SEM-2 PAPER –C3T ORNAMENTAL CULTURE A. What is an ? An aquarium is a container which displays the aquatic organisms in a simulated natural environment by introducing aquatic , rocks, gravels, artificial decorative etc and maintaining physico-chemical and biological parameters there in with the aid of equipments controlling aeration, movement, , suspended organic matter, illumination etc besides feeding. In effect, an aquarium is a biological entity in which each of its elements - water, , light, , gravel, plants, fish must be there, make a harmonious whole, with the same balance as exists in nature.

B. What are ornamental ? Ornamental fishes can be defined as attractive colorful fishes of peaceful nature that are kept as in confined spaces of an aquarium or a garden pool with the purpose of enjoying their beauty for fun and fancy. Ornamental fishes are also called "live jewels" for their beautiful colors and playful behavior.

C. What is ? Aquascaping is the craft of arranging aquatic plants, as well as rocks, stone, cavework, or driftwood, in an aesthetically pleasing manner within an aquarium—in effect, under water. Aquascape designs include a number of distinct styles, including the garden-like Dutch style and the Japanese-inspired nature style.[1] Typically, an aquascape houses fish as well as plants, although it is possible to create an aquascape with plants only, or with rockwork or other hardscape and no .

D. Write the design & construction of Aquarium. 1.Introduction The Aquarium is an artificial pool for keeping life aquatic animals and plants for ornamental, research and breeding purposes. The idea of keeping fish in glass originated after 300 BC when glass was invented. During the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1643), the Chinese were entertained with kept in earthen and glass vessels. In 1833 it was demonstrated by the British Association for the Advancement of Science that aquatic plants absorbed carbon dioxides and emitted thereby benefiting the fish which led to the development of modern-style aquaria. Today, many homes and public arenas have aquaria made not only of glass but also of Perspex or Plexiglas [1]. The inventions of heaters and thermostats, aerators and biodisc have allowed more exotic fishes to be kept. The aquarium also has in it gravel, sand and rocks, which provide an artificial favorable environment to aid fish and plants survival as well add to the aquarium scenic beauty of environment. A 18 gallon rectangular tank aquarium of size 60 x 30 x 38 cm is the most suitable size for home [2]. The building of aquaria either for ornamental, research and breeding purposes has provided many beneficial values, and today, without a professional’s touch, many have been able to create and manage their own aquaria and earn from it like the entertainment industry have done. Today the design and construction of aquaria has to do with the building of aquaria of high safety and economic values with quality materials in accordance with recognized standards and individual taste. 2. Types of Aquarium a. Home aquaria: They are generally made for keeping small sized indigenous or exotic fishes for decorative purposes in offices, hotels, shops, etc. when they are constructed in schools or colleges their main purpose is for study or research. b. Public Aquaria: They are created in places of public exhibition and they have an advantage of affording the space for many larger and more exotic species. They add to the aesthetic and entertainment value of these places. 2.1 Major Aquarium Accessories a. Composts: An aquarium composts is the gravel (small stones and pebbles or a mixture of these with sand) placed at the bottom of the tank in which plants can be grown. If a decorative aquarium is to be set up the composts used should be that which is generally available with the aquarium dealer. Composts must be washed well before use. b. Lighting arrangement: The light bulb(s) of about 25w (240v) are fixed attached to the cover of the aquarium. The bulb (s) are either ‘clear’ or ‘pearl’. The fluorescent tube can also be used in preference to ordinary light bulbs. c. Thermometers: The Thermometer of aquarium water is very important especially for tropical fishes. Aquarium fishes need optimum temperature to prevent biological oxygen demand and susceptibility to . The Thermometer is magnate to the glass surface inside the aquarium and can be read through the transparent glass or Perspex. d. Heater-stats (Heaters with thermostats): in a tropical aquarium the temperature should be maintained within the range of 65 °F-85 °F (18-29 °C) depending upon the species. A heater aids in controlling the temperature of the aquarium by raising it to the desired temperature range, regulated by its thermostat. This instrument is partly submerged or fully immersed in the aquarium. e. Air pumps: The aquarium air pump is made up of air tubes and joints, controller and a power source. Air pumps are used in aquarium to force air into the tank (aeration). Air is forced by the means of a small-size hose through a small porous stone (diffuser). The steam of bubbles formed agitates the surface of the tank-water allowing better exchange of and oxygen, through the entire system. f. Aquarium covers: They are used to prevent fishes from jumping out, keep out dust, reduce heat loss and evaporation and hold light bulbs or tube; it may take the form of a plain glass sheet, plywood or metal-hood. g. Filters: Filters the magic jet power filter is used to maintain good quality water in an aquarium. This device filters water mechanically, chemical and biologically. Other types of filters commonly used by are: Box filters, sponge/ filters, under gravel filters and reverse flow filters. 2.2 Aquarium Contents a. Aquarium Fishes: Generally aquarium fishes are smallsized and brightly colored with characteristic Makings, bands, spots etc. most of them are hardy and can survive and breed well in the Confinement, while others are delicate and require proper attention and care. They are Beautiful, attractive and entertaining by nature. Examples of some aquarium fishes i. Gold fish (Carassius auratus) ii. (Poecilia reticulate) iii. Tiger Barb (Barbus tetrazona) iv. Gourami (Colisa sp.) v. Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) vi. Baluari (Nemacheilus aureus) vii. Bitterling (Rhodeus sp.) viii. Minnows or Carps [Koi] (Cyprinus carpio) ix. Zebra fish (Brachydanio rerio) x. Angel fish (Pterophyllum scalare) xi. Mosquitoes- fish (Gambusia sp.) xii. Harlequin fish (Rasbora heteromorpha) xiii. Beacon fish (Hemigrammus sp.) xiv. Argentine pearlfish (Cynolebias nigripinnis) xv. Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri) xvi. Black molly (Poecilia mexicana) xvii. Snake-head [Murrels] (Channa gachua) xviii. Jewel fish (Hemichromis sp.) xix. X-Ray fish (Pristella sp.) xx. Tilapia (Tilapia mossambica) b. Aquarium Plants Aquarium plants add science beauty and oxygen availability in the aquarium. 1. Rooted: i. Vallisneria spiralis ii. Hydrilla sp. iii. Potamogeton sp. iv. Cryptocoryne sp. v. Sagittaria sp. 2. Submerged Floating: i. Ceratophyllum sp. ii. Myriophyllum sp. iii. Limnophila sp. iv. Hygrophila sp. v. Cabomba sp. 3. Free Floating: i. Lemna sp. ii. Pistia sp. iii. Salvinia sp. iv. Riccia sp. c. Food Items Examples of food items in the aquarium are: ‐ Tubifex (Blood worm) ‐ (Water flea) ‐ Cyclops (One – eyed giant) ‐ Chironomus sp. ‐ Mosquito larva ‐ ‐ ‐ Plants, etc. However, of great use to aquarist are the commercially prepared dried foods. E.g. the pelleted maintenance ration and the lump holiday feed. There are other aquaria contents that are created artificially that can also be added to the aquarium to increase it scenic beauty e.g. plants, nutty boy, house wheel, toy fish, shell, tortoise, hungry duck, toy , etc. and can be purchased from an aquarium dealer. 3.The Basics of Aquarium Designing An aquarium system cannot be constructed or operated better than its initial design. In designing, you find out, gather information, ruminate and discern all facts, ideas, methods and attitudes as to utilize the most appropriate, best available materials and technology. In designing you aim aesthetically and functionally the sights and sounds from your aquarium and the basic facts to consider in aquarium designing are: 3.1 Finance: Cost considerations for construction and maintenance should be part of your design plan. 3.2 Size and : Size is determined by the intended site and weight which cannot be overlooked as it entails the type of stand to be constructed. According to Esther (1998) in choosing aquarium size, the fish requirements should be considered as there are some fishes which live in small pools and are much more at home in aquariums of about 30cm wide. Standard aquarium sizes usually range from 18” x 10” x 10” (45 x 25 x 25 cm), 60 x 30 x 30 cm (Pandey and Shukla, 2005. Esther, 1998) [4, 3]. Table 1: Some standard aquarium sizes approximate furnished volume and weight of water and glass thickness. Aquarium size (In inches) Volume S/N Length Width Depth Imperial gallons Glass thickness (mm) 1 18 10 10 6 4 2 24 12 12 12 6 3 36 12 15 20 10 4 48 12 15 30 12 5 60 18 18 70 12(minimum) 6 72 18 18 80 15(minimum) (Sources: Pandey and Shukla, 2005) 3.3 Shape and Position: Originally, there were only the rectangular aquariums but today there are unlimited numbers of possible shapes: square, triangle, column-shaped, pyramidshaped, etc. and not every fish can be kept in every type of aquarium. The position where the aquarium is to be kept is of importance as certain fish species will not tolerate the slamming of doors. The aquarium should be kept in a decorative and safe position, away from direct sunlight to avoid algal bloom. 3.4 Material: The material mostly used is glass and is a better investment than the plastic tank as it last longer. The plastic is easily damaged, removing algae from the sides with razor blade or soft scourer always leaves ugly scratches. The E.W. Scripps DIY custom Aquarium Company in US recommends a glass with 3.8 safety factor. But, many DIYers thought that is a bit of overkill and recommends that to economize on construction, a glass of 2.92 safety factor can be used to achieve the same results. You can increase the safety factor of your glass tank by bracing it and using a stand that fully support the entire tank bottom using a Styrofoam or pad between the aquarium tank and stand. However, the quality of glass is determined by individual manufacturer’s method and technique of producing the glass. Tested sample of uniform manufacture have indicated that the tensile strength runs from 19.3 to 28.4MPa (Scripps DIY Networks, 2006) . 4. Aquaria Construction, Management and Benefits 4.1 Basic considerations in Aquaria construction - Ensure accurate measurements - Prepare the glass or plastic material - Use the right adhesive and apply it correctly - Install the glass so as to have continuous, bubble-free seams. 4.2 Procedure for constructing an aquaria tank Materials: Glass, Hanger, adhesive (silicone gum), masking or duct tape Steps to follow: - Put your prepared glass pieces on a flat surface - Collect one of the glass panes for the base and set it on a flat table and the other four (4) pieces place adjacent at sides - Apply a bead of the adhesive round the edges of the bottom panel and at two side edges of the front and back panel with the aid of the hanger - Run a continuous 1 /4 inch bead with no gaps or bubbles Install the back glass panel on the bottom and the side panels are fixed inside the back and front panels. - When all the panels have been set in place the silicone is smoothed out with the tip of your finger and the panel supported at the corners with a masking tape. Thus, the aquarium is constructed such that the two end pieces of glass fit inside of the back and front panes and the front, back and two side panes set on top of the bottom base pane of glass. The best bonding results are achieved by applying only as much silicone as you can within 3 to 5 minutes, because after this, the silicone tends to skin over and won’t bond well to the glass. 4.3 Installing the aquarium tank Steps to take: - After testing for leakages, wipe out the tank using a clean, damp cloth and place it on it stand - Cover the bottom with a layer of clean sand (about 2.5 cm thick) - Add the aquarium gravel and smooth it out with the air wall tubes and hose covered - Add various rocks on the bottom which enhance the aquarium and also give fish a place to hide - Add the water by placing a small bowl on the gravel and pour the water into the bowl. Let it run over the sides, filling the tank without disturbing the gravel or rocks - When the aquarium is full. Test the water with pH meter before adding live aquarium plants and fishes - Float the fishes, which are still in oxygenated water-bags or containers from the store into the tanks - Put the cover in place to prevent the fish from jumping out. 4.4 Management of Aquaria a. Materials used for maintaining an aquarium: Aquaria cover, light tubes, starter units, heaters and thermostats, air pumps, diffuser stones, filters, filter media, nets, scrapers/algae cleaner, spot cleaners, feeding ring, water testing kits, planting sticks, siphon tube, thermometer, aquarium glass cleaner, etc. b. Aquarium Maintenance - Feed morning and evening. - Look for signs of illness . - Check breeding behavior. - Check water condition e.g. pH, temperature and alter accordingly - Check and clean some of the aquarium accessories. - Avoid over feeding to prevent occurrence. - All unhealthy fishes noticed with disease signs should be collected for diagnose and treatment. Healthy fishes are fishes that feed well, and are active. Their eyes are bright and their gills pink. E. Describe the diseases of Ornamental Fishes and their Control:

Introduction: In the global scene, tropical aquarium fish keeping is considered as the second largest hobby next only to photography. The practice of maintaining fish for ornamental purpose is known from Tang dynasty (680 to 908, A.D). Ornamental fish keeping was initiated as a small time hobby using gold fish during the 18th century. In 20th century; aquarium keeping and rearing of ornamental fish got worldwide recognition. At present this technique has developed in to an extensive and global component of international trade worth millions of dollars. According to FAO, the export value in 1996 was US$ 206,603,000. Since 1985, the international trade in ornamental export has increased on an average of 14.0% per year. The 'developing countries' account for about 63.0% of the export value. According to Dr. Kevan Main of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, nearly 90.0% of ornamental fish are captive bred. The same author has indicated that about 25 of 8,000 marine ornamental species only are easily raised. Hence, much scope exists for breeding and domesticating many high-value marine ornamental fish. In India, a variety of fresh water and marine ornamental fishes are available. About 600 of species have been identified as potential fishes with ornamental value. The trade in India fetches about Rs. 50 crores /year. However, the success of ornamental fish culture or breeding depends on the health status of the candidate species. Several diseases of economic importance are recorded and the common diseases, symptoms and methods of inspection together with treatment protocols are summarized in this article Common diseases and their management Viral diseases: Common disease: Lymphocystis Symptoms: Nodular white swellings (cauliflower) on fins or body. Lymphocystis is caused by virus and hence affects the cells of the fish. It usually manifests itself as abnormally large white lumps (cauliflower) on the fins or other parts of the body. This is a rare disease. Treatment: it is better to remove and destroy the infected fish as soon as possible. The other treatment is to simply separate the infected fish for several months. Bacterial diseases and treatment: 1. Fin and Tail Rot: Symptoms: Disintegrating fins that may be reduced to stumps, exposed fin rays, blood on edges of fins, reddened areas at base of fins, skin ulcers with grey or red margins, cloudy eyes. Possible predisposing factors: Poor / aquarium conditions and injury to the fin and tail. The affected area slowly breaks down. Treatment: It is advisable to treat the water or fish with antibiotics @ 20 - 30 mg per litre. For mixing with feed, 1.0% of antibiotic can be used and fed to the fish. Antibiotics such as chloromycetin (chloramphenicol) or tetracycline will be effective in controlling fin and tail rot conditons. 2. Scale Protrusion: Symptoms: Protruding scales without body bloat. Scale protrusion is essentially a bacterial infection of the scales and/or body. Treatment: An effective treatment is to add an antibiotic to the food. With flake food, use about 1 % of antibiotic such as chloremphenicol or tetracycline. In the water, add about 10 mg per litre of the required antibiotic. 3. Symptoms: Bloating of the body, protruding scales. Causes: Dropsy is caused by bacterial infection of the peritoneal area including kidneys, causing fluid accumulation. The fluids in the body build up and cause the fish to bloat up and the scales to protrude. Treatment: Recommended dose of antibiotic. 4 Ulcerations, Red sores or redpest: Symptoms: Bloody streaks on fins or body. Causes: penetrates inside the body tissue. Treatment: Disinfect the rearing water with suitable antiseptics such as acriflavine or monacrin (monoaminoacridine) with 0.2% @ 1 ml per litre followed by antibiotic treatment. Fungal Diseases: 1. Saprolegniosis: Symptoms: Tufts of white cotton-like growth on the skin or fins. Eggs turn white.

Predisposing factors: Usually is a secondary infection. Fungal attacks follow an injury, parasitic attack or after a bacterial infection.

Treatment: For attacks on fish eggs, use 3 to 5 mg/ 1 methylene blue as a preventative measure after the eggs are laid. In addition, 10 ml of 1.0% phenoxethol per liter of aquarium water can be added. It is advisable to repeat for a few days as per the requirement. If the symptoms are severe the fish can be removed from the aquarium and swabbed with a cloth immersed in weak solution of povidone iodine or mercurochrome. Protozoan diseases : 1. Ich Disease or Ichthyphthiris Disease Ich disease or 'white spot disease' is the most common disease in aquaria. Organism causing the disease: The ciliate. Ichthyophthirius multifiliis Symptoms: White glistening spots or Salt-like specks on the body/fins. Excessive slime on body, difficulty in breathing, clamped fins and loss of appetite are other symptoms.

Treatment: The free-swimming phase of the parasite is susceptible to chemicals. Quinine hydrochloride or Quinine sulphate at 30 mg per litre (1 in 30,000) can be used. Others such as acridine orange, acriflavine, mild formalin solution, benzalkonium chloride, malachite green or malachite green with copper are effective. 2. Costia Symptom: Milky cloudiness on skin. Treatment: Copper at 0.2 mg per liter (0.2 ppm) to be repeated once in a few days if necessary. Acriflavine may be used at 0.2% solution (1 ml per litre). 3. Chilodonella Symptom: Dulling of the colors due to excessive slime, fraying of the fins, weakness and gill damage.

Treatment: Acriflavine at 1.0% solution (5 ml per litre). Parasitic Diseases 1. Argulus (Fish louse) and anchor worms (Lerneae) Symptoms: The fish scrapes itself against objects, clamped fins, visible parasites about 1/4 inch in diameter are visible on the body of the fish.

Treatment/Management: With larger fish and light infestation, the lice can be removed with forceps. Weak formaldehyde is also useful to remove the parasites. 2. Ergasilus This parasite is like the anchor worm, but is smaller and attacks the gills instead of the skin. Symptoms: Whitish-green threads hang out of the fish's gills.

Treatment: Bath for 10 to 30 minute in 10.0mg/ litre of potassium permanganate or continuous exposure of the whole tank with 2 mgt litre of potassium permanganate. In addition, 3D-minute dip with 1.0 ppm of Copper control followed by 3D- minute dip with 1.0 ppm of BKC will be helpful to control gill parasites. Miscellaneous Diseases/infections : Eye problems are more common in aquarium fishes. Symptoms: pop eye, cloudy cornea, opaque lens, swelling, blindness.

Treatment: Pop eye (exophtalmia) can result from rough handling, gas embolism, tumors, bacterial infection, or vitamin A deficiency. It can be treated successfully with penicillin or amoxicillin. Cloudy cornea can result from a bacterial invasion. Antibiotics may help. Opaqueness can result from poor nutrition or a metacercaria invasion (grubs). Disease control using vaccines, immunostimulants and other apditives : Vaccine could be defined as a substance that causes a specific immune response. Vaccination as a part of standard fish culture programme is relatively new although the impact of vaccination is dramatic. Considering the importance of vaccination, biotechnologists are trying to develop subunit vaccines, i.e., vaccines consisting of the major protective antigens of the pathogen. The sub-unit vaccines have evident advantages: The important advantage is that the vaccine contains only a component of the pathogen and is therefore, more chemically defined and likely to be more stable. The other advantage is that the vaccine can be produced by direct synthesis or recombinant DNA technology. Thus these vaccines may be genetically engineered to express further protective antigens from other fish pathogens and thereby yield multivalent vaccines. Immunostimulants elicit non-specific defense mechanisms and enhance the barrier of infections against pathogens. They are isolated from natural sources and then synthesised chemically. (Ex: cell wall preparations from bacteria, fungi, mushroom). The active principles of immunostimulatory cell wall preparations are various muramylpeptide fragments, lipopolysaccharides, lipopeptides, and acyloligopeptides. F. Describe transport of Ornamental Fish: Introduction The basic principles for transport of live fish are summarised as follows: (1) Fish must be healthy and free of disease-causing organisms prior to transport; (2) Fish should be starved (purged) prior to transport to prevent excrement from contaminating the water; (3) Aeration and/or oxygenation of transport water should be undertaken to ensure adequate dissolved oxygen levels; (4) Temperature control measures must be implemented to maintain relatively constant ; (5) The build-up of mucous and metabolic excretory products must be minimised; (6) Fish must be protected from mechanical damage Conditioning Fish for Transport (1) Good quality fish should be held in quarantine and conditioned for several days in preparation for shipping. (2) During this time final quality sorts are undertaken and the fish are stabilised to ensure there are no health problems for shipping – much of the success of exporters in based on how well they can undertake this phase. (3) Conditioning consist of the following 3 steps (a) Prophylactic (b)Treatment o Starvation / purging © Pre-packing Prophylactic Treatments (1) To ensure fish are free of parasites, it is common to treat 2 – 3 days before shipping (2) Water change out treatments and ensure at least 1 day in good water prior to final pack for fish to recover (3) Adding salt to water at the rate of 1 to 10 ppt can be beneficial depending on species (4) Chemicals such as: Copper, Potassium Permanganate, Acriflavine often used for parasite control (5) Alternative is the use of plant extract based products (a) Indian Almond leaf (b) Aquaher Purging Fish (1) Purging can occur in conjunction with prophylactic treatment before packing (fish should not be fed during treatment anyway) (2) Purging is important for several reasons (3) Voids digestive tract – fish may vomit or defecate in the bags when not purged (4) Slows the metabolic rate of the fish (a) Reduces oxygen requirements (b) Reduces and carbon dioxide output (5) Most species 1 day is sufficient, but larger fish and herbivorous fish may need more (a) Mollies are notorious for needing a longer period for purging Pre-Packing (1) Once fish are sufficiently purged they can be caught and pre-packed into bags to Acclimate fish to packing conditions (2) Allows ‘weak’ or stressed fish to be identified and removed from consignments, also a final quality check before packing Count into bag lots and prepare shipment (a) Good time to check numbers of fish etc (b) Is everything ordered available to go? (c) Prepare packing documents etc with correct numbers of fish (3) Once counted, fish are packed in bags (4) Bags are sealed and oxygenated bags often kept on trolleys (a) Do not use air – it does not have enough oxygen, always use pure oxygen (5) Ensure to mark bags as to species, size, consignment – important when dealing with multiple shipments (6) Pre-packed bags of fish must be kept in a cool dark area to acclimate (7) Ideally cool down in an air-conditioned room to desired temperature (8) Bags of fish normally put into coolroom and chilled to 22- 23OC (72 – 74OF) for Tropicals and 15-18OC (59 – 65OF) for coldwater species to acclimate them to packing conditions – minimum of 4 to 6 hours (many do this overnight) (9) salts may be added at between 1 to 3 ppt depending on species Final Pack (1) Once the fish have finished the pre-packing process they are ready for final packing (2) Fish that show signs of sickness or should not be shipped (3) Remember if it looks suspect at your facility – it will only get worse during transport (4) Ensure you pack with the correct amount of water (a) Not enough = problems (b) Too much = higher landed cost (5) Fish bags are filled with 1/3 water to 2/3 oxygen – around 50 – 60% oxygen is average. (6) Pack the fish in polystyrene boxes (a) Ensure they are properly marked – many exporters list the contents of box on outside for easy reference (b) Don’t squash the boxes in too tight – bags expand during the flight and if too tightly packed may burst or leak (c) Ensure the box is full (7) Bags can be put in standing up or laying down (a) Laying down gives better surface area for gas exchange Transporting and Transferring (1) Getting fish to the customer as quickly as possible is vital to ensure health and quality (a) Always use direct flights if possible (b) Arranging the freight yourself can be cheaper but can cause massive problems (2) The air transport of ornamental fish is governed worldwide by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). (a) standards for type and total weight of the expanded polystyrene (EPS) box, types of plastic bags and method of tying. Labelling Requirements (1) Labelling must also meet IATA and airline requirements, and the following must be included on each box: (a) Consignment note must be filled out legibly (b) ‘This end up’ stickers (c) Boxes must be marked as ‘Live Fish’ (d) ‘Handle with Care’ stickers (e) Customer contact details (f) Number of boxes in consignment (2) Similar labelling is required for road transport Paperwork and Documents (1) Always consult with the receiver as to what paperwork they require – if you are not sure ask for examples to be sent o A shipment can be destroyed or sent back if the paperwork is not correct (2) Airway bill (3) Invoice and packing lists (4) Health Certificate (varies with country) (a) If these are required contact your veterinarian authority in plenty of time to organise this (5) Fish may also have to be inspected prior to packing to get this.