Fish

As reef aquarists progress in the hobby, their eyes and hearts are drawn to increasingly unusual animals. Indeed, after mastering the care of corals (no small feat in itself), one might find themselves looking for new challenges as well as novel species. Some species are not only desirable in their uniqueness but are also quite attractive. Among these, some are even relatively hardy and easy to care for. One such animal is the tube anemone. What Is a Tube Anemone? So, let us get one thing straight right from the start: Tube anemones are not anemones. Cerianthids do superficially resemble the distantly related “true” sea anemones (Order Actinaria). Although they also belong to the Hexacorallia, they are placed in the Order Ceriantharia. The order is made up of around 25 species in three families. Cerianthids are most different from sea anemones in that they lack a pedal disc (i.e., the adhesive foot). Instead, they possess a long, taproot-shaped foot that is capable of penetrating soft substrates. The foot is usually buried in mud, sand or gravel; however, in rarer cases, it can tunnel between rocks or in deep, rocky pits. The group’s common name comes from the protective tube that they build. The tube may be much longer than the animal itself. This slimy, stringy duct is made from mucus and specialized cnidae threads (i.e., ptychocysts). Other materials such as sand can become embedded in and become part of the tube. The inside surface of the tube is rather smooth and slippery, easing movement of the creature within. The tentacular crown emerges from the top end of the tube. When threatened, the animal can immediately slip away from harm into the safety of the subsurface tube. Tube anemones can be very brightly colored. Colors are highly variable (sometimes even within a given species). Exceptionally beautiful fluorescent greens, purples and oranges are common in aquarium import specimens.

Fish with the disease will display sluggishness, bulging of the eye (exophthalmos), renal dropsy, accumulation of fluids in the abdomen, and swelling of the lateral side of the body. Unfortunately, treatment for Proliferative kidney disease is not usually successful., Kidney Disorders There are few major kidney and urinary tract disorders seen in fishes. Of these the main kidney and urinary tract disorders are Renal Dropsy, Carp-dropsy complex, and Proliferative kidney disease (PKD).

Swordtails and platies are quite rightly among the most popular aquarium fish in the world. No community aquarium is complete without one or the other, or both. Most aquarists believe that they have kept a true swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii); platy, southern platyfish or moonfish (X. maculatus); or sunset, variegated or variatus platy (X. variatus). But most aquarists have actually kept hybrids between these species — not “pure” swordtails and platies. Take a close look at any platies or swordtails you may have in your tanks or those that you see in aquatic shops. Some platies appear more elongated than they should be. Indeed, some may even look a little like swordless swordtails. Conversely, some swordtails may look somewhat shorter than they should. Faced with this situation, it is easy to think that these slight or more apparent departures from the original body shapes are down to selective breeding in captivity, and this is true — but only to a point. For example, every batch of newborn “pure” platies or swordtails will exhibit some variation in body shape. If we select, say, only the most elongated platies from these batches and breed from them, subsequently selecting just the most elongated offspring — and so on — we can eventually end up with true-breeding elongated platies. The same (but in the opposite direction) applies to swordtails. This type of intense artificial selection (as opposed to natural selection) carried out in a protected aquarium environment accelerates the pace of evolution far beyond its natural rate and often goes in directions other than those that would occur in nature.

Like fin rot, fungus usually occurs when aquarium fish have been damaged or stressed by poor environmental conditions.

Once fish eggs have hatched, you’ve only just begun the journey to breeding fish and raising their young. Keeping fry alive is far more difficult than getting their parents to breed, and after a successful mating this can be tedious and difficult. For one thing, while most cichlid fish and livebearer fry are large enough to eat commercially prepared fish food at hatching time, most other fish, including rainbowfish, gouramies, gobies and tetras, require a smaller food source. In fact, the fry of these fish would barely be large enough to be a food source for cichlids and livebearers. Also, many young fish will only eat food that is moving. You have a short period in which to adapt a young fish to nonmoving food before the fish will die. If you can keep it alive through this period, however, you typically can convert a fish to flake and other commercial foods when it gets older. The following overview of many of the foods used by aquarists to feed their fry will help you keep your fry alive. Each of these foods provides enough nutrients that it could be used alone, but you should use several different foods when feeding your fry to help satiate their different appetites.

Setting up a new freshwater fish tank can be exciting, and the possibilities for creating a beautiful aquatic ecosystem in your home or office are nearly endless. Don’t let the myriad options for aquarium supplies overwhelm or discourage you. Navigating the prospects can be confusing, but the whole process is much simpler once you know the basics. This checklist will help make sure you have all the necessary supplies for a fish tank.

Fish, Environment and Common Pathogens Much like a human, a fish’s body is made up of a lot of water — 80% of their body consists of the liquid in which they live. Like us, they also carry and co-exist with a number of potentially dangerous pathogens and parasites at all times, which are kept in check by their immune system and are not normally life-threatening.

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Affordable, reliable, and low-maintenance, sponge filters are used by both professional aquarists and hobbyists to keep fish tanks clean. Interested in adding a sponge filter to your at-home tank? Discover everything you need to know, from installation and maintenance to expert tips. 

Nutritional Disorders Many fishes suffer from nutritional disorders because of a poor diet. Nutritional disorders are the most common reason for sickness and death in aquarium, tank or fishpond fishes. Reasons and Prevention  1. Nutritional imbalance in commercial food: Fishes can be either plant eaters (herbivores), meat eaters (carnivores), or both (omnivores). And although commercial food is available for fishes, a nutritional disorder can still occur because each species of fish has a different nutritional requirement, which is not always fulfilled by the commercial food. Therefore, fishes will need more than one type of commercial food to meet their dietary requirement. 2. Incorrectly stored food: Improperly stored food is another reason fishes acquire nutritional disorders. Dry food should be stored in a cool, dry place and replaced after two months. 3. Vitamin deficiency: Nutritional disorders in fishes can also be due to a vitamin deficiency. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid deficiency leads to Broken back disease – where the backbone of the affected fishes get bent (deformed). Vitamin B-complex (thiamin, biotin, niacin, and pyridoxine) deficiency can cause brain, spinal cord and nerve disorders in fishes. Unfortunately, vitamin deficiency is diagnosed only after the fish’s death. Therefore, it is important you give your fish a vitamin-rich diet. 4. Infected live food: Food that is alive and infected with bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites can lead cause problem in your fishes. To prevent such infectious diseases, buy live food only from reputable sources. 5. Feed toxicity: Nutritional disorders caused by toxins found in food occurs frequently in aquarium fishes. The most common of these is the aflatoxin produced by the growth of the mold, Aspergillus flavus, in the stored food. Aflatoxin causes tumors and is fatal in fishes. Store your fish food hygienically and replace it every two months, or when there appears to be mold in it.