Aquarium and Pond Glossary - AAbbreviate heterocercal: A form of caudal or tail fin containing vertebrae. This is seen in some of the Lepisosteidae family and the North American Bowfin.
Abdomen: The lower part of the body between the pectoral fins and the vent (anus).
Abiotic: Non-living, i.e. dead.
Abraded: This describes the damage caused by abrasion during spawning and courtship, when fins commonly get injured.
Absolute fecundity: Absolute fecundity refers to the total number of eggs within a female.
Absorption spectrum: The range of wavelengths of light that a photosynthetic pigment, such as chlorophyll, can absorb.
Abyssal benthic: Areas of the ocean floor which are more than 730-1000 metres below the surface.
Abyssal zone: The deepest part of the ocean where light cannot penetrate. At these depths it is extremely cold, however they do contain unusual and highly specialised fish species which are adapted to survive in such harsh surroundings.
Acanthocephalan: A worm-like organism from the order Acanthocephala.
Accessory caudal ray: The smaller caudal fin rays that are present on the upper and lower sides of the caudal peduncle, or thinner part of the tail.
Acclimation: The physiological adjustment to a change in an environmental factor, such as temperature. Also referred to as acclimatisation.
Acclimatisation: See Acclimation above.
Acid: A substance which increases the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution, thereby decreasing its pH. The opposite of a base.
Acidic: The condition of the water when its pH is between 0 and 7.
Acidity: This is a water condition in your aquarium. Hydrogen ions in the water make the water more acidic.
Acidophile: Literally means 'acid loving'. Can be used to describe fish from acid waters, such as the Amazon and forest pools in West Africa, which prefer a pH below 7. Fish from alkaline waters, like marines or Malawian or Tanganyikan cichlids, are alkalophiles and prefer a pH over 7, preferably around 8. Both groups are intolerant of the wrong pH.
Acontia: The stinging tentacles found in many sea anemones. When stimulated the tentacles are projected through the mouth opening and through pores in the side walls.
Acoustico-lateralis system: The sensory system of fishes which is made up of the inner ear and the lateral line apparatus.
Acropora: The genus Acropora from the family Acroporidae has over twenty species and makes up quarter of all of the tropical reef-building corals. The most common name for an acropora coral is a stanghorn coral; other forms are also found which are shaped like and tables and bushes. Acropora has many different colour variations, which can change dramatically depending on its environment.
Actinic bulbs: Actinic light bulbs produce light at the blue end of the spectrum, near ultraviolet UV light. It can be used in coral tanks or tanks containing photosynthetic invertebrates. Since Actinic light only produces light at the end of the spectrum additional lighting may be required.
Activated carbon: This is carbon layer with a very high surface area to enable adsorption when used as a filter. Activated carbon may have a surface area of over 500m2/g.
Adductor muscle: A muscle used to pull, close or hold part of the body. For example, in invertebrates, adductor muscles are commonly seen in bivalves to hold and lock the two halves of the shell (exoskeleton) together.
Aeration: The introduction of air into water. This can be to aid water movement or increase the oxygen content of the tank water.
Aerial respiration: The process of obtaining the oxygen required for breathing directly from the atmosphere. For example, some fish (e.g. catfish and anabantoids) gasp at the water's surface as they tend to live in warm, stagnant waters which lack oxygen.
Aerobic: Living with oxygen.
Agnatha: The Agnatha group consists of primitive jawless vertebrates, such as lampreys and hagfish, which feed using a sucking disc-like structure.
Aiptasia: A marine pest, which can be difficult to eradicate from a tank once established. They are aggressive and will sting any other invertebrates within reach, which can result in tissue damage and prevent polyps from feeding normally. If you try to cut, pull or scrape these pests off rocks or glass, any fragments left behind can form a new anemone. Treatments can kill them but they often recover if not treated effectively. Biological predators are also an option, such as butterflies, like the Copperband, Chelmon rostratus, or Peppermint shrimps, but these species may also eat the polyps of desirable inverts. The nudibranch Berghia verrucicornis is a coral-friendly natural predator, however it is not widely available.
Air pumps: This is a continuous supply of pumped air.
Airstone: This is a device that attaches to an air pump and diffuses oxgyen into the water; it can also assist with water circulation. Airstones can be used to aerate the water and increase its oxygen content or can be encorporated into decorative displays. Airstones can be made from porous wood, stone or synthetic materials.
Albino: A organism which lacks pigmentation and appears white or transparent.
Algae: This is a very basic type of aquatic plant. There are many different types of algae, ranging from microscopic cells to seaweed and kelp, and you can remove them by using brushes, scrapers or chemical treatments.
Alkaline: This is a water condition in your aquarium when the pH measures between 7 and 14. Hydroxide ions in the water make it more alkaline. Alkaline is also known as basic.
Alkalophile: Alkalophiles are from acid waters, such as those pools found in the Amazon and West Africa, and they prefer a pH above 7. Fish from alkaline waters, like marines or Tanganyikan cichlids, are alkalophiles and prefer a pH around 8.
Ammonia: This is the chemical compound NH3, composed of Nitrogen and Hydrogen, which will be present in your aquarium. It is the most toxic of the nitrogenous pollutants even at low levels and is excreted by fish from their gills during metabolism. It is also released during the breakdown of other pollutants and food. It is broken down into nitrite by Nitrosomonas bacteria. See also the Nitrogen Cycle.
Anabantoids: A type of tropical fish which originated in Africa and parts of Asia. The Anabantoids tend to be in the medium sized range. The most famous of this family is the Siamese Fighting Fish, as the male fish will kill any other rival males in the same aquarium. Gouramis on the other hand are very peaceful, although fighting can occur around the breeding season.
Anaerobic: Living without oxygen. This is a living situation most commonly associated with "bad" bacteria.
Anal fin: An unpaired fin on the ventral (lower) surface of a fish. It is usually positioned after the vent.
Annelida: This phylum includes various worms or worm-like animals, which are characterized by an elongated, cylindrical and segmented body, e.g. polychaetes.
Antennae: This refers to the two anterior appendages (the 'feelers') of a crustacean. They are used to touch and taste. This can also refer to the most anterior appendages on the head of a polychaete annelid worm.
Anterior: The front end. The head, gills and pectoral fins are positioned anteriorly to the anal and caudal fin.
Aphyosemion: commonly known as 'Killifish' from the Genus Cyprinodontidae. Killifishes are a type of tropical fish normally found in Africa, Asia and South America. They have adapted to living in extreme conditions in the wild and are able to survive through dry periods in their embryonic form as the egg has a hard shell. At the beginning of the rainy season these eggs hatch and the adults develop quickly to complete their lifecycle before the next dry season, hence they are "annual fish". They are very attractive and colourful, and also tend to be aggressive.
Apistogramma: Are dwarf cichlids, which usually reaching an adult size no greater than 12cm. They originate from small lakes in the tropics.
Aposematic colour: A warning coloration designed to attract attention and/or to warn predators away.
Aquarist: An old fashioned term for a person who keeps fish in an aquarium (fishkeeper).
Aquaristics: A term for fishkeeping.
Artemia: See also Brine Shrimp; it is a small organism from the Phylum Arthropoda and Class Crustacea. Artemia are used as a live or dried food source.
Autotomy: The process of voluntarily dropping an appendage or body part, such as claws. This reaction normally takes place when the organism is attacked or stressed, and uses the severed body part as a decoy to predators. Autotomy is common in crabs and some other crustaceans and some snails.
Auxiliary process: A small, fleshy projection present on the upper or front of the pectoral or ventral fins in some types of bony fish.
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Aquarium and Pond Glossary - BBacteria: A single-celled organism. There are useful bacteria in your aquarium, like Nitrosomonas which will convert ammonia to Nitrite. See also the Nitrogen Cycle. Other type of bacteria can cause disease.
Barbel: It is a fleshy tentacle-like extension of the skin near the mouth or chin. Barbels are often used for finding food and are equipped with many sensory cells.
Basophilic: Basophilic fish prefer to live in alkaline waters. See alkalophiles.
Benthic: A benthic organism lives on or near the bottom of a lake or ocean.
Berlin system: A natural filtration technique for aquaria which uses large quantities of live rock, powerful water circulation and strong skimming.
Bio-Balls: A filter media used for biological filtration. This media is designed to have the largest surface area possible to optimize bacteria colonization in order to maximize filtration and waste removal.
Bioaccumulation: The concentration or build-up of a chemical substance, such as a toxic chemical like mercury. This accumulation builds up in various tissues of a living organism at increasingly higher levels in a food chain. This bioaccumulation develops over time as the organism is exposed to the substance.
Biological filtration: This system breaks down any toxic compounds, usually nitrogenous toxins, by using bacteria.
Bioluminescent: The emission of light produced by a living organism. Bioluminescent fish are common in deep oceans where the light can be used for courting, mating and feeding. A well-known predator which uses light to lure in other fish is the flashlight fish, Photoblepharon steinitzi.
Bioturbation: The disturbance of sediments such as sand and mud by animal activity. Fish are commonly use bioturbation when feeding from the bottom of a tank.
Blubberlip: A common name for the thickened lip tissues of some types of cichlids and grunts, which aids feeding.
Brackish water: Water that is mainly fresh water, but also contains smaller amounts of salt. This produces an environment similar to that found in estuaries.
Brine shrimp: Becoming very popular with the freshwater, tropical and marine aquarists, this is a high protein food source and healthy live or dried snack for many types of fish. See also Artemia.
Brood pouch: Also called a marsupium. This structure is located ventrally and eggs are deposited inside the sac-like cavity and fertilized. They remain there until the eggs hatch. For example, male sea horses have a brood pouch.
Bryozoan: Bryozoans are a polyp-like animal that lives in a skeleton which is permanently attached to stones or seaweed. While they are similar to corals, they are significantly more advanced as they have a complete digestive system and other organ systems. They reproduce by budding and form blanket-like or branching colonies.
Bubble Nest: A term used for a protective nest which is suspended by a weave of tiny air bubbles. It is used as a protective coating for the eggs and the newly hatched young. It is most commonly used by the anabantids, such as Siamese fighting fish.
Buccal incubator: A fish which incubates its eggs and larvae inside the buccopharynx (part of the mouth). Such fish are called mouthbrooders.
Budding: A form of asexual reproduction. A new cloned organism is formed by the protrusion of part of another organism.
Buffer: A substance used to treat the water and to counteract changes in the pH.
Byssus: These are protein threads secreted from the foot of several different types of clams and molluscs. It is used to attach the animal to hard surfaces such as rock.
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