Month: July 2018

Ahh! Saltwater Aquarium Pests And Parasites… Dealing With Saltwater Aquarium Pests And Parasites

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Saltwater aquarium pests and parasites might have an adverse effect on the health of your marine tank. Bacterial diseases can cause ill-health in your fish and invertebrates. Bacterial disease can also kill the fish in your tank. To get rid of the problem you might have to start all over again from scratch. This is not only very upsetting but also very expensive.

So it makes sense to be on the lookout for saltwater aquarium pests and parasites and to treat your fish at the first sign of illness. Marine fish usually fall prey to gram-negative bacteria. These include Pseudomonas, Vibrio and Myxobacteria. It is not always easy to spot saltwater aquarium pests and parasites in marine fish. Often you may not know that there is something wrong until your fish become seriously ill.

You can help prevent saltwater aquarium pests and parasites by making sure that conditions in your tank dont encourage their growth. To do this you need to understand how and why saltwater aquarium pests and parasites occur in marine fish in the first place.

Bacterial disease is caused by a number of things, sometimes in combination. Such disease can be topical (external) for example fin and tail rot and ulcers or systemic (affecting the body internally) or it might be a combination of both. Saltwater aquarium pests and parasites are more likely to affect fish that are in poor condition. The healthier your fish are the more resistance they will have to saltwater aquarium pests and parasites.

However fish that are weak, sick or stressed by environmental conditions in the tank are easily infected by saltwater aquarium pests and parasites. Bacterial diseases may gain entry into the body through the pores along the lateral line. The gills are another site of entry into the body of a fish.

So what environmental conditions make it more likely for saltwater aquarium pests and parasites to cause illness in your tank? The leading cause of bacterial attack is poor environmental conditions in the tank. If conditions are allowed to deteriorate the health of your fish is impacted and this might make them more susceptible to diseases.

Saltwater aquarium pests and parasites will soon bloom and over-run the tank. If the water is white and cloudy and the fish have sores on their body, conditions in the tank are very poor and must be corrected.

Your fish may also be affected by saltwater aquarium pests and parasites if they have other infections. So treating them is crucial. If your fish are not fed properly they might not have built up a good resistance to infection. Any injuries that your fish have might allow bacteria to take hold. Fish that are stressed and harassed are also more likely to become ill.

Older, weaker fish are at increased risk of contracting a bacterial infection as are any fish that come from water that has been contaminated (for example tap water!). If a fish eats the flesh of a sick fish it may also become ill with the same disease. So how do you know if your fish are infected with saltwater aquarium pests and parasites? What should you look for?

If your fish are afflicted with saltwater aquarium pests and parasites they might show one or more of the following symptoms:

– Red frayed fins or fins that show red streaks.
– The fins might disintegrate (in fin and tail rot).
– Red areas around the lateral line (streaks or blotches).
– Open sores on the sides of the body and near the fins.
– Bloody scales at the fin base.
– Fast breathing.
– A grey film may cover the eyes.
– The fish may appear listless or lethargic.
– They may lose their appetite.
– The stomach may be swollen or bloated from saltwater aquarium pests and parasites that cause bladder infections, for example.

Bacteria are not the only saltwater aquarium pests and parasites that might affect your fish. Black Spot disease is a common marine illness caused by a parasitic turbellarian flatworm in the genus Paravortex. It makes its home at the bottom of the tank after which it attached to a host fish for about six days then falls off into the substrate again. It is common in Yellow tangs and Angelfishes.

If you notice tiny black dots on the body of your fish and they seem to be scratching against objects or have red skin and are lethargic they might have black spot disease. It is less common than some other saltwater aquarium pests and parasites (white ich for example) but should still be looked for.

If any of your fish contract the diseases mentioned above or other illnesses, they may not die immediately. But in general if saltwater aquarium pests and parasites are not treated your fish will die in a one to two week period. There are viral strains that can kill fish within a day or two. Even if you dont know what the disease is you need to take steps immediately to isolate the ill fish.

Fish that are infected with saltwater aquarium pests and parasites should be placed into a quarantine tank. This is because bacterial infections will spread to healthy fish very quickly if sick fish are allowed to interact with them. Once the illness affects the internal organs the fish will stop eating, breathe rapidly, and lie on the bottom of the tank where it may be eaten by other fish or start to decay releasing bacteria into the water.

To protect your fish from saltwater aquarium pests and parasites diagnose and treat your fish with the appropriate antibiotics. Ask your aquarist for advice if necessary. Only place your fish back into the tank once they are completely healthy. This will ensure that your tank stays pest free. The most important way to guard against diseases is to make sure that your fish are as healthy as possible and you can do this by making sure that conditions in your tank are at optimum levels.

Setting Up An African Cichlid Aquarium

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An African Cichlid aquarium must be set up to best accommodate the fish. If a tank is set up improperly, it can not only cause stress to the fish, the error could result in death for the fish. The best way to make an African cichlid happy is to design its aquarium with their natural habitat in mind.

The following paragraphs will briefly discuss the best environment for an African Cichlid.

Aquarium Size

An aquarium being set up for an African Cichlid should be at least 35 gallons, but ideally 55 gallons. The bigger the aquarium size, the more the fish will enjoy his new home. An African Cichlid likes to have a spacious aquarium, with plenty of aquarium decorations and swimming space. Having a smaller tank can ultimately cause a fish to become aggressive, since he will unlikely be able to stake claim on any territory.

Water pH Levels

Water in an African cichlid aquarium should be monitored and kept at pH levels of 7.0 to 9.0. The reason the range can be so wide is because the water chemistry in African Rift Lakes constantly fluctuate. They never stay the same. The only time problems may arise for the fish is if there is a rapid change in pH levels. The African cichlids are able to easily adapt to many water conditions. They can even survive in sub-optimal conditions, but they will be stressed and aggressive.

Water Hardness

African Cichlids prefer hard water over water treated with softeners. If no hard water is available, calcium and phosphate should be added. Water conditioner and salt are also necessary. The African Rift Lakes contain hard water and that is water want to replicate in this aquarium.

Replicating an African Cichlid’s Natural Environment

This can be tricky to do. African cichlids are found in all of the three African Rift Lakes: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria and Lake Malawi. The environments in these three lakes are slightly different from each other. So the first step will be to find out which lake your cichlid is native to. The second step is to research that lake’s water chemistry, substrate and plants. The final step is try replicating the major components in your own aquarium.

African cichlids are beautiful fish and make a wonderful addition to any home. However, great care must be given when setting up an African cichlids aquarium. It is important to know about the natural habitat of the fish, and replicate it as closely as possible.

Red Devil Cichlid – Personality And More

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The red devil cichlid also known as Amphilophus labiatus, is originally from Central America. This cichlid is considered a medium to large cichlid often growing 10-12 inches in their lifetime. Males are often larger and develop a hump on their head as they age. First, please understand that I didnt write the article to deter anyone from owning this cichlid. I write this article to share with you the personality of the red devil cichlid in hopes that you will be more educated about this freshwater tropical fish and not be shocked when you see how aggressive it can be.

Many people bring home their new red devil cichlid not knowing the true personality it possesses. Red devil cichlids are usually purchased between 2-3 inches and will grow rather fast the first year or so. Many people start off by introducing their new cichlid to a community setup with other fish. During this first year, aquarium tank owners often start missing fish and having mysterious deaths in the tanks. Tank owners usually begin noticing fights breaking out and their red devil chasing other fish.
This is the time that most devil owners come to the conclusion that this cichlid may not get along with much of anything. If you are thinking this, you are just about right. The red devil often will not tolerate any tank mates. As they get older and larger, they usually become more aggressive. The time comes to where some owners actually trade in their fish if they local fish store will take them back. Over the years I have seen many large red devils in our local fish stores because they became too aggressive and the owners did not want to dedicate a tank solely for it.

I hope you choose to keep your red devil cichlid even if you have to dedicate an entire tank for just him. To keep the red devil cichlid happy, you need to provide plenty of hiding spots such as driftwood, rocks, caves, clay planting pots and artificial plants. Since red devils like to dig, live plants usually end up destroyed. If you attempt to introduce a mate for the red devil, do so with the lights turned out and keep an eye out for any aggression. I would recommend having a tank divider set up in the middle so that you can introduce the new mate on one side and keep your original red devil safely on the other side. This way they can get use to each other without killing one another. When you do put them together, watch closely and be ready to pull one and separate them. Often the red devil will not tolerate one of the opposite sex. If you wish to breed the red devil, I would strongly suggest purchasing multiple juveniles and raise them up together. Slowly begin removing the odd-fish-out until you notice a pair bond. This is hit or miss and often people have no success.