‘The Nitrogen Cycle’ is the most important thing a fish keeper can learn about. It is an essential part of keeping fish alive and healthy in an aquarium.
What Is ‘The Nitrogen Cycle’?

‘The Nitrogen Cycle’ is a process in which bacteria convert toxic substances into less toxic substances. This is important in an aquarium as the toxic substances which fish produce naturally can quickly make them ill, or even kill them if not removed. Housing these bacteria is the main purpose of your aquarium filter.

How does it work?

Fish produce ammonia through respiration (breathing). Ammonia is also produced by fish food, fish waste, plant leaves and dead fish, if they are left to rot in the water.

Ammonia can be lethal to fish, even in very small quantities, so it is essential that it is somehow removed. There is no safe level of ammonia in an aquarium.

Ammonia is removed from the tank by the first of two types of friendly bacteria which live in your filter. The bacteria which remove the ammonia are called ‘Nitrosomonas’. They do this by converting ammonia into nitrite. Ammonia can also be used by live aquarium plants as food.

Nitrite is also lethal to fish, and so must be removed. There is no safe level of nitrite in an aquarium.

The nitrite is removed by the second of the two types of bacteria in your filter. This bacteria is called ‘Nitrospira’. They do this by converting nitrite to nitrate.

Nitrate is relatively harmless to most fish unless in large quantities. The nitrate level in the aquarium is controlled by performing frequent partial water changes. You can read about how to perform partial water changes in the link below. Live aquarium plants can also use nitrate as food.

Partial Water Changes

To help you understand ‘The Nitrogen Cycle’, below is a diagram which illustrates how the whole process works.

I must note here (thanks Rabbut) that the bacteria i mention above are the bacteria responsible for ‘The Nitrogen Cycle’ in freshwater aquaria. Whilst the process is the same in saltwater, the bacteria which perform the function are different. I don’t intend to cover saltwater nitrification here and this article relates to freshwater aquaria only.

How do I make ‘The Nitrogen Cycle’ happen in my aquarium?

You can see why ‘The Nitrogen Cycle’ is so important in an aquarium. It converts lethal ammonia into nitrite, and then to relatively harmless nitrate. Without ‘The Nitrogen Cycle’, our fish would quickly die of ammonia poisoning.

Unfortunately, when we buy aquarium filters, they do not come with Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira included. We must culture these bacteria in the filter in order to save our fish from the danger of ammonia and nitrite.

There are two main ways to culture these bacteria.

1. The first method is to add fish into the tank to produce ammonia. This will encourage the bacteria to start growing. This method is known as ‘Fish-In Cycling’ and you can read all about it in the link below.

Fish-In Cycling

The main problem with using fish for this purpose is that they are exposed to dangerous ammonia and nitrite during the period whilst the bacteria grow. This is probably the most common cause of death in aquarium fish.

2. The second method is to use an ammonia based solution to encourage the growth of the bacteria before the fish are added. This method is known as ‘Fishless Cycling’ and you can read all about it in the link below.

Fishless Cycling

The main benefit of ‘Fishless Cycling’ is that the bacteria are already in the filter when the fish are added, and so it eliminates the risk of ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

Definition	If you notice that the fish is not behaving normally, but instead is hanging around the top of the tank or near the bottom and is not swimming around much, the fish is probably lethargic. This is a behavioral symptom that is a sure sign that something is wrong. Once you observe that a fish has become lethargic and after you’ve checked your water parameters, you have to look for other symptoms since lethargy is not specific enough to provide a definitive diagnosis.
Picture	This lethargic goldfish is spending an unusual amount of time in the bottom corner of the tank. You can also tell he is not feeling well since his dorsal fin is not erect.

Water Quality	If your fish is yawning, this may be due to poor water quality. Check your water parameters and perform water changes if necessary. These tests are best done with your own testers. As a minimum you need to test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH. If you need help interpreting the tests, please visit GAB’s Water Quality Forum.Yawning could also be caused by low oxygen levels, so add an air stone or venturi to increase surface agitation. Vacuum your gravel to remove debris (decaying debris consumes oxygen). Lower your water level so that your filter output breaks the water surface.
Gill Parasites	Several parasites can attack gills and cause stress to the fish. Flukes Protozoan parasites (ich, costia) Hexamita To determine which parasite is involved, you need to look for other signs in addition to yawning. Is the fish lethargic, can you see spots or changes in the slime coat? Flukes Flukes (Dactylogyrus or Gyrodactylus) are parasites common in goldfish in particular. They cannot be seen with the naked eye, so you need a gill scrape or a body scrape to diagnose flukes. Here is a video of moving flukes from Koivet, and more information on flukes can be found here. However, since scraping and scooping are not always possible, we sometimes treat for flukes if several of the symptoms are present and we have no other good explanation for the symptoms. Thankfully a very benign product, praziquantel, is now widely available. If it is not available locally, you can order it (in the form of Prazi-Pro) from outlets such as the Goldfish Connection, PondRX or MOPS (in Canada). Treat as suggested here These are microscopic pictures of gill filaments with a gill fluke (Dactylogyrus) clearly visible. Protozoan Parasites Protozoan parasites (such as ich or costia) should also make the fish display other symptoms (flashing, slimecoat changes, spots) so look for those. These parasites are best treated with a malachite Green/formalin combination (such as in Rid Ich or Quick Cure), or if the fish is salt tolerant, plain salt. Note: some strains of costia and ich are salt resistant. Also make sure you read the label of the medication to make sure your fish can tolerate it. Hexamita If doing any of the above did not help, treat the fish for Hexamita with metrodonidazole (aka Flagyl). Or if this is not available, use a parasite medication that has a shot gun approach like Jungle Parasite Guard.
Other Gill Problems	There may be other gill issues. Check the gills and read about diagnosing gill problems here.

Mystery Spots on Goldfish FinsOn the Goldfish and Aquarium Board forums we have seen a few goldfish with spots or small pimple-like bumps on their tails that may resemble columnaris but which do not respond to treatment with either parasite medicatons or antibiotics. They do not appear to cause the fish discomfort and seem to come and go. At this point most of us think they may be caused by a viral agent but we do not really know. One of our moderators, Ingrid, has documented the story of her moor and the Mystery Spots here. Also, Betty’s pictures of Lumpy’s tail are here.

Breeding StarsMale goldfish get breeding stars on their operculum and first ray of their pectoral fin. These are natural, so no need to worry or treat.

Ich	White spots that look like sugar coating, indicate that the fish has ich, like in this picture. Ich is the common name for the ciliated parasiteIchthyophthirius mutifillis, which has a complicated life cycle. If left untreated, ich is deadly. Treat the whole tank with Rid Ich (following the instructions on the bottle) or Quick Cure. If it is a goldfish, you can treat with salt.
Flex or Columnaris	White fuzz on fins and body is most likely a bacterial illness, flex/columnaris caused by a bacteria Flavobacterium columnare (previously called Flexibacter columnare). Flex/columnaris can be a very quick killer. Fuzz is not always how flex manifests itself. Sometimes there may be redness and deteriorations or sores. Redness in the mouth area is sometimes flex. Flex may also be seen as greyness or yellowness to the slime coat of fish. It is important to isolate the fish in a hospital tank to eliminate spreading. If the fish is salt tolerant, add 1 tsp of salt per gallon of water in the hospital tank and to your main tank as well (to help prevent infection and spreading). Flex is an opportunistic infection, and mild cases will clear up with super clean water and a little salt. In advanced cases, the fish will need antibiotics. Since flex is mostly an external infection, bath antibiotics may be effective such as Maracyn Plus (sulfadimidine and trimethoprim), Jungle Fungus Clear (nitrofurazone, furazolidone, potassium dichromate), and kanamycin. Potassium permanganate is a very effective flex treatment, but it must be used with caution as it is a strong oxidizer and could put a very sick fish “over the edge.” Some strains of flex can be hard to treat.

Argulus	If you see the eye spots, your fish has a parasite called Argulus , also known as fish lice. Argulus is a disc-shaped crustacean parasite (a copepod) that gets up to 10 mm in diameter. It will attach itself to the fish with suckers and suck blood from the fish. This is very irritating, and the fish will normally flash. Treat by removing the lice with tweezers if possible. If the removal leaves a sore, you can dab quickly with some hydrogen peroxide or iodine/betadine to prevent infection. Lice can live several days (maybe as long as 15) without a host and are egg-layers, so to make sure all lice have been removed from the tank environment, you may want to treat your tank with dimilin (found in a medication like Anchors Away). Another effective treatment is the chemical trichlorfon, found in products like Clout and Fluke Tabs. Trichlorfon is a neurotoxic pesticide and must be used with caution.
Argulus pictures

Melanophore Migration (or healing)	Black is normally an indication that the fish has suffered a chemical burn, and this burn is now healing. This is sometimes called “melanophore migration.” If you see black, check your water and perform water changes to correct problems.
		Goldfish with black spots caused by poor water quality. These spots disappeared when the fish recovered in water with perfect quality. Here is a picture of the recovered goldfish.
Uvulifer ambloplitis	Much rarer are the black spots caused by a parasite (a flatworm called Uvulifer ambloplitis ). Since this parasite’s lifecycle requires intermediate hosts (like birds), it is found only in ponds.

Anchor Worm	If you see a worm attached to the fish with forked ends, it is an anchor worm, a parasite also known as Lernea. See picture here. Treat by removing the anchor worm with tweezers if possible. If the removal leaves a sore, you can dab it quickly with 3% hydrogen peroxide or iodine/betadine to prevent infection. Anchor worms are egg layers, so to make sure your tank is free of worms, you may want to treat your tank with dimilin found in a medication like Anchors Away.
Leeches	Leeches or Hirundea are flattened, segmented worms with a sucker on both tail and mouth. They move by attaching the mouth sucker, then tail sucker, then mouth sucker, and so on, to the surface they are on. See another picture here. They can latch on to the fish and cause harm and irritation. They are not easy to remove. A salt dip is a possibility and there are some commercial remedies available. Leeches are not common in aquariums but can attack fish in ponds.

Camallanus

If you can see a red worm protruding from the anus (vent), your fish has an internal parasite called Camallanus. Internal parasites can come from live food or be transmitted from fish to fish. This roundworm (nematode) is easy to identify because of its tendency to hang out the vent. Nematodes are best treated with fenbendazole, piperazine, or levimasole. Jungle Anti-Parasite Medicated Fish Food contains levimasole.

Picture of fish  Camallanus

Columnaris	White fuzz on fins and body is most likely a bacterial illness, often called flex, columnaris, or cotton wool disease that is caused by a bacteria–Flavobacterium columnare (formerly called Flexibacter columnare). Columnaris can be a very quick killer, especially when it infects the gills. Flex often looks fuzzy–like cotton wool–but not always. Sometimes there may be redness and ulcers/sores. Redness in the mouth area is sometimes flex. Flex may also be seen as greyness or yellowness to the slime coat of fish. Another symptom is a saddle back lesion where the fish turns gray in the upper part of its body. It is important to isolate the fish in a hospital tank to reduce the risk of the disease spreading to other fish. Some strains of columnaris can be hard to treat. If the fish is salt tolerant, add 1 tsp of salt per gallon of water. Adding salt to your main tank will help prevent infection because it keeps flex from being able to stick to the fish. The fish will need antibiotics. Several antibiotics may be effective against columnaris - erythromycin and oxytetracycline are traditionally thought to have really good effects. Other options are sulfa drugs, nitrofuran antibiotics, and potassium permanganate.Treatment OptionsIf the fish is still eating, choose one of the following options: Feed Jungle Antibiotic Food (can be combined with Jungle Fungus Clear bath treatment) or Feed Medi-Gold or Romet B (can be combined with kanamycin bath) or Feed Metro Med If the fish is not eating or eating poorly, choose one of the following options: Add Maracyn I combined with Maracyn II to the water or Add Jungle Fungus clear to the water or Add kanamycin or kanamycin sulfate to the water If you are an advanced fish-keeper, you may consider using potassium permanganate (PP) at the start of a treatment regimen to help knock down the bacterial load on the fish. Please consult with us on the Help! My fish is Sick! Forum or published texts for guidence on using potassium permangante. Because PP is an oxidizer, it can cause gill damage.
Pictures ofColumnaris
	Platy infected with Flex, You can see flex as discolouration and slimecoat changes on the front of the fish’s body.	You can clearly see the discolouration as well as fin rot in the tail area.
True Fungus	If the fish has been injured and you see fast growing white/gray fuzz, this is most likely fungus and should be treated with Maroxy (treatment for true fungus). If it is a large fish, you can skip the whole tank treatment and just dab the affected areas with iodine/betadine or malachite green.
		This fuzz was growing very fast and it is rather long and fuzzy, both indications of true fungus.
Fungal Spots on Wen	Goldfish with wens may get fungal spots on their wens. Some times these spots are called ‘growth spots’. Usually intervention is not needed, but occasionally if it looks bad you can clean it with some 3% hydrogen peroxide or some iodine/betadine on a Q-tip (taking care not to get peroxide or iodine in the gills or eyes). Depending on how cooperative your goldfish is, you may need to sedate it before you do this.

Definition	Red sores are best diagnosed by knowing the fish’s history. If the fish has suffered trauma the red sores are actual wounds, but if the sores slowly appear they are likely caused by bacteria and are developing ulcers. Redness in the mouth area is probably flex.
Picture of goldfish with a sore	This goldfish had a sore and redness that appeared to be bacterial. If left untreated, this sore would very likely develop into an ulcer.

Definition	Red streaks/stripes/veins in the fins, often the tail fin.

Definition	Fins are vulnerable to poor water quality, aggression and to bacterial problems. If you see deterioration of fins, you need to analyze the situation carefully. Many people over-treat fin problems with antibiotics, but checking and adjusting water quality or looking for aggression between the fish is the first place to start. Some fish, like bettas, may blow their fins and there is no reason to medicate but plenty of reason to see whether decorations, tank mates or environmental stress factors are the main cause of the problem.
Pictures
	Finrot on Betta.	Picture is showing fin rot

Definition	Popeye means that one or both eyes bulge out abnormally. This is caused by accumulation of fluid either in the eye itself or behind the eye. Pop eye is a very complicated condition, mainly because it is a symptom of an underlying problem. Part of the challenge of treating is to try to find the underplaying cause which can be poor water quality, bacterial problems, nitrogen supersaturation (gas bubble disease) and/or nutritional deficiencies (according to Edward Noga) . Picture
Picture	Popeye
Picture	Popeye

Definition	Eyes can be described as cloudy if the outer covering is milky-colored or opaque or if the fluid inside the eyeball is cloudy. Sometimes there may also be a cloudy fungus film on the outside of the eye.
Picture
	Goldfish with cloudyness that was outside likely from poor water quality	Angel with cloudyness inside likely a bacterial problem.

By the GAB moderators

HAMSTER HEALTH CONDITIONS

Hamsters can develop several potentially serious health conditions, some of which can be easily cured if caught in their early stages. Always pay attention to any changes in your hamster’s behavior, as this could be your only way of knowing that your hamster is sick. A common symptom of many health conditions in hamsters is a lack of interest in food. This could be a symptom of many different conditions, and should be a sign that you need to pay close attention to your hamster’s health.

PREVENTIVE CARE

CAGE CLEANING
Caring for your hamster’s health involves making the commitment to clean their cage on a regular basis. Most hamsters will require their cage to be cleaned at least once per week, including a complete replacement of their bedding. This can help prevent the growth of bacteria, and will help to keep your hamster healthy.

NUTRITION
Just like in any other animal, proper nutrition is one of the contributing factors to good health. Make sure that your hamster’s diet includes a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and seeds in addition to their dry food mix.

LOW-STRESS ENVIRONMENT
To help your hamster remain healthy, it’s important that you promote a low-stress environment. This can be accomplished by purchasing a cage with a large amount of space, as many hamsters will become agitated in smaller cages. In addition to this, make sure that your hamster has a variety of interactive objects in their cage to keep them entertained. If you wish, you can also take your hamster out of their cage each day for some interactive playtime.

VETERINARY VISITS
To keep your hamster healthy, be sure to schedule regular veterinary checkups. There are many veterinarians that specifically have qualifications for caring for small rodents. Be sure that you take your hamster to a veterinarian with a high level of experience. If you have pet insurance, it’s important to check to make sure that regular veterinary checkups are covered under your plan.

The type of light you need for your tank really depends on what you plan on keeping in your tank. This article is a very general introduction into aquarium lighting and below we discuss the various types of lighting needs based on aquarium type. These are general recommendations and we encourage you to research your livestock’s lighting requirements for best results.

Spectrum of visible light expressed in nanometers (nm).

Aquarium Light Types

Regular Flourescent Light
These are the type of lights that come with most starter tanks and are very affordable. They typically range from 15 to 40 watts and have Kelvin ratings from 3,000° to 10,000°. Kelvin is the scale used to measure the color temperature. They are very cheap to run and replace.Compact Flourescent Light Bulb
These are a step up from the regular flourescent lights. They typically range from 10 to 100 watts and have Kelvin ratings from 5,000° to 10,000°. They offer really bright and intense light but they do put off some heat that may raise the tank water temperature. Running power compact lights will require special hoods and because of the heat produced, they often come with installed fans in the hood.High Output (HO) Flourescent Light
HO flourescent lights typically range from 20-60 watts and have Kelvin ratings from 6,000° to 11,000°. They are more expensive than regular flourescents and usually last longer. These lights require a T5 light fixture.Very High Output (VHO) Flourescent Light
VHO flourescent lights typically range from 75-160 watts and have Kelvin ratings from 10,000° to 20,000°. These lights are very expensive and produce a lot of heat. They require a ballast and/or special fixture especially for VHO lights. They have fans incorporated into the lighting unit to help keep the lights and aquarium cool. Even though they come with fans you may need to equip your tank with an aquarium chiller to prevent your tank water from overheating.Metal Halide Light Bulb
Metal Halide lamps typically range from 175-1000 watts and have Kelvin ratings from 5,000° to 20,000°. This type of light is closest to the sun in terms of luminousity but they are very expensive to buy, operate and replace. They produce a lot of heat and usually must be fan cooled. Ballasts with fan units included are widely available. This is often the preferred method of lighting a reef tank setup with anemones and corals that need higher intensity lighting.LED Aquarium Lights
Is this what we have in store for the future of aquarium lighting systems? Prices as of 2007 are still very high and they will need to drop significantly in price before more hobbyists will transition to them. They offer many advantages over previously mentioned lights. Some of the advantages of LED lights over convential flourescents and metal halides include:

• LED lights run much cooler than standard flourescents and metal halides
• LED lights consume less energy than the other lights
• They have a much longer life span
• There is no filament to break, so they could be considered more durable
• They can be configured in many ways due to their small size.

Many of the light fixtures being sold now include moon lights which are LEDs. So we’re starting to see them more often, but even though these LED’s are very promising we are probably still a few years away from using them as the primary light source on most home aquariums.

Freshwater Aquarium Light – Fish Only
For a freshwater tank with no live plants you can get by with the low watt flourescent lights. These lights are typically between 18 and 40 watts and should last for a year or longer before they burn out.

Freshwater Aquarium Plant Lighting
Live plant keepers will need to upgrade their lighting system. The light type you need depends on several factors:

Typically, plant keepers try to provide anywhere from 2-5 watts per aquarium gallon. Research the plants you want to keep beforehand to determine if you can provide the light needed.

Saltwater Aquarium Light – Fish Only
Fish only saltwater tanks will work fine with regular flourescent bulbs. Try to get a “full spectrum” light for your tank.

While tanks with live rock can get by with regular flourescent full spectrum lights they will do better with flourescents and actinic lights (blue light). It really depends on how well you want thecoralline algae to grow. Certain types of coralline algae seems to grow better with higher amounts of actinic lighting.

Saltwater Reef Aquarium Light
Saltwater reef tanks with corals, clams and other light needing organisms will need the high output, very high output flourescent or metal halide lamps. Certain corals, anemones and clams require very intense lighting levels that can only be provided with VHO and metal halide light sources. A general rule of thumb for reef tanks is between 4 and 10 watts per aquarium gallon. Many reefers have lighting systems incorporating metal halides and VHO flourescent tubes. Research the species you want to keep because light requirements can vary. Because of the amount of heat these light units can produce, you may need to get an aquarium chiller to keep your tank water temperature in an acceptable range. The expense of lighting a reef tank may be just as high or higher than the cost of the live rock.

Photo Period – How long do you leave the lights on?
How long should the fish tank lights stay on for? We get this question frequently. A good range to aim for would be anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. Remember that fish like and need to rest just like other animals. Fish only setups could range from 6 to 12 hours, reef tank setups and freshwater planted aquariums could range from 10 to 12 hour photo periods. Leaving the lights on for longer time periods could contribute to nuisance algae growth (just one of the factors with algae growth), higher tank temperatures and quicker tank water evaporation. Be consistent and if you can afford it, invest in a light timer.

Aquarium Light Timer
You may also want to get an aquarium light timer. A light timer can help make running an aquarium that much more enjoyable because it’s one less thing you have to mess with. Most higher end fish tank hoods and fixtures have multiple power cords that are tied into the multiple light sockets within the hood. This allows you to setup your timer to turn on the various lights at different times.

For instance, a popular hood nowadays is the compact flourescent hood incorporating an actinic bulb, a full spectrum bulb and a moon light. You could set up the timer to turn on the actinic bulb to go on first and stay on for 12 hours, then have the full spectrum bulb come on an hour or so later and stay on for 10 hours. This could simulate dawn and dusk by having the actinic bulbs come on an hour early and stay on an hour later. Finally, you could have the moon lights turn on when the actinics turn off. Who knows, you may even start to see breeding behavior in certain species that may be more in tune with the light of the moon in this type of setup. Another side benefit of using a moon light is the super cool effect it creates in the aquarium when all the other lights in the room are off.

Conclusion
As you can see, the type of light you need really depends on they type of tank your running. Freshwater and Saltwater fish only tanks can usually get by with the regular flourescent lights whereas the freshwater plant keepers and saltwater reef tank keepers will need to invest in better light sources.

Please practice good aquarium electrical safety and be sure to use drip loops and gfci outlets!

INTRO

Some of the equipment listed below is optional, such as the sump and refugium. These are optional pieces of equipment but very nice enhancements to a tank. Please read the setup info below and if you have any questions, comments or critiques, please let us know using the reef tank setup comments form using the link provided below.

Equipment Needed:

• Aquarium
• Lights
• Light Timer
• Salt Mix
• Sand
• Live Rock
• Protein Skimmer
• Power Filter (optional)
• Algae Scraper
• Sump and/or Refugium (optional pieces of aquarium equipment)
• Quarantine Tank
• Power heads (multiple)
• Food (depends on what you plan on keeping in your reef aquarium)
• Thermometer
• Heater
• Test Kits (chlorine, pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, alkalinity, iodine)
• Reverse Osmosis filter for make up water or even better an RO/DI (deionization) filter.
• Hydrometer or refractometer
• 2 Five Gallon Buckets (clean and for fish tank only use)
• Fish, Corals and other Invertebrates
• Macro Algae such as chaetomorpha or gracilaria, for use in the refugium

RESEARCH
This is the most important part of keeping not just a reef tank, but any type of fish or animal. Without proper research how can someone determine if they can adequately care for their fish? We as aquarists have a direct impact on the life or death of our fish and invertebrates. Please don’t take this responsibility lightly. These are after all, living beings.

If you’re one that doesn’t like to read or someone that hates doing research, then you may want to rethink the whole reef tank thing. I didn’t like doing research very much in high school and college, but now I can appreciate it more, since the amount of research done beforehand has a direct effect on my wallet. Meaning that I don’t spend money on items that I’ve found out that I can’t adequately care for, or equipment I don’t really need.

For example, I’ve tried to cut corners and save money in the past by buying a cheap inexpensive protein skimmer. After messing with the air flow adjustments for several weeks I realized that this skimmer was a waste of money. It wasn’t doing what it was supposed to do, so I got the next skimmer up in price. This turned out to only be marginally better than the first skimmer. So, I was on my third skimmer now. This one turned out to be really good which I only discovered by doing RESEARCH. The morale of this story is that I could have saved a couple hundred bucks by researching thoroughly before laying down my hard earned cash for those crappy skimmers. The information is out there. Did you look for it? Here at Fish Lore, we have a fewaquarium equipment reviews here and on the forum.

I don’t mean the kind of research where you have to document/paraphrase/cite sources and such. When I talk about research I’m talking about reading and making a concentrated effort on locating care information for your inverts and marine fish and aquarium equipment.

Also, realize that the set up and running of a reef tank can get expensive. For a general idea on the start up costs, check out the Freshwater vs. Saltwater Aquarium page for more information. That article also now has a cost estimate for a reef tank setup.

DECIDE ON WHAT TO KEEP
This should be one of the first things you undertake when planning a new tank. The tank setup, size, shape, dimensions (depth) will all be influenced by the animals that you will be keeping. For example, if you want to keep corals, you may need to get a shallow tank so that you can get maximum light intensity to the corals you’re interested in keeping. If you’re wanting to keep tangs, you would obviously want a much bigger and longer tank.

Deciding on what to keep will have an effect on the lighting setup that you will need to get. Reef tank lighting can be quite confusing. We’ll get into lighting soon. You may, while doing your research, discover that there is no way you could care for the animals that interest you. In fact this may happen several times before you end up with a final selection of species for your aquarium.

One piece of advice that we’d like to pass along is that you may have the best results if you try to focus on a particular biotope or niche on the reef. Mixing animals from different parts of the reef can have unknown consequences at the time of setup. Also, you may also have better long term success if you avoid mixing soft corals with hard corals. It’s not that it can’t be done, it can be more difficult though to mix coral types.

CREATE A LOG
A log book (file, notebook, paper, etc) can be extremely helpful when running a reef tank. It can be as simple as a notebook with your notes on the tank parameters. Whenever you test your tank water, write down the date and any test readings. Microsoft Excel or any spreadsheet application makes this task really easy. Create columns across the top of the spreadsheet for the test parameters (i.e. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Calcium, pH, etc.) and then have the date in the first column. Here is an example of a reef tank log. The cool part about using spreadsheets is the ability to make a chart of your test numbers. For instance, once you have several month’s worth of data on calcium test results, you can create a line graph on this data which will give you a good idea of how fast calcium is being depleted from your system.

Another interesting idea if you have a digital camera is to take a few snap shots of your tank at least once a week. It can be pretty cool to look back at the photos on the development of yourreef tank and it can help paint a better picture of how fast your corals are growing.

BUY EQUIPMENT
Look around some of the larger online fish and aquarium stores to find some of the better deals on most pieces of equipment. Remember that you have to add shipping to that price tag you see online. Even adding in the shipping though, buying online can shave a few dollars off the price, but the bad part is that you have to wait for several days while it’s being shipped to you. You can even buy an aquarium online, but it will most likely be less expensive to buy the fish tank locally.

After deciding on the animals you’re interested in keeping, it should be a rather simple matter to determine the absolute minimum amount of equipment needed. In this case, we’re talking about setting up a reef tank and the list of equipment provided above is all recommended for just starting out. An optional piece of equipment is the Aquarium Chiller. If you’re running metal halides or similar, you may very well need one of these chillers to help keep your tank temperatures stable.

One very cool piece of equipment that you should seriously consider from the start is a biopellet reactor. We have had really good results when running biopellets on our reef tanks. Biopellets help remove nitrates and phosphates from your aquarium which helps to limit algae growth. Check out the Biopellets article for more information.

SET UP THE TANK AND EQUIPMENT
First, pick out a spot in the house for your marine reef aquarium. Next, put the tank on the stand and fill the tank with freshwater to determine if there are any leaks. It’s much easier to return the tank now for a new one before you have everything in it. Also get out a level to make sure the tank is level. You should also be able to “eye ball” it by lookin at the water surface. A small piece of foam placed between the tank and the stand can help reduce minor leveling problems, but for major problems you’ll need to adjust the tank stand.

A fish tank weighs between 8 and 12 pounds per gallon, depending on what’s in the tank. It’s usually easier to use the average of the two, and use 10 pounds per gallon as a very rough guideline. This means that a 100 gallon tank could very well weigh over 1,000 pounds when setup. This also means that you should think twice before placing your reef tank on an upstairs floor. If you’re unsure about how much weight the floor can hold, at the very least call a professional to come in and assess the situation.

If your tank passed the leak test and the level test, fill it with dechlorinated tap water or even better, Reverse Osmosis water. Tap water can contain dissoved solids that could contribute to algae problems down the road, but for now tap water should be fine. Once the tank is filled about two-thirds full, add in the pre-measured amount of salt mix. Use the directions on the back of the box or check the manufacturers website if you’re unsure of how to mix their salt mix.

We use an old algae scraper to stir the water until the salt mix is dissolved. Fill the tank a little more with dechlorinated freshwater or RO water, (not all the way to the top!) and then put in some powerheads to keep the water moving. After several hours, check the specific gravity with your hydrometer. It should be in the 1.023 – 1.025 range. Slightly lower or higher should be ok too. A good range to shoot for is 1.021 to 1.026. If the specific gravity is too high, you can lower it by removing some of the tank water and replacing it with freshwater only. If the SG is too low you can add more salt mix. Don’t worry if you’re having trouble mixing the saltwater. After several water changes you should become quite the pro at mixing saltwater.

ADD LIVE ROCK
Add the live rock to your aqarium next. Place the live rock in an interesting arrangement directly on the glass bottom of the tank. Placing it on the glass bottom instead of on top of the sand prevents burrowing inverts from toppling the rock structure. It helps to draw some aquascape designs on paper before placing the rock in your tank. Some things to keep in mind: Don’t place the live rock too close to the sides of the tank. Doing so will make it harder to clean the tank glass when algae starts growing. Use plastic cable ties and aquarium safe sealant (glue) to make interesting rock scapes. You can also drill holes in the rock, but be careful and use a dust mask. After drilling small holes you can use plastic ties to fasten different rock shapes together to form interesting shapes. The possibilities are endless and you’re only limited by your budget and imagination. Using these tools you can make some really interesting caves, bridges, and overhangs that will enhance the beauty of the system.

If you’re starting with “cured” rock direct from your local fish store, you can proceed to the next step. If you’re starting with “Uncured” live rock you will need to cure it for the next several days or even weeks. How long depends on the shape the rock is in when you put it in the tank. You will have to use your aquarium test kits to tell you when the rock is done curing. There should be no signs of ammonia or nitrite in the tank.

TYPES OF AQUARIUM SAND
There are many different types of sand available to hobbyists. Some are better than others when it comes to reef tanks. Grain size can be important, and we like to use sand with a grain size anywhere from 1mm – 2mm in a shallow sand bed. Grains that are too small can trap gases and grains that are too large can trap detritus and lead to organic buildup. You can still have these problems with the grain sizes in the 1mm to 2mm range, but we think it functions well and also looks quite nice.

You may also come across something touted as “live sand”. It is often way more expensive than “dry sand”. While we don’t want to dispute the claims made by the manufacturers that the living beneficial bacteria are included in the live sand packaging, we have a hard time believing it. How can these bacteria possibly stay alive for (sometimes) months at a time in an enclosed package often exposed to extreme temperatures during shipping? The only live sand I’d use is sand taken directly out of an established tank. Sometimes hobbyists swap a cupful of sand at aquarium club meetings in the hopes of diversifying their sand beds. This can be a nice and inexpensive way to jump start a “dry sand” bed.

CLEAN THE SAND
Use one of your five gallon buckets to clean the sand. Fill the bucket up about half-way. Then fill with tap water. The bath tub is a good place to do this to prevent water from getting everywhere. Slowly swirl the sand around in the bucket. This should release the dry powdery dirt upwards and then you can drain the dirty water from the bucket. Repeat this process several times and then take the clean sand to the tank. Slowly add the sand to your aquarium. Don’t worry about the cloudy water that results. This will soon dissipate.

The recommendation nowadays is to either go with a shallow sand bed or a deep sand bed, but not one in between. Well, what exactly is a shallow sand bed? What is a deep sand bed for that matter?

A shallow sand bed is anything under 2 inches. Most of the sand should stay aerated and there most likely will be little to no anoxic conditions present.

A deep sand bed is anything over 4 inches deep. You start to get anoxic (low oxygen) conditions and anearobic conditions that will aid in denitrification at around 4-5 inches.

Anything between 2-4 inches deep could (theoretically) lead to algae blooms on top of the sand bed since you’re getting some anoxic condition in the lower layers along with detritus that builds up in the upper layers. So, it’s kind of like the worst of both worlds.

Personally, I like to use a shallow sand bed. I think it simply looks better than a deep sand bed. I also use ample amounts of live rock in our tanks and hopefully it is peforming adequate denitrification making the deep sand bed unneccessary.

After adding the cleaned, dry sand to the tank, add any “live” sand to the tank. Mix it in with the dry sand. Hopefully you’ll have enough to innoculate the sand bed with many new types of living organisms and bacteria.

Once all the sand is placed in the tank, let everything settle for a couple of days or longer.

REEF TANK WATER MOVEMENT
Think of the reef’s natural environment for a minute. There are pounding waves and very high water flows at times. There is not a constant unidirectional flow of water, as is the case with power heads. We can reproduce these conditions on a much smaller scale by using either a wavemaker (which can be quite expensive and hard on power heads) or by using multiple powerheads placed strategically around the tank to generate these turbulent water flows that corals do well in. Try to direct the flow from one powerhead into another’s flow. Bank them off the tank glass, put them in a crossing pattern, anything to create turbulence in the water. Don’t direct the output of a powerhead directly on a coral. It could damage the coral’s tissue after awhile. One thing to keep in mind with powerheads though is that submersed power heads can add heat to the reef tank’s water temperature. If you add too many that are underpowered, you could have a serious temperature problem on your hands. It would be better to have a fewer amount of larger powerheads than many small ones.

High water flows are important for several reasons. They help keep detritus and uneaten foods suspended for filter feeders, mechanical filters, protein skimmers etc. so they can remove them from the water before they start to break down and effect the water quality. Water flow is also important because it can wash away any slime coatings that corals sometimes form to protect themselves from predators or other corals and the water flows carry food particles to the corals in the currents generated.

SETUP THE REEF TANK LIGHTING SYSTEM
Deciding on the proper aquarium lighting for a reef tank can be quite confusing to those just starting out and it is one of the most important components to a successful reef tank. Most of the corals we as reef keepers are interested in keeping, utilize zooxanthellae that in turn use photosynthesis to supply food to the coral. Certain corals are also filter feeders, but they may get most of what they need from the photosynthesis of the zooxanthellae in their tissues.

I’m going to try and summarize some items that I think are most helpful when selecting a light system for your reef tank. Please keep in mind that these are generalizations – please research every animal you want to keep beforehand to see if you can meet it’s care requirements with any particular lighting setup:

• Research the corals/inverts before purchase to see if you can meet its lighting needs
• Light intensitiy drops off significantly the deeper it goes in water, therefore it may be less expensive to light a shallow tank than it is to light a deeper tank. You could also form the correct conclusion (obvious right?) that placing your corals lower in the tank will mean that they will receive less light intensity than those higher up in the tank.
• For soft corals – think Power Compacts for standard depth tanks (24 inches deep) or shallower
• For Large Polyped Stony Corals - think HO or VHO flourescents. You might be able to use power compacts, but you may need to place the corals in the upper regions of the tank if you do go with PC lighting.
• For Small Polyped Stony Corals - think T5-HO Flourescents or Metal Halides. A note about T5′s: you still may need to place your corals higher in the tank. Metal Halides perhaps are the safest bet, but they can add a significant amount of heat to the aquarium and they can be quite expensive. T5 High Output (HO) lights are gaining favor because they are less expensive, produce less heat than metal halides and the bulbs are reported to last several years before they need to be replaced.

Besides direct sunlight, metal halides are about the most intense light we can get right now over our tanks. Perhaps they will get LED aquarium lights working in the near future, or become more practical, which should hopefully make it cheaper to run our aquarium reef tank lighting systems without any added heat. At any rate, the lighting setup for you reef tank is going to be one of the largest cash outlays (can get very expensive) and lighting is one area you should spend some serious time on while researching the corals you would like to keep. Look into the purchase price, and ongoing maintenance costs such as how much it will cost to run those lights by looking at how many watts the light use and how much replacement bulbs are going to cost. These are serious considerations and may very well influence your decision to purchase a particular aquarium light setup.

Fortunately, there are many lighting setups to choose from out there and many reports from hobbyists on the success (or not) they are having when running these setups. Look on online forums and learn how to use the search engines to find reviews on these expensive aquarium lighting fixtures. For example, you could use “Metal Halide Aquarium Light Review” in the google search box to pull back reviews on metal halide lights.

LIGHT TIMER
You will also need to get a light timer that will allow you to program when the different bulbs come on. These timers sound like a waste of money, but they really are worth the peace of mind they provide. Not to mention that you can create some really cool effects by staggering the on/off times a bit. They also provide a stable time period over the tank, which can be very important for the health and growth of your coral.

SUMP SETUP
A sump is a separate tank that is usually fed water by gravity using an overflow in the display tank. The water goes over the lip of the overflow, goes into the stand pipe in the overflow and then flows into the sump. A return pump in the sump returns water back to the display tank. Setting up a sump can be a little tricky. You have to make sure the the sump will be able to hold as much of the water that will drain from the main tank in the event of a power failure.

The aquarium sump can provide several nice benefits. It can hide/house ugly equipment. It increases the total amount (volume) of water in your system. It can make water changes easier, since the sump is usually lower to the ground. You can also add saltwater aquarium supplements into the sump instead of in the main display aquarium, which should give the supplements more time to dissolve without possible harming the tank inhabitants.

REFUGIUM SETUP
The refugium is another tank that is as a place of refuge for desirable organisms. It is placed inline with the rest of the system. Hobbyists will often setup a refugium with a deep sand bed, some macro algae (such as chaetomorpha) and live rock. The use of refugiums has taken off lately. Companies are now producing quality models that can hang on the back or side of the tank. There are also setups that combine the sump and refugium into the same box. Way cool stuff here.

Why is a refugium important? Well, the macro algae does a great job at extracting nitrates, phosphates, carbon dioxide and other nutrients from the water. You can then export these nutrients by “harvesting” the macro algae. This essentially involves pruning the growing macro algae. The macro algae can also harbor many desirable life forms like amphipods and copepods. These tiny organisms can be used to feed the display fish and corals once their populations reach significant numbers. Refugiums most likely will need their own light source and power compacts that clip on the refugium work nicely in these applications.

TO MECHANICAL FILTER OR NOT TO MECHANICAL FILTER
You don’t have to run a mechanical filter, such as a power filter or canister filter, on your reef tank. We only run a mechanical filter, in this case a hang on powerfilter, when we want to run activated carbon in between water changes or if we need to use phosphate removing pads when we start noticing any sort of algae buildup anywhere in the tank.

The main idea here is that the protein skimmer will remove most of the organics once they start breaking down so you really don’t need to run a canister filter or power filter. In fact, these very filters could or might contribute to nitrate problems if the filter media is not cleaned and/or replaced on a regular basis, like every two days or more frequently. Speaking of protein skimmers…

PROTEIN SKIMMER SETUP
If you purchased a protein skimmer, either a stand alone, hang on the tank type, or one that is for use in a sump, hook it all up now. Some recommend not running the protein skimmerduring the break in stages, but we do. If you’re curing live rock and running a protein skimmer, watch the collection cup closely because it may need to be emptied frequently during the break in stages.

We should mention here that it is not absolutely necessary to run a protein skimmer on your reef tank. Some swear by skimmers and others think that they do more harm than good by skimming off the good with the bad. Frequent partial water changes can be used instead of a protein skimmer for lightly stocked tanks. Running a skimmer might be cheaper in the long run compared to making frequent partial water changes (salt mix isn’t cheap). However, I would only recommend not using a skimmer for those with more experience in keeping reef tanks.

LET EVERYTHING RUN
Ok, so we’ve added the sand and live rock, setup the sump, refugium, the protein skimmer, and possibly the mecahnical filter. Now we need to let the system run for a few days to a week while monitoring the water quality. If after running the tank for several days and you don’t detect any ammonia or nitrites but you can detect small amounts of nitrates, you can slowly start stocking the tank. Sometimes live rock that is extremely porous can be excellent at denitrification and you may not get a nitrate reading with fully cured rock.

SLOWLY ADD FISH AND CORAL AFTER QUARANTINE PERIOD
The time soon comes to add the fish, corals and other invertebrates. Stocking your tank slowly and ALWAYS using a quarantine tank will pay off big time in the end. Saltwater fish and corals can be very expensive. Setting up and running a quarantine is not expensive, just another step in the aquarium acclimation process. Following a strict quarantine protocol will go along way to ensuring your success within this hobby. Keep the fish and corals in QT for several weeks so you can monitor them for signs of infection, be looking especially for signs of saltwater fish disease such as Amyloodinum and Cryptocaryon (marine ich) and treat at the first signs of disease.

A quarantine tank also allows your fish to recover from shipping without harassment from other tankmates and it gives you a closer look at the fish (QT’s are usually much smaller than a display tank) all while getting it to eat the needed foods in order to build up the fish’s health.

Corals can also carry disease and sometimes hobbyists will use a dip procedure where they dip the coral in Lugol’s Solution (concentrated iodine) for 10 – 15 minutes before putting them in QT. This is thought to be a therapuetic treatment. Whether it works or not, I don’t really know.

DEVELOP A MAINTENANCE ROUTINE
After having the tank setup for several weeks you will start to see increased amounts of algae growth on the aquarium walls and maybe on the rock and sand. A magnetic algae scraper can easily rid the tank walls of unwanted diatom algae blooms. Gently using an aquarium vacuum over the top layer of sand will get rid of any algae trying to take hold on the sand.

Daily Reef Tank Maintenance Tasks:

• Tank Temperature
• Watch the Fish, Coral and Invertebrate behavior
• Feed the fish
• Scrape the tank glass of any diatom algae growth – it’s way easier to take it off daily, instead of letting it grow. you may want to let one of the sides grow algae, especially if you have herbivorous fish such as tangs.
• Empty and clean the protein skimmer collection cup. A dirty collection cup could negatively effect the performance of the skimmer.
• Top of any evaporated tank water with pure (Reverse Osmosis) freshwater or at least filtered tap water.

Weekly Reef Tank Maintenance Tasks:

• Check Nitrate, pH, Alkalinity and Calcium levels, possibly phosphate and silicate
• Once your corals start growing they will consume more calcium from the water. You need a way to replenish the calcium levels and keep the alkalinity levels up for growth to continue. Dosing with Kalkwasser is an easy way to keep these levels where they need to be. You can slow dose kalkwasser when the lights are off to offset any pH rise. Research this subject thoroughly before using kalkwasser. A calcium reactor can be considered a better way to keep these levels up, but a calcium reactor can be very expensive. Great to have if you can afford one.
• Do a partial water change (10 percent)
• Wipe down power cords and any salt creep around or on the reef tank.
• Clean the intakes to power heads and/or skimmers.

TESTING YOUR WATER PARAMETERS
Testing your reef tank water parameters is crucial to not only the well being of your fish, but it is also important for the health and growth of your corals. Keeping the tank’s Specific Gravity, pH, Calcium and Alkalinity levels at optimum levels is very important if you want to see growth out of your corals.

Some recommended test kits to have on hand are Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate, pH (automated pH meter is extremely handy), Iodine (if you plan on dosing iodine), Calcium, Alkalinity and of course a hydrometer.

Good water parameters to aim for:
• Specific Gravity 1.023 – 1.025
• Temperature 75 F to 80 F
• Calcium 400 – 450 ppm
• Alkalinity – 2.1 to 2.5 meq/L
• Magnesium – 1200 – 1400 ppm
• Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and Phospate – 0 ppm
• Iodine – 0.06 meq/L

Remember to test often and write down your results so you can chart your tank’s progress. You can come up with some really interesting conclusions about your tank by simply looking at the line graphs produced by the data from your logs.

ENJOY YOUR TANK AND CONTINUE TO LEARN
The aquarium setup stage of your reef tank is now over and many new stages are beginning. There is so much to learn about the corals, fish and invertebrates we keep and it can be quite fun learning about these animals while watching our reef tanks thrive. If you didn’t use the sump or refugium in your setup, maybe you can start learning more about these systems with the hopes that you could eventually incorporate them into your reef tank. They will add stability to your system.

There are basically three types of saltwater aquarium setups:

• Fish Only
• Fish Only with Live Rock - FOWLR
• Reef Tanks

Fish Only
This is the least expensive type to set up because you don’t necessarily need the better lighting that the other setups require. Check out the Saltwater Aquarium Setup page to get an idea of the equipment needed, minus the live rock mentioned in that article.

In my opinion, even though this is the least expensive setup, it is not necessarily the easiest to get started with. Getting started may take a little longer than the other setups while waiting for the nitrogen cycle to complete. Fish only tanks also require more frequent tank maintenance than FOWLR tanks. This means that you will need to stay on top of those water changes to remove the nitrates that are constantly accumulating. Having a water test kit is a necessity when keeping saltwater tanks. You will need to periodically monitor the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH levels. These readings will give you a good indication of the water quality inside your tank. It will also give you an idea of how often you should be performing those water changes.

As the name implies, this type of tank is really for keeping fish only. You may be able to keep a few snails or hermit crabs to help control any algae problems. There are generally two types of fish only tanks. Community type tanks and semi-aggressive type tanks. The community tanks house species that will get along well with the other species in the tank. Semi-aggressive tanks usually house solitary individuals from different species. Unless you have an extremely large tank, it is normally not recommended to get multiple fish from the same species.

Fish Only with live rock - FOWLR
This setup is the same as a Fish Only with the addition of live rock and better aquarium lighting. Check out the Saltwater Aquarium Setup page for more detailed information on this type of setup. The use of live rock has really taken off in the past decade because it really is the best form of natural biological filtration for the saltwater aquarium. It is called “live rock” because of the creatures and organisms living on the inside and on the surface of the rock. It can be very interesting to the look at the organisms and algae growing on the rock.

Getting good rock, such as Fiji rock, can be expensive and may even be the most expensive part of setting up a FOWLR tank. A rule of thumb for setting up a tank with live rock is 1 to 2 pounds per aquarium gallon. Currently, live rock is going for about $7 per pound, so a 55 gallon tank would need approximately 82.5 lbs (using 1.5 pounds/gallon) or around $578 to get started. This price is just an estimate and the price may be much higher or lower in your particular area.

What makes live rock so good? The porous nature of live rock means that it comes packed with all types of tiny creatures and biological organisms that aid in the nitrogen cycle. The dense, porous material inside the live rock helps rid your aquarium of nitrates. You will still need to monitor your water parameters regularly and perform water changes as needed. You will also need to add supplements such as iodine, calcium, strontium, magnesium and others, to the water periodically. Live rock helps maintain stability in a saltwater aquarium and it can become a food source for your invertebrates and your fish.

Reef Tanks
The reef tank setup is primarily geared towards invertebrates, corals and anemones. The fish in this type of tank are just an afterthought. “Oh yeah, there’s a fish in there”. Reef keepers are more interested in keeping their corals and anemones growing and this means monitoring water parameters weekly if not daily. These invertebrates, corals and anemones can be very expensive and very hard to keep.

Reef tanks are usually set up by very experienced hobbyists because these tanks require excellent water conditions, extremely high lighting levels (expensive), water supplements, reverse osmosis and/or deionized water (expensive), and excellent filtration (usually live rock).

If monitoring your water parameters on a daily basis and spending a lot of money is your idea of a good time, then you should look in to setting up a reef tank. Seriously though, if you are just getting started with saltwater, you should probably leave the reef tank for a future time when you get more experience under your belt. We don’t want to discourage you from setting up areef tank, but we do want to make you realize the amount of research and effort that goes into getting one of these set up. If you’ve been doing things correctly with your other tanks you are already familiar with researching fish and equipment. A reef tank can be very rewarding and breath taking to look at when set up correctly.

You may also come acros something called a nano cube setup. These are very small tanks, typically something less than 30 gallons that are used for small reef tanks for housing corals and other saltwater inverts. These are very cool looking but take a lot of work monitoring water quality and correcting as needed.

Major Mitchell Cockatoo

To help keep your cockatoo healthy and happy, you need to know how to care for him/her.

HOUSING-The bigger the cage, the better, but there are some general guidelines for cages. For a smaller cockatoo, its cage should be no smaller than 30″ wide by 20” deep by 43″ deep. For larger cockatoos (such as umbrella cockatoos), the cage should be no smaller than 40” wide by 30” deep by 50” tall, but no matter what size the bird, the cage must be made strong enough for a cockatoo to hang onto when (s)he climbs around, and can withstand a cockatoo’s powerful beak. The bars of the cage shouldn’t be any farther apart than 1”.

Just as important for cockatoo care, would be toys. Toys should be made from very hard plastic or wood and should be brightly colored, zinc/lead free, and sturdy enough to withstand the great force of a cockatoo’s strong beak.

Bells are also a wonderful toys for cockatoos, but make sure that the bell is made of a non-toxic metal. Stainless steel is safe for birds, however, be sure to get a bell for large birds. Bells that are too small can be easily taken apart, and small pieces can be swallowed, resulting in some real problems, even death.

A safe play gym, wether it is free standing, or mounts on the top of the cage is sure to bring plenty of fun.

Food is one of the most important things for good cockatoo care. A combination of a pelleted food and daily fresh fruits and vegetables will help to ensure a cockatoo’s good health. Cockatoos can even have meats, however, beef and pork should be kept to a minimum, while more chicken and turkey is recommended.Cockatoos are not fussy eaters; however, do not give your cockatoo avocados, chocolate, or alcohol in any form. Deep fried should never be given to a cockatoo, nor should salted treats such as potato chips, pretzels that have salt, and saltines that have been salted. Diary products are safe for a Cockatoo; however, this too must be limited. Too much dairy product can cause diarrhea and dehydration from the diarrhea.

Good Cockatoo care also consists of time – your time. Cockatoos are very loving birds, and they are known for being “cuddly” and they are demanding of their owners’ time. They love to sit and have dinner with the family and at the same time they love their quiet time with their owner(s).

If a Cockatoo doesn’t get the attention and love that it needs, (s)he can become quite loud and develop bad habits.

Many people who get cockatoos do not realize how demanding a cockatoo is, and soon become frustrated with them, leading up to the people either getting rid of the cockatoo or neglecting the cockatoo.

Medical care for a cockatoo should be done by a Certified Avian Veterinarian or an Exotic Animal Veterinarian. Many vets do not work with birds because this is a “specialty field”, and many vets do not know enough about birds.

So if you decide to get a Cockatoo, remember that they do require a lot of time, love, the right cages, toys, vet care, and food for the best cockatoo care that can be provided.

I hope this article was useful to you. I recommend you to check the following site for more cockatoo care tips:

Parrot’s Bill of Rights

1. GET TO KNOW ABOUT PARROTS BEFORE YOU BRING ME HOME - I am not a domesticated pet like a dog or cat. I still have the spirit of the jungle in me. I have special needs, which you may find hard to fill. Please don’t learn these too late for my well-being. And please don’t acquire one of my cousins wild from the jungle – it will jeopardize his survival and well-being, and that won’t be a party for you either!

2. GIVE ME THE LARGEST HOME POSSIBLE - I am used to flying through rainforests or savannas. I have given up this great gift for your pleasure. At the very least, give me enough room to flap my wings and exercise. And I need toys for my amusement and wood to chew – otherwise, I might confuse your Home with the forest and its trees.

3. GIVE ME A NUTRITIOUS DIET – I need a wide variety of fresh and nutritious foods, even if they take time to prepare. I cannot survive on seeds alone. Take time to learn what my needs, and preferences are.

4. LET ME HAVE A ‘SOCIAL LIFE’ – I am a gregarious flock animal – but I am not one of you. I need lots of socialization to learn how to act with you, and with my siblings. I also need to have adequate quality time with you every day – no matter what your schedule or other needs are. I am a living, feeling creature. Above all, I need to be able to have complete trust in you, and count on your predictability in looking after me – every day.

5. LET ME BE CLEAN – I may like to drop food or even throw it, but I need meticulous cleanliness to be healthy. My skin itches without frequent showers, the barbs of my feathers won’t seal if they become oily and, worst of all, I may become ill if my food or water is not always sanitary.

6. I NEED MY OWN DOCTOR – You may not understand my physiology and therefore you may not recognize it early on when I get sick. And it may be too late when you do, because I hide my illnesses (remember what I said about my being an animal of the jungle, where there are lots of predators). And I need an avian vet – a specialist (no HMOs for me please). If you can’t afford one, perhaps you shouldn’t have taken me home.

7. PLEASE DON’T PUNISH ME – Just as I don’t always understand your peculiarities, you may not understand mine. I don’t TRY to get in trouble – remember, a house is not the jungle. If I do screw up, don’t yell at me and never hit me. I have sensitive ears and I may never trust you again if you strike me. Hands are sometimes scary things to us (why in the world would you not be zygodactylous like us?). Even more importantly, we don’t learn by punishment. We are gentle creatures who only strike back to protect ourselves; we learn through patience and love.

8. SPEAK MY ‘LANGUAGE’ – I know you get upset with me when I knock over my water bowl, throw food, scream or pluck my feathers. I don’t do these to annoy you – I am probably trying to tell you something (perhaps that I am hurting, lonely, or sad.). Learn to speak MY (body) language. Remember that I, alone of all creatures on this planet, learn to speak yours!

9. SEE ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL – I am a unique and feeling being. No two of us are alike. Please don’t be disappointed in me if I don’t talk like you wanted, or can’t do the tricks that your friend’s parrot can do. But if you pay close attention to me (and I always empathize with you, whether you know it or not), I will show you a unique being who will give you so much more than talking and playing. Give me a chance to show you who I am; I think you’ll find the effort worth it. And remember – I am not an ornament; I do not enhance ANY living room décor. And I am not a status symbol – if you use me as such, I might nip at your up-turned nose!

10. SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH ME – Above all, please remember that you are my Special Person. I put all my trust and faith in you. We parrots are used to being monogamous (no bar-hopping for us!). So please don’t go away for long periods or give me away – that would be a sadness from which I may never recover. If that seems to be asking a lot, remember – you could have learned about my needs before bringing me home. Even having a baby or taking a new job isn’t a fair reason – you made a commitment to me FIRST. And if you think that you must leave me because you might die, provide for me forever after you leave. I may live to a ripe old age but I can’t provide for myself. Remember I’m in a small cage amongst people who are not of my blood.

11. YOUR RIGHTS – You have lots of rights, but I can only assure one. And that is, if you treat me the way I described above, I will reward you with unwavering love, humor, knowledge, beauty, dedication – and a sense of wonder and awe you haven’t felt since you were a child. When you took me home, you became my Flock Leader, indeed, my entire universe – for life. I would hang the moon and stars for you if I could. We are one in Heart and Soul. 

TREATS TO AVOID

There are some foods and treat items which may not be healthy for your hamster. Feeding your hamster unhealthy or dangerous food items can put their health at risk, and may even induce an allergic reaction. In general, avoid any food items that contain a high amount of sugar. Sugar can cause digestive problems, obesity and diabetes in hamsters when fed in excessive amounts. Other foods to avoid feeding your hamster are: onions, garlic, chocolate, buttercups, raw kidney beans, toffee and any type of candy.

COMMERCIAL TREATS

There are many commercial treat products available that you can purchase for your hamster. However, it’s important to be careful what you buy. Some commercial hamster treats are low-nutrition, high-sugar and may actually be detrimental to your hamster’s health. Steer clear of any hamster treats that include high fructose corn syrup, or that include chemical coloring and flavoring.

HOMEMADE TREATS

If you have a bit of extra time, you can actually make homemade treats for your hamster right in your kitchen! The recipe doesn’t have to be specific, and you can even make your own formulas. Include high-nutrient grains, tasty fruit and nuts to make a treat that your hamster will love.

FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

As a treat, you may give your hamster fresh fruit and vegetables on a regular basis. However, as with any treat, it’s important not to overfeed your hamster. Even though fresh fruits and vegetables are very nutritious, they should not be given in excess. If you feed your hamster a high-fiber fruit as a large part of their diet, this may cause your hamster’s stools to become loose. Balance your hamster’s diet with other treats in addition to fresh fruits and vegetables.

NUTS AND SEEDS

Nuts are rich in protein, fiber and many amino acids. There are many nuts that are safe to feedhamsters. This includes sweet chestnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, beechnuts, shelled almonds, peanuts, cashews and brazil nuts. You may also feed your hamster a variety of seeds, though many hamster diet mixes also include seed ingredients. Though hamsters lovesunflower seeds, over-consumption may cause obesity, so be sure to keep this in mind.

HOW LONG DO HAMSTERS LIVE?

Most hamsters have an average lifespan of about 2 to 3 years. This is an average of all breeds, though some dwarf hamsters rarely exceed a 2 year life expectancy. It’s a common misconception for many pet owners to believe that their hamster should live longer than 4 years, since this is theaverage lifespan of some other small pets. Also, a hamster’s lifespan is also largely affected by the care and nutrition that they receive during their captive life.

HAMSTER MATURITY

Hamsters have such a short lifespan because they tend to reach their “full” maturity much quicker than most other animals. As an example of this, some sources state that a 2 year old hamster is equivalent to a human that is approximately 70 years old. Due to their rapid maturity, most hamsterswill not usually exceed their average life expectancy by a large amount.

INCREASING YOUR HAMSTER’S LIFE EXPECTANCY

Though nothing can prevent your hamster from aging, you may be able to increase the chances that they will be able to enjoy an improved life expectancy. Here are some general tips that may positively affect your hamster’s lifespan.

LARGER CAGE SIZE
As a general rule, a hamster in a smaller cage will have a higher stress level than if they were housed in a larger cage. Be sure that your hamster has enough room to run comfortably in their cage.

QUALITY NUTRITION
Your hamster’s diet does have lasting effects on their average lifespan. Be sure that you supplement your hamster’s dry food mix with fresh fruits, vegetables and other treats.

EXERCISE
Just like in humans, exercise has beneficial effects for hamsters as well. You may help increase your hamster’s activity level by purchasing an exercise wheel, or by taking them out of their cage for extended periods of playtime. There are also many enclosed exercise ballswhich allow your hamster to “explore” your home from the safety of an enclosed plastic sphere.