What To Look For When Purchasing A New Fish

The purchase of a new fish be this your very first one or a new one to an existing aquarium already stocked with fish can be a very exciting time. Due to the excitement this can often result in impulse purchases.

Everyone is tempted to purchase on impulse and it is one of the hardest things to come to terms with. You go into the fish shop and in the display aquariums are some exceptionally beautiful fish swimming around all saying ‘buy me, buy me!’

This is a temptation however which needs to be resisted at all times. If you are presented with this opportunity try to take a step back and if it is a fish that you would like then ask the store to hold it for you whilst you check your aquarium and research it’s requirements. You can always go back and purchase it later.

It is very important in my opinion to have an idea as to what you are going to stock in the aquarium. All the fish in the aquarium need to get on with each other. Quite probably a lot of the fish in the aquarium will be from different areas of the world and in nature they would never see each other. The last thing you want to happen in the aquarium is for ant type of fighting or territorial behaviour to start. You want an aquarium where all the fish live in harmony with each other.

Prior to going to the fish store to purchase a fish it is imperative that you check all the water parameters to ensure that they are ok.

Once at the fish store however how are you going to tell a good fish from a bad one.

Actually thinking about it the word bad is probably not the correct one to use here - a better way to say it would be a fish which is in better condition than another fish.

Colouration

Colour is actually quite a hard one to use to base your decision on but it is a good starting point.Looking at is the colour of the fish in relation to other fish which are the same may show that the fish has been collected correctly, handled properly, acclimatised to the aquarium correctly and is settled in the stores display aquarium.

It does need to be noted however that the colour of the same species of fish can vary in their natural appearance so although colour is a good general indication of the overall health of the animal there are others which need to be taken into consideration.

Swimming

How is the fish moving?

Of course all fish have different swimming patterns and this does need to be taken into consideration. What we are looking for in this area is that the fish is able to hold position in the aquarium with minimal effort and does not appear to be irritated or alarmed in any way. This is dependant upon the fish but swimming with the head facing down for example may be an indication of an issue with the swimbladder.

As said all fish have different swimming patterns and it will take time for you to understand what is good, what is bad and what is natural.

The Eyes

When looking to the eyes of a fish they should be both clear and bright. There should not be any cloudiness to the eyes or any type of growth, There are quite a few eye problems which can be encountered in fish. The majority of these can be treated however I personally would not purchase on which requires treatment unless it was treated in the store first and I could inspect it further before deciding to make a purchase.

Another area to look for is where the eyes appear to protruding from the fish’s head.

The Fins

The fins on the fish should be clear and show no form of speckling or cloudiness. There are various infections, normally parasitic which become obvious when inspecting the fins of the fish.

The fins should not be damaged in any way. This is not normally due to infection but is due to fighting, netting or scratching. Whilst damaged fins do heal quickly there are prone to infection and if the fish is placed under the stress of being captured then this risk increases.

The Body

Inspecting the body of a fish tells us a lot about the overall health of a fish. Obviously fish of different species have different shapes and it may be surprising to hear that fish from the same species can also have different shapes. For example captive bred fish. Captive bred fish sometimes are shaped differently to that of their counterparts in the wild.

The main reason the fish’s body is inspected is so we can see if it has been feeding correctly. Fish who have not been feeding correctly are normally quite thing when you look down their sides from the front. Their body appears to look pinched which in turn makes their head look larger than their body.

It can also sometimes mean that there is underlying problem with infection or stress. Whilst thin fish can be fattened up this does take time, care and patience and I would not recommend that the beginner take this task on until more experience is gained.

Breathing

On some occasions fish display small symptoms in relation to problems, infections etc. Their bodies may look ok, their fins intact, the eyes clear and the fish is moving correctly however the fish could be breathing heavily. This can be seen by watching the gills of the fish. If they are beating fast then there may be an underlying problem. This does not mean that there is a problem but it should raise concern as you simply do not know if the fish is poorly or not.

Feeding

One of the most useful things to do and unfortunately one of the least done things is watching the fish feed. Even fish that may be poorly may feed well but if a fish shows no desire to feed then realistically it should not be purchased. Fish when feeding are opportunistic and rarely turn a meal down.

There are some fish which are hard to feed or have a strict diet. It is of my opinion that these types of fish are not suitable for the beginner and should be investigated when more experience is gained.

There are also some fish which are healthy in all areas but simply refuse to feed. In the end unfortunately these fish are going to die and although you may try everything you can to get them to feed ultimately this will often end in dissapointment. There is also another concern with this is that when you are trying to get a fish to feed you will probably introduce more food than you would normally and then your water quality will suffer ultimately putting your other corals, fish etc at risk.

Therefore it is essential that you ask the dealer to feed the fish in front of you. Don’t stand to close to the aquarium when this is performed. Stand back and watch the fish feeding. You will know very quickly if it is going to feed or not. The fish should be enthusiastic about the food offered and dash around the aquarium looking for food to consume.

Closure

So there we go - an article which details what to look out for when purchasing fish. This is an area, among many which a lot of aquarists do not do and a lot of fish die plus a lot of aquarists are upset, dis-heartened etc because of it. It does not take long to do and the ultimate long health of the fish will be better plus your enjoyment looking after it.

Also remember that when the fish is purchased it should be captured correctly by the store owner, bagged correctly and then once taken home it should be both acclimatised and quarantined correctly.

On another matter a lot of people are now purchasing fish online as well as other animals for the aquarium. This article does not cover this however a while ago we created a short guide detailing what to do when purchasing fish online. This is a PDF document and can be downloaded from the link below:

http://www.aquaristsonline.com/PurchOnline.pdf

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Tags: aquarium-fish, fish-tank, home-aquarium, marine-aquarium, marine-fish, quarantine, reef-fish, saltwater-aquarium

The Bubble Tip Anemone

There are a few anemones that find favour with aquarists and this is one of them. As well as the name in the title they are also commonly known as the four coloured anemone, the bulb tentacle anemone, and the bulb anemone. The proper name is Entacmaea quadricolor.

The anemone is one which requires good lighting as it contains symbiotic algae, and it is this algae that gives the anemone its colour. Good lighting is defined in the same way that lighting for corals is, and that is it must be sufficiently intense and of the correct spectrum. If the anemone is to be located quite low down in a deep aquarium then metal halides will be required.

Again in the same way as corals, good seawater movement is needed. This does not need to be particularly strong, just strong, moving the tentacles and swaying the body. Current from a power head should not hit the anemone directly.

The final requirement needed to settle the anemone happily in its home is to provide it with the correct position from a security point of view. When placing the anemone on the reef ensure that the anemone when fully open will not interfere with neighboring corals, but the most important point is to ensure that the foot of the anemone is located in a fairly deep crevice or hole, not a tight squeeze but a good generous loose fit. The anemone should anchor itself within the hole or crevice, which will also give it protection should it require it. It is unlikely that this will be needed in a home aquarium but the anemone doesn’t know this!

Failure to provide the named requirements, some of them, or one of them will either result in the demise of the anemone, or it will be very tiresome and start wandering around the aquarium looking for what is missing. I located an anemone in an earlier aquarium, meeting all the above needs, and it stayed put from the word go. Finally the anemone had to be removed as it just became too big.

Talking of size, the aquarist should be aware that this anemone could achieve a diameter of around 18″ (circa 45.75cm). Therefore it is not suitable for small aquariums; a length of say 48″ (circa 122cm) should be suitable.

It is my opinion that new aquarists without experience should not purchase this anemone (or any other) until such time as they have some experience. If the aquarist has kept an aquarium for a year successfully, that is, has maintained high seawater quality and the fish and corals have done and are doing well, then that is a reasonable time to consider an anemone.

Once in the aquarium a little time is needed for the anemone to indicate that it is settled. The indication is that it stays in one place, expands fully and is in good colour (meaning the algae are functioning therefore the lighting is acceptable).

Feeding is simplicity itself. First of all the anemone obtains nutrients from the symbiotic algae and feeding should not be overdone. When required, the anemone will accept a small piece of fish or mussel. This can be placed towards the mouth within the tentacles, when the anemone should respond and move the food to the mouth. Feed once or twice a week to start and build on experience.

This anemone in common with others contains nematocysts in the tentacles, which are like small harpoons that are activated on contact with a fish or shrimp. They penetrate the body of the victim and inject a toxin enabling the anemone to overpower and devour. There isn’t usually a distinction made for the aquarist’s prize livestock! Having said that, most fish seem to have an inbuilt instinct to keep away from the danger. I clearly recall becoming tense on more than one occasion when a lovely fish, intent on its search for food, seemed to be so, so close to the anemone ” but I didn’t lose any.

Many aquarists are keen to associate an anemone with a clownfish. Well, Entacmaea quadricolor is one of the anemones that act as hosts for clownfish. It is important not to overload an anemone with clownfish, usually one or maybe two is quite sufficient in an aquarium. No attempt should be made to host a clownfish until the anemone is known to be settled. The clownfish that are known to inhabit this anemone are Amphiprion clarki, Amphiprion ephippium, Amphiprion frenatus and Amphiprion melanopus.

It has been known, more than once, that a suitable clownfish has been placed in an aquarium containing a host anemone, only for the clownfish to totally ignore the anemone. Why this is I cannot say - is it because the fish was aquarium bred? If so, perhaps the fish doesn’t know it is supposed to live in an anemone! As said, I don’t really know. Fortunately, I have managed to obtain clownfish in the past that have been cooperative.

So if the aquarist has the experience and can provide the conditions, an anemone is worthwhile. If the anemone settles well and a clownfish (of the correct type) is introduced, then the aquarist will have the pleasure of seeing one of Nature’s strange and amazing combinations.

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Tags: anemone, aquarium-fish, aquarium-livestock, coral, invertebrate, marine-fish, reef-fish

Do Enough Aquarists Use Quarantine Tanks

Keeping a marine aquarium be this a fish only aquarium, a coral only aquarium or a mixed reef aquarium one thing you are definitely going to want to do is protect your livestock.

As aquarists we attempt to ensure that the water quality is optimum, the temperature is correct, the lighting is correct, the fish, corals etc are all well fed etc etc. Effectively we attempt to create an environment in which the animals we care for are able to flourish and grow.

So why is it that a lot of aquarists put their livestock at risk by not utilising a quarantine tank?

I always find it surprising how few people actually use a quarantine tank. It is exceptionally simple to set up and when not in use can be used as a hospital tank etc.

Perhaps it is a ‘it will not happen to me’ syndrome, perhaps it is lack of knowledge, maybe it is pure laziness I am not sure why a lot of people do not use one but it is of my opinion that every responsible aquarist should use one.

Think of it this way….

A fish only aquarium full of marine fish all living in harmony together. They are all thriving, well fed and happy. One day at a local fish shop the aquarist sees a fish in the shops aquarium and decides to purchase it. The fish is caught, bagged and once paid for taken home. It is slowly acclimatised to the water and released into the aquarium. For a while all seems well - the fish is feeding and getting on with other fish in the aquarium however other fish appear to be scratching on the sand and on the rockwork. Not sure at first the aquarist decides to watch the fish for a few days however over this time more fish are scratching and flicking. At this point the aquarists unsure what to do asks for help. Marine Ich is the probable answer however as live rock is used in the aquarium to filter it then medication can’t be used. It would be very hard to remove the fish to treat them and where would they be put anyway. Research reveals that garlic could be used and modifying the temperature may help so this is performed and slowly over time the aquarists starts to win the battle. Unfortunately though several fish died including the new one which was purchased.

Or how about…..

A mixed reef aquarium full of corals (soft, sps and lps) and fish which has been running for a while and the system looks wonderful however there is a gap where another coral could be sited. At the local fish shop the perfect specimen is identified. The lighting is all correct and the coral should fare well in its chosen place. The coral us subsequently purchased, bagged and transported home. It is acclimatised to the water and put in place. The coral is closed at first however over the next few days it starts to extend its polyps. Great - it looks lovely! However unknown to the aquarists some ‘bugs’ were on the coral which was introduced into the aquarium. These have now started moving around the aquarium and are effecting other corals in the aquarium - primarily the sps. Some of the sps are turning white, others look dead and other looks the worse for wear. Careful investigation shows that this can be treated in a mixed reef aquarium with live rock as filtration so the aquarium is subsequently treated and the aquarium slowly starts to recover. Eventually all the bugs appear to be gone however several corals are lost including the prized centre piece and others aren’t looking at their best.

Both of the above scenarios can easily be avoided.

That’s right - the use of a quarantine tank!

A quarantine tank is not expensive to set up, it does not take a lot of time to maintain and can be a lifesaver plus it can save you an awful lot of money and heartache.

A while ago we created an article which details how to setup a quarantine tank :

How To Setup A Quarantine Tank

This is only a short article which goes to show how easy it is to set one up and maintain. The thing I like about having a quarantine tank is that it can also be used as a hospital tank. If a fish is getting harassed in the display aquarium and can be caught then it can be transferred to the hospital tank and dosed, fattened up and basically given a rest. Once this is done then a decision can be made what to do. Either the fish can be returned to the display aquarium where it may become harassed again or it can be taken back to the fish shop.

It is important to note that both fish and corals should be quarantined. Personally I would recommend that fish should be quarantined for a minimum of two weeks after purchase however this can be longer in required.

Corals do not need to stay in as long - there are some people who dip their corals to remove any nasty inhabitants prior to it being introduced into the display aquarium and there are others who like to quarantine corals for the same period as fish where they can be treated and observed.

At the end of the day the risk of not using a quarantine tank is quite high. One sick fish can wipe out the entire aquarium, one infested coral can mean other corals being lost - not something any aquarist wants to see. I appreciate that there will be some aquarists who are lucky - they do not use a quarantine tank and have never had a problem and perhaps never will but are you prepared to take this risk? I for one am not.

So in answer to the question asked in the title of this post then the answer in my opinion is no, definitely not.

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Tags: Care, Equipment, fish-tank, marine-aquarium, marine-fish, reef-fish

Fish + Food = Fun

Keeping a marine aquarium is great. It must be, there are enough people doing it. Reef or fish only, it is a tremendous hobby being educational as well. Having some of Mother Nature’s wonders in the home is an eye catcher for visitors and sometimes becomes consuming for aquarists.

There’s maintenance of course - cleaning the algae from the aquarium glass, topping up evaporated water, cleaning and checking filters and pumps and the rest. Some aquarists just enjoy it in the same way that some gardeners enjoy weeding. Some do it because it has to be done and find it reasonably enjoyable. I’m one of the latter - it has to be done but it isn’t the favourite part of the hobby.

The best part as far as I’m concerned is looking at the aquarium. I know, it sounds just like ‘I love work; I can sit and look at it all day.’ It’s not that. Looking at the aquarium is really what it’s all about. Admiring nature in the home and feeling pleased because it’s mine and I maintain it.

There’s another bit of maintenance that’s great fun too and runs a very close second, and that’s feeding the livestock.

It doesn’t take long for fish and shrimps to become used to a feeding routine. When the aquarist approaches the aquarium, often there they are at the front waiting. Food goes in and the fish tear around making sure they get their share or more if they can.

Some fish will come to the fingers and remove food. This is really getting personal and the aquarist is normally enthralled by it. Then there are the cleaner shrimps of course. They will take food from the hand and, like fish, come close to the surface for it. In addition the shrimps will walk around on the aquarist’s hand looking for food be it feeding time or not. It must be strange for them, a queer fish with weird fins appearing but hey-ho, the food is good.

There is a potential problem with this feeding interaction however it is done. It is such a feel-good situation that it is likely that a newcomer to the hobby will overfeed. Fish and shrimps will take as much as they can possibly get when they can get it. As in the wild, their instinct is to eat quickly as they do not know when the next meal will be. Fish can stuff themselves to absolute capacity, and some of the food will be excess and will pass through the gut undigested, or only partially so. This means pollution for the aquarium which is one thing that is not needed as it will impact on seawater quality. In addition, it is impossible to ensure that all the presented food ends up inside a fish or shrimp. Some will inevitably end up loose in the seawater and will become lodged among the rocks. There it will rot, although hopefully in a reef aquarium or even a fish only one where there is live rock, all the little tiny life forms that inhabit the rock structure will eat it.

Even with the caution in mind about overfeeding it is still great fun. The aquarist needs only to restrict the food quantity to that which is known to be sufficient and stop there. Fish and shrimps are persistent beggars and the aquarist may feel that their actions indicate that more food is needed and give some. Simply don’t.

Oh, yes, and when the feeding is over don’t forget to sit back and watch the aquarium. Enjoy!

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Tags: feeding-fish, fish-food, fish-tank, marine-aquarium, marine-fish, reef-fish

Fish Disease - I Think I’ve Seen It - What Do I Do?

This is not a text on the treatment of fish disease, but hopefully a suggestion about how treatment could be more accurate and successful.

The fear of aquarists - and that is any aquarist, experienced or newcomer - is to have a disease problem strike their aquarium. It can cause an aquarist to give up the hobby because of the heart-rending loss of livestock, maybe a total wipeout. At best, even if the disease is treated properly and successfully, the period is very stressful.

So what does the aquarist do? What are the first actions to be taken?

The aquarist is down at heart because all the recommended procedures have been followed: great care has been taken in selection, transportation, introduction and ongoing maintenance. Seawater quality is high and kept that way, but disease has appeared.

The very first action that an aquarist should take is in anticipation of a disease problem. That doesn’t sound like a positive way forward at all, but it is. The aquarist is readying his/her knowledge and defences from the word go. Disease is not expected, but it is best to be prepared.

The very best thing an aquarist can do, even before livestock is obtained, is to obtain a high quality marine hobby book. This book will contain all sorts of information including aquarium filtration, aquarium lighting and other aquarium necessities. It will also contain sections on fish, and possibly further sections on corals and shrimps etc. It will also contain a section on disease, and it is this latter item that is of importance here. The disease section should contain pictures to assist with identification and, of course, treatment procedures. There isn’t a need to become an expert on fish diseases, just to be aware of the major ones and how they could be identified.

If a potential disease problem strikes that is not the time to be trawling the internet trying to obtain information on what it might be and how to treat it. There should be minimal delay when treating disease, so having a book handy is valuable. It is even more valuable if the book has been read in total. Aquarists will certainly read the interesting bits on filtration etc but may not be so keen on reading potential negative subjects. It is good to read these though, as it assists the aquarist when observing the fish so that a problem is more likely to be detected.

If a potential problem is observed then the last thing the aquarist should do is dose the aquarium with a remedy as it ‘could do the trick.’ If luck is at home that day then yes it could, but just as likely, or more likely, the fish will be stressed by inappropriate medications. The aquarist should keep calm and observe very closely the livestock in question. Previous knowledge from a book will assist here, as what is required is an accurate diagnosis. Taking a little time to be sure is well worthwhile, as then of course the appropriate medication can be administered. Though disease does need to be dealt with without undue delay, there is usually time to observe and consider. There will be time if the aquarist has observed the fish regularly and noted their condition.

There can of course be difficulties in treating fish. If the fish are in a fish only aquarium, then the aquarist could probably administer fish medication directly. With a reef aquarium it is more difficult as corals will not tolerate certain medications. That’s another reason for having a good book to refer to, as a ‘doomsday plan’ could be generally worked out in advance just in case a need should arise in the future.

An aquarist needs to be like a scout - be prepared. Having a good book at hand will not cost a lot and it will have other uses besides disease, and will allow the aquarist to be educated on potential trouble that could occur.

Many years ago marine aquarists considered that if their husbandry was up to the mark it was possible that disease would not rear its ugly head. Nowadays with so much more known on fish capture techniques and transportation and the high level of aquarium environment that is now achievable, it is reasonably safe to state that it will be probable that fish disease will not appear. However, it will not ever be safe to use the word ‘never’, as the threat is always there.

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Tags: aquarium-fish, fish medication, fish treatment, fish-disease, marine-fish, reef-fish

Stress Is One Of The Biggest Killers

As the title of this post say stress is one of the biggest killers to both fish and corals in the home marine aquarium. Next to this will probably be bad maintenance and mis-management of the aquarium and last but not least will probably be laziness.

I remember as a child my dad being able to make up and read some great stories which brought my imaginative little mind into action!

Below is a little story that John has made up recently which I believe describes stress in marine fish exceptionally well.

“Out on the coral reef, thousands of miles from Europe, an angel fish has been caught and is now in an open topped holding tank on a boat. At the end of the day the boat makes its way to shore. The fish is taken out of the holding tank and placed in a bigger tank with many other fish.

After some time, the angel fish is taken out of the tank and placed in a bag, which is tightly wrapped. The bag, with many others, is placed into a large polystyrene container. When the container is closed, the fish is in darkness. Very highly stressed, it sits there.

The container sits around with others, and eventually, (hopefully with minimum delay but this cannot be certain), it is put into the cargo hold of an aircraft. Again hopefully, the aircraft takes off on time for a long journey to Europe.

On landing, the aircraft is unloaded and the container sits around in a much cooler climate awaiting customs clearance. This takes a little time, but fortunately the officials are aware that livestock is involved and delay is more or less minimised.

Off goes the container in the back of a large van, destination the main distributor. On arrival, the container is taken into the building and once again some delay occurs. The wholesaler is well organised, and turns lights off, switching on low powered red lighting. The container is opened, and the angel fish senses light for the first time in many, many hours. It is a good thing it has arrived, as the water in its bag is cooling, the pH is dropping, and the oxygen is low. Into a holding tank goes the fish. After some hours, the main lights are put back on.

The wholesaler inspects the fish. It hasn’t done badly, all things taken into account. It is subdued, and breathing rather rapidly, but should be alright.

After a day, a little food is offered, which is taken. The fish is swimming about.

A dealer arrives, looking for fish for his local marine shop. He looks at many fish, but doesn’t choose the angel fish.

The wholesaler catches the angel fish and puts it into a bag, then into another polystyrene container, but this time a smaller one. The wholesaler has received a telephone order from a marine shop two hundred miles distant. The container is closed, and once again the angel fish sits in darkness.

The container is put in a van belonging to a postal company. The journey is slow as traffic is bad, and the driver also stops for lunch.

On arrival, the container is removed. Half an hour later, it is opened. The bag with the angel fish, along with others, is taken out and left to float in the dealer’s tank. Not before time, as there is a leak, and the water, deteriorating in quality, was also getting low.

The dealer is pleased, as the angel fish feeds quite quickly. It also slowly swims round the tank with the other fish. Nowhere much to hide, and not much space to swim in.

It is Thursday and Jim, who has kept fish for a few years, comes into the shop. As usual he has a coffee with the dealer as they put the world to rights. Then off he goes to have a look at the delights in the display tanks.

Jim looks at the angel fish very closely. He has always fancied one of these beautiful creatures. He knows it will be suitable for his aquarium. Jim doesn’t hurry, however. He watches the fish swim, watches it breathe, examines the body and fins, also the eyes. The angel fish seems fine. After a little discussion with the dealer, the angel fish is caught, put in a bag, and is on its way to a new home.

At home Jim is very excited. He has a really stunning angel fish. He also knows that he must be careful. He turns off the lights, opens the bag, and runs a drip into the bag from his aquarium, after floating the bag in the aquarium for 15 minutes.. He allows the bag to fill three times, discarding half the water each time. The angel fish is then gently released from the bag into the aquarium. After going in a slow circle, and moving along the length of the aquarium twice, the fish goes into the rocks. Jim leaves the lights off. In bed, having read so much about the angel fish species when considering if he should purchase one, he reads the book once again.

In the morning, before the lights come on, the angel fish is out of the rocks slowly moving around the tank. The light come on in a ’dawn’ sequence, blue first, then halides. The angel fish retreated to the rocks, but was fine. The angel fish and its new companions have no problems. The angel fish feeds, too. Now Jim’s collection is complete.

Nine days later, Jim notices the angel is lethargic. Nothing can be seen to warn of problems. But is it breathing rather quickly? Can’t be sure. Nothing changes, but three days later, Jim notices the angel fish resting against a rock, breathing quickly. There is something wrong! But what. Jim studies the angel fish with care, and thinks the fish may have a dull body. What to do? Jim decides to bring the fish close to the front glass to examine, but as he puts the net in the angel fish disappears into the rocks. Jim doesn’t dismantle his carefully built reef. He never sees the angel fish again.

Distraught, Jim decides it was ‘one of those things.’

Five days later Jim notices that a fish has a‘sheen’ on its skin. Then he notices another. They are breathing rapidly. Then he notices another. Out comes the book. He decides the problem seems to be ’velvet’. Thank goodness it can be treated.

Then it becomes clear the treatment is copper sulphate. It cannot be used because of the corals in the tank.

Jim tries a ’reef safe’ cure, but loses six fish. Three survive.

If there had been a quarantine tank, the likely ending of that little tale could have been a happy one. The angel fish, kept in the quarantine tank, could have been treated with copper and cured. After a period to prove the health of the fish, it could have gone in the main display aquarium and had a long life. Nothing is copper-bottom guaranteed, but the chances are the happy ending would have occurred.”

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Tags: aquarium, aquarium-fish, marine-aquarium, marine-fish, reef-fish, reef-tank

Show Off!

I’ve had my soft coral reef now for quite a while. In October this year it will have its 6th birthday. Everything is fine, corals show good growth, there is some beautiful encrusting algae (I’ve just got a new bit which looks like multiple snowflakes stuck together - where did that come from?) and the fish are healthy and happy.

There used to be three fish but one, a flashback dottyback (Pseudochromis diadema) disappeared and I have no idea why. This occurred about 18 months ago. The remaining two are a blue damsel (Chrysiptera cyanea) and a flame angel (Centropyge loriculus). They both show wonderful colour.

The flame angel is the boss of the aquarium and always has been. Presumably the fish sees the aquarium as its territory. It acts perfectly normally until feeding time arrives. This isn’t any feeding time though; it’s the evening one, the time when the normal basic diet of marine flake is provided. Both fish eat well without dispute and always eat their fill. I have to be careful as I feel sure they would both eat to excess and then semi-digested food would pass into the aquarium - not wanted.

After feeding in the evening, the blue damsel goes to its favourite haunt which is mid-water at the right hand end of the aquarium. The flame angel however starts its antics. It doesn’t threaten the blue damsel but cruises up and down the front glass seemingly shouting ‘Look at me!’

With all fins stiffly extended it moves slowly along and it could hardly do anything else but move slowly. Making itself as big as possible it bobs a little upwards and then a little downward. Clearly it’s displaying and I have always assumed it would be to its own reflection in the glass. However, I moved to the end of the aquarium and the angel followed. I moved back and it didn’t. So I waited until it had got to the other end again and went to the opposite side - the angel followed. All of a sudden the fins went in and the fish became normal again, swimming much more efficiently around the aquarium. The damsel popped out, the angel gave a quick chase, and then all was peace and normality.

So what was that all about? As said the fish was clearly displaying but was it to me? My movements seemed to indicate it was, but maybe it was all coincidental. It does its display regularly after feeding in the evening but this is the first time it has reacted to my movements. I’ll have to try it again.

I remember a good number of years ago with a different aquarium there was a bit of fun at cleaning time, that is, when the magnetic scrubber went in to remove algae from the glass. At the time the aquarium contained a regal tang (which was a gorgeous blue and had been resident for a good while. When the magnetic cleaner appeared the fish would swim stiffly up to it and zigzag back and forth with fins erect. Obviously the magnetic cleaner didn’t take any notice! As the cleaner moved back and forth the fish would follow it, totally oblivious to the presence of my hand. The fish seemed to become more and more enraged and changed colour - the blue faded and it became much more of a pale blue/white. Clearly this was a territorial display and it only happened at cleaning time. The colour of the cleaner was blue so this strange square fish was an interloper into the territory, maybe seen as another tang of the same type.

The flame angel maybe sees the reflection in the glass and interprets it as an interloper. The movement outside (me) maybe connects with that and it follows.

If that is correct the fish is just boosting its street cred!

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Tags: coral-fish, marine-aquarium, marine-fish, reef-fish, reef-tank, SaltWaterAquarium

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