Aqua Exhibits is Milwaukee's Kingfish

Fish tips Brian and Judy Mosehart, proprietors of Aqua Exhibits of Milwaukee recommend some routine maintenance tips for a successful marine tank and its inhabitants. "Routine maintenance is an essential part of keeping a marine aquarium," they tell customers. "Do not, however, make the common mistake of believing that maintenance is the same thing as constantly fiddling with the tank. What you should do is develop a maintenance program that places minimal demands on your busy schedule - then stick to it. "Appropriate maintenance is the difference between a marine tank that is a pleasure to own, and continual problems. We recommend some specific chores. Be aware that the nature of the inhabitants of a tank determines much of what is required." Tips on Maintaining a Marine Tank Have proper filtration in place before you begin. You need mechanical, chemical and biological filters. Having a protein skimmer is necessary. High water turnover - a minimum of 10 times the aquarium size per hour. A good lifeguard filter is recommended. Tips on Fish Only Marine Aquariums Feed fish twice a day - choosing with care the type and amount. A combination of dry and frozen foods is suggested. Avoid overfeeding. Most fish feed eagerly, display bright color, and are alert. Check the temperature of the water. Fresh water should be added to compensate for evaporation. Adjust the heater. Salt does not evaporate. Check your hydrometer to verify proper salinity. Check the equipment for proper operation on a daily basis. Check gravity (1.016-1.019 for fish and 1.021-1.025 for reef), pH (8.0-8.5), ammonia (zero) and nitrate (under 50 ppm) on a weekly basis. Clean the front glass of the tank, inside and out. Inspect the wet/dry filter or sand filter. Siphon any accumulated detritus out of the tank while simultaneously removing about 10 percent of the water and then replace it. If you decide to change water monthly, it is recommended to change 25 percent. Make sure the water temperature of the new water matches what's in the tank. Synthetic seawater is best made the day before. Using a clean plastic bucket, store the water in a dark place. Aerated saltwater will keep indefinitely. A little more than two cups of saltwater mix will make about five gallons of saltwater. It's recommended purchasing "Coral Life" salt. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on all water pumps. Change the UV sterilizer lamps every six months and the lamps in your light fixture once a year. Tips for Tanks with Invertebrates Feed invertebrates the appropriate food. Some types, such as Feather Dusters and Sea Cucumbers, need small suspended particles of food to strain from the water. Live Phyto Plankton is recommended. Live newly hatched Brine Shrimp is another option. Other invertebrate such as Shrimp and Crabs, need larger food items. Tips for Reef Tanks Reef tanks require intense lighting. Regularly check nitrate, phosphate and calcium levels. Add strontium, molybdenum and iodine supplements weekly. Feed live Phyto Plankton twice a week. Check equipment monthly, including the ozonizer/redox controller system. Also replace any chemical filtration media being used (Chemi-pure, X-Nitrate). "If all the above leaves you with a general impression that we advocate frequent partial water changes as the key to success with marine aquariums, you are correct," the Moseharts stress. "Do not be misled by any advertisement for aquarium equipment that claims to eliminate the need for water changes. "The maintenance of your marine tank will require only about five minutes every day, with an additional half hour every two weeks and an extra half hour each month. Once a year, you'll need to spend an afternoon to do a real thorough job." The Moseharts strongly suggest reading Martin Moe's book, "Marine Aquarium Handbook." If you would like more information, call Aqua Exhibits at (414) 224-0486 or visit Brian and Judy at 1335 N. Martin Luther King Dr. Aqua Exhibits has a helpful Web site, too, at aquaexhibits.net.

This is a fish story. No, not about the ones that got away.

Actually, this is about the ones that swim in the deep blue sea off the coast of, say Christmas Island, find their way to Milwaukee, and eventually into your fish loving aquatic home-sweet-home.

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For better than 30 years, Aqua Exhibits has been one of the Midwest's largest suppliers of fresh and saltwater tropical fish.

Brian and Judy Mosehart have operated the shop at 1335 N. Martin Luther King Dr. for the last 25 years. It's considered Milwaukee's favorite fish outlet.

Aqua Exhibits supplies exotic salt and freshwater fish, feeders and foods. In addition, it has an assortment of tanks and equipment for novices and connoisseurs, alike. Aqua Exhibit also fills special orders and requests and is able to offer items at wholesale prices.

"We get all kinds of inquiries, from families who just want to start off with a small tank and a few freshwater fish to businesses, many with elaborate displays," Judy Mosehart says. "We stock aquariums from two to 220 gallons plus have all the equipment to set them up and maintain them.

"We walk people through each step of the way. If they have questions, we're here to help them. If they have problems or don't understand how to care for certain types of fish, we'll educate them."

Some of the tanks are literally made like a piece of furniture. Those are usually designed as larger, exotic attention grabbers. It's the focal point of, perhaps, a sophisticated rec-room set up or a show piece in a business.

"With some of the larger displays, we've helped install the tanks," Mosehart adds.

But for the most part, Aqua Exhibits is about fish. Whether it's freshwater or brackish or the more exotic saltwater array, Mosehart says they have them in stock or can order them.

Aqua Exhibits sells Coral and Discus, too. It generally stocks about 50 pieces of Coral in a new 600 gallon Coral vat. It has artificial, man-made and live coral in stock.

"It just depends where people are in there fish tanks," Mosehart says. "Most novices go with the artificial."

As for Discus, Aqua Exhibits has assorted Turquoise, Rainbow Pigeon Bloods, Marlboro Red, Tangerine Dream and Thai Yellow, just to mention a few.

"We have over 450 tanks in the shop," she explains. "And, there are just as many different types of fish. We supply a good number and whatever we don't have, we certainly can get for customers.

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"In freshwater, we have little guppies all the way up to the more expense variety. We have brackish, which is a mix of fresh and saltwater fish like Manos, Sebae and Puffers. And for peopled who are experienced with the tanks and keeping fish, we have the more exotic saltwater fish, like Piranha and shark."

Piranha and shark? Now, you're talking!

"Sure there's a market for them," Mosehart says with a smile. "Our displays include a 4000 gallon shark tank, 1000 gallon piranha vats and over 6000 gallons of saltwater."

Most sharks in the shop are about 12 inches long, but Mosehart has her personal pets, too. "We have three five-foot Nurse sharks that have been with us for 15 years now," she says.

"And we have a Giant Green Moray Eel on display, too. That one has very sharp teeth. Once he gets you, he really doesn't want to let go."

That's good to know.

Mosehart also points out what she considers the shop's rarest addition. "Our rarest fish is a Clown Trigger," she says. "That one comes to us from Thailand."

Aqua Exhibits deals with suppliers mainly from Florida and Hawaii, but occasionally gets fish from as far away as Singapore and the Oriental.

"It's rewarding work," Mosehart says. "It's hard work. We're usually here three hours before we open, feeding and clean. People are fun to watch. They enjoy coming into the shop and checking out the stock."

Most Aqua Exhibits customers are from Milwaukee and Madison, "But we've had requests from around the state, northern Illinois and as far as Minnesota, too," Mosehart points out.

Oh, and in case you're interested, a five-foot Nurse shark goes for $1,100, though Mosehart is reluctant to part with them. Besides, if you're a serious buyer, you'd better have an awful large pond or tank to house one of those babies. And, don't forget to bring a large container. Aqua Exhibits has a policy that it doesn't ship fish. So, come prepared to personally pick them up.

Open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, 12-5 p.m.