(updated 08/13/03)


Microaqua miniature aquariums are members of Tomy Japan's "healing" line (stress relieving toys), which also includes Mutsu and Hidamari No Tami.

 
Daylight (tank light off) Nighttime (tank light on)

As soon as I get a chance, I'll add a photo of the aquarium shown next to my hand for size comparison.

Amphiprion Ocellaris Chelmon Rostratus Chaetodon Adiergastos Chrysiptera Parasema


 
Description:
I love them. They're very cute and very relaxing to watch. The tanks are tiny--much smaller than I expected. I'd say they're about the size of 2 packs of cigarettes back to back. They're amazingly realistic looking for something that size. And the fish's movements are random, not predictable.

I have all four styles, but I bought some for my kids also, so we have 8 of them total. They're not noisy at all. Some are quieter than others, but for the most part, they just make a gentle humming sound.

They use 2 AA batteries to operate the motor, which rotates a little hidden fan, creating a current that makes the fish swim. The batteries seem to last a pretty long time. The tank lights up too, it's really cool looking. There's little blue LED light inside the lid that runs on a couple of button cell batteries. Those last even longer because LED's don't use much juice.

Warning:
I feel that I should caution people though, when picking one out. There seems to be a slight problem with the two smaller fish--the ones that are shaped like goldfish.  They're just a teeny bit lighter weight than the other two and some of them tend to want to float to the top, belly up, like dead fish :-(

One thing that could be causing them to do that, is a teeny air bubble trapped inside the hinge of the tail. Sometimes releasing the air bubble can solve the problem, sometimes not. You'll need a straight pin or something small enough to fit in that tiny slot. Getting the air bubble out can be quite a challenge though, since it has to be done under water, inside the tank. Trying to get several fingers through the little opening in the top isn't always easy.  Also, make sure your hands are squeaky clean before doing this or you'll end up with lovely little skin cells and dirt particles floating around in the water when you're finished ;-P

Two of my fish still insisted on floating belly up even after releasing the air bubble, so I decided to try something else a little more risky.

Please note: The following suggestion is very risky and could ruin the fish. I didn't mind because I have 8 of them, but if you only have one, you might not want to take a chance.

I took a little glass bead (one that matched the color of the fish) and broke it in half with a pair of pliers (not an easy task). I then crazy-glued a glass chip to the belly of the fish (round side facing outward), weighing it down just a smidgen.

It worked like a charm. They swim normally now and you can't even notice the bead. But you have to be REAL careful not to get any glue on the fish itself because it'll ruin the paint.

Anyway, they're not all like that--only the smaller shaped ones, and only about 50% of them.

The two that might have this problem are:
-Chrysiptera Parasema  (dark blue)
-Amphiprion Ocellaris  (orange clown fish)

The larger ones that are shaped like Angelfish do not have that problem.

Filling Instructions:
I'd suggest using distilled water to fill the tank. Unlike Mutsu's tank, these cannot be cleaned out easily. They have caps that keep them sealed, so the water is meant to stay in for awhile. I put tap water in my first one and after a week or two there was residue coating the inside walls of the tank. I had a heck of a time getting it sparkling clean again.....but then, I'm somewhat of a perfectionist ;)

The instructions recommend that you put a drop of clear dish detergent in with the water to kill bacteria and keep algae from growing. I tried that and got a tank full of foam when the motor turned on.  I found it works much better if you put HALF that amount. Mix ONE drop of detergent in 8 oz of water and then use that to fill TWO tanks.

-Val




 

Microaqua available here....

(they ship worldwide)


 
 
 
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