Things I Learned the Hard Way

Well, I've been digging around in my brain (ouch) for some things to add to The Fickle Fishbowl. I've got quite a list, but I realize now that they aren't really in keeping with the orginal idea for the Fickle Fishbowl. Rather, they're more along the lines of "stupid things I've done." <-- I guess that could be my alternate title for this post! :) So, instead of trying to pull a Fickle Fishbowl post outta my you-know-where (cuz let's face it - it would be stinky), I thought I'd delight you all with a few "what not to do" ideas. If my foolishness can save just one person from experiencing some of these... well, then my suffering has not been vain. (and if you laugh your butt off, then it's all been worth it!)

1. Wash your hands

Most of us know to wash our hands before we eat and after we use the bathroom (at least I hope so). Some of us know to wash our hands before we stick them in our fish tanks to keep the oils and chemicals out the tank. But do we all wash our hands when we're all done?

Yeah? How about between tanks? Why is this important?

Well, first off - you really can't wash your hands too much (OCD aside). But more importantly for this post, there is that "window for error" in the space of time between ending work on one tank and beginning work on another. During that window (no matter how long or short it may be) all sorts of unfortunate things can happen. Here's just one example:

I wash my hands and begin doing a water change on one of my tanks. I've now got "fish-poo" water (as my family calls it) all over my hands. My son comes in and offers me a piece of his candy. "Oh, how nice of him to want to share with me," I think. But I remind him of the "fish-poo" water and have him pop the tasty treat into my mouth. Then I thank him and mentally pat myself on the back for reinforcing my son's desire to share while maintaining sanitary conditions. (two thumbs WAY up for Mommy!)

I rock, right? Yeah well... just wait. So I finish that water change get ready to do the next tank. I'm not actually doing the water change yet, so I guess my brain took a little break. Cuz here's the important fact I've neglected to mention so far. That yummy candy my son was sharing? Umm, yeah... they were JuJee Fruits. You know, the candy with super-glue as it's primary ingredient? Hmmm, yep - that one. So what does super-fishie-mommy do? Sticks her finger in her mouth to dig the candy out of her teeth. Oh yeah - I did. (gack!) Suddenly a flavor other than the candy flavor fills my mouth. Anyone who has ever had a mouthful of mid-summer pond water knows what I'm talking about.

Moral of the story? One thing I learned the hard way - I can't trust my brain to save me, so always error on the side of caution. Wash hands before, during and after work on tanks. Wash, wash often and when in doubt - wash again.

Swim on by later in the week for another "Things I Learned the Hard Way" (aka Stupid Things I've Done).

Got a thing you learned the hard way to share? Just want to comment on my stupidity? Post a comment and let us know!

The Fickle Fishbowl ~ Duckweed

The Fickle Fishbowl ~ Duckweed

Today's Fickle Fishbowl column will be dealing with duckweed. Whether you call it by its scientific name (Lemnaceae minor), or by some of its more common names (duckweed, water lentils), or "You stupid piece of crap! Get the heck outta my tank and stop sticking to my fingers!" most aquarist who keep live plants have had some dealings with it. Why? Because, much like unwanted snails, duckweed is another hitchhiker that that we have to contend with.

Wanna see a mug shot? Taa Daa....

Pic from Plantedtank.net (pic shows actual size)

Awhh, it looks so cute and harmless, doesn't it? Don't be fooled! This stuff multiplies rapidly (even when it appears to be dead) and sticks to everything! Once you get a little piece of duckweed in your tank, it's a neverending battle to get rid of it. Worse, since it's a sticky little hitchhiker, you may be inadvertently transferring it to other tanks as well.

Why it's evil

Well, ok... I guess it's not truly "evil" but any time I'm doing water changes or filter maintenance, that's the word that pops into my head. Evil, evil, evil! I so much as look at my tanks containing this stuff and (I swear!) it jumps out of the tank and sticks on my hands, my clothes, and even in my hair. Eh, ok ~ I'm exaggerating a bit, but it seems that way! It does stick to your hands, your equipment and can get into and clog your filters and pipes. Don't believe me? Check this out:

pic from http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Plant,%20Duckweed.htm

Not so bad, you say? Just wipe it off, you say? Yeah well... see that tiny dot on the middle finger? That tiny little speck is all it will take to turn your beautifully planted tank into this:

Ew! Not so pretty now, is it? See it sticking to the bare glass? That stuff will dry out and look dead, only to be accidentally knocked off into the tank and WHAM! Duckweed soup all over again. Think I'm exaggerating this time? Some people have reported that duckweed can cover 2x its previous surface area in as little as 3 to 4 days! That's right ~ I said DAYS!

Consider that most people who are victims of duckweed hitchhikers are planted tank keepers. Duckweed creates yet another problem. Since it is a surface-dwelling plant, a thick mat of duckweed will quickly block all light to the rest of our plants ~ effectively making those expensive plant-friendly lighting upgrades useless. Can you say, "GRRRRR!"?

But it's a plant ~ good for the tank, right? Not necessarily. While it does help with water quality ~ absorbing ammonia and nitrate from the water~ it's not the best for maintaining a proper level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the tank. Why? Well, I'll tell you. First, since this is a surface plant, most of the oxygen released by duckweed is released into the air. That's right ~ THE AIR! How is that beneficial to your fish? Second, if left unchecked, duckweed can quickly cover the entire surface of your tank. This limits the water's natural ability to outgas carbon dioxide. Is that important? You bet it is. Contrary to what most people believe, it is not the lack of oxygen that kills fish, but the concentration of carbon dioxide. If we don't have a large enough surface-to-air area in our tanks, we can kill our fish. Water circulation equipment (airstones for example) are beneficial NOT because they add oxygen to the water, but because they aggitate the surface of the water ~ allowing carbon dioxide to escape the water column. Hmmm, not looking good for duckweed.

Let's Be Fair

In the right situations, duckweed CAN be an asset to a fishkeeper. It really depends on what you need in your aquariums. If you keep fish that require super-high veggie content in their food, duckweed can help to balance out their diet ~ if they'll eat it. Duckweed has been reported to have laxative properties, so fish known for swim bladder disease or certain types of bloat could benefit from duckweed in their diet. Goldfish and koi are known to love this stuff! A few of my cichlids will nibble on it a bit, but because of the risk of clogging my filter (a HUGE no-no when keeping messy fish) I only add a few pieces at a time and watch to be sure it's eaten.

Use with caution! The preferred method of including duckweed in your fish's diet is to keep the plant in a separate tank, harvest and freeze it, and either mix it into your homemade fish food or feed it in small quanities as you would any other frozen food.

Another possible benefit of duckweed is that it provides cover for fry and shades the tank to help some fish feel more secure. It also provides a place for infusoria to thrive ~ first foods for many small fry.

So, duckweed can be food and shelter for certain fish, but is duckweed the best plant to provide this? That's a question that every aquarist has to answer for themselves ~ it depends. ;) Many plants can provide cover, if grown properly. Any fine-leaved plant (many mosses, such as java moss) can provide a place for infusoria to shelter. And many high-quality commercial and homemade foods do not contain duckweed. That said, duckweed is a plant we can definitely do without!

Well? What's your take on duckweed? Have a story to share? Let us know!

The Fickle Fishbowl - Gripes and Grouches of an Aquarist

Malaysian Trumpet Snails

In this Fickle Fishbowl installment, I'm going to address the little critter that has become the bane of my existence... that's right, folks ~ the dreaded Malaysian Trumpet Snail, aka Melanoides tuberculata. And for those of you who don't know what snail I'm refering to...

Taa Daa! Here's his mugshot:

Grrr ~ Just looking at the pic gets my blood to boiling. lol

Now, to be fair ~ not everyone shares my feelings about this little guy. Some people actually like them and PURPOSEFULLY add them to their aquariums because they do provide certain benefits. (Yeah, I was one of those in the beginning - sad, but true). They're great at eating leftover food that falls to the bottom and they burrow into the substrate during the day, reducing the risk of developing those nasty pockets of anaerobic bacteria. As a bonus, they do NOT eat all your live plants.

Sounds great huh? Well, in small numbers, these snails would be a great addition to an aquarium. But notice I said "small numbers." Ahhh~ there's the catch you see, because these are some prolific, live-bearing little buggers! Just one trumpet snail can easily and quickly become hundreds and you may not even notice them until it's too late because they hide during the day and come out after lights-out.

These little suckers have managed to infiltrate nearly every tank in my fishroom. I've tried nearly everything, short of chemical treatment, to evict them and they always come back.

Hand-picking them out of the tank is an exercise in futility ~ you always miss at least one and it's terribly time-consuming. I've tried reduced feeding, but I have other bottom-feeders that need to eat so that's a little tricky. Plus, they'll eat algae if there aren't any left-overs for them to munch on and let's face it - it's nearly impossible to keep all the algae out of a planted tank.

I've thought of stocking the tank with something that will eat the snails, but Trumpet Snails have such hard shells that most fish can't eat them. Puffers have been known to suck them out of their shells, and ooooh ~ I'd love to have one! But they're a demanding fish to keep. Puffers should be housed by themselves and do best in at least a low-end brackish tank. Considering the fact that my hubby is holding my new living room flooring hostage against my promise to not set up any more tanks, that's just not an option right now. *sigh*

Light on the Horizon

So, one day I'm cruising around one my favorite forums, Fishgeeks (http://www.aquaria.info/). I run across a post about an Assassin Snail! Yep, you heard me right ~ Assassin Snail, aka Anetome helena. WOOT! *nods* These guys eat other snails! The really cool part is that they supposedly prefer the pest snails so will eat them first. Once those are all gone, these sweet little hit-men turn cannibal and start taking each other out. Instant population control. Wanna see this blood-thirsty beauty?

Taa Daa... Here he is:

Isn't he a beautiful little killer? :)

But as always, there's a glitch to any perfect solution ~ Assassin snails aren't commercially available in the US yet. Believe me... I tried. lol I even when so far as to call one of the lfs nearby and ask them if they would special order some for me. No go. Even they can't get any.

But wait! Don't give up hope yet! They have been found on Aquabid, from a seller in Germany. 3 snails for $20 - shipped. Shipped, I say! Now, compared to the price of your average snail (free to $1-2) that might seem steep, but think about what they can do! They eat other snails! I am soooo getting my hands on some of these (as soon as I can figure out how to get them in my house and into their tanks without my hubby seeing). I'll be sure to post an update of my Assassin snail adventure.

Anyone else have an experience with either of these snails? Feel free to share!