated by at least a month. Other treatments can be carried out along with Metro/Terramycin treatment. Epsom salt treatment works great with Metrogyl treatment.

Note: This deworming procedure, suggested by our fh professor cum lover-Girish Bhai.
Common traits of a gud Fh
# Body Shape
Body of the flower horn fish should be thick and oval. Some new variants being almost round. Stomach should be full and not tucked in.

# Coloration
Most flower horn fish, red is predominant from cheek to abdominal region. However, its background colors would do well to complement the red highlighs.

# Black Horizontal Markings (flowerline)
It will be ideal if the flower horn fish has a strong and thick black horizontal marking on its body. However, be aware that not all flower horns has this criteria. We should look at the overall of the fish.

# Head
Irregardless of shape, size and coloration, a good nuchal hump is preferable. It will be ideal if the nuchal hump is proportionate to the size and shape of the fish.

# Eyes
Positioned on the sides of its head. Eyeballs and the eye linings should be alert and distinct respectively.


7) Tail & Fins
The tail and fins should stay erect most of the time

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