What the Beginning and Advancing Aquarist Absolutely Needs to Know and Do When Starting An Aquarium

What A Beginner Needs To Know When Obtaining Fishes And Other Aquatic Animals

As you will find out over time from your own experiences and from those of others, the biggest problems in fish keeping come from bringing in new fish to a new environment.  When buying fishes from a pet/aquarium or pond store, keep in mind that those fishes have recently gone through their version of hell from shipping and transportation, not knowing what is going to happen next to them.  A major difficulty is that they have nobody to talk to who will explain what is happening. 

For many fishes this means going from their natural environment in the wild, or a nice comfortable rearing pond or rearing tank, to a new small confined space.  And now you have just brought them home to a whole new adventure.  They are going to be stressed, and prone to have their resistance to diseases greatly lessened. 

For example, for all but a few species of coral reef fishes that are aquarium bred and raised, this means leaving a natural coral reef environment with unlimited space to a very small confined place, no matter what the size is of the aquarium.  Whether fresh or salt water, the fishes' resistance to infections goes down, and the chances are high that by the time the aquarist gets them home, after all that they have gone through from coral reef, through shipping, through distribution, to their final home, they are prone to break out in whatever diseases they have been suppressing, or have received from other fishes.

A term that is often confusing to beginners is "invertebrates," and should be explained.  Technically they are multi cellular animals lacking a spinal cord.  They include the shrimp, crabs, snails, clams, coral, sea anemones, star fishes, and sea urchins, that are associated with aquarium keeping, and come under the definition used herein for "other aquatic animals."  In general, they are harder to manage in aquariums (and in the case of snails harder to control), so it is best to leave them to later in considering adding them to the aquarium. 

The Following particularly need to be abided by.

Start out with few fishes or other aquatic animals.  Get what are recommended as hardy low-stressed fishes that easily get used to the confined space of an aquarium or pond.  Be sure that they are comfortable before getting other fishes.  This may mean obtaining the most tolerant fishes for a start-up aquarium, which may later be exchanged for more desirable fishes.  There is a wide choice to choose from in freshwater fishes.  In marines the first fish to start with are more limited.  What is usually recommended at the start are a couple of damsel fish, because of their hardiness and adaptability to changing water conditions during the first weeks and months of starting a marine aquarium.  But do not get more than two or so, because they are aggressive and prone to be territorial.  As for "other aquatic animals," particularly for marine aquarium keeping, wait until the aquarium is well established before thinking of adding them. 

Find out which fishes are compatible with others. This is a topic that deserves a whole article or book.  Aquarium fishes vary from those that are solitary; those that are schooling, or bottom, or mid-water, or surface dwellers.  There are those that are compatible with others, and those that are not, or do best with certain kinds and not with others.  Doing some searching of just what kinds of fishes are gong to be compatible with your beginning aquarium will definitely result in much better success when starting out.

How Fishes Hear and Talk and Otherwise Express Themselves. As you learn from your experiences, fishes do not have any trouble being fully aware of what is going on and in expressing themselves.   But just how they do this takes some learning.  While fishes cannot talk like humans, mammals, or birds, they do express themselves in all the emotions. 

Some fishes are quite noisy in thumping -- using their air bladders as drums -- for some over long distances under water,  and in other ways making noises.  However, tropical freshwater and marine aquarium fishes are essentially silent.  They express themselves by their movements and by their body odors called pheromones.  The former are easy to see, as the fishes move around the aquarium, responding to our movements outside the aquarium as well as to those inside.   It is easy to understand over time what a lot of those movements mean, such as you will notice the full range of emotions from contentment, hunger, anger, fear, timidness, thievery, stealth, aggression, greed, whatever. 

Fish hear very well, having what are called "lateral lines" on their head and body that are hollow tubes with complex hair-like sensory organs along their length.  Changes in water pressure, vibrations in the water, etc., allow the fishes to sense what is happening around them, including for long distances.  They also have the means of chemical signalling to others through the water.  For this see the section.below on pheromones.

For a recent example of the research being done on fish "talk" see the following in Science Roundup AAAS, American Association for the Advancement of Science, June 1, 2007

How Clownfish Sing
Scientists have known for decades that clownfish -- small reef-dwelling fish that typically live among the tentacles of sea anemones -- are prolific "singers" capable of making a wide variety of "chirp" and "pop" sounds in the context of reproductive and territorial behaviors. But exactly how the fish make these sounds has remained elusive, largely because they are uttered so quickly. Now, in a Brevia in the 18 May 2007 Science, Parmentier et al describe the sonic mechanism of the clownfish in considerable detail. Using sound recordings, coupled with high-speed video and x-ray imaging, the team found that sound production requires a coordinated set of movements that includes raising of the head, lowering of the jaw, and a pulling back of the chest bones. As this happens, so-called sonic ligaments at the sides of the jaw are stretched to a snapping point of sorts, at which jaw slams shut. Sound results from the collisions of the teeth, transferring energy to the jaws that are presumably the sound radiator. The authors suggest that this system may have once been part of a feeding mechanism that was later co-opted to produce sound. A related  podcast segment  www.sciencemag.org/podcast.dtl@20070518  highlighted the findings.

Avoid those fishes that are bullies.  As would be expected with animals with a lot of character, and great variety between the different species, the gamut of fish character ranges from the shy to the bullies.  In the confines of a small living space, all fishes are vulnerable to aggression, particularly at night.  And they have nobody to protect them.  Deal with having those fishes that are bullies after you are competent enough in what needs to be done to cope with this factor.   Do not be under the illusion that the bullies are only going to be the biggest fishes.  Particularly for coral reef fishes, some of the small species can be far more aggressive in picking on other fishes than some of those that are much larger.   It is always a good idea to decorate the aquarium so that there are areas where the individual fishes will be more protected from aggression. 

The Importance of Fish Talk Through Their Pheromones.   It is not generally realized how important pheromones are to fishes, and in aquarium keeping.  These are the odors that the fishes release in the water to signal, threaten, repel, and whatever, other fishes.  It is a subject that is little understood for aquatic animals. 

Many if not all fishes give off odors in the water that are technically called pheromones.  It is one of the fishes' way of talking and showing emotions, including aggression.  The pheromones associated with aggression is not at all as big a problem in freshwater fish keeping as it is for saltwater, but the larger species of freshwater cichlids may be a problem.  Particularly those larger cichlid fishes that are the bullies in aquarium keeping, such as the "Jack Dempsey" (Archocentrus octofasciatus) or "Black Belt" (Vieja maculicauda) cichlids, both aptly named to match their aggressiveness.  These are examples of fish whose belligerence is mainly physical, but indications are that pheromones are involved as well.

In the confines of the aquarium the pheromones can build up to levels that suppress growth, affect health, and in the extreme can be lethal.  They need to be kept under control.  It is often thought by aquarists that since what they are seeing is not considered by them to be aggression, it does not exist.  But at night in the dark, when the aquarists are not looking, it can be a different story.  Keep in mind for tropical marine fishes that wrasses (Labridae) are the relatives of freshwater cichlids (Cichlidae), the latter appearing to be the freshwater aquarium fishes with the strongest pheromones.. 

In tropical marine aquariums the fishes releasing the most toxic pheromones are especially the Plectognaths (monacanthid file fishes, balistid trigger fishes, ostraciid cow fishes & box fishes, tetraodontid puffer fishes), which have stronger pheromones than other aquarium fishes, either fresh water or marine.   For marine aquariums avoid until experienced the Plectognath fishes.  In the confines of marine aquariums the pheromones can build up in concentration faster than in freshwater aquariums, resulting in the killing of fishes, including the fish releasing the pheromones.  

Pheromones are organic nitrogen compounds.  Use Kordon's AmQuel+ regularly to completely and permanently detoxify the pheromones.  This is especially important when transporting fishes where conditions are crowded, the fish are agitated, and are giving off pheromones more than normal.  Unfortunately, this is heeded by shippers far less than it should be.  Most are unaware that there is even a problem, and do not understand when part of their shipments come in dead and dying.  This can be from many different causes, but one of them can be from toxic pheromones in the water. 

The way that pheromones are noticed is when using AmQuel+.  Fishes that before could not be placed or shipped together (such as some of the Plectognath fishes) can be when AmQuel+ is used.   Fishes' reactions can be different  when AmQuel+ is used -- all to the good -- because aggression is reduced.  The presence of pheromones in the water can cause the reduction of growth rates in some fishes, which is eliminated when AmQuel+ is used.  Through the decades the main way that pheromones have been removed has been by the use of activated carbon in water filters.  Since the activity of activated carbon can be reduced over days and weeks to below the level of effectiveness, depending upon the extent of removable components in the water, the ability of Amquel+ to control pheromones is of particular help in aquarium keeping.

Avoid Those Fishes That Are Notorious Disease Carriers. Avoid those fish at the start that either carry diseases or are prone to act as an incubator for other fishes' diseases.      At the top of this list to avoid when starting in saltwater aquarium keeping are the tangs (=marine surgeon fishes, family Acanthuridae), which are favorites in marine aquarium keeping, but prone to be susceptible to diseases.  Wait until the aquarium is better settled before considering marine tangs.  In freshwater fishes it is not so clear cut as to which are the main disease carriers.  However, for new fish keepers we would recommend avoiding at the start the freshwater clown fishes. Others that are prone to catch other fishes' infections are South American tetras such as neon tetras (Paracheirodon innesi) and cardinal tetras (Paracheirodon axelrodi), which in new aquarium set ups are often the first to succumb to diseases.  these are favorites in freshwater aquarium keeping, but it could be best to wait until things settle down before bringing them in.

Even when you see no infections, use a disease preventer. Most infections are not easy to see, such as when it is in the mouth and gills of the fish.  Start out by using organic herbal treatments that are effective yet forgiving to the fishes and any invertebrates present (snails, shrimp, coral reef animals), and that do not require water changes during treatment.  Use herbal treatments at the time of new fish introductions.  The use of one of Kordon's organic herbal naphthoquinone treatments Prevent Ich™, or Ich Attack™ , or Rid Fungus™ is highly recommended.  They are all equally effective, and they treat diseases as well as prevent them from developing.  In fact it is best to start treatment in the bag in which the fish are being brought home.  This will help suppress the start of infections developing.  The naphthoquinones are also helpful in avoiding and suppressing infections when shipping fishes. 

Do not put the water from the bag that the fish come in into the aquarium or pond. When bringing fish home the fish need to be slowly and carefully adapted to the new water. It is desirable to add water from their new home into the bag so that the fish can adjust to the new water.  This is best done in several stages in order to equalize gradually the temperature and conditions of the water in the bag with the water that will be its new home.  Another way is to float the bag (after washing it to get rid of possible infections being carried on the outside of the bag) in the water in which they will be put.  This runs the risk of mixing the water in the bag with the new home water, possibly passing on pathogens.  The pathogens that may be of harm are mainly going to be on and in the fishes being brought in.  Stress from interaction between the fishes may cause outbreaks of older infections that were previously suppressed, including from the old-timer fishes in the aquarium. 

By the "new home" we are referring either to a new set up, or to the quarantine aquarium or container in which the new fish are going to be put for a month or more, before adding the fish to the community aquarium or pond that already has fish.  For a pond this may be a small plastic children's swimming pool, for which ways of aerating the water have been provided.  For an aquarium this may be a smaller temporary or permanent aquarium that is used when fish need to be quarantined before being added or returned to the community tank.

When bringing new fish into a community aquarium, always quarantine them for one month. After you have started an aquarium and want to make additions, always quarantine without exception new arrivals --isolated in a separate container or aquarium.  This should be for one month or longer.  Use a disease preventer, such as Kordon's naphthoquinone organic herbal treatments during this time, such as Prevent Ich™, Ich Attack™, or Rid Fungus™.  Most aquarists ignore this advice, but ignoring it often leads to disaster.  It may take a while, but if diseases are passed on, either from the newcomers to the old-timers, or vice versa, eventually the infections become more widespread and a serious problem.  It sometimes takes months before this problem is seen.  Considering how difficult it is in aquarium keeping to control diseases once they have broken out, it is not worth the risk of ignoring this advice.

Therefore, what is being advocated is that for aquarium keeping, much grief can be avoided by maintaining two aquariums, rather than one.  This is as true for starting in aquarium keeping, as it is for the long term.  The second aquarium can be for new arrivals being quarantined, as well as for sick fish, or ones that need to be isolated for whatever reason.  It provides the ability to handle emergencies with an aquarium already set up and conditioned, when certain fish need to be isolated.  when fish are sick, others will often attack them.  Those sick need to be removed as quickly as possible to a safe haven.

Consider using a Fish Corral for new introductions. When adding new fish to a community aquarium (after having quarantined them for one month or more) the needed isolation is not over.  The first days can be difficult for the fish to become adjusted to the others previously there.  Hierarchies or "pecking orders" that have been previously established are disrupted.  It is recommended to use a transparent plastic container in the aquarium in which the new fish are placed for the number of days necessary for all to get used to each other.   This can greatly reduce and eliminate subsequent fighting and bullying.  Looking at each other, each in safe quarters, can allow them to get used to each other and avoid future aggression when they are released together.  See Kordon Fish Corral for further information. 

However, if after quarantining the new fish they break out in disease when put in the community aquarium,  they should be put back into an isolated quarantine aquarium for separate treatment.  Hopefully, they will not have passed on their infections to others in the community aquarium.  If they have, then those infected should be removed to the quarantine aquarium as well.  If the community aquarium is extensively infected, it will also have to be treated.  
        

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