The One That Went Missing

We moved address and I had to close my reef aquarium. It was a sad but necessary action. At the new address, once all the seemingly never ending jobs after a house move has occurred had been done, my thoughts turned to another reef aquarium. This one, the current one, is a little smaller because of space.

According to my notebook the aquarium was initially mature in October 2002 that is any unwanted ammonia/nitrite readings had gone. This was with an aquarium full of seawater and rocks, nothing else. I wanted a soft coral reef (as always) and a selection of corals went in. These were left to settle before any fish additions.

I always understock my aquariums and only considered three fish which needed to meet the criteria of being reasonably hardy and not over timid, also they would need to remain small. The selection was a Flame Angel (Centropyge loriculus), a Flashback as in the photo (Pseudochromis diadema), and a Fijian Blue Damsel (Chrysiptera tampou). Once the fish had been selected and given time to display any unwanted problems they went into their new home. This was in April 2003.

They were fine, no problems at all. They all fed really well and didn’t cause each other problems. After a while the Flame Angel became boss fish and the other two bickered with each other occasionally.

The whole reef continued in really good shape. The fish were in good health displaying excellent colour and no signs whatsoever of any problem. In time the Flashback became very rounded – he (she?) spent much time in amongst the rocks which I assumed was because tiny creatures were being caught and eaten. The Flame Angel did the same but to a lesser extent and the damsel mainly just cruised about in open water.

We all from time to time have some identifiable problem with an aquarium, in my case it has been with hardware – a powerhead became very noisy and had to be fixed, likewise with the protein skimmer motor. Not a big problem.

After three years, in March 2006 I noted that the Flashback had not appeared as usual when food was offered. The fish was often the first at the table even beating the damsel to the offering. Waiting and watching achieved nothing, the fish didn’t appear. I wasn’t particularly alarmed and the next day I expected the Flashback to appear as usual, particularly at feeding time, but the fish was nowhere to be seen. The fish, as were the other two, was in clearly good health. The only noticeable thing and different from the other two fish was the very rounded belly from the food available among the rocks.

Some fish have been known to jump though the Flashback is generally not one of these. However, as I run my reef with an open top I checked for the fish everywhere, on the floor all round the aquarium cabinet, everywhere that the fish could be on aquarium braces etc but found nothing. There is a weir for the seawater but nothing had gone over this, and it would be very difficult for anything to do so. I even checked on the top of the fluorescent tubes!

I continued to watch and hope for quite a few days but the fish didn’t appear. At this point I did ammonia and nitrite tests but these were normal at zero and remained so. There wasn’t any sign of a reef problem: all the corals were happy, extended and showing off their polyps.

So I wonder what happened. I have to admit that I haven’t any idea based on fact as there wasn’t any indication of anything amiss whatsoever, the fish was certainly in good health and mobile with no sign of age. It wasn’t a timid fish (they’re known to be the opposite generally). There’s certainly nothing in the aquarium that would predate on the fish. The only conclusion I can come to is that the fish paid the price for being greedy and getting well rounded, there certainly wasn’t any overfeeding by me but there’s quite a lot of live food in the rocks. Somehow, maybe, it got stuck in the rocks.

The Flame angel and the Fiji damsel continue in great health and colour having now spent eight years in the aquarium. I’ve not replaced the Flashback as the display is lovely as it is.

Seawater Changing – Always The Same?

 

As has been repeated so many times before, seawater quality is the number one requirement for a successful marine aquarium. Having said that, is there any variation on the change regime?

For a new marine aqurium the guideline amount to change is 10% of the net gallonage weekly. A new aquarium needs time to settle down, or to put it a better way, to stabilize. This period can vary and during this time there is a requirement to carefully monitor conditions by testing.

Marine systems don’t follow one format, they can have different equipment fitted and different inhabitants. This is the heart of the matter really, the type of aquarium.

Let’s go back a bit though. As said, there is an initial guideline of 10% for seawater changing. This should be adhered to in the early days of the aquarium and at the same time seawater quality testing should occur. This testing at its base should include specific gravity (SG), temperature, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. What is being watched for is reasonable stability and acceptable levels of toxics. Once the system is initially mature, that is ammonia and nitrite have disappeared, nitrate will usually make an appearance as the end product of ammonia/nitrite conversion (this doesn’t always occur but that will not be gone into here). Nitrate needs to be kept low in any system, but the guidelines are for a reef less than 10 ppm (parts per million) and fish only less than 30ppm, though the latter should be as low as is possible as well.

Seawater changing should continue until there is an indication of the rate of rise in nitrate. It is very good practice to jot down in a notebook the nitrate level at each test, in this way eventually the rate of rise can be predicted.

Once the aquarist has knowledge of the nitrate trends then consideration can be given to seawater changes. If the nitrate contiunues to rise but more slowly, then an increase in the amount of the seawater change can be considered (and also a check made of the feeding regime, to avoid overfeeding). If the nitrate has not increased but is stable at an acceptable level, then the change amount is seemingly adequate. If there isn’t a nitrate presence, then it is possible to reduce the seawater change amount. However, in this case take into consideration the fact that a change not only controls the nitrate, which is used as an indicator, but also replenishes to a fair extent trace elements, and others such as calcium. It could be best to continue at the guideline amount.

There are mainly three kinds of saltwater aquarium systems: the fish only system, the mixed reef (fish and corals) system, and the corals only system. At a guess the most popular is probably the mixed reef, followed by fish only then corals only. Should the seawater change be the same for all three?

It is generally thought that the heaviest nitrate probability is with the fish only system. This is because these have the greatest number and/or size of fish present, and fish require feeding more. It follows that the mixed reef is the next in line for nitrate, followed by the corals only system.

The same guideline applies to them all, 10%. It is likely that this will be excessive or adequate for a coral only system, with that possibility reducing for a mixed reef and much reduced for a fish only. Again, the same action can be taken in response to ongoing test results.

So it is clear that there isn’t a rule for seawater changing. The guideline of 10% is for the early months as the aquarium matures and trends are discovered. Following this, the aquarist can make a reasonable determination on ongoing action.

Routine seawater changing should not be abandoned or over extended even though tests indicate it could be. Seawater changing is of great benefit to the health and vitality of the inhabitants. There may be equipment fitted such as a protein skimmer, but such equipment is an aid to seawater quality and not a guarantee of it.

A Large Aquarium Re-Start

There are all sorts of aquarium sizes that are kept at home, though none as large as can be seen at a public aquarium as far as I know.

Successful small aquariums from the very small 10 gallons to the larger 50 gallons, fish only or reef, are very beautiful to look at as a whole, but their main impact is in the detail particularly with a reef. Even in a very small aquarium, provided it is a well aged system, there are growths of different algae, sometimes different corals popping up, existing corals spreading, miniature life such as tiny worms waving around looking for food and tiny shrimps foraging about particularly at night. At night small snails could appear then hide away again when dawn arrives. There’s often more.

With larger aquariums the impact is not just the beauty but the eye filling dimensions. I would guess that if asked a marine aquarist would normally advise that a larger aquarium would be on their shopping list ‘if only’. It cannot be denied that a fish only system with many fish and some of them larger species such as angels is a real spectacle. A properly designed and stocked reef system, well, that is truly something. It appears as if the reef has been sliced out of the wild and placed in the aquarium complete with life. It is true of course that any captive reef doesn’t have the diversity of Mother Nature’s own, but let’s not start nit picking. Again, close inspection should reveal all sorts of interesting items as in the previous paragraph but probably more so. Most viewers however wouldn’t be too concerned about small detail; the overall view would be the one to watch.

There is a large aquarium that is accepted as one of the best. It belongs to David Saxby and can certainly be described as large. Many marine aquarists are aware of it and have watched the video of the original aquarium, lovely as it was. Was? Yes, the aquarium has been stripped down and re-started so that the livestock could be altered. A new video has been produced that is very watchable and well made. There are some lovely fish to be seen, anthias and yellow tangs seems to be a favourite – watch out for the different coloured one. There’s also one of my favourite fish, the copperband butterfly.

As said the video is worth watching and is relaxing, so sit back and just enjoy. Here it is:

---

How About An Apple?

Most marine aquarists are only too happy to have something different in their aquariums, as long as that something fits in with the current population.

The apple being talked of here is the Sea Apple which is definitely different! As can be seen it’s colourful too. An aquarist who has one will usually be fascinated by ‘the thing in the corner’. The Sea Apple has been available to aquarists for many years. I feel that the beginner aquarist should let experience build before keeping one, as a pure guess say about a year, or at least until the common general husbandry mistakes are no longer made and seawater quality is consistently high. This is important as will be seen.

‘Sea Apple’ is the common name; the proper one is Pseudocolochirus axiologus. They need the usual correct introduction to the aquarium, that is, acclimatization, and should not be exposed to air. They need to be handled gently but this of course is the same for all livestock.

The Sea Apple does not require reef lighting as it is not a coral but a species of sea cucumber. This can of course be confusing, the common name talks of ‘apple’ yet the species is ‘cucumber’. (This seems to happen from time to time, such as the Foxface fish (Lo vulpinus) that belongs to the rabbitfish family.) The Sea Apple is usually able to grow to about 4″ (circa 10cm) though there are larger species that grow to about 6″ (circa 15.25cm) or more though these are not so readily available and are more expensive.

The Sea Apple is able to move slowly around the aquarium and will do so until it is happy with its position, and this depends a lot on seawater flow. The flow doesn’t need to be very strong but moderate to brisk. This is because from the top centre a crown of feathery tentacles will appear and too strong a flow could cause problems. As said, the Sea Apple will make its choice and the final place could be a viewing glass, a corner, a rock or even the tube from a tubeworm. The aquarist has his or her preference for position, so keep those fingers crossed. The final position is likely to be between half way and the top of the aquarium. Once the Sea Apple has come to rest it should be left in peace unless the position is causing trouble to other livestock or presents a danger to the Sea Apple itself. It should not be irritated by the aquarist; this could be a real problem as will be seen.

The tentacles are used for feeding and are extended into the seawater column for this purpose. Fine particulate matter is captured and, one by one, the tentacles are passed into the mouth for removal of any food and then withdrawn, it’s a bit like a human sucking food off the fingers. This is a fairly slow process and is fascinating to observe.

The Sea Apple is quite hardy in a high quality environment and can live a long time. Many do fail though and this is to do with feeding, or rather the lack of it. In most aquariums there is insufficient suitable fine particulate matter in the seawater and therefore the Sea Apple doesn’t get enough to eat. This causes it to slowly shrink until it dies. Target feeding is needed, the frequency of which is best twice a day or more if the need is observed. There are plenty of commercial fine foods available that are suitable. All that is needed is for this food to be squirted into the seawater with a suitable instrument a little upstream from the Sea Apple when it has the tentacles extended, the food will then drift over them. If the seawater current is too high causing the food to pass too quickly, turning off the pumps for a short period will not do any harm. Any of the fine food that is not taken will drift off and could well be captured by corals.

Overall I would suggest that a reef system is the best aquarium for the Sea Apple to be introduced into. The reason is that there is a greater likelihood that there will not be any fish present that could nip at the tentacles, though this is not always the case. If the Sea Apple is excessively harassed then serious trouble could occur.

The problem that a Sea Apple could cause is very serious. If it is excessively harassed and stressed a toxin could be released that could, and likely will, kill the other livestock. Not a pleasant thought. That is why the Sea Apple should not be harassed excessively by the aquarist and its tank mates should be suitable. In addition it would be a good cautionary measure to protect the intakes of circulation pumps etc so that the Sea Apple cannot be accidentally damaged, this should be done before introduction.

Having said that, the Sea Apple should be a good introduction to a suitable high quality environment provided the aquarist has reasonable experience and feeding is given suitable attention.

---

Breeding Seahorses

Despite the fact that more advanced marine aquarists visit Aquaristsonline in increasing numbers the website was originally targeted at beginners. Nothing has changed, so why is anything being written about breeding which is in the area of the more advanced among us?

The answer is that earlier, and also more recently information has been given about keeping seahorses, such as how to create the necessary species aquarium etc (see blog and ‘Articles’). I have a soft spot for these endearing creatures and at the same time am well aware of the pressure on them in the wild because of collection. Therefore it seems reasonable to ‘round off’ with something about breeding.

In the first place it must be stated that breeding these creatures is not for the complete beginner. Any aquarist who has bred marine fish including the ‘easier’ clowns could proceed. Don’t let that put you off though; it’s not beyond the scope of anyone who has accumulated some experience. How can the level of experience be judged? The aquarist must be absolutely capable of maintaining continuous high quality seawater, and this is easily shown after say a year with the use of test kits. Definitely zero ammonia and nitrite, and a very low level, if any, of nitrate. Phosphate is best undetectable. Finally, any other requirements specific to the type of aquarium system need to be acceptably stable at the correct levels, such as calcium etc. If the aquarist is able to maintain the required parameters as a matter of course then ok, the seawater in the seahorse aquarium will also be maintained at high quality. It is clear that seahorses, as with fish, need to be happy and healthy before there is any chance of breeding, and this depends very much on their environment.

Now I’m not going to start advising the best way to breed seahorses and how to do it, there are those better qualified than me. So what I have done is provide two links:

http://www.petplace.com/fish/how-to-breed-a-seahorse/page1.aspx
http://www.spc.int/coastfish/News/LRF/5/10Breed.htm

Successfully keeping a seahorse aquarium is very satisfying. Actually breeding them must really be wonderful and a source of great pride. In addition, the local fish shop or marine aquarist colleagues would no doubt be interested in the offspring so there won’t be any difficulty in sourcing placements. Finally of course the pressure from collection will be eased that little bit more.

---

Interesting Maybe, But It Doesn’t Matter

Interesting?

O3        +  NO2 ………> O2         + NO3
(Ozone + Nitrite ………> Oxygen + Nitrate)

Could be, but in the majority of cases the answer is no.

A potential marine aquarist or even an existing one keeping a reef or fish only system is likely to shy away from anything approaching scientific, and fair enough. (The above is straightforward and understandable if the symbols are understood but gives the general idea). Being a marine aquarist doesn’t mean a white laboratory coat is required or a ‘professor’ appearance, though there are one or two aquarists who love to mystify the marine aquarium and elevate their accomplishments. There isn’t any need to boost success with an aquarium; it is there for all to see.

Some books contain explanatory formulas that would cause consternation with any ordinary person. This isn’t to say that scientific formulas are a waste of space, they aren’t. They are of use to a scientist of course, and interesting to those with experience who wish to delve deep. The same principle applies to many hobbies.

The hobby needs science; it is the scientists who explain. The hobbyist doesn’t need to be involved at that level.

Even when avoiding science troubles still arise. The new aquarist, particularly if interested in a reef system, is still faced with gobble-de-gook. There seems to be an unending stream of needs that must be met or failure will occur. Worse, much of this is in shortened version such as KH (for Kelvin), SG (for Specific Gravity), Alk (for alkalinity), temp (for temperature), calc (for calcium), ppm (for parts per million) etc, never mind the variations with lighting; there isn’t a need to go on. Much of this shortened terminology is often used when hobbyists are ‘chatting’ on forums.

Even when the potential aquarist knows what it all means, the problem doesn’t stop. Seawater quality is the number one requirement so the beginner starts to delve into that. The important parameters are discovered but then there are comments on forums and in books about balance – if this is low that will suffer, generating more confusion.

The beginner can flounder at this stage and start to wonder if it’s worth it, it’s supposed to be an enjoyable hobby, at least that is what was understood at the beginning.

The beginner is going to be a successful marine aquarist with some perseverance and if research is done. The research doesn’t need to be into how everything works and what depends on what. The marine hobby has been going for long enough for scientists and advanced hobbyists to have discovered what leads to success. This doesn’t include deep studies into seawater make-up as an example.

It is now well known what ‘high quality’ seawater means. There are tables available that suggest the levels of various items. For example specific gravity is usually quoted as 1.022 to 1.025 for a fish only system, and 1.024 or 1.025 for a reef system. So the aquarist maintains the seawater at the chosen level having considered the given advantages of numbers within the scale. Other parameters are maintained at the levels suggested for them and doing so generally removes the problem of imbalance. It is also known what is not required in the seawater, for example nitrate. Again there are guidelines that suggest upper limits for different systems, so these levels can again be maintained. The beginner aquarist will also have learned of the need for stability and how to achieve this.

So the marine hobby isn’t a scientific challenge for a beginner or anyone else. All that needs to be known are the suggested levels for a marine system, and then maintain them. It should also be said that the system itself needs to be basically adequate, but again these needs are well known and obtainable.

So the mystique is gone. It must be said that patience and a basic understanding are required. The basic understanding is just that, the numbers that represent the levels that livestock require within an adequate system. When this is achieved and maintained, all things being equal success is on the way.

That doesn’t mean to say however that the aquarist never delves into the world of science. Once the ‘bug’ has bitten, some aquarists have to pursue knowledge about ‘why’, and that is to the advantage of us all.

---

The Seahorse Aquarium

These delightful creatures when seen in a shop ‘for sale’ aquarium could be like a magnet. Children in particular could pester their parents ‘Oh, please get one, please!’ However discipline needs to be applied. As with any other type of livestock, seahorses require and deserve a correct environment and proper maintenance. In addition, an attempt should always be made to locate aquarium bred seahorses as those that are in the wild are under some pressure.

Setting up an aquarium for seahorses is quite straightforward and the video is fairly comprehensive. In addition there is an article available on this site about the subject which gives more information – go to ‘Articles’, on the list click ‘Seahorses’, then click on ‘How To Set Up An Aquarium For A Seahorse’.

One point I noted with the video is that there is a fish in the aquarium; it’s a royal dottyback (Pseudochromis paccagnellae). In my opinion there shouldn’t be any fish in a seahorse tank – in other words it should be a species aquarium. This is because the fish out compete the seahorses for available food. There is an exception though and this is the pipefish, which has similar requirements to the seahorse.

---

Next Page »