Guide to Selecting Easy and Compatible Marine Fish for Beginners

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Question and Answers Types of Fish and other creatures

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Table of Contents
1,2,3 Easy ....................................................................................................................... 1
Fish Selection .................................................................................................................. 5
Dory and Friends ............................................................................................................. 7
Koi Fish ......................................................................................................................... 11
The 10 Point Guide to the Ultimate Koi Pond ................................................................ 13
13 Tips for Tangs! ......................................................................................................... 16
Clownfish Facts ............................................................................................................. 17
The Big 10 - Coral Reef Fish Families! .......................................................................... 18
Discus - The King of the Aquarium! ............................................................................... 20
Be Careful with Discus in Winter! .................................................................................. 23
Adding new Fish to your Tank ....................................................................................... 24
Dont Introduce Predators to Prey ................................................................................. 26
The Feisty but Beautiful ................................................................................................. 27
Rearranging Risky! ........................................................................................................ 29
The 12 Point Guide to the Ultimate Malawi Cichlid Setup ............................................. 30
Cichlid Population.......................................................................................................... 35
Cichlid Aggression ......................................................................................................... 36
Monitor the Boss of the Cichlid Aquarium ..................................................................... 37
Cichlid Maintenance Sheet ............................................................................................ 38
Cichlid Aquarium Hints .................................................................................................. 39
Feeding Fish.................................................................................................................. 41
Feeding ......................................................................................................................... 43
Spectrum Fish Food ...................................................................................................... 44
Worms in the Compost Heap ........................................................................................ 45
Flatworms ...................................................................................................................... 47
Questions on Fish Health .............................................................................................. 49
Fish Behavioural Problems............................................................................................ 50
Mystery Problems! ......................................................................................................... 52
Diseases Tips ................................................................................................................ 53
Disease ......................................................................................................................... 55
Physical Disease ........................................................................................................... 58
Identifying Disease ........................................................................................................ 61
How to Remove a Mantis Shrimp? ................................................................................ 63
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Mantis Shrimp ............................................................................................................... 64

Aiptasia ......................................................................................................................... 66
Bristleworms .................................................................................................................. 68
Curing Disease .............................................................................................................. 70
DMS- Delayed Mortality Syndrome ............................................................................... 73
Steps for what to do if your MARINE fish get White Spot! ............................................. 74
Problem and Solution for with White Pox on the Body in a Pond! ................................. 75
Steps to Breeding Fighting Fish Betta ........................................................................ 76
Looking After Land Hermit Crabs .................................................................................. 77
Holidays ........................................................................................................................ 78
Blue/Green Chromis Care Sheet ................................................................................... 79
Yellow Striped Cardinal Care Sheet .............................................................................. 80
Damsel Fish Care Sheet ............................................................................................... 81
Goldfish Aquarium Hints ................................................................................................ 82
Fighting Fish Aquarium Hints ........................................................................................ 84
Yabby Aquarium Hints ................................................................................................... 85
Walking Fish Aquarium Hints ........................................................................................ 86
Turtle Aquarium Hints .................................................................................................... 87
Seahorse Aquarium Hints.............................................................................................. 89
Bearded Dragon Hint Sheet .......................................................................................... 91
Turtle Hint Sheet ........................................................................................................... 93
Snake Hint Sheet .......................................................................................................... 95
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1,2,3 EASY
Marine fish selection is one of the most overlooked aspects of
marine fish keeping and yet it is the first step to being able to
maintain an amazing marine aquarium. Some fish are very
easy to keep in the environment offered in a regular marine
aquarium, while other fish will require very specific conditions
and will usually die if offered the same level of care. Some fish
will turn your aquarium into a beautiful and peaceful biosphere while others will turn it
into a chaotic boxing ring.
There are many factors to consider when selecting fish. You need to ensure that you
have the experience to look after the fish you select, that the fish you buy are healthy,
and that they are compatible with the fish you currently have.
As a starting point, it is very important that you only buy very healthy fish because the
best way to keep strong, healthy fish is to start with strong, healthy fish. Buying a fish
because it doesnt look well or happy and you feel sorry for it and want to give it a better
home is not a very good idea. An unwell fish can introduce diseases into your tank that
can infect your other fish, and may even cause them to die. It helps to become familiar
with a species of fish before you buy it as this will allow you to be clear on exactly what
it should look and act like. Ensure the fish looks alert with clean clear eyes, fins and
scales. It is also important that the fish appears eager to feed and can maintain its
position in the water column. And finally, as a precaution, only buy from a clean healthy
store that you trust.
Fish rating system
To break this down I simply refer to all fish as number 1, number 2, or number 3 fish. I
refer to number 1 fish as fish that most people can easily keep in regular aquarium
conditions. Number 2 fish are fish that from my experience work for some people and
not for others. Number 3 fish are those which dont work for most people.
Some examples of number 1 fish are:
Damsels
Clownfish
Dottybacks
Triggerfish
Pufferfish
Foxface
Rabbitfish
most Wrasse
most Tangs
Blennies
Cardinal fish
Lionfish.
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Boxfish
Angels
Gobies
Sweetlips.

Moorish Idols
Powder Blue Tangs
Achilles Tangs
Anthias
Filefish
Pipefish
Mandarin fish
Butterfly fish.
Many people select marine fish by wondering into aquarium shores and looking around
until they see a fish that catches their attention at that time, they will them ask the staff
member closest to them if this fish will go with the few of their fish that they remember to
name. If the staff member says yes then that is a green light to buy the fish. This
approach takes very little into consideration and will as often as not result in the person
purchasing a fish that was not likely to work from the start.
After a considerable amount of time and money, the person will start to understand
which fish work in their aquarium, mind you most will have given up marine fish before
this time has arisen. Instead of the impulse approach where you slowly learn the hard
lessons of fish selection, I strongly recommend starting with a wish list. A wish list is
simply a list of fish that you wish to keep together in your tank. The beauty of a wish list
is that you are able to show it to other experienced aquarists to get their opinions on
how these fish are likely to go together. If you have fish already, you can add them to
the top of the wish list to reduce the chance of adding other fish that wont work with the
fish you have. If you have a wish list you are likely to seek out experts to ask in order to
gain the right advice. With the impulse approach you are far more likely to ask the
nearest sales person and hope that they know. With the wish list you are able to use the
opinions of a range of experts to save you a lot of time and money learning hard
lessons on paper instead of with real fish. This is a very responsible and economical
approach. When selecting fish for your aquarium there are several things to consider
before purchasing it e.g. diet, aggression, territoriality and whether it will nip at your
corals. A simple thing that you need to remember is that fish dont want to die. They will
only die if you dont provide them with at least their basic minimum requirements. By
researching a fishes basic minimum requirements first and asking a few people for their
experiences keeping that fish you can enormously increase the amount of success that
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you have when keeping marine fish. The use of the wish list is going to help you make
sure you are mixing fish that will commonly work together.
Regardless of where you are at it is worth asking the right person the right questions to
ensure that the fish you add are likely to work together. Regardless of how qualified the
advice you get, fish are fish and at the end they do what they want how they want. Just
because 10 experts tell you something is likely to happen, it doesnt mean that that will
happen. Understand that the fish you buy are your responsibility and your responsibility
alone. So if the fish you buy dont seem to be mixing well, it is up to you to separate
them, before too many fish are affected by the troubles. It is important to consider
aggression when selecting fish. Monitor the aggression of the fish you keep and only
add fish that will be able to compete with the fish that you have but not overcompete. If
you add a fish that is too aggressive for the fish you have, it is likely to act boisterously,
eat all the fish food and attack the other fish in the tank, even killing them. When you
see this type of activity, remove the trouble-maker before it is able to cause you any
more problems. The key is just as much in the monitoring and the action you take once
a problem is identified as it is in initial selection. Some fish are moreso territorial than
plain aggressive, an aggressive fish will attack fish for seemingly no reason. A territorial
fish will drive fish out of their territory but leave them when the fish is no longer in their
territory. It is worth considering territorial behaviour when selecting fish. Some fish like
the Dottyback are territorial and can often be housed safely with many fish because its
territory is small, leaving room for the other fish in the tank. Other fish like Coral Trout
can get so large that its territory can be the whole tank. There is a big difference
between territorial, aggressive and predatory. Territorial fish drive fish out of their
territory, aggressive fish attack other fish for what can seem like to reason but to show
dominance and predatorily fish eat other fish. Predatory fish dont have to be aggressive
or territorial. Predatory fish are primarily concerned with their belly - what can fit in their
mouth is what they will eat.
A perfect example of a predatory fish if the Lionfish. This fish is not aggressive or
territorial but it will eat any fish that will fit in its huge mouth, which is about the same
size as its body. When selecting fish it is worth assuming that all fish are predatory.
When creating your wish list also include when you intend to add the fish, because you
also want to gather comments on this. Most groups of fish are best added at the
sometime to reduce territorially e.g. any Tangs should be added together, any Clowns
should be added together, this is also true for many other fish such as Wrasses and
Angels. Many fish take about 3 days to settle into a new tank. In this time, it is common
for them not to feed and they may act differently. It is important to monitor new fish extra
carefully for the first week for stress, behaviour, aggression and feeding habits. Always
watch for changes in behaviour, as action must be taken when it is required. Some fish
live in large schools in the wild and do tend to fret with kept in aquariums singly or in
small groups. These fish are used to having a lot of their own kind around them as an
instinctual form of security. When they are placed in aquariums lightly stocked with fish,
they stress thinking there is danger because the rest of their school is absent. This can
be the case when all the other fish appear fine but an individual seems to be jumpy and
breathing quickly. Some examples of these fish are Blue Tangs, Green Chromis and
Anthias. If you are going to introduce fish to a tank with coral and invertebrates, it is
important to identify which are likely to be a threat to them. This could be identified as A,
B or C fish. Some fish e.g. `C` fish will eat coral, like Butterfly fish and Angelfish while
others e.g. `B` fish will nip at it sometimes, like Triggerfish, Pufferfish, Foxfaces,
Rabbitfish, most Wrasse, most Tangs Moorish Idols. Others are mostly safe with coral
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e.g. `A` fish like Damsels, Clownfish, Dottyback, Blennies, Cardinal fish, Lionfish,
Anthias, Filefish, Pipefish and Gobies.
Your wish list is a way of reduce the risk of introducing a coral eater to a coral tank. If
you get a fish that only nips a particular type of coral, you can consider avoiding that
piece in the future. Hungry fish are more likely to graze on coral. Even if your fish is not
eating the coral, it may stress it by nipping it regularly and causing it to be often closed,
depriving it of light. Most fish need similar amounts of nutrients but the way they process
food means that not all foods are appropriate for all fish. You must consider what you
will be feeding that tank when you buy fish for the tank. Herbivores have long digestive
systems and are designed for consuming green foodstuffs, while predators have a short
digestive system for eating fish meat. Some high quality pellet and flake foods can be
fed to all fish but many natural foods like fresh fish and seaweed are not suitable for
some fish e.g. meat is not good for herbivores and seaweed is not good for predators,
this is because of the way that the fish process that food. It is very important not to
introduce new fish unless your aquarium has been running perfectly for the last month.
You will increase the chances of problems like Whitespot if the fish are introduced more
regularly than once a month, so add some fish then wait a month then add some more
then wait a month. It will also help to ensure that you are running a lower salt level e.g.
1.020 when you introduce new fish, this will help lower osmotic stress on the fish and
also help reduce the chance of problems like Whitespot. A quarantine tank is a very
good idea to help protect your display tank from disease outbreak. All fish can thrive as
long as their basic minimum requirements are met.
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FISH SELECTION
An important thing to consider is whether the fish you want to buy
is compatible with the fish and coral you already have. The diet,
aggression and territoriality of your fish all need to be considered
before mixing different species of fish. You should be aware and of
the aggressiveness of the fish you have and the fish you plan to
introduce. Only add fish that will be able to compete with the fish
that you have but will not overpower them. If you add a fish that is too aggressive it is
likely to act boisterously, eat all the fish food and attack and bully the other fish in the
tank. It may even kill them. If you see this type of activity, remove the trouble-maker
before it is able to create problems in the tank. Some fish are not aggressive, but are
territorial. An aggressive fish will attack for seemingly no reason other than to be
dominant, while a territorial fish will drive fish out of its territory but will leave them in
peace when the fish are out of its territory. The size of the territory required by your fish
will determine whether they are a threat to other fish. Some fish, for example the
Dottyback, are territorial but can often be housed safely with many fish because the
territory they require is small, leaving plenty of room in which the other fish in the tank
can safely swim. On the other hand, fish like Coral Trout can get so large that their
territory can be the whole tank. Predatory fish are again different from territorial and
aggressive fish. Predatory fish are primarily concerned with feeding. They will eat
whatever will fit in their mouth. An example of a predatory fish if the Lionfish. This fish is
not aggressive or territorial but it will eat any fish that will fit in its huge mouth, which it
can open to be about the same size as its body. When selecting fish it is safe to assume
that all fish are predatory, so always make sure that the smallest fish in the tank cannot
fit into the mouth of the largest fish. For certain fish, timing will also matter. Most groups
of fish are best added at the same time to reduce territoriality. For example any Tangs
should be added together, any Clown Fish should be added together. This is also true
for many other fish including Wrasse and Angels. Other fish live in large schools in the
wild and tend to fret when kept in aquariums singly or in small groups. These fish are
used to having a lot of their own kind around them as an instinctual form of security.
When they are placed in aquariums that are lightly stocked with fish they get stressed
thinking there is danger because the rest of their school is absent. This can be the case
when all the other fish appear fine but an individual seems to be jumpy and breathing
quickly. Some examples of these fish are Blue Tangs, Green Chromis and Anthias.
Most fish take about 3 days to settle into a new tank. In this time it is common for them
not to feed and act abnormally. It is important to monitor new fish extra carefully for the
first week for stress, behaviour, aggression and feeding habits. Always watch for
changes in behaviour and act when it is required. If you are going to introduce fish to a
tank with Coral and Invertebrates it is important to identify which are likely to be a threat
to them. This could be identified as A, B C fish. Some fish e.g. C fish will eat coral like
Butterfly fish and Angelfish while others e.g. B fish will nip at it sometimes like
Triggerfish, Pufferfish, Foxfaces, Rabbitfish most Wrasse, most Tangs, Moorish Idols.
Others are mostly safe with coral e.g. A fish like Damsels, Clownfish, Dottyback,
Blennies, Cardinal fish, Lionfish, Anthias. Filefish, Pipefish and Gobies. Your wish list is
a way of reducing the risk of introducing a coral eater to a coral tank. If you get a fish
that only nips a particular type of coral you can consider avoiding that piece of coral in
the future. Hungry fish are more likely to graze on coral, yet even if your fish is not
eating the coral it may stress it by nipping it regularly which caused it to often close,
Page 5
depriving it of light. Most fish need similar amounts of nutrients but the way they process
the food means that not all foods are appropriate for all fish. You must consider what
you will be feeding that tank when you buy fish for the tank. Herbivores have long
digestive systems and a designed for consuming green foodstuffs while predators have
a short digestive system for eating fish meat. Some high quality pellet and flake foods
can be fed to all fish but many natural food like fresh fish and seaweed are not suitable
for some fish e.g. Meat is not good for herbivores and seaweed is not good for
predators, this is because of the way that the fish process that food. It is very important
not to introduce new fish unless that your aquarium is running perfectly for the last
month. You will increase the chances of problems like Whitespot if the fish are
introduced more regularly than once a month, so add some fish then wait a month then
add some more then wait a month. It will also help to ensure that you are running a
lower salt level e.g. 1.020 when you introduce new fish as this will help lower osmotic
stress on the fish and also help reduce the chance of problems like Whitespot. A
quarantine tank is a very good idea to help protect your display tank from disease
outbreak. Regardless of where you are at it is worth asking the right person the right
questions to ensure that the fish you add are likely to work together. Regardless of how
qualified the advice you get, fish are fish and in the end they do what they want how
they want. Just because 10 experts tell you something is likely to happen, it doesnt
mean that that will happen. Understand that the fish you buy are your responsibility and
your responsibility alone. So if the fish you buy dont seem to be mixing well, it is up to
you to separate them, before too many fish are affected by the troubles. The key is just
as much in the monitoring and the action you take once a problem is identified as it is in
initial selection.
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DORY AND FRIENDS

The hit animated childrens movie Finding Nemo has made the already
popular Blue Tang one of the most popular saltwater aquarium fish
around. In the movie, one of the main characters is a colourful, playful
and forgetful Blue Tang named Dory. Since the release of this movie, it
seems every child wants their own saltwater aquarium with their own
Dory and Nemo and every set of parents is faced with the decision of
whether to let them have it. This movie has had a massive impact on
the aquarium hobby because for the first time in the eyes of the general public fish are
seen to have a personality. So what are Dory and her other Tang friends really like? A
Tang is an oval-shaped fish which is flat if viewed from front on. Tangs have a small
single spine on each side of their caudal peduncle (just before their tail) that can be
extended if required for self-defense. Where a Tang has one or more larger spines
which are not retractable in the same position, it belongs to the Surgeon family. When
these fish fight, they will rapidly slap their tail towards their opponent trying to slash
them with their spine. The name Tangs or Surgeonfish is a common name given to
many of these closely related fish species. It is commonly accepted that all Zebrasoma
species are to be called Tang and all species with 2 spines are to be called
Surgeonfish, while all the other single spined species seem to be called Tang or
Surgeon depending on who you talk to e.g Blue Tang / Blue Surgeonfish. In an
aquarium Tangs are generally a very greedy fish, accepting a wide variety of foods
ranging from flakes, pellets, seaweed, brine shrimp and more. These fish are often
found grazing on rocks so one of their major benefits is controlling algae in an
aquarium. Most species don`t need to be fed everyday as they will feed off algae
growing on the rocks, while some more active species such as the Lipstick Surgeon
dont graze as much and so need to be fed more often. Because these fish are so active
it is important to ensure that they dont lose their condition due to underfeeding which is
common in many reef aquariums. Tangs can be quite aggressive, mainly to their own
kind or to similar shaped fish. As they are territorial, it is important to try to add any
Tangs to your aquarium on the same day if possible. This way they have an equal
chance of establishing territories. If you have to add a Tang to a tank that has
established Tangs in it already, then it is a good idea to rearrange the rocks in order to
disorientate the established fish. It is also safer to add more then one Tang at a time to
divert the attention of any would-be aggressors. These fish often dont do well if kept in
pairs as one will regularly dominate the other one, so they are best kept singularly or in
groups. When one Tang is introduced to another it will usually take about three days for
them to sort out their dominance hierarchy before they will get along. The more size,
shape and colour difference the quicker this will tend to be. There is always a risk when
adding a Tang to an aquarium with other Tangs as they may prove incompatible and
might even kill each other. Tangs are very prone to White Spot disease as they have
skin and not scales. It is a good idea to quarantine these fish using medications like
copper sulfate or formalin for a period of around 2-3 weeks before they are introduced
to a display tank to reduce the chase of them spreading disease to other fish in your
tank. Its highly recommended to only introduce Tangs to a tank with a salinity level as
low as 1.018. This low level eases osmotic stress and will reduce the risk of White Spot
infection. If you have a display aquarium, it is harmless to the corals to drop the salinity
over a period of about a week and raise it slowly again over the next week once the fish
have been introduced safely. The corals may not open up as well while the salt level is
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low but will return to their former glory once the salinity has returned. Any time these
fish do contract White Spot, drop the salinity and ensure you feed food high in garlic.
Most good aquarium shops will stock food high in garlic such as New Life Spectrum
flakes or Seachems Garlic Guard solutions which can be added to other foods in order
to reduce the susceptibility of a fish to parasitic infections such as White Spot. Head and
lateral-line erosion is another common condition with Tangs, and tends to be a problem
with fish that have been kept for many years on a low vitamin diet. A fish affected by this
condition will have what appears to be small craters on its head or along its lateral line.
Increasing the quality and variety of food offered and specifically targeting the amount of
vitamin A in the diet can see this condition reverse. It is important to do a complete
review of water quality and to monitor what the fish is being fed if over time you see the
condition or colour of the fish deteriorate. Just because a fish is feeding well in the
short-term doesnt mean it is getting what it needs in the long-term. You should always
monitor the condition of the fish over time and remember that there is no substitute for
high quality foods. Tangs can grow very quickly in an aquarium so it is important to
allow adequate room and plenty of hiding places as adults range from 15-40cm. Tangs
will spend a lot of their day foraging among the rocks and will very energetically dart
around the aquarium and especially in and out of the rocks. A good cover of rocks is
important to these fish to ensure they have a dark place they can escape into and to
feel safe if they are stressed. Having a dark, safe place will allow a fish that is stressed
to calm down faster thereby helping it to maintain its immune system and prevent it from
developing diseases. Some of the most popular Tangs are the Blue Tang, Powder Blue
Tang, Sailfin Tang, Yellow Tang, Purple Tang, Brown Scopas Tang, Achilles Tang, Kole
Tang, Lipstick Surgeon and Orange Shoulder Tang. The Blue Tang Paracanthurus
hepatus is also known as a Regal Tang and is a common saltwater fish found on coral
reefs in large schools feeding on algae or zooplankton. The Blue Tang is without a
doubt the most popular species of Tang; its bold colour and boisterously active nature
make it a temptation for every hobbyist. This fish is very widely available, and is found
on many reefs in the world, most commonly Australian. It is gluttonous, fast-growing and
it can get to about 30cm long. This fish is well know for it choice of sleeping
arrangements as it will often tuck into some of the most bizarre and uncomfortable
looking positions when it retreats for the night, often at the same time each day
regardless of whether the light is on or off. Another behavior common to this fish is a
habit of lying on the bottom of the tank like it is dead. This is often pointed out to me by
children while I am working in an aquarium retail store. The children will often say
Excuse me Sir, the fish over there is dead and sure enough every second time it is just
a Blue Tang practicing its strange resting habit. With a small tap on the glass, the
children are happy to see the fish jump up hoping to get a feed. Careful consideration
must be given before adding this fish as it gets White Spot very easily and therefore
quarantining is highly recommended. A Blue Tang should only be introduced to a tank
with a low salt level. Once this fish has settled into the tank it can become a very hardy,
long-living fish that will bring you and the family years of enjoyment. The Powder Blue
Tang Acanthurus leucosternon is a fish rarely recommended as its success rate in an
aquarium is even lower than a Blue Tang. In many aspects, it is similar to keep to a
Blue Tang but more susceptible to White Spot and will die very easily. This is partly
because it is not found in Australia and is therefore imported, meaning that it is probably
quite stressed by the time it even reaches an aquarium store. It is important that you
only buy fish from a retailer that you are confident in and one that only deals in net
caught fish as this fish comes from the Indo-Pacific where catching fish using cyanide is
Page 8
common. A big warning to everyone wanting to get this fish is that once settled it can
become very aggressive. Although it will not grow as fast as a Blue Tang it can reach up
to 25cm. The Achilles Tang Acanthurus achillies is one of the most sought after and
asked about Tangs. Many people will enthusiastically request this fish until they find out
how hard it is to get, how expensive it is and how hard it is to keep. In many aspects
such as size and survival rate this fish is quite similar to the Powder Blue Tang, but
bigger, less aggressive and even harder to keep. Its rarity coupled with its low survival
rate and very high price means it is recommended only if a high quality and oversized
UV sterilizer is run on any tank housing this fish. The money saved not having to
replace this fish after several attempts to keep it may pay for even the best of UV units,
which will benefit your entire tanks inhabitants. The Sailfin Tang Zebrasoma veliferum
is a true Tang and a great choice as an aquarium fish as it has great colours, is easy to
keep and is not too expensive because it is easily available in Australia. This fish can
reach 40cm in length so it should be allowed adequate room to grow. As with all fish
their growth will be stunted if kept in a small tank. This fish is very similar to the more
expensive and rarer Red Sea Sailfin Tang Zebrasoma desjardinii which is also a great
fish to keep in an aquarium. The Red Sea version has darker stronger pattern but is not
as common or as robust when first introduced. It is rare to see a reef aquarium without a
Yellow Tang Zebrasoma flavescens; this is because it is such a wonderful aquarium fish
which loves to eat algae. Its striking yellow colour is unmistakable, along with its
boisterous, gluttonous personality. You may recognise the Yellow Tang as Bubbles in
the movie Finding Nemo, and its inclusion as a character has also seen the popularity of
this Tang increase with the general public. It is common to have children in an aquarium
store standing in front of a tank containing a Yellow Tang calling out to their parents
Look, look its Bubbles. Yellow Tangs most commonly come from Hawaii and can grow
to 18 cm in length but normally much slower than other species of Tang. The colour of
this fish can become quite patchy at night but it is bright yellow during the day. This fish
tends to be very easy to keep and I often find it to be my first choice when
recommending a Tang for any aquarium. The Brown Scopas Tang Zebrasoma scopas
is rarely expensive and is very good to keep as it is very hardy and has all the same
behaviours of the Yellow Tang but is a little more shy. This fish is commonly available in
Australia but not so commonly sold because as the name suggests, it is not bold in
colour, so not a prized fish in the hobby. This fish is very good for beginners and has
lovely blue marking if you look very closely at the fish. The Purple Tang Zebrasoma
xanthurus is from the Red Sea and is very similar to the Yellow Tang but much more
expensive, rare and aggressive. Most aquarium stores are lucky to get these fish a
couple of times a year and the stock sells very quickly as they are easy to keep and a
real novelty to many patient aquarists. If you wish to keep a Yellow Tang with a Purple
Tang it is worth ensuring that the Yellow Tang is much larger than the Purple as the
Purple will tend to be more aggressive. Although these fish are commonly kept together
it does not always work as they are aggressive to any other fish that is a similar shape
to them. Housing more than one of these fish per tank is not recommended. This fish is
very susceptible to head and lateral line erosion, so it is very important to offer it a high
quality and varied diet from the start. Though they are mostly safely kept in reef tanks,
this fish does tend to be rougher on the corals than most Tangs. They will normally only
bother a few large polyp species. Not quite as rare is the subtle but beautiful Kole Tang
Ctenochaetus strigosus, also called the Yellow Eyed Bristle Tooth. This fish is found all
over the world, grows to 15cm in length and though rarely appreciated by beginners, is
very popular with the intermediate hobbyist that is prepared to pay a bit more for a
Page 9
lovely fish. This fish is a great addition to most tanks as it rarely causes any trouble,
eats lots of hair algae, gets along with most fish and is not too hard to keep. This fish is
a great catch any time it is available. You will rarely ever hear a bad word about them
from anyone. A large male Lipstick Surgeon Naso lituratus can get to 50cm and has
long parallel whips on the top and bottom of its tail making it a very striking sight. This
fish is very reef safe and will do best in a large aquarium; they even do well as a pair as
they are rarely aggressive. This fish is often hard to keep in the long-term because even
when this fish does seem to be feeding, it may still die of starvation over time. It is a
large, active fish that often consumes low nutrient foods so nutrition is the biggest
concern for this fish. When this fish is stressed it will often swim erratically and not feed.
This drain of energy is a very common cause of death with this species. Products like
Stresscoat which contain Aloe Vera do tend to have a calming effect on these types of
high stress fish. Any fish that swim erratically instead of hiding when they are stressed
are always at a disadvantage in an aquarium. In order to maintain this fish for an
extended period of time you need to ensure it is receiving adequate high quality foods,
and feeding at least twice a day. There is a slightly more expensive Blonde version from
Hawaii which has a yellow stripe on the top of the fish in place of the normal black one. I
will rarely recommend this fish, although it is a very good selling fish because of its
charm. I do suggest that you make sure that the fish is feeding before you purchase it.
Finally, the Orange Shoulder Tang Acanthurus olivaceus is a very large, common, easy
to keep, trouble free Tang from Australia and perfect for any aquarium. When this fish is
small it exhibits a beautiful orange colour but as it grows it takes on more of a dull
greenish colour with an orange shoulder. Despite their fading colour, these fish still sell
quite well because they are normally reasonably priced when sold in Australia. There
are many fish in the Tang and Surgeon family that are worth considering as additions to
your tank. Size, hardiness, aggression, rarity and price are all factors which need to be
taken into account in your decision making.
Page 10
KOI FISH
The word Koi was first used in China to describe Carp and later
became the English name for the Japanese fish called Nishikoi. The
rice farmers in the Niigata prefecture in the hills of Japan searched
for many years to find a fish that they could breed in their ponds as a
food source during harsh winters if rice production was low. The
farmers of the Niigata prefecture over 500 years ago started to
realise that when a group of fish were bred for decades in the same
isolated pond that the colour of some individuals will be different over
time. This was the beginning to the understanding of recessive and
dominant genes. They would place the fish with the different colour into a curtain pond
and remove the fish with the former colour. They found that after a period of time this
new colour would soon become the new colour of the fish isolated in that same pond.
Once the new colour became very dominant, they would then start cross-breeding the
fish from one pond with curtain colours with fish from another pond which had different
colours. They then bred these two unique colours together, forming a new colour again
that would stabilise over time. Over the last 500 years, hundreds of colours of Koi have
been created. In the early days, the farmers would take these fish to the markets and
sell them to wealthy people who enjoyed keeping them as pets. The finest colour would
be offered to the emperor for him to enjoy in his pond. Having the emperor accept one
of your fish was a huge honour for a peasant farmer from Niigata. The aim was to
create fish with a very balanced, strong colour. The colour was to be balanced from left
to right and from front to back. If the colour was unbalanced then the fish would look
lopsided in the pond. A fish with good colour and good balanced is a most prized fish,
commanding a very high price. The fish which had good colour without balance would
be a medium quality fish. A fish without colour or balance is a low quality fish. The
colours of these fish are random so breeding well-balanced parents does not guarantee
well-balanced colour in the offspring. Breeding high quality parents does improve the
chance of high quality offspring. Today the Japanese Koi industry is worth billions of
dollars and the attraction and appreciation of these fish is rapidly growing all around the
world. These fish are extremely robust and easy to keep making them suitable for many
situations. As with all fish, they will only grow to a certain size within any certain water
volume so people that keep them in small aquariums will still get to enjoy these fish but
they will remain small. To really appreciate these fish at their best, they need to be
housed in a very large outdoor pond equipped with excellent filtration. It is worth taking
the extra effort to ensure the right conditions and foods are present for these wonderful
fish, as they regularly live 40 years and some have been reported to live over 200
years. Koi are quite a messy fish capable of growing 10cm per year, so it is important
not to overstock your pond or your will not allow them the room to grow to their capacity
(about 100cm long). Many people start with a large number of hand-picked Koi for their
pond but each year sell off the lower quality fish until they are left with a handful of large
specimens worthy of entering a Koi show. Koi shows are a very popular hobby which
allows breeders and hobbyists to show off and compare their prized specimens. Koi
shows are held regularly in most countries in the world. In a show the female tends to
be the most prized as they have a larger more imposing body shape. The males have
more of a torpedo shape, smaller and more slender then the solid, fat and chunky
females. In countries like Australia Koi are illegal to import so the industry has to rely on
breeders to maintain and grow the varieties already available. In these countries it is
Page 11
illegal to return Koi to a river as they can destroy waterways. Even if you catch the fish
you are to destroy it not return it. Koi are prone to many diseases so it is very important
that you select a credible supplier. Some of the Koi HIV viruses are incurable and not
easy to recognize. A 10 minute salt bath (130gm of salt per 4.5lt) for every new fish that
you add to your pond will reduce the risk of many infectious diseases. Koi will eat a
large range of foods but it has been proven that high quality Koi pellets are the cleanest
and best way to enhance the colour and health of these fish. Many foods such as bread
and vegetables are enjoyed by the fish but do tend to pollute the water and offer the fish
very little digestible nutrients. People that aim to grow their fish and create jumbo-sized
pets tend to feed their fish several times a day and perform partial water changes
several times a week, whereas people that wish to maintain their fish as they are will
only feed several times a week. The larger the amount of food you introduce the better
the pond and filters must be and the more maintenance you will need to do. Good luck
and enjoy
Page 12
THE 10 POINT GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE KOI POND

1. Variety
I recommend you get to know the most popular varieties of Koi and what to look for in a
high quality fish from each variety. The difference between viewing a pond of high
quality fish is amazing compared to viewing a pond of low quality fish. The quality fish
stand out like amazing gems compared to the lower quality individuals. There are so
many different varieties of Koi but the most popular are:
Kohaku is a white fish with red markings.
Sanke is a white fish with red markings the same as a Kohaku but also extra black
markings on top of the fish, but not on the head.
Showa is a black fish with the same markings as a Kohaku that has also got a
white pattern.
So a white fish with red and black markings is a Sanke and a black fish with red and
white markings is a Showa, only Showa will have black on the head. A Showa has
black at the base of the pectoral fins (moto guro). Sanke can get small streaks of
black on the pectoral fins.
Bekko is a white fish with black markings on the top of the fish. It is the same as a
Sanke without the red.
Utsuri is a black fish with white markings. It is the same as a Showa, without the
red.
Ogon is a single coloured metallic Koi.
Matsuba has black in the centre of each scale. This is called the pine cone look.
Asagi has a Matsuba pattern on the top of the fish with red along the bottom, sides
and in the fins.
A Doitsu variety of the Asagi is called a Shusui.
Tancho is a variety of Koi with a red spot on its head. This is very significant to the
Japanese because of the similarity to their national bird the Tancho Crane and their
flag.
Kinginrin- are Koi with metallic sparkling scales. Japanese terms often used in Koi
talk: Tategoi is a young Koi (unfinished) Manware is black pattern on the head
Sumi means black in Japanese Hi means red spots in Japanese Hikari means
it looks shiny Inazuma means it has a zig-zag lightning pattern across the top of it
Aka - means the fish is mainly red Ki - means yellow in Japanese Moto guro is
black at the base of the fins Doitsu means the fish is mainly covered in skin not
scales Ginrin is a Koi with metallic scales Rin is a scale Gin - is silver Kin is
gold Orenji is orange Balanced colour When looking at a Koi from the top it is
important that the colour is balanced from front to back and left to right. If the pattern
is stronger on one part of the fish then the fish will look unbalanced in the pond and
the key to a perfect Koi is for it to look perfectly balanced in the pond.
2. Colour strength
The strength of the colour will determine the quality and value of the fish. It must also be
remembered that the colour of a Koi is constantly changing e.g. many fish that are
Page 13
amazing as a baby will fade as adults, while others that look too dark as babies will
develop into amazing show Koi as adults.
3. Shape
The shape of a Koi is very important. They should be a solid but balanced torpedo-
shaped fish. The more imposing the fish looks in the pond the better the fish is, as long
as it doesnt look overweight. The female will naturally look a lot chunkier than the male
and often more impressive.
4. Fins and scales
The fins on a quality fish should be large, clean and balanced. The fins should be
expanded and allow the fish to glide effortlessly through the water. They should not be
frayed, split or appear brittle, powdery or have streaks of blood which indicates stress.
The scales of a Koi should be clean clear and well aligned; each scale should match up
beautifully to compliment the pattern of the fish.
5. Eyes
The eyes must look sharp, clean, clear and alert. They must not look blood shot, glazed
over or covered by a white film.
6. Diet
As with all fish it is important to feed these fish a balanced diet of high quality foods.
Higher quality foods produce a stronger immune system, better colour and will help to
keep a cleaner pond. In summer the fish may need to be fed every day while in winter
up to twice a week. It is easy to monitor how much food the fish should be fed by the
shape of the fishs belly. When viewing the fish from the top the width of the belly should
be slightly wider than the width of the eyes in female and about the width of the eyes in
males. If the belly is too thin then slowly increase the food, if the belly is too fat then
slowly decrease the food. If you want your Koi to grow very quickly then they can be fed
twice a day in summer as long as you are prepared to do adequate water changes to
allow optimum water quality to be maintained.
7. Supply
The colours of a Koi are random and every fish is unique, but the odds of getting a high
quality fish are still far higher if you get the fish from quality stock. Try to buy your Koi
from a knowledgeable supplier that knows what they are looking for and carries healthy,
strong and well-maintained stock.
8. Cull
The best way you ensure you get a quality fish is to buy many more than you need and
each year sell off the fish with the least promise. For example lets say you start off with
100 hand-picked high quality babies and sell off 10 each year, you will end up with
about 10 wonderful jumbo fish after 8-9 years. Culling the fish can be a way for
someone with patience to enjoy watching as their fish develop over a period of time,
allowing them to have high quality fish without the expense.
9. Tategoi
The Japanese term Tategoi is used for unfinished fish. Unfinished Koi display Kiwa (see
below) and are fish that will get better coloured as they grow. When you are looking to
buy a Koi you must realize how big they are likely to get in your pond and how many
Page 14
you need to have in order for them to reach and keep their full potential. How sharp the
edge is between the colours is the Kiwa. The sharper the colour, the better the Kiwa is
said to be. For example if the fish is white and has strong red with a light red perimeter
to the trailing or leading edge then the Kiwa is weaker. As the fish grows it will fill out the
light red as the colour is under the surface of the fish and will come to the top as it
grows. Once the fish has perfect Kiwa it is said to be finished. As the colour is already at
the surface of a finished fish it is likely to break up and fade as the fish grows. If the fish
has balanced Kiwa then it will mature with even colour. If the Kiwa is unbalanced then
the colour on one part will display great definition while the fish will display low definition
on another part of the fish. This will mean the fish will never look as striking as a fish
with balanced Kiwa, it may appear more muddy looking. The size that your fish matures
or finishes in is important to understand as the larger the pond, the larger the filters and
the more water changes that are done, the bigger the fish can get. The more fish you
get, the smaller the fish will stay as each fish releases chemicals such as pheromones
that will stunt the growth of all the fish in the pond. A finished Koi is a fish that is as good
as it will ever get. Each fish will be finished at a different time, some fish finish young
while others can be jumbo and still unfinished. Finished Koi can be very expensive and
anyone looking to buy these fish must be prepared to pay top dollar knowing that as the
fish grows they are likely to deteriorate in quality if this fish is kept in a pond that will
allow it to grow further. These fish are often selected for display ponds that are not too
large and where each fish must make the biggest impact possible. These smaller ponds
cannot rely on culling as the fish will never grow at a speed that will give the owner the
effect they are looking for.
10. Combination
The combination of fish that you choose for your pond will govern the overall look and
affect how striking the pond is. It can look best if you pick a certain variety to be
dominant in the pond. Sometimes a pond with one of each type will lack strength in the
colour and allow all the colours to seem to blur together. The most popular varieties by
far are the Gosanke Koi which are Kohaku, Sanke and Showa. It is common for a pond
to be made up of 50% Gosanke while only one or two of the others like Bekko, Utsuri,
Ogon, Matsuba, Asagi, Doitsu, Tancho and Kinginrin. Ponds with a majority of other
varieties such as Ogon look unique but often lack the class of a Gosanke pond. It is
important that you cull out most of your dark fish as they lack the imposing nature of the
Gosanke. Any pond should not have more then one or two of the dark type such as
Chargoi or Magoi, because they tend to get large and take up a lot of space for very
little impact. Remember that unless you are showing your fish the only thing that really
matters is that you are able to maintain healthy fish that you love. High quality fish
typically look far more striking but which individual or variety is best is still up to your
personal opinion.
Page 15
13 TIPS FOR TANGS!

1. Tangs have a vegetarian based diet so you should not
feed them too much high protein foods such as
Bloodworms or they may become too aggressive.
2. Tangs are great for controlling algae in the tank and will
eat a range of high quality frozen foods but for best
results feed predominantly Thera A Spectrum pellets.
3. It is best to add any Tangs that you want at the same time to reduce territorial
disputes.
4. If you do get territorial issues it is a good idea to rearrange the tank and
disorientate your existing fish.
5. It is best to add them when they are small so they can sort out their hierarchy
young.
6. The more similar they look to each other the more likely it is they will fight.
7. When you first introduce them they may fight for the first few days until the
hierarchy is set, after that they are likely to get along.
8. They have skin and not scales and are prone to white spot so make sure you
feed them a diet high in garlic, such as Thera A Spectrum!
9. It is best to settle them into a quarantine tank for 4 weeks run with a low dose of
copper before they are introduced to the main display tank.
10. If you dont have a quarantine tank introduce them to your tank while you are
running a lower salinity 1.020 to decrease osmotic pressure.
11. Find out first what level the Tang is to keep because some are very hard to keep
such as the Achilles Tang while others are very easy to keep such as the Yellow
Tang.
12. They do best in a busy tank and some species prefer to be kept in a group.
13. Tangs have razor sharp spines at the base of their tail so take care when
handling them! Though some are challenging to keep they are well worth the
effort as they are some of the most beautiful fish on the planet!
Page 16
CLOWNFISH FACTS
Clownfish are the most popular family of saltwater fish.
Clownfish are very easy to keep in a saltwater aquarium. Clown
fish females grow toabout 12cm and males to 8cm. Clownfish
are a great choice for beginners. Clownfish do not need an
anemone to be kept in an aquarium. Clownfish have a
relationship with anemones. The clownfish provide food,
cleaning services and protection for the amemone and the anemone provides protection
for the clownfish. Clownfish have a special bodyslime that stops them from getting stung
by the poisinous anemones. Particular type of clownfish often require particular types of
anemones. Some clown fish will go into any anemones while others are very fussy
toward what type of anemone that they require. Sometimes a clownfish will live happily
in an anemones for months and then decide to never go near it. Some clownfish never
go near an anemone for months and then decide that they never want to leave it. Some
clown fish will treat various types of corals as anemones and often end up damaging
them. Clownfish are in the damsel family. Clownfish are best kept in pairs in an
aquarium. The small one is the male and the large one is the female. Clownfish can
change sex. If you have a group of clownfish the largest one will commonly be the
female and all the rest will remain male. If the female of a group of clownfish die the
most dominant male will change to a female. Clownfish can become aggressive mainly
to other clownfish. Once you have some clownfish in your aquarium it is risky to add
more clownfish to the tank, because the old clownfish will often become territorial to the
new clownfish. The aggression displayed by the old clownfish will often result in the
death of the new clownfish. Clownfish are best kept with a temperature of 25 degrees
celcious , pH of 8.4, salinity of 1.024, ammonia 0, Nitrite0 and low nitrate and phosphate
levels. Clowfish are naturally found around coral reefs. Clownfish are easy to feed in an
aquarium. The best food for clownfish is New life spectrum Pellots. Clownfish commonly
breed in aquariums. Clownfishfish eggs dont all get to hatch in an aquarium with live
rock because lots of worms, crustaceans and organisiums feed on the eggs at night.
The Clownfish parents will defend the eggs with all their might, they will even bite your
hand if you go near them. If any eggs to get to hatch the fry will swim up towards the
light to become planktonic. During this time the other fish and invertebrates in the tank
will eat the fry or they will get sucked up by the filters. If you wish to breed clownfish you
have to have them in a separate tank run only on a sponge filter. The baby clownfish
will require zooplankton suck as rotifers to feed on. The zooplankton will require
phytoplankton to feed on. These types of food take time to prepare and can often be
sourced from science based universities.
Page 17
THE BIG 10 - CORAL REEF FISH FAMILIES!

A coral reef houses a massive variety if fish species, but when you
break it down about 80% of them come from these 10 families.
Damsels (Pomacentridae)
These Beautiful little fish either feed on plankton in large schools
from the water column or occupy territories within the reef that they
guard with a furious might. These fish breed in nests that they create and defend, until
their fry are hatched and released into the water column. These fish are very easy to
keep, feed and even breed, so are great for beginners! The most popular fish in the
Damsel family is the Clownfish! Surgeonfish (Acanthuridae)- These colourful, active
algae eating fish are a must in every tank! They are perfect for adding colour and life
and for controlling algae! The down side to these fish is they tend to be susceptible to
white spot disease and they can be aggressive to similar species once they have settled
in. They tend to either settle in and be bullet proof or they contract white spot during the
settling in phase. The key is to buy the fish from a reputable suppler, feed them foods
high in garlic, keep the salinity low at the start and consider quarantining the fish first.
Wrasse (Labridae)
These fish are very active, colourful fish that are normally very easy to keep and feed!
Be careful because some species can be hard to keep, some grow very large and some
can be aggressive, but in general they are great for beginners. They spend a lot of their
time foraging for their favourite food source, which in the wild tends to be small
invertebrates. Many Wrasse hide under the sand and are able to change sex and sporn
in the water column, often in groups.
Blennies (Blenniidae)
Most species of Blennies are adorable little characters that will have you fall in love with
their personalities more so than their looks. They will scurry around the tank, from their
favourite hidey hole to their top perching position; they dont seem to miss a thing that
goes on in the tank! Considering they love to eat algae and you will even see bite marks
where they have been, they really are a perfect addition to your tank! What they lack in
size and colour, they make up in personality and algae control!
Cardinalfish (Apogonidae)
These are one of the most under rated fish! They are easy to keep, feed and are great
for beginners. They add variety to any reef tank, often found in schools. Cardinals are a
nocturnal, mouth brooding fish that produce large fry that are easy to raise. Due to the
fact that these fish are under appreciated very few species of Cardinals are available in
the aquarium industry because they are a slow seller.
Groupers (Serranidae)
This is a very large and diverse family of fish ranging from the massive Cod, to the
aggressive Trout, to the Pretty Anthias. The larger species must be kept with caution
because of their size, appetite and aggression. The smaller species can make amazing
reef fish but normally need to be fed several times per day or they will become
emaciated,due to this they should be recommended for beginners.
Gobies (Gobiidae)
Page 18
While the Blennies tend to feed on the algae, the Gobies tend to feed by sifting the sand
or searching for micro-organisms. These fish are not good for beginners because they
tend to become emaciated over time, due to a lack of constant food being available.
They are great for keeping the sand clean but may require feeding several times per
day. Many do best in mated pairs and can even die once one is missing. Gobies are
commonly found occupying niches in every part of a coral reef.
Angelfish (Pomacanthidae)
These are without a doubt the most beautiful group of fish in the world! My personal
favourite fish is the Majestic Angel, I think this is a breath taking fish, that will mesmerize
anyone! Some Angelfish do very well in aquariums, but they still should not be
recommended to beginners, often because of their price or because they dont always
settle in to the tank and can be aggressive to one another. I have commonly introduced
a particular species of Angel to a well established tank and found it has quickly
perished, then I have introduced the same fish again the following month, not changing
anything and it has totally thrived! Ensuring the fish is feeding before you take it home
and that it is purchased from a reputable dealer is the key! Be warned that this is the
family of fish that is most commonly drug caught!
Parrotfish (Scaridae)
These are closely related to Wrasse but are not a good choice for an aquarium. Many
will be hard to feed, will consume your coral and convert your live rock to coral sand
using their special teeth. They are amazing how they produce a mucus cocoon to sleep
in at night to reduce smell and the chance of being consumes by nocturnal predators
such as the White Tip Reef Shark.
Butterfly Fish (Chaetodontidae)
These amazing looking fish are so beautiful that it tempts every aquarist to try them!
Unfortunately they are not suitable for most aquariums! This is because they are often
slow to feed and tend to eat your coral. For this reason they are not a good idea for any
reef tank or any tank containing gluttonous fish. In most cases to keep these fish
successfully you need to have the tank set up primarily for them. Butterflies are always
seen in pairs in the wild, so when the fish are collected and the pairs are spilt up it can
cause the fish to fret when they lose their lifelong buddy. This fish in not good for
beginners! By keeping a few different examples of each family of fish in your tank,
rather than lots of one family, you can massively add to the zone layering, variety and
interest, this way there will be less competition for territories, dominance and food!
Though not all get along the diversity and variety of what you can get is endless. I hope
I have helped to simplify what you know about these amazing fish!
Page 19
DISCUS - THE KING OF THE AQUARIUM!

There are few things in life more beautiful than watching a
heavily planted aquarium full of Discus! Nature Discus is a
common name given to a family of Cichlid that comes from the
tributaries of the Amazon river . This area has warmer water
temperatures (around 30C) and a lower pH (about 6-6.5).
These fish are often gathered in schools living and feeding
among plants and driftwood. There is a few different species
of Discus:
The Heckel or Red (Symphysodon discus)
The Green (Symphysodon aequifasciata aequifasciata)
The brown (Symphysodon aequifasciata axelrodi)
The blue (Symphysodon aequifasciata haraldi).
Discuses are most commonly known by their common names referring to colour. Discus
are found over a huge area and due to the large range of colours available and the
markets desire for new types collector in the early years would not tell other people
where they had found the fish. Because of this using common names for each variety
became the only way of distinguishing colours, unlike fish such as the African Cichlids,
where their colour was represented by a true type location. This lead to a huge array of
common names in which people have made up to describe each colour of these fish
and as more colour variety are becoming available so do more names, in many cases to
describe the same fish. Discus fish have been available in the hobby for a very long
time and have always commanded a hefty price due to their unmatched beauty, size
and large range of different colours. Discus fish are continuing to becoming more
popular gathering more admirers as the colours develop and as they are better
understood. Most Discus available now are captive bred, it is very rare to see wild
caught Discus now. More and more colours are becoming available on the market as
people are line breeding and cross breeding in an attempt to create something new and
different. Due to the price tag few shops carry a large range of Discus but many are
available if specially ordered. Many people find Discus to be very hard to keep often
comparing them to reef tanks. There is certainly a few things that you need to know
about Discus in order to be successful with them, which I will outline e.g. higher
temperatures, lower pH, 2-4dKH, dont feed too much protein and they love to be kept in
schools. Discus tanks are best decorated using broad leaf plants and driftwood. Be
careful with rocks because if they are shape they may damage your prize fish if it runs
into it. Water quality It is very important to have high water quality for these fish. Ensure
that you have a lot of oxygen, high quality biological filter media such as Reefresh and
that you have very good mechanical and chemical media such as Poly-filter to ensure
maximum water quality. Products such as Easy-life will also really aid these fish. Ensure
that you keep a kH of at least 2-4dKH, even though you have to run low pH. This may
require lowering pH and raising kH every time that you add water. Because of this
having a large drum to be able prepare the water in is a great benefit. This would also
allow you to use an R.O filter to get your water, R.O or reverse osmosis water is the
most pure water and amazing for Discus. People serious about Discus tend to do a lot
more water changes than your average person, 20% per week is common practise.
Page 20
Behaviour Discuses are actually a social schooling Cichlid and they can be housed with
many of the more peaceful species that also prefer acidic water e.g. Apistogrammas
and Microgeophagus. As with many other species of Cichlid they can be shy when
housed in tanks with low populations. Many fish like Discus will do a lot better in a busy
aquarium where they feel safe amount the populations of fish. For many fish the
absence of other fish signals danger. One of the differences with Discus is they only
have a small mouth and they can be slow to feed so it is important to ensure that they
are not kept with fish that are too gluttonous or they may starve. Discuses are best kept
with other fish that prefer lower pH and higher temperatures that are not too gluttonous,
aggressive or jumpy. Many people claim that Discus should not be kept with Angels and
this may be true for wild caught fish due to common Diseases, but I have housed them
successful together many times? I have found it a risk mixing other fish with Discus
unless the Discuses are kept in a large group in which time they seem to compete a lot
better with other fish for food and territory. Discus are commonly kept with sucker mouth
catfish such as Plecos, but be careful that the catfish are not trying to feed on the
Discuses body slim at night and stressing the Discus. Many types of Tetra are perfect to
keep with Discus but dont be surprised if they eat any small fish that fits in their mouth
as they get older. Discus really does best when kept in a large school in a large tank!
Many people find their Discus are aggressive towards each other, this is common and
best fixed by adding more Discus to the tank to disperse the aggression and attention of
the dominant fish. Also ensure that they are not raised on food that is too high in protein
as this too may increase their aggression. Discus can live over 10 years and are a large
fish growing over 25cm so is best kept in a large aquarium. An adult Discus in a perfect
world should be kept in at least a 600lt tank. If they are housed in smaller tanks their
growth will be stunted. This is another reason why many people are not successful with
them. They keep them in small tanks with not enough other Discus, feed them the
wrong food and keep them in the wrong water parameters, with the wrong types of fish,
then complain that they are hard to keep. Food Many people continue to feed their
Discus high protein foods such as bloodworms and Ox hart! These foods will promote
good colour and growth in young fish but they lack all essential vitamins and are
another reason why people fine these fish hard to keep. This is often done from
ignorance or greed; they believe it is cheaper and quicker to grow fry using this food.
The long term health problems created from feeding Discus these foods is massive
such as weak immune systems, bloat and hole-in-the-head disease! You end up with
big colourful fish with little immune systems. Having a diet high in vitamins is important
to the well being of these fish! In the wild these fish are a grazing fish that will feed on
small amounts of food all day long. They have a small mouth right next to their eyes
allowing them to swim up to a hard vertical surface e.g. driftwood or plant and sit still
staring at it until it sees a small insect or crustacean move, in which time it can
accurately snap up its pray. These foods tend to be low in protein but high in vitamins
requiring these fish to feed constantly to ensure they get adequate nutrition. Many
aquariums are only fed once a day; in many cases this will not be enough for Discus if
they are to obtain adequate nutrients to reach their full potential, unless fed at least
twice a day. They will also have an increased metabolism if kept in higher temperatures.
Many people that keep these fish in normal temperature tropical tanks complain that
their Discuses are lethargic. New Life Spectrum is by far the best food that you can feed
Discus. If your Discuses are not eating granulated foods it is well worth weaning them
onto it as it is convenient and good for them. Frozen and live foods maybe good for a
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treat but is not as good as a quality granule such as New Life Spectrum food. Never
feed your fish low quality or hormone foods!
Sexing
It is very hard to tell a male from a female until the fish are large. The male is a larger
more imposing, dominant fish which will form trailing whips off its dorsal and anal fin.
The male will have a bigger head and larger longer body shape; the females tend to be
smaller, more round in shape with shorter fins. Breeding size fish can also be vent
sixed. To vent sex them you have to turn the fish upside down and inspect the vent, if
the hole at the back is larger than the hole at the front it is likely a female, if it is not it is
likely a male. I do not recommend vent sexing a Discus because due to the shape of the
fish it can be hard to handle and very stressful on the fish.
Breeding
These fish can be quite easy to breed once you have the conditions right! The hardest
thing is to get a good pair. Large breeding pairs can be bought but at a premium price
so the best way to get a pair of these fish is to select a colour and get as many babies
of this type as you can for different sources to ensure you receive different blood lines
and allow them to pair up themselves. This takes a lot of time but is worth it for a long
term breeder. Once you have a pair you will have to set up a tank to breed them in
because they will not be able to compete in order to breed in a display tank with other
fish. Most people use a bare bottom tank with some places to hide, run on a sponge
filter without gravel for breeding. Fine gravel is best for the bottom of the display tank.
Watching these fish breed is one of the most amazing sights you will ever see in an
aquarium and is worth any time, effort or money that it may have required. A breeding
pair will form a strong bond and will select a vertical surface that they will meticulously
defend and clean to lay their eggs on (ensure that any heaters in the tank are hidden or
have a heater cover). Once the eggs are laid, the pair will fan the eggs with their
pectoral fins until they hatch a few days later. The pair will then defend the huge batch
of babies allowing them to feed off their specialized body slim (which is an amazing
sight). Though you may start with hundreds of eggs 50 to 100 babies is considered a
good effort for an adult pair. Many people also half dose bacterial medication once the
eggs are laid to prevent them for going fungus (if they have found this to be a problem).
Interbreeding has been a major problem for this species of fish, interbreeding is where
you breed closely related offspring e.g. brother and sister. This may be great for the
specific colours that you are trying to get but can result in many deformities and
problems for the fish both internal and external. These fish dont have to be hard to
keep but as you can see there are things to be aware of before your get into these
amazing kings of the aquarium!
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BE CAREFUL WITH DISCUS IN WINTER!

Most heaters heat at 1 watt per litre to 25C, but Discus is best
kept at 30C. This means that you must have over sized heaters
e.g. 2 watts per litre if you wish for your Discus healthy in the
colder months. An under rated heater maybe able to hold the
temperature during the day, but is unlikely to be able to
maintain it at night. If you notice your Discus becoming sick first
check that the temperature is maintaining at 30C all night and
day, then check that your pH is 6 to 7 and your kH is 4-6. Once
this is all correct you will have to dose the tank with Protozin for
a week to rid any parasites. It will take time for the immune system to rise back to a
healthy level from cold temperatures. Once the Protozin treatment is complete you will
have to follow up with an anti-bacterial remedy to surprise secondary bacterial
infections. If you think any of the fish are severely affected and you fear that they may
die I would suggest that you give them a salt bath using medicated salts 125g per 5lt.
To prepare the bath fill half a bucket with water from the tank with an air atone and add
125g of medicated salt. Once it has dissolved place the Discus in the solution for 3-5
minutes. This may need to be repeated twice daily till they seem to be improving.
Remove any carbon from the filter when dosing medication. Without risking polluting the
tank make sure that you keep the feed up to the fish to keep their energy levels up while
they are sick.
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ADDING NEW FISH TO YOUR TANK

Never add too many or too few fish at once, never add any
fish unless your aquarium has been running perfectly and it
has been at least two weeks since a fish has died or been
added. When you first introduce fish to your aquarium, they
are quite stressed and their immune systems are quite
compromised, so the balance of pathogens and antigens
need time to stabilise.
There are also various biological balances that need to occur when you add a new fish
to the aquarium. So, what we want to do is add a small amount of fish, then wait two
weeks or so, then get another small amount of fish, then wait two weeks or so for
stability in the aquarium in regards to antigens, pathogens and biological processes. We
dont want to just go dumping a whole lot of fish on one day or dump a whole lot of fish
over the span of a few days or even dump a whole lot of fish over the span of the
coming weeks. The system just cant handle it and it will end up crashing - you may end
up getting a disease or very high levels of nutrients, killing your fish. For a marine tank,
we have to add a couple of fish and wait for four weeks, then we add another couple of
fish, then wait for another four weeks. When you introduce a fish, it has various
pathogens which are controlled by various antigens which are a part of the fishs
immune system. So, when the fish is stressed, like when you catch them and throw him
in a bag, their immune system goes down, and isn`t producing as many antigens or as
much body slime. Therefore, the pathogens, which are normally controlled by the
antigens, start to go on a rampage, going into to the environment looking for a new host
as a single-celled organism. They then reproduce on a hard surface and they come
back as a dinoflagellate, which is a single-cell organism with a tail looking for a new
host. They swim around and then try to attack your fish. So, depending on the species
of pathogens, it could be within the first week, the second week, or the third week of
their life cycle. With marine fish, it is very important that we wait the full four weeks,
because otherwise the new fish often get sick due to parasites released from the last
set of fish. Since their immune system is low and their body slime is not intact, their
antigen level is not intact. With the freshwater fish, the time between fish introductions
doesn`t seem to matter so much - 2 weeks seem to be ok. So, exactly the same
phenomena are occurring in the freshwater as with saltwater, but we just dont seem to
have as many problems. Koi, for example, are normally set for four weeks, as well. With
freshwater, this is not a big drama. In saltwater, this is a huge drama. Now, the next
thing is I say is: Not too many. With too many fish, there is more waste than the bacteria
in the system are able to break down. On the other hand, I also say don`t put in too few
fish. This would often be a problem in an aquarium that has been established for some
time and they have well-established territories. Then when you add two new fish the
focus of all the other fish is on these two new fish. When a new one swims into
another`s territory it will get pushed out! As if the fish is saying This is mine!" and swims
out, and another says, "Get out of here! This is mine!" He ping-pongs all around the
tank and cant find anywhere he is comfortable because all the nice homes have been
taken. If the fish is not comfortable its stress levels go up and the more stressed it is the
more likely it is to get picked on. It`s just like being put into a new neighborhood and
being unable to find anywhere to live. Naturally, the fish will become quite stressed, and
thus much more likely to get sick. The more fish go in at once, the safer it is for them
Page 24
getting along. You just have to ensure that the amount you put in does not disrupt the
bio-load.
Page 25
DONT INTRODUCE PREDATORS TO PREY

Dont introduce predators to prey. Make sure no fish is small
enough to fit into the mouth of the largest fish. Not that many
fish commonly kept will kill other fish and eat them unless they
can easily swallow them, even most of your typical cichlids. The
main concern is whether a given fish can fit into the mouth of
the biggest fish. If a given fish can swim along and easily just
eat the other fish, then mixing those fish isn`t a good idea; if he
cant easily kill the fish, you`re normally OK. So you just have to make sure your biggest
fish cant eat the smallest fish in the tank. Some fish are very aggressive and will kill
other fish for food or territoriality but this is not common. Be aware of fish like Red
Devils.
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THE FEISTY BUT BEAUTIFUL

The Dottyback is a small brilliantly coloured reef fish which is very
shy in the wild and are never found far from their favoured cave.
Though they are found on coral reefs, many divers are unfamiliar
with these brightly coloured fish as they are so shy. Due to the
huge size of the diver and the unfamiliar sounds produced by diving
equipment, these fish are rarely seen by divers. In order to
photograph these fish divers must be very patient and focused. These fish are however
a common sight in any reef aquarium. This fish come from coral reefs all over the world
and there are about 100 different species, which are broken up into 4 sub-families with
16 genera. Many of these fish are hard to collect and are found in remote locations.
Depending on where you live, they can be quite rare and very expensive. Most of these
fish will only grow to about 8cm while the larger species may get up to 12cm. In
aquariums these fish tend to start out being very shy but can warm to you with time.
They are always darting to and from their favoured cave while still trying to keep a keen
eye on whatever you may be doing in the room. I will often sit in front of my tank
containing a Royal Dottyback and enjoy watching it scurry to the front of the tank to get
a good look at me then flee back into the cave for a moment of security before it builds
up the courage to dart to the front again hoping for a feed. These fish can be quite
aggressive and are popularly kept in aquariums containing Damsels, Tangs, Wrasse,
Clownfish and Hawkfish. Most problems with aggression occurs in smaller aquariums,
as given space these fish will tend to mind their own business. Due to their slender
build, it is important not to house these fish with larger predatory fish as they often end
up getting eaten. They spend a lot of time in the rocks so you may not even notice if
they are missing for a long time in a busy tank. These fish tend to dart around the
aquarium a lot and can jump out of the tank if they are spooked. Larger species of
Dottyback should not be kept with shrimp as they will often eat them. Among a coral
reef Dottybacks will spend a lot of time defending their territory and searching for small
benthic invertebrates and zooplankton to eat. In an aquarium, it is important to offer
these fish a varied diet of high quality food as without this, over time they tend to
become dull, which can be very disappointing. Frozen plankton, brine shrimp, mysis
shrimp, bloodworms, pellets and flakes are all popular selections. Dottybacks are a
small, tasty, colourful fish that are very desirable as prey to predators so as a defense
they have evolved to be very shy and some species have also evolved to mimic the
colour and behavior of other less appealing prey fish. Some Dottybacks have even been
seen acting as fish cleaners in the aquarium picking on the side of larger fish like
Angelfish. Due to their risk of becoming food for larger fish, Dottybacks sleep in small
caves in the night and feed during the day. These fish can be very territorial, mainly
toward other Dottybacks. In an aquarium it is advisable to only house one single
Dottyback per tank as most of the time they will fight, resulting in the death of all but
one. Trying to house these fish as a pair is rarely successful due to their aggression and
should only be attempted in very large aquariums. It is very hard to pick the sex of some
of the species of these fish and they are able to change sex from male to female and
from female to male. If you do want a pair it is best to try to get two very young fish and
allow them to grow up together. The females in general will be smaller, less aggressive
and with a fatter belly. Dottybacks will fight other Dottybacks species but are far more
concerned about rivals of their own species. These fish can be bred in aquariums but
this should only be attempted by the most experienced aquarists, who are prepared to
Page 27
accept the challenge and even then you need luck on your side. To find a pair you will
need to obtain a large and a small fish hoping that they are or will change to become a
male and a female. Alternatively, you can grow up several together and hope that the
final two are male and female, knowing the others will have to be removed or will be
killed. You will find that the male will grow a lot faster and will get a lot bigger than the
female. When they do breed, the male will perform a breeding dance outside its cave to
lure the female. Once they have bred the male will look after the eggs, which will appear
as a ball containing hundreds of eggs. This ball of eggs will be constantly fanned and
attended to by the territorial male. Tank-raised specimens from fish farms are now
commonly available in America. Dotty backs are an extremely hardy, easy to keep
aquarium fish as they can handle lower water quality than most marine fish and are not
susceptible to many diseases. These fish tolerate most medications but can be prone to
head and lateral line erosion as they get older. Though these fish may only live about 3
years in the wild, it is common for them to survive for 5 years in the stress-free
surroundings of a home aquarium. As these fish are found in very deep water they do
prefer a dimly lit aquarium. This does not seem to be a problem as these fish are mostly
kept in coral reef tanks but they do tend to be a little less shy when the lighting is not so
bright. They are best kept at 25 degrees Celsius with a pH of 8.4 and a salt level of
1.023. Many of the Dottyback species are expensive and very hard to get in Australia.
Some of the cheaper and more common ones available in Australia are Pictichromis
diadema (Skunk Dottyback), Pictichromis paccagnellae (Royal Dottyback), Pictichromis
porphyrea (Purple Dottyback), Pseudochromis fridmani (Orchid Dottyback) and the
bigger and more aggressive Oilbyina novaehollandiae (Australian Dottyback),
Oxycercicthys velifera (Sailfin Dottyback), Pseudochromis fuscus (Yellow Dottyback)
and Cypho purpurascens (Oblique lined Dottyback). In Australia the most popular and
sought after of this style of fish is by far the Gramma loreto (Royal Gramma) and the
Gramma melacara (Black cap Gramma). These fish truly are a joy to keep due to their
brilliant colour, intriguing personality and small size. These fish really are feisty but
beautiful.
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REARRANGING RISKY!
Warning! Doing large rearranges of an established aquarium can be
risky! Over time dead spots form in the back of the tank, mainly under
the decorations; in these dead spots detritus accumulates and anoxic
bacteria forms void of oxygen. Anoxic bacteria produce hydrogen
sulphide, which is a toxic gas that can be fatal to fish if disturbed! If
you are planning a large rearrange of an established aquarium it is
really worth treating the tank with a dose of Aquarium Detox six
weeks prior. Aquarium Detox will provide a blend of 5 different bacteria that would not
normally be found in an aquarium, which is able to safely destroy dead spots!
Alternatively a full spring clean would need to be done in order to reduce this risk!
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THE 12 POINT GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE MALAWI CICHLID

SETUP
I have been very passionate about African Cichlids for a long time,
even to the point that I went to Africa and stayed with the late Stuart
Grant to study the Cichlids of Lake Malawi in their natural environment.
I have been keeping African Cichlids for most of my life and have found
that with some basic set up hints, these fish can be quite easy to keep
with remarkable success. Here are some of the main points that I find
many people overlook.
Point 1 Filtration
Not a surprise: good filtration! There are now various biomedias on the market that is
more effective than bioballs (eg. MarinePure and Matrix). They not only offer high
surface area for nitrification, but also harbour denitrifying bacteria to complete the
biological cycle, thus expelling only nitrogen gas, not nitrate. Polyfilter is the worlds best
mechanical and chemical media, it will polish the water and is a must in all Cichlid
tanks. A canister or sump filter run with Polyfilter and MarinePure is the most popular
filters used for Cichlids. I dont like undergravel filters as they pull the detritus into the
substrate, requiring you to use a vacuum siphon to extract it. The size and type of filter
will determine the water quality! Replace mechanical and chemical media and never
wash biological media in tap water, use the water from the tank. If the water quality isnt
very high, the immune system of the fish is weakened. This will encourage other fish to
pick on it more and it will have less ability to withstand the attacks so it will be greatly
affected.
Point 2 Population
High water quality is the number one factor and surprisingly enough number two would
be high stock number. African Cichlids are very competitive fish from a very competitive
environment. I find that the most successful African tanks are the ones that seem to
have too many fish. In this situation the duration of the fights is dramatically reduced by
lots of interruptions and distraction from other residents. You must have lots of filtration
and aeration for this to be possible! Always stock the tank on a now not later principles.
Dont keep the stocks down at the start because others need to grow or you will find that
some will grow much faster than others. You are better off to grow up too many fish and
sell off the ones that you dont want to make room for others. It is a lot easier to remove
fish than to add fish later when the population is down and some have been killed off.
There will always be a dominant fish that will be a bit bossy. As long as there are
enough other fish in the tank to disperse the aggression, it isnt a problem. If the
dominant fish is overly dominating, you may consider getting rid of it and hope the next
in line isnt so bad. The amount of aggression experienced in the tank is determined by
which fish is dominant. You dont want Adolph Hitler to run you country! Remember that
fish get a lot bigger in the aquarium than they do in the wild. This is because of
decreased predators, competition and increased food availability. So the fish will be a
lot easier to manage if the tank is well populated and the fish are not over fed. If you are
going to have high stock numbers, never introduce too many fish at a time. The high
number should be reached over a period of time (6 fish per week is normally safe). It
can be risking adding less too because new fish are commonly picked on at the start.
Point 3 Feeding
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The emphasis here is on variety. Try to have the best quality food! The best food for all
fish is New Life Spectrum! If you dont use it, get it! Know the dos and donts of the fish
you keep e.g. no bloodworms or mammalian products. If you dont have Spectrum try to
decide the diet you will be feeding before you get the fish, so you avoid having a tank
full of predators eating spirulina because one Tropheus cant have a high protein diet.
Some fish are herbivores and therefore have very long digestive systems. These fish
should be fed green foodstuff, like spirulina. Other fish are predators therefore they
have very short digestive systems and should be fed easily digested high protein foods.
All fish will thrive on Spectrum. Never feed any fish any food product of a mammal, yes,
this also means heart! Never feed too much blood worm to any fish and not at all to
herbivores, especially mbuna as it makes them grow extra big and aggressive. If there
is a good covering of algae in a herbivore tank, introduced feeds need only be light. It is
very easy to make your frozen foods by finely dicing prawn and fresh fish (spreinkled
with the content of a multivitamin capsule) and mixing it up with a selection of other
foods like plankton, brineshrimp, bloodworms, krill, spirulina, nori and even flakes,
pellets or granulated foods. You can vary what you add depending on the fish that you
keep. This food can be mixed up and laid flat in sandwich bags. Then you can get a
ruler and indent rows horizontally from each side to form squares that allow the food to
be easily broken off once frozen. You should not feed any terrestrial plants as the fish
are not able to process nutrients out of them. Though they love to eat them, they just
come out the other end increasing phosphate and nitrate levels.
Point 4 circulation
Water circulation, if utilised properly, can be a major tool for keeping the water quality
and dissolved oxygen levels high. The main place where detritus builds up in a tank is
under the rocks on the side the water current is coming from. The only time the detritus
will build up on bare substrate is if there is almost no current in the water to wash it
away or if the gravel size is too big allowing food to fall into the substrate, rather than
just landing on it. The best way that I have found to minimise the amount of detritus
building up under the rocks is to change the direction that the water is coming from.
Have a standard flow that returns water from the filter aiming from the back to the front
glass so the current circles from back to front. Place a very high output powerhead
(which will overcompensate for the filter return) aiming in a clockwise direction set on a
standard timer. Place a second very high output powerhead aiming in an anticlockwise
direction set on a standard power timer. Stagger the timing of the other powerheads so
just one is on for 15 minutes and then just the other on for 15 minutes and then both are
off for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, the filter is on permanently. The detritus collects under
one side of the rocks while the water is going clockwise, then is swept out while the
water is going anticlockwise and changes again while the water is circulating from back
to front. This increases the chance of detritus getting picked up by the filter instead of
being stuck beneath a rock at the back of the tank. You will find that this water action
will dramatically lower the amount of detritus accumulation. This will result in higher
water quality, higher dissolved oxygen levels, more stable pH, and lower nitrate and
phosphate levels. The pumps should be placed near the top of the tank because they
are easier to service, they provide more surface agitation and they wont blow the
substrate away. You will also find that most fish will be visibly stimulated by the strong
currents and it will encourage spawning in many species. Another note that I fish is that
the fish seem to be more active and less aggressive while the pumps are on compared
to when they are off. If it is a big tank it can be even better if you can have a third pump
aimed to the front of the tank on a different timer again. It is true that the on /off motion
Page 31
may reduce the life of the pumps, though I have never found this to be much of a
problem. The pumps have no head height and seem to last as long as the one powering
the filter. The main thing is that the impeller shaft may need to be replaced more
regularly. If you place a pump with a head height on a regular on/off situation you may
find the pumps burn out quicker. I also find that this on/off motion doesnt seem to allow
the pumps to get as hot as they do when they are running 24 hours a day. This way
they have time to cool down, contributing less to the water temperature, which can be a
big factor in summer.
Point 5 Elevation Elevation
One of the most important aspects to make the tank impressive. I have seem too many
tank that look barren because there is just a cluster of rocks sitting on the substrate,
which cause the fish to stay at the bottom of the tank, competing for the available
territory. Typically, if you wish to create a reef type-setting full of rocks you must be
prepared to lose a quarter of your water volume due to rock displacement. Another
problem with filling your tank with rocks is that all the detritus accumulates through the
back of the tank where is cant be accessed. So not only do you lose a lot of the water
volume to the rocks but you also get a lot more detritus accumulating in that smaller
volume of water. The larger the amount of detritus per water volume, the lower the
dissolved oxygen level and redox potential. You will find that over time all of the detritus
starts to build up in dead spots out of sight in the back of the tank. In many cases it
forms anaerobic zones among the mulm which harbour bacteria that discharge
hydrogen sulphide (a toxic acidic gas). This gas either slowly leeches out into the tank
(lowering alkalinity and weakening the fishs immune system) or in the case of the tank
being disturbed, like when you take it down to remove a fish, the gas can be expelled all
at once. If this occurs it can kill the fish making them look like they are short of oxygen
or being burnt by something. The higher the water flow the less effect the dead spot
has. You want to minimise how often you have to take down a Cichlid tank. Once the
fish have matured and the territories are established (while the fish were young) the fish
will have to fight over new territories, which often ends in death as some miss out. I
have found a way of reducing the amount of detritus accumulation and rock
displacement by making up glass shelves. The shelves elevate the rocks so the tank
can appear to be full of rock but really the only rocks you have are the rocks you can
see. Only a small number of rocks have contact with the substrate so less detritus will
accumulate under them. This also means that the tank will have a larger water volume
because less will be taken up with rocks. Never make the shelves too big or they will
look unnatural. When a fish dies at the back out of sight, you often dont know about it
until the others start to get sick from pollutants caused by the decaying fish. With the
shelves in place, the whole underside of the tank is open so the dead fish is easily
located and accessed instead of having to pull the while tank down to remove a half
decayed fish in the back corner of the tank. Without the shelves you need to spend a
fortune on attractive rocks to make the tank look good. With the shelves, the rocks dont
have to be at all fancy because it is the way that you mount them together that creates
the interest. The aim is simply to cover up the shelves. If a small section of the shelf is
left uncovered dont worry because algae will quickly form on it and it will blend in. The
new Premium Rock rocks look amazing! The are hand made in Australia and are the
most awesome rocks I have ever seen!
Point 6 Substrate
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Substrate should be as thin as possible as this will minimise the amount of detritus that
can be caught in it. If the layer is too thick, anaerobic zones may form. The gravel that
you use should be a dark colour, as it promotes strong colouration. I find pale coloured
gravel equals pale coloured fish. You shouldnt use too large a gravel size (use about
3mm) otherwise bigger particles of detritus are able to fall into the substrate rather than
just landing on it. Never use shell grit or coral sand, as it is too sharp for the Cichlids
gills. It will often cause them to become irritated, visibly trying to scratch their gills. I
have had otherwise healthy fish die and upon autopsy I found coral sand caught in their
gills.
Point 7 Background
Fish will stress less if there is a back ground on the tank. The best backgrounds that I
have seen are the synthetic internal Premium Aqua Rock series. Be sure to add this to
the tank before it is set up as it needs to be stuck in with silicon making sure there are
no gaps.
Point 8 Lighting
Lighting must never be too bright as it will wash out the colour of the fish. A single
standard wattage aquarium bulb is fine, best with spectral peaks of blue and red. Never
use industrial lighting as it is too strong in the yellow spectrum for the fish to look good.
Point 9 Water Changes
Water changes should be done as regularly as possible because of the high stock
levels. 10-20% every 2 weeks is what I find is best. When you do the water change you
should also use a siphon gravel cleaning device.
Point 10 Salts and Trace Elements
I also encourage the use of African Cichlid salt supplements. I feel that while I am using
them, the fish colour more, breed better and heal quicker. Just as I use peat with soft
water fish. The aim of an aquarium is to imitate the natural environment. In the Rift
lakes, various trace elements are present in certain ratios, which I believe is beneficial
to introduce. We put Iodine and Sodium on our skin to heal us if we have a cut just as
they draw Iodine and Sodiuim out of their natural habitat to heal them. These trace
elements would otherwise be lacking in the aquarium, as they readily precipitate and
arent supplemented by food or water changes, so they must be added to the new water
whenever you do a water change. Replace the salt governed by the water you take out,
not the water you put back in, as salt doesnt evaporate.
Point 11 Logbook
One very useful tool which people rarely use is a logbook. In the busy schedule of
working lives it is hard to remember when you last did what. You can think you did a
water change last week but it wasnt really last week or the week before that or the
week before that (time flies). A logbook is an accumulation of information that allows
you to determine the cause of any problems in the tank. It tells you when you last did
what and allows you to check up on yourself. Include any tests that you wish to do plus
an observation and comments section. In the observation column, write down anything
that you see that is noteworthy, for example who is chasing whom. In the comment
column, write anything that you do eg. water changes or add new fish.
Point 12 Photos
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It is well worth getting competent at taking photos of your tank. I encourage you to build
a whole photo album of your fish, I guarantee that you will love looking at your past
friends once they have been and gone. Photos allow you to see which fish are growing
and colouring well. Place the date next to the photo so you can compare notes with the
logbook reading at the time. This will enable you to conclude which variables eg. foods
or pH levels make your fish look the best by comparing them with past photos.
Experiment with different techniques and speed film to find what works for you. If you
uase a flash, take the shop on a 45 degree angle so the flash wont reflect straight back
into the lenses.
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CICHLID POPULATION
The first point is to ensure adequate populations, with many
species of fish. It is quite important to have enough fish in the
aquarium. It is important to have the right populations of fish,
because in the wild, particularly your common cichlids (natively
known as mbuna, meaning `rockfish`) are basically a fish which
is found amongst the rocks, and the environment that they come from is very busy.
There are a lot of fish around, therefore, if you get these species of fish and put them in
an aquarium with too few fish, then it makes them stressed, because they are
wondering where everybody is. This is because in their natural habitat mbuna will be
swimming around through the rocks, and then above them are another species of
cichlid called the utaka. The utaka are schooling fish that swim in the mid-water. When
the utaka are present, the mbunas, are very comfortable and are quite relaxed, swim
around, and their stress levels are quite low. But then as soon as the utaka take off, the
mbunas get extremely stressed and will hide in the rocks, becoming quite aggressive.
The reason why the utaka will usually take off is because the lake predators are there,
such as the lake clarifers. In Africa where these fish come from there are a few different
types of predators, so when the schooling fishes take off, the mbuna are going to hide
amongst the rocks. This is why you will often have an aquarium which is a lovely, big
aquarium, but all your fish are just hiding in the rocks. They just dont want to come out
unless it is feeding time during which they will eat some food and then swim back into
the rocks again. Their stress levels are actually quite high because, naturally, they
expect to have a lot more fish around. Having more fish around makes them feel more
comfortable. If they feel comfortable, then they stress less; if they stress less, they are
healthier; and if they are healthier, they tend to be more relaxed and less aggressive.
Having these species of fish, if you have less fish, they are more aggressive because
they get a lot more territorial. They are looking to keep their favorite holes because they
have no threat, like an inbuilt threat of predators. So, with some species of fish, such as
cichlids, having plenty of fish in the aquarium is very important.
Page 35
CICHLID AGGRESSION
Monitor aggression and re-aquascape the aquarium, if necessary.
If you are getting aggression in your aquarium, the best thing to do
is rearrange everything in the tank to disorient the fish. This makes
them look for their territory and can reset the hierarchy of the fish
again. Adding more fish often helps reduce aggression too. It is
important to have a good boss in the tank. A good boss will keep the other fish in check
by pushing them all around to display dominance without hurting any. A bad boss will
attack and kill the fish one by one. Many fish are more aggressive if there is not many
fish in the tank. Higher volumes of fish can allow fish to feel more relaxed and less
stressed.
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MONITOR THE BOSS OF THE CICHLID AQUARIUM

Fish like cichlids are highly intelligent fish. You absolutely will find
this one is friends with that one, and this one hates that one, and
then this one has a house that that one is not allowed in and then
this one is the boss that nobody messes with while this is the little
wimp that nobody likes. There is so much personality going on amongst the fish, and
the thing you need to be looking for is the boss. There is always going be a boss. He is
usually a very big, very colourful male who is usually controlling the middle of the
aquarium and his job is to keep all the other fish in line, because, in the aquarium, he is
the boss. There is the second boss, the third boss, all the way down to the biggest wimp
and they all know where they fit in. This is the set hierarchy in the aquarium. A good
boss swims around nice and proud. A good boss will give the other fish a push here and
a push there, but doesnt really hurt anybody. A bad boss picks on a certain fish and just
will keep picking on him until he pretty much wears him down and possibly kills him.
This is normally very visible activity that you can see in your aquarium. The other thing a
good boss will do is break up fights, because he likes the hierarchy the way it is and he
doesnt want anyone changing it. This is why you can often see a very well-established
aquarium, where a very little electric-yellow is chasing around the big Venustus (and
that usually would not make sense, but it is the little brother syndrome). Big brother
sees little brother as dominant while they are growing up, so when they are older this
didnt change. The electric-yellow was dominant and the Venustus never figured out
that he has grown bigger and stronger. He is still scared of the electric yellow that is
now a little fish compared to him. This often happens if you have a good boss, but on
the other hand if you have an "Adolf Hitler" running your "country" so to speak, you are
in trouble. When you see one fish running around beating the hell out of the other fish,
do not be that guy that walks into the aquarium shop in a really bad mood with the fish
in his hand, shaking the fish in the bag. When asked whats wrong he says this fish
killed the rest of my fish." Then he is asked Over what period of time?" He says, "It
killed all my fish over the last year." So why didnt you think about that after he killed the
second fish? You cant actually control your aquarium? Do you have control over it?" If
you see one fish beating up all the rest of the fish, you have two options. Option
Number One: Get more fish as this will disperse the aggression or Option Number Two:
get a bigger fish to dominate the aggressive one. For cichlids, make sure you have
enough fish to disperse any aggression and also make sure you have a good boss. If
you dont have a good boss, you need to get more fish. Just bring him down to the
shop, preferably after he has killed the first or second fish, not after he has killed 20 or
so.
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CICHLID MAINTENANCE SHEET

Majestic Aquariums Maintenance sheet How to maintain a
Cichlid tank; 1. First test pH and kH, if pH is below 7.8 or kH
below 6dkH add African buffer to increase the level. 2. Next
use Poly-Filter to clean the glass, Poly-Filter will trap the algae
and allow it to be removed from the system. 3. Remove 25% of
the water using a gravel siphon, which will clean the gravel. 4.
Clean biological filter media in water taken for the tank (not the tap water). 5. Replace
any mechanical or Polyfilter, to polish the water. 6. Replace the water which was
removed ensuring that you add water ager, Cichlid salts, Cichlid buffer and even some
Bactera Max Bacteria to the new water, ensure the new water does not create
temperature fluctuations. Be sure to check that the fish are getting along and that there
is lots of oxygen getting to the tank. If you have any problems at all refer to Your
Instructional Cichlid Aquarium DVD and bring a sample of water to Majestic Aquariums
so we can help you!
Page 38
CICHLID AQUARIUM HINTS

Catfish such as plecostomus will clean the glass for you or
you will have to clean the glass weekly with an algae
magnet or aquarium safe sponge. Polyfilter is perfect for
cleaning the glass because it will also remove the algae
from the tank, not just move it off the glass.
Scavenging Catfish such as Synodontis will help to keep the bottom clean.
Never add fish that are small enough to fit in the mouth of the biggest fish.
Watch that the dominant fish is not to aggressive.
Change 20% of the water per 4 weeks using a gravel siphon (away from the base of
any plants). The use of products such as Marine Pure filter media and Polyfilter
will reduce your need for water changes.
Never change more than 1/2 of the water at a time as it can stress the fish. Make
sure the new water is the right temperature before adding it to the aquarium.
Feed a maximum of what they can eat in 30sec, ensuring that you can`t see one
spec after 30sec - once a day, in the morning, 5 times per week. If you feed New
Life Spectrum fish foods, it will reduce waste in the aquarium and enhance fish
health and colour. It is the best food on the market. Only one person should feed the
fish.
Add 1 teaspoon of African salt per 5lt of tank water.
Test pH weekly and keep it 8.0 (blue) if ph is green or yellow do water change and
buff water using African kH generator.
Carbonate Hardness must be present above 6dKH. This must be tested using a KH
test kit.
Texas Holey rock will help maintain pH and kH.
Add double dose of Easy-life water ager to any tap water. Add a dose of Easy-life
fluid filter media weekly to help stabilise and balance the water.
Never clean gravel in tap water, once it is in an established tank.
Never use tap water to clean or fill your filter or filter media as tap water contains
chlorine, which kills bacteria. If you have no bacteria in your filter you will have no
fish. Lack of bacteria will create cloudy water.
Set heater to 25 C.
Mainly have the light on when you are viewing the tank.
Keep fish stocks high to lower aggression.
Always over filter the tank.
Acclimatise new fish by floating them in their bag in the tank for 30mins before
releasing them into the tank.
Place a bit of polyfilter in the filter or in the water of the tank and replace it when it
turns black. The polyfilter will remove all the bad stuff from the water including
phosphate which is what creates algae!
Page 39
Ensure the tank has adequate surface agitation.
Page 40
FEEDING FISH
What should I feed the tank?
Variety is the key and remembering that different fish eat
different foods. A good combination is
Live or frozen Brine shrimp
Frozen blood-worms
White bait
Prawns
Seaweed
Some even eat flakes and pellets
How much do I feed my Fish?

I advise you feed your fish once a day, for the rest of the day they will scavenge
which will help keep the environment clean.
Feed them a maximum of what they can eat in 2minutes, if there is any food left over
after the 2minutes feed them less the next day.
Feed your fish a large variety of foods so you have more chance of satisfying the
ratio of vitamins, calcium, protein etc that they require for a balanced diet.
What do you do if a fish goes off its food?

The first thing to do is check that your water quality and chemistry are right. Most of
the time when a fish goes off its food is because the water is bad.
The next thing to do is check the symptoms to ensure that your fish is not sick, if it is
then treat it appropriately.
Stress can turn a fish off its food so check if anything may be stressing it e.g.
another fish harassing it.
Some fish go through phases of not eating and this is quite natural e.g. moray eels.
Some fish will not need to eat if they are obtaining adequate nutrients scavenging
around the reef.
How do you feed live food?

If you are feeding live worms use a worm-feeder. Don`t just feed live worms to a
saltwater tank because if they escape into the gravel they will die and possibly
pollute the tank.
If you feed brine shrimp, strain the shrimp out of the water they are in before you put
them in the tank. This is because the water will be polluted and you dont want that
in your tank.
The introduction of live rock provides many sources of live food e.g. amphipods.
Page 41
If you have large fish and you wish to feed earthworms you can clean the earthworms
by placing them in shredded paper of a few days this will give them time to excrete the
dirt.
How do you make an algae farm?

Set up an aquarium (foam box or bucket) that can be kept outside or next to a
window that receives lots of sunlight.
It is best if you place a powerhead and heater in the tank to enhance algae growth.
You can make a fresh water algae farm but a saltwater one is better because the
algae will live longer once it is in your tank.
Place lots of small rocks in the tank that the algae can grow on.
When the rocks are covered in algae you can take them out and place them in your
tank for the fish to graze on.
It is best not to allow the algae to get too long to avoid allowing it to be left uneaten
or for it to be spread though the tank.
Normal feeding rules apply in regard to feeding more algae then the fish are likely to
eat in a day or so, to avoid polluting the water.
If the algae isnt growing as quick as youd like it to you may try fertilising it. You can
use aquarium plant fertilisers, adsorbate or a bit of fish food.
Page 42
FEEDING
Provide adequate nutrition and trace-element vitamins, and never
overfeed. Overfeeding is the biggest and most popular way to kill
fish when you are a beginner. You often here people say "Oh,
they`re hungry?" and "Oh, they`re still hungry?" and the next thing
you know, your fish will start dying, because they are being overfed.
Basically, what I am going to suggest to you is to follow these
guidelines on how to feed your fish, with the key being that you watch the fish and
monitor how they react. Lets start with the 30-second rule. You basically feed the fish
and watch all the fish come up and eat all the food, trying to make sure that every speck
is eaten within 30 seconds. Then, over time (over a three-week period), continue
watching the fish. If the average fish-not the fat one and not the skinny one (because
there is always a fat one and there is always a skinny one)-starts putting on a bit of
weight, then you are feeding too much. If the average fish starts sucking in around its
tummy and looking thin, then you are not feeding enough. Most people feed too much. It
is very, very rare for me to come across someone who doesnt feed enough, it is usually
feeding too much. Everything has a three-week biological lag time. That means that
what you do today will produce a result in three weeks. It`s like planting. You plant a
seed and you expect to see a seedling in three weeks. You dont plant a seed and go
back the next day to find it. You wait three weeks for its biological lag time and thats the
case with the effects of feeding fish. Everything takes time to show up. So, if you look at
the fish and they start losing condition, you will need to feed them more. So, maybe it`s
45 seconds per feed. You`ve just got to alter it until you find a good balance for your
actual fish. Most people find that giving the fish what they eat in 30 seconds, five times
a week usually works. Now, the next thing is the quality of food. Quality is everything.
Now, it is quite interesting to learn that almost all fish specimen have the same
requirements of nutrients (i.e. this much calcium, this much Vitamin A, this much
Vitamin C, this much protein, this much whatever). There is a ratio of nutrients that fish
require, and from one fish to the next, it is surprisingly similar. It is in how they process
the food that makes the difference. Fish evolved in their natural environment to be able
to consume what is available. Moreover, fish evolved to be able to use nutrients which
are available. So, if a fish comes from a fast-moving rapid, for example, and the only
thing they eat is algae, it has probably evolved to eat algae. Another fish might come
from an environment which is rich in insects and it is probably going to eat insects. The
way that they process the food is what makes the difference, it`s not so much what they
need. So you can actually feed a high-quality food such as New Life Spectrum to any
type of fish. This food provides any fish with all the nutrients and vitamins that they need
regardless of the species. This is without a doubt the best food in the world! It produces
almost no organic waste and it is also a very, very clean food, which means it goes in
one end and not much comes out the other end. That is absolutely wonderful in helping
to keep your aquarium clean as long as you dont overfeed it. If you feed low-quality
foods (they might be very high in protein and lack most vitamins), the fish get the protein
they need, but there is not much in the way of vitamins, so the rest just comes out and
thus more waste is actually produced. The quality of the food that you use will have a
massive effect on the colour of the fish. Be careful not to use colour-enhancing foods
high in hormones or foods too high in protein. Spectrum is the best natural colour
enhancer on the market.
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SPECTRUM FISH FOOD

I have been using New Life Spectrum food consistently for the last
11 years. Though I have tried most available brands, I consider
Spectrum the best quality food on the market. I have advised
hundreds of my customers to use this food and have never heard
negative feedback from anyone that has their fish feeding on it.
Fish generally need smaller amounts of Spectrum than of other
foods in order to achieve the same results. This is one of the
reasons why tanks where fish are fed exclusively Spectrum have consistently lower
nitrate and phosphate levels and high loads of fish are able to be maintained with lower
maintenance in any system if they are fed exclusively Spectrum. Food that is not eaten
doesnt break down and pollute the water like other foods before scavenging fish have
had a chance to come back and find it. Spectrum gives the fish impressive colour, great
health and maintains high water quality. I have seen symptoms of head and lateral line
disease reverse and have noticed reduced cases of bloat in fish fed even exclusively
Spectrum food. Spectrum will give your fish the best possible colour without the use of
hormones. I have used Spectrum with equally impressive results in all type of fish, from
hardy fish like Goldfish, Siamese fighting fish, Tetras, and Cichlids to finicky Tropheus,
Marine Butterflies and Angels. I have found that fish which most people claim are
impossible to keep thrive if fed a diet of at least 80% Spectrum food. Though I see value
in a varied diet, I still find that the most impressive results are produced where
Spectrum is fed exclusively. Anyone that has fish that are fed feeder fish will find terrific
results if they feed up the feeder fish with Spectrum before they feed them to their
predatory fish. However, most predatory fish can be trained to eat Spectrum directly. I
have tried feeding every type of Spectrum to every type of fish and have seen the same
results so I dont believe it is a problem to feed the goldfish formula to even marine fish.
Page 44
WORMS IN THE COMPOST HEAP

The best type of filtration for your aquarium is the naturally
occurring micro-organisms introduced in and on live rock. Live
rock includes a range of critters, urchins, worms, crustaceans,
molluscs, bacteria and algae, which all consume waste produced
by your fish and assimilate it into their cells to be used as energy
for their own biological functioning. The problem in many
aquariums is that these micro-organisms that are so cherished by many reef fish are
often depleted in any stocked aquarium. The only time you are likely to notice these
organisms is when you look into your aquarium at night. This is best achieved with a
torch as most of these organisms are nocturnal. Being nocturnal offers an amount of
safety for them as they are able to move about while the fish are sleeping. Creating a
safe place for these micro-organisms to thrive will provide many benefits to any
aquarium. One of the most modern styles of filtration now is a system known as a
refugium, which basically means refuge or safe place. This is a separate aquarium often
under the main tank which is connected by plumbing so they both share the same
water. The refugium will contain room to allow your heaters, skimmers and pumps to be
kept out of view from the main tank. The refugium should also have a pre-filter to stop
the sediment from the main tank choking the refugium over time. Macro algae, like
caulerpa, are placed in the refugium to offer reverse photosynthesis and help filter the
water. The lights on the refugium are best run when the lights on the tank are off, this
helps to stabilize pH and gas exchange. It is important to add an iron supplement such
as Red Sea Green if running macro algae in a reef tank. The iron will help stop the
algae from crashing and reduce phosphate. The thriving algae will grow and soak up
organics including nitrate and phosphate from the water. As the algae overgrow the
refugium, you can harvest the algae out of the system, therefore removing these
organics too. Remember that some caulerpa is noxious, so it is best to destroy the
algae you remove. Some macro algae will be eaten by your fish and can provide a great
free feed. The medium of the plenum is sand which will create a place for these
organisms to live. 4 inch of 1mm coral sand is perfect. A plenum is a small void of water
which is often put under the sand to allow horizontal distribution of oxygen. The plenum
is created by placing some 1inch thick mesh or pipe then egg grate covered in fly
screen on the floor of the refugium covered in sand. There is much debate over the
correct depth of sand but I have found that it all works since the majority of the work is
done by assimilating algae on the top layer. Micro-biologists have found the refugium
will work most effectively if offered light to stimulate the assimilating algae. If there is no
light and the algae is not present, the bacteria will play a more significant role in this
process which is otherwise dominated by the algae if light is present. I often hear people
comment on how much waste their fish make. It is important to understand that all of the
nutrients that enter your aquarium come primarily from the food that you feed your fish.
Fish that increase the need for food to be added to the tank will decrease the quality of
the water. Fish that scavenge and dont require additional food other than what is
already there are capable of providing beneficial effects to the system. Ensure you only
use high quality fish food and never overdo liquid invertebrate foods. A balanced
aquarium achieves biological allocation which means for each bit of organic waste being
produced there are biological processes present that are able to use the waste for
assimilation, allowing the aquarium to function as a stable ecosystem. A protein
skimmer is not essential for an aquarium with balanced biological allocation. It is easy to
Page 45
do a three week test to check the functioning of the skimmer. If you dont add any trace
elements or supplements for three weeks and the skimmer keeps on skimming, then the
skimmer is valuable to the system. If the skimmer only starts to work again once you
replace the trace elements then the aquarium in its current state has biological
allocation and the skimmer is not an important piece of equipment to that system.
Systems with pure nitrifying filters such as bio-balls will always benefit from the addition
of a skimmer as they will never achieve biological allocation. The food goes into your
aquarium and eaten by the fish and invertebrates. The chemical waste from the fish is
assimilated by algae and the solid waste is eaten by scavenging fish and micro-
organisms. The waste from the micro-organisms and fish is broken down by nitrifying
bacteria. The waste from the nitrifying bacteria is broken down into nitrogen gas by the
denitrifying bacteria. The result of the food once all the energy is used by the biological
processes within your aquarium is a non-organic detritus called mulm, which looks like
concrete dust. It is important that the mulm is removed from the system using
mechanical filtration or vacuum siphons. If the mulm is allowed to build up, it may result
in the formation of poisonous hydrogen-sulphide produced within a deep layer of mulm
also know as a dead spot. The accumulation of mulm is one of the main reasons for so
called old tank syndrome. The micro-organisms thrive in the refugium and many of
them find their way back into the aquarium helping to recolonise the main tank and
provide a great food source for its inhabitants. The use of a refugium will dramatically
increase the cultures of organisms in your live rock and sand, making it far more
effective as a filter as well. Without the use of a refugium, the entire population of
beneficial micro-organisms like amphipods and copepods can be wiped out by specialist
feeding fish. To allow aeration, the top layer of the refugium should be stirred regularly.
When the refugium is stirred you will often see the corals open up and feeding on the
plankton which is pumped back into the main tank. No matter how tempting it is, it is
recommended not to keep any fish in the refugium or it is not a refugium. With time the
varieties of micro-organisms will become limited, reducing the efficiency of the system,
so it is a good idea to add a small piece of fresh live rock to your refugium a couple of
times a year to ensure that a fresh culture of micro organism is introduced to your
system. The larger the refugium, the better. It will be able to support larger cultures of
beneficial organisms, working much like a compost heap. A larger refugium also adds to
the overall water volume of the tank, allowing better waste dispersion. Many smaller
hang-on refugiums are available that are easy to install and can benefit any aquarium. It
is worth getting a flash light and a magnifying glass out and looking in your tank at night
once your lights have been off for a few hours, so you can see the mass of nocturnal
micro-organisms that are each playing their role in keeping you aquarium beautiful.
Every healthy aquarium will have a huge culture of micro-biotic life. The idea with the
refugium is to encourage and increase this process because of its cheap running costs
and amazing results. If you use a UV it is important not to run it all the time as it will
decrease valued micro-biotic life. I would run it for one month after a new fish is
introduced or anytime you suspect a fish maybe suffering from a disease. Keeping a
magnificent aquarium that just survives is no longer the mystery that it once was. You
must aim for your aquarium to thrive not just survive, if it doesnt thrive its time you get
up to date with modern knowledge and technology. Its all possible now.
Page 46
FLATWORMS
When are they most common?
They are most visual in a new aquarium or with the
introduction of new coral.
They are only really a problem if the coral is already stressed.
Are flatworms really much of a problem?

There are non-parasitic and parasitic forms (some parasitic species are identifiable
by a line that runs down their back) of flatworms but either should not pose much of
a problem to a healthy coral in a healthy tank.
Some parasitic types seem to make more impact than others do, so keep a stern
eye on their progression.
The main worry is if they are able to reproduce to the point where they smother
corals.
Non-parasitic forms pose very little threat if the water conditions are favorable.
Some non-parasitic forms feed on damaged corals.
How do you limit their introduction to the aquarium?

Inspect any coral that you wish to buy and avoid it if you see any sign of flatworms.
The piece is to be avoided not so much because of the flatworms but more because
the coral is possibly not healthy in the first place to have been able to contract them.
Quarantine tanks are helpful to enable you to observe the new piece before it is
added to the display.
How do you rid a coral of flatworms?

Increasing pH (8.4) and salinity (1.024) can reduce flatworm numbers.
If the coral is totally infested you can give it a freshwater dip for about 10 seconds.
While it is in the fresh water shake vigorously.
You can try to wipe them off with a toothbrush.
You can also try turning off all the lights for a while and place a piece of mirror into
the tank with a string light aimed at the mirror. You may find that some species are
attracted to the light and will gather on the mirror, in which case you may remove the
mirror with the flatworms on it, clean the mirror and try it again.
Some individual Wrasses, Gobies (mandarines), Blennies, snails and starfish will eat
flatworms.
Can you use chemicals to rid flatworm?
Page 47
Yes some chemicals will kill flatworms but I dont recommend using them because
dead flatworms can release toxins.
What are the advantages of having flatworms?

They can be good scavengers.
What are the disadvantages of having flatworms?

They can reproduce extremely quickly and can smother corals.
Page 48
QUESTIONS ON FISH HEALTH

How do I know if a fish is healthy?
It shouldnt look like it is struggling to swim (unless it is
characteristic of the species e.g. Hawkfish or Wrasse).
It should not have trouble maintaining its position in the water.
It should have no sores, pimples, dents or bumps.
Its fins shouldnt be folded or split.
Its eyes should be clear and not uncharacteristically protruding.
It should be breathing regularly.
Its gills should be closed and not inflamed.
Scales should be flat and intact.
Its anus must not be red or inflamed.
There should be no blood on the body or fins.
There shouldnt have white dots, or powdery or furry growths on the body or fins.
It shouldnt have a bloated stomach.
It is advisable to compare it to the other fish of its kind that you have seen or are in
the shop.
Page 49
FISH BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS

Why is my fish gasping?
The oxygen level in the tank may be too low.
The fish may be stressed.
The water quality may be unacceptable.
The temperature may be incorrect.
The fish may have a gill infection or parasite.
Why is my fish rubbing against the rocks?

This is a sign that something is irritating the body slim on the fish, often due to
Bad water chemistry.
Incorrect salt levels.
It may have a parasitic or bacterial infection.
Why does my fish hide a lot?

It is natural for some species to hide a lot simply because they are shy.
Some fish will hide because they are stressed or sick.
Some fish are nocturnal.
Fish will hide in order to stay out of view of other fish that may be more aggressive
and may attack them if they are seen.
Why does my fish swim erratically?

Some fish are just naturally very active and should therefore be kept in large tanks.
They can do this if they are stressed.
It may have intestinal worms.
This can be a sign of a drug caught fish.
Why does my fish go crazy when I turn on the light?

Some fish are sensitive to the sudden light, if this is the case ensure that the room
light is on for a couple of minutes before the aquarium lights go on.
If you have several tubes on the tank you may have to switch on one light at a time
to minimize this stress.
This genially only a problem if the fish is stressed anyhow
Why is my fish floating?
Page 50
This means the fish has a damaged swim bladder or buoyancy system.
Bad water, diet or fighting may contribute to the problem.
It is not curable, only time will tell what is to come of it.
It can be better to kill the fish because it often becomes stressed and contracts
contagious diseases that may affect the other fish.
Why do my fish seem to die after a month?

Examine water quality because decreased quality water is the main reason for this.
Ensure other fish arent harassing the fish.
After anything as long as 1 to 3 months a fish caught with cyanide stops feeding,
become very thin and sometimes swim aimlessly in circles and die but maintains full
colour.
Page 51
MYSTERY PROBLEMS!
I regularly get called to consult on Aquariums that are having
problems. Sometimes all the water tests seem to be good but
over long periods of time fish keep dieing! Besides the possibility
of a rare disease it is normally related to dissolved oxygen, redox
potential, old tank syndrome, dead spots or overcrowding. It is
very important to understand that the water surface needs to be
totally agitated and broken all the time in order to allow adequate
gas exchange. Also remember that your filter is full of good bacteria which compete with
the fish for oxygen, so consider filtration and aeration as being separate. Filters can
actually reduce the dissolved oxygen level of the tank. This will also allow an increased
CO2 level which can mean pH problems. Carbon dioxide plus water equals carbonic
acid so unless your dissolved oxygen level in adequate your ph may tend top drop even
though you kH level remains high. You must understand Redox because low Redox is
one of the mystery killers that I come across. Redox Potential is measured in Millivolts
per litre and is a measure of oxidization/reduction or how fast the bacteria can break
down your organic fish waste. Increased oxygen, cleaning filters and water changes will
increase Redox, while increased fish load and fish food will decrease Redox. You must
preform regular maintenance on your aquarium to ensure that the back of the tank
substrate does not become full of mulm (non organic detritus, which looks like cement
dust). Within the tightly packed fine mulm you will often get the growth of anoxic
bacteria which can release hydrogen sulphide (a toxic gas). If this area is disturbed it is
capable of killing your fish and releasing a rotten egg smell or it can slowly leach out
into your tank over time, reducing the immune system of your inhabitants. Some tanks
seem to require a spring clean every so often to revive its deteriorated health. I have
seen this work wonders on hundreds of tanks which seem to suffer from so called old
tank syndrome. Within the idea of old tank syndrome you can get little pockets in the
back of the tank which form anoxic bacteria known (as dead spots). These dead spots
can explain why fish sometimes go totally missing, skeleton and all. The bacteria that
grow in a dead spot are able to totally consume a fish skeleton within hours. A spring
clean should destroy any formation of dead spots. Every aquarium has a biological
capacity, which is the amount of stock that can safely be kept in that particular system.
If you go over this level, fish will slowly die off until you are under this level, as you add
more fish and watch them grow and breed you will eventually react your biological
capacity. If you dont increase your biological capacity fish will slowly die off to allow
nature to provide a balance in your tank. Increased water changes using a gravel
cleaner, increased filtration and filter cleaning, increased water volume, decreased load
and feeding, increased quality fish food, increased oxygen and redox with help to
increase your biological capacity. Overcrowding of live stock is common and will affect
your biological capacity. The more fish you have means the more equipment and
maintenance you will need for the aquarium. It is always safer and easier to keep an
aquarium if it is not over stocked! If you are having problems with corals not opening it is
a great idea to dip your corals one at a time with Revive. This Product is amazing for
bringing corals back to life! If your aquarium is not running perfectly remember that
there is always a reason. Fish dont want to die. Never stop searching and learning! If
you ever need help dont hesitate to get in contact with us!
Page 52
DISEASES TIPS
Providing you have a well maintained aquarium and you only buy fish
from a high quality store, you should not experience major problems
with disease in your aquarium. However it is inevitable that you will
come across it from time to time, almost always when your fish are
stressed! Fish can become stressed from physical threat, bad water
quality, low oxygen level and poor nutrition. Diseases are most
commonly experienced by collectors and importer. Suitable quarantining should reduce
these problems significantly. If you have expensive fish you may well look at getting
your own quarantine tank to further reduce the risk of disease in your aquarium. All fish
carry diseases all the time! It is stress that allows the fish to succumb to them when
their immune system is low! If you notice your fish becoming sick, first try to isolate why
the fish maybe stressed. Once you are able to address the problem you can then try to
treat the fish. I have found that adding 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt per 5lt in a
freshwater aquarium will increase the immune system of the fish and help them reduce
their disease. I also found that dropping the salinity of saltwater tanks to 1.018 (1.009 if
possible) can help in the same way by also reducing pressure on the fishs
osmoregulation system. If you have tried a treatment of any particular type of
medication and it does not seem to work, repeat the complete dose. If it is still not
working consider trying another brand. Each medication is slightly different and you will
find that different strains are affected by different brands of medication. If the fish has a
milky appearance to its skin, fins or eyes it may have developed a bacteria infection. I
have found Melafix is great cure for bacterial infections in both fresh and saltwater. If the
fish appears to keep scratching and has small white spots on the body and fins, treat
with Ichaway in fresh water, Bactonex in reef tanks or Cupramine in fish only saltwater
tanks. If the fish has a furry appearance to its skin it may have developed a fungal
infection. I have found Pimafix is great cure for fungal infections in both fresh and
saltwater. If you see blood at the base of the fins, then the fish has haemorrhaged,
which is due to stress. It is important that you remove the stressful condition from the
fish and treat it with Melafix or Stresscoat. There are many other conditions experiance
by fish such as worms and flukes (which can be treated with Sterizin), but the above are
simply the most common. Fish can suffer from virus infection but this is not common
and can be hard to diagnose and treat. The fish will often suffer from more than one
condition at once. If this is the case always treat parasite first. Once the parasite is
treated you can then focus on the bacterial or fungal. If the condition of the fish is
extremely bad and you are concerned that fish maybe about to die you may consider
giving them a salt or freshwater dip. To do a salt dip for freshwater fish you have to get
a bag of water from your aquariums and add a tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5lt, then
introduce the sick fish into the salted water for 3-5minutes. This should kill parasites that
are attacking the fish, while not being long enough to kill the fish its self. To do a
freshwater dip you have to get a bag of freshwater (aged or R.O) and raise the pH so it
is the same as your aquarium and float it in the tank for 1 hour to ensure the
temperature is also the same before introducing the sick fish for 3-5 minutes Various
diseases and problems can also be controlled on live corals with the used of a
freshwater dip. These is also a range of dip solutions that you can buy which are
effective such as Revive. Ensure the water used for the dip is well aerated water. The
theory is that if the fish is not strong enough to survive the dip then it was unlikely to
survive anyhow. A lot of people claim that a dip is not able to kill echo parasites but it
Page 53
must do something good. On many occasions I have had a fish literally dying in front of
my eyes regardless of the medications that I have tried. I have done the dip and seen
an amazing recovery by many fish. Once the worst of the condition is over the fish may
then have time to benefit from the effects of other medications, restore their immune
system and go on to lead happy full lives. A fish is still not safe after a dip unless they
have improved for over 3 weeks as DMS is still a risk. If your corals are not opening as
well as they did make sure that you dip them one at a time in Revive! This product is
amazing for brining corals back to life! It will stop many infections like bacterial
infections!
Page 54
DISEASE
Why do fish get sick?
Fish mainly get sick due to stress.
Bad water chemistry, salinity or temperature.
If they are underfed.
If they are offered an incomplete diet.
Why do fish get stressed?

If a fish is relocated to a new environment it may suffer severe stress.
They stress if other fish in the tank harass them.
They can be physically shocked e.g. someone banging on the front of the tank.
If the chemistry, salinity or temperature of the water is bad or is changed
dramatically it may cause them to stress.
Is it safe to use medication?

There are brands on the market that state that they are safe for use in reef
aquariums.
Read the instructions and follow them very closely.
I have used various types with varying success. One time a medication seem to be
alright, the next I will find that the reef hasnt responded well at all to the same
treatment e.g. coral die or remain closed for period of time, ammonia level rises.
I will say as strongly as possible that in a well-maintained reef aquarium, medication
should be avoided.
How do I medicate my tank?

Read the instructions very carefully and follow them.
Most medicines are in a liquid or tablet form, which is to be dropped into the
aquarium.
Do not overdose.
Take out any charcoal or chemical sponges you may have in the filter, it will absorb
out the medication.
Turn off the protein skimmer, it will skim out any medication.
If one brand is not successful after 2-3 runs of the medication change brands. Before
you change brands or even redose the tank, it is advisable to do a water change.
Replace the charcoal and turn on the protein skimmer for a few days. Then add the
next dose.
Page 55
If you have live invertebrates ensure the package states very clearly that it is OK to
be used with inverts. Be extra careful with starfish and anemones.
It can be advisable to remove any white rocks or dead corals from the aquarium for
the period of time you are using the medication because some types of medication
can stain light coloured objects blue.
It can be good to turn off the lights while your fish are sick; this will help lower their
stress level.
If one fish is sick can I get new fish?

If you have any sick fish I strongly advise you dont increase stock.
How do you do a Freshwater dip?

The way you do a freshwater dip is prepare a bucket of freshwater with the same pH
and temperature as the tank.
The best way to equalise the temperature is to place the water in a plastic bag and
let it float in the tank for an hour.
The way the freshwater dip works is the fish is placed in the bucket of fresh water for
a minute so the parasites, bacteria or other life that may be attacking the fish are
killed by the freshwater and generally the fish is strong enough to handle it.
If the fish dies because of the dip it often means the fish wasnt strong enough the
shake the disease anyway and surely would have died even if you hadn`t done the
dip.
What are the white things in my tank?

They are most likely to be copepods, slugs or snails. Just leave them be and they
will aid in the filtration of the aquarium.
Ensure the tank is not being overfed with food or trace elements.
What are the little worms in my gravel?

Don`t worry about them they will aid in the filtration of the aquarium
Ensure the tank is not being overfed with food or trace elements.
Do fins and scales grow back?

Yes, most of the time they do.
Are fish with skin (not scales) more susceptible to decease?

In general fish with skin like Tangs seem to contract diseases such as white spot
more easily than fish with scales, especially with the presence of phosphate.
Page 56
The body-slime of these fish seems to take longer to adjust to a new environment
than a fish with scales.
Ensure the water quality is high before the fish is introduced.
Page 57
PHYSICAL DISEASE
What is the red stuff coming out of the fins of my fish?
This generally is a sign that the fish has internally
hemorrhaged.
Hemorrhages occur due to stress and/or bad water
conditions.
It is unlikely the fish will recover, there is no cure but it is not
contagious. So keep the fish unless it is visually disturbed, in which case it should be
destroyed.
What is the white furry stuff on my fish?

This is likely to be a fungal infection. This occurs when a bacterial infection is
allowed to progress to a more advanced stage.
Poor water quality, unbalanced diets, incorrect salt levels, physical injury, and
fighting is the likely cause of this problem.
What are the white dots on my fish?

The white spots on the fish are likely to be a species of white-spot.
White spot is a very common problem that is most evident when the fish are
stressed.
What is the powdery stuff on my fish?

This is most likely to be a bacterial infection.
Bacterial infections are caused by a depletion of the body slime.
Poor water quality, unbalanced diet, incorrect salt levels, stress and fighting are the
likely cause of this problem.
Why have my fish lost its fins?

This is due to fighting, other fish nipping them, bad water conditions or bad diet.
It is advisable to fix the cause e.g. separate the aggressive fish and improve water
chemistry.
It may have a bacterial infection.
What is hole in the head disease?

It is a result of too much protein in the diet and/or bad water chemistry.
It is important to do regular water changes and offer a balanced diet to avoid
problems such as hole in the head.
Page 58
Dont feed too much live food.
Why has the eye of my fish become clouded?

This often due to bad water quality, incorrect salt level, physical injury, and even
unbalanced diet.
Cloudy eye is not contagious and may clear with time.
It is advisable to add an anti-bacterial medication.
What are the craters on the head of my fish?

This is likely to be hole in the head disease.
Why has my fish developed a deformed spine?

This may be Tuberculosis.
It may have been passed on to it genetically.
Possibly the result of an unbalanced diet e.g. lack of calcium or vitamins or even bad
water quality.
Why has my fish got a hollow belly?

This may be Tuberculosis.
Internal worms.
Possibly the result of an unbalanced diet or even bad water quality.
Why have the eyes of my fish bloated up?

This is often due to bad water quality, incorrect salt, even unbalanced diet.
Bloated eye is not contagious and may deflate with time.
Why has my fish got protruding scales, but not a swollen belly?
This is likely to be a bacterial infection.
Why has my fish changed colour?

It can be natural for fish to change colour as they grow, some get more attractive
while other fish lose their colour.
It may be stressed.
Why has my fish got a bloated belly?
Page 59
This is commonly known as Bloat, which is commonly with fish that are given
excessive protein in the diet.
A result of poor water quality or malnutrition.
It maybe over-eating.
It may have Dropsy.
Why has my fish got protruding scale with a bloated belly?

This is likely to be Dropsy.
Page 60
IDENTIFYING DISEASE
How do you identify White spot? (Saltwater-Cryptocaryon)
Small white spots appear on the body and fins.
The fish often scratch and appear irritated.
It may clamp its fins and swim on the spot.
How do you identify Velvet? (saltwater-Oomdinium)

Similar to white spot but is smaller.
How do you identify Fungus?

This has a cotton wool type appearance.
Fluffy patches.
Sometimes forms after a bacterial infection.
How do you identify Mouth fungus?

This is a cotton wool type appearance in the mouth area.
Mouth fungus is very contagious.
How do you identify Skin flake?

The fish scratch because of inflamed, irritated areas.
How do you identify Gill flake?

The gills will be inflamed and the fish often hangs lethargically at the surface.
How do you identify Fin-rot?

The tissue between the fin rays erode due to bacteria.
How do you identify Dropsy?

Scales stand out from the body and the fish appears bloated.
How do you identify Eye bloat?

The eye will become swollen.
How do you identify Bloat?
Page 61
The belly of the fish will bloat out.
How do you identify Hole in the head?

The fish will form a crater-like appearance on the head.
How do you identify Tuberculosis?

Hollow belly.
Spinal deformity.
How do you identify Bacterial infection?

This has a powdery-like appearance often on one area of the fish.
Page 62
HOW TO REMOVE A MANTIS SHRIMP?

A Mantis shrimp is an amazing little crustacean with eye sight
that rivals the fly! It is very fast and smart and can deliver more
power per square centre meter with the wack of its claw than
any other animal on the planet. There are many rumours that
they can smash the glass in your tank. I have done many tests
on this and have never found it to be true. These beautiful
looking shrimp are great scavengers for the display tank and make great specimens in a
species specific tank, but what happens when they start to take your fish? Though most
are totally harmless you can get the odd one that will eat fish. There are even reports of
them cutting up the fish and hiding it in rocks to feed on later. This is more common in a
tank which is under fed. When you get your live rock it is most likely going to contain
many hitch hikers like the Mantis shrimp and Pistol shrimp, which will make a loud
clicking sound at night. This sound will sound like your thermometer tapping on the
glass. The nocturnal Mantis looks like a Praying Mantis whereas the basically harmless
Pistol will always have its claws out in front of it. Mantis are blamed for many more
deaths than they cause, water quality, diet and bad conditions are a more common
problem, even if you do see the shrimp with the dead body, which it may have collected
once it is weak or dead. If you believe you are losing fish due to these shrimp first
double check that all of your water parameters are good, they consider these
suggestions. They may all take many attempts so be patient. Trust The first thing to
know is that they can get very tame and can learn to trust you. As long as you dont go
crazy trying to catch it with a net, you can regularly feed it and build up its trust. This will
make it so much easier to remove if it becomes a problem in the future. Siphon If you
locate where it lives you can try to siphon him out at night. It is important to move very
slowly so not to alarm him. If you have a sump, secure the siphon into it so you can
keep it up till you get it. This is so much easier if it trusts you. Remove the rock They are
very territorial so they will often have a hole in the rock that they live in (normally at the
bottom of the tank). If you know which rock it lives in you can quickly pull the rock out of
the tank. Get the rock into a bucket as fast as you can so it does not fall out of its hole
back into the tank. You will have to put the reef together again after you have pulled out
the rock, because it is likely that you will have created an avalanche. Once it jumps out
of the rock you can return the rock to the tank. Some people use aged freshwater to get
them out of the rock. Trap There are various traps available that you can buy or make. It
is my experience that they are too smart for this to be effective. Net If you get them to
trust you it is possible to coach them into the net so it can be removed from the tank.
Never try to use speed because you will lose! Octopus Octopus will eat them, so if you
can get hold of one you can use it to rid your tank of shrimp. This is one of few animals
actually smart enough to catch them. Large fish Various Triggers, large wrasse, hawks
and other fish will eat Mantis. This is rarely effective because they are far too smart to
be caught. Remove each rock one at a time You can try to remove each rock one at a
time. Many people will rotate them in the sump until the clicking sound is out of the tank.
This will often work. Remove the strainer You can often catch them if you remove the
strainers on your filters hoping they go into it and get trapped; this is risky if you have
other small fish. Empty the tank As a last restore you can empty the tank. Remove the
rocks and left the fish in the bare tank until the shrimp jumps out of it hole. Drastic I
know but it has been done. I guess it is a good excuse for a spring clean.
Page 63
MANTIS SHRIMP
What are Mantis shrimp?
Mantis shrimp are a predatory shrimp that is recognised by
its claws which are tucked under its body (look just like that
of a praying mantis).
Mantis shrimp have highly developed eyesight and extremely
powerful claws that they use to accurately catch its pray.
Mantis shrimp can be very aggressive; they have whacked me many times and it
hurts a lot. They will defend their territory against anything.
Mantis shrimp were once popular to be kept as pets. This is rarely the case now
because of the larger variety of other things available to us now.
Some species grow to a foot long.
How do you know if you have a mantis shrimp?

You will hear a clicking sound at night.
They are most active at night, so if you leave only the actinic lighting on and watch
the tank at night you may see one.
What damage do Mantis shrimp do?

Mantis shrimp have a reputation that outweighs the true damage that they cause.
It is true that some types of Mantis shrimp have been known to crack glass, kill fish
and crabs plus damage corals and clams (but there are also a number of other
crustaceans that also do this damage). It is just that the mantis is the best known
and most publicised and this is why people seem to blame it for everything.
Most people tend to panic as soon as they recognise they have a Mantis shrimp and
get it out. Remember that most Mantis shrimp are harmless.
It is hard for me to advise against removing the shrimp, after seeing the damage that
some have done. As a precaution removing the shrimp is worth it if you are worried
about it.
Mantis shrimp are good scavengers and some can be a benefit to the system.

Inspect any coral that you wish to buy and avoid it if you see any sign of them.
How do you remove Mantis Shrimp?
Page 64
The easiest method is if you can see them siphon them out. Mantis shrimp are
aggressive and when I use this method it is common for the shrimp to lash out and
try to attach to the hose when they get sucked up.
You can try to trap them. See the question on How do you make a Mantis shrimp
trap.
Dont try to squash them in the tank because it will only frustrate you when you miss
because they are too fast.
If you know what rock it is hiding in, if you are able to, pull out the rock and try to
shake it out or stab it. Dont boil any live rock and put it back.
If you see the hole that they live in you may place some scissors over it and wait
until they stick out their curious head to cut it off (you may need bait to lure them).
Mantis shrimp die from copper and that is why they are rarely a problem in fish only
tanks which are often run with copper.
Fish such as Triggers and Eels eat shrimp but they are not good in reef tanks, which
are tanks shrimp mainly cause problems in.
I have heard of aquarium shops that hire out octopus to eat Mantis shrimp. The
octopuses are larger and easier to trap to remove out once the job is done than the
Mantis shrimp is. It has also been observed that once an octopus runs out of food in
the tank it will come and hang around on the front glass of the tank, generally waiting
to be fed. This makes them even easier to remove. So once the shrimp are gone
and you can hear no more clicking, you can return the octopus. This method of de-
mantis shrimping is easy, fun and effective.
How do you make a shrimp trap?

The one I have most success with is to just get a 600ml plastic coke bottle and cut
off the top 1/3 so you have a funnel.
Then turn the funnel around the wrong way and jam it back inside the rest of the
bottle.
Place a small bit of food e.g. prawn in the bottom and place it in the aquarium at
night. The way the trap works is the funnel starts off large then ends up small so the
shrimp follows the smell until it ends up in the main chamber, where it is generally
unable to escape through the one small hole.
Sometimes you will catch other things in the trap, at that point you get to choose
whether to return it to the tank or to remove it.
Use soft plastic or the Mantis shrimp may blow a hole in the trap and escape.
by Paul Talbot
Page 65
AIPTASIA
Should I buy Aiptasia?
For fish food, yes.
For a fish only tank, fine.
For a reef tank, no.
They are sometimes sold as Zoe rock.
How does it get into the tank?

Mostly on live rock or coral.
Some silly people with reef tanks buy it.
How do I stop it getting in to the tank in the first place?

The best thing to do is when you set up the tank and have all the live rock that you
require settled into the tank before you get any coral, you can add fish that prey on
Aiptasia. Once the Aiptasia is completely gone you may wish to remove the fish and
start adding coral.
If your tank is set up you could go to the extreme of having a quarantine tank with a
resident fish that eats Aiptasia.
How do you get rid of Aiptasia?

You can physically remove then as long as you ensure that every little particle is
removed out of the tank or it may rejuvenate worse than ever.
The best way to physically remove Aiptasia is to take the whole rock with them on
out of the tank and scrap them and the surrounding rock out then rise it with salt
water before returning it to the tank.
They are always hard to get off rock because they tend to retreat into holes or
crevasses.
Use a razor blade to get them off glass.
Sometimes you can have success injecting each Aiptasia with Kalkwasser. Only a
small number should be done per day and the hardness of the water should be
monitored. Other people claim to inject them with boiling water or acid but that
sounds risky to me.
Should you boil a rock (let it dry or try place it in fresh water or put in a copper
solution) that is covered in Aiptasia?
If the rock is dead rock then this approach can be considered.
I dont recommend this with live rock because it will kill everything else on and in it,
which may pollute the tank once it is returned.
Page 66
Can you cut the Aiptasia to kill it like an ordinary anemone?

No, this doesnt work, if you do this they often grow back stronger than ever.
What will eat Aiptasia?

Butterfly fish e.g. lunula, kleinii.
Some Angels will eat Aiptasia, because they are so beautiful they can be worth
whatever damage they may cause to other corals.
French Angels love Aiptasia and seem to do minimal damage to other corals.
The best known for ridding Aiptasia that will cause the least amount of damage to a
reef tank is the Copper band butterfly (chelmon rostratus).
Most very destructive fish will also eat Aiptaisa e.g. Triggers and Tuskfish.
Some shrimp like peppermint shrimp eat them.
Some nudibranch will eat them e.g. Dondice and Surilla
How do you encourage a fish to eat Aiptasia?

Ensure that little or no extra food is added to the tank, so it will get hungry.
What are the advantages of Aiptasia?

It is very easy to keep.
It can look good (if its not in a reef tank).
It is a good source of food for some fish.
What are the disadvantages of Aiptasia?

It can reduplicate very fast.
It will string other corals.
It is generally introduced on live rock (uninvited).
Page 67
BRISTLEWORMS
How do you handle bristle worms?
Bristle worms can inflict a painful bite.
You must not try to handle bristle worms; only ever use gloves or
tweezers.
Be very careful of the fire worm.
How do you locate bristle worms?

They are most active at night so shine a torch into the tank when it is dark.
How do they get into the tank?

Mostly in live rock or sometimes on corals.

In the quarantine tank for live rock, you may choose to have a resident fish to eat
them.
How do you get them out of the tank?

See the question How do you make a shrimp trap (mantis shrimp). The same trap is
useful to catch bristle worms.
Coral-banded shrimp can eat small bristle worms.
If you are unsuccessful, leave the cap on the coke bottle and drill a hole in it, to
create a smaller hole to decrease the chances of them climbing out.
To lure them out, dont feed the tank for over a week, then place a piece of bait at
the front of the tank. Turn off the light and watch because they will often come out
looking for food once the light is off. As them come out of the substrate you may be
able to grab them (with tweezers, gloves or in a net).
Place some bait in nylon stocking so the worms get tangled in the stocking.
You could try removing parts of the gravel at a time and wash it in a bucket of tank
water.
Put fish in that eat them. It is best to place the fish in after the live rock has been
placed in the tank and remove it before you put the coral in.
What fish eat bristle worms?
Page 68
Many wrasse, dottybacks, triggers and butterflys will eat them but may eat coral too.
Coral banded shrimp are great.
What are the advantages of Bristle worms?

They aerate the substrate.
Eat debris.
What are the disadvantages of Bristle worms?

Bristle worms often damage coral and clams.
They have been known to eat fish, they often catch the fish when they are asleep.
Page 69
CURING DISEASE
How do you cure White spot? (Saltwater-Crytocaryon)
The first thing to do is check the parameters of the water and
ensure they are correct.
You can raise the temperature and drop the salt level a couple of
degrees. This seems to kill or shock the parasite into a new cycle.
In the new cycle it often goes looking for a new host. The free-
swimming parasites are a lot more vulnerable to the medication
that is available.
Decrease salt levels a few degrees over a few hours by adding freshwater. After a
few weeks, once the problem is under control, you can slowly return the salinity to
what it was originally. This activity should not cause any major trouble to the reef.
Problems such as white spot mainly occur when a fish is first introduced to the tank,
so once the fish settles in and the body slime is able to adjust to the new
environment it should be just as robust as any other.
I have observed that the presence of low-level waste seems to increase the chance
of problems during the introduction phase. Low-level waste can hamper the
production of the body-slime. This makes the fish more vulnerable to infection.
Any amounts of organic waste in the aquarium make the fish more vulnerable to
infection so ensure the organic waste levels are down, especially when you are
adding new fish.
Often a freshwater dip is a good idea in extreme cases.
If you have many large fish a cleaner wrasse may be helpful to eat the white spot
parasites.
How do you cure Velvet?

Treat velvet the same as white spot.
How do you cure Fungus?

The first thing to do is check the parameters of the water and ensure they are
correct.
If you have a quarantine tank, there is a range of anti-fungal medications available
on the market.
How do you cure Mouth fungus?

correct.
If you have a quarantine tank, there is a range of anti fungal medications available
on the market.
Page 70
Decreasing the salt level in the tank can help.

How do you cure Skin and Gill Flake?

correct.
If you have a quarantine tank, there is a range of medications available on the
market.
How do you cure Fin-rot?

correct.
If you have a quarantine tank, there is a range of anti-fungal medications available
on the market.
How do you cure Dropsy?

correct.
Dropsy has no cure; all you can do is improve the quality of the living conditions to
minimise the chance of other fish developing the same problem. There is a range of
multi-cure medications available on the market that may aid the fish.
I suggest you get rid of the affected fish.
Dropsy is one of the most visually disturbing problems.
How do you cure Eye bloat?

correct. Decreasing the salt level in the tank can help. Often a freshwater dip is a
good idea in extreme cases.
How do you cure Bloat?

correct.
Page 71
How do you cure Bacterial infection?

correct.
Often a freshwater dip is a good idea in extreme cases. by Paul Talbot
Page 72
DMS- DELAYED MORTALITY SYNDROME

After the fish have experienced severe stress it can take 3 weeks
for the fish to start actually getting over it. During the time of stress
the fishs immune system will have closed down and it will take
time to repair. Once the fish have experienced stress and survived
the stressful experience they can still easily become sick. The
following 3 weeks after the stress is still dangerous time because in this time the
immune system of the fish is unlikely to have recovered. While the fish have a
weakened immune system any minor infection or complication can kill the fish, without
the protection of the immune system. The fish can appear to have made a total recovery
after transport, disease infection, physical damage or poor water quality then die
suddenly, this is because of DMS. DMS is rare in fish that have lived in healthy, stable
and happy environments for more than 3 weeks. DMS is another reason why it can be
well worth considering a quarantine tank if you have a large amount of fish, worth a
considerable amount of money. DMS is a major consideration when adding new fish!
Fish that are not correctly acclimatized rarely die straight away, they tend to suffer from
DMS long after you would consider acclimatization as the cause.
Page 73
STEPS FOR WHAT TO DO IF YOUR MARINE FISH GET

WHITE SPOT!
It is important to check your fish daily, especially if you have
recently added new fish and if you see your fish scratching
themself on the rocks, flicking their body or appear to have tiny
white spots on their body or fins, you may have a case of white
spot? White spot is a very common disease! White spot is a
parasite that can make the fish sick when they are stressed! Like the common flu with
people white spot is always present in the fish but it takes stress to bring it out. The
stress creates an imbalance of antigens and pathogens within the fish themselves.
Healthy fish in a stable tank have very little risk of white spot. In a perfect world, if you
see the disease, remove the fish and treat it with copper in a quarantine tank. This is not
always possible because it can be too hard to get the fish out of the tank and you may
not have a quarantine tank. In this case you will have to follow these steps. Lower
salinity to 1.018 This will ease osmotic pressure in the fish and allow more molecular
energy to be available for the immune system. The coral with not be too happy during
this time, but they will normally return as happy and healthy as ever once the salinity is
back up. I have never lost a coral doing this! It is safest to lower the level by .002 per
day. Raise the temperature of the tank to 27C, this will speed up the life cycle of this
parasite. Consider adding a reef safe white spot medication. Ensure that you read the
bottle very carefully and change brand if it is not effective after 2 full courses, doing a
water change between. Read all warnings very carefully on medication and remove any
chemical filter media, turn off UV and ozone and turn off your skimmer. Ensure that you
feed your fish with food high in garlic, such as Spectrum Thera A, the garlic in the blood
of the fish will help repel the parasites. Feed the fish more heavily if they eat to ensure
they have adequate nutrients to fight the disease. If you have a fish that looks very sick
you can give it a freshwater bath, I have saved many fish using this technique. Never
introduce any new fish for 6 week after the white spot has cleared up! Ensure that you
never introduce any new fish to your aquarium, unless your aquarium has been running
perfectly for at least 1 month. Adding fish more regularly then once a month is the main
reason for contracting white spot because of the pathogens life cycle. It also helps to
introduce fish when you have a lower salinity e.g. 1.020. Fish adapt better to changes in
salinity if it is to lower than if it is higher salinities. Using a UV sterilizer, ozone and pre-
quarantining fish can also really help reduce the risk of white spot. Check that the new
fish are not being bullied by the old fish as this increased stress will contribute to white
spot.
Page 74
PROBLEM AND SOLUTION FOR WITH WHITE POX ON THE

BODY IN A POND!
Real life problem and solution Background Problems
The kH level is zero and it needs to be at least 4-8dKH, due to
the kH level in tap water now being zero.
The fish are breaking out in white pox spot.
There is no salt added.
The fish are over fed with low quality foods.
The filter is not cleaned regularly.
There is no surface agitation except for the filter.
Over time the fish have breed and grown so they need a larger capacity. Lately the filter
has not been regularly cleaned which will lead to a decrease capacity. Suggestions 1.
Raise kH level to 6-8 using kH generator daily till the level is correct. To test kH add one
drop at a time in a kH kit and shake until colour changes from blue to yellow. Dont
count the first drop or when it goes green. The number of drops equals the number of
dKH. 2. Add an anti bacteria medication such as Melafix daily till good. 3. 1g per litre
salt should bee added any time water is removed. This low level will increase immune
systems and not effect equipment or plants. 4. Ensure the filter is back-wasted every 2-
4 weeks and totally cleaned out every quarter using water from the pond never tap
water; chlorine will kill the good bacteria in the filter. You dont have to get it very clean
you just have to ensure that the water can pass through the sponge freely. 5. Stop
feeding low quality food, I only suggest Spectrum. Feed what they eat in 30sec twice a
week in winter and up to 4 times per week in summer. If the pond is dirty that fish do not
need any food! 6. Make sure that the surface of the water is as broken as possible to
ensure aeration. Consider adding a fountain or extra pump to increase gas exchange.
Most ponds I visit run inadequate water flow! Conclusion After 2-3 months the fish will
recover to full health!
Page 75
STEPS TO BREEDING FIGHTING FISH BETTA

It is best to start with several females per males. Keep the male
in a small fish tank and keep the females in separate bowls.
When the male is starting to build bubble nests at the surface of
the water and looks ready to breed add the females to the male
all at once. Watch out each day for eggs in the nest, when you
see the eggs among the bubbles in the bubble nest remove the
females and put them back in their bowls. It is normal for the male to act aggressively to
the females this is why it is so good to have several females per male, to stop them
from being bashed up. The numbers disperse the aggression. The male will look after
the eggs; about 3 days after the fry hatch remove the male too, because he may start to
eat the fry after this time. Crush spectrum grow in your finger to create a paste to feed
the young 4 times a day. Install an ammonia alert on the tank to see if you are over
feeding the fish. The only filtration I would use is a strip of poly-filter and/or a sponge
filter.
Page 76
LOOKING AFTER LAND HERMIT CRABS

These interesting little animals make great pets for kids; they are
easy to keep, they get along well with each other and can be
handled by the kids. Handling the crabs should be limited because it
does stress the animal. They are best kept in an aquarium with
plenty to climb on, over a substrate of kitty litter. The Kitty litter will
help stop the animals from smelling. It is also a good idea to
sprinkle Lysofoss across the bottom of the tank; the special bacteria
in Lysofoss will help to keep the tank clean! Ensure the tank is not kept in direct sunlight
and avoid all extremes of temperature. They will seem to hibernate if the tank is too cold
and will die if it is too hot. There should be a lid on the tank to increase humidity. You
need to provide a shallow bowl of freshwater for them to drink and a shallow bowl of salt
water for them to bath in. Be sure to replace this water at least weekly. Water ager
should be added to any tap water and use natural salt water or salt for marine fish to
make up the saltwater, not regular salts. I find the best food to feed them is New Life
Spectrum pellets. Dry eggshell pieces and cuttlefish bone is a good source of calcium
for them, also feeding fresh fruits and vegetables can be good. Dont handle them when
they are malting because they will be weak and shy. Provide larger shells for them to
move into as they grow. They will hide while they are malting and will grow after they
malt. If there is too much size difference in the animals they can attack each other. They
love to have a little walk around outside the tank as long as it is safe you are watching.
Page 77
HOLIDAYS
What do I do with my fish when I go away on Holidays?
If you are concerned about leaving your tank for any period
of time
Ensure to do a 20% water change about a day before you
leave.
Ensure the pH is correct.
Dont increase stock when you know you are going away, if you wont have time to
observe how they will settle in.
Give the fish a regular feed.
Do not over feed the fish before you go.
If you have a person who can come in every second day and feed the fish be very
strict on how much to feed them.
To show them how much to feed the fish, get an empty ice cube tray and put a little
bit less than you generally feed the tank each day into a single ice cube block (one
for every second day you are away). Keep it in the freezer to ensure the tank does
not get overfed.
If you cant get anyone to feed the tank there are automatic feeders available. Run
the automatic feeder for a number of weeks while you can observe it before you go
away to ensure it is functioning properly. Cheap or faulty automatic feeders will
welcome you home from a great holiday to an ugly sight. Once again, set it for about
half the food you would normally feed.
If you have a reef tank make sure the lights are on timers.
For reef tank there are invert blocks that you can inquire about to feed them,
however I only advise using them if you have non-photosynthetic corals that require
filter feeding.
Close the windows before you go and try not to let the tank be exposed to direct
sunlight while you are away. It may cause high temperature and an unwanted algae
problem that may stress out whoever is looking after the tank or you when you get
back.
Page 78
BLUE/GREEN CHROMIS CARE SHEET

Volume 60lt or more Oxygen High surface agitation with
strong water pumps. Water flow - 14 times per hour water flow
Water quality - pH 8.4, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Temperature 25C,
salinity 1.023 Water changes at least suggest 20% per month.
Biological filter media Marine Pure, because it will not create
nitrate. Mechanical/chemical filter media We suggest Polyfilter
to polish the water. Conditioner Easy-life should be added to
stabilize all new water Feeding New Life Spectrum Thera A maximum of what they
can each in 30sec DVD we suggest you watch the instructional Marine DVD by Paul
Talbot before keeping these fish. Behaviour These fish love to live in groups and love
to be kept in a heavily stocked tank. Introduction Must be acclimatised. Dont
introduce new fish unless that old ones have been healthy for 4 weeks If you are ever
worried about your fish bring a jar of water into Majestic Aquarium and any photos of the
tank and fish, so we can accurately advise you.
Page 79
YELLOW STRIPED CARDINAL CARE SHEET

to polish the water. Conditioner Easy-life should be added to
stabilize all new water Feeding New Life Spectrum Thera A maximum of what they
can each in 30sec DVD we suggest you watch the instructional Marine DVD by Paul
Talbot before keeping these fish. Behaviour These fish are often more active at night,
they love to live in groups and love to be kept in a heavily stocked tank. Introduction
Must be acclimatised. Dont introduce new fish unless that old ones have been healthy
for 4 weeks If you are ever worried about your fish bring a jar of water into Majestic
Aquarium and any photos of the tank and fish, so we can accurately advise you.
Page 80
DAMSEL FISH CARE SHEET

to polish the water. Conditioner Easy-life should be added to stabilize all new water
Feeding New Life Spectrum Thera A maximum of what they can each in 30sec DVD
we suggest you watch the instructional Marine DVD by Paul Talbot before keeping
these fish. Behaviour These fish can be aggressive as they get older and love to live
in groups and love to be kept in a heavily stocked tank. Introduction Must be
acclimatised. Dont introduce new fish unless that old ones have been healthy for 4
weeks If you are ever worried about your fish bring a jar of water into Majestic Aquarium
and any photos of the tank and fish, so we can accurately advise you.
Page 81
GOLDFISH AQUARIUM HINTS

Change 20% of the water per 4 weeks using a gravel
siphon (away from the base of any plants). The use of
products such as Marine Pure filter media and Polyfilter
Never change more than 1/2 of the water at a time as it
can stress the fish. Make sure the new water is the right
temperature before adding it to the aquarium.
fish.
Never add fish that are small enough to fit in the mouth of the biggest fish.
Add 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt per 5lt of tank water.
buff water using kH generator.
test kit.
Catfish such as plecostomus will clean the glass for you if you can add a heater and
run the tank at 25C or you will have to clean the glass weekly with an algae magnet
or aquarium safe sponge. Polyfilter is perfect for cleaning the glass because it will
also remove the algae from the tank, not just move it off the glass.
If you have a heater scavenging Catfish such as Synodontis will help to keep the
bottom clean.
Page 82
Page 83
FIGHTING FISH AQUARIUM HINTS

Change 20% of the water per week. The use of products
such as Marine Pure filter media and Polyfilter will
reduce your need for water changes.
fish.
Never add 2 males together or they will fight.
test kit.
/Place a bit of polyfilter in the filter or in the water of the tank and replace it when it
Page 84
YABBY AQUARIUM HINTS

Never change more than 1/2 of the water at a time as it can
stress the fish. Make sure the new water is the right
Feed a maximum of what they can eat in 5 minutes, ensuring that you can`t see one
spec after that time once every other day, in the morning. If you feed New Life
Spectrum wafer foods, it will reduce waste in the aquarium and enhance fish
fish.
test kit.
Never that the animals out of the water.
When they shed their skin, never remove the skin.
Be wary because they often eat each other and fish.
Page 85
WALKING FISH AQUARIUM HINTS

Feed a maximum of what they can eat in 5 minutes, ensuring that you can`t see one
spec after that time once every other day, in the morning. If you feed New Life
Spectrum wafer foods, it will reduce waste in the aquarium and enhance fish
fish. They also love Fish Treat!
test kit.
Never that the animals out of the water.
If they bit off each others legs they normally grow back.
Never add fish that are small enough to fit in their mouth.
If you place fish with them be wary the fish dont pick off their delicate gills.
Page 86
TURTLE AQUARIUM HINTS

20% of the water per 4 weeks using a gravel siphon (away
from the base of any plants). The use of products such as
Marine Pure filter media and Polyfilter will reduce your
need for water changes.
can stress the fish. Make sure the new water is the right temperature before adding
it to the aquarium.
fish. They also love Fish Treat!
Add 1 teaspoon of Turtle conditioner salt per 5lt of tank water.
Test pH weekly and keep it 7.4 (blue) if ph is green or yellow do water
change and buff water using Turtle kH generator.
test kit. It is advisable to use a calcium block.
Set heater to 25 C.
Ensure you have a UVB turtle globe which does not shine through glass or Perspex.
Ensure the light tube is replaced yearly. Ensure the turtle is able to come of the
water under the light.
Dont expect to see the turtle out of the water when you are home.
Acclimatise any new fish by floating them in their bag in the tank for 30mins before
If you have live plants replace you light tubes yearly and use flourish Excel for CO2
and Flourish for Iron. They love to eat all the plants; it is good food for them!
Page 87
Catfish such as plecostomus will clean the glass for you or you will have to clean the
glass weekly with an algae magnet or aquarium safe sponge. All fish are at risk of
being killed by the turtle. Polyfilter is perfect for cleaning the glass because it will
also remove the algae from the tank, not just move it off the glass.
Scavenging Catfish such as Synodontis will help to keep the bottom clean.
The most successful fish to keep with Turtle is Cichlids. It is never safe!
Aim to get the Turtle into a pond when it out grows the tank.
Fence the pond with a fence 30cm over leaning towards the pond and 30cm under
the ground.
They can live 50 years.
Page 88
SEAHORSE AQUARIUM HINTS

Snails, abalone, hermit crabs, Blennies and Tangs will
clean the glass for you or you will have to clean the glass
weekly with an algae magnet or aquarium safe sponge.
Polyfilter is perfect for cleaning the glass because it will
also remove the algae from the tank, not just move it off the
glass. Algae are a result of elevated phosphate. Use a
phosphate remove, most of the time to reduce algae
problems.
Scavenging cucumbers, urchins and shrimp will help to keep the bottom clean.
Never add fish that will eat all their food.
Change 20% of the water per 4 weeks using a gravel siphon. The use of products
such as Marine Pure filter media and Polyfilter will reduce your need for water
changes.
Never change more than 1/2 of the water at a time as it can stress them. Make sure
the new water is the right temperature and salt level before adding it to the
aquarium.
Feed brine shrimp twice a day.
Ensure salt level is maintained about 1.024.
Test pH weekly and keep it 8.4 if ph is low do water change and buff water using a
kH generator.
test kit.
Best to use R.O water for top ups or add double dose of Easy-life water ager to any
tap water. Add a dose of Easy-life fluid filter media weekly to help stabilise and
balance the water.
Never clean sand in tap water, once it is in an established tank.
Set heater to 25 C.
Be wary of coral that may sting them.
Acclimatise new ones by floating them in their bag in the tank for 30mins before
releasing them into the tank. Add a cup of tank water per 5 minutes to the bag.
Page 89
Page 90
BEARDED DRAGON HINT SHEET

Shopping list
10.0 UVB globe plus fitting
Heat lamp plus fitting
Crickets
Raffy I food
Calcium powder
Enclosure
Desert sand
Thermometer
Thermostat
Feeding dish
Water dish
Feeding tongs
Hide rock
Reptile plants
Rock wall background
Lysophoss Lighting
Bearded dragons require a 10.0 UVB globe to metabolise calcium. Ensure they are
replaced every 9months.
They need a heat lamp for their body to function as they are cold blooded. Food
You must dust their crickets with calcium at least twice a week, to ensure they
receive adequate calcium in their diet.
They are omnivores so they will eat fruit, vegetables, crickets, woodies, mice, Raffy
I, pellets and dry food.
Do not feed anything spicy. Housing
Juvenile Beardys are best to be kept in a smallish cage, so they dont struggle to find
their food and heat sources.
Adult Bearded Dragons require at least a 4ft reptile enclosure.
It is good to house Dragons together, adult males may fight during breeding season.
They are best kept on Desert sand. General Care
You shouldnt let your lizard hibernate during its first winter as they may not survive
the winter sleeping. An adult dragon should hibernate from late April through to
September but you can let them wake up when the weather warms up. They live for
about 10 yrs
They lay between 8-30 eggs per clutch having up to 4 clutches a year
Page 91
They breed from September until January and Babies are available from November
until March.
Page 92
TURTLE HINT SHEET

Shopping list
Crickets
Raffy I food
Calcium powder
Turtle tank
Gravel
Thermometer
Canister filter
Heater
Turtle dock
Feeding tongs
Hide rock
Reptile plants
Lysofoss Lighting
turtles require a 5.0 UVB globe to metabolise calcium. Ensure they are replaced
every 9months.
They need a heat lamp for their body to function as they are cold blooded and to
keep their shell hard Food
You must dust their crickets with calcium at least twice a week, to ensure they
receive adequate calcium in their diet.
Turtles will eat turtle dinner, plants, white bait, Raffy I and small fish.
Do not overfeed as it can lead to fungus. Housing
Juvenile turtles are best to be kept in a smallish tank, so they dont struggle to find
their food and heat sources.
Adult Turtles require at least a 4ft Turtle tank or pond.
It is good to house Turtles together, adult males may fight during breeding season.
General Care
You shouldnt let your turtle hibernate during its first winter as they may not survive
the winter sleeping, you should keep the water at 24C
An adult Turtle should hibernate from late April through to September but you can let
them wake up when the weather warms up
Life-long pets
Page 93
They lay between 8-30 eggs per clutch having up to 1 clutches a year
They breed from September until January.
Page 94
SNAKE HINT SHEET

Shopping list
Frozen mice/rats
Enclosure
Reptile bedding
Thermometer
Thermostat
Water dish
Feeding tongs
Hide rock
Reptile plants
Lysophoss
Snake Handling hook Lighting
Snakes require a 2.0 UVB globe to metabolise calcium. Ensure they are replaced
every 9months.
They need a heat lamp for their body to function as they are cold blooded. Food.
Snakes only need to eat mice, rats or rabbits, they receive everything their body
needs from their food
Do not leave uneaten food in the enclosure Housing
Juvenile are best to be kept in a smallish cage, so they dont struggle to find their
food and heat sources.
Adult snakes require at least a 4ft reptile enclosure.
Snakes are generally best kept alone as feeding time can get dangerous for tank
mates
They are best kept on soft bedding. General Care
You shouldnt let your snake hibernate during its first winter as they may not survive
the winter sleeping. An adult snake should hibernate from late April through to
September but you can let them wake up when the weather warms up.
They lay between 8-30 eggs per clutch having up to 1-2 clutches a year
They breed from September until January and Babies are available from November
until March.
Page 95

Guide to Selecting Easy and Compatible Marine Fish for Beginners

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Question and Answers Types of Fish and other creatures

Mantis Shrimp ............................................................................................................... 64

Some examples of number 2 fish are:

Some examples of number 3 fish are:

DORY AND FRIENDS

THE 10 POINT GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE KOI POND

13 TIPS FOR TANGS!

THE BIG 10 - CORAL REEF FISH FAMILIES!

DISCUS - THE KING OF THE AQUARIUM!

BE CAREFUL WITH DISCUS IN WINTER!

ADDING NEW FISH TO YOUR TANK

DONT INTRODUCE PREDATORS TO PREY

THE FEISTY BUT BEAUTIFUL

THE 12 POINT GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE MALAWI CICHLID

MONITOR THE BOSS OF THE CICHLID AQUARIUM

CICHLID MAINTENANCE SHEET

CICHLID AQUARIUM HINTS

Ensure the tank has adequate surface agitation.

How much do I feed my Fish?

What do you do if a fish goes off its food?

How do you feed live food?

How do you make an algae farm?

SPECTRUM FISH FOOD

WORMS IN THE COMPOST HEAP

Are flatworms really much of a problem?

How do you limit their introduction to the aquarium?

How do you rid a coral of flatworms?

Can you use chemicals to rid flatworm?

What are the advantages of having flatworms?

What are the disadvantages of having flatworms?

QUESTIONS ON FISH HEALTH

FISH BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS

Why is my fish rubbing against the rocks?

Why does my fish hide a lot?

Why does my fish swim erratically?

Why does my fish go crazy when I turn on the light?

Why is my fish floating?

Why do my fish seem to die after a month?

Why do fish get stressed?

Is it safe to use medication?

How do I medicate my tank?

If one fish is sick can I get new fish?

How do you do a Freshwater dip?

What are the white things in my tank?

What are the little worms in my gravel?

Do fins and scales grow back?

Are fish with skin (not scales) more susceptible to decease?

What is the white furry stuff on my fish?

What are the white dots on my fish?

What is the powdery stuff on my fish?

Why have my fish lost its fins?

What is hole in the head disease?

Dont feed too much live food.

Why has the eye of my fish become clouded?

What are the craters on the head of my fish?

Why has my fish developed a deformed spine?

Why has my fish got a hollow belly?

Why have the eyes of my fish bloated up?

Why has my fish changed colour?

Why has my fish got a bloated belly?

Why has my fish got protruding scale with a bloated belly?

How do you identify Velvet? (saltwater-Oomdinium)