Q. Recently, I bought an orangey-red jingang luo han that is about two to three inches long. When I brought the fish home, it looked fine. However, it developed white spots on its body two days later. After I treated it with medication, its condition improved. A few days later, however, little dark patches appeared on its body, and its head as well. 1. Why did dark patches develop on its body? The black pigment in the fish is unstable. Otherwise, it would not morph into the yellow/red fish in its later life. The instability in the gradation of grey color is much more apparent in this species, as compared to others. 2. How would I know whether the fish is sick or not? Healthy fish feed voraciously, and their excrement is solid and expelled in short segments. The fish is not afraid to swim up to you and “beg” for food. A newly bought fish is unlikely to display such characteristics. The aquariums in the shops are not always kept in tiptop condition. Also, the fish may be stressed when it is put into a new environment. In most cases, the new owner, like yourself, has to nurse the fish back to tiptop health during the first month.

Many koi hobbyists, beginners, breeders, and keepers face problems such as polluted water and disease with their ponds. As a fish hobbyist, I would like to shed light on bio-restoration filtration systems and media that can help combat pollution in man-made ponds. It All About Filtration It is important that the size of your filter is at least 10% to 15% of your pond surface area, not the total volume of water. You must also have a surface outlet to skim off floating particles and ammonia acid. There are three types of filtration media used in closed system culturing: Biological (coral chip, cockle shell, oyster shell, volcanic rock, bio-ball); Mechanical (plastic sponge, filter mat, filter brush, fishing nylon net); and Chemical (charcoal, zeolite, bio-ring, etc.). Some filters are place above the ground or on the same level as the pond, while others are place in the pond. Mechanical and biological filters work well in any environment, though mechanical filters generally need more attention. Biological filtration is the most important, and is defined as the mineralization of organic nitrogenous compounds, nitrification, and de-nitrification by bacteria suspended in water and attached to the gravel bed. The three stages make up the nitrogen cycle. Though the mechanisms in nature and captivity are the same, the effects are not. The natural dispersal of animals in the wild, as a means of overcoming environmental stress, cannot be duplicated in captivity. Captive animals are at the mercy of their limited environment. Optimizing Filtration Effectiveness Nitrifiers in the filter bed are a hundred times as plentiful as those suspended in water, showing the importance of available surfaces for bacterial attachment in nitrification. Gravel grains provide the greatest surface area in a filter system. Volcanic stone, made of mud, is highly effective, and also makes a natural habitat for bacteria to cultivate and multiply. Other biological media are acceptable, but depend on accumulated debris for additional surface area. If the filter media gets clogged up, washing it will only kill most of the bacteria, which accomplishes 25 percent of nitrification

Q. Nearly all the fish in my aquarium have perished due to an unidentified ailment. How do I ensure that the new fish I introduce into the tank will not get infected with whatever disease or diseases my fish had died from? Unintentional introduction of toxic matter, infestation of parasites or equipment failure could have been the cause of the problem. To prevent other fish from being infected, do a general cleaning or overhaul of the entire aquarium before restocking it. 8 Steps To Overhauling An aquarium Prepare a bucket of fresh water to house the surviving fish while you are cleaning the tank. Treat the water to obtain the right composition and temperature. Aerate the water if you are overhauling a large tank as this could take some time. Gently catch all the fish and place them in the bucket of water. If the fish look as if they are ailing, temporarily keep them in a hospital tank. Place any aquatic plants and decorative items in a separate container and rinse them thoroughly under running water to remove dirt, algae, or any contaminant. Siphon off the water from the tank. Place rocks, gravel, or other substrate in another container and rinse these too. Substrate that has been heavily contaminated should not be re-used. Otherwise, rinse the material well and dry it in the sun to kill harmful microorganisms and parasites. Alternatively, check with your aquarium dealer for any available treatment products to clean the gravel or substrate material.

The new D-D NanoScope makes it easy to view corals, coral pests and small benthic marine creatures. The modern reef aquarium is an enclosed eco system in miniature that with good husbandry replicates a natural coral reef enviroment and as such ‘lives’. Many of the life forms that call our reef tanks home are far too small to see with the naked eye and often go unnoticed. The NanoScope allows the hobbyist to venture into this hidden world and observe tiny marine creatures and natural feeding behaviours of corals. This can give better understanding of long term coral care and how micro fauna can influence the over all health of our systems. Within the last few years hobbyists have also been made aware of various coral pests that can plague a reef tank and quickly decimate coral stocks. These tiny creatures are often no more than the size of a pin head and are easily missed resulting in misdiagnosis and the hobbyist blaming the losses on their own husbandry. When armed with the D-D Nanoscope hobbyists can identify coral predators such as: • SPS Red bugs • Montipora eating Nudibranch • Zoanthid Spiders • Clam eating Pyramid snails • Zoanthid eating Sundial snails • Soft coral eating Nudibranch • SPS eating Flatworms to name but a few. The NanoScope can also be used to diagnose early symptoms of disease in corals that can initiate Necrotic loss of tissue. With careful use images and video can also be taken through the NanoScope using a mobile phone capable of auto focus. The images can be invaluable for online diagnosis or identification of unknown creatures. This video was embedded using the YouTuber plugin by Roy Tanck . Adobe Flash Player is required to view the video. This youtube video was taken by carefully holding a mobile phone to the NanoScopes eye piece whilst the NanoScope was mounted to the glass via the included flexible mount! D-D NanoScope is now available at our eStore at a great price for looking closer to the marine life forms!

It is relatively easy to find a supply of O.bicirrhosum a.k.a. Silver Arowana or Dragon fish. However, you should ensure that the specimen you pick out is settled (that is, not freshly imported), and that the fish is feeding well. On the other hand, the dragon fish are a protected species. This means that safe of these fish in most parts of the world is being banned. Some countries have been granted special permission to sell them, as they are captive-bred and therefore not a threat to the wild population. There are many varieties of dragon fish, each of which many command a different price. The most common variety is the “Green” dragon fish, whilst the most revered are the “Red”, “Axanthic” and “Albino”. Always ensure you buy fish from a reputable source. Some suppliers have known to use unethical methods to improve coloration. These methods include blinding, exposure to sunlight and the use of hormones. A reputable supplier employs bloodline control and careful selection techniques to ensure that the coloration is true and that it will remain as the fish grows. Introducing Arowana to the Aquarium Once you have selected your arowana, it must be properly introduced to the aquarium to ensure its survival. Float the bag containing the fish on the surface for about 15 minutes to get it regulated to the temperature in the tank. Then, slowly fill the bag up with water from the tank over a period of 45 minutes. This will allow the fish to adjust to the water chemistry in the aquarium. Shock brought about by temperature fluctuation, hardness and acidity can cause stress or even worse, sudden death. Do not feed your new fish for at least three days to reduce its expenditure of energy in combating stress; it is also a good idea to leave the aquarium lights off for a day or two. Some dragon fish breeders recommend that a temperature of 30 deg C be maintained for the fist week or so, in order to reduce the chances of bacterial infection. Alternatively, you can add a general anti-bacterial remedy to the aquarium.

Some fishkeepers are proponents of the “perfectly balanced tank” theory, where the number of fish, number of plants, level of light, exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and quality of filters are all in ideal equilibrium so the water in the tank never needs changing, only topping up to replace what is lost through evaporation. Few hobbyists, however, can attain that equilibrium without the perfect environment, perfect equipment, and years of expertise. Most of us find that dust gets into the tanks, algae keeps growing, plants not unexpectedly, fish develop diseases, and the water just goes off. The simple fact is, aquariums need regular maintenance. However, the maintenance itself must be balanced. Clean too often and the fish will be stressed; clean too little and they could die from the build-up of toxins. The General Rules About Aquarium Maintenance Big vs Small Tank: Larger tanks are more stable and easier to maintain because the water gets polluted less quickly, and external temperature changes do not affect them as rapidly as they do a smaller aquarium. A bigger tank usual offers more liters of water per fish, so waste matter and uneaten food do not poison the water as fast. Do not overcrowd the tank, or the advantage of a bigger container will be lost. Leave Filter Material: A clean tank is good, but one that is made to clean, filter included, will be deprived of the good bacteria that help to break down toxins from waste matter. Always leave behind a little of the filter material when changing it so the good bacteria colonies can carry on their work. Polish The Tank: Tanks that are scratched will accumulate dirt in the rough areas easily, and be hard to clean. If possible, polish off scratches from acrylic tanks and see if roughened sections of glass can be smoothed. This means removing all the fish and plants first, so it’s best to keep such maintenance to a minimum. Tank Position: Algae grows swiftly in sunlight. While a few sucker fish can eat the algae, they rarely consume enough to clear the tank walls. A little cleaning is still in order. Position the tank so it does not get too much direct sunlight. Size vs Volume: Your fish may not be living happily in their aquarium if they have grown bigger since you acquired them, you have added to their numbers, or they have reproduced. If the ration of inches of fish to volume of water is more than is not healthy for them, you’ll need a bigger tank for all, or an additional tank to house half the fish

The common name “arowana” is used to refer to any one of seven species of an ancient order of fish called the “bony tongues” (suborder Osteoglossoidel). They are so named because of the bony plates found on the floor of their mouths. The plate is pressed against the teeth in the roof of the the mouth when the fish captures and processes food. These prehistoric-looking fish are found in South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The Arapaima gigas, one of the world’s largest freshwater fish, also belongs to this group. This huge predatory fish lives in the Amazon and can grow up to four-and-a-half meters long. The most common species kept in aquariums around the whole is the Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (South America arowana), whilst the most impressive is the Scleropages formosus (Asian arowana or dragon fish). According to Chinese mythology, the dragon fish can bring good luck and business success to its owners, as well as ward off evil. Both these species have large barbells on their bottom lips to help detect prey wriggling at the surface. Another interesting fact about these fish is that they brood their eggs and young in their mouths to prevent their being eaten by predators. The fry are released to fend for themselves when they have grown to a reasonable size. Mouth-brooding is practiced by mate O. bicimhosum may grow up to over a meter in length while the dragon fish normally grows up to approximately 90cm. Thus, the minimum length of an aquarium for adult fish should be at least 150cm long. Maintaining good water quality is important, so it is essential to have a powerful filter. Reasonably strong water currents and good aeration are also conditions favorable for O. bicimhosum. The dragon fish also needs good filtration, but the amount of water movement created by the filter and airstone must not be too great.

Finally arrived in Singapore. Taking the saltwater world by storm is the new led powered JBJ 28gal nano cube fish tank! The New 28 gallon led Powered Nano Cube – ADVANCED FEATURES : LED Illumination that is uberbright High intensity LED lighting offers the ability to dramatically increase PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) which designates the spectral range from 400-700 nanometers for the growth of photosynthetic organisms while lowering energy input. Time to Change Lamps? Impressive 50,000 hour lifespan with a 30% reduction in output. You won’t need to change the led lamps for at least 10 years* Based on 10 hours a day Going Green Safely LEDs do not produce any ultra-violet radiation that is harmful for living organisms and do not contain any toxic mercury that is harmful for the environment unlike metal Halide or Sodium Mecury aquarium bulbs. These solid state components are extremely durable and prevent accidental lamp breakage through handling associated with fluorescents. Consuming less energy puts less greenhouse gas emissions into our surroundings…. Beautifully Efficient The 89 watt 28 gallon LED powered JBJ aquarium is the perfect nano cube system that provides comparable PAR output to our 150 watt HQI – 14K canopy system, while consuming approximately 40% less energy.. Enjoy the mesmerizing shimmering of all 3 light cycles generally only found in nature. Since LEDs turn on to full brightness without having to warm up, you can instantly light up your aquariums without the wait. These revolutionary diodes radiate heat upwards and away from the water to reduce unwanted heat transfer that can be detrimental for aquarium livestock. For a limited period promotion till 31 August 2010, this complete set comes with freebies and is going at a great price for only SGD 1080. Click HERE  for further details!

Back in the 70’s it seen every household I visited had a container of fish of some sort. Guppies caught from banks and popped into bowls, angelfish purchased from run-down aquariums in the neighborhood and housed in algae-coated tanks, and Siamese fighting fish kept individually in old jam and cookie jars. During those days, folks were generally very economical, making do with what came to hand. I remember how thrilled I was when my best friend’s mum gave me an old-fashioned goldfish bowl, because it was so much larger than the jars I kept guppies in. “How big is it?” I asked my friend over the phone, and her mum conveyed the message back to me: “As big as your head.” That was something! Now, of course, most fish hobbyists have cash to spare, and a hundred times as many specialty shops to get equipment from. There’s no more excuse for keeping your poor finned friends in stained plastic cookie containers. Glass vs. Acrylic Fish Tanks Glass Fish Tank: As tank material, glass is clear, easy to clean, and does not scratch too easily. Perfectly clean all-glass aquariums have a pristine beauty. However, glass is heavy, and breaks and cracks easily. While it does not accumulate scratches like acrylic does, once it is scratched, the damage is not easy to disguise. Most rectangular glass tanks are joined along the edges with sealants like silicone. If the sealant deteriorates, they may leak. Round tanks avoid this risk, but depending on the quality of glass used, the curve may distort your view of the fish. Rectangular tanks consisting of glass sheets slotted into a metal frame used to b popular because it was easy to replace a cracked sheet without having to buy a whole new tank. But they were prone to springing leaks especially when moved and are seldom used by ornamental fishkeepers now. Acrylic Fish Tank: Acrylic is lighter than glass, and does not crack or break as easily, but it is prone to scratching. Scratches will obscure your view and make it harder to get the sides clean. With some acrylic, it is possible to polish the scratches away, but not always. Other Materials Fish Tank: Stone, fiberglass and other materials are available, primarily for indoor and outdoor ponds.

Goldfish are perhaps the most popular aquarium fish in the world, and a species most first-time fish hobbyists start off with. Their bold colors, gracefulness and gentle demeanor have endeared them to people of different generation, and they are ideal pets for children as they are relatively easy to care for. History of the Goldfish The goldfish, Carassius auratus auratus, is native to China and Central Asia. In the wild, they are a natural brown/silvery color, unlike the brightly colored varieties we are accustomed to. Occasionally, a slightly unusual individual—for instance, one that is white or orange—such oddities that captured the interest of early fish hobbyist. The earliest reliable records relating to goldfish being kept as pets dated back to the Sung dynasty in China (around 1,000AD), although varieties in these “strange” colors had been noted much earlier (around 300AD). The Chinese embraced these fish as part of their culture, and set about intensifying their colors through selective breeding. By the end of the 13th century, gold, silver, red, black and mottled species were established. Subsequently, over the centuries, the Chinese, Japanese, Americans and Europeans went on to develop the vast array of colors and shapes prevalent today. Varieties Of Goldfish There are far too many varieties of goldfish to specify, but it is worth distinguishing between “fancy” and “ordinary” varieties. Fancy goldfish, such as the Black Moor or Oranda, generally have unnatural body shapes and finnage. They are ideal for indoor aquaria, but do not fare well outdoors, where they may have difficulty coping with the elements. Ordinary goldfish, which include Shubunkins and Comets, have more normal body shapes, but their fins may stall be ornate. These fish can be kept indoors or outdoors. It is wiser not to keep fancy and ordinary goldfish varieties in the same aquarium, as the former tend to be overshadowed by their more agile tank mates. The body shapes of some fancy goldfish could be also give the impression that they are mature females ready to spawn, subjecting them to constant harassment by the other fish. Fun Fact about Goldfish: Goldfish need the same care as other fish, and do not like being kept in unfiltered aquariums.