Modern Aquarium May 2007

Series III Vol. XIV, No. 3 May, 2007

ON THE COVER

The White Cloud Mountain Minnow,Tanichthys albonubes, is an active, small,attractive, easy-to-care-for, and easily bredfish that is ideal for the beginning hobbyist. It will also enhance the look of even themost advanced aquarist’s fishroom. Readmore about this fish in “Tan's Fish FromThe White Clouds” by Bernard Harrigan.

Photo by Alexander Priest

GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY

Board MembersPresident . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph FerdenziVice-President . . . . . . . Mark SobermanTreasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack TraubCorres. Secretary . . . . . Warren Feuer &

Sharon BarnettRecording Secretary . . . . Edward Vukich

Members At LargePete D'Orio Jason KernerCarlotti De Jager Ben HausLeonard Ramroop Emma HausArtie Friedman

Committee ChairsBreeder Award . . . . . Warren Feuer and

Mark SobermanEarly Arrivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . Al GrusellF.A.A.S. Delegate . . . . . Alexander PriestMembers/Programs . Claudia DickinsonN.E.C. Delegate . . . . Claudia Dickinson

MODERN AQUARIUMEditor in Chief . . . . . Alexander A. PriestAssociate Editors . . . . Susan Priest and

Claudia DickinsonCopy Editors . . . . . . . . . . Sharon Barnett

Dan RadebaughExchange Editors . . . Stephen Sica and

Donna Sosna SicaPhoto/Layout Editor . . . . . Jason KernerAdvertising Mgr. . . . . . . Mark SobermanExecutive Editor . . . . . . Joseph Ferdenzi

F E A T U R E S

Editor’s Babblenest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Spotlight on Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Tan’s Fish From The White Clouds . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Amusing Aquarium (cartoon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Ich (White Spot Disease) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Our Scheduled Speaker (Mike Hellweg) . . . . . . . . . . 9

Amazing Fryday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Mermaid Tales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

FAASinations (FAAS Report) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

NEC Article Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Fish Health Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The Seahorse Chronicles: Understanding Seahorse Diseases and Treatments - Part 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

News of the Weird Wild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

G.C.A.S. Happenings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Fin Fun (Puzzle Page) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Articles submitted for consideration in MODERN AQUARIUM must be received no later than the 10th day of the month, three months priorto the month of publication. Copyright 2007 by the Greater City Aquarium Society Inc., a not-for-profit New York State corporation. All rightsreserved. Not-for-profit aquarium societies are hereby granted permission to reproduce articles and illustrations from this publication, unless thearticle indicates that the copyrights have been retained by the author, and provided reprints indicate source and two copies of the publication aresent to the Exchange Editor of this magazine. Any other reproduction or commercial use of the material in this publication is prohibited withoutexpress written prior permission.

The Greater City Aquarium Society meets every month, except during January and February. Members receive notice of meetings in the mail. For more information, contact: Joe Ferdenzi (516)484-0944. Find out more, or leave us a message, at our Internet Home Page at: http://www.greatercity.org or http://www.greatercity.com

The Editor’sBabblenest

by ALEXANDER A. PRIEST

In my last column, I indicated that our Internet

column, “Interfish Net,” will alternate this year

with reports on the Northeast Council of

Aquarium Societies and/or the Federation of

American Aquarium Societies. In this issue, there

are reports on both FAAS and the NEC, with the

NEC report consisting of winners in the NEC’s

2005 and 2006 article competitions. As usual,

Greater City authors did very well. Please join me

in congratulating them (and, please, also consider

joining them in writing for this magazine).

Sometimes I start out with the intention of

doing a “theme” issue of Modern Aquarium, and

sometimes a theme just seems to emerge by itself.

I had no intention of doing an issue on fish health

this month, but it just so happened that an article

by Claudia Dickinson on fish health, and an article

by Dan Radebaugh on ich were received at the

same time as the third installment of Bernard

Harrrigan’s seahorse health and disease segment of

his ongoing (and award winning—see the NEC

awards on page 13) “Seahorse Chronicles” column.

Whether you’re talking about freshwater

or marine fish, the experts all agree that prevention

is better (and in the long run less work) than

effecting a cure. So, yes, quarantine new

acquisitions. (Since I happen to hate snails in my

tanks, I even quarantine plants to be sure they are

snail-free before I put the plants into my tanks.)

Yes, do regular water changes and maintenance.

And yes, also do periodic chemical testing of your

tank water, especially for sensitive fish, or those

demanding unique water chemistry that greatly

differs from your local tap water (and please

remember that two tanks right next to each other

can have different water chemistry, even though

they are receiving similar care and attention).

But, please add to this “To-Do” list one

more very important “preventive” measure:

observation. Take the time every day to really

look at each of your tanks (and if you don’t have

that much time, then just maybe you have too many

tanks). Fish die from natural causes and old age,

and that’s not necessarily anyone’s fault. But

failing to notice a dead fish until after it has

putrefied and poisoned the entire aquarium is your

fault. Filters can clog, airline tubing can kink or

slip off filters, rockwork can loosen or fall and

sometimes trap fish, airpumps will lose efficiency

over time, heaters can fail or get stuck on high,

tanks can develop leaks, etc. These also are not

necessarily anyone’s fault. But, failing to notice

them happening in your tanks until several days

later is your fault, and will have an adverse impact

on your fishes’ health.

Once upon a time, I had an “April Fools”

article in Modern Aquarium, on the subject of our

Breeder’s Award Program. That was the first (and

last) time I had such an article, as I found out

GCAS breeders are very serious about their BAP

points. I’ve since limited April Fools jokes to our

Fin Fun puzzle page. In addition to Noelachromis

ferandriadenzii, did you notice anything else last

month? Five extra chances in our year-end

Authors Award Raffle (this year featuring, as a

prize, a book by our very own Claudia Dickinson!)

to the FIRST person who finds and reports to me

what else was amiss on last month’s Fin Fun page.

And, speaking about our Breeders Award

Program, every March 2007 issue of Modern

Aquarium has, as an insert, a copy of our revised

BAP rules. Our lead article this month on White

Cloud Mountain Minnows mentions how easy

these fish are to breed. Well, if you want real easy

BAP points, let me relate my recent experience.

I make caves from coconut shells for my

mouthbrooding anabantoids. After I cut and

smooth out openings, I boil the shells for a half

hour in saltwater, then an hour in freshwater, then

I put them in a tank of freshwater (without fish) for

two or three weeks. Sometimes, I fasten Java

Moss, Java Fern, or some other plant to the shell.

I did this recently to a shell on which I attached

some Java Fern. A few days later, I saw spots

before my eyes. Since I recently had my eyes

checked, I got a magnifying glass and discovered

tiny fish swimming in a tank in which I put no fish,

only a coconut shell and a plant. It turns out the

plant came from a tank in which there were some

White Clouds. Voila, instant BAP points!

2 May 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

President’sMessage

by JOSEPH FERDENZI

Last month, I was perusing the Table ofContents page of Modern Aquarium, as Ialways do, when my eyes focused on a

number. It’s a very peculiar number if for no otherreason than it’s in Roman numerals. XIV is writtenafter the volume designation. Can it really be? Can this, the third series of Modern Aquarium,already be in its fourteenth year? What is evenmore amazing is that it retains its terrific contentand look after all these years. Modern Aquariumlong ago became the standard to emulate in theaquarium hobby. And today, its status as thepremier monthly hobby publication remainsunrivaled.

A lot of its success can be traced to thehigh standards we set at the very beginning, backin 1994. Warren Feuer, the first Editor, broughtpolished writing and intelligent editing to thoseearly issues. And, in a flash of serendipity, one ofour active members at the time, Stef Zander, hadbeen a professional magazine artist. He largelygave Modern Aquarium the look it has, so classicand timeless, that it has gone virtually unchanged. That team passed the baton to Alexander Priest andJason Kerner, who have kept us out in front as aquality publication.

How long can we keep Modern Aquariumgoing? As long as there are members willing tocontribute, and, one day, take the baton from Aland Jason.

I’m not sure I can even begin to tell youhow impressed I am with the membership atGreater City, but, I’ll try. To begin with, ourmembership is the most diverse of any aquariumclub I’ve ever experienced. It truly reflects themosaic that makes up this great metropolitan area. Then there is the genuine camaraderie. Seeing allof you, mostly all with smiles on your faces, liftsmy spirits just when I need a boost — just when Ithink I can’t possibly get through another marathonmeeting with a clock to beat, all of you seem tomake it fly and be fun. And, as if that weren’tenough, you are all great hobbyists, and have othertalents which you use for the betterment of GreaterCity.

Now, I’m not much for patting myself onthe back, but I may have to in order to make apoint. Back when I became President of Greater

City in 1984, we had no magazine or fish shows. We had no nationally recognized members. Itseemed that everyone was content to have a nicelittle meeting once a month. I was not. Plus, I hadthis belief that leaders should lead, or they shouldstep aside. So, I tried to be a leader. The resultsseem evident — we have membership participationlevels that rival those of our heydays in the ’30sand ’60s; we are the only New York City/LongIsland club to have had fish shows in the lastdecade; we have an award winning magazine; wehave several nationally known members; ourmonthly meetings are the envy of the aquariumworld because they are exciting and well run.

So, now, I have decided to lead GreaterCity on to another important project. That projectis the upcoming Aquarium Federation ofIndependent Societies and Hobbyists (AFISH)Convention. I grant you that this is a veryambitious undertaking. But, in my opinion, ourfuture growth and relevancy depends on trying tobring a regional convention to this greater NewYork area. If it fails, I will shoulder the blame. Ifit succeeds, it will be a credit to you, as membersof Greater City.

I am well aware that it is not alwayspossible to attend such an event for any number ofreasons. But, for those who can, consider this:everyone’s participation is important. Don’t justleave it up to “the other guy.” Make plans toattend this event. Come for the same reasons youattend our monthly meetings — the camaraderie,the speakers, the vendors, the auction — all ofthose reasons that make our meetings worthwhileand fun will be concentrated at this galaconvention. Remember, I alone cannot make it asuccess. Only all of you can do so.

* * *

In next month’s President’s Message, Iwill explain how this convention idea wasgenerated, the factors that went into my thinking,how the location was arrived at, why it isstructured the way that it is, what its features are,and what the long-term goal is. For now, I justwant to leave you with a thought. Whatever myfaults, they do not include my having any interestin this project other than the betterment of GreaterCity and of the hobby, especially in our home state. I serve Greater City, but Greater City must servethe hobby — that is my simple philosophy. Theflip side of that philosophy is also straightforward:just as I am a leader in Greater City, so mustGreater City be a leader in our hobby.

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) May 2007 3

by CHARLEY [email protected]

Alternanthera species: Temple of the Red Temples

The purpose of this ongoing series is to expose you to the vast array of plants available in the hobby, theirorigin, characteristics and structure, growing requirements, common names and synonyms, availability, andcost. I will try to sprinkle in any personal experience I have had with these plants and will also try to answerany of your questions—so feel free to email me.

This month we will look at some of the plants ofthe genus Alternanthera—some of these arebetter known as the “Red Temples.”

Origin and Structure: Plants of the genusAlternanthera can be found in the US, SouthAmerica, Asia, and Africa. There are 170 knownspecies, but only a few are true aquatics. Whilethey come in both red and green varieties, I willconcentrate only on the red ones. Of these, thereare two species available in the hobby—sessilis andreineckii. My focus will be with Alternantherareineckii, as Alternanthera sessilis is on the USDAnoxious list and is unavailable in the US.

Alternanthera reineckii is a good choicefor the aquarium because of its availability,adaptability to the aquarium, and beauty. It isavailable in 3 variants: Rosaefolia, Cardinalis, andLilacina. Alternanthera reineckii var. Rosaefolia isfrom Brazil. It is the plant most often referred to asRed Temple. It has thin lance-shaped leaves thatare green on top and light pink underneath. Alternanthera reineckii var. Cardinalis comes fromthe US, and has undulating leaves that are largerthan rosaefolia as well as thicker stems. Its leavesare a deeper red underneath, with olive green ontop. Alternanthera reineckii var. Lilacina is fromSouth America, has thinner stems, has leaves thatare bigger than the others and that are olive greenwith pinkish purple undersides. They makestunning additions to a planted aquarium, giving anice contrast of red and pink among groups of greenplants.

Growing Requirements: The literature states thatall three plants have the same growingrequirements: pH 5.8-7, soft to medium hard water,

high light, with a recommendation for CO2injection. My experience is quite different. Whilea bit demanding, Alternanthera reineckii var.Rosaefolia and Cardinalis grow quite well in a softacid tank with about 3 WPG (watts per gallon), noCO2, and an occasional dosing of fertilizers. Theywill produce large root systems and keep theircolor, even when crowded a bit. I have foundAlternanthera reineckii var. Lilacina, on the otherhand, very difficult to grow. It quickly loses itscolor, and the stems begin to deteriorate in theabove conditions. The only people I know whohave had good luck with this plant used extremelyhigh light (4 WPG and higher), CO2 injection,micronutrient dosing, and substrate fertilization(your basic hi-tech tank).

Common Names and Synonyms: All of these canbe called Red Temple, though it is most often usedfor Alternanthera reineckii var. Rosaefolia. Alternanthera reineckii var. Cardinalis issometimes called Cardinal Water Hedge. I have notseen Alternanthera reineckii var. Lilacina called byanything other than its Latin name.

Availability and Cost: I have seen Alternantherareineckii var. Rosaefolia occasionally in local fishstores labeled as Red Temple. I have never seen theothers in stores, and I think they are only availableonline. Expect to pay $7-9 per bunch.

I hope this article has helped you toappreciate this gem of a plant and has inspired youto try to cultivate it.

Lots of Luck!!!!


Tan’s Fish From TheWhite Clouds

by BERNARD HARRIGAN

If you were to ask me which fish would Irecommend to someone setting up their firstfish tank, at the top of my list would be the

White Cloud Mountain Minnow, Tanichthysalbonubes. They’re everything a tyro-tank keeper(ed. note: “beginner”) could want, and more. First, a ten gallon starter setup suits White Cloudsnicely. Second, they can tolerate a wide range ofwater parameters. Third, they’re a peaceful fish. Fourth, they breed easily, opening up anotheraspect of the hobby for the beginner withoutfrustration. Fifth, once the minnows are settled in,they are very active and display nicely.

White Clouds were originally discoveredin the streams of the White Cloud Mountains inCanton, China. The way the story goes, there wasa Chinese Boy Scout leader by the name of TanKan Fei. While on a field trip with his troop, hecollected these fish from one of the streams. Heturned the fish over to a director of fish biology,Lin Shu Yen. Shu Yen scientifically describedthese minnows, and named them Tanichthysalbonubes, which roughly translates to, “Tan’s fishfrom the White Clouds.”

At a mere one and one half inches long,they’re small enough to be kept in a ten gallontank, even as a school. Being a shoaling fish by

nature, they’re most contented swimming inschools, showing their colors more vividly asopposed to being washed out and staying hidden.

There are several color variations, all withbasically the same pattern. The belly is a palewhite or a cream color. Moving up and back: agreyish, or olive, or a rich brown midway up thefish changes to a copper, or maroon, or steel-blueto a black pencil-thin line, followed by a thickerwhite or cream line above that. Topping that off isa greyish or olive, or a rich brown, up to the dorsalfin. There’s a black spot at the caudal peduncle. The fins and tail are yellow and sometimes redwith clear edges. The females are paler and moreRubenesque than the males.

These fish can withstand a wide range ofwater chemistry and temperatures, but prefer coolerwater. I’ve kept mine without a heater. That’s aplus, since most ten gallon setups don’t include aheater. They can tolerate 80F, but not as thenorm, and would be much happier in the 60 - 65F range. Try to keep their tank in a cooler areaof the house. That means away from radiators anddirect sunlight, and not in the kitchen.

Darker gravel and feathery plants willmake the minnows feel right at home. Cabomba,Hornwort, Java Moss, and Water Sprite have all


On Mothers’ Day, I try extra hard not to eat my own fry.

worked well for me. Just make sure you don’toverplant the tank. White Clouds need a goodamount of open area for swimming, and courtshiptoo.

In a setup like that, they breed with ease. They’re egg scatterers. Males strut about flaringout their fins, persistently prancing to attract afemale. Together they head to the seclusion of theplants, where the male embraces the female. Shereleases a number of small eggs in clusters. It canbe as many as 300, or as few as a dozen. Someclusters of eggs stick to the plants, and others fallto the substrate. The eggs hatch in a day or two,depending on the temperature of the water. Thereis no parental care. The fry will hide in the plants,feeding on the microfauna and microflora foundamong the leaves. You could feed them infusoriaor powdered flakes as their first foods.

You know those mini-tub ponds, the onessome people put out in the yard from spring untilearly fall — the type of water gardening TedColetti sometimes writes about? Well, WhiteClouds are perfect for those tub ponds. Put a halfa dozen minnows into one in April, and by late

September, you’ll be netting out hundreds ofminnows.

Don’t think that these minnows are abeginner fish with nothing to offer the advancedaquarist. A few variations have been coaxed fromthe White Clouds. The most stunning I’ve seen sofar is a long-finned variety with a chocolate bodyand a rich red and bright yellow in the fins. I said“so far,” because if a well-seasoned breederseriously looked at the potential of these fish, manymore varieties could be produced. Just think ofwhat a wild betta looks like as opposed to a showbetta. If bettas were relegated to novices, wewouldn’t have the intense blues and reds, the blackbetta, the cellophane betta, split tails, double tails,and the butterfly betta, just to name a few.

The White Cloud Mountain Minnow is afish that can be appreciated on many levels bymany levels of aquarists. They’re undemanding,peaceful, very active, easily bred, don’t need alarge tank, and their genetic potential has yet to bediscovered. Is it any wonder why I wouldrecommend this fish to a newbie, to an advancedhobbyist, and to you?

THE AMUSING AQUARIUM


Ich (White Spot Disease)by DAN RADEBAUGH

Ich (pronounced “ ck”) is a disease that all of uswho keep fish will probably have to deal withmore than once. It is a parasitic infestation of

the large ciliate protozoan Ichthyophthiriusmultifiliis, an organism that is seemingly ubiquitousin freshwater around the globe. So-called saltwater“ich” is caused by a different organism,Cryptocaryon irritans, and is not addressed in thisarticle.

If recognized early, ich is usually an easilycurable disease. On the other hand, if not noticedand treated promptly it can easily wipe out anaquarium. The most common symptom is thesignature “white spots” looking like grains of salton the fish’s body and fins. Behavior such as“flashing” (the fish rubbing their skin on gravel ordecorations) can be another tip-off. However, as Ilearned to my regret, sometimes the white spots donot appear until the fish are too weak to recover. There are other signs, such as ragged fins, lethargicbehavior, gasping for breath, but these can besymptomatic of other conditions as well.

There is plenty of available informationabout ich. Almost all good fishkeeping booksexplain the life cycle of the protozoan – and thisknowledge is key to effective treatment andprevention.

There are three stages to this parasite’slife cycle. The characteristic white spots areproduced when the parasite has burrowed under thefish’s mucous coating. They then tunnel betweenthe epidermis and the dermis, feeding on skin cellsand body fluids. The irritation stimulates the skinabove them to thicken, forming a protective (to theparasite) covering – the “white spots.” At thisstage, encysted under the fish’s skin and mucous,it is pretty much impervious to treatment.

The mature parasite detaches itself fromits host, swims to and attaches to an object (forinstance a piece of gravel), encapsulates itself, andreproduces by cell division. Up to a thousand“swarmer” cells can be produced within 8 to 24hours, depending on water temperature. Theseswarmers, or thermonts, then swim about lookingfor a host, which they must find within about 48hours, or they will die. Once they find a host, theyburrow under the fish’s mucous coating, and startthe cycle again. If the host fish dies, all theparasites abandon the skin over the next few hours,encapsulate, and begin dividing. Naturally, in asmall, closed system like an aquarium, this rapidpopulation explosion can be devastating.

Traditionally, it has been believed thatafter surviving an infection, the fish have a certainkind of “immunity” to further infection. Theparasites form a latent stage at protected areas likegills and fin bases, and don’t appear to notice theirhosts. Subsequent stress, or introduction of newfish (or even water from other aquaria) can triggerthese latent parasites to reactivate, attacking thenew fish and the old fish alike. I should point outhere that this “latent phase” idea has its detractors,some of whom are well respected, who refer to it as“rubbish.” I take no stand on it one way or theother.

Prevention

There are well-known common-sensepreventative measures against ich infections, aswell as other infectious diseases and parasiticinfestations. Most of us know them, but don’talways practice them:

1. Don’t buy sick fish! Sounds easy, right? If you’re looking at a fish to buy, look notonly at the one you have in mind, but atthe other fish in the tank with it. Do theylook well cared for? Healthy? Or arethere ill-looking or dead fish in the tankwith them? How about the fish in theother tanks? Many stores have a centralfiltration system, so if there’s a problemin one tank, it’s likely to exist in all ofthem. Likewise, the store employeesprobably use the same nets for all theirtanks, so the possibility of transferringparasites from one tank to another is veryreal. Of course it’s possible you know thefish is infected, but decide to buy itanyway. Not a crime. I bought a youngUaru a couple of years ago who had abad case of ich. I wanted the fish though,and figured I could get rid of the ich. This leads to rule...

2. Quarantine your fish! Parasites like ichare a problem that should be dealt withbefore introducing them to the rest ofyour fishy family! Ich is bad enough, butthere are other diseases out there that aremuch harder (or impossible) to cure. Fourteen to 21 days should be enough. Do it! Over the long term you’ll loveyourself for it! I don’t recommendprophylactic treatment while in


quarantine. Most medications have theirdrawbacks, so if you see nothing, don’ttreat it. If you don’t have a quarantinetank, add a new fish by emptying it fromits bag into a net, and then from the netinto your tank. Don’t add the travel bagwater to your tank! Better still, set up aquarantine tank!

3. Quarantine plants as well. Theysometimes carry hitchhikers!

Treatment

Effective treatment of ich is currentlypossible only while the organism is free-swimming. There are a number of modalities, includingphysical intervention, heat, salt, and chemicals. Each has its drawbacks, but non-treatment is anon-option. Some treatments are notrecommended for certain fish species, so do someresearch on the fish you’re keeping beforetreatment of any disease becomes necessary.

Physical Intervention: An example of this wouldbe the Transfer Method. This modality interruptsthe parasite’s life cycle. It requires five containers. The fish are transferred to a new container every12 hours. After 23 days the fish should be ich-free,as the swarmer cells will have died before the fishcycle back to the previous container. Theadvantage of this method is that it doesn’t requireany “medication.” The disadvantage, in addition tothe inconvenience to the fishkeeper, is that thisfrequent handling can severely stress the fish. Ihaven’t tried this myself, and likely will not.

Heat: One of the old maxims of dealing with thisparasite is to raise the water temperature to justover 80 F. This does not kill the parasite, butspeeds up its life cycle so as to decrease theamount of time medications need to stay in thewater. However, heat alone is often used todestroy this microbe. To do this, SLOWLY (nomore than a degree or two an hour) raise the watertemperature to 86 F. Maintain this temperaturefor ten days, or until at least three days after all thewhite spots have disappeared. Then, just asslowly, reduce the tank temperature to normal. This method can be combined with the progressivesalt treatment, but not with other medications. When using the heat treatment, as well as allmedication based treatments, be sure to provideincreased surface agitation, as warmer water holdsless dissolved oxygen. Most of the availablemedications also tend to reduce dissolved oxygencontent.

Salt: Raise tank temp to 80-82 F (see above). The progressive salt treatment is an old standby forthis parasite:

Day 1: 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of waterDay 2: 1 additional teaspoon of salt per gallon of waterDay 3: 1 additional teaspoon of salt per gallon of water

Continue this until you reach a cumulativetotal of about six teaspoons per gallon. Bear inmind that some species are more sensitive to saltthan others. For instance discus and tetras can onlytolerate 3–4 teaspoons per gallon, while molliescan live comfortably in full marine conditions. Know your fish! Maintain the salt level for about10 days, or until 3 days after the last white spotsare gone. Gradually reduce the salt content tonormal by partial water changes over several days,giving the fish time to adjust.

You don’t need an expensive, exotic salt. The latest research that I know anything aboutconcludes that “salt is salt.” Plain old sodiumchloride (table salt) is just fine. Iodized ornon-iodized is a non-issue. You’d have to add somuch salt that your fish would be long pickledbefore harmful amounts of iodine could build up;ditto for anti-packing chemicals.

Commercial Medications: There are severaleffective, chemical medications available. Thesecan include formulations containing copper,potassium permanganate, formalin, MalachiteGreen (used to be called Victoria Green),acriflavine, and methylene blue. There are alsosome “alternative” medications available. Ipersonally have had the best results with meds thatcombine Malachite Green and formalin. The thingto bear in mind with all these commercial productsis that, whatever you use, you must READ THEINSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY, and then followthem! Some of these chemicals are carcinogens,and require careful handling. Others can be toxicto certain kinds of fish. Still others canpermanently stain your sealant, tubing, or otheritems in your tank. Be careful out there!

A final word: No matter which of thesemethods you use, you may happen upon a strain ofthe microbe that is resistant to it, so you may beforced to try an alternative. As a general rule,don’t use two different treatments at the same time– for ich or any other disease – unless you have areally strong biochemistry background and are sureyou know what you’re doing.


The GCASProudly Extends a Most

Warm Welcome to

MIKE HELLWEGSpeaking On

“The Joy of Goldfish”by CLAUDIA DICKINSON

Ahobbyist since he was a child, Mike was breeding swordtails and successfully raising them whenhe was 9 years old. Mollies, guppies, corys, and danios soon followed. He quickly discovered thatbreeding fish was fun and challenging, and that pet stores would swap fish that he raised in

exchange for other fish, tanks, and equipment. Mike’s hobby quickly grew to the point where he wasselling fish that he raised to shops all around town.

Now a fourth level Grand Master Breeder in his local club, the Missouri Aquarium Society, Inc.,Mike has convinced nearly 200 species from more than 20families to breed, and he has successfully raised their fry. Hisfishroom of 80 or so tanks, ranging in size from 10 – 75 gallons,is dedicated to working with “miniature fishes,” with adult sizesunder 4" in length. Mike particularly enjoys working with smallegg scatterers, dwarf cichlids, wild livebearers, killies, and wildanabantids. He is also a third level Grand Master AquaticHorticulturist, having propagated nearly 175 species of aquaticplants, many of them by seed.

Active in the organized hobby, Mike has served on theExecutive Council of the Missouri Aquarium Society since1989, and is currently serving his 8th term as their President. Healso sits on the Board of Directors of both the AmericanLivebearer Association, and the Aquatic Gardeners Association.

Mike presents programs on various hobby topics tolocal school groups and hobbyist organizations around thecountry. He has written dozens of articles for local and nationalhobbyist organizations, and has been published numerous timesin both Tropical Fish Hobbyist and Aquarium FishInternational magazines, as well as Freshwater and MarineAquarium magazine. Mike’s monthly column, ‘Adventures in Fish Breeding,’ appears onAquariumfish.com. He currently owns and operates “Exotic Aquatics,” selling uncommon fish and aquaticplants, both to local hobbyists and to hobbyists around the country.

One of the most genuine, kind, and knowledgeable hobbyists that you will have the good fortuneto meet, it is a wonderful honor and treat to have Mike join us tonight to share“The Joy of Goldfish.”


Amazing Frydayby DESIREE MARTIN

A9-year old child’s dream of growing up tobe a mermaid after reading “The LittleMermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen (I

tested having a 12th grade reading level at thattime) began to materialize some 31 years laterwhen I met a GCAS member known to us all asGypsy Mermaid a.k.a. Sharon Barnett.

Sharon, as we all know, is a beautiful andfriendly person, so it was inevitable that shebecame the first friend I met at my new job! Tomy early surprise and delight, not only was she anexceptional human being in every sense of theword, but more importantly, she had alreadyrealized my dream. She was, in fact, a mermaid!!!

Sharon soon began sharing fish tales withme, and after a short while I confided to her mysecret of always wanting to be a mermaid when Igrew up. Well, after 7 years of knowing Sharon, Ihave jumped into the water and am finally realizingmy dream.

My first amazing Fryday occurred 2 daysafter attending my first silent auction at the GreaterCity Aquarium Society held at the QueensBotanical Garden. That Wednesday evening, afterwalking the floors of the auction room bidding, Iarrived home and unpacked the goodies which Ihad successfully bid upon. My arms were full ofmy Water Sprite plant, enough fish flakes to lastme forever, water conditioner, as well as a newpump to begin another aquarium soon. I plantedthe Water Sprite, conditioned the aquarium’swater, then jumped into a watery shower to soothemy human feet. I allowed the water to transformthe achy feet to soothing painless fins, dried off,and went to bed. I soon drifted into a sea-filledsleep, having the usual mermaid dreams enhancedby impending motherhood due to two verypregnant Endler’s Livebearers (gifts, of course,from Sharon).

The next day, Thursday, lunchtime wasspent at the pet store looking for more aquariumplants since, like any mermaid, greenery under thesea is very important to me in my quest to keep myfish family happy. Frustrated from the lack ofvariety, or even a simple plant to satisfy mymermaid yearnings, I returned to work and calledSharon, who always has a sympathetic ear for mymermaid cries. Sharon promised that the next day,Friday, she would bring me some more of mybeloved duckweed (my fish love the duckweed asmuch as I do, and eat it like candy) and a swordplant.

On Friday, true to her word, Sharonbestowed upon me the duckweed, a vibrant swordplant, a few more Endler’s, and some snails. Iimmediately canceled my evening appointment,and rushed home after work. I planted the swordplant, and introduced the new fish, snails, andduckweed into my aquarium. The tank was nowmagnificent!

Imagine my pride, when less than an hourlater I spotted a teeny tiny Endler’s fry swimmingat the top of the aquarium among the duckweed! Iwas beside myself with mermaid joy! I sat on afootstool and witnessed the males chasing thepregnant fish and was equally gladdened when Iwitnessed one of the females giving birth. Sheswished herself violently once, and a fry flew out. A little later, I watched her rest on a leaf of theWater Sprite plant and drop another fry. I sat onthat stool for what seemed like forever waiting formore fry.

Exhausted, I went off to bed and wokearound 3 am. I rushed to the aquarium and wassurprised to see that one mother Endler was now asslim as a runway model. I sat on my stool andsearched. I found seven tiny babies.

And that is how Friday became Fryday!

Norwalk Aquarium Society - 41st Annual Tropical Fish ShowWith an International Betta Congress sanctioned Betta Show!

September 29 and 30, 2007(Auction: Sunday September 30)

At: the Earthplace Nature Discovery - Westport Ct.For more information and forms go to the link on the website: http://www/norwalkas.org/


by “The Gypsy Mermaid”(A.K.A. SHARON BARNETT)

Multiple Multi TalesAfew years ago, I acquired a group of F0

( wi l d - c a u g h t ) N e o l a m p r o l o g u smultifasciatus—there were five of them. I

purchased some “muffin” shells, and some turboshells and added them to the multis’ 29 gallon tank,greedily anticipating clouds of shellie fry. The fishnever exhibited any spawning behavior, and rarelywent anywhere near the shells, preferring the upperreaches of the water column. I soon reconciledmyself to the fact that I was not going to get any fryfrom them.

These multis proved to be extremelyhardy. I made an ill-advised, ill-timed purchase ofCyathopharynx furcifer—a glorious Tanganyikancichlid which is supremely unsuited to mysomewhat less than meticulous fishkeeping habits. My tanks are generally well maintained, but couldseldom be described as pristine...C. furciferrequires pristine water conditions. To makematters worse, this was a period in my life when Iwas almost as likely to be in the hospital as in myhouse. The C. furcifer juveniles were temporarilyplaced in the shell dwellers’ 29 gallon tank. As

you may have guessed, I became ill and had to behospitalized, leaving my dad to care for my fish.

My dad is an indifferent aquarist at best(he never does water changes, just tops off). Inattempting to shake some flake food from the caninto the tank, he inadvertently shook in whatlooked like half the can. When I returned homeand was heading down to the basement to check onmy finned charges, my dad casually said, “I mayhave overfed some of the fish.”

A chill of foreboding ran down my spineas I continued to my fishroom. I was met with thehorrible sight of my precious furcifer floatingbelly-up in a tank full of excess flake food, andmiraculously, the shellies were still alive! Havingsurvived this episode, the multis moved to severaldifferent setups, but never showed any interest inbreeding. Earlier in the year, I purchased a youngtrio of multis and added them to the group, andyou guessed it—fry! Apparently, the originalgroup was all males! No wonder I got them socheaply.

Coming soon! - Mark your calendars!The biggest fish event in the New York Area!

November 9-11, 2007Best Western Hotel Riverhead, NY [Suffolk County]


FAASinations—News From: The Federation of American Aquarium Societies

by ALEXANDER A. PRIEST

The Federation of American Aquarium

Societies (FAAS), to which Greater City

belongs, has announced that the FAAS

website (http://www.faas.info/) has recently been

updated to include its first all-digital program

available for use by FAAS member societies.

The program is titled “The Road to

Master Breeder” and is in Adobe .PDF format with

high quality images and embedded audio. After

downloading it, a society can use it as a

presentation at a meeting. To use it requires a

computer, the Adobe Reader software (available

free from adobe.com), and a good pair of computer

speakers. Because this is only available to FAAS

member societies, those who download this

presentation will be asked to log in with their

FAAS Directory username and password.

Societies that use this presentation at a meeting are

requested to give a donation of $30 to FAAS.

To encourage more digital presentations

to be available, FAAS will pay $100 to $150 for

your PowerPoint or other digital program. After

receiving your program FAAS converts it to PDF,

records the speaker (live, or over the phone) giving

the talk, and then adds that audio to the PDF.

FAAS announced that it just received a

new shipment of FAAS Medallions. The new

FAAS Medallions are gold medals imprinted with

the blue and white FAAS logo. The medallions

also include a blue and white ribbon.

Historically, member societies use this

medallion as part of recognition awards. (Greater

City has used this medallion on our Aquarist of the

Year award plaque.) FAAS will be sending one

FAAS Medallion to each member society by the

end of May.

In an e-mail to FAAS member societies,

FAAS President, Rick Borstein, announced that

FAAS membership currently stands at 43 societies,

and that he would like it to reach 100 in the next

few months. He estimates that there are between

200 to 250 aquarium and pond societies across

the United States. As previously announced in this

column, membership in FAAS is currently free.

Any qualified socie ty can log on at

http://www.faas.info and sign up immediately. By

enlarging its membership base, FAAS hopes to

build better leverage with aquarium manufacturers

and government bodies, for the general betterment

of the hobby and individual societies. Therefore,

Rick has issued a call for help in recruiting new

FAAS members.

Among other things, Rick asks current

FAAS member societies to post information about

FAAS on their website or other message board, and

to include a FAAS report in their club newsletter.

Greater City has done both. For our members

reading this, who are also members of neighboring

societies, if those “other” societies are not currently

FAAS members, please tell the President to go to

http://www.faas.info/ and check out the free

membership currently being offered.

In addition to the already mentioned

opportunity to download meeting presentations (a

great thing to have “just in case” a scheduled

speaker suddenly becomes unavailable), and the

FAAS Medallion, FAAS will be having articles on

society-related topics available for download from

their website.

If you are interested in a greater level of

participation, you can nominate yourself to run for

a position on the FAAS Board. You can find a

complete list of the current FAAS Board Members

at:

http://www.faas.info/contact_bod_new.htm

If you are interested in running for office

(all the board members listed plan to continue in

their current roles for another year), or would just

like to find out how to participate more, contact:

Roger Halleen

Elections Committee

[email protected]

309-699-7394


News from the NECArticle Awards for 2005 and 2006

At the recent NEC Convention weekend, the awards for both the 2005 and2006 Article Contest were announced. Below are the results, andcongratulations to all the winners! (Awards for articles by Greater City members appearing in

Modern Aquarium are in bold type.)

Articles Competition Winners: 2005

BEST CONTINUOUS COLUMN:1) The Undergravel Reporter, GCAS2) Aquarian Minds Want to Know, GCAS (Authors: Claudia Dickinson, Jannette Ramirez)3) The View From the Other Side of the Tank, Long Island (Author: Margaret Peterson)

MOST HUMOROUS ARTICLE:1) Twelve Days, Modern Aquarium (Dec. 2005), GCAS (Author: Bernard Harrigan)2) A Fish Tank, Modern Aquarium (May 2005), GCAS (Author: Ed Vukich)3) If It Can Go Wrong, It Will (Mar. 2005), New Hampshire (Author: Don Van Pelt)

BEST BREEDER ARTICLE:1) The DeFINitive Corydoras Breeding Article (Mar. 2005), GCAS (Author: Bernard Harrigan)2) Betta Than Ever (May 2005), North Jersey (Author: Larry Jinks)3) An Endangered Licorice (Dec. 2005), GCAS (Author: Alexander Priest)

OPEN CLASS:1) The Odyssey of the Spotted Goodeids (Jan 2005), GCAS (Author: Susan Priest)2) Estimative Index of Dosing (3 issues), Long Island (Author: Tom Barr)3) A Review of Labyrinth Fishes (2 parts), North Jersey (Author: Chuck Davis)

Articles Competition Winners: 2006

BEST CONTINUOUS COLUMN:1) The Seahorse Chronicles, GCAS (Author: Bernard Harrigan)2) Fishkeepers Anonymous, GCAS (Author: Susan Priest)3) Tips, Tricks, Gadgets and Gizmos, Long Island (Author: Evelyn Eagan)

MOST HUMOROUS ARTICLE:1) Guppies Are Serious Business, New Hampshire, Oct. 2006 (Author: Chuck Smith)2) Name That Fish, GCAS (Nov. 2006), Undergravel Reporter

BEST BREEDER ARTICLE:1) Saving Private Konia (Feb. 2006), North Jersey (Author: Kevin Carroll)2) The Littlest Shelldwellers (March 2006), GCAS (Author: Bernard Harrigan)3) Spawning Behavior Observations (July 2006), North Jersey (Author: Chuck Davis)

OPEN CLASS:1) Four Rules for Successful & Enjoyable Aquariums (Sept. 2006), GCAS (Author: Joseph Ferdenzi)2) Corydoras Primer (August 2006), North Jersey (Author: Chuck Davis)3) Ichthyology and the Hobbyist (Jan. 2006), Aqualand (Author: Christopher Boulanger)

YOUTH ARTICLE:1) My New Interest (June 2006), New Hampshire (Author: Toni Theriault)


The patient is anaesthetized and ready foroperating. The operating table.

Fish Health Managementat the

North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicineby CLAUDIA DICKINSON

with photographs by the author

Dr. Mark Mitchell’s article in the October2006 issue of the American CichlidAssociation’s Buntbarsche Bulletin on

‘Managing Disease in a Fish Collection’emphasized the importance of proper diagnosis ofan ill fish prior to treatment. Before heading downto the local aquarium shop to ‘cure’ the ailment bypulling down all of the bottles of medications, eachone sounding better than the next, choosing to mixa little of this and a little of that, until a virtualcocktail of remedies is concocted, which is morelikely to kill the fish than to cure it, not to mentionthe harmful effects incurred on the environment, aprecise knowledge of just what illness you aretreating is optimal for successful recovery. (Ofcourse, in most cases you will in fact find that awater change, the greatest healer, is all that isrequired.)

Inspired by Dr. Mitchell, I decided thatnow was the time to give ante-mortem and post-mortem testing a try. Once the prescribedequipment had been collected, there I stood,scalpel in one hand, fish in the other. Okay — howwas I to begin? No sooner had the October BBgone to press than I was on my way to find outfirst-hand at the North Carolina University Collegeof Veterinary Medicine!

The Fish Health Management Course,offered annually, is nothing short of fabulous, withintense 12-hour sessions, packed with lecturesgiven by the top veterinarians in the US,accompanied by hands-on lab experience. A smallteam of us worked together, along with twoundergraduate students, and the assistance of anyone of a number of doctors. We observed an

operation, performed anesthesia on a live fish and,as it lay sedated on the operating table, did a gillbiopsy, fin biopsy, and skin scrape. I even drewblood with success!

After bringing the patient to recovery(fortunately, it came around admirably!), weanalyzed numerous slides under the microscope,using specimens from these tests, as well as fromthe necropsies we had done on post-mortem cases,discovering many forms of infamous microscopiclife, such as Ichthyophthirius multifiliis andSpironucleus. Absolutely fascinating! Theplethora of information was invaluable, aboundingwith fresh ideas and practices, each backed bysound reason, that brought a new perspective to aquarium husbandry. Stress, both physicaland mental, is the major cause for many, if notmost, illnesses in fishes. Just as in humans, stresswill result in a breakdown in the immune system,allowing the opportunity for bacteria andpathogens to take hold and advance, followed byan overall deterioration of the organism. Numerous factors bring stress, such as netting,aggressive tankmates, overfeeding, poor waterquality, inappropriate water temperature, lack ofseclusion, insecurity, excessive outside activity,and lack of sleep, to name a few. Most stressors,once identified, can be removed, leading tohealthier fish living longer lives.

The natural antibodies contained in themucous secretions of the skin of fishes ward offboth parasites and bacterial infection. Anexperiment using a fluorescein wash highlighted


the areas where mucous abrasion occurred, as wellas the recovery rates in incidences ranging from apin prick, that would not otherwise be seen by thenaked eye, to a major infliction caused by netting. With even a minor blemish to the mucousmembrane, such as the pin prick, the results werealarming. In each case, the immune systemdecreased, opening the door to infection. Acutestress from a net abrasion, or other object, takes agreat deal longer for recovery of the antibodies. Significant environmental stress, such as poorwater quality, compounds the matter, placingundue strain on the skin’s natural immune defensesystem, and can lead to bacterial infection. Afterobserving the effects that a net has on the skin of afish, after even the briefest and most gentleencounter, the occasion to net must be given asecond thought. Each time we net our fish, notonly are they set back by mental stress, butphysical stress, not necessarily noticeable to us,will be placed on their bodies. Food for thoughtwhen bringing a new fish home, moving a fish intoanother tank, or taking a fish to a show!

We have been taught that proper aquariummanagement includes slow acclimation of newfishes to their tank water. Well, it was hands downcomplete consensus across the board by this teamof experts — slow acclimation is one of the worstthings that we can do for our new fishes! “Movethe fish out of the traveling water and into the freshwater as expeditiously as possible,” was the advicegiven. The stress placed on the fish sitting inammonia-laden water, slowly being diluted bywater of another pH, hardness, etc., will set the fishback by weeks, during which time existingpathogens can and will take hold. The mainconcern is a temperature change, which can beavoided by preadjustment in the quarantine tank. Far fewer incidences of post transport illness willoccur when fishes are transferred immediately intofresh water. I must say that these knowledgeableauthorities have me thinking twice.

One evening was spent at the NorthCarolina Museum of Natural Sciences after it wasclosed to the public for the night, where the staffgraciously welcomed us with a delicious homecooked meal, followed by free reign of thebuilding. Wandering through the impressiveexhibits on our own, or accompanyingknowledgeable staff members, the experience waspurely magical. Noted for its perfectly recreatedarray of breathtaking biotopes, the museum

abounds with immaculately attended live animals,both aquatic and terrestrial. There we stood in themiddle of an extraordinary butterfly exhibit,listening to the curator enthusiastically describe thedetails of his creation, and the importation of suchbeautiful creatures that most of us would otherwisenever have an opportunity to observe. Colorfulbrilliance and subtle beauty filled the air, the trees,and the plants that surrounded us ~ all in thecompany of a lovely sloth! Down the hall, the noseand eyes of a snapping turtle, poking just above thewater’s surface, brought a smile to my face. Oft Ihad wondered in nature just what the rest of thebody was doing, and so I was compelled to boundaround to the other side of the exhibit, and crouchon the floor to view the outstretched hind toes, justbarely touching the substrate. A bit perturbed, theturtle decided that he had quite enough of myintrusion, and off he went!

Roaming through the marbled rooms, myeyes were wide as I felt pure joy and wondermentamongst towering wooden shelves, neatly linedwith jar after jar of aquatic specimens that hadbeen preserved over a hundred years ago. Poringover the biographies and records of each collector,my mind was lost in dreams of what it was like tobe the first person, traversing unknown territories,jotting notes in a journal on pages that wouldbecome softened and worn with sun, rain, andtime...until they came to rest here, for all the worldto see.

Our group of sixty or so students wasdiverse in age and occupation, made up ofundergraduate veterinary students, practicingveterinarians, managers and owners of large fishfarms, and hobbyists. For those studyingveterinary medicine, or with a veterinary degree,the course awards 20 hours of ContinuingVeterinary Education credit. The team ofinstructors was unrivaled, led by the renownedDr. Greg Lewbart, and included the celebratedWarwick Arden, George Blasiola, Dr. JackGratzek, Dr. Wade Lehmann, Dr. Jay Levine, Dr.Ed Noga, Dr. Michael Stoskopf, and Dr. CliffSwanson, and was coordinated with the efficiencyand enthusiasm of Samantha Hartford.

I cannot recommend this course morehighly for any serious aquarist, and plan to attendagain this Fall. I would love to have you join me! For more information, please visit:www.cvm.ncsu.edu/conted. I am also happy tohelp you get your plans underway!


Blood is drawn at the base of the spine, taking careto go in under the scale.

A successful recovery!

The extraordinary ability of camouflage isdemonstrated in the North Carolina Museum ofNatural Sciences butterfly exhibit.

Preparing for ante-mortem testing.

The author observes necropsy specimens under themicroscope.


UNDERSTANDING SEAHORSE DISEASES AND TREATMENTSPART 3 of 3

by BERNARD HARRIGAN

In the first part of this series, I talked about a situation I found myself in when one of my seahorses fellill. The trials and tribulations that I went through helped me write this series, and hopefully will saveyou from some of the pitfalls and dead ends that I ran into. I tried to make the Directory of Symptoms

easy to use, easy to understand, and to help you easily diagnose which disease your seahorse has. The second part explains each disease Category, its Causative Agent, why you should Quarantine,

its particular Symptoms, the steps that should be taken in Treatment, and General Comments to give youa better understanding of what’s going on.

This is the third and last part. I will cover the last two categories in the same manner as I did inPart 2, plus a wrap-up dealing with disease prevention. For my money, the best way to cure a disease isto stop it from happening in the first place.

Category III — Internal ParasitesFlatworm, Fluke, Roundworm, Tapeworm,Protozoan Disease, etc.

Causative Agents:Cestodes, nematodes, protozoans, and

digenetic trematodes.

Quarantine:Yes — these diseases are contagious and

treatment works best in a hospital tank.

Symptoms:Internal parasites, by their very nature, are

covert. With some, there might be weight loss, andothers may cause swelling. Sometimes the fishswim wildly or abnormally, or they might just belistless. Three other possible symptoms are:bulging of the eyes, loss of appetite, and the onlysure clue that your seahorse is swimming aroundwith an internal parasite is seeing a worm exitingthe anal cavity. Besides that, the only way to reallytell if your fish has internal parasites, and whichone they have, is to perform an autopsy.

To perform an autopsy, cut a dead fishopen and look inside. Check for worms, especiallyaround and inside the digestive tract. You mighthave to do a smear and examine it under amicroscope. You’ll of course need a microscope,but also a good reference book on marine fishdiseases, one with plenty of clear pictures. Thiswill not only help you in identifying the parasite,but also guide you to the infected organ. Sliceopen the organ and smear a light coating from itsinsides onto a glass slide. Check it under themicroscope with the book by your side.

Treatment:Freshwater dip is my first line of assault.

It is very effective against some internal parasites. Fill a container (a small, clean pail) with freshwatermatching the temperature and pH of the tank thatthe seahorse came from. I’ll add malachite greento the water, following the manufacturer’sdirections. This gives the dip an added punchagainst parasites.

Place the infected seahorse in the dip for5 to 10 minutes. Monitor the seahorse closely, andremove it if it goes into distress. After the dip,place the seahorse in a hospital tank. The hospitaltank should have freshly made seawater, withmethlyene blue added. Methlyene blue not onlyhelps stop secondary infection, but also combatsthe toxic effects of ammonia and nitrite buildup. Add a hitching post to the tank. Observe theseahorse closely for signs of improvement — ifnone are observed, go to the next step, antiparasiticdrugs.

Two of the best medications that I’vefound so far to treat internal parasites arePraziquantel and Niclosamide. There are severalon the market under different trade names. Checkthe label for a list of active ingredients. Sometimesmanufacturers will use one of these medications incombination with Metronidazole, another goodparasitic medication. In order to work, the fishmust ingest the medication with food. The way todo that is to either gut load live shrimp (e.g., adultbrine shrimp), soaking frozen shrimp, or injectingfrozen shrimp with the medication. Follow themanufacturer’s directions and recommendations forbest results.

Comments:Internal parasites are the hardest illnesses

to diagnose. It isn’t until after a seahorse has diedthat you can really be sure it was infected withinternal parasites, and that’s only if you perform an


autopsy. Lack of a correct diagnosis leads to adelay in treatment, which in turn leads to a highmortality rate. The parasites often go undetected,grow fast, and multiply while the host fish starvesto death. Luckily, internal parasites are rarely seenin tank-bred seahorses.

Category IV — Putrescent Diseases:Snot Rot, Flesh Eating Disease, Tail Rot, WhiteTail Disease.

Causative Agents:Either a bacteria

(probably a Cositaspecies), or a fungus (mostlikely of the Saprolengicfamily).

Quarantine:Yes — this

infection is contagious andtreatment works best in ahospital tank.

Symptoms:T h e y v a r y ,

depending on whether thedisease is caused by abacterial infection or afungus. With a bacterialinfection, the seahorse’sskin will peel and start toturn white. With a fungusi n f e c t i o n , t i n ycauliflower-like growthsdevelop, and the infectedskin area will get a pinkishtint. There also might besome degree of swelling inthe infected area for bothtypes of infections.

Other symptomsvary, depending on wherethe infection is located. They include lockjaw,cloudy eyes, rapidbreathing, and varyingdegrees of loss of the tail’sprehensile ability. It starts at the tip, and as thedisease progresses the tail will arch backwards,taking a “U” shape instead of its normal “J” shape. In advanced stages, lesions become bloody. Eventually, this hideous disease could devour theseahorse down to the bone.

Treatment:The first step is identifying the pathogen.

If going by the color of the infected area isn’t

enough (white for bacterial, pink for fungus), thenyou need to do a smear from the infected area, putit on a slide, and examine it under a microscope. Be sure to have a good reference book on marinefish diseases with plenty of clear pictures.

If you’re dealing with a fungus, use agood antifungal medication. As of this writing, thebest I’ve found are ones that contain Nifurpirinolor Phenoxyethanol. You can use it to treat thewater in the hospital tank, or with some you cansoak frozen shrimp with it and feed it to theinfected fish. This way, you are treating the fish

and not the tank. Followt he ma n u fa c t u r e r ’ sdirections fully either wayyou use it.

If you’re dealingwith a bacterial infection,a full spectrum antibioticis needed. That’s one thatw o r k s o n b o t hg r a m- n e g a t i v e a n dgram-positive diseases. You are to look for amedication that has acombination of any ofthese ingredients: N i t r o f u r a z a n e ,Furazoidone, Triple Sulfa,and Neomycin. Followt h e ma nu f a c tur e r ’ sdirections fully.

A better (buttrickier) treatment is usinga topical solution. Caremust be taken not to getany of the solution into thefish’s eyes, gills, ordripped back into the tankwater. If at all possible, itshould be trickled on, andnot rubbed in. Rubbingthe solution in could openup the sores further. Ifyou have to varnish thesolution on, do so with asoft hair artist’s brush thathas been cleaned in

alcohol. Some topical solutions are Neomycin,Betadine®, Melaleuca, and formalin. There areeven some commercial topical solutions made justfor fish. Bio-Bandage, Wound Control, andMelafix are just three of them.

Use the topical solution daily, and keepthe seahorse in a hospital tank that’s been treatedwith a full spectrum antibiotic. Continue thistreatment for 2-3 weeks, depending on the extent ofthe disease. Follow the manufacturer’s directions


fully for both medications, especially the antibiotic. You want to maintain it at the recommendedstrength, even after doing a water change (change50% of the water every third day).

Comments:A seahorse’s health is easily restored if

this disease is caught early and given propertreatment. But even with proper treatment, theaffected fish will probably be left with scars. Some

of them can be quite grotesque. Without treatment,this disease can be fatal.

There has been research into a vaccine toprevent some forms of Putrescent Disease, but asof this writing, one hasn’t been developed yet. Until then, early intervention is your best hope. Ifyou continue to have outbreaks in the same tank,then the whole aquarium needs to be sterilized inorder to eradicate the disease.

The best and easiest way to treat disease, both for you as well as your fish, is through prevention. Quarantine new additions to your aquarium. I’m not just talking about fish. I’m talking invertebrates, andlive rock, too. Any of them can bring unwanted hitchhikers into your aquarium. It’s easier to be rid ofthem before they get into the aquarium than it is afterwards. A 2-4 week layover in a quarantine tank will,without having to use any chemicals, rid your new acquisition of parasites that could attack your fish.

Observe your quarantine tank with the light on, and when the lights go out. If you’ve just gottensome new live rock, you might see creatures that you never knew it had. Crabs, seastars, and bristlewormscan all be aggressive towards your seahorses.

Keep your water parameters stable. Check salinity, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, pH, and totalalkalinity levels. Make sure your tank’s temperature doesn’t get too hot. Lots of seahorse species comefrom non-tropical areas. A quick spike in temperature is the most likely precursor to the PutrescentDiseases, as well as others.

Do you vary their diet? Adult brine shrimp is not a good mainstay for most seahorses to surviveon. Are your seahorses getting enough HUFAs (Highly Unsaturated Fatty Acids), calcium, or food ingeneral? Because of a seahorse’s rudimentary digestive system, they need to eat several times a day.

All these things and more cause stress for your fish. Stress weakens your seahorse, allowingdisease to take hold. Whatever causes stress, eliminate it, and you will have eliminated 99% of the chancesof your seahorse coming down with a disease. Remember, you are their caregiver, their caretaker, and theirguardian. Their life and happiness is in your hands.

2007 AKA ConventionMay 25th through May 27th, 2007

Ramada Milwaukee Airport Hotel & Convention CenterMilwaukee, Wisconsin

The AKA convention is the national killifish event of the year, held on MemorialDay weekend. It is held in different cities each year, depending on which affiliate clubsuccessfully bids to host it. This event is attended by killifish enthusiasts from all over theUS, Canada, and from other countries. It starts on Friday evening, with talks on Fridayand Saturday. There is a show in which many species of killifish, ranging from the commonto the very rare, are there for display and for judging.

On Sunday, the big auction takes place, with hundreds of pairs of killifish, includingall those in the show, for sale. If you want to see and acquire killies, this is the place to doit! But most of all, this is a wonderful opportunity to socialize with fellow killie enthusiasts.

Register online at: http://www.aka.org/convention/


NJAS Website: http://www.njas.net/



American Cichlid AssociationConvention

hosted by the Sacramento Aquarium Society (SAS)

Thursday, July 19 - Sunday, July 22, 2007Registration is now available online. By ACA policy, all registrants for theconvention must be a current member of either the American CichlidAssociation (ACA) or the Sacramento Aquarium Society (SAS) at the timeof the convention. Go to: http://www.cichlid.org/ACA2007Convention.html

The 2007 Convention will be at the:Hilton, Sacramento Arden West2200 Harvard Street Sacramento, CA


In spite of popular demand to thecontrary, this humor and informationcolumn continues. As usual, it doesNOT necessarily represent theopinions of the Editor, or of theGreater City Aquarium Society.

A series by “The Undergravel Reporter”

Among many other things, last month’sUndergravel Reporter column discussed theplight of Celestichthys margaritatus (the

Celestial Pearl Danio); and wouldn’t you know it,the next issue of Aquarium Fish International thatcame out after that column was printed featured anarticle on the Celestial Pearl Danio! This hasprompted me to look at some other newsworthyitems that aquarists, and others interested in theanimal kingdom generally, might not have seen.

Remember the recent warnings about foodin certain fast food restaurants? Remember howmany of them were in New Jersey? Did you knowthat the New Jersey Department of Health andSenior Services issued a warning in January toresidents of the city of Ringwood, NJ, stating thatthey should limit their intake of squirrel to no morethan twice a week (children once a month). (A toxicwaste dump is nearby.) [New York Daily News-AP,1-25-07]

Just so you don’t think I’m only picking onour neighboring state, I want to mention that NewYork State food inspectors are reportedly havingtrouble keeping up with the illegal importation andsale of uninspected exotic meat for New York City’simmigrant population, including bush meat and meatfrom endangered species. According to anAssociated Press report, inspectors found, amongother items openly displayed in New York Citystorefronts, armadillo and iguana meat, cow lungs,smoked rodent, and an “unidentified fish paste,”along with crates of turtles and a tub of bullfrogs,and occasionally endangered gorilla andchimpanzee meat. [WCBS-TV (New York)-AP,12-1-06]

Our scheduled speaker this month is tospeak on the topic of goldfish. Maybe he hasauctioned a few, or sold a few, but I wonder if heever put them to work 24/7 as fundraisers? Well,a resident of North Adams, Massachusetts with awebcam, a cleverly-designed aquarium, and a pairof goldfish has found a unique way to raise moneyfor the American Cancer Society.

Michael Richardson created the“WozCam,” a webcam available 24 hours a day viathe www.wozcam.org Internet website. TheWozCam features an aquarium made from an oldMacintosh G4 Cube computer shell. Theinhabitants of this aquarium are two goldfishnamed “Mac” and “Tosh” (get it: Mac and Tosh =Macintosh? O.K., a little obvious).

Links on the webcam site allow visitors todonate to the American Cancer Society’s NorthernBerkshire Relay For Life by sponsoringRichardson. Relay For Life events are designed tocelebrate survivorship and raise money to help theAmerican Cancer Society save lives, help thosewho have been touched by cancer, and empowerindividuals to fight back against this disease. Thisis one charitable fund raiser that, while decidedly“fishy,” is nonetheless on the level, and veryworthwhile.

The U.S. Navy announced in Februarythat it is planning to use 30 trained dolphins andsea lions for port security in Puget Sound nearSeattle. Dolphins’ sonar ability makes themexcellent at detecting swimmers, and they arebeing trained to signal via a beacon whenencountering one. According to an AssociatedPress dispatch, sea lions can carry special cuffs intheir mouths, and are being trained to clamp thecuff around a swimmer’s leg. But, will the dolphinread the swimmer his or her rights before applyingthe cuffs? [Seattle Times, 2-13-07]

And, finally, while we’re on the subject ofdolphins, and the “long arm” of the law, InnerMongolian herdsman Bao Xishun, at 7-foot-9 isreputed to be the world’s tallest man. LastDecember, he was recruited by a commercialaquarium in Liaoning province, China, to reachinto the stomachs of two dolphins in order toextract some plastic that they had swallowed, andwhich was making them sick. Surgical instrumentshad irritated the dolphins’ stomach, but Bao’s41-inch arm did the trick. [USA Today-AP,12-14-06]


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Please welcome new member:Dan Lin-Rivera

Thank you, renewing members:Michael Boscia, Steve Chen, Kin Tung Ha, Andrew Jacovina, Jerry O’Farrell,

Martin Resnick

G.C.A.S. HAPPENINGS

Here are meeting times and locations of some aquarium societies in the Metropolitan New York area:

GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETYNext meeting: “Member’s Night!”A series of mini-programs by GCAS members.

Date and meeting location to be announced viapostcard (to paid-up members!) and our website.

Contact: Joseph Ferdenzi (516) 484-0944E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.greatercity.org

Brooklyn Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: May 11, 2007 17th Annual Spring Auction7:30pm at Floyd Bennett FieldBrooklyn, NY(See page 21 for more details.)

Call: BAS Events Hotline: (718) 837-4455 http://www.brooklynaquariumsociety.org

East Coast Guppy AssociationMeets: 1st Thursday of each month at Alley PondEnvironmental Ctr.: 228-06 Northern Blvd. at8:00 pmContact: Gene Baudier (631) 345-6399

Big Apple Guppy ClubMeets: Last Tuesday each month (except Jan.& Feb.) at Alley Pond Environmental Ctr.:228-06 Northern Blvd. at 7:30-10:00pm. Contact: Donald Curtin (718) 631-0538

Long Island Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: May 18, 2007Speaker: Patrick DonstonTopic: “Keeping Marine Fish Disease Free”

Meets: 3rd Fridays (except July and August) atHoltsville Park and Zoo at 8:00pm. 249 Buckley Road - Holtsville, NY

Website: http://liasonline.org/Email: Arie Gilbert - [email protected]

Nassau County Aquarium SocietyNext meeting: May 8, 2007Speaker: Mark DenaroTopic: “Wild Bettas and Anabantiods”

Meets: 2nd Tuesday of each month at theAmerican Legion Post 1066 - 66 VeteransBlvd. - Massapequa, NY at 8:00pm.

Contact: Mike Foran (516) 798-6766Website: http://www.ncasweb.org

North Jersey Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: May 10, 2007Speaker: Ted ColettiTopic: “Vegetative Filtration”

Meadowlands Environmental Center - OneDekorte Plaza - Lyndhurst, NJ

Contact: NJAS Hotline at (732) 332-1392Website: http://www.njas.net/ or e-mail: [email protected]

Norwalk Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: May 17, 2007Speaker: Ed ChampignyTopic: “Koi / Ponds”

Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Thursday of eachmonth at: Earthplace - the Nature DiscoveryCenter - Westport, CT

Contact: John Chapkovich (203) 734-7833E-mail: [email protected] our toll free number (866) 219-4NASWebsite: http://norwalkas.org/


Fin FunCan you believe it?! We have not one, but two living, breathing mermaids among us. (I suspect that thereis at least one more.) Clearly, mermaids have more fun than the rest of us; they even have their ownparade! What: the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. When: the first Saturday after the summer solstice (thisyear it will be on June 23). Where: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY. Your challenge is to follow the long andwinding road to the parade, where Sharon and all her mermaid friends will be waiting for you. Mermenare also welcome! (Visit the website at http://www.coneyisland.com/mermaid.shtml - this year is theirsilver anniversary!)

Solution to last month’s puzzle:

Species Location

Lamprichthys tanganicanus Lake Tanganyika

Hyphessobrycon peruvianus Peru

Bedotia madagascariensis Madagascar

Jordanella floridae Florida, U.S.A

Macropodus chinensis China

Noelachromis ferandriadenzii Italy (April Fool’s entry - “Joe Ferdenzi”)

Chapalichthys pardalis Lake Chapal, Mexico

Cichlasoma boliviense Bolivia

Betta balunga The Balung River, Borneo


Documents

Modern Aquarium May 2007