Fish!

I will never understand why you can buy an improper 1/2 gallon kit for $15

or a nice 5 gallon set up for $25 

only $10 more dollars and you get 4 1/2 more gallons of space with a light and filter

I don’t understand why the majority of people have small set-ups, it’s not nice for your fish and a waste of money

I don’t understand why things are priced this way either

fishyskeepswimming:

Common community fish unsuitable for small aquaria 

Having looked at some fish that make good choices for small tanks, let’s review some of the most widely traded and popular fish that would make bad choices for small tanks. In most cases sheer size is the issue: most anything above a couple of inches (5 cm) in length is likely to find a small aquarium too confining. Large fish make a lot of mess as well, and that will mean that maintaining good water quality will be much more difficult. Ensuring water chemistry stability will be difficult too. The following are fish that will require a tank at least 30 gallons (115 litres) in size, and in many cases significantly more.

• Mollies, Poecilia spp - Although popular fish and very colourful, mollies are exceptionally sensitive to poor water quality and pH instability. They invariably do best in spacious, well filtered, slightly brackish conditions. Males also tend to be quite aggressive towards one another, and frequently pester the females as well. An aquarium at least 30 gallons (115 litres) in size is recommended for mollies.

• 

• Swordtail, Xiphophorus hellerii - Swordtails are hyperactive fish adapted to rivers and fast-flowing streams. They need lots of swimming space. Males are notoriously aggressive, and in small aquaria can become bullies. Consider 30 gallons (115 litres) the minimum safe size for swordtails.

• 

• Otos, Otocinclus spp - Despite their tiny size, these dwarf suckermouth catfish are extremely difficult to maintain for any length of time in anything less than ideal conditions. Specifically, they need soft, slightly acidic water that is not too warm; aim for pH 6.5, 10 degrees dH or less, and a temperature no higher than 75 degrees F (24 degrees C). They also need perfect water quality, and do best in tanks with vigourous filtration. Because they feed almost entirely on algae, they should never be put in small or young tanks that lack the requisite healthy fuzz of green algae in the rocks and plants: realistically, this means keeping them in tanks at least three months old and not less than 30 gallons (115 litres) in size. Finally, these are schooling fish, and should only be kept in groups of at least six specimens. Expert aquarists might well be able to maintain a school of Otocinclus in smaller tanks by offering appropriate foods and monitoring water conditions carefully, but causal aquarists would do best to ignore these tiny catfish in favour of hardier species like bristlenose cats and Corydoras.

• 

• Silver dollars, Metynnis and Myleus spp - Various silver dollars are traded, but most get to at least 4 inches (10 cm) in length. They are active, schooling fish that tend to be nervous when kept in insufficient numbers. Best reserved for community tanks 55 gallons (210 litres) or larger.

• 

• Goldfish, Carassius auratus - Goldfish are essentially pond fish, and need as much space as you can give them. If you’re going to keep goldfish indoors, don’t waste your time or money on anything less than a 30 gallon systems (115 litre) system: anything smaller is unlikely to maintain them in good health. Under poor conditions goldfish are prone to finrot, fungal infections and all sorts of other opportunistic infections.

• 

• Non-dwarf Australian Rainbowfish, Melanotaenia spp - Wonderful fish in many ways, these fish are active and get quite large, typically 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) so require much more space than a 20-gallon tank can provide. The smaller species work well in 30 gallon systems; larger species look their best in tanks upwards of  55 gallons (210 litres).

• 

• Silver shark, Balantiocheilos melanopterus - A big, schooling barb-like fish that needs plenty of swimming space. Should be kept in groups of at least five specimens. Maximum size is 14 inches (35 cm) though aquarium specimens tend to be slightly smaller, 8-10 inches (20-25 cm) being typical. Nervous and jumpy, does not do well when “cramped”. Consider a tank 55 gallons (210 litres) in size the absolute minimum, and the bigger the tank, the better.

• 

• Three-spot (blue, gold, opaline) gourami, Trichogaster trichopterus - Although hardy and adaptable, males of this species are distinctly aggressive and frequently become bullies in small tanks. Females may make acceptable additions to tanks as small as 20 gallons (75 litres), but males should be reserved for systems 30 gallons (115 litres) in size or larger.

• 

• Cichlids, family Cichlidae - Apart from some of the dwarf species already mentioned, cichlids tend to be too aggressive and territorial for use in small tanks, even if their body size seems manageable. When spawning, cichlids can be dangerously violent!

• 

• Kissing gourami, Helostoma temminckii - Not particularly aggressive, but large and sensitive to poor environmental conditions. Maximum size is around 12 inches (30 cm) though aquarium specimens are typically only about 8 inches (20 cm) in length. A reasonably good community fish in systems upwards of 55 gallons (210 litres).

• 

• Clown loach, Chromobotia macracanthus - Clown loaches are big, gregarious fish that tend to be fairly boisterous as well. They should be kept in groups, ideally in schools of at least five specimens. Maximum size is around 12 inches (30 cm) though most specimens only get to about one-half to two-thirds that size. Regardless, their sheer size makes them unsuitable for small tanks. They also need good water quality and plenty of water movement, so a big, generously filtered aquarium is essential. Not suitable for anything less than 55 gallons (210 litres), and realistically 75 gallons (280 litres) is a much better bet.

• 

• Common plec, Pterygoplichthys spp - The default algae-eating catfish; hardy, peaceful, widely sold and very inexpensive. But approach this fish with caution! Routinely gets to a length of 12 inches (30 cm) and potentially significantly more. Because of its size and herbivorous nature this fish creates a lot of mess. A big, well-filtered tank is essential. Unsuitable for any aquarium smaller than 55 gallons (210 litres).

• 

• Algae eater or sucking loach, Gyrinocheilus aymonieri - Another widely traded algae-eating fish. Juveniles may seem attractive, but quickly grow into highly territorial, aggressive adults around 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) in length. Not really suited to community tanks at all, and even in rough-and-tumble systems should not be kept in anything less than 55 gallons (210 litres) in size.

• 

fishyskeepswimming:

Disease Type:

Bacterial (gram negative organism)

Organism: Aeromonas, Psuedomonas, or Vibrio

Description:

Fin rot is one of the most common, and most preventable, diseases in aquarium fish. It is caused by several types of bacteria, and often occurs concurrently with other diseases. It can usually be cured, but if left untreated, it can kill the diseased fish and infect all the others in the tank.

Symptoms:

• Fin edges turn white
• Fins fray
• Bases of fins enflamed
• Entire fin may rot away

The fins begin to fray and get ragged, becoming shorter over time. Usually the edges look white, and may even develop a fuzzy growth due to secondary Cotton Wool infection. A the disease advances the area may become red an inflamed, with bloody patches appearing as more of the fin is eaten away.

Treatment :

• Correct root cause
• Water change
• Treat with antibiotics
• Addition of aquarium salt

Fin rot is caused by one of several gram negative bacteria. Several anitiboitics are effective, however the root cause must be addressed as well.

Fin rot occurs when the fish is stressed for some reason. The most common cause is poor water quality. Overcrowding the tank, feeding outdated food or overfeeding, and moving or handling the fish can also cause stress leading to fin rot.

Treatment should include a water change, and careful examination of the aquarium conditions. If there is food debris, vaccumm the gravel and take care to avoid overfeeding. Start dating your fish food, as it loses the vitamin content fairly quickly after it is opened. Feeding fish fresh, high quality food, in smaller quantities is far better than frequent large feedings of stale foods.

Check the pH and water temperature of the water, and make sure it is appropriate for your fish. Incorrect pH is very stressful for fish, and can lead to disease. Low water temperatures, particularly in fish with long flowing fins, can trigger fin rot.

If the root cause is corrected, antibiotics will usually cure the disease itself. Use a drug that is effective against gram negative organisms. Chloramphenical, Oxytetracycline, and Tetracycline, are good choices. Treat according to manufacturers instructions.

The use of aquarium salt will benefit livebearing fish, but should be avoided in fish, such as scaleless catfish, that are sensitive to salt.

Prevention:

• Maintain good water quality
• Keep proper water parameters
• Feed fresh food in small amounts

The best prevention is good aquarium maintenance. Change the water regularly, vaccum the gravel, and monitor the water chemistry. Do not overcrowd the tank, and watch for signs of fighting between fish.

When feeding, keep the volume low! Overfeeding is the most common mistake made by all fish owners, and contributes to poor water quality. Be sure to use fresh foods. If the can has been open for half a year, it has lost most of its nutritional value. Purchase food in small enough containers that it can be used in one to two months.

fishyskeepswimming:

5-gallon (19 litre) tanks 

Stocking tanks under 10-gallons in size is difficult because relatively few fish can be maintained in such small environments permanently. Popular fish like neons, guppies andCorydoras simply aren’t viable in 5-10 gallon tanks. Your options are really limited to just two things: bettas and freshwater invertebrates.

Bettas (often called Siamese fighting fish) are domesticated varieties of the species Betta splendens. The males have been bred to have exceptionally long, colourful fins. They find it difficult to swim against strong currents, and because of this tend to be rather lethargic animals. While you can keep them in larger tanks if you want, male bettas do perfectly well in tanks as small as 5 gallons in size.
It isn’t a good idea to keep them in small containers though. Very small tanks (or bowls) less than 5 gallons in size are difficult to heat and filter. Bettas are not coldwater fish; they must be kept at around 26-28 degrees C (79-82 degrees F) all day long. Putting an unheated betta bowl below a light bulb for a few hours isn’t an alternative! Similarly, you need to consider filtration. An air-powered sponge filter works great in a 5-10 gallon aquarium and will do a good job of removing ammonia. Bettas exposed to poor quality water invariably become sick and die prematurely, often from completely avoidable problems such as Finrot.

People who breed bettas typically keep the males in bowls, even jam jars, but what casual hobbyists don’t realise is that these bowls are kept in heated fish rooms, and the water in the bowls is changed at least once a day. That’s an insane amount of work for someone who just wants a pet fish: if you want a betta, invest in a 5-10 gallon tank, buy the heater, install a filter, and enjoy your fish doing nothing more strenuous than replacing 25% of the water weekly and periodically cleaning the filter as required.

The freshwater invertebrates most often kept in miniature aquaria are the small algae-eating shrimps. Cherry shrimps, bumblebee shrimps, and crystal red shrimps are a few examples of the pretty little shrimps available to the aquarist. Most shrimps are gregarious, but some will also breed readily if properly maintained. If you look after your shrimps, it is entirely possible you’ll soon have quite a sizeable population of the things in your aquarium! Because shrimps are brightly coloured and very active, they’re fun animals to watch. Feel free to mix different varieties: they all seem to get along nicely. Different species are red, orange, blue and all sorts of other colours, so there’s plenty of scope for creating a busy little ‘freshwater nano reef tank’.

Shrimps tend to be quite hardy in some respects, being adaptable to a range of temperatures and water chemistry conditions. Some shrimps come from subtropical and warm temperate parts of the world such as Japan and eastern China, and as such can be kept in unheated aquaria provided your home doesn’t get too cold. Cherry shrimps for example will be quite happy with wintertime temperatures as low as 15 degrees C (59 degrees F). Most shrimps prefer neutral to alkaline conditions, and in general you should avoid keeping them in conditions where the pH drops below 6.5. What all shrimps do demand is good water quality, so filtration is essential. Alongside this it is important to remember shrimps, and indeed invertebrates generally, are killed by copper-based medications such as those used to treat whitespot (ick).

Very small tanks tend to lack strong lighting, but you’ll be surprised how well things like Anubias, Java fern and Java moss will do, even at light intensity levels as low as 1 watt per gallon. Java moss in particular works great with shrimps, giving newly hatched shrimps a place to hide for the first few days when they are at their most vulnerable

Hollow pond or aquarium ornaments come in all shapes and sizes, from sunken ships, to model houses, chinese temples, slightly open treasure chests, divers helmets, artificial wood, rocky caves, fake skulls, sea shells, or purely decorative. Unfortunately they are a bad idea. The problem is that the water inside the ornament does not circulate. This means it is low in oxygen and high in bacteria. In other words it is stagnant, and the ornament has become a disease factory. Bacteria escape and enter the main body of water, making fish sick and killing them. Without knowing what is causing the problem, an otherwise diligent fishkeeper can end up very frustrated trying to find out the cause of the infections. Thankfully there is an easy solution that doesn’t mean removing every hollow ornament. The silicone sealant that is used to hold aquarium glass together can be injected into the eye sockets of a fake skull, the opening of a sea shell, the windows and doors on model houses, and so on. This means that the ornaments are no longer hollow (even though they look it), and interesting or themed aquariums don’t need to lose their character to be safe for fish.