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Gold-finned Barb - Puntius sachsii |
Showing posts with label Cyprinids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cyprinids. Show all posts
2020-10-18
2018-11-10
Fact Sheet: CHERRY BARB - Puntius titteya
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| Cherry barb, Puntius titteya (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The Cherry Barb grows to about two inches (5cm) long. The average lifespan of this fish is about four years, but some have been recorded up to seven years old.
Threatened Species
This fish is threatened in the wild. Juniper Russo Tarascio in his excellent article on Associated Content:
"The Cherry Barb: A Threatened Freshwater Aquarium Fish" puts its rarity down to overfishing for the Aquarium Trade. Although this may certainly have been a factor in the reduction in numbers of this fish, my own research suggests that the continuing problems the wild population of the Cherry barb are more to do with the destruction of habitat rather than overfishing.
In our own shop, all these species (and nearly all the fish) are bred in captivity.
Water Conditions
The Cherry Barb will be happy at a temperature of 24 degrees C (75 degrees F), with a pH of 7 and soft to moderate hardness. Nowadays, practically all the Cherry Barbs offered for sale are captive bred ones, and like many captives bred fish tend to be able to adapt to a wider range of conditions than the wild ones could. However, particularly for this fish, do not change the water temperature or chemistry too quickly.
The Tank set up should have plants, preferable growing right up to the surface, and some clear section for swimming.
Food
Like most fish, Cherry Barbs are omnivores. In the wild, they will eat insect larvae, especially the young of mosquitoes, algae, and a wide range of other things of the right size. In the aquarium, they will eat all normal fish foods and are an easy fish to feed.
Like nearly all aquarium fish, they appreciate the occasional feed of live food like daphnia or wrigglers. Good frozen foods like frozen bloodworms are a good treat.
Companions
The Cherry Barb is not a fish that forms a very tight school. Nevertheless, if only one is kept it tends to be stressed. I recommend a group of at least six.
It is one of the most peaceful barbs, and I have kept them even with slow, moving long finned fish like Siamese Fighting Fish, Guppies and Endlers Guppies.
Cherry Barbs are also happy with other small reasonably peaceful fish.
I have also kept them with slightly more aggressive fish like Paraguay Tetras, Buenos Aires Tetras, Colombian Tetras, Rosy Barbs, and Tiger Barbs, but I would hesitate to recommend these fish as companions for Cherry Barbs. I suggest caution with these fish.
Sexing
The Male Cherry Barbs are a much more definite cherry color than the females which are more faded in color. The females tend to be plumper.
Breeding
The Cherry Barb is an egg-laying species, producing something like 200 eggs from one female. This fish spawns readily. A fine-leaved plant in the breeding aquarium will increase the chances of them laying.
The eggs hatch in about one day. The parents eat their own eggs as well as the young babies, so to have much chance of raising the young, the parents need to be removed as soon as possible after spawning.
An alternative way of breeding it is simply to keep a small group of them in a large aquarium with a lot of plants, and no other fish. Under these conditions, many of the eggs and fry will get eaten, but some may survive. This is a little closer to what would happen in the wild.
Pest Fish
Although I do not have evidence that the Cherry Barb is a pest fish anywhere, any fish introduced into a foreign ecosystem can damage it. The fact that it is not common in its native area is not a good reason to put it into inappropriate places in the wild.
2018-10-20
Tips on RED-TAILED BLACK SHARK Care
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| Red-tailed black shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Red-tailed black sharks or Epalzeorhynchus bicolor belong to the family Cyprinidae. This family of fish is also known as Cyprinids. In layman's term, the red-tail is a member of the carp family. The red-tailed black shark was native to Thailand. But sadly, they are now extinct in the wild. All the red-tails available in fish stores today are commercially raised products of the aquarium trade industry.
Red-tails black sharks, of course, bear no relation to sharks. Their name is purely descriptive. They have a black, torpedo-shaped body with a profile reminiscent of that of sharks. This includes a sharp triangular shaped dorsal fin. Their bright red caudal fin (tail) completes their visual appearance and name.
As with any member of the carp family they are primarily bottom dwelling scavenger fish. Scavenger fish can be identified by their downward pointed mouths with varying sets of barbels on either side. Barbels are whisker-like sensory organs that contain taste buds much like your tongue. Their primary function is for locating food. They serve a secondary function of enabling the fish to find its way along riverbed basins at night or in murky water.
Red-tails are generally considered compatible in community tanks. Interspecies conflicts are rare. But a more robust fish such as barbs, larger tetras, and the less timid cichlids, are a good choice as tank-mates. As with most bottom dwellers, it is a good idea to provide rock work or hollow aquarium décor for resting and hiding.
When it comes to cohabitation with members of their own species they tend to become extremely territorial; especially the males. The dominant male will often chase the submissive male around. They have been known to harass their less dominant counterpart depriving them of any chance to rest or eat. This often results in the death of the submissive red-tail. Fellow bottom dwellers have also been known to bring out the red-tails territorial instincts. They may become combative with red-finned sharks and Siamese algae eaters. So if a red-tail is your scavenger of choice it is a good idea to allow him to be the king of his substrate domain.
Red-tails have a much wider tolerance range to pH levels than most other fish. Anywhere from 6.5-7.5 will suffice. Acceptable water temperatures are 72-79 °F. They can reach 5 inches. They don't tend to grow as long in smaller aquariums. Females are typically a little smaller than males. Their life expectancy is up to six years.
Red-tailed are omnivores. They can usually fend for themselves just fine with food scraps on the aquarium substrate. However, food such as sinking wafers will ensure their nutritional needs are meant.
The spacious environment of fish farms produces enough of these fish to keep their prices very reasonable at your local retailer or online fish-mart. This is a good thing since they are extinct in their natural habitats and rarely breed in aquariums. Their innate aggressive behavior and the aquarium owners' tendency to purchase a single scavenger fish undoubtedly contributes to this rarity.
The latest trend among Saltwater Tank enthusiasts is raising pet jellyfish. Jellyfish need specially designed Jellyfish Fish Tank Aquariums. Jellyfish tanks are easier to maintain than traditional saltwater setups. Moon Jellies are the most popular jellyfish among home aquarists both for their exotic beauty and their ease of care. They have become so popular that two US-based websites are now tank raising them to meet the growing demand. Pet Moon Jellyfish look absolutely incredible under a fading LED lighting system. Article Source: EzineArticles |
2018-10-11
Aquarium Fish Care - BARBS In Your Aquarium!
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| Photo by Katty Fe |
Ceylon is the origin of the Purple Head Barbs and the Black Ruby. The fish do well in communal tanks and grow to about 2 1/2 inches. The female barbs are yellow-gray with dark stripes running in blotches and vertical lines. They lend colorful environments to the aquarium. The male barbs are brownish-black in color and/or black with vermilion red frontals. This fish lives well in communal waters, unlike the boisterous Puntius Conchonius groups. This fish feasts on all foodstuffs and is not finicky. It is also not demanding when it comes to water conditions and will survive even in moderately hard neutral waters. This is an easier fish to breed like the Puntius. The barb spawns like other barbs and lays about 300 eggs.
The Sumatra and the Tiger Barb belong to the Capoeta Tetrazona species, which originates from Sumatra and Borneo. Their size is about 2 inches when fully grown. This is a colorful fish with reddish-yellow bodies with a wide variety of black stripes. Its attitude is changeable which is the reason for its being the most diverse fish in the market. Some people are of the opinion that this fish bullies other fish, nipping at their fins, while other people feel that they have a calm disposition.
The Sumatra and Tigerfish share the same water condition needs as other barbs. The Sumatra and Tiger Barbs flourish in impartial or practical alkalinity water, as also in hard water. Fish owners are advised to set the temperatures at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The Sumatra and Tigerfish will crave and eat all foodstuffs heartily. All barbs spawn healthily and they are the first choice of breeders.
The male Sumatra and Tigerfish are slim and colorful while the female species are plump. The female is simple and breeds like other barbs. The fry is, however, susceptible to bladder problems and tend to rot at the fins. The water then has to be extremely spotless and should be monitored very carefully during breeding, as the spawn of the Sumatra and Tigerfish is gnawed at by the mutants.
Ceylon is the origin of Capoeta Titteya fish or Cherry Barbs, which are about 2 inches in length. The fish have a red-brown or yellow-brown color and are outstanding by their top to bottom dark black stripes. This is a communal fish and needs the same water and feeding conditions like those of other barbs. Male counterparts of Capoeta Titteya are of dark colors and change colors when bred. They are usually cherry red and black, with stripes that virtually evaporate.
Breeding of the Cherry Barbs is similar to the breeding of other barbs and they spawn nearly 200 eggs. There is variety in Cherry Barbs, with some barbs feasting on their own kind, while others refraining from it.
You should have a look at the line of Harlequins if you are a novice to aquariums and fish care and are new to the hobby.
Abhishek is an avid Fish Lover and he has got some great Aquarium Care Secrets up his sleeves! Article Source: EzineArticles |
2018-09-19
TIGER BARBS - A Beginners Fish
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| Tiger barb (Puntius tetrazona). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Tiger Barb
Puntius tetrazona
Max. size: 7.0 cm / 2.8 inches
pH range: 6.0 - 8.0
dH range: 5 - 19
Temperature range: 20 - 26°C / 68 - 79°F
The tiger barb has long been one of the most popular and most kept aquarium fish species and there are today a wide variety of different color morphs available in the aquarium trade besides the common tiger barb. Such morphs include albino tiger barbs, green tiger barbs, and golden tiger barbs.
The tiger barb originates in South-East Asia and is native to Indonesia and Malaysia. They live on the Malay Peninsula, on the island of Sumatra and on the island of Borneo. The tiger barb can however today be found in many waters around the world where it voluntarily or involuntarily has been introduced by man. Countries, where it has been introduced, includes Australia, Singapore, Suriname, and Colombia.
Tiger barbs are suitable for beginner aquariums where they are best kept in large schools. Tiger barbs can often resort to fin nipping if they are kept in too small schools but this is seldom a problem if they are kept in large schools. It is however still recommended to avoid keeping tiger barbs with slow-moving, long finned fish species. The average lifespan in a well-kept aquarium is 6 years. Tiger barbs should preferably be kept in aquariums no smaller than 60 centimeters (24 inches) long. The aquarium should be decorated with hiding places among plants and plenty of room for swimming. Rocks and driftwood will also be appreciated.
Tiger barbs are very easy to care for as long as you keep the water parameters within the ranges given at the beginning of this article. Try to keep the water temperature in the upper part of the recommended range, ideally 23 - 26° C (74-79° F). They are omnivorous and will accept almost all the food that is presented to them and they will accept flake food. Try to vary the diet of your tiger barbs as much as possible even if it possible to keep and breed tiger barbs on nothing but flake food.
Tiger barbs are easy to breed and the largest problem is usually to prevent the parents from eating the eggs and fry. They often spawn in regular community aquariums but it is rare for any fry to survive in a community aquarium. Most often the eggs get eaten well before hatching. They are easy to sex as the female tiger barb is larger and have a much rounder belly. Males have distinctive red noses, and above the black part of their dorsal fins, you can see a characteristic red line. The dorsal fin of the female is mainly black.
If you want to breed your tiger barbs it recommendable to set up a breeding aquarium with some kind of egg protection device in it that prevents the parents from eating the eggs. A layer of common glass marbles on the bottom of the tank will do well for this task. Fill the breeding aquarium with water from the main tank. Move around the female to the tank and a male to the breeding tank.
They will likely spawn the next morning or at the very least the morning after if they are in spawning condition. If you fish hasn't spawned in three days a recommend trying another pair instead. The eggs are sticky, do not float in freshwater and are usually slightly above 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) in length. The number of eggs usually ranges from 300 to 500. The fry becomes free swimming after about 5 days and can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp. The fry grows relatively fast and usually reaches sexual maturity in about seven weeks at what point they are 2-3 centimeters (0.8-1.2 inches).
This is a short version of more in-depth tiger barbs and tiger barb breeding articles available at AC tropical fish where you also can read an in-depth article about a number of other barb fish species. Article Source: EzineArticles |
2018-08-25
Fact Sheet: ROSY BARB - Puntius conchonius
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| Photo by Cylindric |
The Rosy Barb, Puntius conchonius, is a very easy fish to keep. Sometimes the Common Name is spelled Rosey Barb. Barbus Conchonius is a junior synonym of the scientific name. It comes from Assam and Bengal in the Indian Sub Continent. In the wild, it can grow to about 6 inches (16cm) long, but in an aquarium does not generally get longer than about 4 inches (10cm).
Water Conditions
The Rosy Barb is very flexible in its requirements. A pH of between 6.5 and 7.5 suits this fish. Although it will survive slightly acid water, it seems to prefer slightly alkaline water.
It is not too bothered by water hardness but seems to like some hardness in the water.
It can take temperatures of between 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) and 32 degrees C (90 degrees F). I would not recommend the extremes of its range, but I have heard of cases where it has been successfully kept as a pond fish in Adelaide even in the winter which suggests it can take even lower temperatures than 10 degrees C (50 degrees F). This is one of the fish that is happy in ether tropical or cold water aquariums as long as the conditions are not too extreme.
Food
This fish is extremely easy to feed. It will eat practically all types of fish food. It is an omnivore and will eat soft-boiled spinach as well as a flake, pelleted, live and frozen foods. In a mixed tank watch, the fish make sure the Rosy Barbs are not getting all the food. They eat a lot. Make sure you do not pollute the aquarium by putting more food than the aquarium and its filter can handle.
A good live food for Rosy Barbs is Daphnia.
Companions
The Rosy Barb is a schooling fish and at least 6 are to be preferred. In a school, they are much less likely to be a problem for other fish. It is a bigger fish than many of its common companions as well as being extremely active; naturally, it can sometimes cause problems.
Some suitable companions are: ParaguayTetras, PristellaTetras, Buenos Aires Tetras, Colombian Tetras, Rummy Nose Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras, Scissortail Rasboras, Lemon Tetras, Black Widow Tetras, Emperor Tetras, Head and Tail Light Tetras, Glass Bloodfin Tetras, Swordtails, Platies, Mollies, Zebra Danios, Glowlight Tetras, and White Cloud Mountain Minnows, as well as the Corydoras catfish like the Peppered Catfish.
Some fish I would definitely not recommend as companions for this fish are Siamese Fighting Fish, Guppies, and Endlers Guppies.
Some small Fish like Neon Tetras and Cardinal Tetras may be all right while the Rosy Barbs are small, but whatever sort of fish you put together, you need to be guided by the sizes on the individuals as well as the species.
Varieties
There are several varieties of Rosy Barb including the Neon Rosy Barb, the Long Fin Rosy Barb, Red Glass Rosy Barb, the Blushing Rosy Barb, and the Gold Neon Rosy Barb.
Breeding
The Rosy Barb is one of the fish that frequently lays eggs in a home aquarium without their owner ever being aware of it. The eggs will normally get eaten long before they hatch, and any that do hatch get eaten as tiny babies with their owner never even seeing them.
Male Rosy Barbs have the reddish color that gives the species its common name while the females are more a yellowish color.
Frequently, hobbyists trying to breed them will use trios of two males and one female. The fish need to be well conditioned with rich food beforehand. This is particularly easy to do with this species because they are such good eaters. I find that frozen bloodworms are a good food.
The breeding tank should have plenty of plants; both submerged and floating ones. Neutral pH is probably best. The trio is often put into the breeding tank when it is getting dark and will spawn the following morning, or the second morning. When they have spawned, the female should be noticeably thinner, and the parents should be removed. Each female will lay hundreds of eggs.
The eggs hatch in 24-48 hours. The babies are fairly small. At first, they will eat infusoria or the finest fry foods, but they grow quickly and will soon be able to eat bigger food like screened Daphnia.
Professional breeders will sometimes simply let their Rosy Barbs breed naturally in ponds.
Once, to confirm my observation that my rosy barbs were frequently spawning without any special stimulus being given, I put a few Rosy Barbs into a type of breeding trap with a perforated bottom so that any eggs laid would fall through and hatch in the aquarium. I got a number of babies this way.
Growing the Babies
Baby Rosy barbs are vigorous fish. They eat well and can grow very fast, but it is necessary to give them enough space and keep the water quality high. I suggest more partial water changes that are usually done.
They will be able to eat screened Daphnia quite quickly. The definitely benefit from Daphnia and other suitable sized live food.
Feeder Fish
The Rosy barb is one of the many fish sometimes used as feeder fish. From the point of view of people selling them, they have some advantages for this. They are easy to breed, easy to grow, and the males sell better than the females, so if they can separate many of the males early on they can get something for the young females.
Personally, I think that feeder fish are often used when it is not necessary, although I recognize that there are cases where there is little alternative. In our shop, we do not sell any fish designated as feeder fish, but I am well aware that some of the small Rosy Barbs we sell cheaply are fed to other things.
Pest Fish
The Rosy Barb certainly has the potential to cause great damage to fragile ecosystems. With any pet fish, it should never be put into a situation where it can escape into natural waterways. They should never be released, and not used for live bait. The plants from a pond with fish in it also should not be put into natural waterways. Twice in setting up a new pond, baby fish have appeared. My theory is that fish eggs were on the plants put into the ponds.
2018-07-30
Tips on TIGER BARB Care and Spawning
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| A young tiger barb, Puntius tetrazona (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Their name is purely descriptive. Tiger barbs have an orange body with vertical black striping. Tigers are just one of over 70 species of barbs made commercially available by the aquarium industry. Selective breeding has produced a wide variety of color variations. Color morphs are green, gold and albino tiger barbs. The green tiger barb is highly melanistic. Their body reflects green over the black due to a Tyndall effect.
The tiger barb has an even temperament and makes for a good community fish. They are mid-level swimmers. Barbs do have a tendency to be fin nippers though. This behavior increases in bigger groups. Avoid mixing them with large finned species such as angelfish, bettas, and fancy guppies. They are a smaller fish. They only grow to about 2.5 inches long as adults. You'll want to raise them with similarly sized species to avoid waking up to one less fish in your tank.
Barbs are a shoaling fish. Shoaling fish are community dwellers. They instinctively travel in groups. Shoaling fish are ill-adapted to a life of solitude. It is recommended that you have at least four of any shoaling fish in an aquarium. Six to eight is even better.
Barbs thrive in soft, slightly acid water with a temperature range between 68-77 °F.
They are omnivorous. They can live out their entire life fed nothing but common tropical fish flakes. But a diet supplemented with pure protein will help keep them fit, vigorous and colorful.
It is not difficult to distinguish between male and female tiger barbs. The males are typically more colorful. Males tend to have more red on their fins than females. The male's nose will turn red when it enters into its breeding cycle.
Breeding Tiger Barbs
Tiger barbs can be induced to spawn when provided with the right conditions. Tigers typically breed in early summer in the wild. Turn the aquarium thermostat up to 77 or 78 degrees. You want them in softer water such as bottled water or reverse osmosis filtered water. You will also want to increase the waters acidity level to approximately pH 6.5. If these conditions are not conducive to your other community dwellers simply use a breeding tank to create a controlled environment conducive to spawning. You will also want to increase their protein intake by feeding them brine shrimp, bloodworms or meat-based frozen or freeze-dried food.
Tiger barbs are egg layers. A trait common to egg layers is that they will eat their eggs if given the chance. This can be best avoided by placing a layer of marbles over the breeding tank substrate. The eggs will sink down in between the marbles and keep the eggs safely out of harm's way. After the adults have spawned they should be removed from the breeding tank.
The fry will hatch in about 36 hours. They will be free swimming in 2-3 days. Once they are free swimming they can be fed infusoria or liquid fry food formulated for egg laying fish. Larger fry can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp. In about two weeks you will be able to change their diet to finely crushed fish flakes.
The latest trend among Saltwater Tank enthusiasts is raising pet jellyfish. Jellyfish need specially designed Jellyfish Fish Tank Aquariums. Jellyfish tanks are easier to maintain than traditional saltwater setups. Moon Jellies are the most popular jellyfish among home aquarists both for their exotic beauty and their ease of care. They have become so popular that two US-based websites are now tank raising them to meet the growing demand. Pet Moon Jellyfish look absolutely incredible under a fading LED lighting system. Article Source: EzineArticles |
2018-06-27
Important Varieties of BARBS Available in the Market
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| Tiger Barbs (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
There are a number of barbs species available for keeping in the aquarium but some of them are popular and preferred by fish keepers. Here is a list of some of them:
1. Tiger barbs - They are really handsome because of their stripy nature, which looks like the skin of a tiger. They are very active and they prefer to live in their own group. Some experts have ranked them as the 10th popular species among the fish keepers. They are good for the beginners but they are equally good for experienced fish-keepers because of simplicity in their requirements. They prefer to stay in shallow waters and get along in normal temperatures.
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| Rosy Barbs (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
2. Rosy barbs - They are relatively big in size as they can grow up to 6 inches. They were very popular in the last century due to their attractive color. They are also not of 'demanding' nature and they can tolerate a wide range of temperatures as well as conditions of water. They love to shoal and they can breed very easily and quickly.
3. Panda barbs - They are of black and silver color and very shy in nature. They can get along with other species of fish comfortably and they too can tolerate adverse conditions for some time. They are slightly expensive than other types of barbs and they are not easily available in pet shops. You have to be careful about their care because they can get sick because of stress and may die.
4. Cherry barbs -They are called community fish and they are smaller in size. They can grow only up to 2 inches and they do not require big tanks. If you keep them in their own group of about 10 fish, they can live happily. They are picky about their food but once you start offering them standard types of food, they will acclimatize themselves with it. They require dense plantation in the tank because they will lay their eggs scattered on the leaves of the plant and they also require a lot of places for hiding. They are popular amongst the fish keepers because of their dark blackish red color and there dance. They would like to dance around at the time of spawning, which is quite entertaining.
5. Denison barbs - Many times these barbs are mistaken for sharks! They are bright in color and they are angular in shape. They eat a lot of vegetables and they are fond of jumping. So you have to close your aquarium with a tight lid, otherwise, they can easily jump out and come to your dining table! Much fish-keepers order for them because of their shape. Though they look like sharks, they can get along with other species of fish without any problems.
6. Two spot barbs - They have the smallest among the barb community. They are very delightful because of their colors and graceful swimming. The only problem with them is their peculiar behavior. They are very aggressive at the time of spawning and they may hurt the female. So it is advisable to keep them in the proportion of three females to one male!
When you decide to purchase barbs, you should remember some important things - they may not look as attractive as your thought in the pet shops. This is because their colors are not as bright and prominent when they are young. When they grow and are ready for spawning, their colors brighten up. Another peculiarity of barbs is their habit of jumping. If you are not keeping them in a closed aquarium, they may easily come out of it. So you should consult pet shop staff before you make a decision to purchase them.
Chintamani Abhyankar is a goldfish enthusiast and has been raising and breeding goldfish for many years. He is an expert on their care and an advocate for raising healthy goldfish the natural way. Article Source: EzineArticles |
2018-06-05
Tips on RASBORA - Care and Spawning
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| Harlequin rasbora, Trigonostigma heteromorpha (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Rasboras are commonly referred to as harlequin fish or harlequin rasboras. This reference alludes to the black triangular patch on the back half of their bodies which is reminiscent to the patterns found on the costume of a harlequin.
Rasboras have a docile temperament. They make a good choice for a community tank provided their tank-mates are equally peace loving and not large enough to view them as a source of nutrition. Rasboras are shoaling fish. Shoaling fish are highly social creatures that function best as a community. They don't adapt well to a solitary existence. It is recommended that you have at least four of these upper to mid tank swimmers in an aquarium.
Rasbora is a small fish. They only grow to an adult size of 1.5-1.75 inches. They thrive it soft, slightly acid water with a pH 0f 6.8 and a water temperature ranging between 74-78 °F. Under ideal conditions you can expect them to live up to 10 years of age.
Rasboras are omnivores. They will survive just fine on a diet of common tropical fish flakes.
Distinguishing sexes in rasbora is relatively easy. The male bodies are thinner. Females are more full bodied especially when carrying eggs. The distinct triangular marking on the rear of their bodies differs between sexes. The males have more defined angular markings that extend further back on the lower abdomen than the females.
Breeding Rasbora
In their natural habitat, they inhabit streams that are littered with jungle decay. As a result peat grows abundantly in the streams releasing humic acid into the water. These same conditions can be simulated by filtering the breeding tank's water through peat or adding a thin layer of peat to the substrate. This will naturally increase the acid levels in the water. Make certain the peat contains no chemical additives or fertilizers.
A high protein diet of brine shrimp, tubifex or bloodworms will help induce the spawning cycle. Provide plenty of plant life to replicate their natural spawning grounds.
The male will begin chasing the male as a manner of courtship. Once the courtship phase is over the pair will spawn amid the foliage. Their eggs will be deposited on the underside of a broad leaf. Remove the adult from the breeding tank.
Once spawning has occurred you will want to darken the tank. The fry are susceptible to fungal growth. Surround the with paper or tin foil until the fry hatch and are free swimming. Eggs will hatch in about a day. After they hatch check the tank once a day. When you see the fry are free swimming it is time to start feeding them. This should take no longer than 3 days or so.
Free swimming fry can be fed liquid fry food formulated for egg layers or newly hatched brine shrimp. An economical and readily available alternative is powdered eggs. Make sure not to put too much in the water to avoid clouding it up.
The latest trend among Saltwater Tank enthusiasts is raising pet jellyfish. Jellyfish need specially designed Jellyfish Fish Tank Aquariums. Jellyfish tanks are easier to maintain than traditional saltwater setups. Moon Jellies are the most popular jellyfish among home aquarists both for their exotic beauty and their ease of care. They have become so popular that two US based websites are now tank raising them to meet the growing demand. Pet Moon Jellyfish look absolutely incredible under a fading LED lighting system.
Article Source: EzineArticles
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2018-05-09
Understand the Essential Facts on CHERRY BARBS Before Keeping Them
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Photo by brian.gratwicke  |
They are basically middle tank fish meaning they love to stay in the middle level of the aquarium. They will rarely come to the surface of the water but sometimes they can make a trip to the bottom of the aquarium, searching for food and places to hide.
They are freshwater fish and are comfortable in moderate conditions of water. You should avoid making sudden changes in the temperature of water because it will harm them. You should also take care while changing the water of the aquarium because a sudden change in the water chemistry can put them under stress.
Like any other barb species, the females are bigger in size than the males. However, the males will be more colorful. The combination of various shades of cherry red color will be prominent on the males. The females will be in dull colors, especially orange and yellow.
In the open nature, cherry barbs will not spawn frequently but in aquariums, they will be very fast! During the period of spawning, the colors of the males will become brighter. The females will scatter their eggs all around the aquarium. However, you should take care to protect these eggs because the males will eat most of them. So if you transfer the eggs to another tank, there is a bigger chance of getting a large number of new ones.
Cherry barbs are very peaceful in nature but there are some exceptions. At the time of spawning, the male becomes very aggressive. Also, if you keep the only a few of them in the aquarium, they will develop stress and become aggressive. So it is advisable to keep them in a good ratio of three females per male. The normal size of their group should be about 10.
During the breeding season, the male will constantly follow the female and will try to keep away the other males. The females can lay about 300 eggs every day.
Normally, cherry barbs are not comfortable with other species of fish but if you keep them with the bottom-feeding fish like Loaches it can make a better combination. The Loaches are normally shy by nature and like to hide all the time but in the presence of cherry barbs, they will become more playful and both of them can make a good community in your aquarium.
Never make the mistake of keeping other species of fish with the cherry barbs. Even if you plan to keep tiger barbs with them, it is not advisable. Tiger barbs are aggressive species and they will attack and nip the cherry barbs. Angelfish are beautiful and usually peaceful but if you keep them with cherry barbs, there will start looking at cherry barbs as their tasty food!
Cherry barbs are fine with the normal fish food like flakes. They like live food such as brine shrimp or blood-worms as well. However, you should occasionally feed them with green vegetables like lettuce or spinach for proper nourishment.
If you take proper care of cherry barbs, they will grow up to 2 1/2 inches and live up to five years. You should provide them an aquarium with a heavy plantation because it is useful both for keeping their health as well as for their breeding.
Chintamani Abhyankar is a goldfish enthusiast and has been raising and breeding goldfish for many years. He is an expert on their care and an advocate for raising healthy goldfish the natural way.
Article Source: EzineArticles
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2018-04-06
Have Fun Keeping DANIOS in Your Fish Tank
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| Female individuum of Danio margaritatus.garitatus). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Several varieties of Danios fish are available and the most common among them is the Zebra Danio which can be easily identified by its horizontal stripes. Most of the species are brightly colored. Other varieties are Gold, Leopard, Blue, Giant, and Pearl. Two pairs of long barbels are present in them and they are characterized by horizontal stripes except in Black Barred Danio, Panther Danio and Glowlight Danio in which vertical bars can be seen.
Danios are playful and sociable and they live happily in the aquarium environment. Try to keep them in groups of more than 4. They get along with most aquarium fish. They can be kept along with Barbs, Rainbows, Clown or Yoyo Loaches, some varieties of catfish like Corydoras or Plecostomus Catfish and also with most of the Gouramis, even though they are smaller than Danios. I've found some or my smaller fish get intimidated by the always energetic Danios, and they will hide from them. They will chase each other and other fish continuously, but they don't attack
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| Danio kerri (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Occasionally, they nip their fins, most of the time by accident. They will eat eggs and other small fishes that fit into their mouths. Make sure you have a tight fitting lid because Danios are good jumpers. Danios are used in aquariums to distract other aggressive fish from fighting as they are even-tempered.
Danios are omnivorous and will eat a variety of foods. They can be satisfied with regular flake food, but they love to snack on bloodworms or brine shrimp once in a while. They are voracious eaters, so you should not put them with timid feeders.
My Zebra Danios get pregnant all the time, but since I don't intend to breed them, they just eat their eggs. So if you do intend to breed them, you should feed them with plenty of fresh foods, and remove the parents from the tank until the new fish are larger. These fish usually consume small aquatic insects, worms, crustaceans and plankton in the wild.
They can live in temperatures that range from 68-80ºF. But they can learn to thrive in an unheated tank.
Zebra, Gold, Pearl and Leopard Danios will normally grow to a maximum size 1.5 inches. But Giant Danios will grow up to five inches in length.
Whichever kind you choose, you will have a ball just watching them play all over the tank.
If you want to find more very useful information about setting up and maintaining your fish tank, please visit me at http://www.thefishtankplace.com Article Source: EzineArticles |
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Breeding ZEBRA DANIOS(aquarium-and-fish-care.blogspot.com)
2018-03-27
Tropical Fish Overview - DANIO
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| Photo by Katty Fe |
You want one-quarter of an inch of gravel on the bottom of your tank, with the heater adjusted between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The longer you keep your fish, you can slowly adjust the temperature to a point to where you do not even need a heater.
When buying food for your new fish, it is recommended you use freeze dried worms and brine shrimp. Danios are a community fish and prefer to live in groups of a minimum of 6 fish.
These beautifully long, sleek and shiny fish are a wonderful addition to your aquarium. Danios originate in freshwater rivers and streams of Southeast Asia. These fish are becoming more widely known as new species have been found in Myanmar. They can grow between 4 cm to 15 cm and are not expected to live more than a few years at most.
The Danio are wonderful fish to have with other types of fish. They can be unruly and have a tendency to chase one another and your other fish. This tends to lead to nipping of fins, although most of the time it was an accident. They will eat any fish small enough to fit in their mouths.
When preparing your water, you need to make sure the pH balance is between 6.0 to 8.0, and the water hardness of 5.0 to 19.0, with a temperature difference of 68 to 80 degree Fahrenheit, however, cooler temperatures are preferable.
If you choose to breed your own Danios, you might want to arrange a smaller tank for the babies. Also remember that they like to scatter their eggs, which do not adhere to anything, and hatch within 2 to 3 days. Remember - their eggs make easy prey if there is not a heavy layer of marbles or Substrate plants.
Submitted by: Lee Dobbins
About the Author: Lee Dobbins writes for Fish Tank Guide where you can learn about fish tank care and types of tropical fish such as Danios.
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2018-03-01
2018-02-10
Breeding ZEBRA DANIOS
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| Danio rerio, better known as the zebrafish (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
However, with an egg-laying species, the aquarist can have a great deal of control over what fish he wants to breed and, just as importantly, when.
It should be said here, that fish will breed whenever they choose inasmuch that should a ripe male and female encounter each other then they will probably spawn spontaneously in the aquarium anyway. Without the care and attention of the fishkeeper, the eggs from egg-scattering species especially will more likely than not be eaten by the other fish in the tank and no fry will be seen. The fry from egg-depositing fish stands a better chance as first of all their parents will prepare and defend a spawning site prior to spawning and also guard any subsequent fry afterward. Let's suppose you want to try your hand at breeding something deliberately and have taken the advice of many experienced fishkeepers by choosing that popular Cyprinid, the Zebra Danio.
First of all, we must ensure that the fish are 'in the mood' to breed rather than just put a male and female together and hope for the best. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' is one way of putting it but, realistically, separating the would-be parents is based on a practical rather than emotional supposition.
It is possible that should you simply select a male and female and put them together to spawn then one of them might just have spawned without your knowledge; in which case, the attempt to spawn them would be fruitless.
By separating the sexes prior to spawning, you can ensure that they are in the best condition; feeding them copious amounts of quality food (including live food) will make the females fill with eggs. This conditioning process can take a couple of weeks or so. The best way to do it might be to put the female into the breeding tank first before introducing the well-fed male later.
Sexing the fish is fairly straightforward: the male fish is more slender than the female and if you look at a female, even when she is not full of eggs, there is a definite kink in the horizontal stripes along the body just to the rear of the dorsal fin.
Like all Cyprinids, the Zebra Danio is no respecter of new-laid eggs, including its own. There are several ways to prevent egg eating. Any method that separates the adult fish from reaching their newly-laid eggs is acceptable.
There is no reason why you cannot 'flock spawn' fish. If you have several Zebra Danios then separating all the females from all the males during the conditioning period should give you more Zebra Danio fry than you'd believe possible upon the adults' reunion! But there's still the problem of egg protection.
The answer is to drape a piece of fine netting across the entire water surface area of the spawning tank so that it hangs a few centimeters below the surface; weight the corners down with small pebbles. Now all that is needed is to introduce all the preconditioned fish (both sexes) into the water above the net.
Meanwhile, the fertilized eggs are quietly hatching and in a few days, you will see what looks like tiny splinters of glass hanging on the sides of the aquarium. These are your new Zebra Danios.
Because they are not exactly sizeable fry, they will require quite small particle-sized food at first. There are preparations of liquid fry food available at your aquatic store and it's a simple task to add a few drops of this at the recommended times to their tank. It may help if you keep a low-level light burning over their tank so that they can feed 24 hours a day.
It is important during these first few days not to over-feed - a difficult task, as you'll never be exactly sure how many baby mouths you've got to feed. Therefore, regular partial water changes are of the highest importance, if water conditions in the nursery tank are not to be compromised.
As the fry grow, then the feeding routine can mirror that outlined earlier for livebearers, with a gradual progression on to larger particle foods. Again, spacing out of fry into larger tanks may be necessary.
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