http://www.aqua-fish.netTropical freshwater aquarium fish and plants database with articles about aquarium hobby.enhttp://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?cur_lang=2&what=article&id=586About Dwarf Gouramis an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums The gourami or Colisa lalia is a member of the family Belontiidae. It is native to India. The Indian Gourani is often referred to as the dwarf gourami because because there is a larger gourami endemic to Thailand that grows twice the size of the Indian variety. The Gourami is part of the Anabantoidei suborder. This suborder evolved a lung-like organ known as a labyrinth to help them survive in low oxygenated environments. The labyrinth allows them to breathe atmospheric oxygen. Gouramis will frequently rise to the surface to take in atmospheric oxygen. Members of the Anabantoidei Suborder need a combination of both airborne and dissolved oxygen to survive. In nature male dwarf gouramis have diagonal stripes alternating in blue and red. Females are silver. However selective breeding has yielded red, neon, and rainbow variations. Both sexes have tread-like touch sensitive cells extending from their pelvic fins. Adults reach about two inches in length. Gouramis are docile in nature. They work well in community tanks as long as they are housed with fish of similar temperament. Despite their shy demeanor, gouramis are aggressive toward other gouramis. Each gourami establishes a territory and hiding place of its own. Gouramis take readily to heavily planted aquariums. They seem to function better in pairs. Keep this in mind when deciding whether they are what you are looking for in the way of a new addition to your tank. Gouramis thrive in slightly acidic water with a temperature range between 77-82 °F. They are omnivore and can survive perfectly well on a diet of tropical fish flakes. It is easy to distinguish between males and females. The males have a much brighter color palette. Females are harder to find for sale because of this. If you can not find one at your local fish store they can be ordered online. Breeding Gourami Gouramis are most likely to spawn in still water. A breeding tank with the filter capacity turned way down will make a suitable environment. Make certain there are floating plants in the breeding tank. The male Gourami will use his labyrinth to make a bubble nest prior to spawning. Unlike most bubble nest builders, gourami will incorporate small pieces of plants, twigs and other debris into the design of their nest. This addition helps to hold the nest together. Once the nest is constructed, courting officially begins. Courting is usually initiated in the afternoon or early evening. The males signals his intention to spawn by swimming in circles around the female with his fins flared. If the female accepts his invitation, she will start swimming in circles with the male underneath the bubble nest. When she is ready to spawn she will touch the male on the back or the tail with her mouth. Spawning generally takes several hours. After spawning is complete remove the female from the tank. The male will stand guard over his bubble nest. The fry will hatch within the next two days. Leave the male with the fry for two or three days. Make sure he is done parenting his brood before removing him to the community tank. Fry can be fed liquid fry food or small amounts of powdered eggs. After about four days their diet can be changed to newly hatched brine shrimp or finely crushed fish flakes. Gouramis have been known to mate with other gouramis of another species. Unfortunately they are usually sterile.admin2009-11-06http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?cur_lang=2&what=article&id=585Glofish or Zebra Danios? an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums Glofish do not exist in nature. They were created in a laboratory. Glofish are genetically modified zebra danios or Brachydanio reri. Geneticists in Singapore added the fluorescent gene from sea coral to zebra danio eggs. The result was the glofish. Aside from their genetically altered neon color palette they are identical to zebra danios. These fish are vibrant under any circumstances. But they fluoresce or light up when they encounter environmental toxins. They were first created to do precisely that, detect environmental toxins. They were made available for sale to the general public in 2003. Environmentalists have expressed concern about what might happen if these genetically altered fish made their way into natural rivers and streams. The creators of glofish state emphatically that these genetically engineered fish are not an ecological threat. Glofish, like regular zebra danios, can only survive in tropical waters. Aquarium water temperature should be between 64-74 °F. In the six years since their release for sale to the general public, they have not seemed to pose any ecological threat. While the sale of a genetically altered fish simply because they look prettier than their “natural” counterparts may be ethically questionable, they are beautiful fish. So far Glofish have proven to be every bit as hardy as regular zebra danios. There is, after all, only a single gene that differentiates the two. Glofish come in a variety of brilliant rainbow colors. They can be purchased for around $6 or $7. Zebra Danio Zebra danios are a member of the Cyprinidae family. They are native to eastern India. They are hardy and active fish with peaceful temperaments. They make good additions to community tanks provided they are housed with fish of similar temperament. Zebra danios have a five year life span and will grow to length of about two inches. They thrive in slightly acidic to neutral water (pH 6.5-7.0) and prefer a rather chilly water temperature of 64-74 degrees Fahrenheit. They can, however, adapt to the warmer climate needed for most other tropical fish. They are surface dwelling fish that favor moving water. Zebra danios are shoaling fish. It is not advisable to purchase a single fish for your aquarium. Nature intended them to live in a community. Zebras are omnivores that can survive just fine on a diet of tropical fish flakes. Both sexes have to pairs of barbels on either side of their mouth. In their genetically unaltered state it is easy to tell the males form the females. Males have blue and gold stripes. Females have blue and silver stripes. The female tends to be larger and fuller bodied than the male. This would be the distinguishing factor in the genetically altered varieties. Breeding Frankenfish Zebra danios are some of the easiest fish to breed in captivity. Spawning can be triggered by raising the water temperature up a few degrees near dawn. This will trick the fish into believing it is mating season. When spawning occurs 3-500 eggs will be scattered across the breeding tank floor. Remove the adults to prevent them from eating the eggs. The fry will hatch in 2 days. They can be fed liquid fry food or small amounts of powdered eggs. In a week or two they will be large enough to eat brine shrimp or finely crushed tropical fish flakes.admin2009-11-06http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?cur_lang=2&what=article&id=584Angelfish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums The angelfish or Pterophyllum Scalare is a part theCichlidae family more commonly referred to as cichlids. They have long been a favorite of freshwater aquarium keepers worldwide. They are indigenous to the Amazon River, Orinoco River and Essequibo River basins of South America Angelfish are elegant and graceful creatures. Their unique disk shape undoubtedly contributes to their popularity. They come in a variety of color palettes, from unadorned to striped, marbled, black, golden, or Koi. Because of their popularity they can be found at virtually any store that sales fish. They are inexpensive to buy and easy to maintain. But don’t be fooled by the size of the angelfish you see for sale in the fish store. Angelfish commonly grow to six inches in diameter. Keep this in mind when deciding whether to purchase one as an addition to your fish tank. They can be kept in an aquarium as small as 10 gallons. But 20 gallons and up is preferable. Angelfish work well in community fish tanks. But a note of caution should be exercised when selecting their tank-mates. They will eat the smaller fish in the tank. So if you want to keep angle fish in your aquarium avoid mixing them with smaller varieties such as guppies or neon tetras. Aside from their instinctive dietary habits angelfish are non-aggressive. So they should not be housed in the same tank with fin nippers such as tetras or barbs. Angelfish are omnivores. They can survive just fine on your common variety tropical fish flakes. They will also eat brine shrimp, tubifex worms, bloodworms, plant matter, and of course their smaller tank-mates. Under premium conditions angel fish have an average life expectancy of 10 years. As native of the Amazon River they prefer slightly acidic water of around pH 6.8 and temperatures between 72-86 degrees Fahrenheit. Breeding Angelfish It is difficult to distinguish between male and female angelfish until they are about to mate. A few days before mating angelfishes’ reproductive organs will emerge from their bodies near the proximity of their anal region. The Females have what is called an ovipositor which basically amounts to an egg layer. Males will have a narrow tube through which semen is excreted to fertilize the eggs. Angelfish engage in an interesting courting ritual as a precursor to mating. They will lock their mouths together and spin around wildly. This dizzying foreplay is a good indication that the reproduction cycle is about to commence. Once the formalities are out of the way, it is time to prepare a proper hatchery. The Angelfish will clean a flat surface on which the eggs will be deposited. After a surface is suitably prepared, the eggs are laid and fertilized. Unlike many fish pieces of the Amazon River, Angelfish are unlikely to eat their un-hatched eggs. In fact, angel fish are known to stand guard over their eggs through the 3-4 day gestation period. Once hatched, both male and female angelfish will herd their young from plant to plant for the next four or five days. Once the parental cycle has expired, the young fry may appear as a means of nutrition to their parents. It is advisable to remove them from the breeding tank. Newly hatched fry can be fed liquid fry food or rotifers. A readily available and economic alternative is powdered eggs. Do not over feed them. You will make a mess of your breeding tank. After about a week the fry can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp.admin2009-11-04http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?cur_lang=2&what=article&id=583The Molly an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums There are actually two different species of fish that are collectively referred to as mollies; Poecilia sphenops and Poecilia velifera. Mollies are members of the familyPoecilidae which includes southern platyfish (the plati) and swordtails. They are native to the Americas. They can be found in the Southern U.S., Central and South America. Mollies are often found along coastal waters. As costal dwellers, they prefer a small amount of salt in their water. The standard recommendation ranges from one teaspoon to a tablespoon for every five gallons. Split the difference and play it safe. If you only have experience with freshwater fish you should be aware of the fact that salt does not evaporate with the water. You will only need to add more salt during water changes. Iodized table salt can kill your fish. Use only aquarium salt. Interestingly enough, mollies can be found for sale in both the fresh and salt water sections of fish stores. Mollies can survive either or both if acclimated slowly to their new environment. Mollies come in a variety of colors and body markings. The selective breeding of mollies has yielded Sailfin, Balloon, and Lyertail varieties. Male mollies have an enlarged dorsal fin and a modified anal fin known as a gonopodium. An adult molly will grow to a length of about four inches. Two species of molly P. sulphuraria (the sulfur molly) and P. latipunctata (spotted mollies) are listed as critically endangered in the wild. Mollies are mild mannered. They make good community fish provide they are kept with species that are not adverse to a slightly salty environment. Mollies enjoy heavily planted aquariums. They like to hide in the plants. Despite the numerous locations they are native to, mollies prefer slightly alkaline to neutral water with a temperature range between 77-83°F. They have a life expectancy of up to five years. Mollies are omnivores, eating both plant and meaty foods. They will readily eat flakes, freeze-dried, frozen, and live foods. You should try to include some plant matter into their diet. Breeding Mollies Mollies are live bearing fish. Males will often harass the females of their own species. To help insure a low incidence of domestic violence, it is best to keep two or three females for every male. Mollies, like most live bearing fish, are easy to spawn in captivity. Live bearing fish engage in internal fertilization. The male uses his modified anal fin, the gonopodium, to inseminate the female. The gestation cycle is around 60 days. A typical brood rages from 20-50 fry. Mollies will eat their fry. To avoid this, the adults must be removed from the breeding tank after spawning. Or you can use a breeding trap. Breeding traps are frequently used when spawning live bearers. They are comprised of two compartments. Place the mother in the top compartment. The fish will drop through to the bottom compartment. Remove both adults and release the fry into the breeding tank. Breeding traps are inexpensive and can be purchased at most fish stores. Baby mollies can be feed newly hatched brine shrimp, or powdered fry food. An economical alternative is powdered eggs. Pictures (Short finned molly - Poecilia sphenops) admin2009-11-04http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?cur_lang=2&what=article&id=582Bala Shark The bala shark or Balantiocheilus melanopterus belongs to the familyCyprinidae and is the sole member of the genus Balantiocheilos. The name “shark” refers directly to its torpedo or shark-like shaped body. They have no relation to the shark family. The bala shark is also commonly referred to as a silver shark or tri-color shark. Bala sharks are indigenous to Southeast Asia. They swim the streams and rivers of Thailand, Borneo, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. The recent industrialization of these regions is threatening the Bala shark’s natural habitat. Their numbers have diminished greatly in the wild over the past two decades. The bala shark does not normally breed in captivity. Fortunately, for their guaranteed survival as a species, they are commercially raised in Asia with the use of hormone injections. Bala sharks are typically sold is stores when they are young. Despite their size at the time of sale, bala sharks are actually quite large freshwater fish. An adult bala shark can reach up to 14 inches in length. They are shoaling fish. Meaning they are best suited to swimming in groups rather than alone. They are also very active swimmers as far as fish species go. Keep all this in mind when determining whether or not to add balas to your aquarium. Very young Bala Sharks are often kept in smaller tanks. But their size when fully grown, their schooling instincts and the rate at which they swim, they will need much more room than your typical 10 gallon aquarium. The debate continues on just what is an acceptable size environment to house bala sharks in. Some experts recommend a minimum of a six feet long fish tank. Still others contend that the bala is just too large and too active a species to be suitable for anything short of commercial aquaria. Indoor ponds are considered an acceptable environment to raise bala sharks . The bala shark has little resemblance to its namesake in nature. They are a docile fish and are the perfect addition to a community fish tank provided you have a large enough aquarium to house them as adults. You want to raise them with other larger species to avoid them perceiving their fellow tank-mates as food. They swim at all levels of an aquarium. A note of caution: They are jumpers. They should be housed in a lidded aquarium. One of the benefits of having bala sharks in your aquarium is that although they are not bottom dwellers, they do have scavenger tendencies. They will scour the bottom of your tank for bits of uneaten food. And they will do so without disturbing the substrate. If you are going to raise larger variety fish you might as well have ones that help clean house. The bala is tolerant of it environment. It can thrive in a wide variety of temperatures and pH levels. But their premium environment is a pH level of between 6.8-7.2, and a water temperature between 76-82 degrees Fahrenheit. Bala sharks are omnivorous. They eat both plant and animal matter. A healthy diet includes a combination of both. Balas will eat tropical fish flakes, frozen, freeze-dried and live foods. admin2009-11-04http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?cur_lang=2&what=article&id=581Glass Catfish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums The glass catfish or Kryptopterus bicirrhisand its smaller relative the ghost catfish are native to Indonesia. They inhabit the large rivers and turbid waters of Borneo, Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and the Chao Phrayaa and Mekongg drainage basins. They live near the shorelines in water with strong currents. They are diurnal predators (active in daylight) whose diet consists mainly of true water bugs in the wild. Glass catfish are some of the most unusual fish you can buy for a freshwater aquarium. Their bodies are totally devoid of scales and their skin and meaty tissue is completely transparent. You can see right trough to its bones and internal organs and out the other side of their bodies. As with all Catfish, they have barbells on either side of their mouths. Glass catfish have a docile temperament. They make good community fish as long as they are in the company of similarly mild mannered fish. Glass catfish are a medium sized fish. They grow to about four inches in length. They are mid-tank swimmers. The shoaling instinct runs extremely strong in these creatures. A glass catfish will not survive without another member of its own species in the tank. If you have two and one dies, the other will die shortly thereafter if you do not add another glass catfish to your tank. It is, therefore, advisable to keep at least four of them at a time. Glass catfish are every bit as fragile as their name. They have been known not to survive the trip home from the fish store. Once home, their chances of survival are significantly increased in a heavily planted aquarium. They are a shy species and will fare much better given plenty of places to hide. Glass catfish prefer neutral to slightly acidic water (pH 6.8-7.0). They are better suite for a water temperature a little cooler than some other tropical fish. The ideal temperature range is 70-79 degrees Fahrenheit. They function best in subdued lighting. And you want to have a filtering system that provides plenty of water flow to simulate the currents they are accustomed to living in. Under premium condition they have a life expectancy of 6 to 8 years. Glass catfish are egg layers. Attempts to breed them in captivity have thus far failed. So the ones you see at the fish store have been recently removed from their native environment. They may very well suffer from escalated stress levels until they adapt to their new surroundings. Remember, these are not commercially raise fish. In the wild their diet consists primarily of true water bugs. They are carnivores that are accustomed to eating live food. In order to make help them adapt to their new environment you should start out by feeding them brine shrimp. Small insect larvae are preferable if you can find them. They will eventually learn to eat freeze-dried, frozen food and possibly even tropical fish flakes. But you still want to supplement their diet with live protein to insure their continued hardiness. These are, after all, rather delicate creatures.admin2009-11-04http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?cur_lang=2&what=article&id=580Cardinal Tetra an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums The cardinal tetra or Paracheirodon axelrodi is native to the Amazon River. Cardinals are among some of the most colorful freshwater fish varieties available commercially. They are a member of the family Characidae more commonly known as Characids. Black skirts are also commonly referred to as black tetras or black widow tetras. Cardinal tetras and neon tetras look very similar in appearance. There are, however, subtle differences in body markings that can be used to distinguish them from one another. Cardinals have a red stripe or band that extends from their head to the base of their tails. Neon tetras have the same band but it starts mid-body and runs back to the tail rather than extending the entire length of the body. The cardinal tetras color palette tends to be a little more vibrant than that of neon tetras. Adult cardinals are a little larger than neons. Cardinals reach approximately 2 inches in length. Even though they are a smaller variety of fish, cardinals need ample room to swim. They are not well suited for cramped living conditions. They are mid-tank swimmers and prefer a longer rather than taller swimming environment. This makes them the perfect candidate for wall mounted aquarium lines. Cardinal tetras are docile in nature. They function well in a community environment devoid of more aggressive species. They are a shoaling fish. The addition of several to your fish tank will help them mimic their behavior in their natural habitat. Cardinals do not thrive as a solitary fish. Under ideal conditions you can expect your cardinals to have a five year life span. Like all natives to the Amazon River, the cardinal tetra thrives best in soft, slightly acidic water. A 6.8 pH level is premium. Aquarium stores sale water conditioners specifically for Amazon fish species. The cardinal functions best in water temperatures ranging from 70-79°F. They are omnivores. There is no need to worry about specialty fish food products when raising tetras. Any freshwater tropical fish flakes will work. It is difficult to distinguish males from females. They are identical in color. The female’s body tends to be a little rounder when they are carrying eggs. Unlike bleeding heart tetras, cardinals will reproduce in captivity. They are most likely to breed at night or in a dimly lit tank. Cardinal tetras are egg layers. They scatter their eggs. Like all tetras, cardinals will eat their eggs. A good way to prevent this from happening is to add a layer of marbles to the bottom of your fish tank. The eggs will slip through to the bottom where they will be safe until hatching time. Breeding Cardinal Tetras Here are some handy tips to follow if you intend to spawn tetras. Keep them in a separate breeding tank provided with floating plants. They won’t breed in hard, alkaline water. You can filter the water through peat or add thin layer to your substrate to imitate perfect mating conditions. Make sure the peat contains no chemical additives. After spawning remove the adult fish from the breeding tank. Cardinal tetra fry hatch in about 24 hours. Once they hatch, they can be fed liquid fry food, infusoria, or rotifers. Both are readily available at fish specialty stores. Larger fry will thrive on small amounts of hard-boiled egg yolk ran through a food processor. Powdered eggs will also work. Pictures admin2009-11-03http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?cur_lang=2&what=article&id=579Bleeding Heart Tetra The Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma is more commonly known as the bleeding heart tetra because of the red mark in the center of their body. They are members of the family Characidae more commonluy refer to as Characids. Their natural habitat is the Amazon River. They are members of the Characidae family. Bleeding hearts are a smaller variety of fish. They only reach a length of two or three inches when fully grown. This makes them perfectly suited for smaller desktop or wall mounted aquariums. Tetras are egg laying fish. But the bleeding heart rarely breeds in captivity. Unlike the black skirt tetra, it is easy to tell males from females in the bleeding hearts. The females tend to have smaller dorsal fins than the males. The males’ dorsal fin can become long and flowing in adulthood. The males grow to an adult size slightly larger than females. Both sexes have that eye-catching bright red spot in the region of their heart area. Their color palette becomes more pronounced if they are fed a diet of live or frozen fish brine. Several subspecies are available commercially including a long finned variety and golden tinted tetras. Bleeding hearts have a life expectancy of around five years. The pH levels in the Amazon River run slightly acidic. As natives to the Amazon River, bleeding heart tetras prefer soft water with a pH level around 6.8. This can be easily achieved by purchasing Tetra`s Black Water extract or a similar water conditioner from your local fish specialty store. You can also filter your water through peat or add a small layer of peat to your substrate. Make sure that the peat does not have any chemical additives. It is not strictly necessary, however doing so will help insure that your bleeding hearts will live a healthy life and reach their full life span. In general, Bleeding heart tetras are a quite hardy species and will survive in a multitude of water conditions. Bleeding heart tetras are not an aggressive species, though the males do tend to be a bit territorial. They function well in community environments as long as they are grouped with similarly docile species. Bleeding hearts, like all tetras are shoaling fish. They travel in packs. You can add a single tetra to your aquarium. But adding four to six allows them to frolic as they would in their natural habitat. There is nothing quite so satisfying as watching a group of fish swimming in a school as they would in their natural environment. Bleeding hearts originate from waters teaming with predators. Their slight stature delegates them relatively low in the food chain. Thus they instinctively hide among plants and debris as a survival mechanism. They thrive in well planted fish tanks. They tend to swim midlevel in your aquarium. They also tend to prefer subdued lighting. Bleeding hearts are omnivorous. In nature they survive on a combination of plant and animal matter. They will readily eat just about any freshwater tropical fish food you choose to give them. Tetras are notorious fin nippers. They should not be kept with long finned fish species such as angelfish or bettas. Pictures admin2009-11-03http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?what=article&cur_lang=2&id=47I love angel fish, but I also like to have a varied aquarium. I used to have 3 angel fish in a 50 gallon tank that also housed 3 gold fish. I found that one of the angel fish became aggressive and started nipping the gold fish, who developed sores on their sides and started dying. It's been a few yeKate Yoak2009-10-21http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?what=fish&cur_lang=2&id=100Thanks for the advice. Another question, can cories be kept with chinese algae eater? I'm afraid the algae eater will harass them. Because they will feed at the same level.Alvin2009-10-21