Category: GCKA Library
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General – A Variation on Fry Boxes – one breeder’s trick for keeping fry.
Most killikeepers are well aware of the usefulness of clear plastic shoe- and sweater boxes for keeping their fish and raising fry. But the problem remains of those inevitable “jumpers.” George White of Arlington, Virginia, offered the following suggestion. The information originally appeared in the April 1986 issue of Freshwater and Marine Aquarium. Using…
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General – Vacation Care – What to do When You Won’t Be There To Do It – you may not have to feed them.
By Donna M. Recktenwalt No matter the degree of involvement with our fish, there are occasions when we aquarists just can’t provide the level of care to our charges that we’d like, times when we simply must neglect our fish or be away from our fishrooms for a time. Whatever the reason for such…
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General – Vacation Care for Fry – Revisited – another method.
“I believe the worst way to care for fish during a vacation is to entrust them to someone else–no matter how experienced and dedicated they may be,” says Lee Harper. In most cases, bigger fish will survive without feeding for a week or two, but caring for fry, especially if you have a number…
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General – Usefulness of the Slime Coat – what it is, and what it does for your fish.
Although aquarists and fishermen may dislike handling “slimy” fish, the slime coat serves a highly important function. Like skin, a fish’s slime coat protects against invasion by bacteria and fungi, defends against minor damage, and serves as a barrier against harmful environmental conditions such as excess acidity or harsh chemicals. In short, the slime coat…
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General – Tank Additives – Oak Leaves – another aid to conditioning water.
By Donna M. Recktenwalt Put tree leaves in your tanks, you ask? Well, why not? Through experience, a number of killikeepers have found that the addition of oak and certain other leaves to their fish tanks has proven beneficial. “Oak leaves are a useful addition to a killi setup,” says John De Luca.…
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General – “Sports” in Killikeeping
By Donna M. Recktenwalt From time to time an unusual fish occurs in a killikeeper’s tanks. Among a normally colored batch of fry one will occur with a different color or pattern, or lacking dark pigment altogether, an albino. These “sports” are normal occurrences in nature, the result of minor mutations in the normal…
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General – Species? Subspecies? or Population? How do we tell the difference?
By Donna M. Recktenwalt With all the scientific names in the killifish world, and the fairly constant rate of change as more is learned about the relationship of species, understanding this complex subject becomes progressively more confusing. Yet the concept of species is integral to our understanding of killifish relationships and the natural world.…
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General – Something’s Fishy … – another look at aquatic-aquired granuloma.
A clean-looking fish tank can still harbor unwanted bacteria, notes a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. Three months after cutting himself while cleaning a fish tank, a California man consulted a dermatologist about wartlike plaques on hisinjured finger and swollen nodules on that arm. The diagnosis: fish-tank granuloma, caused by the…
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General – Soft Water/Hard Water – discussion of water parameters for killifish.
By Donna M. Recktenwalt Water condition and quality are perhaps the most important factors detemining whether our fish are healthy and content. Other factors are essential too suitable temperatures, space, proper food, etc. But if the fish are in poor water they won’t do well period. Fish can and do adapt to various…
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General – Snails … Snails … Snails – a brief overview of the types of snails common in aquaria.
There are snails. And then there are snails! They can be a disaster or a bonus, depending on the type of fish you’re keeping, and the type of tank. In spawning tanks, snails can cause havoc by eating the eggs. In fry tanks they can perform a valuable housekeeping service, although period thinning…