IDEAL AQUARIUM CONDITIONS
LT COL NOEL ELLIS
20/VIII/2023
To expand my hobby of gardening, one tried growing lotus from seeds. Stagnant water started showing mosquitoes breeding and had to be eliminated right away. Introducing fish to the tanks was the solution.
A little search for a ‘pet shop’ brought me to ‘Machli Ghar’. True to its name, it is a paradise for fish lovers. The variety displayed is mind boggling. They have all accessories, food & plants aplenty.
I turned into a ‘fish keeper’ last year or a novice ‘aquarist’ or an ‘ichthyophile’. Mota-Moti, a person interested in fish. Instead of a standard conventional glass aquarium, we started with a discarded bath tub, baby bathing tubs, bonsai pots & small cemented tanks with water lilies growing in them.
As time went by, my fish started dying one by one. Something was not right. Was it overfeeding or underfeeding? Was it the quality of water? Was it too dirty? Was it too hot? Was it lack of aeration? Had they fallen sick? Had the fish lived their age? Loss of these beauties was unacceptable.
Guppies and Mollies have a life span of two years. If the shop owner sells you fish which are old, they will perish. Shopkeepers know the age of the fish. For novices it is difficult to tell.
I started watching videos on aquarium keeping. They suggested an air filter, bubble creator, PH checker, temperature gauge, various anti-fungal and anti-bacterial solutions, periodic water changes, high quality fish food and the works. It meant sparing a lot of time and money.
For me, fish lived happily in lakes and ponds, in dirt, weeds, plants, other fish, changing water levels, floods and still stayed happy. Probably, our fish were ornamental, decorative, and delicate. They would have adjustment issues and needed perfect conditions.
Male to female ratio was also stated as a reason for fish mortality. More males over females meant more chasing and no rest for the females. They eventually died of fatigue, if not tension. Some died during child birth as these were live bearers. There were too many variables to control.
When you go to an aquarium shop, it is a treat to the eyes. How do they keep their fish so healthy? The answer was in their ‘turn over’. For them it is a piece to sell but for you it is a relation you are building. They know which fish is weak or aged. Once bought, fish are yours.
‘Mission save the fish’ kept working on my mind. Besides, if one couldn’t go on a holiday for a couple of days without being worried about them, there was no point. How to balance both?
With a year of experience, one found that the bottom of the tank had to have mud. All their poop gets absorbed without much ado. Introduction of water plants was next. Plants provided shade and produced necessary oxygen for the fish. Besides, they create hiding places for fish to give birth and for the fingerlings to hide and play before other fish feed on them.
Plants keep the PH level in check and also find manure in fish droppings. Floating plants keep predatory birds at bay. More the plants, fish find it enjoyable. They hide, chase, mate and stay fit and healthy.
Most of the water plants have bushy roots which absorb nutrients and do water clarification. I even introduced ‘money plant’ cuttings to the tubs. They have grown ‘tendrilous roots’. Fish love to enter them to dodge males chasing them. Some of them even rest their bellies on their cool leaves.
Yesterday, when I walked out of the main door, I found one ‘golden guppy’ right infront of the door about two meters from its tank. My adrenalin shot up. Ants were starting to gather. Water parameters were not right.
I picked it up, lowered the air stone, which I keep for emergencies, started the air pump, and held it in my palm dipped in water. It flapped its tail; it meant it was still alive. A little soft press on its gills with my finger could help it to breathe and it started breathing. How long had she been out of water, I was not sure? She was sucking water but remained still. Some more resuscitation and she started to flick its fins. Thank God, I was just in time.
The whole day, I kept going to check. By evening she was better but still in daze. It was feeding time so I lifted her in my palm to the surface. I could see food particles entering her mouth as she breathed. This morning she was alive and kicking, which brought much relief.
What are ideal conditions for aquarium fish to live in? I wonder!!!!!!!!
JAI HIND
© ® NOEL ELLIS
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