Finding the Perfect REPTILE Cage

Photo Flickr - Mohammed Alnaser

Some people prefer having reptiles as pets rather than the more conventional dogs or cats. If you’re someone who loves having exotic animals, such as reptiles, for your pets, choosing the right cage for them is a priority. Even more so if you expect the reptile to grow to a certain size. Reptiles such as lizards, snakes, and alligators need to be placed in large reptile cages for a proper and safe enclosure.

Choosing your reptile pet enclosure

If you must keep reptiles as your pets at home, proper knowledge of their needs is highly important. Reptiles feed differently than most domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, or rodents. Also, reptiles need to have the right cages to keep them at a certain distance. Not everyone is thrilled about the idea of associating with a reptile, so to be safe, you need to keep them in sturdy cages.

Large reptile cages for security and privacy

The size of the cage matters a lot, especially if you expect your reptile to grow even bigger in the months or years to come. Certain types of snakes can grow anywhere from 5 feet to 7 feet long, and even longer. Young iguanas typically start small, but once they grow to a bigger size you might want to consider getting a bigger pen for them.

Typically, a selection of reptile cages is found in pet stores, so choosing the ones you need don’t have to be difficult. The sizes may vary as well so you need to make sure that the cage you are buying is big enough or deep enough for your pet. You would not want your reptile pet to live in a constricted space or in a cage that feels threatening or uncomfortable.

Building cages on your own

Some pet owners have difficulty in finding the right cages due to size problems or issues on quality. Fortunately, you can find a range of cage making plans online, wherein you will only need to follow the right instructions and procure the right materials for your cage. This means that you can build your cage using the right materials, and you can monitor on its quality and durability as well.

If you are not handy with tools or if you are still a novice in handling reptile pets, you might want to think twice about assembling cages on your own. Also, you can seek advice from professional cage makers or get some helpful tips from pet store owners.

Cage accessories

Buying cage accessories is also important, such as carpets or substrates. As reptiles are cold-blooded animals, they need sufficient heating as well. Thus, heating lamps in cages are also indispensable.

Since most reptiles can easily grow to bigger sizes, large reptile cages can easily accommodate them. Going for bigger cages can prove to be a better investment in the long term especially if you are a reptile pet owner.

Our author likes exotic animals and pets. He owns some reptiles which he keeps in reptile cages in his home. He uses special reptile lighting to keep his snakes nice and warm. To find out more about reptile pet products, please go to petstore.com.

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AIPTASIA - An Aquarium Pest

Sea anemones : 1. Bolocera tuediae 2. Anthea cereus, 3. Aiptasia couchii, 4. Sagartia cocoinea, 5. Sagartia troglodytes
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Practically every reef-keeper can identify tales of the numerous hours put in checking out their new aquarium, observing to determine exactly what new life may appear from the liverock. It's virtually a magical period, particularly for someone new to reef-keeping, as the miracles of the sea gradually happen inside the modest glass world we've designed for it. 

 The majority of experiences which involve Aiptasia begin in exactly the same way. All of a sudden, a brand new little anemone is noticed on a freshly added item of liverock or live coral fragment, just a 'baby'... However, quickly that one 'baby' will become two, then several, then a lot more. By the time most reef-keepers realize who their new house guests happen to be, they quickly understand that this problem grows and multiplies at a very quick pace.

In keeping with their name, Aiptasia sp. Anemones (this means 'beautiful') tend to be exquisite critters, but they are additionally obtrusive and hostile competitors. Left uncontrolled, they will often completely over-run a fish tank. This doesn't take much time either, as we quickly discover.

Aiptasia has developed to be dominant neighbors and house-guests. They replicate both sexually and asexually, and they are effective at regenerating an entire creature from a single cell. Furthermore, they're armed and dangerous hunters! When Aiptasia are disrupted (possibly by way of a passing fish or invertebrate) they eject harmful white-colored stinging threads called Acontia which contain venomous tissues known as Nematocyst. These Nematocysts are designed for supplying a powerful sting that can cause tissue regression in sessile corals, immobilize prey, and even kill unlucky corals, crabs, snails or fish. Considered by many experienced reef enthusiasts as a pest (or worse), early identification and action are necessary to quickly remove Aiptasia from your tank before they reach epidemic proportions - making control/removal far more difficult.

Step one to managing an Aiptasia outbreak is proper identification. It accomplishes little to commit time and expense towards a means to fix the wrong issue.

Aiptasia sp. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Aiptasia anemones could be revealed by their similarity to miniature palms, with a polyp body (the Coelenteron) up to two inches in length and an oral disc one inch across outlined with a combination of several prolonged and lots of small tentacles (up to one hundred tentacles may be found) situated in thin bands about the outside border of the oral disc. The tentacles tend to be lengthy slim protrusions that form well-defined tips at their ends.

In the middle of the oral disk is the mouth in the form of an elongated slit. At the bottom of the polyp, the body is the pedal disk which features as an anchor for the anemone in addition to a means of asexual duplication.

Pigmentation of Aiptasia is a result of the existence of Zooxanthellae (microscopic photosynthetic dinoflagellate alga - species Symbiodinium Microadriaticum). For this reason, specimens living in bright locations are often light greenish brown to dark brown, with those in areas which receive less light are typically medium to light brown or tan in color and those from low light areas tending toward a transparent appearance. Often an anemone's column or stalk is lightly marked with parallel longitudinal lines. Sometimes white or light green flecks can also be found close to the tentacles, and it's also not uncommon for juvenile specimens to be completely engrossed in them.

As with any members of the Cnidaria phylum, Aiptasia is able to sting for both offensive and defensive reasons. Just about all Cnidaria possess stinging cells called cnidocytes, each that includes a stinging mechanism, cnidae or nematocyst. Aiptasia has got both cnidocytes on their tentacles in addition to specialized cinclides around the lower area of the column (small blister-like protrusions) by which it expels acontia.

Acontia is threadlike protecting organs, made up mostly of stinging cnidocytes cells which can be expelled from the mouth and/or the customized cinclides once the Aiptasia is agitated. (A lot of anemones don't have acontia or cinclides yet Aiptasia does.)

The nematocysts of Aiptasia possess a contaminant which is stronger than the vast majority of corals held by the enthusiast (with the Elegance Coral - Catalaphyllia jardinei being one exception) and may cause cellular material regression in sessile corals, immobilize prey, as well as kill ill-fated crabs, snails or fish.

As an additional shielding mechanism, Aiptasia may also pull away into tiny holes inside your liverock if confronted. Taking advantage of this trait, it's possible to poke a diagnosed Aiptasia anemone with a probe and view its response. If it quickly pulls itself downwards (as opposed to folding in on itself), it's likely an Aiptasia.

Aiptasia is a formidable enemy, and pose a significant threat to any reef aquarium. Anyone harboring such species in their aquarium should look into natural predators, as chemical fixes don't work in the long run. Peppermint shrimp can often suppress Aiptasia, while Berghia Nudibranches can eradicate the problem pests.

By James Dableur - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Always Keep CLOWN KILLIFISH in Good Company!

Photo  by Joel Carnat 

Clown killifish is a very calm and quiet fish and can stay with other species without any problem. It is small in size, growing just up to 1.5 inches and is mainly found in fresh water.

The scientific name for clown killifish is Pseudepiplatys (Epyplatys) annulatus. It is also known as rocket killifish among the fish keepers.

Clown Killifish is a non-annual killifish, so its life cycle is not very short like many other varieties of annual killifish. It requires a lot of bright light every day, which intensifies the color of the fish.

The fish is comfortable with aquariums which are planted heavily and provide clean and soft water. Like other varieties of killifish, this fish also loves to jump. So you need to provide a tight lid to your aquarium otherwise it can easily access your living room!

Clown killifish will happily eat live food like white-worms or brine shrimp and occasionally they can eat flaked or frozen food. You should provide mainly the food which will float in the water so that the fish can easily catch it.

Usually, the males are bigger in size than the females. Males have bright colors with black or yellow stripes which resemble a bumblebee. The fins are also covered with red and blue stripes. The females are mostly in dull colors and they are not as active as males.

You can keep clown killifish in a community tank but you should select the other species very carefully. As clown killifish is a peace-loving shy fish, you should not put it in the tank where there are vigorous and powerful fish species. You can safely put it along with Corydoras, dwarf cichlids, or other varieties of killifish which are small in size.

There are two opinions about the conditions of water for clown killifish. Some people think that the fish is very sensitive and it requires clean and well-treated water. Some others differ and say that the fish can sustain in hardy water and can tolerate variations in the conditions of water. It is always advisable to provide a clean environment to the fish to avoid health problems.

While breeding the fish, you should provide a separate tank. The temperature of the tank should be around 80 °F and the ph level of the water should be around 5.5. In contrast to the normal aquarium, this special aquarium should be provided with dim light and a lot of floating plants covering the water surface. There is no necessity to add a substrate and normal filtration devices are sufficient.

It will breed in the aquariums at a very fast rate. The female will lay its eggs on the mops or on java moss. It will take about two weeks for the eggs to hatch. As the fish loves to swim below the surface of the water, you should provide floating plants which will help the fish for hiding.

Before transferring to the breeding aquarium, the fish should be 'conditioned' by providing a lot of live food. In the breeding tank, you should arrange two females and one male. The spawning is almost continuous every day and will continue for up to two weeks. The eggs should be removed very gently and once the spawning period is over, the adults should be transferred to the normal aquarium. After spawning the females will become tired and weak and need special nutrition.

The eggs should be shifted to a small tank and that tank should be checked thoroughly every day for locating fungus, which should be immediately removed.

You can feed the fry with infusoria initially and then you can feed them baby brine shrimp. You can gradually increase their diet as they grow and after about three weeks you can offer them the food of adults. The fry grows very slowly and they are delicate. You should always put them in a separate tank because they can be attacked and eaten by aggressive species of fish. Even the adults are sometimes so small in size that they can make a snack of other big sized fish.

The only precaution while keeping clown killifish is to ensure that they are kept in good company. They are slow moving and peacefully living species and fast-moving or aggressive fish will put them under stress.

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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ANGELFISH Genetics - What is it All About?

Freshwater angelfish, Koi phenotype (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In angelfish genetics, it is also about mutations, when those colorful and vivid patterns are inherited by a certain angel from its angel parents. For us to understand what angelfish genetics is about, it is now written in a standard form which makes it a lot easier to understand and to use as a reference for anyone who wants to start with angelfish pairing. There are now single phenotype genes of angels as well as some multiple gene-phenotype angels. Successful pairing up and breeding is just an outcome of understanding and knowing all the important terms and ways of angelfish genetics well.

Angelfish genetics, also stated that though there are a few solo phenotype gene left these days, there are still hundreds of phenotype genes being paired and breed together to create multiple phenotype genes of angelfish. By learning a lot about genetics, you will be able to understand how to pair up and breed the right species or genus of angels to get the right angel fry. By understanding and acquiring enough details, facts, and knowledge about genetics, anyone can start with their pairing up and angelfish breeding in no time with no problems at all.

Here are some of the angelfish genetics terms:

1. Gene - material in which the inherited traits are transmitted to the new hatchlings.

2. Allele - mutation variations.

3. Dose - designated by the allele.

4. Hybrid - angels traits from two different alleles.

5. Recessive - different alleles

6. Phenotype - physical trait.

7. genotype - written genetic makeup.

8. expressivity - range of phenotype.

These are just some of the genetics being discussed and written down. Anyone who wishes to start pairing up and breeding these beauties should understand and recognize all the terms and definitions about genetic first. Anyone who is interested to begin breeding angelfish, they should get themselves familiar first with angelfish genetics to attain successful angelfish pairing. By pairing up tow different mutation of angelfish, you must be sure that there are no defects or any health problems that your angelfish is experiencing or else the mutation process or genetics will fail.

In genetics, any angels will inherit one or two traits, behavior, characteristic and description from its maternal and paternal genes. When pairing up different angelfish genus and species, you will get a beautiful result just make sure that you will have enough knowledge about pairing the right genes and species in order to have a flourishing result. When we talked about genetics, it explains the type of species or genus an angelfish has. Angelfish genetics also tackles the inherited traits, characteristics, behaviors and description of a certain angelfish from its parent's angelfish.

By William Ousley - Article Source: EzineArticles

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GOURAMIS Add Color to Your Tropical Aquarium

Gourami (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The neon blue dwarf Gourami is a great addition for any bland fish tank. The blue dwarf is a beautiful fish and adds "flavor" to your tank. These fish can grow up to 6 inches. The Kissing Gourami gets up to a foot long and the Giant Gourami scores a whopping two feet in length. These larger fish look nice with other tropical fish.

Neon Dwarf Fish are a bit larger fish for aquariums so be sure to provide a larger tank for your fish to swim around in. Gourami Fish tend to loiter in the middle and top sections of the fish tank. What kind of fish is perfect for your aquarium? Hmm... Any Gourami is a nice addition to your fish tank but remember to have 1 Male per tank. Adding more than one male will create a hostile and aggressive environment as the males compete for food and space. Male gouramis are identified with longer pointed dorsal and anal fins and are very active fish.

Other Types of Gourami's consist of the Giant, Pearl, Blue, Moonlight, Dwarf, Kissing, Chocolate, Thicklip and Paradise gourami. There are quite a few choices to add to your aquarium.

They are tropical fish so a tropical diet is crucial for their diet. Tropical Flakes or pellet fish food are great for these Omnivores. Vegetables like peas, zucchini. Spirulina is a type of prepared food that has algae in the mix is good to have for your Thicklip too. bloodworms, tubifex worms larvae are a great source of protein for your Moonlight fish, be sure to feed your neon dwarf Gourami twice a day.

Good companions would be the Angelfish, Discus, and other non-aggressive fish. It's important to keep fish that get along well together in the aquarium. Remember to add 1 to 3 new fish to your aquarium at a time so the planted fish will be able to adjust to the amount of traffic in the tank. Adequate space in the water is important too. Keeping your fish tank balanced with objects, fish and the right water will help your fish and supplies last longer with minimal stress on you and your pet fish.

By Nathan E Peterson - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Hand Feeding Your KOI

Photo: thats - Flickr

One of the best features of Koi is their lack of fear of humans. Once the Koi understand that you are not going to harm them and that you are the one who provides them with food, they will likely eat right out of your hand with the right training. Hand feeding can be one of the funniest and most entertaining experiences.

Koi are none-aggressive fish. Koi do not have teeth so you will not get bit if you decide to attempt to feed your Koi out of your hand. This even allows you to get smaller children involved. Smaller children will be delighted by the beautiful colors and gentle nature of the Koi.

Koi, like any other wild animal, will naturally be afraid of you in the beginning. Instincts tell them to be afraid of you, which is what keeps them alive in the wild. You must build up trust with your Koi, and this takes time and patience. You will not be able to hand feed overnight.

Koi are omnivorous fish, which means they will eat both meat and plants. This means that their diets are very versatile. Koi will eat pretty much anything that you put in the pond with them, no matter if it is good for them or not. Since Koi do not have a sense of what is bad and good for them, as their owner you must control their snack diet. Another potential problem is overfeeding treats. Again, Koi do not have the knowledge to know when to stop eating, and weight issues may come from overfeeding none nutritional foods. 

The healthiest treats for Koi are what they would find naturally in their ponds, such as earthworms and tadpoles, but it will not hurt to feed Koi treats such as lettuce, bread, fruit, and veggies. You should pay special attention to the certain foods such as corn, beans, and grapes, as they contain an outer casing, which cannot be properly digested if swallowed by Koi. If you must feed this type of foods to your Koi, be sure to completely remove the outer casings before giving it to your Koi.

The trick is to start slow. Never make any sudden movements, as this will scare even the most trusting of fish. It will be best to begin hand training your fish from the very moment you get them, but it is not impossible to train a fish that you have had for a while either. Begin by placing a few pellets or snacks in your hand and submerging your hand under water. Slowly allow the food to fall out of your hand into the water. The Koi may not seem to be paying attention, but rest assured that they are aware of your hand, and are aware that you hand is providing the food. Do this for a couple of days.

After you have dropped the food into the pond for a couple of days, and have gained the interest of your Koi, begin making the fish remove the food from your hand. If the Koi refuse to take the food from your hand, do not feed them that day. You will not stare your fish in this process. They will quickly get the idea that if they want to eat, they must get the food from you. Doing this every day will get them comfortable with you.

Once you have the fish eating out of your hand, then you can start getting your Koi to eat the food directly from your fingers. If the Koi will not take the food out of your fingers, do not feed them that day. Food is your number one motivator when it comes to wild animals, and no fish will simply stare itself because it is unsure of the situation.

Once your fish are comfortable with hand feeding, you can alternate between hand are regular feeding. If you are in a rush, there is no reason to attempt to take the time to hand feed. Also, once you get your Koi taking food from your hand, be careful when allowing visitors to feed your fish. Always supervise children and adults alike, making sure that they are feeding the fish proper foods, and not making any sudden movements that will scare the fish.

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The Beautiful KRIBENSIS

Kribensis, female (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Kribensis is a very colorful and beautiful fish with both male and females offering brilliant colors. Even though they are both colorful, you can tell the differences. Females are shorter, have reddish/purplish larger stomachs, and rounded dorsal fins.

These fish are also very popular as they are very easy to take off even for younger children. The fish were home at Ethiop River, Niger Delta where the water offers low-lying blackwater streams, which is acidic and more alkaline and has harder water than other streams that join the river.

Your Kribensis love caves or other small hiding areas where they will feel a bit more at home even if your fish were never actually there but only ancestors. Adding real and artificial plants to the aquarium would be a nice enhancement but the plants will need to be buried very well as this type of fish does not like to burrow and will uproot the plants if possible. 

The fish are trying to destroy their home; it is just instinct to burrow. Not only will your fish want a few places to hide, they also need room to swim. The aquarium should give them plenty of room to swim and hide. In a smaller environment, kribensis have been known to become aggressive as there are territorial. As long as you have given them adequate, room to swim you will enjoy watching these fast swimming fish to stop quickly and turn directions. The best size aquarium for these fish is a 20 gallon.

If you wish to introduce other fish to your kribensis, bottom dwellers and slow-moving fish are not the best. Even though these fish are not necessarily aggressive, they tend to nip at the fins of slow fish like the Angelfish. As well as the bottom-dwelling fish, these fish will feel threatened as if their territory is being taken away by the new fish, so other fish that enjoy hiding in caves are also a no-no.

Your fish should be fed no more than can be eaten in five minutes. They enjoy all kinds of fish food including flakes, lives, granular, or frozen.

If you have any questions regarding the Kribensis, you should talk with an assistant at the fish store. They will be able to provide you with all the answers you need to keep healthy and happy fish, as well as give you information on other fish that can live in the same tank without problems.

By Ajeet Khurana - Article Source: EzineArticles

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