Popular Fish Keeping no 5

www.popularfi shkeeping.co.ukMarch-April 2014

THE UK’S TOP TEN

FishKEEPING

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FishPopular

Your practical guide to freshwater aquarium care

COLOURFULKILLIFISHBeautiful & exotic

Our most popular aquarium fi sh

WIN AN AMAZING AQUARIUM!

Meet theclean-upcrewDiscover how they can help you

PACKED WITH EXPERT ADVICE

TWO COMPETITIONS TO DOUBLE YOUR CHANCES

CHOOSING THE RIGHT FISH FOR

YOUR TANK

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Nutrafin Aqua Plus tap water conditioner and Nutrafin Cycle biological supplement have

been used and trusted by fishkeepers around the world for over 15 years. Now these same

powerful, effective liquids are available from Fluval. Look for the Aqua Plus and Cycle logos

for your guarantee of quality, purity and exceptional performance.

The full range of Fluval water treatments also include Plant Micro Nutrients for astounding

live plant growth and Biological Aquarium Cleaner to make aquarium cleaning easy.

Take a tour of our aquarium liquids factory, Hagen Industries! Scan the QR code with your mobile’s QR code reader

©2013 Fluval is a registered trademark of Rolf C. Hagen Inc.f luvalaquatics.com

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W elcome to the latest issue of Popular Fish Keeping! There are a couple of great competitions

in this issue, offering different styles of aquarium, with associated equipment such as heaters, filters and lighting. Do enter – after all, someone has to win each of the tanks on offer, and it could be you! Both the Fluval aquarium set and the biOrb LIFE represent the latest technology in the hobby. Our thanks to manufacturers Hagen and Reef One for their support.

For newcomers to fish keeping, it is quite difficult to appreciate just how much easier things are these days, both in terms of setting up and maintaining an aquarium successfully, compared with the situation just 10 or 20 years ago. Yet it is not just technology that is advancing rapidly, but our understanding of fish and their behaviour too, as Dr Victoria Neblik reveals in this issue.

It is never easy to decide as to which

fish to keep, but here again, technology can assist, with a greater range of tank sizes now on offer, so it may well be possible to have more than one tank in the home, brightening up what can be dark corners. But difficult decisions still need to be made about selecting the tank occupants!

You’ll find some interesting selections in the following pages, not to mention a top ten listing of the country’s most popular freshwater aquarium fish, in terms of sales. The choice is also growing wider too, with invertebrates such as shrimps and snails now becoming

increasingly popular inhabitants of home aquariums as well. Whether you’ve been keeping fish for many years, or are a newcomer to the hobby, you can discover more about these latest trends in this issue. Enjoy! È

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David has kept fish for many years, and his books include the Encyclopaedia of Aquarium & Pond Fish (Dorling Kindersley, £16.99) - a comprehensive guide to the care of over 800 species. His website can be found at www.petinfoclub.com

David Alderton, [email protected]

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NewsThe UK’s top ten most popular freshwater fi sh ..................................... 6

Have you ever wondered what are the country’s top-selling freshwater fi sh, and what makes these particular fi sh so popular? Discover the answers in this article.

The Pets at Home Big Tank e vent .........10 Learn about remarkable transformations that have recently taken place at two huge in-store aquariums, and see the results for yourself.

Be inspiredColourful killifi sh ................................30

Steve White of the British Killifi sh Association continues his series about these stunningly beautiful small fi sh and their care.

Having an axe to grind ........................ 40An unusual group of small South American fi sh is the subject of Christian Castille’s column in this issue. Hatchetfi sh, he argues, deserve to be far more popular, as they are both interesting and relatively

easy to keep, either on their own or as part of a community aquarium.

Discovering more about the angel of the aquarium ............................................52

If you have kept angelfi sh, you will already know what fascinating aquarium occupants they prove to be, but now scientists have been observing them too, and their fi ndings are remarkable. Dr Victoria Neblik reports.

Do it now!Fluval competition. .............................. 9

Here’s your opportunity to win a fantastic aquarium set worth over £425 that will look stunning in any home, courtesy of Hagen. Don’t delay, enter today!

BiOrb competition ............................... 13Stylish, sleek and ideal for small fi sh or shrimp, the biOrb LIFE 15 is a fantastic small, high performance aquarium, and we have two to give away as prizes here!

Puzzles ................................................22Test your fi sh keeping knowledge with our selection of puzzles.

Subscriptions ......................................36Don’t miss the opportunity to get a fantastic deal today! There is a massive saving to be made!

Expert helpBecome a fi sh detective .......................14

Paul Donovan reveals how to interpret the likely lifestyle and behaviour of aquarium fi sh based on their appearance, and how you can use this information when choosing occupants for a community aquarium.

Fish doctor ..........................................28Providing expert advice helping you to ensure that your fi sh stay healthy. Understanding fungal disease is the subject covered in this issue.

A balancing act ................................... 48You may not have heard of OATA – the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association, but the hobby would be very different without it. Pauline Davey talks with OATA’s Chief Executive, Keith Davenport to discover more.

4 Popular Fish Keeping / March-April 2014

ContentsMar-Apr 2014

48A balancing act.

p6

p72

p30

p14

p52

p9 & 13

14Become a fi sh detective.

Did you know?You can buy Popular Fish Keeping in a digital form – and get our back issues too – through Pocketmags.com with the digital version being available on Apple iOS, Android, Playbook and Windows 8. Go to http://sub.sc/wEJRN for full details.

Subscribe now! Visit www.popularfi shkeeping.co.uk

Meet the clean-up crew! ......................72If you have been into an aquatic store recently, you will almost certainly have noticed a wide range of different, often colourful aquarium snails on offer. What do these molluscs bring to a tank? David Alderton fi nds out.

TechnologyWhen tanks take over ......................... 66

What do you do if there is simply not enough space in your home for all your tanks? The answer is simple – build a fi sh room, as Steve Davidson did. Here he shares his experiences and passes on tips for others tempted to take the same path.

RegularsFreshwater aquarium shrimp take the UK by storm ........................................18

Small is defi nitely beautiful in this case. Shrimp expert Lucas Witte-Vermeulen discusses just why these crustaceans are becoming so popular in the hobby, and provides advice about how you can set up your own shrimp tank, even if you have just a small amount of space available.

Me & my fi sh ....................................... 24Steve Rothwell has been a fi sh keeper for much of his life, and here he talks about the up-and-downs that he has experienced in the hobby, and why he still enjoys it so much.

Fish focus ........................................... 38Our poster spread in this issue features an unusual elongated fi sh that can move over land and is to be found in parts of West Africa.

Talking fi sh ..............................58Susie Kearley talks with two experienced fi sh keepers, to fi nd out what attracted them to the hobby and passes on their tips.

Fish mysteries ................. 62Reports of lake monsters are quite common in North America. Expert Dr Karl Shuker examines the evidence for an unexplained series of sightings from lakes in Alaska, including some

information previously unpublished, and comes up with the likely identity of a large fi sh to explain these eyewitness accounts.

Next month .........................................74Discover what’s planned for our next issue, and also, how to contact us.

IN THIS ISSUE

March-April 2014 / Popular Fish Keeping 5

66When tankstake over.

52Angel of the

aquarium.

40Having an axe to grind.

62Fish mysteries.

The UK’s top ten most popular freshwater fishHave you ever wondered what are the country’s top-selling freshwater fish, and why that could be the case? Well, here’s a list, produced courtesy of Pets at Home, which has more outlets than any other group of pet stores across the country. David Alderton looks at the figures.

10 Small goldfishWell, there was certain to be a goldfish on the list of course, but this may be something of a surprise. The

ordinary common goldfish – small size – only just makes it into the chart, in tenth position. Could this be a reflection of the fact that many people are looking for some more exotic these days, and that aquarium packages on the market are supplied with heaterstats, so that you might be instinctively more inclined to lean towards tropical rather than coldwater fish?

Maybe, but only up to a point, as will be revealed later in this article. What has to be said here, though, is that goldfish still remain unsurpassed in providing an introduction to the fish keeping hobby, and they are great fish for young or old like. They’re colourful and attractive, and can be tamed surprisingly easily, particularly to feed from the hand, as well as being easy to keep. One thing to bear in mind, though, is that they can grow relatively large, frequently to 15cm (6in) or more, so it will pay to start out with a relatively large tank at the outset.

BELOW The goldfish has now been kept in Britain

for some 400 years. A golden white cloud mountain minnow. PHOTO © PHOTOMAX AT THE GOLDFISH BOWL, OXFORD.


9 White cloud mountain minnowThis species is truly unique out of those on this list, having come back from the dead. Also known as Tan’s fish, being

named after the Chinese scout who first discovered it, the white cloud mountain minnow was believed to have become extinct in the wild, because of water pollution. During 1980 however, a new population was discovered elsewhere in China.

The species is, however, bred commercially on a very large scale on fish farms in many countries, to the extent that there is now even a well-established and more colourful golden form, as well as a variety that has longer fins. These cyprinids can be kept at slightly cooler surroundings than tropical species, with a temperature range of 8–26 °C (64–79 °F) being suitable for them. This means that it will be possible to keep them in an aquarium with little if any heating being necessary. White cloud mountain minnows should always be kept in shoals, comprised of a minimum of three individuals. These small fish are rather nervous by nature, so provide reasonably dense planting at the back and sides of the aquarium.

TURN OVER TO SEE THE TOP FOUR

8Zebra daniosThe homeland of these fish is in the Himalayas, and they are so-called because of their striped patterning. There are now

very many different variations though, that have been established by breeders. The leopard danio is spotted rather than striped, while some strains have longer fins, and others may display golden colouration.

These danios are relatively hardy and easy to keep, and they will thrive as part of a mixed aquarium. Once again though, buy a group rather than an individual, as they live in shoals. They’re fascinating fish, as we revealed in our detailed profile in last month’s issue, and have also attracted a lot of interest from the scientific community, being used for research into aspects of heart disease and blindness.

Adaptable by nature, zebra danios will thrive in a mixed aquarium, with suitable non-aggressive companions. They are relatively small in size, often growing no larger than 5cm (2in), and frequent the upper reaches of the tank. Flaked food supplemented with items such as freeze-dried tubifex will suit them well.

5MollyThe wild ancestors of the molly are to be found in areas of central America, but today’s domestic strains are derived

from hybrids between different species. In the past, it was the black molly, recognisable by its colouration, that used to be seen almost exclusively, but now the situation has altered significantly, and there are mollies available in bright colours too, such as shades of orange, with speckled individuals being common.

Mollies are livebearers, in terms of their breeding habits, and they can be sexed easily, as females grow to a bigger size than males. It is often recommended to add a little aquarium salt to their aquarium, so as to create slightly brackish water conditions for them. Feeding is straightforward, as they will thrive on prepared foods.

7Female guppyThese fish may not be as striking as their mates, but they can represent a bargain! This is because female guppies

only need to mate once, and they can the produce as many as eight broods of young in succession. Being livebearers, Guppies are amongst the easiest aquarium fish to breed, but be prepared for disappointment if you simply introduce them to an ordinary aquarium with little cover.

Any young that do result are likely to be eaten by larger fish – and even members of their species. Provide plenty of retreats, by including plants such as Java moss, which creates a fairly dense covering in which the young fish can hide, or set up a special tank where the female can give birth and then the young can be reared separately in safety.

A longfin leopard danio. PHOTO © PHOTOMAX AT THE GOLDFISH BOWL, OXFORD.

Certain strains of molly, such as this red sailfin,

are very colourful.

BELOW Some moors have more prominent

or ‘telescope’ eyes and elaborate fins than others.

The characteristic size difference in Guppies is shown here, with the larger female at the front. This variety is described as the blue grass.

TOP 10FISH

March-April 2014 / Popular Fish Keeping 7Subscribe now! Visit www.popularfishkeeping.co.uk

6 Black moorBeating its better-known common brethren, the popularity of the black moor is easy to appreciate. It may not be

colourful, but it displays a stunning matt black sheen over its body, which actually contrasts well with the orange appearance of common goldfish.

Many people choose to keep these different varieties of goldfish together, but bear in mind that the black moor is not as hardy, and cannot be kept in ponds throughout the year. In any event, it would be inconspicuous in these surroundings, as a result of its colouration. If you want a cutting-edge, contemporary design of tank, black moors are well-worth considering. They can look impressive swimming above white gravel for example.

8 Popular Fish Keeping / Summer 2013

Acknowledgements*With particular thanks to Pets at Home for making the data available for this article. To find your nearest Pets at Home Store, visit www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/store-locations

It is perhaps strange that no catfish – and particularly Corydoras species – made it on to this best-selling list. They are ideal for mixed aquariums, being very suitable companions for neon tetras for example, and thrive in small groups, occupying the lower levels of the aquarium.

In a likely sign of how things are changing in the hobby, it was interesting to see that the southern sales chart now includes Yamato shrimp, in the number seven position, and this species just makes it into the northern chart, at tenth position. It is clear though that Scottish fish keepers have yet to be seduced by these shrimp to the same extent though, with this regional sales chart being comprised entirely of fish. È

4 Small orandaThe highest-ranking of the three goldfish varieties on the list, orandas are bred in various colours, such as chocolate

or blue (a steely-grey shade), but the red-capped tends to be most widely available and popular. It has a silvery-white body, with a prominent area of red, forming the swollen area of the so-called ‘hood’ on the top of the head. This will become more impressive as the fish grows older, taking five or six years to develop to its maximum extent.

Orandas are described as fancy goldfish, having a relatively short body, but bear in mind that they can grow to quite a large size, with some reaching 20cm (8in) or more in spacious surroundings. Once again, it pays to buy a larger tank at the outset, if you want to keep these fish. Effective filtration is required too, as they produce a lot of waste, particularly as they grow bigger.

2Male GuppyThese highly popular fish are named after Robert Guppy. He is credited with sending the first specimens back to the

Natural History Museum in London during 1866, having discovered them on the Caribbean island of Trinidad. As with other livebearers, they have since been bred in a huge varieties of different colours, and particularly tail variations in this instance.

Male guppies look spectacular in a group, tending to be more colourful than females, but they are not especially long-lived fish, with a maximum life expectancy of just two years. They have a very fast breeding cycle though, with males maturing at just seven weeks of age.

1Neon tetraStunningly attractive, the neon tetra has always been popular with fish keepers, going right back to the days when it was first

introduced to the hobby in 1936. The difference then was that it was a great rarity, and a single individual would sell for a sum equivalent to the average monthly wage!

Now however, thanks to commercial breeding, neon tetras are available for pocket money prices, and a shoal of these Amazonian fish will look stunning, whether on their own or as a centrepiece of a tropical set-up. Neons can be distinguished from the similar cardinal tetra by their bluer colouration, and also by the fact that their red stripe does not extend down the entire length of the body.

The position of the neon tetra in the number one slot seems unassailable, as they are almost twice as popular as guppies, which rank next in line. Regionally too, they are also in greatest demand.

What surprises?

A young red-capped oranda. Goldfish are potentially long-lived, with a life expectancy measured in decades.

The stunning neon tetra - Britain’s most

popular freshwater aquarium fish.

Different ornamental strains of Guppies have

now been developed.


TOP 10FISH

3 PlatyAnother livebearer on the list, reflecting not just the ease of maintenance of these fish, but also their bright colouration,

achieved as the result of domestication. Wild platies in contrast would appear very dull in appearance, and those kept in aquariums are actually hybrids, created by cross-breeding between species in the past.

Variation in size between the sexes is less apparent in the case of these livebearers though, compared with Guppies, but the difference in structure of the anal fin provides an easy way to distinguish the sexes. As in other livebearers, this has been transformed into a narrow, stick-like copulatory organ in the case of males, known as the gonopodium.

Platies make an impressive display if housed in an aquarium on their own, but equally, they can be included without problems as part of a mixed community tank, living well in the company of other non-aggressive fish. They should be kept in groups though, rather than individually.

March-April 2014 / Popular Fish Keeping 9Subscribe now! Visit www.popularfi shkeeping.co.uk

By providing personally identifi able information when entering this free prize draw, Kelsey Media may use it to provide you with on-going information about their products and services.. Kelsey Media uses a Multi Layered Privacy Notice outlining how they use your personal information. For full details visit www.kelseymedia.co.uk If you have any questions please ask as submitting your data indicates your consent, until you choose otherwise, that we and our partners may contact you about products and services that will be of relevance to you.

WIN A FISH TANK

This is your opportunity to win one of the best aquarium units on the market today, courtesy of Hagen.

WIN A TOP OF THE RANGE AQUARIUM SET

The Fluval Fresh F-60 Aquarium set comprises an 85l (18.7 gal) tank and an integral cabinet. This set normally retails for £429.99 but all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this superb prize is to answer the question below and send in your entry!

The attention to detail with this unit is impressive, as is the styling, which delivers clean lines, with a contemporary fi nish. The top of the tank has been acid-etched, and this creates an attractive frosty appearance that conceals the water level, allowing your eyes to concentrate on the fi sh instead.

The Fluval Aqualife & Plant LED System provides full spectrum coverage and key spectral reinforcement provides a balanced combination for optimal photosynthetic activity. This means that it is ideal for plant growth, as well as highlighting the natural colouration of the tank occupants, so you can see them at their very best, as nature intended! The light itself is adjustable, with

locking thumbscrews on the brackets, The cabinet on which the tank rests is

styled to match, in a contemporary two -tone design. A key feature here is the integrated fi ltration system, There are no trailing hoses out the cabinet, nor is this a plumbing nightmare waiting to happen. In fact, it is very easy to service and reconnect the fi lter as necessary. The Fluval canister fi lter unit gives an ultra-quiet performance, and is highly effective, ensuring water quality is easily maintained. Tank fi lters can be very ugly – but not in this case!

Dimensions (Imperial conversions are approx.)

● Aquarium: (W x D x H) 60x35x45cm● Cabinet: 60x35x 85cm

Includes● Fluval LED Light Strip● Lamp Valance● Fluval External Filter● Fluval M Heater

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Want to know more about the Fluval range? Then visit www.fl uvalaquatics.com/uk/home

Last date for the receipt of entries is Friday, April 18th 2014.

ENTRY FORM

Note: The judges’ decision is fi nal. No correspondence can be entered into. The names of winners and their respective prizes will be published in a future edition of Popular Fish Keeping.

I do not wish to receive information from ■ Kelsey Media and ■ Hagen.

Question: What is the the volume of the Fluval Fresh F-60 Aquarium in litres?

Answer: __________________________________________________________________

SEND THIS COMPLETED ENTRY FORM TO:- Post this completed entry form to:- Popular Fish Keeping, Fluval Competition, Kelsey Publishing Group, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent, TN16 3AG. Or simply complete the form online at www.popularfi shkeeping.com/comp

Name: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Email: _____________________________________________________________________Telephone: ______________________________________________________________

WORTH£429.99

Fluval Fresh F-60 Aquarium set

Please help us to shape the magazine to what you want to read, by answering the following questions: I keep the following – please tick applicable box(es)■ Goldfi sh■ Cichlids■ Livebearers■ Catfi sh■ Labyrinth fi sh (eg Siamese fi ghting fi sh)■ Characins (eg tetras)■ Tropical cyprinids (eg barbs, danios, rasboras).■ Killifi sh

I have the following number of fi sh in total: _________

I have been keeping fi sh for: _________ years

My favourite article in this issue is: ________________________________________________________

■ I also keep pond fi sh■ I also keep a marine aquarium

CONTINUES ONTHE PAGE 12

ON THE SHOP FLOOR


If you’re wondering how to set up your tank and what plants to

include, spare a thought for those recently involved in designing and decorating the massive aquarium displays at two Pets at Home stores – in New Malden, southwest London, and Stockport near Manchester. These stores are regarded as flagship aquatic outlets, although fish keeping is well-represented across the group’s stores in general.

Over two weekends, experts from leading plant suppliers Tropica and teams of enthusiastic volunteers, including many from the UK Aquatic Plant Society, transformed the former marine tanks into stunning freshwater habitats, which are now home to a wide range of

ABOVE The start of the build, with the hard landscaping completed.

ABOVE The finished set-up at New Malden. The cloudiness in the water would soon disperse.

ABOVE Workers inside the tank, giving a clear impression of its size.

ABOVE It was important to work quickly, once the plants were being put in place.

ABOVE Tropica staff and UK APS members sort out the plants into groups.

ABOVE The plants were sprayed to prevent them drying out, until the tank was filled.

ABOVE With everything complete, it was then only a question of adding water!

The Big Tank EventsNEW

MALDEN

See the set-ups yourselfl Pets at Home, 80 Bushy Road, Raynes Park,SW20 0JQ.

l Pets at Home,Unit 1, Didsbury Road,Stockport, SK4 2BE.

l Find your nearest Pets at Home store, visit www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/store-locations

tropical species. When it comes to the

cultivation of tropical aquarium plants, you may be surprised to learn that all of Tropica’s aquarium plants are not grown in a warm, sunny

climate, but instead, they are cultivated in Denmark! At its 11,000 sq m (120,000sq ft) purpose-built facility located near the city of Aarhus, more than 130 different varieties are propagated, with millions

of Tropica’s aquarium plants being shipped from here to countries around the world, including those used in the New Malden and Stockport displays, where they are thriving.È

Interested in aquatic plants?Find out more through the UK Aquatic Plant Society at www.ukaps.org

ON THE SHOP FLOOR


ABOVE Careful planning in advance was vital for the success of the project.

ABOVE Checking and preparing the plants to fit in different areas of the tank.

ABOVE Planting up a tank of this size is not an everyday opportunity for the UK APS.

ABOVE Adding the gravel and rockwork to the tank.

ABOVE Adding the plants to create an attractive underwater landscape in the tank.

ABOVE The completed tank makes a stunning centrepiece in the store.

STOCKPORT

The completed aquarium in the Stockport store, after being filled.


WIN A FISH TANK

Competition time

If you’re keen to become involved in some of the latest aspects of the aquarium hobby, in terms of keeping shrimps or smaller fi sh, the biOrb LIFE15 offers the ideal set-up. It is very suitable if you only have limited space available in your home for an aquarium, and it can even be used to decorate a desk, so you can watch the aquarium occupants while you work!

Like all biOrbs, the biOrb LIFE 15 uses special ceramic media to provide biological fi ltration, which offers a surface area equivalent to the size of a football pitch. Any excess waste is collected and held in a fi lter cartridge at the base of the biOrb. To maintain your biOrb LIFE, all you need to do is simply replace the fi lter cartridge every four weeks and change a third of the water.

One of the most recent additions to the biOrb range, the LIFE 15 holds 15l (3.2gal) of water, weighing approximately 18kg (40lb) when full. It is supplied with a standard long-life LED light. For peace of mind, the lights and pump are low voltage and are backed by a 12 month

guarantee. The aquarium itself is made from acrylic which is ten times stronger than glass, and is available in a colour choice of black or white.

What’s in the box? ● biOrb LIFE 15 Aquarium● 12v LED light with 6500K colour output● 900g of ceramic media● Air stone● Filter Cartridge● 12v transformer, with connections to the

light and air pump● Low voltage air pump with ● Water conditioner and benefi cial bacteria

liquid● Fish food● Instructions

Dimensions (Imperial conversions are approximate)

● Height: 40cm (15.7in)● Width: 29cm (11.4in)● Depth: 19cm (7.5in)

WIN A STYLISH AQUARIUM

WANT TO KNOW MORE? You can fi nd the entire biOrb range on Reef One’s website at www.biorb.co.uk

Last date for the receipt of entries is Friday, April 18th 2014.

ENTRY FORMQuestion: What is the volume of the biOrb LIFE 15 in litres?Answer: __________________________________________________________________● My preference would be for a black OR white model (please circle your choice).

SEND THIS COMPLETED ENTRY FORM TO:- Post this completed entry form to:- Popular Fish Keeping, biOrb Competition, Kelsey Publishing Group, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent, TN16 3AG. Or simply complete the form online at www.popularfi shkeeping.com/compName: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Email: _____________________________________________________________________Telephone: ______________________________________________________________

Please help us to shape the magazine to what you want to read, by answering the following questions: I keep the following – please tick applicable box(es)■ Goldfi sh■ Cichlids■ Livebearers■ Catfi sh■ Labyrinth fi sh (eg Siamese fi ghting fi sh)■ Characins (eg tetras)■ Tropical cyprinids (eg barbs, danios, rasboras)■ Killifi sh

I have the following number of fi sh in total: _________

I have been keeping fi sh for: _________ years

My favourite article in this issue is: ________________________________________________________

■ I also keep pond fi sh■ I also keep a marine aquarium

We have TWO of these strikingly modern aquariums to give away, courtesy of biOrb, which will enhance any home. If you’re looking for a small, high performance aquarium, then the biOrb LIFE 15 will be an ideal choice.

Note: The judges’ decision is fi nal. No correspondence can be entered into. The names of winners and their respective prizes will be published in a future edition of Popular Fish Keeping.

I do not wish to receive information from ■ Kelsey Media and ■ Reef One.

By providing personally identifi able information when entering this free prize draw, Kelsey Media may use it to provide you with on-going information about their products and services.. Kelsey Media uses a Multi Layered Privacy Notice outlining how they use your personal information. For full details visit www.kelseymedia.co.uk If you have any questions please ask as submitting your data indicates your consent, until you choose otherwise, that we and our partners may contact you about products and services that will be of relevance to you.

I f you are seeking to set up or add to a community aquarium, you need to

be aware of the behaviour of your � sh. You do not just want to select � sh that will congregate in the middle of the tank, where, apart from anything else, it could become overcrowded. You should also be looking to include � sh that will occupy both the bottom level in the aquarium, as well as the upper part,

close to the water surface. This will serve to add interest, and replicates the way in which � sh communities exist in the wild.

A � sh’s overall body shape can provide initial clues. There are other key areas to look at though, relating to the position and shape of the mouth, plus the presence of any sensory feelers, called barbels, evident here, and even the size and positioning of the eyes.

Bottom dwellersMany bottom-dwelling � sh are characterised by their � attened body appearance. Extreme examples of this can be seen in members of the skate and ray group, with their bodies having become so compressed that the � sh essentially appears as if it has been run over by a steamroller! But of course, this is not to say that all

bottom-dwellers have such an extreme pro� le.

Many others display a more typical � sh shape, but can be identi� ed by their � attened bellies. This essentially allows the � sh to rest comfortably on the substrate at the bottom of the tank. They can blend in well against their essentially appears as if it

has been run over by a steamroller! But of course, this is not to say that all

blend in well against their


Different fi sh swim at different levels in the aquarium.

Dwarf gourami. This species frequents the mid and upper

areas in an aquarium.

Become a fish detective!

If you look carefully at the different aquarium fi sh that are available, then you should be able to detect clues from their appearance that reveal key aspects of their lifestyle, explains Paul Donovan. This is more than a matter of academic curiosity though.

Stingrays, whether occurring in fresh water or the marine environment, have a very distinctive fl attened, disc shape and often burrow into the substrate, blending in here.

the head, rather on the side here. This allows the � sh to conceal itself, whilst still having a good view of its surroundings and in a position to detect possible threats from above.

Colouration is also important, with most bottom-dwelling � sh being varying subdued shades of brown or grey, which helps to conceal their presence. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, and some loaches (Botia species) can be quite colourful. Generally, � sh living in this part of the aquarium are quite secretive too, hiding amongst the assortment of rocks and other décor present here. They may also be nocturnal as well, which reduces the risk of predation, particularly as bottom-dwelling species are often not very fast when swimming.

Mid-waterMigrating up a level in the aquarium, this is the area occupied by typically streamlined � sh, with a torpedo body shape that minimises drag when they are

swimming. Many have well-developed � n structures and are brightly coloured, usually associating together in shoals of various sizes, with tetras being a typical example of this type.

Living together in this way provides security in numbers. Large � ashes of bright colours

the � sh to � nd potential prey as it swims around in the main body of water. A number of bottom-dwelling � sh even have short barbels under the jaw, in contact with the substrate here.

Barbels are sensory structures richly supplied with taste buds. They have a tactile function too, allowing the � sh to grub around in the substrate in search of food, detecting it through touch and taste rather than having to rely on � nding it by sight, in what are often murky conditions. The barbels also have a physical signi� cance, stirring up food particles and disturbing small creatures that the � sh can then consume.

The eyes of bottom-dwellers

tend to be smaller than those of most other � sh, and in the majority of species, these are placed more towards the top of

can be quite primitive. It often forms part of a so-called disc that allows them to anchor themselves to rocks for example, and avoid being swept away in a current, or having to spend energy swimming in order to maintain their position. They tend not to be particularly powerful swimmers in any

case. Another feature that can help to identify

bottom-dwelling � sh is that many have accompanying projections called

barbels around the mouth. In bottom-dwelling species, these barbels are short and quite stubby, while in more active predatory cat� sh for example, they are much longer and decidedly whisker-like, helping

surroundings, with their upperparts tending to be quite subdued in colouration. Prime examples in this case are a number of cat� sh and loaches.

In line with the more � attened body pro� le displayed by bottom-dwellers,

a further adaption that has taken place relates to the location of the mouth. When a � sh is relying on camou� age to conceal itself from predators, it would clearly be counterproductive if it then revealed its position whenever it needed to feed.

As a result therefore, the mouth of a � sh of this type is located on the underside of the body, allowing it to feed ef� ciently by rasping algae from the rocks or hunting bottom-dwelling creatures such as worms without losing the bene� t of its camou� age. The structure of the mouth is described as being sub-terminal, being formed by an increase in the length of the upper jaw, so that this is longer than the lower jaw.

In the case of many such bottom-dwellers, the mouth

maintain their position. They tend not to be particularly powerful swimmers in any

case. Another feature that can help to identify

bottom-dwelling � sh is that many have accompanying projections called

minimises drag when they are

swimming. Many have well-

FISHI.D.


The mouth of a suckermouth catfi sh, with a short barbel visible on each side.

ABOVE Fish living near the substrate tend to display subdued colouration, and they often have quite small eyes, indicating they are likely to become more active after dusk.

LEFT The barbels are clearly evident around the mouth of

this corydoras catfi sh – a popular species for a community aquarium.

ABOVE It is hard to keep track of an individual in a shoal, and this brings survival advantages to fi sh such as these cardinal tetras. They should always be kept in groups of fi ve or more in aquarium surroundings.

CONTINUES ONTHE NEXT PAGE

capable of moving at great speed, as may be necessary to avoid predators, as well as maintaining their position in waters where the current is powerful. Their streamlined pro� le creates little water resistance and so permits rapid, ef� cient movement. The propulsive force comes from the powerful caudal (tail) � n, with other � ns helping to allow the � sh to change direction easily.

The � ns can serve a number of other functions too, especially in this group of � sh. They can be used for communication with other members of the shoal, and may also be important for initiating courtship. Fins may also have a defensive role, making � sh appear larger when they are raised, as well as sometimes incorporating venomous spines.

At the surfaceSurface-dwelling � sh

are typi� ed by an elongated body pro� le. They also have a straight back, plus a narrow dorsal � n. An example of these features can be seen in

the arowana (Osteoglossum

bicirrhosum). The position of the

mouth also helps to identify � sh of this type.

It is directed upwards (being described as ‘supraterminal’) and is formed by an elongation of the lower jaw in this case.

In many species, the mouth is quite small, and yet in others, it can be very large.

of these � sh may sometimes go into a feeding frenzy, ripping � esh off the bones of animals and people alike.

Mid-water dwelling � sh are strong, agile swimmers,

This is a truly versatile arrangement.

Although a number have small, rudimentary barbels, these sensory feelers are absent in the vast majority of species. Instead, food is generally detected through movement. The eyes of these � sh are placed on either side of the head, and they are relatively large in relation to its size. This of course helps them to locate prey and also detect the approach of would-be predators from some distance away.

The mouth is remarkable, although this will only be apparent when these � sh are feeding. The lips can be protruded, enabling prey to be sucked into the mouth from a distance away; it is rather like the way that a vacuum cleaner works! Another characteristic is the evolution of well-developed jaws bearing advanced teeth, to facilitate feeding on the move. This has led to some formidable predatory species evolving in this case, the most notorious of which are undoubtedly the piranhas. There are many gruesome tales of how shoals

moving swiftly through the water serve to create confusion in the mind of a predator, as does a shoal that suddenly breaks up and disperses. It is much harder for a predator to keep a focus on a single individual if it is part of a larger shoal.

There are a few exceptions, such as the popular angel� sh (Pterophyllum species) that are highly compressed laterally, in terms of body shape. This, however, is a re� ection of their environment. They live in stretches of water where there is a lot of tall aquatic vegetation, and thanks to their body shape, they can weave rapidly away from danger through these plants. Their narrow shape minimises water resistance as they do so.

A further adaptation to living in mid-water is the placement of the mouth. In this group of � sh, it is directed in a forward-facing position, with both the lower and upper jaws being of equal size. This arrangement, known as ‘terminal’, allows these � sh to feed from a number of positions. They can take food directly in front of them, or adopt a ‘head-standing’ position, feeding from the substrate, or eat at the surface.

when they are raised, as well as sometimes incorporating venomous spines.

At the surfaceSurface-dwelling � sh

are typi� ed by an elongated body pro� le. They also have a straight back, plus a narrow dorsal � n. An example of these features can be seen in

the arowana (Osteoglossum

bicirrhosumThe position of the

mouth also helps to identify � sh of this type.

It is directed upwards (being described as ‘supraterminal’) and is formed by an of these � sh may sometimes go

This is a truly versatile

The eyes of these � sh are placed on either side of the head, and they are relatively large in relation to its size. This of course helps them to locate prey and also detect

“They live in stretches of water where there is a lot of tall aquatic vegetation, and thanks to their body shape, they can weave rapidly away from danger”


The body shape of angelfi sh is specialised, helping these fi sh to weave easily through aquatic vegetation.

The typical profi le of a mid-water fi sh, as exemplifi ed

by these silver-tipped tetras (Hasemania nana) that

originate from Brazil.

The fearsome teeth of a piranha. PHOTO COURTESY ANDREWSELF AT EN.WIKIPEDIA.

Indeed, it can extend beyond the eye and may be opened to 90 degrees or more. This allows the � sh to swallow relatively large prey such as spiders and insects that may have dropped into the water from an overhanging branch, and snap up smaller surface-dwelling � sh. This type of feeding strategy is typi� ed by the butter� y � sh (Pantodon buchhololzi). It lives amongst � oating vegetation, where its � owing � ns resemble the roots of plants and provide excellent camou� age.

Surface-dwellers also encompass some highly specialised species when it comes to feeding behaviour. One of the most sophisticated is the archer � sh (Toxotes jaculatrix). This � sh is able to spit a powerful jet of water almost a metre (39in) from the water’s surface to knock an invertebrate off a branch. It achieves this by pressing its tongue against a groove in the upper jaw that forms a tube.

The jet of water is then forcibly ejected by contraction of the gill covers, in the direction of its prey. This may sound quite simple, but the � sh also has to take into account the refraction of light in order to hit its target, because it will not be located exactly where it appears, when viewed from underwater.

Another group of highly evolved surface-dwellers are the hatchet� sh, which are covered in more detail on pages 40-46 in this issue. These � sh have a deep, laterally compressed body, said to resemble a hatchet in shape. With the aid of powerful muscles attached to their pectoral � ns, hatchet� sh

can lift themselves partially out of the water and ‘� y’ along the surface for several metres by � apping these � ns. They must always be housed in a covered aquarium for this reason.

Making a choiceUnless you decide to specialise in one particular group of � sh, you should be striving towards having a aquarium where the � sh are quite evenly distributed in the aquarium through the depth of the water column. Avoid buying � sh that all swim at the same level, and do not forget that bottom-dwellers can help to consume uneaten food that sinks down in the water, and could otherwise end up clogging the � lter unnecessarily.

Of course, when setting up a

community tank, you must also take care to choose species that are compatible, not just in terms of water chemistry and size, but also temperament. Boisterous � sh are likely to stress more peaceful species to the point where they spend all of their time in hiding and do not feed, thus endangering their health. Bear in mind also that during feeding times,

many � sh become more lively, and this disturbance can be detrimental to other species, in particular surface dwellers.

Consideration should also be taken into account if you hope to breed the � sh, as the eggs and/or fry will be more liable to being eaten by the other inhabitants, and particularly bottom-dwelling � sh that mull over the substrate in search for food. One of the ways in which you can prevent

problems occurring is to ensure that the aquarium is well planted with plenty of cover, so that the occupants are not continually exposed to one another, and feel vulnerable. Rockwork and bogwood can help in this respect too, proving natural retreats in the tank. Surface dwellers will bene� t greatly from some � oating plants. They would naturally seek out the security of cover here in the wild, so as to avoid being caught by birds skimming over the surface.

And finally...As you browse the display tanks at an aquatic shop while considering which species to buy, watch where in the tank the � sh are congregating. Think about how they may � t in with the � sh you already have. Do you need to make adjustments to the design of your existing aquarium so the � sh will feel at home? Are the water parameters the same? Will feeding be a problem? Should you be in any doubt and want further advice, ask the retailer; if your chosen species is not suitable for your set-up, there will almost certainly be one that is! È

metres by � apping these � ns. They must always be housed in a covered aquarium for this

group of � sh, you should be

aquarium where the � sh are quite evenly distributed in the aquarium through the depth

community tank, you must also take care to choose species that are compatible, not just in problems occurring is to

FISHI.D.


The butterfl y fi sh conceals itself amongst aquatic plants growing at the water’s surface.PHOTO COURTESY TONIBER.

RIGHT The arowana is a surface-dwelling species, as revealed by the upturned mouth of this super red individual, with prominent barbels directed almost vertically, helping these fi sh to fi nd food at the surface, without revealing their presence.

BELOW The archer fi sh is a highly specialised hunter that lives near the water’s surface.

The pectoral fi ns of a hatchetfi sh can propel it out of the water if it is in danger. PHOTO COPYRIGHT HRISTO HRISTOV.

trend, given that a few years ago, many general � sh keeping shops had not even seriously considered the idea of stocking aquariums housing just freshwater shrimp, and yet now many forward-thinking outlets have started to embrace this fascinating branch of the aquatic hobby with enthusiasm.

A new development in aquarium keeping is growing rapidly in popularity – small-scale planted set-ups for freshwater shrimp. This is the ideal option if you only have limited space available, or are keen to have a smaller, second tank in your home. Expert Lucas Witte-Vermeulen of Sharnbrook Shrimp explains more.

Aquarium shrimp keeping is already established as a

massive hobby in Asia where it originated. In fact, it is so popular that governments regularly sponsor shrimp shows and only recently, Taiwan’s President visited one of the leading shrimp farms there. This interest is now spreading to Europe, where on the mainland, there are already several “shrimp only” shops and now a specialist outlet has recently opened in the UK as well.

This represents a remarkable


Freshwater aquarium shrimp take the UK by storm!planted set-ups for freshwater shrimp. This is the ideal option if you only have limited space available, or are keen to have a smaller, second

Lucas Witte-Vermeulen

shrimp take

Black taiwan bee shrimp in a feeding frenzy.

Eye to eye with a fi re red shrimp.

Crystal red bee shrimp.



or visit our shop at20 The Strand, Bromsgrove

Worcester, B61 8AB

01527 879207

For all you aquatic needs use

Midlandwaterlife.com

SHRIMPS


“There is also no need to worry about a heater. Provided that your home stays at about room temperature, the shrimps will be quite happy in these surroundings.”

The appeal of shrimp keepingWhy keep shrimp, you may ask? There are many reasons, and so here I’ll concentrate on the major ones. Firstly, shrimp are typically colourful, and they are fascinating to watch, constantly moving around their quarters searching for food, algae and anything else that may be edible. On the other hand, they can move very fast and unexpectedly on occasions. Sometimes they shoot off and propel themselves through the water when they sense food, and males often react in this way as well when a female shrimp starts to moult.

Freshwater shrimp are very low maintenance creatures, making them an ideal choice if you have a busy lifestyle. They create a fraction of the amount of waste produced by � sh. In most cases, they actually clean up after themselves by constantly recycling their waste. A number of species are voracious algae eaters, like the amano shrimp and

of a worry as well: get a timer for your lights and just ask a friend or neighbour to top up the tank if the water level starts to get a bit low. As long as your tank is mature and you have added a couple of Indian almond (also known as catappa) leaves to the water, your shrimp will be � ne without other sources of food for as long as a couple of weeks.

The leaves slowly rot in the water and the shrimp graze on the resulting bio-� lm that forms on the surface. The almond leaf will be eaten away until just the skeleton remains, which can take some weeks. Constituents in the leaf also serve as an anti-fungal agent, helping to maintain water quality at the same time.

Variations on a themeNo other aquatic animal has so many varied colours present within a single species. New varieties can emerge that are totally different in appearance from their parents, which means that breeding these shrimps is a de� nite and

dirty � lter changes, simplifying their care.

There is also no need to worry about a heater. Provided that your home stays at about room temperature, the shrimps will be quite happy in these surroundings. Nor as mentioned do you need a large area to accommodate a shrimp tank, increasing the possibilities as to where this can be located.

Simplified holiday careGoing on holiday is also less

the lesser long nose shrimp, and this helps to keep their surroundings clean too.

There is not only very little waste to deal with, but feeding the shrimp is less likely to pollute the tank as well, so water quality issues should not prove to be such a signi� cant problem as in the case of � sh. Shrimp only require feeding every 2-3 days, and even less frequently if your tank is mature and planted with lots of mosses and other greenery. This combines to mean fewer

This shrimp is resting on the remains of an

Indian almond leaf.

Many shrimp do not really need heaters.

world, acting as great stress-relievers as well. Bear in mind though that there are a few species of shrimp, such as the bamboo fan shrimp and the related Cameroon fan shrimp that really do need a larger 60l (13gal)set-up though.

There are a couple of other things to bear in mind too. Firstly, shrimps love plants, so live plants are essential in their set-up, and serve to create a living aquatic world in miniature. Also, do not forget that � sh will generally eat anything that they can � t into their mouths, and this will usually include shrimp, so these invertebrates tend not to be suitable occupants for larger, � sh-orientated set-ups.

shrimp, will hatch in around 30 days.

Short hatching periods provide the

shrimp keeper with the opportunity to experiment

with selective breeding. Since shrimp have a relatively short lifespan of 2-3 years, breeding becomes an important aspect of shrimp keeping.

It is fascinating to observe this process at � rst hand, and do not fear, because it is quite easy and happens naturally, with minimal involvement required on your part. As long as your water parameters are

stable, you should have some young shrimp

within a few short months.

Basic requirementsThe rising popularity of small nano tanks, with volumes of 7-15l (1.5-3.3gal), re� ects that of shrimp,

which will thrive in these compact

surroundings, unlike � sh. These tiny

aquariums are ideal to decorate an of� ce desk,

providing an attractive microcosm of the natural

It is best to keep shrimp in a tank on their own, with their tank mates being chosen very carefully. They can be kept with freshwater aquatic snails though, as a general rule.

More outlets are now stocking shrimp and necessary accessories such as their food. Look out for them when you next visit an aquatic outlet. The best species to start with are cherry shrimp or crystal red shrimp, and in due course, if you are interested in obtaining more specialised species, you may need to go on-line. The great thing is that as your interest expands, so increasing the number of tanks will not require a house move or any reinforcement of the � oor area to take the extra weight, as may be the case when it comes to keeping � sh! È

fascinating lottery! The eggs of Caridina and

Neocaridina shrimp, which are the most common and popular of the dwarf freshwater

Plan your visitThe only specialist shrimp outlet in the UK is:-Sharnbrook Shrimp3 West StreetRushden, NorthamptonshireNN10 0RT.Tel. 01933 317107.Website: www.sharnbrookshrimp.co.uk, with opening times listed here.

“Since shrimp have a relatively short lifespan of 2-3 years, breeding becomes an important aspect of shrimp keeping”

SHRIMPS

Subscribe now! Visit www.popular� shkeeping.co.uk March-April 2014 / Popular Fish Keeping 21Subscribe now! Visit www.popularfi shkeeping.co.uk

ABOVE 15 litre nano tanks are great for shrimp.

easy and happens naturally, with minimal involvement required on your part. As long as your water parameters are

stable, you should have some young shrimp

within a few short months.

Basic requirementsThe rising popularity of small nano tanks, with volumes of 7-15l (1.5-3.3gal), re� ects that of shrimp,

which will thrive in these compact

surroundings, unlike � sh. These tiny

aquariums are ideal to decorate an of� ce desk,

providing an attractive microcosm of the natural

Lucas’s series of articles

about setting up a shrimp

tank feature in our four

back issues, which can be

ordered online in printed form

at www.kelseyshop.co.uk/

magazine-back-issues or as

digital versions from

www.pocketmags.com

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

These three shrimp are all the same species, in spite

of their colour differences.

Shrimp love live plants.


PUZZLE IT OUTSolve the crossword in the usual way except that where a clue is represented by asterisks, you must enter a word that has some connection with the solution already given - GOLDFISH.

ACROSS

1 Lower limbs (4)3 GOLDFISH9 Largely marine region of Australasia (7)10 * * * * * (5)11 Fitted joint allowing door to pivot (5)12 Sandy waste such as the Sahara (6)

1 2 3

9

4 5 6 7

12

14 15 16 17

18

19 21 22

23

24 25

26 27

20

13

11

10

8

c 2013 Christine Ansell

G O L D F I S H

14 Concurred, saw eye to eye (6)16 Pal (6) 19 * * * * * * (6)21 Male relative (5)24 Still breathing (5)25 Small cup protecting needleworker’s fi ngertip (7)26 Boxers or warriors (8)27 The Red Planet (4)

DOWN1 * * * * * * * * (8)2 Colour of emeralds (5)4 * * * * * * (6)5 Mallards or eiders (5)6 Dip, submerge in liquid (7)7 Loathe (4)8 Involuntary expulsion of air down nostrils (6)13 Sloth, laziness (8)15 Largest town in Berkshire (7)17 * * * * * * (6)18 Instrument of Eric Clapton (6) 20 Upper frontal part of torso (5)22 Hooded snake (5)23 50% (4)

THINKTANK

See if you can solve the puzzles here! You can fi nd all the answers on page 74.

Puzzle page

TMYERRACMADONNA

RULBIHSNUMEAOI

M

USLOVOROKBAREHC

MTERRYI

WUWTRNOL

PONLASXLTISHTRE

VNAMWJLICVI

OIIA

YERACOJOHANSSON

XPKHCGNGEMAAHYN

WTVKLPFKRIFKGAR

OOOCAELAYDEIEOE

ANDERSONEOTJLIH

DTYBFHEGWESTFNGSolution: The missing name is HENRY

StarFishNineteen of the listed celebrity fishkeepers (surnames

where appropriate) have been hidden - up, down,diagonally, back and forth - in our wordsearch grid.

Which name is missing?

(Pamela) ANDERSON, (David) BECKHAM, (Sandra) BULLOCK,, (Mariah) CAREY,(Jim) CARREY, CHER, (Thierry) HENRY, (Hulk) HOGAN, (Wyclef ) JEAN,

(Scarlett) JOHANSSON, (Nick) KNOWLES, (Ashton) KUTCHER, MADONNA,(Chris) MARTIN, (Andrea) MCLEAN, NELLY, (Gwen) STEFANI, (John) TERRY,

(Ivana) TRUMP, (Kanye) WEST.

STAR FISHNineteen of the listed celebrity fi shkeepers (surnames where appropriate) have been hidden - up, down, diagonally, back and forth - in our wordsearch grid. Which name is missing?

HEADS UPPictured below are close-ups of fi ve different fi sh. Can you tell what they are?

ID PARADECan you identify this fi sh?

COPYRIGHT 2013 CHRISTINE ANSELL

(Pamela) ANDERSON, (David) BECKHAM, (Sandra) BULLOCK,, (Mariah) CAREY, (Jim) CARREY, CHER, (Thierry) HENRY, (Hulk) HOGAN, (Wyclef) JEAN,(Scarlett) JOHANSSON, (Nick) KNOWLES, (Ashton) KUTCHER, MADONNA, (Chris) MARTIN, (Andrea) MCLEAN, NELLY, (Gwen) STEFANI, (John) TERRY, (Ivana) TRUMP, (Kanye) WEST.

1

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Over the past two decades, he’s kept some of the new � sh that have

become available, and also has some of his own long-standing personal favourites. He explains to Susie Kearley why � sh keeping has kept him fascinated for more than 20 years.

The early daysSK: How did you fi rst become involved in fi sh keeping?RG: I got my � rst � sh in my mid-20s, starting with zebra danios. I had a shoal of six in a tropical tank. I was fascinated by them, and they soon gave me the � sh keeping bug! Since then, I’ve upgraded to increasingly bigger tanks, up to a maximum of a 1.2m (4ft) tank, in which I kept some large angel� sh. They grew to about 15cm (6in) in length. Today, due to lack of space at home, I’ve got a smaller tank measuring 0.6x0.3x0.45m (2x1x1.5ft).

I’ve been keeping � sh for over 20 years now, but a lot has changed in that time. Back in the 1970s, my dad used to keep � sh and he had his own unique ‘do-it-yourself’ � lters. Dad’s � sh tank had charcoal in the bottom, and it was

A lifelong hobbyIn each issue, we talk with a fi sh keeper to discover what their hobby means to them. Steve Rothwell from Buckinghamshire is a keen enthusiast, with many years of experience caring for tropical fi sh.

to the local aquatic shop the following day. I returned with a 0.6m (2ft) tank and set it up in my new home.

On another occasion, at about 3am, I was woken up by my wife. She said “Your � sh tank is making a strange noise…..”. Being fast asleep at

that stage, I hadn’t heard

quite ugly, with a � lter on the outside.

Today I enjoy the bene� ts of modern technology in my tank. I’ve got a Fluval 3+ � lter that has a bigger surface area than most conventional � lters, meaning it can � lter out more particles, maintaining the water quality. Aquatic technology has moved on in leaps and bounds, so today’s � lters are much better than they were in the 1970s, or indeed, when I started keeping � sh myself, back in the 1990s.

I’ve always done my � sh keeping by the textbook and allowed my tank to mature slowly, building up my � sh population gradually. Whenever I have a problem, or I want to buy more � sh, I get all the books out and check compatibility with those already living in my tank.

Disasters can strike!SK: Can you tell me about any mishaps you’ve had over the years?RG: One day when I was moving house, I had my 1.2m (4ft) � sh tank in the removals van. The glass broke in transit, but fortunately, the � sh were safely secured in another container. It did, however, mean that I had to make an emergency visit

SUSIE KEARLEYAquarium writer

ME ANDMY FISH


A zebra loach (Botia histronica) – Steve’s favourite. The patterning of

these snail-eating fi sh is very variable.

“I’ve learnt to

develop my tank

slowly, one stage

at a time”

Steve’s Top � sh keeping tip

that the � sh tank had developed a crack in one of the seals and water was leaking all over the � oor. The � lter was making a horrible noise, and had slipped over, pumping more of the water over the side of the tank too, so I switched it off at the wall.

The tank may have been losing water for several hours, while we slept upstairs in blissful ignorance. By the time I got down there, the tank had just 5cm (2in) of water left in the bottom, and all the � sh were � apping around here. With a great sense of urgency, I � lled a bucket with some of the remaining water to maintain the temperature, and moved the heater into it, then carefully netted the � sh out and lifted them into the bucket.

I added some ‘stress coat’ into the water in the bucket as well. This product helps to maintain the essentially invisible layer of mucus that coats a � sh’s body and protects them against infections. Then we started mopping the � oor, and clearing up my sodden � sh keeping magazines that were in the cupboard under the tank. It was a very stressful night!

I had another emergency visit to the local aquatics shop � rst thing the following

an uneven surface, or too little sealant was applied during manufacturing, it can split. I now always check this when buying a tank.

If you are worried, you can add more sealant yourself, but buy a special aquarium silicone product, rather than a general purpose bathroom or kitchen one. These contain fungicides or similar ingredients that are likely to be

toxic to � sh. Standing the tank on a bed of polystyrene is also important, so it is not on an uneven surface, which will put stress on the joints.

One of our more recent challenges has been power cuts. Short power cuts have become a frequent event recently and if the � lter doesn’t switch itself on afterwards, it stops working until you reset it. The last of these power cuts happened only yesterday, and the � lter started by itself, but that doesn’t always happen, and if we’re not here to re-set it, this could compromise the health of the � sh.

Fish and compatibility issuesSK: Which are your favourite fi sh?RG: Zebra loaches are my favourites. They are particularly good snail predators. I’ve been having


it. I didn’t know what the noise was, and it didn’t sound too bad to me, but thankfully, she persuaded me to go down and take a look.

That’s when I discovered

Subscribe now! Visit www.popularfi shkeeping.co.uk March-April 2014 / Popular Fish Keeping 25

Sheets of glass are held together by a special silicone sealant that can absorb the pressure of water, so normally glass aquariums of this type do not leak.

Steve Rothwell, seen here in front

of his aquarium.

“Zebra loaches are my favourites. They are particularly good snail predators”

morning and set up a new tank straightaway, so the � sh didn’t have to spend too long in the bucket. It’s remarkable that we didn’t lose any � sh that night!

Imagine if we’d been away on holiday and the whole tank had just emptied, leaving the entire � sh stock dead at the bottom of the tank! It’s good that we were there to prevent an imminent disaster. This experience brought home to me how important it is to arrange for someone to check your aquarium when you are

away. Disasters of this type are very rare, but they can have serious consequences if not detected at an early stage.

The aquarium silicone sealant that holds the glass together is normally very reliable, but if the tank is on

Zebra danios (Danio rerio)

were the fi rst fi sh that

Steve kept.

that might be poisonous to the � sh. If you try doing things like that, you’re likely to get very disappointing results.

A number of the aquatic shops do thorough checks to � nd out what other � sh you’ve got before letting you buy new � sh for your tank. This is good because they are acting in the best interests of both you and your � sh. Checking that new types of � sh will live in harmony with your existing � sh, and that the environment is suitable for them, is very

important as well.

I’ve learnt to develop my tank slowly, one stage at a time. The � lter can’t cope if you do it too quickly, and this then impacts adversely on the health of the � sh. You have to do things properly or you’ll probably fail. Someone I knew bought a new � sh tank and put gravel from their dad’s drive on the bottom of the tank. They wouldn’t listen. Then they � lled the tank with water and put the � sh inside – it killed the � sh. You can’t just use any old gravel – it has to be lime-free, and free from other contaminants

SK: So what’s in your tank today?RG: I have lots of modern mollies and they’re breeding at the moment. It helps to have real plants in the tank when they’re breeding because it provides a hiding place for the babies. We also have neon tetras, rummy nose tetras, and zebra danios, which remain a favourite of mine.

The zebra danios were on the news last year because they repair their own hearts – scientists are interested in understanding how they do it, because they’d like to be able to replicate the effect in humans.

Our children are interested in the � sh too - they feed them and show them to their friends, but they also know to stop their friends from banging on the tank. This can be a bad habit among visiting youngsters - and those not so young!

Learning from experienceSK: What have you learnt in over 20 years of fi sh keeping?RG: I’ve learned to have patience when I’m growing plants and

a ‘war on snails’ in recent months, because of the damage they do to the plants. I’ve tried various chemical snail treatments that are supposed to knock them out so that you can remove them. But when I introduced the zebra loaches, they cleared the snails in a week. If they’re happy to eat the snails and keep their numbers in check, that suits me � ne!

I have kept a single Siamese � ghting � sh in my tank a few times and they’re beautiful, but I’ve have a never had much joy with them - perhaps because some lines may be too inbred? I always tried hard to keep them � t and healthy, and I fed them on bloodworm to ensure they got well fed, but they just never seemed to survive for very long.

One of my Siamese � ghting � sh met a particularly unpleasant end. We had an anostomus � sh that was a bit of a rogue. He kept attacking the other � sh. I tried housing him on his own for a time, and then put him back in the main tank, which usually sorts out aggressive � sh, but every time I did this, he continued to attack the other � sh.

This rogue anostomus attacked my lovely blue Siamese � ghting � sh, damaging its � ns and it sadly died. After that, I took this particular individual back to the shop, explaining what had happened. We’ve had other anostomus � sh that have been � ne.

What’s in Roger’s tank?What’s in Roger’s tank?

important as well.free, and free from other contaminants

understanding how they do it, because they’d like to be able to replicate the effect in

Our children are interested in the � sh too - they feed them and show them to their friends, but they also know to stop their friends

tank. This can be a bad

I’m growing plants and


Rummynose tetras (Hemigrammus bleheri) are one of Steve’s

favourite fi sh, being ideal for a community aquarium.

There are now many new colourful varieties of mollies that have been developed. This one is known as a red sailfi n. They are quite easy to breed, with females giving birth to live young.

One of Steve’s golden zebra danios. PHOTO COURTESY SUSIE KEARLEY.

makes a huge difference, and now the plants are growing so vigorously that they need trimming every week.

Even today, I can’t get all plants to grow, but some of my successes are growing really well. Red plants apparently need more light that green ones - I did have a red plant once, but it died. Perhaps I’ll have another go!

Today, I’ve also got cat� sh from Brazil. When I bought them, I had to be really careful introducing them, to be sure they settled in without problems. I read through all my books and conditioned the water carefully to make the environment perfect for them, and I’m pleased to report that they have settled in happily. There’s just so much scope in � sh keeping. I guess that is why it is such a popular hobby – there is something to appeal to everyone. È

different colour light bulbs in the tank - a Power glow and an Aqua glow. They produce slightly different spectrums of light and you need both spectrums to make the plants grow successfully.

When I � rst started trying to grow plants in the tank, the � sh ate all the leaves before they could really get established. But once I got the lighting right and started feeding the plants with a handful of nutrients every day, they started to grow quite fast. Getting the light and gravel right in an established tank

had in the tank, but I’ve given up on that these days. I’m less of a nerd! I do enjoy creating themed tanks from time to time. I had an Amazon themed tank once. It seemed like a great idea, but all the � sh were grey or brown, so the end result was quite disappointing. I’ve opted for colourful � sh at the moment. One day, I aim to keep marine � sh.

For decoration, I just use bogwood and real plants in my aquarium and have a self-adhesive rocky background stuck onto the outside, to give a natural effect when you look into the tank. I have two

SK: Can you tell me about your feeding, planting, and how often you restock?RG: I feed my � sh once a day with aquarium � akes and pellets for the cat� sh and bottom feeders. I also give them treats from time to time, which include dried bloodworm, live mosquito larvae, and cooked peas. The mollies do seem to enjoy having some vegetables in their diet - they suck on the peas, spit them out, and then suck them back in again. It’s like they’re playing ball with them!

I tend to restock six � sh at a time, and I buy new � sh two or three times a year. I used to have a notebook to keep a check on exactly what � sh I

Would you like to feature in Me and My Fish? If looking after your coldwater or tropical fi sh means a lot to you, we’d love to hear from you! Perhaps caring for your fi sh has helped you through a stressful event? Or maybe you particularly value the friends you’ve made through your hobby, either on the forums or through a club?

Perhaps you show your fi sh or you might help to re-home unwanted fi sh? Do you suffer from a disability and how do you overcome the resulting challenges when looking after your tank? Whatever your story you can email us at [email protected] or write to us at our address on page 74.

Share your experiences

BELOW The correct lighting is essential for healthy plant growth in the aquarium, but Steve has struggled to grow red-leaved plants successfully.

ME AND MY FISH


Steve has found that the temperament of some fi sh, like anostomus (Anostomus

anostomus) can vary greatly.

BELOW Flake food fl oats, making it idea for surface-

feeding fi sh, whereas corydoras and other

bottom-feeding fi sh require pellets that sink.

Tackling the health problems that you want answered. Why not email us with yours to [email protected]?

properly. Modern foods for

aquarium � sh are carefully formulated to meet their nutritional needs. The vitamins and minerals in particular will help to boost the � sh’s immune system again, if it has recently been under stress, following a move. This reduces the risk of fungal disease, and means that when the � sh are transferred to the main aquarium, they will be � tter and less vulnerable to infections of this type.

Once the � sh are introduced to the aquarium, it is important to check that all is going well. If there is con� ict, leading to � n or body injuries, then again, a fungal infection may develop, which can prove fatal if untreated, even if the underlying injury itself was not that serious.

Q What are the signs of fungal disease?

A In the early stages, affected areas may

simply show up as localised

QCan you give me some information and advice

about fungal infections in fi sh please?

A Firstly, remember that the chances of illness

striking are always greatest when you � rst acquire � sh. Although it may be tempting to blame the retailer, it is more than likely that there could be something wrong with your tank setup. It is really important to allow the tank to mature, so that the water quality is suitable. But although

that can be assessed with test kits, there is another potential killer that cannot be detected in this way.

Bear in mind that just because a sample of water appears clean, this does not mean that it is free from pathogens – disease-causing microbes. In any sample, you are likely to � nd fungal spores for example, although they generally cause no harm. However, newly-acquired � sh are more vulnerable to this type of infection than those that have been living in the aquarium for some time, for a variety of reasons.

All � sh have a protective barrier around their body that protects them from injury.

Firstly, there is an outer, essentially invisible

slime covering of mucus

that plays an important role in this regard. That is why you should never attempt to handle a � sh with dry hands, as it will damage this protective shield.

When attempting to catch a � sh in a tank, always aim to do so as cleanly as possible, scooping it out of the water rather than trapping it so that it rubs up against a rock or other ornamentation. By minimising the risk of injury in this way, so you are reducing the opportunity for a fungal infection to take hold as well. The other barrier is more evident, being provided by the � sh’s scales. These can also be lost in some cases as the result of trauma, resulting from con� icts between individual � sh. The � ns are particularly vulnerable to fungal infections too, with � sh that have long trailing � ns being at greatest risk. Again, injuries to this part of the body caused by rough handling or � ghting may lead on to fungal infections here, often in association with bacterial disease as well.

Always bear in mind that fungal disease tends to be what is known as an ‘opportunistic infection’. As mentioned, well-established � sh are relatively immune to this type of illness, compared

with new acquisitions. This is why an acclimatisation tank can be so useful. Apart from anything else, this will allow recently acquired � sh to settle down in a relatively stress-free environment, and feed

If your fi sh suffer from the parasitic

disease called white spot or ich, then

once the parasitic cysts on the sides of

their bodies rupture, so these areas are

very likely to be attacked by fungus.

Beware, because although the white spot

may not kill the fi sh initially, a secondary

fungal infection may well do so soon

afterwards if not spotted in time.

DID YOU KNOW?

A fi sh’s scales normally provide a very effective barrier against infection. These are the scales of a blue Siamese fi ghting fi sh, seen in close-up.


Fish Doctor

greyish or whitish spots, but before long, they develop a haloed appearance. On closer scrutiny, this is rather similar to cotton wool, effectively con� rming an attack by Saprolegnia fungus.

Rapid treatment is important, not just to help the affected � sh, but also, to protect others in the tank. The fungal spores will otherwise multiply rapidly in number in the aquarium water, with the increasing concentration putting the health of other � sh as well. It is worth remembering that when you carry out partial water changes to maintain water chemistry, this also has the bene� cial effect of lowering the concentration of fungal spores in the tank as well.

Q What treatments are available?

A A number of different proprietary treatments

are available at aquatic shops. These are traditionally based on various dyes, which need to be diluted in water. It is not a good idea to treat an affected individual in the main aquarium. It is much better to transfer the � sh to a smaller treatment tank.

This is partly because dyes can stain the silicone sealant, detracting from the appearance of the aquarium as a result. Read the instructions for use carefully, as some treatments of this type can be applied directly to the affected area, whereas other may need to be used as baths.

In the case of larger � sh,

such as cichlids, various anti-fungal ointments may be obtained from your vet, although it helps if you are in the fortunate position of having a � sh vet near you, as most vets see few if any � sh in the majority of small animal practices.

Q What else can I do? Are the chances of recovery

good?

A Early treatment as soon as symptoms are

spotted gives the best hope for a successful outcome, as always. Raising the water temperature slightly in the treatment tank should also help, as the � sh’s immune system will function more effectively, hopefully helping it to overcome the fungus. Offer your � sh food during treatment, but take care not to overfeed, as this will pollute the water, potentially worsening the situation.

A � sh’s powers of regeneration are quite remarkable. Fins that have been badly affected by fungus will usually grow back when the � sh is being kept under more favourable conditions, leaving no sign of past problems.

Body scales that may have been lost through injury, allowing the fungus access to the � sh’s body, can regenerate and create an effective barrier

in the future as well. There may be slight differences in colouration though, compared with surrounding scales, revealing the original site of the injury.

In some cases though, typically with old � sh – bearing in mind that many in aquarium surroundings will live much longer than their wild relatives – they will not respond to treatment. This is simply a re� ection of the aging process, and may be linked with other, less conspicuous underlying ailments. È

ABOVE A black neon tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) with injuries caused by fi ghting that will be vulnerable to fungal infections.

EXPERTHELP


A fi sh badly affected by fungus. PHOTO

© PHOTOMAX AT THE GOLDFISH BOWL, OXFORD.

ABOVE Provided that the infection is caught in time, with appropriate treatment being given, then a full recovery is possible. Any damage to the fi ns will heal completely, even in the case of those with elaborate fi ns, such as the angelfi sh seen here.

Asia and even parts of Europe. These non-annual killi� sh

are often easier to keep and breed than the annual species, because their eggs rarely need a dry period and normally hatch within a matter of weeks rather than months.

The countries of Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo and the Central African Republic in West Africa are home to many non-annual killi� sh and include some of the most colourful species. A large number of these � sh are very popular in the killi� sh hobby, with many

Geographical considerationsBefore considering the needs of these � sh, it is worthwhile looking at the environment and range of conditions that exist in the countries where they occur. For example, along the West African coast there is a forest and some areas

of them providing an ideal introduction to the group, even if you have not kept killi� sh before. This article will concentrate on some of the more common species of the genera Fundulopanchax and Aphyosemion, which are the two main killi� sh groups found in West Africa.

Killifi sh are often stunningly beautiful, only grow to a small size, and yet you are unlikely to fi nd them for sale in most aquatic shops. But don’t let this put you off! They’re generally quite easy to keep, and you even can obtain their eggs to hatch yourself. Steve White of the British Killifi sh Association continues his series of articles about these fi sh.

Annual or not?As I outlined last time in my introduction to the group, killi� sh species in general can be divided into one of two categories. There are the so-called ‘annual � sh’ that have a very short lifecycle in the wild, living in temporary pools and puddles that will soon evaporate and dry up, while the ‘non-annuals’ are found in permanent bodies of water. This article focuses on this latter group, whose members are more widely distributed, with representatives being found in Africa, the Americas,


Colourful killifish

This stunning killifi sh is Fundulopachax scheeli.PHOTO © HRISTO HRISTOV

Asia and even parts of Europe. These non-annual killi� sh

are often easier to keep and breed than the annual species, because their eggs rarely need a dry period and normally hatch within a matter of weeks

The countries of Nigeria, Geographical of them providing an ideal

and you even can obtain their eggs to hatch of the British Killifi sh

Colourful

Killifi sh species are abundant in West Africa.

AQUARIUM FAVOURITE


“A large number of these fish are very popular in the killifish hobby,

with many of them providing an ideal introduction to the group, even if you have not kept killifish before.”

One of the less common species seen in collections today is Fundulopanchax avichang. PHOTO © HRISTO HRISTOV

One of the less common species seen in collections today is Fundulopanchax avichang.

here have an annual rainfall of up to 4000mm (13ft) whilst inland, the � gure can still be as high as 750–1000mm (2.5-3.3ft) per annum.

There is a great variation in temperature in the region as well. This � gure is higher on the coast, with an average of 25°C (77°F), whereas inland, where the land is much higher, the temperature is lower and is typically around 20°C (68°F). The distribution of the individual species seems to be governed by these conditions. Those living in the coastal forest areas are not found inland at higher, cooler altitudes and vice versa.

There are a large number of Aphyosemion and Fundulopanchax species described from this part of the world – more than 100 in the case of Aphyosemion and 25 different Fundulopanchax. They range from Aphyosemion striatum and A. australe to

extremely dif� cult today. Many � sh in the killi� sh hobby represent species that were � rst collected years ago, with these strains having been bred and maintained over decades by devoted enthusiasts.

We know this from the location and collection codes given to species when they were originally collected, as explained in my article in the previous issue. As an example, Aphyosemion louessense RPC 78/33 indicates this particular strain was collected by an expedition to the then People’s Republic of the Congo (Republique Populaire du Congo) in 1978, and

together, as it can become confusing.

Opportunities for further studyMost collecting expeditions in this part of world have been along the main routes for transport, near to existing roads and rivers, with much of the land further away from these areas being comprised of thick jungle, which makes it dif� cult to explore. A number of locations are dangerous and unsafe to travel in, because of civil unrest. Taking these factors into account, it is likely that there may very well be a number of other undiscovered killi� sh species, which have yet to be described.

Collection of new species and � eld research is often

the large number of variants of Fundulopanchax gardneri that have been documented. Both Fundulopanchax scheeli and F. sjoestedti are fairly common in the killi� sh hobby, and others including the beautiful Chromaphyosemion species and some of the rarely seen species such as Fundulopanchax avichang can be encountered occasionally.

One point to emphasise is that it is the male � sh that are colourful; in general, females of most species tend to be a sandy brown colour with little in the way of markings. This makes it dif� cult, if not impossible in some cases, to identify females of some species, so care needs to be taken if more than one species of same group are being kept


ABOVE Fundulopanchax gardneri is a very variable species, in

terms of its appearance.

came from speci� c collection location in the country numbered as 33.

It is largely because of the way that strains are named on this basis that common names are not typically used for killi� sh, certainly among enthusiasts. This actually helps to preserve the lineages accurately. In fact, there can be quite signi� cant variations in the appearance of killi� sh of the same species from different localities.

Aphyosemion striatumFirst described in 1911, this species has become a � rm favourite in the killi� sh hobby. It lives in streams and pools within the coastal rainforest of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. The presence of red stripes consisting of coloured dots along the length of its body accounts for its speci� c name of ‘striatum’. The common name usually given to this species is the red-lined or red-striped killi� sh.

Reaching 5cm (2in) in length, Aphyosemion striatum is a streamlined, sleek � sh and

maintained at a temperature of 22-23°C (71.5-73.5°F) will often spawn successfully, leading in due course to the appearance of fry in the tank.

Java moss (Vesicularia dubyana) and Java ferns are popular with aquarists and used extensively by many in the hobby for killi� sh aquaria. Java moss in particular provides a good medium where plant-spawning species like Aphyosemion striatum can lay their eggs. In addition, both these plants provide shelter

is a good subject for the novice killi� sh keeper. A pair of these � sh housed in a well-planted aquarium, provided with the right water conditions and

and security for these � sh, particularly the females. As an alternative to plants though, acrylic wool mops can also be used in a breeding tank.

There are several ways in which the eggs of these killi� sh can be incubated, resulting in the appearance of fry. Eggs can be collected from the mops and incubated in small containers of water, or the mop complete with eggs can be transferred into a suitable hatching tank or container. The water here needs to be maintained at the typical aquarium temperature of 22-23°C (71.5-73.5°F) or thereabouts.

Fertile eggs normally hatch after 14-16 days.

Alternatively, provided the aquarium is densely planted, you can just leave things alone and let nature take its course. A few fry will then hatch and thrive if their parents are kept well-fed, although do not

overfeed the adult � sh, as this will impact

adversely on the water quality in the tank. The fry themselves are

very small and care needs to be taken when rearing them, as again, any excess

needs to be maintained at the typical aquarium temperature of 22-23°Cthereabouts.

Fertile eggs normally hatch after 14-16 days.

Alternatively, provided the aquarium is densely planted, you can just leave things alone and let nature take its course. A few fry will then hatch and thrive if their parents are kept well-fed, although do not

overfeed the adult � sh, as this will impact

adversely on the water quality in the tank. The fry themselves are

very small and care needs to be taken when rearing them, as again, any excess


Aphyosemion louessense, displaying a purplish mauve

background colour on its body. PHOTO © HRISTO HRISTOV

Java moss serves as an ideal spawning medium for killifi sh.PHOTO COURTESY BUCHLING AT THE

GERMAN LANGUAGE WIKIPEDIA.

An example of Aphyosemion striatum. PHOTO © HRISTO HRISTOV

Java fern – another plant often incorporated in killifi sh tanks. It should be grown on bogwood or rocks, rather than planted in the substrate. PHOTO COURTESY TSUNAMICARLOS.

Killifi sh names tend to describe the markings of the fi sh, its environment, the location where it is to be found or, more commonly in recent times, the name of the fi rst collector or member of the expedition which discovered it. As an example, Fundulopanchax scheeli, as shown at the start of this article, was named after Jorgen Scheel.

DID YOU KNOW?

soaked, should be provided for this purpose, being frequently used by many killi� sh breeders for this species and others displaying similar breeding behaviour.

Fundulopanchax sjoestedti will, however, also lay its eggs on spawning mops and plants placed at the bottom of the tank. Collected eggs can be incubated in one of two ways, depending on the spawning medium. In the case of those laid in a peat substrate, this can be dried until slightly damp and stored at around 21°C (70°F) for between 6-8 weeks.

Eggs laid on a spawning mop can be collected and either incubated in water, in which case they will normally hatch after 5-6 weeks, or stored in peat and hatched later. This takes slightly longer but hatching can then be carried out at a time of your choosing, which is useful if you have a holiday planned for example.

Fry are relatively large when they hatch, re� ecting their ultimate adult size, and they are able to eat newly hatched brine shrimp at this early stage. Young in this case grow very fast, but it can take up to nine months before females are able to produce eggs in reasonable numbers. These are stunning killi� sh, but unfortunately, because of their size, they are not suitable for a community tank alongside other killies.

very well-established, plus a couple of newer and much rarer colours, referred to as the ‘red/orange’ and the ‘orange spotless’.

Fundulopanchax sjoestedtiGrowing up to 14cm (5.5in) in length, this is the largest of the killi� sh species yet discovered on the African continent, and it � rst became known to science during 1895. It is often referred to as the blue gularis, because of the predominately blue body colour of many of the killi� sh collected from several locations in Nigeria and the Cameroon.

Currently in the hobby, there are strains of these killi� sh originating from the Niger River (Nigeria), as well as Funge, Warri and Loe, together with a number of aquarium strains of indeterminate origins. There is also a smaller variant of this species known as the ‘dwarf orange’, which has been popular mainly due to the intense orange colouration in its tail and its smaller size. It only reaches around 8cm (3in) in length when fully grown.

As a result of its size, the blue gularis requires a large tank with a minimum volume of 45l (10gal), which will be suitable for a pair of � sh. It should be furnished with plenty of plants, so as to provide cover for the female. This species is described as a soil or substrate spawner, which means that the eggs are laid in the � oor covering of the tank. Specially prepared peat moss, which has been boiled and

normally at around the stage of 8-10 weeks, but this does vary, depending on the species, being much longer in some cases.

Aphyosemion australeThese killi� sh can look stunning in a planted aquarium, particularly when adult. Thanks to the extensions on their � ns, they are often described as lyretail killi� sh. This is one of the most widely kept and long-established species in the killi� sh hobby, always being popular at auctions. It was � rst described back in 1921.

Aphyosemion australe is relatively easy to keep and breed if water conditions are

good. It is another species that will not thrive at high temperatures though. The � gures should correspond to those recommended for the previous species, and breeding details for Aphyosemion australe are similar too.

There have been collections of wild stock made in recent years and their offspring are sometimes available. It is the colour variations of � sh that have been selectively bred for many generations, however, which remain most popular in the hobby. In addition to the natural or ‘chocolate’ form, there is the ‘gold’, which is

of food will quickly foul the water, resulting in the death of fry. Interpet’s Liquifry No 1 can be used sparingly every couple of days as their initial food, with microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp, if available, subsequently being introduced to their diet as they grow bigger. Some powdered food can also be useful at this stage.

The fry resemble the females at � rst, and it is not until they are a number of weeks old before the males will start to show any trace of their adult colouration. In the case of Aphyosemion striatum, this is

are laid in the � oor covering of the tank. Specially prepared peat moss, which has been boiled and

AQUARIUM FAVOURITE


The chocolate form of Aphyosemion australe.

PHOTO © HRISTO HRISTOV

A gold variant of Aphyosemion australe.

This strain of Fundulopanchax sjoestedti originates from the Niger Delta. PHOTO © HRISTO HRISTOV


Other speciesThe species mentioned above are just some of the more popular and easily maintained examples of this group that are currently available. In

marked colour variations between populations of the same species found at different locations. Within the hobby, these are never mixed, with the aim always being to try and maintain the individual, distinctive populations.

Fundulopanchax gardneriThis is a species that you may occasionally see in aquatic retailers. It reaches about 6cm (2.4in) in length and makes a good introduction to the group, being easy to maintain. It can be bred employing the same methods as for its relative, Fundulopanchax sjoestedti, although the incubation period for its eggs tends to be shorter, averaging around 4-5 weeks.

Over the years, Fundulopanchax gardneri has been discovered in many different locations and currently, there are over 20 described populations. The basic underlying ground colour is blue, but the extent of the body markings and the fin colours vary significantly between different populations.

What has happened is that in the wild, as these killifish have become isolated in various locations in the past, this has led to the development of what are in effect the distinctive strains that now exist today. Within the hobby as well, attractive gold forms have been bred and established from two specific populations.

Similar traits have been recognised in other species in the wild, giving rise to

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A pair of Fundulopanchax gardneri.PHOTO © HRISTO HRISTOV

“It reaches about 6cm (2.4in) in length and makes a good introduction to the

group, being easy to maintain.”

fish, because they are so rarely seen in aquatic stores.

This branch of the hobby is actually reliant upon the commitment and cooperation of killifish keepers and breeders. The British Killifish Association and other national associations worldwide are dedicated to studying and breeding these fish, as well as publishing information about them.

species, many of which are represented in the hobby.

SummaryAs you can see, this article covers just a fraction of the killifish species found in West Africa and is intended to provide an introductory insight into the killifish hobby. Even experienced fish keepers are often largely unaware of the scope and beauty of these

West Africa, quite apart from the actual species themselves, it is unclear as to just how many distinctive variations exist in the wild. Amongst the other species that are available, while some are more of a challenge to maintain and breed in the aquarium surroundings, many are not that difficult.

Those such as Aphyosemion primigenium, Aphyosemion louessense, Aphyosemion ogoense and Aphyosemion exiguum thrive at relatively low temperatures between 18-22°C (64-72°F). Amongst what is a very colourful group, the closely-related members of the Chromaphyosemion genus, such as C. splendopleure, C. riggenbachi, C. bitaeniatum, C. bivittatum and C. volcanum are striking for the sheer brilliance of their appearance. When males are seen in the right light and in full display, with all fins spread, it is a truly spectacular sight to see.

There are also many other Aphyosemion species being maintained by specialist breeders, and although not so extensive in numbers, the Fundulopanchax genus also has many colourful and interesting

Next time…In our next issue, find out about the pearl fish - the annual killifish of South America - and discover how the various species survive the dry period, which is one of the natural world’s most remarkable stories. Also learn about the killifish species first discovered in the centre of one of Brazil’s largest cities. È

Get off to the best start! Popular Fish Keeping has teamed up with the British Killifish Association to offer an exclusive 50% off the cost of the first year’s BKA membership, helping to put you in touch with fellow enthusiasts, obtain stock and benefit from experienced advice. New members will also receive the BKA’s bi-monthly club journal, posted to U.K. residents only. All this will cost just £10, instead of £20.

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Chromaphyosemion volcanum – a stunningly

attractive species. Many fish keepers are

unaware of the beauty of these fish.


Vibrant red is very evident in the case of Chromaphyosemion bitaeniatum.


Another Chromaphyosemion species; in this case, C. splendopleure. PHOTO © HRISTO HRISTOV

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In every issue, we will cover topics such as feeding, housing, water quality and fi lteration, lighting and plant growth, fi sh profi les, the care of other creatures that will thrive in a

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FISH FOCUS

Senegal bichirPolypterus senegalus

air directly. This means they are able to survive in poorly oxygenated aquatic environments, and even out of water.

Their pectoral � ns, located behind the gills, not only allow them to swim, but also act as primitive limbs, enabling them to move on land as well. They must therefore be kept in a covered aquarium.

Senegal bichirs are � sh for the specialist. This species typically needs to be housed on its own, given its size and a highly predatory nature, as re� ected by its large, cavernous mouth. They will feed on meat-based items, such as earthworms, bloodworms and some beef heart, often preferring to eat at night. È

T hese strange-looking African � sh are sometimes called

dinosaur eels, although they are unrelated to eels, and also described as dragon� sh. Their projecting nostrils help them to � nd food by scent, with their eyesight being poor. They possess a pair of primitive lungs that allows them to breathe atmospheric

Key info:Grows to: 35cm (14in)Water chemistry: pH 6.2-8.0Water temp: 20-28°C (68-82°F)


SENEGAL BICHIR

“Their pectoral fins, located behind the

gills, not only allow them to swim, but also act as primitive limbs,

enabling them to move on land as well”


A group of marbled hatchetfi sh.

PHOTO © HRISTO HRISTOV.

Having an axe to grindso it was not until some years later that I � nally progressed to keeping them successfully. But one of the shops had something similar in appearance, so I was told, but these � sh were much cheaper and they would be easier for me to keep. In the shop’s quarantine room, I was shown these little � sh that were apparently called marbled hatchet� sh.

These brown and purple-looking hatchet� sh did not really resemble archer � sh to me, but they looked very strange, with their body shape being similar to that of an axe. I really like odd things, and with instructions from the shop about their care, I brought 10 of them.

I never once regretted it; they have provided me with years of enjoyment, to the point that I have now kept virtually all species of hatchet� sh. Despite this, I still don’t see them being kept by many people. I � nd this hard to grasp, as they are beautiful � sh and ideal for beginners.

of Indonesia that I can still remember vividly. It followed a south Asian pit viper slithering through the mangrove branches with all manner of life being revealed in these branches. Then suddenly, a jet of water exploded out through the surface of the calm, brackish estuary. The blast � ew past the snake and hit this little beetle which was nearby, knocking it down into the water and then it was taken under the surface by a � ash of silver and disappeared.

The narrator explained that a seven-spot archer� sh (Toxotes chatareus) was responsible. I was hooked on those � sh from that moment onwards, desperate to see them in action in real life. I visited local aquarist outlets, in search of one for a new aquarium that I had been saving up for.

A better optionHowever, I was rightly told they were not that easy to keep and did not always do well in aquarium surroundings,

Christian Castille explains how he became drawn into keeping hatchetfi sh and why he feels fervently that they should be more popular with fi sh keepers generally.

When I was growing up, I was fascinated by the idea of

jungles, mangroves and so on. I knew animals occurred in many other types of habitat all over the world but it was these exotic environments were just awe-inspiring for me. I used to love watching programmes about them on television.

At the age of seven, I saw a programme on

the mangrove swamps It was an archer fi sh that

led Christian into keeping hatchetfi sh. PHOTO © PHOTOMAX AT

THE GOLDFISH BOWL, OXFORD.

genus to be recognised by science, with the common hatchet� sh (G.sternicla) being the original species to be described. These � sh come from parts of Central and South America, and are quite well-known in the aquarium hobby. In common with other species, they can be kept in a standard 45l (10gal) aquarium. Being peaceful by nature, hatchet� sh are suited for a community set-up, especially one featuring other small � sh from this part of the world, such as tetras

ef� ciently when they are swimming, thanks to their pectoral � ns, but it also enables them to break through the surface of the water, and seemingly � y.

This actually explains why archer� sh and hatchet� sh have been confused. While archer� sh � re water at insects, hatchet� sh actually � re themselves at insects out of the water just above the surface, hoping to grab them. They can also use this ability as a means of escaping predators, by leaping out of the water.

Common hatchetfishGasteropelecus was the � rst



TOP FISH PROFILE

genus to be recognised by ef� ciently when they are

The hatchetfi sh’s wings consist of its pectoral fi ns, which provide it with remarkable propulsive power. PHOTO © HRISTO

HRISTOV.

LEFT Hatchetfi sh can reveal attractive iridescence, depending on the angle of light. All members of this group have a similar profi le, with a fl attish top line.

A distinctive appearanceThere are two groups of of hatchet� sh though - marine and freshwater. This article will focus on all of the freshwater hatchet� sh, which form the family Gasteropelecidae. This consists of three genera of � sh that between them contain nine species. They all have a similar albeit a very unusual and distinctive appearance, which cannot be confused with any other type of � sh. One characteristic is that they have a very streamlined appearance, but in reality, they are not naturally fast swimmers.

Their elongated stomachs make them look rather like a tetra that has eaten far too much, but appearances are deceptive. What may appear to be a drooping gut is actually very strong and stiff, acting

like a knife blade cutting through the water offering hatchet� sh a massive advantage compared with other species sharing their environment. This is because the frontal bone has a strong longitudinal ridge.

How they take offThe pectoral girdle area is built up to form a muscular boundary that curves and bulges outwards, allowing the exterior to take form of a sharp sphere. Its blade-like body helps hatchet� sh not only to slice through the water

BELOW A marine hatchetfi sh, with a

similar profi le to the unrelated freshwater fi sh

which share its common name. SOURCE: PD.

as they will readily eat � aked food that will � oat on the surface of the water, although they also take small insects such as wingless fruit � ies. These can serve as a good conditioning food as well, as explained later. You can � nd suppliers through the Internet.

Spotted hatchetfishThe spotted hatchet� sh (Gasteropelecus maculatus) was then described in 1879 by the Austrian zoologist Franz Stenindachner, who published more than 200 papers on different species of � sh. In 1860 he had been appointed to the position of director of the

vibrations in the water, which might indicate approaching danger.

Given the jumping ability of the common hatchet� sh and its relatives, it is vital to keep them in covered aquariums. Beware that they are likely to be nervous at � rst, and move carefully and slowly, while attending to their needs, when you have to remove the aquarium cover.

It helps to house them in groups of 10 or so, as they should be less nervous in a group, and they will form their own hierarchy, proving very active by nature. In terms of size, these hatchet� sh can grow to around 6cm (2.5in) and may live for up to � ve years old, being able to breed from the age of around eight months.

Feeding is straightforward,

and corydoras cat� sh, with compatible water chemistry requirements.

The common hatchet� sh was � rst named in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus. It originates from the Peruvian and middle Amazon, also occurring in waterways in the Guianas and Venezuela. It was also the � rst-ever species of hatchet� sh to be kept and bred in aquarium surroundings.

It is now regarded as the easiest of all the species to maintain, being recommended for those starting out with these � sh. In terms of colouration, it is basically a dull shade of silver, with a yellow stripe running along the top half of each side of its body towards the tail, highlighting the position of the lateral line. This sensory channel allows � sh to pick up

� sh collection at Vienna’s Naturhistorisches Museum. He much preferred to see a species in the wild and study it in such surroundings. He felt that to describe a species to science, you had to have a element of understanding about its life, in order to do so accurately.

It is therefore not surprising to see that very few of the hundreds of species

that Franz Stenindachner described have ever had to be reclassi� ed, because he had gained invaluable insight into their lifestyles. He was a keen keeper of � sh and other creatures and had a private collection of � sh, snakes, frogs and birds. He was the � rst person ever recorded to breed hatchet� sh in aquarium

surroundings, being

BELOW Silver hatchetfi sh – fi rst discovered back in 1909. PHOTO©HRISTO HRISTOV.

eat � aked food that

surface of the water,

can serve as a good

as well, as explained

that Franz Stenindachner

appointed to the position of director of the Feeding is straightforward,

surroundings, being


A spotted hatchetfi sh. PHOTO©HRISTO HRISTOV.

Franz Steindachner, the fi rst person to spawn hatchetfi sh successfully in aquarium surroundings. PHOTO©HRISTO HRISTOV.

A common hatchetfi sh. PHOTO COURTESY NEALE MONKS AT

ENGLISH LANGUAGE WIKIPEDIA.

sometimes described as giant hatchet� sh. Fowler himself also co-founded the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.

Both of these hatchet� sh are still rare in the trade and also expensive, partly because breeding them has not yet proved possible, with a range of different strategies being used, all of which have ended in failure.

The greater hatchet� sh (Thoracoharax secures) was � rst discovered and described to science during 1853, by Italian doctor and zoologist Flippo de Filippi. Their colouration basically ranges from shades of silver to white, fading into an olive shade, with a greenish or yellow stripe that continues vertically from the gills down to the base of the tail.

This species can withstand a wide pH range, extending from 6.0-7.5, and temperatures between 20-30°C (68-86°F). It is found throughout the whole of the Amazon River basin, including lakes and swamps.

This species is usually available in small numbers on a few occasions each year,

America with the Carnegie British Guiana Expedition, which visited the country now better-known as Guyana.

The expedition returned with 25,000 specimens, resulting in the description of 28 new genera and 128 new species, including the silver hatchet� sh. It is very similar to the common hatchet� sh, but with a gold lateral line and patches of brown or black spots may be evident on the body. What sets it apart, though, is that it is the smallest of the three species, only attaining around 4cm (1.5in).

The silver hatchet� sh is also rarer in aquarium surroundings, with only

successful with this particular species.

The spotted hatchet� sh is found in eastern Panama at the southern end of Central America, with its range extending into areas of western Colombia as well. These � sh grow to about 6.4cm (2.5in), but they are not so keen on eating � aked foods as their common cousin, preferring small invertebrates instead.

To my eye, they are the most attractive members of the genus. Although they are popularly described as spotted, I think granite hatchet� sh would be a better name for them, given their appearance. They are quite easy to breed, and typically live for about six years in my experience.

The silver hatchetfishThe third and � nal member of this genus is the silver hatchet� sh (Gasterpelecus levis), which was � rst found and described in 1909 by German ichthyologist Carl Eigenmann. The story began during the previous year, however, when Eigenmann was appointed to the position of Dean at Indiana’s graduate school. He gained support from the Carnegie Museum to journey to northern South

TOP FISH PROFILE


The greater or pectorosus hatchetfi sh is the largest

member of the group.

Hatchetfi sh, with their rather transparent bodies, can pick up the colouration of their surroundings, which helps to conceal their presence. Greater hatchetfi sh are shown here, photographed at Worclaw zoo, Poland. PHOTO COURTESY GUÉRIN

NICOLAS.

“Given the jumping ability of the common

hatchetfish and its relatives, it is vital to keep them in covered

aquariums.”

a few � sh keepers having been successful in breeding this species as well. These hatchet� sh come from a localised area of Brazil, in the lower Amazon River basin. They do much better in smaller shoals, typically comprised of around � ve � sh, and their aquarium should incorporate natural plants. Their life expectancy is around four years.

The largest of the hatchetfishThe Thoracocharax genus of hatchet� sh was described by American zoologist Henry Fowler in 1909. It is comprised of just two species, which are


are very shy, skittish � sh and will require a tank with plenty of plants and décor where they can retreat, This helps to steady them down, so they become less nervous.

There do not appear to be any recorded successful spawnings in this case either, but with more research into their habits, breeding should be possible. Remarkably, they have been recorded as travelling up to 2.75m (9ft) through the air, which emphasises the need to keep them in covered aquaria. They have been documented as living for up to seven years in aquarium surroundings.

The Carnegiella genusIn contrast to the Thoracocharax hatchet� sh, members of the Carnegiella genus are the most well-known in aquatic circles, often being described as miniature hatchet� sh. They are my favourites, and I have been lucky enough to breed all four species successfully. The genus was created in 1909 by the American zoologist Henry Fowler, as a way of dividing the hatchet� sh complex into a more coherent grouping.

Thanks to their calm nature, ease of breeding and ready availability, you should be able to � nd these in many aquatic outlets, although they are not especially popular and never prominently displayed as a result. It may be that their strange shape puts people off, who may think that they are dif� cult to maintain as a result. This really is not the case.

The marbled hatchetfishThis species (Carnegiella

TOP FISH PROFILE


A spotfi n hatchetfi sh. PHOTO © PHOTOMAX AT THE

GOLDFISH BOWL, OXFORD.

A marbled hatchetfi sh, with the patterning of

these fi sh being individual. PHOTO©HRISTO HRISTOV.

Hatchetfi sh should be housed in groups of reasonable size,

and never on their own. PHOTO©HRISTO HRISTOV.

they will take both � ake and pellets, but they can sometimes lose interest in prepared foods, so that livefood will then be required. Aim to offer a range of food items though, as this should help to avoid this problem arising.

A close relativeThe spot� n hatchet� sh (Thoracocharax-stellatus) was � rst described in 1858 by Austrian zoologist and ichthyologist Rudolf Kner. He worked at the Kaiserlichen

Hof-Naturalienkabinett, which is now known as the Naturhistorisches Museum, located in Vienna. In 1841, he became professor for natural science while studying at

Lviv University, and upon returning Vienna,

he took up the

for those keen on a challenge. Perhaps because these hatchet� sh have proved to be so dif� cult to spawn though, there is little demand for them.

Greater hatchet� sh can grow to 10cm (4in) and stress out easily, so a well-planted aquarium with plenty of retreats is recommended, and any companions must be chosen with care. A single species set-up may be better in this case.

Very little has been recorded about them, so do not expect to � nd much if you search, but in my experience, most rules that apply to angel� sh will apply to these hatchet� sh too. They will feed on both algae and aquarium plants, so choose relatively robust, fast-growing plants for their tank.

I also regularly offer them vegetables, but remember to pre-soak these � rst in dechlorinated water. If a piece of � oating cucumber hits a hatchet� sh when caught in a current, then it can cause serious injury, bearing in mind that these � sh live at the water’s surface. Unlike those species previously discussed, giant hatchet� sh can cope with fast � owing water, but they should not be kept permanently in such surroundings.

In terms of food,

position of professor of zoology.

Spot� n hatchet� sh require similar care to the giant hatchet� sh, although they attain a slightly smaller size of around 8cm (3.2in). They can be found throughout the Amazon region and beyond, being present in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina.

The vast majority of those available to � sh keepers

originate from Colombia, and on the rare occasions that spot� n hatchet� sh from other areas are available, this can lead to some confusion. This is because they can vary quite widely in appearance, depending on their area of origin.

A silver to whitish silver background colour is common, with a patternless body,

but sometimes, slight pink hues and even some

lateral gold lines can be apparent. A number of

these hatchet� sh have even been noted with patches of baby blue colouration. They

first person to spawn pygmy hatchet fish successfully as well. Originally he was an architect who had an interest in keeping aquarium fish, but gradually, his passion for fish seems to have taken over!

He subsequently went on to find large numbers of new fish, including discus variants that are now represented in the hobby thanks to his efforts. As a result of his knowledge, gained in part from fish keeping combined with his sheer passion for the subject, so he managed to become curator of the Natural Science Museum, based in the city of Caracas. In his professional days, he travelled all over Venezuela and collected many hundreds of species. Today, he is a very old man who still enjoys his fish, having a few small communal tanks at his home.

The pygmy hatchetfish is the smallest member of the entire group, measuring just 2.2cm (0.8in) when adult. It can easily be told apart from others on the basis of other aspects of its appearance too. It has a very curved body with a gold lateral stripe sitting on top of a black lateral stripe

William Innes, simply entitled Exotic Aquarium Fishes.

These hatchetfish can be found in an area ranging from the upper Orinoco drainage in Venezuela to the Rio Negro region in Brazil. They seem to enjoy acidic conditions, but are less adaptable than their marbled relative in this regard. While black-winged hatchetfish can be kept at levels over 7.0, I find that when the pH reading exceeds 6.5, they stop spawning.

They have a transparent body similar to that of a glass catfish, with spotting, and are easy to recognise by their black pectoral fins, or ‘wings’. They only grow to around 2.8cm (just over an inch) and mine refuse flake food of any type. They seem to thrive on brine shrimp, and also, in groups of 10 or more, I discovered that they would work as a pack, and attack larger invertebrates such as small crickets or locusts. Their life expectancy is again around four years.

PygmiesThe pygmy hatchetfish (Carnegiella myersi) was first discovered and then described in 1950 by Venezuelan ichthyologist Agustín Fernández Yépez. He was the

noticeably rounder stomach area. This is particularly apparent as the time for spawning approaches, as this region of the body becoming enlarged with their eggs.

I keep them in shoals of 20 in large aquariums decorated with live plants, but equally, they can be accommodated in small communal tanks in groups comprised of as few as five fish. They only grow to around 3-3.5cm (1.1-1.4in), and can be rather variable in appearance. These hatchetfish do have a uniformed marbled patterning though, with a slight off-gold hue evident around the edges of their body. They seem to live for around four years on average, and they can spawn up to twice a year if they are kept well-fed.

Black wingsThe black-winged hatchetfish (Carnegiella marthae) was first documented in 1927 by the American ichthyologist George Myers, who was also president of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. He is very well known for discovering and describing many fish species, including the neon tetra. Yet he is perhaps best-remembered by fish keepers for the classic book that he wrote with

strigata) was first described in 1864 by the British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist Albert Günther. Between 1859 and 1870, the majority of his work was focused on producing the monumental eight volume set entitled Catalogue of Fishes, and indeed, the description of this species is included there. Its name strigata comes from the Latin word ‘strigatus’, which translates as ‘having transverse bands of colour”.

Its distribution range is vast, extending throughout Amazonian Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Colombia and the Río Orinoco system in neighbouring Venezuela. Aside from tank-bred specimens and those raised in fish farms, some specimens come from the Rio Negro basin in Brazil.

These hatchetfish are generally very adaptable, being capable of adjusting to huge differences in pH, but they prefer acid waters with a reading somewhere between 4.0 and 7.0. Although they favour very small live food, which is their natural diet, I have maintained them extremely successfully on high quality fish flakes too.

Marbled hatchetfish are one of the few sexually dimorphic species, with females having a

“They seem to enjoy acidic conditions, but are less adaptable than their marbled relative in this regard”

TOP FISH PROFILE

Subscribe now! Visit www.popularfishkeeping.co.uk March-April 2014 / Popular Fish Keeping 45Subscribe now! Visit www.popularfishkeeping.co.uk

A black-winged hatchetfish.

PHOTO©HRISTO HRISTOV.


further 30 hours, they will be free swimming.

Remember that as with most � sh, the adults will feed on their eggs and the fry, so they will need to be transferred out of their spawning tank as soon as possible after the eggs have been produced. The key to getting hatchet� sh to breed is lighting, water conditioning, and providing invertebrates that raise the protein level of the diet, and then you can let them do the rest!

Hatchet� sh are relatively undemanding to look after, enjoyable to keep, inexpensive and yet very distinctive. I � nd them fascinating, and they offer so much scope. Try keeping them yourself, and you won’t be disappointed. They can offer a challenge too. Just writing this article has made me more determined that ever to try to persuade my Thoracocharax species again. Watch this space! È

temperature slightly just beforehand.

Females of all the species are natural egg scatterers. You will also need to use peat or blackwater extract, or even fresh bogwood as a water conditioner. The chemical changes in the water triggered by the release of the tannin compounds that turn it brown will serve to encourage spawning.

Courtship can last many hours but feeding hatchet� sh on live insects at this stage is essential to start the process off. I use mosquito larvae and literally, you want to add masses of these larvae into the tank to start a feeding frenzy that replicates their natural breeding cycle.

I would recommend that you keep your hatchet� sh on their own if you are hoping to spawn them. After egg laying takes place, the fry will emerge within 36 hours and in a

I like to keep the pH at around 6.4 for all of them on a general basis, but maintain this at a lower � gure during the spawning period. Water hardness is maintained between 2.0 and 12.0 dGH, with the water temperature being kept at 25°C (77°F) throughout the year. I use a 2% UV light to illuminate the aquarium, with the light being on for 12 hours a day.

I prefer this low percentage tube as it gives off a more natural light, corresponding to what hatchet� sh would be exposed to, occurring beneath the barrier of the tree canopy, where bright direct sunlight will not be able to penetrate. You could use arti� cial plants if you wish, but I prefer to use the likes of cabomba, Elodia densa, japonicus, sword plants, crimonsette, dracena, Java fern, valli and umbrella plants in my hatchet� sh tanks.

Spawning needsWhen it comes to breeding, acidic water is essential, along with a reduction in the light cycle for a month beforehand. I lower the lighting cycle to just six hours of UV a day during December and then increase it back to 12 hours by February. Females will begin to spawn around March-time when the water is at its warmest, so you may also need to raise this water

that ends at the base of the tail. These hatchet� sh come from the Peruvian Amazon basin and have also been found in some streams in Bolivia. They can be fed on a range of foods, and have a life expectancy of about two and a half years.

DwarfsThe dwarf hatchet� sh (Carnegiella schereri) was another species discovered in 1950 by Agustín Fernández Yépez. The species are similar, being the same colour, and possessing corresponding lateral stripes, but they differ because the entire body of the dwarf hatch� sh is highlighted in black. Dwarf hatchet� sh are calmer than other species, where individuals on their own are exceptionally nervous. Even so, they should still be kept in shoals. They occur throughout the Amazon basin in Brazil and Peru. Feeding is straightforward, as they will eat virtually anything that you provide, ranging from algae and lettuce to � sh � akes and bloodworm.

They are very con� dent little � sh that get to about 2.6cm (1in) in size and they are by far the fastest members of the group, in terms of swimming ability. They can live up to three years and they often spawn twice in rapid succession, at intervals of just 15 days.

Both this species and the pygmy hatchet� sh are delightful to keep, but they are not as hardy as the other two members of their genus. Furthermore, while possessing peaceful temperaments, they are extremely delicate and do not always thrive in mixed tanks. I would advice gaining experience with a more robust species, such as the marbled hatchet� sh, before progressing to these � sh.

Care requirementsThe general care of the different species of hatchet� sh is relatively similar, although some species are easier to breed than others. I keep mine in tanks based upon the number of individuals but I do house them in both communal and species-speci� c aquariums, depending in part on the species concerned.

around 6.4 for all of them

� gure during the spawning

maintained between 2.0 and 12.0 dGH, with the water

F) throughout the year. I use a 2% UV light to illuminate the aquarium, with the light being on for 12 hours

I prefer this low percentage

TOP FISH PROFILE


The unique appearance of hatchetfi sh is highlighted in this refl ected image of black-winged hatchetfi sh. PHOTO © HRISTO

HRISTOV.

The black outline of the body helps to distinguish the dwarf and pygmy hatchetfi sh from each other. PHOTO © PHOTOMAX AT THE GOLDFISH BOWL, OXFORD.


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ABACUS AQUATICS

Pauline Davey talks with Keith Davenport of the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) to discover his role in helping to ensure that we can all continue to enjoy the fi sh keeping hobby.

obsession while catching a gudgeon made me ecstatic! And I’m sure I’ll return to that area when I retire.

PD: What changes have you noticed over the past two decades?KD: As with any industry, there have been good times and bad. When Ground Force was being broadcast regularly on the BBC between 1997 and 2005, with the team often building water features and garden ponds, it gave a real boost to that area of the industry. But fashions change and there’s no doubt that back gardens are getting

PD: When did you fi rst become involved in the ornamental aquatic industry?KD: A long time ago! I started this facet of my career teaching at Sparsholt College Hampshire where I set up the ornamental � sh keeping courses before I was lured away to set up OATA. That was more than 20 years ago. But my fascination for � sh remains – I started as a child hanging over bridges watching � sh. Catching a stickleback was almost an

What changes have you noticed over the past two

As with any industry, there have been good times

was being broadcast regularly on the BBC between 1997 and 2005, with the team often building water features and garden ponds, it gave a real boost to that

PD: Keith, can you please summarise what you do, in

a few words…KD: I’m Chief Executive

of the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association. OATA’s job is to be the ‘voice’ of the industry. Put simply, I spend my time making sure that

shops have � sh to sell and products on the shelves for hobbyists to buy.

BELOW Sticklebacks helped to develop Keith’s lifelong interest in fi sh.


A balancing act

smaller nowadays. People are not digging new ponds as they used to, and some are being � lled in, which is a real shame, although it was good to see ponds being featured again recently on television, in the BBC’s Great British Garden Revival.

One of the biggest issues facing the industry at the moment is the problem of non-native species – whether that’s � sh or plants – becoming established in the British countryside and taking over – the technical term is ‘invasives’. There’s a new law coming out of Brussels and we’ve just sent our response to what it says to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). As an industry, we import more species of � sh and plants from more places in the world than any other sector. So there’s a strong spotlight on this hobby for its potential to cause big problems to native habitats.

This is something where your readers can play their part in helping us to make sure the hobby is not seen as a threat.

When you clear out your aquarium or pond plants, please make sure that you put them in the compost bin or ‘green’ garden waste bin. We have to make sure there is no chance these plants can end up spreading into the wild. And I’m sure responsible � sh keepers would never dream of releasing unwanted or surplus � sh into waterways, but the message is always worth repeating because people clearly could do so on occasions – or have done in the past.

We’ve already seen DEFRA issue a sales ban on � ve aquatic pond plants which comes into effect in April this year. And we’re seeing examples of pond and aquarium plants showing up in rural waterways across Europe. So we can’t stress enough how important it is for � sh keepers to play their part in safeguarding this fantastic hobby for the

future by responsibly

disposing of surplus plants from their aquarium or pond, and � nding new homes for unwanted � sh.

PD: What are the biggest advances that have been made in the hobby over this period?KD: Probably some of the biggest advances have been in the products that help people be more successful in the hobby - so better

aquariums, � lters, food and the information that

goes with them. There’s a trade show we’re

involved in every two years that has a New Products section. At each show, there are always plenty of contenders put forward that are all about helping � sh keepers to be more successful in their hobby.

PD: Why do you think

fi sh keeping continues to be

so popular?KD: Well, � rst

and foremost, watching � sh is

just so relaxing and

restful. I’m preaching to the converted here but you’ll know the enjoyment you get from the sheer beauty of an aquarium. You can have a slice of South American rainforest or create a beautiful coral reef right there in your living room. Thankfully for the industry, it proves pretty addictive! Once hooked, if you’ll pardon the pun, it’s becomes a hard habit to break, and for many people, it develops into a life-long hobby.

And we know that pet owners have lower levels of stress, and tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol compared with non-pet owners. In fact, pet-ownership in general in the UK has been calculated as saving the National Health Service around £1.4 billion a year. So � shkeeping is just plainly good for you!

It’s also a hobby that offers something for everyone. If you have a collector’s mindset, there are literally thousands of different � sh to choose from, when it comes to setting up an aquarium – or you can specialise in one type of � sh, where there may be many colour forms or varieties. If you love gadgets, there are products galore

THEOATA


When you clear out your aquarium or pond plants, please make sure that you put them in the compost bin or ‘green’ garden waste bin. We have to make sure

releasing unwanted or surplus � sh into waterways, but the

because people clearly could do so on occasions – or have done in the past.

We’ve already seen DEFRA issue a sales ban on � ve aquatic pond plants which comes into effect in April this year. And we’re seeing examples of pond and

disposing of surplus plants from their

restful. I’m preaching to the converted here but

THEOATA

Apple snails are amongst the species now banned from sale, over fears they could become established in the wild.

Goldfi sh became very popular as the result of the pond-building boom.


And as I’ve said – it’s good for you!

Be prepared for the unexpected at the outset, as it must seem a strange message for customers new to the hobby to hear retailers say they can’t sell � sh to them when they buy their new aquarium. So the likelihood of the customer feeling frustrated when he or she is completely new to the hobby is a real issue for shops. No shop assistant wants to say no to a sale, but good ones should be asking questions to make sure it’s the right sale for the customer. Aquariums need to mature before � sh are introduced.

If you haven’t done your research before you start though, you won’t necessarily know this and so it’s potentially annoying to be told you can’t buy something when you want it. But actually for a customer, it’s a good way of knowing if you’re buying from a responsible retailer. Are they asking you about your set-up, about how big your tank is and what � sh you already have? They aren’t just being nosy when they do this – they’re trying to make sure they are offering the best help and advice to get you started and maintain the health of your tank.

Retailers who are OATA members sign up to a Code of Conduct (which you can � nd on our website, if you’re interested) so if you want

that you can use to improve your set-up. Should you be a plant enthusiast, then you can get into all kinds of detail with aquascaping, or alternatively, if you just want something ‘cool’ and beautiful for your home, then there are ‘lifestyle’ aquariums that offer a different look to the more traditional set-ups.

And of course for children, it’s a great way to teach them about the natural world and much more. There’s a bit of maths, biology, chemistry and geography mixed in with keeping � sh, without them probably even noticing it! If you think about maintaining water quality and water changes, you often have to consider percentages and use test kits. If you’re planning to add new � sh to an existing set-up, you need to do your research so you can � nd out about where they come from, and whether they will be compatible with your established � sh. And children also learn the responsibilities of looking after other living creatures that rely totally on them for their environmental and health needs.

There’s plenty to get passionate about with this hobby and it’s obvious from magazines like Popular Fish Keeping, as well as clubs and forums, that people want to discuss the ‘ups and downs’, ask for advice and share their knowledge. I’ve found there’s a real sense of community among � sh keepers generally, wherever you go in the world.

Getting off to a good startPD: What are the biggest barriers to people getting into the hobby?KD: People think it’s probably harder than it is. The water changes, the test kits, the algae…. but once you get into a routine, it’s just like any other kind of pet ownership. The technology might suggest it’s problematic, whereas in actual fact, this actually simpli� es the whole process. There are responsibilities because you’re looking after living creatures but the rewards are worth the effort.


Scientifi c studies have shown that watching fi sh swimming in an aquarium can lower your blood pressure.

Children can learn a lot from growing up

with an aquarium.

to buy from a responsible retailer then use our postcode search on www.ornamental� sh.org to locate your nearest OATA retailer.

PD: What advice do you have for those new to fi shkeeping?KD: Do plenty of research before you buy, particularly new � sh. There’s lots of information out there, in books, articles and videos, quite apart from forums. On the OATA website alone, you’ll � nd a very wide range of care sheets for keeping different types of � sh and you can download our

troubleshooting app from the Android store if you have smartphone. And of course, ask retailers – they should be only too happy to offer advice and assistance about what will work well in your individual set-up.

Really keep on top of your water quality. Your � sh are totally in your hands when it comes to the quality of the environment they live in, so it’s entirely your responsibility to make sure it’s the best that it can be. If you’re really interested and are happy to get quite

than at the local � sh markets. In the Maldives, a kilo of live marine � sh exported for sale to aquarists nets US$500 (£300). But if the same kilo of � sh is sold locally to eat it would get just $6 (£3.50). And it’s the same for live rock. If it’s destined for the aquarium market its value is $2-4 (£1.20-2.40) but if it’s ground up for local construction, it’s worth just 2 cents (just over 1p). It’s another example of how this hobby as a whole offers the greatest value for � sh, making it a better income source for local people.

And in Colombia, a public/private partnership is helping the community in Florencia to dig up their crops of coca plants – which are grown to produce cocaine – and create � sh farms stocked with silver arowana. There’s a growing demand in Asia, and particularly China, for these � sh where an aquarium with nine dragon� sh is considered lucky. So again, there’s money being made in raising ornamental � sh that brings a long-term bene� t for society generally. È

to communities in Brazil which might otherwise be involved in industries that cut down the rainforest to make space for agriculture. It’s estimated our industry employs between 8,000 to 10,000 people in the country and nearly 60% of the income in Barcelos in Brazil alone comes from trade in wild caught � sh. These � sh need pristine habitats so the � shermen know how important it is to preserve the rainforest. It’s also estimated that 8 billion tonnes of carbon is � xed in areas of the Amazonas where � sh are collected. If you’re interested then check out the Project Piaba website http://projectpiaba.wordpress.com/

You might not be keeping marine species but it’s also interesting that these � sh which are collected from the Paci� c Ocean, Caribbean and some areas of the Atlantic make a lot more money for the � shermen if they sell them for home aquariums in the western world, rather

surprised!Also, we

don’t often hear about the good

that the ornamental � sh industry brings to poorer countries. There are rightly some concerns about wild caught � sh. But there are some great examples which show that the ornamental � sh industry is offering alternative sources of income that protect the environment and offer more sustainable forms of income to poorer communities – trade not aid if you like.

For example, Project Piaba is a research group working in the Amazon Basin in South America. Its slogan is ‘buy a � sh, save a tree’. We know the ornamental � sh industry provides alternative jobs and income

geeky about it, you could read the detailed water quality document on our website. This is really aimed at retailers who stock � sh for sale but the truly passionate � sh keeper might � nd it interesting! Or why not look at our training courses? Again, these are aimed at those involved in selling � sh but the very keen hobbyist may � nd them useful and interesting if you want to further your knowledge. And

most of all, don’t forget to enjoy your hobby!

Fish keeping helps conservationPD: Tell us something fi sh keepers might not know about their hobby.KD: If you have a pond where you keep gold� sh and koi, did you know these habitats are an important magnet for all kinds of wildlife? Have a look at the Freshwater Habitats Trust website www.freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/ for details about its annual Big Pond Dip campaign and discover what your pond attracts. You might be

to communities in Brazil which might otherwise be involved in industries that cut down the rainforest to make space for agriculture. It’s estimated our industry employs between 8,000 to 10,000 people in the country and nearly 60% of the income in Barcelos in Brazil alone comes from trade in wild caught � sh. These � sh need pristine habitats so the � shermen know how important it is to preserve the rainforest. It’s also estimated that 8 billion tonnes of carbon is � xed in areas of the Amazonas where � sh are collected. If you’re interested then check out the Project Piaba website projectpiaba.wordpress.com/

surprised!Also, we

don’t often hear about the good

that the ornamental � sh industry brings to poorer

further your knowledge. And

You might not be keeping marine species but it’s also interesting that these � sh which are collected from the Paci� c Ocean, Caribbean and some areas of the Atlantic make

money for the

they sell them

THEOATA


Find out more about OATA at www.ornamentalfi sh.org. The Fish keeper section on our website is full of useful information for the hobbyist, including a handy link to fi nding a fi sh vet. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn by searching OATA Ltd.

Get involved!

The aquarium has to be set up in advance, before fi sh can be safely introduced to it.

RIGHT Arowana are highly sought-after fi sh in parts of Asia, and they are now being bred to meet this demand in South America.

Aquariums can be incorporated in a wide range

of localities around the home,

bringing colour and life to what

may otherwise be a dull corner.

Freshwater angel� sh are amongst the most instantly recognisable

of all aquarium occupants – even to those who do not keep � sh! As tall, elegant � sh with de� nite personalities and graceful movement, they have a lot to commend them. Yet it is not just

aquarists who seem fascinated by angel� sh: a quick online search through any of various scienti� c databases reveals dozens of academic studies on angel� sh in the last few years alone.

Some of this interest is simply re� ective of the

commercial importance of these � sh in the

aquarium trade:

ornamental aquaculture is a multi-billion dollar industry globally1. However, it is also true that some of the scienti� c curiosity about angel� sh stems simply from the quirks of the � sh themselves.

Intelligent angelfish?Out of all of the many and varied species of � sh kept in freshwater tanks, a handful have, for want of a better term, “fan clubs” of devoted keepers who rate these species above all others they have kept. The obvious examples of such � sh are discus (Symphysodon species), which now exist in an amazing array of colours, oscars (Astronotus species, and notably

Astronotus ocellatus), plus, of course, angel� sh.

Aside from their shared ancestry, with all being members of the cichlid group and originating from South America, what unites all of these � sh is that they are characterful.

Angel� sh, for their part, are known for being unusually interactive with their owners and there are many accounts of angel� sh that do seem to respond to their keepers on some level. I have found this myself. For years, I

Yet it is not just commercial importance of these � sh in the

aquarium trade:

themselves.

Intelligent angelfish?Out of all of the many and varied species of � sh kept in freshwater tanks, a handful have, for want of a better term, “fan clubs” of devoted keepers who rate these species above all others they have kept. The obvious examples of such � sh are discus (Symphysodon species), which now exist in an amazing array of colours, oscars (Astronotusspecies, and notably

Astronotus ocellatuscourse, angel� sh.

DID YOU KNOW?


multi-billion dollar 1.

However, it is also true that some of the scienti� c curiosity about angel� sh stems simply from the quirks of the � sh

Intelligent angelfish?

myself. For years, I

ABOVE The vertical dark stripes seen on the sides of the body of wild-type angelfi sh break up and disguise their body outline when they are swimming in amongst plants. This patterning corresponds to a tiger’s stripes, and is often described as “disruptive camoufl age” by biologists.

A male angelfi sh guards the eggs that have been laid on the surface of the leaf. These fi sh are dedicated parents.

Discovering more about the angel of the aquariumDr Victoria Neblik takes a look at the very latest scientifi c research on one of the hobby’s most charismatic fi sh, which has revealed some surprising results.

Despite their shared name of “angelfi sh”, marine angelfi sh and those occurring in freshwater are

not closely related. Whilst marine angelfi sh are in the family Pomacanthidae, freshwater angelfi sh belong to the cichlid family, Cichlidae. Marine

angelfi sh count Asian leaf-fi sh (Nandidae), sea basses and groupers (both Serranidae) among their relatives, while freshwater angelfi sh are more closely related to wrasses (Labridae), damselfi sh (Pomacentridae) and parrotfi sh

(Scaridae), with their closest affi liations being to various other cichlids.

Borisana would always

swim away when a partial water change

was being carried out, or

the chair was moved.


the room slamming. It is tempting in such

circumstances to draw conclusions about this � sh’s state of mind: in other words, to anthropomorphise and interpret her behaviour in human terms. In this case, to assume that Borisina simply “did not like” the chair or having her tank water changed and was somehow “sulking” or showing displeasure.

Yet scientists only ever draw such conclusions with great caution, not least because there are numerous instances of apparently complex and intelligent behaviour in animals that, when studied, have a fairly simple explanation or more primitive roots. Some pretty complex behaviours can actually be “hardwired” into an animal’s brain, without necessarily requiring or proving learning or intelligence on the part of the animal.

It is a disappointing situation, but true nonetheless. For that reason, it is always exciting to read studies that do investigate animal behaviour and decision-making on a

Partial water changes elicited an identical response to the chair, until they were complete, after which she would return to normal. This behaviour was quite unlike the response she displayed when startled, for example, by a loud noise, such as the door to

until the chair was removed, whereupon she would immediately turn around and return to her prior position. This was so marked that on more than one occasion, I only noticed that the chair had been moved after observing Borisina’s “chair behaviour”.

personally kept several angel� sh in various tanks, one of whom - a golden pearlscale female, called Borisina - stood out from the others.

This particular individual would follow my progress around the laboratory avidly, behaving in a characteristic manner when fed and, notably, immediately prior to being fed, by reacting as soon as the food container became visible from her tank. It appeared that she recognised the pot as a cue that food was soon going to be provided.

She would display an entirely different yet

characteristic response to either partial

water changes in her tank or to the

appearance of a particular purple chair. Whenever the chair was positioned in front of her tank, she would turn her back and move away, towards the rear of

her tank, and would

remain there

ANGELFISH


recognised the pot as a cue that food was soon going to be provided.

She would display an entirely different yet

characteristic response to either partial

water changes in her tank or to the

appearance of a particular purple chair. Whenever the chair was positioned in front of her tank, she would turn her back and move away, towards the rear of

her tank, and would

remain there

Freshwater angelfi sh are not closed related to members of the marine family of fi sh such as the queen (Holacanthus ciliaris) shown here.

Not all new strains of angelfi sh

are brightly coloured; there

are now black strains too, as

shown here.

that choice based upon the number of fellow conspecifics that it “counts” in the shoal, or is it just seeing a larger area of “angelfish-ness” in front of it, and so choosing the shoal on the basis of the expanse of angelfish that it sees?

Additionally, does a dense shoal of many fish seem more appealing than a spread-out shoal of fewer fish occupying a similar area? Or vice versa? These are all questions that Luis Gómez-Laplaza and Robert Gerlai addressed in their studies (published in the journal Animal Cognition in January and December 2013).

In order to answer these questions, the scientists put one test angelfish at a time in a glass tank and offered it a choice between two different groups of fish to approach. While the test

with this method though, because, as Gómez-Laplaza and Gerlai explain, logically, an angelfish could also make judgements based on size 2,3. So, if an individual angelfish chooses to join a larger shoal over a smaller one, is it making

which shoal to join? Can angelfish “count” or, if not, how do they make judgements about the relative size of shoals of their fellow angelfish?

Although this may seem a strange topic for research, a preference for “more” desirable things has been demonstrated in many animals, including baby humans that are too young to speak. In some cases, the idea that an animal might have some idea of numeracy seems like common sense. You might expect a sheepdog, for example, to have some kind of feeling for the number of sheep that it is rounding up. The idea that fish might be able to count, however, is a little less intuitively obvious.

The fact that fish have a fondness for forming schools has therefore given researchers an opportunity to test whether or not angelfish can “count”. If angelfish consistently choose to join a shoal of, say, three conspecifics in preference to one comprised of just two, it implies that angelfish are able to count or otherwise tell the difference between the two shoals.

However, there is a problem

systematic basis, as these provide the best insights and offer informed rather than subjective explanations.

Angelfish that count...Over the course of the past couple of years, there have been two studies on angelfish decision-making that particularly stand out; both have been carried out by Luis M. Gómez-Laplaza and Robert Gerlai and both were conducted on the common freshwater angelfish (P. scalare) 2,3.

It is known that whenever these angelfish are put into a new environment and given the option to join a shoal of other angelfish (which are described as “conspecifics”), they do so, thereby gaining a measure of protection from potential predators. A larger shoal affords greater protection from predators than a smaller one and fish that have evolved such a preference would be expected to have survived in greater numbers throughout history than those that have not.

The question has long been how do the fish judge shoals though? How do they decide

DID YOU KNOW?The biological name of the angelfish genus, Pterophyllum, literally means “winged leaf”.


Scientists have been investigating shoal size in angelfish, and the factors that influence it.

Angelfish should be housed in tanks in groups on their own, because their fins are likely to be nipped and badly damaged by other tank occupants, such as tiger barbs.

“The question has long been how

do the fish judge shoals though?

How do they decide which

shoal to join?.”

seeking out one of � ve larger � sh.

When the size of the shoal is very small, consisting of just two or three individuals, the factors shaping the decisions of the test � sh seem to be weighted differently. The scientists think this may be because predators spot “the odd � sh out” in a shoal, so blending in becomes extremely important when the shoal is very small and less critical in a larger shoal.

The precise details of these studies by Luis Gómez-Laplaza and Robert Gerlai can be found in the original research papers, as listed at the end of this article. The broad conclusions from this work, however, are that angel� sh appear to be weighing up a range of different factors to make their shoaling decisions and that the decisions they make are further in� uenced by the local context.

All three angel� sh species are very similar in appearance and habits, and as domestication has proceeded, so hybridisation between these different forms is believed to have taken place. Historically, a fourth species called Pterophyllum eimeki was recognised, but this is no longer considered to be a true species; instead it is thought to have been variant of Pterophyllum scalare 6,7.

Highly modified body shapeIf you are one of the few � sh keepers who are somehow immune to the engaging personality of angel� sh, they do have

another draw though, since all three angel� sh species are indisputably elegant aquarium occupants. Part of their visual appeal today is undoubtedly reinforced by the various colour morphs now available, but what attracted the pioneers of angel� sh keeping to these � sh initially was undoubtedly a combination of their graceful body shape and their poise while swimming.

Since angel� sh have such compressed bodies, their

� sh was housed in a central tank, the “shoals” of other angel� sh being presented to it were accommodated in two other tanks. There was one positioned at each end of the test tank and both were clearly visible through the plexiglass tank walls. Before each experiment, the scientists used a glass cylinder to position the test � sh in the middle of the centre tank and encircle it. This kept the angel� sh in a position exactly equidistant between the two shoals of

� sh, so the distance that it had to swim to join one group or the other would not impact on the decision-making process.

The cylinder was then lifted, giving the test � sh the freedom to swim around the central tank towards

whichever group of � sh it preferred, whilst the scientists recorded the results. By altering the different parameters in each of the shoals, the researchers were able to test angel� sh preferences and deduce which factors were shaping their decisions.

Today, there are three recognised angelfi sh species, all of which are in the genus Pterophyllum and all of which can be found in the aquarium trade. The most common is Pterophyllum scalare, whilst the others are Pterophyllum altum (known as the altum angelfi sh, deep angelfi sh, or Orinoco angelfi sh) and Pterophyllum leopoldi, which has several common names including Leopold’s angelfi sh, the dwarf or teardrop angelfi sh, and the Roman-nosed angelfi sh.

How many angelfi sh species are there?two or three individuals, the factors shaping the decisions of the test � sh seem to be weighted differently. The scientists think this may be because predators spot “the odd � sh out” in a shoal, so blending in becomes extremely important when the shoal is very small and less critical in a larger shoal.

studies by Luis Gómez-Laplaza and Robert Gerlai can be found in the original research papers, as listed at the end of this article. The broad conclusions from this work, however, are that angel� sh appear to be weighing up a range of different factors to make their shoaling decisions � sh, so the distance that it had

The Orinoco angelfi sh has a deeper body than the other two recognised species.

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The results of these studies are complex and nuanced. In brief, it seems that angel� sh are able to assess the relative number of other � sh in a shoal and that they use this

information to join the shoal with

more other

� sh

in it –

all other things being

equal. However, when both shoals are fairly large, they are also in� uenced by the size of the individuals in each shoal. So a shoal of, say, � ve large conspeci� cs is similarly inviting as one of ten small ones while joining a shoal of � ve small angel� sh is a less attractive option than

appearance and habits, and as domestication has proceeded, so hybridisation between these different forms is believed to have taken place. Historically, a fourth species called was recognised, but this is no longer considered to be a true species; instead it is thought to have been variant of Pterophyllum scalare

Highly modified body shapeIf you are one of the few � sh keepers who are somehow immune to the engaging personality of angel� sh, they do have

another draw though, since all three angel� sh species are indisputably elegant aquarium occupants. Part of their visual appeal today is undoubtedly reinforced by the various colour morphs now available, but what attracted the pioneers of angel� sh keeping to these � sh initially was undoubtedly a

test tank and both were clearly visible through the plexiglass

experiment, the scientists used a glass cylinder to position the test � sh in the middle of the centre tank and encircle it. This kept the angel� sh in a position exactly equidistant

to swim around the central tank towards

whichever group of � sh it preferred, whilst

information to join the shoal with

more other

� sh

in it –

all other things being

equal. However, when both shoals are fairly

ABOVE It is the pectoral fi ns, located on each side of the body just behind the gills, which play a a critical role in the way in which these fi sh swim.

ANGELFISH



Studies in the early 1990s investigated how angel� sh move to escape from threats or perceived predators. In these situations, like numerous other � sh, angel� sh do � ex their bodies into a noticeable “C” shape, bending � rst one way and then rapidly in the other, to accelerate rapidly away from the perceived threat5,6.

One of the surprising � ndings of this research was that the deep body of angel� sh

in the water. Adrian Thomas, Professor of Biomechanics at Oxford University elaborates: “The cichlids in general specialise in precise control of body orientation, using the

pectoral � ns and the trailing edges of the dorsal � ns as well as the tail to hold position and accurately position themselves to capture their prey. Amongst cichlids the peak of precision is in the Heros group which includes discus, and particularly angel� sh; their elongated dorsal and anal � ns give them particularly � ne control.”

Sometimes, though, paired � n swimming, however elegant and controlled it may be, is simply not rapid enough.

movements appear quite different from those of most other � sh, as anyone who has kept angel� sh will have observed. The reason for this is that angel� sh ordinarily employ a slow mode of movement, which is called “paired � n swimming”5, that makes particular use of the pectoral � ns on the sides of their body.

As a result of having such a narrow, deep body shape, angel� sh incur much less water resistance when moving in this way than would be the case for a more typically shaped � sh. In other words, paired � n swimming is something for which angel� sh

are particularly well adapted. In contrast, the more usual � sh swimming movement, in which the body and tail is � exed and the tail is moved back and forth, known as “axial locomotion”5, is something angel� sh virtually never use, even though it is a faster method of moving through the water.

Paired � n swimming, as favoured by angel� sh, has its bene� ts though: speci� cally, it gives them great control of their movement and position

• Dr Victoria Neblik has a background in research biology. Her website can be found at www.victorianeblik.com and her books include Where Flowers Bloom (ISBN:978-1-4797-3666-9).

1 “Non-invasive investigation of Spironucleus vortens transmission in freshwater angelfi sh Pterophyllum scalare” by C. F. Williams, A. R. Vacca, D. Lloyd, B. Schelkle and J. Cable was published in the journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, Volume 105, pages 211-223, in September 2013.

2 “The Rôle of Body Surface Area in Quantity Discrimination in Angelfi sh (Pterophyllum scalare)” by Luis M. Gómez-Laplaza and Robert Gerlai was published in the journal PLOS ONE, Volume 8, Issue 12, e83880, in December 2013.

3 “Quantifi cation abilities in angelfi sh (Pterophyllum scalare): the infl uence of continuous variables”, by Luis M. Gómez-Laplaza and Robert Gerlai was published in Animal Cognition, Volume 16, pages 373-383 in 2013,

4 “Escape Trajectories in Angelfi sh (Pterophyllum eimekei)” by Paolo Domenici and Robert W Blake was published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, Volume 177, pages 253-272, in 1993. 5 “The Kinematics and Performance of the escape

response in the Angelfi sh (Pterophyllum eimekei)” by Paolo Domenici and Robert W. Blake was published in The Journal of Experimental Biology, Volume 156, pages 187-205, in 1991.

6 “The Species of Angelfi sh” by Braz Walker (1974), can be found online at www.fi narama.com/chronicles/walker1974.htm

7 “Taxonomic history” of the a ngelfi sh in brief is online at http://generaciondigicromo.es/tatiana_eb/JOOMLA/index.php/en/component/content/article/11-pterophyllum-scalare-en/15-taxonomic-history

Information point

• Dr Victoria Neblik has

Victoria Neblik

PHO

TO C

OU

RTES

Y AV

IHA

I LEV

Y

ANGELFISH

ABOVE Angelfi sh have a very distinctive swimming style, infl uenced by their body width.

FishKEEPING

Popular

“Angelfish ordinarily employ a slow mode of movement, which is called “paired fin swimming”.”

is actually advantageous to this type of escape movement, since it allows them to use an exceptionally sharp “turning circle” to evade predators. Angel� sh have highly � exible bodies that also make it easier for them to perform this rapid C-shape escape manoeuvre. In other words, the unique angel� sh body shape and structure is ideal for paired � n swimming, but it is also unexpectedly well-suited for performing C-shape predator-escape manoeuvres5,6.

Although these studies were completed some time ago, much about angel� sh movement still remains to be explained; not least, the � ne detail and hydrodynamics of the ordinary, paired � n swimming that is so characteristic of this most distinctive � sh. È


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published four times a year. Sarah Bailey from Leagrave,

near Luton, is a keen � sh keeper, sharing her hobby with her husband, Aaron. They are both members of the Dunstable and District Aquatic Society.

SK: When did you start keeping fi sh for a hobby?Malcolm: I � rst became interested in � sh keeping at school because there was a large tropical � sh tank in our biology classroom and it intrigued me. That’s when I decided to join a � sh club that met at Ealing Town Hall, and my interest blossomed from there. I got my � rst � sh tank

Malcolm Goss from Amersham in Buckinghamshire is

an enthusiastic member of Hounslow Fish Club. He is editor of the Federation of British Aquarist Societies’s (FBAS’s) Bulletin that is

when I was 14 years old. It was a marine tank, bought in the days when you purchased seawater to � ll it, at 6d (2.5p) per gallon (4.5l)!

Sarah: Aaron and I brought our � rst tank – a 25L cube – three years ago. Within six months, we upgraded to a 260L Juwel Vision and then about a year later, we purchased a 125L Juwel Rio. Until about two months ago, we had all three running in our lounge. The 25L was available as a hospital tank if needed, but we kept a few danios in there to keep it cycled, meaning that the water quality was good, in terms of introducing other � sh if necessary. The 260L is a community tank with danios, platies, barbs, guppies, tetras, a large bristlenose cat� sh, three clown loaches and three sucking loaches. The 125L tank is a species tank, set up

primarily for Endler’s livebearers, but also includes a sucking loach, a small bristlenose and four corydoras cat� sh.

SK: How did you make the transition to breeder and exhibitor?Malcolm: I began to specialise in keeping cat� sh and started

Talking fish Susie Kearley talks with two experienced fi sh keepers and club members

about the scope of the hobby, and what it means to them.

Platies were amongst the fi rst aquarium fi sh

that Keith kept.

SUSIE KEARLEYAquarium writer

when I was 14 years old. It was a marine tank, bought in the days when you purchased seawater to � ll it,

to a 260L Juwel Vision and then about a year later,

125L Juwel Rio. Until about two months ago, we had all three running in our lounge. The 25L was available as a hospital tank if needed, but we kept a few danios in there to keep primarily

talks with two experienced fi sh keepers and club members about the scope of the hobby, and what it means to them.

ABOVE Malcolm Goss and Sarah with her partner Aaron. PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSIE KEARLEY, SARAH AND AARON BAILEY

SHARE YOURPASSION


Madness in the Endler’s livebearer tank at feeding time. PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAHAND AARON BAILEY

I have broadened my interest to other species. When I attend aquatic shows, I tend to exhibit my furnished aquaria and plants in their own class.

I had a dedicated � sh room at home when I lived in Fulham and created a � sh

house when I moved to

Amersham. I breed � sh, grow aquatic plants and help out

with others at the Festival of Fish Keeping run by

the FBAS once a year. I also get involved

with setting up the Hagen trade stand at the London Pet Show at Earls Court every year.

Sarah: When we were still relatively new to � sh keeping, we bought six Endler’s

to go in our 25L tank.

Unbeknown to us at the time,

they were livebearers and before long, we were the proud grandparents of a lot of baby Endler’s! The small tank got crowded so we purchased a 125L tank and decided to keep this as a species tank. We have traded our � sh with a few other members of the � sh club and we also keep friends’ tanks stocked. We don’t generally show our � sh.

SK: Which species and varieties of fi sh do you breed?Malcolm: I breed Colombian tetras, emperor tetras, pencil � sh, white cloud mountain minnows, Siamese � ghting

to give talks about cat� sh. Then I became the secretary

of the Cat� sh Association of Great Britain, which had 1000 members at its peak, although unfortunately, the Association has since closed.

“I breed fish, grow aquatic plants and help out with others at the Festival of Fish Keeping run by the

FBAS once a year”

ABOVE Aquatic plants can be cultivated in suitable aquarium surroundings.

house when I moved to

Amersham. I breed � sh, grow aquatic plants and help out

with others at the Festival of Fish Keeping run by

the FBAS once a year. I also get involved

with setting up the Hagen trade stand at the London Pet Show at Earls Court every year.

Sarah:When we were still relatively new to � sh keeping, we bought six Endler’s

to go in our 25L tank.

Unbeknown to us at the time,

closed.

to give talks about cat� sh. Then I became the secretary

of the Cat� sh Association of Great Britain, which had 1000 members at its peak, although unfortunately, the Association has since closed.



Angel fi sh in Malcolm’s tank.PHOTO COURTESY OF

SUSIE KEARLEY

An Endler’s livebearer. A colourful relative of the Guppy.

SK: What keeps you interested in the hobby?Malcolm: I just love all aspects of the hobby. It gives me great pleasure. I have been a judge, speaker, and now I edit the FBAS’s Bulletin, which you can � nd on www.fbas.co.uk, and means that I am in touch with many

tanks. The last one was a fun event on our AGM night.

SK: What has been your proudest moment as a fi sh breeder?Sarah: When we started keeping � sh, we were novices and we learnt as we went along. The learning process has been very ful� lling. We asked a lot of questions at � sh shops, read books and found information online. When we joined the � sh keeping club, we were surrounded by others who knew their stuff and slowly, we picked things up.

Two years ago, we bought a tank for my nieces as they were fascinated by ours. Teaching them and my sister about � sh keeping was really enjoyable. Also recently, a colleague has been asking what to do, as she would like to set up a tank. It’s a great feeling that people are now asking for my help and advice, re� ecting how we asked others when we were newbies. It’s nice to be able to give something back.

and won my � rst cup when I was 14, with a convict cichlid. Since then I have won many awards, mainly for furnished aquariums. My proudest moment was when I won � rst place at Hounslow Open Show with a blue Siamese � ghting � sh that I’d bred myself.

Many years ago I won the aquarist gold pin for a

dwarf gourami at the Hendon Aquatic Society Open Show, where the judge was Harry Towel, who was something of a legend. I have been an Open Show judge too, and I give talks to clubs on many � sh keeping subjects.

Sarah: Our club regularly holds ‘show and tell’ nights so we take pictures of our tanks and sometimes have a little competition to score the best

� sh, Jack Dempsey and various other South American cichlids, blue rainbow � sh, dwarf gouramis, and a number of common livebearers. I keep all my � sh for pleasure and don’t sell any of them.

Sarah: Apart from the Endler’s tank, we breed platies and guppies in our main community tank. The tank is

under-stocked so we haven’t started to trade from this tank yet. We have orange males and some with a peacock eye on their tails. We have quite an attractive array of colours and some have fantails that almost seem to � ow along behind them. They’re very graceful.

SK: Tell me about your showing experiences.Malcolm: I � rst showed � sh at Ealing Club’s table show

Named after the famous boxer,

the Jack Dempsey cichlid is quite a

pugnacious species.

SHARE YOURPASSION


Orange swordtails.

PHOTO COURTESY OFMALCOLM GOSS

Suckermouth loach.PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAHAND AARON BAILEY

“My proudest moment was when I won first place at Hounslow Open Show with a blue Siamese fighting fish that I’d bred myself”

be ok. This is what you need to focus on. Fish keeping is addictive. When we set up our new tank, Aaron and I were frequent visitors to aquatic shops. They are always getting new � sh in and most outlets are more than happy to recommend � sh and even order some in for you.

Also, if you don’t know anything just ask! Someone out there will be able to help, even if you have to join � sh keeping groups on the internet to get the answers you need. We purchased our 260L tank secondhand, and when we went to collect it, there were two plecostomus cat� sh still residing in it. The guy gave us these plecs with the tank, but he couldn’t tell us what type they were! So we took some photos and joined a few forums. People from all corners of the globe then kindly helped us identify the pair. È

illness, we have to be aware of the cause and what to do, treating the � sh accordingly.

SK: Tell me about the styling in your tanks. Sarah: Both our 260L and our 125L tanks have a natural feel, with medium pea shingle substrate, bogwood and large � at stones. We have a mixture of real and arti� cial plants in both tanks. In our 260L tank we have a Juwel stone background, a plastic cave and bell. When we clean the tanks out, we always move some of the items around, so as to keep the � sh entertained.

SK: Have you got any tips for people who are new to fi sh keeping?Sarah: When we � rst started keeping � sh, we were given a brilliant piece of advice. It didn’t make much sense at the time but then the penny slowly dropped. We were told that “Fish keepers don’t keep � sh…they keep water”. It’s true, as long as your water chemistry is � ne, your � sh will

environment inside my tanks. I have always worked in the motor trade, but at 63, I started building ponds and I still look after and service ponds that are close to Amersham. I stopped creating garden ponds when I retired, but now my son does that with help from his son! I had a lot of pleasure growing tropical water lilies for a while.

Sarah: The calm and peaceful viewing

of our tanks in our lounge is what keeps us interested. We love having the tank lights on and sitting and watching our little � sh swimming around. We also love to learn new things and also, you need to stay

alert. If trouble strikes in the

tank, such as

ponds that are close to Amersham. I stopped creating garden ponds when I retired, but now my son does that with help from his son! I had a lot of pleasure growing tropical water lilies for a while.

Sarah: The calm and peaceful viewing

of our tanks in our lounge is what keeps us interested. We love having the tank lights on and sitting and watching our little � sh swimming around. We also love to learn new things and also, you need to stay

alert. If trouble strikes in the

tank, such as

other � sh keepers. I also enjoy experimenting with different approaches to � sh tank styling. These days, I tend to use wood, blocks or garden ornaments to create

an interesting

For more infoSee www.fbas.co.uk

Water conditions have to be just

right to maximize the colouration of the beautiful emperor tetra.


Blue Siamese fi ghting fi sh in Malcolm’s tank.

PHOTO COURTESY OFSUSIE KEARLEY

USA. It seems only � tting, therefore, that this monster-sized expanse of deep, freezing freshwater should also contain a mystery of truly monstrous proportions.

BackgroundBased on the name of the lake, the still-unidenti� ed water beasts said to inhabit this vast stretch of water (and also the somewhat smaller Lake Clark that lies to the north and indirectly drains into it) are known locally as Illies. It is said that they can measure up to 10m (33ft) long.

Nevertheless, they are apparently very different in

form from the many-humped and long-necked mystery beasts that have been reported from various other stretches of inland water in North America. Instead, they are usually described as very long and quite slender, greyish or dark in colour, and with a noticeable dorsal � n marked by a white stripe.

The Illie has long been known to the area’s native Inuit and Aleut people, who refer to it as the jig-ik-nak, and state that it has been

Continuing his series about aquatic mysteries involving fi sh, Dr Karl Shuker provides new, previously unpublished information here about a legendary lake monster.

Almost twice as large in area as the entire U.S. state of Connecticut,

Lake Iliamna in southwestern Alaska measures a very impressive 124km (77ml) long and is up to 35 km (21ml) wide. It has a surface area of around 2600sq km (1000sq ml), and boasts a maximum depth of just over 300m (1000ft), making it the biggest lake in Alaska, and the eighth largest in the whole of the


therefore, that this monster-

expanse of deep, freezing freshwater should also contain a mystery of truly monstrous proportions.

BackgroundBased on the name of the lake, the still-unidenti� ed water form from the many-humped

A school of these creatures was fi rst sighted from a ferry plane.ARTWORK COURTESY WILLIAM REBSAMEN.

The location of the lakes where these monster fi sh have been sighted.

The monstrousmystery of Lake Iliamna

LEFT A view of Lake Clark in Alaska, where these water monsters are said to occur, revealing the size of this lake. Iliamna is ever larger.


known to attack their boats. This mysterious creature is familiar to the native Tlingits as

well. They know it as the gonakadet, regard

it as a � sh deity, and have even portrayed it

in drawings in various localities along the Alaskan

and British Columbian coasts.Due to Lake Iliamna’s huge

size, as well as its remote and sparsely inhabited location, Illie sightings have generally been made from planes � ying over the lake, or from boats travelling across it, rather than from around the shoreline. Consequently, far fewer contemporary sightings have been documented in this case, in contrast to reports of aquatic ‘monsters’

that reputedly occupy more accessible lakes.

Recorded sightingsWhat seems to be the � rst well-publicised modern-day Illie sighting took place in September 1942. This was when local � shing guide and bush pilot Babe Alsworth and � sherman Bill Hammersley, � ying over the lake in Alsworth’s Stinson ferry plane toward the village of Iliamna, observed a school of several dozen animals in shallow water near an island in the middle of the lake.

They were described as being dull aluminium in colour, and they were said to resemble mini-submarines in general form. Each one was estimated to measure well over 3m (10ft) long, possessing

a broad head, an elongated body and a vertical tail. This latter feature is a distinctive characteristic seen in � sh, with whales for example having horizontal tails. Viewed from a height of only 100m (330ft) at one point, the creatures circled for several minutes, but never surfaced, then abruptly surged away, hidden by the wave

disturbance that their movements

generated.

In 1945, a single creature of similar shape and colour, but estimated at around 6m (20ft) long, was spied by U.S. government survey pilot Larry Rost as he � ew over the lake at low altitude.

Could it be a giant fish?As evidenced by the Alsworth/Hammersley sighting and various others on � le, the Illie swims just beneath the water surface, sometimes in groups, but unlike a number of other lake monsters, it does not come up for air, remaining submerged, and is therefore seemingly able to breathe underwater, like a � sh rather than a mammal or reptile.

This characteristic was con� rmed by the next notable modern-day sighting, which occurred in 1963 and featured a biologist from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. While � ying over the lake, he watched a creature measuring 8-10m (26-33ft) swimming beneath the water surface for over 10 minutes, during which time it never once surfaced.

During the 1950s, Bill Hammersley sought to obtain the ultimate proof that his

1942 sighting had been genuine - by attempting, with the assistance of three other enthusiasts, to hook and land a living Illie. They used a huge chunk of moose meat as bait, securely hooked via a thick 30cm (1ft) iron rod to a considerable length of stainless-steel aircraft cable

FISH MYSTERIES


known to attack their boats. This mysterious creature is familiar to the native Tlingits as

well. They know it as the gonakadet

it as a � sh deity, and have even portrayed it

in drawings in various localities along the Alaskan

and British Columbian coasts.Due to Lake Iliamna’s huge

size, as well as its remote and sparsely inhabited location, Illie sightings have generally been made from planes � ying over the lake, or from

The shoreline of Lake Iliamna. This lake is so

big, it is almost like a sea!PHOTO COURTESY

ALASKATREKKER-WIKIPEDIA.

ABOVE Sturgeons are found in cold water, and grow to a large size. ARTWORK BY HEINRICH HARDER, SOURCE PD.

BELOW Fish have vertical tails, as shown by this white sturgeon.

of both boats and were frantic to cut the net loose or start the motor, ended up with 3-4 inches [7.5-10cm] of water in each boat after the net just popped back up.

“They had been pulled backwards maybe 10 yards [9m], maybe 15 or so [14m], and when they pulled the net out it was torn up some on the bottom of it. Spooked the brothers but good too. This happened about � ve years ago [c.2008] I think. We have seen � sh on sonar three times now in last two years, minimum 16ft [4.9m long] and my neighbour saw four of them running together on his sonar (much better) and says one was 22ft [6.7m] long, the rest were smaller but not by much.”

The Illie’s possible identityAs can be seen from the above selection of accounts, there seems little doubt that the Illies are indeed � sh, albeit exceptionally big ones. The most popular and plausible identity, voiced by � sh scientists and locals alike, is a sturgeon, in particular the white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus).

This mighty carnivorous species, occurring in both freshwater and the sea, is known to attain lengths of up to 7m (23ft), and is the largest species of � sh in the whole of North America. It can live up to 100 years, and despite its name, it is greyish or greyish-

city of] Nondalton and this happened to them. Six Mile Lake [situated between Lakes Clark and Iliamna] is where Nondalton sits and Lake Clark � ows into it through the Iggyagak river and the brothers were � shing for what they call Fall Salmon, sockeyes late in the run, getting real red...They have done this for 40 years, Karl, they used to be commercial � shermen in Bristol Bay for years, no rookies.

“This day they had both of their 18ft [5.5m] Lund boats and were sitting just off where the river goes into Clark, was a beautiful fall day, no wind, sunny out. Since � shing was slow they had their gillnet tied off on each end to both boats, a 25 fathom [45m/150ft] net, and were just laying back on the seats, enjoying the day, not anchored, just � oating.

“All of a sudden, the net starts to sink, then is out of sight and now both Lunds are being pulled backwards, 18ft boats with 55 horse-power outboards on them. They had water coming over the back

was sighted by an eyewitness called Verna Kolyaha. And a similar creature swimming near the surface was observed by a number of people both from the shore and on the water a year later.

In 1989, Louise Wassillie watched what she considered to be a � sh estimated at around 6m (20ft) with a long snout from her � shing boat on Lake Iliamna. More recently, during May 2010, the highly popular television show River Monsters, fronted by the � sherman-adventurer Jeremy Wade, devoted an episode to his recent and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture an Illie.

New informationThen in May 2013, I received the following very intriguing report of possible Illie relevance from a correspondent that I’ll simply identify here as Lee, who lives in Anchorage, Alaska. It has never previously been published. He wrote:

“There are two brothers I know real well from [the

with a 40cm (16in) diameter. And sure enough, something beneath the water surface did indeed take the bait, but it was so powerful that it snapped the steel cable!

In 1959, oil millionaire and longstanding adventurer Tom Slick, who had a particular interest in mysterious creatures, offered a $1000 reward to anyone who could catch an Illie, but it was never claimed. He also hired Hammersley’s co-eyewitness Babe Alsworth to � y over the lake on several occasions, but no Illie sightings took place.

But reports continued to emerge over subsequent decades. During 1977, air-taxi pilot Tim LaPorte and his two passengers saw a dark 4-5m (13-16ft) long animal whose back was just breaking the water surface. When it dived downwards, it revealed a large vertical tail.

On 27th July 1987, a � sh-like creature estimated to be around 3m (10ft) long and black in colour but sporting a white stripe on its dorsal � n,

seems little doubt that the Illies are indeed � sh, albeit exceptionally big ones. The most popular and plausible identity, voiced by � sh scientists and locals alike, is a sturgeon, in particular the

Acipenser

carnivorous species,

I know real well from [the white stripe on its dorsal � n,


Large sturgeons are very powerful fi sh when netted. SOURCE PD.

A great readKarl’s latest book - The Encyclopaedia of New and Rediscovered Animals (Coachwhip Publications: Landisville, 2012) extends to 370 pages long and is packed throughout with rare colour and b/w photographs. It costs £24.95, is available in hardback from Amazon and can also be ordered through all good bookshops.

Expert in new speciesDr Karl Shuker BSc PhD FRES FZS is a zoologist, author and broadcaster who is pre-eminent in the fi eld of both newly-discovered species and cryptozoology – the study of animals whose existence is not proven. Read his regular column in each issue, delving into the mysteries surrounding the discovery of various freshwater fi sh.

Read up on more fish mysteries

California. In August 1984, however, this fairly small body of water needed to be drained for dam repairs – and when this task was carried out, a monster was indeed found there. It was a white sturgeon, albeit one of more modest proportions than the Lake Washington examples, but still measuring a respectable 2m (6.5ft) long, and estimated to be 50-60 years old. It took a dozen men to capture this sturgeon alive, and it was then taken to the California Academy of Sciences’ Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Sadly, however, it died just a few days later, apparently from the stress. È

primarily bottom-dwellers, this would offer another reason as to why sightings are not more common.

Similar casesMoreover, there are some notable precedents on record regarding North American water monsters that were ultimately exposed as being giant sturgeons. For many years, a voracious cryptid had been rumoured to lurk beneath the dark waters of Lake Washington in Seattle, Washington State, where it allegedly preyed upon the lake’s resident duck population.

However, mainstream zoologists tended to dismiss such claims – until 5th November 1987, that is. For on that momentous day, a truly monstrous creature was indeed discovered there. It was a massive sturgeon, found dead on the shore. When measured, the � sh proved to be no less than 3.6m (12ft) long, and weighed a stupendous 408kg (900lb). This monster, in every sense of the word, was estimated to be more than 80 years old.

More recently, during the � rst weekend of August 2013, history repeated itself when a family water-skiing in the northern portion of Lake Washington encountered the dead body of a very large sturgeon, � oating upside down. Brad James, a biologist at the Fish and Wildlife Department in Vancouver, Washington State, con� rmed its identity, disclosed that it measured 2.1m (7ft) long, and revealed that it may have been living there for many years.

A ‘monster’ said to snatch away the � shing tackle and even the poles of anglers had been reported for at least 30 years from Stafford Lake, just north of San Francisco,

would not be implausible for this immense body of water to be home to such � sh too, and for them to grow to record lengths there, on account of

this lake’s huge size and the plentiful food supply

that it is known to contain. Since

sturgeons are

brown rather than white. This species is also the Illie identity favoured by Jeremy Wade, who succeeded in catching a quite sizeable white sturgeon, measuring almost 3m (10ft) long, during his televised Illie search.

In addition, one eyewitness, Eddie Behan, described the creature that he had seen as being approximately 6m (20ft) long, spindle-shaped, with a � sh’s tail, and bearing rows of lumps on its back. This is an excellent verbal portrait of a huge sturgeon, the ‘lumps’ corresponding well to the characteristic, highly distinctive series of scutes that run like armour plating along the dorsal surface and also along the � anks of these � sh.

Although the presence of sturgeons in Lake Iliamna has never been con� rmed, they are known from other, smaller Alaskan lakes, as Jeremy Wade demonstrated. Consequently, it

Final thoughtsSo does a land-locked population of monster-sized white sturgeons inhabit Lakes Iliamna and Clark in Alaska? If so, they would be the most northerly representatives of their species on record, living only a few hundred kilometres below the Arctic Circle.

With up to 20 million sockeye salmon returning to Iliamna from the sea every year, however, obtaining food would certainly not be a problem in the lake, nor would space in such an enormous volume of water (which is 15 times more than contained within Loch Ness). Clearly, this overlooked zoological mystery needs to be properly investigated by scientists. Its resolution could ultimately result in one of the most signifi cant piscine discoveries of modern times, given the reputed size of these fi sh.

ABOVE Huge numbers of sockeye salmon spawn in these lakes each year, providing a readily accessible source of food.

TOP Stafford Lake was found to contain a large sturgeon when it was drained. PHOTO COURTESY CORTEMADERAKID-WIKIPEDIA.

ABOVE Until a dead sturgeon was found washed up on Lake Washington, no-one knew these fi sh were resident there. PHOTO COURTESY WALTER SIEGMUND-WIKIPEDIA.

When measured, the � sh proved to be no less than 3.6m (12ft) long, and weighed a stupendous 408kg (900lb). This monster, in every sense of the word, was estimated to be more than 80 years old.

� rst weekend of August 2013, history repeated itself when a family water-skiing in the northern portion of Lake Washington encountered the dead body of a very large sturgeon, � oating upside down. Brad James, a biologist at the Fish and Wildlife Department in Vancouver, Washington State, con� rmed its identity, disclosed that it measured 2.1m (7ft) long, and revealed that it may have been living there for many years.

away the � shing tackle and even the poles of anglers had been reported for at least 30 years from Stafford Lake, just north of San Francisco,

lengths there, on account of this lake’s huge size and the

plentiful food supply that it is known to

contain. Since sturgeons

are

Sturgeons have distinctive ‘lumps’ running down the back.

FISH MYSTERIES


RIGHT A juvenile white sturgeon. These fi sh are well-protected with spines and

scutes that act like body armour.

A long with my family, I have moved 290 km (180ml) from

where we were previously living down to Falmouth in Cornwall. If I said that a high priority was building a new � sh room, then I would not be telling the truth. The

When tanks take over!

What happens if your enthusiasm for fi sh keeping grows to the extent that there is simply not enough space in the home for all your tanks? The answer is simple – build a special fi sh room! Steve Davidson explains how he did this, after moving house.

When driving ‘up country’ it’s a case of reaching Exeter before joining the M5. This makes attending � sh keeping gatherings of any type elsewhere in the country very expensive, given how much petrol has increased in price. I do not ever envisage it coming down again either!

So, a lot of soul searching took place before I made the decision to embark on

potential here is noticeably less than it was in Bristol where we were before, and yet some signi� cant living costs are higher. To give just one example, of relevance to � sh keeping, Devon & Cornwall has possibly the most expensive water and sewerage rates in the UK, which is strange when there is so much water surrounding Cornwall!

fact is I was uncertain about building another � sh room from scratch, for a number of reasons.

Moving to Cornwall is something we had wanted to do for some 20 years though. It has many advantages,

but also a number of drawbacks. The

earnings

not be telling the truth. The most expensive water and sewerage rates in the UK, which is strange when there is so much water surrounding Cornwall!

but also a number of drawbacks. The

earnings

ALL

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Steve specialises in killifi sh, such as

Chromaphyosemion vulcanum seen here.

A move to the picturesque seaside town of Falmouth led Steve to build another fi sh room.

constructing a new fish room. As some readers will know, my main passion is keeping killifish. They have been a part of my everyday life now for some 30 years, so in the end, I suppose the bug just got the better of me.

There is also the camaraderie with fellow enthusiasts around the country, built up over the years, and this would be sorely missed if I gave up fish keeping. I therefore hope to sell a reasonable number of killifish eggs and fish as well, to offset the higher costs of pursuing my hobby.

Drawing up the plansI decided that the new fish room would occupy the back half of my block-built garage. During the planning phase, I sought advice from a few friends who have built structures of this type within the last 18 months to two years, to be sure that I was up-to-date with what needed to be done. The insulation of a new fish room needs research and planning, in order to ensure manageable electricity bills and that the overall structure is as eco-friendly as possible.

Detailed considerationsI soon decided that the 1.2x0.6m (4x2ft) garage

window would be boarded over. Those who have attended conventions at Huddersfield may have listened to Alan Cavill’s talks on fishroom insulation. He has instruments that can show where heat loss happens, and windows (even if double glazed) really do represent a big source of heat loss.

The floor and ceiling/roof space area would be insulated, along with the walls. Polystyrene was adequate for this purpose when electricity was relatively cheap, but there are now products that give superior insulation and are readily available at a reasonable price. I decided to use Airtec and Celotex insulation.

These products, or

equivalents in performance, are specified in most current new builds on account of their excellent insulation values. Airtec is a lamination of thin layers of bubble wrap with a facing of aluminium foil on both sides. I have seen

it being used within the wall cavities on new housing. To me, this demonstrates it has a high performance level that meets the stringent insulation standards now in force… they were not using polystyrene!

The walls and ceiling would be clad in plasterboard with a finish plaster skim. This eliminates gaps for heat loss that could happen with plywood. The plastering was quoted at £70… the plywood would have cost as much, and probably more. The plaster finish also gives me the option to use the room for other purposes should I decide to curtail my fish-keeping activities at some stage in the future, but let’s be positive!

This will definitely be the last fish room that I build, so it has to be right! In the past, I have crammed the maximum number of tanks into the available space, but this is not my intention here. Much more important to me now is to have a feeling of space, and ensure the tanks are at a convenient height. I no longer enjoy kneeling to see the bottom tanks!

Over the years, I have bred a great number of fish and I have sold surplus stock through auctions. As much as I love these events, they are now a long way from southwest Cornwall… it is something like 400km (250ml) to the Midlands. I have therefore decided

BUILDING A FISH ROOM


Thermal imaging shows just how much heat is lost through windows.

Using the latest insulating materials will save money.

ABOVE Make sure you have all the tools to do the job properly, before starting out.


� xing. You will also need to � x some short pieces between the 400mm (16in) centres to catch the other edge of boards. These are known as ‘noggins’.

While in a local B&Q, I came across a product totally new to me, known as Eco-Wool. It is a recycled product produced from empty

area 2.4x2.4m (8ft), as this was a convenient size based on the length of the timber. Once the initial square � oor frame had been nailed together, I set about cutting and nailing intermediate lengths of CLS at 400mm (16in) centres. The � rst 400mm (16in) is measured from the far outside edge of the frame, or 362mm (14in) from the outside of the frame to the centre of the � rst intermediate. Thereafter, it is 400mm (16in) from centre to centre.

This is done so that when cladding or � xing boards, the ends of the sheet materials such as chipboard and plywood will sit half-way on an intermediate timber for

to concentrate on speci� c species and will have 35-40 tanks now, compared with 70 previously.

The build beginsThe � rst stage was to build a framework for the � oor. I used CLS timber, which is commonly chosen for stud-partitions that are covered in plasterboard. It is 38x63mm (1.5x2.5in), and is supplied in standard 2.4m (8ft) lengths. Both smaller and larger widths are available, but I think this size is a good compromise. One tip though - you will need to check each piece to ensure that it is straight and not warped… remember that it all costs the same!

I decided to make the � oor

plastic bottles such as those used for lemonade and similar drinks. It offers the same insulation properties as � breglass but without the itch! It is also a much more environmentally friendly product to produce than � breglass.

For these reasons, it is attracting a great deal of interest and will doubtless become better known. I rammed it tightly between the � oor joists to counteract the cold emanating from the concrete � oor, and also as a way of helping to retain heat close to the � oor in the � nished � sh room.

I boarded the � oor area over with 18mm (0.7in) chipboard as this was the

CLS (which stands ‘Canadian lumber

standard’) is great value at around

£2 per 2.4m (8ft) length, and I

tend to use it partly because of its

reasonable cost, but also because I

can buy it seven days a week in all

major diy superstores.

DID YOU KNOW?

� x some short pieces between plastic bottles such as those used for lemonade and similar drinks. It offers the


Good roof insulation is vital, to conserve heat.

Pick the lengths of timber yourself if possible, so you can check these are straight and not unduly warped.

The framework was applied to the walls

of the block-built building.

The fl oor being prepared, using Eco-Wool as an

insulating material, with chipboard on top.

As a result, it does not require much support, and so I screwed some 15mm (0.6in) battens to the sides of each CLS ceiling joist as supports. Celotex was laid on top of these battens, between the joists. Then, when the plasterboard is � xed to form a ceiling, you have the desired 15mm (0.6in) gap between the ceiling and the insulation material.

Furthermore, with 40mm (1.5in) Celotex supported on a 15mm (0.6in) batten, this then left an 8mm (0.3in) gap before the top of the 63mm (2.5in) ceiling joist was reached. Once the 40mm (1.5in) Celotex had been laid between the joists, so 50mm (2in) Celotex was laid across the tops of the ceiling joists, further improving the insulation and cost-effectiveness stemming from the use of the insulation material.

Insulating the interior wallsInsulation material is one of those things that can be expensive, but you may be lucky enough to track down a cheap source, such as the leftovers or offcuts from a building site. Unfortunately, I was not in this position, so I had to search for the best buy.

damp accumulating, which will ultimately result in the subsequent rotting of the timber. I know someone who had this problem, and it resulted in his ceiling starting to collapse.

I was heading for a similar situation with my last � sh room too, as small droplets of brown liquid began to appear between the 6mm (0.2in) sheets of plywood that were used to clad the ceiling. This time around, I have therefore

given a bit more thought to air-gaps. This then avoids the situation where condensation builds up and has nowhere to escape, causing the timbers to rot.

Celotex was also used to insulate the ceiling, as

it is incredibly lightweight.

attached the end uprights to the garage walls with screws and plastic plugs.

Insulation in the roofSince heat rises, so insulation in the roof area of the � sh room is most important. When incorporating insulation here, it is vital to have a vapour gap or you risk

best deal I could � nd,

although plywood of this thickness at the

right price would have been preferable.

The wallsOnce I was happy with the construction of the � oor, my thoughts turned to � xing timber battens to the walls, again at 400mm (16in) centres, with 44mm (1.7in) sq timber being used for this purpose. I followed the same spacing procedure as with the � oor joists. The height of the ceiling is of course personal taste, but I kept mine reasonably low, as I am not that tall and I cannot see the point in heating excess space.

Using half of my garage meant that a stud wall needed to be built. This was again constructed from CLS timber, allowing for a doorway to be positioned at a convenient point. When working out the position of the door and its frame, you need to take into account where the staging for the tanks will be located.

When the front frame was completed, I � xed it � rstly to the � oor, aiming to screw through the frame and the chipboard � oor, down into the CLS that made the � oor frame. Ensure that the frame is square to the walls and upright before � xing it. I

My concrete fl oor has dipped a

little, so I had to level it up with bits

of thin plywood and hardboard.

Otherwise, this would ultimately

have impacted on the water in

the tanks once they were in place.

Always check the fl oor level at

the outset.

Steve’s Top � sh room tip

best deal I could � nd,

although plywood of this thickness at the



There are now newer, better and healthier options to use, when

it comes to insulating buildings, as Steve

discovered.

The framework for the stud wall. Note the space

at the left hand side of the frame where the door frame will be placed. This

was worked out to allow staging for tanks.



this item, and had the crease taken out within minutes – it was certainly good enough for my � sh room.

A framework was constructed using 75x50mm (3x2in) planed timber to support the worktop & sink, and two doors were made to provide a cupboard concealing the sink bowl. The worktop surface was located 925mm (36in) from � oor level. The woodwork was undercoated in silver white, a Dulux off white, and � nished with a couple of coats of pale cream satin, being similar to the walls and adding to the light, airy feel of the room.

StagingI knew from past experience that water temperature in tanks varies depending on their level, when they are arranged in tiers. Some people will have the lowest tanks quite near to the � oor, enabling more tiers to be incorporated into the available space. This is not for me though, as my knees now object to excessive kneeling.

Height is important, when designing staging. The decision of what height to place tanks does warrant adequate thought. I wanted something that felt comfortable and did not mean either using a step-up to reach top tanks, or grovelling around on the � oor for the lowest ones. It really comes down to personal taste and what suits your requirements.

The way in which people often make tank staging is a source of amusement to me. I do wonder if they ever appreciate how much water weighs! I am sure that many structures relying on screws have remained stable for years, but with my

of keeping an old towel for mopping up – a � oor towel as my late Mother called it. The carpet? Well that always smelt musty. No surprise, really!

A worktop installedI decided that the end of the � sh room (corresponding to the garage wall) would have a worktop across the entire width, with a stainless single drainer sink inset. The 2.4m (8ft) worktop was a B&Q purchase for £20. The price reduction was due to its back edge having some small chips to the laminate surface. Larger B&Q stores have a sheet saw, so 12mm (0.5in) was removed from the back edge, leaving it perfectly straight and clean. The all-important front with rounded edges was perfect, making this a bargain.

I was now searching for a stainless sink top that would sit in the worktop. These can get damaged by way of a dent quite easily… and I wanted one of them! A visit to a local kitchen supplier resulted in the discovery of a brand new sink with a small crease in the middle of the left edge. I was quite happy to pay £10 for

of natural daylight, having blocked up the window to conserve heat.

Cladding the wallsI did consider cladding the walls with plywood, rather than � xing plasterboard and having a coat of plaster applied to it. After much consideration, I decided on the plaster � nish, and the result looks really good. The plaster required a period of 10 days to become dry though, which is something to bear in mind, as far as timescales are concerned.

Lessons learnt previously!There is a strong tendency amongst � sh keepers to incorporate as many tanks as possible into the space available in a � sh room. This can then make it very dif� cult to move around, particularly if you have visitors. I should know - I’ve done it myself previously, and so I decided that this time, it would be different.

Also, in my last � sh room, I put carpet down on the � oor… a big mistake! This time, I purchased a large offcut of vinyl � ooring instead. This was � tted over the entire � oor area after the plastered walls had been given three coats of a white satin sheen emulsion.

I don’t slosh water around like a circus clown, but it’s amazing just how much water does actually end up on the vinyl � oor during water changes. With the vinyl there though, it is simply a matter

Using eBay, I found someone selling some ‘slightly imperfect’ material on a ‘buy it now’ basis. I was lucky that he had some 50m (164ft) rolls of 1.2m (4ft) Airtec available. The only problem was that the machine cutting it to width had scored 12mm (0.5in) in from the actual cut edge.

This was absolutely no problem for me though, especially when I bought a full 50m for the price normally charged for half this length, so it worked out at just £59.99! I had enough to staple a layer in and out and between the timber framing, and applied a further layer straight across the framing.

The electricsThis is the area where you need quali� ed assistance. Luckily, a good friend of mine, and a fellow ex-Bristolian, was able to help out, as he now lives only 16km (10ml) away. He was looking to install a new kitchen, so we ended up helping each other out, trading our respective skills, which was ideal. I have an ample array of double sockets in the � sh room, and the oil � lled radiator is connected to a roomstat placed half way up the wall.

Never be tempted to skimp on sockets, as more rather than fewer are likely to be required. In terms of lighting, I have a � uorescent light � tting for general work, and a 7W low energy bulb that stays on 24/7. This serves to compensate for the lack

for me though, as my knees

Height is important, when designing staging. The decision

tanks does warrant adequate thought. I wanted something

step-up to reach top tanks, or grovelling around on the � oor

that many structures relying

stable for years, but with my


One of Steve’s Diapteron cyanostictum killifi sh

which are thriving in tanks fi lled with rainwater.

ABOVE Insulation was put in the walls, with plasterboard then being applied.

The worktop and sink in place.


degree bends, with a stop end. You drill holes in the pipework above tanks to tap into the air supply. I used Algarde airline connectors and modi� ed the same manufacturer’s adjustable air valves by blocking one of the valves holes with a spot of aquarium silicone sealant. A short piece of airline joins the connector and air valve together. I now have total control over each tank’s air supply without masses of airline.

A closing confession!Well, to conclude, I do have an admission to make. The � sh certainly seem to like the local rainwater and tap water mixed at 50/50. They are all spawning well, including the Diapteron killi� sh that are in 100% rainwater. I am very happy with the � sh room, but I have decided to put a

row of tanks above the sink, as this was really a wasted opportunity, given the space there. What was that I was saying about not cramming in extra tanks?

Note: imperial conversions in this article are approximate as always, and are not an accurate guide. È

a combination of the two… just use good old fashioned simple joints and wood glue. Make the joints a tight push � t, apply wood glue and some pressure from a clamp, being careful to ensure that all is square before the glue dries, and that will suf� ce for the purpose, with no fear of a collapse.

When calculating the height of tanks, I allowed for 12mm (0.5in) waterproof plywood to sit on top of the timber staging, with the bases of the tanks then sitting on the ply. Again, a trip to B&Q proved worthwhile for this quest. When they have sheet materials such as ply delivered, it has metal banding around, say, 50 sheets. This banding tends to cut into the top and bottom sheets, so my local store will sell these damaged sheets at half price. They were pleased

that I wanted to purchase some, and even cut it up on their sheet saw to my dimensions!

When completed, all the staging, including the plywood, was painted with undercoat and two topcoats as detailed above for the woodwork. This has proved worthwhile, as water always seems to get spilt to varying degrees during water changes. The paint is very useful at protecting the wood, and looks good too.

Air supplyI decided to create an air reservoir system made up of plastic plumbing

pipe. This consists of straight lengths and 90

allows a strong and, most importantly, a safe structure to be constructed. Using simple housing or notched joints to uprights allows all weight to be transferred to the � oor. The horizontal tank bearers � t into the notched uprights.

Forget ‘no nails’, or putting your faith in screws, or

method, there should be little if any chance of the staging collapsing under the weight of the tanks, providing the span between uprights is not too great.

This is de� nitely a case of ‘better to be safe than sorry’, as my old Dad would say. The use of some very basic wood joints

TAKE CARE!A word of warning: plywood can give some horrendous splinters so always handle with care and sandpaper the edges to minimise the risk of future injuries. Wear some sturdy gloves when you are doing this!

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that I wanted to purchase some, and even cut it up on their sheet saw to my dimensions!

When completed, all the staging, including the plywood, was painted with undercoat and two topcoats as detailed above for the woodwork. This has proved worthwhile, as water always seems to get spilt to varying degrees during water changes. The paint is very useful at protecting the wood, and looks good too.

Air supplyI decided to create an air reservoir system made up of plastic plumbing

pipe. This consists of straight lengths and 90

Forget ‘no nails’, or putting your faith in screws, or

use of some very basic wood joints

The staging in close-up, after being painted.

The fi nished staging, with the tanks in place, and Steve’s air reservoir system.

Extra tanks were added above the sink.

You will need a qualifi ed electrician to deal with the electrics, and advise on

the best position for sockets.

Meet the clean-up crew!If you have visited the aquatic section in your local Pets at Home store recently, you may have noticed some newcomers. David Alderton reports.

SNAILS


these can become established in a new set-up, and also reproducing at an alarming rate, so that before you’re really aware of it, the plants have gone, to be replaced by hoards of snails.

Attractive and usefulIt is easy, then, to overlook the bene� ts of having snails in an aquarium, but there are a number, quite apart from the fact that they add another focus of interest

within the tank. While some aquatic snails

have attractively-patterned

shells, others

have

If your aquarium incorporates � sh and living plants, have you thought

that there could be a key element missing in this micro-ecosystem? Delve in any pond for example, and before long, you’re likely to spot some aquatic snails.

The trouble is that up until now, snails have had quite a bad reputation with � sh keepers. They are seen as destroying plants, often before

brightly-coloured bodies. As part of the current trend

towards relying on biological rather than chemical control to curb algae in the aquarium, so there has been renewed interest in snails for this reason. They can also feed on any uneaten � sh food, lessening the burden on the � ltration system, and helping to maintain water quality as a result.

Biological controlThe even better news is that do not count towards the stocking density of the aquarium, and their own waste output is negligible. In most cases, different species of snail will agree without any problems, so you can add a number of different varieties, but beware with the assassin snail (Clea helena), which lives up to its common name.

These south-east Asian molluscs, with their elongated shells and contrasting yellow and dark banding, may not look a signi� cant threat, especially as they only grow to just over 2.5cm (1in) long. Yet they are very effective

predators of their fellow molluscs. As a result, they have become popular today as a means of controlling snail numbers in aquariums. They ignore � sh and shrimp, and when not on the prowl, they tend to spend their time hidden away, frequently burying themselves in the substrate.

The amazing rabbitIf you simply see the dark shell of the golden rabbit snail (Tylomelania gemmifera), you might be forgiven for thinking it is nothing special – until you see the occupant of the shell emerge. Not only is it a striking golden-yellow colour, but it also looks rather reminiscent of a rabbit – and hence its name! It has a long head, with a downturned mouth, plus long antennae, that can look rather ears, depending on how they are being held. These remarkable snails were discovered living in Lake Matano on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. What makes them particularly suitable for an aquarium – aside from their good looks – is the fact that they have a very slow rate of reproduction. They will

Assassin snails will hunt and prey on other types

of aquatic snail.

Red nerite snails will add colour to an aquarium.

breed in a tank, but at such a slow rate that they will not threaten to take over, as they are only likely to produce a maximum of three miniature young at a time.

Rabbit snails can grow to 7.5cm (3in) or so, giving them presence in an aquarium too. They are general scavengers, and will serve to keep the tank free of algae. They are unlikely to cause any

signi� cant damage to other plants in the aquarium, although they may nibble the occasional leaf of Java fern.

A range of neritesWhile rabbit snails can only be housed in tropical tanks, some other members of the clean-up crew can live at slightly lower water temperatures. Some of the snails belonging to the genus Nerita fall within this category. The most popular nerites have colourful and/or attractively patterned shells.

They include tiger bloods, which have red shells and dark spots, whereas those with striped patterning are known as zebras.

You may also see some of these snails displaying more subdued colouration, being olive or even black in colour. They have a very wide range in the wild, being found in Florida, the Gulf of Mexico and through parts of the

Caribbean, inhabiting rivers and similar stretches of water close to the sea.

They actually have a very unusual breeding cycle, that explains why they will not take over in a tank. Sexing them is no problem, particularly if you have had them some time, as you can then be fairly sure that the larger snails are the females. They grow to a maximum size of about 2cm (0.75in).

Yet nerite snails will never breed in a freshwater aquarium. This is because

the larvae of these snails must spend time in saltwater, in order to complete their development.

Adults will browse on algae and scavenge for any leftover food, but they are unlikely to cause serious harm to plants in the aquarium. Should there be insuf� cient algal growth for them in your tank, then provide some plec wafers (as sold for herbivorous cat� sh) or similar food. When housed in suitable surroundings, these snails will live for about a year.

Other possibilitiesAnother popular member of this group is the highly distinctive horned nerite snail (Clithon corona). It has a swirled black and yellow pattern, sometimes bordering on orange, with highly distinctive projections, resembling horns, extending around the shell. These help to protect the snails from predators, and are actually quite sharp, so handle them carefully.

Horned nerite snails are small in size, only growing to about 1.3cm (0.5in). This helps them to reach patches of algae that would otherwise

be inaccessible to their larger relatives. On occasions, they may climb out above the water level, which can be an indication that conditions are not to their liking.

You may also see red lip nerite snails as well. They can be distinguished at a glance by their � atter appearance. Again, they display attractive markings, and are Asiatic in origin. Once again, they too cannot breed successfully in freshwater, so there is no likelihood of them taking over your tank.

Safety precautionsYou need to beware that not all � sh are likely to be compatible with snails. Some such as clown loaches, various cichlids and puffer� sh will prey on them. In addition, be very careful if you have to medicate your aquarium at any stage. Some treatments can prove deadly to snails, particularly those recommended for treating parasitic infections such as white spot, so check this carefully beforehand. Ask in-store or contact the manufacturer if necessary. It is always better to be safe than sorry! È

Snails such as this yellow spotted rabbit snail will

provide an added focus of interest within an aquarium.

The markings and colouration of nerite

snails is variable.

A red zebra nerite snail,

seen from below,

revealing its mouthparts.

Other snail varieties


Other snail varietiesYellow rabbit

snails have interesting faces.

“You can add a number of different varieties, but beware with the assassin snail (Clea helena), which lives up to its common name”

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Next issue

Malawi cichlidsBill Lowe explores the fi sh to be found within this

fascinating African lake, and explains how to keep and breed them successfully in the home aquarium.

The Fish DoctorDon’t miss out on the latest health care advice, in our popular regular column. If you are concerned about any health care issue relating to your fi sh, do email us.

Pretty platiesThese livebearers can make a great introduction to the hobby, and they are now being bred in a wide range of colours. Discover more about them, including their remarkable biology and care.

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Puzzle page

21

1. Buenos Aires tetra (Hyphessobrycon anisitsi)2. Blind cave fi sh (Astyanax mexicanus)3. Red-eye tetra ( Moenkhausia sanctaefi lomenae)4. Black tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi)5. Colombian tetra (Hyphessobrycon columbianus)

43

5

HEADS UP Pictured below are close-ups of the heads of fi ve different fi sh. Can you identify them?

PUZZLE IT OUT SOLUTIONAcross: 1 Legs, 3 GOLDFISH, 9 Oceania, 10 Comet, 11 Hinge, 12 Desert, 14 Agreed, 16 Friend, 19 Ranchu, 21 Uncle, 24 Alive, 25 Thimble, 26 Fighters, 27 Mars. Down: 1 Lionhead, 2 Green, 4 Oranda, 5 Ducks, 6 Immerse, 7 Hate, 8 Sneeze, 13 Idleness, 15 Reading, 17 Ryukin, 18 Guitar, 20 Chest, 22 Cobra, 23 Half.

ID PARADE ANSWERParadise fi sh (Macropodus opercularis)

STAR FISHMissing name is: HENRY

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