--I-- ---- Ã - ---- r Volume 5 Manufacturw of Instant Ocean@ - - Winter 1988

A

of natural and man-nude material as t d s or for shelter 0011. well-known In the animal kingdom. Besides ncft-building birds number of aquatic mrtabretos and Invertebrate* rewurcefully

various types of materials to çoçn~u their burrow*.

vely xnatl and is rçprçsçn by only six genera contlstlng of

Dçbb)eà *hell fragments, or coral rubble. Oocasiontlty, these buf-

the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortci), I once prepared e plastic u r n of the bluespotted jmrRsh, {Opistogrwttws sp), by pour-

to completely fill the burrow. The ruin was

the cut. It lewealed an H-ahaped maze of tunnels and chamber* (Continued on page 3)

IThe Relationship

r* f Redox Potential "o Micro Algae

advent of the miniature rtcf >tern marine aquaria, an abundance of new ter-

h u appeared. Probably the least understood of these new krma l i the ftodox Potential Briefly, redox potential la the corn- bination of the oxidation and reduction poten- tial*. which can be an Indication of the relative capacity of water to clemsa Itself. Thls la K- eompllshed by the oxidation of harmful sub- uances. 1 In other wonb, an I-Ifng redox potential

, can indicate Improving water quality. The

higher the pocnttoi, measured in mllli- volqrnV), the greater the purity of the water, Lçnkçmçyu(19 hà reported levels on reefs to be generally between +300 and +375 mV. Prior to the Introduction of the miniature reef concept, (hew redox level* were difficult to ob- tain. Thls can at least in part explain the ex- treme difficulty that wu encountered In trying to maintain mott w i l e Invftrtebrates. Proper lighting, water movement, feeding, trace nulrienta, etc. are other fnctore that are also per- tlnmt, but will not be discussed in thisarticle.

Redoxpotentialçhou)dontybeusedasatoo along with measurement of other water quali- ty parameters. The important thing to remrobtr Is that the aquarium and Its water are a dynamic system with each component in- terrelated. The parameter with which redox is mostckxclyrelatedispH.WhenpHfalls.redox potenttal goes up WLewis in the 7.9 to 82 range are best. This relationship Is particularly impor-

tant In a miniature reef system, as unlike syttem thatutUIzeundergiwelflIUre,pHtweh In these systems tend to Increase over time. This Is the result of both better g u exchange as well as algae utillxing the available CO, and releasing oxygen Into the tank. Consequently, the redox potential will tend to go down over time unless the pH rise Is limited (e.9. through the use of carbon dioxide) and the dissolved organic* are removed (e-g. by protein Skim- ming or activated carbon filtration).

Prior to the utlllutjon of redox potential, It was very difficult to evaluate the "purity" of the water in an aquarium. Clarity and aroma ware two of the more common measures used. In ad- dhlm &ae growth could be used aa a measure of water quality. Over the last two years of monitoring redox potentials, I hove (bund e high correlation between various millivolt reading*

(Continued on Page 4)

I @ 1966 Aquarium Systems, in^ Mentor, Ohio - Printed In USA.

. Reef Theory

To grow coral reef organisms In captivity, w v m l eiwironmwitBl conditions must be

AJ 1to)Dçntut - The most critical en- vfaonmental variable Car inalntalnlw rçà life UteBmfaAin. MlOther oondtlons being Ideai, 11 )tttçn)pç*atu Is wrong the reef wilt die. Ttt(ioflh recorded temperatures in nature may widely exceed thlà mnçà best M K ~ ~ M In cap- thn meb can be alflned at 72i78'F. A bit coktor teacceptable, but w a r m than dde often prmes atretefol or even lethal to some bwerttbmtea.

B)WatatMovement-Perhapathemod strbuak ovçflookà characteristic of die en- vtrammntfunoundfngcon)tÑfà Isthenatu ofthemotiondwUiuAtteutthmdtalnci kinds of water mcwnent occur on the reef, and ooral reef orgBnfifns are fraqumtly only adopted to a tpeclfic range of flow regimes which may vary depending upon poçltlo on the reef tnd the oqpntam's shape. Water mow- mentonthereef!¥chMacttrffftdby,aune,tur buten-, and laminar currents.

TUibulei~e Is very random swirling of wrier In all directions, It mtv be large -la, à whtm a large volume of wakr swlrli and icottere, or small çcalà as when little currentscause coral polyp to rock, rotate and m/w. Mod reef orgmlun* ore adapted to receive some dçdre of turbulence, and mot nÑ this kind of water movement In order to ¥urvlve

hnlnw flow of water Is distlngulahed by movement In straight lines. Applied oonectty In an aquarium, a source of laminar current (1ç a pump) can generate aome small Èari tur- b u h Howçver It ts an Inefficient means of doing w atnoe Un gçiwt turbulence is not tank wide. A balanced wove generator w o h better. Lamttw currents also"die out" quick- ly btcauaeofdragonthereef. -especially deruely branched ones, act Ç dampen to the cuirenLWMer¥urge,thon.Isneowiytoreac all the polyp& especially those on inner branches.

C) Ughttng -The third moM critical factor Is lighting. Opinions vary regarding the Impor- tance of inlentlty, ipectml quality, and duration of the light period. The main point of conten- tlon in the literature and In practice dealswith

the Jrnpoitanca of Intensity vetsub spectrum. IsItImpoff~~tobloattherçefwithaloto energy, or Just with wwrgy of the pmck wemtonath needed? Cbrals In clear shallow water are typtulty

pate yellow-brown when in direct expotom to the lun If growingjn the lhade or In deep water. the same species are unially richer brown or possess à lot of green or other pigmenta. Ex- ceptiom am not rare. but this trend Is readily observable and appears to allow brightly lh corals to reflect more and obwfb Ià light. I have provided a list of journal mporta &ib Ing I& effect* on çod P. O u f n ' s work i s eapectclly Interesting. Briefly, In one expert* merit d s were truuplamed from deep 10 shallowwaterandvisavm& Dustanfoundthat colonlea taken from 30 meters and ptaoed at 15 meters diomd reduced growth, algal b l w d i l ~ arid a high mortality. Thwt taken from rirllow water and placed at 30 meters showed reduced skeletal growth, mduced algd content, but a high survival mtef The analogy of corals being "¥unburned bowvr , tà not - curate. ~ecalithat deepwtfif and shaded cor- als ore more darkly ootofed- Thev hove become adapted for maximum llflhi atwofption and photoayntheds at 6 particular k v e i placed In brtaMv lit ifaallows. the dark coral atnorba loo much iloht, and ither dlw or readjusts IU

prove lathel. With graduftl dungtt r k t COP als are capable of adapting, D) Wktar QuaBty - Water quality affectsdif-

h t d e * in different ww& Therefore. &an ham dtrliwnta~ affects on a par- Ucubr organism, but beneficial effects on another. Without gettingfnto detail about die range of parameter* describing water quality, I i t m a the fact that It 1s equally Important # thehierarchyju^described.AlthoughthÈne reç çysten are designed to maintain mom stablewaterqualhy,theydonotpreventallthe charnu which occur. Thuà I Wteft thM regular partial water changes are extremely beneficial. In my opinion. It Is not so much to replace foot trace substance*, but to remove undesirable "conditions". Sam aucous can be attained with nowaterchange.Bettwsucces*ispowlbleonly with water change.

OTHER FACTORS A) Alflac and Nitrate - After years of ex-

perfmentatton with reef olgà I began to suspectthçiJomeddngwwç~~~withlhç aonptftd claim that they consume nitrate i

suipkbn. Reef- do not feed primarily on nitrate, but nSy mostly on a more readily availablefoodwuroe.anwnoitta.Suddenrevelfr Ugnl Lower nitratekveia In algneflllÇd9<niari w a ~ not due to n!trtt&conà u*nptlon,bw to the consumption of Its aourcets). This was reÑombl too, coiuldedng Iht ammonium ten to thà principle excretory productof in* vertebrat-es (renwmbw the (unctton of iwvmt- thçUae?>.WiththlçInmindIonbridlyexpla my nutrient poUntId hypothd

Comb live in an dtgctrephk medium, but by virtue of their oontmcting abilities attmct many organtomi that w k shelter around and adjacent to them. School8 of flift. resident crabs, resident plankton, and encrusting anfniala all provide an on alte source of am- monta.Thepotentialof(Ms¥ouroecmIÑhi andcontrol*with thenutrient poor surround- Ing waters. Utilization of the mume by algae, coral*, ami bacteria Is rapid and lowers the potentialsothatIntenritttBttestaforammonte ahoutdhardlydetectany.Acontinuoulreading onatoreIhead,howw~.shoutddhowantr- regular serb of çhu peaks wfth rapid txtinc- Uon. 1 haveappliedthis of an optimal steptoe fl er roughly outlined in figure A.

hypodlObtothedesign

thlsrntnlreçfc~aiçhas~tsuwforbothaquar id scientist. A minireef ivstom can be as corn- ptex or stmpte à eKhç desires. A

r 20 Inches vertically and 15

male during courtship), the 3-4 feet above the entrance

are mouth brooders, incubating

balancing act while feeding in order not ow any eggs when Ingesting food.

AYeliou~headj~ish Wstagnathus Until about three million years agothe North @ions) pair with male Incubating eggs. and South America land masses were uncon-

nected, allowing the tropical western Atlantic TBuhqieJawfish (Opistognalhus scops) in and eastern Pacific fish fauna lo rninale as one. t h a t posture. The formation of the Panamic land bridge

divided the fish population In half. resulting in distinct species of common ancestry. Some species, however, retained similar mor- phologlcal characters which is most clearly seen in "look-alike" twinsof some other groups such as angelfishes, damselfishes and snap- p e a Jawfishes from these two oceans also show similar affinities to one another even though they hove been separated for millions

Of A

and the types of algae that p ~ l l . fy suspt- dons haw recently been supported by finding* ofhdamqcrwhoaboreported a simllarottf- relalion In the book Moderne Meerwa~crab qiniUftOdie and Lemkemeyer.l88il. TheK iwdox I s also follow a trend when a system i5 king "broken In". By looktog at which types of algae predominate It may be powlble to ttoluate the state of water quality In the system Interms of redox potential relative to optimal k t e 9^25375mV, without actually utilizing a met "

When redox potential readings of 225mV or lew have been found, red g r ~ ~ s c algae -. Block g r w e algae predominate 1m At m e of 225-250mV. The term mease nfkn to the fatty appearance and Is often associated with high <fissolvç organics. Actual- ly, (hue group* are typically clawlfted na Blue- CreeflaIgM, a prirnatlve tape that f o r m shwts and tends to COVN and choke Inwitebntn ami green macroalgae. Black grease algae also oc- à § i over decaying motm and seem to be the moat transttnt of the micro dgae in that they can occur or disappear rather quickly,

Golden diatoms occur next and thrive at a range of 225-275mV. These algae are most readily observable on the g l a ~ andam the flret food- type mido-alflae, ç many organisms feed on these algm or their spore*.

From the 250"325mV range, grem fUemen- wpm algae begin to take over Cnilel,penoflal c0mm.l. These micro*alage are the most M- flcult to eliminate once they have become established because they are very tolerant to ochwtwt of water quality and are also resistant to giodud Increases in redom potential. Them al- also utilize every vacant apace and u n i c phykally removed, they will out compete the mflcnMrip and inwrtçbrate that poneu io<ucanthelIae.

The fliainentou* green algm can absorb enough trace elements to limit (he zooxnn- thtltae, and .consequently, the Invertebrate* they Inhabit will not thrive. The only remedy that I haw seen for the elimination of these algae Is their physical removal while simultmaody Increasing the redox potential abow 325fTtV by adding etthw a protein ahlm- roer or an oxygen reactor system in addition, asmalltangofthegemuQenochachnor m- tain of the pygmy angeUlshes (Cenbupyge sp) could be ddç a8 these fish feed mainly on micro algae.

Once & tedox potentJal of 325mV has tmn obtained, die macro-algae will predominate. TheMalowalsohwe thecapacity toovergrow a tank and cover the invrtobmtes. Thtrefore, thy should be harvested weekly to prevent competition with thà corals and live r d m

Redox levels above 400-4SOmV ahould be avoidedaatheywillinhibitthemaao-ahand may well Irritate the fishes and tnvertebrtttea. T h e lwels can occur with owerdoà of OIOM or hydrogen peroxide, so these strong oxidfz* Ing çgent should be used with caution.

More than one type of algae can occur at any of these level& Even In an aquarium that la thriving in general, h r e may be one locution where some type of mkro-algae are growing. Thismayindicatethatadeadwotexistswhere something Is decaying or detrltua Is ac> cumulating. Otherwise It could be art t n h tlon that the water quality to beginning to dçterlomt and the redox potonttel Is falling. In either cw the c s h u 1 ~ d&mnined and corrected.

While redox potential la a valuable tool In determining the overall waiter quality. It &Id not be the only parameter measured. It must be considered as Just one important factor In a complex system. If used in this manner, redox potential can facilitate using the miniature reef concept to its full capçclty A

The Ultimat Solution". .

Contains every essential element and trace element.

Fast dissolving formula.

Ultra-blended for superior uniformity.

World's most popular I EditorsMote:~rapMesandivfemuxl ists for articles In this Issue be obtained by m W n g a SASE to; Seascope-Winter '86, c/o AquariuCT @stems, toe., 8141 Blvd., 1 Mentor. OH 44060

FREE

Volume 5 --

f mtlon ~ T I the In+ am often added This multa

te ilk In a sIng1e aqmum,

In Table I, bui h 7mrirtg'' to an d d q u a r k For ''Iapr'' tbc i lshs by imludlng mme h m dwlling ticH bud% as wll as a fw w n water m m such im

(Continued m 2)

of the u3 Cenmpgge

Home Miniature Reef (Continued from page 1)

"Able 1: Criteria for Fish

1. The potential fishes should poçsess;li' high degree of compatibility withall t& Invertebrate life in the eluding anemones and live corals.

angelftshes and butterflies. llmits the keeping of such favorites 6Sh\ -

2. The fishes must be compatible with in* other fish life, existing or planned, Th&l means, for Instance, only one dot! (Pseudodvwms sp.) of a given s per tank. Remember, should a problem' with compatibility occur, it Is often next: to impossl ble to remove the offend! '- ' specimen without disrupting the w a aquarium.

3. They must mature at a relatively size. Mhlature-rcef aquariums have much of thek open water filled with various typç of algae. which tends to limit the room for large fishes to swim.

4. Related to the last point, the fishes should be of a spçde that la highly maneuvcreble, to in and out of holes In the live rock structure of the w a r n .

5. The fish= ahodd b & e ~ l t y fed. Species such M tingterRshts, which require special feeding tecba ues, we difficult to feed properly in this type of Mt-up

6. W w a ~ resistance is very important. b r m a l treatments for protozoan patwika and pathenogenic W l a ore not posattrfe with invertebrates present. The main reason for Adding fishto nitnl- reef aquariums is to atid ~ w a e move- raent, sedentary specks tend to defeat

Table 11 ie a listing of some marine fbhes suitable for miniature rwf sntem (tabulated by family). Bear In mind that member of a listed famllv will be a witable addlt Ion for this type of &rium. For exampla some of dw macaitthfate grew quite large; whl te other* ¥rewellautodfarhomeaouortunm.Oneshoul learn dl they on about a potentid fish's hd~te ffrom books and pet store pereonml), prior to its addition to the aquarium.

of Fishes Suitable

Gobles well suited but of

fishes; non-toxic

lesiopslds - Roundheads, marine

Ids - Angdffshes; the pygmy species are

Owicernlng the general maintenance of small marim fishes, remember that most are predatory in nature; and If you feed them fre- fluently (small flahes need to eat more often than large ones) with the proper size meaty foods in a variety of form they wilt thrive. Tabk Ill provides a list of possible foods.

Shredded shrimp Wa Brine ahrlmp live fsbot,(After a lOmlnute

prophyladk freshwater dip).

Flake food (for ita aupplementwy vitamins and minerals)

Ground sea dlopç c k or maw!*. Orated white fish fleçh (Avoid oily species,

such as herring). Daphnia or other freshwater crustaceans. Euphastds (small and large "krtll").

When fishes are kept In tanks with in- vertebrates, care must be taken not to Introduce 4- Into the aquarium, where medications would harm the invertebrates. Quarantine systems are mandatory for any serious effort Tlim are two popular methods. ObÑnationa quarantine is when thà flab is

watched In a m a t e tank for at l e n t hw weeks. If It ¥ho no signs of disease, and is feeding welt. It can then be added to the display aquaria As an added precaution, give the fish a three to ten minute freshwater dtp before and after the quarantine period to help remove any llngçrln ecto-pwslteo. If you only hmc a single tank, try to use your dealer's tank by waiting two weeks after the fifth has arrived at the store befoie purcklng lL %>u mfy to96 the fish to somebody ebe who if lem patient and ia willing to accept the risk of introdudno a dl~euçd-fis to their aquarium. The mortality rateforrnarineBatestendstodio~dFamatlcBllv

The best quarantine system utilizes a copper sulphate treatment to eliminate external pro- tozoan parasites (with antibiotic* If slgm of bacterial dl- çho up). Thte Is done In a separate aquarium thai has an operating biological filter to maJnUIn wter quality. Use of conditioned foam filters, alongwith little oi no carbonate gravel, will help malntein therapeutic copper (wl*. A treatment oonoen. tration of 0.15 - 0.20ppm tor 14 dtyà works wry well. A good copper test kit Is required to help maintain the proper doÑg throughout the treatment period.

Should iiiÇhe in a miniature reef s y s t e m become afflicted with a parasite doplte these precautions, the best remedy la removal and treatment with copper uilphatc In a ~ p w a t e aquarium not housing Invertebrates. Many aquariiu worry unduly about re-Infestation when these fish are placed back Into the sydem.Mostflahparasitesarehostipedffclor fish, and are incapable of ItvJ off of in- w k h a h ti-. h the absenm3a fi6h h 5 t . while the f l s k are being treated In a ~ p a n i t e aquarium, these pwlt~Jhould dieolfwithin 28 days,

This article should only stwe as an outline for the çquari* interested In the challenge of woceMfulty mixing fish, mtcro-ftlgaes, and in- vertebrates In a single system. Of course, this Isnot fareveryoneand f o r m the separatton of flsh and Invertebrates Into diffcrtni oqumluma b more practical. Cltfllzçlto of oilier Information sources, awh as books, m-s. personal experience, and the help of your pet itore, I6 virtually mandatary In older to alttin a high degree of success In this endeavor. ^

wjU cover all author's rights 10

pa Is published quarterly for n through loo) aquarium

not receiving coptef of SfSc

amfarlessrestrictivethanother Their primary diet of various

Including dttrkal material nges, anemone*,

health must IncI which should be

Along with proper diet and avoidance of over- crowding, maintenance of good water quality and stable environmental conditions are tssen- tlal for the long- term health and survival of dwarf angel& Deteriorating conditions that an? tolerated by less sensitivespecies, such as trig- gerflsh and groupere, can quickly result in the untimely demise of Centmpyge angels, Although they can be successfully kept In small aquariums, ahrge tank rill pekit a-mrnewhat areater rnamln for error and should be selected whenever a b l e . Strict adherenceton regular schedule of water changes and careful monitor- ing of water quality are essential If any degree of success is expected In keeping these beautiful angelfish. A

m The Ultimate Solution". . .

istant Ocean I

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wide range of Centmpyge colon should the needs of any oauaiteL It Is certainly

eat die brilllnnt'red flame artgel (C which is one of the more expensive

but fortunately, one of the hardles!. yeltow are chai-aaeritic d the lemon twaSdt) and the lemonpeel angd (C

Thooe who prefer a mixture of blue * World's most popular 1 brand.

should select the blcolor el (C. h e o f the mom commonly avail*fale,

dy, and inexpensive dwarfs la the coral topinosus1, which has a highly

pattern of vibrant purple and orange.

3 Inches. Tills short list by no rneana all the poulbilltles that are milable

g the dwarf an~tlflshea.

Aquarium Safety Articles about marfnà ftquarfunu often

devotmm lot of (pace to the quality of theen- vironment or maintenance of sale condition* for DM well being of the pets being kept. m, IItkIt time Is swnt on saw of th

.Themainareaofconcernformarina risis Involves electrical safetycmnldering

the potential of a shock when an electricalp

circuits, but it stU! la important for the to observe some precautions to moid

- off* dmtt W MI electrical teahage of 5 mllllampa to detected. This hçppç fast

, enough to prevent ~ r i o u s Injury to 8 penon 1 ingoodhÑlth.Atonetimehobbyistsworef

ed with die prospect of rewiring their h o u w withquldwbreakerfwttchef,andtherefore, they have molded this protection. In recent years, however, OFCI equipment has become enter to Inftall and much les* expensive. Wall outlet recepticfes which am enlly wired to replwx tandard outtab retail fof n lltde as

, HO.OOduringules.Howmer.#l In- w n ami m dm v3a (30.00 retail with sale prices dawn to 4lS.00, Thne plug41 unit* feqidie no wiring and, there- fore, are vwy çaà to In&.

The negative aide Is that, if a current leak (short circuit) is detected, the electrical equip- ment will be turned off Including any pump, fUter, heater, or light plugged into the ink. Tlite canbeçproblemwhentheoudetlshtai'nott location. A hybrid system where the air pump and any outshlepumps or flitare an connected to a standard circuit, thereby proUding the mlmala, may be a good oomproml~.

A number of other precautions should be g l m atuntlon. During tank cleaninga and wtter exchange*, electrical appliances should be tumedoff. This Is particularly Important for heaters. White cleaning the glm, If the hosier to bumped hardagainst theglassora rock, It could break causing tt Èhoc hazard. Alç dur- Ing a watw exchange, If the water level is lowered to a point whwe the dement portion bexpowdtoalrlt overheatandthencreek - h e water 1 3 Is mlaed during wrtç replacement. Similarly, light hoods should be unpluggedbeforemmovingtopreventashock in easethw are accidentally dropped Into the

O.V. Sterilization

In any aquarium, there will be a wide variety of fp~-floating bacteria and viruses, mme of whichcouldhavethepotentialofhamtinayour fish. Although healthy (bhes can usually ward offthawffnvademwiththeirImmunesystem, OJ) occasion a Mi mç encounter some type dlienandbeooroftmoreBUK^ttbteto.

aquarium, w some type of external pump system Is required to cupply the water to the ¥terilbItfÈbesttohamnMchanlcdpieflhi tJon of the water before It çnter the UV f r t l tier, u small particle* Can reduce the d- fecttvene~ of the proceÑ

TTw penwn detructlon of bacteria and vtniaef puilM through is primarily dependent on the Intaiuhy of tk lamp and the amount oftinwaunttofwwlertotnthechamber.Thu*.

and higher Intensity lamps w%ll a Iiw - M n of the mlc- Stephen Spotte's Marine Muarium Keeping hasan excellent description of these technical details.

Sterilization will only be effectiveon bacteria that actually pass by the bulb. Hence bacteria in the gravel and on the flah will remain uiwf- fected. It la bet to avoid the we of a rterllEzer during the first few wwks d a new aquarium, ~'thçhelpfu bçcteri that colonize thegravel may be free-floating before becoming estab- lished.

(IV tterlllwre ace appropriate for both fresh end ultwaier (ystems. It should be empha- sized that UV slemfzatlon la not a cure-all for

pmblains. lnstallatlon of a unit will not overcome poor water quality due to noglec~ 0V iterlllutlon should be eoMldered as one helpful component In the struogle to keep your fld) alive. You should not twA that a 0V steclllter Is absolutely necenary - a system without one CM be maintained In perfectly fine shape as long as the standard* of good water quality and aquarium main- tenance ue adhered to, Reprintedb~ptnnlirionef; & ThthINoflUPçu~FMiClubNwitette

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Specially deslgmtd to wllhMand the harç condition* of mftwater ¥quarimi Adwicod features make them Ide*] for every oquarlum - F^erilwater or WlWBtw. -

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Volume 5 ' Summer

1988

y, Museum of Victoria, a 3000 AOSTRAUA

r a g a unique to Sout hem Australian long- to the family Syngruthidae I ncludas seahorses and pipe fishes

wl breeding habit where the eggs. Due to the pro- n p are often miniatures of

ve appearance a

Â¥lea and hteral Line Erosion:

the Musee Oceanogmphique meantime, I will try to review Its, and conclusions reached

For years the syndrome, usual I y described as hole-in-the head or lateral line disease, has been observed in captive marine aquarium fishes primarily in surgeon fishes(Acanthurlde), butterfly and angelfishes (Chaet&dontldac) and groupers (Serranldae). In popular aquarium magazines, this condition has been attributed to many factors Including parasltef, bacteria, fungi, copper treatments, poor water quality, and diet.

The author selected the Palette Tang (or Pacific Blue tang)i P. hepatus. since i t Is par- ticularly susceptible to this disease and has a poor survival record In captivity partially due to this condition. The rationale of selecting a single species, was to eliminate possible variables In both cause and symptoms. Of course. It was recognized that the conclusion might not be transferable to other species.

The Investigation involved two approaches examination of fishes exhibiting symptom* for which historical data was available and a preliminary attempt to Induce the condition In non-diseased specimens under controlled laboratory oondlttona, In the first part, eleven specimens of Palette Tangs were examined, 7 were submitted alive, along with background information. Necropsy examinations Included gross and microscopic observation including fresh material and preserved, sectioned, and stained studies of skin, gills, and other organs.

On gross examination lesions were reported on both aides of head and body along the lateral line, with nearly the entire body in- volved In advanced cases. In early stages the lealons were small, circular or Irregular deplgmented, crater-like areas i n the head region which spread. As It advanced, the crater would coalesce until, in advanced cases, the head would be totally devoid of pigment. This was accompanied by atrophy of fins and the operculuna <gill coverings), with the gills being clearly vlilble i n two specimens.

Internal examinations revealed no significant lesions. Histologic review of the gut was negative as were the gills, except for some Irregular growth In a Few specimens.

The integument or skin of surgeonfish -was described and the changes observed In the lesion areas were listed. Degeneration of the outer layers and scales was observed, and although Inflammatory cells were noted, there were relatively few. This lack of inflammation and the absence of any Identifiable pathogen led the author to Investigate the posslbllily of a non-Infectious disease, such as a nutritional clef iciency or an environmental imbalance.

The historical data from the eleven fish were examined for some sort ofcorrelation but none wasfound.Farexample,useoflonk:copperi suggested yet several of the more advanced

(Conthued on page 3)

they have cauat the imagination of the media The Leafy Seadragon is a rare, protected species that can only be collected with a per- mit from the Department of Fisheries of South Australia.

This project, to describe the method of egg- carrying, hatching, and raising of the young in the equartum, waa made possible when I was requeued by Australia's national television sta- lion, ABC, to provlde a set-up for filming the Leafy Seadrqpn, particularly the male with

eggs. Mçcçs~a permits were obtained and at-

tempt; were nude beginning in October, 1989, when a pregnant female and ready male were located near Victor Harbor, Matlna failed when the eggs were dropped after t-rt back to Melbourne. In mid-December a male with egos was located at 25 meters depth. The fish & transported back to the aquarium for fllmlng, where hatching occurred. Attempts were then made to raise the young. In addition, eggs of the Common Sendragon from a male ob- served giving birth, were collected, hatched, and the young raised.

At the aquarium, tanks one meter square by 50 centimeters high were used for birthing while smaller aquariums were used for the young. Ambient temperatures were 17" to 21 C (62.6 * - 70" F]i Tanks were equtoped with pumped biological filters and decwattd with rock3 and weeds from natural W t o L Food consisted of live mysld shrimp. Their size was selected to ault the stage of the young dragons.

Leafy Seadragon: Phycodurus eques

The male that was collected had an estimated 250 egg& meÑurin 4 millimeters In diameter by about 7 millimeters long. The egos were par- tially embedded into the skin in cup-shaped pockets A male found reedy to mate waa noted to have a swollen tail, seemingly spongy without cups which are presumed to form after the eggs are deposited by the female. Begin- ning near the anus, the eggs covered moat of

T rear) half of the tall.

At hatch, the end of the capsule hinged owgy leaving an open hole through which the hatch- ling would extend Its posterior portion, out of the egg capsule. This position was maintained for 3-6 hours presumably to adapt from the tightly coiled position within the egg, Toward theend of this period, the young begin to wrig- gle more and more ropldly. The adult reacts by giving a similar wriggle which seems to force the young free. The Juvenile swims away im- mediately remaining Ju&t above the bottom. The currents and unnatural surroundings forced many onto nearby anemones and hydroids, with fatal results. There seemed to be an Interest for companionship with other Juveniles of the same species, but not wlth the Common Se^ragonwhentheyweremixed.Thehatch*i period totalled 6 7 days with hatches occur- ring throughout the day. Hatchlings were moved to rearing aquaria aa soon à possible to avoid the numerous (tinging animal8 estab- Itahed in the adult Unk.

The young were fairly large, 35 millimeter* (1 318 inches) total length, when born, w tth a short snout and large yolk-sac. No fmdlng oc- curred during the first two days during which the snout elongated and the yolk-MC WOJ ab- sorbed. The appendages were simple when born but quickly developed wlth obvtoua d q to day changes. The juveniles used their dor- MI fins for swimming. As the onset of feeding approached, the mouth was exercised wlth stretching, similar to yawning, and a snapping motion like ~triking an imaginary prey.

Qrowth was very rapid with total lengths of 40 millimeters (1 3/8 inches), 60 mllllmetera (2 318 inches), and 85 millimeteis (3 3M Inches) reached In 314. and 21 day respectively. After 21 days the growth rate declined along with a drastic color change. The young were initaily semitrenshioent with very distinct dark to bfack cross-bonds, Additional body color began to farm on the sides after 14 days, intensifying within a few days to full body coloration with a loss of the dark lines. Appendages became more and more elaborate and body spines formed. Finally, deepening or h-Amo ¥oc

which has developed elaborate leafy appendages and colors.

curred as adulthood approached. After 3 months, (April 2, 1986) they measured i millimeters (5% inch). h the wild. indtv reach iuat over 200 m[liimetere is inches) 4 at beginning of the breeding season, with a 4 Imum size of about 300 rn l lh te ra (I 2 I-

Common Scadragon: Phyitoptergx taeniolatus

The eggs of the Common Seadragon collected from a male on December 2 6 1 4 at Flindefs Pier, Victoria, after several young hatchlings from an egg-bearing male 9 observed. He was found in an open area sw rounded by seagrasa, at a depth of 3 meterf The male was held by hand to exemtrri closely, which ahowed that most of the ega wen- still full. A few young had thelr tails ban$ Ing out. Some egg$ were easily pulled free wit die aid of the long algae strands attached td them These were placed In a plastlc bag ad hatched before shore was reached.

Smaller than Phycodorus, they measured about 25 millimeters (1 Inch) long, wlth a v q dark body coloration and a bright pink yolk sac. Growth and development was similar tt P&c&ms, reaching 75 mlllirneters (3 lnchç in 21 days. However, their behavior wm somewhat different with Juveniles having a strong Inclination to stay close together. In th wild, Juvenile; are found either In small group or singly amongst weeds, but their distributk depend8 on the movements of the male. Wit4 only 300 eyas hatching over 3 days. then b considerable time for dbpeisal. hi the aquarium all the Juveniles bundled closely together. TtM young are born tail first but take only a fvu minutes to emerge completely. The eggs ol Phyllopteryx measured 3 to 4 millimeters tt diameter and 5 to 6 millimeters in length,

In the wild, Juvenile* are very difficult to find, usually located amongat seagram After a fe* months when they are well over 100 mllllrneun

the common Seadragon adults ap- e to shallow water for breeding.

by aquariats to keep either ipecles hove (~nwally failed. Wild adults

~ t o ~ m & k t o a d J w & w l t l n g ~ n ~ of food. Collecting adults could also have detrimental affects on the natural breeding populations. Small Juveniles we eçà to main- tain and dncà their mortality In the wild ia high. COltecUng hm IftUe effect on the population. To successfully keep ¥mal Juvenile*, It in e~en- ttal to regularly feed live foods, at least at the beginning. Myrids ue ideal, but wrwll shrimp are accepted as well. Ff~ten myld shrimp are a good supplement and as they grow older In- terest develops for other muataceon* and the need for regular feeding* becomes les& Care mu^ be used hi selecting tank mates. Large dabscan beaproblem,ascanseahcneswhich can damage appendage*. A

Acknowledgments I thank those Individuals who helped in

various ways to make this study possible: Mr. Kevin Bronden, Mr. RK. k l * . and Mr. John Pillar (South Australian Dept. of Fisheries); David Parer and Elizabeth Parer Cook, John Vanderbelt (ABC's Natural History Unit); and Helmut Debellufi Special thanks to my wife and diving buddy Allson, and John Meredith (Sydney). Finally, [ am grateful to Chuck E. Dawaon (world's authority on pipe fishes), and Martin F. Oomon for help on the manuscript. RtpriryidoindfnMd,wnhpHmttflon,hemSmutFan- alÑdAqu*rfologl*.14thedH(on{lW),rto.4.Jawyl9 198% pft 113-122. , - . -

Lateral Line Erosion

n vitamins In processed foods, he vitamin C deficiency as a possible

Owrua hepatus, wtth advanced HeadandLateralUneElvsion.

phase of the lmeçttgçl was to determine If HLLE could be in-

i ÑCU wu created to p i e ~ n t short. lr

nat ive article* of interest to marim Topic* may include water chefidliq marlcuhu~, <yum dtakm, eoolofli. andftoh health. Article contributoy med They ahould deal with pertinent

aquarium topic* and are aubjact to I rtvitwa that in our opinion are

nt will be made at existing cover at1 author's rights to the

If published quartfly tor ?#a n through local aquarium dei-ten.

not -king coplea of SÑBoop tor tstribtJtton to tMr customers Wid call 1à Ç1

miurn Syatern*, Inc. to be added to the b i t i ng Itat. Teltphone 1-800-822-1100. Aquarisis-in~wcopies~recoy thould send their name and ad* along vsth fr2.W for posfoe and handling (four ksue -SWScop^AquariumSwtcmfcInc, 9141 Tyler BtwL. Heritor. OH 44060. Addresa 'OHnnwiiu, quealtom and suggeftloro UK Thomas A. Flakes. Editor.

galtons (56.8~) of s y n t h e t i c w e r onstant Ocean*), each equipped with an undergravol (liter end a back fitter packedwHft tiacron ftoà Warn quality parameters were maintained as follows: pH 8.0-8.2: temperature - 25- (77 Q80.6"?); ammonia less than 0.Olppm as un-lonlzed ammonia (NH& nitrite less than O.lOppm as Ion (NO& nitrate lew than 30ptnii at ion (m dtnity 30-32 pans per thousand (1.022-1.024 Specific Gravity) Fof food, a dry commercial <Dç that had bçe submitted along w l t h ~ o f h ~ ~ ~ ~ d d f o r ~ wasused.Thetutfiahreceivedonlythisfood and their aquarium was kept clean end free of any algal growth. The control group diet was suoptemented with a m u d growth of benthic algae Cauierpa so.

Within 3 weekft tut fish on the Rake only dielbuantodemlopinulldiscolorationa-3 on the face. By 30 dam depigmentMlon of the blue areas w a ~ apparent. After just 64 days thà lesion* were affect lng the b k k areas and ven- tral (lower) portions of the fish The experiment was (topped after 95 day becauw of the ad- vancwl stage of disease the 3 test fish had reached.Thecontrolftahihowednoaymptoms of (Hseue throughout the trial period.

In an attempt to wve the teat fish, the fish were pinced on a diet of green algae and the flake ctlet was supplemented with vitamin C (ascorbic acid) at 70mg/100gm of food.

After only 10 day* Improvement wç noted with normal blue color beginning to be restored to the skin,

In conclusion, baaed on the fish çmina Uona. Muqrtes of the affected fish, and the reçuhsdthepnffinlnaryteattoInducethecon dHionnutrttloMi^IrbpnpDMdthatHeadand LatedLhmEitdonfl' ofth6PaletteTang (P. Imams) to due to n 3 0 ml deflctenctes.

AacorUcçd toaIIMfypos^MKtyIbracvend maaonç ~bçt,'l isoneofthemoatrairfdtylost vttamlns In processing and atonge (rfpcepwed food. Second, deficiencies In vitamin C lpve already been repotted to came skin depigmen- tatlon and to Interfere with normal wound ~Finally,theImprovementIntenfishalter supplementation tends to support this theory.

During the dlscucston period Dr. Dim; Jouch, Curator of the Wllhdmn Aquarium In Stuttgart, expressed hi* opinion that extensive use ofactivated carbon contributed to this ayn- drome. However, no scientifically controlled studies have been conducted to test thla theory

Based on this preliminary study by Mr. Btasicte, it Is obvious that n w t testing is need- ed, both for this specie* and for other -lea of fishes, before thto condition will be understood. This is particularly çvldm w m miawing popular Aquarium magazine articles and letters. Often "cures* are reported for group* of fishes using various treatments tuch as Furanace medicated flake diet*, frozen aloae diets, water exchanges, KamNnydn, and iwab- Ungwtthmeicuroctuomeormenhtolate.Slnce these are based on uncontrolled observations ^ withoutrepflcfttes,theycanofdybeuMdusug- '' *ions for testing scientifically.&

. - - . Seacure

A new. simple cower medication for the treatment of Cryptocarion and Amytaodi- niurn (Oodlntum). I

I

Seacure is formulated to deliver a ther- 1 apeutic level of ionic copper, the most ! effective form.

Designed to be compatible with the Sea~eG Copper Kit. together they form a reliable system for control of common marine parasites.

Comprehensive instructions are pro' vided which explain, tn detail, treatment methods, dosage calculations, and pre- cautions.

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Aquarium Systems I Volume 5 Manufacturer of Instant Ocean* Fall 1988

more important perameta Yet, It of the least understood. Unlike salinity,

nitrogen levels, where die more you ore you have, you cannot add pH. In Is not a substance. It la a measure-

Ie of the hydrogen Ion level, which is Ion of the oddity of the solution.

era Indicating more acidic condl-

re water you can add adds to get lower sand hues to get higher levels. Unfor-

rlum water, particularly sea water, mple becam k contain* h f f e m

compounds that react with the adds to prevent shifts In pH levels until the s exhausted. Thus. considerable of an acid can be added to a marine

Second, consider a tank with an abundance of plant life. Plants utilizecarbon dioxide dur- ing photosynthesis artd give off oxygen. In aquariums with poor buffering and excessive plant life, the pH Iwels, during theday, CM rixe to edited level*. In some extreme waw, pH Kadlngsof9,0 to 10.0 havehrecorded.This Is due to the utilization, by plants, of carbon dioxide and eventually the bicarbonate Ions. The Increase In pH I t cauud by carbon dl-- Ide below atmospheric equilibrium levels. In these situations, when the carbon dioxide levels return to normalat night, the pH will also drop.

Another process affecting pH must a im be considered. Thla Is the long term effect of the nitrification cycle. As animal and food wastes are procaued by the biological filter from pro* tdna through mmmonia and nitrite to nitrate, acids are produced. These adds react directly withthe bicorbonotebuffers, sicwfyellminating them. When the buffer is nearly depleted, (he pH level trill begin to drop steadily. The goal of moat marine hobbyists Is to

maintain water quality as good as possible. This generally includes keeping thepHin the8.0to 83 range. The two nuln factom that wil l pre- ventoptimalpH levelsfrombeingachievedare carbon d [oxide Imbalance* and the carbonated bkerbonate teveis. Both can be analyzed and wrrecttd, tf necftssaiy. pH can be accuratdv measured with the

designed primarily for fresh water, always pro" duce inaccurate, high readings, and u poten- dally dangerous decrease in pH can 90 un- rm~cod. If low pH Is çncountçà however, additionalInfonnaUon+utthebufferIwwlIs necessary In order to dttaftose theaonfUtbm

The SeOUl* altollntty kft is d e c i g d to measure the buffer 1-1 or alkalinity. Alkalln- Ity, occwtonally reftiredto os cubonate hard- MB& should not be confused with traditional h a d m testa which actually meanue calcium and magnesium Iwek

AIWntty Ià usually expressed in unite cAlIedmllllequivaleflts per Ilt~r<meqrt.). Thià unit (mq/L) Is die amount of a simple acid (such as hydrochloric acid) that Is needed to rmmlbealldthebkaibonatft,carbonate,and borne loir In a liter of water.

Occasionally other unite are encountered. Induding p u t 6 per million (ppni) of Caldum Carbonate (CaC03b or degrees of hardness, whichareicateathai~fromcountrytoc~un. try,suchatEngUaft.French,orCeiiTian<(aarwa of carbonate h a m (DM). TWfoIlowlng equationanpamthese unitsof ulWlnityor carbonate hardness and may be useful -when reading other lltemture.& '

1.0 meq/L - SOppm CaC03 - 2.U0 German - 3.50 English - 5.0 O

Swi~ai pH Kit. the only pH Kit deigned French - 2.92 grafautaallon CaCO3 specifically for wit water. Many high range kits,

@I988 Aauarlum Systems, Inc., Mentor, Ohio - Printed In USA.

Guide to Alkalinity and pH control Alkalinity Control

There are two main factors that can cause a decline of buffer capacity or al kalinlty in the marine aquarium: nitrlftcation of food and wastes and precipitation of carbonates by calcareous filter materials.

The first process, nitrification of food and wastes. Is the principle Job of the biological filter. Food is broken down by animals in the aquarium producing toxic ammonia which the filter eventually converts to relatively non-toxic nitrate. The side effect of this necessary pro- cess is the production of acld. This acld reacts with the bicarbonate Ions eliminating them gradually. Thus, the alkatinrty or buffer capacity is slowly lost and the pH declines.

me second process pertains to the filter gravel being used. Materials, such as crushed coral rock, dolomitic limestone (dolomite), and crushed oyster shell, especially when new, tend to attract calcium carbonate (calcite) to their surfaces. In effect, they cause precipitation of buffer froirt the water.

The rate of this process depends on the typ^ of material, age, and possibly even the source. With very active materials, such & some crushedcorals, alkalinity can drop ¡i0 in four days or less with a resultant pH decline that usually levels off between 7.5 and 7.9 pH. This effect usually diminishes with time as thegravel surfaces become covered with crystals and organic sllme. Then. i f the buffer is replaced, either by water exchange or addition of buffer supplements, the alkalinity will be more stable. In the meantime, there may be a significant decrease In pH, even with few or no fishes PrasenL

(For more information on this process, see the following articles: Bower, et a1 <1980\ Adarns and Spotte (1985), and Frakes and Mowka (1986)i)

Recommended Levels In the ocean, alkalinity generally Is below 2.6

meq. Sp0tte (197%) recommended a minimum acceptable level of 2.0 rneq/L with a normal

Essenuai for the diagnosis of low pH in marine aquwiurns; SeaTesTÃ alkalinity Idt is a convenient method to measure the alkalinity or buffer capacity of aquarium water.

and produces oxygen.

aquarium level of 2.1-25 me&, which coin- cides with levels typically Found for surface sea water. Synthetic sea water mixes, such aa IMSTAMT OCEANasea salt, will generally exceed this level when mixed according to directions

For general aquarium keeping, the range of 2.5 to 5,O meq/L seems reasonable. Recently, along with the surffle of interest in "reet" tanks, has come a wide range of recommendations. Thiel (1988) suggests 55 mq/L (15 DKH) as a minimum, citing several European authors. Of particular interest in this discussion are the varied opinions found In "Moderns Meer- wasseraquarlstlk" (Modern Marine Aquarlst) by Harms Selzte and Jurgen Liemkemeyer (1986). Along with several other authors they give several views of proper reef aquarium maintenance. One suggests 7 mq/L (20 DKH), another 5.5 meq/L (15 DKH). However, later on Jurgen Lernkemeyer states that in spite of advice to the contrary he keeps his at 25 meq/L (7 DKH). John Burleson (personal cornrnunica- tion 1988) agrees with this. After trying high levels (15-20 DKH) where he observed inhlbl- tion of the hard corals, he now maintains 2.5-3.5 meq/L (7-10 DKH) with favorable results. It also must be recognized that when very high alkalinities (2 to 3 times natural seawater levels) are maintained. it i s also necessary to use carbon dioxide Injector systems, otherwise the pH wi l l climb to above recornmen<ied levels,

The use of carbon dioxide injectors has gained popularity for plant (freshwater) and macro algae (saltwater) aquariums, where low carbon dioxide levels have been reported to be a limiting factor to growth of the plants. In ordw to inject large quantities of carbon dioxide Into the water, the alkalinity must be elevated proportionally to avoid a pH shift.

These elaborate systems are only of Interest to advanced hobbyists specializing in macro algae and plants.

pH Control As discussed above, the alkalinity con be

Oxygen bubbles accumulate m plants during the day as photosynthesis utilizes carbon d

Ing the flow and gas encha

uction of trickle (wetAfcy) filter has Improved thte fituaiion for urns. IMckle filters, when prop-

nezb are wry efficient at liberating carbon dioxkte without the salt spm

ith aeration and the noise of air d course, the price (or these con-

a can be conaldcrabte.,&

calcareous flltrants",

1966.TheChenJsttyand

r,

Comparison of ~uffer Supplements

The most commonly used buffers for seowaterareSotfiumBicarbonate(baking wda> and Sodium Carbonate(soda-ash). 0th onn- pounds, such u powderedtimwtone iddurn ~arbonatehhavebeeniiM^bySonfeaaurtea; however, Spotte (1979b) points Out emnplm where It's uae hà to imbatanw of catdurn Ion W i n aauçfoM Since 9Mturn Is the main catIM In ^ater, sodium satu can bà used with tern iftfeor upsetting the 1ç1

Soda Aah (Sodturn Carbonate) mu& be very cmKJouaty. Firat It 18 moreolkallne

J than baking d a , w less Is needed to achieve Be Incnue In alkalinity (-1- mately S/8 tempoonful per 10 &ions of ~quarium water). Second, even at this level, It will cftuw a temporary but wvere pH In- Thus, the daily dosage must bà administered In many very small additions to pment pH shock.

Uqukt forms of sodium carbonate cannot provideemugh buffer to significantly alter the alkalinity. A temporary Increase In pH may be no t lcd~he 10 drop*& liquid &ended for 10 dlons does not h a i n to compete to 1 teafpoonfu~ of sodium bicarbonate intotal car- bonates added. Howver, without a significant shift In alkalinity, the pH will rapidly return to the original level.

A third alternative Is the useof a mixed but- fer. auch as SeaBuffcP & and Alkalinity ~ o o s t e r , which la a balanced buffo'. where

Flgurt 1. Graph (above) and chart (below) The graph above (UUStlWes the significant differences of oarious common buffers. Only Sea Bi that remains ivIaUvety constant upon equilibration

single doa raises the alkalinity and produce) a gentle pH Incmw of 0.1 to 0.2 immediawly, This Is near the lew) the water should equilibrate to after m i o n . The special blend of bicarbonate, carbonate, and borate buffers makes SeaBuffci* pH and Alkalinity Bootter the sÈS çn eaafeM method of controlling low alkalinity.

The following table and Fig. 1 show corn- pmatiwi results tor these buffer supplements added to a typical salt water aquarium with low alkalinity and pH.

OnlySwBuffar pHandalkalinity boosterpro- vtdesareÑanable fofeincreaseinpH. both hmnedtetoty alter addition and, subsequently. after quillbflum has been attained through aeration.

1(1 condwion, the pH level in a marine aquarium emi J>eiflontpoUe<J by maintaining 4 &_alkçUJil level and by providing for tAtqmtffw~wAaae't.A

ffer"* produces an invnedSate safe tnerrase in pH . The dwt below compares buffer swwfements.

Comparison of Buffers: pH and Alkalinity Effects

. - .. . .

to nvws

Alkalinity pH Alkalinity pH mmll

Biological Effects of Carbon Dioxide Imbalance

Marine fishes and Invertebrates utilize oxygen and produce carbon dioxide as a con- sequence of normal metabolism, and the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide to critical to their health.

Cells throughout the body releue carbon dioxide into the blood which carries It to the gills where i t diffuses Into the surrounding water. ThIs release of carbon dioxide is essen- tial so that more oxygen can be picked up and taken back to the cells. When the dissolved gases In the water, carbon dioxide and oxygen, are In equilibrium wlth the a t m e r e , this process works well. Because of the low amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the amount that is normally i n water Is less than In the f l s k blood. Thus, It Is easy for fishes to eliminate carbon dioxide.

If the gases are not In equilibrium, as Is the f with poor aerat ion, overcrowding, or both, the animals will be stressed. When carbon dlox- ide Is allowed to build up In the water, It becomes increasingly difficult for a fish to expel this waste product, The carbon dioxide level of the blood increase, creating a condl- tion called oddoala, then the blood cells can- not absorb oxygen properly. Taken to the extreme, it Is possible to suffocate fishn in water that Is saturated In oxygen but has a high carbon dioxide level. The situation Is further complicated because the corÈdHfon causing In- creased carbon dioxide typically result in low oxygen levels as well, making i t difficult to breathe and causing even greater stress.

Inadequate gas exchange (poor aeration) in aquarium* will came a chronic stieucondition, mulung In poor health of the inhabitants. Host

Diagnostic Guide for Low pH

Jhen an aquarium Is found with low pf levels (below 8.R the cause can be detel mined by running two simple tests A. That the alkalinity with the SsSW

alkalinity teat kit. 1. If the results are below 2.5 muqL t h

water should be buffered etthe through a partial water exchange or t> adding a buffer supplement, such a SeaBuffer pH and Alkalinity Booatel A range of 25 5.0 Is generally con alder4 acceptable.

2. tf the alkalinity is 2 5 or higher, go t< 'W.

B. Test as follows to verify c u b dioxtd (C02) build up.

I. Transfer about Vt gallon (2 Liters) of aquarium water to a for, aerate heavl- ly ownight, then test pH for both t h ~

I aquarium and the sample of aerate< water.

2 If the pH of the aerated sample t significantly higher than the pH In th aquarium, then excess carbon dioxid Is aocurnutet lng In the water, and an in

1 crease in aeration or a decrease ii animal load ta Indicated.

Sea Buff# pH and alkalinity booster Is a special blend of bicarbonate, carbonate and borate 1 buffers desianed to increase and maintain dkdinUy and pH without risk of shock from sudden iarge'i increases i n - p ~ ,

fishes only need to ut illze about 10% of their gill surface for breathing, under normal cir- cumstances. However, when oxygen is low and carbon dioxide Is high, they must open their gills wider and ventilate them more rapidly. This heavy breathing requires the expenditure of more energy and tires the fish which is already stressed by low oxygen levels. This fatigue reduces the animal's resistance to disease. Thus, low pH due to inadequate gas exchange, eventually can lead to disease.

Similarly, biological flltrçtlo is restricted by low oxygen levels. The bacteria In the filter are less efficient in oxidizing ammonia; thus, chronic ammonia toxicity may also be associated with poor gas exchange, further con- tributing to the stressful conditions,

Inadequate gas exchange can be ident lfied when pH levels are 7.8 or lower and alkalinity levels are 2 5 ml11iequIvalents/liter or higher. Further confirmation can be obtained by flll- ing a bucket with water from the aquarlum and aerating it heavily for several hours, keeping temperatures the same. Then compare pH readings, taken at the same time, betweeen the aquarium and the bucket, tf the pH of the aerated water is 0.2 units or more greater than the pH of the aquarlum water corrective measures should be taken. Either improve aera- tion or decrease animal load.

A final point regarding the relationship between low pH and stress must be made. As was pointed out, pH is only a measurement of the acld/base balance in the water. Too much or too little "pH" doesn't cause harm. It is the imbalance of the compounds thai causes the damage and, at the same time, affects pH readings. For example, an excess of carbonic acid (dissolved carbon dioxide) resulting in a pH level In the range of 6.0, would probably cause most marine fishes to suffocate. Yet, the same fish would survive far longer in water treated with a nonrespiratory acid, such as Hydrochloric or SutFurlc, to the same pH 6.0 level. In fact, Anemoneflsh {Amphsprion

ocellaris) have been observed to tolerate (wlh stress) pH levels down to 5.0 for up to 48 hour$ when caused by the use of a non-volati le a 4

Similarily, an aquarium with a pH of 7.6avS alkalinity of 1.5 meqA would be less stressfd than one with pH of 7.6 but an alkalinity of 3.0' me@L In the latter case, the carbon dioxide: level Is probably elevated causing the fish ta' have difficulty breathing.

Thus, it appears that much of the stressand damage associated wlth low pH is due to excess carbon dioxide. The importance of a+ quate aeration cannot be overemphasized. It te a key factor Inmaintaining excellent gene&' water quality. &,

SfScope wm created to present ahort, In- formative articles of Interest La marine aquarisks Topics may Include water chemistry, nutrition, mrfcuhurie, tyttem design, ecology, behavior, and fish health. Article contributor* orewelcomed-They should deal wi th pertinent marine aquarium topics and are subject to editorial reviews that In our opinion m necesury. Payment will be made at existing raten and will cover all author's right* to the material mbmltttd.

SeaScope Is published quarterly for free distribution through local aquarium dealei*. Dealer* not receiving copies of SeaScope far distribution to their customers should call Aquarium Syterm, Inc to be added to the mailing list. Telephone 1-800-822-1 KM, Aqua- Interested In receiving copies directly should send their name and address, along, with $2.00 for patage and handling (four' lsçuei ta SççS?ç Aquarium Systems, Inc. 8141 qtef Blvd., Mentor, OH 44060. Addw comments, question* and suggestions toe Thomas A. Frakea, Editor.