Community aquarium

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Community aquaria are tanks that are designed to contain more than one species of fish. Most commonly they include a variety of species that do not normally occur together in nature, for example angelfish from Brazil, swordtails from Mexico, and gouramis from South East Asia. The aim of such communities is to bring together fish that are compatible in temperament and water requirements, while using their different colours and behaviors to add interest and entertainment value.

Contents

Though not usually called community tanks, most marine aquaria fit into this category too, using fish from places as diverse as the Caribbean, Red Sea, and western Pacific Ocean.

Other aquarists prefer communities, called biotopes, that represent particular geographic locations, and combine fish with appropriate decorative materials including endogenous rocks and plants. [1] The most popular of these geographically correct community tanks are those replicating the cichlid habitat of the East African Rift lakes of Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi.

Community fish

Seen in this community tank are Siamese fighting fish, mollies, a platy, and a rainbowfish. Female bettas in community tank.jpg
Seen in this community tank are Siamese fighting fish, mollies, a platy, and a rainbowfish.

For freshwater community tanks, there are large numbers of species that make successful community fishes. Most of the livebearers, barbs, tetras, rasboras, danios, and rainbowfishes are peaceful, though a few species are fin nippers, most notably tiger barbs and serpae tetras. Angelfishes, gouramis, and Corydoras catfishes are also popular, though angelfish are predatory and will eat very small fish such as neon tetras and livebearer fry. The size of the fish introduced within a new or established community tank is an essential factor to ensure harmony within the setup. A traditional and proven practice suggest- If a fish fits into the mouth of another fish, there are more chances of it being eaten by the larger variety. Understandably, all fish are opportunistic animals which makes them prone to occasional attacks on the other small-sized members within the tank. Considering the nature of aquatic animals, it is better to pair similar sized fish to maintain stable and peaceful aquarium communities. [2] If neon tetras are kept around fish unlikely to take advantage of their small size, they are very peaceful towards other fish.

Many fishes are not suitable for typical community tanks. These fishes include:

Water chemistry

Most freshwater aquarium fish do well in water that is soft to moderately hard, and that has a pH between 6 and 8.

Brackish water aquaria are a special case and need dedicated community tanks. While a few freshwater and marine fish can adapt to brackish water, most cannot.

The most deadly chemical in aquarium water is ammonia, produced from fish excretions. It is important to test for ammonia, since it is a chemical precursor of nitrites and nitrates, also harmful to fish. Ammonia is removed from the water through the nitrogen cycle, which takes place within the aquarium filter, which takes a few weeks to start processing the ammonia. The processed ammonia is converted to nitrite, which is then processed to nitrate. Weekly water changes (25% of aquarium volume), while vacuuming debris from the bottom of the tank, can solve this problem of nitrate build-up, provided the tank is not overcrowded.

Build-up of algae is largely related to light level and mineral imbalance. An aquarium near a window is likely to be overgrown with algae. A material known as a "phosphate sponge" is available at aquarium shops to leach the phosphate out of the aquarium and reduce the growth of algae. Also, plants such as java moss (not java fern) compete with algae for another necessary plant nutrient, nitrate, and reduce algae growth. Java moss also forms a ground cover along the bottom of the aquarium.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gourami</span> Family of fishes

Gouramis, or gouramies, are a group of freshwater anabantiform fish that comprise the family Osphronemidae. The fish are native to Asia—from the Indian Subcontinent to Southeast Asia and northeasterly towards Korea. The name "gourami", of Indonesian origin, is also used for fish of the families Helostomatidae and Anabantidae.

<i>Pterophyllum</i> Genus of fish

Pterophyllum is a small genus of freshwater fish from the family Cichlidae known to most aquarists as angelfish. All Pterophyllum species originate from the Amazon Basin, Orinoco Basin and various rivers in the Guiana Shield in tropical South America. The three species of Pterophyllum are unusually shaped for cichlids being greatly laterally compressed, with round bodies and elongated triangular dorsal and anal fins. This body shape allows them to hide among roots and plants, often on a vertical surface. Naturally occurring angelfish are frequently striped transversely, colouration which provides additional camouflage. Angelfish are ambush predators and prey on small fish and macroinvertebrates. All Pterophyllum species form monogamous pairs. Eggs are generally laid on a submerged log or a flattened leaf. As is the case for other cichlids, brood care is highly developed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine aquarium</span> Salt water aquarium

A marine aquarium is an aquarium that keeps marine plants and animals in a contained environment. Marine aquaria are further subdivided by hobbyists into fish only (FO), fish only with live rock (FOWLR), and reef aquaria. Fish only tanks often showcase large or aggressive marine fish species and generally rely on mechanical and chemical filtration. FOWLR and reef tanks use live rock, a material composed of coral skeletons harboring beneficial nitrogen waste metabolizing bacteria, as a means of more natural biological filtration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewel cichlid</span> Genus of fish

Hemichromis is a genus of fishes from the cichlid family, known in the aquarium trade as jewel cichlids. Jewel cichlids are native to Africa. Within West Africa, Hemichromis species are found in creeks, streams, rivers and lakes with a variety of water qualities including brackish water lagoons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sterba's corydoras</span> Species of fish

Sterba's corydoras is a member of the South American Corydoras genus of freshwater aquarium catfish and one of the most popular species of Corydoras due to its attractive markings. The fish is native to the Guaporé River region between Bolivia and Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise fish</span> Species of fish

The paradise fish, paradise-fish, paradisefish, or paradise gourami is a species of gourami found in most types of fresh water in East Asia, ranging from the Korean Peninsula to northern Vietnam. This species can reach a standard length of 6.7 cm, though most are only about 5.5 cm . Paradise gouramis were one of the first ornamental fish available to western aquarium keepers, having been imported 1869 to France by the French aquarium fish importer Pierre Carbonnier in Paris. The paradise fish is one of the more aggressive members of its family. It is more aggressive than the three spot gourami, yet less pugnacious in nature than the less commonly kept combtail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fishkeeping</span> Practice of containing fish

Fishkeeping is a popular hobby, practiced by aquarists, concerned with keeping fish in a home aquarium or garden pond. There is also a piscicultural fishkeeping industry, serving as a branch of agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croaking gourami</span> Species of fish

The croaking gourami is a species of small freshwater labyrinth fish of the gourami family. They are native to still waters in Southeast Asia and are distributed worldwide via the aquarium trade. Croaking gouramis are capable of producing a "croaking" noise using their pectoral fins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pygmy gourami</span> Species of fish

The pygmy gourami, also known as the sparkling gourami, is a freshwater species of gourami native to Southeast Asia.

<i>Lamprologus ocellatus</i> Species of fish

Lamprologus ocellatus is a species of shell dwelling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. It is a popular aquarium fish due to its small size, appearance, and intelligence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquarium filter</span>

Aquarium filters are critical components of both freshwater and marine aquaria. Aquarium filters remove physical and soluble chemical waste products from aquaria, simplifying maintenance. Furthermore, aquarium filters are necessary to support life as aquaria are relatively small, closed volumes of water compared to the natural environment of most fish.

<i>Farlowella acus</i> Species of fish

Farlowella acus is the type species of the armored catfish genus Farlowella. Members of this genus are commonly known as twig catfish or whiptail catfish. The specific name of the species, acus, means “pointed” or a “needle” or “spine”.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freshwater aquarium</span> Water tank for holding aquatic animals

A freshwater aquarium is a receptacle that holds one or more freshwater aquatic organisms for decorative, pet-keeping, or research purposes. Modern aquariums are most often made from transparent glass or acrylic glass. Typical inhabitants include fish, plants, amphibians, and invertebrates, such as snails and crustaceans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flying fox (fish)</span> Species of fish

The flying fox is a Southeast Asian species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is commonly kept in the aquarium trade. Among other foods, it is known to eat green algae. It is sometimes mistakenly referred to as the Siamese algae eater.

<i>Neocaridina davidi</i> Species of crustacean

Neocaridina davidi is a freshwater shrimp originating from eastern China and northern Taiwan and introduced in the rest of Taiwan, Japan, and Hawaii, which is commonly kept in aquaria. The natural coloration of the shrimp is green-brown. There are a wide range of colors including red, yellow, orange, green, blue, violet, black, etc.; however, the red morph is more frequently sold. The density of coloration on adult shrimp, dependent on breeding, determines their sale price and "quality" (grading). This "quality" is purely aesthetic, as the size, behavior and other characteristics of the animal are more or less equal across varieties. Full-grown shrimp reach about 4 centimetres (1.6 in) long. They prefer clean water, with a pH of 6.5-8, and a temperature of 14–29 °C (57–84 °F) They are most comfortable at 22 °C (72 °F). N. davidi shrimp are omnivores that may live 1–2 years. These shrimps have previously been classified as Neocaridina heteropoda and Neocaridina denticulata sinensis, however are now known as Neocaridina davidi which is based on the oldest known published description of the species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honey gourami</span> Species of fish

The honey gourami is a species of gourami native to India and Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquarium</span> Transparent tank of water for fish and water-dwelling species

An aquarium is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquatic reptiles, such as turtles, and aquatic plants. The term aquarium, coined by English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse, combines the Latin root aqua, meaning 'water', with the suffix -arium, meaning 'a place for relating to'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangalore Aquarium</span> Zoo in Karnataka, India

Bangalore Aquarium, also known as Government Aquarium, is the second largest aquarium in India. It is located at the entrance of Cubbon Park in Bangalore, India, and was established in 1983. It has a variety of exotic cultivable as well as ornamental fish on display. It is very near to vishweshwarayya museum. The aquarium is administered by the Karnataka State Government Department of Fisheries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jakarta Aquarium</span> Jakarta Aquarium in Indonesia

Jakarta Aquarium and Safari is a marine and freshwater aquarium located within a retail and leisure complex Neo Soho in Jakarta, Indonesia. The aquarium is home to hundreds of mammal, reptile, insect and various types of Indonesian marine fish, is to introduce to the next generation the biodiversity of the archipelago starting from islands, forests, and mangroves.

References

  1. Kolle, Petra (2008). 300 Questions about the Aquarium. Translated by Lynch, Mary D. New York, USA: Barron's Educational Series, Inc. p. 119. ISBN   978-0-7641-3715-0.
  2. Richy (2020-11-23). "Create Harmony and Diversity in Your Aquarium With the Best Community Tank Fish". Aquarium Stuffs. Retrieved 2020-12-20.