In previous article, stressed-out fish: understand where the stress begins , I explained why almost all fishes in the aquarium store are stressed-out. Since you can’t do much about the fact that they are being transported from one location to another, what you could do is to minimize your fish stress level when you brought them home. How Do You Know If Your Fish Are Stress There are many stress signals to indicate that your fish are stressed. Generally, if your fish don’t look happy, they’re probably stressed-out! You’ll know your fish are stressed when they act abnormally. Once you’ve kept fish for some time, you’ll be able to tell how each species behaves. You may even be able to tell individual fish apart and discern their idiosyncrasies. Of course, there are vast differences in different species. While some fish tend to stay near the water surface, others feel more at home near the base of the tank. And while some active souls are continuously finning from place to place, others prefer a quieter, more placid existence. These differences make it all the more interesting to watch your pet fish. But it also means having to keep a close watch on your fish to see if they are acting out of the ordinary. What Are The Common Fish Stress Signals There are various common symptoms of fish stress. Here are some common warning signs to look out for: Not Eating Well: One big danger sign is when your fish refuses or becomes unenthusiastic about food. The most possible causes are: Your fish could be ill or getting bullied by other aggressive inhabitants. It could also mean there isn’t enough cover for it to feel safe to swim about and eat unhindered. Wounds: Another clear sign of stress is when your fish has ragged fins or open wounds that do not heal. Small cuts normally heal quickly. If they don’t, it’s a sign that the fish’s immune system is being suppressed by high stress.

Q: As I understand that the function of carbon in a filtration system is to remove toxic substances. On the same thought, it also removes any medication that has been added to the water. If so, is there a substitute for carbon that will not remove the medication? Carbon filtration is carried out to remove the unpleasant fishy smell from the aquarium. The carbon absorbs all the substances and smell passing through it. The carbon will also absorb chemicals from the medication. As such, your medicine will lose much of its effectiveness. Ceramic Ring, The Better Option What you could do is change your filtration system by using other filter materials such as lava rock or ceramic ring . This will minimize the amount of medication being removed through your carbon filtration system. Tips on How To Maintain A Proper Filtration System Are You Making Routine Water Changes Easy and Enjoyable? The Various Types Of Aquarium Filter And Their Functions If you are thinking of setting up a Marine Aquarium… What Types of Aquarium Filter is Best for my Tank? Does Your Aquarium Have The Right Temperature, pH, Oxygen, and Toxicity Levels? How To Care For Fry To Enhance Their Survival Rate What Are The Common Aquarium Terms You Need To Know – Part 6 Which Type Of Aquarium Filter Is Best For Luohan?

Species name: Carassius auratus Common names: Jikin goldfish Family: Cyprinidae Order: Cypriniformes Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) Maximum length: 9 inch (25 cm) Minimum tank size: 50 gallon for an adult specimen Hardiness : Easy to medium Aggressiveness: May nip at fins. Will eat fish that can fit in it’s mouth. Distribution: Central Asia, China, Japan Diet: Omnivore. In the wild, they feed on a wide range of food including plants, small crustaceans, insects, and detritus. In captivity, they will accept most aquarium food including pellets, flakes, and live prey such as worms. Additional information: Despite being one of the most beautiful fish for the freshwater aquarium the jikin goldfish is the rarest and this stunning creature is extremely sought after by aquarists everywhere. A member of the carp family the species was bred from the wakin goldfish in the Nagoya region of Japan more than 100 years ago and is a designated ‘national treasure’ of the country. Also known as the peacock-tail goldfish its most outstanding feature is its caudal fin (tail), which has four lobes and which, when the fish is viewed from behind, form an ‘X.’ It has a short, slim, slightly oval-shaped body, similar to that of the common goldfish, and an indented dorsal fin. The body of the jikin goldfish is a dazzling white color and its lips, gill covers and fins, including its spectacular caudal fin, are bright red. However, as with all goldfish there are variants of the species and some fish are born with occasional red scales on the body. But perfect white fish are so highly prized by aquarists, and are so difficult to breed, that when these red-scaled variants are only a few months old the red scales are painstakingly removed with tweezers or are bleached using oxalic acid. Both of these methods are safe and leave the fish unharmed. Goldfish are notoriously difficult to sex and the jikin is no exception, but it is possible to tell the difference between male and female fish when they are roughly 4 inches/10 centimeters in length and have reached sexual maturity. Between May and early July, when the fish are engaged in courtship, females will become heavy with eggs and their male counterparts will develop white nodules around the head and gill area. These nodules are called breeding tubercles and they can look like white-spot except that they will not spread out beyond the head area. An aquarium with a minimum capacity volume of 50 gallon is needed to house the jikin goldfish as adult specimens will grow to 9 inches (25 centimeters) in length. It is a hardy fish but is less cold-tolerant than many other species of goldfish and prefers water with a constant temperature of 25°C (degrees Celsius), and a pH value between 6.5 and 8.5. The jikin is suitable for a ‘community tank’ where it will happily mix with most other species of goldfish. However, it is a strong swimmer and should not be placed in an aquarium with less powerful fish such as the telescope-eye goldfish or the bubble-eye goldfish as these will struggle to compete with the jikin for food. Also, the jikin goldfish favors an aquarium which has lots of aquatic plants where it can shelter.

Species name: Carassius auratus Common names: Bubble-Eye Goldfish, Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish Family: Cyprinidae Order: Cypriniformes Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) Maximum length: 6 in (15 cm). Minimum tank size: 50 gallon for an adult specimen Hardiness : Easy to medium Aggressiveness: May nip at fins. Will eat fish that can fit in it’s mouth. Distribution: Central Asia, China, Japan Diet: Omnivore. In the wild, they feed on a wide range of food including plants, small crustaceans, insects, and detritus. In captivity, they will accept most aquarium food including pellets, flakes, and live prey such as worms. Additional information: The Bubble-Eye Goldfish (Carassius auratus) is also known as the Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish. It is a member of the carp family and originates from Asia and China. These amazing fish inhabit slow moving and stagnant waters, such as lakes, ponds, rivers and ditches, where they feed on insects, small crustaceans, plants and detritus (decaying animal and plant matter). The Bubble-Eye was actually developed in China, and its unusual shape is the result of many years of selective breeding. Appearance The Bubble-Eye can easily be recognised by its upturned eyes and the fluid sacs beneath them. It has an egg-shaped body and a double tail, but no dorsal fin. The fluid-filled sacs can, however, burst easily if they get caught on sharp objects within the tank. A damaged sac will eventually grow back again, but will most likely be misshapen or scarred. The Bubble-Eye can grow to around 15cm/6inches in length and can be found in a variety of different colours, including gold, red, chocolate, red/white and even black. It is relatively easy to sex the Bubble-Eye, as during the breeding season the males develop tiny raised white spots (known as tubercles) on their heads, gill covers and pectoral fins. The females will become fatter when they are carrying eggs. Tank requirements In the correct conditions, fancy goldfish can grow quite large and are therefore not really suitable for small aquariums