Disease!
July 24, 2009
The very word can strike fear into any marine aquarist. Diseases, particularly ‘velvet’ and ‘white spot’ are real threats.
The threat can be minimized of course. Careful selection of fish is the initial way, being careful to ensure the selected ones are as ‘clean’ as they should be. Other intended livestock should also be carefully inspected.
A second line of defence is the quarantine tank where any disease can be treated and cured before it is introduced to the main display aquarium where it creates a threat to other livestock. Strangely, most marine aquarists do not make use of quarantine instead introducing their livestock direct. This is taking a chance as dealing with disease especially in a reef system could be difficult – difficult because copper, the number one treatment for certain diseases, is deadly to corals.
The question of disease and its treatment is wide and quite varied. Most marine books have a section on disease which can be of assistance.
Here are two videos which deal with the subject, they are good quality and actions are clearly explained. A large part of the videos deals with cleaning up the aquarium prior to medication. Obviously the instructions on the medication container must be properly followed relative to the net gallonage of the aquarium. Finally, as already mentioned copper should not be used in a reef system – if there is any doubt check the medication manufacturer’s instructions and suggestions.
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A Worrying Failure
June 23, 2009
Marine aquarists make use of varying types of equipment on their fish only or reef aquariums. This equipment is generally reliable nowadays but nevertheless any device has the potential to fail.
There are many canister filters in use for either mechanical or bio-filtration. Though live rock is the bio-filtration of choice for the modern aquarium, canisters are still in use by many for this essential task. There isn’t any reason why they shouldn’t be, though there are drawbacks.
Live rock is able, within reason, to deal with nitrate. In other words live rock should perform the full nitrogen cycle. This is the major drawback with canister filters, nitrate is the end product. This is because the bio-media within the canister is oxygen rich and there isn’t any need for oxygen to be obtained elsewhere. Nitrate reducing bacteria require an environment very low in oxygen which forces them to seek an oxygen supply elsewhere; nitrate is present so oxygen is taken from that which breaks the nitrate down. It follows that an aquarist using a canister filter needs to keep a closer eye on nitrate levels and carry out the requisite correctly sized seawater changes.
Another advantage of live rock is that there isn’t anything to break down, as opposed to a canister filter where there is an electric pump. As already said modern canisters are reliable though recommended models should be sought when purchasing, but what if a breakdown does occur?
Failure of the electric motor means that the whole function of the canister ceases as seawater flow stops completely. When an aquarist does routine maintenance the output from various devices is checked, an operation that takes hardly any time. However, it is more likely than not that a failure will occur at an inconvenient moment. Canister electrics are usually very quiet nowadays and there isn’t any indication of trouble apart from seawater output ceasing. So the first thing is to note the output anytime possible, such as at feeding time and when starting to simply observe and admire the aquarium. It only takes seconds.
A stopped canister filter should be switched off and then on again a couple of times, this sometimes frees up the motor. Don’t count on it though! If the motor does re-start then as soon as possible check the shaft and impellor for debris. However, before attempting to re-start by switching off and on note the comments in the following paragraphs.
Once the output from the canister is noted to have stopped there isn’t any way of knowing when it stopped. This is a worry because involved is the life support for the system, the bacteria. How are they faring?
It could be that the fish have been acting strangely and that is how the lack of seawater output was noticed. If this is the case then the failure occurred quite some time ago as there has been time for toxics to build up in the seawater. The first action is a seawater change, the size of which depends on the severity of the situation. If the fish are really obviously in trouble then 25% is not excessive, more if necessary, and the change should be done as soon as possible. The aquarist should be prepared to carry out a further change if necessary.
The aquarist should ensure that other equipment, namely the protein skimmer and seawater circulators, are working at maximum efficiency to ensure maximum oxygen intake and minimum bio loading (the skimmer should remove substances reducing the load on the bio-filter).
A regime of seawater testing should be introduced. Once the situation is under control the tests can be done once daily, but it is often better and more reassuring for the aquarist to do tests morning and evening. The tests are of course ammonia and nitrite. The only ongoing acceptable test result is ‘nil’ or perhaps more accurately ‘undetectable’.
If it is found that the canister filter electric motor has failed but the fish are not showing symptoms of distress then the failure is probably quite recent. Again, test the seawater and do a change if necessary.
In both cases, fish distressed or not, cease feeding until an effective bio-filter is back in operation.
The speed that toxics develop in the seawater depends to a large extent on the fish numbers present. Corals present a far lower bio-load.
As soon as possible deal with the canister filter. At this point it is known that switching it on and off didn’t work! Ensure it is switched off and disconnect from the tubing. Check the impellor and shaft, there could have been a failure, if jammed the problem can usually be sorted out. If there is a breakage spares are usually available, obtain them by the fastest possible means even if it incurs extra cost. (Obtain the spares from the local fish shop if possible to avoid any delay.) Check that the input and output tubing is not blocked, this could occur over time.
If the electric motor itself has failed then a new canister filter should be obtained (or better two, see below). When the replacement device is available bio-media can be transferred and if required extra added. Until the new device arrives the bio-media already held should be kept within the aquarium seawater preferably in a high flow area so that at least some of the bacteria are retained. When the new canister is running there is a clear need for monitoring the seawater condition, as it will be similar to though not as extensive as maturing again. Seawater quality can be maintained by additional seawater changes, new seawater should be available at all times until the aquarist is sure all is well.
If the canister has been off for a long time do not re-start it and allow it to continue running. Disconnect and drain the internal seawater out completely. Refill and then start and run. This is because there is a danger that the seawater within the canister could be heavily contaminated. If the canister is likely to have been off for only a short period, just re-start. It is worthwhile carrying out daily seawater tests for a week in either case to ensure the bio-filter is effective. After re-start, feeding should be with considerable caution as the bio-filtration may well be weakened and need to re-build. Again, ensure that the protein skimmer and seawater circulation pumps are at maximum efficiency.
To largely avoid a problem such as described, unlikely as it usually is, when the system is designed it is a good idea to employ two canister filters. This will of course mean a little more cost, but the filters can be smaller. Instead of obtaining one which can handle the net gallonage of the system, obtain two. These together in total should handle the net gallonage, but it is a good idea to have both of them a little oversized. They can be routinely serviced alternatively so there isn’t any extra work generated. If the need for canister bio-filtration is removed in the future they are useful for mechanical or other types of filtration.
It is generally unlikely that a modern canister filter will fail, particularly if it is adequately routinely serviced. If it does fail the shaft/impellor could be affected by accumulated debris and/or calcareous buildup, or tube blockages could be present. Observation is the main preventative.
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A Question About Algae
May 31, 2009
Algae could be the aquarist’s friend and at the same time an enemy, it all depends on what type it is. A question arose recently about algae and my immediate reaction was ‘Oh no, not again, algae!’’ In fact it wasn’t so bad.
The question came from a beginner aquarist who openly admitted that she didn’t have much experience. In fact, she had done precisely four routine seawater changes with her new aquarium. The aquarium, a fish only, was not overstocked, if anything it was understocked. She was a little fed up; the excitement of actually seeing some life in the aquarium after all the patient waiting when the system was being put together was being spoilt by the dreaded algae. I was unable to see the aquarium.
Basically she had done seawater changes and after each one she advised ‘red’ algae had gone bananas. That’s what she said; I don’t think it could have been quite as bad as that!
Many aquarists have problems with various types of algae, particularly when inexperienced and when the aquarium is in its early days. I was surprised that it was red algae causing the trouble. Usually it is green hair algae, or so-called slime algae or smear algae (a thin sheet that slowly covers rocks, sand etc). Slime algae can be ‘reddish’, very dark and appear red nearly black. Another type is diatoms that are usually more golden brown in colour.
Red algae can be calcareous and branching or encrusting, or have flexible ‘leaves’. These algae types are often sort after by aquarists as they are decorative. In the red algae family there are over 4000 types. The algae though had been identified as a problem and not decorative so it cleared these types away. So the algae in question had to be a problem type, but what? Green hair algae was obviously not the answer.
When an aquarium is first started up diatoms often appear. They could cover rocks, sand etc. The diatoms rely on silicates in the seawater – if the silicates go so do the diatoms. If they appear then die back, the silicates are used up. If they then re-appear at a routine seawater change, then more silicates have been introduced. The fresh water source could be suspect. Dry sea salt does not usually cause this type of problem.
Smear or slime algae is a bigger problem. It can be quite difficult to erase but this can be achieved. The presence of smear algae suggests excess nutrients in the seawater, even in a new aquarium. Also smear algae does not like strong currents – it often tends to appear in quiet areas of the aquarium, though just to be helpful it can appear in more turbulent areas.
10% of the net system gallonage is the guideline amount for routine seawater changes, until the actual needs of a particular aquarium are known. The changes being done were of this amount.
Possibilities would have to be narrowed down, so the first suggestion was that seawater tests should be done, that is, nitrate and phosphate. A request was made to test both the seawater in the aquarium and the new seawater made up for a routine change. Ideally, in the aquarium nitrate should be as low as 10ppm (parts per million) or less particularly for a reef aquarium, a fish only could be higher but should still have nitrate minimized. Phosphate should not be detected at all hopefully, but at least the level should not be more than 0.03ppm. If it is higher, say 0.10ppm, it is too high. In newly made up seawater there shouldn’t really be any presence of nitrate or phosphate. Nitrate and phosphate are known problem algae nutrients, thus the need for control.
It turned out that nitrate and phosphate were present and ‘a little too high’, levels were not given. The seawater destined for the routine change was also tested – the same for nitrate. Now then!
So on to the next possibility. This follows the clues given – the algae become more apparent after a routine seawater change and nitrate was present in the new seawater. A check was suggested of the freshwater being used.
The information arrived that the nitrate level in the freshwater was ‘high’. Maybe this was tap water, the most likely, or it could be local spring or well water, I don’t know. Nor was the actual level given. However, ‘high’ in this instance meant ‘too much’ and this seemed to be the problem that needed to be dealt with.
Tap water is not necessarily as pure as might be thought. In agricultural areas there could be excessive nitrate levels. There could also be heavy metals, pesticides, phosphate, chlorine, chloramines and so on. The water is made safe for human consumption; there are regulations as to how much of what is permitted.
The suggestion was made that fresh water should no longer be used from that source, and that a reverse osmosis (RO) unit should be obtained. The RO unit is a membrane that only permits pure water to pass, or nearly so. The purity is usually about 95 to 98%. It is important to have a unit that incorporates a carbon filter at the front end; this protects the membrane as chlorine is removed. Chlorine could damage the membrane. A sediment filter is often incorporated before the membrane as well. RO units come in various ‘gallons per day’ sizes, one needs to be picked that is suitable for the size of the routine seawater change. RO units are very reliable and only require the carbon filter etc changing from time to time in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions. They are not particularly expensive either.
It is worth using high quality fresh water obviously for the welfare of the livestock; also dry sea salt is not cheap. Dry sea salt manufacturers produce salt that is free of nitrate and phosphate – why spoil this with poor fresh water?
Much later on it was learned that an RO unit was in use and though nothing had happened for a while, in time the algae (‘slime’ I assume) started to reduce and the aquarium became clear of it.
This seems a good demonstration that the aquarium will reflect what it receives. Feed in algae nutrients and algae could appear. In this case all turned out well.
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Potential Problems With A Fish Only Aquarium
May 4, 2009
The fish only system is probably not as popular as a captive reef but there are plenty of aquarists who maintain one. There are advantages to it as well.
The fish only aquarium can house fish that would not be welcome on a captive reef because they are predatory on other fish and/or shrimps, or find corals good to munch on. Habits like these are certainly not going to increase their standing in the reef aquarium popularity stakes. There can also be a higher fish load. Though seawater quality remains a high priority it is not quite as demanding as with the reef aquarium. Further tests could be made but basically pH, phosphate, nitrate, and SG (specific gravity) are those that should receive attention (assuming that maturation has taken place and the system is stable with a functional bio-filter). Lighting is also not as demanding, the basic requirement is for the fish to be able to see and be seen.
Despite the lower demand for high quality seawater, efforts should always be made to achieve the highest possible. The nitrate guideline for fish only is 30ppm (parts per million) or less, phosphate preferably undetectable but no more than 0.03ppm, SG 1.022 to 1.025 and pH 8.1 to 8.4.
The fish only aquarium is not completely plain sailing though. There could be problems. These are also possible with a reef system but less likely. The following is not in any particular order of priority.
Oxygen.
Oxygen is very important to fish as it is to us. However, there is around twenty times more oxygen in the air we breathe than in warm seawater. The usual level of oxygen in warm seawater is around 6 to 8ppm. Just a few parts per million! The warmer the seawater is the less oxygen, so in a heat wave where there isn’t any efficient cooling apparatus the oxygen will reduce. So it is clear that maximum oxygen intake is essential. Seawater circulation should be efficient, as this brings the seawater to air/water interfaces such as the aquarium seawater surface. It is at these interfaces that oxygen intake takes place. Making use of a sump is a good idea, not only does it increase the net gallonage, it permits seawater to run over a weir or similar, which effectively removes any scum that could accumulate on the seawater surface. This scum can reduce the efficiency of the seawater surface interface.
Nitrate.
Nitrate is well known to all marine aquarists and is to be avoided as far as possible. It is a known nuisance algae nutrient which is a good reason to keep it down. Generally fish are able to tolerate nitrate better than corals, though there are more sensitive fish. Nitrate needs to be minimized anyway to enhance seawater quality.
Nitrate gets into the seawater as part of the Nitrogen Cycle, following on from ammonia and nitrite. Once it is in the seawater, it stays there unless there are nitrate reducing agents present, such as live rock (which is able to deal with nitrate but only within reasonable limits), denitrators etc. In a fully stocked fish only aquarium it is likely that nitrate will be present anyway.
The first action that controls nitrate is maintenance, namely routine seawater changes. The guideline, which can be adjusted by the aquarist as experience grows, is 10% of the total system net gallonage per week. In addition, when old seawater is being siphoned out any detritus should also be removed.
An efficient protein skimmer is a must. The device should be properly sized so that it can easily handle the total gallonage of the system. The protein skimmer removes dissolved organic substances (Docs) completely out of the seawater. This is very helpful, as it means the bio-filtration will not have to deal with it, so the load on the filtration is reduced. Further, if the bio-filtration is not dealing with it, it will not lead to additional nitrates.
The main source of nitrate is from feeding. The fish will naturally process the food of course and it will eventually become nitrate. Any additional food that is not eaten will also join the nitrogen cycle and become nitrate, as will rotting algae etc. Feeding is very often overdone, particularly by beginners, this is very detrimental. There are usually more fish in a fish only system, size for size, than a reef, so more food is required anyway. Feeding the livestock is very enjoyable and the aquarist is concerned that they get enough, so it is more than easy to overfeed. It is a discipline that needs to be learned however, as overfeeding is just the opposite of ‘good’.
Phosphate.
Phosphate as already mentioned should be at a very low level. Most phosphate in the seawater gets there from the food fed to the fish, so again it is very necessary to discipline feeding. As with nitrate, if there is a phosphate problem the feeding method must be critically examined.
Overstocking.
Overstocking must be the worst problem, simply because it leads to others. The aquarist could have been aware of the guidelines for stocking and adhered to them, but still the aquarium becomes overstocked. This is because when the fish were originally purchased they were small. Many fish for sale in retailers are small. However they all, to differing extents of course, have the potential to grow, and they will. What started out as a correctly stocked aquarium becomes badly overstocked. The potential for trouble looms larger.
As the fish grow they demand more food which the aquarist supplies. This leads to more waste for the nitrogen cycle to deal with, which in turn leads to more nitrates. Unless the aquarist increases the seawater routine change amount to combat the rise, the nitrate is likely to slowly increase, which decreases the quality of the seawater. Filtration such as live rock continues to deal with some nitrates but the increased amount in the seawater could be beyond its capabilities – the amount of bio-filtration material was calculated for a correctly stocked aquarium. This means, particularly if deterioration is permitted to continue, that the fish become more likely to suffer health problems.
Then there is the all important oxygen. The larger the fish get the more oxygen they consume. It could well be, hopefully, that there continues to be enough oxygen for the fish. What happens though if the temperature rises, which reduces the oxygen content of the seawater? The demand for oxygen by the fish doesn’t reduce. The fish could start to gasp near the seawater surface. If this situation is reached it is serious.
It is worse than that! The fish are consuming oxygen from a dwindling supply; they could start to gasp as said. There is another oxygen hungry item in the aquarium, one that is essential to its well being. This is the bio-filter, where all the hardworking bacteria reside. These bacteria convert the toxics ammonia and nitrite into nitrate and it is essential they function properly. If they don’t because of reduced oxygen levels then a serious situation could become dire.
Overstocking could lead to a further problem and this is aggression. To a varying extent fish need space and also a place to call home. If they haven’t a secure place to hide overnight then they could attempt to obtain one by taking over from another fish. The other fish is not likely to be happy with that. Aggression produces winners and losers, and if a fish is not secure and is harassed there is a danger to its health. Sometimes aggression doesn’t occur, such as in a dealer’s aquarium, as there isn’t anywhere to hide anyway. In a home aquarium there should be, the aquascaping should deal with it.
Overstocking is easily avoided by simple research. When fishes are being chosen their likely final size should be considered. This will reduce the fish numbers that could be initially housed. Another way, one that is very second rate in my opinion, is to stock for the purchase size and when growth is a problem either return the fish to the dealer on exchange or swap with another aquarist. This method is not so good because it could be the dealer is not interested in larger fish as there isn’t a market for them, and other aquarists could have a full stock anyway and not want more. Better to consider potential growth and stock on that.
Incidentally, when calculating stocking levels ignore any sump, this is because the fish are in the display aquarium and the sump area is not available to them. If the sump were to be included the potential for overcrowding would increase. The gallonage in the sump will also assist with overall seawater quality.
Results.
If the aquarist stocks the aquarium properly he/she will know that the oxygen supply is unlikely to cause problems (this does not mean that in extra warm weather cooling of the seawater is not required). It will also be known that the bio-filtration, essential to the well being of the fish, will be able to cope. If routine seawater changes are done, and they are of a suitable amount, nitrates and phosphates are unlikely to be a problem, or at least the problem potential is reduced, also reducing the potential for nuisance algae. If the aquarist feeds with discipline there will still be pleasure in the process, but the pressure on the bio-filtration will be lessened and the production of nitrates and phosphates reduced.
A well set up and cared for fish only aquarium can be colourful and fascinating. Whether there are many small fish or one or two larger species, they’ll be in fine shape.
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Algae – Friend Or Foe?
April 28, 2009
Mention the word ‘algae’ to different marine aquarists and the reaction could be mainly one of two, a look of horror perhaps bordering on panic or a smile and a nod. It all depends.
To some aquarists algae is most definitely a foe. These aquarists are, in the main, novices who are gathering experience and have found out the hard way the consequences of over feeding, over stocking, or over lighting. There could even be a combination. One consequence is long hairy green stuff waving in the currents as though it is making fun of the suffering aquarist. Green filamentous algae can spread to such an extent it overgrows the whole aquarium! It seems to be hardy too, as even if the nutrient level is reduced the monstrous stuff seems to survive for quite a while. It takes the nutrients out of the seawater of course which is the only saving grace I can think of. No, there’s one more, which is that it is food for some fish. Nevertheless, it is not required in abundance.
Similarly, slime alga is a problem. This time it is like thin semi-solidified goo on surfaces which is capable of suffocating the life out of anything it covers, again definitely not required. Fortunately it can be siphoned out at routine seawater changes but tends to linger for a while.
So who smiles at algae? It has to be those aquarists who have control of their aquarium conditions. Seawater parameters are as they should be and not permitted to be anything else. Some of these aquarists use algae to combat other algae, which sounds like justice to me! For example, nitrate and phosphate are implicated in the growth of nuisance algae. The same nutrients are necessary to some decorative algae. So, take some decorative algae, such as the Caulerpa macro type, and grow it in reasonable quantity in favourable conditions. If the bad algae is being physically removed and the good algae is taking in nutrients and in favourable conditions, which will lose out? It is likely to be the bad algae. Many use the system and it is definitely helpful.
Have a look at the imported photo with this text. Is that some of the hairy stuff I see?
I’m going off track a little but remaining with algae. Here’s another positive for algae which could develop beyond the intended stated use in a few years. Hope it proves to be of huge benefit!
http://coast2coastam.net/?p=198
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Do You Fancy Finding One Of These In Your Aquarium?
April 6, 2009
I know I certainly wouldn’t – If I saw this I would run a mile.
Aquarium staff from Cornwall, UK’s Blue Reef Aquarium have located a huge 4 foot worm in one of their display aquarium which was attacking corals and fish within the aquarium.
For many months the staff were unable to indentify what was attacking the corals and fish. In many cases the corals were nearly cut in half!
The staff laid numerous traps around the reef however when they checked them they found that the traps had been destroyed.
The aquarium staff eventually came to the decision that they must find out what was causing the damage and therefore started to dismantle the reef. Half way through they found the culprit – a four foot long polychaete worm!
What was worrying was that the traps the staff had laid was full of bait and hooks and the worm must have simply digested the lot – hooks and everything.
The staff eventually managed to lure the worm out of it’s hiding place using fish bait where it was captured however the worm did put up a good fight and even bit through a 20lb fishing line.
The coral reef display has now been put back together and is starting to recover. The worm, now known as ‘Barry’ and thankfully not destroyed now lives in it’s own aquarium and the staff can only presume that it arrived as a small worm hiding in a live rock shipment.
Message to you all – check your live rock – you never know what’s hiding in there.
Source : Daily Mail (UK)
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Marine Aquariums Are Great, But Need A Bit Of Weeding
January 18, 2009
We all know that a successful marine aquarium doesn’t get that way all on its own. Nature has a very large part to play, and the aquarist needs to carry out ongoing maintenance.
Marine aquariums nowadays are generally successful. There are those that fail for one reason or another, sometimes because of a basic error by the aquarist such as an inadequate bio-filter. As said though, most are successful greatly helped by the amount of knowledge gained from experience that is available on the internet and in books. Science can tell us a lot but there is more to it than that – there needs to be integration between technology and Mother Nature. Skill if you like. All the gadgets that are available helps towards this, gadgets such as protein skimmers, calcium reactors, power heads and the like, not to mention the high quality dry salt mixes that are available now and have made such a difference.
In the early days marine aquarists weren’t so lucky, dry salt mixes were not available for a start. Aquarists could look up the suggested mixes and obtain the ingredients, what was produced was a brew very unlike natural seawater, with many parts missing. Protein skimmers and calcium reactors had not been invented, at least not for the fledgling marine hobby, so a lot of ingenuity was required. The actual ongoing seawater mix would be unknown – how for example could calcium be measured by a hobbyist? These early aquarists were the ones who kicked it all off though, maybe for the challenge.
The early aquarists couldn’t dream of keeping corals or shrimps, how they would gape in awe at a modern reef system! They kept fish only aquariums, which were decorated with dead coral and various base coverings. Fish were lost as a regular occurrence and it must have been a mystery and a nightmare. They wouldn’t know the fish were poisoning themselves – no bio-filtration! Longevity of the fish was perhaps assisted by seawater changes? Fish were also lost because of the dreaded ‘white spot’ or ‘velvet’, the parasitic diseases.
Looking for cleanliness which the lack of was thought to be a reason why fish didn’t live long, an invention eventually arrived called the undergravel filter. This was a real milestone as oxygen laden seawater moving through the substrate caused the creation of a bio-filter. The inventor of the undergravel filter, a man called Stratton if memory serves me correctly, didn’t believe that the change was anything to do with bacteria as eventually science advised, but continued to believe it was enhanced cleanliness that increased the health of the fish. He was correct in a way; fouling toxic ammonia and nitrite were being removed.
The next big jump was the arrival of the protein skimmer. A remaining scourge of the aquarist was the fish ‘wipeout’, when all fish were lost for some strange reason. The arrival of protein skimmers, quite crude and not very efficient at first, sorted that out.
So it has gone on until the present day. Now success is the normal outcome for an aquarist. Seawater quality is high, fish are healthy and corals, shrimps and all manner of reef life are being kept in good health.
So we can sit back and just gaze at our fish and/or corals. Certainly we can, and that’s one thing I do particularly after a maintenance period.
A successful aquarium has high seawater quality, good seawater movement and adequate lighting. So the livestock should feel at home. They no doubt do – as do uninvited guests!
The gardener loves the display that has been created, apart from those weeds that keep popping up and spreading if allowed.
The marine aquarium is the same. Now that conditions are so good all manner of pests can arrive, perhaps with live rock or coral rock. Aiptasia (aaagh! I hear the cry!). Sailor’s Eyeballs too. These pests if not controlled will spread alarmingly, as will red flatworms. Some flatworms can also attack corals. Then there are nudibranchs that could be imported on the coral rock that their target prey is on. Not to mention some snails. There are more.
So the modern marine aquarium is becoming more natural to the livestock it holds. Because of this there is greatly increased success in livestock health and longevity. It follows that the captive reef in its modern splendor could become home to unwanted life too.
The problem, if it can be called that, is that the captive reef will never be able to hold the diversity of life that the wild reef can. Some of that diversity of life is predatory, and it predates on the pests that we battle with. There is a balance on the wild reef that we aquarists will not be able to match.
So the aquarist has to become the predator. He or she has to spend a little time attacking the pests so that they don’t get out of control. It can be a pain but, like the gardener, it’s worth it for the sake of everything else.
All that is required is vigilance and that is part of good husbandry anyway. If the pests are kept under control which needs a little extra attention, it is a small price to pay for the rewards.
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