Bellwork: 8/26/2014 1)What do you think is the most important factor in keeping your aquatic life healthy & growing? (very broad answer) 2)What is pH? 3)Where do we meet as a class during a fire drill?

Aquatic Science in the News

Basic Daily Maintenance 1)There is a cup of food on top of your aquarium filled with the approximate amount you should be feeding your fish daily. 2)Check that all of your organisms are still alive and healthy. You only need to make a note if a fish/invertebrate is dead or ill.

Feeding Your Fish The majority of food should be gone after 5 minutes. Make sure that all fish except for bottom feeders & algae eaters are eating If there is food left on the ground after 24 hours you fed them too much Assignment #1: Identify the common & scientific name of all organisms in your tank by Friday.

WATER QUALITY What You Need To Know To Keep Your Fish Alive

To a great extent, the success or failure of fish culture is determined by water quality

Water Quality – Why Is It Important? Your fish live in it Are supported by it Receive their oxygen from it And excrete in it

Water Quality – Why Is It Important? Water quality factors influence and interact with each other What may cause problems in one situation may be harmless in another Influences effectiveness/toxicity of treatments

Water Quality – Why Is It Important? Most disease problems can be avoided with proper management of water quality This includes maintaining water quality at a level that provides an environment conducive to fish health and growth

Water Quality Variables Temperature Dissolved oxygen Total ammonia-nitrogen, NH 3, NO - 2 Alkalinity – ability to neutralize acid Hardness – mineral content pH Carbon dioxide

Bellwork: 08/28/2013 Polyatomic Ions You Need to Know: Ammonium  Ammonia  Carbonate  Nitrate  Nitrite  Phosphate  Hydronium  Hydroxide  NH 4 + NH 3 CO 3 2- NO 3 - NO 2 - PO 4 3- H+H+ OH -

Water Change Wednesday 1.Each week you will need to change 10 to 25% of the water in your tank, depending on how dirty the water appears. 2.If you have a gravel substrate you must use a gravel vacuum to clean your tank 3.If you have a sand substrate you will use a simple rubber/plastic tube. 4.Scrub the glass of your tank before removing the water 5.Feed your fish after removing and replacing the water 6.Removed salt water goes down the drain 7.Removed fresh water is dumped outside on the grass 8. Make sure to fill your tank back up to the edging on your tank 9.Make sure to pick up any excess food left in the gravel

For each 10°C (18°F) rise in temperature the metabolic rate doubles Controls the reaction rate of chemicals Influences solubility of gases in water Influences toxicity of ammonia and therapeutants Water Quality Variables Temperature

Water Quality Variables Dissolved Oxygen First limiting factor for growth and fish health Solubility decreases with increasing temperature. Respiratory rate increases with increasing temperature, activity and feeding In general the minimum DO should be ≥ 60% of saturation or ≥ 5 ppm (mg/L)

Water Quality Variables Total Ammonia-Nitrogen Usually the second limiting factor – nitrogenous waste: feces & feed TAN includes ammonium ion (NH 4 + ) and ammonia (NH 3 ) The proportion of NH 3 increases with increasing temperature and pH < 0.05 ppm NH 3 < 0.5 ppm nitrite-N (NO - 2 ),

Percent of Total Ammonia in the Un-Ionized Form at Various Temperatures and pH percent Ammonia Temperature (ºF) (pH) ___________________________________________ 50º º º

Water plants Food Excess food Fishes Peptides Amino acids Urine Urea Ammonia (NH ) Algae Nitrate (NO - ) Nitrite (NO - ) Feces The Nitrogen Cycle

Ammonia (mg/l) Nitrites & Nitrates (mg/l) NH NO Time in Days Time Required for Bio-Filter to Mature

Water Balance in Freshwater Fish Salts Large quantities of dilute urine Ammonia Water

Stressors Poor water quality Environmental conditions Improper handling Human Example: On average, what age/group of people are most consistently stressed?

Stressors

Most Fish Diseases Are Stressed Mediated (cortisol) Stress is a physiologic state caused by a procedure, environmental condition or other factor which interferes with the fish’s ability to maintain a “normal” state. It extends the adaptive responses of an animal beyond the normal range or which disturbs the normal functioning.

Low Level Mortality 100% MORTALITYMORTALITY 0% Peracute Acute Chronic Time Usually the first sign of water quality/environmental problems

Loading Effects Number of fish which can successfully live and grow in a given amount of water depends on: DO level Metabolic rate of the fish Amount being fed Pathogen load Water exchange rate