Fish Husbandry Flashcards

1
Q

What do fish need from their environment?

A

Water, Oxygen , Stable conditiosn (Water chemsitry & Temp), Complete balance diet

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2
Q

What can poor husbandry lead to?

A

Increase stress, Decrease immunity

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3
Q

How do you maintain water quality?

A

Correct stocking density, Filtration system, Aeration, Monitor Temp, Regular cleaning & partial water changes, Regular water quality testing

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4
Q

What does it take to maintain healthy fish?

A

Compatible sepcies together, Quarantine new fish for 4 weeks before introduction, Provide good quality food

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5
Q

What are the water quality components you need to be aware of?

A

Dissolved gases, Nitrogenous compounds, Temo, pH, Hardness, Alkalinity, Salinity + other

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6
Q

List the dissolved gases

A

Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon dixoide

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7
Q

Why might dissolved oxygen fall to fatally hypoxic levels?

A

Overstocking, overfeeding, lots of rotting organic matter actively degraded by bacteria, too many plants

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8
Q

Where is the main source of dissolved oxygen in most bodies of water?

A

Photosynthesis by submerged plants but plants require daylight (using up OD) so large decreses in OD may occur during the night if plants are preent

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9
Q

When should you especially measure dissolved oxygen levels?

A

Early in the monring

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10
Q

What are the oxygen requirements?

A

Varies with species, age, size & health of fish, Increses with feeding & stress, Most fish require at least 6mg/I dissolved oxygen

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11
Q

Why might there be carbon dioxide in the water?

A

Produce via respiration by the fish, bacteria and plants at night

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12
Q

When are the dissolved levels of carbon dioxide?

A

Just before down and in fish who are left in a sealed plastic bag for long periods

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13
Q

What nitrogenous compounds might be present in bodies of water?

A

Fish excere ammonia (NH₃) from gills + kindets, Bacteria use ammonia as energy source (convert to nitrie NO₂⁻) and Other bacteria convert nitrie into nitrate NO₃²⁻) Ammonia & Nitrite are v. toxic

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14
Q

Can you draw out the nitrogen cycle?

A
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15
Q

Optimum levels of Ammonia

A

0mg/l

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16
Q

Optimum levels of nitrite

A

0ml/l

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17
Q

Optimum levles of nitrate

A

<50mg/l

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18
Q

How do you prevent “New tank syndrome’?

A

Several weeks for bacteria to become establoshed & for filter to function efficiently in new tanks/ponds before adding fish

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19
Q

Can you draw out what occurs during new tank syndrome?

A
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20
Q

What two bacteria are needed to establihs a filter?

A

Nitrosomonas & Nitrobacter

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21
Q

What Is the process of filter maturation referred to as?

A

Cycling

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22
Q

What does nitrosomonas do?

A

Oxidise ammonia to nitrite

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23
Q

What does nitrobacter do?

A

Oxidise nitraite to nitrate

24
Q

How can we speed up the process of cycling?

A

Seed the filter with part mature media from an establihs tank, Use concentrated bacteria, Use hardy “seed fish” (~ethis)

25
Q

Why must cycling a filter be monitored?

A

Parameters are monitored to determine when more stoack can be added, Addition of new animals will increase NH₃ = requires more bacteria to grow

26
Q

After cycling how are nitrate levels controlled?

A

Via plants + regular water changes

27
Q

What can excess nitrate lelves cause?

A

Excessive plant growth/algal blooms

28
Q

Why is temperature important?

A

Fish are ectothrmic, Species dependant (all have optimum range but some tolerate wide ranges - goldfish 2-40)

29
Q

What rates rely on temperautre?

A

Metabolic, feeding and grwoth

30
Q

What can rapid changes in temperature cause?

A

Stress & Reduce resistance to disease

31
Q

What does increase temperature lead to?

A

Decrease dissolved oxygen, Increase toxicity of ammonia (NH₄⁺ → NH₃)

32
Q

What is the optimum pH levels of hobbyists for most fish speices?

A

06-8pH

33
Q

What value of changes of pH during acclimitastion is recommnede?

A

0.3 or less per day

34
Q

What could be an underlying cause for low pH?

A

Runoff from peaty soil into pond during heavy rain/due to poor drainage design, Tap water can be mildly acidic due to chlorine (formation of hydrochloric acid)

35
Q

What could be an underlying cause for high pH?

A

Runoff from soil/concrete into pond during heavy rain/poor drainage design, Build-up of ammonia if filtration system not working properly/excessive decomposing waste patter present

36
Q

Sailinity, What’s it about?

A

Most pet fish in the UK are freshwater, Marine species are much more challenging to keep & Only toleralte narrow ranges of salinity

37
Q

Describe the simple treatment for freshwater fish

A

Salt (pure sodium chloride) can be used as a treatment for freshwarer fish at times of stress (transport/disease) dissolved in their water at specifc conc (eg. 2-6g/L)

38
Q

How could chlorine be present in the water?

A

Tap water, Toxicity depends on pH, temp, dissolved oxygen and species of fish

39
Q

How could metal solutes be present in the water?

A

Copper, Iron, Lead - leach out of metal water pipes

40
Q

What household substances be present in water?

A

Pesticides, Aerosal sprays, Tobacco smoke

41
Q

Describe the ideal freshwater aquarium management

A

Bigger = Better (Larger water volume → More stable water quality), Posistion away from direct sunlight, draughts & room heaters, Use aquarium heater for tropical fish

42
Q

Lighting for freshwater aquariums

A

Artifical preferable to sunlight - controlled, Natural periods - 10-12h per day + Helps with plant growth

43
Q

Aeration for freshwater aquariums

A

Filter usually provides sufficient aeration + water circulation in small hobbysit tanks, Additional provided via air pumps + air-stones

44
Q

What filtration opetions are avilable for freshwater aquiariums?

A

Foam filter, Undergravel filter, Power filter, Trickle filter

45
Q

What functions doe a filter carry out?

A

Mechanical (suspended debris) + Biological (encourage bacterial + micro-organism ammonia + frnitrie) filtration

46
Q

Average lifespan of goldfish

A

25 (5-10)

47
Q

Where would you position a pond?

A

Open area - Sun for most of the day (shade midday & shelter from winter winds), Away from trees & Overhanging bushes, Ground level (no-run-off), Access to water & electricity

48
Q

Size of pond

A

Larger usually better in terms of stable conditions but cathcing fish becomes difficult

49
Q

Filtration in ponds

A

Similar principle to those used in aquaria, Different types avilable

50
Q

Ultraviolet lamps + Ponds

A

Can be used for large ponds + aquaria, Kill single-cell algae & other micro-organisms in water pumped systems

51
Q

Pumps + Ponds

A

Helps with water movement & aeration, Essential if filter used, to keep water flowing through it

52
Q

Ponds + Winter

A

At <4℃ cold water floats above warm water & freezes, Outdoor ponds at least 1m deep to allow fish to survive winter unless pond heater used, Ensure hole in ice for oxygen supply

53
Q

How to feed fish?

A

Feed 2-4x/day only as much food that is consumed within 2-3 minutes + ensuring uneaten food is removed, Important not to overfeed

54
Q

What to feed fish?

A
  • Various types of commercially prepared food available,
  • Should be mixed protein content & contain a range of vits & mins
  • Consider the levels of water for each species feeds at choose the most appropraite food (surface/Mid/bottom = Flakes/stick/tablets etc), -
  • Some fresh food may be fed dependant on speices
55
Q

What is the majority of energy source for fish?

A

Protein - require 30-36% protein in diet

56
Q

Feeding + Ponds

A

Well planted = Minimal additional feeding unless there is a high stocking rate, Same applies as previous, Reduce to single feed during daylight as temps decrease, No feeds when water temp <8℃