Aquariums 101
The base on which an organism lives; in the aquarium, it typically consists of sand, dirt, and gravel.
What is substrate?
All fish have a set of these organs which filter oxygen out of the water.
What is gills?
These organisms must be cultivated in an aquarium before you can add fish.
What are beneficial bacteria?
A biological community of interacting organisms and the environment in which they live.
What is an ecosystem?
This apex predator of ponds can be identified by its fishing pole and floppy hat.
What are humans?
This machine, which is part of any aquarium, "cleans" the water and makes it habitable for fish.
What is a filter?
What is the dorsal?
Plants absorb nitrogen in the form of what nitrogenous compound?
What are nitrates?
Aeration of an aquarium occurs when what is added to the water?
This common fish, found in Salish Pond as well as ponds all across the country, is frequently prey for both the Largemouth Bass and the Yellow Bullhead Catfish.
What is the Bluegill?
A type of aquarium that reproduces a fish's natural environment is known as a what?
What is a biotope?
This is the most common fish mouthpart type, which features an upper and lower jaw of the same length.
What is terminal?
This nitrogenous compound, released into the aquarium in the form of fish waste, is represented with the chemical formula NH3.
What is ammonia?
The measure of the acidity of an aqueous solution
What is pH?
A large group of similar ecosystems is known as a what?
What is a biome?
This mechanical component of an aquarium provides a comfortable and safe environment for endothermic animals.
What is a heater?
A fin that provides the fish with thrust
What is the caudal (tail) fin?
When ammonia is processed by bacteria, it is excreted in the form of this nitrogenous compound.
What are nitrites?
A system of interlocking and interconnected food chains.
What is a food web?
In an ecosystem, these organisms do not produce their own food; instead, they eat other organisms for energy.
What are consumers?
These chemicals, which are added to tap water at water treatment facilities, must be neutralized by water conditioner before tap water can be added to an aquarium.
What is chlorine and chloramine?
Reminiscent of the film ALIEN (1979), this fish mouthpart type features a second mouth that protrudes out from the fish's mouth in order to grab food.
What is protrusible?
When nitrites are processed by bacteria, they excrete this relatively harmless nitrogenous compound that can be removed from the aquarium either by plants or by water changes.
What are nitrates?
These organisms break down dead organic material and, in doing so, recycle the nutrients back into the ecosystem.
What are decomposers?
An organism's particular role in its ecosystem is known as its what?