July 10, 2007 tideline aquatics Newsletter Tideline Aquatics Store Hours Monday Friday 11am-7pm Saturday 10am-6pm Sundays 1pm-5pm Ultra-Violet Sterilizers Are They Necessary? What is a Ultra-Violet (UV) Sterilizer? These units are merely a germicidal ultra-violet lamp often encased within a housing. When water is passed over the UV light, freefloating algae spores, bacteria and even parasites are killed all depending on the flow rate of the water passing over the light. For algae spores, they are easily killed even at strong flow rates. Even most bacteria are killed under strong flow through the UV unit. Parasites, however, will require an extremely low flow rate through the UV to be killed. Most parasites will multiply too quickly for a UV to ever be affective in killing them. That said, a UV will never prevent or cure an aquarium of a parasite outbreak. If a salesperson makes that claim to you, it is just not a valid claim. For bacteria and algae, the UV does an excellent job. In garden ponds, a UV Sterilizer is often referred to as a UV clarifier. This is due to the fact that the water flow rate is moving so quickly through the unit, it is mainly killing the free-floating algae spores in the water and doing little to affect bacteria. Ponds with pea soup green water will be crystal clear within 3-5 days of adding a UV to the ponds filtration system depending on the flow rate of the pump. The green water in a pond will do no harm to the fish but is does greatly reduce the beauty of the pond. The cost of 1 or 2 years worth of chemical additives for clearing green water can often pay for the cost of a UV. In the aquarium, the flow rate moving through a UV is much slower compared with a pond making the UV a benefit for killing both algae spores AND bacteria. Though it will not cure an existing disease in the tank, it can prevent bacteria diseases from developing on established fish in the tank. As for free-floating algae, it is quickly eliminated. UV s will reduce the amount of time you spend on cleaning the aquarium for this reason. Ultra-Violet Sterilizers contain UV lamps with a limited life span for killing algae and bacteria. For the UV to perform optimally, the UV bulb should be replaced about once per year. As the lamp ages, its killing ratio begins to drop. After about 1 year, the UV lamp is performing at about 20% of what it was when you first purchased the unit. Most UV s also contain quartz sleeves that protect the lamp from the water. These clear glass sleeves can develop build-up which will reduce the amount of contact time the water has with the UV light. We suggest cleaning
the quartz sleeve each year when you replace the UV lamp. These units come in a variety of wattage. Depending on the size of your aquarium or pond and the flow rate of your water pump will determine what size UV is best for your situation. So you see, UV sterilizers are not a necessity, but they are another tool you can use to improve the looks of your aquarium and/or pond by giving the water that crisp clarity every aquarist desires. A UV also can improve the health of established organisms by reducing the numbers of bacteria present in the water column. What a UV will not do for your aquarium or pond is kill parasites at a rate that will cure your fish or prevent future parasite outbreaks on your fish. You make the choice that best suits you and your aquatic friends! FRESHWATER FISH HIGHLIGHT African Ropefish GRACEFUL AFRICAN ROPEFISH (ERPETOICHTHYS CALABARICUS) Is it a snake? Actually, as much as the ropefish appears as a snake, they actually have fins and gills making them a true fish (though some folks will not ever accept it). If you are single or just want to get out of a relationship, perhaps the purchase of a ropefish will do the trick!! These snake-like fish are actually quite graceful in the aquarium. Ropefish are easy to keep as long as you purchase a healthy specimen. Accepting all types of meaty foods like shrimp, squid, sinking pellets and krill, these long-lived fish will grow to about 24 in the aquarium. This African import should be housed with medium to large fish that will not out-compete it for food. House them with gouramis, geophagus, severums, elephantnose, freshwater eels, large angelfish and the like. Ropefish willl eat small fish! These fish are excellent jumpers so ensure that your aquarium is well covered to prevent them from escaping to their death especially if your spouse finds it crawling down the hallway! This fish can be kept alone or in groups with no aggression toward one another. Ropefish are prone to skin infections when first imported. For this reason, always allow them to remain in the store for 3-5 days after they arrive before you take them home to ensure they are in good condition. These fish should never hang at the surface of the tank if they are healthy. If you want something different that is not expensive, the African ropefish may be just the new addition to fill your need. We have a limited number of these in the store on our website coupons this week. Do not miss out on this graceful and yes, beautiful import from Africa. LOCAL CLUBS / ORGANIZATIONS/FORUMS Want to ask a question about your freshwater, saltwater, reef or garden pond? Visit us at: www.tidelineaquatics.net/discuss/categories.asp Have a reef aquarium? Check out our local reef club at: www.charlestonreefers.org Love water gardens and koi? Visit the Charleston Showa Koi Club website at: www.charlestonshowakoiclub.org Saltwater fish aquarium club CMAC www.columbiamac.org Question and Answer Forum www.wetwebmedia.com
Fish of the Week FOXFACE RABBITFISH (LO VULPINIS) Nearly every new marine fish keepers goal is to own a Yellow Tang. After buying one, most find them to be quite hateful to new additions not to mention that Yellow Tangs are prone to many disease problems. If you want a super hardy marine fish that is just as bright yellow in color, why not try a Foxface instead. Foxface rarely become aggressive and are much hardier than the Yellow Tang. They are also excellent algae eaters making them a good choice for larger reef aquariums for micro and macro-algae control. In the fish-only aquarium, use supplemental algae foods like dried marine algae, frozen spinach or romaine lettuce leaves and spirulina. These fish are nervous and prefer to be kept with mildmannered fish. Foxfaces and all other rabbitfish do have venomous dorsal spines so use caution when handling this fish. The venomous spines are used for defense and not to intentionally kill its tankmates. In the aquarium, the foxface will reach about 6-8 in length but they do tend to grow slowly. This is just one of the specials this week at Tideline Aquatics. Print off the coupon at: www.tidelineaquatics.net SHUSUI THE BEAUTIFUL BLUE KOI FOR PONDS Our local breeder just brought us more of the highly sought after Shusui koi. This koi is loved for its beautiful blue color in the pond. Typically, these fish are blue down the upper body and bright orange down the sides of the fish. These are juvenile Shusui that are just beginning to develop their color patterns. What is even nicer about this bunch of baby koi is that most of them are butterfly! This means they will have long flowing fins as they mature along with the incredible color patterns. These fish are only about 3-4 long at this time and only $3.99 EACH while they last! Do not miss out on this super deal from our local koi breeder. What s New At Tideline FEEDERS (NOW IN STOCK!) Feeder Crayfish, Feeder Ghost Shrimp, Feeder Fiddler Crabs, Feeder Guppies, Feeder Rosy Redds, Feeder Goldfish and Live Black Worms. FRESHWATER FISH (ARRIVED TUESDAY AFTERNOON!): Marigold Swordtails, Red Velvet Tuxedo Swordtails, Sunburst Mickey Mouse Platies, Red Tuxedo Platies, Sunburst Platies, Silver Lyretail Mollies, Assorted Color Male Bettas (Siamese Fighting Fish), Awesome Fancy Dwarf Gouramis (colorful as you can get!), Moonlight Gouramis, Zebra Danios, Bosemani Rainbowfish, Emerald Green Rainbowfish, Threadfin Rainbowfish, Neon Yellow
Rainbowfish (beautiful!), Tiger Barbs, Geophagus Jurupari Eartheaters, Keyhole Dwarf Cichlids, Jaguar Managuense Cichlids, Green Terror Cichlids (excellent color), Golden Dojo Weather Loaches, Regular Dojo Weather Loaches, Tiger Botias, Tank Bred Black Ghost Knives, Elephant Nose, South American Gold Spot Lungfish, Figure Eight Pufferfish, Green Spotted Pufferfish, African Ropefish, Black Skirt Tetras, White Skirt Tetras, New!! Black Emperor Tetras (very nice!), Blind Cave Tetras, Xl Congo Tetras (real beauties), Redtail Hemiodus Sharks (nice!), Lemon Tetras, Florida Bred Neon Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras (good size), White Fin Rosy Tetras, Orange Flame Von Rio Tetras (good color), Dwarf African Frogs, Red Crystal Algae Shrimp, Cherry Algae Japonica Shrimp, Regular Japonica Algae Shrimp. FRESHWATER FISH (EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON): Jumbo Wild Caught Cardinal Tetras, Rummynose Tetras, Sri Lanka Virus Free Fancy Guppies, Large Clown Loaches, Large Fire Eels, Large Assorted Angelfish, True Upside Down Catfish, Electric Blue Crayfish, Hypostomus Plecostomus Algae Eaters, XL Albino Clawed Frogs, Small Albino Clawed Frogs, Black Veil Angelfish, Albino Red Angelfish, Fourline Pictus Catfish, Super Nice Wild Collected Corydoras Catfish (3 varieties), Uaru Cichlids, Super Sailfin Mollies (you have to see these!), Sailfin Platies (super quality), Brown Ghost Knives, Geophagus Daemon Eartheaters, Fredricki Leporinus (rarely imported), Hifin Lyretail Swordtails (super quality), Frontosa Cichlids, M/L Wild Caught Green Severums, Black Kuhli Loaches, Pearl Gouramis, XL Wild Caught Blue Rams. SUPER FANCY PLECOSTOMUS (EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON): XL Atabapo Butterfly Plecostomus, LDA33 Super Snowball Plecostomus, L59 Whitefin Bushynose Plecostomus, Farawella Twig Catfish, Royal Plecostomus, Albino Bristlenose Plecostomus, XL Unclassified Spiny Plecostomus, L34 Medusa Plecostomus, L47 Orange Flame Magnum Plecostomus, New Black & White False Zebra Plecostomus, True Vampire Plecostomus, Jumbo Gold Nugget Plecostomus. LIVE AQUARIUM PLANTS (ARRIVING ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON): Rotala Indica Bunches, Small and Large Amazon Sword Plants, New Monosolenuim Bunches, Rotala Magenta Bunches, Dwarf Hairgrass, New Ludwigia Cuba (very nice), Hygrophylia difformis (Wisteria) Bunches, Italian Vallesneria Plants, Potamogeton Gayi Bunches, Ludwigia Peruensis Bunches, Lobelia Cardinalis Plants (potted), Nesaea Bunches, Clumps of Red Wendtii Cryptocorynes. GOLDFISH, KOI AND POND PLANTS (NOW IN STOCK): Small Blue Shusui Butterfly Koi (super nice!), Medium Domestic Pond Koi, Small and Medium Calico Shubunkin Goldfish, Medium Standard Butterfly Koi, Assorted Small Chinese Goldfish, Panda Butterfly Telescope Chinese Goldfish, M/L Red & White Ryukin Chinese Goldfish, Medium Red Ryukin Chinese Goldfish, Large Assorted Chinese Oranda Goldfish, Bog Plants, Floating Island Plants, Hornwort Bunches and more!! Water lily shipment arrives early next week!! More night bloomers are on the way. SALTWATER FISH (ARRIVED TUESDAY AFTERNOON!): Tonga Coral Beauty Angelfish, Bali Red Pearlscale Butterflyfish, Indian Ocean Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish, Nice Bali Black & White Heniochus Butterflyfish, Indian Ocean Ocellaris Clownfish, Bali Saddle Clownfish, Bali Pink Skunk Clownfish, Bali Pink Squareback Anthias, Fiji Hifin Male Anthias, Bali Neon Velvet Damselfish, Bali Nemurus Chromis, Bali Lemon Damselfish, Bali Snowflake Moray Eels, Bali Firefish Gobies, Bali Algae Blennies, Bali Dragon Sifter Gobies, Bali Ornate Sifter Gobies, Bali Bicolor Basslets, Bali Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish, Bali Stars & Stripes Dogface Pufferfish, Fiji Blue Spotted Sharpnose Pufferfish, Java Sea Rainbow Fusilier Snappers, Bali Blue Regal Tangs, Bali Yellow Mimic Tangs, Bali Baby Clown Triggerfish, Bali Niger Triggerfish, Sri Lanka Diana Hogfish, Bali Male Lunare Wrasses, Bali Big Eye Squirrelfish, Hawaiian Red Squirrelfish, Bali Foxface Rabbitfish, Bali Blue Eye Cardinalfish, Vietnam Glass Cardinalfish, Hawaiian Flame Angelfish,
Costa Rica Passer Angelfish, Ecuador Barnacle Blennies, Fiji Tiger Sifter Gobies. SALTWATER FISH (EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON): Caribbean Porcupine Pufferfish, Tank Bred Seahorses, Caribbean Neon Gobies, Sri Lanka Panda Tangs (?), Cortez Paddlefin Wrasses, Indian Ocean Sixline Wrasses, Cortez Guinea Fowl Pufferfish. SALTWATER INVERTEBRATES (ARRIVED TUESDAY AFTERNOON!): Gold Teardrop Maxima Clams, Blue Super Crocea Clams, Fiji Toadstool Leather Corals, Small Nassarius Sand Sifter Snails, Mexican Turbo Snails, Mexican Purple Linkia Reef Starfish, Super Green Sand Polyps, Rose Bubble Anemones, Sebae Anemones, White Hard Tube Coco Worm Duster, Vietnam Red Fromia Reef Starfish, Orange Eye Bali Long Spine Sea Urchins, Trochus Algae Snails, Bali Green Saron Monkey Shrimp, Bubble Anemones, Purple Base Ritteri Anemone. We have some of the nicest Fiji Live Rock we have had in some time great colors and shapes! SALTWATER INVERTEBRATES (EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON!): Caribbean Blue Leg Reef Hermits, Caribbean Scarlet Redleg Reef Hermits, Caribbean Astrea (Turbin) Snails, Super Size Bubble Anemones, Caribbean Ricordea Polyps, Green Emerald Crabs, Large Caribbean Peppermint Shrimp, Purple Reef Lobsters. NEW THIS WEEK! THE BLACK EMPEROR TETRA!! A beautiful new hybrid from the Far East!