Lyretail ANTHIAS

The popular anthias family sees three of its species carry the torch in the marine aquarium hobby. They are the Lyretail Anthias, Dispar Anthias and the Purple Queen Anthias. No other Anthias is as popular as these three. Among them however, the Lyretail Anthias is the most popular.

Lyretail Anthias - Photo: Wikimedia

They are especially social fishes that are ordinarily found in some of the largest numbers in the wild in areas where water flow is very high. Groups upwards of a 1000 are not infrequent as they swim through the water flows in spots where there is regularly a abrupt decline from the reefs. They are located all the way through the Indo-Pacific and are a exceptionally widespread marine fish in the marine aquarium fish trade.

Their scientific names are Pseudoanthias Squamipinnis and are one of the cheaper members of the genus Pseudoanthias. Costs regularly extend from $15 to about $30 per fish. Males almost always fetch a greater price compared to females. A male will usually have power over a harem of numerous females. In captivity, the rule of thumb is to keep no more than one male per aquarium. Putting two males together will result in extremely hostile behavior until one finally perishes.

While most people decide to buy this fish with the aim of forming a big group in their aquariums, a large amount fail merely because they do not have a large enough aquarium or a big enough group. The separate sexes have surprisingly diverse coloration. Females are frequently hues of orange while male lyretails are red. They are hermaphrodites that start off life as females and have the capability to turn into males in appropriate conditions. This is very much like Dwarf Angelfish.

Smaller shoals are incapable to properly disperse and absorb the hostile character of the males. As the lyretail anthias is an open swimming species that can achieve a length of about five inches, they need larger tanks. The bare minimum needed to keep these jewels is a 100 gallons. However, larger tanks more than two hundred gallons are recommended if a small group is desired.

On the whole, Lyretail anthias are one of the more hostile kinds within the family and must only be housed in bigger fish aquariums. Too often to people get trapped into thinking they can safely house a small group in smaller aquariums only to see them perish one by one. Always ensure they are well fed in captivity.

Although the Lyretail Anthias is a attractive and fairly low-priced member of the Anthias family, they can be pretty aggressive and can harass smaller aquarium mates. After they are familiar with their new environment and are eating prepared foods, they are a resilient saltwater aquarium anthias.

By Indran Manickam Article Source: EzineArticles

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BLACK MOLLY Fish Makes the Aquarium Beautiful and Lively

There are some peculiar varieties of fish which requires special conditions for their existence. Black molly is one of them.

Black Molly is a brackish fish. Such type of fish cannot sustain in either pure freshwater or in pure saltwater. They must be kept in a tank with water which has some salt. The quantity of salt may not be very high like normal saltwater but there has to be some salt required for them to live. Naturally you cannot easily accommodate Black Molly with other fish in fresh-water or salt-water tanks.

Black Molly
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You should make some on-line research and also consult your pet shop owner about how much salt needs to be placed in the water.

There is no need to get worried about their compatibility with other species due to their salt requirement. There are other species which can sustain in such partly salty water.

Besides this specific requirement, Black Molly is like any other average fish. Usually it resembles a black guppy fish. This is a live-bearer fish. So you need to provide a lot of baby fish around the adults. If you keep a pair of a male and a female with no young ones around, they may not be comfortable with the environment and may develop stress which may even result in their death.

In spite of these specific requirements, Black Molly is an easy fish to care. You should put the fish in a tank with the water capacity of 10 gallons or more. This is required for taking care of their living environment. The fish will grow up to two inches over a period of time. If you want to keep a family of them in the tank, which is recommended, you should calculate the water capacity at two gallons per one inch of fish. So if the family consists of 10 members, you can keep them in a tank of 20-plus gallons.

The temperature of water should be kept in the range of 75-85 degrees. You should install a lighting system to provide sufficient light for them. They will usually require 6 hours of light every day. Please do not keep the light for longer time. In that case, the temperature of the water will increase and the fish will get over-heated. Providing light for 6 hours will resemble their natural habitat.

This fish is peace-loving. So it will be happy to live with other species comfortably. It will not chase or hurt other fish in the tank. It does not have any territorial ambition, so it will swim around the tank happily with others without any stress.

Considering the acquiring costs, the fish is available very cheaply in the shop. So even if you bring a dozen of family members at home one time, that's within your budget. It may not cost you more than $25!

There are no specific requirements of food for Black Molly. They are happy to eat the food you will provide to the other species in the aquarium. You can feed them flaked food or pellets. They are happy to eat live food like brine shrimp or blood-worms, but you should not offer them live food very often. You can also make a few experiments to find out which food your fish like the most.

Black Molly fish very popular among the fish keepers and if you put a combination of mollies in different colors like black and gold, they can make your aquarium beautiful and lively.

By Chintamani Abhyankar 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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Fact Sheet: DWARF GOURAMI - Colisa lalia

(Original Title: Keeping the Beautiful Dwarf Gourami)

Female and male dwarf gouramis (Colisa lalia) showing sexual dimorphism.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Keeping the Dwarf Gourami

The scientific name usually used for the Dwarf Gourami is Colisa lalia. It is native to India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and possibly to Myanmar, Nepal and Borneo. It is found in the tributaries of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, and is found in slow moving streams and lakes, and can grow in flooded rice fields.

It has been introduced to Colombia, Singapore, Taiwan and Florida in the United States of America. It is probably established in these countries.

It has also been introduced to The Philippines and Canada, but I do not know if it is established in these two countries.

Size

As its name suggests this is one of the smaller gouramis. Although 10 centimetres (4 inches) is reported as a maximum size for this fish, most of the ones I see are more like 5 centimetres (2 inches) long. Water Conditions The normally recommended temperature range for this fish is 25 - 28 degrees C (77-83 degrees F). The Dwarf Gourami comes from the tropics, and is basically a tropical fish. However, part of its range includes waterways in the mountainous areas of India, and it has been reported in Nepal which is not a hot country. The places it has been introduced to are mainly tropical, but it is surviving in the wild in Florida where it has apparently escaped from fish farms. The climate of Florida is not tropical although it certainly does not get as cold as most of the United States. They have been bred outside in Germany (In the summer). A single specimen survived in a garden pond in the Adelaide Hills town of Mount Barker right through the winter. These observations suggest that at least some of this fish species have better cold tolerance than is generally recognised.

A pH of between 6.0 and 7.5; with a hardness of no more than about 19 dH is suitable for maintaining the adults.

Nitrite

The Dwarf Gourami seems to be particularly susceptible to nitrites. A good filter should be used to prevent the build up of nitrites, and the general level of cleanliness should be high. However, this fish comes from sluggish waterways and should not have turbulence in all parts of the tank.

Plants

It comes from water with a lot of plants, so it should be kept in well planted aquariums.

Food

Dwarf Gouramis are omnivores, and they are easy to feed with normal fish foods. These should be supplemented with live or frozen foods like Blood worms or Daphnia. It is one of the types of fish that is capable of shooting water droplets at insects above the water and knocking them into the water.

Breathing

The Dwarf Gourami is a labyrinth fish and can breathe air as well as water. This allows them to survive in still water which can be low in Oxygen. My own observations suggest that this fish cannot get all its Oxygen requirements from the air, and does need some dissolved Oxygen in the water.

Companions

The Dwarf Gourami is a peaceful fish and can be kept with most of the tetras and similar fish. I would avoid the smallest tetras like the Neon Tetra, and also any fin nipping fish.

I would not recommend it as a companion for any of the other Gouramis, nor for Siamese fighting fish or Paradise fish. I would also not put them with any of the livebearers like Guppies, and also not with Australian native fish like the Murray Cod. The reason for the exclusions in this paragraph is to reduce the possibility of transmission of Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus.

By Steve Challis Steve Challis has many other fish fact sheets and other articles on http://www.bettatrading.com.au, including one article giving information about the Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus at http://www.bettatrading.com.au/Dwarf-Gourami-Fact-Sheet.php. Article Source: EzineArticles

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An Introduction To KOI PONDS

Koi ponds have become a popular hobby in the world, and the reasons are clear as to why. Koi are beautiful, vibrant fish that can literally light your day. Koi come in many colors, varieties, and kinds, so it is likely that everyone in the world can find at least one type of Koi that would suit their likes. While Koi may be a welcomed beauty to your pond, they also have an interesting history attached to them.

Koi fish in the pond at the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Chinese culture, Koi ponds are said to being good luck to their owners. Koi ponds are used as an overall plan to fulfill their lives. Other parts of the world consider Koi ponds as a form of relaxation and serenity. In the united states, more and more people seem to find Koi ponds to be fun more then anything else. No matter what the reason you find to have a Koi pond, they are sure to brighten your life.

However, Koi keeping should not be taken lightly. Koi, like any other animal, require time and money to maintain. The majority of first time Koi owners fail because they get the idea that keeping Koi is easy in some way. Do not let this discourage you though, as educating yourself will greatly improve your chances of succeeding. 

It is important for you to learn all you can BEFORE you begin obtaining the things you need for Koi keeping. This way, you will not slip up and have to replace anything that you have already done or bought. Planning ahead will not only save your money, but it will potentially save your sanity as well.

It is important to learn the information for yourself rather then relying on other sources. People such as your product dealer and pond builder will have limited knowledge, but should not be trusted for a reliable source, as they are selling products and may be bias. Plus, once you are at home with your Koi, your product dealer or pond builder may not be available to help you in the event of a problem.

Koi Have Personality

You would not believe that Koi actually have personalities similar to other animals. They are social, and can even be trained to eat directly from their owners hands. The more time you spend with your Koi, the more you will notice each Koi has individual characteristics and traits. 

Koi have been known to live for up to 200 years at time, but generally the average lifespan of a healthy Koi is about 30 years. So if you are looking for along time pet companion, Koi may be a good choice.

Building Your Koi Habitat

Before ever buying Koi, you must create a proper habitat for them. This is where information from your pond builder and supplier will come in handy. However, you should not rely on the opinions of just one person. It may be a god idea to do research on your own, before you go to purchase the materials needed for you pond. Because of it’s popularity, an unlimited supply of resources can be found on the topic of Koi keeping. Visit your local library, fishery center, or research online. There are quite a few things needed to sustain a habitable pond.

When it comes to pond size, bigger is always better. Koi have a habit of growing rather fast, so you have to consider pond size at the same time you are considering how many Koi you are going to put it in. 

Your filtration system is extremely important. There are 2 types of filtration, mechanical and biological. Mechanical filtration relives the pond of solids such as dead algae, insects, and Koi wastes. It is important to have enough filtration to sustain the size of the pond, and the amount and size of your Koi. Biological filtration causes a nitrogen cycle, which is what removes dissolved wastes from your pond. Without biological filtration, built up waste will turn into ammonia and kill your Koi within just a few days. 

Besides the technical aspects of your pond, you will also have the ability to create a visually appealing area as well. Waterfalls, fountains, and other water features will not only add a visual show to your pond, but it will also create movement and sound. A variety of plants and flowers are also available for your pond.

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The Basics of Keeping KOI

Koi pond’s popularity are on the rise, and the reasons are obvious. Who would not want living creatures as a part of their garden? However, Koi keeping should not be taken lightly. Koi, like any other animal, require time and money to maintain. The majority of first time Koi owners fail because they get the idea that keeping Koi is easy in some way. Do not let this discourage you though, as educating yourself will greatly improve your chances of succeeding. 

Koi fish cliche (abstract)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is important for you to learn all you can BEFORE you begin obtaining the things you need for Koi keeping. This way, you will not slip up and have to replace anything that you have already done or bought. Planning ahead will not only save your money, but it will potentially save your sanity as well.

It is important to learn the information for yourself rather then relying on other sources. People such as your product dealer and pond builder will have limited knowledge, but should not be trusted for a reliable source, as they are selling products, and may be bias. Plus, once you are at home with your Koi, your product dealer or pond builder may not be available to help you in the event of a problem.

Your Pond

Before ever buying Koi, you must create a proper habitat for them. This is where information from your pond builder and supplier will come in handy. However, you should not rely on the opinions of just one person. It may be a god idea to do research on your own, before you go to purchase the materials needed for you pond. Because of it’s popularity, an unlimited supply of resources can be found on the topic of Koi keeping. Visit your local library, fishery center, or research online. There are quite a few things needed to sustain a habitable pond.

When it comes to pond size, the bigger is always better. Koi have a habit of growing rather fast, so you have to consider pond size at the same time you are considering how many Koi you are going to put it in.

You filtration system is extremely important. There are 2 types of filtration, mechanical and biological. mechanical filtration relives the pond of solids such as dead algae, insects, and Koi wastes. It is important to have enough filtration to sustain the size of the pond, and the amount and size of your Koi. Biological filtration causes a nitrogen cycle, which is what removes dissolved wastes from your pond. Without biological filtration, built up waste will turn into ammonia and kill your Koi within just a few days.

Another consideration is the water quality. It is sometimes said that having Koi is literally just a side effect of having the proper water quality. To keep your Koi alive, you must have the proper knowledge on how to maintain your water quality.

Buying Koi

There are potentially thousands of different types of Koi, with about 20 different popular versions. Koi are popular because of their beautiful colors and patterns.

Your pond should be complete before you even look into buying your Koi. The size and amount of Koi you buy should be highly based on your pond. Be careful, overstocking will cause problems right away with you pond, potentially killing many of the Koi you purchase, causing you to loose time and money.

Most fish owners understand that most fish will only grow to the size of their enclosure. Koi, unlike other fish, will grow until they are the size of their specific type. You must be able to accommodate the amount of fish you purchase in the future.

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Searching for Small REPTILES

Lizards are one of an interesting group of animals that you might not think about too much - the reptiles.  The biggest of the reptiles, the alligator, is hard to miss, but they live only in the southeastern United States.  Smaller reptiles, like lizards and snakes, can be found in your neighborhood.   If you want to go exploring to see these colorful and fascinating animals, here are some of the more common ones that you might find.

Collage of four U.S. state reptiles showing a turtle (box turtle), snake (garter snake), lizard (collared lizard), and crododilian (American alligator) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Let's begin with lizards.  Most common lizards are between four and twelve inches long, which is about the length of one or two of your hands.  If they see you looking for them, they will probably scurry away quickly, so approach them quietly.  Some lizards can go as fast as fifteen miles per hour, about as fast as you ride your bicycle, and very fast for a reptile!  One really interesting thing about lizards is that if another animal grabs their tail, the tail breaks off, and later the lizard grows a new one! All lizards have smooth dry skin, so do not worry about them being slimy.   One of the more common lizards all across the U.S. is the skink, which has a nice round body, short stubby legs, and is very shiny. Look for skinks during the warm part of the day in areas that no one goes near, like groups of rocks in a vacant lot.  Many skinks have long stripes along their bodies, and a solid color pink or blue tail!   

Another wonderful group of reptiles is the snake family.  When you see a snake, think about how it uses its muscles to move so differently than any other animal.   Snakes can move very fast, so don't be surprised if it slithers off quickly as soon as it realizes you are there.  Be very quiet!  Two of the snakes that are found throughout nearly all of the United States are the garter snake and the hognosed snake.  Garter snakes are very thin snakes, about the size of two or three pencils, and about as long as your arm.  They have long stripes on their bodies, the stripes are yellow and dark green in the eastern US, red-orange in the western US.  Look for them in grassy fields or in grasses near the edge of woods, especially in sunny spots where they can get warm.

Hognose snakes have funny turned up noses that they can use for digging, and that is how they get their name.  They are big brownish or greyish snakes with darker colored blotches on their bodies.  They like open sandy areas, and areas with a lot of fallen leaves on it.  Hognose snakes have unusual behaviors when they feel threatened.  If you get too close to a hognose, it may try to scare you by hissing at you and puffing out its head.  If it feels really scared, it can flop over and play dead.

Go exploring to see what reptiles you can find in your area.  Look on the Internet or in a book to see a few pictures of snakes and lizards in your area, so that you will know what to look for.  Enjoy!

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Constant AQUARIUM FISH DEATHS: causes and solutions

Shown is the head of Broadbarred firefish (Antennata Lionfish)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fish death aquarium tank is one of common challenges faced by aquarists. There are number of factors that could be responsible for the deaths experienced. These are outlined briefly bellow.

·                     The aquarist selection of fish.

·                     The removal and packing of the fish from the pet shop

·                     Transport time and period and the handling of the fish in transit

·                     Quarantine procedure.

·                     Adjustment and adaptation into the new community or environment by the new fish.

When buying fish from the pet shop always spend some time at the place to inquire about the life history and habits of the new purchase. You can then make a selection from collection of the same species. Never buy the last specimen in reserve at any shop because if it had been a good specimen, you would not have met it there in the first instance.

Always form the habit of making your fish purchase during the cool periods of the day, preferably before 12 noon or after 4.30pm.

These are the only periods I can guarantee for fish comfort. This restriction is borne out of my observation that most pet shops and aquarists alike do not seem to care about insulation of the fish against temperature fluctuations after gassing them in a polythene.

When making your fish selection from the pet shop be sure the attendant has the expertise to pick fish out from a selection. This you can know through the swiftness with which your choice fish is removed out of the selection.

Reject a fish that has been chased around, gasping for breath... It is week already! Chances are that it gives up with the further stress that accompanies the transportation of the fish.

Make sure that your new purchase is quarantined. That's a single factor that affects fish survival as pets.

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