The Healthy Aquarium

In any aquarium, an artificial balance is set up between fish, plants and the aquarist. This balance is crucial for the well being of all livestock and can only be maintained by constant husbandry from the aquarist.

Treatments

It is very important to identify fish disease early and correctly. Proper treatment is of paramount importance so please consult the fish chart. If in doubt and live nearby bring the sick fish in for immediate diagnosis and treatment.

Be Aware

Good fishkeeping means having awareness and vigilance in monitoring aquariums regularly, look for abnormal behaviour and signs of disease. Regular water tests would also help in detecting possible danger signs.

Provision

Provide the best, optimum conditions that you can for your fish. Again, there are many books in the shop to help as well as informative, knowledgeable shop staff only too willing to pass on their knowledge to you.

Medication

To assist you in the correct dosage when treating you can work out tank volume with this equation:

length x width x depth (in feet) x 6.25 = gallons

and to convert litres to gallons:

1 gallon = 4.5 litres & 1 litre = 1000ml

WATER

Aquatic creatures are highly dependent on the water in which they live. There are many different species of fish and invertebrates kept in the aquarium and they come from many different habitats around the world. These waters can vary dramatically from each other in their water chemistry. This includes the pH and hardness of the water. For these fish or invertebrates to thrive they must be given the most natural simulation that we can create in the aquarium. To do this regular checks must be carried out. Easy Range do an excellent range of water test kits which are available in the shop. Once the natural water parameters have been reached by the aquarist, this must be maintained. An aquarium is a closed system mad, if left unchecked, harmful wastes such as ammonia, nitrite and nitrate will build up causing stress to your fish, and eventually lead to their deaths.

What is Water Hardness?

Water falling as rain leaves the clouds as pure water. As it passes through the atmosphere onto plants into the soil and rock it collects dissolving minerals. Where the water falls determines which minerals are dissolved. Water which falls onto insoluble rocks such as granite will take up few minerals. Water which falls on chalk will take up calcium bicarbonates and other minerals. For a detailed description of this Interpet's Guide To The Healthy Aquarium has this on page 10, and the Interpet Manual Of Fish Health on page 32.

Water falling on chalk has a much higher hardness than elsewhere. Temporary hardness of the water can be measured by the amount of bicarbonates dissolved; also known as Alkalinity.  This can help towards the balance of a stable pH. Permanent hardness is a measure of the other remaining minerals plus magnesium, usually found in much lower levels. Total hardness is a measure of both temp and perm hardness.

Fish fall into tow categories. Hardy means that they can acclimatise to survive in conditions not native to their natural climate and sensitive, meaning that water conditions need to be very similar to their native environment.  Hardy fish will survive provided changes are introduced slowly and carefully. They will not necessarily thrive, colours may fade, could be more susceptible to disease and not likely to breed. In unsuitable water sensitive fish will soon become stressed and will not survive.  For the rank beginner to the hobby, hardy fish are recommended to start off with, guppies are a fine example of these fish. Come to the shop and we will help you select what you need, not what we think you want! Water softeners and hardeners are available in the shop. For example, if the dH (hardness) of the water is measured at 18 and you wanted to keep discus, you would need to artificially reduce this down to a dH of 3. This is "softening the water". One such suitable product for this would be Interpet's Easy Adjust Water Softener.

dH = Degree Hardness. An easy reference to follow would look something like this:
 

What is pH?

Water from different places is classified as either alkaline, acid or neutral according to the proportions of hydrogen ions it contains, ie: the more ions the more acid. Measurements are taken on a pH Scale which measures from 0 - 14. Neutral water has a pH of 7.0. From 7.0 down to 0, is classified as acidic and from 7.0 up to 14 is said to be more alkaline. A change of 1 unit on the ph scale is equivalent to 10 times more acid or alkaline. Acid water is often caused by rotting vegetation or by water passing through such an area. At the other extreme salts dissolved in seawater make it alkaline.

Why is pH important to fish?

Fish evolved in waters with a relatively stable pH. Waters pH has a profound effect in the fishes life giving processes. Most fish can compensate for small changes, eg: under 0.5pH per day, within a defined range. This ability, however, differs from species to species. A pH outside a fishes "normal" range can result in stress and disease. Large sudden changes usually result in death.  One of the main tips in starting off a fish aquarium is to take a sample of your tap water along to the shop for testing. The resulting details will then determine the "norm" for your home or wherever the tank is to be situated. But this does not alleviate the need for regular checks on the water. Closed system tanks do affect the water, and if not changed regularly, will rapidly become polluted.

Toxic Wastes

In the natural environment waste materials are diluted by the sheer volume of water body or are naturally removed from the system. The aquarium holds a much smaller volume of water and is a closed system. Toxic wastes can therefore accumulate very quickly. The most significant waste is ammonia. This compound can readily build up in the aquaria as it is the natural by product of decomposition of organic matter. Dead fish, rotten plants, fish waste, uneaten food etc. Ammonia is also released by fish as a by product of using protein for energy.

Ammonia is very dangerous to fish, levels of toxicity depend upon the waters pH and temperature. Luckily there is a completely natural process by which nature removes harmful ammonia from the aquaria, biological filtration, or bacteria!  Nitrate, the end product of this natural bacteria change can be highly tolerated by most fish, however some fish, such as Discus and Rift Valley Cichlids do not flourish unless low nitrate levels are maintained.

Causes of high levels of Ammonia or Nitrite problems.

Biological filter is not functioning correctly. Or it has not matured successfully. Always read the assembly and operating instructions carefully when setting up a bio filtration system. Nitrifying bacteria in a new system can take up to 8 weeks to become established. The introduction of a micro organism culture can help significantly reduce this time. Bactinett, on sale in the shop, is a perfect way to do this as it is inserted straight into the filter medium in capsule form, left alone, it performs the service admirably.

The biological filter is too small for the aquaria. Speak to the staff in the shop for immediate solutions.

Overfeeding. Only feed what can be eaten by the occupants in a matter of minutes, over feeding leaves food to rot and produces ammonia build up.

Bacteria is killed off by unsuitable conditions. Water temperature too cold? Low oxygen concentrations, is there a decent flow of water in the environment? Air stones, and the like, do not put very much oxygen INTO the water, but they do stimulate the surface of the aquarium to dissolve more oxygen into the water. Household sprays and cleaners, if they get into the system, can kill off bacteria in a very short space of time. Carbon filtration can be useful for removing toxic chemicals effectively.

Diagnostic Questions

If you suspect that your fish are stricken with illness, answer this series of questions to find some common fresh and saltwater diseases. Click on the relevant image to go to my page on treatment. If image does not lead to a page, it has not been written yet. Please contact the shop.

Is the fish exhibiting flashing, darting, rapid swimming, spots on body, or white stringy material?

If yes: this indicates parasites, fungus, or one of a few types of bacterial infection. No indicates most bacterial infections or injuries.

Does the fish have small white pustules mostly in the head area, or bead-like, similar in shape pustules mostly on body area? 

If yes: Fish has Velvet or other related protozoan disease.

If no:

Does the fish have small white pustules (pimple-like) on skin and fins, the pustules being consistent in size and shape?

If yes: fish has Ick (Ichtyophthirius), a most serious parasitic disease. Almost all cultured fish are susceptible. Note: Some fish do not develop pustules on skin. Heavy infections may be on gills and show no evidence of disease on other parts of the body.

If no:

Does the fish have visible parasites (worms, gill flukes, leeches, etc.) or white spots
on the body of the fish?

If yes: fish has parasites.

Dropsy (above) or Skin Flukes (below)

A freshwater dip (for marine fish) or a saltwater dip (for freshwater fish) will often help, as the parasites are less resistant to such changes than the fish. A formalin bath or copper may also be useful. Avoid overdosing on copper or using copper too often, as the treatment can easily kill the fish.

If no:

Does the fish have greyish white patches or tufts in open wounds on fins, tail or body areas that have been damaged?

If yes: fish has true body, mouth, or eye fungus.

If no:

Does the fish have white greyish stringy material cover most of the body, or
white or grey patches?

If yes: fish has Columnaris, or body fungus.

This section has been reproduced (and altered) by kind permission of http://www.versaquatics.com

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