photo credit: Leino88

Neon tetras coloring

The beautiful coloring of the neon tetra is due to the lovely iridescent red and blue stripes in contrast to the light blue or greenish coloring along the back and the silver white coloration of the abdomen. It grows to only 3cm. It is not easy to distinguish male from female but the female has a slightly bent stripe and a larger belly. If the fish is stressed the iridescent stripe tends to fade temporarily. Most neon tetras sold are captive bred and can adapt to good range of conditions in home aquariums.

What conditions are suitable for neon tetras?

A pH of between 6 and 7.8 is suitable and at least a 24inch aquarium. They are best kept in a heavily planted tank, without bright lights and warm water of between 75 and 80F. As they are small don’t keep them with much larger or aggressive fish. Keeping them in small shoals is recommended as they are happier this way and they will look wonderful swimming together in your tank.

How should I feed my neon tetras?

These fish can be fed on flake food but it’s always a good idea to supplement this with live food whenever possible. Brine shrimp, daphnia blodworms are all acceptable.

photo credit: cliff1066™

How should you care for Angelfish?

Angelfish come from tropical rivers so need a warm aquarium, kept at about 27C with slightly acidic water. They can be fed flake food but will do much better if given live food on a regular basis. As with all aquarium fish they should not be overfed. They are relatively peaceful but should not be kept with much smaller fish as they may prey on them.

How easy is it to breed Angelfish?

Angelfish are relatively easy to breed if given live food and suitable conditions. making sure you have a breding pair of Angelfish may be a problem as it is not easy to tell whether you have males or females! As noted earlier they form monogamous pairs, often long term and it may be difficult to breed an individual if one of the pair dies. Angelfish are ready to breed when about six months old and can continue until around the age of three years. A breeding pair will lay eggs on any flat surface such as a leaf or flat decoration, laying between 100 and 1000 eggs. The pair will provide water circulation over the fertilised eggs by swimming close to them and using their pectoral fins to move water over them. The fry hatch in about a week and can be fed on brine shrimp.

What is the Best Size of Aquarium?

Of course you will have to consider where you will be placing your tropical fish tank and what space you have available but you will also need to consider how many fish you wish to keep. It would seem to be a good idea to start with a small aquarium but this may not be the best if you are a novice fishkeeper. A small aquarium is much harder to look after and keep in a healthy condition for a number of reasons. Changes in the outside environment, such as a sharp change of temperature will be quickly reflected in a small aquarium but a larger aquarium, with a bigger body of water will respond much more slowly. This makes a larger aquarium more stable and less susceptible to changes. Another factor is that waste from the fish will be distributed in a larger volume of water so will be less likely to cause them harm. A fifty gallon aquarium is a good size for a first aquarium.

Should You Choose an Acrylic or Glass Aquarium?

Both materials have their advantages and disadvantages. Acrylic is more expensive than glass and acrylic aquariums come in many different shapes such as round, cylindrical, hexagonal and octagonal. They are also lighter than glass aquariums and do not develop leaks as they are made from one continuous sheet of acrylic. They need to be looked after carefully as they can be easily scratched by using abrasive cleaners.

Glass is, of course, the traditional material for aquariums and is cheaper than acrylic. Glass aquariums come in a limited range of shapes and is generally heavier than acrylic. A glass aquarium may also develop leaks as it gets older but they can usually be fixed fairly easily using a silicon based sealant.

Aquarium Shapes

When you are considering the shape of your new aquarium you need to consider, not just it’s looks but how suitable it is for your fish. The shape has an effect on the surface to water ratio which is important for gas exchange. Traditional rectangular aquariums have optimum water to air ratios so give the maximum possible gas exchange which is important for the fish to breathe. Other shapes have a reduced ratio so you will need to aerate the tank properly to provide enough oxygen for the fish. There are many different shapes possible with the use of acrylic and they can also be bought as aquarium coffee tables or wall aquariums.

Choosing the Best Location for Your Aquarium

In addition to how your aquarium will look you will need to make sure that the flooring, table, stand or shelf where it will be located is sturdy enough for the weight. Filled aquariums are heavy and can weigh up to 600 lbs for a fifty gallon aquarium. If you choose a wall aquarium you will need to make sure it is fitted correctly and you may need professional help to do this.

Biological filters

All aquariums need a good population of bacteria to deal with the waste from fish by converting ammonia, firstly to nitrites, then into the less toxic nitrates. This is why it’s so important to cycle your aquarium when you first set it up so that you encourage the growth of these beneficial bacteria. Bacteria can grow on any surface in the aquarium including rocks, gravel and artificial plants and also in your filter which provides an ideal environment for them to grow. It is essential that you keep air flowing through the filter at all times as the bacteria need oxygen to live. You should never completely clean out the filter as you will remove all of the beneficial bacteria.

Mechanical filters

Mechanical filter simply remove any particles suspended in water

Chemical filters

Chemical filters usually use some form of activated carbon which can remove heavy metals and medications from the water. They are usually used in combination with a biological filter.

Different types of aquarium filters

Filters come in a variety of different forms including under gravel filters, external filters and internal filters. they all do a similar job and work very well.

Simple Air powered filters

These types of filters usually have filter medium of foam or some type of wadding which can mechanically filter out debris from the water and also provides an environment for the growth of the beneficial bacteria. They are cheap and simple to use b and work by using a pump to force air through them. They are very good to use if you have baby fry as they won’t pull the babies into the filter. If you use another type of filter is a good idea to have one of these simple filters as a backup in case your main filter stops working. One of the main disadvantages of this type of filter is that they need to be maintained regularly as they can quickly become clogged with debris from the aquarium water and they can’t handle any heavy filtration needs.

Under gravel filters

These are very cheap and easy to main tank and are run by means of an air pump. They need no maintenance apart from ensuring that the gravel above them is regularly cleaned so it doesn’t clog. These filters work by drawing water through the gravel and then forcing the water through a pipe to the top of the tank by means of an air stone. The water is cleaned physically by the gravel filtering out any debris and biologically by the bacteria that live in the gravel. If you need to be able to remove any heavy metals from the water on medication a carbon filter can be attached to the top of the plastic riser pipe. They can be bought in a variety of sizes to fit most tanks.

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Under gravel filters also aerate the water with the air stone and they also ensure an even water temperature throughout the tank as the cold water at the bottom of the tank is continuously recirculated. Under gravel filters are also able to cope with a heavier filtration flow than the simple air filters and if necessary can be fitted with more than one riser pipe. They are also suitable for tanks with live plants at the slots in the tray provide good hold for plant roots and they can be used in tanks with small fry as long as the outlet from the riser pipe is higher than the water level of the tank. You will need a good pump to run this type of filter and you need to be careful about the substrate you use in the tank as gravel is really the only type that works successfully. You cannot use sand or other fine particulate substrate with this type of filter. They are easy to maintain and will only need cleaning about once every six months.

Canister filters

These type of filters are becoming more popular. They can be attached to the tank or even placed in a cupboard underneath the tank or on the wall. The type of filter material varies considerably depending on the filters manufacturer. As they only need two pipes leading into the tank they can be hidden away discreetly. They are powerful filters and can be used for larger tanks with a higher demand. they also create strong currents so not very suitable if you have fry in the town and for some fish that do not like these strong currents. they are also fairly difficult to clean and some need to be primed to work. They are expensive to buy and maintain and you might need to buy a larger unit than you might think the size of tank that you have. They can also be noisy but they can be placed at a distance from the town, even in another room, to cut down on the noise.
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Powerhead filters

These internal filters are probably the most popular in use today and are suitable for most small or medium tanks. They attach to the side of the tank and are connected to the mains power and work by drawing the water through a filter medium and back into the tank. They are easy to install and do not need an air pump. They are very easily removed for cleaning and contain a variety of different materials fulfill tradition such as foam, wadding or crystals. Foam is easily be with rinsed out and the place, wadding usually needs replacing regularly and crystals usually lasts for about a month before they need replacing. You will need to clean them regularly though as they can become clogged up with debris quite quickly. They also create quite a strong current so would not be suitable if you have small fry in the tank. They are also quite large and can look slightly unsightly. They are one of the more expensive filters to buy and replacing filter medium can also be quite expensive.

See our huge range of Aquarium Filters

photo credit: nttrbx

Some equipment needed for aquarium cleaning includes algae scrapers or magnets, water siphons or vacuums and soft clothes to clean the outside of the tank. First clean the inside glass, then the decorations and gravel, the outside glass and fittings and lastly the filter. You should also keep a bucket especially for use in aquarium cleaning that has never had any chemicals or soap in it.

Cleaning off the algae on the glass

This is probably the most time consuming part of the job so make sure you buy a suitable algae scrubber or magnetic cleaner. Don’t be tempted to use products from the hardware store or supermarket as they can contain chemicals that are toxic to your fish. Always buy a product intended to be used in aquariums. I prefer a magnetic algae scrubber that can be manipulated from outside the tank but any of the available scrubbers will do a good job. If you still can’t remove all the algae a razor can be used on glass tanks but don’t use one on acrylic tanks as you will scratch the surface.

Cleaning artificial plants and decorations

If these are dirty or covered with algae remove them and scrub take them out of the tank and scrub them with the scrubber. Never use any soap as traces can be lethal to your fish. If they are really dirty they can be soaked in a 10% solution of bleach for 30 minutes and then thoroughly rinsed with water and dried.

Clean the gravel

Now you can clean the gravel by using the siphon or a vacuum pump. It is particularly important to do this regularly if you are using under gravel filtration as it’s efficiency can be impaired by dirty gravel. Siphon the water into a bucket until the gravel is clean and you have removed about 15% of the water in the tank.

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Clean the outside of the aquarium

The outside glass can be cleaned with a soft cloth and the external fittings carefully.

Cleaning the filter

If you removed the decorations and artificial plants and cleaned them thoroughly it is not a good idea to clean out the filter at the same time. This will remove too much of the bacteria and cause stress to the fish. If you have not cleaned the decorations and rocks go ahead and clean the filter but do not change all the filter material at once. Rinse any new filter material in clean water before placing in the tank. Make sure the tubing to the filter is clean and replace any that is clogged.

Replace the water

You can now replace the water you removed while siphoning with water that is the same temperature as that in the tank and has been treated to remove chlorine and chloramines. A 15% water change is necessary and remember that you should not just top up the water as it evaporates but remove at least 15% of the water on a regular basis. This is to prevent the buildup of nitrates and heavy metals. A good way to top up the tank it to use the siphon and allow water to flow slowly into the tank until it is filled. Do not overfill as there needs to be a space between the water surface and the hood to allow gas exchange.

Regular maintenance

Perform aquarium cleaning regularly to avoid the neccessity of having to do a major clean which can be stressful for your fish. Clean the glass every week, do a partial water change at least every two weeks and clean the gravle at the same time. The filter should be cleaned monthly and the decorations as soon as they start to look dirty or begin to accumulate algae.

Wall aquariums

A few of the more recent wall aquariums can be bought as a kit with all the add ons and hardware for mounting necessary so that the accessories such as filters and pumps are not visible. These kits are easy to install so you perhaps do not require a skilled carpenter to mount it for you. If you are not too sure of your expertise in do it yourself, it is better to pay someone to do the mounting instead so that all you have to do is to add water and fish.

Acrylic aquariums have the advantage  of being much lighter than glass and hardly ever manufactured in one piece without seams. Glass fish tanks are heavier and can leak at the seams so we would recommend that you pick acrylic for your wall aquarium.

An important thing you should do before you hang a tank is to find out whether there is any wiring or water pipes within the wall at the location you mean to install it. You also need to find a load bearing wall and find the wall studs.  Aquariums can be extremely heavy when completely filled with water so you have to be very sure that the wall studs can take this weight. You also need to decide if you will hang the tank or build it into the wall.

The next job to do is to measure the area where you are going to place the fish tank and make certain you include some room for things such as lights, pumps and filters. The pump can be placed  in another room from the fish tank, and water can be pumped through pipes to the tank. Admittedly this may be extra effort when installation it does have an advantage that you will be able pump large amounts of water through the tank, which let’s you accommodate more fish, and in addition puts the noise of the pump far away from the room. A problem with wall aquariums is that they are narrower than other types so that the surface area is smaller than other types fish tanks. This means that unless you oxygenate the water well you will not be able to keep many fish in the tank.

If you’re going to use the services of a professional carpenter to hang your wall tank talk to him before you buy your tank and make certain that he knows precisely what you need to be done. When the tank is hung it will need to be filled and stocked exactly like any other fish tank by initially cycling the tank before you can add the fish. the best method is fishless cycling that is quite easy to do and does not cause harm to your fish. Once you have cycled the tank you should start to add the fish and put in some plants if you will be using them.

An especially lovely effect is to set up a reef tank with brightly colored saltwater fish and corals, but this would be, perhaps a project for a rather more experienced aquarist. A wall mounted aquarium, as we said earlier, gives a dramatic focal point to your room and is certain to be appreciated by each one of your visitors.

Real Plants

Real plants will need adequate light and will need trimming occasionally. If they are not looked after properly they can die and lead to polution in the tank. Dead leaves need to be removed regularly as they decay and add to the nutrients in the tank which can encourage algae growth. They also produce substances that can be toxic to the fish. They will take in carbon dioxide in the day and release oxygen. However at night this process is reversed and thet give out carbon dioxide which can cause a problem if your aquarium is heavily planted. Watch the fish and if they spend a lot of time top of the tank or gasping for air the tank needs more aeration. they can also harbor parasites and pests such as snails.

Live plants carry bacteria that can help break down waste from the fish and can inhibit the growth of our being by reducing the nitrate levels in the water. Fish can either live plants although this can detract from their appearance.

Advantages of Live Plants

Absorbs carbon dioxide in the day
Releases oxygen in the day
Inhibits growth of algae
Absorb some toxins
Can be a food source for the fish

Disadvantages of Live Plants

Releases toxins when decaying
Needs adequate lighting
May harbour parasites
May cause oxygen deficiency at night

Plastic Plants

Fake plants can be made of plastic or silk. Silk plants look much better than plastic but are more expensive. Artificial plants maintenance-free and easy to clean if they become covered with algae or dirty. They do not require lighting, which can be a problem with live plants. They come in many colors, sizes and types in the do not harbor parasites. Of course, as they are artificial, they will not decay but they won’t provide any food for your fish either.

Advantages of Artificial Plants

Do not need special lighting
Do not harbor parasites
Do not decay
Can be cleaned easily

Disadvantages of Artificial Plants

Do not absorb carbon dioxide
Do not store toxins
Cannot be eaten by the fish
Do not help to prevent growth of algae

Conclusion

Whether you choose artificial or real plants for your aquarium fish tank depends on your personal preferences. Are you prepared for the extra maintenance needed for real plants and to provide good lighting? If not then choose attractive silk plants which will look almost as good and be maintenance-free.

Bacteria bloom shows up as white cloudiness in your tank. It is often hard to distinguish white cloudiness due to bacteria bloom from green cloudiness due to overgrowth of algae. If this is the case you can check the filter material which will have a greenish hue if the bloom is caused by algae. If your tank is newly set up wait a while as it will probably clear on its own.

Bacteria bloom is caused when the beneficial bacteria that we worked so hard to cultivate when we first set up the tank multiply excessively. Too much nutrients in the tank can cause this to happen and it needs to be addressed immediately as fish deaths can occur from oxygen deprivation. Regularly testing the water for ammonia can alert you early to a problem which can be corrected before it gets out of hand.

Adding medications to your tank can also result in a bacteria bloom. It is never a good idea to add medicines to your main tank. Buy a small quarantine tank and treat any sick fish there rather than subjecting all the fish in your main tank to unnecessary medication and possibly causing an unbalance in the main tank.

Remedies

Remove any decaying plants and uneaten food by vacuuming the gravel then perform a partial water change.Cut down feeding to every two or three days for a while until the water clears. Eliminating any source of nutrients for the bacteria will decrease their numbers effectively.

Prevention

The cause of bacteria bloom is excessive nutrients in the water so always make sure you do not overfeed the fish. Perform partial water changes weekly but never completely change ALL the water. Regularly test the water for ammonia which will alert you early to a developing problem before it starts to cause problems. At the first sign of a peak in the ammonia levels do a partial water change and stop feeding the fish fo a couple of days.

Image by shawnogram

For a freshwater aquarium a quarantine tank is a good idea although not essential. If you have a saltwater aquarium a quarantine tank is recommended as saltwater fish are more prone to diseases than freshwater fish. However it is still a good idea to maintain a quarantine tank for freshwater aquariums if at all possible to prevent parasites and diseases being introduced into your aquarium.

A quarantine tank is essential for saltwater aquariums as most saltwater fish are caught in the wild and are much more likely to have parasites or diseases than fish that are bred in captivity. They are often transported long distances which also makes them more prone to diseases. In addition medications for fish are often highly poisonous to invertebrates so should never be added directly to your main tank.

Setting up Your Quarantine Tank

A small tank of between ten and twenty gallons will be adequate with the following aquarium accessories

• A filter – use one without charcoal as this will remove any medications.
• Airstone
• Aquarium heater
• Test kit
• Fish net – use a different one from your main tank to prevent cross contamination

Fill the tank with water from your main tank when you do a partial water change.

Monitoring the Fish in the Quarantine Tank

You should keep the fish in the quarantine tank for at least two weeks, looking for any signs of parasites or diseases and using the test kit to monitor the water conditions. Any diseases should be treated and the fish kept in the tank for a further two weeks after symptoms subside. If the fish look healthy after this time then it should be safe to add them to the main aquarium.

If any fish in your main aquarium develop disease or parasite symptoms remove them and place in the quarantine tank. They will not need any acclimatising as you used water from the main tank to fill the quarantine tank.

Always have a supply of saltwater available for water changes in emergencies if you have a saltwater tank. Freshly made saltwater should never be used as it can be extremely toxic and it is also difficult to judge the salinity using a hydrometer.

In Conclusion

Many freshwater aquarists successfully maintain their tanks without the use of a quarantine tank it is a good idea to always use one when purchasing new fish or treating fish that show signs of diseases. Taking a fish out of the main tank when it first shows signs of disease can be a big help in keeping the other fish healthy. For keepers of saltwater fish a quarantine tank is essential.

Image by Egmel