Nine Simple Rules to Healthier Fish

"Nine Simple Rules"
Buying Healthy Fish and Keeping Them Healthy
(applies to coral and invertebrates, too)

By Richard “Dick” Hilgers (aka: Amphibious)

This article is dedicated to the memory of my mentor, Robert P. L. Straughn, deceased.

We've all done it!!! We’ve all regretted it!!! Buying a fish on impulse, only to be sorry and poorer a few days later. Money wasted in an expensive hobby is foolishness. If you want to waste money, send it to me!!!

This article is directed toward anyone who purchases fish, coral and invertebrates for their marine aquarium, regardless of size, filtration system complexity or simplicity. No matter your experience, beginner, intermediate, serious hobbyist, or expert, These rules will serve everyone, if learned, applied and practiced with every purchase. It doesn’t matter whether you keep fish only (FO), fish only with live Rock (FOWLR), or a mixed reef (MR). Few people keep strictly corals but would apply to them also.

A little background on the Author

In the 1960s marine fish began to appear in one local fish store (LFS) in my home town, Madison, WI. It was very exciting to see beautifully colored fish swimming around in real life instead of books or occasionally on TV. What books were available had few colored pictures, most were black and white. It was only natural for a guy with 20+ freshwater aquariums (FW) in his basement, to branch off into this new and exciting marine aquarium hobby. I had been keeping aquariums since 1946. I was ready for the change and what turned out to be a challenge. I devoured every piece of literature on marine fish I could find, there weren’t many. Several new and now defunct magazines devoted to marine fish sprang up. I read them cover to cover the day they arrived in the mail. I was literally a like a sponge sopping up saltwater.

I was excited and eager. I had to learn how to keep these “jewels of the sea” alive. After all, I was known around Madison as, “The Fish Man”. After many attempts and many failures, I bought what became the first “bible” of marine aquariums, “The Saltwater Aquarium in the Home” by Robert P. L. Straughn. That book changed my direction. Bob was a fish collector and LFS owner in Miami, FL. When I found this out, I traveled to Miami to meet Bob. In a couple of hours he tutored me on how to keep marine fish alive for longer periods of time. While Bob’s book changed my direction, his tutoring changed my life. At the time, 1968, keeping fish alive 60 to 90 days was common. You simply went out and bought some more. Damsels were the mainstay and cheap about $5 each. Angel fish fetched a hefty price, $100 to $500 depending on species availability and where they were from, Atlantic or Pacific. Applying Bob’s methods and paying attention to water parameters I began keep fish alive six months to a year and soon even longer.



Here are a couple of quotes, as I remember them, from my conversation with Bob Straughn so many years ago.

“If you are going to spend your money on marine fish, dedicate your time to learning everything about their care before you make a purchase.”

“Don’t consider yourself successful until you are keeping most fish alive for a minimum of one year. If you keep a fish alive one year, he will likely live for two, three and five years or more.”

“ Learn the behavior of healthy and sick fish. Be able to tell the difference in a glance. This ability will help you immeasurably in your own systems but more so when you are buying new specimens.”

Since I was speaking to the “Master” of the times, I took Bob’s advice to heart and I dedicated my spare time to learning everything I could about this “new” area of the hobby I loved so much.

Bob Straughn died a young man. I believe he was only 56 when he died. I don’t remember the year but, it was a long time ago, about 35 years. I’m sure he would have contributed much more to the hobby he loved, had he lived longer. Rest in peace, Bob.

The marine aquarium hobby has progressed greatly, especially the last 20 years. No one could have predicted we’d be keeping corals alive in Nano tanks back then. No one even new the words Nano tank back then. Look at the outstanding reef tanks shown on every reef forum. Outstanding works of natural art. I’ve always tried my best to keep up with technology as it evolved. This hobby will continue to evolve through the 21st century. I challenge you to keep up with the changes. Keep an open mind. Try new ideas and share your results with anyone interested enough to listen. Join a forum, ask questions and provide answers when you can. Don’t flame anyone for their questions, answers or ideas. We all learn by sharing our experiences. The following are my experiences and ideas that have worked for me. They will work for you, too, if you are willing to learn.

Here are my rules, from a lifetime of experience and a dedication to improving my success with marine fish, when looking to make a purchase. Yes, I follow my own rules.

1. Look past the beauty. Most of us see the beauty in the fish and buy it. In my lifetime, I have interrupted many people looking to buy an obviously sick or distressed fish. I'll walk up to them and say, "I wouldn't buy that fish, if it were my choice". That leads to a conversation about why. It gave me many opportunities to teach a newbie a lesson and gain a friend. It also alienated me to many LFS owners so, discretion had to be exercised. So, look past the beauty is lesson number one.

2. Thoroughly look for external parasites, disease and signs of stress. If visible, avoid it like the plaque. It isn't that you can't cure it with quarantine, copper, freshwater dips and a good feeding regimen. The real risk is in contaminating your display tank. No matter how careful you are, it‘s too easy to cross contaminate. It isn't worth it. Take a pass on sick fish. Signs and behaviors to watch for are, white spots like grains of salt on the exterior of the fish (Ich), twitchy behavior, scraping itself on rocks or sand bottom (sign of parasite), listless behavior (sign of starvation, indigestion or poisoning), raised scales (sign of parasites or infection), discoloration ( sign of stress), lateral line and head area erosion (LLHHD, Lateral line hole in the head disease), rapid respiration (breathing heavily is a sign of parasites in the gills). I highly recommend walking away from every fish showing any of the above obvious signs of illness.

3. Always request to see the fish eat. If the LFS refuses for any reason or excuse, don't buy it. Tell the LFS, you will not be buying it for that reason! Many fish are net caught these days and make it through capture, holding, export to your country, holding in importer’s facility, transport to LFS in your area and displayed for your pleasure and purchase. That’s a lot off handling. Think about this chain of events, capture, bagging (collector), transport, un-bagging, acclimation (Exporter’s facility), bagging, transporting, un-bagging, acclimating (Importer’s facility), bagging, transporting, un-bagging, acclimation (LFS), All this time the fish is not feed!!! Yes, it’s true! Fish are not feed to allow them to empty there digestive tract in the holding facilities rather than in their bag, which would quickly raise ammonia levels and kill the fish before it gets into your hands! Is there any wonder why the fish is stressed when you find it at the LFS??? NO!!! Now you know what the wholesale and retail trade doesn’t want you to know. It is a strict buyer beware situation.

4. Put a hold on the fish for 24 hours minimum, longer if possible. Most LFSs will do this for you. It helps if you are a regular and they know you are coming back. Don’t do this if you don’t intend on returning in 24 to 48 hours. You could say, "Would you hold this fish for a couple of days for me?". If they agree, make sure they mark the tank that, that fish is sold with your name on it. If there are multiple specimens choose one and be sure it's marked properly. There may be six specimens but you may want a specific one. If it isn't there when you go back, be skeptical of the rest and willing to walk away.

5. Never buy on impulse. Ha, fat chance!!! This is so hard to resist but, so important. That's one reason for putting a hold on the fish. You need time to check your emotions, besides allowing the fish to show it's true colors. Giving the fish a day or two to settle down, get used to his surroundings, and hopefully eat a little. Many LFSs only throw a token amount of food, usually flake, at their tanks and let the fish fend for themselves. That’s why rule #3 is so important. Don't be afraid to go back to the LFS and decline the fish. Make sure that your display tank “fits” the fish’s requirements for a life in captivity. Also, be sure your quarantine tank is prepared to accept this new arrival. What??? You don’t quarantine??? Get out of the hobby!!! Just kidding. See #7 below.

Continued...

"Nine Simple Rules", continued...

6. Research, Research, Research. You should do your research on fish you are interested in before you go looking for them. However, while the fish is on hold, do your research on this fish. Ask yourself questions, can I take care of this fish? Is it appropriate for my system? Is it's ADULT size compatible with my current tank? Never buy a fish that "fits" into your current tank on the basis that you are going to upgrade before it outgrows your current system. The future is totally unpredictable, live in the now. There will be another specimen of that fish when your system is appropriate. Trying to stunt it is not an option, it's cruelty.

7. Quarantine. One of the most important steps to success, quarantining, is too often ignored. How careless. How wasteful. How expensive. How cruel. How stupid! Every new fish, coral, invertebrate and bag of macro algae we bring to our display tank carries the seeds for disaster. Why would you not quarantine??? MONEY, you say. I can’t afford a second tank, you say. I don’t have the room, you say. The best one I‘ve heard, my wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend won’t let me have another tank. Get out of the hobby!!! Just kidding. It’s your job to explain why a quarantine tank is so important. If you are a kid living at home with Mom and/or Dad, hopefully both, it’s a little tougher to convince them. Print out this article and let them read it. Then whine, cry, and throw tantrums until you get your way. Just kidding!!! It worked for me, back when I was nine years old.

If you follow the above procedures in making your purchases, you will seldom, maybe never, medicate your quarantine tank. What??? Would you repeat that, please??? No, just reread it. Well then what is a quarantine system used for if not to medicate new arrivals??? Good question. I’m glad you asked. It shows you are listening or reading, which ever the case may be. In my experience, following my “Nine Simple Rules to Buying Fish”, you will seldom have a need to medicate the quarantined individual. The quarantine system should rather be designated a “Health Spa”. Becoming proficient at picking fish in good but weakened condition, the function of your “Spa” QT system is to give them a place of relaxation with abundant food and time to heal the stress induced weakened condition. A place to renew. Once renewed, it’s an easy transfer to the main display tank, where your now healthy and robust new arrival can assimilate into the hierarchy of his new home without undue stress. He will eagerly eat at the first opportunity.

8. The transition from “Spa” to Display Tank. There are many ways to do this. The most important thing to remember is the “Spa” water and the display tank (DT) water are different enough that you want to take the same precaution as if you just brought him home from the LFS. There’s no need to bag and acclimate him in that fashion if you are prepared. Here’s my way.
Time your transfer to DT with a water change. Have newly mixed saltwater ready a day before. Siphon out about 1/3 of the water in the Spa tank and discard. Siphon off water from the DT and replace the Spa water. Wait 15 minutes. While waiting, replace DT water with new. Repeat this action until most of the Spa water is replaced with DT water. Top off DT with new water, transfer fish via net, plastic container or bag, which ever works best for you. Nets are not the preferred method because you risk injuring the fish during the transfer. I use a plastic beer pitcher, emptied and rinsed first of course.

9. System readiness. First prerequisite last on the list, because system readiness should be a given. If you are in the aquarium hobby, your system's working ability should be top notch, fine tuned and ready for anything with few exceptions (like power failures). I’m going to assume you are a responsible reefer and your system is in optimum condition.

Following these nine simple rules will help bring more enjoyment and less expense to your reefing hobby. It will make the statement, "Happy Reefing" more than a cliché.

Thoughts on a “Spa” Quarantine System

What constitutes a good quarantine system? You will hear everything from a simple 5 or 10 gal tank with no substrate, no Live Rock (LR), sponge filter, heater, minimal lighting and up from there to the elaborate. Here’s what I do.
Since I never know a head of time what fish I might encounter at the LFS, I believe the best size tank is in the 29 to 35 gal range. If you have a 5 or 10 and you run into a Tang that meets your DT requirements, your 5 or 10 is not going to be adequate for QTing the Tang. So what does the average hobbyist do, he buys it and acclimates to the DT. Risking a disaster. And disasters have happened just that way. A little forethought, and very little extra expense, a 29 or 35 set up properly, would fit the bill.

My choice is the 35 gal, sump with DSB, a very shallow sand bed in the tank, just enough to cover the bottom (½“), one or two pieces of LR. A slow turnover rate for flow (300 to 400 gph). All the return water going through a UV sterilizer. Subdued lighting, moon lights running during the day, perfect. Besides the LR a couple of pieces of PVC pipe or fittings can be used for hiding places.

Offer the very best food money can buy. Frozen brine shrimp (BS) is used by nearly everyone including myself. I soak mine in Selcon and or Zoecon, some reefers use liquid garlic. Unfortified BS is nearly worthless. Other foods should include frozen Mysis shrimp (now becoming available live), frozen Cyclop-eeze (the freeze dried is not worth the hassle, it floats), dried Nori for Tangs (terrestrial veggies are worthless as marine fish food, regardless of what you’ve heard), live algae such as Gracelaria and others as long as they are marine based.

“Reef Nutrition”, a company putting out some great foods are some of my favorite for general feeding, especially in the “Spa“. Arcti-Pods, Roti-Feast, Fuzzy Phytes, Phyto Feast and Tigger Pods (a large red copepod) are some that are available. What is most important is variety and freshness. Live is best, frozen is second best, prepared foods (flake, pellets, etc) are used but least desirable. The prepared foods can be used ( I do) but, sparingly.

What happens in the event a disease shows itself??? Ich, Velvet, fungus, gill flukes are all possible to show up. With the right sized UV Sterilizer I would wait a day or two and pay particular attention to the fish. Given that he is eating, it may simply go away. The best defense against fish disease is the fish’s own immune system. The purpose of the "Spa" stay is to boast the immune system.

In the event that a medication MUST be used. I would isolate the sump, continue to run all water through the UV, leave the LR and sand in the bottom and treat. After treating with a medication the most important thing to do is to TEST the level of medication if there is a test available. If there isn’t a way to test, I would seriously consider not medicating at all. You can lower salinity to 1.015 (hypo salinity treatment), you can raise the temperature to speed up the life cycle of the parasite allowing the UV to do it’s magic.

There are many who will offer other quarantine ideas, medication routines, freshwater dips, you name it, I’ve probably tried it. What’s written above has worked for me.

I hope this helps you have a more rewarding reefing experience. Marine aquariums have held my passion for more than 40 years. I’m now 70 years young (2008) and I truly hope there are reefs in heaven.

Happy Reefing!

Dick