Did you know you can use your fish tank as to predict the weather? That's right, you're home aquarium might be more accurate than the local weather man if you know what you're looking for. They can be used to predict upcoming storms, the passing of a front, or even let you know there's a tornado about to strike!
To use our fish tank in this manner, we need only have live fish in it. Fish possess an organ called a swim bladder. It's a large sack of air in the fish's innards that helps to keep it neutrally buoyant. It basically helps the fish to remain where it is in the water, without sinking or floating. The size and shape of this bladder can vary depending on the species of fish. Many catfish have a small one, or none at all, to keep them on or near the bottom of the water they are living in. Others, like the flying fish, have a very large one that can help keep them near the surface of the water at all times.
So what does this have to do with the weather? Because fish rely so heavily on this organ, just to remain in one place, changes in air pressure can have gigantic effects on a fish. If the air pressure goes up, a fish's bladder becomes slightly compressed. I'm sure the fish feels like it has really bad gas. The result is a sluggish fish that doesn't move too much. The fish would be "weighted down" and would not be able to perform at it's peak. On the flip side of this, when the air pressure drops, a fish has the opposite reaction. Many fish can perform better and this shows in their activity. As any good fishing guide could tell you fish become much more active when the air pressure drops. If your normally peaceful and calm aquarium, suddenly becomes an active parade of color, you can bet the air pressure dropped and there is some weather on the way.
One fish in the pet industry displays this attribute so readily, it's been called the weather loach. A slender eel like catfish, that prefers to hide almost all the time. It burrows in the gravel or under decorations, unless the air pressure has dropped. When weather is on the way the weather loach, also called a dojo loach, becomes extremely active. This is a fish you never see in your tank, that suddenly is racing and darting the whole length of the aquarium.
While owning an aquarium might not be the ideal barometer for weather predicting purposes, it is a fun trick if you already have one in your home. The next time you know the weather is coming, check out your tank, you might be surprised at what you find. You can see for yourself that when air pressure drops, your fish become happy!
Showing posts with label Fish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fish. Show all posts
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Keeping A Clear Fish Tank, And A Clear Conscience
I remember my first aquarium. I was so excited, I had been perusing the local fish stores for weeks looking at all the beautiful fish from all over the world and I couldn't wait to make my first little ecosystem in my own room. I set up my ten gallon and it was perfect. The water was crystal clear, the plastic plants carefully arranged, and a small rock formation placed ever so carefully so my new fish could hide but I could still see them. I was very proud, and very naive. I went to the pet store and picked out about a half dozen of the prettiest fish I could find. I brought them home and placed them in my fish tank, the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
But like most people, it didn't last. As I slept that night, with visions of colorful fish darting to and fro in my fish tank, nature took over and crushed my dreams. Within a day, the water had turned cloudy. Two days later the tank was so cloudy I couldn't see anything, and my fish began to die. It was hopeless, or so I thought. It wasn't until years later when I learned what had really happened in my aquarium that week, and how it could have been prevented.
When we have an aquarium, we are caring for a complete ecosystem in a glass box. If we don't put something that is necessary into this system, it won't be there. Likewise, if we don't take out things like fish waste, they will remain there forever, building to lethal levels. Nature is willing to give us a hand with a natural process that happens constantly in the world we live in. It's called the nitrogen cycle. It is the constant recycling of nitrogen in our environment, so levels don't get too toxic for life. This cycle runs constantly in a healthy aquarium, processing toxins from fish waste and converting them to non-toxic compounds. It's like a very slow motor, constantly driving the process of life in your fish tank.
Like a very slow motor, it has to get up to speed before it runs efficiently. Each step in this cycle takes 2-3 days to complete. After your fish tank goes through this cycle the first time, it is a constantly occurring process. When I added fish to my tank the way I did, I basically inserted fish waste into the tank, and started the cycle. At day two, my tank was still probably only on the fist step, and the fish waste was being converted into ammonia. If I had only known I still had two more steps to go through before my tank would be safe for my fish! This is why my tank turned cloudy after a day, and the fish began to die after two.
So what should I have done differently? I should have set up the tank and added a small amount of bacteria to get the process started. This can be done by buying a bottle of bacteria from your local pet store, or adding 1 or 2 very small fish, depending on the size of the tank. In a small tank like a ten gallon, buying a bottle of bacteria culture would have been my best bet. Even one fish in a ten gallon tank or smaller, can have a gigantic impact on the cycle.
The second thing I should have done, is the most difficult task of any aquarium owner. I should have done nothing. I should have let the tank sit empty, with the filters running for a week. To be a successful aquarium hobbyist, patience is a virtue. After a week has gone by, and the tank has gone through it's first cycle, then fish should be added 2-3 at a time. Every time fish are added, you should wait another week before adding more. This will allow the cycle to catch up to the new amount of waste you have added to the tank.
If you find yourself in the same position as I did, there is still hope. Since we are in control of this ecosystem, we have the ability to physically remove the toxins ourselves. We can do this by doing water changes. If you have added fish to your tank too soon, and your water starts to become cloudy, you can take out 25% - 50% of the water and replace it with fresh dechlorinated water. This will drop the levels of ammonia down to a safer level for your fish. These water changes must be done every day to keep the levels safe. Anyone who attempts to do this for the first week will be thankful mother nature takes care of this for us! If we didn't have bacteria converting toxins to safer chemicals, we would have to do this constantly to keep fish alive in an aquarium.
Learn from my mistakes. When you take the plunge and set up an aquarium for the first time, patience will guarantee you success. When the proper precautions are taken during the initial setup, an aquarium can be a gorgeous addition to any room. Fish and other aquatic creatures are interesting and relaxing to watch, so take your time, and you will keep your fish and yourself happy!
If you find yourself in the same position as I did, there is still hope. Since we are in control of this ecosystem, we have the ability to physically remove the toxins ourselves. We can do this by doing water changes. If you have added fish to your tank too soon, and your water starts to become cloudy, you can take out 25% - 50% of the water and replace it with fresh dechlorinated water. This will drop the levels of ammonia down to a safer level for your fish. These water changes must be done every day to keep the levels safe. Anyone who attempts to do this for the first week will be thankful mother nature takes care of this for us! If we didn't have bacteria converting toxins to safer chemicals, we would have to do this constantly to keep fish alive in an aquarium.
Learn from my mistakes. When you take the plunge and set up an aquarium for the first time, patience will guarantee you success. When the proper precautions are taken during the initial setup, an aquarium can be a gorgeous addition to any room. Fish and other aquatic creatures are interesting and relaxing to watch, so take your time, and you will keep your fish and yourself happy!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
The Goldfish Dilemma
One of the biggest mythologies I've ever encountered in the pet industry, is not about dogs or cats, but fish, specifically goldfish. It seems almost everyone over the age of 18 has, at some point in their life, had a pet goldfish that they kept in a goldfish bowl. It's almost a rite of passage, teaching a child responsibility, to have a goldfish as a first pet. Every year at the fair, they have games where the winner gets to take a home a goldfish, and it seems like everyone wins! If you walk into your local pet store, there are thousands of small goldfish for just a few cents, and small ornate "goldfish" bowls complete with pearls and a small castle. But, did you know, that a goldfish cannot survive in a bowl?!
It has always amazed me that this myth has survived over generations, when I'm sure without a whole lot of luck, few if any of these fish have survived past a few days. Here's the reason. All fish kept in a enclosed system like a bowl or a tank, depend on a delicate balance of bacteria to keep the water free of ammonia, which the fish excretes almost constantly in its urine. Within 2 to 3 days, even in a larger tank, the water becomes cloudy as the waste builds up. In a larger tank, the fish can survive riding out this increase in poison, while the bacteria has time to grow and start cleaning up the mess. In a small bowl, there is just not enough water to dilute these toxins, and they almost certainly become fatal.
Before the critics jump down my back, with claims of having kept their fish in a bowl successfully when they were a child, let me ask a question. Is your fish still alive? I've heard of reports of goldfish living as long as 40-60 years, maybe even longer. They are not a disposable animal that is only designed to live a few months (Another myth I've been told). To successfully keep a small goldfish, at least a 10 gallon tank with a filter system is required. Even then, the setup will probably only last you a year, before the fish outgrows it. This is what that small little goldfish should look like after one year!
This is not to say that a fishbowl cannot be an enjoyable part of growing up. There are a few fish that actually do quite well in an unheated fish bowl. The first of these are the zebra danios, and the new genetically engineered "Glofish". These fish are hardy and so small that a few of them do not create enough waste to overpower the bacteria in a small 1-2 gallon bowl.
The other is a Betta, or Siamese fighting fish. Although these are solitary fish, they hail from the rice patties of Asia, and have evolved to survive in small amounts of unclean water. To the Betta, a fish bowl seems like an impressive piece of real estate. Most people prefer these because of their brilliant colors and size.
The reason the carnival games use goldfish as a reward is because they are cheap and brightly colored. The goldfish you win are usually sold as "feeder fish" for other larger predatory fish, and can be as cheap as 10 cents a piece. Just cheap enough that a carnival can afford to give them away. Even though the prospect of having their first pet can be almost too alluring to a child, every animal should be researched before purchasing or winning it. Impulsive pet ownership can lead to fatal results for the animal.
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It has always amazed me that this myth has survived over generations, when I'm sure without a whole lot of luck, few if any of these fish have survived past a few days. Here's the reason. All fish kept in a enclosed system like a bowl or a tank, depend on a delicate balance of bacteria to keep the water free of ammonia, which the fish excretes almost constantly in its urine. Within 2 to 3 days, even in a larger tank, the water becomes cloudy as the waste builds up. In a larger tank, the fish can survive riding out this increase in poison, while the bacteria has time to grow and start cleaning up the mess. In a small bowl, there is just not enough water to dilute these toxins, and they almost certainly become fatal.
Before the critics jump down my back, with claims of having kept their fish in a bowl successfully when they were a child, let me ask a question. Is your fish still alive? I've heard of reports of goldfish living as long as 40-60 years, maybe even longer. They are not a disposable animal that is only designed to live a few months (Another myth I've been told). To successfully keep a small goldfish, at least a 10 gallon tank with a filter system is required. Even then, the setup will probably only last you a year, before the fish outgrows it. This is what that small little goldfish should look like after one year!
This is not to say that a fishbowl cannot be an enjoyable part of growing up. There are a few fish that actually do quite well in an unheated fish bowl. The first of these are the zebra danios, and the new genetically engineered "Glofish". These fish are hardy and so small that a few of them do not create enough waste to overpower the bacteria in a small 1-2 gallon bowl.
The other is a Betta, or Siamese fighting fish. Although these are solitary fish, they hail from the rice patties of Asia, and have evolved to survive in small amounts of unclean water. To the Betta, a fish bowl seems like an impressive piece of real estate. Most people prefer these because of their brilliant colors and size.
The reason the carnival games use goldfish as a reward is because they are cheap and brightly colored. The goldfish you win are usually sold as "feeder fish" for other larger predatory fish, and can be as cheap as 10 cents a piece. Just cheap enough that a carnival can afford to give them away. Even though the prospect of having their first pet can be almost too alluring to a child, every animal should be researched before purchasing or winning it. Impulsive pet ownership can lead to fatal results for the animal.
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