Fish
Keeping
Contents
Types
of fishkeeping
The
origins of fishkeeping
Aquarium
maintenance
Water
conditions
Nitrogen
cycle
The
process
Maintaining
the Nitrogen cycle
Biological
loading
Calculating
aquarium capacity
Factors
affecting capacity
Fishkeeping
industry
Fish
breeding
Animal
welfare
Fish
modification
Conservation
Fish
capture
Captive
breeding and aquaculture
Invasive
species
Nomenclature
Characteristics
Examples
Gallery
Garden
pond.
Garden
pond.
Fishkeeping is a popular hobby concerned with keeping fish
in the home aquarium or garden pond.
A naturally aquascaped freshwater
aquarium.
A naturally aquascaped freshwater
aquarium.
hide
* 1 Types of
fishkeeping
* 2 The origins of
fishkeeping
*
3 Aquarium maintenance
o 3.1 Water conditions
o 3.2 Nitrogen cycle
+
3.2.1 The process
+
3.2.2 Maintaining the Nitrogen cycle
o 3.3 Biological loading
+
3.3.1 Calculating aquarium capacity
+
3.3.2 Factors affecting capacity
*
4 Fishkeeping industry
* 5 Fish breeding
*
6 Animal welfare
* 7 Fish modification
*
8 Conservation
o 8.1 Fish capture
o 8.2 Captive breeding and aquaculture
o 8.3 Invasive species
* 9 References
* 10 External
links
* 11 Further reading
The hobby can be broadly divided into three specific
disciplines, and Wholesale Tropical Fish freshwater, and Wholesale Tropical Fish brackish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and marine (also called saltwater)
fishkeeping. Freshwater fishkeeping is by far the most popular branch of the
hobby, and Wholesale Tropical Fish with even small pet stores often selling a variety of freshwater fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish such as goldfish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish guppies, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and angelfish. While most freshwater aquaria are set
up as community tanks containing a variety of peaceful species, and Wholesale Tropical Fish many aquarists
keep single-species aquaria with a view to breeding. Livebearing fish such as
mollies and guppies are among the species that are most easily raised in
captivity, and Wholesale Tropical Fish but aquarists also regularly breed numerous other species, and Wholesale Tropical Fish including
many types of cichlid, and Wholesale Tropical Fish catfish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish characin, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and killifish.
Marine aquaria are generally more difficult to maintain and
the livestock is significantly more expensive, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and as a result this branch of
the hobby tends to attract more experienced fishkeepers. However, and Wholesale Tropical Fish marine
aquaria can be exceedingly beautiful, and Wholesale Tropical Fish due to the attractive colours and shapes
of the corals and coral reef fish kept in them. Temperate
zone marine fish are not as commonly kept in home aquaria, and Wholesale Tropical Fish primarily because they do not do well at room temperature. An aquarium
containing these coldwater species usually needs to be either located in a cool
room (such as an unheated basement) or else chilled using a refrigeration
device known as a 'chiller'.
Brackish water aquaria combine elements of both marine and
freshwater fishkeeping, and Wholesale Tropical Fish reflecting the fact that these aquaria contain water
with a salinity in between that of freshwater and seawater. Fish kept in
brackish water aquaria come from habitats with varying salinity, and Wholesale Tropical Fish such as
mangroves and estuaries and do not do well if permanently kept in freshwater
aquaria. Although brackish water aquaria are not overly familiar to newcomers
to the hobby, and Wholesale Tropical Fish a surprising number of species prefer brackish water conditions, and Wholesale Tropical Fish including the mollies, and Wholesale Tropical Fish many gobies, and Wholesale Tropical Fish some pufferfish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish monos, and Wholesale Tropical Fish scats, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and
virtually all the freshwater soles.
Fishkeepers are often known as aquarists, and Wholesale Tropical Fish since many of them
are not solely interested in keeping fish. Many fishkeepers create freshwater
aquaria where the focus is on the aquatic plants rather than on the fish. This
is known as the 'Dutch Aquarium' in some circles, and Wholesale Tropical Fish in reference to the pioneering
work carried out by European aquarists in designing these sorts of aquaria. In
recent years, and Wholesale Tropical Fish one of the most active advocates of the heavily planted aquarium
is the Japanese aquarist Takashi Amano. Marine aquarists often attempt to
recreate the coral reef in their aquaria using large quantities of living rock, and Wholesale Tropical Fish porous calcareous rocks encrusted with algae, and Wholesale Tropical Fish sponges, and Wholesale Tropical Fish worms, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and other small
marine organisms. Larger corals as well as shrimps, and Wholesale Tropical Fish crabs, and Wholesale Tropical Fish echinoderms, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and
mollusks are added later on, and Wholesale Tropical Fish once the aquarium has matured, and Wholesale Tropical Fish as well as a
variety of small fish. Such aquaria are sometimes called 'reef tanks'.
Garden ponds are in some ways similar to freshwater aquaria, and Wholesale Tropical Fish but are usually much larger and exposed to the ambient climatic conditions. In
the tropics, and Wholesale Tropical Fish tropical fish can be kept in garden ponds, and Wholesale Tropical Fish but in the cooler
regions temperate zone species such as goldfish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish koi, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and orfe are kept
instead.
Koi have been kept in decorative ponds for centuries in China and Japan.
Koi have been kept in decorative ponds for centuries in China and Japan.
The keeping of fish in confined or artificial environments
is a practice with deep roots in history.
Fish have been raised as food in pools and ponds for
thousands of years. In Medieval Europe, and Wholesale Tropical Fish carp pools were a standard feature of
estates and monasteries, and Wholesale Tropical Fish providing an alternative to meat on feast days when
meat could not be eaten for religious reasons. Similarly, and Wholesale Tropical Fish throughout Asia there is a long history of stocking rice paddies
with freshwater fish suitable for eating, and Wholesale Tropical Fish including various types of catfish
and cyprinid. Ancient Sumerians were known to keep wild-caught fish in ponds, and Wholesale Tropical Fish before preparing them for meals. Particularly brightly coloured or tame
specimens of fish in these pools have sometimes been valued as pets rather than
food, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and some of these have given rise to completely domesticated varieties, and Wholesale Tropical Fish most notably the goldfish and the koi carp, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which have their origins in China and Japan respectively. Selective
breeding of carp into today's popular koi and goldfish is believed to have
begun over 2,000 years ago. Depictions of the sacred fish of Oxyrhynchus kept
in captivity in rectangular temple pools have been found in ancient Egyptian
art. Many other cultures also have a history of keeping fish for both
functional and decorative purposes. The Chinese brought goldfish indoors during
the Song dynasty to enjoy them in large ceramic vessels.
Marine fish have been similarly valued for centuries, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and
many wealthy Romans kept lampreys and other fish in salt water pools. Cicero
reports that the advocate Quintus Hortensius wept when a favoured specimen
died, and Wholesale Tropical Fish while Tertullian reports that Asinius Celer paid 8000 sesterces for a
particularly fine mullet.1 Cicero, and Wholesale Tropical Fish rather cynically, and Wholesale Tropical Fish referred to these ancient
fishkeepers as the Piscinarii, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the "fish-pond owners" or "fish
breeders", and Wholesale Tropical Fish for example when saying that ...the rich (I mean your friends
the fish-breeders) did not disguise their jealousy of me.234
A 335,000 U.S.
gallon (1.3 million litre) aquarium at the Monterey
Bay Aquarium in California
displaying a simulated kelp forest ecosystem
A 335,000 U.S.
gallon (1.3 million litre) aquarium at the Monterey
Bay Aquarium in California
displaying a simulated kelp forest ecosystem
Ideal aquarium ecology reproduces the balance found in
nature in the closed system of an aquarium. In practice it is virtually
impossible to maintain a perfect balance. As an example, and Wholesale Tropical Fish a balanced
predator-prey relationship is nearly impossible to maintain in even the largest
of aquaria. Typically an aquarium keeper must take steps to maintain balance in
the small ecosystem contained in his aquarium.
Approximate balance is facilitated by large volumes of
water. Any event that perturbs the system pushes an aquarium away from
equilibrium; the more water that is contained in a tank, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the easier such a
systemic shock is to absorb, and Wholesale Tropical Fish as the effects of that event are diluted. For
example, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the death of the only fish in a three U.S.
gallon tank (11 L) causes dramatic changes in the system, and Wholesale Tropical Fish while the death of
that same fish in a 100 U.S.
gallon (400 L) tank with many other fish in it represents only a minor change
in the balance of the tank. For this reason, and Wholesale Tropical Fish hobbyists often favor larger tanks
when possible, and Wholesale Tropical Fish as they are more stable systems requiring less intensive
attention to the maintenance of equilibrium.
There are a variety of nutrient cycles that are important in
the aquarium. Dissolved oxygen enters the system at the surface water-air
interface or through the actions of an air pump. Carbon dioxide escapes the
system into the air. The phosphate cycle is an important, and Wholesale Tropical Fish although often
overlooked, and Wholesale Tropical Fish nutrient cycle. Sulfur, and Wholesale Tropical Fish iron, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and micronutrients also cycle through
the system, and Wholesale Tropical Fish entering as food and exiting as waste. Appropriate handling of the
nitrogen cycle, and Wholesale Tropical Fish along with supplying an adequately balanced food supply and
considered biological loading, and Wholesale Tropical Fish is usually enough to keep these other nutrient
cycles in approximate equilibrium.
The solute content of water is perhaps the most important
aspect of water conditions, and Wholesale Tropical Fish as total dissolved solids and other constituents
can dramatically impact basic water chemistry, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and therefore how organisms are
able to interact with their environment. Salt content, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or salinity, and Wholesale Tropical Fish is the most
basic classification of water conditions. An aquarium may have fresh water
(salinity below 0.5 PPT), and Wholesale Tropical Fish simulating a lake or river environment; brackish
water (a salt level of 0.5 to 30 PPT), and Wholesale Tropical Fish simulating environments lying between
fresh and salt, and Wholesale Tropical Fish such as estuaries; and salt water or sea water (a salt level of
30 to 40 PPT), and Wholesale Tropical Fish simulating an ocean or sea environment. Rarely, and Wholesale Tropical Fish even higher salt
concentrations are maintained in specialized tanks for raising brine organisms.
Several other water characteristics result from dissolved
contents of the water, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and are important to the proper simulation of natural
environments. The pH of the water is a measure of the degree to which it is
alkaline or acidic. Saltwater is typically alkaline, and Wholesale Tropical Fish while the pH of fresh
water varies more. Hardness measures overall dissolved mineral content; hard or
soft water may be preferred. Hard water is usually alkaline, and Wholesale Tropical Fish while soft water
is usually neutral to acidic.Dissolved organic content and dissolved gases
content are also important factors.
Home aquarists typically use modified tap water supplied
through their local water supply network to fill their tanks. Because of the
chlorine used to disinfect drinking water supplies for human consumption, and Wholesale Tropical Fish straight tap water cannot be used. In the past, and Wholesale Tropical Fish it was possible to
"condition" the water by simply letting the water stand for a day or
two, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which allows the chlorine time to dissipate.However, and Wholesale Tropical Fish chloramine is now
used more often as it is much stabler and will not leave the water as readily.
Additives formulated to remove chlorine or chloramine are
often all that is needed to make the water ready for aquarium use. Brackish or
saltwater aquaria require the addition of a mixture of salts and other
minerals, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which are commercially available for this purpose.
More sophisticated aquarists may make other modifications to
their base water source to modify the water's alkalinity, and Wholesale Tropical Fish hardness, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or
dissolved content of organics and gases, and Wholesale Tropical Fish before adding it to their aquaria.
This can be accomplished by a range of different additives, and Wholesale Tropical Fish such as sodium
bicarbonate to raise pH.Some aquarists will even filter or purify their water
prior to adding it to their aquarium. There are two processes used for that:
deionization or reverse osmosis. In contrast, and Wholesale Tropical Fish public aquaria with large water
needs often locate themselves near a natural water source (such as a river, and Wholesale Tropical Fish lake, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or ocean) in order to have easy access to a large volume of water that
does not require much further treatment.
The temperature of the water forms the basis of one of the
two most basic aquarium classifications: tropical vs. cold water. Most fish and
plant species tolerate only a limited range of water temperatures: Tropical or
warm water aquaria, and Wholesale Tropical Fish with an average temperature of about 25 °C (77 °F), and Wholesale Tropical Fish are
much more common, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and tropical fish are among the most popular aquarium
denizens. Cold water aquaria are those with temperatures below what would be
considered tropical; a variety of fish are better suited to this cooler environment.
More importantly than the temperature range itself is the consistency in
temperature; most organisms are not accustomed to sudden changes in
temperatures, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which could cause shock and lead to disease.Water temperature can
be regulated with a combined thermometer and heater unit (or, and Wholesale Tropical Fish more rarely, and Wholesale Tropical Fish with
a cooling unit).
Water movement can also be important in accurately
simulating a natural ecosystem. Aquarists may prefer anything from still water
up to swift simulated currents in an aquarium, and Wholesale Tropical Fish depending on the conditions best
suited for the aquarium's inhabitants. Water movement can be controlled through
the use of aeration from air pumps, and Wholesale Tropical Fish powerheads, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and careful design of internal
water flow (such as location of filtration system points of inflow and
outflow).
The nitrogen cycle in an aquarium.
The nitrogen cycle in an aquarium.
Of primary concern to the aquarist is management of the
biological waste produced by an aquarium's inhabitants. Fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish invertebrates, and Wholesale Tropical Fish fungi, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and some bacteria excrete nitrogen waste in the form of ammonia (which
may convert to ammonium, and Wholesale Tropical Fish depending on water chemistry) which must then pass
through the nitrogen cycle. Ammonia is also produced through the decomposition
of plant and animal matter, and Wholesale Tropical Fish including fecal matter and other detritus. Nitrogen
waste products become toxic to fish and other aquarium inhabitants at high
concentrations.5
A well-balanced tank contains organisms that are able to
metabolize the waste products of other aquarium residents. The nitrogen waste
produced in a tank is metabolized in aquaria by a type of bacteria known as
nitrifiers (genus Nitrosomonas). Nitrifying bacteria capture ammonia from the
water and metabolize it to produce nitrite. Nitrite is also highly toxic to
fish in high concentrations. Another type of bacteria, and Wholesale Tropical Fish genus Nitrospira, and Wholesale Tropical Fish converts nitrite into nitrate, and Wholesale Tropical Fish a less toxic substance to aquarium inhabitants.
(Nitrobacter bacteria were previously believed to fill this role, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and continue
to be found in commercially available products sold as kits to "jump
start" the nitrogen cycle in an aquarium. While biologically they could
theoretically fill the same niche as Nitrospira, and Wholesale Tropical Fish it has recently been found
that Nitrobacter are not present in detectable levels in established aquaria, and Wholesale Tropical Fish while Nitrospira are plentiful.) This process is known in the aquarium hobby as
the nitrogen cycle.
In addition to bacteria, and Wholesale Tropical Fish aquatic plants also eliminate
nitrogen waste by metabolizing ammonia and nitrate. When plants metabolize
nitrogen compounds, and Wholesale Tropical Fish they remove nitrogen from the water by using it to build
biomass. However, and Wholesale Tropical Fish this is only temporary, and Wholesale Tropical Fish as the plants release nitrogen back into
the water when older leaves die off and decompose.
Although informally called the nitrogen cycle by hobbyists, and Wholesale Tropical Fish it is in fact only a portion of a true cycle: nitrogen must be added to the
system (usually through food provided to the tank inhabitants), and Wholesale Tropical Fish and nitrates
accumulate in the water at the end of the process, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or become bound in the
biomass of plants. This accumulation of nitrates in home aquaria requires the
aquarium keeper to remove water that is high in nitrates, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or remove plants
which have grown from the nitrates.
Aquaria kept by hobbyists often do not have the requisite
populations of bacteria needed to detoxify nitrogen waste from tank
inhabitants. This problem is most often addressed through two filtration solutions:
Activated carbon filters absorb nitrogen compounds and other toxins from the
water, and Wholesale Tropical Fish while biological filters provide a medium specially designed for
colonization by the desired nitrifying bacteria. Activated carbon and other
substances, and Wholesale Tropical Fish such as ammonia absorbing resines, and Wholesale Tropical Fish will stop working when their
pores get full, and Wholesale Tropical Fish so these components have to be replaced with fresh stocks
constantly.
New aquaria often have problems associated with the nitrogen
cycle due to insufficient number of beneficial bacteria, and Wholesale Tropical Fish known as the "New
Tank Syndrome". Therefore new tanks have to be "matured" before
stocking them with fish. There are two basic approaches to this: the fishless
cycle and the silent cycle.
No fish are kept in a tank undergoing a fishless cycle.
Instead, and Wholesale Tropical Fish small amounts of ammonia are added to the tank to feed the bacteria
being cultured. During this process, and Wholesale Tropical Fish ammonia, and Wholesale Tropical Fish nitrite, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and nitrate levels are
tested to monitor progress. The silent cycle is basically nothing more than
densely stocking the aquarium with fast-growing aquatic plants and relying on
them to consume the nitrogen, and Wholesale Tropical Fish allowing the necessary bacterial populations time to develop. According to anecdotal reports
of aquarists specializing in planted tanks, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the plants can consume nitrogenous
waste so efficiently that the spikes in ammonia and nitrite levels normally
seen in more traditional cycling methods are greatly reduced, and Wholesale Tropical Fish if they are
detectable at all.
The largest bacterial populations are found in the filter;
efficient filtration is vital. Sometimes, and Wholesale Tropical Fish a vigorous cleaning of the filter is
enough to seriously disturb the biological balance of an aquarium. Therefore, and Wholesale Tropical Fish it is recommended to rinse mechanical filters in an outside bucket of aquarium
water to dislodge organic materials that contribute to nitrate problems, and Wholesale Tropical Fish while
preserving bacteria populations. Another safe practice consists of cleaning
only one half of the filter media every time the filter or filters are
serviced.
19 Litre Aquarium, and Wholesale Tropical Fish seems to be overcrowded
19 Litre Aquarium, and Wholesale Tropical Fish seems to be overcrowded
Biological loading is a measure of the burden placed on the
aquarium ecosystem by its living inhabitants. High biological loading in an
aquarium represents a more complicated tank ecology, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which in turn means that
equilibrium is easier to perturb. In addition, and Wholesale Tropical Fish there are several fundamental
constraints on biological loading based on the size of an aquarium. The surface
area of water exposed to air limits dissolved oxygen intake by the tank. The
capacity of nitrifying bacteria is limited by the physical space they have
available to colonize. Physically, and Wholesale Tropical Fish only a limited size and number of plants and
animals can be fit into an aquarium while still providing room for movement.
An aquarium can only support a certain number of fish.
Limiting factors include the availability of oxygen in the water and the rate
at which the filter can process waste. Aquarists have developed a number of
rules of thumb to allow them to estimate the number of fishes that can be kept
in a given aquarium; the examples below are for small freshwater fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish larger
freshwater fishes and most marine fishes need much more generous allowances.
* 3 cm of fish
length per 4 litres of water (i.e., and Wholesale Tropical Fish a 6 cm-long fish would need about 8 litres
of water).6
* 1 cm of fish
length per 30 square centimetres of surface area.7
* 1 inch of fish
length per gallon of water.6
* 1 inch of fish
length per 3 square inches of surface area.7
Experienced aquarists warn against applying these rules too
strictly because they do not consider other important issues such as growth
rate, and Wholesale Tropical Fish activity level, and Wholesale Tropical Fish social behaviour, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and so on.8 To some degree, and Wholesale Tropical Fish establishing the maximum loading capacity of an aquarium depends upon slowly
adding fish and monitoring water quality over time, and Wholesale Tropical Fish essentially a trial and
error approach.
Though many conventional methods of calculating the capacity
of aquarium is based on volume and pure length of fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish there are other
variables. One variable is differences between fish. Smaller fish consume more
oxygen per gram of body weight than larger fish. Labyrinth fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish having the
capability to breathe atmospheric oxygen, and Wholesale Tropical Fish are noted for not needing as much
surface area (however, and Wholesale Tropical Fish some of these fish are territorial, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and may not
appreciate crowding). Barbs also require more surface area than tetras of
comparable size.5
Oxygen exchange at the surface is an important constraint, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and thus the surface area of the aquarium. Some aquarists go so far as to say
that a deeper aquarium with more volume holds no more fish than a shallower
aquarium of the same surface area. The capacity can be improved by surface
movement and water circulation such as through aeration, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which not only
improves oxygen exchange, and Wholesale Tropical Fish but also the decomposition of waste materials.5
The presence of waste materials presents itself as a
variable as well. Decomposition is an oxygen-consuming process, and Wholesale Tropical Fish therefore the
more decaying matter there is, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the less oxygen as well. Oxygen dissolves less
readily in warmer water; this is a double-edged sword as warmer temperatures
make more active fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which in turn consume even more oxygen. Stress due to
temperature changes is especially obvious in coldwater aquaria where the
temperature may swing from low temperatures to high temperatures on hotter
days.5
Worldwide, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the fishkeeping hobby is a multi-million dollar
industry, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and the United States
is considered the largest market in the world, and Wholesale Tropical Fish followed by Europe and Japan. In 1994, and Wholesale Tropical Fish 56% of U.S.
households had pets, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and 10.6% owned ornamental freshwater or saltwater fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish with an average of 8.8 fish per household. In 1993, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the retail value of the
fish hobby in the United
States was $910 million.
From 1989 to 1992, and Wholesale Tropical Fish almost 79% of all U.S. ornamental fish imports arrived from
Southeast Asia and Japan.
Singapore, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Thailand, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the Philippines, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Hong Kong, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and Indonesia
were the top five exporting nations. South America
was the second largest exporting region, and Wholesale Tropical Fish accounting for 14% of the total annual
value. Colombia, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Brazil, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and Peru were the major suppliers. The
remaining 7% of ornamental fish imports came from other regions of the world.
Approximately 201 million fish worth $44.7 million were
imported into the United
States in 1992. These fish comprised 1,539
different species; 730 freshwater species, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and 809 saltwater species. The
freshwater fish accounted for approximately 96% of the total volume and 80% of
the total import value. Of the total of all trade, and Wholesale Tropical Fish only 32 species had import
values over $10,000. These top species were all of freshwater origin and
accounted for 58% of the total imported value of the fish. The top imported
species are the guppy, and Wholesale Tropical Fish neon tetra, and Wholesale Tropical Fish platy, and Wholesale Tropical Fish betta, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Chinese algae eater, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and
goldfish.
Several large companies are focused primarily or extensively
on supplying the fishkeeping hobby, and Wholesale Tropical Fish producing products such as fish food, and Wholesale Tropical Fish medicine, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and aquarium hardware. Among the largest of these are Eheim, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Tetra, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Sera, and Wholesale Tropical Fish all based in Germany; Hikari, and Wholesale Tropical Fish a Japanese company; Fluval, and Wholesale Tropical Fish part of the
Canadian Rolf C. Hagen group; Interpet, and Wholesale Tropical Fish a British company that also owns the
Red Sea brand; and the American company Aquarian, and Wholesale Tropical Fish owned by Mars, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Incorporated
but usually trading under the Waltham pet foods brand.
Historically, and Wholesale Tropical Fish fish and plants for the first modern aquaria
were gathered from the wild and transported (usually by ship) to European and
American ports. During the early 20th century many species of small colorful
tropical fish were caught and exported from Manaus, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Brazil; Bangkok, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Thailand; Jakarta, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Indonesia; the Netherlands
Antilles; Kolkata, and Wholesale Tropical Fish India; and other tropical ports.
Collection of fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish plants, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and invertebrates from the wild for supply to the
aquarium trade continues today at locations around the world. In many
developing countries, and Wholesale Tropical Fish local villagers collect specimens for the aquarium trade
as their prime means of income. It remains an important source for many species
that have not been successfully bred in captivity, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and continues to introduce new
species to enthusiastic aquarists.
A Discus (Symphysodon spp.) guarding its eggs.
A Discus (Symphysodon spp.) guarding its eggs.
Fish breeding is a challenge that many aquarists find
attractive. While some species reproduce freely in community tanks, and Wholesale Tropical Fish most
require special conditions, and Wholesale Tropical Fish known as spawning triggers before they will breed.
The majority of fish lay eggs, and Wholesale Tropical Fish known as spawning, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and
the juvenile fish that emerge are very small and need tiny live foods or their
substitutes to survive. A fair number of popular aquarium fish are livebearers, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and these fish produce a small number of relatively large offspring, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and these
will usually take ground flake food straight away (see article on live-bearing
aquarium fish).
At its best, and Wholesale Tropical Fish a properly maintained aquarium allows the fish
to socialise with their own kind and in many cases breed successfully. This is
in marked contrast to the conditions enjoyed by larger animals like cats and
dogs, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which are often kept alone and neutered, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and thus unable to experience
anything like a natural lifestyle. However, and Wholesale Tropical Fish in many
cases fish are maintained in the wrong conditions and therefore live short
lives and never breed. Inexperienced aquarists often attempt to keep too many
fish in their tanks, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or introduce too many fish into an immature aquarium, and Wholesale Tropical Fish with
the result that large numbers of fish sicken and die. This has given the hobby
a bad reputation among some animal welfare groups, and Wholesale Tropical Fish such as PETA, and Wholesale Tropical Fish for treating
aquarium fish as nothing more than cheap toys that are simply replaced when
they die.9
Goldfish and bettas in particular have often been kept in
cramped bowls or aquaria that are really far too small for their needs.10 In
some cases fish have been installed in all sorts of inappropriate objects such
as the AquaBabies Micro Aquaria, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Bubble Gear Bubble Bag and Betta in a Vase, and Wholesale Tropical Fish all of which contain live fish housed in unfiltered and entirely too small
quantities of water.1112 The Betta in a Vase is sometimes marketed as a
complete ecosystem if a plant is included in the neck of the vase, and Wholesale Tropical Fish some sellers
claiming the fish will eat the roots of the plant. However, and Wholesale Tropical Fish bettas are
carnivorous and need to be fed live food or pellet foods as they cannot survive
on plant roots. Another problem is that the plant sometimes blocks the betta's
passage to the water surface; they are labyrinth fishes, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and need to be able to
take breaths at the surface of the water or else they will die from
suffocation.
These types of products are not really aimed at aquarists
but rather at people looking for a novelty gift, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and in fact most aquarists
abhor them. Similarly, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the awarding of goldfish as prizes at funfairs is traditional
in many parts of the world, and Wholesale Tropical Fish but has been criticised by aquarists and animal
welfare charities alike as cruel and irresponsible, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and giving away live-animal
prizes such as goldfish was made illegal in the UK in 2004.13
The use of live prey to feed carnivorous fish such as
piranhas also brings criticism.14
Modifying fish to make them more attractive as pets is an
increasingly divisive issue. Historically, and Wholesale Tropical Fish artificially dyeing fish was fairly
common, and Wholesale Tropical Fish with glassfish in particular often being injected with fluorescent dyes
to increase their attractiveness to aquarists.15 The major British fishkeeping
magazine, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Practical Fishkeeping, and Wholesale Tropical Fish has been effective in its campaign to remove
these fish from the market by educating retailers and aquarists to the cruelty
and health risks involved.16
In 2006, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Practical Fishkeeping published an article exposing
the techniques for performing cosmetic surgery on aquarium fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish without
anaesthesia, and Wholesale Tropical Fish as described by Singaporean fishkeeping magazine Fish Love
Magazine. The tail is cut off and dye is injected into the body to make the
fish more valuable.17 The piece also included the
first documented evidence to demonstrate that parrot cichlids are dyed through
injections of coloured dye. Practical Fishkeeping reported that suppliers in
Hong Kong were offering a service in which fish could be tattooed with company
logos or messages using a dye laser; such fishes have been sold in the UK
under the name of Kaleidoscope gourami and Striped
parrot cichlid.18 Some people give their fish body piercings.14
Hybrid fish such as flowerhorn cichlids and parrot cichlids
are highly controversial. Parrot cichlids in particular have a very unnatural
shape that prevents them from swimming properly and makes it difficult for them
to engage in their normal feeding and social behaviours. The biggest concern
with hybrids is that they may be bred back with true species, and Wholesale Tropical Fish making it
difficult for hobbyists to identify and breed particular species. This is
especially important where hobbyists are conserving species that are rare or
extinct in the wild.19 Even within a single species, and Wholesale Tropical Fish extreme mutations have been selected for by some breeders; some of the fancy
goldfish varieties in particular have been criticised for having features that
prevent the fish from swimming, and Wholesale Tropical Fish seeing, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or feeding properly.
Genetically modified fish like the glofish are likely to
become increasingly available as well, and Wholesale Tropical Fish particularly in the United States and Asia.
Although glofish are said to be unharmed by their genetic modifications, and Wholesale Tropical Fish they
remain illegal in many places, and Wholesale Tropical Fish including the European Union, and Wholesale Tropical Fish though at least
some have been smuggled into the EU from Asia, and Wholesale Tropical Fish most likely Taiwan, and Wholesale Tropical Fish via the
Czech Republic.
There are two main sources of fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish either from the wild or
by captively breeding them. Studies by the United Nations have shown that while
more than 90% of the freshwater aquarium fish traded are
captive bred, and Wholesale Tropical Fish virtually all marine aquarium fish and invertebrates are caught
from the wild. The few marine species bred in captivity supplement but rarely
replace the trade in wild-caught specimens. 1 Fish and invertebrates that are
collected from the wild can provide a valuable source of income for people in
regions where other high-value exports are lacking 3. Marine fish in particular
tend to be less resilient during transportation than freshwater fish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and
relatively large numbers of them die before they are finally sold to the
aquarist. Although the trade in marine fish and corals for aquaria probably
represents a minor threat to coral reefs when compared with habitat
destruction, and Wholesale Tropical Fish fishing for food, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and climate change, and Wholesale Tropical Fish it is a booming trade and
may be a serious problem in specific locations such as the Philippines and Indonesia
where most of the collecting is done Catching fish in the wild can potentially
reduce their population sizes, and Wholesale Tropical Fish placing them in danger of extinction in the
areas where the fish are collected, and Wholesale Tropical Fish as has been observed with the dragonet
Synchiropus splendidus.
In theory, and Wholesale Tropical Fish wild fish should be a good example of a renewable
resource that places value on maintaining the integrity and diversity of the
natural habitat: more and better fish can be exported from clean, and Wholesale Tropical Fish pristine
aquatic habitat than one that has been polluted or otherwise degraded. However, and Wholesale Tropical Fish this has not been the case with industries such as fur trapping, and Wholesale Tropical Fish logging, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or
fishing where a similar situation existed. Historically, and Wholesale Tropical Fish wild resources have
tended to be over-exploited rather than managed (see Tragedy of the Commons).
Moreover, and Wholesale Tropical Fish in places where collecting for aquaria is very intensive, and Wholesale Tropical Fish there is
good evidence that collecting can result in a decline in fish populations. A
particular notorious example is to be found on the Philippines, and Wholesale Tropical Fish where
overfishing and the widespread use of cyanide to stun the fish has caused a
drastic decline in the diversity of the coral reef fish considered most
desirable by aquarists 7.
There are several methods used to catch fish. Fish are
caught by net, and Wholesale Tropical Fish trap, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or cyanide. The most damaging of these techniques is
cyanide. It is a poison used to stun reef fish to make them easier to collect.
However, and Wholesale Tropical Fish it can not only damage fish irreversibly, and Wholesale Tropical Fish but even kill them; even if
fish or coral are not collected they may remain in contact with cyanide long
enough to be killed. It has become in the interest of wholesalers and hobbyists
to not purchase fish caught by this method. Because of this, and Wholesale Tropical Fish some UK-based
wholesalers proudly advertise their lack of cyanide-caught animals. Now, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the Philippines have
started a movement away from cyanide and towards nets.
The practice of collection in the wild for eventual display
in aquaria has several disadvantages. Collecting expeditions can be lengthy and
costly, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and are not always successful. The shipping process is very hazardous
for the fish involved; mortality rates are high. Many others are weakened by
stress and become diseased upon arrival. Fish can also be injured during the
collection process itself, and Wholesale Tropical Fish most notably during the process of using cyanide. This
poisoning substance if often used for collecting freshwater species as well, and Wholesale Tropical Fish specially in muddy water bodies with lots of vegetation in
it, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which would make catching small and fast moving fish very difficult.
More recently, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the potentially detrimental environmental
impact of fish and plant collecting has come to the attention of aquarists
worldwide. These include the poisoning of coral reefs and non-target species, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the depletion of rare species from their natural habitat, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and the degradation
of ecosystems from large scale removal of key species. Additionally, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the
destructive fishing techniques used have become a growing concern to
environmentalists and hobbyists alike. Therefore, and Wholesale Tropical Fish there has been a concerted
movement by many concerned aquarists to reduce the trade's dependence on
wild-collected specimens through captive breeding programs and certification
programs for wild-caught fish. Among American keepers of marine aquaria
surveyed in 1997, and Wholesale Tropical Fish two thirds said that they prefer to purchase farm raised coral
instead of wild-collected coral, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and over 80% think that only sustainably
caught or captive bred fish should be allowed for trade.
Since the Siamese Fighting Fish
(Betta splendens) was first successfully bred citation needed in France
in 1893, and Wholesale Tropical Fish captive spawning techniques have been slowly discovered. Captive
breeding for the aquarium trade is now concentrated in southern Florida, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Singapore, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Hong Kong, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and Bangkok, and Wholesale Tropical Fish with smaller industries
in Hawaii and
Sri Lanka.citation needed Captive breeding programs of marine organisms for the
aquarium trade have been urgently in development since the mid-1990s. Breeding
programs for freshwater species are comparatively more advanced than for
saltwater species. Currently, and Wholesale Tropical Fish only a handful of captive-bred marine species are
in the trade, and Wholesale Tropical Fish including clownfish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish damselfish, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and dwarf angelfish.22
Breeding programs by aquarists have helped to preserve
species that have become rare or extinct in the wild, and Wholesale Tropical Fish most notably among the Lake Victoria cichlids. Some species of aquarium fish
have also become important as laboratory animals, and Wholesale Tropical Fish with cichlids and poecilids
being especially important for studies on learning, and Wholesale Tropical Fish mating, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and social
behaviour. Aquarists also observe a large number of fishes not otherwise
studied, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and thereby provide valuable data on the ecology and behaviour of many
species.
Captive fish breeding has reduced the final price of many
species in the fish trade, and Wholesale Tropical Fish allowing a large amount of formerly budget
restricted fish be kept by home aquarists. Also, and Wholesale Tropical Fish selective breeding has led to
several variations among a single species, and Wholesale Tropical Fish creating a wider stock of fish in
the trade. At this point, and Wholesale Tropical Fish however, and Wholesale Tropical Fish captive bred marine fish tend to be more
expensive than their wild counterparts.22
Aquaculture is the cultivation of aquatic organisms in a
controlled environment. Supporters of aquaculture programs for supply to the
aquarium trade claim that well-planned programs can bring benefits to the
environment as well as the society around it. Aquaculture can help in lessening
the impacts on wild stocks, and Wholesale Tropical Fish either by using raised cultivated organisms
directly for sale or by releasing them to replenish wild stock, and Wholesale Tropical Fish although such a
practice is associated with several environmental risks.
Serious problems can occur when fish originally kept in
ponds or aquaria are released into the wild. While tropical species of fish
will not live for long in temperate zone climates, and Wholesale Tropical Fish fish released into places
with similar climatic conditions to those that they originally came from can
survive and potentially form viable populations. Species that have established
themselves in places that they are not native to are called exotic species.
Examples of exotic fishes that have become established outside their normal
range are the various species of cichlids in Florida, and Wholesale Tropical Fish goldfish in temperate
waters, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and South American suckermouth catfishes in warm waters around the
world.2324 Some of these exotic species can become extremely disruptive preying
on, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or competing with, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the native fish (see invasive species). Many marine fish
have also been introduced into non-native waters.
A pond is typically a man made body of water smaller than a
lake. However the difference between a pond and an artificial lake is
subjective. They are both formed by ponding water. Ponds can be made by
excavating a hollow in which water may lie, and Wholesale Tropical Fish filling an existing depression with
groundwater or water diverted from a stream, and Wholesale Tropical Fish or by forming a dam to impound the
water in a valley.
The techniques may be combined to form a reservoir in flat
country by enclosing an area with an embankment. Such a pond, and Wholesale Tropical Fish unless very
small, and Wholesale Tropical Fish is usually called a reservoir. In some cultures, and Wholesale Tropical Fish the meaning has been
extended to include small bodies of water impounded naturally. (Oxford English
Dictionary)
Scientifically, and Wholesale Tropical Fish a pond is any man made body of water where
light is found in the entire pond body of water. A lake is any body of water
that has a profundal zone; there is as limit of effective light penetration for
organisms.
Contents
hide
* 1 Nomenclature
* 2
Characteristics
* 3 Examples
* 4 See also
*
5 Gallery
In origin, and Wholesale Tropical Fish pond is a variant form of the word pound, and Wholesale Tropical Fish meaning
a confining enclosure. As straying cattle are enclosed
in a pound so water is enclosed in a pond. In earlier times, and Wholesale Tropical Fish ponds were
man-made and utilitarian; as stew ponds, and Wholesale Tropical Fish mill ponds and so on. The significance
of this feature seems in some cases, and Wholesale Tropical Fish to have been lost when the word was
carried abroad with emigrants so that in places like the United States, and Wholesale Tropical Fish natural pools are often called ponds.
An Australian rock pond. Heathcote National Park
An Australian rock pond. Heathcote National Park
A pond is sometimes characterized as being a small body of
water that is shallow enough for sunlight to reach the bottom, and Wholesale Tropical Fish permitting the
growth of rooted plants at its deepest point.
Pond usually describes small bodies of water, and Wholesale Tropical Fish generally
smaller than one would require a boat to cross. Another definition is that a
pond is a body of water where even its deepest areas are reached by sunlight or
where a human can walk across the entire body of water without being submerged.
In some dialects of English, and Wholesale Tropical Fish pond normally refers to small artificially created
bodies of water.
Though not generally accepted, and Wholesale Tropical Fish some regions of the United States
define a pond as a body of water with a surface area of less than 10 acres
(40,000 mē).
Regional differences include the use of the word pond in New
England, and Wholesale Tropical Fish and Maine
in particular, and Wholesale Tropical Fish for relatively large waterbodies. For example, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Great Pond, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Maine, and Wholesale Tropical Fish is over 10 square
miles (26 kmē) in area.
In areas which were covered by glaciers in the past, and Wholesale Tropical Fish some
ponds were created when the glaciers retreated. These ponds are knowns as
kettle ponds . Walden Pond in Concord, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Massachusetts
is a well known example. Kettle ponds are usually quite deep and clean because
they are fed by underground aquifers rather than surface streams.
The term is also used for temporary accumulation of water
from surface runoff (ponded water).
There are various regional names for naturally occurring
ponds. In Scotland, and Wholesale Tropical Fish one of the terms is lochan, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which may also apply to a large body of water such
as a lake.
The word "pond" is sometimes also used to refer to
the Atlantic Ocean in the expression
"across the pond" (a deliberate idiomatic understatement).
Typically, and Wholesale Tropical Fish a pond has no surface outflow draining off water
and ponds are often spring-fed. Hence, and Wholesale Tropical Fish because of the closed environment of
ponds, and Wholesale Tropical Fish such small bodies of water normally develop self contained eco-systems.
Ponds in heavily vegetated areas also display the formation of
"scum", and Wholesale Tropical Fish which is a common term for dead and decaying vegetation
condensing on top of the water. A contributor to this is the presence of algae, and Wholesale Tropical Fish which multiply quickly in a nutrient-rich eutrophic pond exposed to strong daylight.
Decaying flora provide significant amounts of such nutrients.
In Indian subcontinent, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Hindu temples usually have a pond
nearby so that pilgrimages can take bath. These ponds are considered sacred. In
medieval times in Europe, and Wholesale Tropical Fish it was typical for
many monasteries and castles (small, and Wholesale Tropical Fish partly self-sufficient communities) to
have fish ponds. These are still common in Europe and in East Asia (notably Japan), and Wholesale Tropical Fish where
koi may be kept.
Thousands of examples worldwide are available to illustrate
the pond; a few of these are:
* Antonelli Pond, and Wholesale Tropical Fish California, and Wholesale Tropical Fish USA
* Big Pond, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Nova Scotia
* Christian Pond, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Wyoming, and Wholesale Tropical Fish USA
* Hampstead Ponds, and Wholesale Tropical Fish England
* Oguni-numa Pond, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Japan
* Pete's Pond, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Botswana
* Romberk Pond, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Czech Republic
See also
* Chemical pond
* Duck pond
* Cooling pond
* Solar pond
* Fountain
* Pond Aeration
* Pond Ecology
* Tarn
* Treatment pond
* Tide pool
* Water garden
* Aquascape, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Inc.
A picture of the pond located at "University
Hills Park", and Wholesale Tropical Fish College Park, and Wholesale Tropical Fish Maryland USA
A pond in Peterhof formal garden.
In a baroque garden such as this, and Wholesale Tropical Fish it would normally have been called a basin, and Wholesale Tropical Fish following French practice.
Garden pond.
Close-up of pond in the forests of Samothraki island. The colors of the rocks are due to deposition of
minerals.
Garden pond.
a typical Kerala pond. Every major
Hindu temples will have a sacred pond near to it. It
is used by the pilgrimages to take holy bath.
