Does anyone here keep fish?

[Alexei.]

I had a turtle as well. A Lobster. Actually 2, one of them died
One was so beautiful in Light Blue Colour.
Guppy Fishes
Catfish
Also had some Carnivorous Fishes. We had a Glass in between the aquarium to keep both carnivorous and other fishes away :P
Angel Fishes, Gold Fishes, and some more I don't remember them this was at least 7 years ago. I think there was also Silver Shark or Something like that. It looked kinda like a silver shark.

 

[PrincessJade]

Looks impressive, any new type of fish moving in, or just what you had before..?

There will be new fishies added. Believe it or not, there is 10 fish in that tank?! x

 

[zimrahil]

There will be new fishies added. Believe it or not, there is 10 fish in that tank?! x

Oh really, will the new fishies be new types of fish, or more of the same ..?

 

[TerryAlderman]

That's good, it's very therapeutic.

I too thought that keeping fish would be very therapeutic. And it was. Until I had 3 generations of interbreeding Black Mollies. Thought I had 2 male fish....but had male and female.

Two/three generations of sons breeding with mum meant that I had fish with one or three eyes.....two tails.....no eyes.....I didn't realise that I was supposed to remove the young and maybe offer them to other aquariums. Then there is the nitrogen cycle to understand! Its all in the past now.

 

[PrincessJade]

Oh really, will the new fishies be new types of fish, or more of the same ..?

New types. There will be a lion fish, a longnose yellow butterfly fish and a raccoon butterflyfish, and emperor angelfish and a moorish idol. Prob more too, but those are the ones coming soon.

 

[zimrahil]

Then there is the nitrogen cycle to understand! Its all in the past now.

What is the nitrogen cycle..?

 

[zimrahil]

New types. There will be a lion fish, a longnose yellow butterfly fish and a raccoon butterflyfish, and emperor angelfish and a moorish idol. Prob more too, but those are the ones coming soon.

So who decided on those and presumably lots of research went into it..? Like the sound of the emperor angelfish, off to google it....

 

[TerryAlderman]

What is the nitrogen cycle..?

Ammonia is poisonous to fish. It builds up in a fish tank due to fish poo, dead plants and reduced oxygen. You can use filters/ water changes and aerobic plants to change the ammonia to nitrites (still poisonous to fish....but not as bad as ammonia) then they become nitrates.....which is more fish friendly. I tried to post a link....but couldn't.

 

[PrincessJade]

Actually, a bacteria called nitrifying bacateria breaks down the ammonia (NH3) into nitrites (NO2). Water changes help to dilute ammonia levels, but don’t solve the issue. For plants to help with ammonia, you need a heavily planted tank, and well looked after plants. A different bacteria forms to then break down the nitrites into nitrates (NO3). Once you have zero ammonia and zero nitrites, the cycle is complete. There is no bacteria to break down nitrates, so the fish rely on us to change some water and clean the gravel (never under the tap) to reduce them.

Ammonia physically burns fish. Low levels of oxygen lower the waters ph, but doesn’t build up ammonia levels. Nitrites effects their internal organs. Nitrates are only poisonous in high numbers. Nitrate poisoning makes fish seem motionless, and have loss of appetite.
Sorry, marine biology course!
xx

 

[PrincessJade]

So who decided on those and presumably lots of research went into it..? Like the sound of the emperor angelfish, off to google it....

Did you like the look of it? I prefure them in their juvenile colours to adult form. x

 

[TerryAlderman]

Actually, a bacteria called nitrifying bacateria breaks down the ammonia (NH3) into nitrites (NO2). Water changes help to dilute ammonia levels, but don’t solve the issue. For plants to help with ammonia, you need a heavily planted tank, and well looked after plants. A different bacteria forms to then break down the nitrites into nitrates (NO3). Once you have zero ammonia and zero nitrites, the cycle is complete. There is no bacteria to break down nitrates, so the fish rely on us to change some water and clean the gravel (never under the tap) to reduce them.

Ammonia physically burns fish. Low levels of oxygen lower the waters ph, but doesn’t build up ammonia levels. Nitrites effects their internal organs. Nitrates are only poisonous in high numbers. Nitrate poisoning makes fish seem motionless, and have loss of appetite.
Sorry, marine biology course!
xx

That's a most eloquent description of the nitrogen cycle and what harm it can cause fish PJ. It's got me thinking about setting up my aquarium again (think the tank and gear are somewhere in my shed). I kept tropical fish last time but thinking of setting up a cold water tank. Or maybe set up for saline water / brackish fish.

 

[zimrahil]

Did you like the look of it? I prefure them in their juvenile colours to adult form. x

If this is juvenile form then I would agree....?

 

[PrincessJade]

If this is juvenile form then I would agree....?

View attachment 205993

Yes it is. Completely different after about 3 years. They get about 10-12” too. x

 

[zimrahil]

Yes it is. Completely different after about 3 years. They get about 10-12” too. x

Bit too big for a tank surely?

 

[PrincessJade]

Bit too big for a tank surely?

Very big tanks it’s ok. 8 foot minimum. x