Lesson 7: Housing and Feeding

Question 1

Housing information per species:

Answer 1

Animal source
Caging material
Size of enclosures
Housing density
Lighting requirements (intensity, photoperiod, wavelength)
Temperature requirements
Food (types, quantities, sources, preparation, frequency of feeding)
Differential care for varying life stages
Cleaning schedules and processes
Colony propagation
Species lifespan
Quarantine procedures
Diseases commonly encountered, available treatments
Observations and data collection required
Services required
Specialized equipment
Enrichment strategies

Question 2

Housing information for aquatic species:

Answer 2

Typical lab water quality parameters, e.g., pH, hardness, salinity, dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and ammonia levels
Source water used
Animal water preparation or pretreatment method
Trace mineral requirements
Type of housing, e.g., flow-through, static (closed), or recirculating system
Flow rate if flowing water
Volume of water; need for depth gradient
Aeration/air or oxygen supply and degassing as necessary

Question 3

What is an addition to traditional indoor housing in tanks?

Answer 3

Pond environments

Question 4

What is one downside to ponds compared to indoor housing systems?

Answer 4

Higher potential to spread pathogens, including the spread of parasites.

Question 5

Water sources should be?

Answer 5

Tested and treated to remove contaminants and pathogens before being used to support fish

Question 6

municipal water should be treated to remove?

Answer 6

Chlorine and chloramines

Question 7

Why could water pipes impose a potential problem?

Answer 7

It can contain contaminants such as metals from pipes, which may be toxic.

Question 8

What type of water pipes from municipal sources are fine?

Answer 8

Black iron or plastic water pipes.

Question 9

How much is a safe aquarium temperature change?

Answer 9

not exceed 2 celsius per 24 hour period.

Question 10

The various water quality parameters that must be monitored?

Answer 10

pH, alkalinity, temperature, conductivity, salinity, hardness, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, total ammonia, nitrate levels, chlorine and chloramine levels.

Question 11

Common types of filters?

Answer 11

*Biologic
*Mechanical
*Chemical

Question 12

Biologic filter?

Answer 12

A system comprised of an inert (stable) substrate, typically silicone, gravel, glass, or plastic, with a high surface area, plus large numbers of nitrifying bacteria that bind to the substrate.

Question 13

Biological filteration utilizes?

Answer 13

Nitrifying bacteria to oxidize ammonia (toxic) to less toxic nitrites and nitrates.

Question 14

Nitrosomonas?

Answer 14

They oxidize ammonium to nitrate

Question 15

Nitrobacter?

Answer 15

Oxidizes nitrite to nitrate

Question 16

It can take ______ or _______ to establish a healthy biologic filter with the appropriate bacteria.

Answer 16

weeks, months

Question 17

Mechanical filter?

Answer 17

Physically removes solid waste from the tank that would otherwise not be processed by bacterial breakdown or chemical filtration. Mechanical filtration involves filtering tank water t through a mesh, sponge filter, or another matrix to physically trap larger, solid waste.

Question 18

Chemical filtration?

Answer 18

Removes dissolved chlorine and dissolved organic compounds, including wastes, which may pass through a mechanical filter. It typically involves passing water over activated carbon, a highly porous substance that acts like a sponge, binding chemicals to its surface.

Question 19

Tanks and ponds should be drained, dried, or treated with a chemical sterilant between?

Answer 19

Groups of fish

Question 20

Is weekly cleaning of housing units common?

Answer 20

Yes

Question 21

Any equipment contacting the fish or water must be?

Answer 21

Disinfected between tanks.

Question 22

Detergents and other chemical commonly used for disinfecting are very or not very toxic to fish?

Answer 22

Very

Question 23

What should you do to disinfected equipment before being used in tanks with live fish?

Answer 23

Rinsed

Question 24

In recirculating systems, _____ and ____ may be used as disinfectants to decrease disease transmission risk.

Answer 24

ultraviolet light, ozone

Question 25

Ozone is used to?

Answer 25

improve water clarity and reduce dissolved organic debris

Question 26

Ozone in excessive amounts are?

Answer 26

Toxic to humans and fish

Question 27

Wild-caught fish prefer what food?

Answer 27

Live food

Question 28

Most fish will or not adapt to pelleted foods?

Answer 28

Will

Question 29

What could happen when you overfeed fish?

Answer 29

Immunocompromise and in some species, enhance cannibalism

Question 30

What’s better, overfeeding or underfeeding fish?

Answer 30

Underfeeding

Question 31

Endogenous?

Answer 31

Yolk Sac

Question 32

Exogenous?

Answer 32

Live food