Hummm… I’m starting to think, since in a way we have two tags now… I was wondering if maybe a way to separate them in a sense. Like fishblr for fish help, guides, questions, comments. And aquablr more of a photo and story tag for our aquatic friends. I saw the complaint back when BoF started that it was difficult to weed through posts when you really only wanted one. Some people just want the pictures as a calming thing, or inspiration. Other people need help but their post could be buried under other content. I may just be thinking out loud though.

Beautiful invertebrate, and one of the most recognized saltwater animals. Moon Jellyfish have gained popularity over the years for the new and old hobbyist. Like betta they’re marketed as a great cheep beginner for those who want to get into saltwater and have a staple animal. 

I have personally cared for them, and made a lot of mistakes which I have learned are very common. I’ve since done loads of research, and if given the money and space would do it again! This will be a care sheet based on the research I’ve done, paired with experience.

General information:

Minimum tank size: 6 gallons for one, they are colony animals though so you want 3+ For a group of 3-5 I would use an appropriate shaped 15 gallon. More is always better though!
Lifespan: 2+ years, it varies greatly but 2 years is the average.
Size: Disk size can reach between 5″ and 8″ but usually hits 3″ in the home aquarium.
Temperature: 65-77′f Must stay consistent, they cannot tolerate temperature swings! Using a heater to keep it at 75 can prevent this.
PH: 8.0-8.3 (Soft reef sand can be used to lower ph slightly if needed)
Salinity:  1.023
Water type: RO/DI or distilled is highly recommended as the metal content in most tap water shortens their lifespan.
Ease of care: Easy
Ease of Setup: Advanced

Tank setup:

Jellyfish have specific requirements for tank setups and this is the biggest entry for caring for them as it can be expensive if you’re not careful.

Appropriate tank shapes include:

• Modified rectangle columns (using acrylic you need to block off corners turning it into a hexagon tank of sorts) 
  
• Cylinder tanks
• Half cylinders
• bull nose
• Ovals
• Disks
• and hexagons

You don’t want to use standard tanks, square/cube tanks, bow-fronts (there are a few rounded ones) or other tanks with sharp cornered sides. You’ll usually have to do a lot of diy editing with acrylic and by then you might as well build your own tank.

Substrate wise soft reef sand is the only appropriate option. Gravel is too sharp and they get stuck in it. It also collects too much crap and lowers water quality. Bare bottom is best and perfectly fine.

Decor is a big no for these guys. You can grow algae but that’s about it.

Lights are not necessary, but this is usually the best time for colored led options to brighten up your jellies. I don’t recommend regular lights unless growing algae. Jellyfish cannot see, light is never for them.

Filtration:

There are two decent options for this, it’s also where you have to be the most careful and often creative. 

Modified sponge filter. Probably my favorite and can be done in several different ways. You can make your own out of wide tubing or pvc and a bio sponge/ biopad. Have the tube about half an inch below the top of the water reaching the bottom. Plug the side that is meant to be at the bottom and drill holes up it starting from the bottom as far up as you plan to cover in sponge or bellow your panel. Insert an airstone and the tubing to the very bottom of the tube and connect it to an air pump. Make sure that you can control the air flow and play around until you have a good current in the tank. You can toss a chunk of moss in to see how the current moves.

The other option is a trickle sump. These aren’t my favorites due to turnover rate, but they do reduce clutter in the tank. Basically you want to make a small sump using airline tubing. I’ll let you be creative though.

You don’t want bubbles going under your jelly or water to push down on them.

Food:

Jellyfish are micro predators. Small frozen food, live plankton, baby brine shrimp or a powder diet accepted by seahorse are all options. You’ll need to keep the food suspended for them to eat which can be accomplished by a turkey baster. Clean up all uneaten food. Feed once or twice a day. They will change size depending on how much they eat.

Water maintenance and quality:

Jellyfish are hardy and can tolerate high nitrates, but shouldn’t have to. A cycled filter will ensure your jellyfish’s health as well as a weekly maintenance schedule. You’re going to want to do 10-25% weekly water changes. Never change more than 50% as they’re very easily shocked. Water should be mixed and be out for 24 hours before adding it to the tank. Testing water is very important.

Tankmates:

Small snails are fine to collect uneaten food and algae matter. No other tankmates are safe.

Sickness:

Jellyfish are prone to injury but heal very well most of the time. If their bell is inverted check the ph, ammonia, and nitrite, and metal content, if it’s high in any of those levels that will cause this and should be corrected right away as exposure can create permanent damage. No medications are safe. Not prone to disease.

Stuff the tank cannot have:

• Decor of any sort
  
• An overflow or out tank wider than a pen.
  
• Protein skimmers
  
• In smaller than 75 gallons power heads/wave makers are not advised and then only the smallest ones and cased in mesh
• Open airstones
• uv lights
• Tankmates besides snails

Note:

The majority of kits present are overpriced and far too small. Jellyfish arts and similar companies have tanks under 5 gallons for 3, even at a small size this isn’t appropriate for 1 jellyfish let alone the 3 they sell you. Life expectancy is 6 months in those tanks, it’s equivalent to the betta bowl in many instances. You can take inspiration from the design and speak to your local saltwater store about getting similar shaped and built tanks, but on a larger scale. Many saltwater specialty stores custom build, discuss with them your plans and goals.

Let me just start with saying I don’t breed betta and am not super knowledgeable on the genetics of them at a bio level, so most information in that regard will be researched from other sources and condensed based on my understanding. I do however know many of the types and have seen common correlations associated with certain traits. This will be a guide on the different tail types and future ones will be made on coloring and patterns. If you ave any points to add based on your own personal experinces send them my way and I’ll add them.

Keep reading

Basic stats:

Difficulty: Moderate - Hard
Minimum tank size: Fancy (20 gallons per fish) Single tail (30 gallon pond or 10 gallons per inch of fish starting with a 30 gallon aquarium. THESE SHOULD BE POND FISH!)
Size: 8″-14″ 
PH: 6.5-8 
Temperature: Cold water 50-77′f 
Hardness: 5-25
Diet: Omnivore/ opportunistic scavenger 
Lifespan: 10-40 years (Fancy goldfish tend to live shorter lives but can still often reach their 20′s without issues if cared for)
Habitat: Asia

Housing:

These fish are really pond fish. Fancies can be kept in tanks more easily requiring 20 gallons per fish. They’re social animals so should have at least one, and preferably 2 friends. So look into the 40 gallon to 60 gallon range for tanks. Filtration should be heavy but not strong. You want to look for a filter that is for double the tank size and have it cycled. They don’t require heaters and may even require a cooling system in the summer. Temperature variation is taken very well and has been known to be beneficial. You don’t need substrate and if you do use some slate or sand as best practice, they may eat and choke or become impacted on gravel. Algae and green water is very beneficial acting as plants in the tank and a grazing source.

Single tail goldfish grow massive! They’re really pond fish and should be treated as such. A standard 30 gallon pond form can house an adult common, comet or other single tail/long body variety. As you should have more I’d look into a 60-90 gallon form for a pair or trio of smaller ones. If you do house in tanks you want 10 gallons per inch of fish to allow for adiquite swimming space. If you plan to play size up start with no less than a 30 gallon, realize they will outgrow it fast. For an adult you’re looking at a 120-140 standard. You may be able to manage a pair in that. Custom tanks are good, you’re still looking at a big tank though! 3′x4′x18″ is the absolute minimum for a pair or maybe a trio in a custom. Out side of that all the same rules apply as with a fancy.

Checklist:

-Tank ranging from 30-120+ gallons
   -Or a 30+ gallon pond form

-No heater required! May need a chiller if in hot climate and can’t keep cool.
-A filter rated for twice the size of the tank or pond
-Substrate not required, a thin layer of pool filter, play or aquarium sand can be used if you want. Slate is also an option.
-Decor and hides not super needed. You can use natural decor, attempt plants or have pvc pipe though.
-Lighting is optional, if you plan to grow plants or algae an appropriate sized lamp will be needed.

Other non optional supplies/perishables:

-A liquid master test kit (Nutrafin or api)
-A water conditioner (prime, safe, stress coat are good brands)
-A bucket and syphon that hasn’t been used for anything else (water changers are nice if you have ponds on the ground or big tanks)
-A log to help with cycling and recording things.
-A high quality sinking goldfish or koi pellet.

Feeding:

Goldfish are scavengers and will always accept food if healthy. Feeding should be regulated. You can feed up to 4 times a day with each feeding being about two mouthfuls. They won’t suffer if you only feed once or twice though. Watch for overfeeding especially with fancies, they have a poor digestive system. 

Food staple should be a good high quality goldfish sinking pellet. Hikari has a good line. Omega one and new life spectrum also have good foods. Flakes are not appropriate. If floating pellets need to be used soak them so they sink before offering. You can supplement feedings with chopped frozen or blanched veggies, leafy greens, bits of fruit and frozen cubed foods. High fat diets are fine , they do best on a diet that is lower in protein though. 

Tank mates:

They really shouldn’t be kept with anything but other goldfish of the same type (Fancy or single tail) . Pleco are not good tank mates and will eat the slime coat off goldfish, algae is good for golds anyways. Cories with often end up in the gold fish’s mouth resulting in the death of both. All other catfish and pleco should be avoided. Actually just avoid all other fish, shrimp and snails. The only successful thing I’ve seen is full drown adult dojo/weather loaches with single tail golds. But even then, it’s not really worth it. 

Medical issues:

Single tails are prone to spine malformations, ich, velvet, flukes internal parisites and other external parasites, columnaris, and fungal infections. Most of these can be prevented by proper housing, diet and a quarantine period. Have melafix, pimafix, triple sulfa, fenbonazol, prazi and paragaurd on hand. It’s also good to have epsom salt and aquarium salt. 

Fancies are prone to all the above as well as digestive issues, swim bladder disorder and eye damage/popping (often caused by the pop eye bacteria). 

Misconceptions

Cycling

The above are two great sources you should give a read before you get a fish. Also show them your support!

Goldfish ID:

(Under cut because it’s really long and just for those interested. No pictures are mine)

Keep reading

After class I’m going to do a 10 gallon stocking guide, since I can see more and more people who want to get out of betta and try something new but not wanting a new setup.

Okay, I have 3 options for my remaining 10 gallon if they don’t get my shell dwellers in by July. A newt tank, haven’t fine them in a long time but I’d like to. A vampire crab tank, if my lfs can get them in again from the breeder. Or I try my hand at saltwater again, I’d want to do a macro algae tank, I want to know if I’d need new filtration or if a standard sponge filter or hob filter is enough, also what fish or invertebrate are suitable in a 10 gallon, I really like gobies and blenies. Also one more thing about the saltwater, I don’t really want to fight with RO as it’s expensive and I can’t store it, would tap water be safe if it’s treated the same as freshwater? Or should I get my gallon-2 gallons every week from the store?

Note all my tanks are densely planted and I have backup tanks for all my fish if they require an upgrade.

6 gallon long with ~30 RCS with a filter that can handle a 20 gallon

You have plenty of aquarium filtration capacity.

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 503%.
Recommended water change schedule: 14% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 96%

8 gallon bio cube with 1 male betta and a 10 gallon filter

You have plenty of aquarium filtration capacity.

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 456%.
Recommended water change schedule: 5% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 54%.

10 gallon standard with 3 Algae gobies (stiphodon) and 20 gallons of standard filtration and a power head filter (not sure how much filtration it provides ~ 10 gallons).

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 124%.
Recommended water change schedule: 30% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 99%

10 gallon standard with 6 Paskai rainbows and 20 gallons of filtration

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 182%.
Recommended water change schedule: 20% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 79%.

10 gallon standard with 8 pygmy hatchets (not on aqadvisor) and 8 pygmy cories and 40 gallons of filtration

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 140%.
Recommended water change schedule: 39% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 119%.

10 gallon standard with a pair of Neolamprologus brevis 20 gallons of filtration

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 438%.
Recommended water change schedule: 8% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 52%

20 gallon long with 1 axolotl and a 30 gallon filter and 10 gallon sponge

Not on aqadvisor

20 gallon long with a rainbow snakehead and 40 gallons of filtration

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 763%.
Recommended water change schedule: 10% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 55%

50 gallon bowfront mixed community (3 pearl gourami, 2 rams, 2 peacock gudgeons, 12 kuhli loaches, 6 pepper cories, 1 bulldog pleco, 10 Congo tetra and 5 otos) with 70 gallons of canister filtration (yes I’m aware this tank is overstocked, I promise it’s very stable)

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 58%.
Recommended water change schedule: 46% per week. (You might want to split this water change schedule to two separate 26% per week)
Your aquarium stocking level is 121%.

All my other running tanks have no livestock currently.

Just picking brains. Axel is going on 8 years old now and in the last year developed tomours in and around his mouth. They increase and decrease in size periodically but when larger as in the picture greatly impede his ability to eat. I’ve been doing water changes and by recommendation of a vet surgically removed the ones outside his mouth with great success. My question though if anyone has experienced this what you did to help treat… Or is there a humane way of euthanasia…