The Cory Catfish: A Very Peaceful Little ‘Vacuum Cleaner’ for Your Aquarium21 08 2008

Many people in the aquarium hobby seek fish that will do a lot of the dirty work for them. While the desire to minimize the amount of cleaning one does around the aquarium is understandable, I would like to stress that no tropical fish will effectively replace a simple gravel vac, an algae pad, and a bit of elbow grease.

Still, many freshwater aquarium hobbyists choose to buy “cleaning” fish and/or snails only to find that many of them end up producing more waste then they consume!

The infamous Plecostomus – variously called “pleco,” “suckerfish,” or “algae-eater” – comes to mind. People often purchase baby Common Plecos only to find that their cute little suckerfish turned into a smelly, small-fish-eating, 1 foot (30 cm) giant just a few months down the road! Yes, these fish do produce more waste than they consume, and, no, I do not recommend that anyone gets one (unless it’s purely for ornamental value).

Fortunately, hobbyists who want to add bottom dwelling fish to their aquarium have an excellent alternative. The Cory Catfish (also known as the Cory Cat) is an excellent addition to most community aquariums.

The Cory Cats are bottom dwelling catfish that originate from South America. These extremely peaceful fish grow to only 2.5 inches (6.25 cm) to 3.5 inches (8.75 cm) in length, and more than a few species are available for the aquarium trade. In fact, it’s common to find variously colored and patterned Cory Cats at a single store. These fish are readily available.

Moreover, Cory Cats are actually pretty good at sucking up uneaten food from the bottom of the aquarium. Any food your other fish will miss, the Cory Cats will quickly consume, thus lessoning the amount of stress put on your biological filter following feeding time. Yes; Cory Cats are excellent bottom feeders.

Because of their specialized feeding behavior, I recommend adding Cory Cats (or any other bottom feeders for that matter) to your aquarium only after a few other fish have been added. Indeed, as I describe in Chapter Nine of The Kick-Ass Aquarium, bottom-feeding fish rely on the presence of other fish – sloppy eaters that provide scavengers with a continuous supply of food – for nutrition. If not enough fish are present in the aquarium, the Cory Cats’ diet must be supplemented with at least one of the foods described below.

I would like to mention again that, although the Cory Cats are wonderful scavengers which will reduce the amount of waste present in the home aquarium, no animal will replace the cleaning power of physical waste removal. Still, the Corys are wonderful little fishes, and are an excellent alternative to the monster mentioned at the top of the article.

Aquarium Care:

Scientific Name: Corydoras spp. and Brochis spp.

Origin: South America

Water Temperature Range: 74-82 °F (23-28 °C)

Water pH Range: 6.0-7.0

Temperament: peaceful (like to live in small groups of 6 or more, though 2 specimens can be kept successfully)

Maximum Size: 2.5 to 3.5 inch (6.25 to 8.75 cm) depending on species

Minimum Tank Size: 10 U.S. gallons (28 liters

DISCUS

The Discus Fish: The King is Back!14 01 2008

The Discus Fish is a beautiful South American Cichlid.
For a long time, this “King of the Aquarium” was very difficult to care for in captivity. That’s because these fish required pristine tank conditions and soft water that was at a very low pH.
Furthermore, these fish were initially wild-caught, and the journey from Brazil to North America and Europe often caused irremediable levels of stress.
Their difficulty in care contributed to the Discus’ royal status. Some (elitist) aquarists prided themselves for being able to keep and breed Discus in captivity.
Yes; the Discus had a bumpy entry in the aquarium hobby. But, times have changed and so has our understanding of this extraordinary fish. Even the fish, itself, has changed. The king is back, but he’s wearing a different robe.
Sadly, the Discus’ former reputation of being a very difficult fish to keep in the home aquarium has generated a lot of myths and misconceptions about this beautiful species.
In this Fish-of-the-Month post, I hope to debunk some of these half-truths.
Discus have come a long way in recent years. Although they’re still not a good beginner fish, Discus have become much easier to keep. Selective breeding has produced not only a multitude of color variations, but also hardier fish.
While wild-caught specimens should only be kept by experienced aquarists, captive bred varieties will fare well under the care of hobbyists with moderate experience.
The vast majority of Discus Fish available on today’s market are captive raised. You can have great success with these fish, provided that you arm yourself with knowledge of both Discus and of aquariums in general. The Kick-Ass Aquarium is a good place to start.
Basically, Discus Fish need three things to do well in an aquarium. They need efficient and quite filtration (canister filters are great at providing both), a hearty and varied diet, and the appropriate tank and water conditions (see Aquarium Care below).
Okay, what about the myths, then?
Myth number one: Discus Fish are finicky eaters.
The people who claim that Discus will eat only one type of food are doing something wrong! Loss of appetite is a sign of stress.
Discus will take a variety of foods as long as you provide them with a healthy environment. A healthy environment makes for a healthy appetite.
My Discus gobble up frozen beef heart, frozen mysis shrimp, frozen brine shrimp, and even flake food. You too should offer your fish a varied diet in order to ensure their long term wellbeing.
Of course, if you train your fish to take only one type of food, they will learn to accept only that food.
Myth number two: Discus are very shy.
Discus can be shy, especially in aquariums that have noisy power filters and in ones that house boisterous fish. But, if you provide your fish with a quite tank and suitable tankmates, Discus can be very sociable.
My beauties stay in the front of the aquarium most of the time. Rarely do they hide. In fact, when I stick my hands in the aquarium to do some tank maintenance, I often have to physically (but gently) push the curious critters aside! They just follow me around!
Myth number three: Discus have to be in a species-only tank.
Some people think that Discus should not be kept with other fish. This is a valid concern, but this “rule” is not etched in stone.
No; Discus should not be kept with large, fast swimming, or aggressive fish. But, there are plenty of fish in the sea, as the saying goes. If you do some research, you’ll find that there are a few types of fish, such as cardinal tetras and blue rams, which make for great additions to a Discus tank.
Again, provide your fish with the right environment, and they’ll reward you with beautiful displays of color and long life.
Aquarium Care
-Scientific Name: Symphysodon aequifasciata spp.
-Origin: Parts of the Amazon River, but most occur in some of the Amazon’s many tributaries, including the Rio Negro.
-Water Temperature Range: 82-86 °F (28-30 ºC)
-Water pH Range: 5.8-6.8
-Temperament: peaceful but territorial during spawning.
- Maximum Size: 8 inches (20 cm)
- Minimum Tank Size: 50 U.S. gallons (190 liters)
- Diet: Frozen beef heart (recommended), Frozen mysis shrimp, frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms (not recommended), flake food (okay when fed in addition to frozen foods).

CONGO TETRA

The Congo Tetra: A Touch of Africa in Your Aquarium3 02 2008

The Congo Tetra is an attractive African tetra.
Yes; not all tetras originate from South America! The Congo Tetra, in fact, comes from the Zaire River Basin. Nevertheless, this African tetra does very well in aquariums that house its South American relatives, and thus deserves a spot on the Tropical Fish of the Month post!
This tropical fish is a hardy species, but, as with all fish, you have to provide it with the right aquarium environment (see Aquarium Care below) for it to thrive.
Although the Congo Tetra is a beautifully colored tropical fish, many people overlook it when searching for new additions to their home aquarium. That’s partly because this tropical fish shows conspicuous signs of stress. In particular, new arrivals to aquarium shops often don’t show their brilliant colors!
This lack of color, in most cases, does not signify the presence of disease! Instead, this tropical fish just needs some time to get used to its new aquarium environment; and, until it does so, it won’t display full coloration!
When the Congo Tetra settles into an aquarium (this usually takes 1 to 3 weeks) not only does the color come in, but the fins also elongate at the tips and thus produce an attractive streamer-like effect! These white streamers nicely compliment the blue and gold stripes located at the top of the fish’s body! Indeed, the Congo Tetra is a unique and highly attractive tropical fish!
As an added benefit, the Congo Tetra is easy to care for in the aquarium environment. As long as you provide it with the conditions outlined below, this tropical fish will do well under the care of most aquarists, beginners included!
*Note: A new species of the Congo Tetra was recently discovered and, as of four months ago, is now being imported to North America. This newly discovered species, the Red Congo Tetra, should not be confused with the common Congo Tetra. In my experience (at work) the Red Congo Tetra is not as hardy as its common relative and should, therefore, be obtained only by experienced aquarists.
Aquarium Care:
Scientific Name: Phenacogrammus (Micralestes) interruptus
Origin: Zaire River Basin
Water Temperature Range: 74-79 °F (23-26 °C)
Water pH Range: 6.0-7.5
Temperament: peaceful
Maximum Size: 2.5 to 3.5 inches (6.3 to 9 cm)
Minimum Tank Size: 20 U.S. gallons (190 liters), though, as I indicate in The Kick-Ass Aquarium, a larger aquarium size is advisable.
Diet: flake food, frozen mysis shrimp, frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms (not recommended)

GUPPY FISH

The Humble Guppy? A Fancy Fish For Your Aquarium2 04 2008

The guppy has become a staple of the aquarium trade to the point that its name brings to mind the common, dull, and even boring.
But, the guppy doesn’t deserve this insipid reputation! The guppy’s longtime presence in the aquarium hobby and its ease of breeding has spawned a vast variety of interesting color variations. In fact, most aquariasts now use the term “fancy guppy” to name this colorful tropical fish.
Indeed, today’s guppies exhibit all the colors of the rainbow and a multitude of body markings and patterns. Although the males of this tropical fish species possess distinctive large tails and are far more colorful than are the females, you can often find female fancy guppies that have a flash of blue, yellow, red, and/or orange on their tails.
Caring for these tropical fish in the home aquarium is simple as long as you provide them with clean and stable water conditions (see the Aquarium Care 101 articles on this site). In fact, fancy guppies are exceptionally hardy fish and an excellent choice for beginners.
However, when buying a group of fancy guppies, avoid purchasing only males for they will fight amongst each other if no, or too few, females are present in the aquarium. As with all livebearers, it’s best to keep a ratio of one male for every two females in the home aquarium. Distinguishing male from female fancy guppies is simple, and you can find a diagram that shows how to sex live-bearing tropical fish on this site.
That brings to mind another issue to consider: fancy guppies are prolific breeders and even a small batch of guppies is capable of producing dozens of babies in no time.
So, if you don’t want many baby fish in your aquarium, I advise purchasing no more than three fancy guppies. However, for many hobbyists who enjoy breeding fish, this isn’t a problem. Conversely, it’s an added benefit that makes fancy guppies all the more enjoyable to keep.
Aquarium Care:
Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
Origin: Central America
Water Temperature Range: 70-80 °F (21-26 °C)
Water pH Range: 6.5-8.0
Temperament: peaceful
Maximum Size: 1 inch (2.5 cm)
Minimum Tank Size: 5 U.S. gallons (19 liters), though, as I indicate in The Kick-Ass Aquarium eBook, a larger aquarium size is strongly advisable.
Diet: flake food, frozen brine shrimp, cyclops-eeze, frozen bloodworms (not recommended)A

the draft gourami

The Dwarf Gourami: A Smaller and Gentler Gourami for Your Aquarium6 03 2008

The word “gourami” brings to mind the image of pale looking, lumbering fish that quarrel amongst each other. In fact, keeping more than one gourami is advisable only in large aquariums – that’s how aggressive these tropical fish can be towards their own species.
To the Gouramis’ credit, not all species of this tropical fish are so temperamental.
In fact, one gourami species, the Dwarf Gourami, is not only peaceful, but also stunningly colorful. While the males of this tropical fish species exhibit vertical blue stripes (markings that the females lack), even the females reddish orange hue will add a vibrant burst of color to your aquarium. On top of this, there are a few color variations – namely, Red, Neon, and Powder Blue – available to the aquarium trade!
In addition to its aesthetic appeal, this beautiful fish is hardy and grows to only 2 inches (5 cm) in length! These attributes make the Dwarf Gourami the perfect fish for the community aquarium and an excellent choice for beginners.
That said, here are a few additional things to consider. As with all tropical fish, you’ll get the most coloration out of the Dwarf Gourami if you provide it with the most suitable environment. Given its peaceful nature and small size, the Dwarf Gourami should be kept in well planted aquariums that contain only peaceful fish (no piranhas, guys and girls;).
In chapters 1 and 8 of The Kick-Ass Aquarium I explain in detail that supposedly “skittish” fish just need the right environment to encourage good health, great coloration, and plenty of activity. In particular, aquariums that resemble the natural environments from which your fish originate – in most cases, this includes little nooks and caves, overhangs, and lots of greenery – provide an environment that makes fish confident. These aquariums look great too!
The Dwarf Gourami, then, will gravitate towards the font of the aquarium for your viewing pleasure if it feels safe and secure, if it has a lot of potential hiding places to dart to should danger arise.
Of course, there’s no such danger in the home aquarium. But, keep in mind that tropical fish are hard-wired to “think” this way, and you can use this knowledge of tropical fish behavior to make your fish-tank look like paradise on earth!
And, the Dwarf Gourami, given its hardiness, is the perfect tropical fish for developing your perfect aquarium setup, the best aquascaping solution.
Aquarium Care:
Scientific Name: Colisa lalia
Origin: South Asia (India, Assam, and Bangladesh)
Water Temperature Range: 74-79 °F (23-26 °C)
Water pH Range: 6.0-7.5
Temperament: peaceful
Maximum Size: 2 inches (5 cm)
Minimum Tank Size: 10 U.S. gallons (38 liters), though, as I indicate in The Kick-Ass Aquarium, a larger aquarium size is advisable.
Diet: flake food, frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms (not recommended)

red eye tetra

The Red Eye Tetra: A Hardy Silver School of Fish for Your Aquarium21 12 2008
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Most people who keep freshwater aquariums are drawn to the shimmering effect produced by a large healthy school of tropical fish.

Unfortunately, not all schooling and/or shoaling fish make for good aquarium pets.

The Tiger Barb, for example, while attractively colored and quite lively, proves too quarrelsome and nippy for most other (more delicate) tankmates. The famous Neon Tetra, though beautiful and extremely peaceful, has been bred (and even inbred) to the point that the vast majority of this once easy to care for fish have become far too frail to handle all but perfect aquarium conditions!

A great alternative to both fish is the Red Eye Tetra. These fish have been in the aquarium hobby for a long time and have acquired a fitting reputation for being very hardy, yet are unfairly overlooked or brushed aside as mundane.

Although their silver coloration may seem all too ordinary, Red Eye Tetras, when kept in sizable groups of 7 or more, produce a shimmering mass of aquatic life that’s not easy to ignore. Moreover, their distinctive red eyes and black and white tails produce attractive points of contrast to their silver bodies.

Red Eye Tetras are active swimmers and will occupy the middle portion of the aquarium. Although these fish have a peaceful temperament and are a great addition to almost any community aquarium, it is not recommended to keep Red Eye Tetras with slow moving long finned fish (the betta comes to mind) for sporadic cases of fin-nipping have been reported.

Aside from the above noted consideration, Red Eye Tetras make for great community fish. They tolerate a surprisingly wide range of aquarium water conditions (see Aquarium Care below) which makes them a great beginner schooling fish.

Aquarium Care:

Scientific Name: Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae

Origin: Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru

Water Temperature Range: 74-82 °F (23-28 °C)

Water pH Range: 5.8 - 8.2

Temperament: peaceful

Maximum Size: 2.75 inch (7 cm)

Minimum Tank Size: 10 U.S. gallons (38 liters), though, as I indicate in this Freshwater Aquarium Care Guide, a larger aquarium size is strongly advisable.

Diet: omnivore that will take all kinds of food, including flake food, frozen brine shrimp, cyclops-eeze, frozen bloodworms (not recommended)Comments : No Comments » Categories : Tropical

SI IKIN

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