Friday, July 23, 2010

How to tell why your fish dead?

Why the fish jump out on the floor and become a Dried fish without your notice? or
Why is there always some floating dead fish on the water surface?
Why, why, why...........!!
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Why aquarium fish die......

ANDRE'S AQUARIUM PAGES
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Aquarium Doctor
Why aquarium fish die......

Normally, an alert aquarist can see the symptoms (frayed fins, cloudy eyes, unusual behavior, water test results) of a problem before a death occurs, but ocassionally a fish will die suddenly with no apparent reason. Barring the possibility of a fish becoming infected and dying from the West Nile Virus, below are the most probable reasons for a tank critter to die.
One characteristic, next to passion for the hobby, every aquarist should have or obtain, is patience.
Patience, next to understanding the basic water parameters, will be put to the test while cycling a tank. And cycling by all means, not only during the fresh set up of a new tank. An established aquarium can cycle at any time, depending on severe changes of the bioload, filtration failure, or any loss of nitrifying bacteria, or adding new animals.
The cycling process starts the aquarium. Since an aquarium is an artificial and fragile ecosystem it requires our “interference” in order to thrive. Our interference starts with providing an “artificial” filtration system. In short, creating an environment as close to nature as possible.
"nitrosomonas bacteria"
This is the most important life in your aquarium! 
Requiring oxygen to survive. Many bacteria must have a suitable supply of oxygen to be able to survive and thrive. Bacteria such as nitrosomonas and nitrobacter are aerobic and must be supplied with a constant flow of oxygen in the water to create suitable populations able to remove the ammonia and its by-products produced within the aquarium.
Ammonia Poisoning
Occurs most frequently while cycling a new tank, but also happens during collection, while in transit or adding a new animal.
If the tank has been fully cycled for a period of time, New Tank Syndrome may be the cause.
Symptoms include cloudy eyes, frayed fins, rapid gilling and lack of appetite.
Nitrite Poisoning
Almost always occurs while cycling a tank.
The symptoms are similar to ammonia poisoning.
Cyanide Poisoning
Almost exclusively occurs in fish captured in certain areas of the South Pacific.
May take a week or two to show up after collection.
Other than a lack of appetite, there are few symptoms to detect.
Poisonous Sting
May be inflicted from a poisonous fish(i.e. Lionfish) or from a poisonous anemone.
Difficult to diagnose.
Symptoms include erratic behavior and lack of appetite.
Other Poisons
Poisons from the Neutron Bomb Boxfish, Pufferfish or Lionfish which have been released in the tank.
Anything from cigarette ashes to hair spray can be sources.
Malnutrition
Most often occurs when a new fish is introduced into a tank.
Lack of appetite due to disease.
First symptom is a sunken belly.
Oxygen Deprivation
Normally caused by lack of vertical water movement in a tank. (Fish need aeration from air pump).
Initial sign is fish staying at the surface of the tank water.
Old Age
Inevitable.
Difficult to diagnose.
Physical Injuries
Pretty obvious.
Usually caused by other tank occupants.
Bacterial Infection
Symptoms include cloudy eyes, red areas on the body, swollen belly (internal infection).
Bends (Diver's Disease)
Rare for the hobbyist to see.
Normally occurs during collection.
Other Diseases
Ick, fungal infection.
What information do we need? Ick=Small white pin head spots, fungal=white fuss

Table 1 shows the most basic necessary information needed when investigating health problems:
Table 1: Basic health work-up Investigation
Reason
1. Size of pond / tank. Number and size of fish and type of filtration system
This tells us stocking densities and whether the filtration is adequate. As stocking densities increase water management and filtration become more important
More Information
2. Any new additions. Any treatments carried out in last 4 weeks
This may indicate a transmitted disease, or a toxicity problem related to disease treatments.
3. Behaviour over the last few weeks and days
This may suggest the possibility of certain health problems such as water quality, parasites etc.
4. Are the problems affecting all the fish or just one or two individuals
If more than one or two are affected it will probably indicate a contagious condition and / or environmental problems
5. Have they been suddenly affected within a short period - usually days?
An acute problem usually indicates a serious water quality problem or poisoning, especially if an examination shows no other disease signs
6. Are the problems chronic - an ongoing problem affecting them over a period of a few weeks
This could indicate parasites, bacterial problems or a background water quality problem
7. An examination in the water to check behaviour, respiratory rate and any obvious physical damage
This gives a very basic indication of what sort of disease problems might exist
More Information
8. Carry out water quality tests for ammonia, nitrite, pH, water hardness and history if available
These may indicate a core water quality problem or toxic conditions
More Information
9. Water tests for nitrate, phosphate and dissolved organics
These may indicate background pollution, poor maintenance or inadequate filtration
More Information
10. Examine system, including filter, for water clarity, algae growth, solid wastes:
This may indicate possible pollution sources; whether photosynthesis is affecting pH or oxygen levels and whether the system is poorly maintained
More Information
11. Examine a fish out of the water, usually while it is sedated. It is not possible to examine a fish while it is still in the water. Check skin, fins, eyes, mouth, body and gills
We are looking for lesions, reddening of the skin, fin-rot, visible parasites, the colour and condition of the gills and any other visible signs of disease. See anesthetics pages
12. A skin scrape, during which a small amount of mucus is carefully removed with the back of a scalpel or wooden spatula, so as not to damage the epithelium. The sample is then examined under a microscope.
This examination will show whether parasites are present; what sort and how many. The best sites for sampling are just behind the operculum and along the back at the base of the dorsal fin.
More Information
13. A gill biopsy or gill swab should be taken. The biopsy or swab is then examined under a microscope
This will show whether parasites are present in the gill; what sort and how many. It will also give some indication of the condition of the gill.
14. If possible take a fecal sample for microscopic examination
It may show signs of internal parasites
Print out your own fish health work-up form
With all of this information regarding the physical condition of the fish and the environmental conditions it is, in most cases, possible to determine both disease and the cause. From this we can decide what actions and what treatments are needed.
If this basic examination is inconclusive it may be necessary to carry out further investigation which could involve post mortem investigations of recently dead fish, bacterial sampling from lesions to determine the type of bacterium involved and their antibiotic sensitivity, histological examination which involves preparation and examination of body tissues and organs for signs of malfunction and disease.
Although this may all look involved and unnecessary the success rate of this type of methodical approach to fish disease diagnosis is far, far higher and usually a lot cheaper than either guessing or making simplistic diagnosis that only treat the obvious effects and not the cause.
"nitrosomonas bacteria"
This is the most important life in your aquarium! 
Requiring oxygen to survive. Many bacteria must have a suitable supply of oxygen to be able to survive and thrive. Bacteria such as nitrosomonas and nitrobacter are aerobic and must be supplied with a constant flow of oxygen in the water to create suitable populations able to remove the ammonia and its by-products produced within the aquarium.
In this part of the website, you will also find out how to take care of algae problems, what to feed your fish, what the proper water parameters are, and many other good techniques to keeping your fish and invertebrate happy and healthy. With this information, members will have a much better understanding of keeping their tank.

from: http://www.aquapages.info/Page20.htm 

Saturday, July 17, 2010

3 只鬼鬼虾!噢耶!~GHOST SHRIMP. ~~99cents/each~

Ghost Shrimp


Ghost shrimp are a very suitable name for this species which is totally transparent. They walk on the bottom and plants collecting small food particles which they then eat. You can see the food in their stomach after they have eaten it. Their feeding habit make them great cleaners that can help keep an aquarium clean.

Ghost shrimp are somewhat aggressive towards other Ghost shrimp and the large shrimp can become very aggressive toward small shrimps if too many shrimps are kept together in the same aquarium. So what is to many shrimps?

A suitable amount of shrimp is no more than 1 shrimp per gallon / 4 L of water. It is recommendable to keep them in lower concentration in aquariums smaller than 10 gallon/ 40 L.

They can grow to 1.5 inch / 4 cm (the males seldom reach more than 1 inch / 2.5 cm) and become up to two years old. They moults into new exoskeletons every few months as they grow. They are very vulnerable the first time after moulting before their new exoskeletons harden. It is therefore important to provide your Ghost shrimp numerous hiding places.

Suitable companions for ghost shrimps include small Livebearers, small Tetras, Rasboras, small Danios and other fish that are small enough not to eat the ghost shrimp. Avoid keeping them with very aggressive fish.


Ghost 
Shrimp
Ghost Shrimp - Pictures by Goshawk
Ghost shrimp are best kept in an aquarium with a water temperature of 65-82 F / 18-28 C. Decorate the aquarium with a lot of hiding places that are too small for other fish to get in it. One way to create such hiding places is to put small flower pots upside down on the bottom. You can in most other aspects decorate your aquarium according to your own preferences or according to the demands of the other fish in the aquarium. Plants are not necessary but I personally think it is more beautiful if the Ghost Shrimp have plants to climb on. Make sure that all the decoration is none contaminated.

Ghost Shrimp are scavengers and will accept just about any small food they find while they scan the bottom for food. They sometimes also swim upside down and eat food from the surface. Ghost shrimp are very easy to feed and will do well on a diet of flake food. It is however good to offer them some variation in their diet and for example offer them some frozen food once in a while.

Ghost shrimp are easily bred in aquarium but the fry is very hard to raise. You will see female ghost shrimp with pink eggs or baby shrimp under their bellies. The fry is however hard to feed since it is very hard to offer them food that are small enough. Feeding them infusoria can sometimes be successful. Ghost shrimp are better and more easily breed and raised in ponds where there exist a lot of food for the young shrimp. Adding a few females and one or two males in a pond usually results in a lot of shrimps in a couple of months.

Ghost shrimp are a great addition to any aquarium with small enough fish for the shrimp to be safe from being eaten and are great little helpers in keeping your aquarium clean and your water quality high.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Halfbeaks didn't survive in a regular heated aquarium.

regular heated aquarium:

tap water ->  aqua + -> 28`c ->
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halfbeak