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| Neolamprologus brichardi - Princess of Burundi |
2017-09-13
2017-09-12
Check Your Knowledge Before Keeping BARB FISH in the Aquarium
Barbs come from a group of fish called Cyprinidae. This group consists of a big range of fish right from goldfish to sharks. However, there are some common things among them.
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| Gold Barb (Puntius semifasciolatus) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Truly speaking, fish experts are not able to classify barbs at a group to which they belong. Some say that they are the members of genus Barbus and some others say they are the members of Pontius instead. However, this will not come in your way if you want to keep barbs at your aquarium.
You have to decide which type of barbs you want to keep. There are tiger barbs, which you cannot keep alone because they will get stressed and will be sick. Another type of barbs is called cherry barbs which are very colorful and they are peace-loving so easy to keep. There is one more important type, the rosy barbs. They are a bit difficult to breed but they are famous for their bright red and golden yellow colors.
If you are an experienced fish-keeper, you can even go for another type which is called clown barb. They will need a big tank with very high temperatures of water. In case the water is not warm enough, they can get sick very easily. Another important thing to be remembered about them is their eating habits. They are plant eaters and they will always try the plants in the aquarium as their food. However, if fully grown up clown barb is a really beautiful fish to keep.
There are some unusual varieties of barbs, which you can also consider. One of them is called Zebra barb. They can grow up to 5 inches and they have stripes like the zebra fish on their body. There are purple barbs which can grow up to 4 inches and they also have stripes on their body over a yellow background. However, this variety is not easily available because it is difficult to breed and difficult to transport.
When you go for buying barbs in a pet fish shop, you may not find them interesting because when they are young, they will look dull and they will not display their true colors. This is really sad because they make your aquarium colorful and beautiful later. Even the beginners will be happy to have them because of their simple lifestyle. When they grow up and become full-fledged adults, they will look really bright, active and beautiful. So they may not attract your attention at the shop and you may be tempted to buy some other varieties of fish.
If you have already made a good research on the Internet and if you have already decided to buy barbs, then you can speak to the staff of the pet fish store, understand the necessities you will be required to maintain for barbs and you can bring them home. They are not very expensive and they can always fit in your budgets. They can be easily accommodated in small aquariums and the requirements for their care are not very elaborate.
You can also inquire about purple-head barb with the pet fish shop. They will develop a unique raspberry color when they reach adulthood and start breeding. You can also ask for Gold barb which will be blooming with bright yellow color after reaching adulthood.
Your decision will depend on the information you have on this beautiful species. Their only requirement is a thickly planted aquarium providing plenty of hiding places. You have to also inquire about their habit of eating plants. Some of the species would like to eat plants but you can keep them in a separate aquarium where you can keep fast growing and sturdy plants.
There is another important habit of some other species of barb. They would like to scatter their eggs over the plants in the aquarium. So they need to be kept separately during their breeding time.
All these habits are not difficult to adjust when we consider their beautiful colors, shapes and activities. So if you want your aquarium really vibrant, maker good research on the Internet, discuss with your pet fish shop, pick up suitable varieties of barbs and start enjoying!
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 |
2017-09-11
Tips on RAM CICHLIDS - Care and Spawning
The Ram cichlid or Microgeophagus ramirezi belongs to the family Cichlidae more commonly referred to as cichlids. They are endemic to Orinoco River basin in Venezuela and Columbia. The aquarium industry markets rams under several trade names including; Ram, Blue ram, German blue ram, Asian ram, butterfly cichlid, dwarf butterfly and Ramirez's dwarf cichlid. The Ramirez's dwarf cichlid is a hybrid originally bred by fish enthusiast Manuel Ramirez.
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| Ram Cichlid - Photo by boscosami (cc) |
Ram Cichlids thrive in slightly acidic water. A pH of 6.8 with a water temperature range between 72- 78°F is the ideal environment for keeping rams. Under premium conditions you can expect your ram cichlids to live for up to four years.
Rams are omnivorous. They can survive just fine on common variety tropical fish flakes. But supplementing their diet with live food such as brine shrimp, frozen or freeze dried food will help insure their vigor.
Distinguishing males from females isn't difficult. This species is sexually dimorphic, males being larger than females. Males typically possess longer spines on the front of their dorsal fin. Females have rounder abdomens than males. This trait is quite apparent when they are carrying eggs.
Breeding Ram Cichlids
Both the male and the female typically become more colorful when its time to breed. The abdomen of a females' body turns reddish or pinkish when she enters into her spawning cycle. A slightly acid water and warmer water temperatures will help induce spawning.
You will want to place the pair in a breeding tank. Males can become territorial when they enter their breeding cycle.
You will know your rams are about to spawn when the expectant parents begin to clean a flat surface to deposit their eggs on. Cichlids rarely deposit their eggs on barren substrate when a more suitable nursery is available.
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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2017-09-10
2017-09-09
Brighten Up Your Aquarium With Attractive AQUARIUM BACKGROUNDS
Aquarium owners enjoy the luxury of keeping fish and other underwater pets for pleasure. Since a properly maintained and presentable aquarium can entail investment, the fish lover is keen on perfectly displaying and enhancing the appearance of his pet. Animals and fish look best in their natural habitat. The environment of their natural habitat can be recreated within the aquarium by using aquarium backgrounds
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These backgrounds are available in various shapes, sizes, and colors depicting underwater natural scenes. They are made of materials which are not harmful to the fish and can be placed inside the aquarium or outside.
Benefits of having Aquarium Backgrounds
The backgrounds have several practical and aesthetic benefits. They are attractive decorative items that enhance the overall appearance of the aquarium by increasing its depth. By concealing the cable, tubes, and cords that clutter the back of the fish tank, they present a neat and natural look to the aquarium.
Inside an aquarium, algae build up rapidly in presence of sunlight. In bright rooms, the presence of background reduces direct sunlight resulting in control of algae.
Options for Choice of Aquarium Backgrounds
· First it is important to consider the size of the tank. Aquariums of smaller size will require backgrounds that do not occupy too much space inside the tank. Positioning decorative objects in the fish tank will encroach upon the space that is important for the fish.
- On the lower price range, you can buy colorful aquarium background sticking labels that can be pasted externally at the back of the aquarium tank. These stickers or labels are available in different designs, portraying floral life and rocks. This is a perfect choice for those who cannot invest time for mounting a background for the aquarium. But if you are using internal backgrounds, which are higher on price, make sure that the material and paints used inside the fish tank are not harmful to the fish. Aquariums are delicate settings and can be easily polluted.
- The next option is the three-dimensional aquarium backgrounds
, which are cast into different shapes. They are made out of plastic, fiberglass or Styrofoam. Styrofoam and plastic backgrounds are suitable for small tanks, but the large saltwater aquariums use fiberglass backgrounds. Both the plastic and styrofoam backgrounds can also be cut into shapes for using them on other backgrounds of different sizes.
- Fiberglass backgrounds are widely used in zoological displays and public aquariums. Fish lovers who own large saltwater fish tanks can buy tailor-made fiberglass backgrounds which will present a real look of underwater scenes. These backgrounds are fixed internally at the backside of the fish tank with aquarium silicone. This silicone is made especially for use in the aquarium.
As per Feng Shui principles, the presence of an aquarium can bring peace at home. It is also true that when we gaze at fish in an aquarium, it brings a feeling of calmness. Moreover, displaying aquariums with attractive backgrounds add up to the beauty of the aquarium. So, whichever option you choose for creating aquarium backgrounds, you will be definitely spending quality time and money on your favorite asset in your home.
2017-09-08
The Key to TREE FROG Care is Regularity
Tree frogs, unlike the common ground frog, are any frog that spends the majority of its life in an arboreal state. Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees.
If one is interested in caring for tree frogs they will most likely need a vivarium (Latin, literally for "place of life") is a usually enclosed area for keeping and raising animals or plants for observation or research. This artificially controlled area can often rather successfully mimic the natural environment of the tree frog.
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| Waxy Monkey Tree Frogs, Phyllomedusa sauvagii at California Academy of Sciences (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Sufficient planning and care are required if one is to care for amphibians in the home environment as tree frogs are easily stressed if subjected to unnatural conditions. Therefore equipment to further enhance the quality of life of the tree frog in this artificial environment has been created. Conditions such as relative humidity levels and temperature must be kept as constant as possible to successfully care or breed tree frogs at home.
In order to achieve this, some automated systems have been created to seamlessly integrate with your vivarium to make tree frog care a breeze.
If you are a first-time frog keeper then to not be alarmed by the exact figures required, keeping tree frogs at home is by no means supposed to be scientific.
To give you a little story of how getting caught up in the finer details can stop you taking the plunge and getting some tree frogs as a feature for your house.
When I first attempted to brew beer at home, I thought that the temperature had to absolutely stay between about 21 to 27 degrees Centigrade. When I actually gave it a go and I found that you could in fact successfully brew great homemade beer below that temperature.
If you happen to own a frog now and are looking for ways to give your tree frog a better life try these tips.
Frogs like regularity -
Say you have the tank in which your frog lives in your bedroom. Let's say that you leave the light on and don't go to bed until three in the morning. As you can imagine, this can be very confusing for your frog. Its body is telling it that it should be dark and out hunting. However, it's light sensing organs are letting it know that it is still day. Maintaining regular lighting patterns will make sure that you reduce the stress that you tree frog will live a happy life.
Here is another example, Let's say your frog lives in the living area. You get cold in the winter to you put the fire or heater on. I think you know where I am going with this one. What do you think that the frogs head is thinking when it is so hot in the middle of winter?
Well, it most likely does not know that season in your country but frogs like regularity and this mean a regular temperature too. Keep the temperature constantly warm and humid for your tree frog to ensure a long life. Ramping the temperature right up so it's hot and dry right after a cold period will be very stressful for your pet.
Article Source: EzineArticles |
2017-09-07
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