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New Tank SyndromeThe following sequence is commonamong beginners. Once set up, thetank is left running for a week or so.Then the aquarium is stocked withfish, possibly to its maximum capacity.Soon afterwards, fish start dying andthe owner is at a loss to explain thecause. Eventually all, or nearly all, thefish die. In desperation, the aquariststrips the tank down, cleans the graveland starts again, believing that it wassome sort of disease that wiped outthe fish. The same process is repeatedand the fish die again. There is no disease involved here.The basic problem is that the filtrationsystem is not being given long enoughto establish itself and break down waste. The fish then die from a build-up of nitrite. Washing all the gravel out at this stage simply destroys anyuseful aerobic bacteria that have developed in the biological filter. Andthe situation is usually exacerbated bythe beginner's tendency to over feed.The best course of action would be tocarry out a partial water change and then leave the tank for a further twoweeks before beginning to introducenew fish gradually. To avoid new tank syndrome fromthe outset, allow the tank to mature for at least two weeks, stock it withfish gradually, do not overstock anddo not overfeed. Above all, be patient when setting up your first tank. The red devil (Cichlasomalabiatuni) is an aggressive fish,particularly towards females, and so is not a candidate for a mixed community aquarium. The body isvery thick and stocky and on top ofthe solid head, especially in males,you often see a nuchal hump - a large deposit of fat that develops in many cichlids with age. The best option is to keep the red devil alone in a 'pet'tank. A single specimen can be keptin a 90cm(36in) tank, but if it is toreach its potential size of .38cm(1Sin), it will need a tank of 150 cm(60in) or more. If red devils are kepttogether, a tank measuring 180cm(72in) is the only viable option. |
Marine Fish Breeds Angel Fish Barb Fish Bat Fish Blenny Fish Box Fish Butterfly Fish Cat Fish Clown Fish Coty Doras Cyprinid Danios Discus Fish Dwarf Cichlid File Fish Gobby Fish Grouper Fish Guppy Fish Hatchet Fish Hawk Fish Killi Fish Labyrinth Fish Lion Fish Livebearer Fish Loach Malawi Cichlid Neotropical Cichlid New Tank Syndrome Parrot Fish Pimelodus and Pimelodella Piranha Fish Puffer Fish Sharks Siamese Fighting Fish Suckermouth Saltwater Fish Surgeon Fish Sweet Lips Fish Synodontis Cat Fish Tetra Fish Trigger Fish Wrasse Hog Fish
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