plebian
Fish Fanatic
Three Indisputable Facts
Fact #1
Aquatic ecosystems are extremely complex environments consisting of thousands of interrelated species of microorganisms.
In truth, very little about these relationships is known and even less is understood. Even the most basic process essential to fish keeping, the nitrogen cycle, has been misunderstood.
For decades it was believed the nitrogen cycle was dependent upon ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, Nitrosomonas spp. It has more recently been discovered that ammonia-oxidizing archaea are actually responsible for most of the conversion of ammonia to nitrite in both fresh water and salt water aquariums. Even less is known about the other microorganisms that inhabit our aquariums, few of which have been identified much less studied.
Fact #2
Every aquarium has a unique microbiome.
This is due to differences in local water sources, aquarium bioload, and water changing and feeding schedules. Even geographical location and climate can effect the composition of an aquarium microbiome. This is why the time it takes to establish a stable nitrogen cycle is so unpredictable, and that is only the first step in establishing a healthy, stable aquarium microbiome.
Fact #3
Fish have personalities.
In basic terms, what this means is that different individuals of the same species will react to their environment in different ways. For example, in one study of guppies it was found that different individuals responded to threat perception differently. Some froze in place, some tried to hide, others simply fled.
From an evolutionary perspective, personality is a key factor in species survival. How individuals respond to changes in their environment determines whether they survive. These changes include water parameters, predators, sources of food, etc. Those that adapt pass on their genetics, the others do not.
Given the three indisputable facts highlighted above, I have developed three golden rules of fish keeping.
Three Golden Rules
Rule #1
Don’t believe everything you read on Internet forums (including this one).
Finding the truth about a specific topic is like looking for a needle in a haystack. This is especially true of tropical fish keeping forums. You need to do your research.
Rule #2
When researching a topic pay attention to the source.
There is a lot of intentionally misleading marketing out there, the sole purpose of which is to take money from the unwary. There are also people interested in pushing a specific agenda based on personal beliefs rather than scientific facts.
Rule #3
Use logic and careful reasoning when evaluating the various claims you come across.
Just because someone observes one event preceding another does not mean the preceding event caused the event that followed. Coincidence and causality are all too frequently confused.
Exhibit A:
If you look for recommendations regarding the control of brown algae you will find the following:
Increase lighting
Decrease lighting
Decrease the nitrate level in the water (typically, using plants)
Simple logic should rule out one of the first two recommendations on that list. One or the other is false. In truth, both are false, as is the last item.
Typically, the person asking for advice has a planted aquarium and is concerned because the plants are being covered by brown algae. Brown algae (diatoms, a class of microalgae) can survive under conditions that will not support plant life. Changing light and/or nitrate levels to a point that will eliminate brown algae will also eliminate the plants.
Why people make these assertions is almost certainly due to confusing correlation with causality. One individual reduces light and the brown algae is observed to disappear. Another increases light and the brown algae disappears. In both cases, the reason the brown algae disappeared had nothing to do with light (or nitrate) levels. The brown algae was simply consumed by other micororganisms that had finally had enough time to establish themselves in the microbiome.
The Internet is rife with misleading reports on all matter of subjects simply because people confuse correlation with causality. The simple fact that every aquarium is to some degree unique implies that not everyone’s experience will be the same. The simple fact that fish have personalities similarly implies that not everyone’s experience will be the same.
Every recommendation you find on the Internet, regardless of topic, needs to be examined according to the three golden rules I highlighted above. Nowhere is this more true than with the content found on tropical fish forums.
Fact #1
Aquatic ecosystems are extremely complex environments consisting of thousands of interrelated species of microorganisms.
In truth, very little about these relationships is known and even less is understood. Even the most basic process essential to fish keeping, the nitrogen cycle, has been misunderstood.
For decades it was believed the nitrogen cycle was dependent upon ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, Nitrosomonas spp. It has more recently been discovered that ammonia-oxidizing archaea are actually responsible for most of the conversion of ammonia to nitrite in both fresh water and salt water aquariums. Even less is known about the other microorganisms that inhabit our aquariums, few of which have been identified much less studied.
Fact #2
Every aquarium has a unique microbiome.
This is due to differences in local water sources, aquarium bioload, and water changing and feeding schedules. Even geographical location and climate can effect the composition of an aquarium microbiome. This is why the time it takes to establish a stable nitrogen cycle is so unpredictable, and that is only the first step in establishing a healthy, stable aquarium microbiome.
Fact #3
Fish have personalities.
In basic terms, what this means is that different individuals of the same species will react to their environment in different ways. For example, in one study of guppies it was found that different individuals responded to threat perception differently. Some froze in place, some tried to hide, others simply fled.
From an evolutionary perspective, personality is a key factor in species survival. How individuals respond to changes in their environment determines whether they survive. These changes include water parameters, predators, sources of food, etc. Those that adapt pass on their genetics, the others do not.
Given the three indisputable facts highlighted above, I have developed three golden rules of fish keeping.
Three Golden Rules
Rule #1
Don’t believe everything you read on Internet forums (including this one).
Finding the truth about a specific topic is like looking for a needle in a haystack. This is especially true of tropical fish keeping forums. You need to do your research.
Rule #2
When researching a topic pay attention to the source.
There is a lot of intentionally misleading marketing out there, the sole purpose of which is to take money from the unwary. There are also people interested in pushing a specific agenda based on personal beliefs rather than scientific facts.
Rule #3
Use logic and careful reasoning when evaluating the various claims you come across.
Just because someone observes one event preceding another does not mean the preceding event caused the event that followed. Coincidence and causality are all too frequently confused.
Exhibit A:
If you look for recommendations regarding the control of brown algae you will find the following:
Increase lighting
Decrease lighting
Decrease the nitrate level in the water (typically, using plants)
Simple logic should rule out one of the first two recommendations on that list. One or the other is false. In truth, both are false, as is the last item.
Typically, the person asking for advice has a planted aquarium and is concerned because the plants are being covered by brown algae. Brown algae (diatoms, a class of microalgae) can survive under conditions that will not support plant life. Changing light and/or nitrate levels to a point that will eliminate brown algae will also eliminate the plants.
Why people make these assertions is almost certainly due to confusing correlation with causality. One individual reduces light and the brown algae is observed to disappear. Another increases light and the brown algae disappears. In both cases, the reason the brown algae disappeared had nothing to do with light (or nitrate) levels. The brown algae was simply consumed by other micororganisms that had finally had enough time to establish themselves in the microbiome.
The Internet is rife with misleading reports on all matter of subjects simply because people confuse correlation with causality. The simple fact that every aquarium is to some degree unique implies that not everyone’s experience will be the same. The simple fact that fish have personalities similarly implies that not everyone’s experience will be the same.
Every recommendation you find on the Internet, regardless of topic, needs to be examined according to the three golden rules I highlighted above. Nowhere is this more true than with the content found on tropical fish forums.
