Fish health factors.
- Thread starter eon aquatics
- Start date
Fishkeeping can be tricky, but not very hard. Trust me, once you learn the basic things it becomes an addiction and you soon find yourself surrounded by multiple tanks and question yourself whats the purpose of your life
1. Water chemistry; The nitrate, nitrite, PH levels, etc, since these are typically the main reason of deaths, health issues. decline of immunity etc in fish.
2. Diet.
This varies from fish to fish. For example predatory fish prefer a diet with higher protein quantities, and cichlids should be fed a balanced diet with Astaxanthin which helps improves their vibrant colors. Overall, try to keep the diet as varied as possible, because fish tend to eat all sorts of stuff in the wild and we should try to replicate that for maximum results.
3. Tank size.
Up until now its's the most important one in the list. and usually the point number 1 is often related with it. Adequate tank size for particular species helps maintain water quality and PH, while providng the right environment for the fish
4. Temperature
Depends on each species and should be set accordingly.
5. Filtration.
If theres one thing i learned from fish keeping, its that you can never have "too much filtration". This is a vital step, where most fishkeepers tend to fumble first, so i advice researching on it further.
This is just a basic set of things a fishkeeper should follow . Remember, research is the key in this hobby.
"An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest" - Benjamin Franklin
I realize many aquarists pooh pooh some water parameters as non-relevant, but being a former chemist/microbiologist I find that pooh poohing those natural parameters may be very short sighted......
because
If a fish has evolved to live in a certain chemical environment for centuries or millions of years, means it has developed resistance to those same bacteria, but not to some others, and while higher animals such as fish may be able to transcend difference of pH, hardness, and other osmotic pressures themselves, many bacteria are not.
Some may propose that a a century living in aquaria may negate those millenia, but lets think about that a moment.....
So a fish evolved to llve for millions of years in a low pH, low hardness river like the Rio Negro, Orinoca, or Atabapo, may not resist bacteria from the hard waters of the rift lakes, of rivers in Central America....
just as a fish evolved to live in the rift lakes, or Rio Mamoni Panama with pH above 8, may not readily take and resist low pH soft water.
These may not be the only factors by themselves that effect the health of a fish,
but add to that the typical aquarium practices listed in post #3, and you may be looking at the straw that breaks the health back of many species.
because
If a fish has evolved to live in a certain chemical environment for centuries or millions of years, means it has developed resistance to those same bacteria, but not to some others, and while higher animals such as fish may be able to transcend difference of pH, hardness, and other osmotic pressures themselves, many bacteria are not.
Some may propose that a a century living in aquaria may negate those millenia, but lets think about that a moment.....
So a fish evolved to llve for millions of years in a low pH, low hardness river like the Rio Negro, Orinoca, or Atabapo, may not resist bacteria from the hard waters of the rift lakes, of rivers in Central America....
just as a fish evolved to live in the rift lakes, or Rio Mamoni Panama with pH above 8, may not readily take and resist low pH soft water.
These may not be the only factors by themselves that effect the health of a fish,
but add to that the typical aquarium practices listed in post #3, and you may be looking at the straw that breaks the health back of many species.
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NUMBER ONE IS STRESS
in order:
1. Tank size
2. Water changes
3. Tank mates
4. Water chemistry
Food is important but most foods have vitamins and are sufficient.
Larger the tank the less stress.
Tank mate stress is huge and sometimes subtle and ignored.
Chemistry is important and can be debated. But the first 3 far outweigh #4.
in order:
1. Tank size
2. Water changes
3. Tank mates
4. Water chemistry
Food is important but most foods have vitamins and are sufficient.
Larger the tank the less stress.
Tank mate stress is huge and sometimes subtle and ignored.
Chemistry is important and can be debated. But the first 3 far outweigh #4.
I would add one - habitat complexity (in the tank).
It is not only tank size, but features within, which allow refugies, territorios, etc. Size is critical but it is modulatedby features, so there are sweet point combinatios, or lack thereoff.
It is not only tank size, but features within, which allow refugies, territorios, etc. Size is critical but it is modulatedby features, so there are sweet point combinatios, or lack thereoff.
Do not underestimate the long term effects of bad or unsuitable food. Fish easily get too fat and suffer from too much fat around or in their organs. Especially too much carbohydrates from cheaper foods (there are also some expensive ones with too much carbohydrates) can become a problem because fish store them as white fat which is more difficult to metabolize. Many fish also need pretty high water temperature to be able to metabolize this fat. For example Koi can starve while being fat because they are not able to metabolize the fat which they got from unsuitable food.
I agree. My list was general in nature. Each bullet point has their intricacies and nuances. Tank hiding places. Food types for different type fish etc.
The OP proposed a very broad question. A good question.
There are many health issues which can arise in our fish but to give them the best chance of avoiding these issues I see four stand out solutions.
Adequate tank size, appropriate stocking, a varied quality diet, and, without doubt the main one, frequent water changes.
Get all four of these right and you're golden. Many hobbyists don't get it right and you see the results on here all the time.
Adequate tank size, appropriate stocking, a varied quality diet, and, without doubt the main one, frequent water changes.
Get all four of these right and you're golden. Many hobbyists don't get it right and you see the results on here all the time.