Aeration disturbance

[flow guru]

Hey all
Read an interesting science article the other day that the bubbles from
aeration may actually stress some fish. (I assume that the constant movement
intimidates shier fish and that all aeration should be shielded).
Can't say I've actually ever seen it ( the contrary some species play in it)
although some of my fish do seem to give it a wide berth. Anyone else ever
noticed it or heard of it.
Dean

[flow guru]

To clarify the journal article (and it was specifically marine pipe fish)
was suggesting it wasn't the dynamics created by aeration but the actual
intimidation of the physical sight of something large and in motion in the
tank (ie potential predator). And given that I have 2 bubblers on the floor
of the tank are they intimidating what are already shy fish (discus, knive
and upside down catfish albeit all more than 6 inches). I would say a
reasonable measure of fish disturbed by it would be those that flee at
traffic past the tank. It might even explain the behaviour of silver sharks
(mine are now carpet sharks).
When I work out how to aerate a couple of hundred gallons and maintain a
reasonable D.O. I'll remove the bubblers and see if their behaviour changes
at all.

Dean

"NetMax" > wrote in message
...
>
> "flow guru" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hey all
> > Read an interesting science article the other day that the bubbles from
> > aeration may actually stress some fish. (I assume that the constant
> movement
> > intimidates shier fish and that all aeration should be shielded).
> > Can't say I've actually ever seen it ( the contrary some species play
> in it)
> > although some of my fish do seem to give it a wide berth. Anyone else
> ever
> > noticed it or heard of it.
> > Dean
>
> If possible, the best design guideline is to create an environment which
> has a mixture of quiet zones, medium flow, higher turbulence, bubbles or
> no bubbles, rock and/or plant shelters etc etc. The fish will indicate
> their preference by spending more time there. You can then adjust the
> environment to provide more of their preferences. Fish also have their
> natural zones, so for example, if you find your top-feeders are hiding
> under shelters, then you need to turn down the turbulence ;~) Generally
> speaking, the longer and thinner the fish (ie: Zebra danio), the more
> likely it will tolerate or enjoy more rapid water movement (designed for
> speed), and tall flat fish (ie: Angelfish) which would be susceptible to
> side currents, do better in calmer waters. A mix of the two extremes
> requires the majority of the environment to be at the lowest denominator
> (calm waters), and leave a little corner for the Zebras to swim against
> the currents somewhere.
>
> NetMax
>
>

[NetMax]

Yes, a wall of bubbles would be intimidating to certain fishes, though I
think, mostly from the threat is posed to their equilibrium (ie: Angels,
Discus). A possible solution would be to put your wall of bubbles behind
a sheet of slate or plastic, with openings at the bottom (intake) and top
(return). I don't know why you need bubbles to aerate any size of tank.
Re-oxygenation predominantly occurs at the water's surface, so moving the
water around is all that is generally needed.

NetMax

"flow guru" > wrote in message
...
> To clarify the journal article (and it was specifically marine pipe
fish)
> was suggesting it wasn't the dynamics created by aeration but the
actual
> intimidation of the physical sight of something large and in motion in
the
> tank (ie potential predator). And given that I have 2 bubblers on the
floor
> of the tank are they intimidating what are already shy fish (discus,
knive
> and upside down catfish albeit all more than 6 inches). I would say a
> reasonable measure of fish disturbed by it would be those that flee at
> traffic past the tank. It might even explain the behaviour of silver
sharks
> (mine are now carpet sharks).
> When I work out how to aerate a couple of hundred gallons and maintain
a
> reasonable D.O. I'll remove the bubblers and see if their behaviour
changes
> at all.
>
> Dean
>
> "NetMax" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "flow guru" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Hey all
> > > Read an interesting science article the other day that the bubbles
from
> > > aeration may actually stress some fish. (I assume that the constant
> > movement
> > > intimidates shier fish and that all aeration should be shielded).
> > > Can't say I've actually ever seen it ( the contrary some species
play
> > in it)
> > > although some of my fish do seem to give it a wide berth. Anyone
else
> > ever
> > > noticed it or heard of it.
> > > Dean
> >
> > If possible, the best design guideline is to create an environment
which
> > has a mixture of quiet zones, medium flow, higher turbulence, bubbles
or
> > no bubbles, rock and/or plant shelters etc etc. The fish will
indicate
> > their preference by spending more time there. You can then adjust
the
> > environment to provide more of their preferences. Fish also have
their
> > natural zones, so for example, if you find your top-feeders are
hiding
> > under shelters, then you need to turn down the turbulence ;~)
Generally
> > speaking, the longer and thinner the fish (ie: Zebra danio), the more
> > likely it will tolerate or enjoy more rapid water movement (designed
for
> > speed), and tall flat fish (ie: Angelfish) which would be susceptible
to
> > side currents, do better in calmer waters. A mix of the two extremes
> > requires the majority of the environment to be at the lowest
denominator
> > (calm waters), and leave a little corner for the Zebras to swim
against
> > the currents somewhere.
> >
> > NetMax
> >
> >
>
>

[flow guru]

Good point

"NetMax" > wrote in message
.. .
> Yes, a wall of bubbles would be intimidating to certain fishes, though I
> think, mostly from the threat is posed to their equilibrium (ie: Angels,
> Discus). A possible solution would be to put your wall of bubbles behind
> a sheet of slate or plastic, with openings at the bottom (intake) and top
> (return). I don't know why you need bubbles to aerate any size of tank.
> Re-oxygenation predominantly occurs at the water's surface, so moving the
> water around is all that is generally needed.
>
> NetMax
>
> "flow guru" > wrote in message
> ...
> > To clarify the journal article (and it was specifically marine pipe
> fish)
> > was suggesting it wasn't the dynamics created by aeration but the
> actual
> > intimidation of the physical sight of something large and in motion in
> the
> > tank (ie potential predator). And given that I have 2 bubblers on the
> floor
> > of the tank are they intimidating what are already shy fish (discus,
> knive
> > and upside down catfish albeit all more than 6 inches). I would say a
> > reasonable measure of fish disturbed by it would be those that flee at
> > traffic past the tank. It might even explain the behaviour of silver
> sharks
> > (mine are now carpet sharks).
> > When I work out how to aerate a couple of hundred gallons and maintain
> a
> > reasonable D.O. I'll remove the bubblers and see if their behaviour
> changes
> > at all.
> >
> > Dean
> >
> > "NetMax" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > > "flow guru" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > Hey all
> > > > Read an interesting science article the other day that the bubbles
> from
> > > > aeration may actually stress some fish. (I assume that the constant
> > > movement
> > > > intimidates shier fish and that all aeration should be shielded).
> > > > Can't say I've actually ever seen it ( the contrary some species
> play
> > > in it)
> > > > although some of my fish do seem to give it a wide berth. Anyone
> else
> > > ever
> > > > noticed it or heard of it.
> > > > Dean
> > >
> > > If possible, the best design guideline is to create an environment
> which
> > > has a mixture of quiet zones, medium flow, higher turbulence, bubbles
> or
> > > no bubbles, rock and/or plant shelters etc etc. The fish will
> indicate
> > > their preference by spending more time there. You can then adjust
> the
> > > environment to provide more of their preferences. Fish also have
> their
> > > natural zones, so for example, if you find your top-feeders are
> hiding
> > > under shelters, then you need to turn down the turbulence ;~)
> Generally
> > > speaking, the longer and thinner the fish (ie: Zebra danio), the more
> > > likely it will tolerate or enjoy more rapid water movement (designed
> for
> > > speed), and tall flat fish (ie: Angelfish) which would be susceptible
> to
> > > side currents, do better in calmer waters. A mix of the two extremes
> > > requires the majority of the environment to be at the lowest
> denominator
> > > (calm waters), and leave a little corner for the Zebras to swim
> against
> > > the currents somewhere.
> > >
> > > NetMax
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Alan Silver]

In article >, NetMax
> writes
>If possible, the best design guideline is to create an environment
>which has a mixture of quiet zones, medium flow, higher turbulence,
>bubbles or no bubbles, rock and/or plant shelters etc etc. The fish
>will indicate their preference by spending more time there.

You know I got quite a surprise recently. Our main tank has gouramis,
tiger barbs, harlequins and glowlight tetras in. I was always under the
impression that these fish preferred slow-moving water. I plugged in an
extra filter (you know NetMax, the Ecco) to mature it and was a little
worried about the large jet of water that was going into the middle of
the tank.

Contrary to all expectations, they all love it. I have seen more of the
fish in the last ten days than I ever did before. I am going to rethink
my filter arrangements in this tank when the extra filter comes out.

--
Alan Silver