Aquatics Cards

Question 1

State 2 functions of the swim bladder of a fish:

Answer 1

• Buoyancy
• Respiration

Question 2

State 2 sources of aquatic livestock:

Answer 2

• Pet shops
• Wild caught

Question 3

State 3 considerations that should be made when siting an aquarium at home:

Answer 3

• Nearby power sources
• Away from predators
• The temperature of the room

Question 4

State 3 types of food presentation methods for fish:

Answer 4

• Scatter feeding
• Hand feeding
• Automatic feeder

Question 5

Identify the pathogen responsible for white spot / ich:

Answer 5

• Protozoan pathogen

Question 6

Explain how different filtration systems maintain the health & stability of an aquarium:

Answer 6

• Mechanical filters exchange the water & trap particles
• Chemical filters remove pathogens
• Biological filters maintain bacteria to remove harmful chemicals.

Question 7

Explain why a range of feeding techniques need to be used for a mixed species tank:

Answer 7

• Filter feeders need food that dissolves in the water because they feed by straining suspended food matter & particles from the water
• Surface feeders need food that will float on the surface because they won’t dive for food
• Bottom feeders need food that will sink to the bottom because they pick up substrate, sift out the food, then spit the substrate out again

Question 8

State 3 pieces of legislation that an aquatics shop needs to comply with:

Answer 8

• Animal Welfare Act 2006 (AWA 2006)
• Pet Animals Act 1951 (PAA 1951)
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA 1974)

Question 9

Explain 2 advantages & 2 disadvantages of egg scattering as a breeding strategy for fish:

Answer 9

Advantages:
• Lots of eggs produced
• No parental care
Disadvantages:
• High levels of predation
• Most eggs fail to hatch

Question 10

Describe 2 ways that poor water quality can cause ill health in fish:

Answer 10

• Can cause stress which lowers the immune system
• Can cause the nitrogen cycle to desync

Question 11

Explain why it’s important to record the number & species in each tank for a commercial aquarium.

Answer 11

• To avoid overcrowding
• To ensure filtration system(s) being used are adequate as per stock level
• To provide enough food & the right type of food for the entire tank’s stock

Question 12

State 3 advantages of flaked fish food?

Answer 12

• Suitable for most fish
• Widely available
• Often cheaper than other food types

Question 13

Explain 3 characteristics of egg depositors that often result in a high breeding success rate:

Answer 13

• They clean their eggs to prevent parasites
• They often defend their eggs from predators
• They produce larger eggs, giving them a size advantage

Question 14

Describe 3 ethical considerations when importing wild caught fish for a pet shop:

Answer 14

• It depletes wild populations
• The fish may not be sustainably sourced
• It has the potential to introduce diseases / parasites to existing stock

Question 15

Explain 2 adaptations of lungfish to their environment:

Answer 15

• They use lungs to get oxygen, enabling survival in poorly oxygenated water
• They create burrows to survive droughts

Question 16

Explain why algae wafers should be used as part of a feeding strategy in a mixed species aquarium:

Answer 16

• They sink to the bottom, allowing bottom feeders to access food while still allowing other species access to the nutrition

Question 17

Explain 1 function of the lateral line in fish:

Answer 17

• Detects movements in the surroundings, allowing the fish to navigate its environment

Question 18

Chondrichthyes is a class of fish. Name 1 other class of fish:

Answer 18

• Agnatha

Question 19

Explain 1 disadvantage of the egg scattering reproduction strategy of some fish:

Answer 19

• No parental protection makes the eggs susceptible to predators, resulting in a lower survival rate

Question 20

Explain 3 reasons for keeping accurate records of species numbers in an aquarium:

Answer 20

• To identify births and prevent overstocking
• To ensure appropriate food types for all species
• To identify deaths for disease treatment