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Koi Herpes Virus - The Deadly Disease

Sunday, September 23rd, 2007

Koi Herpes Virus short for KHV is a deadly virus , which can cause 80-100 percent mortality in common carp. The first outbreak of Koi Herpes Virus was reported in 1998 and confirmed in 1999 in Israel. Since then, other cases have been confirmed in the United States, Europe and Asia as well.

The signs of KHV often non-specific. You need to monitor your Koi Fish, if your Koi remains near the surface, swims lethargically, exhibits respiratory distress, has gill lesions, has gill mottling with red and white patches, bleeding gills, has sunken eyes, pale patches or blisters on the skin and uncoordinated swimming. The KHV seems to spread in the same ways as most herpes viruses: direct contact with infected fish, with fluids from infected fish, and/or with water or mud from infected systems. Once a fish has been exposed to the virus, it will always be a carrier. There is no known cure for Koi Herpes Virus. Mortality related to Koi Herpes Virus typically occurs between 18°C and 27°C. Almost no mortalities occur below 18°C, and there has been no reported occurrence of the disease above 30°C.

How do you know your Koi Fish has KHV? You need the assistance of a fish health specialist and a fish disease diagnostic laboratory. There are direct and indirect methods.

Direct methods include: virus isolation and identification (it means growing the virus or not) and PCR techniques (it means testing for the presence of KHV genes).
Indirect tests for KHV include ELISA testing, which looks for antibodies produced by the fish against the herpes virus These testing method can give proof that a fish was infected with KHV. This indirect test cannot determine if the fish is still infected with virus, so it is not recommended as a primary diagnostic tool.

As I mentioned there is no known treatment for KHV and the mortality is very high. If your Koi fish have been diagnosed with Koi Herpes Virus unfortunately, you have not got other choice than depopulation (it means eliminating the entire population). This approach should be followed by disinfection of all materials and systems that have contacted the infected fish.

You can find free information and pictures about Koi Fish at Koi site.

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Aquarium Test Kits; What They Are Used For and Their Importance for Freshwater and Saltwater

Saturday, August 4th, 2007

It is always best to have as many different test kits as you can afford (as they apply to either freshwater or saltwater

I prefer to purchase my test kits separately as most master test kits duplicate test I do not need (high range and low range ph) and leave out ones I need such as kH and GH, or possibly Phosphate, Calcium, or Redox

Here is a list of FRESHWATER Test Kits, what they are for and in order of importance:

[1] Ammonia Test Kit; Ammonia is very toxic even at low levels, should be kept at or near 0. Ammonia test kits cannot discern between highly toxic ammonia (NH4) and only slightly toxic ammonium (NH3). Products such as Prime , Ammolock, and Amquel will convert NH4 to NH3, so your toxic ammonia level will not test accurately after using one of these products. Ammonium (NH3) will convert to NH4 at higher pH levels, which why high ammonia levels as per test are much more toxic at higher pH.

[2] kH & GH Test Kit; you will notice I placed this above a pH test Kit, this due to the fact that a poor kH will make keeping a stable pH nearly impossible. Also Calcium (as tested in GH) is more important to fish health than many aquarists give credit.

*You want to maintain a KH & GH of around 60 ppm (around 2-3 dKH & dGH) for Discus, Rams, Cardinals, and other Amazon fish.

*A KH & GH of 80 -100 for most tropical fish including Gouramis, Bettas, Angelfish, ECT.

*A KH & GH of 100-200 for Goldfish, mollies, Platties, Guppies, ECT.

*A KH & GH of over 200 for Rift Lakes African Cichlids and Brackish fish such as Monos and Scats.

For more information about Calcium and Magnesium, see my article: “Calcium, KH, and Magnesium in aquariums; How to maintain a Proper KH, why calcium and electrolytes are important”.

[3] pH High Range OR Low Range Test Kit; you should only need one or the other based on the type of aquarium you keep.
Does not stress over being exact about pH, as too of many aquarists go WAY overboard here! For example Discus generally do best around 6.5, however I know breeders of Discus using water with a pH well over 7.0

I recommend a High Range Test Kit for Goldfish and livebearers which should have a targeted pH of about 7.5-7.8. Rift Lake African cichlids should have a pH of over 8.0
I recommend a Low Range Test Kit for general community freshwater fish (6.8- 7.4) or Amazon River fish (under 6.8)

[4] Nitrate Test Kit; this test is important to know when to change your water (along with KH), as well as how well your general long term tank health is going. Nitrates will also show you how well your plants are consuming nitrogenous nutrients, and if you are vacuuming the aquarium properly such as removing all the mulm. Some filters such as Under Gravel in particular, and Wet Dry and Canister filters can become nitrate factories if not taken care of properly.
For most freshwater fish a nitrate level under 40 ppm is correct or above 15 ppm for planted aquariums.

[4] Nitrite Test Kit; you will notice I put it last, not because it is not important, only that if budget is a concern or time for testing is a factor, this parameter mirrors ammonia often within hours or days. Nitrite should be at or near 0.

[5] Phosphate Test Kit; generally only necessary in planted aquariums where large amounts of ‘ferts’ (fertilizer) are added or if you have uncontrollable algae growth. This test kit is often more important for ponds where rain water can wash debris with high phosphate content into the pond.
Your aquarium (or pond) should have phosphate levels as close to 0 as possible.

[6] Redox Meter; generally this water parameter will take of itself provided you perform proper aquarium husbandry including, regular water changes with properly ionized water, you maintain a GH and KH level of at least 50 ppm (I find 80 ppm better). This said, this is a good parameter to check if you are having problems with Cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae) or if you are having unexplained problems and every other test is correct (providing you do not have an unknown disease). I recommend every aquarist be at least familiar with the Redox Potential, here is an in depth article about aquarium Redox: “The Redox Potential in Aquariums (& Ponds) and how it relates to proper aquatic health”.

You can use Methylene Blue according to standard dosage to your aquarium water (remove the water for this test), and it stays a brilliant blue, you probably have a positive Redox. If the color dissipates at all (even the slightest) you probably have a reducing number. This test in no way replaces the accuracy of Redox meter, but it is a simple way to get a handle on your aquariums Redox health.
Your aquarium Redox should be around -300 mV.

SALTWATER;

The list remains similar and I will bypass descriptions that are in common with freshwater test kits.

[1] Ammonia Test Kit; this should be 0 as in FW

[2] KH Test Kit; you do not need a GH Test Kit for saltwater. KH (or alkalinity as is called in marine aquariums) should be over 240 ppm (13 dKH)

[3] PH High Range Test Kit; your pH should be between 8.2 - 8.4

[4] Hydrometer; this instrument tests the specific gravity of aquarium water (in simple terms the amount of salts). There are two types; the floating glass hydrometers which are more fragile, but also more accurate or the simple needle hydrometer that you fill with water. It is important with both types of hydrometers to clean these with white vinegar (then rinse thoroughly) to prevent hard water buildup which will then cause inaccurate readings.

[4] Nitrate Test Kit; Nitrates are best under 40 for marine fish aquariums and under 20 (even less if possible) for reef aquariums

[5] Calcium Test Kit; this takes the place of the GH Test Kit in freshwater.
Calcium is important to ALL marine life (this includes freshwater too as it is often sadly overlooked), however it is absolutely essential for proper coral growth in marine aquariums. Bio-availability is also essential, Sea Chem Reef Calcium Polygluconate is probably one of the best, most bio-available calcium supplements available for marine aquariums.
Your marine Calcium levels should be between 400-450 ppm

[6] Nitrite Test Kit; this should be 0 as in FW

[7] Magnesium Test Kit; Magnesium is an essential part of chlorophyll, which is necessary for photosynthesis, plants, including algae and the corals. Maintaining a correct magnesium concentration is very important, and is indirectly responsible for fast coral and calcareous algae growth by virtue of making the maintenance of correct calcium and alkalinity figures possible. Magnesium is depleted by algae and by the use of excessive Kalkwasser. Magnesium is what binds Calcium Carbonate in solution, if levels are low useable calcium levels will also drop. Poor choices of Marine Buffers can further exasperate this problem, this why I STRONGLY recommend Sea Chem Marine Buffer for adjusting alkalinity in marine aquariums (and EVEN freshwater aquariums) as this product has Magnesium, Calcium, and sodium bicarbonate in the proper ratios.
Magnesium levels in marine aquariums should be between 1200 and 1400 ppm.

[8] Redox Meter; as in freshwater, I recommend -300 mV, except Redox is more important in marine aquariums.

[9] Phosphate Test Kit; as in freshwater this should near 0. High phosphate levels in marine aquariums can play havoc with the health and growth of live coral (Phosphates can block the absorption of important minerals)

For the Full Article, including pictures and more links, please visit the site in the resource box below.

By Carl Strohmeyer
http://aquarium-answers.blogspot.com/2007/02/aquarium-test-kits.html

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Identification and Treatment of Dropsy in Freshwater Aquarium Fish

Saturday, June 30th, 2007

Question about Dropsy:
I posted about a female Siamese fighting fish (Betta) that appeared to have dropsy a few weeks ago. I treated her twice with Maracyn. After the swelling didn’t
start to go down, but she is still as swollen as she was then, but has not got to the point were her scales have started to protrude? Do you know what else that it could be. She seems buoyant and the swollen cavity appears to be filled by either air, of a clear liquid, when she swims in front of the lights?

Answer:
Have you tried Kanacyn? Maracyn (Erythromycin) is usually not effective for most causes of Dropsy. And dropsy is generally a symptom of something else, sometimes digestive, often kidney related. Because of this, Dropsy can often be very difficult to treat, especially if caught in an advanced case in the fish. What the aquarist often observes is a “pinecone” swelling generally caused by fluid building inside the body cavity, for this reason, reducing this swelling is an important step in effecting a cure.
This said, besides treatment for a possible underlying infection, you want to take steps to remove the swelling.

Here are the steps I would take:

*Change water! (25% should be fine)

*Perform a medicated bath with Methylene Blue. To prepare this bath I use 1 teaspoon 2.303% solution per 5 gallons (double dose) in a bath of aquarium water from the tank the fish you wish to treat came from, I usually use about a ½ gallon of water, however you may use less. Measurement of the Methylene Blue does not need to be precise as this bath should be used for about 30 minutes (although do NOT overdose). Make sure you keep the water in a warm area, as in a cold room the water temperature can drop rapidly which would stress the fish. Do not pour this water back into your display aquarium when finished. This can be performed twice per day.

*Add one tablespoon of regular salt (sodium chloride) per 5 gallons of tank water and ¼ to ½ teaspoon of Epsom salts per 5 gallons of tank water. Add a Wonder Shell or similar product to add needed calcium. What these minerals will do is add electrolytes and change (and improve) the osmotic balance of the fish vs. the surrounding water to hopefully pull fluids thru the body thus reducing swelling.

*Treat tank water with Kanamycin (Kanaplex), or possibly with Neomycin or Nalidixic Acid.

Here is more info about aquarium medications:

Aquarium Medications; treatments, how they work, and which ones to use and not to use

Prevention:

The aeromonas bacteria (that is often present in healthy aquariums) can cause infections that will manifest this way in poor water conditions. So maintaining a healthy aquarium with regular water changes, good filtration (if possible, this is why I see more cases of Dropsy in Betta kept in a bowl), good feeding practices (not over feeding and using quality foods), and maintaining proper water parameters (ammonia and nitrites 0, kH 80 ppm, nitrates under 40 ppm). All this goes a long way in prevention of Dropsy and other diseases.

A proper diet makes a large difference here. Do not feed your fish meat based proteins, I recommend aquatic based proteins such as white fish meal, shrimp or even the proteins found in spirulina algae.

As a basic diet I recommend Sanyu or Hikari Betta Gold (there are many other quality foods as well, although I do not recommend flake foods for bettas as their staple diet)
Poor quality proteins (or better; unusable amino acids for fish) can lead to digestive problems or Renal failure, which can lead to the symptoms of Dropsy.
All proteins are made up of amino acids, some are usable (by fish), and some are not.
Those that are not are disposed of by kidneys in the fish. This can lead to renal failure or infection. For more information about proper nutrition, see this article: “Quality Fish Food; What ingredients are needed for proper fish nutrition, growth and health”. Also always soak all dry foods in water for 5 minutes prior to feeding as this will remove air that can lead to infections of the digestive tract.
I would recommend this as a basic diet for your Betta: Sanyu Betta Gold

For my full article, including pictures and more links, please follow the link in the resource box.

Carl Strohmeyer

http://aquarium-answers.blogspot.com/2006/11/betta-with-dropsy.html

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How To Clean Blood Stains: Effective and Easy Tips

Saturday, May 12th, 2007

When cleaning blood from carpets and upholstery:

1. Immediately spray or douse the stain with straight hydrogen peroxide. Use just enough peroxide to saturate the area.

2. Wait 45 seconds to allow the peroxide to soak into the stain.

3. Use this time to go get some cold water and a washcloth o a few paper towels.

4. Blot the Stain with a dry towel to soak up the blood and peroxide.

5. Don’t rub the stain, only blot to avoid driving the blood deeper into the fabric.

6. Continue to blot until stain is totally gone.

7. Repeat the process if need be.

How to Clean Blood Stains From Clothes:

If the garment has not gone through the dryer first:

1. Spot test garment for color fastness.

2. Rinse the stain with cold water leave in water 5 minute.

3. If stain remains, use straight hydrogen peroxide and rinse the garment immediately with cold water to prevent lightening it.

If the garment has gone through the dryer:

1. Spot test garment for color fastness.

2. Soak stain in hydrogen peroxide for 5 minutes. Don’t use bleach (Like you would)

3. Rince stain with a 50/50 mix of cool water and white vinegar.

4. Air dry garment.

5. Repeat if necessary.

I hope these tips work for you.

As a full time nanny for 3 boys and 6 children (5 boys, 1 girl the youngest of course) the “peroxide” method has worked well for me over the years. I’ve seen a lot of scraped knees and elbows. Using these methods, there has yet been a blood stain that I have not been able to get rid of even with clothes that have gone through the dryer.

Paula is a retired nanny who spends her days surfing the Internet and enjoying the company of her 13 grandkids. More great Environmental Cleaning Tips

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How To Save A Dying Goldfish

Friday, May 11th, 2007

It is sad and frustrating to see your goldfish dying after taking care of it for months. Some will say that it is easier to just replace the goldfish with a new one but it is not as easy as it sounds once you start caring for it - looking at it everyday and treating it like part of your family.

When your goldfish is dying, you can take these steps and try to improve its health. Do these early so that you can save other healthy goldfish from dying as well.

1. Maintain high water quality

Water quality is important for the fish to get back healthy. Make sure that you replace the water in your fishbowl with the new water frequently. You’ll have to make sure that the temperature level is right and chlorine amount in the water is taken care of.

2. Quarantine sick goldfish from healthy ones

Your sick goldfish should be isolated from the remaining healthy goldfish. What you can do is remove the sick gold fish from the crowd (if you have more than one goldfish in the fish tank) and put it in a separate fishbowl. You’ll monitor the progress of the health of this goldfish from this fishbowl. You’ll also want to make sure that the other fish in the tank stay healthy. So, make sure that the water in this tank is also in superb condition.

3. Start the treatment

After isolating the sick goldfish from the other goldfish, you want to see the progress of its health. If the health of this goldfish is improving, then you’ll just maintain the water quality in the fishbowl until the goldfish is ready to join its crowd.

If the goldfish still shows the sign of sickness, put small amount of medicine bit by bit and change half of its fishbowl water everyday. Make sure that the water that you’re replacing is bacteria free. If you are not sure if your water is bacteria free, use drinking water instead.

The tips above can be practiced everyday not just to save your dying goldfish, but also to maintain the health of other goldfish in the fish tank. Give it a try for your healthy goldfish.

Did you find those tips on How To Save A Dying Goldfish useful? You can learn a lot more about how “Goldfish Secrets Revealed” can help you Stop Your Goldfish From Getting Sick Or Dying at http://www.bettafishsecret.com/goldfish today!

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Angelfish

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007

If you have angelfish, or think about keeping them, I just want to tell you about th ethings you’ll need to check on a daily basis.

You see, keeping your angelfish tank clean and disease free is extremely important in keeping healthy, happy and long living angelfish. And if you want to breed angelfish, this is vital.

So what’s the easiest way of keeping your tank clean?

Well, the secret in keeping a clean angelfish tank is this.

You need to get yourself into a routine. And by doing that, you will ensure your angelfish stay healthy and happy.

So keeping angelfish should be a way of life. Make it part of your life, and your angelfish will thrive. Therefore, set aside a certain day and time each week to go through your maintenance routine. And once you get into the habit, you will find that keeping angelfish (and any other tropical fish for that matter) is very easy.

There are a number of tasks that you will need to complete each week to ensure your angelfish are happy and healthy. These include; Daily tasks, weekly tasks, monthly tasks and yearly tasks. I just want to point out some of the daily tasks now. You see, before you add your angelfish, it is a good idea to understand what tasks you will need to perform to keep your angelfish healthy.

So let’s begin by identifying the daily tasks of checking your angelfish.

Of course, you will need to feed your angels every day (2 to 3 times in fact). The amount of food you give them will depend upon how many fish you have. You will get an idea of this over time. As a general rule of thumb, the food you give them should be all eaten up within two minutes.

Another daily task that you will have is to check to see if your angelfish are looking healthy and behaving the way they normally do. A good time to do this is at feeding time. Some signs to look out for include;
- angelfish show their eagerness when they see someone nearby
- at feeding time, they swim back and forth to attract attention
- they will come up to the top of the tank, expecting food
- their physical appearance hasn’t changed

It is important to point out that you need to check that all your angelfish are behaving normally. And the best way to this is by observing your angelfish’s behaviour. Over time you will notice what is normal and what is not.

Check to see if they are all there. If there is one missing, then it may be because it is sick. At this time, you may be able to take action to treat it.

Another daily task for you to do is to check that the filters are working as required, the light is working and that the temperature of the water is close to the ideal temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit or to that which you have set your aquarium heater at. If any of these are not as they should be, then you need to take immediate action to fix them. The water does not need to be tested, but if you suspect that something is not quite right, check it.

These are just some of the tasks you will need to do to make sure your angelfish live a healthy and happy life.

Jamieson Vail has been keeping angelfish for a very long time.

You can read more information about angelfish at www.angelfishrevealed.com

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Euthanizing Aquarium Fish

Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

When to Euthanize:

1. Do you have a reasonable diagnosis for your fish?

As hobbyists, we rarely have access to scientific equipment to help us determine a diagnosis for our sick fish. Most of us aren’t fortunate enough to have a microscope or other necessities to distinguish between bacterial, viral or parasitic infections. In most cases, we make assumptions based on probability. If your fish has a bloated abdomen and the scales are protruding, it is reasonable to assume he has Dropsy, which is rarely curable in tropical fish like Bettas. The degradation of the fish can be quick or slow with Dropsy and the final stages often leave the fish helpless and gasping at the bottom of the tank. Utilize your recourses to come up with a diagnosis. You can try books, the internet, your LFS staff or other hobbyists.

2. Have you exhausted your treatment options?

Few diseases are as straight forward as Dropsy and many can be easily cured with good water conditions and inexpensive over the counter aquarium fish medications. As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to treat your sick fish appropriately. Once you come up with a reasonable diagnosis, treatment is a two part process. First, discover and fix the cause. (Poor water quality is often the culprit) Secondly, treat the illness itself. (antibiotics, antiparasitics, temperature control, etc.) Treatments can take time and effort and let’s not forget that the fish’s own immune system will work to combat disease as well. Most common fish illnesses ARE curable.

3. Does your fish still have the will to live?

Ok, this can be a little tricky to determine. My personal recommendation, take it or leave it, is if the fish tries to allude capture he still has the will to live. If he tries to swim away when you go to net him, then he is still utilizing his fight / flight response. If the fish allows you to scoop him up, he may be too far gone to save. Still, this isn’t 100% confirmation that the fish should be euthanized. I personally have had a Betta splendens that was so sick you could scoop him up with your hand, but because I was too squeamish to euthanize him my only option was to treat for the illness and wait until he succumbed. Remarkably, the Betta recovered fully and lived another year and a half. On the other hand, there have been many that I have been unable to save. This is ultimately your judgment call. Consider the physical state of the fish, the suspected illness and the age of the fish. A two year old Betta may recover fine and live for another two years. A 5 year old Betta is already nearing the end of his natural lifecycle.

How to Humanely Euthanaize a Fish

There area several methods for aquarium fish euthanization frequently utilized by hobbyists but only a handful are considered humane. Unfortunately, some of the methods previously considered humane have decidedly been determined not to be so. Here are a few methods considered to be a safe and humane method for euthanizing fish.

1. MS 222 [Tricaine methanesulfonate]:

MS 222 is frequently used as anesthetic and a sedative for aquatic animals but in larger concentrations is the preferred method for euthanizing aquarium fish. It is approved by the FDA and considered humane by the American Veterinary Medical Association. It can be purchased through your vet or online. A bath with 250 mg of MS 222 per liter of water is adequate. The fish should be bathed for a full 10 minutes to assure death.

2. Benzocaine hydrochloride:

Benzocaine hydrochloride is similar to MS 222 and is a safe and humane method of fish euthanasia. A concentration of 250 mg per liter or more is effective for euthanasia. At this time I am uncertain of availability. Contact your Vet for more information.

3. Eugenol [Clove oil]:

Eugenol, the active ingredient in clove oil, is another sedative that when used in high doses is safe for fish euthanization. It is not approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association but is considered safe and humane by most aquarists. It can be purchased at your local pharmacy or in most health food stores. Being an oil, it does not dissolve in water. Once the oil is added to the water it must be shaken vigorously and the fish should be added immediately before the oil has the chance to separate. Doses greater than .25 ml per liter of water is adequate.

4. Decapitation:
While this can be the most difficult for the fish owner, it is considered humane and is the quickest euthanization method. Using a very sharp knife, detach the head from the spinal cord by cutting directly behind the gills. To avoid stress and discomfort associated with removal from the water, utilizing one of the above mentioned methods for anesthetization may be desirable.

Questionable Methods:

The use of Alka-Seltzer® tablets in water or high concentrations of Ethanol (AKA the Vodka Method) will cause death but it is not known to be free of pain and suffering. It is likely that these methods are humane when dosed properly. At least two tablets of Alka-Seltzer® per liter of water or 30 ml pure grain alcohol per liter of water are the appropriate doses. Because fish frequently react physically to these methods it is unknown what, if anything, they are feeling. Because of this, these methods are considered inferior to the approved methods above.

Unacceptable Methods for Fish Euthanization:

1. Freezer Method:

Dropping your fish into freezing ice water or putting them in the freezer to slowly freeze (hypothermia method) does not quietly put your fish to sleep. In cold blooded animals, it is believed that the formation of ice crystals in the tissue may create discomfort or severe pain. The hypothermia method is never ok. Rapid freezing may be applied only if the fish is deeply anesthetized prior.

2. Flushing:

Flushing your fish down the toilet is not only cruel and inhumane, but it is also illegal. Flushed fish can survive for hours or even days exposed to horrific conditions and toxic water quality. Flushing sick fish can also contaminate your local water shed with aquatic diseases. This method is never appropriate.

3. Boiling:

Dropping your fish into boiling water is painful and does not cause instantaneous death. This method is not approved.

4. Other Methods:

There are dozens of other methods for fish euthanasia circulating among the hobby that are not considered humane. The ethics of euthanasia in general are often debated. If you determine that euthanizing your aquarium fish is necessary, please only consider humane methods that remove all pain and suffering from the equasion.

American Veterinary Medical Association, “2000 Report of teh AVMA Panel on Euthanasia.”JAVMA. Vol 218, No. 5. 2001. www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare

Christie Fournier is webmaster for http://www.Nippyfish.net; a site for the modern Betta enthusiast and Nippyfish: A Betta Blog- Betta splendens general care, illness & disease information, aquaria articles, book & product reviews and more. A place for anyone who loves Siamese Fighting Fish and the aquarium hobby.
Dr. Harms, Craig. “Euthanasia in Fish.” http://www.PetPlace.com publishing date unknown. 12 Feb 2007

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Aquarium Plants - Proper Care - CO2 - Ferts - Substrate - and Lighting

Wednesday, April 11th, 2007

*Proper Lighting:

3-4 watts per gallon is a VERY basic principle, there is a lot more that goes into the equation than this. A couple is the light spectrum and temperature; Photosynthesis takes place at the blue end and even more so at the red end of the Nanometer curve (420 nm blue and 670 nm red). A bulb in the 5500- 6700 K range is generally best for plants. The Lux that reaches the plants is also important.
For MUCH more about lighting, please see my article “AQUARIUM LIGHTING, Kelvin, Nanometers and more”.
Generally around 12 hours per day is best, I recommend using a timer.

*Substrate;

This is provided by a good sandy base and careful cleaning so as to not disturb this. The roots are support symbiotic bacteria that aid in Nitrate assimilation and other processes.
For healthy plants I suggest a substrate of #00 sand mixed with Azoo Plant Grower Bed or Eco Complete about 3-5 cm deep with a layer of #3 gravel on top about 2 cm deep. This combination works well for plant roots, ease of vacuuming the top layer ONLY (where plant roots are), and for better bio filtration. You can substitute Azoo Plant Grower Bed with a sandy top soil (although usually not as good a source of iron), by preparing the soil thus; Gather sandy top soil, add water with a 10/1 bleach solution, mix for a couple of minutes, then rinse (with a de-chlorinator for first rinse) until the water runs relatively clear. The sand that is left is what you mix with your plant roots, please note that although an inexpensive route to go, this ‘homemade plant substrate is not as good as Azoo Plant Grower Bed or Eco-Complete.

Transplant is an important consideration in keeping healthy aquarium plants.
The environment (pH, GH, KH, nutrient mix, light conditions, ECT) are not going to be similar in your aquarium as where his plant was uprooted (without much care I suspect too). Extreme shock and sterile gravel are going to play havoc with the initial transplant in to the aquarium. This shock can last a long period of time (this varies by plant, water environment, and transplant method), after this period the plant will eventually start to grow new leaves and begin to grow.

*Bio Available Carbon (CO2) and a Proper gas exchange:

Reasonable surface agitation where gasses such as Oxygen and CO2 are added/ subtracted from the aquarium (although not violent of agitation) . You can add to the bio available carbon and CO2 levels through a product called , a CO2 generator, or by powdering some Ammo Carb (for carbon and Iron) into a fine powder and gently adding this with finger tips around the plants. The first two methods are more effective though.
This is where there is a lot of misunderstanding, the key is bio available. This why I find the Flourish Excel a useful product as this is bio-available organic carbon.

More About CO2 Units:

As for CO2 generators, there are many ways of going about this; a DIY, a store bought CO2 reactor, or a CO2 bottle unit such as the Sanders Floramat. For newbie’s I find the Sanders model the most foolproof.
I will also note that even though I have used CO2 generators, they are NOT essential (despite the common belief thrown around some plant forums), what they do is act as a fast forward for plant growth. I currently am not using them in my planted aquariums, what I am using are Azoo Plant Grower Bed Sea Chem Flourish Excel, and natural fish wastes.

Before I seem against these units, I am not. I am against misinformation thought both for and also against. One argument against these CO2 units is that running CO2 on planted tanks is not “natural”. This is the same arguments against UV Sterilizers (which I can boldly say I have researched VERY extensively). The aquarium is a closed environment and in this environment it sometimes necessary to use artificial means to achieve certain results such as strong plant growth with CO2 units or disease prevention, healthy Redox, and “unnaturally clear” water with UV Sterilizers. Some plants such as Rotala macrandra are nearly impossible to grow without CO2 Units. CO2 Units also help with “flattening” plant growth within the aquarium where otherwise some plants grow only to the surface with thin stem to seek out CO2 in the air (although good agitation and Sea Chem Flourish Excel will help here as well).
Of coarse there are dangers as well of diffusing too much CO2 into your aquarium, which can be dangerous to your fish, as levels over 25 ppm should be avoided!
You can calculate CO2 levels (which can only be controlled by adding or subtracting CO2 produced by your CO2 unit, not by kH or pH) using this formula:
CO2 (in ppm) = 3 times KH (as measured in degrees of carbonate hardness ONLY, not Phosphates!) times a factor of 10 deviation (+ lower/ - higher) form a PH of 7.0. Example: a KH of 1 with a pH of 6.0 would produce a CO2 level of 30 (1 * 3 * 10 = 30). A KH of 1 with a pH of 8.0 would produce a CO2 level of .3 (1 * 3 * .10 = .3)
For conversion of KH; 17.9 ppm = 1 dKH.

*Proper Nutrients ‘Ferts’:

Plant nutrients include nitrogen and phosphorous from fish food and waste and potassium that we add through the addition of ferts. Some trace elements and iron in very
small amounts can help. The fertilizer can be added to the substrate, water
or both. Another nutrient, carbon comes from CO2 in the atmosphere (again I prefer Sea Chem Flourish Excel).
You will need a Nitrate level between 15-40 ppm, iron (best in the soil, which is where the laterite helps), LOW phosphate levels to help plants compete better with algae, and many other trace elements that should be present from fish waste with a proper feeding regimen.
Some other nutrients can be supplied by products such as Plant Tabs or in the case of trace elements, Wonder Shells.

*Other Factors:

-Good water circulation is important for gas exchange (CO2, Oxygen). Water circulation is also useful to avoid stagnant spots.
-I also recommend algae eating fish to control the inevitable algae. I recommend Otos for small or community tanks or Plecostomus for larger aquariums.
-A pH of between 6.5 and 7.8 works best in my opinion.

For my full article including; many useful links, aquarium plant information and care, please follow the link in my resource box.

By Carl Strohmeyer

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumPlants.html

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The Best Water for Betta Fish

Friday, March 16th, 2007

The Best Water for Tropical Betta Fish

Since tropical water is the normal habitat of the tropical betta fish, it is imperative that certain water be used to maintain your betta fish. This species of tropical fish can be a blessing or a pain if the correct water is not in the tank.

First of all let’s dispel a myth about the best water for your Betta fish. You do not use bottle water. It seems as though some people think that just because you have a unique tropical fish that you have to go out and buy bottle water to create the best possible environment for them by buying the most expensive bottle water on the market.

Bottle water maybe one of the most harmful environment for your tropical Betta fish. Bottle water may contain some harmful chemicals to your tropical Betta fish. Bottle water also does not contain the essential minerals Betta fish need to survive. Also distilled water and purified water should never be use even if you use a filter because it will not contain the minerals needed for your Tropical Betta fish.

This may come as a surprise to many people but plain old tap water is all you need for your Betta fish. If you have been using bottle water you need to switch back to tap water right away. The switch will not harm your fish no matter how long you have been using tap water.

If you have to use bottle water it should be spring water and the following steps below should be followed to get the chemicals out of the water. Most of our drinking water contains chemicals also but the steps below should easily take care of the problem.

1. Since most local water is treated with chemicals you need to find out if it has been treated with chemicals named chloramines. There is special treatment for the chemical chloramines called AmQuel. You can usually find AmQuel readily available in most of your pet stores.

2. You must also treat local tap water because plain tap water will kill your fish. Tap water should be treated with a product named “stress coat” which also readily available in your local pet store.

3. Be sure to follow all the directions according to directions on the package. After treatment there is an ageing process that must take place.
The directions on the packages will advise you how long that process should be. The ageing process allows all the chemicals and gases to evaporate. Most directions say after treatment of the water let it sit in an open container for about a week.

Wattie owns tropical-betta-fish which allows people to learn about
Tropical betta fish

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Aquarium Cleaning Basics

Friday, March 2nd, 2007

I recommend changing 20% of your aquarium water once per week (best) or at least 25%+ once per month (minimum). With good filtration and plants (live rock in marine aquaria), you often can go longer than once per week. Use a de-chlorinator such as Start Right or Prime (Prime also detoxifies ammonia and nitrites) while refilling your aquarium if tap water is used. All de-chlorinators work instantly usually comprised of Sodium Thiosulfate.
Please read more about cleaning frequency further in this article.

Steps:

*Make sure and wipe down the sides of the aquarium with an aquarium scrubber that is used ONLY for the aquarium to avoid contamination. Try and remove unsightly algae and especially any slime or mold (rinse this off in a sink)

*Use this time to change filter media that NEEDS changing, do NOT go overboard and change all media or you risk destroying your aquarium’s bacterial colonies needed for removal of ammonia, nitrites, ECT. HOB filters should have a second filter cartridge either in the filter or in the water column of the aquarium to allow for bacteria to form on this new cartridge before replacing the old one. If your HOB Filter has a sponge, bio grid (such as a VitaLife HOB filter, or bio wheel; you only need to rinse these off in de-chlorinated tap or used tank water and there is no need to prepare a second cartridge before changing the old one.

*At this point you should change your water using a gravel vacuum, siphon, or similar method. For more about methods of water change, please read further in this article.

Frequency (Expanded);
Use these factors to determine frequency:

*Type of fish, such as fish that naturally produce more waste (partly
do to the type of food they eat) such as goldfish where one fish per 8+
gallons is better. Also a large and dirty fish such as an Oscar is another good example.

*Filtration, a properly filtered aquarium (good bio filtration, good mechanical filtration, and good circulation) with multiple filters is important.

*Well maintained water chemistry (including kH and Redox)

*After proper feeding, good cleaning routines (20% water changes with a gravel vacuum once per week or two), proper feeding routines, good filtrations; If after all these are checked off and you still have nitrates that struggle to stay below 40-50 ppm
(20 ppm for saltwater), you probably need to change more water or increase frequency and/or efficiency (especially if there are live plants!). Also a kH and pH that starts out at proper levels, but then drops quickly after water changes and/or addition of stabilizing chemicals or products such as Wonder Shells can indicate poor cleaning routines (as well as other problems such as mulm buildup).

For more about nitrates and the aquarium nitrogen cycle:
Nitrogen Cycle and Aquarium Cycling; How the Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle Works

For cleaning your aquarium (freshwater or saltwater) a Gravel Vacuum attached to a siphon or re-circulating filter works best. If you have a planted aquarium, I recommend #00 sand (3-5 cm) mixed with Azoo Plant Grower Bed, Eco-Complete, laterite or conditioned soil with #3 gravel (2-3 cm) on top. You should not vacuum the sand, as this will tend to be sucked all the way thru the vacuum, and this will also disturb the natural aerobic and symbiotic anaerobic filtration going on in the substrate being performed by the plant roots and nearby bacteria.
If the sand must be vacuumed, very gently push the bell of the vacuum into the sand and quickly back out, kinking the hose with your other hand to slow the out flow to keep sand from being sucked up.
You can drain this water into a bucket or attach the siphon to a long hose and drain it outside or into a toilet using gravity.
There are other products that hook on to the sink, but these are over rated in my opinion and waste water. It is simpler to just get a long hose and get an adapter and attach your hose to the sick to fill, but drain your water into a garden where it will do some good (unless it is saltwater of coarse). If you do need this type of product you can make a DIY model with a Lee’s Gravel Vac, a garden hose, a faucet adapter from a local Hardware Store, and a water bed pump/drain. Lee’s also makes one that is less expensive than the Python and is exactly the same.

I prefer to leave the fish in during this process, as I feel more stress is added to the fish removing them and then placing the fish back in new water conditions that the fish are not accustomed to. Add water back slowly, and if tap water is used make sure the temperature is similar to the aquarium water already present in the aquarium, you can generally safely add warm tap water to correct this. Although in the Marine aquariums I maintained, I brought my own water and it was invariably colder than the aquarium, but this does not present as much of a problem as many think. If you do some math; Say your aquarium is 78 F and you add 20% water back that is 68 F, that is 1/5th the volume, so 1/5th of a 10 F difference is only 2 F.
What is more important is adding a de-chlorinator to your tap water (if tap water is used) WHILE the water is being added. I prefer Start Right, this product removes chlorine (and the chlorine ions attached ammonia in chloramines), removes heavy metals, and very importantly naturally stimulates the slime coat in fish vs. products that drop an artificial wad of slime into the aquarium that generally sinks to the bottom anyway.

In some successful aquarium keeping traditions (especially in Germany), no vacuuming is performed. Water is simply siphoned out of the aquarium and new water is carefully added back in. For this method to be successful in fresh water aquariums, you need a healthy growth of plants, good lighting, a thin layer of sand just enough to cover plant roots (not gravel). Good aerobic filtration is also a must.

Other methods include powered gravel vacuums such as the Aquarium Cleaning Machine

For my full article, please follow the link in my resource box: