ANEMONES - What You Should Know

Plate V in "British Sea-Anemone and Corals" by Philip Henry Gosse, Van voorst, Paternoster Row, London, 1860. 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you ever been to a pet store and as you looked at the fish tanks you noticed something kind of weird? You began to observe it and after a while, it looked kind of neat. You read the label and you see that this weird, neat thing is called an anemone. Your mind immediately begins to race as you think of how cool it would look in your tank. Well, the truth is that it would look cool.

However, you should understand a couple of things about the anemone first. So let's take a brief look at a few common facts you should know. First, let's look at how to pick out the right anemone. Try to figure out something about your desired anemone ahead of time. This will make it much easier to tell if something is wrong. If you see an anemone with short tentacles that should have long ones then that might mean this particular one is not healthy.

Also look for spots on it that may be torn, especially near the bottom. If this is torn then it may not be able to attach to anything. Proper color should also be something to look for in judging its health. Now that you know a few tips for picking out your anemone let's look at some guidelines for keeping your anemone. For one, there should be no possible way for it to get sucked into the filtration on your tank. A good way to prevent this is to cut the end off of some tights and place it over the filtration. Also, good water quality is a must. Anemones can be sensitive to the water in which it is placed and therefore water quality must be good at all times.

Lighting should be of high quality as well. Anemones thrive with a high light source and metal halides are recommended. Feeding can be different for every particular anemone. Test it out to see how yours does with different techniques. Usually feeding a couple times a week using frozen brine shrimp is adequate and the use of various minerals will also help. If the anemone continues to look healthy this is a sign that it is being fed properly. If it is not then try feeding more often with various types of food. Last, let's look at keeping an anemone with coral. This can be a little tricky because some anemones like to travel around the tank at times.

This may not be good, because this means it has not found a good place in which it is comfortable. If this is the case then you might want to consider waiting until it has found its "comfort zone" before adding any coral. When placing coral with an anemone make sure there is plenty of room between it and the coral. If they touch one another it could cause death for both since many corals sting as well as anemones. Plan things out before you consider keeping both.

So now you know a couple of things relating to the anemone. Once you get the hang of keeping one, it is safe to say that there is nothing really quite like it. To see an anemone flowing to the current in your tank and the possible clownish or two making it their host is simply amazing. Good luck on this marvelous journey and I hope you have great success with your new anemone!

By Stephen Tolbert - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Breeding the HONEY DWARF GOURAMI

Honey Gourami. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons.

Sexing

The females grow bigger than the males and usually have a horizontal brown coloured stripe. The males have a more pointed anal fin.

Inbreeding condition, it is very easy to distinguish males from females: males are yellow-orange with a bright yellow dorsal fin and the underside of the abdomen velvety black, orange and blue on the neck, while females are almost uniformly brown.

Breeding

An increase in temperature will help to stimulate breeding. Although the adults can be kept in moderately hard water, for breeding the water needs to be fairly soft, with a maximum hardness of 8 degrees of general hardness. The water should be slightly acidic. These changed water conditions, including the temperature, will need to be maintained for several weeks to raise the fry.

Nest

The Honey Dwarf Gourami, like many of its relatives, is a bubble nest builder. The larger types of gourami like the Blue Gourami build their nests at the surface while the very small ones like the Sparkling Gourami build them under a leaf. The Honey Dwarf Gourami is the smallest of its genus but is bigger than the smallest gouramis. Although the Honey Dwarf Gourami will build under a leaf if a suitable one is available, it is also quite prepared to build at the surface, often in a corner of the tank.

As with the other species of gourami, it is the male that builds the nest and tries to get the female to come and spawn under it. He is gentler than many of his relatives. He will swim vertically in front of the female and swim towards the nest to get her to follow him.

A slightly unusual feature of this fish is that the male often will build either a nominal (small) nest or even no nest until spawning is complete, and then construct a fairly large nest around the eggs.

While they are actually spawning, the male curls his body around the female, turning her upside down with their vents close together so that he releases his sperm as she releases her eggs. The eggs float towards the nest and he gathers up any stray ones and puts them into the nest.

The male will protect the nest with the eggs in. This includes spitting drops of water onto the top of the nest which forces the bubbles down into the nest. This water would also help to ensure that the eggs have sufficient oxygenated water near them.

If you are breeding this fish there should be no other fish present. The eggs and fry are very vulnerable to predation. The little male will do his best to protect his nest with the babies in. This fish is normally one of the most peaceful of the gouramis, but when guarding his nest, the male Honey Dwarf Gourami has been known to mount a heroic defence against bigger fish, even occasionally killing the other fish.

The eggs hatch in 24-30 hours and the fry are free-swimming in 4-5 days.

Raising the Babies

All other fish should have been removed from the tank. The baby Honey Dwarf Gouramis are very small. They will need infusoria for a while before they can tackle live food visible to unaided human eyes.

By Steve Challis - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Index of Tropical FISH DISEASES

A veterinarian gives an injection to a goldfish (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After creating and maintaining your beautiful aquarium, all the time and money you spent on it, the last thing you want to deal with is tropical fish diseases. Coming home and finding your fish covered with white spots, the eyes swollen or the fins disintegrating is a blow to any aquarist.

The following are the categories and symptoms of the most common diseases in tropical fish.

Fungal Diseases

Fungal diseases will usually occur after the fish has already been weakened through stress, parasites, or bacterial disease. In some cases, the fish will appear sluggish and in the later stages develop cysts. Another type of fungal infection will produce white growths that eventually turn into cotton-like tuffs on the skin.

Bacterial Diseases

Bacterial diseases often need to be treated with antibiotic medications. Fish infected with bacteria often develop bulging eyes, ulcers and open sores. One bacteria causes a disease called mouth fungus that looks like a fungal infection on the mouth. Other signs of a bacterial infection include a loss of appetite, hollow belly, erratic swimming, and disintegrating fins.

Viral Diseases

Viral diseases are fortunately fairly uncommon in fish. On the sign of a viral disease is white swellings on the body of the fish. Viruses cannot be treated with medication because they use the host's body to reproduce and live on. If you suspect your fish has a viral disease, it should be removed and placed in another tank so the other fish will not be infected with the same virus. The best thing you can do is to provide a clean environment and a healthy, nutritious diet. A virus can only be identified by special equipment and it is often difficult to detect.

Parasitic Diseases

One symptom most parasitic diseases have in common is the fish scraping against or rubbing objects. The parasites are eating through the flesh of the fish and if they aren't removed will eat into the organs and kill the fish. Simply pulling the parasites off will often do more damage to the fish. A bath of potassium permanganate or a salt solution is often the best method to remove parasites. In some cases you will be able to see the parasites on the skin of the fish and thus confirm the problem is parasites, or you may notice other signs such as rapid gilling, clamped fins, red skin and weight loss.

Protozoan Diseases

These diseases are caused by the protozoan parasite that infects the intestinal tract. Several diseases will cause a yellow to light brown dust on the body. On commonly known protozoan disease is called ich. Ich is characterized by small white spots all over the body. The fish will breath rapidly and have clamped fins. Other types cause excessive slim on the body, frayed fins, bloated body and a lack of appetite.

The best way to avoid tropical fish diseases is to have a clean tank and provide adequate nutrition. New fish should always be quarantined for two to four weeks.

By Leslie Heaton - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Your KOI POND After The Storm

Garden pond (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

First off, take time to breathe. Your pride and joys are probably fine. They may be somewhat traumatized by the whole experience, but that would be any pet caught in unusual situations. Unless extreme damage was done, their health probably is not an issue, however, their home may be in need of some repairs.

You may have been completely prepared for the storm, or the storm may have taken you by complete surprise. Whatever the case may be, you must jump into action as soon as you physically can to ensure that no further damage is done to your pond.

First, you must undo all of your storm precautions to survey the possible damage.

If you netted your pond, clear as much debris off the net as possible and remove the netting. Once you removed the netting you will be able to survey the damage and the condition that your fish are in. If high waters were expected and your sandbagged the area around your pond, as long as the water level is normal, remove all sandbags so that you can easily access your pond. Do not get discouraged if things seem out of place, and it may not be as bad as it originally looks.

Once you have removed all netting and other precautions, take the time to look at the area. If any debris is present, remove it by skimming and netting. If plants or decorations are uprooted or out of place, replace them to their rightful area.

If you find major damage to your pond, it is important to remove your Koi as soon as possible. Proper bagging and transporting techniques may be needed if the damage is done will take a large amount of time to fix, but there are several temporary options available if the damage can be fixed quickly. You may want to consider using a children’s pool to house your Koi. If nothing is available at the time, get into contact with your local pet store or zoo, as they may have a program available to help you house your Koi until maintenance can be done.

Once you have decided that only small repairs are needed, then you must focus on the water quality. You water may seem cloudy or murky due to the storm and the amount of extra water from rainfall. If the storm lasted for a long amount of time, you may be facing ammonia issues as well.

Test your water for Nitrates. If Nitrates are present, add the proper amount of salt to the water. Typically you would add 3/4 to one pound of salt per 100 gallons of water. However, if your fish are especially shocked by the situation, or seem to have sustained any type of injuries, it may be a good idea to add more. If you have plants in your pond, it may be a good idea to remove them before adding the salt into the water. Your fish should be the most important issue at this point, not your plants.

If you are having KH issues (especially if it is below 100) you will want to add baking soda to your pond. Typically you can add 1 cup of unpacked baking soda per 1000 gallons of water. This will protect your pond from a future pH crash.

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Effective Ways to Help Keep Your DISCUS FISH Free from Diseases

Heckel Discus

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The aquarium is not typically what you would first think when talking about pets. In fact, most of us would instantly depict n image of a dog inside our mind, or maybe even a cat. But many homes today do have fish tanks and they are not just for ornamental or design purposes. Yes, they do look good, that is a given. Fish tanks and the fish themselves are also effective stress relievers. That’s why many people today would rather own fishes. And one of the fish breeds that many aquarists choose is the discus fish.

Before anything else, there are many advantages to owning a pet fish. First, you won’t need to take them for walks, you don’t have to give them baths, they don’t demand much attention, and you don’t really have to clean up after them after every while. Yes, they still need some looking after but not as much as compared to our canine and feline friends. This doesn’t mean though that once you have your tank, filled it up with water, and purchased your feed then your all done. There are still quite a few things that you have to do to ensure that they will live a long time and save you the anxiety of having to buy new fish every time.  

The big news is, most fishes, including the discus fish, maybe even more so, develop health conditions because of stress. Although fishes are fragile as compared to other household pets, they don’t really just die and wither if they are kept well. And all you really have to do is make sure that the tank is clean and feed them as scheduled, which is not really all the time. There are some factors though that can cause them stress and thus weakening their immune system. Here are some ways that you can do easily to keep your discus fish stress free and healthy.

Like air is to humans, water is the single most important aspect of fishes besides food. So make sure that their water is free from chlorine and other toxic chemicals, as well as heavy metals. You should also keep it a good temperature and pH level. Investing in a dependable purifier, filter, and aerator will make the water clean and livable. 

Vary the diet of your discus fish. Aside from the flakes and granules, feed them blood worms or fresh or frozen brine shrimp as discus fish are carnivorous.

Keep your aquarium in a quiet and solitary place. Too much noise and motion, like a door opening or heavy human traffic, can cause them stress.

Never overcrowd your tank. Discus fish are very protective of their space so they need an ample re to grow and breed. The bigger the tank, the better. 

Consistency is the key. Do not allow abrupt highs and low in the temperature and pH levels of the water in the tank. This can put them in shock.

Following these simple steps will help you keep your discus fish away from stress thus giving them a healthier and longer life. 

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Fact Sheet: KUHLI LOACH - Pangio kuhlii

(Original title: Keeping the KUHLI LOACH)

Kuhli loach (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Kuhli Loach, Pangio kuhlii, is a small eel-like fish. It comes from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Other names include Coolie Loach, which is a clear miss-spelling of Kuhli; both these words are pronounced in the same way. It is also called "Prickle Eye" because it has a prickle near its eye. This prickle probably gives this fish some protection from predators.

Length and Longevity

The Kuhli loach will supposedly grow up to 12 centimetres (4 and a half inches) long, but I have never seen one this big. Most of the ones available are much smaller than this. One of the reasons for this variation is that there are several subspecies of Pangio kuhlii, and the size they grow to varies a lot.

They have been reported as living up to 10 years.

Water Conditions

The Kuhli Loach is an equatorial fish; the main areas it is from being a little to the south of the Equator. It needs warm water, and a temperature of between 24 and 30 degrees C (between 75 and 86 degrees F) is suitable. They can survive a slightly higher or lower temperature than this range, but I do not recommend it.

In the wild, this fish is mainly found in slowly flowing streams with a sandy bottom with a layer of organic matter from the surrounding forests in many places on the stream bed. The water in these streams tends to have a fairly low mineral content and to be soft and acidic. There are plants growing in sections of these streams.

In an aquarium, they will adapt to a moderate hardness and can certainly take a hardness of up to 10 dH. A pH of up to 7.5 is generally tolerated. The water needs to be reasonably clean in the sense of not having a large build-up of fish wastes.

Substrate

In an aquarium, you should avoid any sharp substrates and fine river sand is the normal choice. I have also had success with using large (6mm or more) rounded pebbles. These fish not only search the surface of the sand for food, but they will also go right into it. I have seen them dive straight into the sand to avoid being caught. With larger pebbles, they will go between the pebbles looking for food.

Plants

These fish seem to like densely planted aquariums. Including some floating plants is also a good idea.

Food

Kuhli loaches are omnivores with a requirement for some animal-based food. They will certainly eat flakes and pellets. One of their favourite foods is frozen bloodworms. They also like frozen brine shrimp.

This is a bottom-feeding fish, so it is necessary for some of the food to reach the bottom.

Companions

Although the Kuhli loach is not a schooling fish in the normal sense, they seem to need company. A single Kuhli may be able to, live all right in a tank, but will tend to be hidden nearly all the time during the day. A group of perhaps eight of these interesting fish will behave quite differently and are much more likely to come out and show themselves during the day.

This is a small peaceful fish and is a suitable inhabitant for a community aquarium of small peaceful fish.

Steve Challis - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Fact Sheet: RIVER MURRAY RAINBOWFISH - Melanotaenia fluviatilis

(Original title: The River Murray Rainbow Fish)

"Murray River Rainbow Fish" by Bahudhara Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons

The River Murray Rainbowfish, Melanotaenia fluviatilis, is one of the many types of Australian Rainbowfish. This group mainly a tropical and subtropical group of fishes, but this Fish's range extends into warm temperate areas and it is able to take quite low water temperatures.

Origin

The River Murray Rainbowfish is endemic to Australia. As its name suggests it is found in the River Murray. It is also found in many but not all of Murray's tributaries and several other river systems and lakes.

Size

They can reach 10 cm (4 inches long), but most are smaller than this. The males tend to be bigger than females.

Temperature

Most of the articles on the internet about this Fish suggest that a temperature of between 22 and 26 degrees C is ideal for this species. My experience suggests otherwise. Although this is a very versatile fish which will certainly live healthily in an aquarium, being treated as if it were a tropical fish, the specimens with the best colour tend to be pond fish, subject to the natural rise and fall of temperature with the different seasons as well as the different weather.

Water Conditions

This fish is able to take a wide range of conditions. Most of the places it occurs naturally have a high pH and the water is quite hard. In an aquarium, I suggest that the pH should be between 6.8 and 8. Excessively soft water is not ideal, but most tap waters will be of suitable hardness. As with all fish, the Chlorine or Chloramine needs to be removed before it comes into contact with the fish.

Food

This is an omnivorous fish. Like many of its relatives, it eats more plant material than most tropical fish. They will live on either Tropical or Goldfish food, but this should be supplemented with vegetable matter. Duckweed (Lemna species) is eaten very readily by this Fish. They also like many types of vegetable. I cook the harder vegetables enough to soften them. Zucchini are eaten as are cucumber, green peas and other vegetables.

Like many fish, they also relish insect larvae like mosquito larvae, small crustaceans like daphnia, and small worms. Our River Murray Rainbow Fish get frozen blood worms once a week as well as frozen brine shrimp once a week on a different day.

By Steve Challis - Article Source: EzineArticles

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PACMAN FROG Care Guide

Argentine Horned Frog (Ceratophrys ornata)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It may have been your favorite video game back in the 1980s, but this iconic video game inspired a unique nickname for the South American horned frog, Argentine horned frog or Ornate Horned Frog. While its real names may be a mouthful, the name Pacman Frog, is certainly easier to remember and actually helps to describe the frog. The Pacman Frog has an unusually large mouth and abdomen which make it look similar to the Pac-Man character in this popular video game.

The Pacman Frog's natural habitat is in the rain forests of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina where it spends its time eating and hiding under leaves. This frog is certainly known for its appetite as it will try to eat anything that crosses its path. In the wild, the Pacman Frog will eat large spiders, insects, small snakes, lizards, and mice. It has sharp front teeth that allow it to devour its prey, or provide a painful bite to a human. Sometimes said to be an aggressive frog, it may actually bite if it feels threatened, but it may bite simply because it thinks that a finger is actually its next meal.

Unlike many frogs, the Pacman frog is not exactly the best swimmer and may enjoy just hanging around in shallow water, rather than swimming in deep water. The Pacman Frog has an incredible growth rate; From the time that it is born to the time that it is a fully formed adult is just 2 or 3 weeks and it will grow to 6 or 7 inches long within a few months!

If you choose to keep one as a pet, you will want to create a natural habitat for it. Keep only one Pacman frog in the enclosure, otherwise, a larger frog may end up eating a smaller one. Try to set up a very damp, warm area, similar to its natural habitat. Avoid putting deep water anywhere in the enclosure as they may drown. They need to have water but keep it shallow. Pacman Frogs love to hide under leaves in the wild and in captivity, you must provide a similar hiding spot for them. As for food, live crickets and small mice are best but remember to purchase them at a pet store. Handle the Pacman Frog as little as possible as they do no enjoy being handled and it causes them to become stressed when handled.

Whether in the wild or kept as a pet, a Pacman Frog is a beautiful and unique creature. With its large mouth and colorful skin, it is certainly a unique frog.

By Gary Phelps - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Tips on Raising and Spawning CORYDORAS Catfish

Corydoras Panda - (CC) Wikimedia

The Corydoras catfish is a member of the family Callichthyidae. They are from the genus Corydoras. There are several different species of Corydoras. They all share similar traits such as body size, shape and behavioral habits. The distinguishing feature between the various species is their color palette, some of which are quite striking.

Catfish are bottom-dwelling scavengers. Scavenger fish generally have two traits in common. Their mouths are usually pointed downward. And the mouth has barbels on either side. A barbell is a tentacle-like organ that contains taste buds. They are used to find food and to feel their way around on riverbed floors in the wild. The Corydoras catfish has two barbells, one on either side of its mouth.

Corydoras catfish are often referred to as armored catfish. This is because they have two rows of bony plates on each side of their body.

Unlike most scavenger fish, the Corydoras catfish is not strictly a bottom dweller. The Corydoras is part of the Anabantoidei suborder. This means that although they do have gills, they require both atmospheric and dissolved oxygen in order to survive. Anabantoids or labyrinth fishes have a lung-like organ that allows them to consume airborne oxygen. The Corydoras catfish will frequently rise to the surface of the water to gulp in needed air.

The Corydoras catfish is a relatively small freshwater fish. When fully grown, they only reach a size of between two to three inches. The dwarf corydoras or Corydoras pygmaeus is even smaller, reaching only about one inch in length.

Corydoras catfish make great additions to community fish tanks. They have a docile temperament. And they do a great job of cleaning up food particles from aquarium substrate to help in the prevention of harmful bacteriological build-up.

Although Corydoras are primarily bottom dwellers, they are shoaling fish. They tend to congregate together in aquariums. They even search for food and rest together. It is not at all uncommon to see one catfish resting his head on the body of another catfish. The catfish do not necessarily even have to be the same species as long as they are of the genus Corydoras. Because of their social nature, you should add at least two or three to your tank. Corydoras are not meant to live a solitary existence.

Corydoras are omnivores. They will eat just about anything they come across on the aquarium floor. Sinking foods work best to ensure your Corydoras get their required food allotment. Unlike most bottom dwellers, Corydoras have been known to rise to the surface to eat foods such as freeze-dried worms. This may be because they need to periodically rise to the surface to take in atmospheric oxygen.

Corydoras are native to the rivers and streams of South America. They thrive in neutral water (pH of 7.0) in temperatures between 70-79 degrees Fahrenheit.

You want to use sand or rounded gravel as a substrate when keeping Corydoras to help prevent them from damaging their barbels.

It is not easy to distinguish between males and females. Generally, the females' bodies are a little wider than that of the males.

Breeding Corydoras Catfish

The Corydoras have some of the most peculiar mating habits found among freshwater fish. They spawn in groups of three (1 female to 2 males), usually assuming a T position. The female places her mouth against the male's genital opening and swallows some sperm. The sperm passes through her body rapidly and out onto the eggs she has just released. The female then carries the eggs with her ventral fin to a flat surface in the breeding tank and sticks them there until they hatch.

After spawning has occurred, the adult should be removed from the breeding tank. The fry will hatch in a few days.

Fry can be fed liquid fish fry food. When they get a little older their diet can be changed to newly hatched brine shrimp and then finely crushed fish flakes.

Aquarium keeping is a fun and rewarding hobby. Freshwater aquarium fish care is the easiest and most economical way to enter the field of aquarium ownership. Less than a decade ago freshwater or saltwater fish were the only options available. But that has all changed.

By Stephen J Broy - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Domestic FISH-KEEPING

Mid 19th Century glass freshwater aquarium, containing Vallisneria spiralis,
goldfish, roach, and minnow.
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fishes are kept at home in aquariums and ponds. The hobby of fish keeping is divided into brackish, saltwater, and freshwater fish keeping, out of which freshwater fish keeping is the favorite. The fishes which are popular for fish keeping are angelfish, goldfish and guppies. Different species of fishes can be kept together and sometimes fishes of the same species are kept together for breeding purposes. With breeders, the popular fish species are guppies, mollies, catfish, killifish, cichlid, and characin.

Fishkeeping was started centuries ago. At that time fishes were bred for food. Also, due to religious reasons, fish was eaten on days when meat wasn’t allowed. The Chinese and Japanese traditions included fish keeping for food purposes. But later the kings began keeping goldfishes and koi, because of their attractive colors. They were kept in ponds and when guests used to arrive, the fishes were shifted indoors in fish bowls. Romans were also known to keep lampreys in pools with saltwater. Ancient Egyptians kept fishes from Oxyrhynchus in temple pools.

Saltwater or marine fish keeping is more difficult and expensive. Usually experienced fish keepers or aquarists are into this hobby. This is certainly not for beginners. But it sure is very attractive with colorful and attractive fishes along with different types of corals. Brackish fish keeping involves both freshwater and saltwater fish keeping because the salinity of the water is in between that of seawater and freshwater.

Fish keepers which are into this hobby also focus on the aquatic plants. Some hardcore aquarists even attempt to grow coral reefs with the help of living rock, worms, and calcareous rocks with algae growth, sponges, and worms. When the corals begin to grow echinoderms, crabs, mollusks, and shrimps are also added to the aquariums, which are also called reef tanks.

The aquarium should have ecology which is similar to the natural habitat of the occupant fishes. This is an extremely difficult task. Also, it is important to maintain the predator-prey relationship balance. Also more than the volume of the water, the surface volume is important. This is because, more the surface volume, more the oxygen levels in the water. Air pumps also are used to increase the dissolved oxygen in the water. This is part of the nutrient cycle, which should be maintained and controlled for the well-fare of the fishes. Larger aquariums are more preferable and they make things easier, for example, the event effects are diluted easily and the systemic shock is absorbed well.

Other factors to be controlled are the nitrogen cycle, dissolved gases, and balanced food supply. The salinity of the water should be checked regularly depending on the aquaria being maintained. The pH level should be checked to test the acidic nature of the water. For the freshwater aquarium, most of the aquarist use tap water, which is a mistake as it contains chlorine. Chloramines should be used in tap water to make it chlorine-free.

Depending on the temperature, the aquarium can be differentiated to have tropical and cold water. For the tropical aquariums, the water should be warm and the temperature should be nearly seventy-seven degrees Fahrenheit. For cold water aquarium, the water temperature should be less than room temperature. For this purpose, a refrigeration device called chiller can be used.

Plants and certain organisms can be introduced in the aquarium which metabolizes the waste, especially nitrogen. But more the number of organisms added to the fish tank, the more difficult it is to maintain. The needs of all the aquatic organisms must be considered. Introducing many types of species in an aquarium is known as biological loading. Two important factors should be considered which include filtration process and oxygen levels. Aquarists interested in fish breeding should be more careful. Firstly, they shouldn’t mix many types of fishes together. They should also develop special conditions called spawning triggers for proper breeding.

Artificial ponds can be also made in the garden. It is very similar to freshwater keeping, except that they are big and out in natural conditions. Tropical fishes are a good choice for such garden ponds. But where the temperatures are cold, goldfishes, orfe, and koi are good options.

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Aquarium SNAILS - Pets or Pests?

Planorbella trivolvis

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are many different types of aquarium snails many of which can be good to have in your tank.

While some people think of snails as pests (and some are), others buy them on purpose to keep in their tanks.  Sometimes, when you purchase plants for your aquarium tiny little snails can be hiding in the plants and you may wake up a week or two later and find your tank to be overrun by snails! Usually, however, you can buy large snails at your pet store.

There are several types of snails you might consider.  Each one looks different and has a different demeanour in the tank.

The Ramshorn snail is thusly named as it's shape looks like a ram's horn.  They come in black, red and sometimes checked patterns.  This snail will dine on your plants and can reproduce quite quickly.

The Trumpet snail is a live-bearing snail that eats that food and other stuff that has fallen into the substrate.  They rarely eat plants so this is a good one to have if you have a lot of plants in your aquarium.  Usually, they hide during daylight and come out at night, but you will probably see them hanging out on the glass of your tank just below the waterline when you first get up in the morning. The Trumpet snail can help clean the debris on the bottom of your tank.

The Pond snail is the one that typically hitches a free ride into your tank on aquarium plants.  Shaped like a football, they reproduce quite quickly and have a voracious appetite for your aquarium plants quickly devouring them.

The Apple snail is a popular aquarium inhabitant and comes in 4 different species.  These snails can eat aquarium plants so you will have to be careful.  This snail can live quite a while and may grow as large as a tennis ball if given great care!

Most aquarium snails will do well in a community tank.  Some eat algae and some eat the debris on the bottom so these snails can be quite beneficial to the tank.  Other species eat aquarium plants, so be sure you know what you are buying if you have plants in the tank.

Snails get along good with many types of aquarium fish including Neon Tetras, Guppies, White Cloud Minnows and Danios.  However, if you find that some uninvited snails have appeared in your tank, you might try introducing a Skink or Clown Loach into the tank as these guys will happily eat all the snails they can find.

Aquarium snails are a great way to add something a bit different into your tank, but you must be sure you get snails that are compatible with your fish.  When in doubt just ask the clerk at your fish store and they will be sure to point you in the right direction.

Lee Dobbins - Article Directory: EzineArticles

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PEACOCK CICHLIDS - Introduction To The Amazing Peacock Cichlid!

"Aulonocara hansbaenschi RB2". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons.

Peacock cichlids are among the most preferred cichlids to breed in recent years because of their decorative appeal. Similar to the charm of peacock birds, the natural appearance and attractive colors of these types of cichlids, scientifically called aulonocara, have been admired by most hobbyists. Between the males and females, the former are more colorful, which will eventually be brighter once they reach sexual maturity. The females are generally subdued, colors ranging from silver to brownish gray.

So why choose Peacock Cichlids as your cichlid of choice? The Malawi Peacocks, since these cichlids originate from Lake Malawi, grow from 5-6 inches upon maturity. They thrive on a variety of food, ranging from small crustaceans such as shrimps and snails to insects such as mosquitoes and insect larvae. They also eat lettuce and peas.

They can be fed with either fresh or frozen foods and accept commercially available flakes or pellets. It is advised to serve them food only once to twice a day. Furthermore, be cautious of placing small fishes in the same aquarium with them because they can easily fit in their mouths and most likely to be eaten.

Aside from the accessibility of their food, they generally have a mild temperament and in most cases undemanding. They can adapt well to community-type aquariums. Even though they are likely to be territorial, they are non-aggressive and peaceful. It is advised that they are kept with other medium-sized non-aggressive cichlids.

With regard to their habitat requirement, the Peacock Cichlids are advised to be kept in aquariums that are arranged similar to their natural habitat. Be sure to provide open spaces for them to swim around as well as lots of caves and crevices where they can hide, rest, and create territories. Use sand as a substrate since they are likely to dig through the substrate after every feeding. Male cichlids also burrow through the sand prior to spawning. Using gravel or rocks, especially the sharp-edged ones, are likely to harm your Malawi Peacocks in doing this.

In terms of breeding, as long as you've provided hiding places for them, your aquarium is clean and the water requirements are acceptable, the Peacock Cichlids will do the rest themselves. They are considered ovophile mouthbrooders. The females do not eat during the incubation period, thus becoming weak and easily stressed. Such is the case that you should be ready to isolate the pregnant female two weeks after knowing she is pregnant. This will give time for the hatching of the eggs which will take four to seven days.

The female will release a number of eggs on the rocky bottom of the aquarium. Remove the mother from the tank within four days of the eggs hatching since she might eat the babies thinking it was her food. Be sure to put to feed the mother before bringing her back with other fish since she might starve to death once the breeding process continues over again. Keep the babies in a small separate tank feeding them with fine-ground flakes until they are big enough to be moved to a bigger tank.

The Peacock Cichlids are generally lovely fish to raise and cultivate. Their beauty, ease of care, few dietary concerns, adaptability to their environment, and undemanding demeanor has made them an interesting variety of cichlid to own. It is highly recommended that you try to experience the joy of watching these beautiful fish in your aquarium and see the value that this article is talking about.

By Lacey Bryant - Article Source: EzineArticles

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REGAL ANGELFISH Care - Pygoplites diacanthus

Pygoplites diacanthus, Pomacanthidae, Royal Angelfish
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Regal Angel is thought of by several hobbyists to be one of the most lovely big angels in the market. Currently, it's also one of the toughest to house in the aquarium.

Its scientific designation given to this beauty is Pygoplites Diacanthus. Currently, it's the lone member of the genus Pygoplites. The regal angelfish has an extensive intense yellow main body including vertical white streaks that are outlined by blue.

Similar to all members of the large angel family, juveniles wear a noticeably unusual coloration pattern than adults. Young specimens do not have blue coloration and are commonly seen bearing yellow along with white with a distinctive spot close to the tail.

They are acknowledged to better a foot in length in the wild. In the aquarium, however, they usually attain a maximum length of roughly twelve inches.

They are generally found all over the Indo-Pacific, Fiji, and various areas in Africa. Fishes collected from the Philippines as well as Indonesia do not fare very well in captivity and normally have an excessive death percentage. This might have something to do with collection methods.

In their natural habitats, these fish are grazers that feed solely on tunicates and sponges. This really is the chief reason why Regal Angelfish typically do badly in captivity. They may be tricky eaters that usually starve to death over a length of time. They must be offered a great mixture of seafood, saltwater seaweed strips and in particular sponges daily if possible.

Always quarantine your fishes to make certain they are disease and parasite free. Sometimes you may well come upon two-inch juveniles for sale at the saltwater store. Resist the urge to purchase them if you do not have a large enough saltwater tank. The regal angelfish is the most beautiful and highly regarded large angelfish by enthusiasts. Alas, their high mortality percentage in captivity does put off a lot of hobbyists.

By Indran Manickam - EzineArticles

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JAGUAR CICHLID - Parachromis managuensis

JAGUAR CICHLID - Parachromis managuensis

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Parachromis Managuense - JAGUAR CICHLID

Parachromis managuensis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Parachromis managuense has a bad reputation, just like many of the other large predatory cichlids. This reputation is largely undeserved, and besides, the positive sides of these fishes more than makeup for any negative ones. Not to mention that an adult P. managuense is incredibly beautiful.

I've kept these cichlids and have nothing but good to say about them as long as you have an aquarium large enough to handle this species that grows to 55 cm/22 inches. I would say that the absolute minimum to keep these cichlids together with other cichlids is a tank of 540 litres/120 gallons. And that's a minimum; a larger aquarium is preferable. Large specimens require even larger aquariums. They can be bred in aquariums that are at least 250 litres/55 gallons.

The aquarium should be decorated so that natural territory boundaries are created and so that there are a lot of hiding places for the female, as the male can be quite mean to her if she isn't ready to breed when he is. Larger rocks should be placed directly on the bottom of the aquarium since this species digs a lot and can move large stones. Use silica to glue caves and stone formations together so that they don't fall down.

This species hasn't got any bigger demands and thrives in most water conditions as long as pH and DH levels aren't too extreme in either direction.

P. managuense can be kept with other cichlids from the region as long as they aren't too small and can stand up for themselves. This is true for most cichlids species from Central America. P. managuense can be aggressive, but in my experience, their aggressiveness is greatly exaggerated and P. managuense leaves most fishes alone. However, during breeding, they will protect their young and their territory furiously, and since they are quite large they can claim large territories especially if normal boundaries aren't created in the aquarium. But I wish to stress that P. managuense normally isn't that aggressive and doesn't beat other fish to death. Just don't keep them with fish small enough to eat (except for Ancistrus which usually survive despite their small size).

Feeding P. managuense is easy and they accept just about any food. I recommend feeding them a diet of pellets, shrimps and fish bits. To vary the diet I sometimes feed them live feeders, usually convicts since it seems that one always has spare convicts one can't get rid of by selling or giving away. I usually feed my P. managuense twice a day with the occasional week without food.

Sexing P. managuense is usually easy and follows the line of most other cichlids. Females are smaller and rounder. Breeding P. managuense is according to my experience also easy as long as you give them their own aquarium. Breeding them in aquariums with other cichlids is harder, but not too hard. The biggest problem is deciding what to do with and how to raise the very large number of fry. Each spawning can generate up to 2000-3000 fry.

They are usually very good parents and the fry grow very fast. They guard their young for up to 6 weeks during which time the fry reaches a size of 1.5 - 2 cm, or approximately ¾ inch. After that, the parents spawn again and the fry has to be removed or the parents will kill them while protecting the new batch. However, on rare occasions, the parents can protect two batches simultaneously. This usually ends in the second batch being eaten by their older sisters and brothers, which will grow very fast on this diet. :-)

Spawnings are usually 4-7 weeks apart. They usually lay their eggs on a rock or root that has been carefully cleaned, and then dig very big craters right down to the glass bottom in which to keep their young. The fry is small but accepts most kinds of food. The parents will spit out pellets that they've chewed into tiny pieces for the fry to eat. The growth rate I mentioned above is based on my own experiences when I feed only pellets. However, I don't recommend you rely too heavily on the parents chewing food for their young. You might observe whether the fry gets the food they need this way, but if they don't I recommend you feed the fry if you want them to survive.

Raising the fry without their parents is much harder and I wouldn't recommend separating fry unless it's absolutely necessary. If possible, it's better to wait a few weeks until the fry has grown a little.

If you like predatory fish and are willing to take my word that most of its reputation is undeserved, then I recommend you to try this very beautiful fish.

Article by William Berg - Article Source: EzineArticles

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LEOPARD GECKO Care Sheet

Leopard gecko example (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1.1 - General Information

Leopard Geckos are nocturnal, ground-dwelling reptiles that were originally found in the deserts of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, and Iran (although they live in the desert, their natural substrate is not sand, as I will discuss later under substrate). The scientific name is Eublepharis macularius (which means "true" "eyelid" "spot"). They are one of the few geckos that actually have eyelids, and they naturally have spots. There are many different morphs of Leopard Geckos that I will go into in more detail later. Many people now breed Leopard Geckos, and you can purchase them at a local pet store (or through breeders). They may live up to 20 years if properly cared for, and reach an average size of 8-10 inches when they reach adulthood (approximately 1-2 years into the gecko's life).

2.1 - Housing

First things first, you should never house multiple male Leopard Geckos together. They are territorial and may fight each other. You shouldn't house a female and a male together either unless you want babies. However, you can house multiple females together, but you must watch them carefully because there can be situations where one may be a leader. Some signs of "bullying" would be marks on one of the geckos, one getting more food than the other, or one of the geckos getting a good bit larger than the other.

Next question one might have is, "How big should my tank be?" Well, this depends on how many geckos you plan to house in the tank. A 10-gallon tank would be on the small side for one gecko, but it works. My opinion is that a 20-gallon tank works best for 2, maybe 3 geckos and a 30-gallon tank can fit up to 4 or 5 (this area is debated, so the fewer geckos, the safer). I do not suggest you ever house more than 5 geckos in one tank. Another thing to consider when purchasing a tank is that Leopard Geckos don't climb as much as other geckos, so it is better to buy a tank with more surface area. For example: A 20 gallon tank (24" x 12" x 16") meaning 24" by 12" surface area, compared to a 20 gallon long (30" x 12" x 12") which has 30" by 12" surface area. You could get those two tanks for the same price, but the 20 gallons long would be a better choice.

3.1 - Feeding

When it comes to feeding, babies/juveniles eat more often than adults because it is important for them to grow a big healthy tail. A good rule of thumb to go by is once a day for any gecko 1 1/2 years and every other day for older geckos. You should let your gecko eat as much as he or she can in 15 minutes. They have good judgment and will not eat more than they can. When they are younger, they may eat too much and regurgitate food. This is just a learning process and doesn't hurt your baby, it should teach them not to eat that much. When your gecko grows older you should keep feeding it as much as he/she can eat in 15 minutes, but only feed it every other day. A good rule of thumb to use is don't feed anything longer than the width between your gecko's eyes (or 3/4 of their head). This will keep your gecko from swallowing something too big and choking, although they usually regurgitate. To learn more about what to feed your geckos, continue reading through the next couple of sections.

4.1 - Health

Health is an important part of your gecko's life, of course. Some positive signs of a healthy gecko are:

• Feeding well.
• Growing (if a baby).
• Is active at night.
• Has a fat tail (it is OK if younger geckos don't have fat tails, as they are still growing).
• And is acting normal

You should always check for signs of unhealthiness. Also, if you get a new gecko (or geckos) and you are planning to house them with another gecko that you already had or you just bought, you should "quarantine the new gecko(s). This is a process where you take the new gecko and put him in a tank by himself for about 3 months. If you don't do this, and your gecko came with a disease, the disease would spread to the other gecko and both of them would have died. After the 3 months, you can safely house that gecko with another one. This is just a safe way to determine if a Leopard Gecko is "disease-free".

By James G Sullivan - Article Source:EzineArticles

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