tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64848864150574332352024-02-06T22:18:10.773-05:00Fish Girl Writesabout fish and fishkeepingIzzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-9691393883656308512015-11-24T19:37:00.000-05:002015-11-24T19:50:19.697-05:00The Classroom Aquarium<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->Pets are a common fixture in many elementary classrooms all around the country. I still remember walking into my 2<sup>nd</sup> grade teacher’s room and brimming with joy that she had a fish tank. And I’m not alone in that delight. Many researchers have found that classroom pets have a positive impact on students. Pets increase students’ positive attitude towards school and can actually make them want to come to school (Anderson & Olsen). They have been found to improve the emotional well-being of students and contribute to humane education (Daly & Suggs). Contrary to popular belief, one study showed pets did not distract from the teacher (Kortschal & Ortbauer).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And of all the possible choices for classroom pets, fish are the most common (Rud & Beck). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshwater aquarium (Neale Monks)</td></tr>
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This is with good reason. Fish are relatively easy to care for. They don’t need to be fed daily, so they can easily be left over the weekend or a short break. During the summer, they can be taken home or just cared for on a weekly basis. There are also a wide variety of species that can be very easily acquired. It is also possible to keep fishes that are native to your location to give students a view of wildlife they don’t normally see. </div>
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Aquariums also have a well-established relaxing effect. Watching aquariums is known to reduce heart rate and blood pressure (Cracknell et al). And if I remember school correctly, tests certainly can generate some elevated heart rates! My mother is a middle school teacher and if there is one thing teachers need, it’s reduced stress levels. So in this way, the fish tank will help the teacher as much as the students. </div>
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Lessons with an Aquarium</h3>
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Aquariums can be very useful teaching tools. Students can examine how a fish tank attempts to reproduce a native habitat. How the light emulates the sun; how the filter gives the fish clean water like a stream; how the pump oxygenates the water like a waterfall. If native species are available students can observe their natural habitat and try to recreate it. Fish don’t have to be the only inhabitants in an aquarium. Plants can be added to further simulate a natural environment. Plants can also be used to introduce students to the idea of nutrient cycling. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trout Unlimited volunteer helping with tank maintenance on the class's Trout in the Classroom project. Trout in the Classroom is a program started by the nonprofit Trout Unlimited which seeks to preserve freshwater streams and rivers around the USA. Students raise fish from eggs and release them at the end of the year. (<a href="http://troutfest.org/?page_id=174">Julia Ross, Troutfest.org</a>)</td></tr>
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Water chemistry and pollution are other lesson that can be taught with fish tank. Many pet stores carry small freshwater testing kits simple enough for middle school students. They can measure, record, and graph the temperature, pH, and nitrate levels in their fish tank. These water quality readings can be compared to local a river or pond. Teachers can actually let the fish tank get dirty to show students what happens to fish in polluted environments. </div>
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The nitrogen cycle is very important to success with an aquarium, and although it isn’t the same nitrogen cycle that happens in the air, it can be used to introduce students to the concept. Fish tanks can also help illustrate the water cycle from cloud to ocean. Students can even measure how much water evaporates from the tank on a weekly basis. </div>
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Math and science are very tightly linked, so an aquarium can also help with math lessons! Students can calculate the volume and surface area of the fish tank and convert those measurements from metric to standard units. From the volume, you can have them calculate the weight of the aquarium (hint hint, water weights 8.34 lb/gallon). These fun examples bring math out of the textbook and into real world. </div>
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Help Setting up a Tank</h3>
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Right about now, you may be thinking, this sounds great but where do I start? Thankfully fish tanks aren’t difficult to set up and maintain, but they will require a bit of effort on your part initially. The first thing you will want to read and research is the freshwater nitrogen cycle. <a href="http://fishgirlwrites.blogspot.com/2015/10/freshwater-aquarium-nitrogen-cycle.html">This is the article I wrote on it</a>. Many many resources exist online to help you in starting a fish tank, and I encourage you to check out the other fish blogs I recommend for additional resources. My friend Mari at Aquariadise has some wonderful articles to help new fishkeepers such as <a href="http://aquariadise.com/aquarium-filter-101-types-of-filters/">types of filters</a> & <a href="http://aquariadise.com/choosing-an-aquarium-substrate/">choosinga substrate</a>. The National Science Teachers Association also has <a href="http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/animals.aspx">guidelines for keeping live animals in the classroom</a> which I highly recommend reading. </div>
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Suggestions to a New Fishkeeper</h3>
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If native fish are at all an option, I highly recommend them. In the eastern USA we have many stunningly beautiful fish right in our own backyard. You can read more about them in my article: <a href="http://fishgirlwrites.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-beauty-in-your-backyard.html">The Beauty in Your Backyard</a>. </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If native fish aren’t an option, then the next best suggestions I can make are small tetra like the glowlight (<span class="_xdb"></span><i><span class="_Xbe kno-fv">Hemigrammus erythrozonus</span></i>) and X-ray tetra (<i><span class="_Xbe kno-fv">Pristella maxillaris</span></i>). Small barbs like cherry barbs (<span class="_xdb"></span><i><span class="_Xbe kno-fv">Puntius titteya</span></i>) and gold barbs (<i><span class="_Xbe kno-fv">Barbodes semifasciolatus</span></i>) also make great classroom fish. Zebra danio/glo-fish (<i><span class="_Xbe kno-fv">Danio rerio</span></i>) are a staple and great, hardy fish. All of these species need to be in groups larger than 10 because they are shoaling species, meaning they survive best when in groups. They all need a tank larger than a 10 gallon, too. You can read more about these species in my article: <a href="http://fishgirlwrites.blogspot.com/2012/05/best-and-worst-beginner-fish.html">Best and Worst Beginner Fish</a>. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few of the glowlight tetra in my personal tank. They are rather hardy and don't mind me leaving them for a weekend. </td></tr>
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For tank size, I recommend starting with a 20 or 30 gallon tank. It seems counter-intuitive but small tanks are actually harder to keep. Larger volumes of water mean there is more of a buffer in case something goes wrong. Larger tanks also mean you’ll be able to keep more fish which are always delightful to students. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I highly recommend plants in an aquarium. They create a soothing natural environment and open new doors for educational opportunities in addition to helping keep it clean. To successfully grow plants you will need a plant-specific light. An aquarium kit should come with a hood and light, but that light isn’t going to be tailored to plants. You will need to get a 6500k full spectrum daylight bulb. Many pet stores also sell these, but hardware stores will have them if your pet store doesn’t. They only need to be replaced once a year to keep your plants growing green and beautiful. Some plant species that are a good, hardy beginner species are anubias, java fern, amazon sword, and duckweed. Pet stores often have these common plants for sale. </div>
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Help with Funding</h3>
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Aquariums (like all pets) require money, but fortunately for you, there is a nonprofit organization that gives grants for teachers interested in getting a classroom pet. <a href="http://www.petsintheclassroom.org/">Pets in the Classroom</a> allows teachers to submit proposals for grants to assist with setting up and maintaining classroom pets. Their website also contains lesson plan and habitat ideas for many species of pets. I highly encourage you to check it out. If regulations and demographics allow, you can ask for a small donation from your students to help fund your classroom pet experience. </div>
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<b>Works Referenced</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Anderson,
K.L. and M.R. Olson. 2006. The value of a dog in a classroom of children with
severe emotional disorders. Anthrozoös 19(1): 35-49.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Aquatic
WILD: K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide. 2013. Revised ed. Council for
Environmental Education, Houston. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Cracknell D.,
M. P. White, S. Pahl, et al. 2015. Marine Biota and Psychological Well-Being: A
Preliminary Examination of Dose-Response Effects in an Aquarium Setting.
Environment and Behavior. DOI: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013916515597512" target="_blank">10.1177/0013916515597512</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Daly, B. and
S. Suggs. 2010. Teachers’ experiences with humane education and animals in the
elementary classroom: implications for empathy development. Journal of Moral
Education 39(1): 101-112. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Kortschal,
K. and B. Ortbauer. 2003. Behavioral effects of the presence of a dog in a
classroom. Anthrozoös 16 (2): 147-159. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“<a href="http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/animals.aspx">Responsible Use of Live
Animals and Dissection in the Science Classroom</a>.” National Teachers Science
Association. www.nsta.org/. Updated: March 2008. Retrieved: 24 Nov 2015. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Rotman, E.
2008. <a href="https://www.dfg.ca.gov/caep/docs/2008-OC-CAEP-article.pdf">Hatching
Stewardship</a>. Outdoor California (March-April): 33-35. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Rud, A.G.
and A.M. Beck. 2003. Companion animals in Indiana elementary schools. Anthrozoos
16 (3):241-251. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Rutherford, B.
28 March 2015. Tanks <a href="http://www.reef2rainforest.com/2015/03/28/tanks-in-classrooms-setting-up-an-educational-aquarium/">in
Classrooms: Setting Up an Educational Aquarium</a>. Reef to Rainforest Media.
Retrieved: 24 Nov 2015. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“<a href="http://www.troutintheclassroom.org/about">Trout in the Classroom</a>.”
Trout Unlimited. www.troutintheclassroom.org/. Updated: Nov 2015. Accessed: 24
Nov 2015. </span></div>
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</style> <![endif]-->Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-26926816394350688462015-10-25T19:55:00.000-04:002015-10-25T19:55:23.527-04:00Marimo (Aegagropila linnaei) Care<h3>
Basics </h3>
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Marimo, sometimes called moss balls or marimo balls, are a popular aquatic pet. While not an animal, many people keep them as pets due to their cute nature and easy care. Marimo aren’t a plant either. They are made of a type of cladophora algae that is rolled into balls by wave action (or by hands in captivity).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This algae is very slow growing and will not spread to the rest of your aquarium. They grow approximately 5 mm (0.2 in) per year, so there is not threat of it taking over your tank. <br />
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Marimo can live for a very long time. They grow continuously and at the same rate. The largest marimo is 95 cm (37 inches) in diameter. Given their growth rate, it is over 200 years old. Most marimo in home aquaria only reach 20–30 cm (8–12 inches). You can find them sold anywhere from 5 mm (0.2 in) up to 10 cm (4 in). The larger the ball, the more expensive it will be.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant marimo on display at Lake Akan (bugfox.net)</td></tr>
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In the wild, marimo are only found in lakes in higher latitudes. Colonies are known to exist in lakes in Japan, Scotland, Iceland, and Estonia. Two lakes in which they occur—Lake Mývatn in Iceland and Lake Akan in Japan—are protected by law. The colonies in Lake Akan are known to grow the largest and most rotund marimo. They live between 2 and 2.5 m (6.5 and 8 feet) deep where gentle wave action turns them over, keeping their cute ball shape. </div>
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Marimo are not the only form of <i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Aegagropila linnaei.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> It will grow on the shaded side of rocks in an epilithic form or free-floating filamentous form that can form a carpet on the muddy lake floor. When small filaments of the algae get rolled into balls, they take the marimo form. </span>These balls do not have a hard center and are algae all the way through.</div>
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Minimum tank size</h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marimo necklace (SewOeno @ Etsy)</td></tr>
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As long as the marimo is covered in water, the tank size doesn’t matter. Nano marimo (5 mm or smaller) can actually be housed in containers small enough to hang around a necklace. As the marimo grows it will need a larger container. You don’t even have to keep them in traditional aquariums with filtration as long as you change the water periodically. Water movement is also not necessary. Decorative vases can be used as well as mason jars or anything that holds water. They can be kept in closed jars as long as you open the top every once in a while to let some fresh air in.<br />
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Temperature Range</h3>
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Coming from high latitudes, marimo prefer cooler temperatures. They can handle temperatures up to about 78F (25C). Above that their growth can be affected or they can fall apart. When the water temperature begins to get this high, consider moving your marimo’s home to a cooler part of the house and change the water more frequently. Even though they come from cool lakes, marimo cannot take freezing temperatures. Protect them from frost. </div>
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Water Quality</h3>
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Unlike fish whose waste products (carbon dioxide and ammonia) are harmful to their health, marimo’s waste product (oxygen) isn’t harmful. But they do need periodic water changes to replenish the minerals in the water taken from photosynthesis. It is also recommended to change the water more often in the summer to help keep the marimo cool. </div>
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When you change the water, you should remove the marimo and give it a gentle rinse in cool water. This will wash away any particles that may have attached to it. Roll it gently in your hands to help it maintain that cute ball shape. <br />
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Marimo are unfussy when it comes to water parameters. A pH between 6 and 8 will suit them just fine. They will grow and flourish in just about all levels of water hardness. Interestingly, they can also take brackish water (to learn more about brackish aquariums read this article). In Lake Akan in Japan the filamentous form grows abundantly where salty water from natural springs flows into the lake. Sometimes a pinch of salt will help marimo recover when they have brown spots. </div>
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Food</h3>
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Marimo are algae, and algae operates much the same way as plants. They get their food from the sun. The only thing you need to give your marimo is light. A simple desk lamp will do. Indirect sunlight like that from a north eastern window (in the northern hemisphere) is good. Avoid long hours of direct sunlight as marimo can get too much light. </div>
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Substrate</h3>
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Any type of substrate is fine for marimo. People keep them on everything from sand to bare-bottom tanks. However, some people have found sand can get tangled in the threads of algae. I had a similar experience with my marimo and sand, and now I use large gravel or bare-bottomed tanks. </div>
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Tank Mates</h3>
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Given the right-sized aquarium almost any fish makes a great companion for a marimo. Fish that eat algae like plecos, mollies, and hillstream loaches will not make good companions because their grazing on the marimo will likely outpace the marimo’s growth. The few fish that require temperatures regularly over 80F like discus will also be a poor choice for a marimo. </div>
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Goldfish</h4>
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These beautiful golden fishies are often seen with marimo but not always in proper homes. Despite what seems to be everywhere, goldfish do not belong in bowls. You can read more about why they don’t belong in bowls in <a href="http://fishgirlwrites.blogspot.com/2012/04/goldfish-carassius-auratus-auratus-care.html">my goldfish care article</a>. Even when placed in a large enough aquarium, goldfish aren’t the best companions for marimo as goldfish are known plant-muchers. They love soft plants and algae. Marimo are usually at the top of their list. Most goldfish will tear apart marimo. There is the odd case where a goldfish doesn’t eat a marimo, but why take the risk?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yQ6ItQN8ZOgs2fLaq_myimPHKdY-jIDsxfTllgwLaxHC5f-nrSjW-4KmD1Nq1NqmQFwjH_Thhr9l7DDUzoF9YjsQRDdaRpIW7280kTzr3yd7V-9HABi258nqWC83PqF7FxWpUgB65LLx/s1600/DSCN0206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yQ6ItQN8ZOgs2fLaq_myimPHKdY-jIDsxfTllgwLaxHC5f-nrSjW-4KmD1Nq1NqmQFwjH_Thhr9l7DDUzoF9YjsQRDdaRpIW7280kTzr3yd7V-9HABi258nqWC83PqF7FxWpUgB65LLx/s640/DSCN0206.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My marimo wrapped in twine to regain their shape after they lived in the goldfish tank. </td></tr>
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Betta fish</h4>
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Sometimes known as Siamese fighting fish, these little beauties are another common marimo companion. Like goldfish, they are often put in bowls but are not happiest there. You can read about why in <a href="http://fishgirlwrites.blogspot.com/2012/04/betta-fish-betta-splendens-care.html">my betta care article</a>. Betta are another iffy choice for marimo as their temperature ranges only overlap a bit. Some people claim it doesn’t matter for the marimo, but others think it does. It might depend on the marimo. Some can take the warmth and others can’t. If you do choose a betta to be your marimo companion, be sure to have a backup plan in case your marimo can’t take the heat. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Good fish choices</h4>
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Now that I’ve established some not so great fish choices, I’m going to give you a few species of common fish that have a better potential to work with marimo as they like the same cooler water and won’t munch on marimo. All of these fish need an aquarium larger than 10 gallons, and some will need a larger tank. For groups of fish fish look into zebra danio, neon tetra, glowlight danio, guppies, and white cloud mountain minnows. These fish are shoaling species which means they need to be around 6 or more of the same species. For a more solitary companion an axolotl is a good choice. They are actually a salamander not a fish, but they like the same low-light, cool conditions that marimo thrive in. You should research the needs of any fish you decide to keep with your marimo. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Shrimp</h4>
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While shrimp eat algae, marimo are not on their dinner menu. Red cherry shrimp and ghost shrimp are two of my favorite shrimp commonly available. As their name implies red cherry shrimp are more vibrant than ghost shrimp. But red cherry shrimp will breed and may overpopulate a small tank. Ghost shrimp are much less likely to breed. They also grow larger than red cherry shrimp. Both shrimp love to graze on the bits and pieces that get trapped on a marimo and make great marimo companions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStZ7OSjkuJfXeXNFNWe7YAHgi8H3VP4PO8XoG9ml2tnF0mLr1Dsfp9oNoV-2GZevtUMAdy4K3Z3bvAAsnV2Qkkf6y-atr4FoQt_exIui6Yl2HFHsVDLre2JkCDvQZN4zA0-mNfJ26WpP6/s1600/marimo+and+shrimp+RW+Sinclair+flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStZ7OSjkuJfXeXNFNWe7YAHgi8H3VP4PO8XoG9ml2tnF0mLr1Dsfp9oNoV-2GZevtUMAdy4K3Z3bvAAsnV2Qkkf6y-atr4FoQt_exIui6Yl2HFHsVDLre2JkCDvQZN4zA0-mNfJ26WpP6/s640/marimo+and+shrimp+RW+Sinclair+flickr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red cherry shrimp cleaning a marimo (RW Sinclair on Flickr)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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Snails</h4>
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Another good choice for marimo are snails. These invertebrates eat algae but again marimo are not on their menu. Small snails like pond snails, ramshorn snails, and Malaysian trumpet snails do well in small tanks with marimo. Large snails like apple snails, mystery snails, and rabbit snails will need an aquarium larger than 5 gallons as well as supplemental food. Unlike the small snails, large snails can’t survive on the bits and pieces of debris around the aquarium. </div>
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Interesting Facts</h3>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdrkzmNvPP1cUxuhKR9C71KWIy5J44nVG4nVKUWuzO9Sge7N8HO7pYt1KFhbV01aC1mMDRDy3eUsDBY3neYJpMRz0XkgWwus4QrwNF-2dWohc3H8Yz9fTGN-6IBsFbhH83HsrFbki8qLn/s1600/marimo+festical+lake+akan+com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdrkzmNvPP1cUxuhKR9C71KWIy5J44nVG4nVKUWuzO9Sge7N8HO7pYt1KFhbV01aC1mMDRDy3eUsDBY3neYJpMRz0XkgWwus4QrwNF-2dWohc3H8Yz9fTGN-6IBsFbhH83HsrFbki8qLn/s320/marimo+festical+lake+akan+com.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ceremonial returning of marimo to Lake Akan<br />
(lake-akan.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Marimo are of great cultural importance in Japan where they have been declared a national treasure. Their name comes from the Japanese language and means “bouncy water plant.” When they were declared a natural treasure in 1921, people came from all over to collect and sell them as souvenirs. As a result the population in Lake Akan declined. It was dealt a further blow when a hydroelectric power plant was built along the Akan River which flows from the lake. The level of the lake dropped and hundreds of marimo were left stranded and dying in the exposed shoreline. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The local people recognized the treasured marimo was in trouble and launched a massive effort to protect them. An appeal went out to the people of Japan to return their marimo to the lake, and they responded in droves. The locals were so overjoyed by the effort of the people of Japan that they held a festival to celebrate the generosity of the people. The three-day annual marimo festival continues to today in Hokkaido. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the popular items in and around Hokkaido is an anthropomorphic version of marimo called Marimokkori. San-X also created Marimoko, a smiling plushie marimo.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Around Lake Akan there is a famous legend about the origin of marimo. It says the daughter of a chief of a powerful tribe living on the banks of a lake fell in love with a commoner, but her parents objected to the relationship. To be together, the couple gave up all of their possessions, ran away together, became marimo, and lived happily ever after. For this reason, marimo symbolize love in Japan and are often given as gifts to loved ones. It is believed that if you take good care of a marimo, it will bring you happiness and good luck. </div>
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<br /></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Works referenced</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
"<a href="http://web-japan.org/atlas/nature/nat15.html">Marimo and Lake Akan</a>." Japan Atlas. Updated: 20 Febuary 2013. Accessed: 25 October 2015.<br />
<br />
"<a href="http://aquariadise.com/marimo-balls-care-info/">Marimo Balls</a>." Aquariadise. Updated: 13 May 2013. Accessed: 25 October 2015. <br />
<br />
"<a href="http://www.buymarimo.com/marimo-care/">Marimo Care</a>." Buy Marimo. Updated: 2014. Accessed: 25 October 2015. <br />
<br />
"<a href="http://marimo-sanctuary.tumblr.com/whatisamarimo">What is a Marimo</a>." Marimo Sanctuary. Updated: 20 October 2015. Accessed: 25 October 2015.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
**Disclaimer** Since there is little to no scientific research about fishkeeping published, much of the hobby today is opinion, but they are opinions given by keepers and breeders who have been doing this longer than some of us h<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>ave been alive. Temperature ranges and adult sizes are not opinion. They have been scientifically documented.</div>
Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-89147591976884509602015-10-18T23:09:00.000-04:002015-11-01T20:10:37.310-05:00Freshwater Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->Welcome to the most important article I or anyone can ever
write about fishkeeping: the aquarium nitrogen cycle. Contrary to what you may
hear at a pet store, it is not just filling your aquarium and running the
filter for a week.<br />
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<br /></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
What Is It?</h3>
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<br /></div>
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The nitrogen cycle is how we maintain a healthy environment,
and it surprisingly relies completely on bacteria. These microorganisms change
the toxic waste of our fish into a relatively harmless substance, thereby
allowing us to keep fish in contained areas. In the wild, the fish waste is
diluted by the humongous volumes of water. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The cycle begins with fish. They produce ammonia as a
byproduct of their metabolism. The problem is ammonia is toxic to them (and us
for that matter). Luckily a genus of bacteria called Nitrosomonas exists. These
bacteria take ammonia and convert it into nitrite to generate energy for themselves
(much like plants use photosynthesis to generate energy from the sun). However,
nitrite is still toxic to fish. That’s where second genera of bacteria called
Nitrobacter and Nitrospira come in. They convert the toxic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nitrite</i>
into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nitrate</i> which takes much higher
levels to reach toxicity. However, nitrate is still toxic to fish and will need
to be removed from the aquarium by its caretaker. This is one reason we perform
periodic water changes on our aquaria.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Aquarium_Nitrogen_Cycle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="405" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Aquarium_Nitrogen_Cycle.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aquarium nitrogen cycle schematic. (public domain)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas also have requirements just
like our fish. They live on surfaces in your aquarium although a small amount
can be found floating in the water. They operate best between the pH’s of 6.0
and 9.0 and need water above 50F. They also require highly oxygenated water, so
they are most commonly found in the filter. For this reason, it is important to
never wash your filter media in chlorinated water. </div>
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<br /></div>
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When plants are added to an aquarium, they use up nitrogen
in all three of the forms (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate). If enough
fast-growing plants are present, there may be very little ammonia that makes it
to the filter. However, even with a planted aquarium, I recommend having some
type of filter where these important bacteria can grow. Plants can be finicky
and stop growing for odd reasons, and when that happens an ammonia spike can be
deadly to fish and invertebrates. Having plants does not negate the necessity
of the nitrogen cycle in your freshwater aquarium.<br />
<br />
<h3>
How to Establish a Cycle</h3>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Cycling an aquarium takes weeks to a month because the
colonies of bacteria replicate slowly. Nitrosomonas need a source of ammonia to
produce nitrite before Nitrobacter can begin to grow. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way to know when it is complete and
what stage you are in is to test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. First you
will see an ammonia spike, followed by a nitrite spike, and then nitrates. You
should test your water daily and record your results to chart your progress. A
few different methods of getting ammonia into your aquarium and starting the
cycle are detailed below.<br />
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qQZlIU_WMXfj92pj6TuiesMnr40ao35WCSfU6o9UXbFS-j2LWliOQ8DM-n-pY9FXKqDnDhXI9RTkpiSwiyGpFHLPkS87DkiO0MhwTjYsuZgLzotjwizABDVr7yKXj98nEOkJrbsxh87p/s1600/aquarium+wiki+cycling.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qQZlIU_WMXfj92pj6TuiesMnr40ao35WCSfU6o9UXbFS-j2LWliOQ8DM-n-pY9FXKqDnDhXI9RTkpiSwiyGpFHLPkS87DkiO0MhwTjYsuZgLzotjwizABDVr7yKXj98nEOkJrbsxh87p/s1600/aquarium+wiki+cycling.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chart of expected ammonia and nitrite spikes while recycling a tank. (theaquariumwiki.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<h4 class="MsoNormal">
Live Fish</h4>
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This is the most common and oldest method. Simply throw the
fish in and hope for the best. The bacterial colonies will build up over time,
but while you are waiting your fish will be subject to ammonia poisoning and
nitrite poisoning in the weeks it takes the Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter
colonies to establish themselves. This is how many ignorant aquarists
(including myself) originally establish a cycle, however it is not the most
humane. Other alternatives should be explored first. </div>
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<br /></div>
<h4 class="MsoNormal">
Fish Food</h4>
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In addition to living
fish producing ammonia, decaying food will also produce ammonia and can be used
to start a cycle. You can use fish food or raw seafood. However, this method
isn’t without risks as rotting food will attract other bacteria and fungi. If
you are using this method, you need to do a large (70% or more) water change
before you add fish and invertebrates. </div>
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<br /></div>
<h4 class="MsoNormal">
Pure Ammonia</h4>
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You can find this sold as a cleaning agent in many stores.
Just make sure you check the label because the ones with surfactants will not
work. Add the ammonia to your tank water until you get a concentration of 3ppm
(any higher and it will inhibit the Nitrosomonas). When the ammonia
concentrations drops to zero and you see nitrites, add more again. Keep doing
this until adding ammonia produces nitrates. You will have to keep dosing the
tank until you add fish to sustain the colonies. Before you add fish, do a
water change to reduce the nitrate levels to below 40ppm. </div>
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<br /></div>
<h4 class="MsoNormal">
Seeded Filter</h4>
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If you have a friend or store you trust, you can ask for
some of their filter media to add to your filter. Because these bacterial
colonies are most commonly found attached to filter media, you will instantly
establish a cycle. You can add fish the day you add in the media. If you have
multiple tanks you can borrow media from one tank to cycle another. Since I
cycled my first aquarium, I have used this method exclusively to cycle my
tanks. </div>
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<br /></div>
<h4 class="MsoNormal">
Bacteria in a Bottle</h4>
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Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter can be bought from pet stores and online.
A few select products are believed to work quite well. Dr. Tim’s One and Only
and Tetra Safestart are two that are claimed to work wonderfully. By adding
these products you can cycle your tank instantly and add fish that day. You can
also use these products in conjunction with any other method to increase your
chance of success. I have not personally used these products at the time of
writing, however I have heard amazing reviews from others. I do have plans to
try these products myself one day. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Cycling an aquarium is the single most important thing you
can do for the health of your fish. It is time and effort, but it is worth
every minute for the headaches it will save you. The best medicine is clean
water, and that is just what a cycle gives you.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Works Referenced</h3>
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<![endif]-->“<a href="http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=2303">Ammonia & the Nitrogen Cycle: Important Steps for YourAquarium</a>.” Drs Foster and Smith. www.drsfostersmith.com. Updated: 18 October
2015. Retrieved: 18 October 2015.<br />
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<br /></div>
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“<a href="http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm">Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle</a>.” Fishlore. www.fishlore.com.
Updated: 30 September 2015. Retrieved: 18 October 2015. </div>
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DeLong, D.P. and T.M. Losordo. 2012. "How to Start a Biofilter." <a href="https://srac.tamu.edu/">Southern Regional Aquaculture Center</a>. Retrieved: 18 October 2015. <br />
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“<a href="http://www.algone.com/fishless-aquarium-cycling">Fishless Cycling</a>.” Algone. www.algone.com. Updated: 15
March 2012. Retrieved: 18 October 2015. </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>“<a href="http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/fishless-cycling">’Fishless’ Cycling</a>.”
The Skeptical Aquarist. www.skepticalaquarist.com. Updated: 21 March 2011.
Retrieved: 18 October 2015. </div>
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Helm, Ben. 2014. “<a href="http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-health/healthy-aquariums/controlling-ammonia.aspx">Controlling Ammonia in a Fish Aquarium.</a>” www.fishchannel.com.
Retrieved: 18 October 2015.<br />
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Losordo, T.M., M.P. Masser, and J. Rakocy. 1998. "Recirculating Aquaculture Tank Production Systems: an overview of critical considerations." <a href="https://srac.tamu.edu/">Southern Regional Aquaculture Center.</a> Retrieved: 18 October 2015. </div>
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Monks, Neale. 2011. “<a href="http://www.fishchannel.com/fishkidz/beginner-fish/fishless-cycling.aspx">FishlessAquarium Cycling Method</a>.” www.fishchannel.com. Retrieved18 October 2015. </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>“<a href="http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/nitrifying-bacteria-mixtures-work-provided">Nitrifying BacteriaMixtures Work</a>.” Dr. Tim’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aquatics. www.drtimsaquatics.com.
Updated: 8 September 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015. </div>
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<![endif]-->Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-9793111342957239382015-10-11T18:56:00.001-04:002015-10-11T18:56:56.296-04:00My tanks: 11 Oct 215<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'M BACK! Since it's been over a year, lots of changes have happened with my tanks. Fish have come and gone. I'll try to remember to say what happened to all of my projects, but if I don't mention one feel free to remind me! <br />
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The biggest change that happened is I moved to Georgia for graduate school. This means I had to leave my pond back in Virginia. It is in good hands, tho. My mother still resides in the house and has been taking care of it and keeping me updated. I periodically return especially around the holidays, so photo updates will still come in for the pond.<br />
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Even before I moved to Georgia, all of my betta fish died, and I did not replace them with more. Betta are beautiful, but they are so fragile. Fall of 2013 the two betta in my divided tank died after contracting what I believe was lymphocystis from the pet store. They were both plakats and very beautiful, but I think if I return to betta fish it will be the wild <i>Betta spp</i>. I do plan to keep up my betta care sheet and quick reference page as betta are very popular fish in the hobby. <br />
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While my betta did not make the trip with me to Georgia, my goldfish did. However, due to the stresses of grad school, I was unable to give them the care they needed. One succumbed to bad water quality before I realized what had happened. I gave away the other. Unfortunately<a href="http://fishgirlwrites.blogspot.com/2013/06/my-tanks-special-update.html"> Mr. Waddles, my rescue</a>, died before I moved, most likely due to issues with his tank before he arrived at my house. I don't see myself returning to goldfish keeping any time soon, but I will continue to update my goldfish care sheet because they are such an misunderstood fish. The more misinformation I can correct, the better. <br />
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Last but not least (I do still have ONE tank) is the 29 gallon community. I still have my adorable loaches. They happily made the trip with me to Georgia. A few cardinal tetra did, too. An accident with dechlorinator was their end. Let this be a lesson to everyone: always add dechlor before you add water back into the tank.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZHCuaLFZJQuL_5Z1cVWXWFWrngyciDpfIsKeVbZqu7z0rCl9JeOsUsjos4Fu9On0TLu6vZjBBK98ncG8y2Kvv3hapfgDCO2UcLoek3_te7b5blfmrJ_4dSeGYz2-9ox68jGmEv8pXAcj/s1600/DSC_0169-blogspot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZHCuaLFZJQuL_5Z1cVWXWFWrngyciDpfIsKeVbZqu7z0rCl9JeOsUsjos4Fu9On0TLu6vZjBBK98ncG8y2Kvv3hapfgDCO2UcLoek3_te7b5blfmrJ_4dSeGYz2-9ox68jGmEv8pXAcj/s640/DSC_0169-blogspot.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current state of the 29 gallon. Plants are mostly low-light. Filter is a Finnex P-360</td></tr>
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However, you may notice there are still little tetra swimming around in the 29 gallon. Recently I got a different species of tetra to fill the upper spaces of the tank. I opted for glowlight tetra (<i>Hemigrammus erythrozonus</i>) due to their hardy nature. They are commonly recommended for beginners due to their forgiving nature, and I've always thought they were pretty. So I wanted to try them out. I received 10 of them and have already been smitten by them. They are surprisingly easier to photograph than my cardinals were. It probably also helps that I got a new camera, too. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo70OkqjtyY1NhiAf0JNK9LqVr22W3e7QbW6SkP_i11xNz7EJ6eyCrT-AAonLc9YUnicKYW2HQvVHIeR3PW4YlpkYJllJjrHifiC8vT_uCwVJWk85MSWfymsQob2n57DghEHC_L01Sqzm1/s1600/DSC_0181-blogspot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo70OkqjtyY1NhiAf0JNK9LqVr22W3e7QbW6SkP_i11xNz7EJ6eyCrT-AAonLc9YUnicKYW2HQvVHIeR3PW4YlpkYJllJjrHifiC8vT_uCwVJWk85MSWfymsQob2n57DghEHC_L01Sqzm1/s640/DSC_0181-blogspot.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glowlight tetra (<i>Hemigrammus erythrozonus</i>)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSElP7KsYLjOdF6UnS74R2GKkxw4qsFgnLhL1jM4gQn3x4fKoASQSpIg5equGhAncT_vvYBaMxtGdWGfw81okk7sHfgNbV-NN8rdlZNoHHxGyDK1g0uHXGa_fYfATPO9ruvrRDLZB8_NQH/s1600/DSC_0243-blogspot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSElP7KsYLjOdF6UnS74R2GKkxw4qsFgnLhL1jM4gQn3x4fKoASQSpIg5equGhAncT_vvYBaMxtGdWGfw81okk7sHfgNbV-NN8rdlZNoHHxGyDK1g0uHXGa_fYfATPO9ruvrRDLZB8_NQH/s640/DSC_0243-blogspot.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a shot of my loaches because I love them too much not to include them! ^-^</td></tr>
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So those are all the changes that have occurred since my unplanned hiatus. I do not expect to be setting up any more tanks until I finish grad school, have a career, and a house. So future updates will be few and far between. Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-90599152308860459722015-10-05T23:02:00.002-04:002015-10-21T16:38:07.880-04:00Back again!Hello everyone!<br />
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Thank you for holding on this long, but my unexpected hiatus is over. I'll be doing some updates on the blog in the coming weeks to prepare for a new theme (sort of). Links need to be updated and whatnot. I also need to update you all on my fish tanks! LOTS of changes happened there. I've also started grad school working towards an environmental education degree, so some of that may slip in with regards to fish.<br />
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so YAY I'm back :D<br />
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EDIT: I've also changed the url to fishgirlwrites! My old url will still be there to prevent any broken links!Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-74215603099687758002013-06-08T22:45:00.001-04:002015-10-16T22:19:31.488-04:00Koi (Cyprinus carpio carpio) Care<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
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Basics </h3>
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Koi (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cyprinus carpio carpio</i>) are a common sight in ornamental ponds around the world. They represent good fortune and luck in many cultures and are sometimes referred to as living jewels. Koi are the domesticated form of wild Asian carps. The processed was begun in the 1800’s when fish that showed more gold coloring than others were pulled from fisherman’s net and put into ornamental ponds. By the 20<sup>th</sup> century many of the recognizable color patterns were firmly established. </div>
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Koi come in combinations of yellow, orange, red, black and white. One of the most common color patterns is a simple white and red koi. This is called kohaku. A kohaku koi with a single red patch on its head is called a tancho and is highly prized because they resemble the Japanese flag as well as the sacred tancho crane. Some tancho koi sell for over a thousand dollars. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnOhjJWzd1w6HNmy5RiZX0Un5vIbXC0whTGvBaYaLXG14fTHl_mTjuIfPYuyIGGm1gl7e-Em5VYPHq_bjroEMzri1rsP1h6GICuCZXwn45pi3OXOeBbPoEIRD2QsL9NMTiik8K5iUh2Ih/s1600/tancho+koi+-+KoiQuestion+on+Flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnOhjJWzd1w6HNmy5RiZX0Un5vIbXC0whTGvBaYaLXG14fTHl_mTjuIfPYuyIGGm1gl7e-Em5VYPHq_bjroEMzri1rsP1h6GICuCZXwn45pi3OXOeBbPoEIRD2QsL9NMTiik8K5iUh2Ih/s1600/tancho+koi+-+KoiQuestion+on+Flickr.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tancho koi (KoiQuestion @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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Minimum tank size</h3>
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As beautiful as they are, koi are not for the everyday hobbyist. They are large fish that require large tanks or ponds. The average size of a properly cared for adult koi is over a foot (30 cm) long. When given enough room and good food, champion koi will reach almost three feet (91 cm) long. Like goldfish, they are also copious producers of ammonia. A fish of this size and dirtiness cannot be housed in a normal sized tank. I don’t recommend anything smaller than 500 gallons (1,892 L) for a single koi. I know other people would choose to keep them in smaller tanks, but I feel it would not give the fish enough room to reach its full potential. </div>
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There are a few different ways to stock a pond. Some koi hobbyists have heavily stocked ponds with professional-grade filtration systems and do large weekly water changes. Some, like myself, chose a more relaxed approach. I only have one fish per 550 gal (2,082 L) of water. This lower stocking level means I don’t have to spend as much on equipment and maintenance. As with a lot of fish, there are a few right ways to stock a pond and most of it depends on how much money and time you want to put into it. But there is one certainty with koi: they need large ponds. </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Temperature range</h3>
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Koi are a hardy pond fish with a wide temperature range. They can survive in water that is almost below freezing or up to tropical temperatures. The important thing is that they experience these transitions gradually. In a large enough pond there is little worry of temperatures changing drastically overnight; this is another reason to keep koi in large volumes of water. The generally accepted range of temperature tolerance for koi is 35F (2C) to 85F (30C). I highly recommend putting a thermometer into the pond because air temperature and water temperatures can differ greatly. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcyEm6cVyyAwKv1n_mOXGnH0Q7NcQOEEiApg2FNo5vWLD9IYLjzpVyRMx3H9_DnyO9JSXjpJRRhtfawAVqXf0h2gr0CzYaOnmHn8i4ssoWRAnrUmnhfFpS0b4zZ8VY9wL3eLRKNVPgF3U/s1600/snowy+waterfall+from+aquascapesinc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcyEm6cVyyAwKv1n_mOXGnH0Q7NcQOEEiApg2FNo5vWLD9IYLjzpVyRMx3H9_DnyO9JSXjpJRRhtfawAVqXf0h2gr0CzYaOnmHn8i4ssoWRAnrUmnhfFpS0b4zZ8VY9wL3eLRKNVPgF3U/s1600/snowy+waterfall+from+aquascapesinc.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keeping the water moving helps prevent freezing over (Aquascape Inc)</td></tr>
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The depth of a pond plays a large role in temperature control. The deeper the pond is, the cooler it will be in the summer and the warmer it will be in the winter. This may seem counter-intuitive, but the ground acts as insulator against both the cold and the warm. It is this same principle of insulation that keeps caverns the same temperature year-round. The farther north you live, the deeper you will need to dig your pond in order to prevent it from freezing solid in the winter. In the southern US you may only need to go down 2.5 feet (76 cm), but in Ontario, Canada you may have to dig down 5 feet (1.5 m) deep. </div>
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Water quality</h3>
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Just because koi are hardy doesn’t mean that water quality isn’t important. If you want to grow large and beautiful koi, clean water is a must. Just like with tanks, koi need filters and water changes. The filters on ponds are large and scaled to the pond, but just like tanks they will need some kind of regular maintenance, whether it is professionally done or your own labor. I clean the debris out of my filter about three times a year: once when I take the leaf net off in the spring; once in the summer; and once in the fall before I put the leaf net on the pond for the winter. </div>
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Because ponds are located outside we get assistance from Mother Nature with water changes. Unless you live in a desert climate, water changes are taken care of for you. When it rains, the fresh water enters the pond and causes it to overflow (most ponds have directed overflow drainage that also protects the fish from getting swept out). When the pond overflows, the older dirty water flows out and is replaced with the incoming fresh water. These pond overflows can also provide a nice area to plant a bog garden. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bog garden with pitcher plants adjascent to koi pond (mmwm @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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<h3 class="MsoNoSpacing">
Food</h3>
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Koi, like goldfish, are omnivorous fish. Because they are subject to large temperature changes throughout the year, their diet has to change with the seasons. Fish are cold-blooded which means their ability to digest food is dependent on the outside temperature. In cool weather they cannot handle protein-rich foods; if fed too much it can rot in their digestive tract and kill them. For this reason there are two general types of koi food sold: warm water food and cool water food. </div>
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At temperatures above 65F (18C) koi should be fed a staple food, sometimes called summer feed. This is food with a higher protein content, usually above 35%. Koi metabolisms work fast enough at these temperatures to digest proteins. This is when most growth occurs. As the temperature increase, you increase both the volume of food and the frequencies of feeding. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMWSiCJH1oX9eBnKdATFXWWNkzCzWLh0fUHwwTaRWgAMTFV_SjsdlT4SpMNMfnJZCSKLUw0IvucgqlXiSiznWIdv0Qn4YHaY2p9cVYCYiBl6W9AJmNQr07FoAoAlqbsOVdHPFwYPo1fEO/s1600/koi+eating+-+kristen+shoemaker+on+flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMWSiCJH1oX9eBnKdATFXWWNkzCzWLh0fUHwwTaRWgAMTFV_SjsdlT4SpMNMfnJZCSKLUw0IvucgqlXiSiznWIdv0Qn4YHaY2p9cVYCYiBl6W9AJmNQr07FoAoAlqbsOVdHPFwYPo1fEO/s640/koi+eating+-+kristen+shoemaker+on+flickr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koi eating floating pellets (Kristen Shoemaker @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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Below 65F (18C) koi should be fed a wheat germ-based food. Below 65F (18C) the koi metabolism slows and cannot handle high proteins, but until the water reaches 50F (10C) koi still need to be fed. This high-carb food is easy to digest and helps them gather enough energy for winter hibernation. As the temperature decreases you lower the amount and frequency of feedings until you are only feeding once every couple of days. Below 50F (10C) your koi should not be fed. They are in hibernation. If the temperature warms slightly in the winter, they will graze on algae and detritus in the pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I have included below the temperature feeding schedule I use for my koi. There is some debate about the exact temperatures among koi hobbyists but this is what has worked for me. <br />
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<tr style="height: 23.35pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="border-right: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 23.35pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 15.22%;" width="15%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">TEMP (°F)</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">FEEDING REGIMINE</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Above 86</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Feed cautiously as adult koi metabolism can shut down in temperatures approaching 90F</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">70 – 86</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Every day. As much as they can eat in about 10 minutes. Feed 3 – 4 times a day. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">69 – 65 </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Every day, twice a day with a staple food.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">64 – 61 </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Every day, once a day (mix of wheat germ and staple). Midday feedings are best.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">60 – 55</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Every 3 to 4 days (Wheat germ base)</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">54 – 50</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Feed once a week with presoaked if koi are moving around (Wheat germ base)</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Below 50 </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do not feed!</span></b></div>
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Substrate</h3>
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This is more of personal preference than koi preference. Koi thrive in bare-bottomed ponds, gravel-bottomed ponds, and mud-bottomed ponds. Bare-bottom ponds are easier to keep clean. Most serious koi hobbyists use these types of ponds because it enables them to keep the water crystal clear to grow massive koi. Some Japanese water gardens use mud bottom ponds because that is traditionally how koi were kept. Koi breeders who breed the traditional way use mud bottom ponds as spawning sites. The downside to mud-bottom ponds is that koi like to root around in the substrate, and the stirred-up mud obscures your view of these gorgeous fish. I prefer a light layer of large gravel over the pond liner as it produces a natural look without the cloudiness of mud. </div>
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Tank mates</h3>
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Koi, like most carps and minnows, are social fish. They prefer the company of their own kind but also do well with goldfish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Carassius auratus auratus</i>), golden tench (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tinca tinca</i>), channel catfish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ictalurus punctatus</i>), and golden orfe (<i>Leuciscus idus</i>). Sturgeon (Acipenseridae) do not make good pond-mates for koi because they are shy and require a carnivore-based diet. Koi should not be housed with fish that will fit in their mouth because they can and will eat the smaller fish. While guppies (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Poecilia reticulata</i>) would look pretty in with your koi, they will likely become snacks. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypDms6gFJR4D4i83ylfBUqrkaTQTp1JTAkIriAy8vEp0E8-lqs85E9Je7Fo4_Z6xfdZ-fgjOIAKfMaX7gaYLKQPPZfRo7hh3XUxuf38QMFzEtZHC7XSnelKpLKE07kI6JjCeiL2Cpa6xO/s1600/golden+orfe+-+pnt103+on+flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypDms6gFJR4D4i83ylfBUqrkaTQTp1JTAkIriAy8vEp0E8-lqs85E9Je7Fo4_Z6xfdZ-fgjOIAKfMaX7gaYLKQPPZfRo7hh3XUxuf38QMFzEtZHC7XSnelKpLKE07kI6JjCeiL2Cpa6xO/s640/golden+orfe+-+pnt103+on+flickr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile blue and golden orfe (Pete Turnbull @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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Plants</h3>
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Koi, like goldfish, are notorious for eating plants in ponds. Most people don’t keep floating or submerged plants in koi ponds for this reason. However, marginal plants, bog filters, and waterfall filters are very popular. Not only do they add an aesthetic beauty but they also help keep the water clean. </div>
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Marginal plants are placed on the edge of the pond so that just the roots are in the water. There are two types of marginal plants: hardy and tropical. Hardy marginals can survive through the winter in most places but tropical marginals cannot (unless you live in a semi-tropical climate). Most of these plants need a decent amount of sun, so in my mostly shaded pond I can only grow a few marginals. I maintain a number of yellow flag iris (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Iris pseudacorus</i>). Tall marginals like cattails (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Typha spp</i>) and arrowheads (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sagittaria spp</i>) should be placed on the far side of the pond so as not to obstruct your view. Low-growing marginals like marsh marigolds (<i>Caltha palustris</i>) should be planted on the side of the pond where you will be viewing the pond most times. </div>
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Marginal plants can also be put into a bog filter. This is a separate area of the pond that the koi cannot reach. It will only have about 6 inches of water which enables the roots to stay wet. This water comes from the koi pond filled with nutrients for the plants. The plants remove the nutrients generated by the fish and the cleaned water is returned to the pond. Some people who have koi that even eat the roots find this a wonderful way to introduce plants into the system without having to worry about them becoming a koi snack. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJCUe5u0eHuMgc9NaNrxsObRVTjxz9nM5Jav7rz9giVZYpa9Yk8yygJujVlIY7ht3Z6sWgerb8O5hFB0zSA0Cu07InurOpdsdt360EWb512q2n-5HK_AdCpz-TsJQRB9X7uJ87JpiEZ43/s1600/Waterfall+as+filter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJCUe5u0eHuMgc9NaNrxsObRVTjxz9nM5Jav7rz9giVZYpa9Yk8yygJujVlIY7ht3Z6sWgerb8O5hFB0zSA0Cu07InurOpdsdt360EWb512q2n-5HK_AdCpz-TsJQRB9X7uJ87JpiEZ43/s640/Waterfall+as+filter.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water hyacinth in waterfall return (source unknown)</td></tr>
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Another way koi-keepers can sneak plants into a koi pond is with a waterfall filter. The water return at the top of the waterfall of a koi pond is often an open-top barrel. Some people (including myself) use this space to grow plants. You can use floating plants like water hyacinth or marginal plants, and I’ve even seen people grow veggies hydroponically there. </div>
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Interesting facts</h3>
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Koi are renowned for their longevity. The average lifespan of a properly cared for koi is between 20 and 35 years, but there have been some special cases that long surpassed that average. In a small, creek-fed pond in Gifu, Japan there were six fish that far surpassed that average. Hanako, a scarlet koi, was the oldest of the lot. She was hatched in 1751. To put that in historical perspective she hatched 25 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed. This was verified by Prof. Masayoshi Hiro, D.Sc., Laboratory of Domestic Science, Nagoya Women's College. She removed a scale from Hanako’s body and counted the growth rings under a microscope, much as you would count the growth rings of a tree. In 1966 when the interview with Hanako’s owner was aired on radio, the other koi in the pond were 170, 155, 151, and 141. Unfortunately Hanako is no longer alive today. She died July 17, 1977 and was 226 when she died. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8nDgdT_UAMStm-9iRlfXs9BaNigUD0qNqz4iw9DARSrMS8sY0L-DqcuELl0PuUIqPkkdurUtdpZahM0Eutudezc9A410JKG_Ybw0IbYKjjHVAU1KnL1TLsAKQhmeM8oxzkXxWG4xpOnJ/s1600/hanako+-+northernkoi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8nDgdT_UAMStm-9iRlfXs9BaNigUD0qNqz4iw9DARSrMS8sY0L-DqcuELl0PuUIqPkkdurUtdpZahM0Eutudezc9A410JKG_Ybw0IbYKjjHVAU1KnL1TLsAKQhmeM8oxzkXxWG4xpOnJ/s1600/hanako+-+northernkoi.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanako and her keeper (Northernkoi.org)</td></tr>
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All over the world, koi symbolize luck and fortune, but most people don’t know the reason why. An old Chinese legends hold that long ago the supreme god of the heavens called the Yellow Emperor became displease with the humans for their evil ways. He ordered the rain god to flood the earth to destroy the humans. Kun, the Yellow Emperor’s grandson was distraught by the destruction and pleaded with his grandfather to spare the humans. The Yellow Emperor did not relent, so Kun stole some “magic mud” from his grandfather’s treasure. Kun sprinkled this mud and as it hit the water turned into land where the humans could take refuge. Furious at his grandson, the Yellow Emperor sent the fire god to kill Kun who tried to disguise himself as a white horse, but the fire god saw through it and struck Kun down. </div>
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After many years of continued flooding a golden dragon named Yu emerged from the white horse that was once Kun. He flew to the heavens to plead with his great-grandfather to stop the flood. This time his perseverance paid off, and the Yellow Emperor told Yu to take the magic mud and make land again. Yu easily carved a river through the soft mud, but when he came to rocky cliffs he had to greatly increase his effort to dig out a gorge. In doing so he created huge waterfalls hundreds of feet high. He declared the waterfalls sacred to dragons. The river eventually became known as the Yellow River and those 12-mile long gorges located in China’s Shanxi province became known as Dragon’s Gate. Every spring thousands of koi swim up the Yellow River and if they have the skill and perseverance of a dragon to climb the falls they become dragons themselves. Because of this legend, koi are symbols of hard work, patience, and skill which are all things needed to have good fortune in life.</div>
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Taking care of koi isn’t always an easy task, but just like Yu and the Dragon’s Gate waterfalls persevering through the hardships can make the final outcome that much more beautiful. </div>
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Works referenced</h3>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://www.pondkoi.com/faq.htm">Frequently asked water gardening questions</a>." Crystal Creek Pond Supply LLC. www.pondkoi.com. Updated: 8 May 2013. Retrieved: 8 June 2013. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://www.koi.com/reference/encyclopedia/">Koi Encyclopedia</a>." Pan Intercorp. www.koi.com. Updated: 8 June 2013. Retrieved: 8 June 2013. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://foolonthenet.blogspot.com/2010/11/legend-of-dragons-gate-and-why-its-good.html">Legend of Dragon's Gate</a>." www.foolonthenet.blogspot.com. Updated: 8 November 2010. Retrieved: 7 June 2013. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://users.vcnet.com/rrenshaw/hanako.html">The Story of Hanako</a>." Koi.net. www.playkoi.com. Updated: 29 January 2013. Retrieved: 8 June 2013. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://koiclubsandiego.org/library/temperature.php">Temperature</a>." Koi Club of San Diego. www.koiclubsandiego.org. Updated: 7 June 2013. Retrieved: 8 June 2013. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">**Disclaimer** Since there is little to no scientific research about fishkeeping published, much of the hobby today is opinion, but they are opinions given by keepers and breeders who have been doing this longer than some of us h<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6484886415057433235" name="_GoBack"></a>ave been alive. Temperature ranges and adult sizes are not opinion. They have been scientifically documented.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-19394903280243722002013-06-01T23:07:00.000-04:002013-06-11T22:49:59.839-04:00My Tanks: Special Update<h2>
The Story of Mr. Waddles</h2>
Normally I wouldn’t do an update this close together, but
this isn’t a regular update. This is a special fish that I’ve welcomed into my
fishy family: Mr. Waddles. He came to me from a friend on my home fishkeeping
forum, and he has a troubled past. <br />
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Mr. Waddles shared a 29 gal tank with other goldfish
of various ages, most won at fairs. The owners of this tank didn’t take care of it at all. Instead
of finding out why some of their fish would die after a couple of months, they
would just buy a replacement. This happened for years until they just stopped
replacing the fish. Mr. Waddles was the last one they put in there and the last
one left standing. </div>
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Enter Jes, a fishkeeper who with a heart of gold and a
love of kids. The family who owned Mr. Waddles had a young girl who became very
attached to him. Fearing that he would die and their daughter would be
heartbroken, the family asked their friend, Jes, to help them get the tank back in
shape. She reluctantly agreed but had no clue how bad it was. Knowing that I keep and love goldfish, she contacted me
before even seeing the tank to ask for goldfish care tips. </div>
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I tried to prepare her for how bad that filter and tank
could be, but it shocked even me. Jes being a bit of a shutterbug snapped some pictures of the tank before she cleaned it just to prove how bad it was. There was slimy algae on everything and the substrate was filled with crap (literally). She tested the water,
and the nitrate and phosphate readings were off the charts. Her mission was to
teach the young girl just how to care for her beloved fishy while cleaning up
his current tank. On top of scrubbing the walls of algae and cleaning the
filter of gunk, Jes also siphoned the gravel like mad and removed handfuls of
it. She said it was at least 4 inches deep and a disgusting nitrate factory.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bFKrxUdDbXjCz6Z1u6dA9VOIanz09hffv74usfoA2fmGqOmQWSnwQgJG5kCjiC6qvhc3BdIX2xJ3aQb2kq9M0_FARNwR27ghdvCwIRM7sREfUmcxty__bNnmZQ3p6Q6DYYDCwgoMWNtQ/s1600/MrWigglesa2aSM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bFKrxUdDbXjCz6Z1u6dA9VOIanz09hffv74usfoA2fmGqOmQWSnwQgJG5kCjiC6qvhc3BdIX2xJ3aQb2kq9M0_FARNwR27ghdvCwIRM7sREfUmcxty__bNnmZQ3p6Q6DYYDCwgoMWNtQ/s1600/MrWigglesa2aSM.jpg" height="204" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Waddles' tank at his first home (Jes's photo)</td></tr>
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Jes continued this routine for a couple of months. Once a
week she would head to Mr Waddles’ family’s house, teach the young girl about
fish, and help her clean the tank. But as young children can, the little girl
lost interest in Mr. Waddles and the tank. This put Jes in a bind as she didn’t
have room to take Waddles and didn’t want to leave him with a family who was
known to be terrible at fishkeeping. </div>
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My heart melted for this adorable little oranda. I
offered to take Mr. Waddles if Jes and his former family would be willing to
ship him. Jes wanted to make sure the young girl knew that rehoming a fish
isn’t something to be done lightly. Fish aren’t just toys you can give away
when you are tired of playing with them. Eventually she agreed to give him
away, and Jes and I began to make arrangements. </div>
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Jes started to do 20% daily changes on Waddles’ tank to
give him the best possible water to travel in. She also contacted her wonderful
local pet store who agreed to pack him for shipping. This was Jes’s largest
worry which was greatly assuaged by that awesome store. Less than a week before
he was due to be shipped, Jes decided to bring Waddles to her house to make
daily water changes much easier. She dug out an old 20 gal and set him up in a
temporary position in her bedroom, much to the chagrin of her husband.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0nnDndq_b7baPnCVi1dEZ_oXbYtOlJV0FLc4VdpVVdmsb0DzM8bOIWnMJk-7HcuVyYSOFFcPzQKckKMX4i1JcePkQAFq-DJQHv6_SmScJUUbWP1RsjvlVws-zmR3OPOWNiDLFX-e-7TjH/s1600/Waddles1S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0nnDndq_b7baPnCVi1dEZ_oXbYtOlJV0FLc4VdpVVdmsb0DzM8bOIWnMJk-7HcuVyYSOFFcPzQKckKMX4i1JcePkQAFq-DJQHv6_SmScJUUbWP1RsjvlVws-zmR3OPOWNiDLFX-e-7TjH/s1600/Waddles1S.jpg" height="290" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jes was able to get better photos of him at her house. (Jes's photo)</td></tr>
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As even the most well-thought-out plans go, a wrench can
still make its way into them. The day Jes was to ship Waddles her children came
down with the stomach flu. She couldn’t leave to ship him. The following week,
I couldn’t receive him because I was going away that weekend to watch my
boyfriend graduate university. I didn’t want to leave him alone just a few
short days after getting him. What was supposed to be a few night’s stay at
Jes’s house turned into a couple weeks. </div>
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Last week, the planets aligned and Jes shipped him
without incident to my house! Because of his troubled past I have him in strict
quarantine for a month. If and only if everything looks spotless at the end of
that month, he will join my three other goldfish in my 55 gal. Waddles is about
a year old but is already stunted from his poor care. He is about the same size
as my other four, and while I expect him to grow I don’t expect him to get as
large as an oranda should. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waddles on day one (23 May). He was pretty skinny and very shy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKGk6Bw8uqbiEis8T9fcNleFSoHVPQVZNGYsMG2d8aOWYW_NPTkp4yMbWlOHuu43nv4X2F1OOSa-h3fB6Lgq6SP9Z0JjA9E6S9KC2jPBeB_xKMDxpOCOHTr1yE4iFmN1MWVOiIDE-4gPu/s1600/DSCN1251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKGk6Bw8uqbiEis8T9fcNleFSoHVPQVZNGYsMG2d8aOWYW_NPTkp4yMbWlOHuu43nv4X2F1OOSa-h3fB6Lgq6SP9Z0JjA9E6S9KC2jPBeB_xKMDxpOCOHTr1yE4iFmN1MWVOiIDE-4gPu/s1600/DSCN1251.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waddles after nine days (1 June). He is steadily gaining weight and cuteness.</td></tr>
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Waddles has come a long way from his cramped, dirty home.
I thank Jes for giving me the opportunity to be part of this courageous story
and for all the hard work she put into getting him healthy. I hope that I can
send Jes and Waddles’ former family a picture of him doubled in size in a
couple of years. And yes, his name is going to stay. </div>
Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-13722144871679075222013-05-25T13:11:00.000-04:002013-05-25T13:11:12.634-04:00Summer Tub Update: May<!--[if !mso]>
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<![endif]-->It has been almost a month since I began my summer tub
experiment. It's in full swing now. I added the mosquitofish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gambusia holbrooki</i>) roughly two weeks
after I started it. I put in roughly 15 fish, most of them females. They aren’t
very visible, but I have seen them a couple of times when I checked on the
pond. Unless I see some overcrowding, I’ll wait until the end of the summer to
remove some and really take a count of how many I have in there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two females and a male mosquitofish</td></tr>
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The plants took off after I added the fish. The frogbit
has taken over, and I recently removed a couple of handfuls. The water lettuce
hasn’t done as well, but that could be because the frogbit is chocking it out.
Earlier in May my iris flowered, and the potted grasses are also doing well. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The iris that flowered on 10 May 2013</td></tr>
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Since my koi pond is simply too shaded for most plants, I
have never been able to have lilies. This tub with its 5 hours of sun is my
best chance to grow them. A week ago I bought a lily plant from Lowes and
decided to give it a try in the tub. It has been doing great! No flowers yet,
but it sprouted and has broken the surface. I’m really hoping to get a flower
or two from it later this summer.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lily in the middle with dwarf water lettuce in the foreground.</td></tr>
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Thus far I feel this is going very well. Because of the
cool spring we had I don't feel I could have added tropicals until at least May
15. It's a good thing I wasn't planning on them this year. Although I can't see
the mosquitofish that well, I want something that I know will survive on my
first try rather than something I will have to worry about while I get the
basics down.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full tub shot! </td></tr>
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Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-22544697502449911752013-05-18T15:06:00.000-04:002013-05-18T15:06:19.094-04:00My Tanks: 18 May UpdateThe times between my updates keep stretching out because my tanks are going through fewer and fewer changes. Once every couple of months is more than enough to cover everything. That said, I only have a few things to report this week.<br />
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My comminuty tank got some new residents in the form of Amano shrimp (<i>Caridina multidentata</i>). The gourami did pick off a few, but the remaining three are hard at work keeping down the algae. I have a bit of staghorn algae in the tank, and they have been very diligent in eating it. Amano shrimp are much larger than cherry shrimp and do just fine with the fish.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new amano shrimp. </td></tr>
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I have also added a new plant: <i>Hygrophilia sp tiger</i>. It is another stem plant, but it is one of the few low-light stem plants. It's in a temporary position right now, but during the summer I'm going to put a canister on the community tank. Then the hygro can be moved to where I want it. Thanks to the sharp eye of a friend, I've also realized I have a fourth species of crypt in my tank. He pointed out that I have a <i>C. pontederiifolia</i> as well as the <i>C. spiralis</i>, <i>C. undulata</i>, and <i>C. wendtii</i>. I'm guessing it came as an extra with my last order of crypts from <a href="https://www.aquariumplants.com/">Aquariumplants.com</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07Ny64kpxMbwnnBVe5hbos8yas1QKeRL2bO77Bb4gmXRRD8OW0zTniQq4fBrJUUNJfC_Ei9EQ3zTtZZZ1VmixMGYMWLosDP1waTDmoRji5tgRYI_sAz7w7NBxWfbFC7ub1291hKR2zEl5/s1600/DSCN1085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07Ny64kpxMbwnnBVe5hbos8yas1QKeRL2bO77Bb4gmXRRD8OW0zTniQq4fBrJUUNJfC_Ei9EQ3zTtZZZ1VmixMGYMWLosDP1waTDmoRji5tgRYI_sAz7w7NBxWfbFC7ub1291hKR2zEl5/s1600/DSCN1085.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the C. pontederiifolia to the right of the rock in the center. <br />
The hygro is in the back left. And there is a bonus amano. </td></tr>
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The shrimp tank underwent the most changes. Because my starting population was so low, I ordered 10 sakura red shrimp from HomelessAquatics.com. They arrive in good condition and acclimated well, but I had a mass die-off like 4 days after they went into the tank. I attribute it to first-time shrimping mistakes which could have been anything from not feeding enough, feeding too much, an immature tank, pH too high. I wasn't really sure, but either way only about 3 of the original 10 are still alive. I was about to give up on shrimps when a female became berried, but she died shortly after that. I put her body in a net over the filter in an attempt to hatch her eggs like I'd read online. And it actually worked! I was able to hatch about five eggs. <br />
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As for cosmetic changes in the tank, I have also made some large ones. I added two large pieces of driftwood as well as some X-mas moss and java moss. I removed the bacopa because I just didn't like the look of it. I also added some floating plants such as frogbit and dwarf water lettuce. I currently have one berried female and a few saddled ones. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GVmxzfyRA6c1D6myzJwMIq6spzufkvjS_vEvoND8EbY8s-j1vKSfrKJ-Ww8Uh4AiDg-L88kYpVLQI0TDB0lGh5-sIEKutHCIHAa_HRzt5X7ikFF131d7P2llGK17h-56xAwnD5ncBWT5/s1600/DSCN0815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GVmxzfyRA6c1D6myzJwMIq6spzufkvjS_vEvoND8EbY8s-j1vKSfrKJ-Ww8Uh4AiDg-L88kYpVLQI0TDB0lGh5-sIEKutHCIHAa_HRzt5X7ikFF131d7P2llGK17h-56xAwnD5ncBWT5/s1600/DSCN0815.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current state of the shrimp tank. I also added a feeding dish to the tank. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There aren't nearly as many updates as I would like with the pond because we've had a very cold spring. We even had a frost earlier this week. The plants are just flowering now. I added some water hyacinth to the pond, but it's not in top shape due to the cold weather. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83-L91drXHG3ZcfoMgPXYlRN27g1LxfA5e85UGTMYhBn9XEoFbfHMCXwHgtW76Yi7dkPn3cgTHGvCXiaM2lMjKhey4_1Ktu8CxKv1bBvG1mf9l1lbFeYA1rLFEs3y7ipfJ2T7C0D8xg80/s1600/DSCN0993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83-L91drXHG3ZcfoMgPXYlRN27g1LxfA5e85UGTMYhBn9XEoFbfHMCXwHgtW76Yi7dkPn3cgTHGvCXiaM2lMjKhey4_1Ktu8CxKv1bBvG1mf9l1lbFeYA1rLFEs3y7ipfJ2T7C0D8xg80/s1600/DSCN0993.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow iris and the koi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYM-SyTgPez_pxFQiJ3XS5ffmTRBk_MzFtvSrU4guSX8_00pdXz88o064UHphKhYoByj7SGgNAapv5r3f3QQiS2jqTiLl2AK4ELzEFEoyFPDeJw_pAmzXH6o8qunAeTetlvFLR9ucceZ_N/s1600/DSCN1003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYM-SyTgPez_pxFQiJ3XS5ffmTRBk_MzFtvSrU4guSX8_00pdXz88o064UHphKhYoByj7SGgNAapv5r3f3QQiS2jqTiLl2AK4ELzEFEoyFPDeJw_pAmzXH6o8qunAeTetlvFLR9ucceZ_N/s1600/DSCN1003.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stout blue-eyed grass</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up close on the iris and koi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The other major change in my fish tanks is a new goldfish!!! Mid April I bought a ranchu from <a href="http://www.dandyorandas.com/">DandyOrandas.com</a>, and I'm in love with this little girl! She's slightly larger than my ryukin and oranda, but they are catching up fast. I have named her Ponyo, but my mother calls her Marlyn because she has a black dot on her check. She took to hand feeding extremely well, and fits in with the group perfectly. I am so happy to have her!!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlGd7QCvkgefKIWfeUtCrWBNXEZEKJLPaY28MBGaLZmoZ1tE7WYMlIQhFYQEm-vsujTrJqgFRyWTFhY-dhBKjcskd7c9Pkn_GTrpwSyJ6WM2lmcl0pPGm1AO9Q0S8PshPTlOuyUv3Ijgr/s1600/DSCN0550+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlGd7QCvkgefKIWfeUtCrWBNXEZEKJLPaY28MBGaLZmoZ1tE7WYMlIQhFYQEm-vsujTrJqgFRyWTFhY-dhBKjcskd7c9Pkn_GTrpwSyJ6WM2lmcl0pPGm1AO9Q0S8PshPTlOuyUv3Ijgr/s1600/DSCN0550+(2).JPG" height="272" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that cute face!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrkV3LMhr_AEoZ2tfVTTKmPfCwwuKsYKCf3ha9UBF0CsX514Lhfs7FQa-PrB62nQkzRsJetCAtTQcrbMY0NCtvFGcHGu9Bm0wzDODqgfyXAWGia-gQI9L1YKIwCTmugHe3EpzLeqKVLVM/s1600/DSCN0538+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrkV3LMhr_AEoZ2tfVTTKmPfCwwuKsYKCf3ha9UBF0CsX514Lhfs7FQa-PrB62nQkzRsJetCAtTQcrbMY0NCtvFGcHGu9Bm0wzDODqgfyXAWGia-gQI9L1YKIwCTmugHe3EpzLeqKVLVM/s1600/DSCN0538+(2).JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like three peas in a pod. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The last and rather small (right now) change in the goldfish tank was the addition of six apple snails. A friend had too many in his tank and was giving away babies. I plopped them in while distracting the goldfish, but Ponyo was too quick and completely ate one, spitting out the operculum. So the apple snails are in a breeder box getting daily feedings so they grow large enough not to be goldfish food. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi428xUiyp9sU7hKJQEu1cCTdcCtcJI91zVR-sTe94leN_guV0HTx-5Dq5iNWb4tzfRvANyA7-gfdy0Mj7doMGDiM5i4TazoG8cLUpZ2OanDvJywVRJxc-KBmb2p1chYDFIAqk5FY9PMN3a/s1600/DSCN1081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi428xUiyp9sU7hKJQEu1cCTdcCtcJI91zVR-sTe94leN_guV0HTx-5Dq5iNWb4tzfRvANyA7-gfdy0Mj7doMGDiM5i4TazoG8cLUpZ2OanDvJywVRJxc-KBmb2p1chYDFIAqk5FY9PMN3a/s1600/DSCN1081.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new snails with a cameo from Burbbles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There will be something special in the next update! :3Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-24305070654311147682013-05-11T18:42:00.000-04:002015-10-16T22:21:10.447-04:00The Beauty in your Backyard <h2>
North American Native Fishkeeping</h2>
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</xml><![endif]-->The first time I saw picture of a darter was in my
ichthyology class, second semester of my junior year. We’d just finished
covering marine fishes of the eastern US and were starting on the freshwater
fishes. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I never knew there were such beautiful fish
right outside my door. The first time I saw a darter in the flesh, I was
forever entranced.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8doXYWKshTxgyr6DGbVSYt8hduu6ZCTYX8duIj38pojB2dR2dCINpGi8PVcyn2GO-Bc-kAtCqd1NwTH3Bo0SW61vj3nQyviKUxduifBLVbMLPNVauvM9jTWTHujaSThA2oqeY7uf_unG/s1600/IMGP0157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8doXYWKshTxgyr6DGbVSYt8hduu6ZCTYX8duIj38pojB2dR2dCINpGi8PVcyn2GO-Bc-kAtCqd1NwTH3Bo0SW61vj3nQyviKUxduifBLVbMLPNVauvM9jTWTHujaSThA2oqeY7uf_unG/s640/IMGP0157.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Redfin darter <i>Etheostoma whipplei</i> I caught while in Arkansas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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When most people think of North American fishes,
largemouth bass (<i>Micropterus salmoides</i>) and channel catfish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ictalurus punctatus</i>) are the first
things to come to mind. These large gamefish are the ones that are seen and
talked about the most, so it is no wonder that is where most minds go first. But
there is so much more in our waterways than just these well-known fish. Surprisingly
a lot of these are pretty easy to keep in a tank. They don’t need heaters like tropical
fishes and some can be kept in ponds year-round.</div>
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In the US we have a lot of members of the cyprinid family—minnows—that
are remarkably easy to care for. They are just like the barbs and rasbora of
Asia. These minnows are subdivided into dace, shiners, and chubs. They are
shoaling and prefer groups of six or more. North American minnows do best in
30+ gal (113 L) tanks and for the most part are just fine with other species of
minnows. My favorites are mountain redbelly dace (<i><span class="slabel8"><span class="sciname">Chrosomus oreas</span></span></i>), saffron shiner (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Notropis rubricroceus</i>), and turquoise shiner (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cyprinella monacha</i>), but these are just the ones I have in my
backyard. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvN7ifk_TfrkltRl_LkFkipAxaTKtHW5Y8fOvUMtrLtg5f_setS9GUL8sJ4POevfZ2ecAYf-VyuyyJeVCYtwHDY7yEENRopuPoYbUGbJ1eOJCDHsDkvlwwxHtmQHtZ8R_p4Q0QLOlSITYI/s1600/mountain+redbelly+dace+-+fishbase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvN7ifk_TfrkltRl_LkFkipAxaTKtHW5Y8fOvUMtrLtg5f_setS9GUL8sJ4POevfZ2ecAYf-VyuyyJeVCYtwHDY7yEENRopuPoYbUGbJ1eOJCDHsDkvlwwxHtmQHtZ8R_p4Q0QLOlSITYI/s640/mountain+redbelly+dace+-+fishbase.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountain redbelly dace (Chris Crippen @ Fishbase.org)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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For those that like the cute appeal of the corydoras and
other tropical catfishes, there are also cute catfish in the streams of North
America: the madtoms (<i>Noturus spp</i>). They have the typical catfish look
but stay small enough for a 30 + gal (113 L) tank. Some species are spotted or
speckled with a bit of color, but their most entertaining qualities are their
catfish antics and their adorable whiskered faces peeking out of rock caves. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wF5jEavt84sYare2OpCNGDUK0fpszBTY49zqNTcX8RVXsf-cORRBg8cLb6GOFBAJ_iim9Iub0Yn_-cPV9btL-aGI4SV6QG9CSavL9f_VD6ftKklqMKrnyvepLU2_EAP7Lagem1XBZbrC/s1600/tadpole+madtop+-+Ohio+DNR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wF5jEavt84sYare2OpCNGDUK0fpszBTY49zqNTcX8RVXsf-cORRBg8cLb6GOFBAJ_iim9Iub0Yn_-cPV9btL-aGI4SV6QG9CSavL9f_VD6ftKklqMKrnyvepLU2_EAP7Lagem1XBZbrC/s640/tadpole+madtop+-+Ohio+DNR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tadpole madtom <i>Noturus gyrinus</i> (Ohio DNS)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Darters (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Etheostoma
spp</i>) and (<i>Percina spp</i>) are the gems of North America. Hands down I believe they are the most
stunning fishes we have here. They have reds, blues, greens, and yellows to
match some of the most beautiful tropical fishes. But they have a catch:
darters come from cool, flowing water. You have to provide that if you keep
them in an aquarium. This often includes powerheads or simply a river manifold.
Darters are also territorial, so make sure to provide enough hiding spaces for
them in a tank. In the wild, they can just swim down to the next riffle; they
don’t have that luxury in a tank. I have seen a few tutorials for how to set up
a darter-specific tank like <a href="http://www.nanfa.org/articles/zoller.shtml">this one</a> from the North American Native Fishes
Association (NANFA). Or you could just use a setup typical of hillstream
loaches detailed <a href="http://www.loaches.com/articles/a-river-runs-through-it/">here</a> at Loaches Online. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHISJ0J1yKUAyHvCIwGzeyN1wA0k0QY11bc2Qgvo_wAm40jbGjLX4OtK-ibaSYvEUZB0d5juqOpSVyS9tI1W2eUupX2na6laBtJJddCOzlbFkDXkgUmc_CEdNfFNi70ZuQZ4QjUe5aY1rL/s1600/tangerine_darter_male1+-+conservationfisheries+org.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHISJ0J1yKUAyHvCIwGzeyN1wA0k0QY11bc2Qgvo_wAm40jbGjLX4OtK-ibaSYvEUZB0d5juqOpSVyS9tI1W2eUupX2na6laBtJJddCOzlbFkDXkgUmc_CEdNfFNi70ZuQZ4QjUe5aY1rL/s640/tangerine_darter_male1+-+conservationfisheries+org.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tangerine darter <i>Percina aurantiaca</i> (conservationfisheries.org)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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When most people think sunfish, they think about bluegill
(<i>Lepomis macrochirus</i>) or crappie (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pomoxis
nigromaculatus</i>). These large cichlid-like fish are only a few of the
centracidae family found in the US. While not all of them are beautiful, there
are a few worth pointing out. The pygmy sunfishes (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elassoma spp</i>) are certainly some of the most stunning. They are the
smallest fishes detailed today in this article; they can be kept in tanks as
small as 10 gal (37 L). Pygmy sunfishes are also the most delicate and can
prove difficult to feed. They are very shy and need a heavily planted tank with
things like anarcharis, hornwort, and duckweed. They were once described to me
as “not for the fishkeeper who needs to see their fish every day.” Unlike with
most of these fish, you probably won’t be able to find pygmy sunfish in your
backyard. They are generally restricted to coastal areas of the eastern US. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGJ8Cu5maIz0V9yqNO8HEoq6SwIzGAcSAtH4uBxRHWEgR9zGxsH4yrKjVlX7VWPR00U4Jb36SMdZImayPuvDJrfvo_gJK8Sr9mpx6KVTUenKgtz0J8W-mrnHygc01X4quiWSLDQlMie2D/s1600/elassoma+male+-+fishbase+org+erika.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGJ8Cu5maIz0V9yqNO8HEoq6SwIzGAcSAtH4uBxRHWEgR9zGxsH4yrKjVlX7VWPR00U4Jb36SMdZImayPuvDJrfvo_gJK8Sr9mpx6KVTUenKgtz0J8W-mrnHygc01X4quiWSLDQlMie2D/s640/elassoma+male+-+fishbase+org+erika.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pygmy sunfish <i>Elassoma gilberti</i> male (Erica Wieser @ NANFA.org)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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For those that like to see their fish a little more
often, there are other more visible sunfish. The banded sunfish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Enneacanthus obesus</i>) and bluespot
sunfish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Enneacanthus gloriosus</i>) are
a good choice for a medium sized tank. With colors and temperament matching the
South American cichlids, they make an excellent fish for a 30 gal (113 L) to 70
gal (265 L) native tank. Unlike the darters and minnows, they prefer the pools
to the faster water. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXuW_LgvDKh_y4MISazrvepw26R08TCMX9-TeexQtkpmyLfSREC7w5i4VbTua7mmaL1wLQbAFz-4sTvLpzv1IWYZEiKlZJIbwzVRpK0AvX1R53ISqCJ2uqZJOud9aU7BGziIKX_dQGMYw/s1600/BluespottedSunfish+-+TN+aquarium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXuW_LgvDKh_y4MISazrvepw26R08TCMX9-TeexQtkpmyLfSREC7w5i4VbTua7mmaL1wLQbAFz-4sTvLpzv1IWYZEiKlZJIbwzVRpK0AvX1R53ISqCJ2uqZJOud9aU7BGziIKX_dQGMYw/s1600/BluespottedSunfish+-+TN+aquarium.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banded sunfish (Tennessee Aquarium)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Those with a much larger tank might enjoy the some of the
most brightly colored <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lepomis spp</i>
species like the long-eared sunfish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lepomis
megalotis</i>), redbreast sunfish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lepomis
auritus</i>), and pumpkinseed (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lepomis
gibbosus</i>). These fishes will need a 100+ gal (378 L) tank as they get large
and are territorial much like the larger South American cichlids. These fishes also
make interesting alternatives to goldfish and koi in a pond. In clear water
their beautiful colors can easily be seen, especially during spawning.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAtg4QIb-RmMO42XtIvSzWSmImzp7PEB7XHeIoGmVKOd768TVyqCq_L43ztkfDKSdH2NWEmz3GcpcvaBHqfWqlbQSPSNU_wpGawCV6sysr3HkaeOediNRTbDTIBPTAfQYmLZM6apu-kUQ/s1600/longear+sunfish+-+nanfa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAtg4QIb-RmMO42XtIvSzWSmImzp7PEB7XHeIoGmVKOd768TVyqCq_L43ztkfDKSdH2NWEmz3GcpcvaBHqfWqlbQSPSNU_wpGawCV6sysr3HkaeOediNRTbDTIBPTAfQYmLZM6apu-kUQ/s640/longear+sunfish+-+nanfa.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longear sunfish (Brandon Brown @ NANFA)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The North American fish lineup also includes some
livebearers and killifish. While these aren’t the most colorful, they are still
interesting to keep in aquariums nonetheless. Some of the best looking are the
flagfish (<i>Jordanella floridae</i>), northern studfish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fundulus catenatus</i>), and the sailfin molly (<i>Poecilia latipinna</i>).
</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Studfish (Stan Sung @ Aquabotanic.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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This isn't intended to be a comprehensive guide to North American natives. I just want to open your eyes with this article and let you know there are lots of choices out there. If you have a further interest in these fishes, I highly recommend joining the <a href="http://forum.nanfa.org/">NANFA forum</a>. I am aware there is a bias in the listings of fish here:
they are almost all from the eastern US, but that is where I live. I am most
familiar with the fish in my backyard. I encourage you to get familiar with the
fish in your backyard no matter where you live. You never know what little
beauties you may find! </div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<h4>
Works Referenced </h4>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://www.btdarters.com/index.htm">BTDarters</a><span style="font-size: small;">.</span>" Updated: 26 Jan 2013. Retrieved: 11 May <span style="font-size: small;">2013. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://www.jonahsaquarium.com/JonahSite/fishcompatibility.htm"><span style="font-size: small;">Compatibility</span> and </a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.jonahsaquarium.com/JonahSite/fishcompatibility.htm">Feeding of North American Native Fishes in Aquaria</a>.<span style="font-size: small;">" <span style="font-size: small;">Jonah's Aquarium. Updated: 11 <span style="font-size: small;">May 2008. <span style="font-size: small;">Retrieved: 11 May 2013. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://www.zimmermansfish.com/Care.html">North American Native Fishes: </a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.zimmermansfish.com/Care.html">Captive Care</a>." Zimmerman's <span style="font-size: small;">Fish. Updated: 15 April 2013. Retrieved<span style="font-size: small;">: 11 May 2013. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sung, Stan. 20<span style="font-size: small;">11.</span> "<a href="http://www.aquabotanic.com/?p=364">Forest Gems: Fishes of the Streams of the Deep South.</a><span style="font-size: small;">" </span></span>www.aquabotanic.com<span style="font-size: small;">. <span style="font-size: small;">Retrie<span style="font-size: small;">ved<span style="font-size: small;">: 11 May 2013. </span></span></span></span><br /> </span></div>
Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-66130023805790734362013-04-30T17:50:00.000-04:002013-05-10T20:06:14.542-04:00Summer Tubbin' It's getting warmer around the US and Europe which means pond season for the lucky few of us, but it's also something special for the serious hobbyist: a chance to expand your fishroom. I'm not talking about an extension on the house; I'm talking about your back porch. In most of the US and Europe, there are at least a couple of months of weather warm enough to house most of our aquarium fish outside. <br />
<br />
Hobbyists take advantage of this warm summer weather to spawn and grow fish outside. Some accidentally discover that fish spawn like this while others, often going on the words of those with the happy accident, purposefully put fish outside to spawn. Most people believe the trick to getting the fish to spawn is how closely this replicates their natural environment. The floating plants, the live food, the cooling rain are all things the fish would naturally experience and have evolved to live with. People have had success spawning all kinds of fish from livebearers to egg-scatteres like barbs and tetra. Gourami are another favorite fish to spawn in these tubs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://msjinkzd.com/freshwater/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://msjinkzd.com/freshwater/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bins.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tubs used for breeding by renowned hobbyist Rachel O'Leary (msjinxkd.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Placement of the tub does matter. You can't put them in full sun all day long as this will heat up the water too much. Ideally you want about 4-5 hours of morning sun. This means placing them on the eastern side of your house or yard. The tub (or tubs) should not be under cover or eaves of your house because the rain is important to them. Rain cools the water in the heat of summer and provides mother nature's water changes.<br />
<br />
Most any tub that holds more than 20 gallons of water will due. Animal watering troughs are a favorite because they are large, built to hold water, and the plastic won't degrade under the UV rays of the sun. You might have to modify the tub a bit. If you don't like the idea of tubs overflowing when you get a lot of rain in a short time, then think about drilling overflow holes. These drain the tub when it reaches a certain water level and prevent the tub from overflowing and sending your plants and fish overboard.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijeDqSp_C3pu9oAXfwVR3DuiJuv2DY08ZTqAMzJJCVfEPWAIhm0jS5yYofwvl68uy12-_4m3tFrHqLIOyOO0ucDuRYE2DUn606jP0qPsLO_jBZ_RwLbdhpj69kg_LWYXJNXDcorR9fF0nq/s1600/water+trough+pond+-+azcopperpenny+photobucket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijeDqSp_C3pu9oAXfwVR3DuiJuv2DY08ZTqAMzJJCVfEPWAIhm0jS5yYofwvl68uy12-_4m3tFrHqLIOyOO0ucDuRYE2DUn606jP0qPsLO_jBZ_RwLbdhpj69kg_LWYXJNXDcorR9fF0nq/s1600/water+trough+pond+-+azcopperpenny+photobucket.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water trough made into a pond (azcopperpenny @ Photobucket)</td></tr>
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An optional piece of equipment is a pump. Some people like the calming noise of water moving, and some people just like to have some water movement in the tub to keep it a uniform temperature. Something like this would be less important if you were raising gourami or betta spawns. <br />
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When setting up these summer tub ponds, you are really at the mercy of mother nature. This often means being familiar with the weather patterns in your area: what time of year it really begins to warm; what time of year you see cooling off; just how much rain you get in the summer. When you see daytime temperatures steadily in the 70's (~ 21C) is when you should begin setup. Just as with a tank, start with the plants first. Fill the tub with a mixture of dechlorinated tap water and water from the tank that you will be bringing the fish. This gives the plants some nutrients to consume before you add the fish. Let the plants get settled for about a week. Then you add the fish. Don't just dump them in; acclimate them like you would any fish. You may also want to place some mesh netting over your tub pond because fish have a tendency to jump in the first few days. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWDofYxcUP-vwrKSCy7JyJKwbVnJQm9wINOu65gex2WwceKJDc7qa_3m6Of6oV836PCHSJNKn0ECQduBZeHo__roZp0wTyI3nylQ17do_jJy8EcaYFUNs7-W0V_bZk9zoOQUIdtTb6kPI/s1600/frog+in+the+pond+-+tomylees+flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWDofYxcUP-vwrKSCy7JyJKwbVnJQm9wINOu65gex2WwceKJDc7qa_3m6Of6oV836PCHSJNKn0ECQduBZeHo__roZp0wTyI3nylQ17do_jJy8EcaYFUNs7-W0V_bZk9zoOQUIdtTb6kPI/s1600/frog+in+the+pond+-+tomylees+flickr.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frogs in the pond are cute, but can eat fry (tomylees @Flickr)</td></tr>
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Plants are a big aspect of these summer tub ponds. They are part filtration system, part cooling system, and part fry nursery. The best kind to have are floating plants like water lettuce, frogbit, water hyacinth, and duckweed. These all have roots that hang down and allow fry a good place to hide. Egg-scatterers can attach their eggs to these roots; bubble nesters can attach their nests to the undersides of leaves. If you are looking for some lovely blossoms, lotus plants do well in these setups, too. Marginal plants like iris, cattails, and rushes can be used to add some aesthetic appeal and make the tub really look like a pond. Just like with fish tanks, patience is key!<br />
<br />
This summer, I've decided to try out these summer tubs. I have a lot of
floating pond plants because they grow so well in the pond, and I have
an old plastic tub that I used to haul around pond plants in. The only
thing I would need is the fish. As much as I'd love to try breeding my
gourami in a tub this summer, I don't want something to go wrong on my
first try and accidentally kill them. So I'm going to use the
livebearers from my pond, mosquitofish <i>Gambusia holbrooki</i>. When
the summer is up I will just put the remaining mosquitofish back into my
pond. Next summer I will be spawning my gourami. Wish me luck!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZr7RH-I3CuXNe1ArqHpM7Xr5-XzGzRYCPBkFvVj2ESTrfp17hHV8x6cLzWVBT9s93anQdurRxHtsZg96uwcLJmSPa2IVwzV0Sqs_rjq2QbXub1JoykAeDsdddHdLeKkiEWBasoeUye2Vh/s1600/DSCN0807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZr7RH-I3CuXNe1ArqHpM7Xr5-XzGzRYCPBkFvVj2ESTrfp17hHV8x6cLzWVBT9s93anQdurRxHtsZg96uwcLJmSPa2IVwzV0Sqs_rjq2QbXub1JoykAeDsdddHdLeKkiEWBasoeUye2Vh/s1600/DSCN0807.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My tub pond! Grow, baby, grow!!!</td></tr>
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<h3>
Works Referenced</h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Colleti, Tim, Dr. 2011. <a href="http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/summer-tubin-breed-your-fish-outdoors.htm">"Summer Tubbin'</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/summer-tubin-breed-your-fish-outdoors.htm">: Breeding yo</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/summer-tubin-breed-your-fish-outdoors.htm">u Fish O</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/articles/summer-tubin-breed-your-fish-outdoors.htm">utdoors."</a> </span></span></span> Tropical Fish Hobb<span style="font-size: small;">y<span style="font-size: small;">ist (June) 86 - 89. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Sipes, John. 2003. "<a href="http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/ponds/Sipes_Summer_Tubbin.html">Summer Tubbin'</a>." www.aquarticles.com. Retrieved: 28 April 2013. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Marchio, Liz. 2008. "<a href="http://www.aquascapingworld.com/magazine/Magazine/Urban-Pond-Tubbin-Water-Gardens.html">Urban Pond Tubbin' Water Gardens</a>". AquaScaping World (June)<span style="font-size: small;">: 8 - 11. </span> </span>Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-87730494157319704372013-04-20T12:21:00.000-04:002013-04-20T12:21:19.877-04:00Removing the WaterThis week I worked on a special project. It's unique from my other tanks because it doesn't involve water! Well it does, but this project isn't submerged! I made a moss terrarium from a Nature's Pure Glass 1 gal cube. I originally intended this for an aquatic project, but had to abandon that because it's positioning made water changes difficult. So I removed the water from the setup.<br />
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Because I know very little about terrestrial plants I searched around the internet for a tutorial (and some general guidance) on making a moss terrarium. <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5404522/make-a-moss-terrarium-for-low+maintenance-greenery">This</a> was my favorite that I found and the one I've generally been following. First I had to clean out the old cube because I'd kinda just let the water sit in it. I cleaned it with vinegar in an attempt to get most of the hard water stains off the sides.<br />
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I gathered all of my materials on the front porch. Then came the fun part, collecting the moss. You can buy it online,
but since I have a lovely backyard I wanted to venture out and see just
what moss was growing in the ravine. My pond does have a bit of moss on
the rocks, but since it has taken about seven years to develop I didn't
want to destroy that aesthetic. I grabbed an old backpack, some large
freezer ziplock bags, and small trowel and went collecting. While I was
out there I also dug up some rocks for this project. If you don't have a
backyard like I do, you can go to a local park and head off the trail.
But while you are out there make sure you are aware of your
surroundings; carry a phone or go with someone else. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLywGkLaIzinFEeWsciz6c0fzedrWqipkqMplj9cWan0bhsdyQpdj3eWAiLbIcFrMWjH0vNWPTbp2a42fIdwLajNP9nX752jVLuJU0akb5WnKM4MDjaYu1qHOQSGowbYWSLrIIvOyoBcQ/s1600/DSCN0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLywGkLaIzinFEeWsciz6c0fzedrWqipkqMplj9cWan0bhsdyQpdj3eWAiLbIcFrMWjH0vNWPTbp2a42fIdwLajNP9nX752jVLuJU0akb5WnKM4MDjaYu1qHOQSGowbYWSLrIIvOyoBcQ/s1600/DSCN0725.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moss in my backyard. I harvested this after I took the picture.</td></tr>
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When I returned with my moss I stated putting the substrate in the cube. First I added a layer of black sand in the bottom to give some added drainage and moisture storage. The room where this is sitting has a fan going all the time, and I'm afraid it might cause too much evaporation. I want to be able to "store" water in the bottom, too. Next, I added a layer of peat moss soil. Moss enjoys growing attached to things and in acidic soil. Since I didn't want moss on my rocks, I opted for the peat moss soil. It only comes in massive bags around here, so I'll be making a few more terrariums later this year. I tried doing some hardscape with the rocks, but most of what I brought back was too big. Finally, I moistened this with some nutrient-rich goldfish water. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OuzsM9h9S_BIvG2qCtrO1nMTm-ayYdJ0GzECx4Ca4CwrbM8nT7nKBZcB3qgGTtuxESe2D7FIfu956MmiF5Z8TtvZJ9NkodPaNyh1f0mVIPdXnMkZkTan70AwhqLDbC1GKFSITB75YqdB/s1600/DSCN0735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OuzsM9h9S_BIvG2qCtrO1nMTm-ayYdJ0GzECx4Ca4CwrbM8nT7nKBZcB3qgGTtuxESe2D7FIfu956MmiF5Z8TtvZJ9NkodPaNyh1f0mVIPdXnMkZkTan70AwhqLDbC1GKFSITB75YqdB/s1600/DSCN0735.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hardscape and peat moss soil</td></tr>
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Now I added the moss. I'm not the greatest at making 'scapes, so I have a feeling I will be re-arranging it a few times before I'm totally satisfied. I tried to mimic an iwagumi but I'm pretty sure I failed. Either way, I brought my moss inside and am happy to have it sitting on my desk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHeP1jKVmlERbbxMD7UgKegWnKnn3mkEZ1B-t37GBsi6v1V_S0ConHgyU8XaZhgiPDOMss_ghFCK0AabDc05knAFgezRCf43ZKKjGCuklwfuqclM2o4q1y3TCYNqK_H7ugZzNctxE_TkK/s1600/DSCN0768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHeP1jKVmlERbbxMD7UgKegWnKnn3mkEZ1B-t37GBsi6v1V_S0ConHgyU8XaZhgiPDOMss_ghFCK0AabDc05knAFgezRCf43ZKKjGCuklwfuqclM2o4q1y3TCYNqK_H7ugZzNctxE_TkK/s1600/DSCN0768.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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This begins my summer adventure into terrariums. I've never done too well with house plants before because you have to water them so much. I'm hoping that by adding the sand reservoir it will counterbalance my forgetfulness with watering them. If all goes well with this terrarium I'd like to try my hand at making another one with the leftover materials. Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-34201492956688395512013-04-13T12:20:00.000-04:002013-05-18T18:36:42.730-04:00One Year!!<h2>
Personal Reflections </h2>
Today is the one-year anniversary of my blog's first post! A lot has happened in that year in my personal life and my hobby. I'll take this opportunity to look back on what has happened in the hobby, both in my tanks and around the world. <br />
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The biggest change for me has been the loss and gain of fish. The biggest loss was that of my two oldest goldfish, Goldeen and Seaking. They both died of separate causes, but it was so close to each other that I can't help but wonder what it was that killed them and whether or not the loss of one was just too much to bear for the other. Goldfish are much more social creatures than most people realize and Goldeen did appear to pine away until he died.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4DiBu6YialcZFflYHqKYXpY2RRJdV1eMNKaOnvpKO9smxf4OpEIMAxbtJ480XF-bAIPZLZFZAA97kTee2r3E7OPJWYtlpRTi392DM_xenS7D3ZBXivUGXM6w0swhbvMUsba_EngPM1da/s1600/DSCN7555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4DiBu6YialcZFflYHqKYXpY2RRJdV1eMNKaOnvpKO9smxf4OpEIMAxbtJ480XF-bAIPZLZFZAA97kTee2r3E7OPJWYtlpRTi392DM_xenS7D3ZBXivUGXM6w0swhbvMUsba_EngPM1da/s400/DSCN7555.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite pictures of Goldeen and Seaking</td></tr>
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The other losses I've suffered have been those of my two oldest bettas. One succumbed to complications from a lymphocystis infection and the other to a failing swim bladder. But I have to remember to smile for the time I had them and know that they helped me learn even more about those wonderful little fish.<br />
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I have really only added fish to one tank: my community, but in terms of numbers I have added more than I have lost. It's a total of 22 fish added to my community. It may sound like a lot, but these guys are tiny compared to the goldfish and bettas. I have only added one betta: my giant halfmoon plakat. I consider most of my tanks completed in the stocking aspect, so I don't plan to add any more fish for a long while.<br />
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The other major change has been in the appearance of my tanks; I've added a lot live plants. I had always had things like an anubias or a java fern in some of my tanks, but I never thought I could have a gorgeous planted tank until this past year when some friends convinced to me to give it a try. I've had a lot of success so far, and I've really come to appreciate and enjoy plants even more. All of my tanks have plants that are thriving. I used to just plan what fish I would want in my dream tanks, but now I'm planning the plants for them, too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv57FI7IekMXtmGNcqdff5WbFQxevQ9xgCUweoWrVQRZWFnSaIeFeTeioEtmpaUlfBxnvDljab2_1zMsv5z31b144W_wekNWLPQjUz786NI64n9-pc994pdbH8D1KBte5KsBijQx40Z7Pk/s1600/DSCN0528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv57FI7IekMXtmGNcqdff5WbFQxevQ9xgCUweoWrVQRZWFnSaIeFeTeioEtmpaUlfBxnvDljab2_1zMsv5z31b144W_wekNWLPQjUz786NI64n9-pc994pdbH8D1KBte5KsBijQx40Z7Pk/s400/DSCN0528.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my new favorite plants, <i>Myriophyllum mattogrossense</i></td></tr>
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<br />
Another large change is my new-found appreciation for invertebrates. They were once <i>just</i> algae cleaners in my tanks, but now I enjoy watching them so much more. I even set up a tank completely dedicated to them! I haven't even come that far with plants, and I've had plants for much much longer! This change was even more recent than my new love for plants; it has just been since the New Year that discovered how interesting shrimp are to watch. Now, just like plants, every single one of my tanks has some kind of invert in it be they shrimps, snails or both. <br />
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Just like any hobby based in science and technology, this hobby is always changing. New species are always being discovered and described, and new breakthroughs are made with the technology that support our aquariums. A couple events that stick out in my mind are the <a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/panda-loach-belongs-to-new-genus/">describing of the adorable panda loach (<i>Yaoshania pachychilus</i>)</a> and the <a href="http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/04biol/pdf/ief23_1_12.pdf">re-evaluation of the ever so common barb genus <i>Puntius</i></a>. There were also discoveries like <a href="http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/greater_mekong_species_report_dec_2012.pdf">WWF article</a> that detailed the 13 new fish species that have recently come out of the Mekong River delta in Asia.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgGMDz3c7IUJaqjSBCl83nTGrl59cdOh-_2NKbnyOmBxujS4-XoLouysyh5rPnAQDIZ11Jqf4U0Umvaa91t_VDeTMdqD78otbTZXySWF9Wffcrq65hF0jBVmhv6UNcRNRAAcXzpi9TgenA8Y5hX1QE26pxPaO3dqbY26ZwXz1FbrOfJEz1H_mZQ-ldpLg=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgGMDz3c7IUJaqjSBCl83nTGrl59cdOh-_2NKbnyOmBxujS4-XoLouysyh5rPnAQDIZ11Jqf4U0Umvaa91t_VDeTMdqD78otbTZXySWF9Wffcrq65hF0jBVmhv6UNcRNRAAcXzpi9TgenA8Y5hX1QE26pxPaO3dqbY26ZwXz1FbrOfJEz1H_mZQ-ldpLg=" height="193" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile panda loach <i>Yaoshania pachychilus </i>(SeriouslyFish.com)</td></tr>
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<br />
I consider this past year of fishkeeping a year of great growth. I've become more of an advanced fishkeeper and taken my hobby in slightly different direction that others. We each have fish we prefer keeping. Some people love cichlids, some people enjoy guppies and livebearers, and some people enjoy the fish they can breed. I think I've discovered my niche in shoaling fish and shrimps. We all bring something to the table and that's what makes this hobby so interesting. I hope to be able to keep fish for the rest of my life.
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First off, the pond is open for 2013! Earlier this week we took the net off the pond. I spent a few hours cleaning out a lot of the algae that built up over the winter and clearing out any debris that made it through the net. The koi were out to greet me and the water is almost warm enough to start feeding them. I start them out with Cheerios at 55F (13C) and move them to wheat germ when the temp hits 65F (18C).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly uncovered and cleaned of most algae</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The koi just hanging out in the sunshine.</td></tr>
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The next major change is a new tank! I removed the red cherry shrimp from my community and set up a tank dedicated to breeding them. My gourami were making it next to impossible to breed them, so I just removed the shrimp. I moved over the remaining adults and later that week found four juveniles hiding in the moss. Thus far the female has released one clutch of eggs and is holding a second. Because the founding population is so small, I'm going to order more red cherries. Too much inbreeding produces shrimp that are far to weak. The plants are mostly stems with some anubias. The plant list: <i>Bacopa carolinia</i>, dwarf sagittaria (<i>Sagittaria subulata</i>), <i>Myriophyllum mattogrossense</i>, <i>Rotala rotundifolia</i>, Anubias spp, riccia, Subwassertang, and java moss. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full tank shot</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two males and juvvie eating sinking wafers. </td></tr>
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There have also been large changed in my community tank. I've finally added the cardinal tetra. I bought 12 from msjinxkd.com. They came in excellent condition and have been flourishing ever since. They are as gorgeous as they are in pictures, and I'm completely in love. The shoal has been dubbed "The Shinies" and my family remarked that they almost look like they are glowing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new cardinal tetra; I apologize for the dark picture.</td></tr>
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The other major change in my community has been an addition of more crypts. The dwarf sagittaria (<i>Sagittaria subulata</i>) and dwarf chain sword (<i>Echinodorus tenellus</i>) I had in there was just languishing. I don't know if it was the light or the tannins or just what, but they never grew for me. So I removed what was still alive and placed it in the shrimp tank. I replanted that side of the tank with green wendtii (<i>Cryptocoryne wendtii var green</i>) and red wendtii crypts (<i>Cryptocoryne wendtii var red</i>) and <i>C. spiralis</i> from AquariumPlants.com. I've had minimal melt with them and even see new growth. I'm very pleased with them. You can see them on the right side of the tank.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full tank shot; the bettas are still in the breeder boxes. </td></tr>
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The first of my summer projects I have begun are my snail bowls. Since my goldfish are growing larger and more apt to eat the smaller snails, I need to grow out my snails before I introduce them into that tank. I have set up two old betta bowls as snail bowls. One has hornwort and the other has anarcharis clippings from my betta tank, and both have a layer of duckweed. Because my water is so soft I have crushed coral substrate to maintain a steady pH and enough water hardness for the plants and snail shells. They get weekly water changes with the waste water being used to water the terrestrial plants in the terrarium window.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right bowl - hornwort; left bowl - anarcharis</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramshorn snails in the anarcharis bowl</td></tr>
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.... Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-64227710877932237872013-03-29T00:33:00.000-04:002013-03-29T00:33:50.746-04:00Just One Fish<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
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The Problems of Aquarium Release </h2>
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A lot of people buy fish that grow too large for their aquariums. Most times it isn’t their fault as pet stores often don’t inform people how large their goldfish, oscar, or pleco will grow. A couple of years down the road, these massive fish can cause problems for unsuspecting aquarists. Some stores will take back overgrown fish and try to re-home them, but this is costly for the store.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oscar in a 20 gal (Oscarfish.com)</td></tr>
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Many times these large pets are just released into local lakes and rivers because people assume just one fish won’t cause any harm. This leads to things like a pacu being caught in North Carolina and Utah. This is by no means good, but it isn’t the end of the world as most of these fish die when winter comes. But what happens when you get a cold-tolerant species like goldfish? Or when the winters just aren’t cold enough to kill off tropical fish like in southern Texas and Florida? If enough fish are released you can, and do, get breeding populations of these fish. </div>
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This causes major problems for the local ecosystems. In the case of oscars (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Astronotus ocellatus</i>) suddenly local fish have to deal with a whole new predator. Those small fish are what feed the gamefish like bass and perch. The large predators of the lake suddenly have to deal with competition, something they might not have dealt with before. A lot of times, the new fish is a stronger competitor and drives the native fish towards extinction. </div>
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In the case of goldfish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Carassius auratus auratus</i>), they don’t directly compete with the native fish; it’s the feeding action of these fish that cause trouble. In the wild, goldfish quickly lose their gold coloring and look more like regular carp. Just like carp, they root around in the substrate. This causes the water to become cloudy, impeding the growth of plants in the substrate. These plants offer a refuge for juvenile native fishes; without them the juveniles become prey for larger fishes. The increased turbidity can also be a problem for fishes that feed on benthic insects as the insects rely on a layer of algae that cannot form when the water is cloudy. So far two species have suffered negative effects on wild populations since goldfish were introduced into their habitats: the Sacramento sucker <i>Catostomus occidentalis</i> (Moyle 1976) and Pahrump poolfish <i>Empetrichthys latos latos</i> (Deacon et al. 1964; Lee et al. 1980 et seq.) There may be many more that haven’t been studied yet. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Researcher holds up a giant goldfish pulled from Lake Tahoe <br />
where they have been causing unrest in the local ecosystem. <br />
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Not only are released aquarium fish a problem with the native fish, but they can be problematic for humans, too. Loricariid catfish, commonly called plecos, can’t survive the winters in the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>northern US, but they can and do thrive in the southernmost states. Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and Nevada all report breeding populations of these fish. These large catfish breed in burrows, which becomes a problem when they are found in high numbers. These burrows lead to increased erosion (Nico 2009). This can be very problematic when they burrow into levees as this causes the levees to erode from within. The damage may not be noticed until after the levee has breached. </div>
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It’s not just freshwater fish that present a problem. Saltwater fish released into non-native habitats can also cause problems. The most notable is the lionfish (<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Pterois volitans</span></i>). These are beautiful fish that outgrow most normal sized home aquariums and when released into the ocean survive and thrive. They have been reported as far north as Massachusetts and breeding populations are established from North Carolina to Florida, Bermuda, and all around the Caribbean. Lionfish are predatory and have a voracious appetite. They prey on important local fishes such as those that keep reefs clear of algae and juvenile foodfish that are economically important like grouper and grunts. Lionfish have no predators in the Caribbean ecosystem and are covered in large, venomous spines. These spines deter anything from eating them and cause harm to divers that approach them. Luckily there is something divers and fisheries managers can do about these fish: harvest them. They are targeted by spearfishing operations which appear to be having an impact on the population.<br />
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It’s not just fish released from aquariums that can cause trouble; plants have also been known to make it into local waterways when aquarists toss them as well.. Some of the most notable examples of this come from floating plants like water hyacinth, hygrophila, water lettuce, and giant salvinia. These plants are rapid-growing and will choke out waterways making boat travel very difficult. Controlling them requires intensive management. </div>
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These are some of the worst cases of the consequences of aquarium release. I don’t want this to turn you against the aquarium hobby—I want these examples to open your eyes to what happens beyond your fish tanks. These examples are sad, and we can’t do anything to stop what they have already done. But we can prevent more examples from being added to this list. Never release fish from your aquarium into the wild. Never buy a fish you can’t house. Never expect someone else to take care of your fish when it gets larger. Speak up if you know someone who wants to release an aquarium fish. They may see it as just one fish, but they don’t know that hundreds of “just one fish” have already led to problems. We all can make a difference, and it starts with just one fish. </div>
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Works Referenced</h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Deacon, J.E., C. Hubbs, and B.J. Zahuranec. 1964. Some effects of introduced fishes on the native fish fauna of southern Nevada. Copeia 1964(2):384-388.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Lee, D.S., C.R. Gilbert, C.H. Hocutt, R.E. Jenkins, D.E. McAllister, and J.R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980 et seq. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, NC.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_citation">Leo Nico, Pam Fuller, and Matt Neilson. 2013. <i> <a href="http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=436">Astronotus</a></i><a href="http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=436"><i> ocellatus</i></a>. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL. nas.er.usgs.gov/ Updated: 4 <span style="font-size: small;">March 2013. Retrieved: 28 <span style="font-size: small;">March 2013. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_citation"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/marine-species/lionfish/">Lion<span style="font-size: small;">fish </span></a></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_citation"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/marine-species/lionfish/">Pterois volitans</a>."</span><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-size: small;">Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Comm<span style="font-size: small;">ission<span style="font-size: small;">. <span style="font-size: small;">http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives. Updated: <span style="font-size: small;">2013. </span>Retrieved: 28 <span style="font-size: small;">March 2013. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_citation"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://www.reef.org/programs/exotic/lionfish">Lion</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.reef.org/programs/exotic/lionfish">fish Research </a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.reef.org/programs/exotic/lionfish">P</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.reef.org/programs/exotic/lionfish">rogram</a>."</span></span></span> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">REEF. www.reef.org</span>. Updated: 2012. Retrieved 28 <span style="font-size: small;">March 2013. </span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Moyle, P.B. 1976. Inland fishes of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Nico, Leo G., Howard L Jelks, Travis Tuten. 2009. Non-Nativev Suckermouth Armored Catfishes in Florida: Description of Nest Burrows and Burrow Colonies with Assessment of Shoreline Conditions. Aquatic Nuisance Species Research Program 09: 1-29. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_citation">Nico, L.G., P.J. Schofield, J. Larson, and A. Fusaro. 2013. <i> <a href="http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=508">Carassius</a></i><a href="http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=508"><i> auratus</i></a>. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL. nas.er.usgs.gov/ Updated: <span style="font-size: small;">4</span> <span style="font-size: small;">Jan</span> 2012. Retrieved: 27 March 2013. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_citation">"<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_4040918">Piranha-like f</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_4040918">i</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_4040918">sh caught in Utah Lake wa</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_4040918">s a Pacu</a>." <span style="font-size: small;">The Salt Lake Tribune.</span> www.sltrib.com</span></span>. U<span style="font-size: small;">pdated: 21 July 2006. Retrieved 27 March 2013. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_citation">Ta<span style="font-size: small;">ylor, Fred. 27 Sept 2006. "<a href="http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1058445/">Wild life</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1058445/"> exper</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1058445/">ts don't bite on ta</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1058445/">le of <span style="font-size: small;">piranha</span> in Lake Gaston</a>.<span style="font-size: small;">" WRAL News. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span>www.wral.com. Retrieved: 28 <span style="font-size: small;">March 2013. </span> </div>
Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-33988967199104725282013-03-23T17:35:00.000-04:002013-04-12T22:52:09.164-04:00My Favorite (Aquarium) FishAs soon as people here I keep aquariums they ask me what my favorite fish are. It's so hard to just pick one, so I've come up with a list of my top ten favorite aquarium fish! Let's count them down!<br />
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<b>10. Rummynose Tetra (<i>Hemigrammus bleheri</i>)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Hemigrammus-bleheri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Hemigrammus-bleheri.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rummynose tetra individual (SeriouslyFish.com)</td></tr>
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These little beauties are some of the most tightly shoaling tetras in the freshwater world. Sure other tetra will shoal from time to time, but these guys do it almost nonstop. They aren't the most colorful of the tetra, but that lovely red nose sure can shine! Like most of the fish on my list, they are softwater fish. These little beauties can withstand the high temperatures that discus need and are often recommended with them. <br />
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<b>9. Twig Catfish (<i>Farlowella spp</i>)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/52/106304170_b088ec229f_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/52/106304170_b088ec229f_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Farlowella spp</i> clinging to Anubias (sampukko @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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This fish lives up to its name. In poorer quality video and pictures it can easily be mistaken for a twig. Its appearance is its camouflage and helps it remain undetected in the wild (and in the aquarium sometimes!). Even though I don't see him every day, I still love my farlowella. They are closely related to plecos but have an almost entirely vegetarian diet. They get quite long (7 inches [17 cm]) but lack the girth to go with it. They get along very well with small fish and shrimps. I've even seen my shrimps climb on him like he was a real twig! <br />
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<b>8. Gourami (<i>Trichogaster spp</i>)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Colisa-lalia-males1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Colisa-lalia-males1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male dwarf gourami in territorial display (SeriouslyFish.com)</td></tr>
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An air-breather just like bettas, these little fish can make excellent centerpieces for a small tank. They do fine alone or in groups, but it's best to have multiple females per male in a group. They can be a bit territorial towards other gourami and fish that resemble gourami like bettas and cichlids, so if you are keeping multiple gourami in a tank you need to have a lot of hiding spaces for them. Gourami love areas of thick planting as well as floating plants. While I know my male gourami would do fine on his own, I just love watching his colors shine as he displays for his females. <br />
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<b>7. Botine loaches (<i>Botia spp</i>)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.loaches.com/species-index/photos/b/botia_rostrata_04.jpg/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="http://www.loaches.com/species-index/photos/b/botia_rostrata_04.jpg/" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile ladder loaches <i>Botia rostrata</i> playing (Emma Turner @ Loaches Online)</td></tr>
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I fell in love with these guys years ago but have not been able to get them in a tank of mine yet. I saw them playing in a petstore and fell in love. If I were a more capricious person I would have bought them then and there, but I went home and did research. For the most part, the botine loaches need tanks 55 gallons (208 L) or larger. They get larger than you would expect (3+ inches [8 cm] depending on species) and need to be in groups of 6 or more. On top of that, they are very active. But what made me fall in love with these little buggers was the way they interact with each other. They really look like they are playing. They also like to pose in strange positions around the tank which includes laying on their sides or at otherwise odd angles just because they feel like it. For little fishes, they have lots of personality, and I can't wait to get some of these in a tank of mine one day. <br />
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<b>6. Discus (<i>Symphysodon spp</i>)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/symphysodon_aequifasciata_velvet_sun_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/symphysodon_aequifasciata_velvet_sun_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captive bred discus <i>Symphysodon aequifasciata</i> (SeriouslyFish.com)</td></tr>
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They are called the kings of the aquarium and for good reason. Growing to approximately the size of a CD and coming in rainbow of colors, discus make an impressive sight in an aquarium.Their unusual shape and myriad of colors are what first grabbed my attention, but I was hooked when I saw them swimming in an aquarium. They are so graceful! But with that grace and beauty comes a great amount of care. This coupled with their cost doesn't make them a fish for beginner or even most intermediates. It also makes them difficult to pair with other fish; it's not that they are aggressive, but it's that they need very warm, soft, and acidic water. <br />
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<b>5. Cardinal Tetra (<i>Paracheirodon axelrodi</i>)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjTZm_YBNCA8stXKA1PcHpgEScNLmpoQ2DA7_PBw9ak7Eqz7yv4Nkec0eN_Eh46v3gu0xrA1OTWMzFNLskMToEfgc3nPtYVQSpMp51Rhjc1_C6A0a01YvaT7E9iStmPDXVYL79MC415-QozfBagAcY8QwTa9X9verP4vTTNRA=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjTZm_YBNCA8stXKA1PcHpgEScNLmpoQ2DA7_PBw9ak7Eqz7yv4Nkec0eN_Eh46v3gu0xrA1OTWMzFNLskMToEfgc3nPtYVQSpMp51Rhjc1_C6A0a01YvaT7E9iStmPDXVYL79MC415-QozfBagAcY8QwTa9X9verP4vTTNRA=" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cardinal tetra shoal (Leino88 @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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Another one of the few fish that can withstand the high temperatures discus need, they also rival discus in coloration. Those blue streaks stand out across a room and make them the most beautiful tetra in my opinion. Up close the deep red streak that runs their full body length becomes apparent. Their relaxed and calm nature makes them a great pair with other beautiful fish like gourami and discus. Whether they are in a loosely shoaling group of 12 or in a tight shoal of 50 these tetra stand out in a tank and in my heart. If I could have any tetra in a tank, it would be these guys. <br />
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<b>4. Fighting Fish (<i>Betta splendens</i>)</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my personal bettas, Lumi the halfmoon plakat</td></tr>
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A lot of people call these little fish with a big attitude, and I'm more than inclined to agree. Every single betta I've owned has been very personable. Those long flowing fins entice many people in, but I am more fond of the rainbow of colors they come in. Another one of my favorite things about bettas is their adaptability to smaller tanks and different water parameters. Bettas were the only fish that I could have in my 5 gal tanks while I was in college. They will also do well in hard or soft water, so you can keep them no matter what your tap water is. <br />
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<b>3. Kuhli loaches (<i>Pangio spp</i>)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Pangio-shelfordii-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Pangio-shelfordii-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A group of <i>Pangio shelfordii</i> (SeriouslyFish.com)</td></tr>
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Along with the twig catfish, these little guys are some of the strangest looking fish on my list because they don't look like fish! They look like little worms! This is especially true of the brown species. Kuhli loaches have squirmed their way into my heart. Just like the botine loaches they are full of energy and spunk. They like to drape themselves in odd positions around the tank and use those adorable whiskers to sniff out food. They love the company of other loaches and it's not uncommon to see three or four squished together in the same hidey-hole. Many people have trouble with these guy hiding a lot, but I never have. I think it's because I give them enough hiding spaces that they feel comfortable to come out all the time. <br />
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<b>2. Goldfish (<i>Carassius auratus auratus</i>)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p610/IzzysFish/Goldfish/DSCN8564_zps38df8e47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p610/IzzysFish/Goldfish/DSCN8564_zps38df8e47.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My two current fancy goldfish, Magikarp and Burbbles</td></tr>
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Years ago when I was a young girl, these bubbly little fish stole my heart. My knowledge of their care and love of them have only increased through the years. Yes they need large tanks and lots of water changes, but it's worth it for those wiggly bodies and cute faces. I can't imagine my life without goldfish. <br />
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<b>1. Koi (<i>Cyprinus carpio</i>)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGQN0ff8fJ9XQvnYrdfyPL9bI5bnEKJ6E7ns3QmXqKXbwn2XZX1FsKNbjOOwRIWF5DwUQXxoXg_whrYovUxj5_gtfUGLuzM-_KzrwfafCQ3JofpaoIuTJGk3PRLvgg6pS-evx4uFBP2Ji/s1600/DSCN5819+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGQN0ff8fJ9XQvnYrdfyPL9bI5bnEKJ6E7ns3QmXqKXbwn2XZX1FsKNbjOOwRIWF5DwUQXxoXg_whrYovUxj5_gtfUGLuzM-_KzrwfafCQ3JofpaoIuTJGk3PRLvgg6pS-evx4uFBP2Ji/s400/DSCN5819+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Byakko, my shiro utsuri koi. Taken in 2011.</td></tr>
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While not a true aquarium fish, they are a big part of the hobby and one of my favorite fish. But they didn't start out that way. I never really appreciated them until my little koi that I bought back in 2007 grew into 18 inch (45 cm) beauties. I spend hours in the summer just watching them swim around the pond. In the store, they do just look like large goldfish, but when they are grown there is nothing that rivals their beauty and grace. <br />
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I am lucky enough to own a good number of these including goldfish, bettas, koi, kuhli loaches, and twig catfish. One day I will have all of these fish, but some like the botine loaches and discus are potentially a decade away. It's good to have dreams.
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Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-55562013017459836822013-02-22T23:33:00.000-05:002015-10-16T22:22:55.264-04:00Divided Betta Tanks<h2>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]-->The easiest way to keep multiple bettas!</h2>
Everyone knows that bettas need clean, warm water. Personally I don’t like to keep bettas in anything smaller than a 5 gal (19 L) because they are harder to maintain a cycle or proper temperature in. Most people have two to four bettas, and cleaning that many 5 gal (19 L) tanks can take a while. This is why the divided tank is my favorite way to keep bettas. <br />
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The Basic Setup</h3>
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The idea is to separate the bettas by a solid divider. Some people use plastic mesh, and some will use solid glass or plexiglass with tiny holes drilled for water movement. The intention is to physically separate the fish so they cannot touch each other. But the two fish can still see each other.</div>
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Left without any visual barriers, they will flare uncontrollably which is stressful to them. This can lead to fin-biting or wasting away. Some fish will refuse to eat and attempt to fight the other fish until they die. This is counter-productive. So you have to obscure their view of each other by placing numerous tall decorations along both sides of the divider. Some people use fake plants; some people use décor like castles and other trinkets. I prefer to use live plants. What is important is that these decorations make it easy for one betta to get out of sight of the other. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht04YjILX9q1qKLWQGTuWqALvLbE3q4lpkqY74w7aYVICc1uBX-gkRGDuKKQLtmaKMvme4C06Lb5mG2ukUnu9CSFGntset3xxnOgyVmbEN7nHnpvqC9NaMbahsuIGbHuEQ4w8DMRuEQ7xN/s1600/divided+betta+tank+-+Pixiefarts+flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht04YjILX9q1qKLWQGTuWqALvLbE3q4lpkqY74w7aYVICc1uBX-gkRGDuKKQLtmaKMvme4C06Lb5mG2ukUnu9CSFGntset3xxnOgyVmbEN7nHnpvqC9NaMbahsuIGbHuEQ4w8DMRuEQ7xN/s1600/divided+betta+tank+-+Pixiefarts+flickr.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly set up divided 10 gallon tank (Pixiefarts @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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Other decorations in the tank such as caves should be angled away from the divider to give the bettas more refuge from each other. As always a tank stuffed with decorations and live plants seems to be the best habitat for a betta. In this situation it also gives the bettas ample space to avoid looking at each other. <br />
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Most any size tank above 5 gallons (19 L) can be easily divided. The kinds of tanks you want to stay away from dividing are the tall tanks like hexigons. A tall and long tank like a 40 gal (150 L) breeder could be divided, but you would need to provide the bettas ample resting places close to the top. That is a tall tank for a fish with heavy fins. The most commonly divided tanks are 10 gal (38 L), 15 gal (56 L), 15 gal (56 L) long, 20 gal (75 L), and 20 gal (75 L) long. </div>
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Variations</h3>
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There are a couple of variations on this idea, but they all have the basic concept. Some people add multiple dividers to a long tank such as a 20 gal (75 L) long. In a tank like this you could have between three and four (depending on preference) dividers. But you have to take special care to provide the betta in the middle with more than average hiding spaces because he will think he’s being attacked from both sides. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Divided 20 long (Jadesong520 @ photobucket)</td></tr>
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Some people take this a step further and create betta barracks. The methods to do this vary greatly from placing a lot of dividers in a tank to having glass custom cut and siliconed into place, but the outcome is the same. There are usually 4+ compartments in the front for bettas and a single large compartment behind the bettas to facilitate water flow, allow for a heater, and a filter. This method is preferred by breeders because it allows you to house hundreds of bettas in a pretty compact area using multiple barracks and industrial shelving racks. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLHcMquw_YMWXNaIF4-PnA1pTWg4V2bLDin4KE4n_skJ_KIiIowlapTUqu0-mR0XoDGPli0dPlS5FTH5qi4LOKNCw-lB4l4wZjHAXZUBLQTPeNBxCa7Svf6QlAX_BMDFDJowMHmoE1LDC/s1600/10+betta+barracks+LittleBettaFish+BF+com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLHcMquw_YMWXNaIF4-PnA1pTWg4V2bLDin4KE4n_skJ_KIiIowlapTUqu0-mR0XoDGPli0dPlS5FTH5qi4LOKNCw-lB4l4wZjHAXZUBLQTPeNBxCa7Svf6QlAX_BMDFDJowMHmoE1LDC/s1600/10+betta+barracks+LittleBettaFish+BF+com.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Betta barracks for 10 bettas (LittleBettaFish @ Bettafish.com)</td></tr>
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My personal favorite dividing method is the double divider. Instead of just one divider in the tank, I use two to create three compartments, but only two compartments house fish. The middle one houses the heater and filter and a few plants. The additional divider makes it more difficult for the bettas to see each other and also offers a buffer zone in case of a jumper. Bettas are known to jump, and they do jump the divider from time to time. This HAS happened to me before while I was on vacation, but because of this middle buffer zone the bettas did not tear each other apart. They were there for hours until they were discovered. If not for this middle section, I could have come home to one or two dead bettas. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBv_ZjXUc9EhMIeGmg0RHGaDqjFw9gyDym2eHVvXcLJUADGfC2qftf7lmMFFFVxf0sOXX0Gmhj5XxM-ZLiEejdVCdHa7BmOXCE1wJjLX-mfw9M27TbtZ2fzUIYNXrYXJ7irvjJhyphenhyphen1zSNvR/s1600/DSCN8807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBv_ZjXUc9EhMIeGmg0RHGaDqjFw9gyDym2eHVvXcLJUADGfC2qftf7lmMFFFVxf0sOXX0Gmhj5XxM-ZLiEejdVCdHa7BmOXCE1wJjLX-mfw9M27TbtZ2fzUIYNXrYXJ7irvjJhyphenhyphen1zSNvR/s640/DSCN8807.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My personal divided betta tank.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the side. Note how opaque the divider is.</td></tr>
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Problems</h3>
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No setup is perfect and when you put two bettas in a tank together (even with a divider) you still have the potential for problems. As I was just talking about with my tank, jumping is a serious issue. Just last week a friend of mine who also has divided tanks lost one of her bettas when the other jumped the divider and beat him to death. The double divider is one way to help prevent that. The other thing you can do is make a jump guard. Because I made my dividers from craft mesh, which is bought in sets of multiple sheets, I had some left over. I cut the leftover mesh to make a jump guard. It’s just a piece of mesh that rests on top of the divider and hangs out over the edges about 3 inches (7 cm). If a betta jumps at the divider, he or she will just hit the mesh.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vKRKITjYwQ51s9gvnFerkNyTBO6PzEpCldlO7JapGGY9FNoEsecMgF4x240fxyJJRATjQWmDNpepSqLAr4Wtr69p6zlNcPh4lkElkL6sn5DLaL1UsMLtsfiwFdNXFc0YRUcU2llVh6pu/s1600/jump+guard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vKRKITjYwQ51s9gvnFerkNyTBO6PzEpCldlO7JapGGY9FNoEsecMgF4x240fxyJJRATjQWmDNpepSqLAr4Wtr69p6zlNcPh4lkElkL6sn5DLaL1UsMLtsfiwFdNXFc0YRUcU2llVh6pu/s640/jump+guard.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jump guard made with craft mesh. </td></tr>
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Another issue is the spread of waterborne diseases like ich, fungus, and columnaris. If one fish gets sick you have to treat the whole tank for it because the other betta (or bettas) have been exposed. Most disease can be prevented by having a good quarantine regimen. </div>
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Sometimes you will just get males or females that just can’t handle living in a divided tank. Even with lots of plants along the divider they will fin-bite or pace all day, trying to get away. Generally the bettas that are more relaxed tend to do better in divided tanks. Having two very aggressive bettas in a divided tank can be a problem. This is a specialized setup; it isn’t for every betta. </div>
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As I have said before this is my favorite way to keep bettas. You get double the fish for the same amount of maintenance. My betta tank gets one 30% water change weekly and takes the least time of all of my tanks. I highly recommend this type of setup to anyone<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6484886415057433235" name="_GoBack"></a>. I leave you with a video of my divided betta tank. The two males do not notice each other at all. </div>
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<script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-16961302315648041092013-02-15T13:00:00.001-05:002013-02-15T13:00:55.686-05:00My Tanks: 15 Feb UpdateWow. It's been a long time since an update, and I have a <i>lot</i> to tell. There will be a lot of pictures.<br />
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Community Tank </h3>
The biggest changes have been in the 29 gal community. It is almost completely stocked. In the beginning of January I ordered my <i>Farlowella acus</i> from Invertibrates by Msjinkzd. Since I knew it might still be a while before there was some color and movement in the tank I also ordered a handful of red cherry shrimp (<i>Neocaridina</i> <i>heteropoda var. red) </i>to add some movement and color. Everyone arrived safe and in great health; I highly recommend buying from this seller! I know I will be a repeat customer. Just take a look at what she sent me! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Farlowella acus</i> on his first week in the tank. He's cleaned up that algae now. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkvaSmiaLCcS1tdMMcQDTifT2kBsmUHoqVmsNI3RUXxsp5k5ED1S59MGXC9HE4fZ1afn3XZP1AcHvrOMBQXHrSoI6kBShczPGA2eBrvCkD06dBOeDbGtVrGKVEDbQO5oK0Z1mS2JOfvVi/s1600/DSCN9581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkvaSmiaLCcS1tdMMcQDTifT2kBsmUHoqVmsNI3RUXxsp5k5ED1S59MGXC9HE4fZ1afn3XZP1AcHvrOMBQXHrSoI6kBShczPGA2eBrvCkD06dBOeDbGtVrGKVEDbQO5oK0Z1mS2JOfvVi/s400/DSCN9581.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the side. The seller did an excellent job of making sure he was eating <br />
before selling him. Comes off his wood when the algae wafers go down. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my female RCS just a few days after introduction. She is now berried.</td></tr>
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The crypts that I added back in December have really taken off. Both plants have very little melting, and I see lots of new leaves. The tiger lily did not make it. It showed good growth for a few weeks and then the leaves just withered away and never came back. I noticed a problem with the flow behind the smaller piece of driftwood, and had to move the wood and the dwarf sag and pygmy chain sword that was behind it. The sword never recovered and my other sword that was in the tank died off, too. The dwarf sag is slowly recovering, but I don't think it will ever do well there. So I'm looking to put some more crypts on the right side later this year.<br />
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In the beginning of February I ordered kuhli loaches (<i>Pangio oblonga</i>) and a trio of honey gourami (<i><span class="kno-fv"><span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=4G6&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=%22honey+gourami%22+%22scientific+name%22+%22trichogaster+chuna%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDgwAHsxKXfq6-gXFhVlJJlgPjg_k5ywRePVvu8C97wfavPH0xMtptAJ6juT4tAAAA">Trichogaster chuna</span></span></i>) from The Wet Spot in Oregon. Everyone came through quarantine without a hitch so they were put in the main tank a week after they arrived. In fact, they actually spawned twice in the QT to give you an indication of the health of the fish when they arrived. The Wet Spot is another seller I highly recommend.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IYmn9JDigSfjgbp2gNPCoeGilIecP-pqivJ97FunHuTFrWz6THBpll5NQhk9I4lnlSappwc3GBWQJYQgfefTINeYxPF1ReuhRuXvodESdS4TtoERPAOp1LYbJ0TONgb_9NqnmQMO0Bna/s1600/DSCN9759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IYmn9JDigSfjgbp2gNPCoeGilIecP-pqivJ97FunHuTFrWz6THBpll5NQhk9I4lnlSappwc3GBWQJYQgfefTINeYxPF1ReuhRuXvodESdS4TtoERPAOp1LYbJ0TONgb_9NqnmQMO0Bna/s400/DSCN9759.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full tank shot. You can see the male just to the left of the wood.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the females defending her position. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8Y7EfOWAW9j-PDxs5NqSDEpWMA0ObvPuM8rLGQRUdu0RO4BT3jzQMMdAWRcM1w3n2xXj_I_vD0WKNNgPG6S-mDTbk2CVEYvUd6i7I4F6lAz48qgyUjug4n8SqllZS56rw3pSImzYDPT0/s1600/DSCN9767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8Y7EfOWAW9j-PDxs5NqSDEpWMA0ObvPuM8rLGQRUdu0RO4BT3jzQMMdAWRcM1w3n2xXj_I_vD0WKNNgPG6S-mDTbk2CVEYvUd6i7I4F6lAz48qgyUjug4n8SqllZS56rw3pSImzYDPT0/s400/DSCN9767.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My male gourami trying to romance one of the females.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OtsVDYzVGMHFjC_n6fmncXyY9Ql9zkVhBIlm4k50ebEW34T-sQJVaEWIg9vW77EFi7j97Jp5XnyZpBxbWkhnHJJ0WTEFWZy5zkpCDSp4rHyt6XRBJrGwybCzQhyJqlvsT2oXOZ7BWsR_/s1600/DSCN9692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OtsVDYzVGMHFjC_n6fmncXyY9Ql9zkVhBIlm4k50ebEW34T-sQJVaEWIg9vW77EFi7j97Jp5XnyZpBxbWkhnHJJ0WTEFWZy5zkpCDSp4rHyt6XRBJrGwybCzQhyJqlvsT2oXOZ7BWsR_/s400/DSCN9692.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I believe this is one of the new loaches. It's rare that I get <br />
a picture of them at all, so a butt shot will have to do! </td></tr>
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Other tanks</h3>
Not too much has changed in my betta and goldfish tanks. I removed the fake floating plants in the goldfish tank since the live plants have grown large enough to fight the current from the filters. It took the goldfish a little bit to get used to, but they're adjusted now. <br />
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In the betta tanks I've replaced the home-made sponge filters with Hydro II sponge filters. I noticed some algae issues a few months back and decided I needed a bit more flow. The Hydro II's have give that to me but still keep the flow low enough for the bettas. It's a win-win! <br />
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And I did a bit of decorating both tanks for Valentine's Day! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAYCsF1fhCiIckHWpO1eHvjt6MMPfQlqCPgCuLdCs2bsC6EeeAUnfV4xHLGQzFC0Th-N21udYCs8kPiVLRPY54gOCyr21MSTGgGEsw4nKvkm6-WPa7zmzeJFG7s8l4z0pJcU6D9z587tP/s1600/DSCN9636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAYCsF1fhCiIckHWpO1eHvjt6MMPfQlqCPgCuLdCs2bsC6EeeAUnfV4xHLGQzFC0Th-N21udYCs8kPiVLRPY54gOCyr21MSTGgGEsw4nKvkm6-WPa7zmzeJFG7s8l4z0pJcU6D9z587tP/s400/DSCN9636.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldfish tank! Pardon the algae on the back wall. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQowk5cFBBuS7Nxbu9DWtgQVA99phR6hq6aaePcp_hQRnWJVyFoEFsSUQW_6Q66DQ0qFJ6Ii5Di6PljMyttSaR-uIh-MHZ_3og55Yujn1QsRXtB20eBUeDNT0NbdMSb5Up1TL6ccecLAN_/s1600/DSCN9634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQowk5cFBBuS7Nxbu9DWtgQVA99phR6hq6aaePcp_hQRnWJVyFoEFsSUQW_6Q66DQ0qFJ6Ii5Di6PljMyttSaR-uIh-MHZ_3og55Yujn1QsRXtB20eBUeDNT0NbdMSb5Up1TL6ccecLAN_/s400/DSCN9634.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hearts on the betta tank! They flared at them for a few minutes. </td></tr>
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My last bit of news is a plan to set up a new tank! The plants in my second betta tank just never did well. So I'm breaking down that setup, finding new homes for the bettas and setting up a dedicated red cherry shrimp tank! Those little shrimps were just supposed to be a placeholder until I could get some movement in the tank, but I've fallen in love with them. I have seen the female RCS holding eggs in the community, but I've never seen the babies. I'm pretty sure the fish are eating them. So instead of fighting nature I'm going to dedicate a tank to my shrimps! Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-67490093224762870632013-02-07T23:39:00.001-05:002013-02-07T23:39:31.179-05:00That Kiss!<h2>
Not all is well in paradise.. </h2>
A Valentine's Day draws near I’m seeing more pictures and .gifs of the trademark behavior of the kissing gourami. I’ve also heard a few people planning to purchase these fish as gifts for loved ones. Neither of these actions are as sweet as you might think. I’ll explain why.<br />
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The kissing gourami is a unique gourami in that it is the only species in its family Helostomatidae. They lack the long ventral fins of other common gourami but still maintain that gourami attitude. They are feisty and will put on displays to keep others from their territory, but they display by lip-locking. This appears to people as if the fish are kissing, but they are actually fighting to drive the other fish off; they push against each other until one fish backs down and swims away.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kissing gourami in a territorial dispute (Tom Bailey Photography)</td></tr>
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The thick lips of the kissing gourami were originally developed for rasping algae and other microorganisms from branches and leaves in their ancestral swamps. In the aquarium they will do this to plants as well as the walls. This is why you will often see them “kissing” everything in the tank. Because they have such powerful jaws, they will often tear up the leaves of plants in attempt to eat what grows on the surface. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As they grow, they will consume smaller fish that they are housed with like small tetra, danio, and rasbora. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Helostoma-temminkkii-green-mouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Helostoma-temminkkii-green-mouth.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mouth detail of wild form (Seriously Fish)</td></tr>
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This fish also gets much larger than most of the common gourami. What you see in the small store tank are just the juveniles. Most specimens top out between 10 inches (25 cm) and 12 inches (30 cm) long. Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine recommends a 75 gal (283 L) as the minimum size for a single adult; groups need much larger tanks. When they are fully grown, those two little babies that used to ‘kiss’ each other will be large and territorial. It’s not uncommon for the larger fish to harass the smaller one to death. This is not to say they can’t be kept together, but two fish almost a foot long each require a lot of space to ensure each fish has its own territory. </div>
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Now you may be thinking that I just ruined your Valentine’s idea for the fish-lover in your life. But fear not, for he or she would have been very unhappy if you put two of these fish in her or his tank without asking first. There are much better ideas, and I don’t mean a red betta in a vase. I’ve se<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6484886415057433235" name="_GoBack"></a>en some small heart-shaped aquarium decorations that would be darling to surprise your fish-lover with. Nothing like waking up and finding a heart in you aquarium to know someone loves you. Gift cards are another great option especially if you know that special someone is looking for a specific item. And there is always jewelry. I’ve seen some very beautiful fish necklaces and earrings. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.maxjewelrystore.com/images/silver1/Silver-Red-Heart-Crystal-Fish-Pendants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.maxjewelrystore.com/images/silver1/Silver-Red-Heart-Crystal-Fish-Pendants.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Silver red crystal fish pendant<br /> (maxjewelrystore.com)</span></td></tr>
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So this weekend when you are out shopping for that special someone in your life, leave the kissing gourami in the store. Your fish tank (and your significant other) will thank you for it. Most tanks can't house a surprise belligerent 10 inch (25 cm) fish that eats your aquascape and tetra. </div>
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Works Referenced</h3>
<span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://www.fishbase.us/summary/Helostoma-temminkii.html">Helostoma temminkii, Kissing gourami</a>." fishbase.org. Updated: 3 July 2012 Retrieved: 7 Feb 2013.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/helostoma-temminkii/">Helostoma temminkii (Kissing gourami)</a>." Seriously Fish. Updated: 2013 Retrieved: 7 Feb 2013.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"<a href="http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-species/freshwater-profiles/kissing-gourami-2.aspx">Kissing Gourami Fish</a>." Fishchannel.com. Updated: 2013 Retrieved: 7 Feb 2013</span>Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-53900764232958374522013-02-02T14:07:00.000-05:002015-10-16T22:40:11.074-04:00Is my fish a girl or a boy?<h2>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]-->How to determine the sex of your fish</h2>
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Most people like to name their fish and want to have a name that fits the fish’s gender. Other people want to try breeding and need to know if they have males and females. Sexing fish can be a tricky thing, but there are some species and families of fish that are relatively easy. Before we get into those, I’ll talk about some general trends in sexing fish. </div>
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Females are rounder</h3>
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Of course this only works with mature animals, but for the most part the female will have slightly thicker bodies. This is because the eggs that females carry take up more space than sperm. The females also need larger fat reserves to produce the eggs. </div>
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Males are smaller and more colorful</h3>
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Just as in birds, males are the more colorful of the genders. Males compete with other males by showing off their vibrant colors. The most colorful male gets to mate. They are also slightly smaller than the females. </div>
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Sexing popular fish</h3>
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Goldfish (<i><span class="kno-fv"><span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=27q&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=%22goldfish%22+%22scientific+name%22+%22carassius+auratus+auratus%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAAErANT_AHvTx-gAAAAOCAMiCC9tLzAzZmoyQAG08YW885YHZEa04-ykuwjaFqTYHlWtO7crAAAA">Carassius auratus auratus</span></span></i>)</h4>
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These fish can actually be a little tricky as they have no obvious differences when the fish are not breeding, but there are two things you can look for when they breed: breeding stars and the shape of the vent. </div>
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Breeding stars or breeding tubercules will only appear on the males. They appear on the gill plate and pectoral fins. These are a sign of virility, and a study performed on a relative of the goldfish found a correlation between the number of breeding stars and how healthy a male fish is. These stars help a female fish decide who she wants to mate with. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breeding stars on pectoral fin and gill cover (goldy fk @ flickr)</td></tr>
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The next thing to look for is the shape of the vent (this is also called the cloaca and is the opening near the anal fin). The vent of the male will be slightly larger and concave (meaning it curves inward). The vent of the female will be smaller and protrude slightly. The pictures below better illustrate this. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfSy5-g8YVFoFrkFSaSCmVTSnlJvFYJ25zJ-nwlJUz69JEXdVvNXyuTvUrmaKzlAhxKSHuC5wnZ-OkqpawZBY8Ub9iQRjngMD8fzHwrcE_NKCWZt6_EB-VhHfmXu6nyFAzfkqdb6arq3U/s1600/MaleVent1+theGAB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfSy5-g8YVFoFrkFSaSCmVTSnlJvFYJ25zJ-nwlJUz69JEXdVvNXyuTvUrmaKzlAhxKSHuC5wnZ-OkqpawZBY8Ub9iQRjngMD8fzHwrcE_NKCWZt6_EB-VhHfmXu6nyFAzfkqdb6arq3U/s640/MaleVent1+theGAB.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circled male vent (mikroll @ TheGAB)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circled female vent (mikroll @ TheGAB.org)</td></tr>
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I find using the vent method to be a little difficult as my goldfish usually like to have their heads facing towards me begging for food. I prefer to use the breeding star method because they are more visible in my experience. </div>
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Betta fish (<i>Betta splendens</i>)</h4>
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These small, popular tropical fish are a little easier than goldfish to sex because some of it can be done out of the breeding season. There are two main ways to sex bettas: fin length and the presence of an ovipositor. </div>
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If you see a long-finned betta it is a male. There have been cases where females have longer than normal fins, but they aren’t nearly as long as the typical halfmoon spread seen below. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6z8W3d52XjAaQ4t-xfOArM8Q9IzavE0f7O4ErWlayRPrHluL_39KRjsaZW8phtHOJ5Up7N5ZIlkgWIKuEnBHMqfEPDmnbBDV5OTAgfO8fAj30opDkLlqxEsjRBCcQa2iPXUpahI-zzLrA/s1600/super+delta+-+Aquariumloto+flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6z8W3d52XjAaQ4t-xfOArM8Q9IzavE0f7O4ErWlayRPrHluL_39KRjsaZW8phtHOJ5Up7N5ZIlkgWIKuEnBHMqfEPDmnbBDV5OTAgfO8fAj30opDkLlqxEsjRBCcQa2iPXUpahI-zzLrA/s640/super+delta+-+Aquariumloto+flickr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These extremely long fins indicate a male(Aquariumloto @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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Sexing bettas gets a little trickier when you are dealing with plakat (or short-finned) bettas because the male and female fins are the same length. Now you have to look for the ovipositor on the female. The ovipositor is a small white tube protruding from the vent of the female; in breeding she uses this to position eggs. It will appear as a small white dot behind the ventral fins. The lack of such indicates a male. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/images/3/34/Female_Betta_Ovipositer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/images/3/34/Female_Betta_Ovipositer.jpg" height="490" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrow points to ovipositor (Stuart Halliday)</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Ovipositor"></a> </div>
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Angelfish (<i><span class="kno-fv"><span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=dAr&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1366&bih=640&q=%22pterophyllum%22+%22scientific+name%22+%22pterophyllum+altum%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAAEsANP_AHvTx-gAAAAPCAMiCS9tLzAyX2Qwc0AByfdfvN87N4fyc9qfkn-Hmeq4UuTiS3D4LAAAAA">Pterophyllum spp</span></span></i>)</h4>
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Another extremely popular aquarium fish, but much harder than bettas or goldfish to sex. They have no discernible differences when they are not spawning, and when they are spawning you have to look very closely to see the only difference: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the males will have a thinner breeding tube which is visible in the vent of the fish. Both males and females have breeding tubes, so the key is to look for the smaller one.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yBVgYkGO-E-O92US0SvCOwQJXkcj-2eMs19DdtP81mhL9eHmELWFVkJ6I9p4CpLOLillEoGU7BPYCL9eNcfDVtIdHjMZdwe48B7A9xGWWQho3_tcEUi9byErzuKMY4GnusD6km_oi5_L/s1600/female+angelfish+breeding+tube+koiangelfish+com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yBVgYkGO-E-O92US0SvCOwQJXkcj-2eMs19DdtP81mhL9eHmELWFVkJ6I9p4CpLOLillEoGU7BPYCL9eNcfDVtIdHjMZdwe48B7A9xGWWQho3_tcEUi9byErzuKMY4GnusD6km_oi5_L/s640/female+angelfish+breeding+tube+koiangelfish+com.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female angelfish breeding tube (koiangelfish.com)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RIpwAHxsLUzdYZequkoAj_ZKc7DuYjQxF5tqph76JSrcJ02APikFLRtLVPihZOf7NIcZdZ0h5oZUYTnAjU95tQx0AzZ5UC6tsl2HUsBz2XnjpAwbuvP5AedNL0mFt6n1L6ojBjRrrvyF/s1600/male+angelfish+breeding+tube+koiangelfish+com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RIpwAHxsLUzdYZequkoAj_ZKc7DuYjQxF5tqph76JSrcJ02APikFLRtLVPihZOf7NIcZdZ0h5oZUYTnAjU95tQx0AzZ5UC6tsl2HUsBz2XnjpAwbuvP5AedNL0mFt6n1L6ojBjRrrvyF/s640/male+angelfish+breeding+tube+koiangelfish+com.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male angelfish breeding tube (koiangelfish.com)</td></tr>
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Neon tetra (<i><span class="kno-fv"><span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=chW&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=%22neon+tetra%22+%22scientific+name%22+%22paracheirodon+innesi%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFZUYWFA-Mf1p0lfAVzr_e7HS7VZfw-l7f7WzoAAmvntSwAAAA">Paracheirodon innesi</span></span></i>)</h4>
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Like angelfish, neon tetra are difficult to sex. The only difference will be in size. The females will be slightly larger and fatter especially when they are ready to breed. Males may show slightly better color, but these differences are so minute that they will likely go unnoticed. </div>
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Livebearers (Poecilidae)</h4>
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These are fish like guppies, platies, swordtails, and mollies. The males and females are very easy to tell apart. There is a large size difference with some females being almost one and a half times the size of the males. The males will have long, flowing fins and are very colorful. Males also possess a modified anal fin called a gonopodium; this is used to transfer sperm to the females. Below you can see two illustrations showing the differences between male and female guppies</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbreQ5bGgpCOLgZw9JvZjT9_XCPc8sPCswrevh51EttC6hMiWrvlTTVQ9rEBcln-Ls7CH3cpjE357pob5dHKT5Lenkb2tmgEeM7kGM5R9tFdi5_5PGupoKD-ma1Vpw0pu3O-3v11g_D4e6/s1600/female+livebearer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbreQ5bGgpCOLgZw9JvZjT9_XCPc8sPCswrevh51EttC6hMiWrvlTTVQ9rEBcln-Ls7CH3cpjE357pob5dHKT5Lenkb2tmgEeM7kGM5R9tFdi5_5PGupoKD-ma1Vpw0pu3O-3v11g_D4e6/s1600/female+livebearer.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">General female livebearer characteristics (jabraguppyroom.blogspot.com)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">General male livebearer characteristics (jabraguppyroom.blogspot.com)</td></tr>
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Cory catfish (<i>Corydoras spp</i>)</h4>
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Another popular but difficult fish to sex, cories have no highly visible differences between the genders. Females will tend to be the larger ones and look much chubbier when they are breeding, but for the most part males and females look exactly alike. </div>
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Bristlenose pleco (<i><span class="kno-fv"><span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=x2B&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=%22ancistrus%22+%22scientific+name%22+%22ancistrus%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaGlSXqZA-OtsvgGNv7AtjmZPbv9rSTUn7XaCgEAyWJr2SwAAAA">Ancistrus spp</span></span></i>)</h4>
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These small plecos are surprisingly easy to sex. Both males and females will have the bristly nose, but the number and size of the bristles will be much greater in the males. This is especially true when the fish are in breeding condition. Scientists believe that males evolved the bristles to mimic young fish because females are more likely to mate with a male who is already caring for eggs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjebfwOT_toufa81CXC6TfyMXElrKL3iTEOIzCfaIoJ_OwbxhGNfNrNvv68EvST-sBb8k0Su2k3qpJxK0hWapVABK8vxGkcTwkOrM4rSOn61zQzA9m8GVyf5aYN-96O2uHR5vo-5_b5Sfi/s1600/bristlenose+father+with+babies+-+Goldy+fk+flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjebfwOT_toufa81CXC6TfyMXElrKL3iTEOIzCfaIoJ_OwbxhGNfNrNvv68EvST-sBb8k0Su2k3qpJxK0hWapVABK8vxGkcTwkOrM4rSOn61zQzA9m8GVyf5aYN-96O2uHR5vo-5_b5Sfi/s640/bristlenose+father+with+babies+-+Goldy+fk+flickr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male bristlenose with month old offspring (goldy fk @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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Oscar (<i><span class="kno-fv"><span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=L3B&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=%22astronotus+ocellatus%22+%22scientific+name%22+%22astronotus+ocellatus%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAx8HsxKHfq6-Qa6peYkD4xSGxujDmybpx89d4uNfdSxzoe_COQAVtDUMKwAAAA">Astronotus ocellatus</span></span></i>)</h4>
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Probably the most popular of the cichlids next to angelfish, but even more difficult to sex. Among wild populations the males show more color than females, but this isn’t reliable with the captive-bred fish that show up in stores nowadays because they have been bred for color. </div>
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Cherry barb (<i><span class="kno-fv"><span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=c4B&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=%22cherry+barb%22+%22scientific+name%22+%22puntius+titteya%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gVFFYXaxA-P_pRrqxyZf27Qu5UCxRAhXX_jlM-UADyW2pCwAAAA">Puntius titteya</span></span></i>)</h4>
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This is a species that is easy to sex based on the general trends in fish genders. The males are smaller and have more red color and the females are larger and will be more brown in color. This holds true with wild-caught and naturally bred cherry barbs. There are some that have been specifically bred to make the red even brighter; these are much more difficult to gender. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.aquapage.cz/Obrazky/Ryby/54672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.aquapage.cz/Obrazky/Ryby/54672.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female cherry barb on left, male on right (aquapage.cz)</td></tr>
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Gourami </h4>
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They aren’t as easy to sex as livebearers, but they are pretty easy if you know what to look for. If it’s not a captive-bred variant, the males will be a brighter color especially when breeding. If they are a color variant you have to look for a few other things. For the Trichogaster gourami (this is dwarf, honey, thicklips, and banded) look at the end of the dorsal fin; males will have a pointed dorsal, and females will have a rounded dorsal. These pictures below illustrate this as it can be hard to pick out if you’ve never seen it. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oPCbz1eYRR9LUNqDRrrf5BVtDfHw7TdtuzZvRPbcMHFO-DX5TJGXahA7mCqVFELhgkDC280ME0fvALNOWHgMDpLufbsmqZdFtlI0In-jUs6lPXyQh9O8kTOCxLAUjmXUx7u01e2fliub/s1600/male+honey+gourami+CK+Yeo+Flickr.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oPCbz1eYRR9LUNqDRrrf5BVtDfHw7TdtuzZvRPbcMHFO-DX5TJGXahA7mCqVFELhgkDC280ME0fvALNOWHgMDpLufbsmqZdFtlI0In-jUs6lPXyQh9O8kTOCxLAUjmXUx7u01e2fliub/s1600/male+honey+gourami+CK+Yeo+Flickr.bmp" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male honey gourami (CK Yeo @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIuwr1FKwx4dqzAxHDPpeqzrOekfBY4AuVtzs4O5d1HNo_zSS7qOAfRttOCtRzuktvZDDRMx0hgGAx1HQCZKa8EmRtluj2-fskbman4mueG1jkRhOot9FVcbOplc76rERJ-DA_d4zNMAi1/s1600/female+honey+gourami+CK+Yeo+Flickr.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIuwr1FKwx4dqzAxHDPpeqzrOekfBY4AuVtzs4O5d1HNo_zSS7qOAfRttOCtRzuktvZDDRMx0hgGAx1HQCZKa8EmRtluj2-fskbman4mueG1jkRhOot9FVcbOplc76rERJ-DA_d4zNMAi1/s1600/female+honey+gourami+CK+Yeo+Flickr.bmp" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female honey gourami (CK Yeo @ Flickr)</td></tr>
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For the Trichopodus gourami (opaline, three-spot, blue, gold, pearl, and moonlight) you also look at the dorsal fin. The males will have a longer dorsal fin. Males of the pearl and moonlight species will show more red color than the females. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Trichogaster-leerii-pair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Trichogaster-leerii-pair.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pearl gourami. Male above, female below (seriouslyfish.com)</td></tr>
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With some of our aquarium fish it can be very easy to tell the males from the females, but others can give you a lot of trouble. Some like oscars and angelfish can even give breeders trouble in determining gender. If you wish to breed any of these fish, I highly suggest you do a lot of research and read personal experiences. While breeding can be fun and rewarding, it can also be costly and heartbreaking when done incorrectly. </div>
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Works referenced</h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Christie F. 2006. <a href="http://nippyfish.net/2006/07/16/sexing-bettas-the-ovipositor/">Sexing Bettas: The Ovipositor</a>. nippyfish.net. Retrieved: 31 Jan 2013 </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://jabraguppyroom.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-tell-male-and-female-guppy-apart.html">How to tell Male and Female Guppy Apart</a>. Jabraguppyroom.blogspot.com. Updated: 29 July 2011. Retrieved: 1 Feb 2013. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Kortet R., J. Taskinen, A. Vainikka, and H. Ylonen. 2004. Breeding Tubercles, Papillomatosis and Dominance Behavior of Male Roach (Rutilus rutilus) During the Spawning Period. <i>Ethology</i> 110:591-601.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/knowledge-base/">Seriously Fish </a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.koiangelfish.com/BodyStyle.asp/mmid/118/cmid/109/pageID/Sexing_Angelfish">Sexing Angelfish</a>. Koiangelfish.com. Updated: 2013. Retrieved: 1 Feb 2013. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk/goldfish/info/sexing-fs.htm">Sexing Goldfish</a>. Bristol-aquarists.org.uk. Updated: 26 October 2012. Retrieved: 31 Jan 2013 </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://thegab.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=124:sexing-goldfish&catid=39:goldfish&Itemid=107">Sexing Goldfish</a>. theGAB.org. Updated: 16 Aug 2009. Retrieved: 31 Jan 2013</span></div>
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Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-4414312694723599872013-01-25T15:42:00.000-05:002014-06-30T20:56:36.229-04:00Guest Post: Brackish Aquariums<b>Quite a few of the fish commonly available in pet and aquarium stores nowadays aren't actually freshwater fish, even though that's what they're marketed as. Fish and invertebrates like Figure 8 Puffers, Knight Gobies, Red Claw Crabs, Mollies and Bumblebee Gobies all prefer brackish water, but that's definitely not what the average pet store will tell you! This is because they're afraid they won't sell any of these fish any more if customers find out about their real needs – people are still hesitant when it comes to setting up a brackish tank because they think it will be all about dying plants, boring aquascapes and confusing calculations to figure out the amount of salt needed to do a water change.</b><br />
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It's time to end that myth! Brackish aquariums are definitely not as hard to set up and maintain as many people think, and, like with freshwater tanks, the possibilities are endless! There are many different fish that can be kept in brackish aquariums, so there's always a species for you.<b> </b>However, before we get into choosing a stock, let's learn some more about brackish aquariums and smash some more myths along the way, shall we?<br />
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<b>What is brackish water?</b><br />
Water with a salt grade between fresh and marine is called brackish. This naturally occurs in places where rivers meet the sea, like estuaries. Because the salinity in these places fluctuates with the tides, the water can go from almost fresh to seawater in a few hours time and change back just as quickly. One of the most well-known examples of a brackish habitat are mangrove forests, which is where a lot of our favourite brackish fish species actually come from.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Mangrove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Mangrove.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mangrove from Queensland Australia (public domain)</td></tr>
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Brackish water is usually divided into three categories:<br />
<b>Low-end brackish</b>: salinity between 1.001 and 1.008<br />
<b>Mid-end brackish</b>: salinity between 1.009 and 1.0015<br />
<b>High-end brackish</b>: salinity between 1.0016 and 1.022<br />
Water with a salt grade of 1.023+ is considered marine. These categories can help us determine more easily which fish are suitable.<br />
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<b>What do I need to start a brackish aquarium?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Hydrometer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Hydrometer.jpg" height="200" width="81" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hydrometer<br />
(public domain)</td></tr>
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Contrary to popular belief, you don't actually need a lot of expensive extra technology to start a brackish aquarium. Just like with freshwater tanks, you're going to need a filter, a tank hood/light, a heater, a (liquid) water testing set and a thermometer. A salt meter is also very important – without it, it's very hard to know whether your aquarium water is actually at the right salinity and mistakes are easily made. Refractometers (very accurate, but unfortunately also quite expensive) are usually recommended, but a hydrometer (less accurate, but much, much cheaper) is fine for most brackish aquariums too. Just make sure you get a salt meter that measures from 1.000 up – some are made specifically for reef tanks and start at much higher salinities (1.020+). A protein skimmer isn't necessary for a brackish aquarium.<br />
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<b>How do I make brackish water?</b><br />
Making brackish water is actually very easy; you just need water and marine aquarium salt. Some sites will tell you table salt is fine too, but table salt often contains iodine and anti caking agents, which can hurt your fish. Even “pure” salt, which is just NaCl and nothing else (and therefore often used for salt baths), isn't suitable – it doesn't contain the trace elements needed for a healthy aquarium and healthy fish. Marine aquarium salt is the way to go! To determine how much salt you need for a certain salinity easy, try <a href="http://www.csgnetwork.com/poolsalinitycalc.html">one of the many online calculators</a> so you don't have to figure it out yourself.<br />
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Actually 'making' brackish water should always be done outside the aquarium! If you just toss the salt in, you can't spot possible mistakes beforehand, which can result in a lot of extra work. Fish can also be burned when they try to eat salt grains, so always premix salt and water. To do this, fill a bucket (or multiple buckets) with the amount of water and salt you need. Using warm water will help the salt dissolve more easily, and if an airstone is also added you can just leave the buckets for a few hours – you'll find the salt has dissolved when you come back. Test whether the water temperature and salinity are correct (when doing a water change, the new water should be of the same salinity as the rest of the tank), add water conditioner if needed and voila! You have your brackish water.<br />
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<b>How do I cycle a brackish aquarium?</b><br />
Just like you would cycle a normal one! The salt can slow down the cycling process a bit, but if you use a liquid test kit to keep a close eye on the water parameters determining when fish can be added should be easy.<br />
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Converting an existing freshwater aquarium to a brackish one is also possible. Just take out any fish and plants that won't be able to survive in brackish water and increase the salinity of the tank with 0.002 every two weeks. Because the transition to brackish will be very slow, the beneficial bacteria in the filter have time to adjust and the cycle won't be damaged – increasing the salinity too quickly can cause ammonia or nitrite spikes.<br />
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If you find yourself with a brackish fish in your freshwater aquarium because you impulse bought or were misinformed, don't worry! You can set up a new aquarium fairly quickly and easily. If you fill up the new aquarium with fresh water, you can quick-cycle it by putting used filter media from another tank in the new filter. Move your brackish fish to the new (and now hopefully cycled) aquarium and closely monitor the water values for a week to see if they're stable – another week in fresh water should not be a problem for the fish. If you are sure the aquarium is cycled, you can start increasing the salinity very slowly until it's where it should be.<br />
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<b>How do I decorate a brackish aquarium?</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Microsorum_pteropus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Microsorum_pteropus.jpg" height="320" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Java fern<i> Microsorum pteropus</i> <i></i>(public domain)</td></tr>
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A lot of people who think about setting up their own brackish tank are scared away by the seemingly very limited amount of decoration options, which is a shame! There are actually quite a few plants that can survive in low-end brackish aquariums, and even in mid-end brackish tanks there are still planting options – Java fern, Java moss, moss balls and mangroves all look great and can thrive in higher salinities. You can find a more complete list of plants that tolerate brackish water <a href="http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/143235-planting-brackish-aquaria/">here</a>.<br />
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But what about those high-end brackish aquariums? Even for those, there are many interesting aquascaping options. If you're in for a challenge, try sea grass – if you're not, or don't like the look of it, go for an interesting hardscape, silk plants, driftwood or artificial ornaments. You don't always need real plants to make a beautiful scape. Think out of the box!<br />
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<b>So brackish aquariums aren't all that difficult to set up after all. But what about stocking them?</b><br />
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<b> </b>To make stocking your brackish aquarium easier, I have included a few of the less obvious species that tolerate or require brackish water – we all know about Monos and Scats, but have you ever considered these other fish and invertebrates for your brackish tank?<br />
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<b>Figure 8 Puffer, <i>Tetraodon biocellatus</i></b> – contrary to what a lot of websites and pet stores say, the F8 Puffer is definitely not a freshwater fish, nor is it suitable for community tanks. If you've fallen in love with the F8's expressive face and interesting behaviour, be sure to set up a proper tank before you get one or you might not get to enjoy it for very long. Figure 8 Puffers can be kept in pairs when smaller, but get more aggressive as they age and should ideally be kept alone or with a select few tank mates. One F8 can live in a 20 gallon aquarium, as long as it's provided with heavy filtration and plenty of interesting plants, rocks and decorations to keep it entertained. The salt grade should be at 1.004-1.008 when the puffer is younger, but as it ages it should be increased to mid-end brackish: 1.009-1.015. To keep the teeth from overgrowing, feed your Figure 8 a varied diet of snails, crayfish, frozen/live shrimp, mussels and oysters.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4142/4864512801_5ed27d2872_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4142/4864512801_5ed27d2872_z.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figure 8 puffer (jennifer.whiteford @ flickr)</td></tr>
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<b>Red Claw Crab, <i>Sesarma Bidens</i></b> – even though they are often kept in freshwater aquariums, these guys actually need brackish water and access to land, making a paludarium of at least 15 gallons with a salinity of around 1.005 in the aquatic part a much better home for them. Red Claw Crabs are omnivores, and will enjoy an varied diet consisting of peas, algae tablets, blood worms, zucchini, mosquito larvae and leafy greens. Be sure to eliminate any escape options, as these crabs love to go exploring and will try to crawl out of their tank – the holes for cables to go through should be as small as possible and the aquarium should be sealed. You don't want to spend your afternoon with a flashlight in your hands searching for a crab behind furniture!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjks1ifL-pBJlktOBfCwHbVskJuX6w4M-aFrhDC0qkdX8BQfjsh5Bli6TSno7nCow4UT20FnpkdTQBqLWbVkbIk0dMMBETLQ3YWPt7mOoOYngPpqf9LxLjNKPhtfRgycYh-G7rHnTyM_MmF/s1600/red+claw+crab+-+badmanstropicalfish+com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjks1ifL-pBJlktOBfCwHbVskJuX6w4M-aFrhDC0qkdX8BQfjsh5Bli6TSno7nCow4UT20FnpkdTQBqLWbVkbIk0dMMBETLQ3YWPt7mOoOYngPpqf9LxLjNKPhtfRgycYh-G7rHnTyM_MmF/s320/red+claw+crab+-+badmanstropicalfish+com.jpg" height="268" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male and female red claw crab (badmanstropicalfish.com)</td></tr>
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<b>Knight Goby, <i>Stigmatogobius sadanundio</i></b> – although there is still much discussion on the salinity this interesting fish should be kept at, something between 1.004 and 1.007 is usually recommended. A 20 gallon aquarium with a sand bottom and some hiding places is enough for a small group – the Gobies will establish and defend their own territories and might eat smaller tankmates, so be sure to only keep them with medium-sized and larger fish! Knight Gobies will accept dried fish foods, but they prefer a diet consisting of live and frozen foods and a small amount of vegetable matter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPziAnL6h5GySXGCmZ0PHdSpUrO1JOnuUmm3lJzIznj2Y8cgxm6vGyhkSYaZSaWugxgwP40D4eGixaizlkWIpfRd62uzp_hzrim6hQ2hgDdUP6ib58bWT-mNE0xaNR5BtNyAJmn-cM8hQp/s1600/knight+goby+badmanstropicalfish+com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPziAnL6h5GySXGCmZ0PHdSpUrO1JOnuUmm3lJzIznj2Y8cgxm6vGyhkSYaZSaWugxgwP40D4eGixaizlkWIpfRd62uzp_hzrim6hQ2hgDdUP6ib58bWT-mNE0xaNR5BtNyAJmn-cM8hQp/s320/knight+goby+badmanstropicalfish+com.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knight goby (badmanstropicalfish.com)</td></tr>
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<b>Molly, <i>Poecilia sphenops</i></b> – yet another brackish water fish that is marketed as suitable for small freshwater aquariums, Mollies can actually survive in full marine setups and prefer a salt grade of at least around 1.004. Keeping them in an aquarium under 30 gallons can cause problems, as these active livebearers actually get quite large and like to live in groups of at least three. If you maintain mixed-sex groups, make sure there are at least 2 females for every male as males will constantly pursue females. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Black_Molly_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Black_Molly_2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captive-bred form of black molly (Marrabbio @ wikipedia)</td></tr>
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<b>Virgin nerite snail, <i>Neritina virginea</i></b> – if you're looking for an algae clean up crew for your brackish aquarium, look no further! These nerites do great in water with a salinity from 1.005 to 1.020+, and will do a great job at helping to keep the aquarium glass clear and clean without touching any plants. As long as you remember to feed your nerites some extra algae tabs when their regular food source runs out, they can be very useful and a pleasure to watch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Neritina_Virginea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Neritina_Virginea.jpg" height="295" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virgin nerite shells (wikipedia)</td></tr>
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<b>Bumblebee goby,<i> Brachygobius xanthozonus, Brachygobius nunus</i></b> – Bumblebee gobies are one of the most interesting fish species to keep in a brackish aquarium, but they can also be quite the challenge because of their pickiness when it comes to food. They will not accept normal, dried fish foods and will have trouble getting enough to eat in a regular community tank – go for an aquarium with a limited amount of tankmates and target feed your Bumblebee gobies with frozen foods like bloodworms and mosquito larvae. The fact that they are territorial and can frequently be seen having little arguments over the best spots does not mean these gobies should be kept alone; keep 5 or more of them to keep them happy, preferably in an aquarium of at least 15 gallons with lots of hiding places, at a salinity up to around 1.007.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/fish-pictures/nunus-bumblebee-goby-1260617699-800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/fish-pictures/nunus-bumblebee-goby-1260617699-800.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>B. nanus</i> (tropicalfishkeeping.com)</td></tr>
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<b>Hawaiian red shrimp, <i>Halocaridina rubra</i></b> – if you're looking for some inhabitants for your brackish nano tank, look no further! Naturally found in small, brackish pools near the beach, these small shrimp prefer an aquarium with lots of dark hiding places – lava stone is often used for this, as it mimics their natural habitat. They can adapt to a very wide range of salinities, so anything between 1.005-1.015 should be fine for them. When it comes to aquarium size, Hawaiian red shrimp aren't very demanding at all – a 5 gallon should be enough for a group. Feed your Hawaiian red shrimp with high quality algae wafers, freeze dried fish food and flakes and keep them in an aquarium with high water quality and they might actually live for up to 10 years!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.petshrimp.com/images/opaeula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.petshrimp.com/images/opaeula.jpg" height="220" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawaiian red shrimp (www.petshrimp.com)</td></tr>
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<b>Indian mudskipper, <i>Periophthalmus novemradiatus</i></b> – Indian mudskippers are some of the the smallest mudskippers available in the aquarium trade, but they can still be quite a handful! They can actually walk and need access to land, making a paludarium the best choice if you want to keep them. Go for a tank of at least around 25 gallons for three mudksippers, with one or more large sand/mud island(s) for them to establish a territorium on. Be sure to eliminate any escape options, because these fish can actually climb up the glass and crawl through small holes! To ensure their health, keep your Indian mudskippers at a salinity between 1.005 and 1.015 and at a humidity of at least 60%. Feed them a varied carnivorous diet consisting of live insects like crickets and mealworms and frozen/live brine shrimp, bloodworms and shrimp.<br />
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<b>Possible Stocking Options </b><br />
I have also included a few possible ways to stock brackish aquariums of a certain size with the fish and invertebrates mentioned earlier. Remember not to just get these fish though, do your own research to figure out how to give them the best possible care. All of these stocks require a filtered, heated tank with ammonia and nitrites at 0 and a stable pH.<br />
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<b>5 gallon aquarium</b><br />
20 x Hawaiian red shrimp, <i>Halocaridina rubra</i><br />
4 x Virgin nerite snail, <i>Neritina virginea</i><br />
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<b>20 gallon aquarium</b><br />
1x Figure 8 Puffer, <i>Tetraodon biocellatus</i><br />
8-10x Bumblebee goby, <i>Brachygobius xanthozonus, Brachygobius nunus</i><br />
(Bumblebee gobies are one of the only fish suitable as tankmates for a Figure 8)<br />
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<b>55 gallon aquarium</b><br />
3x Indian mudskipper, <i>Periophthalmus novemradiatus</i><br />
6-8x Molly,<i> Poecilia sphenops</i><br />
5x Virgin nerite snail, <i>Neritina virginea</i><br />
(Note that the mollies should have at least 25-30 gallons of swimming space, and the mudskippers need an island of about 12”x12”)<br />
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<b>Now that you know how easy it is to set up a brackish aquarium, I hope you've been inspired to consider setting one up yourself! I'll be setting up mine soon too - it will be called home by a Figure 8 Puffer and a small group of Bumblebee gobies. </b><br />
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Happy fishkeeping!<br />
xoxo, Mari, admin of <a href="http://aquariadise.com/">Aquariadise</a>.Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-51076975678449401102013-01-16T22:29:00.004-05:002013-01-25T13:29:57.514-05:00Better alternatives for an unheated tank<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]-->Goldfish and bettas are the most common fish found in small, unheated tanks. The irony of it is that neither fish is suited for this environment. Goldfish can live in unheated tanks, but they need large volumes of water. Bettas can live in small aquariums, but they need heated water. It may surprise you to learn that there actually are a few species of fish that are suited to living in a small aquarium (not a bowl). Some of these small aquariums can actually support schools of these little beauties. Today I will introduce you to some of these fish. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxSM33MM97N2GVOVpWc2olQ2DMIkxxYs4pSlRPmZJCce6OM9VRq9BD3SERbhE2eQ1-ELYhlvPlIVtZullQpPKw_o9OQpx-qkm7RZSJTcF7slw6V1LvjjDCqSTKWMPMlmN64qIadgqUucR/s1600/Puntius-semifasciolatus-mix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxSM33MM97N2GVOVpWc2olQ2DMIkxxYs4pSlRPmZJCce6OM9VRq9BD3SERbhE2eQ1-ELYhlvPlIVtZullQpPKw_o9OQpx-qkm7RZSJTcF7slw6V1LvjjDCqSTKWMPMlmN64qIadgqUucR/s400/Puntius-semifasciolatus-mix.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden form on left; wild form on right (Seriouslyfish.com)</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Name:</b> Golden barb (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Puntius semifasciolatus</i>)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Size:</b> 3 inches (7 cm)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Water params:</b> up to 20dGH, pH 6.0 – 8.0</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Temp range:</b> 64 – 75F (18 – 24C)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Min tank size:</b> 30 gal (113 L) 36 inches (91 cm) long</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Additional:</b> The golden variety is not found in nature and has been bred for the aquarium trade. While these little guys don’t get very large, they are a very active fish. They are also a schooling fish and can have a tendency to nip if the school isn’t large enough; for this reason most places recommend groups of 10 or more.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Tanichthys-albonubes-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Tanichthys-albonubes-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male white cloud (Seriouslyfish.com)</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Name:</b> White Cloud Mountain Minnow (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tanichthys albonubes</i>)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Size:</b> 1.5 inches (3 cm)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Water params:</b> up to 20dGH, pH 6.0 – 8.5<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Temp range:</b> 60 – 75F (15 – 24C)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Min tank size:</b> 10 gal (37 L) 18 inches (45 cm) long</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Additional:</b> These are small but rowdy fish and some sites suggest as much as a 20 gallon minimum on these little beauties. These fish commonly spawn in aquariums, and if your tank is heavily planted enough you may find a few fry making it to maturity. They are a shoaling fish, so a group of 6 or more is recommended and they will easily fit into a community that doesn’t include fish large enough to eat them. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/images/7/7a/Paradisefish2345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/images/7/7a/Paradisefish2345.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pair of paradise fish, male on right (public domain)</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Name:</b> Paradise fish (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Macropodus opercularis</i>)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Size:</b> 3.5 inches (9 cm)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Water params:</b> up to 30dGH, pH 6.0 – 8.0 (very adaptable) </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Temp range:</b> 61 – 80F (16 – 27C) </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Min tank size:</b> 20 gal (75 L) 24 inches (61 cm) long for a single fish; 30 gal (113 L) 30 inches (76 cm) long for a group</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Additional:</b> These fish are actually cousins to betta. And just like bettas, these fish can be temperamental. They will eat smaller fish and can bully fish of similar colors. The males are aggressive towards each other, so you will need a larger tank if you intend on keeping multiple males together. They are best kept with 3-4 females per male. They do best with tankmates like barbs and danio that can handle their volatile nature. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/custom/images/medium/4b629c0c315dd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/custom/images/medium/4b629c0c315dd.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captive-bred rosy red minnows (Practicalfishkeeping.co.uk)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Name:</b> Rosy red minnow (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pimephales promelas</i>)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Size:</b> 3 inches (7.5 cm)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Water params:</b> up to 20dGH, pH 6.0 – 8.0 (adaptable) </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Temp range:</b> 45 – 75F (7 – 23C)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Min tank size:</b> 30 gal (113 L) 36 inches (91 cm) long </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Additional:</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These little beauties are actually color morphs of a fish common to the eastern US, the fathead minnow, so-called because the males will grow fatty lumps and breeding tubercules on their heads. They readily breed in aquariums and the males will guard the eggs. They are a shoaling fish and best kept in groups of 6 or more. While they may be small, they are active which warrants a minimum aquarium size of 30 gallons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Puntius-padamya-male2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Puntius-padamya-male2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male odessa barb (Seriouslyfish.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Name:</b> Odessa Barb (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Puntius padamya</i>)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Size:</b> 2.5 inches (7 cm)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Water params:</b> 5 – 20dGH, 6.0 – 8.0 pH </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Temp range:</b> 61 – 78F (16 – 26C)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Min tank size:</b> 30 gal (113 L) 36 inches (91 cm) long</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Additional:</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are another shoaling barb that does best in groups of 6 or more and tend to stay around the middle of the aquarium. Despite their small size, they are rather active swimmers but peaceful to tankmates. Their boisterous nature may disturb slower-moving fish so tankmates should be active as well. Rival males will spar but serious injuries rarely result. </div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Rosy-barb-male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Rosy-barb-male.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captive-bred form of Rosy Barb (Seriouslyfish.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Name:</b> Rosy Barb (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pethia conchonius</i>)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Size: </b>3 inches (8 cm)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Water params:</b> 5 – 20dGH, pH 6.0 – 8.0 </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Temp range:</b> 61 – 76F (16 – 24C)</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Min tank size:</b> 30 gal (113 L) 36 inches (91 cm) long</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Additional:</b> Another active barb well-suited to a river type habitat. A golden form has been bred for the hobby; the wild fish are more green in color. Like all barbs, they are best kept in groups of 6 or more. In smaller numbers, they can be fin-nippers. They tend to stay in the lower half of the aquarium. </div>
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<br /></div>
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My favorite of these cool-water fishes is the white cloud mountain minnow as their small size enables them to live in a 10 gal tank which is often what the beginner fishkeeper has. While these fish come from far off lands, there are also many fish native to the US that would be suited to an unheated tank, but you won’t find them in stores. The barbs would do well in a river-type community with botine loaches and rasbora that tolerate the cooler temperatures these little beauties demand. An active aquarium like that offers a unique alternative to the typical calm, warm, and peaceful tetra communities. </div>
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<h4>
Works referenced</h4>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;">Seriously Fish. <a href="http://www.seriouslyfish.com/">www.seriouslyfish.com</a>. Updated: 16 <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jan</span> <span style="font-size: small;">201<span style="font-size: small;">3</span></span>. Retrieved 16 <span style="font-size: small;">Jan 201<span style="font-size: small;">3</span></span>. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;">Practical Fishkeeping. <a href="http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/">www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk</a><span style="font-size: small;">. U<span style="font-size: small;">pdated: 16 <span style="font-size: small;">Jan 201<span style="font-size: small;">3. Retrieved 16 Jan 2013. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">-------------------------------------------------</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">This next post wi<span style="font-size: small;">ll be something special for our readers. We will have <a href="http://aquariadise.com/">Mari from Aquar</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://aquariadise.com/">iadise</a> </span></span>writing a guest post for us! It's a surprise what her a<span style="font-size: small;">rticle will be about, but I can as<span style="font-size: small;">sure you it's something <span style="font-size: small;">very interesting! </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">Stay tuned and look forward to it <span style="font-size: small;">next week. </span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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</style> <![endif]-->Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-85933548597478294412013-01-07T18:14:00.000-05:002013-01-07T18:35:07.751-05:00Goldfish BreedsGoldfish are some of the longest domesticated fish. Today there are something like 20 different breeds recognized around the world. Many of these breeds originated in China and Japan, but the US and some Europeans have gotten into the game in the last century. Of all the breeds of goldfish only a handful would actually be recognizable to most people as a goldfish breed. I’ll recount most of the common ones (and some uncommon ones) here. <br />
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Single-tail goldfish</h3>
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Common (also called hibuna)</h4>
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This is your basic pet store goldfish. These are often the fish you see in the horrible “feeder goldfish” tanks. They are the stereotypical goldfish and resemble the first ones ever domesticated. They can come in any color from white to black to yellow. Their fins are short and their bodies are stocky. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common goldfish (Left: Bristol Aquarists Society | Right:raingarden.us)</td></tr>
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Common goldfish, like all single-tail goldfish, are not suited for the typical home aquarium. Reports of these guys reaching 14 inches in a pond isn’t uncommon. They make good buddies with other single-tail goldfish as well as koi in a pond. They can be temporarily housed in large indoor tanks, but they are best kept in ponds away from fancy goldfish as commons will out-compete them. </div>
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Comet</h4>
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These guys are one step up from the common goldfish. Their bodies are a bit slimmer, and they gain long, flowing fins. Comets come in solid or bi-color. Commonly found in pet stores, these are all too often stuffed into horrible fish bowls. But they really do best in pond with other single-tail goldfish and koi. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comet goldfish (raingarden.us)</td></tr>
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Shubunkin</h4>
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Sometimes called the poor man’s koi, these are the goldfish that most resemble the typical koi colors. They have the same body shape and fins as the comet goldfish but are all tri-colored. A well-bred shubunkin will also have rounded ends to their caudal fins. Like koi, shubunkins don’t have a place in the home aquarium. They are best viewed in ponds with comets and common goldfish. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shubunkin goldfish (raingarden.us)</td></tr>
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Double-tail goldfish (fancy goldfish)</h3>
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Fantail</h4>
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This was the first fancy goldfish, and today remains the most common fancy goldfish. Their bodies have the typical rounded shape, and their dorsal fin is split into four segments. They come in all colors from black to yellow to tri-color and can have a variety of tail sizes from short to the elongated veiltail. These are generally hardy fish, and depending on how severe the winters are they can be kept in ponds year-round. For a fancy goldfish they are boisterous and fast and shouldn’t be combined with some of the fancier varieties I’ll cover later. </div>
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In terms of tank space, fancies are much less demanding than single-tail goldfish. A 30 gal (110 L) tank is just large enough to house two fancies, but really a 40 gal (150 L) or larger tank is best as goldfish like company. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fantail goldfish (raingarden.us)</td></tr>
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Wakin</h4>
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Another uncommon goldfish
breed that is best kept in ponds. These fish are like common goldfish in
body shape and growth, but they have a short double-tail. The
long-tailed version is called a wantonai. Due to their large size, these
fish are best left in ponds as in fact they were bred to be viewed as
such. They aren’t found in many pet stores around the country, but many
goldfish breeders will have them or be able to acquire them. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: Wakin goldfish | Right: Wantonai goldfish (raingarden.us)</td></tr>
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A
variation of the wakin is the jikin. Jikin have the same body shape,
but have all white bodies and orange fins. Since these fish are hard to
breed, they are even more uncommon than the wakin.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jikin goldfish Left: (exoticgoldfish.net) | Right: (Practical Fishkeeping)</td></tr>
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Oranda</h4>
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Similar to the fantail goldfish, but oranda have a fleshy growth on their heads and operculum called a wen. Often times the wen isn’t fully developed until three or four years of age. Oranda can be fast and feisty when they are young, but the large wen will slow them down as they age. Sometimes it will obscure the eyes and cause the fish sight problems. The fins can be long or short, and they come in a wide variety of colors. This is another variety of fancy goldfish that is hardy enough to survive in some ponds year-round provided the temperature doesn’t go below 55F (13C). </div>
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The redcap oranda is a specific variation of the oranda where the wen only develops on the top of the head. The wen is red, and the rest of the body completely white. This gives the fish an appearance like the tancho koi or the Japanese flag. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: calico oranda (cngoldfish.net) | Right: redcap oranda (lilopet.com)</td></tr>
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Ryukin</h4>
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My personal favorite, the ryukin, is another common variety of fancy goldfish. They have shorter bodies than fantails, but their bodies are thicker. The back should slope up sharply from the head and give a humped appearance. Their fins can be long or short, and they come in all colors from solids to calico. Because ryukin are so short, they often have digestion problems. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryukin goldfish (cngoldfish.net)</td></tr>
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Telescope</h4>
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Sometimes called “dragon goldfish” the telescope is another popular and widely recognizable fancy goldfish. They are defined by their bulbous, bulging eyes which give the fish a unique profile when viewed from above. This also gives them a sight disadvantage against other varieties of goldfish; for this reason they should be target-fed if kept with goldfish like fantails or orandas. They come in a wide variety of fin lengths and colors including solid, bi-color, and calico. When they are all black, telescopes are called black moors. The panda coloration (black and white) is another popular coloring. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Telescope goldfish | Center - black moor | Left - panda moor <br />
Left: (exoticgoldfish.net) | Center (kokosgoldfish.com) | Right: (cngoldfish.net)</td></tr>
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Tosakin</h4>
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These little beauties resemble ryukin from the side, but show their true colors when viewed from above. Their fused caudal fins splay out to form a wide veil. They aren’t a very hardy breed, but are best kept in ponds as their tales are breed to be viewed from above. For this reason, they aren’t commonly seen in pet stores as few people can devote the energy to either heating a pond in the winter or constructing an indoor pond. They are most often seen in red and white, but some calico specimens are available. The breed was almost wiped out following the heavy bombing of Japan during WWII, but one breeder managed to find six fish still living in a restaurant. Today all tosakin goldfish are descended from those six fish. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tosakin goldfish; Left (exoticgoldfish.net) | <br />
Center (rafflesgold.com) | Right (Practical Fishkeeping)</td></tr>
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Pearlscale</h4>
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Still not common by any means, but gaining popularity is the chubby little pearlscale. These fish are even wider in body than ryukin. Their scales also have a pearlescences to them which gives them their name. Since their bodies are so bulbous, they usually have short fins to facilitate movement. They aren’t as hardy as the varieties I’ve previously listed, so they should be kept with other more fancy varieties. They are also prone to digestive problems due to their extremely rounded body. </div>
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A pearlscale with a wen is called a crowned pearlscale. Usually the wens don’t develop as fully as they do in oranda, but they do further hamper the swimming ability of these fish. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right & Center: Pearlscale goldfish | Left: crowned pearlscale <br />
Right (exoticgoldfish.net) | Center (Bristol Aquarists Society) | Left (petgoldfish.net)</td></tr>
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<h4>
Ranchu (sometimes called lion head)</h4>
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These fish are distinguished by their lack of a dorsal fin and the presence of a wen that extends down the cheek. You may think this renders them rather useless at swimming, but they are adept enough to compete with oranda and ryukin. They come in all colors and typically have short fins. While not seen in all pet stores, they are found in some throughout the country and can be ordered online from breeders. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS4c5ArzP5QVJLgxGhbBQfbQf63tUphOBmNN5o515AjvnJalj4JqS0Vw_EIa1HtwB1aVjydsbASO8tXdLQeDHliWsxqi6nwh8JPgUKIjVO6ZR3vSjPuKXw63_uovgA-683044cjQEl476/s1600/ranchu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS4c5ArzP5QVJLgxGhbBQfbQf63tUphOBmNN5o515AjvnJalj4JqS0Vw_EIa1HtwB1aVjydsbASO8tXdLQeDHliWsxqi6nwh8JPgUKIjVO6ZR3vSjPuKXw63_uovgA-683044cjQEl476/s400/ranchu.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ranchu goldfish; Right: (Petgoldfish.net) | Center & Right: (raingarden.us)</td></tr>
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<h4>
Celestial</h4>
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This is one of the most modified and fancy goldfish commonly seen. These goldfish have no dorsals, and their eyes bulge and face skyward, hence the name. This gives them a severe sight and swimming impediment. This is one of the breeds that does best in a single-breed aquarium with low water flow and no sharp decorations. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9z1r4nef6FSFw-3NkbpJGx4mesNKa-mtB1Y8kl6OqclEQVLJV2q7LA7_4BdOAAzrryedfCgprK5AvDl51Ur-MgrhFh670nOYNS-CBP91PFYchE8ExCAllbr9zeqlpoZE27MJKxBnAxHpw/s1600/celestial.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9z1r4nef6FSFw-3NkbpJGx4mesNKa-mtB1Y8kl6OqclEQVLJV2q7LA7_4BdOAAzrryedfCgprK5AvDl51Ur-MgrhFh670nOYNS-CBP91PFYchE8ExCAllbr9zeqlpoZE27MJKxBnAxHpw/s400/celestial.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celestial goldfish; Right: (Bristol Aquarist Society) | Left: (exoticgoldfish.net)</td></tr>
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<h4>
Bubble eye</h4>
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Another highly modified breed of goldfish. These fish are defined by the large fluid-filled sacks that extend from under their eyes. They lack a dorsal fin and their eyes bulge upwards, too. Those fluid filled sacks are rather delicate and can be burst by objects in the aquarium. They will grow back and repair itself but the two sacks will not be equal in size anymore. Due to their delicate nature, they are best kept in single-breed aquariums. These goldfish are too delicate to combine with most other fancy goldfish. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHT1NlWCgrs83yfFps-kKWnVFZBpgsWNvDQ0DgHlBnIu3U0lIZUgwkkXW-RTqcaPqCQdN07-YVyqu6640DOxwmc-kIP8ixfOzTwKOqmPPQ1koSGTqXiZVWu-FGPfrGyZzEJM_Ddo1m8bR/s1600/bubble+eye.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHT1NlWCgrs83yfFps-kKWnVFZBpgsWNvDQ0DgHlBnIu3U0lIZUgwkkXW-RTqcaPqCQdN07-YVyqu6640DOxwmc-kIP8ixfOzTwKOqmPPQ1koSGTqXiZVWu-FGPfrGyZzEJM_Ddo1m8bR/s400/bubble+eye.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bubble eyes; Right & Left (Bristol Aquarist Society) | Center (cngoldfish.net)</td></tr>
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The images of fish and breed descriptions I have given you are from goldfish clubs and breeders. Often times pet store goldfish won’t quite fit into these categories nicely because they haven’t been bred for show. Sometimes you just have to take your best guess at what your pet goldfish is. If you have any questions, feel free to post a picture! </div>
Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484886415057433235.post-80227395683042485152012-12-31T18:24:00.000-05:002012-12-31T18:24:57.975-05:00Other ideas for that small fish tankI've seen a lot of cases where someone buys a betta and a bowl. They do get a heater for the bowl once they know the <a href="http://fishgirlskoipond.blogspot.com/2012/04/betta-fish-betta-splendens-care.html">requirements of bettas</a>. Then on down the line they upgrade to a 5 gal or a 10 gal tank. Now they have this bowl just sitting around. It's still large enough (but just barely) for a betta, so while it's still empty there is still that temptation to get another betta. Here are some nifty ideas to fill that bowl with things that aren't bettas. <br />
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Shrimp Tank</h3>
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Level of difficulty: Varied</h4>
There are a few variety of shrimp commonly found in pet stores. Ghost shrimp are most common. Red cherry shrimp can be found in some stores or from other hobbyists online. There are a lot of other varieties that can be found in specialized shops, but it's good to keep in mind that some are more difficult to care for than others. Shrimp are tropical creatures so they they will need a heater. They appreciate live plants and the benefits they bring, but you can just use low-light plants like anubias, java moss, and java fern. Shrimp have a very small bioload compared to fish, so you can have quite a few in a smaller tank. Some species also breed easily in aquariums. Just like fish, they will need some kind of regular maintenance.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red cherry shrimp (Planetinverts.com)</td></tr>
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Plants only Tank</h3>
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Level of difficulty: Varied</h4>
A well-aquascaped tank even without fish can be a very striking thing. With a black background and black sand, the green plants pop. Add some rocks and driftwood to really complete the picture. This tank could be very easy or rather difficult depending on your choice of plants. Low-light, low-maintenance plants like anubias, java moss, and marimo moss balls can be grown with the ambient light from a window and little to no fertilizer. Marimo moss balls don't even need heaters. If you want a bit more of a project, you can have plants like crypts and dwarf hairgrass. These plants require enriched substrates, CO2, and in some cases high lighting. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTj8cmxleIagYyQxu3btIv-Ij8rRiwfgtrr7Lhb9YFJLIjz6PI4-K6cIbTLcIIGz9YwZMyPddqAfwjy4U6QgWyYtwm9Itw6-wjHD4TgKp2wJ7NRxTvzQDinSBC8nAINHtk9ok83I4z_vJ/s1600/planted+bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTj8cmxleIagYyQxu3btIv-Ij8rRiwfgtrr7Lhb9YFJLIjz6PI4-K6cIbTLcIIGz9YwZMyPddqAfwjy4U6QgWyYtwm9Itw6-wjHD4TgKp2wJ7NRxTvzQDinSBC8nAINHtk9ok83I4z_vJ/s320/planted+bowl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bowl planted with hornwort, java fern, and moss (plantetank.net)</td></tr>
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Snail Tank</h3>
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Level of difficulty: Moderate </h4>
While some people think them gross, a lot of people enjoy having snails in their aquariums for the benefits they offer as well as their interesting locomotion. A small tank without a betta is a great place to have snails. With larger snails like apple snails and rabbit snails, you could only have one, but with smaller snails like malaysian trumpet snails or ramshorn snails you could have quite a few. You will have to pay more attention to water quality and parameters as soft, acidic water will dissolve their shells. Larger snails like apple snails and rabbit snails will need to be fed, but the small snails can scavenge enough food from algae and biofilm supplied by water changes. Most snails will only eat dead and dying plant matter so you can combine them with a planted tank without worry. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ucs6577520.uu2.org/sgl/ind/bus/snail/snail_orange_rabbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://ucs6577520.uu2.org/sgl/ind/bus/snail/snail_orange_rabbit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden rabbit snail (<a href="http://ucs6577520.uu2.org/sgl/ind/bus/snail/snal-1.htm">source</a>)</td></tr>
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Terrarium</h3>
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Level of difficulty: Easy</h4>
One idea that people don't normally think about is removing all the water from the bowl. If you have a sunny spot in your house or office you won't need a light. Some aquarium plants can be grown on land if the soil is moist enough, or you could take house plants and pot them in the tank. Moss terrariums are another option and don't need to be watered often if the tank has a top that reduces evaporation. If you're worried that other house pets might get into the terrarium, you should plant species that are okay to be nibbled on by cats and dogs or get secure lids. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFQP4uqjNYwZR9uTO7xqH0gh31gsFG3qF25449mlUQN8uKik9L-A1MswkUzktXP6rU7kyar0tYAIIV10p-3swdoxg0UzHNoU9evJP1BfDqtQFmxTjXIkRqwyAmmX2xy2lwZU45hzWufM1/s1600/moss+terrarium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFQP4uqjNYwZR9uTO7xqH0gh31gsFG3qF25449mlUQN8uKik9L-A1MswkUzktXP6rU7kyar0tYAIIV10p-3swdoxg0UzHNoU9evJP1BfDqtQFmxTjXIkRqwyAmmX2xy2lwZU45hzWufM1/s320/moss+terrarium.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moss terrarium in a bowl (mountainmoss.com)</td></tr>
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I know that temptation to buy another betta when you have extra bowls and tanks laying around is very strong. I've fallen prey to it a few times, and I can tell you the best way to reduce that temptation is to fill those extra bowls with something else. My extra tanks are currently being used as moss terrariums and Marimo aquariums. Izzy the Fish Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222976615681064742noreply@blogger.com1