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Freshwater Plants
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Freshwater Plants

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Foreground Plants for Freshwater Tanks

Aquarium plants play a significant role in providing a suitable environment for aquatic organisms. Other than being a source of oxygen, aquatic plants also help in removing nitrates and chemical waste products from the tank while providing shelter for smaller fishes. In general, these plants contribute greatly to improve and maintain the quality of tank water, and making fishes less susceptible to diseases. 

Aquarium plants are segregated into three categories – fore, mid and back ground, depending on their height and position in the tank. Foreground plants are usually placed at the front of the tank, and are favoured for their height and slow growth pace. These plants can add dimension to the tank without compromising the aesthetics of the other details. Similar to foreground plants, carpet plants are also very popular among hobbyists who want to create a viewing tank without spending too much effort. Like the name suggests, carpet plants tend to spread outward rather than upward, and can blanket over the bottom of the tank to create an aesthetic very similar to that of a carpet. 

Some foreground plants suitable for new hobbyists include Java Moss, Dwarf Baby Tears and Dwarf Hairgrass. 

Java Moss
Dwarf Baby Tears
Dwarf Hairgrass

Java Moss is definitely one of the more common aquarium plants in the Southeast Asia market as it is native to the region. This plant thrives in moist tropical climates and are usually seen growing on rocks, river banks and tree trunks. In domestic tanks, java moss is favoured for its low maintenance and high tolerance against a wide range of environmental conditions and diseases. Its hardy nature makes it a popular choice for freshwater aquarists who are just starting to venture into the world of aquascaping. Aesthetics aside, java moss is also a great choice for breeding tanks as it multi tasks as a source of food for breeding fish while serving as a shelter for eggs and fry.

Tip: For enhanced aesthetics, consider attaching the plant to driftwood, gravel, rocks or other tank decorations such that it wraps around the surface as it grows, giving the tank a rustic detail.

Dwarf Baby Tears (DBT) is usually seen growing in tanks with mostly acidic water (pH levels ranging from 5.0 to 7.5), and temperature between 70 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Unlike Java moss, DBT rely on their roots to absorb nutrients and is thus recommended to be planted in soil. DBT is helpful in preventing excess algae growth and makes for a suitable environment for spawning fish to lay eggs and shrimp tanks. This plant is most suitable for small to nano tanks due to the small size and bright lighting requirement. Larger tanks might see difficulty in growing DBT due to uneven lighting and water conditions.

Tip: For Dwarf Baby Tears to grow at the bottom of the tank, ensure that ample sunlight reaches the bottom of the tank, or the plants will grow towards the light and can potentially blanket over the other fully submerged plants.

Dwarf Hairgrass is a popular starter plant for new aquarists due to its hardiness and adaptability. Other than providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance, the plant helps to control nitrate levels, removes pollutants and acts as a shelter to bottom dwelling fish. Similar to DBT, this plant requires bright lighting conditions in order to increase growth rate. Despite the plant’s hardiness, it is recommended to look out for unhealthy clumps with brown discolourations. Healthy Dwarf Hairgrass should have bright green blades and be able to support its own weight. Their blades grow fast, so trimming might be more frequent than other aquatic plants.

Tip: Consider laying Dwarf Hairgrass throughout the bottom of the tank, but trim them such that they grow taller at the back of the tank and shorter at the front.

Digital Fish Trading
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Digital Fish Trading

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Fish Trading in the Digital Sphere

 

Since Sunny Aquarium’s humble beginnings in 1968, the business model of the fish farm has seen little changes. In view of digital transformation in the 21st century where more businesses are choosing to build their empire online, CEO Pek Leng Choon chats about his vision in expanding the fish trading industry in the digital sphere. 

“Building a business in the past relied solely on word-of-mouth,” the 70-year old CEO recounts, before highlighting that consumers today prefer a more comprehensive buying experience, even in the fish industry. “Knowing your name is not enough, consumers need to know that they can put faith in your business practices and products. This is where the industry can benefit from the digital sphere.” 

Being part of the digital sphere gives Sunny Aquarium the ability to have its own voice that can reach out to global consumers and foster closer bonds. Unlike in the past where consumers only hear of Sunny Aquarium through social sharing or by affiliation, corporate websites and social media accounts have been set up to facilitate easier and quicker communication with consumers.

Without leaving home, consumers can view fish and aquatic plants that are available from Sunny Aquarium. The internet also unlocks a variety of ways for consumers to get in touch with sales representatives to enquire further. In fact, Mr. Pek has put together a digital team to monitor the digital sphere for the business. 

Other than generating awareness and handling enquiries, the fish farm also makes use of digital tools to track stock levels for fish, equipment, and other materials. Relying on these new tools enable staff to be able to focus on taking care of the fish instead of spending time trying to solve logistics issues. Ever since the implementation of these tools, staff have feedback that work is getting into a routine, and it is easier to prioritise tasks on hand.

“One thing that sets Sunny Aquarium apart from competitors who have also established presence online,” says Mr. Pek, “is our commitment to make use of technology on both front and back ends, to ensure that the benefits can be passed on to our consumers in terms of better quality, and lower costs.” 

While there are limitations to what the digital world can provide, this is a learning journey that can potentially bring the fish trading industry to greater heights. Mr. Pek is confident that the digital transformation of Sunny Aquarium can bring about positive changes within and beyond the industry.

Guppy Fish Tips
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Guppy Fish Tips

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Guppy Fish Tips

 

Guppies, also known as millionfish and rainbow fish, are one of the world’s most widely distributed tropical fish. These highly adaptable fish thrive in a wide spectrum of environment and ecological conditions, thus making them one of the most popular choices for freshwater aquariums and new aquarists. Guppies come in a myriad of colours, sizes and shapes. Variations of guppies continue to increase as breeders continue to breed guppies with brighter colours and more patterns on their bodies and tails. Generally, male guppies are smaller than females, averaging between 0.6 and 1.4 inches. Female guppies are around 1.2 to 2.4 inches in length. 

Environment

Guppies can tolerate a wide range of waters and pH levels. The optimal pH level is between 7.0 and 7.2, but guppies can tolerate pH levels ranging from 5.5 to 8.5. Since their natural habitat is in the warm fresh waters of South America, it is recommended to use a heater to keep the water between 75 and 85 Fahrenheit. Provide your guppies with a comfortable environment by filling the show tank with plenty of live plants, rocks and substrate. Recommended plants include Hornwort and Amazon Sword plant. On the other hand, if the tank is designed for breeding, keep the tank bare bottomed so that uneaten food and waste materials can be removed easily. Include floating plants such as Java Moss for the fry to hide in. 

Place your heater at one end of the tank, and the thermometer at the other end to ensure that the water temperature is consistent. 

Food Sources

Similar to wild guppies, aquarium guppies may feed on a variety of food sources. It has been observed that guppies tend to favour food that are available in abundance, likely to avoid competition against other fish species in the same area. Guppies are omnivores and may be fed good quality fish flakes, frozen foods such as shrimps and bloodworms, and even vegetables such as lettuce and cucumber. These adventurous eaters also feed on mosquito larvae and algae. However, it is not recommended to purchase guppies as a natural measure against algae in aquariums, as the algae grow a lot faster than guppies can eat them. Feeding should take place once or twice a day, at small quantities. Providing a balanced diet for your guppies will ensure that they get sufficient nutrients.

As a general practice, feed them twice a day – flakes in the morning, and vegetables at night. 

Breeding

Guppies reach sexual maturity between three and five months. Male guppies tend to be smaller than females, but are much brighter and vivid in colours. Guppies breed actively. There may be multiple pregnancies from one fertilisation, so it is recommended to keep a lookout for the tank once your guppies are sexually mature. Pregnant guppies will notice that the area behind the anal fin becomes darker.  After fertilisation, it takes approximately 30 days for the babies to be fully developed. Towards the end of the pregnancy, the eyes of the babies may be seen through the mother’s translucent skin. Guppies are ovoviviparous – adult females nurture their offspring inside an egg sac in their body. The baby fish gains nourish from the egg sac, and are born live once they have hatched inside the female. Once the fry are born, remove the adult fish to prevent her from feeding on them.

If you are looking to keep guppies for aesthetics purposes, it is recommended to only purchase male guppies. 

Common Ailment

Guppies are very hardy fish, but their long tails can make them prone to fungal infections such as ich, and fin rot. Ich, also known as white spot disease is a disease where small white dots grow on the guppies’ skin. The disease damages the guppies’ gills and skin. Severe infections may even lead to death. You’ll notice that guppies infected with ich will tend to rub their bodies against objects more often. Another condition is fin rot, where the tail looks like it’s torn. This is usually a cause of incompatible tank mates, who tend to nip on the beautiful fins of guppies. While both conditions can be treated by medication available from the local pet shop, it is best to quarantine fish before adding them to the tank, and avoid overcrowding the tank.

Healthy guppies are active swimmers and their bright and vibrant appearance will be a nice addition to any tanks. 

Explore Guppies
Algae Problems

Algae Problems

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Ask any aquarist one greatest problem faced, you’ll most likely hear “algae growth”. While this problem is common among most aquarists, there is no one best solution to deter its occurrence. Having the right amount of algae growth leads to a happy tank, but excessive growth can be unsightly and hazardous to all organisms in the tank. Algae usually grow in freshwater such as lakes and water reservoirs. They can easily be identified by the colouration of the water due to the high density of pigmented cells.  

IMPORTANCE OF ALGAE
Algae is a diverse group of plant-like organisms and can occur in a wide range of environmental habitats. In an aquarium, algae fulfill two roles – producing oxygen through photosynthesis (yes, they have chlorophyll even if they’re not always green) and acting as a food source for fish and other aquatic animals such as shrimp and snails. While algae, especially a large chunk, isn’t aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, they are the most important living organisms on earth. They produce an estimate of 70 to 80% of oxygen in our atmosphere.

IMPACTS OF ALGAE
Ironically, having excess algae growth in the tank does not equate to better oxygen for your tank. Instead, an algal bloom can suffocate other organisms. This is because when night falls, or in the absence of light, the algae which have grown so healthily and rapidly requires more oxygen for respiration. All the living organisms fighting for the limited amount of dissolved oxygen in the tank sounds like the best way to suffocate them. As algae starts to grow in excess near the water surface, it blocks out sunlight necessary for other aquatic plants to produce oxygen and make food. And you can probably guess it by now – reduced light penetration, insufficient food and oxygen, and ultimately the death of all aquatic animals (except algae). Other than blocking out light, algae also produces hazardous toxins such as microcystins, a neurotoxin that destroys nerve tissues of mammals.

CAUSES & SOLUTIONS OF ALGAE
Like any plant life, algae thrive on three basic necessities – water, light and nutrients. Water is fundamental in a tank, obviously, but the amount of light and nutrients can be adjusted accordingly. Some common causes of algae are:

Aquarium placed under constant and direct sunlight. Yes, it must be beautiful and calming to see sunlight being reflected off the clear water in the tank. Congratulations for creating the perfect breeding ground for algae! Algae functions like plants – the more light, the better the growth. If your tank had been strategically placed under the sun, try shifting your tank to somewhere less bright. However, if your tank is too huge to be shifted, you have no where else to place the tank or simply due to fengshui, you can consider covering the sides of the tank with black cloth and switch to aquatic lamps instead of relying on natural lighting. An alternative will be to install curtains and draw them whenever it is too bright.

Overexposure under aquatic lamps. Sunlight or lamps, as long as they light up, algae will thrive. Similar to the aforementioned cause, switching on aquatic lamps for prolonged periods of time will lead to quicker algae growth. The solution? Find the optimal amount of time to turn on the lights. Some aquarists prefer switching on the lights for a few hours at night since there are some light during the day time, depending on how bright your room is. As a guideline, do not expose the tank to lights for more than 12 hours.

Overfeeding your fish. When humans can’t finish our food, they go into the trash. What happens when fish can’t finish their food? They translate into algae growth. Overfeeding leads to increased phosphate levels in the water, which is great news for algae because they only require a small amount to thrive. One solution is feed small portions and watch the fish eat. Excess food not eaten must be removed immediately rather than “leaving it as supper for your fish” – if you don’t eat overnight food, your fish probably don’t too. A great preventive measure would be to work out a feeding schedule if you’re not the sole owner of the tank.

Water source is rich in phosphate. Test your water source before filling up the tank. Phosphate-rich waters must be replaced. However, if you cannot change the water source, you can consider using phosphate removers.

Stagnant water and dirty tank. Performing regular water changes help to keep nutrients in the water at a minimum and prevents stagnant water. Dirty tank, specifically tanks with signs of algae growth must be cleaned immediately. They usually grow on the glass, rocks and other hard surfaces of the tank. You can remove it by scraping and scrubbing the surfaces.

Discus Fish Tips
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Discus Fish Tips

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Discus Fish Tips

Originated in Amazon Basin, the discus fish are brilliantly colored and distinctively shaped. They are a popular addition to freshwater aquariums due to their beautiful and glamorous appearance. The sides of the fish are frequently patterned in shades of green, red, brown, and blue. Some of the more brightly marked variants are the result of selective breeding by aquarists and most likely do not exist in the wild. These colourful tank inhabitants require a higher level of care as compared to other aquarium fish, and are thus less suitable for beginners.

Discus are warm water fish and thrive in waters between 28°C and 31°C (82°F – 88°F). The ideal pH range should be between 6 and 7. Anything beyond the range might cause discus stress. There are, however, certain discus species that thrive in waters with pH values as high as 7.8. Relative water hardness should be between 1dH and 8dH so as to replicate relatively soft water conditions similar to the amazon. Singapore’s tap waters tend to be soft, but aquarists should always measure the water hardness before adding in the fish. Adding driftwood can help soften the water, but it will also stain the waters due to the presence of tannin.

Home Sweet Home

discus-fish-tank
Discus Fish Tank

Homes for discus fish are usually laced with plants. Planted tanks with CO2 injection usually exhibit a lower pH value of around 6.8 which is ideal for discus fish. Suitable aquatic plants include Anacharis, Pygmy Chain Sword, Amazon Sword and Anubias nana. These plants are easy to care for and are adaptive to a wide range of water temperatures and hardness. A mixture of long stem plants and lower foreground plants help create an environment that is similar to the amazon. Driftwood is also an excellent compliment that will help these fish feel at home while enhancing the aesthetics of the aquarium.

Alternatively, discus fish can also be housed in a bare bottomed tank. While an empty tank is not as aesthetically pleasing, doing so will allow for easier removal of feaces and rotting debris from the tank, and more stable water quality for the fish. A bare bottomed tank is highly recommended for breeding discus fish as it provides a safe environment for the young and easy aquarium maintenance. Most fish farms practice housing discus fish in empty tanks so that it is more time and cost efficient to care for the fish.

Roomies

shoal-of-discus-fish
A Shoal Of discus Fish

Discus fish are highly social and prefer to live in shoals. They get their security from being part of a shoal. It is a bad idea to keep discus fish in groups of less than eight to ten as it might deprive these fish of social interaction and cause stress. To add variety to the aquarium, it is recommended to keep discus fish with smaller tetras such as neon, cardinal, ember, harlequin and rummynose tetras. These species are peaceful and prefer to move in large groups. Before mixing fish in the aquarium, it is recommended to be mindful of species who tend to be territorial or predatory in character. As with any fish, there is a risk of cross-contamination so checks must be done timely to avoid problems.

Diet

food-for-discus-fish
Dry Food For Discus Fish

Like most other species, discus fish will eat almost anything that can fit in their mouths. However, due to their carnivorous nature they do best with blood worms and beef heart. Pellets and flakes can help provide them with vitamins and minerals. Wild discus feed mainly on small fish and fry, alongside larvae and other aquatic insects and invertebrates. They tend to eat relatively slowly. As a guideline, the discus diet should be rich in protein. Frozen beef heart is an excellent treat for discus but the disadvantage is that it can pollute the aquarium so be sure to conduct regular maintenance and turn off the filters during feeding time.

The basic rules to keep your discus healthy are:

  1. Keep them in groups, as they are a shoaling species
  2. Maintain a consistent pH and hardness
  3. Feed them well, discus eat a lot!