|
|
|
NON-FISH SPECIES
NON-FISH SPECIES
There are several animals that are kept in aquaria, that are not fish. Some of the common non-fish aquarium species are included here.
Invertebrates
There are several invertebrates kept in aquaria, snails being the most common. When keeping invertebrates remember that the pH should be kept above 7.0, and the water should be copper free. Always aerate the water well.
Apple snails (Ampullaria, Pomacea): Apple snails can reach the size of an apple and come in a variety of colors. These snails breathe at the water surface through a proboscis, and may move above the water and right out of the tank if there is not a tight-fitting cover. This snail eating decaying matter and flake foods. If the Apple snail is not fed sufficiently, it will eat plants. The eggs are laid above the water.
Ramshorn snails (Helisoma): There are a wide variety of ramshorn snails which have a shell shaped like a ram’s horn. Ramshorn snails reach a size of 0.8" (2 cm). Ramshorn snails may eat plants and multiply rapidly with overfeeding. Ramshorn snails will eat algae.
Malaysian or Trumpet snails (Melanoides): These snails, having a spiraled shell, bear live young. They move through the substrate loosening it up and consuming debris. These snails do not harm plants.
Mystery snails (Viviparus): These snails reach a size of 0.8" (2 cm) and feeds on algae, plant matter, and excess food. The young are born live. Do not allow the water temperature to exceed 75°F (24°C).
Blue Marron (Cherax tenuimanus): The Blue Marron inhabits pools in West Australia. Use water with a pH from 7.2-8.5, 8-20 dH, 59-72°F (15-22°C). Blue Marron are territorial and each fish require a retreat. This species can be combined with large non-aggressive fish, especially if the movable portion of the claw is removed. Blue Marron feed on decaying matter in nature, and almost anything in aquaria. Before molting, the crayfish may lose color, stop eating, and rest upside down. For two days after spawning, the Marron is vulnerable. The Blue Marron has been bred with some success. Males have projections at the base of the fifth pair of legs, while females have openings at the base of the third pair of legs. The Blue Marron can be induced to spawn by raising the temperature and increasing the period of illumination. The young, numbering as many as 300, can be removed from the underside of the female’s tail. The parents are cannibalistic.
Penguin Shrimp (Atyopsis): The shrimp in this genus range in size, though those that do not exceed 4" (10 cm) are recommended for aquaria. This shrimp can be combined with peaceful fish of the upper swimming levels. The Penguin Shrimp feeds on most foods. In a tank with several specimen, young will likely produced as long as there is plenty of cover and algae. The young drop of the underside of the female and try to escape without being eaten.
Red-clawed Crab: The Red-Clawed crab is a species that must be allowed access to the surface. Thus this species is better suited to a brackish water, half-filled aquarium. The Red-clawed crab feeds on any dry food or plant matter. Use a tight-fitting cover. The Red-clawed crab reaches 2.7" (7 cm) and can be combined with other brackish water species. This crab can be kept in hard, alkaline freshwater.
Fiddler Crab (Uca): The Fiddler crab reaches 2.4" (6 cm). This species must have access to dry land, and is best kept in a tank filled only half way with water. Brackish water is preferred, and a sandy beach is suggested. This crab constructs burrows in the sand. The tank should be furnished with a tight-fitting cover. Combine the Fiddler crab with medium sized brackish water species. This species will eat almost any foods.
Amano Shrimp (Caridina japonica): Information coming soon.
Vertebrates
African Water Frog (Hymenochirus): These aquatic frogs, up to 3.2" (8 cm), can be kept in a well-planted aquarium housed with peaceful fish species. African frogs eat live foods that reach the substrate, but will not compete for food. This frog is most active at dusk and should be fed after the lights are off so that it is more likely to be able to reach the food.
African Clawed Frog (Xenopus): This aquatic frog, can be kept in an aquarium with medium-sized, peaceful fish. Females reach 5" (13 cm), while males reach 3.2" (8 cm). Feed this frog live food. Breeding produces as many as 15,000 eggs, which hatch after two days. Use water with a pH from 6.5-8, 2-10 dH, 77-84°F (24-29°C).
|
|
|
|
Recent news
Census of marine life opens with 122,000 species
(7/1/2008) Discovering a new species can be the highlight of a biologist's career. Yet once a species enters the formal literature, complications may develop. The systen has been especially problematic because for centuries biologists have lacked the tools to construct a full and flexible list of the world's innumerable species. Using the Internet and hundreds of scientists around the world, the Census of Marine Life is attempting to take on this monumental task.
Large shark populations fall 97% in the Mediterranean
(6/12/2008) Populations of some shark species in the Mediterranean have plunged by more than 97 percent over the past 200 years, report researchers writing in the journal Conservation Biology. Several species are at risk of extinction.
Dried-up Colorado takes toll on giant Mexican fish
(6/8/2008) The Colorado River vanishes before it reaches the Sea of Cortez in all but the wettest years. Companies in California and the southwestern U.S. have diverted its once-vibrant flow to quench their thirst for water and power. Now, a new study in the April 2008 issue of the journal Biological Conservation reports that the dwindling of this major artery has changed the way some marine fish in the Gulf of California grow and develop.
Diversity in streams may brace Chinook salmon for climate change
(6/3/2008) Chinook salmon face a one-two punch. They have disappeared from several rivers in the western U.S. largely because of human interventions and some populations are threatened or endangered. Numbers of Chinook in California's Central Valley have dwindled by 88 percent in the past five years, a loss that closed fisheries for 2008 and may cost California's economy $167 million, according to the state Department of Fish and Game. On top of all this looms a second impact: These salmon will be in hotter water still because of climate change.
Greenpeace ship attacked by Turkish tuna fishermen during protest
(5/30/2008) Members of a Turkish tuna fishing boat attacked the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise while the ship was engaged in a protest against overfishing. The incident occurred Friday in the Cypriot Channel and was reported to the Turkish Iskenderun Gulf Port Authorities.
|
|
