Discuss the characteristics of fish in a healthy habitat.

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Discuss the characteristics of fish in a healthy
habitat. Identify major breeds of fish used as
pets.
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A. Species / Breeds of Freshwater fish
p. 262
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1. Egg laying fish reproduction is by
fertilization of sperm with the eggs from females
that lay them.
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a. Koi are a member of the goldfish family used
in cold water aquariums. Prefer water
temperatures between 32 - 68F.
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Koi are moved to outside pools once they reach 5"
in length and may grow to 3 ft. in length in a
pool of adequate size.
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They occupy all levels of the pool or aquarium.
Colors range from yellow or orange to
multi-colors of blue, white, and red.
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b. Goldfish Hardy and easy to keep freshwater
fish who prefer pools or cold water aquariums
that have temperatures in the range of 32 - 68F.
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Recommended for the beginning ornamental fish pet
because as long as water is kept clean, the type
is not critical
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• c. Betas Freshwater fish that are very
  aggressive. Males must never be put in the same
  aquarium. 1 or 2 females and 1 male may be put in
  a community aquarium, but it may affect their
  color.
• Males are flashier!

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Male Betta Fish!
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Female Betta Fish
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Most people keep them in a species only
aquarium. Betas prefer a 80 F 3 tank.
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d. Tetras These are easy to medium care
ornamental fish that prefer soft water that is
slightly acidic.
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Neon tetras
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It is a very sociable fish and does well in
community aquariums. Tetras average 1 ½ - 3" in
length.
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e. Barbs freshwater fish that like water 73
77F. They occupy lower levels and average 2 -
4"in length. They eat all types of food.
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Tiger Barb
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f. Catfish Species grown as ornamentals include
the Upside-down catfish, Glass catfish, and the
Electric catfish.
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Catfish, Upside down catfish
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Prefer their water temperature to be 70 80 F.
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g. Chinese algae eater Soaking loach that grows
up to 10" long when the aquarium size permits. It
has large fleshy lips, can cling to vegetation,
rocks, or the sides of a glass aquarium.
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Chinese algae eaters are good community fish and
feed off algae. They prefer a water temperature
between 70 - 80 F. Also known as
Plecostamus or plecos
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Pleco
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h. Headstanders grow 3 - 5 long and are known
for the way they position themselves vertically
with their head down while at rest.
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headstander
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They are middle to bottom dwellers that are
excellent in community aquariums where the water
is maintained at 79 F.
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2. Livebearing fish give birth to live young.
Live in shoals or groups of five or more.
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Reproduction is accomplished by deposit of sperm
by male inside the female to fertilize the eggs
until they develop into nearly full formed fish.
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a. Guppies Most popular and varieties only
differ in shapes of their fins and tails. Water
temperatures for guppies are between 68 75 F.
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Fancy guppy
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May average giving birth to 50 young, but adults
may eat the young fry.
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b. Swordtails like environment similar to
guppy, known for its long sword-like caudal fin.
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Gold swordtail
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Swordtails average 3 4 ¾ "long and prefer water
temperatures between 68 and 70 F.
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c. Mollies Most Mollie species are black and
differ only in the size of their fins. Prefer
water temperatures to be 72 82 F.
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mollies
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Like groups or schools, Mollies have problem with
large fins may have fins grow so large swimming
is difficult. Mollies prefer to dwell in large
schools.
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d. Platys These fish are very popular. They
average only 2 1/2"in length and like water
temperature to be 68 77 F.
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platy
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B. Species/Breeds of Saltwater ornamental fish
live in saltwater and require the addition of
sodium chloride (salt) to create a marine
environment.
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1. Most saltwater species of ornamental fish are
egg layers.
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a. Angelfish Some can live in freshwater. They
have a delicate appearance but are very hardy.
Angelfish prefer water temperature to be 77
86F.
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Freshwater angelfish
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Eggs are carried in the parents mouth and placed
either in foliage or sand as part of the
incubation process.
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b. Butterfly fish like water temperature to be
75 82F. They are beautiful and very popular
marine fish. These fish need lots of space
because they are territorial and need to be
separated from other butterfly fish.
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Butterfly fish
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Butterfly fish
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c. Brasslets Small popular colorful fish for
marine aquariums. They like water temperatures to
be 79 82 F and prefer a diet of brine shrimp.
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The royal gamma is the suggested Brasslet for
beginners marine aquarist. Royal gamma mix well
with other fish species, but must be isolated
from their own species because of their extremely
aggressive nature.
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d. Clown fish are known for their ability to live
around the tentacles of the sea anemone in a
mutually beneficial relationship known as
symbiosis. They are brilliant in color.
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Clown fish
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e. Sergent Major is a marine fish that grows to 7
inches in length. It is silver-blue in color with
a yellow tinge on its body and has seven vertical
dark bands on each side.
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Sergent majors
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Discuss the characteristics of fish in a healthy
habitat. Discuss fish physiology and aquarium
culture.
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A. Fish Nomenclature
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1. Ornamental fish are fish kept for their
appearance (bright colors and fancy
fins), personal appeal to people, and are not
usually used for food.
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2. Tropical fish are popular fish for aquariums
that come from the warmer regions of the world.
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3. Marine fish are fish that are kept in salt
water aquariums. Marine fish are often more
colorful than freshwater varieties.
Royal Angelfish
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4. Freshwater fish are fish that are kept in a
freshwater tank. Often, they are the most popular
fish for pets.
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5. Community fish are fish that do well in an
aquarium with other fish species.
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Examples include Tetras, barbs, catfish,
Mollies, Platys, and Swordtails.
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Tetras
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Barbs
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Guppies
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Mollies
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Platys
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Swordtails
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6. Species fish do best in an aquarium with fish
of the same species. Examples
include Blind Cave Fish, Piranhas(Pacu),
Red-Tailed Shark, Schomburgks Leaf Fish, Spiny
eels
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Red tail shark
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Pacu-piranhas
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Bali Shark
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Spiny Eel Fish
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Killifish (one pair alone in an aquarium), Betas
(alone in an aquarium).
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Killifish-1 pair!
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Beta-One only!
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7. Gonopodium Modification of anal fin into a
tube-shaped organ in male live-bearers that
provides passage for sperm packets to enter the
oviduct of the female.
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8. Live bearer are fish that give birth to live
young. Examples include Guppies, Mollies,
Platys, and Swordtails.
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9. Egg layers are fish that expel eggs from the
female to be fertilized by the male. Examples
are tetras, barbs, catfish, and goldfish.
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catfish
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10. Shoals are small colonies of fish. Some
species prefer to live in shoals such as African
Refin, Catfish, and Tetras.
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11. Spawning is the reproduction ritual where
eggs are deposited and fertilized by egg
laying species of fish.
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B. Classification based on feeding habit.
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1. Bottom feeders (dwellers) are fish that
inhabit the lower level of the aquarium and feed
off the bottom.
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Their mouth may be turned down or underslung and
they may have barbs to help them locate food.
Examples incude Barbs, Clown Loaches
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Clown Loach Cory
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2. Middle feeders (middle-water fish) primarily
occupy the middle layer of the aquarium.
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They usually have small mouths that are straight
forward because they are eating feed that is
straight in front of them.
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3. Top feeders usually eat from the surface and
occupy the upper levels of the aquarium.
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Often, their mouths will be turned upward and
they will have long streamlined bodies designed
for rapid movement to help them catch insects.
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4. Some fish like goldfish do not show a
preference for the level of
the aquarium.
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C. Physiology of Respiration.
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1. Use organs called gills 2. Water is drawn
through the mouth by constant opening and
closing 3. Forces water into the pharynx
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4. Dissolved oxygen in water is taken into the
blood. 5. CO2 is released into the water from the
gills
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6. Few species of fish are able to use
atmospheric oxygen because part of their
intestines allow for intake of oxygen.
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The air is then swallowed into the digestive
system and taken into the blood.
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D. Physiology of Movement
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1. Fins a. Consist of web of skin supported by
bone or cartilage rods called rays. b. Rays can
be sharp, soft, or spiny c. Fins are very flexible
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2. Use fins moveable structure that allow the
fish to swim and maintain balance.
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3. Most fish have at least one fin along their
back (dorsal), one underside near the tail
(anal), and one tail fin (caudal).
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a. Some have a small, fleshy fin located between
the dorsal and caudal called an adipose fin.
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b. Fish also have a pair of fins located behind
the head called the pectoral and the pelvic
located behind them.
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Discuss the characteristics of fish in a healthy
habitat. Discuss major diseases and ailments of
aquarium fish.
p. 267
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A. Signs and Symptoms of diseases in fish
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1. Fish are behaving unusual/strange. 2. Fish
are floating to surface, sinking to bottom, or
leaning to the side of aquarium.
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3. Fishs fins are unusually laying flat against
the body. 4. Fish have rolled or closed caudal
fins. 5. A fish is off by itself and not swimming
with the school.
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6. Fish appears to be in slow motion and not
keeping up with other fish. 7. Fishs breathing
seem unusually faster and deeper than normal.
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8. Fish at the surface gasping for air.
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9. Fish are rubbing/scratching against objects in
the aquarium. 10. Not interested in eating. 11.
Fish belly appears caved in or unusually thin.
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12. Fish belly appears bloated or swollen. 13.
Color of fish has changed or unusual. 14. Fish
fins appearance is frayed.
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15. The back and spinal column appear
distorted. 16. Eyes are not clear, appear
something is cloudy. 17. The fishs scales are
not normally sticking out, they lay flat against
body.
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18. White spots are covering body. 19. Protruding
eyes. 20. Anal discharge hanging from fish.
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B. Parasites
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1. White spot (Ich) organism Ichthyophthirius
multifiliis external found under skin most common
disease found in aquarium fish.
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ICH
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2. Slime disease parasites attack skin of fish.
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3. Hole-in-the-head organism Hexsamita live
under skin in muscle tissue make tissue break
down and skin opens to make fish appear to have
holes.
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Hole in the head
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4. Velvet disease organism Oodinium penetrates
skin cells and feed on fish.
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5. White Fungus growth white growth around
mouth, fins, eye, and gills. A secondary infection
is usually present already.
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6. Flukes worm-like parasite that attaches to
the gills and body of fish.
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Gill fluke
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7. Anchor worms adhere and burrow under scales
to attack the muscles. 8. Fish lice attach to
body of fish and pierce skin to discharge a
poison.
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C. Bacterial Disease
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1. Finrot where the edges of the fishs fins
start to appear frayed and ragged, lose
their color and the tissue between the fins
breaks down.
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2. Mouth fungus caused by a bacteria which a
white tufty material appears around the mouth and
white patches on the skin.
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3. Neon Disease caused by a parasite
Plistophora hyphessobryconis. This organism is
found in the fishs body tissue where it causes
the production of spores which are released when
it dies.
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4. Tuberculosis caused by bacteria that invades
the organs and tissues of the body.
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5. Pseudomonas and Aeromonas secondary
infections in fish that are already sick.
Fish will have swollen bellies, lesions or ulcers.
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6. Environmental Control problems in the
tank a) Lack of oxygen and over abundance of
carbon dioxide b) Incorrect water pH
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c) Chemical filtration ability reduced and
ammonia builds up d) Gravel filtration system
pollution buildup of iron sulphite
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Treatment for disease includes the use of
chemicals in the water with the aquarium being
thoroughly cleaned before fish are returned.
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Some fish need to be placed in a hospital tank
and treated before returning to normal tank. Most
of the diseases and ailments treatments can be
found at the local pet store.
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Develop a fish aquarium that maintains a suitable
aquatic environment. Discuss aquarium equipment.
p. 269
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A. Considerations when purchasing aquaria
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1. Type Either glass or plastic. Plastic is
cheaper, but all glass is easier to clean. Also,
all glass preferred to an aquarium with metal
corner supports since metal corrodes.
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2. Size Ranges from a simple Beta or goldfish
bowl 1 gal capacity of water (can be smaller or
larger) to 10, 30, 50, or 100 gallon plus.
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Stand
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The thickness of glass ranges from ¼ inch for
small aquariums to 3/8 inch for larger aquariums.
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3. Size depends on the amount you want to invest
and the type (species) of fish.
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4. Shape depends on personal preference and
species of fish you are interested in raising.
The most common shape is rectangular.
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5. Species type of fish purchasing, freshwater
versus tropical
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B. Equipment needed for an aquarium
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1. How to determine tank size a. The general
rule for stocking rate for an aquarium is as
follows
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KNOW THIS!!
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b. Example An aquarium that is 24 inches long by
10 inches high has 240 square inches of surface
area. Therefore, the tank would hold 24 inches of
tropical fish, 8 inches of cold water fish, or 5
inches of marine fish.
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One could have 8 3 inch swordtails in a tropical
aquarium, 2 2 ½ inch Brasslets in a marine
aquarium, or 2 4 inch goldfish in a coldwater
aquarium.
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2. Power filter with and electric motor
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Filter
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3. Chemical filtration system.
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4. Air pumps used for aeration a. vibrator
diaphragm or a rotary-vane type b. available in
different sizes the size depends on the aquarium
size
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Air pumps tubing
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5. Biological filters-purpose is to neutralize
toxic substances such as ammonia
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6. Hydrometer for measuring salt content. GFCI
electrical outlet preferred.
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7. Water containers aquarium water-holding
container . BUCKET
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8. Other materials include gravel and or sand,
plants, decorative stones, hood with starter for
fluorescent lights, combined heater/thermostat,
dip nets, decorative materials.
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Lighting Bulbs
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B. Filtration systems 1. Purpose of filter to
remove uneaten food materials and solid waste
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2. Works one of three ways a. mechanical removal
of waste by using various kinds of filtration
devices b. chemical removal of dissolved material
by using chemical process
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c. biological filtration is using bacteria to
change a harmful substance (nitrogen) by feeding
on the waste in the tank to a harmless substance
of nitrogen and replenish the Dissolved Oxygen in
the water.
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C. Oxygenation keeping DO (dissolved oxygen in
the water).
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1. Fish used the oxygen that has been dissolved
in the water by its gills for life processes
methods of keeping bubbling air in water
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2. Aeration putting bubbles into the water
/splashing water into the air. By using an air
pump.
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3. Biological oxygenation- using plants to
replenish oxygen by the photosynthesis process.
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D. Maintenance schedule
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1. Daily a. Check heater, temperature, aeration
and filtration b. Remove dead fish c. Observe for
any unusual behavior
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2. Weekly a. Check water level and ph b. Add
water and chemicals as appropriate
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3. Monthly a. Change and add water b. Siphon off
any dead material from bottom of aquarium.
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Gravel vacuum
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c. Tend to plants in aquarium d. Remove algae
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4. Quarterly a. Clean filter b. Check hoses and
pump c. Check any electric connections
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5. Annually a. Clean tank thoroughly b. Rinse
gravel from the bottom c. Replace light bulbs