Ouch! Know Your Enemy

Last week I was helping my neighbour move a broken up concrete garage base to make way for a new one. Because the lumps of concrete were pretty rough I wore protective gloves.

Without warning a pain similar I suppose to having a red hot needle stuck into me occurred on the inner wrist. The pain didn’t last long, about a second, so it wasn’t severe. The only word I uttered was ‘Ouch!’ I saw the wasp leave, somehow or other it had got caught between my wrist and the glove. Over a couple of days my wrist did swell to an extent, but there wasn’t a problem though the itching was an annoyance.

When it happened I tried to recall the standard remedy. I knew that a wasp and bee had opposite sting make-up, one being alkaline and the other acid. Should I dose the sting spot with milk or vinegar? I wasn’t sure so I did both.

Later I found that a bee sting is acid, so milk would be appropriate, and a wasp sting is alkaline, so vinegar would be appropriate. Pretty straightforward really and seldom a real problem unless the person involved is likely to severely adversely react and/or is stung many times.

Australians often take a bottle of vinegar to the beach in case of stings. There are some nasty life forms that could make their presence felt. Another way if vinegar isn’t present is to use urine so I’m told (so perhaps those few beers on the beach could help in more ways than one!).

Vinegar, milk and urine are not the correct medications for all venomous stings and bites etc.

Marine aquariums are to be found in many places around the world. In the US and EU they are very numerous. Considering livestock, there’s a few that could cause problems.

In the sea there are some dangerous creatures and some of these find their way into aquariums. For example the blue ringed octopus is kept by a few aquarists. This little octopus, properly called Hapalochlaena maculosa, is around the size of a golf ball and is attractive, though the rings only turn blue when it is about to attack or as a warning to another life form considered too close. The size makes it a possibility for inclusion in a suitable aquarium. However, it has a deadly bite because it injects toxin.

Another dangerous creature is the stonefish (one type is Synaneichthyes verrucosus). I have seen a stonefish for sale, though only once, but why anyone would want to keep one I don’t know. The fish is sedentary, sitting still waiting for prey. They look very like a rock. On the back of the fish are 13 grooved spines which inject toxin if they penetrate the skin, somewhat like hypodermic needles. The intensity of pain and subsequent problems is subject to an extent on the number of spines that penetrated the skin. The pain is stated to be excruciating.
 
A problem caused by a blue ringed octopus or a stonefish needs immediate medical attention or death could occur. There are other dangerous creatures in addition to the two mentioned.

Most of us marine aquarists don’t keep such life forms. There are a similar few that are kept but are not as dangerous perhaps, but dangerous nonetheless.

One such fish, and well known, is the common lionfish, properly called Pterois volitans. There are other types but the common lionfish is the most readily available. The body markings are quite striking and the finnage beautiful. In the aquarium they need careful selection of companions or the companions could be eaten! The fins are the problem to the aquarist; they are able to inject venom that causes great pain.

Another well known and commonly kept fish is the foxface, properly called Lo vulpinus. These fish are also colourful and are a ‘different’ addition to the aquarium because of their head shape, though why they should be called foxface I don’t know. The danger with these fish again lies with the venomous fin spines which are capable of injecting venom which could take a long time to heal.

Another commonly kept life form is not a fish this time, but a coral. It’s very innocuous looking and kept in very many aquariums from beginner to advanced. It is quite tolerant and is usually able to resist some errors made by beginning aquarists. They are the zoanthids or button polyps which come in various polyp sizes and colours, normally covering the upper surfaces of a rock. Who would think there could be any danger from these? The danger comes from the species Palythoa, Protopalythoa and related species. Many aquarists handle zoanthids without any problem – in fact, problems from handling are rare. The fact is that the mucus of these zoanthids contains a neurotoxin which could be very dangerous or deadly to the aquarist. It is known that some tribes used to dip their spears in the mucus for use in battle and hunting*. So when one of these polyp groups is to be handled at the very least the aquarist should be sure there aren’t any cuts and abrasions on the skin. Wearing suitable gloves would be better.

The aquarium inhabitants mentioned above aren’t the only potential dangers that could appear. What is necessary is that the aquarist knows the potential problem(s) that could be introduced with newly purchased livestock to ensure he or she is happy with the situation. More important the knowledge should ensure the aquarist takes precautions and exercises caution when carrying out maintenance etc. The knowledge about livestock comes from some simple pre-purchase research.

In addition it is necessary, like a good scout, to be prepared. So as the potential problem is known the aquarist can find out from the internet or other sources what course of action should be taken should a mishap occur. Obviously medical assistance could be required, but it is important to be able to take initial action, if any, to help control the problem before medical help is available. It is also important to be able to advise the medics what it is that has happened, for example a puncture from X fish that is known to carry venom. At the extreme it could save your life.

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Firefish

These little fish are really worthwhile owning for both interest and beauty. They are usually easy to obtain and don’t cost a king’s ransom.

Firefish are also commonly called fire gobies. The proper name for them is Nemateleotris xxxx. The reason I have shown the second part as x’s is because there is more than one type (this method is not common practice!). Probably the best known is Nemateleotris magnifica. The link shows photos of this fish:

http://fins.actwin.com/species/index.php?t=9&i=119

As said there is more than one type in this group, two more lovely types are Nemateleotris decora and Nemateleotris helfrichi.

The fish could grow to around 3 1/8 inches (circa 8cm). They stand out not only because of beauty but because they have a very long dorsal fin, or the front part of it anyway. They are a peaceful fish which should not cause difficulties with others or with reef livestock such as corals.

The downside with these fish is that they shouldn’t be kept with larger more boisterous and/or belligerent types. This means that a fish only system is usually unsuitable. If they are kept in such a way they are likely to be always nervous and not show their true colours properly. A nervous and stressed fish is more likely to succumb to disease or just fade away.

The best place for firefish to be housed is in a reef system. The fish need a cave that is deep inside the reef for security, which they can dive into if danger seems near. This is the problem with incorrect tank mates; the firefish could be mostly afraid to leave their cave and even if they do it will not be for any distance. In the reef system they should be kept with small quiet non-aggressive fish. As said there isn’t any danger to corals.

Stocking is straightforward with simple guidelines. The firefish should be one of the first fish into the aquarium so that it can settle before other fish arrive. They will select a cave deep in the reef and gain confidence. One firefish could be introduced, but in the wild they tend to live in pairs* so two could be introduced at the same time. More than two pairs could be introduced provided the aquarium is large (the minimum suggested size for a pair is 30 inches (circa 76cm). This way the flicking of the dorsal fin will probably be seen, this is thought to be a signaling device. It might be thought that the higher seawater circulation in a reef system would be a problem for the fish, but usually it isn’t, the recommended flow is medium to strong. Though it doesn’t usually cause a serious problem, strong lighting is not particularly liked; the preference of the firefish is for moderate intensity. However, if the firefish is unhappy it could select an area where the lighting is not so strong, these usually are present in most reef systems.

Feeding is not a problem normally. In nature the fish take food from the seawater column, mainly plankton. Of course this is not possible in an aquarium situation. However, if suitably sized food is floating in the current the fish will normally go for it. Marine flake, brine and mysis shrimp are suitable, plus any other foods that are similar. If live foods are available such as brine shrimp these will usually also be taken.

When the aquarist first introduces the firefish to the aquarium they are likely to dive into the rocks and disappear. However, after a time, maybe a day or so, they should re-appear and start to hover in the seawater column. At this early stage they will probably dive back into the rocks when the aquarist approaches. However, as time continues this should reduce and the fish could even commence to ‘beg’ for food as do many other species. The normal daytime practice is for the firefish to hang in the seawater column above the home cave location waiting for food to pass by.

The firefish is reported to be a ’jumper’, that is, it has been known to jump out of the aquarium. Why this should be is not certain, maybe more boisterous fish spooked them. When I kept firefish they never jumped at all – their companions were peaceable and small so perhaps that was the reason.

In a suitable environment firefish should not present any problems. They are usually easy to feed and provide, in addition to their beauty, a slightly different looking fish.

(*Reference: Marine Atlas. Helmut Debelius & Hans A. Baensch)

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The Foxface

The title ‘Foxface’ does belong to a marine fish, one that is fairly commonly kept though I suspect not a top favourite. Why it should be called a foxface I don’t really understand, or maybe it’s just me! I think at best it could be called ‘badgerface’, though the flow of the name isn’t so good.

Anyway it’s a rabbitfish (hey, there we go again!) and the proper name is Siganus vulpinus. Actually it’s the overall family of these fishes that are termed ‘rabbitfish’, why I have no idea. I can’t see the basis for that name either. (A surgeonfish has blades – ‘scalpels’ – near the tail so that makes sense.) I’ll stop nattering.

The fish is usually purchased from the retailers at quite a modest size, say 3 or 4 inches, and is suitable at this point for a fairly small aquarium of 3 feet +. The fish is capable of growing to about 9½ inches (circa 24.25cm) though usually less in captivity, so an initial aquarium size of 4 feet + would be better.

It needs to be noted that the foxface has venomous spines on the dorsal and anal fins. It’s necessary to ensure that the hand or arm does not come into contact with them during maintenance operations. The one I kept seemed to be particularly inquisitive when I needed to put a hand in the aquarium trying to come really close, so my wife kindly used a clean stick to gently keep it at a distance, which did the trick. No mishaps (that is me jumping about holding an arm!) ever occurred. Better safe than sorry.

The foxface is likely to be aggressive towards one of its own kind so it is best kept singularly. They are suitable for a fish only or reef system. As with most fish it needs a secure hole to hide in – having said that the one that I had would jam itself behind the same filter every night, keeping itself in position by curling its body. At first I was very concerned as the colours faded very markedly at night, however I learned that this is a normal situation and the fish was always out in the morning back to normal colouration.

The foxface is easy to feed as they will accept just about anything that is on offer, which usually includes flake, de-frozen brine and mysis shrimp etc. This is fine but it is important to offer food containing algae as well, such as ‘spirulina enriched’ types. In addition, blanched lettuce fixed to a clip is usually accepted. However, it’s always best to offer algae – the fish is likely to take algae available in the aquarium but this is more than likely going to be insufficient. Sheets of algae such as Nori can be purchased and these can be fixed to a lettuce clip and left for the fish to browse on. If there are surgeonfish in the aquarium as well they will also take it. The aquarist will soon learn from experience how much to put in.

In the aquarium the foxface offers colour and a different shape, to an extent anyway, behind the head it is a lovely yellow colour in total, with a long black-topped snout, underneath is a length of white, then black again. Here’s the fish:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Siganus_vulpinus_2.jpg

Now, why is it called a foxface in a family of rabbitfish…?

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The Regal Tang

This fish in addition to the regal tang is also known as the blue surgeonfish, but is properly called Paracanthurus hepatus.

The fish must be known to just about every marine aquarist. It is a beautiful blue with a yellow tail, with darker shading along the edge of the dorsal fin and along the back. It is often seen in retailer’s shops at a small size and the blue is wonderful – a small shoal of them is something else. I read somewhere once that the fish is the ‘bluest thing on earth’. How true this is could be questionable but it gives the correct impression. The wondrous blue does fade however as the fish gets larger.

The link shows a photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9184647@N02/2206772757/sizes/l/

Talking of size it is possible for the fish to grow to around 11¾ inches (circa 30cm) though it is not so likely to reach this size in a home aquarium.

Seawater quality needs to be high which is normal for all systems.

As with all surgeons it is necessary that the fish has plenty of space to swim, therefore it is not suited to a small aquarium. They could be purchased at a small size but as can be seen they grow. They are usually acceptable for a reef system but the reef must not be so large as to over-reduce the available swimming space.

The fish when swimming seems rather inefficient compared to most others, and sometimes seems to be trying not to float to the surface. This is normal and it can move if the necessity arises!

Unfortunately, the fish is reported as being very susceptible to ‘white spot’ and ‘velvet’. I don’t dispute this at all though when I kept one for a good many years I didn’t encounter any such problems. However, Peter had a problem with ‘white spot’ a good while ago and sadly lost some fish before he cured it. One of the survivors was the regal tang!

As said I used to have a regal tang. When I cleaned the aquarium viewing glass with an algae magnet the tang would slowly approach the moving magnet and follow it up and down. Slowly the colour of the fish changed the blue getting more and more pale until it suggested white. It would continue to follow the magnet up and down with fins erect in a very obvious threat posture. The fish was truly pale with rage! The plastic of the magnet was blue so it was presumably seen as an interloper. Among its tank mates, including other blue fish, the regal tang was peaceable though. Maybe it took exception to a square fish! 

In the aquarium they are generally peaceful and good eaters. The will take flake and the usual frozen foods such as brine and mysis shrimp. It is essential though that a supply of algae is provided to keep them in good health and colour. If there is insufficient in the aquarium, which is likely, then the aquarist must provide a regular amount of Nori or similar which can be obtained from pet shops and also health food shops (humans eat it with toast apparently!). The fish will also eat blanched lettuce with gusto, though this is not as good as algae.

If the fish is selected carefully in the first place, the home aquarium is big enough and a suitable diet is provided, the regal tang is a good addition to the display.

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The Powder Blue Surgeon

This surgeonfish is commonly called the powder blue though the proper name is Acanthurus leucosternon.

The fish is very attractive but should not be found in just any aquarium. For example, it would be wrong and cruel to have one in my reef as the aquarium is too small, and in addition the reef takes up too much of the free seawater space available for swimming making that too small. Many would say the fish should not be kept in an aquarium of less than 5ft (circa 152.5cm) by 2ft (circa 61cm) by 2ft. Subject to the fish load and the available swimming space it could be reasonable to bring the length of the aquarium down to 4ft (circa 122cm). Again the rockwork should leave plenty of swimming space for the fish. There is a further point and that is that in all aquariums the growth potential must be considered. When purchased the fish is likely to be fairly small but, in the wild at least, it has the potential to grow to about 12 inches (circa 30.5cm). It can be seen why larger aquariums are best for this fish.

To keep the fish healthy and happy it is important that seawater is kept at high quality, which is a requirement for any system anyway. Also as in any system, it is important to ensure the seawater is as oxygen rich as possible. This is done by ensuring that seawater movement is optimum so that air/water interfaces are fully efficient.

Only one powder blue should be kept in an aquarium as they could be, and usually are, aggressive and territorial. Further, the fish could take exception to any other surgeon fish present in the aquarium particularly another blue one (of any shade). The fish may even take exception to any other largish blue fish, surgeon or not. It has also been advised that butterflies could be attacked.

So it sounds as if the powder blue is a fish to be avoided. Not really, there are many aquarists who have found keeping one has not caused unfortunate problems. Environment and selection of suitable tank mates is very important, and it could be a good idea to introduce the powder blue to the tank as one of the final additions.

Initial selection of the fish is very important, as it is with all livestock. Time should be taken to ensure the fish is in good health with nothing present that could cause any questions to arise.

Feeding does not present any problems at all. The fish will readily accept the general fare that is offered most other fishes, such as de-frozen food and flake. However, in the wild they feed nearly entirely on algae and so it follows that in captivity algae should be available. In most aquariums the natural algae growth will be insufficient and therefore commercial produce is required. This could be in the form of dried Nori algae, for example, which comes in sheets. The sheet can be reduced in size if necessary and hung in the aquarium on a lettuce clip for the fish to eat. Any uneaten or loose Nori should not be left too long but removed and replaced with fresh. It is likely that if the sheet remains fixed in place it will be eaten, especially if there are other algae eaters present. The aquarist can soon judge the correct amount needed.

There are some marine fish that clearly let the aquarist know how they are feeling by their colouration and the powder blue is one of them. If the fish is a fairly deep blue and the head black then the fish is fine and happy. If the blue has turned pale and the usually black head grayish then the fish is off-colour (sorry, pun not intended! I should have said not well). Check for correct diet and enough of it, seawater quality and any sign of disease. In a high quality environment the fish is reasonably trouble free.

Assuming that the powder blue is not exposed to disease problems and is homed in a suitable situation it adds movement, shape and colour to the aquarist’s collection. Longevity should be good too.

The link provides some pictures of the powder blue, placing the mouse pointer on a picture enlarges it:

http://www.whatsthatfish.com/fish/396

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The Dusky Dwarf

There are so many fish that could tempt an aquarist but many of them have an attribute or two that means they cannot be chosen.

One of the most beautiful fish types are the angels, for example the emperor angel (Pomacanthus imperator) and the queen angel (Holacanthus ciliaris). These are certainly beautiful but cannot be kept by many aquarists because they grow too large.

So the aquarist with a smaller aquarium has to ignore angelfish? Well, no fortunately not. There are some angelfish that are suited to smaller systems and are also beautiful. These angels are generally termed ‘dwarf’ and there are some really stunning ones. Surely the flame angelfish (Centropyge loriculus) is well known. There are a good few others.

The angel referred to in the title is commonly called the dusky angelfish or coral beauty, the proper name is Centropyge bispinosus.

As with other dwarf angels there isn’t a problem with eventual size as fully grown the fish could be around 4 inches (circa 10cm). On purchase the fish are likely to be in the region of 2 inches (circa 5cm). The fish should not be kept with others of its own kind as usually aggression will occur. It has been known for two dwarf angels to be kept in a smallish aquarium together without mishap but this is unusual and best avoided. If an attempt is to be made to keep two Centropyge types the two fish should differ in size and colouration. In particular, the aquarium should be large with plenty of rockwork which affords the fish many retreats and possibilities of territory. The dusky angel will usually settle down with other suitable fish without problem, though larger more aggressive fish could cause difficulty. Overall the fish is mainly peaceful but aggression could appear from time to time, though nothing usually comes of it.

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/CoralBeauty.php

As can be seen from the link picture the fish is lovely, though photographs don’t really do it justice. The colouration is not so much ‘in the face’ as, say, a flame angel’s, though lovely nevertheless. The colouration can vary a little, some fish are subdued and dusky, others brighter and more striking.

Keeping the fish is reasonably straightforward without any particular requirements except one. This is that though the fish is a general omnivore it should have access to algae. The fish likes to take algae from the aquarium viewing glass and rock surfaces but cannot be considered as a good algae controller. The overall diet should be varied even with algae present, consisting of marine flake, de-frozen brine and mysis shrimp and similar. Food enriched with spirulina algae is a good idea. As always seawater quality should be high. There should be rockwork installed that permits the fish to find a cave or similar for security. The fish is suitable for a reef system though like many fish it could nip at fan worms and possibly even some corals. Usually it is well behaved but there could be exceptions!

The fish when kept in a good environment is considered to be reasonably hardy. However, some aquarists consider it not to be an ideal beginner’s fish as some experience is needed first. This is because of the early mistakes, usually to do with seawater quality that a beginner could make.

Adding one of these fish to a suitable display will not disappoint the aquarist. As stated elsewhere by an unknown source, the dwarf angels are God’s gift to aquarists. It is easy to see why.

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The Royal Gramma

Mother Nature provides some really lovely life forms; they come in all sorts of shapes and colours. Fish are usually the number one life form for the marine aquarist (for others is it perhaps corals?).

One fish that is an excellent addition to many aquariums, fish only or reef, is the Royal Gramma which is the common name, the proper name is Gramma loreto. In my opinion they are often better on a reef as the usually lower fish population means these systems are less ‘busy’. However, note that the fish could be ‘nippy’ with some other type tank mates such as snails and possibly feather dusters. When I had one of these it definitely added colour, and when the scene was lit by actinics alone this was considerably enhanced.

This is one of those fish that nature has painted differently at the front and back. From roughly mid-section it is yellow including the tail, and forward of this is purple/blue. There is a dark diagonal line through the eye and also a dark spot on the dorsal fin. The fish is capable of growing to about 4 inches (circa 10cm) including the tail, though it is usually smaller on purchase.

Once settled the fish is not bothered by bright light and should be seen quite regularly. It is also happy under lower light levels. However, for the fish to feel secure it is necessary for caves and crevices to be built into the rockwork, which is applicable to many fish.

A potential problem is that the fish has been known to jump; perhaps this is an escape ploy. It would seem reasonable to assume that if there are crevices and caves available for security, then jumping is less likely.

The fish defends itself by a display of aggression when it faces the opposition with its mouth wide open. The fish is not particularly aggressive normally (unlike for example many damsels) and is best kept with other small relatively non-aggressive fish, but avoid dotty-backs as trouble could occur.

Usually it is best to keep one fish, though in a larger reef aquarium with plenty of territory and hideaways it could be possible to keep two.

Where a high quality environment is maintained the fish is easy to keep (in marine terms) and resistant to disease, so a reasonably long life could be expected. When the fish is first introduced to the aquarium it could well be choosy about food and not eat a lot, which is always a worry with a new fish. However, this period should soon pass and the fish should eat almost anything, including marine flake and de-frozen foods.

Aquarists are always observant and could become worried if the Royal Gramma is seen upside down in a cave. This isn’t usually a problem indicator; perhaps it is linked to spawning behavior (I’m not aware of any proven reason).

In a suitable environment the Royal Gramma is a great fish to keep with its colours and peaceable disposition – in addition, the fish is hardy and easy to feed. So overall the fish represents a winning combination.

The link is to further information about the fish and also photographs:

http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles_Fairy_Basslet.htm

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