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* This article first
appeared in "Livebearers", journal of the
American Livebearers
Association.
Fish
die, and worse, our best intentions contribute to their demise
far more often than they should. Simple practices
that have proven themselves aren’t followed, and old
habits that kept a great tank of guppies going when we
were
younger are hard to give up. Fish rarely grow to their
full size and color, and batches of young are not what
they should be.
After recently starting a fish breeding business
selling wild livebearers, I have adopted an approach
that allows for natural,
planted and attractive tanks, with fish that are
responding to the changes with great growth and
increased reproduction.
The evolution of this fishroom (100+ tanks) has
resulted in procedures that are actually easier, cheaper
and quicker
than the fishkeeping habits we've learned.,
and in some ways this approach is dramatically
different. Maintaining
fish this way becomes essential with some of the rare
and vulnerable species we keep, by creating cleaner and more
stable tanks where the fish aren’t stressed.
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Like most older fishkeepers, I’d used all of the toys
available at one time or another- de-nitrifiers,
ultraviolet sterilizers,
and every type of filter- wet/dry, liquefying sand,
canister, hang-on-the-back, sponge, box, etc., exploring
every new
technological twist. Most of this equipment did all it
said it would do, while stimulating my interest in
gadgets, making
things, and possibly doing things better than had been
done before. Adding a new layer of complexity was
generally
believed to be a good thing. But the time and money
spent did not seem to carry over to how well the fish
did.
Batches of fry weren’t what they should have been, and
it was a big deal after months of effort to show off a
few fish
that had been bred in my tanks.
I have bred specialty livebearers for many years,
always trying to produce numbers of many species that
other hobbyists
may have had trouble with, or that I continue to find
challenging to breed out in any quantity. To breed them
on a
scale to sell, it was clear I would need to change
the way I maintained, raised and bred these fish. The
old methods
of a gravel bottom/ sponge or undergravel filter simply
did not keep the water quality as consistent as it
needed to be.
I also knew that the fish would not do well in open,
bare bottom, “laboratory-style” tanks. Many wild species
did best
in natural settings where they felt secure and safe,
hiding in the plants and shady areas.
My first focus was to achieve a consistent cleanliness
in every tank, such that every tank could be maintained
simply
and easily, with full control over what went on within
that tank environment, but not by my having to devote
any more
time than was already being spent. This is not easy to
achieve given how tanks are generally set up, and past
experience
has been that some accepted methods and equipment do
not always benefit the fish. A common type of filter
discussed
next makes the point. The practice of fishkeeping was
first taught to hobbyists by retailers through the
equipment sold
when purchasing an aquarium. Aquariums began to
commonly appear in homes with the invention of the undergravel
filter in the mid-1950’s. These “glass boxes of fish”
were expected to be miniature, beautiful escapes, a
perfectly lit
slice of the wild where fish darted in and out of
plants over a gravel bottom. The undergravel filter kept
the mechanics
of the tank’s filtration relatively unseen, while both
filtering and aerating the water.
It claimed to help the plants grow, and more
importantly, kept you from having to handle dirty filter
medium. In fact,
many saw it as maintenance free except for the couple
times a year the tank needed to be taken apart (often
because
the fish had started dying), the gravel was rinsed, and
it was started all over again. Plants rarely did well,
but the fish
lived a reasonable amount of time, and with minimal
maintenance it generally looked good. The type of
environment
the undergravel filter created was felt to be
acceptable, and most fishkeepers kept tanks with little
concern or
awareness of the biological load that existed in their aquarium.
But all of the solid waste produced in the tank was
simply sucked into the gravel, then stored until it
deteriorated or
was physically vacuumed away, a disruptive process for
both the fish and the hobbyist. Undergravel filters are
still sold
routinely and used by many, including research and
university settings because they are simple, considered
low-maintenance and inexpensive. In an aquarium without
an undergravel filter, the organic waste will still
collect in
the gravel, as well as on any other items in the
aquarium. Tanks set up with gravel require regular
maintenance to be
kept clean, and you must allow for the occurrence of
routine inconsistencies in water quality that follows
the cleaning
schedule.
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Many of the livebearers we keep are from flowing
streams or balanced, stable bodies of water. None of
these fish
thrive naturally in small, crowded, confined spaces
with water quality that swings with weekly maintenance.
In the
1960’s the value of water changes became appreciated,
but there is only so much that can be done with water
changes
alone to maintain a consistent level of water quality.
The most important factor when considering a tank
environment is this: The fish in the tank are using
their physical
resources to the best of their ability, and must use
those resources against the obstacles presented to them.
When
forced to fight opportunistic parasites and infections,
low oxygen levels and pH swings that are routine when
water
quality is poor, they use energy that does not go into
development quality may also encourage aggressiveness
and
conflicts between the fish that can cause injury and
disease.
My goal became to create a consistent and stable
natural environment in each tank where the biological
load was
always low, within my control, and not likely to
accumulate. Live plants for security and shelter for
adults and fry
would be provided in a stress-free environment with
plenty of aeration and some water movement to ensure
continued water quality.
At the Xiphophorus stock center in Texas, all of their
tanks are non-mechanically filtered through water
changes,
low stocking, mild aeration,live plants and a thin
layer of gravel that extends across only half of the
aquarium bottom
(mostly 5 and 10 gallon tanks). The gravel is very
thin, at about 1-3 particles high. This thin gravel
layer provides
adequate surface area for colonizing bacteria that
effectively provides biological filtration, helping keep
ammonia
levels low, while not collecting or accumulating excess
waste. If there is to be gravel in a tank, this is a
perfect use
for it in an aquarium. Some species may require a layer
of gravel to spawn, or they dig into the gravel to hide,
and
then it is provided, but most fish do not miss it. For
the fish’s sense of security when gravel is not
provided, it is best
to paint or cover the outside bottom of the tank.
Gravel collects unseen waste that creates unhealthy
conditions in any tank. The first signs of damage to the
fish are
often an incidence of fin-rot or fungal disease,
warning that the pollution levels were able to
compromise the fish’s
immune system. So I do not use any gravel in any of my
tanks. With new arrivals accustomed to harder water I
may
spread a thin layer of calcium carbonate, gradually
removing it over time, but that is the only instance
where a
substrate is used. Interestingly, the tanks also grow
less algae and look cleaner, as there is less stray
organic matter.
Though there is no gravel I certainly wish to take full
advantage of all that live plants have to offer. I use a
wide
variety of floating and anchored plants, such as Java
fern, Java moss, riccia and water sprite. Driftwood and
occasional
rockwork is arranged for a natural appearance. I also
use a wide variety of potted plants that can be moved
and cleaned
around easily. Various Amazon swords and Crypts are
used, potted in peat covered with a layer of gravel.
About once a
year the plants are removed and the soil refreshened. I
have found that soil will accumulate wastes over time
that can
cause sickness in a tank. I use a very inexpensive but
effective plant fertilizer (selectaquatics.com), and all
of my tanks
have healthy populations of plants.
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Ironically, plants grow far better in this type of
environment. I used to assume, as many people do, that
plants assimilate
the waste within the tank. I have even been told by
some that fertilizer isn’t necessary if the tank is
dirty enough! In fact,
plants respond to water changes and clean conditions
just as the fish do, and plants do far better in a clean
environment
with appropriate light and fertilizer. I have bolbitis
ferns that are 3 feet across, and Amazon swords that
nearly fill a
50 gallon aquarium. Java fern anchored to driftwood,
combined with potted swords whose pots are surrounded by
Java
moss or fern provide perfect places for fry to hide in
natural looking settings.
For filtration I use 4” in-the tank box filters with
polyester floss and a few stones to weight them down,
and change the
floss monthly. Any type of filter will work, as long as
the fitration is effective and fish waste is regularly
removed. Though
inexpensive and low maintenance, I also avoid using
sponge filters, again because the waste generally stays
in the
aquarium. A fair amount of waste is removed from the
box filters when they are cleaned- the boxes will often
be nearly
solidly brown, and though a tank with only a sponge
filter may appear clean, that same amount of waste has
had to go
somewhere. The hobbyists may siphon up some of it, but
the remainder must break down into the water to be
removed
through water changes. With a floss filter the majority
of the waste is regularly removed, and I believe that
water changes
are then less disruptive because the water removed is
not as dirty. However, sponge filters are excellent for
fry tanks.
The fry will feed upon the infusoria that collects on
the sponge surface, and the filter does not harm them,
so they
are still used occasionally.
There must be moderate aeration with consistent, gentle
water movement and moderate light on 10-12 hours per day
to stimulate and maintain bacterial activity. Another
benefit is that even though the tanks look as busy and
full of
plants and fish as any tank could, everything can be
quickly and easily removed to net fish out, and then put
back with
relatively little disturbance. Water changes of at
least 20% a week are essential, and mulm that
accumulates on the
bottom must be removed at that time. Others may choose
to leave mulm in some of their tanks, I do not. By
siphoning
up any mulm that accumulates, the tank stays relatively
clean, and again, weekly water changes are less
disruptive,
creating a degree of water quality stability. The more
frequent the water changes, the cleaner and more
consistent the
environment becomes, as long as the biological
seasoning of the tank is not compromised. Because of the
“openness”
of the tank space environment, the feedings, both in
frequency and amount, can be increased. Live foods can
be fed
more generously, as the remains can be easily seen and
siphoned up afterward. Basic water quality comes down to
the cleanliness of the filter and frequency of water
changes, a benefit when trying to address and solve the
occasional
problem. However, with this system I simply have not
had an outbreak of disease. Lastly, set up tanks so that
each can
be maintained and worked on easily, so that they all
are convenient to access and each can receive equal
care.
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This approach comes down to control over each variable
in the process, keeping the maintenance simple and
consistent
to maintain exceptional water quality. Provide clean
bare-bottom tanks with good filtration where the waste
is regularly
removed, and be sure that moderate aeration provides
gentle water movement throughout the tank. Moderate
light
should be provided 10-12 hours a day, with the use of a
good fertilizer to keep plants doing well. Use plants in
pots
or that float, or that can be anchored to driftwood or
stone to landscape. Do regular water changes on at least
a weekly
basis, siphoning up any mulm that collects on the
bottom.
The irony is that these changes make fishkeeping
simpler, less messy, cheaper and easier, with healthier
plants,
healthier fish and a fresh, natural appearance. The
fish grow to their potential, and babies appear with no
other effort
than to be collected and raised up. I no longer have my
hands in smelly brown fish water as used to be the case
so often
in the past, because waste is no longer given the
opportunity to accumulate, and that alone was worth
making the change!
Greg Sage
Copyright Select Aquatics 2011
selectaquatics@gmail.com
selectaquatics.com
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