How to perform a surgery to remove a cyst from Arowana in five simple steps.

Most significant operation procedure which I'd done recently in May 2012, took  several steps to carry out. It was the first time I encountered such huge protruding 'thing' from an Arowana fish.

If you've the intention to perform an opt, you might consider preparing the tools well in advance, have a clear mental picture of what must be done, then stick to your plan.

These are a few tools prepared for the surgery.

1) Scissor
2) Clean Cloth
3) Small Container for antibiotic
4) Clean Mini Spoon
5) Latex Hand Gloves
6) Huge plastic bag
7) Transmore
8) Aeration in the tank


However it is not that difficult but it does come with some risks. The procedure was broken down into clear individual steps.

Steps taken on May 2012 to remove a cyst (size slightly smaller than a golf ball), which was located at the right side of the gill.

The following 5 simple steps:

Step 1. Get the fish into a heavy duty Arowana bag. This is crucial, because by having the fish in the bag then only be able to administer Transmore without polluting the entire tank. Do not refrain from or forget about this or you have to use a lot more Transmore and extra effort cleaning and removing off the Transmore from your tank.

Step 2. Sedate the fish. This is often a critical step, so give it your entire attention. Here's how to do it correctly. The right amount of Transmore or other sedation solution is needed to put the fish to sleep. Basically, you need to observe the fish when administering the Transmore, a small portion at a time. Once the fish starts to belly up stop adding or maybe the last dose. The key reason why you really need to do that is ensure that you don't encounter a jumping fish at the middle of a surgery.

Step 3. Put on a latex glove and sanitized the scissor. The reason for this is to make sure that the surgery is performed in the most hygienic conditions. Place the fish on a soaked clean cloth. Additionally you will want to wash your hands before and after the surgery.

Step 4. Perform the surgery as soon as possible. This means, having the right tools ready before hand and make a quick insertion and precise cuts. Oh boy... it sure looks messy though.

Step 5. Apply antibiotic medication to the wound. Moreover, this will ensure that the wound will heal without having an infection. Place the fish back into the tank and revive it with adequate oxygen or air bubbles blowing directly to the gills. It will takes several minutes to see it swimming again.

Done...with the fish happily swimming now, you can triumph over the down sides and acquire your objective, together with the benefits and the fruits that implies!




















Photos taken by: .CK Yeo,

How UV-C filter really works and do you need one?

As a hobbyist, UV-C filter is one of the most important and well sort after equipments. Do I really need a UV-C filter? Do you use it to prevent algae and disease? How does the UV filter work? Turn it on for 24/ 7 or do we need introduce a timer to control it? Ultra violet sterilization is an effective tool for disease prevention in aquariums and ponds.

There is different size UV-C filters in the market and they are meant to use according to the volume of water its serving. In general, the UV-C filter is meant to filter the floating algae and kill parasite in the water, may it be for an aquarium or a pond. The floating algae will cause the water to turn green with over expose to sunlight.

UV-C filter is a device allowing water flow through a powered high density germicidal lamp or bulb ranging from 5 watt to 55 watt. The water passes through the density bulb which emits ultra violet radiation killing these microscopic organisms and other parasites. The ‘C’ wavelength zaps these microscopic organisms targeting at their DNA, causing the death of the cell and preventing any replication possible. Does that mean beneficial bacterial are eliminated as well when they passed through the radiation chamber? Indeed yes, but not to a point to cause panic or alarm as majority beneficial bacterial dwelled in filter medias and very minimum afloat in water.

Does that mean UV-C harmful to us? UV-C is harmful only when it’s exposed. It is not a general issue for UV-C filter because the equipment is made of very heavy duty PVC constructions that resist UV-C degradation and shielded the radiation from exposure.

Is there a lifespan for the UV-C germicidal bulb?  The truth is...Yes! Most of the bulbs have a lifespan of approximately 8000 hours, which is close to a year if you turn it on 24/7. A good estimated time to change it after 10 months to 12 months of usage.

The 3 Common Mistakes Keeping Freshwater Stingray.

When comes to keeping freshwater stingray, it is important to understand what to do and the way to get it done. Also, you ought to know how to do it right. But that's not enough by itself; it doesn't end there. It's also necessary to understand what you should NOT do, what errors to avoid. For that reason you need to find out what are common mistakes made by others so as to avoid making those same errors.

That's particularly true for keeping freshwater stingrays. Many people steer clear of the mistakes and succeed. You would like to be one of them. 3 of the most frequent mistakes that folks make with keeping freshwater stingrays are listed below:

Number 1. Feeding live feeders. Why this is important point to note as live feeders carry many parasites with them. These harmful parasites are introduced into the freshwater stingray through feeding. For avoiding this problem you should stay away feeding your freshwater stingray with live feeds. Instead, feeding frozen seafood or dry pellets is the best alternative that you should adopt. Dry pellets are nutritious and healthy.

Next, introduce medication without knowing what is the reaction it brings. That is an important element in that scenario when your fish needs medical treatment. Freshwater stingrays are highly sensitive to water chemistry. Any water parameter change by adding medication may cause undesirable chemical reaction which might trigger fatality. Many fish are lost due to this irreversible poisoning. To avoid the regretful results of this typical mistake you will need to find out more information about the medication which you are using. Understanding how to use it and the required dosage of the medication are extremely important. Some medications are safe for stingray and it’s recommended to read the label before use.

And finally, freshwater stingrays do not tolerate well on direct contact with aquarium salt. This will cause a burning reaction on the sensitive skin. This is a very common problem when many hobbyists unknowingly add salt into the aquarium direct from the bag. This could be overcome by dissolving the salt into a bucket first before adding it gradually into the aquarium. When it is done correctly, salt does promote healing and even a small amount neutralize nitrite poisoning in water. Remember, do not overdose your aquarium more than you need.

Study these common mistakes and carefully avoid them. Keep to the recommendations above and doing things properly. Avoiding these mistakes is not difficult when you know to watch out for them!

Freshwater Stingrays

The South American freshwater stingrays are listed into 2 families, namely Potamotrygonidae and Dasyatidae. These freshwater stingrays Potamotrygonidae are completely adaptable for living exclusively in freshwater environments. In their origin habitat, they are widely dispersed within the Amazon Basin of Brazil, Peru as well as Colombia.

Freshwater stingrays have sophisticated biological and environmental characteristics which are not favorable in adapting extreme change. These aquatic creatures are unable to hold urea, due to the absence of sodium excretion rectal gland. A very specific habitat condition is required with low tolerance water salinity ideally not more than 3 ppt for them to thrive. This creature is highly sensitive to water condition and ideally kept in between PH level of 6.0 to 7.0. Adequate dissolve oxygen in the water is required for them to grow well in an aquarium. They have the ability to hover to the water surface when the bottom has insufficient of dissolved oxygen. This is also a tell tale sign that the stingray is in stress. Their predatory instinct ranks them as one of the top predators in the river ecology system. In their natural habitats they eat mainly fishes, worms together with small crustaceans. While the captive breed stingrays accustomed well with chopped frozen shrimp, fish and even pellets.

A healthy stingray consumed a lot and never stop eating when food is introduced. At times, when the stingray is stressed due to various reasons, will eventually cease eating. It is advised to identify the cause and take appropriate actions.Fasting stingray displays protruding pelvic bones near to the tail region. Death is certain within a short period of time when stingray stops consuming food totally.

All freshwater stingrays have reproductive system called Matrotrophic Viviparity which require internal fertilization to occur.The gestation period is known to last between 90 to 120 days. During this period, the embryo receives nourish food provided by the mother. They do have a remarkable adaption for maternal care and give birth to several pups in single delivery.

The high demand for black rays in early to mid 2000’s surged up among hobbyists and due to the fact that export ban imposed by the Brazil government on a few species of freshwater stingray has prompted a handful of hobbyists and commercial farms turn to breeding black rays in Asia. Premium quality captive breed Black Diamond stingrays are sold in pairs. If you are planning to get one or a pair of exotic stingrays for your collection, be prepared to house them in a big tank with a preferred 36 inches width or bigger. A good set up should consist of UV filter, aerate pump, PH monitor and a powerful filtration system. These remarkable tank busters, particular females eventually outgrew many other tank mates.

Tigrinus Catfish - Merondontotus Tigrinus

They are as known as Zebra Shovelnose Catfish, a long whiskers catfish and long dangling tail. The South America Tigrinus catfish is carnivorous in nature but many hobbyists prefer to feed frozen shrimp or fish to pellets. Feeding is best done in the night. A healthy catfish will probably eat until the stomach bloated. It's advisable not to over feed it to this stage.

Generally, many Shovelnose Catfish display straight to symmetrical strips running from both sides of the body. The distinctive blue hue on the cheek and the black and white stripes contrast which make this a unique exotic specimen to keep. As the fish grows, the black and white stripes will morph into a more random pattern. Morphing is referring to the black stripes turning to a wavy and curvy display. I personally prefer the ones with intense morphing.

In captivity, it may grow up between 20" to 24" in length, relatively gentle towards other tank mates but can be ferocious against own species. Freshwater stingray ray, Arowana and Peacock Bass make a good combination tank mates. It usually stays at the bottom of the tank but when swimming vertically up against the tank wall, a tell tail sign that the fish maybe stressed. Tank which is set-up with driftwood provide an ideal environment for them to hide.

It's difficult and unheard of breeding in confined aquarium. Due to their breeding nature, they are not readily available at the local fish shop which makes the Zebra Shovelnose Catfish a highly sort after tank buster.

Indonesia Tiger Datnoid 

Juvenile Indonesia Tiger prefers living in a low lighting condition, always darting and hiding from other fishes. Where as the semi matured one is more stable and responsive. Having some driftwood in the tank is idle when the juvenile to hide. Most tiger display 4 vertical black bar from gill plate to the pelvic fin. The colouration of the black bar and base colour determines how stable the fish is. When the fish is in good stable condition, it will display a bright yellowish to brownish base colour with prominently dark stripes. Not all Indo Tiger display the same base colour.  They inhabit the brackish water within the South East Asia area of Borneo but easily accustomed to fresh water tank environment with lightly brackish water. They thrive best in water condition within ph 6.5 to 7.5. They are known to be semi aggressive fish and at times will fight with same specie or other tank mates. It's advisable to keep larger fish with similar temperament and aggressiveness. Indonesia Tiger is rather prone to cloudy or swollen eyes infection with poor water management.

When comes to feeding, what does it take? It can be easily trained to take frozen food like shrimp, fish meat or even pellets. Generally a healthy fish has a good appetite taking 3 to5 medium size shrimps at one feeding. Indonesia Tiger has the potential growth rate up to19 inches in captivity. They required a large size 250 gallon tank with a depth of 76 cm  which is idle to house this tank buster!

Hi, welcome and great to see you here on my blog. I will be sharing some information on how I keep my favourite freshwater pets. These will include water management tips and the equipment related to fresh water fish keeping. It a pleasure to share my passion here with you. 

So...stay tune and enjoy your stay here !


Maintain the quality of the water - The basic.
Before you begin your quest for exotic fish, may it be a juvenile fresh water stringray, Asian Arowana,  Spotted Gar, Peacock bass or other exotic fish, there are plenty of things you need to consider before jumping into this hobby. The most important aspect of fish keeping is to know how to keep your water at its best condition. As the saying goes.... " If you look after the water, it will takes care of your fish". 


Take care of your water - The Nitrification process.
Fishes eat and defecate within the confined space of the aquarium. Overtime, the quality of the water will deteriorate. Having a effectively well maintained filtration is a must to keep the water quality prolong. 


What does a filter do? As a hobbyist, one should understand the nitrogen cycle. The nitrogen cycle take place in the filter where fish waste, uneaten food or dead fish are broken down by bacteria. This reaction creates a chemical called ammonia which is extremely toxic for live inhabitants in your tank. During nitrification, Nitrosomonas are microbes that feed on oxygen and ammonia. It is broken down to a less harmful chemical called nitrite. In the same cycle, another bacteria namely Nitrobacters which help to further convert nitrite to nitrate. However Nitrobacters are anaerobic, require less or no oxygen condition to survive. The end result is nitrate which is basically fertiliser. A good option is to introduce some plants in the tank to absorb nitrate. Do not put too much concerns as the amount is not excessive.


In regardless of a small or big aquarium, nitrification happens. These bacteria harbour and thrive onto rough porous surfaces. To cultivate a healthy colonies of these bacteria, there should be sufficient living space, oxygen and food (fish waste) for them. Simple equation, more fishes or big tank busters in a tank, the more bacteria living space needed. Here is where filter media come in play. Some quality filter media like Biohome Plus, sintered glass ceramic rings, Bacteria House are a few choice of preference.


Tips on cycling new tank.
It would be ideal to have a well cycled, matured tank for your fishes. What does this mean? A well cycled, matured tank is where a plentiful of established nitrification bacteria readily to perform the biological nitrification process. Before you can achieve this, let's begin at the starting point.

1. Place a small amount of fish depend on the size of your filter system.Too many fish in the cycling process produce a lot of waste (ammonia). Insufficient Nitrosomonas bacteria in the filter system to react will result ammonia spike.
2. Use healthy fish for cycling. This ensure that disease is not transmitted to the aquarium.
3. Use sufficient media in filter system for bacteria to thrive.
4. Kick start the cycling with commercial bacteria enhancer. The usual cycling process takes about 6 to 8 weeks for the nitrification bacteria to establish. Commercial bacteria enhancer speeds up the cycling process rapidly. A good product does not come cheap.
5. During cycling, you probably will notice that your water in the tank cloudy. There is nothing to be alarmed. This is call bacteria bloom. Basically, the bacteria colonies establishing are multiplying in a tremendous rate to handle the ammonia. Eventually, when a imbalance on the biological filter established, the cloudy water disappeared.
6. When the tank is fully cycled, fishes are ready to be introduced.

Take care of your water - Regular consistent water change.

Once we have introduced fishes in the established tank, this is where we start admiring their beauty and observing their growth. Constant feeding is required and so is consistent water management. To maintain good water, I would recommend at least once a weekly water change, usually will have 30 % to 35% of the tank volume. High bio-load is a term used to express the filtration system is taking a beating in coping up the nitrification with the excessive amount of ammonia in the water. Perhaps twice weekly water change are required for those keeping big tank busters! Big fish releases incredibly a huge amount of waste. 


The end product of nitrification is nitrate, as known as nitric acid which reduces the water alkalinity causing water PH to drop. Reduced PH alkalinity will cause fish to be unhealthy, lost of appetite and eventually dying off. Overtime other trace minerals are depleted too resulting in general hardness (GH) drop. In between water change, phosphate a naturally produced from fish waste will rise. Though it does not directly harm the tank inhabitants, elevated level will cause algae blooms which is unsightly and algae green water robs the fishes of oxygen which can be deadly. 


The trick is to keep a small amount of fish within a reasonable size aquarium and with consistent regular water change regime in hand,


Happy fish keeping.