Top 100 Fish in Port Macquarie

1. Top 100 Fish in Port Macquarie It's a fine lazy day and you're just kicking back and enjoying the aquarium you've worked so hard to set up. But wait, something's off. One of your fish looks like he's been rolling in the sand. And another seems to have less fins than you remember. And still another is so swollen he looks as though he's about to burst. All in all, it looks as though your fish are sick! Yup, keep fish long enough and it's something you'll have to face eventually, and usually fairly early unfortunately. You see, illness is often preventable, but typically we only learn how to do so after doing it wrong the first time. But fear not! Many ailments can be turned around if spotted early and treated properly. Free, local, classifieds, classified Ads, icracker, icracker.com.au, Port Macquarie, Fish, classes, real estate, babysitter, dog, cat, shared rooms, pets, rental, apartments, apartment for rent, jobs, resume, cars, housing, furniture, personals, services, events, appliances marketplace, private, for free, search, find Spotting Illness So how can you tell that a fish is sick in the first place? It's not like they're going to tap you on the shoulder and let you know. For the most part the only way you'll know something is wrong is through careful observation of their appearance and behavior. Hopefully you're already fairly well acquainted with what could be considered normal for your fish and can thus notice when something is off. Here are some key things to take note of: -paleness/color change -clamped fins (the fins are held close to the body) -scraping or rubbing against objects in the tank -heavy breathing -loss of appetite -loss of equilibrium -hiding/isolation -decreased activity ... and of course the more obvious signs like visible sores, swelling, and the like.Keeping a watchful eye out for signs of illness is an important part of keeping fish. Try to take a few minutes each day to check for any signs that something is amiss. Feeding time provides an ideal opportunity to do this as most fish are at their most active when there's a meal to be had. An illness caught early is far easier to treat and the chances of the affected fish surviving the ordeal are far greater. For many ailments your fish may face by the time it's blatantly obvious it is too late.

2. Quarantine Tanks Of course one step better than treating your fish once they become sick is preventing it from happening in the first place. The absolute best way to prevent diseases from reaching your tank is by using a quarantine tank. A quarantine tank is essentially just a small bare bones aquarium setup where all new arrivals can spend a week or two before entering your main setup. This gives you ample time to make sure your new fish are in good health before they have a chance to potentially spread any diseases to your other fish. It also gives new arrivals a chance to recover from the stress of moving in a quiet and peaceful environment. And if a problem does arise having the specimen already isolated makes treatment much easier as well. Finally, in the event that a problem does reach the fish in the main aquarium the quarantine tank can serve as a hospital tank as well, preventing the further spread of disease and providing a safer and more controlled environment for the application of any treatments. Water Quality In addition to a quarantine tank, keeping your fish in good general health goes a long way towards preventing any illness from taking hold. Most common diseases often arise in fish only when their health is already compromised. What causes their health to become compromised? The majority of the time the culprit is poor water quality. A fish trying to live in dirty water in kind of like you trying to live in a house filled with smoke- it's unlikely you'll be in the best of health. Keeping on top of your aquarium setup's maintenance is key to keeping your fish healthy and disease free. As such, should your fish ever become ill your first step should always be to make sure the water is in excellent condition. All the critical parameters, such as ammonia, nitrate, pH, and temperature, should be checked. Always be suspicious of any equipment or decor that was recently added to the tank as well which could be leeching something toxic into the water. And, even if poor water quality isn't the root cause of the illness, a water change is never a bad idea When it comes to recovery the cleaner the water the better. About Medications Often people go straight for the medications at the first sign of an illness in their fish, usually without even knowing what exactly is wrong. This is a bad move. Positive identification of a disease is absolutely essential before beginning application of any medication. Many medications aren't exactly easy on your fish either meaning using the wrong one could end up further stressing your fish without curing their illness, likely leading to death. Still, should you encounter a disease where a medication is applicable it can be a real life saver. Just make sure to remove any carbon from the filter before beginning treatment as it will soak up the medication before it has a chance to act. And, it should go without saying that the directions should be followed to a T. Pay particular attention to any warnings dealing with

3. species the medication should not be used with. Some, for example, will kills snails and plants if there are any in the tank. Common Ailments There are tons and tons of diseases your fish may face- far more than what are listed here. However, many of them are fairly rare, affecting only a few specific species or only arising under specific circumstances. Instead, this list tries to cover only the most common ones that most aquarists tend to run into. Ammonia Poisoning/New Tank Syndrome signs- red irritated gills, fish gasping for air at the surface, most common in new tanks As the common name of 'new tank syndrome' suggests, this is typically only a problem in freshly setup aquariums, although it can occur is older systems if the filtration system is severely damaged. Basically, not all bacteria are out to make a meal of your fish. Some are actually quite helpful, and necessary, to your aquarium. Their job is to process the fish's waste from highly toxic substances, namely ammonia, into compounds they can more easily tolerate. The process of establishing these bacteria in a new system is called cycling. Unfortunately, this step is frequently skipped leading to a buildup of ammonia which in short order leads to dead fish. treatment: water changes To solve this problem you basically just have to keep the water clean through frequent water changes until the bacteria have established themselves and can take over. A test kit for ammonia is very helpful here as ideally you want to keep the ammonia level under 1ppm. Typically you will need to do a small water change daily for a few weeks to allow the cycle to complete while keeping the tank habitable for your fish. Keeping feedings light during this time can also help keep the waste load low which in turn keeps the water cleaner. Fish Fungus signs- fish has fuzzy whitish globs or patches attached to its fins and/or body Like a lot a ailments you're likely to encounter, fish fungus usually appears on fish whose health has already been compromised. The fungi that cause it are quite common and pretty much guaranteed to be in the tank at all times. This normally wouldn't be a problem, but when a fish is already in poor shape the fungus can get a hold very easily. It often starts at the site of an injury, which could be anything from small scrapes to major sores, and spreads quickly from there.

4. treatment: medication for fungal infections The best way to treat fungal infections is with medication designed for them. Of course making sure the tank is in good shape is key as well as the fish is likely already in poor shape and needs all the help he can get recovering. As a side note, many remedies for fungal infections also work against bacterial infections which can bring some added benefit if the fish's initial poor health was brought on by one. Ick/Ich and Velvet signs- fish is covered in lightly colored specks or has a dusty appearance Free, local, classifieds, classified Ads, icracker, icracker.com.au, Port Macquarie, Fish, classes, real estate, babysitter, dog, cat, shared rooms, pets, rental, apartments, apartment for rent, jobs, resume, cars, housing, furniture, personals, services, events, appliances marketplace, private, for free, search, find Click here