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Re: cool killies and warm water...
Tyrone,
An alternative is to put them in a heavily planted tub in a shaded area for
the summer. I have done this and have placed some heavily infested floating
plants in the tub as well. Surprisingly, the plants are usually clear of
bugs by 1 or 2 days later and the fish are happy and fat.
Ed
Tokyo Japan
>From: "Tyrone Genade" <Tgenade at AKAD_SUN.AC.ZA>
>Reply-To: killietalk at aka_org
>To: killietalk at aka_org
>Subject: cool killies and warm water...
>Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2001 20:43:51 +0200
>
>Hi all
>
>So why do cool killies (and most other Aphyosemions) die
>when things get to hot? Water quality may be the major
>player as several people have pointed out, but the main
>cause is heat.
>
>As the water heats up so the metabolism of the fish
>speeds up. As a result the fish needs more fuel.
>Unfortunately we don't pick up on this before it is too
>late...
>To get the extra energy ot needs, and because we aren't
>feeding more, the fish start to metabolize their energy
>reserves be it the fatty acid (oil) reserves distributed
>in its liver or other tissues or is own proteins and
>amino acids. The oil can last it for some time but it
>can't supply all the needs. The nervous system can only
>burn sugars and ketone bodies. These are taken up from
>the food (the sugars at least) or synthesized from amino
>acids. In the process of glucose and ketone body
>synthesis the amino acid (AA)is broken down to pyruvate
>and NH3. This isn't such a big deal normally but now
>more AA are being broken down and going into the tank
>water. As the fish starves and its oil supplies run low
>more and more AA are broken down and more NH3 is
>produced. Compounding the problem, the pH is probably
>declining and because of this and the reduced O2 levels
>the Nitrobacter and Nitrosommas are less efficient at
>converting NH3 to NO2- and NO2- to NO3-.
>This means that the tank water fouls much quicker! It
>may foul so fast in small bodies of water (i.e. shoe
>boxes) that you may not notice until fish start floating
>on the surface.
>
>So, what to do?
>1) increase aeration. Not only does this increase the )2
>levels making fish and bacteria happoer but the added
>water movement will help cool things down a bit.
>2) Increase the water changing schedule.
>3) Increase the light and add more fast growing plants
>which can soak up the NH3 (e.g. Hornwort).
>4) Buffer the pH so the bacteria work better.
>
>Hope this may save a few fishy lives... as opposed to
>start a big arguement.
>
>Keep well
>Tyrone Genade
>Southern African Killifish Society Coastal & Offshore Coordinator
>AKA 08248
>tyronegenade at yahoo_com
>http://www.geocities.com/tyronegenade
>
>*************************************************************
>P450 Lab, Biochemistry Department
>University of Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
>Ph: +27-021-808-5876, fax: +27-021-808-5863
>**********************************************************
>
> In God I trust,
> but in all others I must have irrefutable proof!
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