African Tooth Carp (Aphyosemion)

The Genus Aphyosemion African Tooth Carp is the most favorite Carp Species because they are some of the most beautiful fish in the tank.
One main recommendation from the fish breeders is that you use female carps and not males because the males can’t stand to be near other males fish. They become highly aggressive and they fight. They also like glass tanks, rather than other material.

And when a Genus Aphyosemion dies, he dies quickly and it is recommended they have their own aquarium. During the dying ritual, so to speak, the fish will hide, mostly in the corners of the aquarium and fold the fins.

Other tank suggestions include adding a lot of plants into the aquarium. The Genus Aphyosemion African Tooth Carp likes a shady environment with many plants that float. They also like slightly acid water or a bit hard. Some carps need an alkaline environment when they breed. This is why, in the mating season, is recommended to add a teaspoon of table salt to a gallon of water. Some breeders suggest covering the bottom of the tank with some purified overcooked peat.

Like it was said before, this species does not live long and it is recommended to have private aquariums and also to separate the fish in categories.
There are 3 categories: midlevel breeders, surface breeders, and the bottom breeders.

The midlevel breeders love smooth leaf plants because the eggs like to stick to them. The surface breeders should have some floating plants to stick their eggs to them and the bottom breeders should have some peat, on the bottom area of the aquarium.

Use nylon mops to preserve fry, by inserting them into the tank to preserve fry. Keep in mind that any carp species eats their own children. After the eggs have been laid, it is safer to remove the parent to another tank.

During breeding, it is good to keep the water temperature to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, unless the fish are in peaty waters. If they are in peaty waters, the temperature must be around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. During breeding, raise the temperature to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, if you want the fish to breed, don’t dry the peaty because the fish will die. Also, when you refresh the tank water, shake the peat just a little.

Be careful and make sure the peat at the bottom of the tank is sterilized. The bottom breeders also need floating plants. Sometimes it is easier to remove the bottom spawners and put them in a smaller tank. Don’t forget to remove the parent fish from the tank because the water needs to be siphoned. When you do the siphoning, avoid the eggs and peat area. Do the siphoning with a small tube. Before the breeding starts and during it, the water temperature should be at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. After the eggs are laid, keep it like that for two weeks more. When all is done, change back the temperature to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, when you do the egg transfer, adjust the temperature to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. After that, you can break the peat up into lumps.

This fish species is not recommended for first timers. Avoid it if you never had an aquarium before. Other types of Carp are easier to take care of.

Choose the Brachydanio Rerio or Zebra Danio. They come from Eastern regions of India and are less demanding than the Carp. They look like a small cylinder and the colors are very attractive. Some of the colors are: silver, gold, blue, and black. The Rerio is quite smart, enjoys a peaceful tank environment, and is less demanding about food. It will eat most foods. Also, they don’t need special water conditions.

But if you are a beginner and you got this species, there are many starters’ kits on the market that will help you with good and practical advices.

What is a water hardness testing kit?

A water hardness testing kit is a kit containing ingredients for measuring the amount or number of grains per gallon of the dissolved salts of magnesium or calcium present in the water.

There are two types of kits available. The first involves the use of three chemicals which are added in succession to a sample of water to be tested. The number of drops of the last solution required to change the color is a measure of grains of hardness per gallon. The second type of kit makes use of the fact that soap will not lather readily in hard water. Drops of a standard soap solution are added to a sample of water. The number of drops required to produce lather equals its hardness in grains per gallon.

A rough idea of the hardness can be gained by washing your hands in some of it. Soft water lathers readily.

Like pH, there is a good deal of controversy as to the practical importance of water hardness. Most fishes can certainly stand extremely hard water if they are gradually accustomed to it. Many fishes will breed much more readily in soft, slightly acid water. There are chemical water softeners which will remove the calcium and magnesium salts from water. There are also water demineralizers available. These remove all the dissolved minerals from the water, leaving it almost as pure as distilled water.

Neither of these should be used on water while the fishes are present. Fishes cannot live in distilled water. To avoid overdoing it, when your water is too hard, make changes carefully. Soften some water separately. Dilute your aquarium water by adding this water to it and testing frequently. The amount to add depends on the degree of hardness you start with and the degree of hardness required. A hardness of 3 to 9 grains of hardness is the most satisfactory, although as stated before most fishes can stand water much harder than this, if the change to it is gradual.

Hardness is frequently measured as parts per million, abbreviated as p.p.m. Divide the number of parts per million by 17.1 to find the grains per gallon.