Emerald Catfish

Emerald Catfish

Emerald Catfish © Devan Pearson By: Devan Pearson Common Name: Emerald Catfish Latin Name: Brochis Splendens Origin: Brazil, Peru, Ecuador Temperature: 75°F - 24°C Ease Of Keeping: Medium-Easy Aggressivness: Very Very Peaceful Lighting: Dim or Light Adult Size: 2" (5cm) Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons

Feeding: Tubifex worms and Shrimp Pellets. Spawning Method: Unknown Comments: A really good catfish. Is not a member of the Corydoras Family. A good fish for beginners.

Clown Pleco

Clown Pleco

Common Name: Clown Pleco Latin Name: Panaque maccus Origin: Rio las Marinas, Venezuala Temperature: 75F-82°F pH: 6.6 to 7.8 (not critical) Ease Of Keeping: Needs extra care Aggressivness: Easy going Lighting: Subdued lighting Adult Size: 4" (10cm) Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons Feeding: Omnivore Spawning Method: Egglayer

Comments: This dwarf Pleco does eat algae but often it will not clean up a tank. It prefers meaty foods to algae. It is also very shy so provide many hiding places, driftwood, and a dark bottom. It will defend its favorite cave against other fish. Feed this fish algae wafers, sinking pellets, and blanched lettuce or cucumbers

Clown Loach

Clown Loach

Dustins Clowns © Dustin Clint's Clown - Abner © Clint Norwood Species/genus: Botia macracantha Origin: Sumatra and Borneo Temp: 75-85°F (24-30°C) pH: Slightly acidic dH: Soft Temperament: Peaceful active and sometimes wierd acting fish, don't be surprised if they rest on their sides, it's normal. Adult Size: 10in (25cm) usually smaller Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons Feeding: Eats everything, loves worms Breeding: Egglayer, rarely bred in captivity

Comments: Clowns like company and will school if you have more than two. Their goofy actions and their bright coloration gave them their name. Clown fish will eat snails and are capable of clearing a heavily infested tank in a few days.

Chinese Algae Eater

Chinese Algae Eater

By: Flobex.com Common Name: Chinese Algae Eater, Chinese Sucking Loach, Indian Algae Eater Latin Name: Gyrinocheilus aymonieri Origin: Thailand Temperature: 75-86° F (24-30° C) Ease Of Keeping: Easy Aggressivness: It gets pretty aggressive as it ages Lighting: Any lower lighting prefered Adult Size: 8 inches (20cm) Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Feeding: algae wafers, flakes, pellets,algae... pretty much anything

Comments: Do not keep with flat boddied slow moving fish. They appreciate plants, and caves, but they MUST have a place to hide. Be carefull of this fishes temper. It can be very mean, and you should only keep one per tank. Commonly sold, it is usually labeled a "algae eater". These fish are great for brown algae, I bought mine a few days ago, and as soon as it was added to the tank, it started eating the brown algae.

Bronze Corydoras

Bronze Corydoras

Bronze Cory Bronze Cory © Mickel Albino Cory Alibino Bronze Cory © Mickel By: Mickel Common Name: Bronze Corydoras Latin Name: Corydoras aeneus Origin: South America: Trinidad, Venezuela to La Plata Temperature: Temp: 22-26°C, 72-80°F Ease Of Keeping: Relatively Easy, Although some experience may help. Aggressivness: Peaceful community fish Lighting: Basic Lighting Adult Size: 3", 7 cm Minimum Tank Size: 5 Gals (for one)

Feeding: They may except good quality flakes, but live foods, freeze dried foods and quick sinking pellets are recommended. Spawning Method: Typical for the subfamily Comments: These little social guys are classified as a schooling fish, meaning it is a essential to have these guys in a school (4 is recommended). With only 1-2 they may not be as active and will not live the full life they deserve.

Borneo Sucker or Hillstream Loach

Borneo Sucker or Hillstream Loach

Common Name: Borneo Sucker or Hillstream Loach Borneo Sucker © anomynous Latin Name: Beaufortia Kweichowensis Origin: Hong Kong Temperature : 72-79°F - 22-26°C Ease Of Keeping: Medium Aggressivness: Very peaceful Adult Size: 3¼ inches - 8cm Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons Feeding: Omnivore Spawning Method: Unknown Comments: This fish is a bottom feeder and scavenger. It is very sensitive to nitrates and nitrites in the water. The pH is not very important, but around neutral is best. Provide plenty of hiding places as this fish is shy. Be sure it gets its share of food. Pellets and bottom sinking foods are the best. Mine eats some algae but do not buy this fish to clean up algae. It can also be kept in a cool water aquarium

A Betta with Velvet,

Velvet

By Rachel Hunt (Mushi)

A Betta with Velvet, Image © LoisVelvet Information and Symptoms

Velvet is probably the second most common Betta ailment next to fin rot. Velvet is generally caused by unstable temperatures, or temperatures that are too cool for the betta to comfortably deal with (generally anything that falls below 72 degrees for long periods of time). Poor water quality can also increase a Betta's chances of contracting velvet. Velvet is the number one killer of very young Betta fry, so if you are a breeder, familiarize yourself with this disease so that you can diagnose it before it gets out of control in your fry tanks.

Velvet is a parasitic infection which attacks the Betta's slime coat. It generally infects the head and gill area first, so that by the time it is noticeable, the infection is pretty well established. The main indicator that your Betta has Velvet is a copper or rust colored dusting over the betta's body, normally beginning at the head, but it will very quickly spread over the entire body if not treated. Bettas that have Velvet will usually be very lethargic, have clamped fins, and may not be interested in eating. It is very important to treat Velvet as soon as it becomes apparent.

Velvet Treatment

If your Betta shows signs of Velvet, it is best to isolate him for treatment. If you are dealing with a Velvet outbreak in a fry tank, it is best to treat the entire tank. Do a complete water change if your betta is in his own container, and a 30-40% water change if it is in a community/fry tank and you must treat in the tank. Adding aquarium or rock salt (dissolve before introducing to the tank) will help until stronger medications can be purchased, and can be used in conjunction with medication. Many of the same medications that are useful in the treatment of Ick are also good Velvet treatments. Aquarisol is my personal favorite medication for Velvet, but Maracide, Malachite Green, and Coppersafe (as well as other copper-based medications) can be used. Be aware that stong copper-based medications can eventually lead to poisoning, so water should be changed frequently after treatment to remove the medications, unless you are treating in a container that gets 100% water changes. Also be aware that some of these medications are harmful to plants and invertibrates, so do your homework before treating in tanks containing plants and invertibrates.

Once medications have been added, if at all possible, increase the tank temperature to 82-84 degrees F. This will speed the life cycle of Velvet and allow the medications to kill it faster. If your treatment container is too small to heat, allow the medications to work at their own rate but try to place the container in a warm area of the house. Keeping the tank dark will also help to destroy Velvet, as Velvet is actually a parasitic algae and requires a bit of light to survive. Keep an eye out for secondary opporunistic infections, as fish that contract Velvet are already in a weakened, vulnerable state.

Velvet Prevention

Stable (warm) temperatures and clean water are the two major things you can do to prevent Velvet in adult Bettas. In Betta fry tanks, or with adult Bettas that seem especially prone to Velvet infections, adding about 1 teaspoon per gallon of dissolved aquarium/rock salt can help prevent Velvet from setting in (when used in conjunction with stable temperatures and regular water changes). Aquarisol can also be used according to the directions on the bottle as a preventative, which I especially recommend for Betta fry tanks in which the fry are under one month of age.

Popeye Information and Symptoms

Popeye Information and Symptoms

By Rachel Hunt (Mushi)

Image © Danelle

Image © Lois Popeye is a bacterial infection generally caused by poor water quality, although it can also be caused by an eye injury that becomes infected. The main symptom of Popeye is that the eye starts protruding from the head, and if left long enough without treatment, the eye can actually fall out. Popeye is generally not fatal (unless it is not treated and the infection is allowed to spread), and with proper care, the eye will sink back into its socket when cured.

Popeye Treatment If the fish is in a community tank, isolate him in his own container. This is not because popeye is contagious, but rather for the affected fish's safety and so that it can be medicated and the water quality monitored. If the fish is already isolated, do a water change immediately upon noticing the condition.

Because popeye is a bacterial infection, you'll want to treat it with a broad spectrum antibiotic. Recommended medications are: Ampicilex (Aquatronics), Penicillin, Maracyn 2, and Amoxycillin. Follow directions on the medication you choose, but keep the fish's water absolutely sparkling clean during treatment (and afterwards, of course).

Popeye Prevention

Popeye is practically the easiest thing in the world to prevent simply by keeping the betta's water clean. Adding a teaspoon of dissolved aquarium or rock salt per gallon can also help prevent Popeye, but clean water is absolutely crucial. Popeye, along with fin rot, is a flashing neon sign that you are not keeping your tanks/jars as clean as they should be. If your fish ends up coming down with popeye, you need to start devoting more time to your tank maintenance.

Ick Information and Symptoms

Ick Information and Symptoms

By Rachel Hunt (Mushi)

A Betta with Ick - Image © Danelle Ick is a protozoan parasite, and is extremely contagious. Ick will often appear when fish have been stressed by any number of environmental factors - new additions to the tank, rapid temperature swings, fluctuating water parameters, etc. My personal belief is that Ick is always present in an aquarium environment, but that healthy fish are able to fight it off until they become so stressed and worn out that they are no longer able do so.

Ick symptoms are fairly straight-forward and easy to recognize. Ick will manifest itself visibly as white dots on the fish (generally the spots will start on fins and move towards the body, but not always). The spots will be about the size and consistancy as a small grain of salt. Fish will often "flash" or scratch themselves quickly and repeatedly on objects in the tank in an effort to dislodge the Ick cysts. Some fish will continue to act normally even when infected with Ick, but others will have clamped fins, color loss and lethargy.

Ick Treatment

Ick is highly contagious, therefore if your betta is in a community tank, remove and isolate him. If you can move him to a tank with a heater, this will make treatment easier and faster - warmer temperatures will cause the cysts to fall off faster, which is the only time that they are vulnerable to medications (when they are not attached to the fish). Turning the temperature up to 84-86 degrees F will not harm a betta for the short duration of Ick treament, and will increase the speed at which the fish will be cured. Do not try to put a heater in a small isolation bowl/jar, as you may end up boiling your fish. If you can't heat the isolation container because it's too small, try to place the container in a warm area of the house and allow treatment to progress at its own pace.

There are a bunch of medications on the market that will successfully treat Ick, which you use is more a matter of how available it is for purchase than anything else. Most medications geared toward Ick treatment contain Malachite Green or copper. Commonly available brand names are: Malachite Green, Coppersafe, Quick Cure, Aquarisol, and Maracide. Pretty much any treatment that says it treats Ick probably will. Be aware the some of these medications are fairly harsh on plants and invertibrates, so make sure you do your homework before treating in a planted tank or one with snails/other invertibrates. Also be aware that stong copper-based medications can eventually lead to poisoning, so water should be changed frequently after treatment to remove the medications, unless you are treating in a container that gets 100% water changes.

Ick Prevention

Clean water, steady tank temperatures, and keeping your fish happy and stress-free fish are the easiest ways to prevent Ick. If you are adding new fish to a community tank, always quarantine them for at least 2 weeks to reduce the chances of the stressed-out new fish introducing diseases to your healthy fish. Always try to keep the tank temperature as stable as possible - heaters are the best way to do this if your ambient air temperature fluxuates a lot. I've personally found that rapid temperature changes are the biggest culprit when my fish come down with Ick - heat the tank if you're having severe temperature changes daily, and if your tank is too small to heat, buy a larger tank that can handle a heater. As with most of the other diseases, keeping up with your tank maintenance (ie keeping the water clean) is arguably the number one thing you can do to keep your fish happy and stress-free. Do not underestimate the power of clean water.

Articles And Reviews Index / Betta Health Index

Fin Rot Information and Symptoms

Fin Rot Information and Symptoms

By Rachel Hunt (Mushi)

A Betta with Finrot © Mushi Fin Rot is arguably the number one issue you will have to deal with if you keep any number of bettas for any length of time. Fin Rot is a bacterial infection of the fins, usually brought about by poor water conditions and/or stress that causes the fins to deteriorate. Fin Rot can also set in when a fin is injured and the water is not kept clean enough to avoid infection of the injured fin.

Symptoms can include:

Small holes (pinholes) anywhere on the fins.

Fins that seem to be growing thinner or more transparent.

Fins that seem to be "fraying" around the edges.

Fins that seem to be breaking off in large chunks.

Slimey looking areas, usually on the tips of fins, that seem to "eat away" at the fins over time.

Fin Rot in and of itself is not contagious, but if you keep fish in a community tank you may end up with several fish contracting the infection. This is because the bacteria that cause Fin Rot are opportunistic bacteria - poor water conditions stress fish out, and when fish become stressed, their immune systems become weak. Weak fish are not able to fight off illnesses that healthy fish easily can. So if you have poor water conditions or something else causing stress in the occupants of your tank, you may have an "outbreak" of Fin Rot.

Quick Medication Dosing Tip Since most medication dosing directions are meant for larger tanks and some medications come in tablet or capsule form, it can be difficult to dose a small container. There is a trick to doing this.

If your medication calls for one capsule to 10 gallons, grab a small container that can hold water. Using a measuring spoon, measure out 10 teaspoons or tablespoons full of water into the container (it doesn't matter which you use as long as you use the same unit of measurement the whole way through). Dump the capsule or crush the tablet into the measured water. Then dispense the medicated water into your isolation container - if it is a 1 gallon container, one teaspoon/tablespoon will be the correct medication dosage. This method works for any size treatment container, just be aware that most medications lose effectiveness after 24 hours in water so you will have to discard any unused medication using this method.

Columnaris Information and Symptoms

Columnaris Information and Symptoms

By Rachel Hunt (Mushi)

Image © Danelle Columnaris is commonly mistaken for a fungal problem, it is NOT a fungus, it is caused by Flexibacter bacteria. Columnaris can be particularly difficult to diagnose as there are many symptoms associated with it.

Symptoms can include:

White, gray or clear stringy-looking "fungus" hanging off the betta's body or fins. Again, this is not actually fungus, but the Flexibacter bacteria. White or gray patches that look like mold or a slime covering, usually on the body (and most commonly around the dorsal area). White "pimples," generally around the chin and mouth area. White or gray tufts of "fungus" (often looks like cotton candy) anywhere on the body, but especially around the mouth, gills, or edges of scales. Lesions anywhere on the body, generally beginning in the dorsal area. Redness and swelling are not uncommon. In the later stages of infection, the bacteria will begin to eat away at the fish's scales, often leaving behind a red or brown looking bloody area surrounded by fungusy-looking tufts of bacteria. The Betta may also have clear, stringy feces and may be lacking appetite.

Columnaris is highly contagious. Any fish in a community setting showing signs of Columnaris should be removed to a hospital tank and treated seperately. A watchful eye should be kept on the fish remaining in the community for signs that they may be developing the disease.

Fish Name: Pearl Gourami: A Young Male:

Fish Name: Pearl Gourami: A Young Male:

Pearls, male below Pair, Male Below Species/genus: Trichogaster leeri Origin: Malaya and Thailand Temp: 73-86°F (23-30°C) pH: neutral dH: soft - medium hard Temperament: Peaceful but curious and active Adult Size: 5in (13cm) Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons Bigger is much better

Feeding: Easy to feed, accepts all aquarium foods Breeding: Bubblenest egglayer, lays eggs by the thousands when spawning is successful Comments: Colorful, active, friendly, an all around good aquarium citizen.

Paradise Fish

Paradise Fish

Paradise Fish © Danelle

© Stacy Malbon Photo taken in Aqualand in Hopkins, MN. Species/genus: Macropodus opercularis Origin: East Asia, China, Korea Temp: 61 - 89°F (16-32°C) pH: 6.0 - 8.0 dH:- Not Important Temperament: - Males sometimes fight similar to Betta Splendens Adult Size: Up to 4in (10 cm)

Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons Although they are capable of living in much smaller containers. Feeding: - Easy to satisfy, will eat just about all standard aquarium foods. As an added benefit Paradise fish will eat planaria flatworms and even hydra in some cases. Breeding: - Bubblenest builder, large quantities of eggs are produced and the fry are easily raised. The male will protect the eggs until hatching occurs.

Comments: The Paradise Fish is extremely hardy, easy to keep and undemanding. These fish can tolerate a wide range of temperatures and since they are air breathers they can survive in very small containers. They were the second ornamental fish introduced to Europe and caused a craze around the 1890's where they were commonly kept in small glass jars. They are very colorful as you can see in the picture above. Their only drawback is their excessive aggression

This is a very large fish

 This is a very large fish  

Common Name: Giant Gourami Latin Name: Osphronemus gorami Origin: Southeast Asia - Found in medium to large rivers and stagnant water bodies including sluggish flowing canals Temperature: 70-86°F 21-30°C Aggressivness: They are generally peaceful. When they are young they will fight with there own kind, but as they get older they ussually calm down alot. But remember, these are very big fish, and like many other fish this size they will eat smaller fish. Adult Size: up to 24+ inches 60 cm Minimum Tank Size: BIG Feeding: They are not very picky eaters. Besides offering them regular fish foods, they will even eat cooked meat, bread, boiled potatoes and other vegetables. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat. Spawning Method: Like most fish in this family, the Giant Gourami are bubble nest builders. The male will build a ball-shaped nest out of bits of plants just below the surface of the water. Their eggs as well as the fry, are lighter than water and float to the top.To sex these fish you look at the dorsal and anal fins the males are longer and more Comments: This is a very large fish, the 24 inches is correct and if kept in good condition they can exeed that length. These fish are fairly common and pretty inexpensive. These are beautiful fish that require tons of tank space.

Breeding the gourami: This fish is difficult to breed because of size. If a pair does breed, the eggs will be laid in a bubble nest previouslly built by the male. To get them to breed you should feed the pair live or frozen brine shrimp for a few weeks then seperate the male and female for a few days; then put them in a spawning tank that is ¾ full, and has plenty of floating plants. Set up a breeding tank about a week before breeding to establish food cultures for fry. Raise the temperature to 82°F and make sure the tank is covered. Let the parents raise the fry

Fish name:Pygmy Gourami

Fish name:Pygmy Gourami

Also known as: Sparkling Gourami, Dwarf Croaking Gourami Species/genus: Trichopsis pumilus Origin: Vietnam, Thailand Temp: 75 - 84°F (24 - 29°C) Temperament: Very peaceful, sometimes shy Adult Size: 1 in (2.5cm) Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons Feeding: Most standard fish foods accepted

Breeding: Spawns in much the same way as Betta Splendens, but nowhere near as prolific. The fry are exceptionally tiny and will require the smallest of live foods. Comments: The Pygmy Gourami is a delightful little fish. Their color is spectacular under the right lighting conditions. Though somewhat shy when first introduced to a new tank they will quickly gain confidence and come out to play. This is an excellent fish for a small planted aquarium. Also sometimes called the Dwarf Croaking Gourami this little fish will produce clearly audible clicking sounds when happy, excited or during courtship. This is an overall excellent aquarium fish, thier only drawback is the difficlutly in spawning and raising their fry.