Tank Requirements For DISCUS FISH

For Discus fish, there is 2 consideration in tanks - tank depth and volume. Because of their size and swimming habits, a minimum of 18" is needed for tank depth, the deeper the better. Regarding volume, a good rule of thumb is that each adult discus will need 10 gallons of water. Larger tanks will also give more stable water conditions, and take into account other considerations the minimum size for a discus show tank should be no less than 55 gallons.  

Photo by puliarf

It is also advisable to use a rectangular tank.  Not only are they cheaper, but are more efficient, because they maximize surface area.  Surface area is the most important factor in buying a tank.  Why?  Because it is only at the surface of the tank that gas exchange occurs.  (Oxygen in, Carbon dioxide out.)  Assuming you have a seventy-five-gallon show tank, and its biological filter is working as required, up to twenty young fish 3 inches in size, or 6 or 8 fully adult discus can comfortably inhabit the tank. An outside filter may be added to large tanks to increase basic aeration and biological filtration needs.

Keep in mind that when young discus fish are small, they grow fast and become quite large in a short period of time if fed well and water quality is maintained. If your tank is too small they will not be happy and it will quickly stunt their growth. Juvenile discus should not be kept in overly large tanks. Being a social fish, Discus tend to become very skittish in large tanks. In our hatchery, we place 6 Discus up to 1.5" in a 29-gallon tank. They will be moved to larger tanks when they get to 2.5", and show possible signs of "pairing off".   Always try to buy the largest tank you can afford for discus fish.

If breeding Discus is a consideration, later on, tanks can be down sized to twenty gallons per pair. At our hatchery, 29-gallon rectangular glass tanks are utilized for every breeding pair.

A bare bottomed tank with at 2 ½ gallons of water per inch of fish, a couple of sponge filters and a canister filter with activated carbon in it is used to begin the process. This is maintained at 6.6 - 6.8 PH, and the temperature is set at 82 to 84 degrees F.  We make 50% water changes weekly, and some breeders will go as high as 95%. Optimal results would be achieved with a 15% water change daily.  Because Discus produce slime on their body, and it is shed regularly, it coats the inner surface of the tank and promotes bacterial growth. A safe bet is to wipe down every discus tank every week.  There are commercial sponges and brushes available to do this chore.

Because Discus are large fish, they require clean water and proper filtration.  The tank must be "cycled" and tested for nitrates/nitrites before placement of Discus in the tank.  Our policy is to use fish such as some of the more common cichlids to "cycle" the tank.  A good rule of thumb here is to wait at least 4 weeks before attempting to place Discus with the "cycling" fish.  If you are active in the aquarist community, a friend might possibly loan you some "cycling fish" to begin your project, and the "cycles" can be returned to their owner upon completion of the cycle.

Discus prefers soft water, due to the constant rainfall and run-off in their natural habitat. We are more concerned, however, with cleanliness.  It is much better to have a high quality of hygiene in the tank than it is having optimal water conditions, though we strive for both.  Discus will adapt to most conditions, including PH up to 7.8 and 350-ppm micro siemens of hardness, but cannot survive in constantly changing water conditions or dirty water.

by Alden Smith Alden Smith is a published author and has been marketing on the internet for 7 years.  His website, King Discus, is an active gathering place for discus breeders and lovers of discus fish. Article Directory: EzineArticles

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Breeding LIVEBEARERS - Guppies and Swordtails

Equipment Needed:

• Breeder Box or Breeder Net
• Breeding Grass
• 5 or 10 gallon tank for the baby fish or a tank divider that you can use for your main tank.
• A pair - 1 female and 1 male

Guppy - Photo by tartaruga33 

Two of the more popular tropical fish for beginners has to be Guppies and Swordtails.  Guppies and Swordtails are livebearers which means that their babies come out swimming.  Like most livebearers, there is not much to getting your guppies or swordtail to breed.  If you have a male and a female then you will eventually have a pregnant female.  The gestation period for livebearers is usually 28 days but can range from 20 to 40 days.

Place the male and female in the same tank together and they will soon mate. You are probably asking, how can I tell when the female is pregnant?  When a female guppy is pregnant she will develop a dark triangular shaped gravid spot near her anal vent.  This will get larger and darker as the pregnancy progresses.  While you are waiting on the female to develop the fry it's time to make sure you are prepared for the delivery.  We use plastic breeder boxes and always have without any problems.  A breeder box is a small box plastic box about 4 inches long by 3 inches wide and 4 inches deep.  There is a removable "V" shaped trap in it which serves to separate the mother from the babies.  When the mother fish has babies they fall through the slot in the "V" into the bottom of the box.  

After the mother is finished having babies, you can remove the "V" trap so that the babies have more room to grow.  Some people have had bad experiences with breeder boxes and now only use a breeding net.  It is also a good idea to purchase some real or plastic breeding grass for the top of the aquarium.  The breeding grass is just in case the mother gives birth before you have a chance to put her in the breeder box.  The young babies instinctively will swim to the top of the aquarium and the breeder grass provides a great hiding place so they won't get eaten by the bigger fish in your tank.

To feed your new arrivals you can use finely crushed flake food.  Using your fingers, you can rub the flakes into a fine powder.  Some only feed live foods such as baby brine shrimp.  Live foods would definitely be the best way to go, but for most this is simply not feasible.  Crushed or powdered flake food will suffice.  Try to feed the babies 3 very small meals per day.  You will invariably feed too much and the excess food will drop to the bottom of the tank or breeder box.  To clean a breeder box we like to take a 3 ft. length of aquarium tubing and a small bucket.  Use the tubing as a siphon to clean the bottom of the breeder box.  Be careful not to siphon any baby fish.

Try to perform 25% water changes weekly for your baby guppies.  This will aid in the optimal growth of your baby tropical fish. After a few weeks in the breeder box your new babies will soon outgrow their home and you will need to move them either to a new tank or your main tank with a divider installed. By 8 weeks old your baby fish will most likely be able to return to the main tank without a divider.  However, it really depends on the size of the other inhabitants in your aquarium.  Use your best judgement before releasing them into the main tank.

Swordtails - Photo by Eric F Savage 

Whether you are going for that one of kind strain or if you simply find small fry swimming in the top of your tank one day after work, please be responsible with your fish.  If you have more than you can accomodate you can try trading them or maybe even selling them to a local fish store in your area.

Talk to your local pet stores beforehand to see if you can work out some sort of arrangement.  You can also use this opportunity to get your friends interested in fish.

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Fact Sheet: ODESSA BARB - Pethia (Puntius) padamya

Pethia  (Puntius) Padamya or Odessa barb (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Odessa Barb, Pethia (Puntius) padamya, has been known to the aquarium hobby for many years, but was only described scientifically in 2008.

The Odessa Barb first came to the attention of the Aquarium Hobby as coming from Odessa in the Ukraine. It is in the group of about 10 species related to the Rosy Barb, Puntius conchonius. Other scientific names the Odessa barb has been called include Puntius ticto.

Although the type specimens of this fish were found in or near the lower Chindwin River in Myanmar, it is generally believed to be more widely distributed than this implies. The good tolerance of this species to low temperatures fits in with the belief that it can come from cooler, mountainous areas such as the foothills of the Himalayas.

Water Conditions

The Odessa Barb prefers cooler water than most tropical fish, 14-25 degrees C. (57-77 degrees F) being ideal. They are happy in either a tropical aquarium at 24 degrees C (75 degrees F) or in an unheated aquarium as long as it is not in an extremely cold area. In warm areas, this fish could be kept outside in ponds, but you would need to consider how cold it would get in the winter in your area.

Although the Odessa barb likes slightly acidic water, they are also happy in neutral or slightly alkaline conditions. A moderate degree of hardness does not seem to bother this fish.

Food

The Odessa Barb is an easily fed omnivore and will eat all normal aquarium foods. The basis of its diet could be a good quality flake or pellet food with the occasional feeding of frozen food like Frozen blood worms or a live food like mosquito larvae or Daphnia.

Companions

The Odessa Barb is a schooling fish, and I suggest that at least 5 be kept together. Although not one of the most aggressive barbs, I would not tend to keep them with slow moving, long finned fish like Guppies or Siamese Fighting Fish.

This fish is a suitable companion for most of the Barbs, Swordtails, Platies, Rasboras and Tetras as well as the more peaceful larger fish like the Silver Shark, but I would avoid really aggressive fish as their companions.

Sexing

The Male Odessa Barb has a more obvious Red stripe, especially when in breeding condition. The female get plumper when they have eggs.

Breeding

The Breeding of the Odessa Barb is very similar to the breeding of the Rosy Barb. They are an easily spawned egg layer. They eat their own eggs and babies, so if you want a reasonable survival rate, it is necessary to remove the parents after spawning. The ideal water is moderately soft and slightly alkaline, but they do not seem to be too fussy.

Raising the Fry

The Odessa Barb babies are slightly bigger than many of the smaller egg laying aquarium fish. They also grow faster than average. As soon as they are free swimming they are capable of eating finely screened daphnia. A dry fry food can be used as the main diet while they are young. Suitable sized live food is a good idea at all stages of the growth of the fish.

By Steve Challis Also see: http://www.bettatrading.com.au/Odessa-Barb-Fact-Sheet.php Steve Challis has many other fish fact sheets and other articles on http://www.bettatrading.com.au Article Source: EzineArticles

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Tips on ANTHIAS Care

Anthias are members of the family Serranidae. Several different genera comprise this family including; Pseudanthias, Nemanthias, and Serranocirrhiti. All are collectively referred to as anthias. The anthias most familiar to saltwater aquarium owners belong to the genus Pseudanthia. There are several species within this genius. This article is meant to be a generalized description of the genus.

Anthias anthias - Photo: Wikimedia

Anthias inhabit all the topical oceans and seas around the world. These are considered the quintessential reef fish and often account for the majority of the fish population swarming around tropical reefs.

Anthias are typically among the smaller more docile fishes made available by the saltwater aquarium industry. These are extremely popular ornamental fish because of their intense and varied coloring. Common color variations found among Anthias include pink, purple, orange and yellow. They will live an average of five years but have been known to live as long as eight.

Anthias are generally considered hardy fish in their natural habitat but they have been known to have problems adapting to a life of captivity. They are quite often traumatized to the point of not bothering to eat. They have frequently been known to starve themselves to death. It is strongly recommended that you ask your fish store to watch them eat before purchasing them. If they are feeding they will be more apt to acclimate to your aquarium. Live food will often aid in the acclimation process.

These are a shoaling fish. In nature they congregate by the thousands very often schooling in larger populations. There are innate subdivisions within these schools typically referred to as harems. Harems have a hierarchical order. This hierarchy is comprised of one dominate and up to two subdominant males. Subdominant males are generally smaller and less colorful. And what is a harem without a female population? There are often as many as twelve females populating the harem all of which have their own hierarchy.

Anthais are considered good additions to a community tank. They are "reef safe" and are accustomed to living with a variety of other species. They range from 1.5 to 5 inches depending on their particular species. The size of a specific species should be inquired about to select suitable tank mates. You want to raise them with other mild mannered species. Despite their inherent nature to live in communities a single Anthais can be added to your tank. However several will allow you to watch them act as nature intended. A new arrival will often adapt to unfamiliar surroundings if you already have an established anthais community in your aquarium. Unless you have a very large tank you will want to have a single male to avoid territorial issues. However a few may establish a social order. A harem of females is appropriate when raising theses fish in a community. Anthais prefer subdued lighting. They are hiders by nature and should be provided with plenty of plants, rock work or hollow aquarium décor.

Anthias are dither fish. They communicate with each other. They will warn each other if there is danger approaching and then issue an all is clear signal once the potential threat has passed.

Anthias are protogynous hermaphrodites. All species are born as females. If the dominant male of the harem perishes this event will often trigger a hormonal response in the largest female transforming her into a male. This can lead to aggressive behavior between the two. The dominant male views the largest female as his potential replacement, while the largest female's body is surging with testosterone because of her rank in the harem's social structure.

Anthias are Zooplankton feeders. Zooplankton are microscopic organisms that float in the oceans and seas of the world. They typically float in columns. These columns are inhabited by crustacean larva, and extremely smaFll crustaceans like daphnia, and radiolarians.

Zooplankton can be purchased commercially. Anthias can also be fed vitamin enriched brine shrimp, other varieties of tiny crustaceans as well as frozen protein enriched food for marine fish. Anthias are active fish with healthy appetites and should be fed at least three times a day.

By Stephen J Broy Many home aquarium owners cringe at the thought of maintaining a saltwater aquarium. What most of them don't realize is that a Jellyfish Fish Tank Aquarium requires little more maintenance than a freshwater tank. Keeping Pet Moon Jellyfish is the hottest new trend in aquarium ownership. Article Source: EzineArticles

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The African CLAWED FROG as a Pet

Do you have a child who is longing for a pet but can't have one because of allergies? Do you want a low maintenance pet with a long lifespan and few needs? Then the African Clawed Frog is for you.

African clawed frogs; Xenopus laevis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The African Clawed Frog or Xenopus Laevis is a wonderful pet for people who have allergies or live in a place that doesn't allow furry pets. They also are great learning tools for schoolrooms and for children to learn about how a frog changes from a tadpole to an adult.

You can purchase a frog from Grow-A-Frog online, or from the fish section of your local department store. These frogs are used extensively in laboratories for research because of the properties of their skin. They used to be used for pregnancy detection before more sophisticated tests were available and were released into the wild in the USA when they were no longer needed. Because the frogs will eat just about anything and have a long lifespan, they started to threaten the local fish and frog populations, and are therefore not legal in some states.

Habitat

African Clawed Frogs are from the cooler places in Africa. They like to live in areas of stagnant fresh water like ponds, rivers, and pools. For your frog, you will want to buy an aquarium and allow for ten gallons of water per frog. Because your frog breathes air, the water should be six to twelve inches deep so he can swim to the surface easily. The tap water has to sit for 24 hours before you put the frog in it, or use a dechlorinator crystal you can buy from Grow-A-Frog. Frogs are happiest when the water temperature is about 74-78 degrees F, so you may need an aquarium heater. A filter can be used to keep the water clean.

Whether or not to use gravel or stones on the bottom of the tank is debatable. Some frogs will eat the gravel if it is small, and they could die. If the stones are big enough, you could put them on the bottom. Also, provide your frog with some cover to hide, with plastic plants and decorations. Don't use real plants, because your frog will destroy them.

Be sure to have a tight fitting lid on the top of the aquarium. Your frog is a master at escape and can jump right out of most places.

You don't have to use direct light or artificial light for your frog. They like indirect light the best.

Food

African Clawed Frogs are not fussy eaters. You can feed them the prepared fish pellets from Grow-A-Frog, or you can feed them brine shrimp, meal worms, guppies, or Tetra Rept-min. They will even eat the fish in your aquarium, so be careful you don't put them in a tank with little fish.

Lifespan

These frogs have an official lifespan of eight to ten years in captivity, but most African Clawed frog owners will tell you their frogs can live fifteen to twenty + years.

Care

Clean the water once a week, less if you use a filter. Feed him. Watch him (don't hold the frog; they have chemicals in their skin which may cause an allergic reaction for some people). Listen to him sing! (males sing, females don't).

Benefits

The African Clawed frog if bought as a tadpole is a great learning tool for children. They will get to watch the frog grow from tadpole to adult swimming frog. If you buy a male and a female frog, with some luck, you can watch the mating process and enjoy the babies that may result.

The male frog has interesting vocalizations for different occasions. There is the 'feed me' song, the 'I want a mate' song, and the singing for singing sake song. Both sexes use their front legs to grab and eat, and look like they are begging for more food.

If you want a non-allergic pet with interesting habits and simple requirements, than the African Clawed Frog is for you!

By Mary Casey Mary Casey is the proud owner of a sixteen-year-old African Clawed Frog named Mup. Article Source: EzineArticles

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Top 10 Tips on Keeping DWARF GOURAMI

There are different names for Dwarf Gourami fish. Some call them as powder blue Gouramis while others call them as neon blue Gouramis. They have a peculiar habit of swimming together in a pair. Originated from India, they are tropical freshwater fish.

If you plan to keep Dwarf Gourami fish in your aquarium, here are some important tips for you -

1. While buying them from the pet fish shop, you should consult the shop staff and buy them in appropriate proportions. They should be bought in the proportion of three females to one male and you should buy at least a group of 7 to 10 of them at a time. They can live up to four years in aquariums and they will grow up to 4 inches in length.

Dwarf Gourami - Photo by jfinnirwin 

2. The food habits of Dwarf Gourami fish are slightly different from other Gouramis. They will prefer meaty foods as well as algae. Occasionally they will eat flaked food. So you should plan their diet plan carefully. If you notice that their color is fading out, you should increase the proportion of live food in their diet. They will not pick their food as soon as you feed them. Instead they will take it from the bottom of the aquarium once it settles down.

3. They will require a reasonable amount of water and swimming place around the aquarium. So you cannot keep them in a small aquarium.

4. They are playful by nature so they should be kept in a group. If they are kept alone, they will develop stress and get sick.

5. Though all they are comfortable in all types of waters, if you keep them in a tank with the temperature of 75-80° F and with the ph level of 6.0 to 7.0, they will be happier.

6. They require a calm and quiet environment. So if you plan to keep them in the aquarium, you should not set up your aquarium in a noisy place. You should also see that there should not be any direct sunlight coming to the aquarium. The lighting should be moderate and there should not be much movement in the water.

7. If you plan to keep several males, you should remember that they will have territorial ambitions. So they will fight over an area in a small aquarium and may hurt each other. If you see them in a shop, you will always find them fighting. If the aquarium is sufficiently big, they can live peacefully. So you should plan your aquarium size carefully before introducing them.

8. They are always described as wife beaters! Particularly at the time of spawning, they will be impatient and will hurt the females. As a precaution, you should introduce at least two or three females For a male and they all should be shifted in a separate tank. Once the female lays eggs, she should be immediately removed from the tank.

9. The males will take care of the eggs after the spawning. However, when the new ones start coming out, you should shift the male to the main aquarium.

10. Usually the fish keepers are interested in knowing the information about the frequency of breeding of Dwarf Gourami fish. They breed once in a month and at one time they can lay hundreds of eggs. However, they will take a break after 3 to 4 months. This break will be around one month and they will start spawning again.

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 Directory: EzineArticles

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CENTROPYGE - Dwarf Angelfish

The genus centropyge has within its family some of the most popular marine fishes in the aquarium hobby today. They are commonly known as the dwarf angelfish family. It has 34 members and they are generally a lot smaller than their larger cousins like the french or emperor angelfish.

Centropyge flavissima (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

They come in a variety of colors and sizes and some of them are exceptionally popular among enthusiasts. Sizes range anywhere to the tiny 3 inch cherub angelfish to the 7 inch giants of the family, namely the Japanese pygmy angelfish and the Keyhole angelfish.

While they differ in size with their much larger cousins, their diets are very similar. They are omnivores in the wild that will graze on algae, copepods and consume even detritus. While they are also known to nip on corals and clams, they are generally safer to house with corals than a Queen or French angelfish.

They are found throughout the worlds tropical oceans and can be found anywhere from 20 feet to up to two hundred feet plus in depth. Deeper dwelling species such as the highly prized Centropyge Boylei can cost up to $20000 per specimen. No that wasn't a typing error. That small three inch fish can cost as much as a brand new car.

Fortunately for most of us, the vast majority of dwarf angelfish are within reach. Some of the more popular selling species include the famous flame angelfish, lemonpeel angel and the cherub angelfish.

The flame angelfish is bar far the most popular within the genus centropyge. It isn't hard to see why. Its entire body is a bright flame-like orange to red coloration. This beauty hails from the Christmas and Marshall islands.

As a whole, most centropyge species do well in captivity. Those that don't are usually deeper water species that require low lighting conditions and are generally shy. An exception to this rule is the Centropyge Multicolor, an aggressive and boisterous dwarf angelfish.

Because of their small sizes, centropyge make excellent additions to smaller tanks. However, once established, they can start to dominate and bully their tank mates.

By Indran Manickam Article Source: EzineArticles

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