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| Flowerhorn Fish |
2017-01-30
2017-01-28
White Spot (Ichthyophthirius) in Tropical Fish
One of the most common diseases encountered by tropical fish hobbyists, is the common parasite known as "ick" or "ich", for ichthyophthirius. In most cases, white spots on a fish's scales are the first sign noticed, although it's possible fish may begin rubbing themselves against objects as well, since it's a very irritating condition.
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| Two juvenile clown loaches with ich. The second can be seen hiding in the ornament. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
In severe cases, the fish may even have a gray slimy appearance to their body. By the time obvious symptoms develop, your tank would be well-infested. In the initial stage, the parasite will burrow under the fish's scales and skin, where it lingers, feeding off the skin cells and blood of its host until it's fully developed.
The Ich then breaks through the skin of the fish and falls off into the water, landing on the substrate where it forms a cyst, and begins to multiply, producing up to 1,000 new parasites. The entire life cycle can take as little as 4-6 days.
Because the most vulnerable stage is when they are free swimming, it will be necessary to treat the entire tank, because once a parasite has started to replicate, the tank is already contaminated. You can however, remove severely infected fish to a hospital tank for some extra, topical treatments to try and help it recover, and to prevent secondary infections.
The home tank should be treated by raising the temperature four degrees, and adding a small amount of aquarium salt. Any inhabitants that can't tolerate the salt, should be moved to their own, separate tank until the original one is free of parasites. Medications for adding to the water are available at your fish supply store. Remember that because of their life cycle, and needing to treat the free swimming stage, you will need to medicate the tank every few days, and the entire course of treatment can take up to three weeks.
IGUANA Facts - What a Newbie Needs to Know
If this is the first time that you'll be caring for an iguana, then it's probably best to acquaint yourself with the anatomy and basic behaviors of an iguana. By educating yourself, it will be easier to tell when there's something wrong with your new pet reptile. These are a few basic iguana facts you should know.
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| Adult male iguana (Iguana iguana) in Morikami Gardens, Delray Beach, Florida (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Iguanas Require Heat and UV Light
Iguanas are reptiles and, therefore, they need a consistent supply of heat and Ultra violet rays to stay healthy. Iguanas won't be able to function in habitat with a temperature which is lower than 79 degrees.
Ultra violet rays are necessary so the iguana is able to metabolize calcium and other minerals. Without Ultra violet rays, your iguana will probably experience bone mineral disorders that frequently result in their death.
Iguana Behavioral Characteristics
Iguanas can seem to be threatened fairly easily, and when you don't observe their mannerisms and behavior closely enough you may get bitten or hit by its massive tail. Unlike cats and dogs, iguanas will not vocalize a lot before biting, so be careful particularly if the iguana hasn't been fully tamed.
When you first bring your new pet home do not over handle him or overexpose him to strangers.
It will take a few weeks to gradually acclimate him to his new environment. Once he is comfortable in his new surrounding, begin to socialize him gradually and the bonding process will go much better.
The dewlap, or the large wad of skin beneath the iguana's jowls, is additionally used to communicate. In the wild, an iguana may raise its head to extend the dewlap to signal a basic "Hello" to members of its own species.
An extended dewlap may also mean that it is attempting to protect its territory from the human owner or from other iguanas. During mating season an extended dewlap may mean "I desire to mate". This only applies should there be female iguanas in the same enclosure, and it's mating season.
If your iguana has been tamed, and is used to your presence, an extended dewlap may signify it is just a little drafty and it's making an attempt to make itself feel warmer.
Iguana Mannerisms
Iguana Anatomy
Just like other reptiles, your iguana has a set of eyes that have evolved to scan the environment for food and potential predators. It has a pair of ears that are protected by a fairly wide element of skin called the subtympanic shield.
The iguana also forms spines along its back; these pliable spines are called the caudal spines and, as time passes, these grow in length and become harder. Iguanas also have a flap of skin under their lower jaw known as the dewlap.
Iguanas are herbivorous (they are nourished by plants only), so they are equipped with small, yet very sharp, teeth that are designed to tear apart fibrous plant matter. Be cautious when bringing your hands near the iguana's mouth, because those teeth can cause serious tears in your skin. If you look closely at the top of the iguana's head, you will observe a prominent, light patch of scale.
This is called the parietal eye, or third eye. The iguana uses its third eye to detect changes in light in a given area. It is thought this primordial eye is also used to detect flying predators, hence the iguana can make a run for cover before becoming another animal's lunch or dinner.
It is essential to learn about iguana behavior and mannerisms. The basic facts discussed in the article should help to decipher your iguana's moods. Don't forget that no two iguanas are exactly alike so you must also learn the personality of your new pet. Ask questions and gather as much information as possible to ensure that your iguana is long lived well cared for.
Sam Boothe has been keeping reptiles since childhood. Learn more about iguanas and iguana care at http://iguanacare-site.com to ensure your new pet lives a long and happy life. Article Source: EzineArticles |
2017-01-27
Everything You Need To Know About LIVE ROCK
Every reef is built upon solid rock. It's not quite the same as the rock you might find in your backyard, however. Instead, it's rock that has literally grown in place as corals have lived and died. Over countless seasons the skeletons these corals leave behind accumulate and eventually fuse to become solid rock. But, solid as it may be, this rock is still fairly soft and so, quite commonly, pieces of it break free from the reef- most often during heavy storms. These broken bits of rock are what is collected and sold as live rock. The rock itself is no longer alive. However, it is teeming with life
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| Photo by Moto@Club4AG |
Life
Live rock is home to all sorts of wonderful and beneficial lifeforms. Probably the most obvious is coralline algae. Good quality live rock will be covered in the stuff giving it a pink to purple coloration. Unlike most algae this is one you actually want in your tank. It's an encrusting type of algae that leaves behind a calcareous skeleton much like coral- hence the name. In fact this algae contributes a fair amount to building the reef rock itself and can actually fuse rocks together over a long enough time in your tank. So why would you want this algae? For one, it's beautiful. Purple is the most common color followed by pink.
However, it also comes in lots of other colors including red, green, blue, and yellow. Besides the looks the other benefit is that it can out compete the less than desirable algae. Coralline algae will encrust over the bare rock leaving nuisance algae nowhere to grab hold.
There's a lot more than just coralline algae living on, and in, live rock, though. It abounds with all sorts of tiny shrimps, crabs, worms, sponges, snails, and other interesting sea creatures. All together the wide variety of critters found on and in live rock can begin to build an actual food chain within your tank- ending with your fish and corals getting a healthy source of live food.
Filtration
Beyond the looks and the free meals live rock actually also serves a very important role in filtration. As it is incredibly porous it provides loads and loads of surface area to grow beneficial bacteria. A healthy and strong biological filter is extremely important in marine aquarium setups and live rock offers the perfect solution. Indeed in a marine tank the bulk of the biological filtration can actually be handled by a sufficient amount of live rock. Of course supplementing it with other sources doesn't hurt either.
Natural Beauty
The last important reason to use live rock is purely for aesthetics, both for you and for your fish. When keeping fish in captivity one of the goals should be to provide them with an environment that feels like home. There's no better way to accomplish that than to provide them with what is essentially a literal chunk of their natural habitat. Reef fish spend their entire lives in close proximity to the rock that forms the reef's foundation and rely heavily on it for food and shelter. It's an integral part of their lives. When keeping a marine tank the goal of most aquarists is to achieve something resembling nature and live rock fits the bill quite nicely.
So, when you go shopping for live rock for the first time you may be a bit lost on what you should get. Even with something as simple sounding as rock there are quite a few options. The options relate mostly to where the rock originates from as well as how much work has been put into getting it ready for your tank prior to your purchase.
Cured Or Uncured
When live rock is collected and shipped it is typically packed in bags with a minimal amount of water- really only enough to keep the rock moist. As a result when it arrives at its destination a large percentage of what was alive when it was collected has died. As you can imagine this makes it less than suitable for placement into your tank. The process of cleaning the rock up and getting it ready for entry into your tank is known as curing. The basic idea is to place the rock into a bare bones setup and let the die-off happen. The rock is regularly cleaned and eventually stabilizes and the life begins to regrow at which point it's ready for the main display.
So when you shop for live rock you are likely to see both cured and uncured rock for sale. Knowing what curing is, these names are pretty straightforward. Do note that cured rock can only be placed straight into an established tank if it is purchased locally, though. Any shipped rock, cured or otherwise, will experience die-off and so will need to be recured. The process will be much quicker with rock that was cured before shipping, however, and if you can get cured rock from a local store it can go straight into your tank.
So, why would you want to buy uncured rock? Cost. Uncured rock is much cheaper. The downside is of course that you need to do the curing yourself. It's not a difficult process, although it does take a few weeks and can be a bit messy. As a side note uncured rock can also be quite interesting. You truly never know what will emerge from the rock as the process proceeds.
Types Of Live Rock
There are a few types of rock as well that you are likely to encounter when you begin shopping. For the most part the difference between the types refers to the location from which they were collected but there are a few other categories to look out for.
Base Rock
When live rock starts to accumulate in the sand surrounding the reef some of it naturally ends up on the bottom of the pile. This rock has essentially the same structure as normal live rock and is loaded with beneficial bacteria just the same, but is more or less bare on the surface. This of course makes it rather bland to look at, but on the plus side it is cheap. So why would you want it? Well, when you start piling up the live rock in your tank you're likely to need some pieces to form the foundation. Using base rock for this means less of your beautiful top quality rock has to get buried.
Pacific Live Rock
Typically you will see Pacific rock sold under the name of the island it hails from- most commonly Fiji live rock. You may also occasionally see rock from Tonga, the Marshall Islands, or Indonesia. The rocks from different locations can have different appearances that can be great for achieving just the right look in your tank. Tonga live rock, for example, is often very branch-like. Pacific rock is generally the best quality as it is very porous and often loaded with all sorts of interesting creatures and heavily encrusted with coralline algae. When shopping for live rock this is most commonly what you will see.
So, how much rock do you need? Around 1 to 2 pounds per gallon usually does the trick. However, as a natural product, the density can vary quite a bit and so it may take more or less to achieve the desired look you're going for. The shape of your aquarium may affect how much rock you need as well.
Caribbean Live Rock
Also sometimes labeled as Atlantic or Gulf rock, or after one of the various islands in the region, Caribbean live rock comes from, well, the Caribbean. Quality can vary quite a bit from the different locations, but in general Caribbean live rock is more lackluster in appearance and often a bit on the heavy side. The price usually reflects this, although it's not actually that common to even see it for sale anymore.
Aqua Cultured Live Rock
The aqua culturing process for live rock works a little different than it does for fish or corals, which is done fully in captivity. The process for live rock actually takes place in the sea. Terrestrially mined rock, usually limestone or something similar, is deposited on the sea floor and left to be colonized for a year or more. This is a more eco-friendly option compared to harvested natural rock but the drawback is the quality. The majority of aqua cultured rock comes from the Caribbean so much like natural Caribbean rock it lacks the diversity you see in Pacific rock. Furthermore, it lacks much of the complex shapes you see in natural rock. Finally, depending on the type rock that was used it may be very heavy and rather non-porous.
The creatures of the reef are tightly woven community- reliant on one another for their very survival. And while recreating the diversity and bounty of the ocean within the confines of a small glass box situated in your living room is nigh impossible, it is always the goal. Live rock delivers an entire community of mircoorganisms to your aquarium and brings it closer to being a true ecosystem than any other method. Likewise, there's no better way to recreate the visual aesthetics of the reef than to use what is essentially actual pieces of reef. It's like having your own little spice of the ocean to admire.
Keeping a marine aquarium setup is easy with the right knowledge. Learn everything you need to know at aquarium-setup.net. Article Source: EzineArticles |
2017-01-26
Winterizing Your KOI POND
Winter is coming, and this will be the first Winter that you go through with your Koi pond. Think of Winter as a down period for your pond, as less events happen during Winter then any other time. However, there are special precautions that you need to take before Winter arrives, to ensure that your pond and fish survive.
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| Ornamental fish pond - The net over the water is essential to keep the fish safe from marauding herons. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Clean Up- Take about a weekend to completely go over your pond. Clean up and unwanted bulk material in and around your pond. Inside your pond, clean up all leaves, slit, and other material from the bottom. Also, remove any plants or flowers that will not make it through the winter. Around the pond, clean up anything that can blow into your pond, as you are not likely to notice this debris until the end of winter. Taking the time to make sure that as much debris is removed as possible will prevent potentially harmful bacteria and parasites in the future.
Stop Feeding- You must remember to stop feeding your Koi during the winter. When fall begins and the temperatures hover around 55 to 60 degrees, only feed once a day. Once the temperatures drop below 50 degree for the first time, stop feeding completely. Even if the temperature goes above 50 degrees, still reframe from feeding your fish. The majority of Koi, when healthy and the temperature is above 50 degrees, take at least four days to completely digest food. If you mistakenly feed your fish to late the food will not digest and will end up killing your fish. Do not mistake you Koi as hungry when they open to their mouths to you. This is more of a learned reflex then hunger. If you are concerned about not feeding them, remember that fish eat other things besides the food you provide them, especially if your pond contains a large amount of natural plant life. If they are at all hungry and you are not feeding them, they will fill up on this.
Check Up- Do you seasonal check up on all your equipment. This includes everything from your filtration system to your store of preventable medications. Since the majority of ponds in the world lie dormant during the Winter, you are less likely to be able to find the products you need. Make sure your emergency kit is ready and up to date, which should include medications, bags, nets, and your water testing kits.
Prepare For Cold Weather- Prepare for cold weather by investing in the items you will need during the summer. Koi have been known to withstand constant temperatures as low 39 degrees, and temperatures slightly lower then 39 degrees, for short periods of time. When buying a heater, remember to research what size you will need to adequately heat your pond during the winter, otherwise ice will still form, causing potentially dangerous amounts of gas in the water, due to it being trapped under the ice. In extreme events, it may be a good idea to have an emergency tank inside available.
Turn Off All Water Sources- In colder temperatures, your heater will be working hard to maintain a water temperature suitable enough to keep your fish alive. If you have water features such as waterfalls, streams, or constant moving fountains, make sure to turn them off during Winter. These features will circulate water, and constantly bring new, and cold water into your pond. With these switched off, the only water that your heater will be responsible for is the standing water in your pond.
2017-01-25
The Water Parameters For DISCUS FISH
The Amazon River is full of rooting vegetation which is a direct cause of the acid nature of the water.
Before you choose your Discus you must have the water parameters correct or matching closely to the place of where you are to buy your discus Fish.
Unless you are lucky enough to live in a place where the natural tap water is Acid and Soft, you will need the use of a Reverse Osmosis filter and a HMA filter.
The RO filter will remove 99.9% of everything in the water, making the Ph around 6.2 depending on where you live. The HMA filter will remove the heavy metals and the Chlorine, which are extremely harmful to discus. The HMA will not alter the Ph which is ideal, because we can use that to blend with the RO water to make the correct Ph.
Now if you are breeding you will need the Ph to be between 6.2 and 6.5. If you are just keeping discus say in a show tank you will need the Ph between 6.7 and 7.0. With the hardness between 3 and 5GH.
I like to use 'Indian Almond Leaves' in all my discus tanks as I find it gives a natural additive to the water similar to liquids you can buy which claim to add chemicals to the water that will give you that Amazon river consistency. The top breeders in the far east use these leaves. I always favour the natural approach every time!
Temperature should be 29 degrees centigrade.
Do your water changes regularly, the often the better, and you will not go far wrong!
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2017-01-24
Are BARBS Aggressive Fish?
The Barbs have the reputation for being aggressive fish. In reality, this is a fairly large group of fish, so each species needs to be looked at separately.
Tiger Barbs
The Tiger Barb, Puntius tetrazona has probably the worst reputation of all the small barbs. It is certainly true that the Tiger Barb can be a fin nipper. It is fairly common in our shop that someone has a problem with their fins being nipped. They do have a Tiger Barb in their fish collection, but tend to reject the idea that it is the culprit because it is not only a little fish, but they only have one of them. I am forced to tell them that a single Tiger Barb is usually worse than a school.
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| Five tiger barbs (Puntius tetrazona) and one neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
This is something common to many fast schooling fish. If there are not enough to form a school, they will try to join up with other species of fish, but these may be slower fish and are in danger of getting their fins nipped.
Once in our shop a male Guppy somehow got put into an aquarium full of Tiger Barbs. I took it out as soon as I saw it, but it must have been in overnight. The Tiger Barbs were ignoring the Guppy.
Rosy Barbs
This is another Barb with a bad reputation. Certainly it is a fast, boisterous fish that can be a problem to other fish. This barb grows larger than any of the others mentioned, and more space is needed.
Gold Barbs
Gold Barbs are more peaceful than most of the barbs, but I would still recommend that at least four be kept together. Unlike the first two fish mentioned, this fish is sometimes kept successfully with slower longer finned fish.
Cherry Barbs
This Barb is not typical of the barb group. They do not have such a strong schooling tendency. Although some people regard them as an aggressive fish, this had not been my own observation. Although they do not necessarily form schools, I would still recommend that several be kept together.
In Conclusion
The barbs listed certainly can be aggressive, and some matching of tank mates is necessary. All of them are suitable community fish for a tank of fast schooling fish with Corydoras Catfish like the Peppered catfish as scavengers.
I would not recommend any of them as companions for very slow, long finned fish like the Siamese Fighting Fish.
Steve Challis has Fact Sheets on all the fish named in this article at http://www.bettatrading.com.au. including a lot of information about the Siamese Fighting fish at http://www.bettatrading.com.au/Siamese-Fighting-Fish-Fact-Sheet.php.
Article Source: EzineArticles
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