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• Published: August 13, 2006, 5:48 am
• Displayed: 7091 times
• Preview: 10 tips for a successful Betta splendens reproduction advertisement Betta splendens is one of the most wanted fish in everyone`s aquarium. Breeding Bettas is not hard, though you might face problems at spawning them. They are oviparous fish, the male builds a nest in which the eggs/fry are kept for few days under the strict care of the Betta male. If you follow the next advices, you have big chances to get nice results of your Betta fish spawning. 1. Reproduction tank equipment: volume of 15-20 liters, a heater, a thermometer and air pomp connected to an air rock which will spread small bubbles. You need small bubbles because the fry are very sensitive to water movements and you don`t want them to suffer. 2. The aquarium water must have a temperature of 28-29° C, a higher temperature will hurry the eggs hatching and the fry won`t be fully developed. Keep the temperature constant using the heater and check it with the thermometer to make sure it is at the right level. 3. The water depth mustn`t excel 10-15 cm because the Betta eggs are denser than water and they fall ...

• Published: March 10, 2006, 6:39 am
• Displayed: 2810 times
• Preview: A Few Bits & Pieces on the Fairy Cichlid Neolamprologus brichardiBy David Marshall From the July 2004 Ryedale Reporter, Ryedale Aquarist Society, England Aquarticles (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) advertisement The Fairy Cichlid is known to science as Neolamprologus brichardi. English aquarists christened this particular fish the Fairy Cichlid as they believed the fish to have a strong ethereal appearance. These fish grow to a size of 3.4" (8.5cm). Neolamprologus brichardi Photo copyright Mrs Jackie Goulder These fish are endemic to Lake Tanganyika in the African Rift Valley. The fish in my care are several generations on from original stock, which came to me from two local aquarium retail outlets. Although there have been times when as many as four tanks in my fish house have held Fairy Cichlids, in various stages of growth, I am currently down to around 25 young individuals who occupy a 36"x12"x12" tank. This tank has various slate formations and small mounds of coal as décor. The fis...

• Published: October 19, 2006, 6:07 am
• Displayed: 21413 times
• Preview: A guide to the tropical fishkeeping advertisement Before you start an aquarium, you should know many things about fish, plants, tanks, biotopes, lighting, filters and other details. Otherwise, your effort will result in diseases, unhappy fish and a dirty tank. Basically, it doesn’t matter if you want to start a species or community tank, it also doesn’t matter if you’re about to start a Cichlid tank or a tank with Guppies, Bettas, Gouramis or Catfish. There are very simple principles which apply to all tanks. Take aquariums very wisely and you’ll be happy with the result. The right place and size for an aquarium Before you buy anything, be sure you’ve chosen the right place for your future tank. The basic rules say that the place shouldn’t be very sunny or cold. Very good are the wall mounted aquariums, since they look nice and they also look like a natural part of the wall. Nowdays, the aquarium stands and backgrounds make it easy to create a beautiful scenery. Personally, I also like the corner aquariums very much; Rounded glass make them very attractive. For the tropi...

• Published: October 30, 2008, 9:52 pm
• Displayed: 223 times
• Preview: About Aquarium Lighting advertisement In order to answer more and more questions of Aqua-Fish.Net`s visitors, this article is devoted to information about aquarium lighting. All questions have been compiled from previous statistics. If you`re looking for answer that isn`t answered here (or on this website), feel free to contact us. Which lighting is suitable (best) for a freshwater aquarium? For plants I recommend AquaGlo bulbs (I have had very good experience with these). In past I recommended 0.625 Watt per 1 litre for very fast growth. However, nowadays I am using 0.308 Watt per 1 litre. It is enough to grow plants such as Vallisneria Gigantea, Vallisneria Spiralis, Anubias Nana. Some plants (especially the floating ones) can do better under ordinary sunlight than under special aquarium lighting. Pistia Stratiotes is a nice example of such a plant. Never buy bulbs which heat the tank too much. In Summer this can cause serious overheating. How long should a bulb be? If the fish tank is 100cm long, I recommend to use a 90 cm long bulb (or less, but not less than...

• Published: November 9, 2009, 3:21 am
• Displayed: 55 times
• Preview: About Betta Fish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Betta Fish or Betta Splendens are members of the family Anabantids. Betta Splendens are endemic to Tailand. The Betta earned the nickname “Siamese fighting fish” because of their highly territorial nature toward other male members of their species. Two male betta fish will fight each other, very often to the death, when placed in the same tank together. Males will even flare their gills (in order to make him look bigger and more menacing) at their own reflection. Male bettas have been known to have trouble getting along with anglefish, gouramis, and fancy guppies (especially the colorful males). Male bettas are vulnerable to fin nippers such as tetras and barbs. You might want to keep all this in mind when deciding whether to purchase one to add to your community fish tank. The Betta fish is indigenous to Thailand. They were first domesticated in 1893 for combat where wagers were made on the outcome of the fight. It wasn`t until the 1920s when aquarists began keeping them in home aquariums. ...

• Published: November 14, 2009, 10:55 pm
• Displayed: 50 times
• Preview: About Cherry Barbs an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The cherry barb or Puntius titteya is a small, colorful freshwater fish named for its red color palette. The barb is a member of family Cyprinidae generally referred to as carp. Cherry barbs only reach one and three quarters to two inches fully grown. Cherry barbs are elongated fish. Typically, the upper part of their bodies leans toward a greenish shade with a slight sheen. A racing stripe that varies from a brownish to a bluish black runs from the tip of their snouts down the entire length of their bodies. Above the stripe is an iridescent band that is generally gold at the front part of their bodies and fades toward blue or green towards the tail. The males are redder than the females. But they do not develop the bright, cherry red coloration they are named for until they are about to mate. The cherry color is not found among the females of the species. Females are lighter in color and have yellow fins. The female’s body tends to be a lot plumper than the males. Cherry barbs make good community ...

• Published: November 6, 2009, 11:58 pm
• Displayed: 51 times
• Preview: About Dwarf Gouramis an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement 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 w...

• Published: March 24, 2009, 8:22 pm
• Displayed: 151 times
• Preview: About fish pond filters advertisement For every pond that has been set up there has to be a filtration system incorporated into the design to keep the water fresh and free from harmful contaminants. There are many too choose from on the market and all different sizes to suit different ponds. Indeed, many pond keepers have become skilled enough to make their own filters. Hopefully by answering the following questions, it should be clear which filters are required and why they are necessary. Do I need a pond filter and what methods does it use? The answer to this question is “yes” if you are planning to keep fish you need a filter with no exceptions to run a successful pond. If you are looking at a natural wildlife pond, then sometimes it is not required. The plant life in the pond will soak up any nitrates present in the water. As well as filtering the water mechanically (particles are removed as they pass through a set of sponges), it also converts any ammonia that is created by fish waste and rotting vegetation into nitrates by hosting beneficial bacteria that do the wo...

• Published: November 15, 2009, 9:03 pm
• Displayed: 46 times
• Preview: About Goldfish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The goldfish or Carassius auratus is a genetic mutation of the Crucian Carp (Carassius Carassius). Goldfish were originally a drab olive color. The reddish-orange color was a result of selective breeding in china over a thousand years ago. The Chinese have bred goldfish since as far back as the Sung Era, approximately 1000 A.D. Goldfish were the first historically document fish to be domesticated. The modern goldfish was exported to Japan and Korea in 1500 A.D. and made its way to Europe in the early 1600s. It was first introduced to the United States in 1876 and achieved notoriety at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893. The goldfish is one of the most commonly kept fish among freshwater aquarium enthusiast and pond owners throughout the world. Selective breeding has produced several varieties of modern goldfish including the Ranchu, Celestial, Bubbleye, Comet, Shubunkin and Pearlscal. They come in an assortment of colors including red, orange, white black and calico. Goldfish have been reported to l...

• Published: November 15, 2009, 3:11 am
• Displayed: 59 times
• Preview: About Guppies an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Guppies or Poecilia reticulate belong to the family Poecilidae. They are some of the most colorfully decorated freshwater fish available on the market. Robert John Lechmere is accredited with "discovering" this tiny fish in Trinidad in 1866. Guppies are native to Barbados, Brazil, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Venezuela. Just like goldfish and betta fish, guppies have been selectively bred to increase their coloration and exaggerated their dorsal fins. There are guppy societies devoted to breeding the next generation of show guppies. Some of these show class guppies can fetch a rather high price. The more generic fancy guppies found in fish stores are quite stunning in appearance and not that expensive. Guppies are docile fish and make the perfect addition to community tanks. To insure their safety only keep them with other mild mannered fish and avoid mixing them with larger varieties who will view them as food. The guppy thrives in neutral water w...

• Published: November 11, 2009, 3:21 am
• Displayed: 54 times
• Preview: About Jewel Cichlid an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Jewel cichlids or Hemichromis bimaculatus belong to the family Cichlidae. Jewel cichlids are commonly known as African cichlids because that is their continent of origin. They are native to the rivers, streams, creeks and lakes of west and northeast Africa. Jewels are plentiful in the Nile, Zaire, and Niger Rivers. They live in a variety of water conditions including stagnate lagoon waters. Jewel Cichlids are not for amateur aquarists. Nor do they make good community fish. They require fairly specific water conditions. They fare well in water with a pH level of 7.5 and a temperature range between 70-82 °F. Jewel cichlids are innately aggressive. They appear to suffer from an extreme case of Alpha Male Syndrome. They will fight other species for dominance over their territory. They are best suite for a mono-species aquarium. There have been reported cases where Jewel cichlids have adapted to a community environment. They are introduced when still quite young to a well established tank. This procedur...

• Published: November 15, 2009, 10:26 pm
• Displayed: 54 times
• Preview: About Kribensis an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Kribensis or Pelvicachromis pulcher are of the family Cichlidae more commonly referred to as cichlids. They are native to the waters of West Africa, primarily found in Nigeria. They can be found in anywhere from free flowing to brakish water. Kribensis are also referred to as dwarf African cichlids, purple cichlids, and kribs an abbreviation of their species name. Kribs are very popular among freshwater aquarists because of their almost saltwater quality coloration. Unlike most African cichlids, kribs have a temperament conducive to community living. They will adapt better to a community tank if given plenty of plants, rocks and hollow aquarium decorations to hide in. Kribs thrive in soft to medium hard water with a pH level between 6.5-7.0 and a temperature range of 75-82°. They are a medium sized fish reaching three to four inches in length as adults and have an average life spa of five years. Kribensis are omnivores. They eat worms, insects, small crustaceans and plants in their natural ha...

• Published: November 11, 2009, 3:45 am
• Displayed: 53 times
• Preview: About Malawi Blue Dolphin an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The Malawi blue dolphin or cyrtocara moorii is a member of the family Cichlidae. Cichlidae are commonly referred to as cichlids. The Malawi blue dolphin is just one on many species of cichlids native to Lake Malawi in Africa. Cichlids from Lake Malawi are collectively referred to as African cichlids. Blue dolphins are quite popular among freshwater aquarium keepers because of their brilliant blue hue. They, of course, are not related to dolphins. They were dubbed dolphins because of a nuchal hump on their head and their elongated snouts which gives their heads a vague resemblance to that of a dophin’s. This hump is present on both the males and the females and continues to grow as the fish does. The blue dolphin is a docile fish. They do not posses the aggressive instinct prevalent in many Africa cichlids. They make great additions to a community tank provided they are not mixed with more aggressive tank-mates. There are, however, a few considerations to take into account before decid...

• Published: November 30, 2009, 11:27 pm
• Displayed: 52 times
• Preview: About Oscar Fish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Oscars or Astronotus ocellatus is part of the family Cichlidae more commonly referred cichlids. Oscars are endemic to South America. They can be found in the Peru, Venezuela, Columbia, French Guiana, and the Amazon River basin. They are a member of the Cichlidae family more commonly refered to as cichlids. This family includes, angelfish, discus and African cichlids. Numerous numbers of new cichlids are discovered every year. So the actual number of species belonging to the cichlid family is unclear. Estimates vary from 1,300 to 3,000 different species world wide. Oscars are among the largest species of the cichlid family. They will grow to an adult length of 12-16 inches and can weigh in excess of 3.5 lbs. Don’t consider buying one for your kid’s 10 gallon aquarium. Selective breeding has produced a number of ornamental oscars bred specially for aquarists. Albino, leucistic, xanthistic and red marbled oscars are all a result of selective breeding. The variety with mainly red coloration is typically s...

• Published: November 30, 2009, 11:45 pm
• Displayed: 48 times
• Preview: About Paradise Fish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The paradise fish or Macropodus opercularis are members of the family Belontidae. This family grouping includes both betta fish and gouarmis. The paradise fish is a gourami. They are also commonly referred to as paradise gouramis. Paradise fish are native to East Asia. They populate the rice patties and ditches of Northern Vietnam and the Korean Peninsula. They were one of the first ornamental fish introduced to western society. They were first exported to Europe in the 1800s. Despite their long history as a commercial ornamental fish, you are unlikely to see one in a home aquarium. They aren’t even stocked in most fish specialty stores. This may be because paradise fish do not make good aquarium fish. Paradise fish are predators by nature. They are combative and harassing. They will attack each other and other species often seriously or fatally wounding them. You can no sooner put two males in the same tank together than you can betta males. Paradise fish are even more aggressive than bettas when ...

• Published: December 1, 2009, 6:11 pm
• Displayed: 47 times
• Preview: About Pearl Gourami an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The pearl gourami or Trichogaster leeri is a member of the family Belontiidae. Pearl Gouramis inhabit the lowland swap waters of Sumatra, Borneo, Malaysia and Thailand. All gouramis belong to the suborder Anabantid. The members of this suborder evolved in poorly oxygenated environments. They subsequently developed an auxiliary breathing apparatus in addition to their gills. This lung-like organ, the labyrinth organ, allows them to breathe atmospheric oxygen. At some point in the evolutionary process they became dependent on both as a means of survival. They will die without a combination of dissolved and airborne oxygen. This is why they are frequently seen at the surface of an aquarium. Unlike the paradise fish, the pearl gourami is a timid creature. They are good additions to a community tank if they are provided with plants, rocks and aquarium décor in which to hide. There optimum water condition is a neutral pH with a water temperature around 78 °F. Pearl gouramis reach a length of approxi...

• Published: December 1, 2009, 5:59 pm
• Displayed: 49 times
• Preview: About Platies an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Platies or Xiphophorus maculates are members of the family Poecilidae of the order Cyrinodontiformes. The plati is native to southern Tamaulipas and northern Vera Cruz, states in northeastern Mexico. Although not native to these areas, the plati have taken root elsewhere in the world primarily due to aquarium trade related releases into the wild. They have established themselves in the United States in the canal systems of Tampa Bay and Gainesville, Florida. They have become naturalized in the state of Montana. They have also acclimated to the freshwaters of Columbia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Hong Kong ecologists report that these “illegal aliens” are creating an adverse impact on their aquatic eco systems due to the platies’ prolific breading habits. The plati thrives in slow moving waters. They are perfectly suited for canals, ditches and warm springs. The plati has crossed more than international boundaries. They have crossed over genealogically. They are a member of the same family that includes gup...

• Published: December 1, 2009, 3:56 pm
• Displayed: 53 times
• Preview: About Swordtail Fish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The Swordtail or Xiphophorus helleri is a member of the family Poecilidae in the order Cyrinodontiformes. The sword fish is endemic to both North and South America. Their natural habitat stretches from Vera Cruz, Mexico to Honduras. The name swordtail is literal. These fish are named for the extended pointed region at the bottom of the caudal fin. This species is sexually dimorphic. The extended tail is found only among the males of the species. The different sexes do share the same color palette. The female is often slightly larger than the male. Swordtails are related to another popular fish among freshwater aquarium owners, the platicommonly referred to as the southern platyfish. They are so closely related that they can crossbreed with one another and do so regularly in the wild. Just like their cousin, the southern platyfish, the swordtail’s prolific breeding has wreaked havoc on previously uninhabited ecosystems. Feral populations can be found in both Africa and Australia. This ecolog...

• Published: September 23, 2006, 1:26 pm
• Displayed: 4120 times
• Preview: Activated Carbon advertisement For many years, carbon has been used as an agent to remove impurities from air and water. Activated carbon is one of the most effective absorbents currently used. Activated carbon is carbon which has a positive charge added to it, which makes it much more effective at absorbing impurities and chemicals. An activated carbon filter works by the law of attraction. When water passes over the positively charged carbon, the impurities in the water which have a negative charge will be locked into the activated carbon filter. Usually activated carbon filters use either granular activated carbon or powdered block carbon. Both types of filters are effective, however the powdered block carbon filters do tend to remove more impurities than its counterpart. The efficiency of activated carbon filters are dependant on two factors. First, the amount of activated carbon which is contained in the filter and second, the amount of time the impurities stay in contact with the carbon. Of course the more carbon there is in the filter, the better it will do its job. Con...

• Published: September 8, 2006, 2:19 am
• Displayed: 6327 times
• Preview: Adding a Fish Pond to Your Garden Landscape advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! Many homeowners take pride in designing and maintaining their own landscapes and gardens. There is a lot of hard work involved and a lot of money spent, but owners definitely reap great benefit as well. Adding a fish pond, or water garden to your property will not only make it more appealing to the eye, it will also increase the value and equity of your home. Not to mention the enjoyment and relaxation you will get from the addition. Once the decision has been made to incorporate a fish pond into your landscape design, the next step is to determine the exact placement of your garden pond. It’s important to place it where you’ll always be able to see it from inside the house, or other areas of the garden. You should take into consideration the lay of the land, so you don’t have to worry about possible contamination from runoff, or ...

• Published: February 20, 2008, 12:43 pm
• Displayed: 1009 times
• Preview: Adjustment of pH in the aquarium advertisement For an experienced aquarium hobbyist, adjusting and controlling the measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution (pH) in the tank is an undertaking that is understood needs a combination of time and experience. And for someone new to the hobby, it can be a really daunting experience. Experts state that more than half of the problems encountered in controlling a fish tank and taking ware of the well being of its occupants is keeping on top of the levels of pH in the tank. The problem often lies in an inexperienced beginner’s ability to trust that the levels of pH found in simple tap water is sufficient and their need to constantly adjust the level, causing a rise in the levels of pH bringing with it the possibility of damaging the fish’s health. A general rule of thumb and one that is worth remembering fro aquarists, whether they have been at a for a long time or are “newbies” is less is enough when it comes to pH adjustment, What is most important is to remember routine maintenance is the key to maintaining your fish in perfect ...

• Published: May 7, 2006, 3:45 am
• Displayed: 5616 times
• Preview: African Cichlids advertisement African Cichlids come from three of Africa`s great lakes - Malawi, Tanganyika, and Victoria. In these lakes there are more species of fish than in any other lakes in the world. We don`t know the exact number of species and new ones are being continually discovered in all the lakes, so you can understand how difficult it is to count them. Cichlid fishes in these lakes often have extraordinary opportunities to instigate speciation, an evolutionary process that leads to differences. That is why they are the most spectacular examples of speciation and adaptive radiation within any vertebrate family. The process is what makes Africa`s great lakes, and the cichlids that inhabit them, so interesting. African cichlids are beautifully coloured freshwater aquarium fish. They have amazing social behaviour, display extroverted personalities, and are intelligent too. It is easy to care for cichlids, and they will bring a great deal of pleasure to the aquarium enthusiast if you take good care of them. This fish is territorial and it can be hostile towards ...

• Published: June 17, 2008, 10:58 pm
• Displayed: 359 times
• Preview: AFRICAN DWARF FROGS advertisement African dwarf frogs (Hymenochirus Boettgeri) are a very popular choice of aquarium addition as they are so easy to keep, no more difficult than keeping a goldfish. One of the biggest problems with these is when you actually go to purchase them from the pet stores. Some of clawed frogs may be labelled as dwarfs but they are not. Clawed frogs will grow quite large in comparison and are not so hardy. Two ways of spotting the difference are, if they are albino then they are not a dwarf species, also the dwarfs will have smaller eyes compared to the clawed frogs. They originally came from the Congo region in Africa, but unfortunately due to land clearing and the change in the eco system it is thought that they may have become extinct in the wild. Most of the frogs sold in the pet stores were originally bred in India where it was quite a large concern; large amounts were bred purely to be sold into the pet trade. This proved to be a valuable move as it has prevented this species from being extinct altogether. The dwarf species will grow to 1-1.5 i...

• Published: October 24, 2007, 9:01 am
• Displayed: 1216 times
• Preview: Air pumps advertisement They not only offer pleasing effects but also essential oxygenation and current to the aquarium. Not all aquarists use them though. It is possible to have an aquarium without one, but it poses challenges sooner or later. What do they do? An air pump can be used for filtration using foam, box or under-gravel filters, airation of the water by bubblestones, wands, or bubble tubes, and they can also power ornaments and create movement in the aquarium. Filtration: This is very often the first use of air pumps. Most aquarists buy air pumps for this reason initially. Filtration is an essential part of any aquarium and not all can be filtered by other methods. The principle advantage of air filtration is that it is gentle and safe for delicate and small fish. Many electrically powered filters are too powerful for small fish and fry to cope with, creating strong currents in the tank and tiring them out. They also create strong intake currents and can pull small fish into the intakes. Air filtration is much less dangerous for these fish. Because it...

• Published: March 20, 2007, 8:31 am
• Displayed: 20359 times
• Preview: Algae eaters advertisement If you notice small or large green spots, or even some hair algae in your freshwater tropical aquarium, you usually try to remove them manually. After careful removal or cutting sick plants for weeks you`ll find that it`s almost impossible to displace all the algae which grow, grow and grow all the time. An ordinary aquarist may consider introducing algae eaters into the tank at this point. Fish shops like this kind of customer since it`s easy to persuade a hopeless fishkeeper that some fish will fix the problem in a short time. Moreover, a skillful merchant recommends more than 1 or 2 fish in order to remove algae from your fish tank as soon as possible. This way people buy from 5 to 10 fish no matter that they don`t know anything about their demands, habits, etc. In order to avoid weedy aquariums you need to understand what algae is, what helps it`s growth and what to do if it gets out of control. What helps algae growing 1. Too little/much lighting, 2. Inappropriate feeding which leaves food to decompose, 3. Bad filtration and aeration, 4. A l...

• Published: June 1, 2009, 8:42 pm
• Displayed: 137 times
• Preview: Aquarium book - All about aquariums Ready to buy our e-book? Click here! Do you want to keep happy and healthy fish? Do you want to know how to grow aquarium plants? Do you want your aquarium to look like this? So buy our e-book! The aquarium book called "All About Aquariums" covers all topics that are: Needed to start a freshwater tropical fish tank,Needed to run a freshwater tropical aquarium properly without seeing fish suffering,Needed to understand how freshwater tropical fish behave,Needed to help you breeding your freshwater tropical fish,Needed to enjoy this hobby! In order to differentiate this book from most of others which are already available on the internet, here`s what you won`t find inside: Lack of contentMissing referencesPoor qualityImpossibility of finding answersPoor navigation within the book What`s inside 12 chapters covering all steps from factors when starting an aquarium to specialised equipment when running a fish tank seriously!A detailed guide how to set up an aquarium!Problems after setting up a new tank a...

• Published: October 29, 2008, 10:39 pm
• Displayed: 215 times
• Preview: Fish Pond De-icers; Questions and Links to De-Icers advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! Each of the questions below has been asked by visitors of Aqua-Fish.Net in the past. In order to share the knowledge and experience, I decided to publish and answer them within this article. You may be also interested in visiting another article devoted to fish pond de-icers, which is here: aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=ponddeicer. What is the purpose of a pond de-icer? (or what a de-icer does) To melt the the ice in a fish pond. This helps to keep the fish healthy since dangerous gases can get out from water (these gases are a result of excrements for instance). It also helps to avoid fishes from suffocate. How do I choose a fish pond de-icer? Firstly compare a few products (you can compare products listed at the bottom of this page too) and based on your requirements, select one. The requirements are: How big is yo...

• Published: December 27, 2006, 3:53 pm
• Displayed: 5543 times
• Preview: Caridina Japonica – Amano shrimp advertisement Caridina japonica is the most common shrimp present in aquariums, is also known as Amano Shrimp because Takashi Amano has been the first one to introduce them in his aquariums, noticing their habit to eat algae. Caridina japonica, native of Japan, Korea and Taiwan, is a small transparent grey shrimp with black spots covering the body and a white line from the head to the tail; the body colour can anyway change a bit due food nutrients and water quality. Aquarium life Amano shrimp can live in every aquarium, prefer neutral or lightly acid PH, temperature can fluctuate between 71°F and 82°F (22°C – 28°C), while water hardness has not to be too much soft, because being a crustacean Caridina needs calcium and other minerals to grow healthy. Being really shy, it is better to house them in large groups in the aquarium, or they would spend the most of the time hidden among plants and decorations. There is not a maximum number of Caridina you can house in your tank, overpopulation is really difficult; they live on the ground of...

• Published: June 22, 2008, 10:19 pm
• Displayed: 327 times
• Preview: ANACHARIS advertisement Anacharis must be one of the most popular aquatic plants available on the market. There is a lot of debate as to the name of this plant; there are various common names such as Brazilian waterweed, elodea, and recently is has been classified as being Egeria Densa. This must be one of the most versatile plants available to buy on the market, and definitely one of the most popular for new fish keepers to have their first attempt at keeping live plants. However, if it is not given the right conditions, it can just as easily melt down, like all other plant life. Anacharis is native to North and South America, where it can grow abundantly, in some areas it is even classed as an invasive plant. As it is so abundant, this reflects on the price, it is one of the cheapest plants to buy, another good reason for its popularity. It grows long stems, these will reach from the substrate right up to the surface, it has even been known to reach a height of 3 feet. The colouration of the leaves can vary from light green to a rich dark green, thickly protruding fr...

• Published: November 4, 2009, 5:25 pm
• Displayed: 56 times
• Preview: Angelfish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The angelfish or Pterophyllum Scalare is a part the Cichlidae 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 cau...

• Published: April 3, 2008, 5:21 pm
• Displayed: 442 times
• Preview: Angelfish: Breeding advertisement Pterophyllum Scalare is a cichlid fish that is in high demand in the aquarium industry due to their unique beauty and unusual personalities. This fish is more commonly known as the “Angelfish” and it is known to come from rivers in Peru, Columbia, and Brazil. Angelfish are unusually shaped for cichlids because they are laterally compressed with round bodies and elongated triangular-shaped dorsal and anal fins. These egg-layers form monogamous pairs and are wonderful parents in the wild as most cichlids are. Although, it has been observed through captive breeding that angels are loosing their parenting instincts and tend not to care for their young as diligently as do the wild versions of themselves. Pairing Angelfish It is difficult to determine the sex of immature angelfish. To improve the odds of finding a suitable pair it is recommended to start with about 6 or more juvenile angelfish. Be sure to choose quality, hardy specimens with good color and finnage. This allows the spawning pair a chance to find each other naturally. A stronger bo...

• Published: March 24, 2010, 12:41 am
• Displayed: 21 times
• Preview: Anubias Congensis advertisement Origin - West Africa Proper name - Anubias Barteri var. Congensis Family - Araceae Temperature - 20-28°C pH - 5.0-8.0 Lighting - medium to low Growth Rate - very slow Difficulty - easy Planting position - midground to background Propagation - rhizome General description:- This plant is a very tall species from the Araceae family and even though it is slow growing, many keepers find that it can outgrow smaller tanks over a period of a few months. Individual specimens can range from 12” right up to 24” dependant on their tank surroundings and available minerals. They are very undemanding of light levels and it is often best to keep them n the lower lighting levels as they are very slow growing, with slow growing plants algae can form on the leaves, lower lighting levels will reduce this problem a great deal. Anubias Congensis produce bright green leaves that are lanceolate in shape ( the leaves finish in a point) and they certainly stand out from other plants in the aquarium due to their colouration. They can be purchased as ...

• Published: April 16, 2008, 9:25 pm
• Displayed: 402 times
• Preview: Aquarium Accessories advertisement So, you`ve just got home with your new fish tank, to me that is 30 gallons or less. Aquariums are larger, at least in my mind. Since most new fish tanks and some 55 gallon models come in as a kit probably have: 1.the tank2.a hood with light3.an adequate filter4.a 4 inch net5.some tropical fish flakes6.a small amount of a chlorine remover7.a plastic/silk plant or two8.possibly some coupons It is strongly suggested, if you haven`t already, that you do a good deal of research before investing any more of your hard earned cash. Research This is the most important step in any endeavor that involves dealing with live animals. Speak with store personnel to get a recommendation for what is best suited to your application. THEN check on-line forums for the opinion of experienced users. Then commit your hard earned money. This is true of any purchase you may wish to make. Check the stores but always check the various forums that are on the internet. Researching a project, whether it is size or type of tank, what types of fish get along toget...

• Published: August 31, 2006, 11:57 am
• Displayed: 7645 times
• Preview: Aquarium air pump advertisement Aquarium air pump is a device that brings air into the aquarium. The air pumps are usually very alike but you can choose from many types of decorations, from which the air will come out to the aquarium. The most common is just an air stone. You put the air stone into the aquarium and start the pump. Another forms are aquarium ornaments like treasure chests, shells, which open if the decoration is full of air, divers and many more. Such aerating devices make bubbles and the bubbles move the water surface and that is how they aerate the water. Choosing the right air pump is not so difficult. You just have to choose it according to the depth of your aquarium and the preasure you need for the ornament. But when you are choosing an ornamental aerator, you are choosing it according to that, how do you like it, or which would look best in your aquarium. And if you want to have your tank really good aerated, then you can combine the aerators. The use of the air pump is really easy. You just do everything what the guide says. Mostly you just take out ...

• Published: February 26, 2008, 1:08 pm
• Displayed: 515 times
• Preview: Aquarium airline advertisement A key component in a properly constructed aquarium which may seem totally insignificant but actually plays a vital part is the aquarium airline. As aquarists take fish from rivers, lakes and oceans, and place them in an aquarium tank, part of the object is to create an environment for them that will allow the fish to thrive. It is very difficult to recreate the exact environment that the fish enjoyed when not in “captivity”. It is impossible to recreate the large, even unlimited, surface areas that the fish had to live in, but at least it should be possible to recreate most of the conditions that they enjoyed within a limited area. As we all know, fish need oxygen to be introduced into the water to survive, and they also exhale carbon dioxide which needs to be expelled from the water for the sake of the fish’s health. This means that proper circulation in the tank is highly important, and this needs to be done through the process of aeration. In addition the air that is injected into the tank has to be very evenly distributed and this can only b...

• Published: August 22, 2008, 10:38 pm
• Displayed: 251 times
• Preview: Aquarium algae(types, and how to get rid of them - natural and other ways) advertisement Green algae There are over 7,000 species of green algae, most of them being unicellular or filamentous freshwater species. Brackish and marine species also exist, so green algae can live in such aquariums as well. Green algae are often a beneficial part of the ecosystem in the aquarium and should ideally not be vigorously eliminated. It can for instance serve as food for various inhabitants and help you keep the water quality stable by binding organic waste. There is however situations where you need to do something about the green algae, e.g. when it suddenly starts to grow much faster than normally. If you wish to control green algae growth in the aquarium, you need to control light and nutrients. Green algae carry out photosynthesis and will therefore grow much faster when provided with plenty of light. Ideally place your aquarium in a spot where it receives no direct sun-light and do not let the aquarium lighting be on for more than 12 hours per day. When it comes to nutrients,...

• Published: May 1, 2010, 3:36 am
• Displayed: 14 times
• Preview: Aquarium and River Rocks advertisement Many keepers who prefer the natural look to their aquariums will scout around looking for décor that gives their aquariums a special feel and replicates the natural surroundings of the fish. Biotopes are becoming more popular than ever, keepers are drifting away from aquariums with comical ornaments and fake plants etc., replicating a certain area of the world is much more pleasing to them. Of course you cannot guarantee that adding rocks for décor will be exactly the same rocks that are found in that part of the world but the overall effect is the same. For many years Malawi keepers would use Ocean Rock or Tuffa Rock in their set ups, this too has now fallen out of favour for more natural river pebbles. There are many types of river rocks to choose from so shopping around can be beneficial, don`t purchase the first rocks you see, you may spot other varieties at a later date that suit your aquarium more. River rocks are also great for the aquascaping, they tend not to be too large and can be moved around easily, if added to the tank corre...

• Published: March 26, 2008, 4:38 pm
• Displayed: 548 times
• Preview: Aquarium Backgrounds advertisement What can you do with the back of an aquarium? There are many answers to this question, form cheap to expensive, from plain to very decorative. Let`s look at the options. Firstly, we should start with the cheapest, and very often the best. If the aquarium is against a wall, and most are, you have several options: Leave it as it is, with the wall showing through the tank;Paint the back of the tankStick on one of the many patterned backgrounds that are available in your local fish stores;Build a decorative background inside the tank;Buy a decorative background from your LFS. Let`s take them one at a time, outlining the pro`s and con`s: Leave it as it is. Very plain, but if you are aiming for a planted tank, this could be a good option. A curtain of plants at the back of the tank would leave little background showing, so it wouldn`t matter that much. But at best it is simple and cheap! Paint the back of the tank. One of my own preferred options, as it`s not expensive, very easy to do, and looks good. You can use any proprietary gloss p...

• Published: September 8, 2006, 2:07 am
• Displayed: 49049 times
• Preview: Add Realism and Beauty by Using Aquarium Backgrounds advertisement Aquarium owners have the luxury of having a piece of the underwater kingdom available for their viewing pleasure twenty four hours a day. Since a well maintained and presented aquarium can represent quite an investment, the die hard fish lover wants to perfectly display and enhance the appearance of his fish. One way to do this is through the use of aquarium backgrounds. These backgrounds can be made of various fish-safe materials and can be placed inside or outside the aquarium. Aquarium backgrounds come in an almost endless array of sizes shapes and colors, so it’s quite certain that there’s a background suitable for even the pickiest fish lover. The choices in which type of aquarium background to use can depend on several factors. First the actual size of the tank must be considered. Smaller sized tanks require aquarium backgrounds which will not take up too much of the tank space. Space within these tanks is at a premium from the get go so placing items in the tank will use up space which is needed for your f...

• Published: September 30, 2008, 7:05 am
• Displayed: 247 times
• Preview: Aquarium bacteria advertisement When an aquarium is first set up it is incapable of supporting any livestock until it has built up large enough colonies of beneficial bacteria that will convert all traces of toxic ammonia and nitrites into nitrates that are removed during water changes or consumed by plants that have been added to the tank. But what are these beneficial bacteria and how do they keep our aquariums healthy? To understand the processes that are taking place in the aquarium, we have to first learn a little about water chemistry and what it involves. We have heard the phrase “cycling the tank” but what does that mean. When we first set up an aquarium we are actually setting up an artificial ecosystem that hangs on a fragile balance. If we get everything right then the tank looks great but if the balance tips against us and the water parameters take a dive we will start losing fish. The phrase “cycling the tank” refers to the nitrogen cycle that is being created in our small ecosystem i.e. the aquarium. A new tank has just been filled with water, the filter ...

• Published: May 8, 2008, 1:24 pm
• Displayed: 392 times
• Preview: Aquarium Canopy advertisement An aquarium canopy can do so much for the aesthetics of an aquarium. The purpose of the canopy is to finish the look of the aquarium by covering the filters, lights and electrical cords. The canopy can allow an aquarium to look like a piece of furniture or a decorative centerpiece in any room of the house. A canopy needs to be able to allow the aquarist to easily and conveniently access the inside of the tank for the sake of routine maintenance. What good is a tank topper that will not allow you to get into it? Most aquarium canopies come with one or more access points to get in and out, but for those really big jobs, the canopy is removable. The aquarium canopy is different from the aquarium hood even though they serve the same purpose. They both cover the aquarium to prevent fish from jumping out and they both house the lighting fixtures over the tank. The difference is the canopy will give the aquarium a nicer, more finished look as if it is something that is meant to decorate the room. Canopies usually come as a set with the aquarium ...

• Published: August 8, 2008, 7:00 am
• Displayed: 302 times
• Preview: Aquarium Carbon advertisement Carbon is an element that is largely used in the aquarium industry for filtering chemicals out of the water making it safe for both fresh and salt water fish to live in. Materials such as charcoal, coconut shells and wood are often used for carbon filtering because of the amount of elemental carbon it contains. When these materials are introduced to high pressured steam impurities are released and the elemental carbon contained within creates pores. This forms the substance we call activated carbon which acts like a sponge that is highly effective against organic chemicals. Active carbon has millions of pores which gives it a substantially large surface area of up to 750 square feet per ounce. The tiny little pores make activated carbon a highly absorbent substance that is useful in filtering not only aquarium water, but it is also used to filter drinking water and absorbing bad smells in the air. Three-Step Process: 1. The carbon attracts negatively charged chemical particles with its own positive charge. This draws the chemicals in causing it ...

• Published: April 26, 2010, 7:48 pm
• Displayed: 15 times
• Preview: Aquarium Care and Maintenance advertisement Setting up an aquarium can take a lot of planning, positioning the tank, getting the tank cycled ready for the fish and finally adding your fish selection. When the tank is first set up it will have that clean, new look that really catches the eye as people walk past and spot it but how do you keep your aquarium looking that way and how can you guarantee that you are supplying your fish and plants if added, the best water quality that they need for growth and long term health. Just like the planning stage, the maintenance stage requires careful thought, some tasks need doing on a daily basis while others probably only need doing once a month. These tasks are very important to keeping a successful aquarium so skimping on these will eventually lea to the downfall of the tank and problems will start to occur, these problems will then escalate to a total tank shut down. To ensure that the aquarium care and maintenance is carried out on the required dates it is best to start a tank log, this can be notes in a notebook or even add a spread...

• Published: August 30, 2006, 1:44 pm
• Displayed: 16467 times
• Preview: Aquarium Chiller advertisement In this guide you can find information about aquarium chillers as well as links to the products (expensive or inexpensive, it's up to the customer), and useful tips when buying/using one. Also visit aquarium chillers page at OCReef.com! Aquarium chiller (or cooler); an unusual and unknown piece of equipment in many countries... That's how one description could be written. In my previous article, I was talking about heaters in aquariums. Unlike the winter months, warm months in summer means problems with high temperatures, which could lead to fish problems. Also, fishes will live longer if you keep them in water which is colder than 30°C (86°F). Making an aquarium a cooler place is sometimes very difficult, because no-one will keep adding ice cubes into the water each day for weeks on end. Generally, there are a few ways how to keep the water cool. These techniques include adding ice, fish tank chillers, darkening the room and so on. Firstly, make sure you need an aquarium chiller for your tank. When the temperature exceeds 30°C (86°F), you s...

• Published: August 28, 2007, 10:38 pm
• Displayed: 1743 times
• Preview: Aquarium cleaner advertisement Basic knowledge Aquarium cleaner is a simple and cheap tool with price about $3. It is designed for pumping the water out/into the tank while the water is moved from one container to another container. From time to time you should pump out some water from the aquarium and replace it with some new water (you shouldn`t use any water taken from the duct without leaving it 1-2 days in some bucket). Water changes I recommend you to change from about 10% up to 20% of entire water. Depending on your tank`s capacity, this number might vary from 5% (for very large aquariums) up to 40% (small fish bowls). Water changes are necessary when there are too many excrements at the bottom of the tank or if you want to simulate tropical rain for fish which originate from tropical forests. However, this process sometimes happens for no apparent reason; just because you want to clean the environment. There applies a simple principle saying “less is more” in this case because you shouldn`t do water changes everyday. Do it and your fish will be stressed. General su...

• Published: March 26, 2008, 2:19 pm
• Displayed: 459 times
• Preview: AQUARIUM CO2 SYSTEMSby Mick advertisement CO2 systems are added to the aquariums to enhance lush plant growth where the plants use light energy to utilise the CO2 to promote their growth. Several aquarists have success with their planted aquariums with installing these systems but for typical “Dutch Aquariums” these certainly play a major part in their success. How many times have we looked in magazines & wondered how on earth do they get them to look like that well hopefully this article will help to explain how they work & the choices available. Basics of CO2 in the aquarium: Plants need carbon for growth as well as adequate lighting but a balance has to be reached as lighting alone will not provide ideal conditions for the plants, hence the need to bubble in CO2 as this will provide the carbon required. Too much CO2 also can cause problems as this will affect the pH of the water & this will then lead to a pH crash, also bear in mind excessive CO2 will produce carbonic acid (H2CO3) which is toxic, definitely not good so most systems have s...

• Published: April 4, 2010, 11:46 pm
• Displayed: 19 times
• Preview: Aquarium Cycling advertisement The key aspect of fish keeping has to be cycling your aquarium ready for the arrival of your first fish. If you have researched you will know that the water parameters need to be perfect for your fish and that the filters need to be capable of handling the bio-load created by the fish expelling their waste into the aquarium and from rotting plants decaying. It is crucial that your water is tested on a regular basis so investing in a quality testing kit is a good investment especially in the early days of your aquarium running. Nowadays most keepers will perform the aquarium cycling without using hardy fish to build up the filters but some still do so both methods will be explained in this article. Aquarium cycling with fish This method is used for keepers who are adding fish to their aquariums straight away, the fish used must be very hardy as sensitive fish will suffer during this cycling method. If possible try to get hold of some filter media from an established aquarium and add it to your filter, this will kick off the cycling process stra...

• Published: August 23, 2006, 7:02 am
• Displayed: 15575 times
• Preview: Aquarium decoration advertisement As we all know aquarium decoration nowadays, it includes items such as caves, air pumps, plastic plants, rocks, shells, pearls. However, let's go through it's history and tips how to decorate your fish tank. The first kinds of fish tanks were small ponds in the gardens. The fish kept there were goldfish and some kinds of carps. It all started in China around the 10th century and it could be, that even in the 7th century. The goldfish species came to Europe in about 17th century. The first aquariums like we know them now were built in the 19th century. Mostly, people decide to start an aquarium because an aquarium is a part of their decoration. But the fish tank is a real and quality decoration only if it looks good. These days, there are numerous styles of decorating our homes, but when you are starting a fish tank, the first thing you should bear in mind is the comfort of fishes kept there. You can also choose how your aquarium should look like and only then you`ll buy fish according to the biotope in your aquarium. For example, if you hav...

• Published: March 19, 2008, 9:07 pm
• Displayed: 427 times
• Preview: Aquarium Decorations advertisement Aquarium decorations come in many shapes and sizes and vary enormously in price. For the purpose of this guide, I will group them into several categories: Plastic and Silk Plants;Plastic/fibreglass ornamentsCeramic ornamentsNovelty ornamentsDecorative substratesNatural decorative ornamentsReal plants Plastic or Silk Plants: Most of us have bought these type of plants, usually when we first start into the hobby. This is mainly because they are quick, simple and maintenance free. They also give you a finished result immediately. Some fish can be destructive too, and real plants don`t last long in tanks with these fish. Goldfish are very well known for eating live plants and at best, uprooting them, so silk and plastic plants have their uses! As you become more knowledgeable, this type of décor tends to disappear in favour of natural plants. Plastic/fibreglass ornaments: A vast range of these are available covering everything from an ornamental bush and tree stump to castles, pillars, bridges and houses. They also come as anchors, ...

• Published: March 19, 2008, 4:31 pm
• Displayed: 509 times
• Preview: Aquarium Design advertisement These days, everyone who has an aquarium has seen the vast range of ornaments, fake plants and novelty toys that can be placed into the aquarium. There is no need to detail these, as you see the every time you enter the local fish stores. I want to look at the choices we have for alternative decorations here, letting your mind create the end result. It is quick and easy to run to the store, buy a few trinkets and put them into the tank just to give some effect, but that`s not what we want or strive for. Yes, it`s great for kids with their first tank and a couple of goldfish, but most of us have aquariums for pleasure and they need to be in keeping with our homes. You take time to plan your home, the furnishings and décor, why not do the same with the aquarium? When planning any aquarium, you need to be able to see the end result before you start. This involves imagination and thought. You need to decide what you want in the end, 12 months down the road, not look for a quick-fix. There is a place for ornaments from the store in here, but there i...

• Published: September 22, 2006, 11:07 am
• Displayed: 10965 times
• Preview: Landscape Your Aquarium with Aquarium Driftwood advertisement Brief Description The article Aquarium Driftwood also answers all following questions How to clean driftwood for aquarium, How much does driftwood alter pH, How to keep driftwood at bottom of tank, How to attach plants to aquarium driftwood, What if I boil aquarium driftwood, What does driftwood do, How to make driftwood aquarium safe, What is driftwood, How to put driftwood in an aquarium. If you'd like to share experiences, let's check the bottom of this article where you can find a form for this purpose. Much like adding aquatic plants to your aquarium, adding driftwood to your aquarium can certainly add to that eye-popping effect you are looking for. Driftwood is basically a piece of wood, that has been dried. Unlike aquatic plants, driftwood sinks naturally to the bottom of your tank, eliminating the need to be anchored in place, all you need to do is place it where you want it and will stay there until you or your fish move it to a new location. Each piece of driftwood has its own unique character and appeal, an...

• Published: January 21, 2010, 5:59 pm
• Displayed: 33 times
• Preview: Aquarium Equipment The basic supplies you need for keeping fish an article submitted by pluspets.com advertisement Owning quality aquarium equipment is a necessary part of caring for fish - and it can add up fast, especially if you keep salt water fish. Walking the fine line between cost and quality can be difficult since choosing inferior equipment could lead to the sickness or death of the fish that you care for. Spending a few extra dollars may be worth it if it brings the added peace of mind of knowing that your fish will remain happy and healthy. Basic Aquarium Equipment Whether you have a tropical fish aquarium or a temperate aquarium you’re going to need at least some basic aquarium supplies to ensure your fish have the right environment in which to thrive. These include: A fish tankA quality air pumpA protein skimmerA filtration systemFresh gravelAlgae scraperWater heater or chillerFish net The first decision to make is what kind of tank you’re going to buy and will depend both on your budget and the total number or type of fish that you wish to own. ...

• Published: February 18, 2008, 3:36 pm
• Displayed: 504 times
• Preview: Aquarium filter cartridges advertisement Every lover of keeping fish in an aquarium will know that proper filtration is one of the principal keys to success and enjoyment. Anything less than 100% efficient filtration will lead to unclear and foul smelling water, and will be detrimental to health of the fish in the tank as well as being generally unpleasant for all those in the general vicinity of the aquarium. For this reason any self respecting aquarium owner, either in a domestic or commercial application, should spend the time and the money to ensure that they have the best of filtration equipment available. The smaller and less sophisticated aquariums used a fairly primitive form of water filtration that was housed in a small container that was hung in the corner of the tank. This was the first and at one time the only form of filtration available for aquariums and is still in use today for smaller aquariums. Basically inexpensive and simple to install, the “corner filter” was basically a plastic container filled with a basic form of filtration medium which cou...

• Published: February 20, 2008, 9:15 pm
• Displayed: 712 times
• Preview: Aquarium filter media advertisement No one has ever had the heart to stand up and say that filtration may not be essential, because no one has yet had the courage to try and operate an aquarium without filtration. And hopefully they never will. The reason being that the costs and the effort involved in operating an effective aquarium filter media system are so minimal that it is not worth the argument, except possibly in large volume aquariums populated by very few fish and a large range and number of healthy aquatic plants. Over all the aquarist’s goal should be to provide the finest environment for his fish to live and flourish in and much though must be given to find the ideal filter media to produce the best results within a realistic budget. Filter media for aquariums need not be expensive and there are many options available that can keep the cost within reasonable levels. Once the decision has been made to install a filter system for your aquarium the next question will be which one? There are a few to choose from, some of them simple and some of them fairly compli...

• Published: June 30, 2008, 2:17 pm
• Displayed: 283 times
• Preview: AQUARIUM FILTER PADS advertisement One of the most important aspects of running a successful filtration system is knowing which media to add to your filters. One component that is found in all powered filters is the filter sponge pad. As any experienced fish keeper can tell you, there are three areas that your filter has to cover. Mechanical filtration is the first step in the process; this is then followed by the biological filtration, and finally chemical filtration. Mechanical and biological filtration are a must at all times, chemical filtration is often only applied when it is required to do a specific job as in removing medications from the water, or for removing unwanted substances that have been found in the water. When the water is pulled from the tank into the filter it should be pulled through the sponges that are placed inside. The mechanical filtration will now take place. As the name suggests the sponges will sieve the water, pulling out any solid particles that are present, and them letting the water pass through to the next stage. The solid particles ar...

• Published: June 7, 2008, 11:31 am
• Displayed: 322 times
• Preview: AQUARIUM FILTER SYSTEMS advertisement To a novice fish keeper, choosing which filtration system to purchase for their tank can sometimes be a bit confusing. There are several types to choose from so which will be the most efficient for their tank. There is no point paying out for a large canister filter when running a small tank, researching what is required can save money but still maintain high water quality. The two main factors in choosing which system are, the volume of the tank, and what stock are you going to keep in it. In some cases a secondary filter may be required; if this is the case then it doesn’t always mean paying out for two identical ones, a smaller one will often be used for a back up. Planning your filtration system at the start will save a lot of time and hassle in the future. So why do I need a filter? An aquarium has closed parameters; this means that when your fish foul the water it is trapped in the tank unless pulled out by other means. In nature the seas, lakes or rivers will remove their pollutants, debris on their own, this cannot happen in...

• Published: August 22, 2008, 10:47 pm
• Displayed: 267 times
• Preview: Aquarium fish diseasescommon diseases, symptoms, treatments, and prevention advertisement Preventing disease Quite a few aquarists routinely treat their fish against various health problems or even retort to constantly keeping the salinity level high in their freshwater aquarium just to prevent outbreaks of certain contagious diseases. The problem with such an approach is that keeping a fish in a suboptimal salinity level and exposing it to various treatments will weaken it in the long run. If you want to keep thriving fish instead of barely surviving fish, prevention is a much better solution than continuous use of salt and disorganized emergency treatments. Here are a few suggestions that can decrease the risk of disease in your aquarium. 1.)Keep your fish in an optimal environment, i.e. optimal water temperature, optimal salinity, optimal pH-value, low levels of organic waste, and so on. Always read up on all species you plan on keeping and do not combine species with dissimilar preferences.2.)Avoid stress in the aquarium by including suitable hiding spots and keep...

• Published: March 19, 2006, 3:41 pm
• Displayed: 3009 times
• Preview: Aquarium fish forum advertisement Join our aquarium fish forum at aqua-fish.net! It`s an easy way to exchange your experiences of keeping freshwater aquarium fish and plants, as well to discuss your problems related to freshwater aquariums. We have released our aquarium fish forum in late 2005 and after several updates, it is now completely ready for posting. What do you need to do if you want to join aqua-fish.net? 1) Register for free. You can find a registration form under Project->Registration. 2) Fill in the registration form. 3) When you`re registered, just click on Project->Our forums. 4) Every new post (except your own) since your last visit will be marked with a blue smiley. Of course, this smiley may vary, but you will see what`s new in our aquarium fish forum. Our website will inform you how many times each topic has been viewed and how many repliesit has had. The same smileys and information will appear in each topic and forum threads. You will see who started each thread and when. 5) Of course, our ...

• Published: January 27, 2006, 4:58 am
• Displayed: 3820 times
• Preview: Aquarium fish needs advertisement I started keeping aquarium fish 4 years ago. Like every new fan of this hobby, I wasn`t able to set-up a good fish tank and I made some mistakes. In this article, I want to let you know about beginner`s mistakes. I want to buy aquarium, what should I do first? You need to know something about the aquarium fish you want to keep. Normally that people buy fish that eat each other. Your aquarium can be looking very good, but the fish won`t feel good. This is something you should keep in mind when you decide to take up this aquarium hobby: 1) Place your aquarium somewhere where it will stay for a long time. 2) Larger aquarium = Better aquarium. The conditions in a fish tank are more stable in a larger aquarium than a smaller one. 3) Buy a good filtration system. 4) Buy efficient neons that will give good light conditions for your plants to grow. 5) Buy gravel or something else for the bottom of your aquarium. You can find inspiration for your tank in our database. Just click here. The tank is finished, I want to buy aquari...

• Published: February 29, 2008, 11:51 am
• Displayed: 514 times
• Preview: Aquarium glass cleaner advertisement Anyone involved in any way in keeping fish, is well aware of the dilemma faced every few months as the amount of foreign bodies that fish and plants generate begins to mount up. The dilemma is whether to empty the tank completely, place the fish in a quarantine tank, and give the main tank a thorough cleaning inside and out. This seems like the easy way, yet an experienced aquarist will do just about everything possible to avoid doing it. Why? Not because they are lazy, but because if they do so they will more or less lose all the colonies of beneficial bacteria that has accumulated in the tank water. Another reason is that for the fish themselves, it is traumatic and cause fairly significant health problems, no matter the short their stay in their temporary accommodation. So the dedicated aquarium operator or owner every now and then, as part of an annual maintenance program, will roll up their sleeves and give the aquarium a thorough cleaning both outside and inside. Cleaning the tank on the outside, as you can imagine, is fairly straightf...

• Published: November 15, 2007, 12:30 pm
• Displayed: 1305 times
• Preview: Aquarium Gravel: Old fashioned, or just overlooked? advertisement Aquarium gravel has been the staple substrate for fish tanks and aquariums for many years, but is it still popular, still needed, or just something that we use because it’s simple? The answer to this is complex. Aquariums have become works of art in the last few years, ranging from simple ornament displays to heavily planted and beautiful aquaria. Because of the change in opinions about fish keeping and the desire to explore new avenues of design and appearance, gravel has been replaced by hi-tech substrates in many aquariums. Products like Flourite, which are enhanced with nutrients to sustain plants have become more common, sand has become a very common substrate in aquaria because of the ease with rooting plants, and substrates like marbles and glass beads have become popular because they look nice! The improvements in filtration have also helped common aquarium gravel to be pushed out, as the newer filtration systems such as HOB (Hang on Back) and Canister filters don’t need a gravel substrate to ...

• Published: March 28, 2009, 5:39 am
• Displayed: 147 times
• Preview: Aquarium heaters advertisement One of the most vital pieces of equipment in an aquarium has to be the heater. This is often neglected and forgotten about when placed in the tank but it plays a vital role in the fish’s welfare. Misplacing a heater in the aquarium can often mean cold spots in the tank or the heater cannot run as efficiently as it should be doing, hopefully this article will help give everyone a good understanding of how a heart should be used. When should a heater be placed in a tank and why are there some tanks without them? Many species of fish are classed as coldwater fish. When keeping a coldwater tank, there is no need to add a heater as the fish prefer to live in cooler temperatures. Sub tropical and tropical fish come from climates that have higher water temperatures, this is the reason that these fish need to be kept at temperatures above room temperature. How does a fish tank heater work? The heaters that are used for aquariums are basically an element enclosed in glass or stainless steel and the temperature is controlled by a thermostat. With ...

• Published: March 26, 2009, 1:11 am
• Displayed: 157 times
• Preview: Aquarium hoods (and lighting) advertisement Many aquariums nowadays are run open topped but there are cases where a tight fitting hood and built in lighting are necessary. Most bought aquariums will come with a hood and lighting but sometimes fish keepers will resort to making their own. This may sound complicated but it isn’t! Even the smallest of tanks come complete with a hood and some form of basic lighting. Hoods are normally made from wood, plastic or metal, deciding which one is used is purely personal preference. Why do I need a hood? Aquarium hoods serve a few purposes. They will reduce the amount of evaporation from the tank water as well as preventing contaminants entering the tank from outside sources. Hoods also act as a base for attaching the lighting equipment to and with built in flaps give access to all areas. If the aquarium is bought as a complete package, the hood will be a perfect fit and will do its job well. If making your own hood, measure carefully to ensure a tight fit. Should I choose wooden or plastic for my hood? As mentioned above, t...

• Published: September 23, 2006, 1:30 pm
• Displayed: 4083 times
• Preview: Choosing an Aquarium Hood That’s Right for You advertisement Unless you purchased your aquarium as a pre-selected complete kit, then you’ll also need to acquire an aquarium hood. Aquarium hoods are not only an attractive topper to finish the look of your aquarium, but they also serve practical purposes as well. They add protection from foreign objects falling in the tank which could kill your fish, and they hold the upper lighting for the aquarium. Aquarium hoods also keep wayward pets such as ferrets and cats from making an afternoon munchie of your aquarium denizens. Dust, smoke, pet dander and other airborne pollutants are also held at bay, helping to keep the tank water cleaner for a longer period of time. Of course, hoods help prevent your fish from leaping out of the tank and onto the floor to their death. We can’t always be there to scoop them up immediately and return them to the tank, therefore an aquarium hood is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. You will find that aquarium hoods come in all standard sizes and that custom sizes can be found at some retailers. Genera...

• Published: September 25, 2008, 7:18 am
• Displayed: 246 times
• Preview: Aquarium ideas advertisement One of the joys of the fish keeping hobby has to be designing an eye catching and pleasing tank set up with all the décor involved. This can take many hours to get the desired effect or it may work straight away with instant success. Pre-planning your aquarium can save a lot of time when you actually get to the physical side of putting items into the tank. The planning should also involve researching which types of fish you intend to keep in your tank, this will then give you a good idea of the size of tank required and the décor that needs to be added. If the fish need hiding places, then artificial caves or pieces of driftwood will provide them, even some of the artificial ornaments will include hidey holes for the fish. It maybe that fish are not going to be the main feature of your tank, in some planted tanks, the scenery provided by the plants is the focal point of the tank, and a few fish are merely added for some movement in the scenery. This applies more in a saltwater reef tank where the reefs constructed of living rock adorned with colorful...

• Published: August 22, 2008, 10:54 pm
• Displayed: 227 times
• Preview: Aquarium kits(about kits which are available on markets) advertisement If you wish to set up and aquarium, an aquarium kit can be a convenient and sometimes cost effective way of getting what you need. The term aquarium kit is used very freely and can refer to anything from a glass tank with a lamp in the hood and a tiny filter in the corner to all-inclusive package deals that include everything from tank and equipment to fish, plants, food and a test kit for water values. In this article, we will take a look at a few things that are important to consider before purchasing an aquarium kit. Size of the tank The size of the aquarium is very important when choosing an aquarium kit. Many beginner aquarists go for small or even tiny aquariums, but the truth is that medium large aquariums are much easier to maintain. In a small aquarium, waste products emitted by the fish will quickly reach harmful levels since there is so little water to dilute them. The small water mass will also be more susceptible to rapid changes in water temperature which can be dangerous for fish. In additi...

• Published: January 9, 2007, 2:24 am
• Displayed: 5096 times
• Preview: Aquarium Light Fixture advertisement I'm writing this article in order to give some guidance regarding aquarium light fixtures and the precise construction of the aquarium light fixtures of my social aquarium. A joiner created the case for my tank to order. The dimensions are 120 cm x 55 cm x 100 cm. The cover's dimensions are 120 cm x 55 cm x 20 cm. I chose 4x39W 850 mm T5 lighting fluorescent tubes as the lighting. All in all, it is 156 W for 220 litres of water. I like to have a planted tank and 0.7 W/l is enough in my experience. In order to boost the intensity of the aquarium lighting I attached mirror foil to it. To use T5 lighting fluorescent tubes you need to plug them into the electronic ballasts. I use two pieces of Helvar electronic ballast "El 2x39s". If you have the aquarium light fixture made of wood or any flammable material, you must embed the asbestos bearing between the ballast and fixture. The ballast has a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius when working. To connect electronic ballast with T5 tubes I used cable CY 1.5mm2. Finally, you have to connect...

• Published: February 29, 2008, 8:06 am
• Displayed: 456 times
• Preview: Aquarium light timer advertisement Of the many reasons to maintain an aquarium in your home, the office or in a public building, the most popular reason is for therapeutic purposes. People who are easily agitated can calm down and watch fish in an aquarium swinging around in their tank for hours on end with no major worries in life. People, who have worries, and some of them serious, can forget them for just a little while as they watch these fish swirl around in their tank. For those people outside the tank looking in it is very important that the aquarium have an efficient lighting system, and for this inside the tank but not necessarily looking out it is no less important, but for different reasons. Proper lighting in an aquarium is very important for all forms of life in the tank, especially in a tropical freshwater (and reef) aquarium. Proper lighting is very important to all these life forms that are in need of proper photosynthesis to balance the equilibrium in the tank. These plants and life forms will fade gradually without access to so many hours of light every day, a...

• Published: September 4, 2006, 3:48 pm
• Displayed: 9620 times
• Preview: Aquarium lightinga guide to lights for freshwater aquariums advertisement Before you decide to buy an aquarium lighting system there are a few facts you should know. Always focus on more aspects than only price, given discount or cheap offers. It's necessary to understand the purpose of a lighting system in a fish tank, and only then one should go ahead and buy. This guide is here to help you and it has been written by experienced fish keepers for everyone who needs advice. Imagine, you are a colourful tropical fish. You swim in warm water, with lot of plants, in which you can hide and of course you know where are you swimming. Do you know how this paradise may exist? It is because of the sun. Sunshine is a perfect light. Thanks to the sun the life exists on the Earth's surface. Thanks to the sun I can write this article now. As you all know, it is because of the photosynthesis. So you see, that the light is very important. And an aquarium needs it too. That is the reason why you have to buy a specialized aquarium lighting. When you are buying an aquarium lighting, you hav...

• Published: March 27, 2009, 7:22 am
• Displayed: 146 times
• Preview: Aquarium lighting fixtures advertisement Aquarium lighting if used correctly can create an outstanding effect and show off everything in your tank. Most aquariums nowadays are supplied with the lighting already fitted but when buying a second hand tank this may not always be the case. A lighting system is not all that complicated and is very easy to fit into the hood of the aquarium. Basically there are three main components to a lighting system. BallastLighting TubesWaterproof connecters Once these three items are matched together and fitted correctly you will have a great display in your aquarium and in the case of planted tanks, the lighting will encourage the plant growth. How do I create an aquarium light? As mentioned above you will need to purchase the three main items to set up your lighting fixture. The first thing that you need to do is measure the length of your tank to ensure that you are getting the correct length of tubes for your lighting. The tubes sold will be slightly smaller than the tank length and will be rated in watts. They are attached to the...

• Published: March 12, 2008, 8:51 pm
• Displayed: 521 times
• Preview: Aquarium Maintenance advertisement Regular aquarium maintenance keeps a tank healthy allowing its inhabitants comfort and longevity. It is a lot easier to prevent trouble rather than having to fix it. Maintaining your aquarium is easy when all of the components in the tank are in proper working order. There are specific guidelines to what works best when maintaining your aquatic environment. The most important thing to check on a daily basis is your fish. Take a good look at them for a few minutes each day and check to see that there are no diseases present such as skin irritations or fin rot. See that they are eating properly because a sick fish might not present any symptoms other than lack of appetite and diminished physique. Also be sure that there are no casualties because dead fish can cause water contamination levels to spike if not removed right away. Catching the problem early and taking swift action will help to keep maintenance down to a minimum. Be sure that your aquarium equipment is also running properly. Check daily to see that filters are filtering, air pump...

• Published: February 26, 2008, 4:07 pm
• Displayed: 568 times
• Preview: Aquarium medications advertisement For aquarists who have invested a considerable amount of money and time in establishing an aquarium, there is nothing more daunting than seeing their fish become ill and possibly dying. Anyone who has maintains an aquarium either for work of for pleasure should take the trouble to learn what is involved in maintaining their fish’s general health, how to recognize the common diseases that can affect the fish, and more importantly, have on hand the relevant aquarium medications to apply to the water to nurse their cares back to perfect health. The first thing to understand is that healthy water means healthy fish. One of the major causes of fish becoming ill is if they are kept in overcrowded conditions where they can develop a condition known as fish stress. This problem can also develop as a result of water in the tank being less than ideal for the health of the fish. Not necessarily fatal, fish stress will cause a gradual deterioration in the health of the fish, and cause them to be more vulnerable to diseases. Therefore aquarists must be awar...

• Published: March 10, 2008, 4:22 pm
• Displayed: 642 times
• Preview: Aquarium Ornaments advertisement Interesting under water scenes are created by using the right combination of aquarium ornaments. By choosing the right décor an aquarist can create the perfect environment to raise happy and healthy fish. Sure, aquarium ornaments are wonderful to look at, but they also serve a bigger purpose. There are many pieces that also function as important survival tools for aquatic pets. When choosing ornaments for an aquarium you’ll have to assess the needs of your fish, pick features that accommodate those needs and use them to create and eye-pleasing scene. There are so many different aspects of decoration to think about when building an underwater scene. Keep in mind you are creating a whole world for your fish to live in. It is a three-dimensional space where your pets will eat, breath, sleep and hide, so where do you start? The best place to begin is at the bottom. The first thing to decide is what to put at the bottom of the aquarium. There are so many substances to choose from. Gravel is most commonly used to decorate the bottom of tropical t...

• Published: July 7, 2006, 2:56 am
• Displayed: 10420 times
• Preview: Aquarium plants advertisement Plants are a very important part of freshwater aquariums. It is worth choosing plants carefully and taking good care of them. Water plants are not only nice in aquarium, but they are good for fish too. They give shadow to fish, which like it if they are shy. Some fish use plants as a spawning nest. For plant eating fish they also serve as food. Of course in some tanks, for example with big plant eating cichlids, plants are already doomed and it will be better to choose plastic plants. Water gardening is almost the same as normal gardening. Plants require good conditions and care. They make their food themselves in strange green cells by absorbing carbon dioxide and excrete oxygen in a process called photosynthesis. For this process light is needed. Plant nutrition: As the terrestrial plants, so water plants need nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. They usually take it from the water, but some of them take it from the roots. For some plants trace elements are more important than for others. But give it to the all plants. The ...

• Published: June 4, 2008, 10:13 pm
• Displayed: 287 times
• Preview: AQUARIUM POWER FILTERS advertisement One of the most important pieces of aquarium equipment, if not “the” most important, has to be a reliable filtration system to keep the water quality at its highest. In the early days of fish keeping the choices of filters to use were basically one design, the under gravel filter (commonly referred to as a UGF). This was basically a plastic plate with holes in that sat under the substrate in the tank. It worked by air being driven into it by means of piping which created a water flow through the gravel, cleansing the water as it travelled. Those days have long gone; there is now a wide variety of powered filters on the market that gives us much more scope to choose which system we wish to use. There are basically 2 types of powered filter, an internal version, or an external one. So how do we know which one to use? A lot of the decision involves the tank size that we have, but in some set ups it can also be influenced by stocking load or even if we want to create extra current for various biotopes. The general rule is that...

• Published: August 22, 2008, 11:01 pm
• Displayed: 236 times
• Preview: Aquarium problems(problems from weight, overcrowding, ... to moving) advertisement Aquarium weight An aquarium filled with water and substrate is really heavy and this must be taken into account when you plan your aquarium. Even small aquariums can be surprisingly heavy and must be supported by a strong enough structure. The exact weight of your filled aquarium will depend on several factors, including aquarium type and substrate. Generally speaking, an empty glass aquarium will weight twice as much as an empty acrylic aquarium. (Even a small 20 gallon glass tank can weigh over 25 lbs.) An acrylic aquarium will, despite its lower weight, call for a more supportive stand since it is more flexible and needs to be supported along the full bottom surface. A glass aquarium is heavier but only requires support along the outside edges. As you begin to fill up your aquarium with water, you will add an extra 8 lbs for each gallon of water. As mentioned above, the weight of the substrate must also be taken into account. A deep sand bed will for instance weigh more than a thin lay...

• Published: March 26, 2008, 2:06 pm
• Displayed: 399 times
• Preview: Aquarium refugiumsby Mick advertisement As the name suggest a refugium is basically a refuge for macro algae, copepods, amphipods, shrimps & fish species that require quiet surroundings away from predation, bullying etc. They are normally connected to the main display tank or in close vicinity as they need to benefit from the high water quality that is maintained in a reef tank. And this can only be achieved by the water being pumped directly into them which is then allowed to drain back at a steady, constant pace. Some fish keepers keep refugiums purposely to breed their shrimps & copepods. They also provide ideal conditions for seahorses, mandarins, pipefish & all fish that require calmer water flow. SETTING UP A REFUGIUM: Any small tank can be used to create a refugium; in fact on the market nowadays it is possible to purchase a hang on variety which is just as suitable.I have used a 10 gallon tank for this purpose in the past. Now we need to supply a water supply to fill the tank. This is done by means of a small water pump or even bette...

• Published: April 18, 2008, 9:03 pm
• Displayed: 374 times
• Preview: AQUARIUM REVERSE OSMOSIS advertisement In the aquarium hobby there are many instances where reverse osmosis water is used but to most people it can be quite baffling, if they have never actually had to invest in a unit. Hopefully this article will explain its uses and also exactly what it is. It is mainly used for water softening which is ideal for discus, angelfish and in fact nearly all of the South American species, also it is now used with almost every marine or reef tank. An RO unit (reverse osmosis unit) is used as a water purifier and in fact it will reduce the pH of the water as it pulls out 99% of all total dissolves solids, leaving the closest thing to pure water that you can get. This is particularly important where water quality has to be at its highest for the more delicate species of fish and where internal or external filter cannot clean the water to reach desired levels. The water is so pure that it has to be re-mineralized before use, as it can become unstable due to the KH potentially dropping, which in turn can cause a pH crash. So how does the...

• Published: June 3, 2008, 9:03 am
• Displayed: 478 times
• Preview: Aquarium Rocks advertisement Rocks can be used as decorative elements in an aquarium while providing hide-outs and homes for the fish that reside there. Aquarium rocks provide caves and territories, a surface to lay eggs on, and a place for algae eaters to graze upon. Rocks come in all different shapes and sizes and are made out of all sorts of different materials. Pay special attention to the type of rocks you use in your aquarium because not all rocks are safe for fish. Rocks that are good for the aquarium do not crumble, erode, or leach harmful chemicals into the water. Slate, granite, and quartz are all examples of good rocks that can be used in the aquarium without harming the inhabitants. Avoid using rocks such as lava rock and marble. Lava rock is known to have plenty of sharp, jagged edges that can scratch a fish if it swims to close to it, or the mouth of a sucker fish attempting to graze upon it. Marble will alter the chemistry of the water causing the water to become too hard for most fish to survive in. Testing water regularly is one way to be sure that the rocks you...

• Published: August 22, 2008, 11:07 pm
• Displayed: 288 times
• Preview: Aquarium sand advertisement Advantages Many fishes hail from sandy environments in the wild and will love a sandy substrate in the aquarium. For some species, sand is more or less mandatory, e.g. for bottom feeding fish with delicate barbells adapted for fine sand rather than coarse gravel. There are also many species of fish and invertebrates that likes to hide in sand and some will even dig out burrows. Examples of popular fish that will appreciate a sandy substrate are Tanganyikan featherfins, shelldwellers and sandsifters.Some species will only breed in sandy aquariums.Some species need sand to aid digestion.Sand is an ideal choice for many species of aquatic plants.Since grains of sand are smaller than gravel, there will be more surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize. Sandy bottoms occur in the ocean as well as in brackish environments and in freshwater lakes, rivers, streams and ponds and sand is therefore used in all sorts of aquariums. Risks Fine sand is more tightly packed than coarse gravel and it is therefore easier for “dead” pockets without an...

• Published: August 22, 2008, 11:11 pm
• Displayed: 253 times
• Preview: Aquarium silicone(the purpose and usage) advertisement Aquarium silicone is used to glue the glass together in a glass aquarium and seal the joints. Learning how to use silicone is not only necessary for those interested in building an aquarium for scratch; it is also very helpful for anyone with an older aquarium in need of some repair. It is very important to only use aquarium safe silicone, because other types of silicone can include harmful compounds that may leech into the water and harm the inhabitants of your fish tank. Silicone sold for bathroom use can for instance contain arsenic to prevent fungi growth in damp rooms. When using aquarium silicone, it is important to work on a very level surface. It is also important to keep the room well ventilated, because the fumes aren’t exactly healthy to inhale. Different aquarists use slightly different methods when applying silicone and you may have to practise and experiment a bit before you find which method that suits you best. A commonly used technique is to run a continuous 0.25 inch bead over the glass and ne...

• Published: April 24, 2008, 8:50 am
• Displayed: 728 times
• Preview: Aquarium Snails advertisement Aquarium snails are animals that are amphibious which means they can live both on land and in water. They are mollusks, meaning they are animals that have neither a skeleton nor an exoskeleton, so they have adapted another form of protection for their soft bodies. This protection comes from a single, spiral shaped shell into which they can draw themselves inward at any sign of danger. The fact that they have just one single shell classifies them as gastropods. The snail’s shell which is made of calcium carbonate grows as the snail grows. Just as humans need calcium for strong teeth and bones, snails need calcium for a strong outer shell. The operculum is the outer “trap-door” like structure that is used to close up and seal the snail’s shell to prevent harm or dehydration. A snail uses its muscular foot for mobility and movement. This foot is lubricated with mucous to reduce friction and protect the snail from being injured on sharp surfaces. Some snails are gilled and breath oxygen diffused from the water, while other snails have lungs to breathe oxygen...

• Published: June 6, 2008, 9:02 am
• Displayed: 355 times
• Preview: AQUARIUM SPONGE FILTERS advertisement With the choice of powered filters available to purchase nowadays, many fish keepers seem to neglect a cheap and efficient way to filter the water in their tanks. An excellent alternative to paying a fortune on equipment is to set up your tanks with sponge filters. If used correctly they provide good mechanical and biological filtration, as well as returning oxygen back into the water. If you think about it, the sponges in powered filters are doing the same job as a simple sponge filter, but price wise are a lot more expensive. Sponge filters are ideal for breeding tanks, the fry will not get sucked up the inlet pipes and with some of the more modern sponges that are now available, they can even be used in the large display tanks. Quarantine tanks benefit from these as well; if the filter is allowed to run in another set up it can simply be transferred to the “Q” tank as and when required. Because these are so simple to set up, they are ideal for beginners and experienced fish keepers alike. Unfortunately sponge filters will not remove any m...

• Published: April 2, 2010, 2:42 am
• Displayed: 19 times
• Preview: Aquarium Starter Cultures advertisement Fish keeping has been a large hobby for many years but in the early days it was not fully understood, fish were placed in aquariums because they looked nice and unusually marked fish were sought after, but their needs and acceptable water parameters were never considered. Inevitably this led to many early mortalities in the fish and a lot of potential keepers simply gave up the hobby due their inexperience and inability to keep fish for long periods of time. Thankfully nowadays there is a lot more information freely available and fish keeping has taken leaps and bounds into becoming one of the most popular hobbies around. It is now fully understood that any aquarium that is set up needs to be fully cycled to maintain the life inside the tank and provide a perfect balance of the miniature eco-system that you have created. Basically the term “cycling” is creating a nitrogen cycle inside the aquarium where any toxic waste can be converted by beneficial bacteria to less toxic substances that can be removed by performing regular water chan...

• Published: September 8, 2006, 2:11 am
• Displayed: 12804 times
• Preview: Aquarium Substrate advertisement When you think of aquariums, the first things that probably pop into your mind are beautiful fish, green submersed plants, and the little plastic diver guy that finds himself stranded in many fish tanks. Then of course there are the bubbles which permeate the water with their gentle flow upward through the seascape. Little or no attention is given to the bottom substrate whether it is sand, gravel, soil or clay but it is a vital part of the miniature underwater system especially for planted tanks the heater and filters are always checked, some keepers will even add a substrate full of fertilizer for planted tanks. Unbeknown to most people, the layer of gravel and materials (aka substrate) which lies quietly at the bottom of the aquarium plays a vital role in the tank set up and maintaining a healthy environment for the fish and for plants which live there. Getting the correct depth will also ensure that the substrate works as efficiently as possible, bit how do we know how much we need. There is a simple calculator for this purpose. Substra...

• Published: September 8, 2006, 1:52 am
• Displayed: 3479 times
• Preview: Selecting the Correct Aquarium Supplies advertisement There are many different types of aquariums, but the one thing they all have in common is that they all require aquarium supplies. Which supplies your aquarium will need will be determined by the particular type of fish and plants you have. It is a good idea to research this information before you begin to set up your aquarium, so that you will be well prepared with all needed supplies readily available. One thing that you will need pretty much regardless of the type of aquarium you have is a high quality air pump. Making sure that you have a well aerated aquarium will help you to maintain the proper ph level so that your fish have the oxygen they need in order to survive. You can also purchase air pumps that are powered by battery, so that you will have a backup if for any reason your power should fail. There are many different pumps on the market, including some which are able to maintain other equipment, such as protein skimmers, or ozonizers. Which particular unit you purchase will depend on what you intend its main purp...

• Published: September 8, 2006, 2:15 am
• Displayed: 7655 times
• Preview: Aquarium Thermometers Are An Essential Item advertisement When it comes to keeping your saltwater aquarium maintained and a safe environment for all that lives within, no piece of equipment could be more essential than the aquarium thermometer. These devices vary in the materials from which they are made, and they span a price range from cheap to expensive. The type or brand of thermometer you purchase is not as important as the fact that you do purchase one for your saltwater aquarium. The fish and other creatures which dwell in saltwater aquariums can be very sensitive when it comes to the temperature of the water around them. Temperature changes that are too dramatic will result in death to many of your expensive tropical fish and little creatures which scuttle back and forth across the bottom of the tank floor. Having your investments die, (and let’s face it, tropical fish aren’t cheap) from temperature changes is completely avoidable by simply purchasing and installing an aquarium thermometer. Since these devices come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges, there most c...

• Published: April 3, 2008, 6:16 pm
• Displayed: 420 times
• Preview: AQUARIUM VOLUMES advertisement One of the most important things we need to know about our aquariums is the size of it, plus we need to know the volume of water that it contains. Why do we need to know these things, I have done this myself in the past, found a perfect enclosed corner for a new tank, found what I have been looking for, checked the measurements given in metric – worked out in my head a conversion to imperial, given myself the wrong answer & you’ve guessed it the tank didn’t fit. On the internet there are now several sites that will do instant conversions (cm-inches, feet – metres & vice versa) that take all of the guess work out of this. There is a link provided below to a calculator that can be used just key in the measurements & hey presto instant results. aqua-fish.net/index.php?cur_lang=2&count=no&secured=&section=51 A few of us from the old school were educated in imperial measurements and as most aquariums are advertised using metric, calculators like these are of great benefit. Here a...

• Published: April 4, 2008, 9:17 am
• Displayed: 629 times
• Preview: Aquarium Water Hardness advertisement One of the hardest subjects that most aquarists have trouble with is understanding water chemistry and what we are actually testing for in our water parameters. We all know why it is important to check ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates in our tank, but what is pH, KH, and GH. Hopefully from this article things will become clearer. Let’s start with General Hardness (GH) sometimes referred to as Total Hardness. Depending on which type of land areas the water has passed through, varying levels of hardness are reached before it reaches its final destination i.e. if it passes over rocky areas it will have a higher mineral content, if it passes over marshy, forest areas it will normally create a soft water river or lake. Fish like the neon tetras, and cardinal tetras are good examples of soft, acidic water lovers. When we turn on our taps the mains water will contain many minerals that it has absorbed on its way to us, mostly magnesium & calcium, with small traces of other metals such as iron and zinc. The concentration of t...

• Published: March 7, 2008, 9:23 am
• Displayed: 611 times
• Preview: Aquarium Wood advertisement Wood pieces act as creative and decorative sculptures in many aquariums but they serve as more than just ornaments in these underwater structures. They help to anchor various plants and lower pH levels in the water. Aquarium wood also functions as a mimic to the natural environment where fish originally come from. It provides a place for fish to hide, breed and spawn. What to look for: When looking for a new piece of wood you’ll want to know what you are looking for. You want a very hard, dense wood. Soft wood decays too quickly and is not very practical for keeping a clean tank.Look for unique shapes that you can set up alone or together with other pieces and plants. If you have several pieces you can lean them against each other to create more crevices and places to hide. The right layout can maximize your aquarium’s visual appeal. I like to place one or two larger pieces in my tank and create the rest of the décor around it.While looking for your wooden structure keep in mind the size of your fish and the size of your tank. You won’t want ...

• Published: March 16, 2008, 11:06 pm
• Displayed: 867 times
• Preview: Aquariums and Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites advertisement The nitrogen cycle is the process in which ammonia is converted to nitrite which is then converted to nitrate. This progression is made possible with the presence of ammonia and nitrite converting bacteria with the end result being a chemical compound known as nitrate. Cycling: When setting up a new aquarium it is important to first complete a thorough cycling so that the beneficial bacteria needed for ammonia and nitrite conversion can be established. In a mature aquarium it is important not to over clean the bacterial environment to maintain a healthy level of nitrogen cycling. Once nitrifying bacteria is present it can begin to metabolize the harmful ammonia produced by decaying plants, uneaten food and decomposing fish waste. Process: As previously stated ammonia is produced by decaying plants, uneaten food and decomposing fish waste. One group of bacteria’s purpose is to convert the ammonia by binding it with water and the resulting chemical is nitrite. This is when another group of bacteria does its job. T...

• Published: June 4, 2008, 10:51 pm
• Displayed: 356 times
• Preview: Aquariums And CO2 Systems advertisement Overview: In planted freshwater aquariums, one must use multiple techniques to promote healthy and thriving plant growth. This includes proper substrate, adding CO2, lighting, and fertilizers. I will now explain the use of CO2 systems and how they work and benefit your aquarium. First off, for those of you who do not understand the basics, plants need energy, as do we as humans. They get this from water, sunlight, nutrients in the ground (or water in the case of aquariums), and CO2. In aquariums, adding CO2 to the water helps promote healthy growth of the plants, and differences can easily be seen. Plant in general will grow larger, and taller with the added CO2. And yes it is true that fish take in Oxygen and give of CO2 as a waste, but this is not enough for you tank. Adding a CO2 system to your set up will be beneficial. A planted tank will show significant differences when a CO2 system is added. Yeast CO2 reactor system: This is a very common inexpensive CO2 system. Basically, yeast, a type of fungus used in baking, consumes...

• Published: January 22, 2006, 4:21 pm
• Displayed: 2105 times
• Preview: Aquariums in my life advertisement Hello, my name is Susan and I thought, that I could post here an article about aquariums. I'm my life. When I was child, about 10 years old, I had my first aquarium. It was a ball aquarium. Even me or my parents or anybody whom I knew, had known nothing about aquarium. It was a disaster! There were no aquatic plants, no filter, nothing. Just gravel from outside. We were changing whole water every week. I don´t remember how many fishes died... But I felt very sorry about all of them. But now, 10 years after, I met a man, who have 2 aquariums. He knows a lot of about aquariums and care about them and I´m amazed by life in these small pieces of nature inside rooms. Now I know a lot about aquariums, biotopes, aquatic fishes and plants. Aquarium is an amazing thing. Maybe because we live on the dry land and those aquariums are a piece of the water life. It is better than watching TV! I feel always relaxed, when I`m watching on a good arranged aquarium. Those fishes are just swimming around quietly and mostly slowly. They don´t care, if somebod...

• Published: March 23, 2010, 8:19 pm
• Displayed: 23 times
• Preview: Arowana fish advertisement Arowana fish are regarded my many fish keepers as the ultimate fish to add to their aquarium. They display beautiful markings, become very tame in the tank and can become a very close pet for many people. Often these fish are kept in unsuitable conditions due to the lack of knowledge available so hopefully this article will enlighten anyone who wishes to keep these fish and ensure that the fish leads a long and happy life. The Asian Arowana originates from South East Asia where it inhabits slow moving waters ,they have collected several common names including Asian bony-tongue, Chinese dragon and Asian dragon fish. They belong to the family Osteoglossidae, and have been placed in the genus Scleropages. It is believed that all of the strains, this has yet to be fully proven, have derived from Scleropages formosus. They play a large part in Chinese culture as they are supposed to closely resemble the Chinese dragon that plays such a large part in their myths and folklores. Australian Arowana are believed to be the forefathers of all Arowana specie...

• Published: September 21, 2006, 2:29 am
• Displayed: 6637 times
• Preview: The Convenience of Automatic Aquarium Fish Feeders Note: Aqua-Fish.Net isn`t advertising any product within the article below. advertisement Automatic fish feeders help make your life as an aquarium owner much easier. It is often hard to remember whether or not you fed the fish, or if someone else in your house did already, and the automatic fish feeder eliminates missed feedings or over feeding altogether. Too much food in the water can easily clog up important filters, and cause you to have to spend more time cleaning your aquarium tank than enjoying it. There are many different brands and designs on automatic fish feeders on the market, you just have to decide which one is within your means and will best suit your needs. One of the most popular automatic fish feeders is the Eheim 3581 “Feed-Air” Digital Automatic Feeder. This model is capable of using either granule or pellet fish food types. You can set it to feed your fish up to four times per day. This model comes with its own ventilation system which keeps the food dry, preventing spoilage issues. You can choose what po...

• Published: August 3, 2007, 10:16 pm
• Displayed: 3107 times
• Preview: How to make a baby brine shrimp hatchery cheaplyBy Tim Gautrey advertisement If you came here looking to purchase brine shrimp, visit Artemia USA! To make a hatchery this way is very easy. All you need is an empty 2 litre cola bottle, a polystyrene tile, a piece of air piping that you can connect to a pump via a control valve and a sharp knife. You might need a vacuum to clean up the polystyrene afterwards, but that`s DIY!) Cut the bottle just above the label, so that the bell and screw cap are left. See the image below. Take the polystyrene tile and cut a square just a little bigger than the bottle diameter. Place the cut neck of the bottle onto the centre of the square and press down so that it leaves an indentation in the tile. Using the knife cut out the round shape, leaving you something like the image below. Float the tile in your tank, Fill the bottle with water from the tank to half an inch from the top, Drop it into the centre hole in the tile, Add the air pipe making sure that it goes right to the bottom of the cone and ...

• Published: November 4, 2009, 4:00 am
• Displayed: 62 times
• Preview: Bala Shark an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement 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 inc...

• Published: August 19, 2010, 8:29 pm
• Displayed: 3 times
• Preview: Bala Shark Care advertisement Bala Sharks are a very popular fish in this hobby and sadly they are often one of the most abused being kept in aquariums to small for them and with the incorrect tank mates. Hopefully this article will provide you with enough information to keep these beautiful fish happy and allow them to lead a full and stress free life. The Bala Shark belongs to the Cyprinid family and is found naturally in South East Asia, it has the Latin name of Balantiocheilus melanopterus hence its common name Bala Shark. It is also commonly found under the name of Silver Shark, Tri-colour Shark and Shark Minnow. They are an extremely peaceful species of fish; they can be very timid and skittish so this should be taken into account when adding them to a tank with a lot of human traffic passing at the front of it. There are debates going on as to whether this fish is suitable for the home aquarium at all due to its large adult size and this will no doubt be carried on for many years to come. The problems arise as the Bala Shark is always sold in the aquatic stores as a ...

• Published: November 3, 2006, 6:34 am
• Displayed: 7038 times
• Preview: Barbus Tetrazona - The Tiger barb advertisement Barbus tetrazona is one of the most common barbus fish in aquariums. It comes from Sumatra and Borneo, that`s why you can find it also under the name of “Sumatra Barb”. Another common name of this fish is a “Tiger barb” due it`s colour pattern, golden body with four vertical stripes, the first on the eye and the last at the begin of tail. There are few differences between males and females, usually you are able to recognise them when they`re adults, and their size is near 2 inches. Male is slimmer than the female and has red fins, edges and mouth. Females are bigger and don`t have any red part. Like other barbus, tiger barb lives in shoals. The best number of fish in shoals is five or six. More fish could end up creating two shoals fighting towards each other; while a smaller number is dangerous because they could be aggressive towards weaker fish and not create a shoal. After captive breeding you can find various colour mutations. - Green tiger barb has only a vertical black stripe on the eye, while the rest of t...

• Published: June 17, 2008, 11:05 am
• Displayed: 380 times
• Preview: Before You Buy a Goldfish advertisement Goldfish have been bred for over a thousand years for the sake of observation enjoyment. The art of breeding the finest specimens of goldfish first started in Asia and was later picked up in Europe. Breeders aimed to produce the highest quality of colors and shapes ever found on a goldfish. Because this type of fish has been bred so rigorously for all those years, you will never find one for sale that has not been born in captive breeding. An amateur aquarist could decide that he or she would like to raise goldfish in a pond or aquarium but there are a lot of factors to consider before getting started in this hobby. The beginner aquarist should first learn about the different types of goldfish to find out which varieties are hardy and easy to care for. A little bit of research as to what different varieties of goldfish to purchase and their specific needs is necessary for a successful pond or aquarium. Without the proper knowledge of water chemistry and conditions the inexperienced hobbyist might stumble upon some pretty devastating mishaps wit...

• Published: March 15, 2006, 9:39 am
• Displayed: 57754 times
• Preview: Betta fish advertisement Betta fish – Betta splendens is a very beautiful aquarium fish. Of course, it needs care if you want to keep this species successfully. This fish needs a lot of space even it`s not the largest fish you can buy. There are 4 betta fish in my tanks (42 l and 81 l). Naturally, only 1 male per 1 tank. Aquariums are 30 cm tall with the water depth being about 27cm from the surface of the gravel. Good care of betta fish means good feeding, adequate water temperature, water hardness and so on. Usually, I feed my fish with Sera food, and sometimes with frozen food (cows heart). The temperature in my tanks varies between 23-29 °C (winter-summer) and all betta like it. They haven`t been sick and they have bred successfully. The water in my tanks is little bit hard and alkaline. This is caused by rocks and sea shells (yes, sea shells in freshwater tank). Shells are there to keep good and stable quality of water. Of course, you will probably hide all shells, because it looks crazy in a freshwater aquarium. Anyway, all betta fish like these water conditions. ...

• Published: September 5, 2007, 10:05 am
• Displayed: 1940 times
• Preview: Betta fish bowls; To buy or not to buy? advertisement Some stores sell sphere aquariums, or aquariums which look like big glasses. Of course, such fact isn`t bad in it`s basis. What might become bad is that some people use such fish tanks for keeping Siamese Fighting Fish (Bettas) males incorrectly. Bettas are one of the most beautiful freshwater fish around the world and that`s why aquarists (including all ages, sexes, amateurs or professionals) house them. Generally, people want to have an extraordinary aquarium with this extraordinary fish. Bear in mind that a “Betta fish bowl” is usually a small aquarium, with no extra space for filtration device, plants and light. Is it OK? Isn`t it an animal abuse? In my opinion this kind of fish tanks should be used only as an aquarium with plants only. Imagine yourself in a such small room for all your life, would you accept it? But why do people like such aquariums? First, such product is very small and it can be moved at no time. People can have it on the table and maybe they feel that the fish is part of their life much more than...

• Published: October 8, 2006, 8:37 am
• Displayed: 9278 times
• Preview: Betta splendens diseases advertisement Betta splendens is a strong fish, and if kept in good condition, it won`t get sick. No matter what the disease is, when you notice a behaviour change, or some symptoms, remove the betta from other fish to avoid contagions. Remember also to have an “aid kit” always ready: 1) A small tank for quarantine 2) A water heater 3) A small filter or water oxygenator 4) A dedicated net 5) Products like malachite green and methylene blue. There are a lot of diseases that can develop in aquarium, betta splendens usually are subjected to these: 1. Injuries 2. Swim Bladder diseases 3. White spot diseases 4. Ammonia poisoning 5. Fins and tail rot Injuries Even if relations in aquarium looks good, sometimes injuries may happen. Often it`s impossible to understand how a fish has been injured; for bettas most of times it`s because of a male attack towards a female or vice versa, or an attack from a stronger fish disturbed by the betta male. Bettas` fins and tails are the most attacked by other fish, usually this ...

• Published: April 20, 2010, 7:14 pm
• Displayed: 14 times
• Preview: Biological Cycle in the Aquarium advertisement The biological cycle in the aquarium is often very confusing for novice fish keepers when they are setting up their first aquarium. This stage of the set up process is crucial and fish will not survive long term if the “cycling” of the tank is not carried out. What is the biological cycle? Although this cycle can be found under many different names they are all referring to the same process. It is often called the nitrogen cycle, new tank syndrome, cycling or nitrification process. Basically the biological cycle is adding beneficial bacteria to your aquarium via the filters, décor, substrate and even the tank glass so that ammonia and nitrites are converted to nitrates which can then be removed by water changes. It is very important that no ammonia or nitrites are present in the water as these are harmful to the fish and will eventually kill them if the fish are faced with them over a period of time. The cycle starts with ammonia being present in the water, this is produced by fish or rotting vegetation and the presence ...

• Published: February 5, 2008, 9:37 pm
• Displayed: 853 times
• Preview: BiOrb accessoriesby Albert advertisement The BiOrb goldfish bowl has become the center piece of many aquarium lovers’ homes over the last few years. Combining the performance ability of a high tech aquarium, with the looks of a traditional fish bowl, the BiOrb provides all the design features to make life a pleasant experience both for the fish as well as the aquarium owner. Available in a variety of sizes as well as colors, BiOrb aquariums can contain either goldfish in small quantities or tropical fish. For example the more popular 30 liter volume BiOrb aquarium can contain 3 small fantail or 12 tropical fish that are small in size. Its bigger brother, the BiOrb 60 volume aquarium is designed for the more avid aquarium enthusiast, will contain twice that amount of fish within the same permutation. No matter the size or the volume of the BiOrb fish bowl that you choose, you will be entering into a whole new world of aquarium design and performance. Each BiOrb aquarium comes complete with its own filtration system, designed to make life as easy for its owner as it does for its...

• Published: October 21, 2009, 12:14 am
• Displayed: 57 times
• Preview: biOrb Filtration advertisement Reef One and their range of biOrb aquariums have always been recognised as the leaders in style. The original biOrb with its classic globe shape has now become one of the most recognisable aquariums ever created. With the arrival of the biOrb LIFE Collection Reef One now have further show they can create stylish aquariums that offer something different, with its modern variation on the traditional rectangular aquarium. The familiar biOrb filtration with its central bubble tube is still a familiar sight in the new biOrb LIFE Collection. The filtration system which Reef One have employed in their fish tanks is rather unique, this has often caused considerable misunderstandings about how the filtration actually works. It’s time to investigate the biOrb filtration and give you the full picture on how it works and dispel some of the long standing myths. As a quick overview on the biOrb system, it works by water flowing over the highly porous ceramic media that form the biological filter. This biological filter, which is never removed from th...

• Published: May 22, 2010, 7:40 pm
• Displayed: 12 times
• Preview: Black Brush Algae advertisement There are many forms of algae that seem to delight in invading our aquariums and giving us headaches as we try to clear them, while a tank is cycling it is quite common for diatomic algae, green algae and suchlike to make a stand against us while the water parameters are settling down , but one form of algae always seems to strike us when the tank has matured and can be very difficult to eradicate. This algae is the Black Brush Algae, sometimes referred to us as Black Beard Algae due to the long filamentous structure and it seems to appear from nowhere but unlike the other forms of algae it does not disappear as quickly as it came. Black brush Algae can quickly take over an aquarium , covering the décor and the tank glass, some keepers seem to like it but there are a larger number that would rather never see it again. This form of algae belongs to the family of Rhytophyta and can be found in many colour forms, there are reds, black and browns but the strange thing is most of this family of algae only inhabit brackish or saltwater, there a...

• Published: April 26, 2008, 10:49 am
• Displayed: 623 times
• Preview: Black Molly advertisement The black molly, also known as the midnight molly, is a hybrid species between Poecilia latipina and Poecilia sphenops. This live bearer is named for its very dark, all over black coloration. At times this fish can be found with a yellow streak on the dorsal fin or minor silvering on the flanks, but for the most part this fish lives up to its common name: black molly. The black pigmentation of this fish is a result of a melanistic condition. Melanism, the opposite of albinism; it is a condition in which the full potential of melanin or skin pigment is represented. The result is a really dark black pigment which is the opposite condition of albinism; the lack of color pigmentation. This strain of molly is not one that occurs naturally in the wild. The black molly is bred to display certain desirable traits in the aquarium industry. The lyretail black balloon molly is one hybrid commonly sold for its fine display of unique finnage and its cute, puffy physique. But not all black mollies are born with fancy fins or the balloon shaped bodies, and many times ...

• Published: November 14, 2009, 10:45 pm
• Displayed: 52 times
• Preview: Black Skirt Tetra an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The black skirt tetra’s scientific name is Gymnocorymbus ternetzi. All tetras belong to the family Characidae more commonly know as Characid. Black skirts are also commonly referred to as black tetras or black widow tetras. The black skirt can be recognized by its characteristic black “skirt”. There is also an albino version or white skirt tetra that is commonly available commercially. These are variations that occur naturally in the wild. White Skirt tetras are often dipped in pastel colors and marketed as fruit tetras. This dying process is counterproductive to the fish’s health. They are much more prone toward illness and have a greatly reduced life span. White skirt tetras have also been made to change color by being fed dyed foods. These tetras are generally healthy and will revert to their natural pigmentation once they start ingesting unaltered food. The black skirt tetra will reach its adult size of about 2.5 inches when it reaches about one year of age. Black skirts display their strongest...

• Published: July 31, 2007, 6:37 pm
• Displayed: 2921 times
• Preview: Gymnocorymbus Ternetzi – Black Skirt Tetra Also called White Skirt Tetra, Black Widow, Black Tetra, Black Widow Tetra advertisement Origin and Tank Suggestions This species comes from the waters of Paraguay, South Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. The aquarium where you keep Tetra should be about 50 cm high and well planted, so they will have place for hiding, but with free swimming areas as well. The water should have a temperature from 20 to 26°C and the hardness level should be between 5 and 19 dH. pH should be about 7, but the water can vary a bit acid or alkaline. Maybe I should mention that the tank should be as large as it can be, but Black Skirt Tetras prefer a deep aquarium much more than shallow and longer fish bowls. At least in my experience. The fish like to swim vertically more than horizontally. But I won't claim that you have to put these fish into an aquarium which is one meter tall and 20 cm wide. I just saying that the tank should have high water level. Behaviour In general, it is not difficult to keep the Black Skirt Tetra. It is a shoal fish so you shou...

• Published: November 3, 2009, 4:32 am
• Displayed: 54 times
• Preview: Bleeding Heart Tetra an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums 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 o...

• Published: November 23, 2008, 9:26 pm
• Displayed: 238 times
• Preview: Blue Dolphin Cichlid advertisement Scientific and Common Names Blue Dolphin Cichlid is a common name for this species that is known by either of two scientific names: Cyrtocara moorii and Haplochromis moorii. This fish earned its common name because it is blue and the shape of its head closely resembles the shape of a dolphin’s head. Other common names include Malawi Blue Dolphin, Dolphin Cichlid, Blue Moorii, and Hap Moorii. This relatively peaceful cichlid is gorgeous to look at due to its bright, shiny blue coloring. Physical Description The Blue Dolphin Cichlid has a nuchal hump protruding from its forehead and it has bulging lips that extend from its face like a bill. Both of these physical characteristics combined resemble a dolphin. The nuchal hump on its head starts to develop as the fish matures and gets progressively larger as time goes on. This hump develops in both male and female specimens. They are metallic-blue in color and may or may not have a scattering of black splotches all over their bodies. This eye-catching species can grow to be a maximum of 10 inch...

• Published: June 5, 2008, 8:59 am
• Displayed: 377 times
• Preview: Blue Ram advertisement The Mikrogeophagus ramirezi is a popular fish known by their common names: blue ram, dwarf cichlid, or German ram. This freshwater species is part of the cichlidae family and is considered to be one of the more peaceful cichlid species. Blue rams are originally found in South America in the Orinoco basin around Venezuela and Columbia, though they are now raised and bred in different parts of the world. They are named “blue ram” for their brilliant blue coloration located on each side flank. The wild caught specimens tend to exhibit more dramatic colors than the aquarium bred varieties. Aquarium and feeding M. ramirezi is a warm water species requiring temperatures between 78-85°F. They prefer a neutral to acidic pH of 5.0-7.0, and a low mineral content which means softer water. Typically, they live in habitats with plenty of woody hiding places so the wood found in their habitat leaks tannins which soften the water. It is a good idea to add pieces of aquarium wood to a tank featuring this particular type of fish. Blue rams require at least 20 gallons o...

• Published: May 14, 2006, 9:46 am
• Displayed: 7699 times
• Preview: Blue-green algae advertisement Blue-green algae are bacteria which grow in warm, shallow, slow moving or still freshwater. There are known as cyanobacteria too, but they are more commonly known as pond scum. They need light for life. That is why they are photosynthetic bacteria. The first known species were blue-green. Now we know of algae from olive-green to red in color. When the conditions are good (hot, calm weather), algae populations can increase dramatically. This can create large blooms which are big numbers of blue-green algae. These blooms can cover the whole surface. Blue-green algae mostly do not live long. Some of these blue-green algal blooms can be toxic or can be poisonous if they are swallowed by wildlife, livestock, pets or people. You should not even swim in these waters, because you can get itchy. And if you drink water with these toxic blue-green alga, you may have symptoms such as sore throat, stomach cramps, diarrhoea , vomiting or fever. The toxins are very dangerous, so if you have any of these symptoms, visit your doctor immediately. Do not even ...

• Published: August 22, 2008, 11:24 pm
• Displayed: 251 times
• Preview: Brackish aquarium(what is different between brackish and freshwater, which species are suitable for such an aquarium, and so on) advertisement What is brackish water? Brackish water, also known as brack water, is less salty than seawater but more salty than freshwater. As long as the water salinity (based on dissolved salts) is 0.5 ppt or less, the water is considered freshwater. If the salinity is 30 ppt or more, the water is considered saline. Brackish water falls in between; from 0.5 ppt to 29 ppt. Brackish species There are many species of fish, invertebrates and plants suitable for brackish aquariums since brackish water occur in many different habitats and climate zones all over the world. Brackish water can for instance be the result of a freshwater river emptying itself into the ocean, and there are also brackish seas and lakes, e.g. the Baltic Sea and the Caspian Sea. Some species live their entire life in brackish water, while others spend their youth in brackish water before migrating into the ocean. This means that you have to research the species you a...

• Published: April 15, 2010, 8:34 pm
• Displayed: 15 times
• Preview: Breeder Aquariums advertisement One of the greatest sights to most fish keepers is the fish producing young in their aquarium. Seeing the eggs being laid and hatching out, fry being born with live bearer species, has to be the most rewarding moment for most people. The chances of fry surviving in a community set up is unfortunately very low as the same fry also prove to be tasty snacks for the adult residents in the aquarium. This can be upsetting but there are solutions to this problem so that most of the fry will survive and this involves setting up a breeder aquarium. The breeder aquarium can also be used purely for raising the fry if you do not wish to move the parent fish, the set up is exactly the same. Setting up a breeder aquarium:- The main concept to any breeding aquarium is to keep things simple as there is a lot of tank maintenance involved, cluttering your breeding aquarium will make this more difficult and extra décor can become a host to detritus which in turn can lower the water quality. There are a lot of water changes involved in breeding fish so keeping t...

• Published: October 20, 2007, 7:55 pm
• Displayed: 1419 times
• Preview: Breeding Angelfish(reprinted from forums, originally posted by Tim) advertisement Angelfish are quite easy to breed, once you can find a pair. It is near impossible to sex angels, so you have to buy about six young angels and let them pair off themselves. Put the six into a 55 gallon tank and you will soon see when a pair is forming by the aggression towards the others. Once two angels pair, they stay together for life, and will not re-pair if one of them dies. They become mature at around 9 months old. Once a pair has been formed, move them to a tank of their own. This needs to be 20 Gallons minimum and at least 18" high. Once paired they do not work well in community tanks, because they become very territorial and are real bullies to even the smallest of fish! Feed the angels well on both flake and live foods for a couple of weeks and you will soon see the female start to swell with eggs. At the same time the egg tube will start to show. This is the easiest way to sex angels. If it is a female the tube will be quite large and round, males tubes are much smaller and ...

• Published: April 9, 2006, 2:39 am
• Displayed: 2145 times
• Preview: Breeding Corydoras gossei by Bud and Cathy White First published in "Tank Topics", Greater Akron Aquarium Society, April/May 2001 (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) advertisement Corydoras gossei is fairly new to the hobby, being described by Nijssen in 1972. They come from a creek near Guajara Mirim, in Rondonia, Brazil. They reach over two inches in length. Both male and female are darkly colored in the top half of the body and head, with yellow/white in the lower half. They have orange/yellow markings, and the front spine of the dorsal and pectoral fire are the same orange/yellow. The rest of the fins are mostly clear, with wavy vertical stripes on the tail. Since we have always enjoyed the different types of corys, we try to pick up new ones when we can! And from where else better to get corys than Eric Bodrock of Pennsylvania. Eric`s been breeding a lot of different corys for quite a while now, and has been very successful with them, as the local auctions prove when he brings them in! Eric has been a friend of ours for m...

• Published: August 1, 2007, 10:43 pm
• Displayed: 2070 times
• Preview: Breeding TanksBy Tim Gautrey advertisement Important note This article was reprinted with permissions given by the original article`s author. Bear in mind that information here is "as is" and potential references to "will be added in future" (or similar) might not be done by aqua-fish.net. However, we may update the article later. Introduction I have just completed a little project in between the others on the go to build some breeding tanks. This has been very successful and so I thought it would be helpful to share the method of construction with you all, hopefully saving you money! The method is simple, cheap and effective. The object is to build 4 breeding tanks as a single unit, which can sit on a shelf, mount on a wall or almost anywhere you have space. Over the next few days, I will be building another one, and will keep a record of the progress for you to see how it is done. Materials: 1 sheet of 12mm polycarbonate sheeting (3m x 1m) 2 tubes of aquarium safe silicon 1 roll of masking tape 2 pieces of glass. (For this bui...

• Published: October 7, 2006, 3:26 pm
• Displayed: 12516 times
• Preview: Breeding Betta Fish advertisement After live bearing fishes, betta splendens is one of the easiest fish to breed in captivity even for newbies. Following some easy rules you`ll be able to have a successful breeding. There`s not the best method to breed bettas, most of breeders due to personal experience have found the best ways for them. Spawning is not difficult, and the hardest part is fry growing, at least the first days. Surely the first time you may experience a high mortality due to water pollution depending by overfeeding. Remember, bettas can be bred various times if they`re young so you can have various chances to improve your abilities. First of all you have to choose the two breeders. Both have to be healthy, fins condition tells a lot about bettas` health, a betta with damaged fins could have fought and now have low energies to mate. Betta have a short life so it`s important to choose young fish, about 5 months old, usually those you may find in shops are of that age, while if you`re getting them by a breeder simply ask information. Age is important specially fo...

• Published: March 7, 2006, 10:26 am
• Displayed: 13789 times
• Preview: Bristlenose catfish advertisement Bristlenose catfish - Probably the most "common" fish in aquatic shops. Usually dark, sometimes with a small moustache, there is nothing sharp in the aquarium at all. It often sucks the bottom of the tank. But these are just the first impressions. When you take a more in depth look, you will see how superlative this fish is. Ancistrus is a fine and good-looking fish which complements many freshwater aquariums. I have kept ancistrus fish for more than 4 years and they have become an integral part of my tanks and my hobby. At first I bought only 4 of them and I didn`t know how to differentiate males from females. Fortunately, my aquarium was suitable for them and they did well. As time went by, the males acquired a moustache, all of them grew larger, and they all got a very nice coloration. After 2 years of successful keeping this nice species of fish, I decided to buy a larger tank. They liked it, because I saw small tails after few months. They sucked on wood all days long, and they showed me how beautiful they are. Generally spea...

• Published: September 10, 2007, 2:03 pm
• Displayed: 2230 times
• Preview: Build your own aquariumby Tim Gautrey advertisement Here is a project for the beginner to tackle that will test your DIY skills, stretch your abilities a little and get you used to doing basic things like cutting straight lines, square corners and making inset joints! The project I am going to outline here is to build your own aquarium and stand. It will be split into two parts, first the stand and next month, the tank itself. For those of you who might want to cheat and buy a tank, the sizes are not going to be standard on purpose, so if you follow this project to the letter, (and it would be a good idea if you are not fully confident about what you doing), you’ll have to wait till next month to get it finished! I would anticipate that the stand will take around a week to complete anyway, so you won’t have to wait too long to complete the project anyway! You will end up with a fantastic aquarium, large enough to be easily maintained and one that you can be proud of. Here’s the outline The stand will be constructed of timber and contain a cupboard under t...

• Published: October 20, 2007, 12:48 am
• Displayed: 1990 times
• Preview: Building your own aquarium(Part 2) (Part 1 is here) advertisement I wonder how many stands are out there waiting for this month’s issue. If you have followed my directions in part one, by now there should be a wonderful empty stand just begging for a tank to grace it! So, let’s get down to the easy part! Building a fish tank isn’t as daunting as you might think. It’s all down to simple assembly techniques, and if you follow a few basic rules, the tank will take you no longer than a couple of hours to put together. Ok, here’s what you need to build the tank: Tools: A silicon gun A sharp blade/craft knife Paint scraper Emery cloth or similar abrasive sheet. (Not sandpaper) A teaspoon with a rounded handle Materials: All the measurements below need to be exact, so I would recommend that unless you are proficient at glass cutting, you take the list to the professionals. All glass referred to here is float or plate glass, (standard window glass), not toughened! 1 off x 7/16” (10mm x 48&#...

• Published: August 2, 2007, 11:01 am
• Displayed: 3053 times
• Preview: Building your own fish tanksBy Tim Gautrey advertisement Important note This article was reprinted with permissions given by the original article`s author. Bear in mind that information here is "as is" and potential references to "will be added in future" (or similar) might not be done by aqua-fish.net. However, we may update the article later. Introduction This guide is suitable for making any rectangular or square glass fish tank. It is not suited to shaped tank construction. When I build my tanks, I always use clear float glass and have it cut to size. The size of the tank determines the thickness of glass required. Depending on the height of the water you will need 4mm, 6mm or 10mm glass. I always use either 6mm or 10mm for the bottom of the tank, as this is what takes all the weight. The rule of thumb that I use for this is less than 15" (150mm), 4mm is sufficient, less than 18" (225mm), 6mm above 18 (225mm)" and below 36" (300mm) 10mm. Any higher than 36", talk to the glass supplier, because you will need very h...

• Published: November 20, 2008, 5:03 pm
• Displayed: 211 times
• Preview: Bushy Nose Pleco advertisement The Bushy Nose Pleco is a peaceful species that is popular among hobby aquarists. The common name “Bushy Nose” was developed because of the fleshy bristles that stick out of the male’s nose like branches from a tree. Females tend to have virtually no bristles at all. At times a male’s bristles can be small and barely noticeable but there are certain times of the year when the same fish’s nose bristles will be very long and bushy. The reason for the periodic change is yet to be explained but there are theories that it has something to do with their reproductive season. Other common names for this fish are Bushy Nose Catfish, Bristle Nose Catfish, and Bristle Nose Pleco. Bushy Nose Plecos are members of the Loricariidae family of the Ancistrus genus. There are many different varieties of this species but it is hard to tell the difference between them all. Physical Description As mentioned, this pleco gets its common name because of the fleshy bristles that extend out from the males’ noses. These algae suckers have flat undersides and disc sh...

• Published: August 22, 2008, 11:42 pm
• Displayed: 228 times
• Preview: Buy aquarium(how to find the best aquarium, which aspects to pay attention to) advertisement Aquarium size Many beginner aquarists start out with small aquariums, but a large aquarium is actually easier to maintain than a small one. When shopping for an aquarium for the first time it is therefore a good idea to look for fairly large ones and leave the small ones for more advanced aquarists. In a large aquarium, the larger water mass will create a more stable environment for the inhabitants and there will also be more water to dilute organic waste and other pollutants. If you as a beginner find yourself in a situation where you have to choose between filling a large aquarium with inexpensive fish or filling a small aquarium with expensive fish, you should definitely chose the first alternative. It is unfortunately quite common for beginner aquarists to stock small aquariums with costly fish only to be forced to watch them die one after another due to improper water conditions. Volume is not the only interesting figure when purchasing an aquarium. If you plan on keeping botto...

• Published: August 25, 2007, 6:51 pm
• Displayed: 9005 times
• Preview: Cheap fish tanks; Quality vs. price of such aquariums advertisement How to buy an aquarium with discount? The gold rule still says: Ask for a discount no matter if you're buying an aquarium, a car or a house! If you are looking for a new aquarium you can choose an expensive one, such as a big aquarium installed into some cabinet. These aquariums are usually sold with everything what you may need for keeping all fish alive; sometimes with a discount, sometimes not (if there is no mention about discount, ask for better price!). The cabinet emphasizes the aquarium and it really looks nice especially if you know what and how put decoration, equipment, substrate, plants and fish specimens into the fish bowl, so that it may behave like a piece of nature cut somewhere from a rain forest or African creek. However, not everyone is able to buy such an expensive tank and there are various solutions how to obtain relatively cheap fish tanks as well. Buying a second hand tank One way how to buy a cheap aquarium tank is to buy second hand aquarium (or buy it from a wholesale dealer, it is ...

• Published: September 2, 2006, 4:03 pm
• Displayed: 5378 times
• Preview: Canister filter in an aquarium advertisement As words „canister filter“ say, this equipment is used for filtration in aquariums. But why are they good, what are their advantages and disadvantages? Firstly, let me say that this kind of filters are used for both, biological and mechanical filtration. Canister aquarium filters are very robust and powerful, but you should clean them periodically. You should bear in mind that filters which are installed for aquariums with a lot of waste must be cleaned often, because filthiness in the water current could cause fish diseases. Some sources say that you should clean canister filters once a week, some sources say that once per 5 months is enough. I strongly recommend you to clean it when it`s needed. For example, I use hang on tank filters and I clean them if only they don`t aerate the aquariums enough. Generally, any aquarist is able to determine the situation when a filter isn`t clean enough. A canister filter can`t be placed inside of an aquarium and since it isn`t a hang on tank filter, it should be placed somewhere where people won`...

• Published: November 3, 2009, 4:46 am
• Displayed: 56 times
• Preview: Cardinal Tetra an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement 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. Th...

• Published: July 25, 2008, 10:05 am
• Displayed: 296 times
• Preview: CHEAP AQUARIUM FILTERS advertisement When planning a new set up it is advisable to work out a budget which will include your tank, stand and all of the required hardware for running your tank. More often than not the budget will fall short of expectations so a little maneuvering of the available cash has to be sorted. There are ways to obtain the required gear with out too much hunting around, on the internet there are always suppliers offering reductions on the equipment they sell. In this article I will try to show you the options available for saving a few pennies on your filtration system. We must remember though that the filtration is a vital part of your tank, by trying to save money, a fish keeper must not buy a filter that is not capable of keeping your water parameters to the accepted levels. With the larger tanks external filters are normally used as internal filters are just not capable of handling the water volumes, in some cases it is even necessary to run two of these, my own display tank is running two externals as I have always believed it is better to ...

• Published: August 11, 2008, 10:57 pm
• Displayed: 311 times
• Preview: CHEAP AQUARIUM LIGHTING advertisement Nowadays there are many complete aquarium packages to be bought from the high street retailers, but these all come at a price. Many fish keepers find that they can build up their systems by purchasing second hand tanks and running equipment far cheaper than just going for the complete package. Included in the running equipment has to be a good reliable lighting system but reliability doesn’t always mean that the price will strain the fish keeper’s pocket. Adequate lighting has to be provided especially if running a planted tank or a reef system but shopping around can pay its dividends when trying to save pennies. Is lighting a necessity - the answer to that is yes!!! For your aquarium to be successful then lighting will have to be added. There are several reasons for this, when feeding your fish it will help them locate the food that you have just added to the tank, never add food when the lighting has gone off, it will foul your water as it decomposes at the bottom of the tank. If you are growing live plants in your tank they wil...

• Published: July 22, 2008, 11:42 pm
• Displayed: 299 times
• Preview: Cheap Aquarium Stands advertisement With every aquarium set up there is normally an impressive cabinet to match. Style and looks do not come cheap and this aspect can put off many potential buyers when it comes to purchasing a full set up with everything thrown in. In many cases the aquarium cabinet can work out dearer than the price of the actual tank so shopping around can certainly pay dividends. There are other options when it comes to buying your cabinet, some of them will be explained here, but at the end of the day there are some rules that cannot be ignored just to save a few pennies. When buying a cabinet separately from the tank, measure the tank size and then measure again, your tank must sit on the cabinet flush. If any of the tank is overhanging the cabinet it will cause excessive stress to the tank glass, the final result can only be a lot of tears as the tank will crack and then shatter.Always make sure that the cabinet is capable of supporting the weight of the filled tank-water is heavy, do not underestimate it!I always look at tank stands or cabinets as a ...

• Published: November 26, 2007, 6:34 pm
• Displayed: 1597 times
• Preview: Cheap fish tanks(New tank, old tank, second-hand or used, what’s the best option? And how to get a discount?) advertisement At some time in everyone’s life, there comes a point when you want something so bad, but just can’t afford it. Fish-keeping is no different. Many aquarists start out with a small tank or bowl, but very soon realise that it’s just not good enough! So this is when they start to count their savings and work out what they can afford to do next. Are you there yet? Most of us are always looking for bigger and better and are prepared to struggle to the point of broke to get it. But do we need to? If you love the hobby as most do, then the answer is yes. For the love of our pets, and the desire to give them the best in life, for the wish to have more fish, and more tanks, we need to! It’s an addiction for many, and one that you can’t get away from. Fish are relaxing, peaceful, company, friends, fascinating and much more for the devoted aquarist. When I come into the room, the first thing I look at is the tanks, all 18 of them! Yes, I’m a fanatic about fish, I just...

• Published: July 3, 2008, 9:58 am
• Displayed: 343 times
• Preview: Cherry Barb advertisement The Puntius titteya or Capoeta titteya is a freshwater fish known more commonly as the Cherry Barb. The Cherry Barb is a cyprinid fish that is well known and very important in the aquarium industry because of the attractive, deep red coloration often displayed by the males as well as their ease of keeping. Origin and Habitat: The Cherry Barb is originally from Sri Lanka but they were also found in Mexico and Columbia. They are a warm freshwater species that would often be found in bodies of water with calm, shallow waters. Cherry Barbs are nearly extinct in the wild these days but are easy enough to breed in captivity to the point where maintaining the species is not of dire concern. In fact, they are so easy to breed that it is a great species for beginner aquarists who are interested in breeding aquarium fish to start off with. Water conditions: The optimal water conditions for the P. titteya will have a pH between 5.6 and 7.0, with a temperature range of 74- 81°F, and soft to slightly hard water. A recommended volume of no less than 20 ga...

• Published: April 16, 2008, 8:42 am
• Displayed: 536 times
• Preview: Chinese Algae Eaters advertisement “Chinese Algae Eater” is the most common name for the Gyrinocheilus aymonieri which is also less commonly known as the “Indian Algae Eater” and the “sucking loach”. This fish is often mistaken for the Siamese algae eater which is a similar species yet quite different. Saying that G. aymonieri are Chinese is misleading because this fish does not come from China, in fact in comes from northern India and central Thailand. Additionally, this fish is not a loach so the name “sucking loach” is an inaccurate use of terms, although some of its characteristics are quite similar to that of a loach. Regardless of where it comes from, this algae eater, in its youth is very useful in clearing aquarium surfaces of algae. It quickly inches its way along every surface all the while sucking the algae in its path. Once the task is done, the algae eater starts at the beginning to clean everything all over again. The job is never done for this diligent young worker. As the algae eater matures he gets tired of working so hard. The sucker fish that used to b...

• Published: May 28, 2010, 11:29 pm
• Displayed: 11 times
• Preview: Chloramine Testing advertisement Fish keepers are presented with many problems to keep their aquariums healthy and the water quality high, many of these are from diseases and viruses that enter the tank affecting the fish but one problem that constantly needs to be kept in check is man made and its something that every fish keepers has to deal with every time a water change is performed or a tank is filled for the first time. Chloramine is a killer of fish but it is added to our mains water to disinfect the water supply and prevent us from getting diseases and to keep the water pipe work clean. At one time chlorine was added to the mains supply and this is not such a problem to deal with, just filling a bucket and leaving it to stand for a couple of days would guarantee that the chlorine was dispersed through gaseous exchange but this does not work with Chloramine. But what is Chloramine and how does it affect the fish, well basically it is a result of chlorine reacting with ammonia, both of these deadly to fish to produce a durable compound that doesn`t dissipate in ai...

• Published: December 22, 2006, 7:11 am
• Displayed: 5048 times
• Preview: Choosing the first aquarium advertisement This article is meant to help people who want to buy the first aquarium and need some advices. First of all you should decide how big you want your aquarium, the first mistakes people usually do are: choosing a too much small tank and overpopulating it; both big and small aquariums have pro and cons, value them all and then choose your solution. Most of time aquarium shops staff can help you in your choice, but sometimes they tend to suggest you more products than those you really need. Small or big aquarium If you already have in your mind what fish you would like to have, choose the aquarium big enough according to their necessities. Most of time anyway beginners do not have any idea at all, so you can decide the aquarium size thinking about the free room you have to place it, or how much money you want to spend. A too much small aquarium has two major problems: chemical values tend to fluctuate, even dangerously, due the small amount of water, poor filtration and fish overpopulation; moreover beginners usually decide to buy a...

• Published: March 8, 2008, 10:30 am
• Displayed: 424 times
• Preview: Cichlid Food advertisement There are a large number of cichlids sold and bred in the aquarium industry today. Just as these cichlids can be diverse, so are their eating habits and needs. This is why the foods they are fed come in all different shapes and forms. In the aquarium industry it is highly recommended that you feed your cichlids a variety of foods to keep them well balanced and healthy. This helps to promote growth as well as reproduction and it improves the color and quality of your fish. Cichlids all have the same basic needs despite their difference of original habitats. They all need to get the maximum amount of nutrition through the various foods they eat. Facts: There are over 1300 different species of cichlid discovered from freshwater bodies around the globe. Most of these come from the lakes and rivers found in Africa and South America, but others are also found in Asia and Central America. There are some species of cichlids that are herbivores meaning they eat only vegetable matter such as algae and plants. Some cichlids are Carnivores and eat smalle...

• Published: April 8, 2010, 3:42 am
• Displayed: 16 times
• Preview: Cleaning a Diseased Fish Tank advertisement At some time or another all fish keepers will experience some form of disease in their tanks , this is the downside to this wonderful hobby. Most medications are designed to deal with this problem and remove the disease from the fish and hopefully remove it from the tank altogether. Sadly this is not always the case especially when the disease is actually a viral infection or parasitic infection that has attacked the tank inhabitants, lowering their immune system which then results in the fish contracting diseases as a side effect. Effective tank maintenance should lower the possibility of this occurring by a large margin but there is always the chance that your tank that has been lovingly looked after will fall victim to this situation. The good news is that there is no situation that cannot be resolved, the key to dealing with this is not to panic but attack the problem even though it can mean a time consuming process to eradicate the disease and infections completely. Basically a full tank clean is required to remove the problem ...

• Published: July 25, 2006, 3:40 am
• Displayed: 6563 times
• Preview: Cleaning the aquarium advertisement Why do people decide to clean their aquariums? Generally, there are three basic reasons to clean the fish tank. Firstly, the tank smells. The reason for the smell varies depending on the fish; excrement fails to be filtered, pieces of old food gather on the bottom resulting in dead fish somewhere in the tank. It is important to install a strong enough filtration system in order to keep good conditions in the tank. Still water naturally smells and there are even aquariums without filters which contain many plants, which bring stable chemistry. The next reason to clean the aquarium is that it is overgrown with algae. You should bear in mind that algae usually grow in tanks where there are not enough plants, nitrification bacteria, or there is very bright lighting. In this case, you should buy some algae eater, pleco fish, cory fish, etc. The algae is a natural part of aquariums and it helps to keep good water conditions and chemistry. Fish excrement falls to the bottom of the tank and it becomes the part of substrate. If the substrate is of go...

• Published: April 1, 2008, 4:33 pm
• Displayed: 442 times
• Preview: CLOUDY WATER IN AQUARIUMS advertisement One of the most common problems aquarists have to deal with is cloudy water. Whether we are talking brand new set ups, tanks cycled tanks running for a few weeks or established mature tanks at some time or another I have keepers asking me why this has happened. Hopefully this article will explain a few of the reasons, how to combat the problem, and how to prevent future occurrences of this problem. New set ups: We have just arrived home with our brand new tank, gravel or sand, and some nice shiny ornaments. Everything has been put in the tank and the water has clouded up. One cause of the cloudiness could be part of the cycling process as the tank water will be unbalanced, but when the cycling is complete it should clear itself, but more of that later. A must when setting up the tank is to rinse thoroughly the gravel or sand being added as if this isn’t done it will create cloudiness when the water is added. Not the nicest of jobs, but necessary. Add the substrate to a bucket, cover with clean water, give a good swirl &...

• Published: November 10, 2009, 3:16 am
• Displayed: 53 times
• Preview: About Clown Loach an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Clown loaches or Botia macracantha belong to the familyCobitidae. They are native to the rivers and streams of Borneo, Sumatra, and Indonesia. Their vertically striped bodies make them a favorite among freshwater aquarium owners. The striping consists of three wide, black vertical bands on an orange body. This configuration has also earned them the nickname of tiger loaches. Their mouths have three downward pointed pairs of maxillary barbels. A barbel is a slender, whisker-like tactile organ. Maxillary refers to the barbel’s location near the mouth. These tentacle-like organs house taste buds and are used to search for food in murky water. Barbels are a bottom dwelling species of scavenger fish like catfish and carp. Barbles and downward pointed mouth are what distinguish bottom dweller from other fish. The clown loach is one such bottom dweller. Bottom dwellers in general make a good addition to any community fish tank. The scavenging of food from the aquarium substrate helps prevent harmful chemi...

• Published: March 12, 2010, 6:56 pm
• Displayed: 21 times
• Preview: Community Fish for the Aquarium advertisement Many keepers that set up their tanks wish to keep more than one species of fish and as such they create a community tank that is suitable for their needs, the word community actually means a population of interacting species that live together in one place and as such socialise within the tank. A lot of planning is required to create a successful community tank, you can`t just add species that appeal to you without checking out if they are peaceful and willing to share the tank space with other fish without becoming aggressive to them. As a keeper it is your responsibility to create an environment that is healthy and stress free for your fish as well as being pleasing to the eye with the décor or plant life that the aquarium contains. Research the fish species that you wish to keep thoroughly so that you know you will not encounter problems when the tank is up and running, also check out the correct order for adding the fish, some species may become territorial if added to the tank first or may not be as hardy as other fish species...

• Published: May 7, 2008, 11:30 am
• Displayed: 399 times
• Preview: COMPATIBLE AQUARIUM FISH advertisement There are many factors to consider when deciding which livestock you are going to add to your tank. Not only the tanks size, but you need to make sure that the different species you are going to buy will get along with each other. Most aquarists nowadays set up community tanks with a mixed variety of fish so this second point could be crucial in determining which fish to add. Tank size does play a major part; you certainly would not contemplate adding a large 6 inch or over fish to a relatively small tank, providing it with no swimming room. Many species of fish become territorial over time, defending their space in the tank, thus resulting in injuries to the other tank mates; this is not something that keepers like to see. There is a golden rule as well that most keepers stick to “don’t add fish that are small enough to fit into another fish’s mouth, they will eat it”. This cannot be ignored! All fish have different temperaments, even within the same species. Malawis for example are constantly battling in the tank to obtain their own ...

• Published: March 20, 2008, 10:20 pm
• Displayed: 377 times
• Preview: Control Algae in a Fish Pond advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! Now, this is a challenge! How can you control the algae that grows naturally in your pond? First of all, you need to know what it is, how it gets there and why it grows. What is algae? “Algae are photosynthetic organisms that occur in most habitats. They vary from small, single-celled forms to complex multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length.. The US Algal Collection is represented by almost 300,000 accessioned and inventoried herbarium specimens.” Quote taken from the National Museum of Natural History website: nmnh.si.edu What are the common types of algae that occur in your pond? Most ponds have several species of algae. They include green algae, (which is such a large group I will not bore you with the details, just point you to berkeley.edu where you can spend the next 10 hours reading!), br...

• Published: March 14, 2008, 9:22 pm
• Displayed: 484 times
• Preview: The Convict Cichlid advertisement The Archocentrus Nigrofasciatus is a cichlid fish that is nicknamed “convict” or “zebra” both names for its similarity to the black stripes on a British prison uniform. This fish is native to the Central American waters of Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama with temperatures ranging from 69-84ºF. They are not very particular about the conditions of the water as long as you keep a certain amount of consistency. Convicts are omnivorous and they are not picky eaters. They will eat anything small enough to fit in their mouths including flake and pellet foods, small fish, crustaceans and blood worms. Although they do seem to particularly enjoy frozen beef hearts. Convict males grow to roughly 6 inches, slightly larger than the females. This is an extremely aggressive species that will take on any fish including those twice their size especially in the reproductive phase. Sexing: Convicts are known for their highly reproductive tendencies and it is said that they will spawn absolutely anywhere and everywhere. It ...

• Published: June 21, 2006, 4:21 pm
• Displayed: 6087 times
• Preview: Corydoras advertisement Corydoras come from South America and they live in freshwater. They are known as cory catfish, cory cats or just cories. Their name Corydoras comes from Greek and it consists of kory (helmet) and doras (skin). Corydoras is a small aquarium fish. You can find many kinds of Corydoras, but they mostly differ only in their colour. Their size and their caring for is the same for all the Corydoras. When I saw a cory for the first time I thought that it was ugly. But after a while, I started to love it. Yes, it might look like alien life on earth, but that is the problem with us new guys in the aquarium business. Everything is new and strange. But the truth is, that Cories are very nice. There are many variants of cories, so you can find more or less beautiful Corydoras. We have Corydoras pandas and they are really irresistible. They really look like an aquarium panda bears. Corydoras like slow-moving and almost still (but seldom stagnant) water, which is very clean and oxygen rich. They live on the bottom of the tank and in the wild eat bottom-d...

• Published: April 23, 2006, 4:37 am
• Displayed: 4764 times
• Preview: Panda Cory - Corydoras panda advertisement Brief Description The updated Panda Cory article now answers questions asked by keepers of this beautiful Corydoras species. These of you who want to share experiences, check the bottom of this page where you can find a form designed for this purpose. Apart from other information, these questions are answered below; How many panda cory should I keep, How big are panda cories, How do panda cory breed, How much does cory panda eat, How to sex panda cories. Origin and body characteristic Panda Cory is a small inoffensive little Cory. The Corydoras Panda species come from the Rio Pachitea in Peru. The body is sandy colored with black spots/patches. They have black over their eyes (like panda bears). They have a black band on the tail and the back fin is black and the rest of the fins are clear. The Panda females are more rounded and fuller than males. They grow to the size of 3.0 - 4.0 cm (1.2 - 1.6 in). Sometimes, especially if they're fed often, Pandas can grow up to 5 cm. How to keep Panda Cory in an aquarium Every Corydoras...

• Published: November 14, 2009, 11:23 pm
• Displayed: 55 times
• Preview: Coydoras CatFish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The Corydoras catfish is a member of the family Callichthyidae. They are the sole genus in the tribe Corydoradini. 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 ...

• Published: August 19, 2007, 10:34 pm
• Displayed: 3834 times
• Preview: Creating a stunning fish tank display for your homeby Tim Gautrey advertisement This instruction is not for the faint-hearted and definitely for the more skilled DIY enthusiast. The object is to build a display tank unlike any other, where your fish can be displayed in all their beautiful colours with plenty of room to move around. This build involves a 48” x 18” x 12” standard fish tank as a base unit. This needs to be either built onto a custom stand or use a stand capable of being placed 6” away from the wall and strong enough to carry a lot more weight than the tank itself. I opted to build the stand myself out of 4” x 2” timber and flooring grade chipboard, fixed to the wall along the back. The stand was constructed 12’3” long (since it also took an 8’ tank), and 18” front to back, at 30” from the floor to the top surface. The whole thing had to be perfectly level in all directions. Cross bars were placed every 24” along the length to avoid distortion of the chipboard. It has to be very strong because it isn’t just supporting one tank, but two! Once...

• Published: January 12, 2007, 5:49 am
• Displayed: 3084 times
• Preview: Cryptocoryne advertisement Cryptocoryne are one of the most common plant species used in aquarium, they belong to the Araceae family like other famous aquarium plants, Anubias and Pistia. Their name derives from “krypto” which means “hidden” and “koryne” which means “stick”, and it refers to the shape and position of their flowers. There are about 60 known crypto varieties at the moment, all coming from Asia, specially from New Guinea, Indonesia, and Malaysia; all of them are characterized by a strong root system that grows fast and generates new plants in every side of the tank. The easier crypto, more common to find in shops, come from Sri Lanka, and are C. Wendtii, C. Becketii, and C. Walkerii. In nature, they live inside or near small rivers and torrents with mainly light acid and soft water, both in sand, gravel, clay, or dead leaves substrates. In aquarium, they are not very demanding to cultivate, anyway once arrived they often develop the Crypt melt. This is not a real illness but their adaptation to the new aquarium`s water conditions; almost all the leaves die, b...

• Published: August 2, 2007, 1:04 pm
• Displayed: 3850 times
• Preview: Custom Tank Stand By Tim Gautrey advertisement Important note This article was reprinted with permissions given by the original article`s author. Bear in mind that information here is "as is" and potential references to "will be added in future" (or similar) might not be done by aqua-fish.net. However, we may update the article later. How to build a custom aquarium stand Forget the pro`s! If you have basic skills you can build the stand yourself, make it look good and have something to admire! Can you imagine how much it would have cost me to get this lot built by professionals? The first run of tanks was estimated at over £1500, it cost me two weeks and £135 to do the complete job, including lighting! Regular lumber, as you call it works fine! Make the framework from 4"x2" planed timber, fixed to a wall at the back if you can. Make sure you have vertical supports every 2` and make the tank support base with cross-members every 12". Use a good grade flooring chipboard or 6"x1" planking to build the table...

• Published: April 11, 2008, 8:20 am
• Displayed: 435 times
• Preview: DIATOM FILTERS FOR AQUARIUMS advertisement Diatom filters are used in the aquarium hobby mainly for polishing the water to almost perfect clarity, plus they are unsurpassed for filtering out the smallest debris & even parasites from the aquarium which in turn leads to healthier fish. Using these filters has also increased the variety of fish that some of the large public aquariums can now keep on display. How many of us at some stage have been plagued with green algae and needed to find an efficient way of eradicating it, well these certainly do the job. So what is a diatom & how do the filters work Diatoms are basically a single celled organism that feed on silicates in the water which they use to create a protective hydrous silica cell wall. When the diatoms die off they leave behind a shell that is full of minute pores, (some of the pores are as small as 3 microns), but inside the larger pores there are a second, smaller pore (roughly 0.5 microns). This in effect means that the mass of the diatom is mainly formed from empty spaces, ready to trap the smalle...

• Published: June 9, 2008, 10:48 pm
• Displayed: 327 times
• Preview: DIGITAL AQUARIUM THERMOMETERS advertisement Temperature inside your aquarium is something that needs to checked on a daily basis. It is crucial to your fish’s health that they are kept in an environment that is best suited for them. Most fish and invertebrates are cold blooded, they can only maintain their body heat from the environment that they are living in; incorrect temperatures can affect their metabolism in all sorts of ways. Large changes in the temperature are not a good thing in any aquarium. When I perform water changes in my tanks I always preheat the water that is going in, not all keepers do this, so checking the temperature for sudden drops as they refill the tank is vital. Make sure the water is added back slowly, giving it time to reheat this is the only way around this problem. Incorrect temperatures can cause the following problems:- Illness caused by stressDeath brought on by stressReduction in the appetite of the fish, this in turn will reduce the capability of their immune system. Every aquarium must have a thermometer fitted, most fish requi...

• Published: November 7, 2009, 6:19 pm
• Displayed: 56 times
• Preview: Discus an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The discus is quite possibly the most popular fish among large freshwater aquarium owners in the world today. They belong to the genus Symphysodon. They are members of the family Cichlidae more commonly known as cichlids. This family also includes another extremely popular species the angelfish. Both are native to the Amazon River system. There are two individual species collectively referred to as Discus; S. aequiafasciata and S. discus. These two species are further divided into five different subspecies. But this in not a science lecture. Suffice it to say that these wonderfully exotic species are distinguished by their color palettes. They are available in brown, green, blue, red and yellow. Both species have been selectively bred to further enhance their natural coloration. The end result is some of the most beautiful fish you will ever see in a home aquarium. The Discus is a rather expensive fish as far as freshwater varieties go. You can expect to pay anywhere form $35 to upwards of $200. The price is ...

• Published: May 23, 2006, 2:17 pm
• Displayed: 69301 times
• Preview: Discus Aquarium Fish advertisement By Stokes; 19/05/2008: this article has been revised, the new version is here; see copyright information here Introduction and general information The Discus is a large cichlid from the Amazon River, its tributaries and flood planes, in South America. Discus and its variants were first described in 1840 by Dr. Heckel as Symphysodon discus, this name is now in use for the Heckel discus variant. The three "original" colour variants received their own name, the Green Discus Symphysodon aequifasciata aequifasciata, the brown discus Symphysodon aequifasciata axelrodi, and the blue variant Symphysodon aequifasciata haraldi. Discus fish pictures - part 1 More and more people are choosing to keep Discus Aquarium Fish over other fish and care for it. By becoming more popular more money is going into the industry which assists the funding for research and the development of products and different strains of Discus Aquarium Fish. The discus is a social fish and lives in large groups in their native waters, and has a very...

• Published: May 19, 2008, 2:03 pm
• Displayed: 802 times
• Preview: Discus fish How to care for them advertisement Discus fish online Feel free to visit the SADISCUS Petshop and Discus USA to purchase Discus fish online! The origins of the discus fish Discus fish are now a common sight in all of the aquatic stores bit this is a fairly recent happening in fish keeping terms, 20 years ago they were mainly kept by expert fish keepers who had learned the art of keeping them alive for extensive periods of time by word of mouth with fellow breeders. But where does the discus originate from? All discus fish are found in the tributaries of the Amazon River. It has now been agreed that the discus can be found in three different types of Amazonian waterways, the white waters of the Upper Amazon, the black waters of the Rio Negro, and the clear waters from the Lower Amazon. The bulk of the discuses are found in the black water areas, they will also inhabit the flood lakes on the banks where the water is very soft and acidic. The temperature of the water changes very little in the 24 hour day cycle, it normally stays around the 80 deg F mark, t...

• Published: July 10, 2008, 3:05 pm
• Displayed: 377 times
• Preview: Diseases of Goldfish advertisement Goldfish are known to be highly susceptible to various diseases because of all the selective breeding that takes place. Common and comet goldfish are the hardier variations of all the goldfish varieties available in the aquarium industry. The fancier, more selectively bred varieties of goldfish are more apt to contracting the various diseases that can ail goldfish. Books and internet websites on fish diseases can be your best source of information to finding out all about goldfish diseases. It is highly recommended to have access to either or both of these sources of information when owning goldfish, especially the fancy varieties of goldfish. Prevention: Disease prevention is the best solution to any type of fish disease. Although prevention does not always work 100% of the time it definitely improves the odds of having healthier goldfish. 1.The first step in disease prevention is choosing only the highest quality fish for purchase. When looking to purchase a new goldfish approach the task with high standards in mind. If the aquarium ...

• Published: March 14, 2010, 4:09 am
• Displayed: 25 times
• Preview: Distilled Water in the Aquarium advertisement One of the major concerns of many fish keepers is keeping the water quality high for their fish and often we live in areas where the mains water is not to the best of standards. This can be very frustrating for us as no matter what we do by adding water conditioners and performing regular water changes, we seem to be fighting a losing battle as impurities are added to the aquarium each time we top up the tank or by just doing a standard water change. Many keepers have now turned to another method of providing better water for their fish by distilling the mains water. Distilled water can be used for topping up the tank but when initially filling the tank vital minerals need to be replaced using commercial water revitalisers or the fish will not survive for any length of time, a low mineral count will also affect the growth rate of plants in the tank as they also need these vital minerals to survive and produce strong, healthy growth. Some breeders or keepers of delicate fish will also use distilled water as they can then mix th...

• Published: August 13, 2008, 2:26 am
• Displayed: 379 times
• Preview: DIY Aquarium Backgrounds advertisement When setting up your new aquarium one of the most popular items to purchase is a nice tank background to set off the look of the tank. But why do we feel the need to add a background to our tanks? Personally speaking I have a few reasons for always adding a nice background. I find all of the wiring and piping from filters, heaters and such like look very unsightly hanging down from the back of the tank. A background will hide all of these instantly and give your tank a nice, neat finish. I have known from the past that sometimes certain fish will be spooked by seeing their reflection in the glass and it can cause them to go into hiding or even stop eating. A nice background is very pleasing to the eye for me and any visitors that may wish to view the tank. When I am setting up a specific biotope the right background ensures that the tank looks as it should depending on which fish I am keeping, a typical example of this is for a Malawi tank where a rocky background falls right into place. Purchasing a background for your tank can s...

• Published: April 7, 2008, 9:35 pm
• Displayed: 439 times
• Preview: DIY Aquarium Cabinets advertisement When purchasing a tank, we also have to take into consideration the cabinet; would it look right in our house etc., indeed in some cases does it actually match the tank that is sat on top of it. A lot of money can also be saved if we bought the tank alone and created our own cabinet. This is not such a daunting task as it seems, even a basic cabinet can be made with the most basic of wood working skills. I have created a couple of cabinets in the past that were very pleasing to the eye and believe me I am no carpenter. There are a few options that can be used, one of the most basic stands can be achieved using breeze blocks (cinder blocks) or even using house bricks for the stand columns and lengths of wood across the top for the actual tank support. In this case for quickness and strength I have used breeze blocks stacked and cemented 3 or 4 high, (depending on the finished height you require), and I laid 3 strips of 4” x 2” wood across the top for support. Please bear in mind that wherever you are going to house the finished set up the...

• Published: August 11, 2008, 10:14 pm
• Displayed: 311 times
• Preview: Electric Blue Hap advertisement Electric Blue Hap is the common name for the Sciaenochromis fryeri, Sciaenochromis ahli, Cyrtocara ahli, or the Haplochromis ahli. All of those names are used to represent the same cichlid because of some discrepancies in the naming process. The proper scientific name for this fish is Sciaenochromis ahli, but other names are still used today out of habit and familiarity. This fish is nicknamed “Electric Blue” because of the rich, metallic blue of the males once they reach maturity. This cichlid was mistaken for a Haplochromine because they prefer to swim in areas where the rocks surrounding the shoreline meet the sandy bottoms of the deep. Natural Habitat: The Electric Blue Hap is native to the waters of Lake Malawi where the rocky cliffs meet the sandy bottoms. This tropical freshwater cichlid is found in regions off the coasts of Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. Water Conditions: Optimal water conditions for the Electric Blue Hap include a pH of 7.5-8.5 and temperatures between 75 and 78°F. Be sure to provide plenty of rocky caves ...

• Published: November 26, 2008, 11:23 pm
• Displayed: 223 times
• Preview: Electric Yellow Lab advertisement The Electric Yellow Lab earned its common name because of the striking yellow color of its body. Also known as the Labidochromis caeruleus, this shy and peaceful species is very popular among hobby aquarists. Any beginner aquarist can successfully keep this fish because they are undemanding of water conditions, they will accept a wide variety of foods, and they are very easy to breed. Other names for this mbuna cichlid are Lemon Drop Cichlid, Lemon Yellow Cichlid, Electric Yellow, and Yellow Lab. Physical Description The bold yellow color of the Electric Yellow Lab stands out making it a lively addition in any cichlid tank. This fish will get to be as long as 6 inches which makes it a great candidate for the aquarium since it is not a very large species. A black stripe running through the dorsal fin may be either bold or faded and in some cases not existent. Males will have black pectoral fins and a black stripe running along the edge of the anal fin. The strongest male will generally have the boldest black stripes of the whole group. Some fi...

• Published: November 3, 2006, 6:56 am
• Displayed: 8311 times
• Preview: External filter for a 26 gallon or bigger aquarium advertisement Doing yourself an external filter is not really difficult, but needs a bit of patience. Building a filter by yourself is a good solution for those people who need a higher filtering (for big fish, turtles etc.) and do not want to spend a lot of money. Materials - 13mm garden poly pipe. It`s is usually cheap so take a good measure: think it has to start inside the aquarium go down on the floor and come back. - 13mm tap. You need 2 taps, one for the way in pipe, and one for the way out. These are extremely useful to isolate the filter in case you need to move it. - 2 or 3 gallon polycarbonate water bottle with large neck (the pump has to pass in it). You need just one bottle, the size depends on the size of your aquarium. - Aquarium silicone. - submersible aquarium water pump. The speed of the pump depends on the size of your aquarium; read the instructions on the pump before buying. Prefer anyway powerful pumps at least 400 litres per hour. - filter materials like (foam, ceramic rings etc.) Optiona...

• Published: November 2, 2008, 5:49 am
• Displayed: 250 times
• Preview: Facts about Paradise Fish advertisement Paradise fish are very beautiful fish, therefore many fish keepers raise them in home aquariums or ponds. However, there are still some questions which need answers in order to keep these fish healthier and happier. All questions shown below have been compiled from the past statistics of what people wanted to know. If you feel that your question isn`t answered yet on this website, feel free to use the contact us form. Also here are an other pages devoted to the Paradise fish:aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=paradiseaqua-fish.net/show.php?h=paradisefish Paradise fish care When I kept this species I focused on stable water conditions such as pH and temperature. dGH (water hardness) varied between 4 and 20. In fact it was higher than 15 nearly always. These fish`s origin is Asia, thus a planted tank is a necessity. What is very important is a space given to each specimen. Never keep 2 or more specimens if you cannot give them at least 40 litres per fish. When I kept 2 specimens in a 42 litres tank, one was dominant and the second one was always h...

• Published: February 21, 2006, 3:18 pm
• Displayed: 3275 times
• Preview: Feeding Fish (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by George Herrman advertisement “How much do I feed my fish?” - this is a question we get asked every day, and there is no hard and fast rule for feeding fish. It’s all a matter of trial and error, but one thing is for sure - over feeding does more harm than under feeding. Bear in mind that in the wild fish don’t get fed on a regular basis, and in certain seasons food is very scarce. Start by sprinkling a little food over the water surface. If all this food is consumed within 3 to 5 minutes the amount of food is enough. If all the food is consumed in less time add a little more the next time you feed, and if it takes longer don’t put so much in the next time. One way to gauge the amount of food to use is to remember that most fish`s stomachs are about the same size as their eyes. Fish do not require as much food as is often thought, and it is very tempting to feed every time they look hungry or when you want to view a timid species. As a result fish are often over fed. This creates sev...

• Published: June 26, 2006, 3:38 pm
• Displayed: 6079 times
• Preview: Feeding your aquarium fish advertisement Buy Artemia from Artemia USA! Fish, like other animals, need balanced food which consists of proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. Most aquarium fish are fed onindustrial food, which has the form of flakes or granules. But you shouldfeed them with natural food also. Unbalanced food can cause health problems in the tank. But carefully customized food can play a main role in resistance against infections and illness. The general rule is to feed small amounts frequently. Usually it is an amount which is swallowed in two or three minutes two or three times a day. After few weeks there should be a day, when you don`t feed your fish. It`s always better leave fish a little bit hungry, because some part of the food, which is given to the fish until it is full, crosses the alimentary tract unconsumed and then on egestion raises the cloudiness of the water. The biggest part of natural food is usually water. The dry part consists of components of balanced food. The producers of food for fish prepare dry meals in which the h...

• Published: May 6, 2010, 7:03 pm
• Displayed: 13 times
• Preview: Fin Rot advertisement From time to time we all have to face the problems of dealing with various diseases and viruses entering our aquarium. Often these are not caused by mistakes that we have made but there are certain instances where we have contributed to the outset of a disease in the fish. Most diseases and viruses can be spotted early on but some make take some time to show their symptoms and when they are obvious permanent damage may have already been done to the fish. We are their carers and it is our responsibility to check the fish on a regular basis so that we can act promptly before such damage does occur. Sadly one infection that does seem to appear regularly, especially with novice fish keepers is fin rot. This disease can seem to appear overnight but as you get experienced with looking after your fish you can spot the symptoms early and react quicker, thus preventing long term damage to the fish. Fin rot nearly always occurs as a secondary infection, it can happen when the fish has undergone stress or has injured itself on décor or even the tank glass. Often fis...

• Published: January 4, 2006, 3:28 pm
• Displayed: 3061 times
• Preview: Fish Acclimatization (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Peter McKane advertisement The acclimatization of fish is an incredibly important process. Without it, fish that you introduce to your tank, whether it is a new setup or not, will become severely stressed and as a result may die or suffer severely reduced life expectancy. The process itself is incredibly simple, and if more people stuck to it, then many stress related deaths could be avoided. Transport Acclimatization begins where you first pick up the fish. From the moment they leave their tank, whether it is from a private supplier, a local fish store or even out of the box that they were delivered in, the fish must be kept as still as possible. If you are driving home with your fish, then hold the fish in its box or bag in the air between your legs. This means that any sudden acceleration or stopping will mean that the fish will sway and not be bumped up against the side of their container. The container should also let in as little light as possible. Most fish stores will wr...

• Published: February 26, 2007, 7:29 am
• Displayed: 3877 times
• Preview: Fish Breeding advertisement People mostly don`t have fish tanks for breeding purposes, since they like to watch them acting like in the wild. However, a natural part of life in nature is breeding. Of course, some aquarists breed fish for money too. Taking care of any fish could be relatively expensive and breeding is one way to get invested money back. Naturally, there are specialized fish keepers who breed various fish species for a living. Moreover, some of professional fish breeders are very specialist and they try to `create` new species or new colour variants, and some of them try to keep species in danger alive for next generations. Anyhow, even if it might look easy, fish breeding is not as easy as it seems. Nearly all fish species require special conditions for breeding, otherwise they eat their eggs, newborns, or other fish will eat them this is the most common reason why newborns die. There are numerous factors affecting readiness for breeding. The best way to breed your fish is to copy the conditions which they need to breed exactly (usually like they have in nat...

• Published: August 22, 2008, 11:47 pm
• Displayed: 229 times
• Preview: Fish care(basic and advanced care - from water to automatic fish feeders) advertisement In this article we will take a look at three very important aspects of successful fish keeping: water quality, water chemistry and feeding. If you manage to get these three things right, you are well on your way towards a well functioning aquarium with thriving inhabitants. Water quality When aquarists talk about water quality they are normally referring to the amount of organic waste products in the water, particularly ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Keeping the water quality high is the same thing as keeping the level of organic waste low. There are many things that you can do to prevent the water quality from dropping, such as: Always cycle a new aquarium properly. During cycling, beneficial colonies of bacteria will colonise suitable environments, such as gravel and sponge filters. I strongly recommend reading a more detailed article about cycling and cycling methods before you set up an aquarium, because it can save you a lot of money and trouble in the long run. Unfortunately, ...

• Published: March 30, 2007, 6:05 am
• Displayed: 6849 times
• Preview: Fish food advertisement Feeding freshwater tropical fish is obviously very important part of fishkeeping in general. Depending on species which you keep, it`s necessary to find the most suitable food due to following reasons: 1) Prevent diseases in the tank, 2) Help your fish to be active, 3) Make your fish well-coloured, 4) Stimulate breeding, 5) Proper fry growth. Division into groups Generally, fish food can be divided into 2 basic groups; Live-food and „Lifeless“ food. However, this doesn`t mean your fish require one kind of food only. Bear in mind that every species eat differently which is the result of various factors including, but not limiting to it`s locality, momentary season, it`s place in the food chain, size, feeding habits, etc. Even though live/lifeless food division might look sufficient for beginners, let`s use another division which helps us to determine what to feed your fish. This division is based on habits which determine if fish accepts vegetables, meal based food, or both: 1) Omnivore – Such fish eat animal and plant matter. Des...

• Published: July 2, 2007, 3:15 am
• Displayed: 2224 times
• Preview: The purpose of a fish pond aerator(For aerators from Living Water Aeration click here, for others click here - you will be forwarded to the bottom of this page) advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! Pond aeration equipment is a vital part of any pond set up; these are mostly supplied as pond aeration kits which will comprise of a pond aerator pump, with special pond aeration tubing and a pond aeration diffuser. A pond will deteriorate if it does not have enough pond aeration with proper pond aerators to raise the dissolved oxygen level to meet the demand of the plants, fishes, and other organisms in the pond especially those located on the bottom. As soon as the pond deteriorates, stratification will occur and sludge and debris will start to settle on the bottom of the pond which will produce toxic gases. These gases make it difficult for the organisms in the pond to survive especially the fishes and other bot...

• Published: March 21, 2008, 9:21 pm
• Displayed: 433 times
• Preview: Fish Pond Filters advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on plenty of pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! To go to a list of fish pond filters, click on this link (you will be taken to the bottom of this page)... Of course, if you don't wish to buy yet, feel free to read all information available on this page... Fish ponds are very similar to your aquarium in as much as they are a close environment, needing regular attention to keep them in good condition. The main difference is the size, since most ponds are 500 gallons or more. A similar aquarium would take up half the living room in most homes! But, with a large volume of water comes the need for a filter to handle it. This creates its own problems, as to maintain a high quality of water, the filter must be able to cope with several times the volume of water per hour. So, for a 500 gallon pond, the filter has to have a capacity of at least 5 times that volume each hour, so throughput of the filter...

• Published: December 22, 2006, 3:47 pm
• Displayed: 8440 times
• Preview: Set up and filtration of a fish pond advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on various pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! When a fish pond is first designed, it is often a common mistake to incorrectly add the wrong pond filtration systems with incorrect media inserted. The design of this part of the fish pond has to be right for it to be effective. Drawing a diagram of the filtration system and how it fits into the pond often helps research which media is the most effective and the material that is used for the filtration system casing is also important. It is easy to think that to keep high the water quality of a pond is easier than controlling an aquarium, due to the really higher amount of water present inside. Surely a great quantity of water avoid dangerous fluctuations of chemical values, temperature and pollution; anyway this is not enough, ponds unlike aquariums are not kept in neutral environment, but being outside, in gardens, terraces e...

• Published: July 2, 2007, 3:21 am
• Displayed: 1610 times
• Preview: Information about Fish Pond Pumps advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! Hold it! Before you have that hole dug for a fish pond, take a look at the features of a pond pump. Will it be just the right pump for the pond you have in mind? This is something you have to bear in mind when you are going to have a pond or a water garden. Are you going for moving water in your pond? Then here are some tips in selecting just the right pond pump for you. Before you go shopping remember that there are two types of water pumps—submersible and out of water models. Ask for a chart and other information from the supplier before settling on a choice. If you have a small fish pond in mind, get a submersible pump—aside from being economical, it will be efficient. A bigger pond will need an external water pump. A submersible pump is placed in the pond. This can drain the water from the pond without a distracting no...

• Published: May 26, 2008, 9:55 pm
• Displayed: 359 times
• Preview: Pond Vacuums advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! To buy a particular fish pond vacuum cleaner, click on this text, please. If you wish to get some information firstly, then continue reading... One important part of pond maintenance has to be clearing out the debris from the bottom and the sides with pond vacuum cleaners. Not only is this done for aesthetics, but removing debris, leaves, algae, and string algae will prevent them from adding toxins to your pond as they break down. This used to be done by draining the pond, removing the fish, and then scrubbing out with a sweeping brush. Nowadays this task has been replaced with pond vacuum pumps, the advantage being, they can be used under the water level without disturbing the pond inhabitants. All of the debris is automatically removed by the pond vacuum pump with out having to scoop it out, then doing a large water change. There are companies that will do a ...

• Published: March 23, 2009, 7:56 pm
• Displayed: 151 times
• Preview: Fish ponds advertisement One of the most satisfying aspects of fish keeping to me has to be the addition of a garden pond to view in the evenings while relaxing and the joy of seeing healthy fish swimming to me at feeding times. Building and maintaining a pond can be a daunting task if not planned properly but there is always an answer to any question and hopefully most of theses questions will be answered in this article. Where do I start? The best way of starting your preparation is to sketch a plan of how you want the pond to look when you have finished the project. Walk around your garden to pick the best spot for your pond, this will also give you a rough idea of how much space you actually have to contain the pond in. Draw up a budget that you know you can afford, this may affect a few decisions you will need to make later on as regards which materials to use etc. When you have drawn your plan, use string or hosepipe, to mark the area that you need for installing the pond. What’s the best equipment to dig a pond? In the old days, there was only one way to dig ou...

• Published: August 22, 2008, 11:53 pm
• Displayed: 232 times
• Preview: Fish species (how we divide fish) advertisement Within the aquarium hobby, we use many different systems to divide fish into practical groups. Scientists use the taxonomic system created by Carolus Linnaeus in the 18th century, and understanding the basics of this system is very helpful for hobby aquarists as well since it makes it easy to see which fish species that are closely related to each other. Using the scientific names of fish instead of common names can also prevent a lot of misunderstandings since many popular aquarium species have been given a long row of different common names and the exact same common name can also be attributed to several different species. In addition to Linnaeus taxonomy system, you can encounter a lot of other ways of grouping fish within the hobby. In this article, we will take a brief look at some of these other divisions as well. Taxonomic division of fish Living organisms are divided into Domains, Kingdoms, Phylums or Divisions, Classes, Orders, Families, Genera and Species. In some cases, Subphylums/Subdivisions, Subclasses, Subo...

• Published: October 3, 2008, 7:11 am
• Displayed: 221 times
• Preview: Fish Tank Accessories advertisement There are many potential fish keepers wandering around the pet stores looking at their future tanks, not realizing the purchase of the tank is only the first step towards setting up a good, healthy aquarium. There are many accessories to the tank that are required, not by choice but by need. The costing of the set up should include all of these before the initial purchase of the tank is undertaken. Nowadays it is possible to buy complete packages i.e. the tank plus everything you need to set it all up, but in most cases the extras are usually not of the standard that you would get if the equipment was purchased separately. This is not true in all cases and often novice keepers will purchase the packages with the intention of upgrading equipment further down the line as they get more experienced. The golden rule before actually buying your tank is to think first, get an idea in your head of what fish etc. that you wish to keep. Researching these fish will tell you which size of tank will be best for your and your fishes needs. The size of the t...

• Published: October 10, 2008, 1:45 am
• Displayed: 235 times
• Preview: Fish Tank Cleaning advertisement One aspect of the fish keeping hobby that is often neglected has to be the cleaning of the aquarium. I set myself a schedule of routine cleaning that needs doing regularly and stick to it, by doing this, the health of the fish will not be compromised as detritus and algae do not clog up filters etc., because of bad house keeping. There are many aids to help us out with our tank chores, long gone are the days when we had to roll up our sleeves and get our arms wet to clean the glass and substrate. I keep a box purely for my cleaning utensils, buying these handy tools can make cleaning the tank a pleasure rather than a burden. This is a list of my cleaning gear:- Long handled algae scraper with a pad on the reverseLong handled blade scraper (do not use with acrylic tanks)Siphoning tubeA bucket which is only used for cleaning purposesWhite vinegarClean dishclothPaper towelingFilter brushesFilter pipe brushesGravel vacuumAlgae magnetSterilizing tabletsAn old toothbrush This may seem quite a long list but when you start doing the aquarium clea...

• Published: October 8, 2008, 1:44 am
• Displayed: 239 times
• Preview: Fish Tank Decorations advertisement What do I class as a fish tank decoration? To me it’s anything that is added to the outside or the inside of the tank to enhance the overall viewing of the tank. This can be anything that the fish keeper desires but there are some rules that need to be applied. The decoration must be inert if placed inside the tank, if it reacts with the water the parameters will be affected over a period of time, this could be detrimental to the health of your fish. Any ornaments that are placed inside the tank must be aquarium safe. All of the ornaments purchased from pet stores should be but it still pays to check as some of the cheaper ornaments may be painted with inferior paints that can leach toxins into the water. All ornaments or décor must be cleaned and rinsed before they are placed in the water. If this is not done you could be adding potential diseases to the fish and contaminate the tank water. Do not add anything to the tank with sharp edges; they could injure your fish. That is the serious side of decorating the tank but most of t...

• Published: November 29, 2008, 1:15 am
• Displayed: 220 times
• Preview: Fish Tank Divider advertisement Fish tank dividers are used to separate areas of the aquarium where defined spaces are required. The ability to break up sections in the fish tank can come in handy for breeding purposes, segregating feuding fish, and conserving aquarium resources. Different materials used for fish tank dividers Glass is used for dividers that are meant to permanently separate one space from the next. Aquarium silicone sealant which is also used to secure the exterior walls of glass fish tanks can be used to secure the dividing walls in place. When creating your own dividers be sure to a silicone sealant that clearly states that it is non-toxic and safe to use on aquariums.Acrylic fish tank dividers, much like glass, are more durable than plastic. This is a less permanent solution than glass and silicone sealant so it leaves you with the option to change your mind about the divided aquarium. Acrylic dividers can be held in place by hooks hanging on the rim of the aquarium or suction cups secured to the inside of the glass or acrylic fish tank. Acrylic dividers ...

• Published: August 29, 2006, 4:11 pm
• Displayed: 10747 times
• Preview: Fish tank heater advertisement Brief Description Not only general information, but important questions have been answered within the Fish Tank Heater article. These include How do I use aquarium heater, How can I heat my fish tank, How to install a fish tank heater, How big aquarium heater do I need, How to install a submersible aquarium heater, How can I tell if my fish tank heater is working, How deep should my aquarium heater go into the water, What fish don't need a heater, Heater overheated my tank, what should I do, What is the wattage of a fish tank heater, What if I buy a larger aquarium heater than I need, What brand of heater is good for fish tank, What fish can go into a room temperature tank. Check the bottom of this article if you're willing to share experiences, tips and ideas about fish tank heaters! I`d like to explain why heaters are necessary in the aquariums in this article. Before you continue reading, you must realise that some fish tanks don`t need any heating equipment, because they require other kind of conditions. But let`s go from the beginning. F...

• Published: July 5, 2008, 11:15 pm
• Displayed: 360 times
• Preview: FISH TANK TEMPERATURE advertisement There are many tests that we perform on our tank water to ensure that the quality is high to give us a thriving aquarium, but one aspect that many fish keepers seem to overlook is constant monitoring of the aquarium temperature. At least once per day thermometers should be checked to make sure that there are no temperature swings occurring, and indeed checking the temperature so that we know the aquarium heater is actually working. But why is temperature so important? Fish are cold blooded creatures, they cannot create their own body temperature, and therefore the water around them will give their body heat to maintain a correct metabolism. Fish originate from all corners of the globe, in different parts of the world the fish will live in different temperature scales. They can tolerate a slight variance from the natural water temperature, but beyond that the fish will start to suffer which in turn will induce stress in the fish; this can then lead to fatalities in the aquarium as the fishes immune system will start to break down and ba...

• Published: January 4, 2007, 8:35 pm
• Displayed: 3673 times
• Preview: Fish Tank: How-toby Peter advertisement The first tip: Decide for a fish tank As we all know, fishkeeping is a hobby and fish are live beings. This is the reason why you must decide wisely following and focusing on a previous research. Fish tanks are usually bought after long solicitous asking by small children. This is not the way how it should be, because your tank crew will be flushed in a toilet sooner or later, usually in a week after starting a tank just for your children or small brother/sister. So before you buy a tank, ask yourself following questions: Am I going to take this hobby seriously? Do I know enough about fish species, plants and aquariums in general? If you`re a beginner and if you answer these questions honestly, you will realise that you don`t know anything or very little about fishkeeping. Basically, this is why I started this post. The first tip, part one: Prepare yourself to be helpful for your fish. Prepare for potential troubles which almost every aquarist went through. Prepare yourself for that you will wait months or even year...

• Published: November 26, 2007, 12:47 pm
• Displayed: 1058 times
• Preview: Fish Tanks: Which one do I choose? advertisement The fish-keeping hobby has taken enormous strides over the last ten years, from simple and plain metal-frames fish tanks in black plastic covered frames to the very attractive bow-fronted acrylic aquariums and wood-effect cabinets of today. This guide is aimed at setting up a medium or large aquarium and the considerations that need to be addressed. It aims to help the inexperienced or beginner at fish-keeping, but will also contain valuable information for the more experienced. So, with the huge range available, which one should I choose? This is a question that can lead to big mistakes and huge costs if you get it wrong! Firstly, what do you want in the way of an aquarium? Things to consider are: * how much you can afford to spend, * The space available, * The type of fish you want to keep, * The eventual size of those fish, * Whether the aquarium will be on it’s own stand or on that favourite unit in the corner, * Availability of power outlets, * The type of floor, * How much time you can ...

• Published: April 15, 2008, 9:41 pm
• Displayed: 385 times
• Preview: FLUIDIZED BED FILTERS advertisement Nowadays in the aquarium hobby there are many forms of filtration available from the suppliers, so sometimes it can get confusing as to which are the right ones to use on your aquarium. We have internal filters, external canister filters, running a sump, wet and dry trickle filters, diatom filters plus an old favorite with many people – the fluidized filter bed. All of the above filters have their advantages and disadvantages but over them all, the fluidized bed filter makes a great secondary filter to use as a back up for your overall system. They come into their own with heavily stocked aquariums, planted aquariums and marine aquariums. The great advantage with planted aquariums is the fact that these filters will not reduce the CO2 levels in the water which the plants depend on. Another great advantage of this system is that the maintenance side of them is drastically reduced as they tend to run for much longer periods without clogging and indeed they have the ability to clean themselves. Internal filters tend to be restricted on ...

• Published: May 11, 2008, 10:10 pm
• Displayed: 368 times
• Preview: Fluorescent Aquarium Lighting advertisement Aquarium lighting is very important to the basic function of an aquarium and its inhabitants. Originally, aquarists utilized aquarium lighting as accessories with which to observe but lights have proven to be far more useful than that. Plants benefit from specific regions of the light spectrum resulting in enhanced growth. Corals and invertebrates feed on algae that gain support from light for their photosynthetic processes. The colors of fish are enhanced by the warm end of the color spectrum allowing their natural colors to stand out. Fish rely on light to influence their mood and behavior making light a vitally important feature in the maintenance of their health. Different lights sources are available in a wide spectrum of colors and brightness, customizable to fit the needs of your aquarium. Light naturally gives off heat which is one of the things you need to take into consideration when choosing the correct lighting system. Fluorescent lights run coolest and are by far the most efficient to utilize. Fluorescent light bulbs come ...

• Published: March 6, 2008, 10:39 pm
• Displayed: 388 times
• Preview: Fluval Internal Canister Filters advertisement Fluval Internal Canister Filters have been around for some time, with the series five being the latest model from the Hagen Corporation who manufacture this heavy duty range of aquarium filters. The interesting thing about these filters as any veteran aquarist will tell you are that each model that is introduced is mechanically better than its predecessor. Hagen is a company that obviously listens to feed back from their customers and acts on them. The model five series has had all the “glitches” ironed out of what were relatively minor problems with the series four filters, and the same rule appears to apply with series three models. Nowadays the Fluval series five canister filters are mostly widely marketed, online as well as in the pet shops and aquarium suppliers worldwide. What has always made this series of filters heads up amongst their competitors was their solid feel, The series five are square and even bulkier than their predecessors and their ease of operation has increased the satisfaction levels of aquarium owners and o...

• Published: November 14, 2008, 3:56 am
• Displayed: 213 times
• Preview: Food and feeding aquarium fish advertisement This article answers the most common questions regarding feeding your aquarium fish, and also offers answers about food for particular species. All questions have been asked by visitors of Aqua-Fish.Net. If your questions aren`t answered on this website, then contact us and we`ll try to help you. Before you do so, make sure that you used the site search (see top-left corner on this page). How much should I feed my fish? In various guides you can find something like “the amount of given food should be eaten in 1-5 minutes”. The number which replaces 1-5 is usually different for each guide. Anyway, I feed my fish differently... Firstly I put flakes into the aquarium in order to feed fish which swim in the top or middle levels. As flakes sink (they float for a few seconds – up to one minute, depending on water flow), they get to the bottom levels where bottom-dwellers start eating them. At this time usually all fish except bottom-dwellers are full. Now it`s time to put some granules and tablets into the tank (foods which fall down im...

• Published: April 27, 2010, 7:17 pm
• Displayed: 17 times
• Preview: Freshwater Aquarium Set Up advertisement Many novice keepers are under the impression that setting up a freshwater aquarium only means going to an aquarium supplier, filling the tank with water and then place the fish inside straight away. Unfortunately this is not the case but preparing beforehand ensures that your aquarium will run successfully and with a small amount of maintenance will remain looking fresh and clean. Planning is the key to success so never enter this hobby without doing any research and ensure that you have the time and inclination to keep your fish happy and healthy. There are several key steps that need to be followed and these will be covered below. Work out a budget, this should include the initial costs of purchasing the aquarium as well as running costs, remember that you will have to buy food for the fish, filter media will need replacing at certain time intervals and there is also the cost of the electricity required to run your tank. There is no point setting up a large aquarium just to find out that you cannot afford to run it so it is sometimes...

• Published: June 17, 2010, 1:38 am
• Displayed: 8 times
• Preview: Freshwater Natural Aquariums advertisement Nowadays more and more fish keepers are changing their views on the look that their aquariums should have and are shifting away from aquariums with strange and artificial ornamental décor such as castles and barrels, now they are after recreating natural looks in the aquarium using natural décor such as rocks, wood and natural substrates, to compliment these the aquariums have live plants added and arranged in such a fashion that a piece of nature is appearing in the room where the tank is housed. Creating this look may seem a bit daunting to some keepers especially if they are beginners to the hobby but it is not as difficult as it seems and making the correct choice of plants and décor will soon become second nature. Planning is the key to success, you need a picture in your head of how the finished aquarium will look , putting this plan onto paper or on your computer will keep that image fresh and gives you a plan to work to as building up the look is performed over several key stages and these need to be stuck to to stand any cha...

• Published: August 5, 2010, 1:11 am
• Displayed: 4 times
• Preview: Freshwater Snail Types advertisement Freshwater snails are often given a hard time, they are mostly considered as a pest in the aquariums and eradicated before the keepers have had the chance to take a close look at them and take in their own natural beauty. They are a creature that can be beneficial in the aquarium and also in outdoor ponds, they can keep algae levels down and also sift through the substrate releasing any gas pockets. If allowed to get out of control some species do tend to breed quicker than the keeper wishes but this is mostly down to excess food being added to the tank, the snail is an opportunist so over breeding has to be blamed on the keeper themselves. They are very peaceful creatures, going about their business all day without bothering other tank mates, cleaning the tank which means less tank maintenance is required, this has to be a good thing! If you do intend to keep snails in your aquarium it must be remembered that they should never be kept with aggressive tank mates and certainly never kept with fish species renowned for making a meal o...

• Published: April 10, 2008, 9:30 am
• Displayed: 437 times
• Preview: Frontosa Cichlid advertisement The Cyphotilapia frontosa is named Cypho- meaning “hump” in Greek, -tilapia meaning “fish” in Tswana (the language spoken around lake Ngami), and frontosa based on the Latin word Frontis meaning “with big forehead.” Nicknamed frontosa, this very distinguishable fish is a highly prized and highly priced cichlid in the aquarium industry. The more common variation in retail is from Burundi which can run anywhere from $12 to $15 for juveniles. Other variations can be considerably more expensive because of their vibrant blue coloration and the fact that they are not as easy to breed. They can cost around $250 for the juveniles. Despite the high price, these fish are definitely worth the investment because they are an attractive and hardy species that can live up to 25 years. Frontosas are hunters who like to work smart, not hard. They hunt for food at dusk, just when their prey would be falling asleep thus making themselves easy targets. In an aquarium setting this fish will eat a variety of frozen and live foods in addition to prepared flakes and pell...

• Published: April 29, 2008, 10:15 pm
• Displayed: 415 times
• Preview: FROZEN FISH FOODS advertisement An important part of satisfying your fish’s diet is variety. Just to feed them flake every meal, not only deprives them of some important vitamins, but can also bore the fish into not eating. Nowadays there are so many options on the market to buy that it makes sense to keep in a stock of flake, frozen, and in some cases live foods. The advantages of feeding frozen are not just the extra vitamins, but it can also make your fish a lot more colorful and energetic, swimming happily around the tank. A lot of digestive problems can occur by just feeding flake or pellet foods, which can then lead onto other problems as the fish will become constipated. The price of frozen food is slightly more than the others but the benefits of using it can well out way the extra costs. The foods available are normally supplied in cubes, encased in a blister pack to keep them fresh, or they are sometimes available in a solid block. Always remember to only thaw out the amount required, even if using the cubes, they can be chopped into smaller pieces. Never put...

• Published: May 15, 2010, 3:27 am
• Displayed: 13 times
• Preview: Galaxy Rasbora advertisement New species of fish are being discovered all of the time but most are just merged into the aquarium trade without a great impact, one species that has proven to be a massive hit with fish keepers has to be the Galaxy Rasbora. This fish with its amazing colouration has taken the market by storm even though it has only been available in the last 5 years. This beautiful but undemanding fish is so striking that when pictures first appeared of it, many people were sceptical and believed that all of the pictures had been doctored somehow to enhance the true colours of the fish as some form of marketing ploy. The Galaxy Rasbora has proven them wrong and is even more stunning when seen in its aquarium than any picture could hope to replicate. They were first discovered in 2006 in Myanmar in a small area near the Salween basin and they are already proving to be difficult to catch for sale due to their small numbers. Recently their name has changed from the Galaxy Rasbora to Celestial Pearl Danio as it was found to be more closely related to the Danios...

• Published: November 4, 2009, 1:09 am
• Displayed: 52 times
• Preview: Glass Catfish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement 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-...

• Published: November 6, 2009, 11:45 pm
• Displayed: 62 times
• Preview: Glofish or Zebra Danios? an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement 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...

• Published: November 8, 2009, 4:33 am
• Displayed: 56 times
• Preview: Glowlight tetra an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Glowlight tetras or Hemigrammus erythrozonus are native to the Essiquibo basin in South America. Glowlights like all tetra are a member of family Characidae. They received the name glowlight tetra because of the highly reflective red stripe that runs from their mid-body to their tails. This stripe appears to glow under aquarium lighting. Tetras are shoaling fish. Shoaling fish are extremely social fish that instinctively travel in a group. They tend not to fare well in an aquarium devoid of other members of their species. Depending on how strong the instinct runs in an individual species, some shoaling fish can not survive at all in an isolated environment. It is always advisable to have at least four of any given shoaling fish in a community fish tank. The glowlight tetra is a small freshwater fish variety, reaching an adult length of only about an inch and a half. They have a mild disposition and make wonderful additions to community tanks provide they are in the presence of similarly natured fish ...

• Published: December 28, 2006, 10:28 am
• Displayed: 75035 times
• Preview: Goldfish advertisement Carassius Auratus, widely known as “Goldfish”, is an ornamental ciprinidae, native from China, where it has been bred for long time. Being one of the first ornamental fish bred, goldfish has a great number of colour and shape mutations. Mutations can be divided in two categories: “long body” looking similar to the wild-type, and “short body” that usually have a egg shaped body much different from the common goldfish. “Long body” goldfish are the stronger ones and can live also in ponds; They usually reach 6-8 inches or more. Long finned are usually faster than short finned but can still live together without problems. - Common goldfish: it has a stout body and short rounded fins, the most common colour is bright orange, but you can find also brown, silver, yellow and calico. - Comet: it has thinner body and long caudal fin. Colours are the same of the common one. - Shubunkin: its shape is the same of the common goldfish body, but has a heart shaped tail and is only calico coloured. “Short body” goldfish are delicate and can live only i...

• Published: July 30, 2008, 10:11 pm
• Displayed: 339 times
• Preview: Goldfish and Water Quality advertisement The quality of the water in a goldfish aquarium determines the health of the goldfish in it. To start with, it is important to set up an aquarium with fresh, clean water, and then the challenge is to maintain the quality of the water. Setting Up an Aquarium with High Quality Water: When setting up a new aquarium it is important to first start with a large, clean aquarium. Goldfish have the potential to grow very large for aquarium fish and will thrive in a pond or very large aquarium of no less than 75 gallons of water. Never use detergents or any type of cleanser to get the inside of your fish tank clean. Scrubbing any fish equipment with a rough sponge or brush should work just fine. Chemicals of any kind should never be used in a fish tank unless they are specifically made for aquarium use, in which case they should be used sparingly, only as directed, and only as a last resort. Filtration: Mechanical filtration is where the debris and wastes of the fish and plants are filtered out of the water. Since goldfish are m...

• Published: June 18, 2008, 1:04 pm
• Displayed: 367 times
• Preview: Goldfish Aquarium advertisement Establishing a happy, healthy goldfish aquarium can seem like quite a challenge, but if you have the right information and all the proper tools you can be on your way to creating a wonderful underwater scene in which your goldfish will thrive. Creating a Vision Deciding to create a goldfish aquarium is the first step. Once you decide to create a goldfish aquarium you will need to envision what you would like this waterscape to look like. Do you want to incorporate a lot of different decorations and water features, or would you rather keep it simple and let the beauty of the fish decorate the aquarium? Would you like a lot of fish to make it a busy fish tank or would you rather create a simple waterscape with just a few carefully selected fish. When you envision your perfect aquatic scene what do you see? Aquarium Size It is very important to do your research before you purchase anything at all because there are a number of factors to consider when starting the new aquarium. Think about how big a fish tank you can afford before deciding ...

• Published: March 17, 2010, 10:10 pm
• Displayed: 20 times
• Preview: Goldfish Breeding advertisement Overview:- Goldfish must be one of the most popular fish ever to be kept in the aquariums, they are quite hardy, easy to get hold off and very attractive when in full health. They originated from Asia, there direct descendants are the Carassius auratus species and were originally kept in terracotta pots in Ancient China. In their natural habitat the Carassius auratus inhabit lakes, streams, ditches or ponds and they can even survive in stagnant water. The goldfish was so popular in China that they appear in thousands of Chinese art pieces including pottery as well as traditional paintings. The fish that we see today has been bred through the generations selecting fish with certain dominant genes, this process allows for diversification and nowadays not only is the common goldfish available but there are fancy goldfish, single tailed and double tailed fish. These are not difficult fish to breed but preparing the fish for spawning needs to be done months in advance if breeding in the aquarium. I have kept lots of goldfish in my ponds and every yea...

• Published: January 9, 2006, 2:03 am
• Displayed: 2728 times
• Preview: Good Shop / Bad Shop by Andy Gordon of England, and Michelle Stuart of Ontario Canada (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) advertisement If you have never kept fish or you are planning to buy your first fish tank and you have never set foot in an aquatic shop before how can you judge what makes a good shop or a bad one? Because fish are living things and because being transported and moved around is very stressful to them good careful handling at the shop can make a lot of difference to their future prospects. In a good shop you should find: Helpful Staff If you explain that this will be your first aquarium the staff should be prepared to guide you through a list of essential equipment and explain how to set it all up. And answer your questions about anything you aren`t sure of. They should also explain about the need to properly mature a tank and how important it is not to add the fish until it is fully mature. A really good shop will refuse to sell you the fish on the same day as the tank. This may seem rude but they have a lot of...

• Published: April 8, 2008, 9:43 am
• Displayed: 483 times
• Preview: The Gourami Species advertisement A very common freshwater fish is the gourami which is diversely represented in the aquarium industry under the belontiidae, osphronemidae and helostomidae families. These fish come from waters through out Asia and Africa including oxygen poor roadside ditches and rice paddies. They all fall under the category of labyrinth fish because of their ability to breathe oxygen from the atmosphere above the water. There are many types of gouramis bred for the aquatic hobby and they range in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and temperament. Despite all the different variations, most gouramis are quite adaptable to different water conditions of temperature, hardness, and pH level. Optimum water conditions are wide ranged from soft to hard, 72-82ºF and a pH range of 5.5-7.5. One very prominent trait that most gouramis possess is their long, skinny pelvic fins. They are used like antennas on bugs or like whiskers on a cat. The purpose of this feature is to feel their way through the water especially muddy, murky water for food and other objects. Most gou...

• Published: September 8, 2006, 2:04 am
• Displayed: 5690 times
• Preview: Things You Should Know Before You Purchase an Aquarium Stand advertisement Nothing sets fish owners apart more than the manner in which they display their aquarium. You can always tell a proud fish owner by the materials and quality of the aquarium stand which holds their aquatic investment. Aquarium stands are available in many sizes, shapes and price ranges. Although most aquarium stands are for fish tanks that are 20 gallons or more in size, there are stands available to hold aquariums from 10 gallons on up. There are several styles of aquarium stands, from the simple rack style, to the more robust cabinetry style. Materials are also varied, as the bigger the fish tank, the sturdier the stand materials must be. Rack style stands are usually for the lower gallon sized tanks, and are made of light metals such as aluminum. The racks for larger fish tanks or for double tank display are made from sturdier steel construction with welded joints. Next up the line in stands is what is sometimes referred to as aquarium furniture. These stands can house the aquarium, or have i...

• Published: April 15, 2008, 9:43 am
• Displayed: 616 times
• Preview: Guppies advertisement Poecilia reticulata also known as guppies, are among the most commonly kept fish in the aquarium industry today. Nicknamed, the “million-fish” the guppy is known to be a highly reproductive species that readily spawns in any given environment. Guppies are in the Poecilia family and are a live-bearers which means the females birth to live fry after being inseminated by a male. This fish is selectively bred for the purpose of developing a unique array of color combinations and finnage displays. The excitement of breeding these interesting little live bearers is to see what kinds of combinations will be produced next. The guppy comes from various freshwater regions in South and Central Americas as well as the Caribbean, and is easily adaptable to a wide range of temperatures between 66-82ºF. They thrive in soft or hard waters of neutral to alkaline pH (7.0-7.5) growing up to 2.5 inches in length. Guppies are a non-aggressive species who like to live in a well planted tank containing no less than 20 gallons of water, with other small non-aggressive spe...

• Published: May 21, 2008, 10:17 pm
• Displayed: 409 times
• Preview: HOW TO BUILD A POND advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! A major project that many people undertake nowadays is to create a pond in their garden. One of the key aspects to this is to draw up a plan initially. Take into consideration whether the pond will be used for goldfish only, or for koi. Look around your garden to find the best situation, remember too much sunlight on your pond can cause outbreaks of algae, and observe the site over the day to find out the position of the sun at different times. Take into consideration how big you want the pond to be, are there small children that will be in the area, if so think safety into your design. Work out a budget remembering to allow for all the extra equipment that you will need i.e. filters, lighting, and fountains. If designing a square or rectangular pond peg out the corners, then mark out the area with line. If your design involves an irregular sha...

• Published: October 10, 2006, 3:26 pm
• Displayed: 11842 times
• Preview: How to care about Betta Fish advertisement Betta splendens is a small siamese freshwater fish, really common in aquariums for it`s colours, easy care and peculiar behaviour, sadly they don`t have a long life, usually they reach two years old. Betta is also known as a siamese fighting fish for it`s intra specific aggressiveness, for this reason it`s impossible to house two males together in the same tank, since they`ll end up fighting to death; males can be aggressive towards females and females can attack each other as well, so keeping one male with two or three females is the best solution to avoid continuous attacks on the weaker fish. Males can be easily distinguished by females for their long fins and bright colours. In nature male bettas are brown-grey with iridescent green-blue fins and tail, while females are dark brown-grey with light coloured fins. Years of captive breeding has created new colours and fins shape both of males and females. New colours can be divided into: 1) Solid colour, where all the body and fins are of the same colour: cellophane (almost t...

• Published: August 3, 2007, 5:47 pm
• Displayed: 1561 times
• Preview: How to increase the capacity of your tankBy Tim Gautrey advertisement Important Aqua-Fish.Net has got rights to reprint this article from original author. Information here is "as is" and potential references to "will be added in future" (or similar) might not be done by aqua-fish.net. However, we may update the article later. Article Simplicity is the best way! I just tested a theory I had, using an old whisper air pump and a spare 10 gallon tank. Here`s what I did: The pump: I connected a small bore tube to the air intake of the whisper. (Luckily, the one I have has a rubber base with a single air intake hole.) I sealed the pump with silicone, all round the mains cable and air outlet nozzles as well, so that the air only had one way in. The air intake was then connected to a length of 6mm air tubing, with a check valve inline, long enough to go from the pump to the bottom of the tank. Another piece of small bore pipe was then pushed into a suction cup and the tube attached. This was then placed as close to the bottom of the tank as I ...

• Published: August 24, 2007, 11:19 am
• Displayed: 3421 times
• Preview: How to use an Aquarium Air Stoneby Zuzana advertisement Design and sizes Aquarium air stone is a lightweight stone, which is full of little holes intended for displacing air into the water. The most common shape is a bole, however you can find it also as a globe or disc, even cube. The bole shape can exist in many sizes and colours. The sizes vary from an about 3 cm (1 inch) and 1 cm in diameter to more than 1,5 meter (60 inches) long. Generally speaking longest air stones are usually flexible and not very robust. How does it work and what is it`s purpose An air stone is used in aquariums to aerate the water. Very important part of this device is an aquarium air pump. It pumps the air into the stone and the stone spreads the air into the water in the form of little bubbles. If the stone is small, the air pump doen´t have to be powerful and bubbles will come out only from a small area. But if you connect a large air stone to a small pump, the bubbles will be generated at the front of the stone. Basically, it is recommended to use big air stones for powerful air pumps. Lar...

• Published: April 16, 2008, 9:52 pm
• Displayed: 506 times
• Preview: Ich; The White Spot Disease advertisement Ichthyophthirius multifiliis is one of the most common diseases encountered by freshwater aquarists. It is a parasite that attaches itself to the skin and gills of fish, forming white spots that look like grains of salt. You may or may not notice an infected fish “flashing”; a behavior that is characterized by quick rubbing or scratching up against logs or rocks. This parasite digs into the victims’ epidermis while feeding on the blood and cells of the host. Some of the common names of this parasite are ich, ick or white spot disease. In addition to feasting on a fish’s mass, this parasite will also add stress and lower immunity. As if things aren’t bad enough with just having to deal with a parasite, this opens up the infected fish to bacterial infections and respiratory dysfunction. Rarely will Ich go unnoticed, but the earlier you catch it the better. Without proper action taken it will be deadly, especially if the fish are not already in a healthy state of being. Ich is highly contagious, so if you see one fish has been infected, you...

• Published: November 1, 2008, 4:23 am
• Displayed: 237 times
• Preview: Information about Aquarium Driftwood advertisement Since many aquarists aren`t sure regarding some aspects of having a driftwood in the aquarium, I decided to answer some commonly asked questions. If you want to get answer to something what hasn`t been answered on Aqua-Fish.Net yet, feel free to leave your question in the forum, or eventually use the contact us form. Also feel free to visit another article devoted to this topis: aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=aquariumdriftwood Is driftwood safe for an aquarium? Yes; usually. I recommend you to buy driftwood in aquatic shops, although it`s possible to make your own too. The driftwood is basically wood that has been dried for some time. This is also the reason why many driftwoods float when put into a fish tank. Driftwood is safe if it doesn`t decay, however decay of some level can be accepted! In my own aquariums I sometimes find putrescence. Although it doesn`t mean that fish are going to die. Actually, decay is a natural process that can be seen in the nature obviously. I mentioned that a driftwood isn`t safe if it does decay because...

• Published: December 24, 2006, 6:51 am
• Displayed: 13746 times
• Preview: Internal and external aquarium filters advertisement Both internal and external filters are good solutions to keep clean water and good chemical values, there is not a better one, it depends on different factors connected to the aquarium. Internal filters Internal filters usually are rectangular boxes attached with suckers on a side glass of the tank. They may have two or three sections inside, thought to divide filter materials, pump and sometimes also the water heater. Often you can find in shop really small internal filters meant for 10 gallons aquariums, even if they claim to use special technologies, they are the most of times inadequate for the aquarium cleaning. Adding plants and reducing the number of fish inside the tank is not a solution with inadequate filters, specially in small aquariums; an undersized filter can not guarantee constant chemical values, even if it can clean water, great sudden changes of nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia due to the small concentration of filtering bacteria, can kill your fish and plants. A good rule to follow to under...

• Published: December 11, 2009, 10:15 pm
• Displayed: 56 times
• Preview: It is About Dogs Too (Not Only About Fish) by Jan Hvizdak; owner of aqua-fish.net This article is not going to talk about fish or aquariums, but about dogs instead. Also, it reflects a personal point of view, and is that exception which happens sometimes. Aqua-Fish.Net is purely about fish keeping and there won`t be many articles devoted to other topics than aquariums here. In my personal life I`ve spent more time with dogs than with fish, and I want to share my experiences. From adopting a dog to basic steps how to stay dominant. I`m writing this article to tell you how great it`s to adopt a dog, how cool it`s to help a stray dog because if you love fish, you will most likely love many animals including dogs. Why adopt a dog? Instead of buying a pure blood dog, adopting some from your local animal shelter is a gesture of humanism. It`s a gesture of how you treat animals and live beings. I adopted a dog because I wanted to help, and I wanted some to be happy. In the streets there are many starving animals and it`s not their fault. Their previous owners were tired of them, in many ...

• Published: June 20, 2008, 2:14 pm
• Displayed: 371 times
• Preview: Java Moss advertisement Vesicularia dubyana is an aquatic plant belonging to the Hypnaceae family and it is most commonly known as Java Moss. There is some talk about the naming of this aquatic plant because there are other classifications under which this plant can be placed. There is a debate whether or not the name of the V. dubyana is the proper name for this aquarium plant. Taxiphyllum barbieri is the other name that may eventually become the scientific name for Java Moss. This plant will grow anywhere on anything and it does not need very much care in order to do so. Wherever Java Moss is concerned, less is more because no matter how much you plant, more is sure to grow in no time at all. Java Moss grows as a tight entanglement of stems that are covered with teeny-tiny (4mm long) leaves of olive and dark green. Unless you look at the moss really closely you might never know there are leaves covering the stems. The Java Moss will develop rhizoids which are small root-like structures that help it attach onto other objects. Rhizoids are not true roots because they do not hel...

• Published: April 15, 2008, 9:16 am
• Displayed: 492 times
• Preview: Jewel Cichlid advertisement The Hemichromis genus is the scientific name for the commonly known jewel cichlid of the cichlidae family in the aquarium industry. This name broadly includes common species such as H. peynei, H. lifalili, and H. gutattus all with subtle differences. One species can be easily mistakable for the next to the novice aquarist. The most common of all the jewel cichlid species is the Hemichromis bimaculatus which is characterized by two prominent black spots on each side of the body. There is a red variety and a blue variety of this species. Both colors possess turquoise, jewel-like spots that stand out brilliantly on the body and tail of well-kept specimens. This is a moderately priced fish in aquatic retail, selling for approximately $10 per fish. A native species to Central and West Africa, these fish can be found swimming in middle to top water of muddy bottomed rivers and streams. The mature jewel will be 4-6 inches in length and can be aggressive when pairing up and spawning. These carnivorous hunters are not to be trusted with any species that will f...

• Published: January 4, 2007, 10:39 am
• Displayed: 4437 times
• Preview: Keep the Discus Fish in your Tank advertisement This article is here for beginners who ask basic questions and for those who consider buying and later want to keep the Discus species. If you are looking for more comprehensive article about Symphysodon species, simply click here. Introduction In defiance of common judgement, housing the discus species in not very difficult. A newbie or an experienced hobbyist might ask himself why discus species are considered to be difficult-to-keep, why many people think they're not immune enough, why are they suitable for professional fish keepers, etc. Basically the myth about their immunity system or demands has been built by so-called “Discus fish expert-keepers”. First of all, they require a couple of basic things: 1) Aquarium depth should be 50 cm at least, 2) Width of their tank should be not less than 70 cm, 3) Length of their tank should be not less than 80 cm. Since majority of all hobbyists are not looking for breeding their pets, the care is limited to feeding only. Man must understand that feeding includes variou...

• Published: March 31, 2010, 12:21 am
• Displayed: 22 times
• Preview: Keeping Guppies advertisement The Guppy fish is often overlooked by many keepers despite its wonderful colouration that is displayed by the males, the fish are that small that they do not appeal to many people but keepers that take these fish seriously have aquariums that provide plenty of movement and colour, this has to be a reward in itself. The Guppy originates from most countries in South America, nowadays it can be found on all of the continents apart from Antarctica. They have been introduced to many countries for the same reason, the juvenile Guppy loves to feed on mosquito larva, this is a great natural way of controlling the mosquito swarms that plague us. It gets its common name from Robert Guppy who first discovered this fish in Trinidad in the year of 1866 and it was first classified as Girardinus Gupii. The males are easily distinguishable from the females as they have long flowing tails with intense colouration, the females tend to be drab and smaller than the males. These fish can be very appealing and they are always on the move, they will stay in the same spo...

• Published: May 8, 2008, 9:39 pm
• Displayed: 395 times
• Preview: KILLIFISH advertisement The name killifish is actually derived from the Dutch word “kilde”, meaning puddle or small creek. These fish are so varied with hundreds of different species and they are very popular with aquarium keepers because of their bright coloration and markings, plus the ease with which some of the species can breed, requiring very little in special needs. Obviously I cannot go into great detail with all of the species, so I will try to give you a general guide to keeping these beautiful fish. They are to be found all over the world apart from Australia, Antarctica, and the Arctic. These fish are excellent jumpers so they must be kept in a tank with a tight fitting lid. Filter intakes should be covered over with a sponge as they are the perfect escape artists of the fish world. In most cases no form of heating is required; all they need is clean water with no ammonia levels, and just the usual aquarium maintenance. In fact these fish are so hardy; they can survive in the most adverse conditions in the wild. There are two main groups of these fish,...

• Published: November 24, 2006, 2:09 am
• Displayed: 26440 times
• Preview: Koi carp advertisement Koi carp is an ornamental mutation of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio), native from Asia, especially China and Japan. Koi carp may look like a big goldfish, anyway you can distinguish it for it`s barbels at the sides of the mouth and for it`s size, an adult Koi can reach 30 inches (75cm). Japanese breeders have selected a great number of colour varieties during years. The most common in shops are: - Kohaku: white Koi with red spots. Red and white colours are uniform, without shadings; Red spots should cover the half of the body. - Sanke: red and black spotted white Koi. Red and black colours do not have shadings. The head must have only red spots (like Kohaku). - Shusui: blue grey Koi with dark blue shadings on the lateral and dorsal lines, red colour on sides, fins and tail. - Asagi: blue grey Koi with red orange shadings on the sides, fins, and tail. - Showa: three coloured Koi. Looks like Sanke, but the black colour is more present, even on the head, and covers a big part of the body. Black stripes can be present on the fins and tail. - ...

• Published: June 25, 2008, 10:27 pm
• Displayed: 373 times
• Preview: KRIBENSIS (PELVICACHROMIS PULCHER) advertisement Kribensis fish are one of the most popular of the dwarf cichlids that many keepers will use to start out in the world of fish breeding. When the fish form a pair they will become prolific breeders, the problem arises, not getting the fish to breed, but where to pass on all of the fry that they will produce. The name Kribensis actually is the common name for Pelvicachromis Teaniatus, most pet stores have used the common name to sell the Pelvicachromis Pulcher, this is the fish you will normally see in the tanks described as Kribensis. So how did it get this name - Pelva is the Latin for belly, chromis is colour, and Pulcher is Latin for beautiful. This is a very apt name for this beautifully marked fish, especially at spawning times. As this fish only grows to approx. 4 inches it is classed as a dwarf cichlid, smaller tanks are perfectly alright for setting up as a breeding tank. Other common names that the Kribensis has been sold under include Niger cichlid, purple cichlid, palette cichlid, and there is also an albino...

• Published: November 15, 2009, 10:07 pm
• Displayed: 49 times
• Preview: Kuhli Loaches an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The kuhli loach or Pangio kuhli or Acanthophthalmus kuhli are members of the family Cobitidae. They are native to Indonesia. They can be found in Singapore, Malaysia, Borneo, and Java. Kuhli loaches have elongated eel-like, scale-less bodies. They commonly have alternating light and dark color bands circling the length of their bodies. The combination of shape and color bands make them resemble a snake more than a fish. They slither along the bottom of an aquarium much like a snake or an eel would. They are definitely one of the more interesting additions you can make to your aquarium. The Kuhli loach is a bottom dwelling scavenger fish. Scavenger fish can always be distinguished from other fish by their downward facing mouth with the protruding barbles on either side. Barbles are tentacle-like organ that contain taste buds. They serve the duel purpose of helping the scavenger find food and to help him feel his way along the bottom of a riverbed in murky water or at night. Kuhli loaches are noct...

• Published: November 10, 2009, 3:36 am
• Displayed: 49 times
• Preview: Labidochromis an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Labidochromis caeruleus is a member of the family Cichlidae more commonly known as a cichlid. The Labidochromis is native to Lake Malawi in Africa. Lake Malawi is situated between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. It is the third largest lake on the continent of Africa and the eight largest in the world. The Labidochromis is part of a group of fish collectively referred to as African cichlids or Malawi cichlids. The Labidochromis is commonly called an electric yellow cichlid due to it vibrant yellow palette. Its colors are almost as brilliant as that of the saltwater faring yellow tang. Labidochromis are referred to as a mbuna. Mbuna means rockfish in the native tongue of the Tonga people from Malawi. Mbuna refers to a large group of cichlids native to Lake Malawi. These rock-dwellers live in piles of rocks, caves or other openings in the lake. The Labidochromis was unknown to aquarium keepers until 1986. They where “discovered” by Stuart Grant and his divers at Lion’s Cove, Malawi in 1980. Stuar...

• Published: May 17, 2010, 7:56 pm
• Displayed: 13 times
• Preview: Laetacara curviceps advertisement This delightful little fish is one of the dwarf cichlids that is very popular among fish keepers and is often kept for its breeding prowess, they are prolific breeders once a pair is established but unfortunately they can be overlooked in the aquatic stores as they are often sold as juveniles, the young fish can look drab but when they mature their markings and colouration shine through. They are most commonly known as the Flag Cichlid or the Flag Acara, one of their common names which certainly appeals to keepers is the Smiling Flag Cichlid due to the unique development of their mouths giving the impression that they are always smiling. They are found naturally in the Amazonian River Basins and some of its tributaries where the waters are calmer and slow moving. Unlike a lot of the other cichlids, these fish do not require all of the traditional décor associated with a cichlid tank like lots of bog wood or caves, their main requirement is plenty of swimming space as they are a very active fish. Due to their small size they do not even n...

• Published: April 3, 2006, 3:30 am
• Displayed: 9263 times
• Preview: Lake Tanganyika Cichlids (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Andy Gordon of England, and Michelle Stuart of Ontario Canada. With photographs and contributions by Tom Hammond. advertisement Lake Tanganyika is situated in the E. African Rift Valley in an area which has active volcanoes. This has affected the whole area and the water of the lake is very rich in minerals and quite alkaline. This must be taken in to account when planning to keep any fish from this lake. There are three main biotopes within the lake itself: - Open water with a sandy substrate. - Rocky, found around parts of the shoreline and underwater reefs. - Shell beds. Piles of empty snail shells found in various bays litter the floor. Each biotope has attracted a different set of fish which has found ways to exploit that particular environment. The water quality remains the same throughout the lake - there may be one or two local variations where a river enters the lake but overall it is a very stable environment and the fish which have evolved there do ...

• Published: April 29, 2008, 9:36 pm
• Displayed: 328 times
• Preview: Lamprologus species advertisement Lamprologus is actually a temporary genus used to name some of the cichlids found in Lake Tanganyika. It is believed that the Lamprologus genus is restricted to the Riverine Species and not found in Lake Tanganyika. Currently Caudopunctatus, Ocellatus, Similis, Speciosus and Multifasciatus are among some of the cichlids found in Lake Tanganyika that are temporarily assigned to the Lamprologus genus. Lamprologus Caudopunctatus is an amazing and very intelligent species. They are found in shallow water and they feed on plankton. They live in shells or small caves, and usually in large numbers. L. Caudopunctatus usually have an orange or yellow color to their dorsal fin. When they are stressed they display dark gray vertical stripes through their body, and their eyes have a blue glow. When they breed it is either inside shells or small caves. L. Caudopunctatus do not eat their young, in fact the fry from each spawn will take a roll in the care and hatch of the eggs in the following spawns. They will do fine in a tank as small as a 10 gallon...

• Published: May 26, 2010, 7:19 pm
• Displayed: 11 times
• Preview: Life Cycle of Ich advertisement One of the most common problems that nearly all fish keepers have to contend with is dealing with White spot in the aquarium, nearly all of us have had to deal with this problem at some time and no doubt it will keep cropping up as a regular visitor in the future. It can be deadly at times, in other cases it can disappear as quickly as it came without harming the livestock in the aquarium. There are many ways of dealing with this problem but understanding the life cycle of this parasite will help you to understand the easiest way of keeping it under control in your aquarium. Treating the White spot can also cause further problems if any medication or treatment is not administered properly so this article will also explain the most effective methods for treating your fish. Ich are Protozoa called by the scientific world as Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and are capable of multiplying at an alarming rate once they take over the tank. The problem is increased due to the closed environment of an aquarium as the fish are sometimes stressed in these con...

• Published: August 2, 2007, 11:31 pm
• Displayed: 1482 times
• Preview: Aquarium Light Canopyby Tim Gautrey advertisement Important note This article was reprinted with permissions given by the original article`s author. Bear in mind that information here is "as is" and potential references to "will be added in future" (or similar) might not be done by aqua-fish.net. However, we may update the article later. Introduction Here is a very simple and low-cost lighting canopy suitable for any straight fronted tank. It is designed to use common household materials and takes just a couple of hours to make. Method - Cut the back and front panels 20mm longer than the tank from x 200mm. - Cut the side panels 5mm longer than the tank side x 200mm. - Cut the corner blocks out of 2" x 2" planed timber into 150mm lengths. - Screw/glue the corner blocks flush with the end and top of the side panels. - Screw/glue the corner blocks onto the ends of the front/back panels, so that the side panel is flush with the end. - This forms a basic box that sit over the tank and cover the top 2" of glass. - Cu...

• Published: July 16, 2008, 12:17 pm
• Displayed: 304 times
• Preview: LIGHTING FOR AQUARIUM PLANTS advertisement One of the biggest debates that have been going on for years is “what is the correct lighting for my planted tank”. Basically there is no easy answer to this question. It is a proven fact that fish are a lot happier in a planted tank, their coloration will stand out more and they will feel a lot more secure than if they were being kept in an unplanted tank so getting the plants to grow successfully is well worth while. So lets take one step backwards from the original question and ask why plants need the lighting in the first place. Plants grow by a process called photosynthesis, this is a complicated process in itself so let me try to explain how it works. Photosynthesis is the process where plants need to convert carbon dioxide gas and water into cell building glucose and oxygen. In nature the equation for this is:- 6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight = C6H12O6 + 6O2 Looking at the equation it may still seem baffling but quite simply it means that in daylight the plants soak up the CO2 produced by the fish respiration plus water to ...

• Published: January 18, 2007, 12:15 pm
• Displayed: 4980 times
• Preview: Lighting for Freshwater aquariums advertisement There are two main ways to light up an aquarium, using a neon tube system or a HQL (metal halide lamps) system. Illumination is really important for the aquarium, not only for plants but also for every animal that lives inside; lamps do not provide only the simple lighting, but gives the power needed for a lot of biological and chemical operations. Planning the right illumination for your aquarium, you could think that recreating the sun spectrum (that is the same light of the one produced by sun) is the most important goal to reach; however this is not right, because animals and plants living in different waters, receive the sunlight in different ways (think about animals living in clear waters and those living in a deep dark waters), moreover there is not yet a kind of lamp able to recreate totally the sun spectrum. Buying a lamp you surely would find various informations about the kind of it`s illumination, and some of them can be not easily understandable; for aquariums, it is important to know the colour temperature and...

• Published: April 26, 2008, 10:24 am
• Displayed: 515 times
• Preview: LIVE FISH FOODS advertisement Live fish foods make a great supplement to the diet of your fish and some of these can be cultivated quite easily therefore providing a free food as well. Aquarists must always remember though, these foods should not be fed as the only items on the diet as they can lead to digestive problems in the fish, a main diet of flake, pellets or similar should also be fed as the vegetable content will keep the digestive tracts clear. Because of the above problems, I will only feed live foods two or three times a week, as a treat for the fish. Live foods can also be disease carriers so always purchase your starter colonies from a reliable supplier. The main live foods come from various types of worms, so I will list these first and try to give tips on how to culture them. Earthworms:- I have an abundance of these in my back garden just waiting to be dug up for fish food, but this is not the case for everyone, so a simple wormer can be made from any kind of box or even an old fish tank. Just fill it with soil or compost medium, add some worms and...

• Published: February 17, 2008, 8:05 pm
• Displayed: 603 times
• Preview: Magnum and penguin aquarium filter advertisement In order for fish to thrive in an aquarium, the water in the tank must be maintained to the highest level of purity. This requires the investment and maintenance of a high level filtration system. There are several types and choices of filtration on the market. One of the best and most popular amongst aquarium enthusiasts in the know is the canister filter system. Both large and powerful the canister filter is situated underneath the aquarium tank and is used for either biological, mechanical and if the occasion demands it also filtration of harmful chemicals that might enter the tank and cause damage to the fish. Many of the large free standing aquariums have the canister filters placed below the tank, inside of their stand. Canister filters have the appearance of a closed cylinder around fifteen inches high (38 cm) high with a click on lid designed to keep the canister closed under pressure. All the water loaded into the aquarium tank contain tow valves, one for water input and the other for output connected by flexible tubing...

• Published: August 23, 2007, 9:18 pm
• Displayed: 1819 times
• Preview: Making a DIY Lighting Canopy(For the beginner) by Tim Gautrey, reprinted with permissions advertisement This How-To details a simple way to make a new lighting canopy for any rectangular tank. It is designed with simplicity in mind and easy enough for almost anyone with basic DIY skills to make. Tools: - Hand Saw - Hammer - Screwdriver - Tape Measure - Pencil - Set Square - Electric drill - Selection of drill bits - Fine sanding sheets. Materials: - 9mm Plywood - 25mm x 25mm soft wood batten - Piano Hinge - Wood Glue - 25mm countersunk self-tapping screws - 15mm Panel Pins - White Undercoat - White Gloss paint - Varnish - 10mm wooden edging trim (If you want to trim the edges!) - Lighting unit(s) Size: For this How-To, I am going to detail a canopy to fit a standard 36” (900mm) tank. You can work out the sizes to fit the tank you need from the guide sizes here. The light unit will be 200mm in overall height and square in shape. Measure the length of the tank and add 24mm to get the length of the front and back ...

• Published: June 27, 2008, 11:40 pm
• Displayed: 310 times
• Preview: MALAWI CICHLIDS advertisement Keeping Malawi cichlids is definitely not for the faint hearted fish keeper. They are all aggressive species, but if kept in the correct conditions can provide hours of entertainment watching go about their daily life. All of the Malawi species originate from one place, Lake Malawi in Africa. It is one of three rift lakes in Africa, the other two being Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika, but the amazing thing is that Lake Malawi is almost entirely inhabited by cichlids, the other two hosts a variety of fish. There are more than 600 species of cichlids in this lake and they are endemic to it, you will not find them anywhere else in the world. Some keepers will divide the fish into smaller groups, but to me there are only two groups, mbuna and non-mbuna. Mbuna cichlids Mbuna cichlids are the most aggressive, they are to be found in the rocky regions of the lake, as there is less space in that region they have to spend more time defending their territories. Mbuna are smaller than the non-mbuna and have some fantastic coloration on their bo...

• Published: September 25, 2008, 10:39 pm
• Displayed: 240 times
• Preview: Marble Pleco advertisement The Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps is a species more commonly known as the Marble Pleco. This species is also referred to as the sailfin pleco or the leopard pleco. Diet The Marble Pleco is an herbivore and should be fed a variety of algae and veggies. Aside from the algae already growing in the aquarium, algae wafers or pellets can be used as extra nourishment for this sucker fish. Spirulina, which is blue - green algae, is an excellent source of nutrition with many health benefits. If you want to feed your Marble Pleco veggies, soften some peas, spinach, lettuce or cucumbers by boiling for a few minutes. This species can also be conditioned to accept meaty foods but do not forget to provide them with the much needed nourishment of the greens that will aid in digestion. Marble Plecos also need a small amount of wood in their diet. The cellulose which is what wood is made of is a key element for digestive function in a pleco. Water Requirements The Marble Pleco is not very particular about the condition of their tank water. They can adapt to a ...

• Published: November 15, 2009, 10:18 pm
• Displayed: 50 times
• Preview: Marbled Hatchetfish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Marbled hatchetfish or Carnegiella strigata are a member of the family Gasteropelecidae. They are endemic to the Panama and most of South America. The hatchetfish derives its name from its peculiarly shaped body. Hatchetfish have an enormously enlarged sternal region. They are a smaller variety of fish reaching only about two inches long when fully grown. They have an average life expectancy of five years. Hatchetfish prefer subdued lighting. Hatchets are surface dwellers. Most of their time is spent near the surface of the aquarium. They take readily to a heavily planted terrain. They also have an affinity for floating plants. Hornwort is a good choice if you intend to keep hatchetfish. Beware: hatchet fish are accomplished jumpers. In nature they often jump out of the water to escape predators. They are generally considered the only true flying-fish. Hatchets have extraordinarily powerful pectoral fins. The muscles attached to these fins accounts for ¼ of their entire body weight. T...

• Published: March 20, 2008, 10:08 pm
• Displayed: 410 times
• Preview: Metal Halide Aquarium Bulbs advertisement Almost all indoor aquariums have lighting of some kind. Most use traditional incandescent or florescent lighting because of the efficiency and convenience of this type of lighting. Under most circumstances these lights are all you will ever need and the majority of planted aquariums can thrive happily using this method. But, if you really want a planted aquarium to thrive, have a deep tank, a marine coral tank or just want to be different, you can use alternatives like the T5 florescent or metal halide bulbs. Mainly used in commercial applications, the metal halide bulb is specially designed to produce maximum light for minimal power. For the techies amongst you it works by throwing an arc of electricity across two electrodes through a mixture of argon, mercury and metal halide gases. The colour of the light is influenced by the mixture of metal halides in the chamber, producing a spectrum of light, and you can choose the effect you require when you purchase the bulb. This is, however, not guaranteed, as the colour of the light from...

• Published: May 13, 2008, 10:41 am
• Displayed: 386 times
• Preview: Mollies advertisement Mollies are interesting and popular fish from the family Poeciliidae. They are freshwater livebearers; which mean they give birth to live young, much like guppies, platies and swordtails. There are several varieties of molly, some of which are readily available to the aquarium industry. Their colors and fin variations make them a highly desirable species for keeping. They are hearty and easy to breed which make them a great pet for novice aquarists. All molly fish are named under the genus Poecilia in reference to their coloration. Each of the molly species has a name that represents what make them different from the other molly species. Some of them are: Poecilia sphenops which means wedge-like appearance, Poecilia velifera refers to its sail bearing dorsal fins, and Poecilia latipinna describes this molly’s broad dorsal fin. Molly fish are brackish or fresh water species that are native to waters along coastal salt, brackish and freshwater regions of North Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. Populations of several molly species were transported to New Z...

• Published: May 10, 2010, 11:35 pm
• Displayed: 14 times
• Preview: Mosquito Larvae advertisement All fish need fresh food every now and again whether it is live or frozen to boost up their intake and often this can be pricey. Looking around for the correct food can be time consuming and often, if a fish keeper lives in a remote area, supplies can be a bit limited. Alternatives to shopping around is to produce your own and in the long run this can save a lot of money over the year. There are many worms etc. available to feed to your fish, white worms, blood worms and so on but one of the all time favourites have to be mosquito larvae. We have all seen these for sale but have you ever wondered where they come from and how are they produced commercially for general sale. Life Cycle of the Mosquito Mosquitoes can be found all over the world and have adapted to all climatic conditions. They are prolific breeders and in most countries are considered to be pests forcing governments to taker measures to control the populations of them. There are four main stages to their life cycle. They all start out as eggs which will hatch into larvae. These wi...

• Published: March 27, 2008, 2:52 pm
• Displayed: 506 times
• Preview: Mystery Snails advertisement Snails in the aquarium, not everyone’s cup of tea - they are a pest clogging the filters etc. but this is not always the case. Enter the world of the mystery snails and you will be amazed with the variety of different coloured shells (golds, reds, browns, blues, striped), their strange antics when they are coming up for air is fascinating to watch, keepers soon fall in love with them. So what are mystery snails? There is a lot of debate as to the actual classification of these creatures, they can have various different names – apple snails, ivory snails, Inca snail, day & night snails, the list goes on but the most common variety sold on the market are usually classified as being Pomacea Bridgessii and these all belong to the family of Ampullariidae (sometimes referred to as Pilidae) which contains over a hundred different members. Far from being a pest these snails can be a bonus to your tank as they will clear up any rotting vegetation from your plants, plus any surplus food from the substrate, and they will earn their keep by cleari...

• Published: June 21, 2010, 7:27 pm
• Displayed: 8 times
• Preview: Natural Planted Aquariums advertisement Aquariums come in many shapes and sizes, some are designed using décor with ornaments that are based on castles, cartoon characters and suchlike but for an outstanding look to the finished tank there can be no substitute for a natural planted aquarium that has been designed by the owner with natural décor and live plants. These too can take many forms and everyone that has been set up will look totally different to the next but they all have the same theme, recreating a part of nature in our homes. They make a perfect haven for any livestock added and with general tank maintenance can give hours of pleasure to any one viewing the final result. There are several basic steps that need to be followed to be successful in these sort of projects but they are easy to follow and mostly common sense but none the less getting these right at the start will ensure that the finished project will last without any major problems, once the tank is set up dealing with problems can be difficult so better to get it right initially. Step 1 - Plann...

• Published: September 26, 2008, 6:51 pm
• Displayed: 232 times
• Preview: Neon Tetra Disease advertisement One of the darker aspects of fish keeping has to be identifying and treat successfully diseased fish. One of the worst diseases that can strike your tank is Neon Tetra disease. As of yet I can think of no-one that has manages to treat this disease and cure their fish as it spreads rapidly through the tank. This disease is quite common but often cases are not reported as symptoms are not diagnosed correctly and it will also affect other species of fish, not just the Neon Tetras. It received its name as it was first reported in the Neon tetra but there have been countless cases where it has infected nearly all members of the tetra family, cichlids like Angelfish, Rasboras and barbs have all fallen victim to it. Goldfish are also prone to this disease yet Cardinal Tetras seem to be resistant to it. Angelfish and Goldfish may take longer to show the symptoms than the smaller tetras but this does not mean that they will beat the disease; they should still be removed from the tank as soon as possible. What causes this disease? Neon Tetra d...

• Published: November 15, 2009, 9:16 pm
• Displayed: 55 times
• Preview: Neon tetras an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Neon tetras or Paracheirodon innesi are members of the family Characidae. Characidae are commonly referred to as Characins. Neons are natives to southeastern Columbia, eastern Peru, and western Brazil, including the tributaries of Solimoes. They can be found in black water or clear water streams. Neons and cardinal tetras look very similar in appearance. Put them in the same aquarium together and most people wouldn’t be aware they are two different species. Both have metallic neon blue upper bodies and a brilliant red stripe in the center of their bodies. This stripe is found mid-body running to back the tail in neons. The stripe runs the entire length of a cardinal’s body. Both neons and cardinals are a favorite among the freshwater aquarist who prefers smaller aquarium set ups because of their intense color palette. They really brighten up a desktop aquarium. Neon tetras make good community fish as long as the other members of the community are all smaller varieties. Neons are slender bodied fish th...

• Published: April 12, 2006, 8:52 am
• Displayed: 5825 times
• Preview: New to Planted Tank? by Marcus Ng of Singapore Originally published on www.aquaticquotient.com Reprinted by permission. Aquarticles (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) advertisement A lush planted aquarium is a wonderful sight to behold. But often many people are held back from getting into this hobby as they perceive it to be beyond the technical grasp of a casual hobbyist. Certainly, it may look difficult at first, but as they say, the biggest hurdle in every task is your mind. And any activity that is worthwhile will involve some degree of initial learning and preparation. But it is our hope that you will find aquaticquotient.com a useful resource of information where a community of new and experienced hobbyists exchange their knowledge and learn from each other. Do note that when you are posting a question, e.g. why is my plant turning yellow etc, forummers can only help if you can provide as much information as possible about your tank`s conditions, inhabitants and maintenance. Following is a simple guide on the basic requ...

• Published: July 11, 2008, 11:27 pm
• Displayed: 384 times
• Preview: NEW WORLD CICHLIDS advertisement On our planet there are at least 1300 species of fish that belong to the family Cichlidae. Yet the amazing thing is that they can only be found in certain areas of the world, these are Central and South America, and Africa. These species of fish are known to everyone as cichlids and they are the most colorful and interesting fish to keep. But why are they only found in certain areas? The answer to this is very simple. Before the continents split to what they are today there was one super continent in the south of the planet, this was called Gondwana. This is where cichlids first evolved and as the Gondwana split 150 million years ago, the cichlids were separated. Old world cichlids are to be found on the African continent, whilst the New World cichlids inhabit Central and South America. It is believed that the lineages have been evolving into the different sub species for the last 90 million years. Cichlids have become one of the most popular species of fish to keep in an aquarium for several reasons:- Most cichlids are quite easy to...

• Published: April 12, 2010, 8:05 am
• Displayed: 16 times
• Preview: Normal pH in the Aquarium advertisement One of the most common questions asked by fish keepers new to the hobby is what should the pH be in my aquarium. The correct answer to this question is”there is no correct answer”. All aquariums will run at different pH levels and the same species of fish are often kept in different tanks at different pH levels, keepers browsing through the internet or reference books will see the suggested pH in the fish profiles and start panicking if their aquarium doesn`t match this. The key word in the last sentence was “suggested” this does not mean that the species of fish have to be kept at that pH, the pH figures given in profiles are based on the habitat where the wild species are caught from. Different areas of the world have water ways with different pH levels and as such the species of fish that inhabit these areas have developed to suit the water parameters. Nowadays most specimens of fish are tank bred, they too have developed over generations of breeding to adapt to a wider range of water parameters including the pH. Most community set up...

• Published: March 9, 2007, 12:55 pm
• Displayed: 2171 times
• Preview: Nothobranchius rachovii advertisement Even though I don`t enclose any picture, I can tell you that the Nothobranchius rachovii, which comes from the Mosambic and South Africa regions, belongs to one of the most beautiful aquarium fish species I`ve ever seen. Usually living in drying swamps, sometimes with other fish species, they grow up to 5.5 cm and it`s nearly impossible to see any difference between females and other fish of the Nothobranchius species. Becoming a water birds` food, their role in the food chain differentiates in home-kept aquariums and the wild nature. Naturally, you probably don`t keep your fish in order to make them a dinner for birds, or even other pets/animals. Despite their eye-catching look, they`re not seen in tanks a lot; I would say they`re rare as pets. Description and requirements The Nothobranchius rachovii fish usually lives a short life also because of very fast metabolism. On the other hand, fast metabolism means fast growth. Water should be alkaline a bit, which is necessary for breeding purposes especially. In order to avoid incorrect che...

• Published: August 12, 2006, 2:05 pm
• Displayed: 55536 times
• Preview: Oscar fish advertisement Basic information about the Oscar fish species: Maximum size (min-max): 30.0 - 40.0 cm ( 11.8 - 15.7 in) Recommended temperature: 24.0°C - 30.0°C ( 75.2°F - 86.0°F) Recommended water hardness (dGH): dGH 4.0 - 18.0 N Recommended pH of water: 6.5 - 7.5 Origin: South America Introduction to the Oscar fish This fish is very intelligent, it can even recognize it`s owner. Oscars have they own ideas, although they're not the only fish having them. If Oscars don´t like how the items are placed in the aquarium, they pick them up and replace them, or they spit it out from the tank. It doesn`t matter if the plant or rock is real or plastic. If you have a high aquarium, standing near it can be dangerous. The best choice is to have a sand bottom and a few big rocks in the tank. Sometimes Oscars pretend that they are dead. In nature they pretend to be dead and wait until a small fish comes close so it can be caught and eaten. Behavior Oscars are aggressive fish so they need a big aquarium and a large group, because if there are only a few specime...

• Published: June 6, 2010, 11:34 pm
• Displayed: 10 times
• Preview: Otto Fish advertisement The “Otto Catfish” is one of the most popular additions to many planted tanks but unfortunately one of the most misunderstood fish that keepers decide to purchase. They never seem to live for long periods and keepers say that this fish is too delicate to be kept but often it is the keeper themselves that are not providing the correct conditions for this wonderful little fish and if housed correctly they can be kept for their full lifespan and be a superb member of your community planted tank. Hopefully this article will explain how to care for these and explain all that you need to know as regards their welfare and suitable tank mates. The most commonly species of “Otto” that is kept by keepers is the Otocinclus macrospilus, these are only found in the upper Amazonian River Basins of Peru where they inhabit the heavily vegetated bank areas of the rivers and creeks. They can also be found under floating vegetation that are common in these river basins where they live together in large groups as they are a very social fish. There is another common sp...

• Published: July 31, 2008, 1:53 pm
• Displayed: 393 times
• Preview: Paradise Fish advertisement Macropodus opercularis is a fish in the anabantid group that is most commonly known as the Paradise Fish. These fish, along with betta and gourami are all characterized by their ability to breathe atmospheric oxygen with the help of an accessory organ known as the labyrinth organ. This organ allows them to be able to live in waters that are murky and depleted of oxygen where most other fish would never survive. Paradise fish have the reputation of being very hardy and easy to care for, all the while being very attractive ornamental pets. They are in high demand in the freshwater aquarium industry. Description: Paradise Fish have oval shaped bodies that are laterally compressed. The mature adults can get as long as 4 inches. These fish are beauties to look at with their vibrantly colored vertical stripes of bright orange and shocking blue. The long flowing fins of the Paradise fish make them one species that is highly desired in the aquarium industry. There are several species variations of the paradise fish: The Albino Paradise Fish is not pu...

• Published: June 17, 2008, 11:38 am
• Displayed: 374 times
• Preview: Parrot Cichlid advertisement The parrot cichlid is not a fish that naturally occurs in the wild. It is essentially a man made fish so it does not have a scientific name. This hybrid cichlid is produced by combining other species of cichlids; some seem to think it is a combination of the red devil and the severum, while others may argue that it is the midas cichlid with the red head cichlid. There are several different varieties of parrot cichlids in existence today so I would not be surprised if both combinations were used to spawn this hybrid fish. The parrot cichlid is named for the shape of its face which has the appearance of a parrot’s face and beak. The common parrot cichlid comes in a deep orange coloration which gave them the name “Blood Parrot Cichlid”. They also come in a whole variety of colors and patterns which will later be described in more detail. These fish grow to a maximum length of 8 inches, sometimes more, and they can live for up to 50 years if they are good specimens and very well cared for. Water Conditions and Foods Parrot cichlids are the offspr...

• Published: July 16, 2008, 1:02 pm
• Displayed: 365 times
• Preview: Peacock Cichlid advertisement Aulonocara is a genus of African cichlids most commonly known as Peacock Cichlids. They are very popular among the aquarium industry because of their brilliant colors and also because they are peaceful and fairly easy to care for. There are more than 20 known Aulonocara species and subspecies based on their variations of colors and characteristics. This eye catching fish is nicknamed the Peacock Cichlid for its similarity to the bird it is named after because the males are bright and colorful while the females are plain and not quite as attractive. The Aulonocara cichlids were once classified as Haplochromines but were later separated into their own group. Both Aulonocara and Haplochromines are generally peaceful fish that mostly live in open water. This was a great contrast to the Mbuna Cichlids who are aggressive, territorial, and they live in the rocky cliffs of the lake. After all the word “Mbuna” means “rock fish” in the language spoken around Lake Malawi. Any Lake Malawi Cichlid that was not Mbuna was automatically classified as Haplochromine...

• Published: November 30, 2009, 11:10 pm
• Displayed: 54 times
• Preview: Pearl Danios an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Pearl danio or Brachydanio albolineatus are members of the family Cyprinidae. Other members of this family include tiger barbs, koi, goldfish and freshwater sharks. Pearl danios are native to Sumatra, Burma and Thailand. They inhabit clear watered rivers and hill streams. Pearl Danio received their name because of their iridescent bodies. They shimmer like a pearl, especially under bright aquarium light. They come in various colors including pink, silver, brownish-yellow and striped. There is also a variety marketed as golden danio. These are actually semi-albinos. Danios are peaceful, schooling fish that make for good community fish. It should be explained that schooling fish are a type of shoaling fish. Shoaling fish live in a community with other members of their species. Schooling fish not only ban together but also swim in the same direction. In either case, you should add a minimum of four to your fish tank. Social fish were not intended to live a solitary existence. Danios swim at all levels of the...

• Published: June 18, 2008, 10:17 pm
• Displayed: 339 times
• Preview: PEARL GOURAMI (Trichogaster Leeri) advertisement The Pearl Gourami has accumulated several common names, Leeri Gourami, Lace Gourami, Diamond Gourami, Platinum Gourami, Mosaic Gourami, to mention a few, but they are all the same fish, trichogaster leeri. They are one of the most colourful of the Gourami family, and also one of the hardiest, making them an ideal fish for novices at fish keeping. They are a peaceful community fish; however, if you are keeping more than one male in the tank, they may fight with each other, especially at breeding time. They originate from Asia, Thailand, and Indonesia, living to an average lifespan of 5 years, but some have been reported to live for 8 years in captivity. Feeding is not a problem with these; they will accept flake foods, granules, almost everything that is offered. Their colouration is a brownish/silver with a wonderful spotted lace pattern running from head to tail. A black line runs midway along the body; this then ends with a well defined dark spot near the tail. In the wild they would normally live in the slightly acidic sw...

• Published: January 9, 2007, 2:21 am
• Displayed: 4407 times
• Preview: What Does Peat Change in an Aquarium? advertisement Peat has an ability to reduce pH and water hardness values. It also changes the colour of water from clear to brown. Besides the aforementioned changes, it releases hormones, CO2 and probably some nitrates into the tank too. Some toxic metals are rendered harmless. What causes these changes? Acids are materials with fantastic attributes. Are these attributes fantastic or aren't they? Let's analyze the advantages and disadvantages... Advantages: 1. Brings down pH and hardness. 2. Doesn't change the conductivity. 3. Releases lots of useful materials that are welcomed by fish. Disadvantages: 1. The water must be tested frequently. 2. It is not suitable for fish that need hard water with a high level of pH. 3. If you have a Dutch (planted) aquarium, some plants don't like water with very low pH levels. 4. It's difficult to select the right amount of peat to use in your aquarium. If you decide to use the peat, read the rest of this article. What peat to use and where to buy it? Attention! Attention! D...

• Published: November 14, 2007, 1:22 pm
• Displayed: 1835 times
• Preview: Pet Fish: Are fish pets? advertisement Can fish be pets? Yes, of course they can! I have over 1000 pets in my home. When I make that statement I get a lot of strange looks and then the subject is changed very quickly! But why? Is it because I can’t put a fish on a lead and take it for a walk? Or perhaps it’s because it doesn’t talk, bark, meow or chirp. It could be because it doesn’t come and sit on my lap or maybe it’s just because people don’t really understand what a pet is. Here is a quote from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: “A pet or companion animal is an animal kept for companionship and enjoyment, as opposed to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic reasons.” That is fairly descriptive and covers most of the arguments. So do fish make good companions? Well, I spend a lot of time talking to them, but it’s a one way conversation, and I spend a lot of time with them and they calm me, relax me and disperse my bad moods, so I would say that they are companions. As for enjoyment, I am sure that everyone who ow...

• Published: June 5, 2010, 7:00 am
• Displayed: 10 times
• Preview: Phosphate removal from the Aquarium advertisement Most fish keepers have heard of phosphates without really understanding the effect that they can have in our aquariums, they are all a round us in everyday life and go without being noticed but in a closed environment such as an aquarium they can have diverse effects to the tank balance over a period of time and in some cases, if allowed to reach high levels, have an indirect effect on the general well being of the aquarium live stock. “But what are phosphates?”, I have heard this question many times and you don`t need to be a scientist to understand what they are but unless you know where they are coming from you will not understand how to deal with them. Phosphates, seen as PO4 in the scientific tables, are all around us. They are a compound that is present inside all living things as they are one of the building blocks of cells and they are nearly always present in any water that is used by us or is present in lakes and rivers. PO4 is basically a phosphorous atom that has four oxygen atoms attached to it and this is often th...

• Published: September 25, 2006, 4:56 am
• Displayed: 6207 times
• Preview: Pictures of the Black Skirt Tetra advertisement When I firstly saw the Black Skirt Tetras, I decided to keep them. Of course, I asked about the conditions and requirements for this fish. The Black Skirt is very nice, beautiful and peaceful. Their origin is the South Amercia; Rio Negro. As the name „Rio Negro“ says, the water where they come from, is usually dark. Dark colours are the result of decomposition of wood and relatively slow water current. Your tank should contain at least one driftwood and enough of plants. Good solution is to use Anubias Nana, Vallisneria Spiralis, Vallisneria Gigantea and some kind of Cryptocoryne. Even though these plants don`t come directly from Rio Negro, they are easy to care for. Acid or alkaline water isn`t any problem for the Black Skirt Tetra. The same goes to the question of hard or soft water. Generally, this species adapts easily, but don`t overrate them. Keep the conditions stable, so your fish will be happy. If the water is of good quality, you`ll be a successfull breeder of Black Skirt. Generally, males are a little bit darker than fem...

• Published: October 3, 2008, 3:54 am
• Displayed: 257 times
• Preview: Pictus Catfish advertisement The Pictus Catfish is a very attractive species that is extremely popular in the aquarium industry. The scientific name for this species is Pimelodus pictus. This is the ideal catfish species for aquarists who want to own can care for catfish but do not have the space required for larger varieties. Unlike most catfish, the Pictus Catfish stays quite small. They can be purchased in aquarium retail stores for as little as $6.00 but they can also cost quite a bit more. Origin The Pictus Catfish comes from South American countries such as Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, and Columbia. They are found in both the Amazon and Orinoco River Basins. Lifespan The lifespan of a Pictus Catfish can be as much as 8 years if they are well cared for. Water Conditions The Pictus Catfish prefers warmer waters between 72 and 78°F. They require a slightly acidic to neutral pH between 5.8 and 7.2, with a water hardness level somewhere between 4 and 8 dGH. Pictus catfish can be pretty sensitive to chemicals and medications so be sure to use them only when abso...

• Published: November 25, 2009, 11:03 pm
• Displayed: 58 times
• Preview: Piranha Facts & Fiction an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Piranha or Serrasalmus nattereri were originally assigned to the family Characidae which includes tetra varieties. They were later reclassified to a subfamily of Characidae, the subfamily Serrasalmidae. Serrasalminae means “serrated salmon family.” This refers not to the piranha’s teeth but to the serrated keel running along the belly of the fish. Piranhas are native to the South American rivers and can be found in the Amazon, Orinoco, Guyana, and Sao Francisco river systems. Piranhas are illegal to own in most the states in the United States for fear that they will make their way into the wild and reek havoc on the ecosystem, not to mention swimmers. This concern is not entirely unwarranted. In the past, irresponsible hobbyists have released piranhas into the wild because they have outgrown their aquarium. When I was young, you could buy baby alligators at the local dime store. Hmmm…, what do you do with them when they get big enough to eat the neighbor’s dog? Vermont is one of the f...

• Published: June 18, 2009, 4:03 pm
• Displayed: 125 times
• Preview: Planting and Growing Aquarium Plants advertisement Nowadays many aquarists have decided to take a slightly different route with their tanks, rather than just use the tank to keep fish in with a few ornaments dotted about and the odd plant stuck in the corner, they are getting into the world of dedicating their tanks to a display of foliage where the plants are the main feature and any fish added are placed there for movement, taking second place to the greenery behind them. Some keepers seem a bit daunted by this idea and are very reserved about taking the plunge but once this side hobby is taken on it is very rewarding and not as difficult to keep the plants healthy as many people think. More than often the hardest part is keeping the plants trimmed back when they are established, if this is not done on a regular basis, the tank will soon transform into a jungle unless slow growing species are specifically chosen. If you have decided to set up a planted tank then hopefully reading through this article will answer many of the questions you have yet to answer. Starting off w...

• Published: May 2, 2010, 6:57 pm
• Displayed: 13 times
• Preview: Plants in an Uncycled Aquarium advertisement A common misconception to most novice fish keepers is that plants cannot be added to an uncycled aquarium. The first notion is that the plants will die off causing further problems but this couldn`t be further from the truth. Once a new aquarium set up has been filled with water it should be allowed to stand for 24 hours to monitor the temperature if a freshwater tropical tank is being used, even if a cold water set up is up and running the water should still be left for 24 hours to settle and then plants can be added to the tank. The addition of the plants at an early stage in the aquarium set up will benefit the long term running of the tank and it will also give the plants to establish themselves before any fish are added. If you ask most keepers what do plants feed from in the water column they will reply with the answer “nitrates”, yes this is true but plants are in fact very lazy feeders and they will grab the most readily available food source, in an uncycled aquarium this is initially ammonia and nitrites. This explains why ...

• Published: May 20, 2008, 10:40 am
• Displayed: 494 times
• Preview: Platies advertisement Platies are part of the Poecilidae family which means they are part of the group of livebearers. Xiphophorus maculatus and Xiphophorus variatus are the two different platy species from which all platy variations are bred for aquarium purposes. Platies are very similar to swordtails, so much that they are even able to mate with one another and produce fertile young. This is one of the reasons why there are so many different variations of platy fish available. There are over 325,000 known varieties of platy fish. The different varieties of platies display diverse coloration and patterns, and some even have fins of different shapes and sizes. This is a great fish for beginning aquarists because of their ease of keeping and breeding. They get along well with other species in community aquariums. Platies are originally from the freshwaters of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. They are now bred commercially in Florida and from areas around the Pacific Rim. Although platies are highly adaptable fish, they prefer medium to hard water that is slightly alkaline. The o...

• Published: March 21, 2010, 4:24 am
• Displayed: 19 times
• Preview: Platy breeding advertisement One of the most popular fish in the aquarium hobby is the Platy, they are often the first choice for novice fish keepers as they have a great reputation for being hardy fish and they are very undemanding. They do have needs however and the most important need is to keep the water quality high in the tank, this applies to all species of fish not just the more delicate species. Often 1 or 2 specimens are added to the tank but they are in fact a social fish and do better in small groups of 5 to 6 specimens, they do not shoal like tetras for example but they do enjoy each others company. They are an excellent community fish and will do well with most other species that require the same water parameters and they are available in a variety of colour variations. The most popular varieties available are Mickey Mouse, High Fin, Gold Comet. Platys are live bearers and as such are often the first species of fish that novice keepers will attempt to breed but they are also bred by many experienced keepers as well due to their high popularity and wide marke...

• Published: December 1, 2009, 6:22 pm
• Displayed: 48 times
• Preview: Plecostomus an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Plecostomus or Hypostomus plecostomus belong to the family Loricariidae. Loricariidae means armored catfish named so because the armor-like longitudinal rows of scutes that cover the upper parts of their bodies. They are endemic to both Central and South America. They are more commonly known as algae eaters or sucker mouth because of their suction cup like mouth. As a direct result of their dietary habits, the Plecostomus is extremely popular among freshwater aquarists. In addition to the benefit of reducing algae growth, they are a solitary and peaceful creature making them a great addition to any aquarium. They will actively seek out and eat algae at the microscopic level before it has a chance to develop into a cleaning and maintenance problem. Before you buy one, you should be aware that these are not small fish. The ones you see in fish stores are young. In their natural habitat they can reach up to 24 inches. In captivity they will often grow to a foot long. If you have a smaller tank you can st...

• Published: July 12, 2008, 2:42 pm
• Displayed: 328 times
• Preview: PLECOSTOMUS CATFISH advertisement There are many species of catfish throughout the world, several of the species are also classed as armoured catfish and these all belong to the family of Loricariidae. Loricariidae is the largest of the catfish family containing 700 species with several new species being discovered all the time. These species originate in fresh water locations of Costa Rica, Panama and tropical areas of South America. They are classed as armoured catfish due to the bony plates situated around the body and head and they have this wonderful sucker mouth for grazing on algae. Plecostomus now seems to be used with a variety of catfish that actually belong to a different gender. It is normally shortened down to “plec” and added to the end of many catfish’s names. The name “pleco” originated from one of the first armoured catfish to be introduced into the aquarium hobby, this was known simply as Plecostomus plecostomus. This fish is now referred to as Hypostomus plecostomus or commonly known as the sucker mouth catfish. This is where it can get a bit confusi...

• Published: August 23, 2010, 8:02 pm
• Displayed: 3 times
• Preview: Polypterus Tanks advertisement The fish belonging to the Polypterus species are often known as Dinosaur fish as they have evolved very little compared to most of the other species. They also have the common name of Swamp Dragons as they do resemble these creatures with their long sleek bodies and wing like finnage. At one time many people confused these creatures with eels but they are in no way related, they are a species in their own right. They have their own distinctive features that keep them separate from other fish species and it is these features that often attract keepers to have a go at caring for a specimen. They have a serrated dorsal fin, wide eyes and nostrils that are raised, most of the species also have teeth that are always visible, not the sort of fish you would wish to add to the average community tank. If you do wish to have a go at keeping one of these fish it is best to try to replicate their natural surroundings as much as possible. Polypterus originate from Africa and India where they inhabit very slow moving waterways that are heavy in vegetat...

• Published: July 2, 2007, 3:07 am
• Displayed: 1847 times
• Preview: Deicer: Why Your Pond Needs One advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! Ponds enhance a garden’s aesthetic look. It adds to the natural grandeur of the outdoor design in our backyards (and sometimes in our front yards). The soothing sound of the water exudes a relaxing feeling, and the sight of live fishes busily swimming about never ceases to give a pleasant feeling to whoever drops by to see. Nevertheless, like all the other elements in our exterior decorations such as the plants and trees, the pond (and the fish and plants in it) likewise needs proper maintenance and care—especially during the harsh seasons of winter. Even at the installation phase of their ponds, pond owners are always faced with the question of whether or not a pond deicer is necessary to be installed in their ponds. It is, therefore, significant to note that there are some factors that need to be taken into consideration when one in...

• Published: June 2, 2008, 10:53 pm
• Displayed: 288 times
• Preview: POND EQUIPMENT advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! When working out a budget for building a pond, we must always take into consideration the extra equipment that is needed to keep our pond healthy and clean. There is no point in finishing the pond just to realize that we can’t afford the equipment to maintain it. Some items are essential; some are bought purely to make life easier for ourselves in the everyday tasks that have to be performed. Pond filter The most important piece of equipment needed is a good quality filtration system that is capable of mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration. This is the mainstay to keeping your water quality high. Always purchase the best system you can afford, cutting corners will lead to heartache at a later date, never try to use a large external aquarium filter for your pond, they are not safe for outdoor use. Most models of filters work on the same ...

• Published: May 16, 2008, 11:25 pm
• Displayed: 316 times
• Preview: POND FOUNTAINS advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! One of the most popular centerpieces to any pond has to be the addition of a pond fountain. Not only are these a great display piece, but also serve another purpose. They will also oxygenate the water. What could be more relaxing than sitting by the pond on a warm, summer evening listening to the splashing of the water! There are several available to buy, deciding which one has to be based on the size and depth of your pond. There is no point adding a huge fountain to a small pond, it would just send water flying everywhere apart from back into the pond. Fountains are not just restricted to ponds; they can even be created as a water feature for your garden. Simple to do, just sink a plastic reservoir, insert a small water pump attached to a fountain head and switch on. Easy as that!! If money is no object then the fountains can be very creative, making u...

• Published: October 14, 2008, 4:56 pm
• Displayed: 218 times
• Preview: Pond Ideas advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! To me, designing that perfect pond is no different to designing that perfect aquarium; everything is just on a larger scale. With a pond the world really is your oyster, there are so many options available to you. The initial planning stage is probably more important than with an aquarium, equipment may have to be incorporated into the build, landscaping features may also have to be included as well. If you are stuck for ideas there are plenty of websites on the internet offering advice, and hopefully this article will give you a few ideas also. The first thing to be considered with your design is how will the pond blend in with they area that you have put aside for it. It might be that you will look at the site, and then decide to add on some decorative borders around the pond. Always take out a sketchpad with you and start sketching what type of pond you are tr...

• Published: May 15, 2008, 9:56 pm
• Displayed: 311 times
• Preview: POND LIGHTING advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! All pond keepers enjoy relaxing around the pond in the daytime, marveled by their creation, but why not add pond lighting to extend a daytime pond into an evening viewing ponds as well. There are many types of lighting on the market today, the choice is endless but once installed it can create a wonderful sight in your garden. For all electric systems, we must be aware that they need to be installed safely, and if need be use a qualified electrician for connecting them to the power source. Better safe than sorry. So which lighting system will you choose? Basically the first thing that you have to ask yourself is what will I be using it for? By this I mean, is it purely for illuminating the pond or do you need it for some sort of security, or even a safety aspect. A lot of ponds are level with the ground so illuminating the walkways clearly defines...

• Published: May 10, 2008, 11:57 am
• Displayed: 389 times
• Preview: POND LINERS advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! One decision we all have to make when we decide that we are going to construct a pond is which type of liner I should go for. Things have certainly changed in recent years with the development of stronger liners with longer guarantees, new types of underlay for the liner etc... Research should be done to make sure that the correct choice has been made for your requirements. Once the pond is finished and filled, it takes a lot of undoing, better to sort it out initially. Costs will always play a part in your final pond, liners do not come cheap, don’t try and cut corners as it will cause problems at a later date. There are a few choices out there so I will try to make things a bit simpler for you. Preformed pond liners These have to be the quickest option available on the market. The main drawback being that you are forced to use a pond shape or shelving...

• Published: May 14, 2008, 11:21 am
• Displayed: 301 times
• Preview: POND MAINTENANCE advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! An important part of pond keeping is to work out a regular maintenance program to keep your pond looking at its best, and most importantly, keeping your fish healthy and strong. A yearly calendar of events can help you prioritize which maintenance jobs need doing first and which time of the year is the best time to do them. Much of the maintenance work can seem tedious, but it is necessary to keep your pond on top form. At the start of the year your pond is in a bit of a dormant state, pumps and filters have been turned off, heaters or de-icers have been running to keep the pond ice free. Spring has arrived, now things will change. In spring the weather is starting to warm up, frosts and ice should have been a thing of the past; now is the time to turn off the heaters or de-icer and remove them, they should not be required again till the end of ...

• Published: May 13, 2008, 11:40 am
• Displayed: 293 times
• Preview: POND PLANTS advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on various pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! One of the most pleasing aspects of pond keeping is seeing a well balanced variety of plant life. Not only do they look pleasing to the eye, but they play a major part in water quality, oxygenating and removing nitrates from the water. There is a vast array to choose from, but basically the planting method for them follows the same guidelines. Always check the planting depths that your selection of plants requires. These do vary with each species, so to get the best from them research each plant. For a good balance of plants go for floating leafed ones, as well as submerged species. Your floating leafed plants should cover approx 50% of your water surface; this will prevent too much light reaching the bottom of your pond, which in turn will reduce the chances of algae growing out of control. Never use normal compost in your baskets, always use ...

• Published: May 30, 2008, 12:07 am
• Displayed: 335 times
• Preview: POND SKIMMERS advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on many pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! Having a beautiful, clean pond is the aim of all pond keepers. Just doing regular water changes will not keep your water crystal clear, there are many external factors that can downgrade the quality. Most ponds are situated in back gardens, surrounded by shrubbery and trees. When autumn falls the trees will disperse their leaves onto the pond water, this in time will make the pond look quite untidy. Not only that if the leaves and debris are allowed to fall to the bottom of the pond, they will decay, this in turn will start to pollute the water as toxic gases are released. So how can this problem be overcome, quite simply by installing a pond skimmer. There are three types of water filtration – mechanical, biological, and chemical. All good pond systems will have a decent filter fitted into the chain, but without a skimmer the life of the filter can ...

• Published: March 4, 2008, 11:55 am
• Displayed: 514 times
• Preview: Pond test kits advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on various pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! A fish pond in the garden can be an immaculate center piece, capable of adding tremendous character to a home setting. When deciding to build and especially to successfully populate a fish requires a combination of experience and patience, in order to bring the correct professional results. In order for the fish to thrive the water in the pond must be kept in perfect condition, and unlike a hone aquarium, this target is more difficult to achieve due to a combination of “outside“ forces. One of the more important factors in proper pond maintenance is to know the cubic meter capacity the pond, and when introducing chemicals into the water for any reason, to strictly adhere to the levels prescribed. Dosage which is either too low or too high can be very dangerous for the environment. The investment in establishing and maintaining a fish pond can be ...

• Published: May 9, 2006, 2:27 am
• Displayed: 19753 times
• Preview: Puffer Fish advertisement General information Puffer Fish belong to the family Tetradontidae, which means they have four teeth. They are also called blowfish. There are species of Puffer Fish which live in freshwater, some species live best in brackish water, and some Puffers live best in marine or sea water. Because they live in these kinds of water, they have various colors and sizes. They are called Puffer Fish because their ability to inflate themselves with water or air when they feel threatened. It is a defensive mechanism. It`s harder to swallow a large fish than a small one. It is hard to resist a Puffer fish. If you see them you may think that it is a sweet and charming fish. Maybe because they have a unique and comical way of swimming and they have big eyes and a round belly. But it is not true. Puffers are predators. Most Puffer species have a nasty temperament. They can be fin nippers and killers. Even those who have previously been in a community tank can become aggressive when they are older, or if they are not well fed. That is why you should be careful with ch...

• Published: December 2, 2009, 4:18 pm
• Displayed: 50 times
• Preview: Rachow’s nothobranch an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Rachow`s nothobranch or othobranchius rachovii belongs to the family Aplocheilidae. These fish are natives to regions of Africa where lakes and ponds evaporate and dry up in the dry season. Because of their environmental challenges, the nothobranch has become commonly referred to as a killifish or an annual. If you are familiar with gardening you will know that an annual only lives a single season. They survive in nature by releasing their pollen to insure subsequent generations. Nature has equipped the killifish to adapt to their hostile environmental conditions in much the same manner. This species flourishes during the wet season. As the wet season draws to an end their habitat begins to disappear. They lay their eggs in the mud before the last of the water evaporates. Then they perish for lack of water. Their eggs, however, survive insuring the survival of the species. The eggs baked in dried up lake beds until the rains return. Undergoing this dry period has proven to be essential to the eggs...

• Published: April 22, 2008, 8:11 am
• Displayed: 465 times
• Preview: RAISING BRINE SHRIMP advertisement Visit Artemia USA if you want to buy brine shrimp! There are a wide variety of feeds on the market available for fish - flake, pellets, frozen, etc., but one of the most nourishment enriched foods has to be freshly hatched. One of the easiest ways of harvesting this food has to be by hatching and raising brine shrimp. These creatures can also make fascinating pets to grow onto adults. But what are brine shrimp? Basically they are a small crustacean from the Artemia family and these creatures have been around since the Triassic period, having changed very little since then. They are found all over the world in salt lakes but never found in the oceans. Fish love them as a treat when they are newly hatched but beware, they should not be fed on a regular basis as this can lead to digestive problems, plus if there is a build up of uneaten shrimp it can start to foul the tank water. As stated above they live in salt lakes that luckily for the brine shrimp, do not provide the correct conditions for predators, so they spend most of their l...

• Published: November 25, 2009, 11:36 pm
• Displayed: 58 times
• Preview: Ram Cichlid an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The Ram cichlid or Microgeophagus ramirezi belongs to the family Cichlidae more commonly referred to as cichlids. They are endemic to Orinoco River basin in Venezuela and Columbia. The aquarium industry markets rams under several trade names including; Ram, Blue ram, German blue ram, Asian ram, butterfly cichlid, dwarf butterfly and Ramirez`s dwarf cichlid. The Ramirez`s dwarf cichlid is a hybrid originally bred by fish enthusiast Manuel Ramirez. Rams are arguably the most peace loving of the entire cichlid family. This makes them very popular with aquarium owners. They make wonderful community tank fish provided they are surrounded by equally docile tank-mates. They mix exceedingly well with tetras. Another aspect of their popularity is their size. They only grow to about 2.5 inches unlike their cousin the angelfish that can grow to up to 6 inches in diameter. This makes them perfect for smaller aquariums such as desktop models. They are most at home in well planted aquariums. Ram cichlid thrive in sl...

• Published: July 19, 2008, 8:53 am
• Displayed: 354 times
• Preview: RAMSHORN SNAILS advertisement Snails in an aquarium are not to everyone’s taste, a lot of fish keepers regard them as a nuisance that gets out of control, other keepers believe that there are good points out weigh the bad points so therefore they should be included in the tank. I have an open mind on this as I have kept them and still do but I can see both sides to the argument. Ramshorn snails can include a variety of species of snails that all get classed as one breed in the aquarium trade, the differences between the snails is negligible so many keepers are quite happy with this general classification. Their shells are planispiral, this means that they are similar to a coiled piece of rope or a rams horn, hence the name that they are given. They all belong to the Family Planorbidae which is the largest family of aquatic pulmonate gastropods; they can be found on most continents throughout the world. They are lung breathers, having no gills they have a large pulmonary sac for the gaseous exchange, this is found on the outer whirl of the shell, and if you shine a light th...

• Published: November 30, 2009, 10:51 pm
• Displayed: 49 times
• Preview: Rasboras an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Rasboras or Rasbora heteromorpha are members of the family Cyprinidae. Rasboras are native to Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, and southern Thailand. There are several species in the genus Rasbora. We will focus our attention on R. Heteromorpha. The Greek translation of Heteromorpha literally means differently shaped. Rasboras are commonly referred to as harlequin fish or harlequin rasboras. This reference alludes to the black triangular patch on the back half of their bodies which is reminiscent to the patterns found on the costume of a harlequin. Rasboras have a docile temperament. They make a good choice for a community tank provided their tank-mates are equally peace loving and not large enough to view them as a source of nutrition. Rasboras are shoaling fish. Shoaling fish are highly social creatures that function best as a community. They don’t adapt well to a solitary existence. It is recommended that you have at least four of these upper to mid tank swimmers in an aquarium. Rasbora is a small fish. ...

• Published: December 1, 2009, 6:55 pm
• Displayed: 55 times
• Preview: Red Phantom Tetra an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The red phantom tetra or Megalamphodus sweglesi is of the family Characidae more commonly known as characids. They are endemic to South America. There is also a commercially available black phantom tetra native to South America. Red phantoms are docile creatures well suited for community tanks. They only grow to about 1.5 inches as adults so you’ll want to house them with other smaller variety fish. These top to mid-tank dwellers are right at home in a well planted aquarium. If you are considering purchasing one or any other species of tetra, you should be aware that all tetras are shoaling fish. Shoaling fish are extremely social creatures. They are genetically programmed to function in a group comprised of other members of their own species. They do not adapt well to a life of isolation. It is advisable to purchase a minimum of four. Six to eight is considered ideal. Between their red body color and nearly transparent bodies a group of them looks absolutely amazing in any aquarium. You should ...

• Published: December 1, 2009, 6:37 pm
• Displayed: 55 times
• Preview: Red-tailed black sharks an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement Red-tailed black sharks or Epalzeorhynchus bicolor belong to the family Cyprinidae. This family of fish is also known as Cyprinids. In laymen’s term the red-tail is a member of the carp family. The red-tailed black shark was native to Thailand. But sadly, they are now extinct in the wild. All the red-tails available in fish stores today are commercially raised products of the aquarium trade industry. Red-tails black sharks of course bear no relation to sharks. Their name is purely descriptive. They have a black, torpedo shaped body with a profile reminiscent to that of a sharks. This includes a sharp triangular shaped dorsal fin. Their bright red caudal fin (tail) completes their visual appearance and name. As with any member of the carp family they are primarily bottom dwelling scavenger fish. Scavenger fish can be identified by their downward pointed mouths with varying sets of barbels on either side. Barbels are whisker-like sensory organs that contain taste buds much like your tongue. Their...

• Published: May 25, 2008, 10:49 am
• Displayed: 297 times
• Preview: Reptomin Sticks advertisement Reptomin is a floating stick food manufactured by Tetra, a company that provides a wide variety of aquarium care solutions. Tetra Reptomin floating food sticks provide nourishment for a wide variety of water turtles, newts, frogs and other amphibious reptiles. They set high quality standards to give maximum nutrition to these animals that are used for breeding or keeping as pets. This food is widely accepted by a number of species and is enriched with plenty of vitamins and calcium for strong shells and bones. There is plenty of protein in these Reptomin sticks to promote growth and reproduction. Tetra sells this particular food in a variety of package sizes to meet your feeding needs. It is sold in just about all of the aquatic retail stores at a reasonable price. The size ranges from just under 2 oz. at $3.00 a container to 2.5 lbs. for about $30.00 per container. Tetra Reptomin is reputed to be the best dry food available. It is recommended to feed your pet one to two times a day and only what can be consumed within a few minutes. Reptomin should...

• Published: March 4, 2006, 3:52 pm
• Displayed: 3210 times
• Preview: Rotala macrandra (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Lynn McMullen advertisement When researching the available literature dealing with aquarium plants, often the plants are categorised by growth patterns. Some of those include “roseate” (which defines plants that grow from a common central point, such as Amazon Swords); “opposite leaves” (which includes plants whose leaves grow in pairs on opposite sides of a common stalk, like Hygrophilia polysperma); and plants with “alternate” leaf arrangements (which is when the leaves grow on opposite sides of the stalk, but not exactly at the same point - there is a small space between each leaf). The Rotala macrandra falls into this last category. This plant has a dense bushy growth pattern under optimum conditions, with many branchlets and thick clusters of leaves, so that it can almost look like an impregnable wall of growth. This is a misleading impression, as the plant can be considered very soft and delicate, never in fact becoming woody or tough. A fish would not become injured on this plan...

• Published: March 19, 2008, 4:45 pm
• Displayed: 482 times
• Preview: Selecting a Water Pump for the task advertisement There are many different water pumps around, which are designed to do specific jobs, and a wide variety of prices being asked. Water pumps are an essential part of our lives in many different ways, from the central heating system to the drinking water. If you look around they are everywhere! So, how does this influence our aquarium choices? It may be possible to save a lot of money with a little thought and ingenuity! What do we need pumps for? Here are some of the common reasons we look for pumps: We are setting up a rack of tanks with a sump filter;We are linking several tanks together to increase the total capacity;We want to add a water feature to an aquarium/pond;The type of fish we have demand strong currents;We want to improve the existing filtration; Let`s look at what you want to do and why you are looking for a pump. Most aquariums have powered filters which use a small impeller to force the water through the filter. This is a simple, quiet and cheap form of pump and quite sufficient for its requirements ...

• Published: April 1, 2006, 7:32 am
• Displayed: 4057 times
• Preview: Selecting Discus (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Beta Mahatvaraj advertisement The King of Aquarium Fishes is an easy fish to keep in the home aquarium if some simple tips are followed. Proper selection is the first step to success with discus. The quality of discus on sale in the Indian LFS is usually not too good. So it’s very important to make the right start to avoid future heartbreaks. Let`s see why this is the case: Firstly, the best discus go where the money is. Japan and Europe are some of the major markets for top quality discus, and then comes North America and so on. Most of the discus offered for sale in the Indian LFS are lower grade discus from farms in South East Asia. If you want good quality discus be prepared to pay for them! The import restrictions on ornamental fishes means that there are fewer options available to the hobbyist. Enough of rambling let me get down to business! Below are some general tips on how to select good discus: - The first step is to observe the discus in your dealer’s tank....

• Published: March 8, 2010, 9:00 pm
• Displayed: 25 times
• Preview: Setting up a Tropical Fish Tank advertisement Keeping fish is now a hobby that is enjoyed by millions of people all over the world and can be one of the most rewarding hobbies that there is. The key to success with keeping aquarium fish is getting it right from the start so the first steps towards setting up your tropical tank are crucial as getting it right before the tank is up and running reduces a lot of stress and heartache at a later date. There is now a wealth of information on the internet and reference books available, most give reliable information about setting up a well presented aquarium but there are some less reliable, it will not take you long to realise the best information to use. Using the correct steps for setting up your tank will mean that you get more enjoyment from the hobby and often means that you can get started with minimal expense as well. So where do we start when we have decided to enter the wonderful hobby of fish keeping? Selecting the correct freshwater tropical tank to use There are so many different sized tanks available to purc...

• Published: May 8, 2008, 6:09 pm
• Displayed: 450 times
• Preview: Setting up an aquarium advertisement When deciding to set up an aquarium it is important to think about how to approach the situation. There are very specific methods to setting up a successful aquarium no matter what kind of fish you decide to keep. There are so many things to think about like, what types of fish do you want? How much time and work are you willing to put into the hobby? How much are you willing to spend on your new aquarium? These questions are only the beginning of what is to come with the start of a new aquarium. It might all be overwhelming at first but in the grand scheme of things having an aquarium will pay off in the end because it is a rewarding and relaxing hobby. This article is going to present some guidelines to follow in order to start a successful aquarium. The key is to consider all of your options and choose features that compliment one another in the underwater world you are about to create. Choosing your fish The first step to setting up an aquarium is choosing the types of fish you would like to keep, but do not buy them. By first choosing...

• Published: March 28, 2008, 5:59 pm
• Displayed: 479 times
• Preview: Should I buy Glass or Acrylic Aquarium? advertisement At some time or other we have all had to make a decision when it comes to purchasing a new tank, albeit our first investment or an upgrade, do we stick with the traditional glass tank or venture into the world of acrylic tanks. Both tanks have their advantages / disadvantages so hopefully by means of this article some of your questions will be answered. A couple of the main aspects in deciding which tank we buy has to be the shape we require and also how big does the tank need to be to successfully keep the livestock or plants we have planned to involve in the set up. Even a small tank made from glass can be quite weighty, not a major problem with say a two foot one but when we start looking at 50 plus gallon tanks made from glass it would be impossible for one person to move about on their own, help from a friend would be a must. This is one advantage with acrylic the weight is dramatically reduced thus making replacement an easier task (acrylic is at least half the weight of glass). Always remember though w...

• Published: November 13, 2007, 10:30 pm
• Displayed: 7524 times
• Preview: Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta Splendens) advertisement Introduction Siamese Fighting Fish are one of the most popular and beautiful aquarium fish available. They come in a wide range of colours and the male of the species have long flowing fins. They are also capable of surviving in many different conditions. Many were once sold in a vase with a lily in the top, and you still see them kept in cups and small jars. This is far from ideal for the Siamese Fighting Fish, although they will tolerate these conditions indefinitely, but it doesn’t mean to say they are happy! I never recommend keeping any fish in less than 2 gallons of water, which should either be filtered or changed regularly and I abhor the practice of “Jarring”, keeping them in 1-2 pints (1/2 – 1 litre) of water. The name Siamese Fighting Fish came from when they were first used by gamblers in the Far East. They would put two males together and watch them fight, often to the death of one, for money. Splendens are one of a few species of male fish that will not tolerate any other males in their vicinity. The origins...

• Published: May 26, 2008, 9:21 pm
• Displayed: 462 times
• Preview: Silk Aquarium Plants advertisement Silk aquarium plants are a wonderful solution to having full and vibrant plants all the time with minimum responsibility and maintenance. Not only do these silk aquarium plants provide realistic beauty but they convey realistic movement unlike plastic plants. Real plants differ from silk plants because they do not alter the chemistry of the water. They do not produce waste or debris that will pollute or cloud the water and they do not need to be trimmed or tended to. Overall silk plants provide a realistic alternative to aquarium gardening without the added work. Unlike the original fake aquarium plants, the silk plants sold in aquatic retail stores today are very much like the real thing. These fake silk plants are so realistic that it is not noticeably unreal unless viewed within a close proximity. For the sake of realism, silk aquatic plants have been fashioned after the real thing right down to the last detail of color, size, shape and proportion. Most of the natural aquatic plants are replicated for use in the aquarium hobby. You can find ...

• Published: August 11, 2010, 6:43 am
• Displayed: 3 times
• Preview: Simple Aquascaping advertisement One of the most enjoyable aspects of setting up a fish tank has to be designing the overall look of the tank with décor etc. positioned for the best effect, to many people this can be a bit confusing as to how the finished look is achieved but it is quite simple if you follow a few simple rules that will be explained in this article. There is a vast variety of décor that you can choose from, you can create a natural looking environment for you fish as well as using ornaments, the choice is entirely yours and at the end of the day, if you are happy with the way the finished tank looks then that should be all that matters. When we see the pictures of the amazing planted tanks that some keepers can create we are often in awe and try to replicate the same tanks in our homes. To create these sort of tanks can be very complicated and requires a lot of experience, if you are just starting out and wish to keep your aquascaping simple then learn the basics first and after a few tank set ups feel free to have a go at the more complicated tanks. ...

• Published: January 20, 2006, 5:53 am
• Displayed: 4150 times
• Preview: So You Want to Grow Aquatic Plants this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Olga Betts advertisement Some aquatic plants will grow under some conditions all of the time. In other words, anyone who wants to can grow aquatic plants. Here is the secret: Grow aquatic plants that suit the conditions of your aquarium. Know your plants. Buy a simple book about aquatic plants such as: Aquarium Plants Manual published by Barron’s. This is a good and inexpensive book to get you started; available in many aquarium stores. Aquatic plants are just the same as those that grow in a garden. Some prefer lots of sun, some prefer shade, some like rich soil, others sandy, poor soil. Of course, all aquatic plants like lots of water but the beauty of that is — you don’t have to water them! Calculate how many watts of light per gallon of water you have. You can grow most aquatic plants with at least 2 watts per gallon. Some will do fine with less; some will do better with more. The typical aquarium comes with one light in the hood (aquarium cov...

• Published: November 22, 2005, 2:50 pm
• Displayed: 4183 times
• Preview: Some tips for beginners (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Bill "Pegasus NZ" of New Zealand advertisement How Long Do You Wait Before Adding Fish? Opinions vary so much on this subject that it is hard to give a reasonable answer. The Americans for instance have what is known as "cycling", which is the period of time a tank has to remain empty of fish until the good bacteria have established themselves and are controlling the conditions of the water in the tank. Most aquarists in the States recommend a six week waiting period using what they call "A Fishless Cycle". In order for the good bacteria to build up (starting the nitrogen cycle), they need a source of ammonia to feed on. When using this fishless cycle they recommend you add daily doses of pure ammonia to the tank for the bacteria to feed on, which is needed to actually start the nitrogen cycle working. I would however like to point out that I personally have never used the "Fishless Cycle" method, and never shall. Having to sit and watc...

• Published: December 2, 2009, 1:25 am
• Displayed: 53 times
• Preview: South American Leaffish an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement South American Leaffish or Monocirrhus polyacanthus belong to the family Nandidae. The leaffish is obviously indigenous to South America. It is also referred to by the name Amazon leaffish. A commonality to unusual looking fish is that their name typically describes the features that make them unique. The leaffish’s peculiarly shaped body and patchy coloration resembles a leaf in the fall. Their bodies are rather flat and wide which contributes to the resemblance. Even the way that they swim seems to mimic a leaf falling through the air. The Leaffish is an aggressive predator. Their diet consists mainly of other fish. In the wild they will lay among the substrate foliage with their heads pointed down. Their distinctive color palette makes it hard to distinguish them from a dead leaf. The leaffish has the unique ability to change colors to better camouflage itself amid the foliage. It will approach its prey using its transparent pectoral fins which are nearly undetectable to its victim. It will ...

• Published: July 21, 2008, 10:21 pm
• Displayed: 313 times
• Preview: SPIRULINA FISH FOOD advertisement One of the most eagerly accepted foods that are given to herbivorous and algae eating fish has to be spirulina fish food. Malawi fish, plecs, snails will pounce on this food as soon as it is offered in the tank. It is available as flake, pellet or wafer making it a good choice for any size of fish. Most of the prepared flakes or pellets will have traces of spirulina in the food; it is such a great additive to the food as it is recognized as a health booster as well as being full of protein. It is even being recognized now as a good additive to include in the human diet but what makes spirulina so special. What is Spirulina? Spirulina is actually a cyanobacterium, more commonly known as blue-green algae, and is a very small botanical algae; only growing up to half a millimeter in length. It is a free floating cyanobacterium that can be found in lakes with an extremely high pH and very hard water. These lakes are to be found in Africa, Asia and South America. The name Spirulina derives from the spiral structure of the algae as it twi...

• Published: January 1, 2007, 6:22 pm
• Displayed: 4415 times
• Preview: Staghorn algae advertisement In this article, I want to write about my experience with Staghorn algae; scientific name "Compsopogon sp.". However, this is not a scientific article. I¹m not writing a definitive guide to how to eliminate this algae from your aquarium. I'm going to write how I defeat it. Let's start from the very beginning. I established my aquarium in April 2006. I keep a few plants and fish there. Feel free to read about my tank at my blog called Aquarium fish and plants. Step by step, I planted my aquarium successfully. Basically, I was introducing new plants as well as Staghorn algae into my tank. I cannot say exactly when I first got the algae, but I noticed some algae in my aquarium. I didn't know what a catastrophe was waiting for me. In the beginning, I saw only a few spots. Immediately, only a week after the first spot was noticed, the algae had grown on every piece of my tank. It usually grows about 5-10 cm during a night, so I had to cut a lot of algae from my tank every morning. I couldn't believe how fast it was growing. Please,...

• Published: November 22, 2005, 2:56 pm
• Displayed: 5267 times
• Preview: Start right with tropical fishkeeping (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) Some helpful tips when starting with tropical freshwater fishes First published in leaflet form by Aquarian Fish Foods, of England Aquarticles advertisement Introduction Freshwater tropical fish, as their name suggests, originate in freshwater rivers and lakes in the warmer parts of the world, particularly in South America and Central Africa. There are literally tens of thousands of species of freshwater tropical fish, with new ones being discovered almost every day. With such a vast variety of fish, each living in its own particular environment, it`s easy to see why fish keepers are never lost for new areas to study and new challenges to enjoy. Fish Names All fishes are classified by the `binomial system` (two names). First there is the family or generic name -which should always be written with an initial capital letter. This is followed by the species name/s - which should always all be written in lower case letters, (both names ideally all in ital...

• Published: June 11, 2008, 10:59 am
• Displayed: 309 times
• Preview: SUBMERSIBLE AQUARIUM HEATERS advertisement We all know how important it is to have a good quality filtration system in our aquariums, but one piece of equipment that a lot of fish keepers tend to neglect is the heater that we use in our tanks. To me this is just as important as the filtration and cutting corners by trying to save pennies does not pay in this case. Our livestock depend on us to give them the correct temperatures to live in, they are cold blooded so the only way that they can get any heat into their bodies is through the tank water. In the early days of fish keeping immersible heaters were available, these hung on the back of the tank with the heating probe in the water, and the thermostat was a separate unit that was kept over the tank in the dry. For this reason they are commonly known as hang on heaters, but nowadays these have been replaced with a new range of heating equipment, the fully submersible heater. The whole unit is placed in the water, the heating element and thermostat are built into the unit, and this means that the only piece out of the...

• Published: November 26, 2007, 7:25 pm
• Displayed: 2124 times
• Preview: Sump filtersWhen do I need one? advertisement Sump filters are very large filters, capable of handling high volumes of water and processing it quickly. They are only practical on large water systems, such as display tanks in shops, multiple fish tanks in a single location or a large aquarium in the home. If you have 100 gallons or more in one tank, or a combination of tanks in a rack, then a sump is worthwhile, as long as you are able to connect the tanks to it. This usually involves drilling the glass to take piping, so, on an established setup, it isn’t always possible. I am considering installing a sump on my living room display, because there are 6 tanks, all on the same level around two walls, but to do this I have to take each tank down, drill a hole in the bottom to take the pipe connector and then set the tank back up. I also have to install piping to take the outlet flow from the tank to the sump, and piping to put the filtered water back into the tank at the top. So why bother? 6 tanks all need regular water changes and conditions change more quickly in each...

• Published: August 16, 2010, 9:33 pm
• Displayed: 3 times
• Preview: Surface Skimmers advertisement Surface skimming is often overlooked in the aquarium hobby, many keepers have never been told about it, but it is often a great asset to the aquarium when trying to keep the water in a pristine condition. Often we can look at the surface of the water and see a greasy film appearing or froth at the sides of the tank without ever realising where it has come from or even how to deal with it. The film and scum mainly derives from nutrients and proteins that are in the water column and rest at the water surface, many fish foods add to this problem due to the ingredients in their recipes and it can look very unsightly if not dealt with on a regular basis. One easy way of removing the film is to lay paper towelling on the water surface for a few seconds and then pull it out, this will remove most of the film but it doesn’t solve the problem and it certainly doesn’t keep control of the situation for long periods of time. The easiest solution to nutrient and scum build up in the aquarium is to add a surface skimmer to the equipment which will remo...

• Published: March 15, 2010, 9:05 pm
• Displayed: 24 times
• Preview: The Swim Bladder and how to treat Swim Bladder Disease advertisement What is a swim bladder? Basically the swim bladder is an organ inside most of the fish species that acts as a buoyancy device so that the fish can maintain its level in the water without having to use up energy swimming. It is a gas filled organ and as it is directly below the dorsal fin of the fish it is very efficient at controlling the central mass of the body weight, this will aid the fish to keep upright. It has several common names including gas bladder, fish maw and air bladder. Some species of fish will even use the swim bladder as a resonating chamber and produce audible noises from it. Normally swim bladders are only found in ray-finned species of fish, many of the bottom dwellers have evolved to live without a swim bladder while other species of fish such as sharks and rays have never possessed one and need to use the fins to maintain a vertical position and to attain different depths in the water. What is interesting is that sharks and rays evolved on a different route from other fish species a...

• Published: February 10, 2008, 11:33 am
• Displayed: 860 times
• Preview: T5 aquarium lights advertisement To buy a T5 aquarium lighting, simply follow this link. If you need information firstly, then go through this page... To get the best from your aquarium, you need to make sure that the lighting you install provides the maximum results. Lighting which does not suit the application or is insufficient in strength will in time depress the growth of the fish in the tank and will affect their health. What an experienced aquarium owner is constantly aware of is the need to provide 12 hours of effective and appropriate lighting in their aquarium in order to provide an atmosphere as close as possible to the occupant’s natural surroundings. For this reason, a conscientious aquarium owner will always be on the look out for the best combination of lighting that they can provide for the fish their care. And they may well find it if they opt for T5 aquarium lights. What is a T5 aquarium light? Many people get quite excited when they hear the term, T5 because the human brain works in such a way that they automatically assort the number five with the con...

• Published: May 12, 2008, 10:00 am
• Displayed: 375 times
• Preview: T8 and T12 Aquarium Lighting advertisement Fluorescent aquarium lighting comes in all different colors and sizes. When choosing the right lighting system for your aquarium you should fully understand all of the options before making a decision. One of the most common lighting size options is the T12 light fixture. This fixture is being replaced more and more by a smaller more efficient version called T8 fluorescent lights. This article will explain the differences in cost and efficiency between the T12 and T8 light fixtures. Size T12 fluorescent light bulbs are 1.5” in diameter. These light bulbs are run on magnetic ballasts that are there to limit the amount of electrical current running through the bulb. The magnetic ballasts are not as quiet or as efficient as electrical ballasts. T8 light bulbs are 1” in diameter and run on electrical ballasts. When compared to the T12 bulbs, T8 fluorescent bulbs have an illumination output that is more efficient. The T8’s slimmer design allows the illuminating gasses to run more efficiently while using less wattage. Both T12 and T8...

• Published: January 18, 2007, 4:19 pm
• Displayed: 7419 times
• Preview: Taking pictures of your aquarium with digital cameraby Jan Hvizdak advertisement Important note This article was updated on 08/16/2007. If you came here looking for information about Black Ghost Knifefish just click here. Introduction When you try to take pictures of your aquarium for the first time, you'll realise that it is not as easy as it looks. Here you can find various examples, so that you'll avoid beginners mistakes. Mistake no.1 – Moving your hands Here you can find pictures taken without tripod. Tripod is necessary in order to produce quality images because it allows you to think before you push the trigger. Solution: Use a tripod. Mistake no.2 – Too much light in the room Beginners usually don't care about noise light which practically disallows you to take a quality picture. Here below is an example. Note that I didn't use any tripod yet. With minimal zoom man can achieve nice pictures which aren't blurred. Moreover, the mode is still “auto”. Solution: Darken the room as much as possible. Mistake no.3 – Using the ...

• Published: April 30, 2008, 9:54 pm
• Displayed: 343 times
• Preview: Tetra BettaMin advertisement BettaMin is a “tropical medley” of nutrition designed by Tetra specifically for betta fish. This high protein mix of flakes mimics the diet they would consume in their natural environment. The purpose of BettaMin is to help enhance fin development and also to improve natural color. Tetra recommends that you feed your betta 2 or 3 times daily and only what he can consume within a few minutes. You may have to crush the flakes before dropping it into the aquarium because a betta’s mouth is not all that large. If used correctly as stated by the instructions on the container, this food will not cause the water to become cloudy or murky. Once you feed your betta watch to see if he is eating the BettaMin before you walk away. It is important to observe your fish because if he is not interested in the food you give him you must remove it from the aquarium or it will pollute the water. One customer stated his fish would not eat BettaMin but instead his betta preferred a betta pellet. You may have to try a few different things before you settle on one type of food ...

• Published: May 25, 2008, 11:09 am
• Displayed: 313 times
• Preview: Tetra Pond Koi Sticks advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! Tetra Pond Koi Sticks are specially formulated to provide well balanced nutrition for koi as well as other pond fish. Koi Sticks are designed to float on the water’s surface so they can be quickly eaten before sinking to the bottom. This prevents ponds from being overly polluted with uneaten food while allowing you to observe these beautiful fish while eating. These sticks soften when they come in contact with the water which causes them to be digested easily by koi and other types of pond fish. Koi fish do not have stomachs so it is impossible for them to hold food for digestion. When they ingest food, it goes straight into the intestines to be digested until it can be excreted. The digestive tracts of koi fish are not very long so it is more practical to feed less food more times a day in order for them to get all of their daily requirements. It is a...

• Published: May 25, 2008, 10:27 pm
• Displayed: 303 times
• Preview: Tetra Pond Sticks advertisement Advertisement: Get a 10% discount on pond products (except for pond liners) at graystonecreations.com! Enter Aquafish10% in the coupon code section of the order form when you check out! Tetra Pond Sticks are an easy to digest, and highly nutritional food specially developed for pond fish such as goldfish and koi. The Tetra brand knows what these coldwater fish need as far as diet and nutrition are concerned so over the years they have come up with the perfect formula to meet all the dietary requirements. Tetra Pond Sticks contain all the protein, fat and fiber the coldwater fish need to stay happy and healthy. Tetra Pond Sticks come in a variety of sizes so that you can choose the one that is right for you. A 3.53 oz. container is the smallest one offered and it runs for about $6.99, while the largest container comes in a 3.75 lbs. bucket that runs for $39.99. This mixture of easy to digest floating sticks is a combination of ingredients specially formulated to promote healthy fish and increase energy. This combination of food sticks...

• Published: May 29, 2008, 12:26 pm
• Displayed: 389 times
• Preview: Tetra Whisper Air Pump advertisement The Tetra Whisper Air Pump boasts to be one of the quietest and most efficient aquarium air pumps manufactured today. The sleek new design has a dome shape and an inner chamber with thick walls and a suspended motor which helps to silence the powerful motor. This air pump has rubber feet which help to keep the structure from vibrating noisily away. The purpose of the Whisper Air Pump is to aerate both marine and freshwater aquariums by powering air stones and various filters. The Tetra Whisper Air Pump comes in models of different size to aerate aquariums from 5 gallons to 100 gallons. The Whisper 10 is the smallest size which retails for as low as $5.49 online and the largest size is the Whisper 100 which retails for as low as $18.29. The prices vary throughout the various websites and aquatic retail stores. In order to find the air pump to suit your aquarium size, simply refer to the model number. The Whisper 10 is meant to aerate up to 10 gallons of water while the Whisper 100 aerates up to 100 gallons of water. All of the Tetra Whisper Ai...

• Published: April 28, 2008, 9:46 am
• Displayed: 496 times
• Preview: Tetra Whisper Filter advertisement The Whisper Filter is an aquarium filter that is as quiet as the name describes. This filter is manufactured by Tetra and comes in a variety of sizes for both internal and external filtration. Priced between $12 and $65, these filters are relatively inexpensive compared to many other brands. It is a widely available product that is sold in most aquatic retail stores and many different aquarium supply websites. The Tetra Whisper Filter will provide clean water in tanks from 2 gallons up to 60 gallons. The filters canisters have one or two chambers for cycling water, depending on the volume of water it is meant for. You will need one filter for each chamber in your filter canister. The cartridges come in small, medium, large and X-large to suit your filtering needs. Tetra makes their filters easy to clean and maintain. They are comprised of a number of parts that are easy to remove for cleaning purposes. The external filter hangs on the back of your aquarium. The motor, located on the bottom of the canister, sucks water up through a t...

• Published: May 25, 2008, 11:22 am
• Displayed: 305 times
• Preview: Tetrafin Flakes advertisement TetraFin Goldfish Flakes are specially designed by the Tetra Company for goldfish and small koi. This particular type of food is formulated to be consumed by these coldwater fish for aiding in digestion and promoting longer life. It is the world’s leading brand in goldfish food. Tetrafin Goldfish Flakes comes in all different sizes from as little as .45 oz. for $1.85 to as large as 4.52 lbs. for $40.00. This formula is packed with much needed vitamins that are necessary for the health of cold water species. A few of the vitamins included are vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin A. It contains Omega-3 fatty acids which gives fish plenty of energy and helps them grow. When used as directed, TetraFin Flakes will not contribute to clouding the water. Goldfish tend to make plenty of waste so you should still clean the water frequently to keep your aquarium water clean and clear. These fish flakes are specially made to stay firm while the fish are eating, instead of crumbling and falling apart. Although most fish foods contain generally the same ing...

• Published: May 25, 2008, 9:26 pm
• Displayed: 295 times
• Preview: TetraMin Flakes advertisement TetraMin Flakes is a fish food produced by Tetra which is the leading brand for flaked fish food in the aquarium industry today. For over 50 years, Tetra has perfected this product which was the first of its kind; an easy solution to feeding fish in the form of non-perishable flakes. The founder of the Tetra Company, Ulrich Baensch, created TetraMin, this convenient, less messy food to make it easier for aquarists to feed their pet fish. This food source for a wide variety of aquarium fish was supposed to promote health and vibrant coloration. Continual product research has put the Tetra Company on the top with a well known and trusted product. TetraMin is formulated to give aquarium fish maximum nutrition while not clouding the water. This product has been tested again and again to come up with more practical and convenient ways to feed your fish. The container itself is easy to use and it is practical with its sliding dispenser lid. The newest formula of TetraMin Flakes boasts that it provides more protein and less fat allowing the fish to consum...

• Published: August 15, 2006, 3:15 am
• Displayed: 2948 times
• Preview: Red parrot - The king of monstrosity This article was submitted by one of our users and aqua-fish.net doesn't guarantee it's accuracy! advertisement They are sold under the name of Red Parrot or Bloody Parrots, but these fish must not be confounded with parrot Cichlids (Hoplarchus Psittacus) or with marine Parrot fish (Callyodon fasciatus). The real Parrot, Hoplarchus psittacus is an American Cichlid which lives in the Amazon waters and has a green color. This is extremely pretentious specie and it has been successfully spawned only by few American breeders. This article is not a description of this fastidious fish; it is about the baggy hybrid which can be found in pet shops. Maybe some of us are not long time experienced breeders, but certainly we are not blind. Yellow, blue, red, fluorescent green, pink - it is amazing how sublime these parrots, a laboratory fishes, are. We only have to breed them in orange and fluorescent water, given by a cool light, with ultra colored sand and plastic plants and the kitsch is perfect! Anyway, let`s hope that at least for Chri...

• Published: August 2, 2006, 2:14 am
• Displayed: 34228 times
• Preview: Angel Fish advertisement Brief Description Apart from other information about freshwater Angel fish, The Angel Fish article also contains answers on the following questions; How long do angelfish live, How to mate angelfish, How long does it take for angelfish to grow, How big do angelfish grow, How many angelfish should I keep in my aquarium, How to sex angelfish, How fast do angelfish grow, How often do angelfish spawn, How big fish tank do angelfish need, How do you start an angelfish aquarium, How often do angelfish eat, How often do you clean an angelfishes tank, How to stop angelfish aggression, How to add an angelfish into a tank with already 1 in it, What is an angelfish. Some answers can be found directly in the article and some answers are located within the comments below the article. If you're an experienced fishkeeper, then consider sharing your own ideas, tips and experiences at the bottom of this article! Angel Fish (Pterophyllum scalare) is a popular tropical freshwater aquarium fish, and they are considered to be one of the most beautiful kind of tropical freshw...

• Published: December 1, 2007, 9:10 pm
• Displayed: 1464 times
• Preview: The Axolotl: One of natures wonders! advertisement It’s not often these days that we come across a rarity in the local pet shop, but this week I found one. (Actually, it was two, a breeding pair no less!) Here is José, the male axolotl, pronounced Ax-oh-lot-ul: As long ago as 1996, these were declared “Critically Endangered” by the IUCN, iucnredlist.org and as such, are in need of help. The natural habitat has all but disappeared, so almost all the ones you find now are captive bred, and then very rarely seen. Here’s a little of their background, for those who don’t know anything about them. It is well worth a little research to find out just what these amazing creatures are capable of. Scientific Name - Ambystoma mexicanum Common names - Axolotl, water-dogs Class: Amphibia Family: Ambystomatidae Genus: Ambystoma Habitat: High altitude lakes in Mexico Life-span: 10 – 15 years, (although there are reports of much older, up to 25 years) Temperament: placid Tank mates: NONE (See below) Feeding: Live, frozen or dried ...

• Published: March 10, 2008, 9:08 pm
• Displayed: 403 times
• Preview: The Bacopa Plant in an Aquarium Environment advertisement Of the many beautiful plants you can choose to enhance the color of your aquarium, those of the stemmed variety provide the widest variation in colors and leaf shapes as well as ease of care. The Bacopa plant in an aquarium environment is one of the most popular. In need of regular and relatively strong lighting to thrive, the plant will cost from $3.00 to $5.00 at your local garden center, pet stores or even online. When planting the Bacopa in an aquarium environment, it should be taken into account that any stemmed plant will grow to a good height, meaning that regular trimming should take place to prevent the plants from getting out of control, which will considerably reduce its allure and prevent the free flow of light to the bottom of the tank. On the upside these plants are simple and friendly to trim. Once you have a good and healthy growth of Bacopa plants in your aquarium, their continuation is guaranteed because they are one of the easiest plants to propagate. Although Bacopa in an aquarium will give th...

• Published: January 4, 2007, 10:49 am
• Displayed: 9362 times
• Preview: The Blue CrayfishCherax Quadricarinatus (or the Blue Claw Lobster) by Zuzana advertisement Previous article notification If you opened this page looking for information about African Clawed Frogs then you should know that Aqua-Fish.Net removed that article because it was stolen and reprinted here without any premission. The person who did so is not able to post articles to Aqua-Fish.Net. Introduction Blue crayfish is the same species as normal coloured crayfish. Sometimes they are called lobsters as well, because everybody knows what lobster is and crayfish is something unknown, but it in not the same. Lobsters have two claws where each is of different size, but crayfish have claws of the same size. The blue colour is caused by gene mutation just like albino form of any animal or human species. However, just like other artificial colour mutations, this blue colour causes that an animal with blue colour is eaten very quickly. It is like an animal which has a light panel with a title: I'm here, come and eat me. The blue colour can by different at various geographic locati...

• Published: August 8, 2006, 4:43 pm
• Displayed: 10305 times
• Preview: The Blue Gourami advertisement The Blue Gourami originally comes from Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. It`s popularity originates in the beautiful blue colour, peaceful temperament towards another species, and especially it`s intelligence. I personally kept from 2 to 6 gouramis for about 2 years and the only reason I gave them up was that my tanks were too small for them. It should be pointed out at this point that even the blue gouramis grow up to 10-12 cm (about 4 inches) and they become territorial as adults. I recommend you keep 1 gourami per 40 litres. They like shallow water as well as deep tanks, so there`s no need to build a special tank for them. Since the blue gouramis are very beautiful, I highly recommend you keep them in a single species tank. They do well with tankmates, no matter if they`re guppies, angel fish or cory fish. But for breeding, it`s better to keep them alone. It also creates a special feeling if there are only gouramis in the tank. Their movement and quite lazy nature will keep the tank looking very peaceful. In my experience, this fish is more active thro...

• Published: March 6, 2008, 7:12 am
• Displayed: 610 times
• Preview: The Clown Loach advertisement The Chromobotia Macracanthis, also known as the clown loach is a commonly kept fish for many tropical freshwater aquarists. They are characterized by their deep orange coloring and black stripes. Their flat bottoms are suitable for bottom dwelling. Habitat This fish originates in the warm (77- 86°F/ 25- 30°C), inland waters of Sumatra, Borneo and the Sunda Islands. Sexing It is hard to tell the sex of this fish although females tend to be bulkier. Rare incidents of breeding in captivity have been known to happen, yet it is not a common occurrence for hobbyists. It is a fact that clown loaches take years to reach sexual maturity so the larger fish are much more expensive and difficult to find in fish stores than the juveniles. Diet Clowns are omnivorous so they eat both meat and vegetables. I’ve noticed snails are their favorite but be sure to provide plenty of veggies for a well balanced diet. Algae wafers made with Spirulina can be a good source of vitamins for your fish. They also like frozen brine shrimp and beef hearts as we...

• Published: October 31, 2007, 2:22 pm
• Displayed: 2115 times
• Preview: The Dropsy Disease advertisement Dropsy is caused by bacteria which live in contaminated, but also in slightly contaminated water. The probability of getting this disease is higher if fish live in stressful conditions. This is because the stress negatively affects the immune system and fishes succumb this disease easier. What`s bad is the fact that this disease chooses it`s target slowly; Your fish will be attacked one by one, not all at one time. Naturally, the fist victims will be the weakest specimens. The development of the dropsy disease The disease opens itself as a bacterial infection of guts. You can spot it as fish` excrements are covered by mucus. The gut mucous slowly dies, the fish accepts less food than usual and there are long, transparent, mucus-looking excrements hanging from the anal opening. The internal organs are getting smaller, they also die slowly and of course, they stop doing their function as well. The fish wants to eat, but it`s digestive system isn`t capable to consume it. This connects to saddles malfunction, infection of uric ways and other inter...

• Published: April 16, 2006, 1:58 am
• Displayed: 7067 times
• Preview: The Dwarf Gourami advertisement Brief Description We've updated the Dwarf Gourami article and answered more questions below. Examples of these questions are as follows; How much to feed a dwarf gourami, How to breed dwarf gouramis, How often do dwarf gourami breed, How to sex dwarf gouramis, How many dwarf gouramis can you keep together, How big do dwarf gouramis grow, How long do dwarf gouramis live, How to calm down my 2 male dwarf gouramis, How to look after dwarf gourami, How easy are dwarf gourami to keep. The Dwarf Gourami is one of the small members of the Gourami family. Males are a little bit larger than the females, reaching up to 6 cm. In the wild the male is very colorful while the female is less colored. There are several color variations, including Blue/Powder Blue, Neon, Rainbow, and Red/Blushing. Aquarium setup Dwarf Gouramis are Labyrinth Fish, meaning they breath directly from the air, so they must have access to the surface. It is recommended to keep them in a tank that is more than 15 gallons in size. Water conditions in the tank should be stable wit...

• Published: October 27, 2006, 8:15 am
• Displayed: 6156 times
• Preview: The Dwarf Gourami (Colisa Lalia) advertisement Colisa lalia is a peaceful freshwater fish, also known as the “Dwarf Gourami”. Gourami is the name used for a big variety of perciform fish coming from Asia, especially India and Pakistan characterized by flat body and two elongated rays of pelvic fins used as sense of touch. Since they reach only 2 inches, they can be housed in small tanks and are a good fish for beginners because of their low aggressiveness, easy care and nice look. Males can be easily distinguished from females for their colours. The dwarf gourami male is a bit bigger than the female and has turquoise and orange-red iridescent vertical bands on the entire body and on fins; you can find also colour mutations with total orange-red body and turquoise dorsal fin, or total turquoise body with just some red at the edges of the fins. The dwarf gourami female is totally silver with pale turquoise vertical stripes. Colisa lalia can live in small groups or couples, both in dedicated or community aquariums. Males have some territorial habits especially during the...

• Published: October 19, 2007, 9:03 pm
• Displayed: 1517 times
• Preview: The Essential Nitrogen Cycleby Tim advertisement Any fish tank, large or small, needs some way to control the waste products of your beloved fish. This can be done by several methods, from changing the water every day to expensive canister filters and sumps. Whatever you use in your tank, it is best to have some sort of filtration, purely to help reduce stress on the fish and yourself! Let`s look at the most common method of controlling waste, in the form of a filter. There are several categories of filters available, depending on the size of the tank and the types of fish you keep. But they all have one thing in common: Removal of ammonia and nitrites which can kill your fish. The way this is done is by supporting a bacteria culture in the filter media and pulling water through it. This media can be many different materials, from simple floss to ceramic rings, or even standard aquarium gravel! The material isn`t important, so long as it is there and works! That`s a very basic outline of how a filter works, but this isn`t to discuss the details of filters, b...

• Published: January 18, 2007, 12:39 pm
• Displayed: 17721 times
• Preview: The Flowerhorn fish advertisement The Flowerhorn fish is also known with the Chinese common name Hua Luo Han; this fish does not exist in nature but it is a hybrid result of various cross-breeding of South America cichlids, in fact it can be listed under the Cichlasoma genus, even if the starting breeders are unknown, the most of people think about Cichlasoma Trimaculatus, C. Festae, Red Parrot cichlid, Jingang and other fish. Pictures Information about care Flowerhorn cichlid is a big fish with compact body, it can reach 30cm in length and sometimes can grow even bigger. Intensive breeding has created a very peculiar fish that is becoming really famous and relatively common in the last few years; moreover breeders keep on trying to improve the fish qualities focusing on bigger hump on the head, new and better colours, wider body and fins, more peculiar black marks on the body, without the employ of chemical and artificial factors. For the importance of appearance, a good Flowerhorn must follow a standard that defines various aspects of its body: - General bod...

• Published: July 2, 2007, 4:59 am
• Displayed: 3902 times
• Preview: The Glass Bloodfin Tetra advertisement Tank requirements This tetra comes from South America, the Amazon river, exactly from its affluent – Maderia. So the natural environment for them is tropical freshwater aquarium. This fish is easy to keep in aquarium with moderate hard water, about 10°dGH and with pH bit more than 7. They don´t get on well in soft and acid water, where they start getting white and they slowly die. The temperature can vary between 22 to 28°C. The aquarium has to have many hiding places, but also many places for swimming. These fish are little athlets and they need place for training. Glass bloodfin species is small, so they don`t require much place for living (however they need a lot of space for having fun), but they need company, and more fish you keep, more place they demand. And how large the aquarium should be? For example we have about 30 tetras in 81 L aquarium and they look happy, but we had about 20 tetras in the same aquarium and they were just fine too. Last, we had about 15 tetras in 54 L aquarium, but they had not much place for swimming. Th...

• Published: April 16, 2006, 2:06 am
• Displayed: 61888 times
• Preview: The Guppy Fish advertisement Brief Description Apart from other information about Guppies, The Guppy Fish article also contains answers on the following questions; How to breed guppy fish, How to look after guppy fish, How to control guppy population, How big are guppies, How do guppy fish breed, How long do guppy fish live, How to feed guppy fish, How long can a guppy live out of water, How long does it take for guppy fry to mature, How much food to give to a guppy fish in a day, How much water does a guppy need, How warm should the tank be (or what is the most suitable temperature), How does a guppy female look like, How many males per 1 guppy female should I keep. If you'd like to share your own experiences regarding keeping Guppies, let's check the bottom of this article where you can find a form for those who are willing to share own experiences, tips and information! The Guppy fish is probably the most popular aquarium fish species in the world, and is also known as one of the cheapest fish in shops even though some forms may be expensive. Small, beautiful, peaceful, livel...

• Published: April 14, 2006, 8:08 am
• Displayed: 14570 times
• Preview: The Jack Dempsey Cichlid advertisement Originally from Yucatan peninsula, Guatemala and Honduras, the Jack Dempsey Cichlid belongs to very beautiful, but aggressive fish. It`s named after the heavyweight boxing champion, Jack Dempsey. This fish can grow up to 20 cm (7.8 in), so it is recommended to keep it in a larger tank. As the Jack Dempsey Cichlid originally came from Central America, the water should be alkaline and little bit harder (dGH 18.0 - 30.0 °N and pH of 7.0 – 8.5). You can find the exact values of water chemistry and temperature in this fish profile - The Jack Dempsey Cichlid. The temperature in a tank has to vary about 25°C. So if you keep it under the right water conditions, its colours should be as beautiful as possible. You will enjoy this fish for more than 15 years as its lifespan is usually 16-17 years. The Jack Dempsey Cichlid has several colourful speckles across its body and almost a stained glass effect on the dorsal fin that will be displayed especially in the proper lighting. Healthy Jack Dempsey Cichlids should have an attractive muted purple colour with ...

• Published: April 14, 2006, 7:55 am
• Displayed: 12122 times
• Preview: The Jaguar Cichlid advertisement The Jaguar Cichlid has its origins in Eastern Honduras, Lake Managua, Lake Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The common name `Jaguar Cichlid` comes from all the dark spots like on the jaguar cat. In a fish tank, this beautiful fish can grow up to 35 cm and it`s a predator that likes to eat any smaller fish that fits into its mouth. You should keep Jaguar Cichlids with other large cichlids in a tank which length is at least 6 times bigger than its adult size. Of course, if you keep this fish in an aquarium that is smaller, it should grow smaller, but it will be more aggressive. Females aren`t as colorful as males and, if fed well, they`re much plumper. The Jaguar Cichlid easily adapts to a wide variety of water conditions. Nonetheless, they need clean water, which makes their colours look best. The water pH should vary between 7 and 8 and they also like soft water more than hard. They appreciate a lot of rocks and caves as well as low lighting, so they`ll feel like they are in their natural environment. You have to keep the water temperature about 25 °C ...

• Published: January 4, 2007, 8:14 pm
• Displayed: 8135 times
• Preview: The Kissing Gourami (The Kissing fish)By Tim Gautrey advertisement Scientific Name Helostoma temmincki Common Name: Kissing Gourami Size Can grow up to 12 inches long (30 cm) pH 6 - 8 Temperature 72°F - 82°F (22°C - 28°C) Tank 50 gallons at least Origins South East Asia Breeding They require very large tanks, so breeding is rare. Compatibility Best kept in a species tank. Life expectancy In the correct environment, will live up to 7 years Diet Flakes, pellets, freeze dried and especially fond of live food. They can be territorial, especially at breeding times. It is good to get at least two so that when they are feeling aggressive they will chase each other around instead of their tank-mates. Due to their potential size, they need a large tank and would be best kept in at least a 75 gallon tank with plenty of plants and hiding places. If you must mix them, take care to select fish of a comparable size to avoid bullying. Don’t be tempted to put small fish in with them, they will eat them! spons&...

• Published: January 4, 2007, 7:42 pm
• Displayed: 4467 times
• Preview: The Kuhli Loach advertisement Origin, body and aquarium Pangio Kuhlii (known as the Kuhli loach), a fish that grows up to 10-12 centimetres comes from Java and Borneo. In order to offer them some kind of natural habitat it's recommended to keep them in planted fish tanks. Their bodies are slimmer than bodies of "YoYo loaches, however if you kept YoYo's you would notice that areas without overgrown roots or plants are suitable for them more than jungles. Heavily planted tanks make it difficult to move backwards or to the sides. We would suggest an aquarium with different environment stages, which should include plains, driftwood and caves, and well planted places. If you achieve this set-up, they will be able to hide (which they do through days a lot), they will be able to find foods and, if you have really large tank, they'll maybe breed. Moreover, if you can use floating plants (Azolla caroliniana, Lemna minor, Pistia stratiotes, or others), this species will appreciate it. Bear in mind that light must fall on the gravel. Well aerated and filtered tanks are welcomed. pH ...

• Published: November 4, 2009, 5:02 pm
• Displayed: 54 times
• Preview: The Molly an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement 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 environmen...

• Published: October 28, 2006, 5:16 am
• Displayed: 15661 times
• Preview: The Neon Tetra advertisement General information Paracheirodon innesi of the characin family, also called ‚the neon tetra‘ is probably the most known freshwater fish kept at home aquariums. This peaceful and schooling species does well in groups of 10 or more. You could find recommendations like 5+ tetras, 7+ tetras or whatever. However, my personal experiences say that more neon tetras equal happy fish. Therefore, it`s recommended to buy a species tank with 50-100 neons. In my experience, it looks terrific. Moreover, large shoals will attract your eyes more than any TV program. Well organized tank for neon tetras means plenty of plants, a bit acidic and soft water. Generally, neon tetras are very shy, what is noticeable if you keep only 2 or 3 of them. They come from South America’s moderate sized rivers, southeast Colombia and eastern parts of Peru, where the water is usually dark-yellow or dark-brown. It makes the sense, since such rivers are full of woden pieces, plants (dead or alive). Such elements help the water to be acidic. I’ve seen many neon tetras in the crystal w...

• Published: April 10, 2008, 10:54 am
• Displayed: 537 times
• Preview: The Pacu Fish(A Red Belly Pacu) advertisement One of the first fish I ever owned was a Red Belly Pacu. I first noticed them because of their natural look and exciting swimming behavior. Especially after a meal, they would chase each other around the tank almost as if they were playing a game of tag. Moving through the water you can really see that they are powerful swimmers and enjoy room to play with other Pacus in the tank. When first introduced into the tank you might notice their skittish behavior when it comes to sudden movements around the tank. Much like their piranha cousins, Pacus like rocks, plants and other décor to hide behind and feel less vulnerable. Often times, especially in the juvenile stage, the Red Belly Pacu is confused with their cousin the Red Belly Piranha. You might see Red Belly Piranhas sold as Pacus because of the inability to differentiate between the two fish. In the two pictures below you can see the simple way to tell the difference. Red belly Piranha You can see the larger under bite and bigger lower jaw of the piranha. Red Belly...

• Published: September 13, 2007, 11:16 am
• Displayed: 6111 times
• Preview: The Piranha Fishby Zuzana advertisement Introduction As everyone knows, the Piranha species is a very noted fish especially from TV. It`s aggression and hunger for everything what moves in the water are well known facts. They are shown as cruel and merciless beasts in the TV. So why do people keep them? Aren`t such people only criminals who drop their victims into the tank with Piranhas in order to hide their crime? Not everyone knows that Piranhas bite only if they are hungry, or something bleeds in their aquarium. So basically, a wise and skilled fish keeper will not be bitten or even eaten (it`s a myth that few Piranhas can eat the whole man`s body). Their attacks towards humans are very rare in the wild. The natives from the locations where Piranhas live are swimming with them a lot and they haven`t been harmed. However, nowadays it is not recommended to do so because as the environment changes all around the world, the fish` behaviour may change as well. Generally, they have less food so they can be much more aggressive against humans than before. There are no reports of ki...

• Published: March 1, 2008, 3:48 pm
• Displayed: 647 times
• Preview: Ammonia test kit advertisement The most toxic of the nitrogenous wastes that can build up in aquarium water is Ammonia (NH3). Ammonia, once it reaches a certain concentration in the water will cause the fish to become increasingly unwell, and if the presence of ammonia in the water is allowed to remain undetected for a protracted period, it will eventually cause the fish to die. Ammonia in the tank is generated constantly as the organic materials present break down. The fish in the tank also metabolically produce ammonia which they excrete through their gills. Concentrations of ammonia in the tank as they increase will gradually cause the fish’s gill to become blocked and reduce their ability to absorb and maintain the desired quantities of oxygen in their blood. The cycle of life in the tank is very finely balanced, with bacteria in the tank’s filter utilizing ammonia as a source of energy which will cause the ammonia to become nitrite. Bacteria, in a different form, will use the nitrite to turn it into nitrate, which is harmful to the fish in the tank. The nitrate needs to be ...

• Published: January 19, 2007, 9:16 am
• Displayed: 27870 times
• Preview: What is the purpose of an aquarium filter?By Tim Gautrey advertisement To clean the water of debris and suspended particles, remove ammonia and nitrites and aerate the water. How does it work? Most aquarium filters are divided into three sections: Biological, Mechanical and Chemical. Biological. An aquarium filter is a breeding ground for two main types of bacteria. This is not something to worry about, quite the opposite. The type of bacteria that filters culture is specifically to work on the chemicals that fish produce through waste. The first type of bacteria breaks down the potentially very poisonous ammonia that fish produce into less harmful nitrites, and then a second type of bacteria breaks down the nitrites into even less harmful nitrates. Mechanical. The filters will also remove large suspended particles of debris from the water. Chemical. Some aquarium filters allow the addition of Active Carbon in the form of balls, sheets, wadding or crystals. The purpose of this is to remove medications and heavy metal traces from the water. Aquarium filter...

• Published: July 17, 2008, 10:15 am
• Displayed: 389 times
• Preview: Rainbow Shark advertisement The Rainbow Shark is a freshwater fish of the cyprinidae family. Rainbow Sharks come in two different varieties: The Epalzeorhynchos frenatum which is gray with orange fins and the Epalzeorhynchos munense or the Albino Rainbow Shark, which is white with orange fins. The E. frenatum was once called Labeo frenatus; the name has since been corrected but some people still use the old name to describe the Rainbow Shark. Physical Description: Rainbow Sharks are long and slender with their mouths turned down-ward for bottom feeding, and two pairs of barbels for feeling their way along surfaces. These fish will grow to an average mature size of about 6 inches and can live for up to 6 years if well cared for. The E. frenatum has a greenish-black coloration with bright orange fins. There is a black line that starts at the snout and ends just past the gill plate and a caudal spot on the caudal peduncle. The E. munense is the Albino Rainbow shark which lacks the black pigments coloring the body, eyes, stripe and caudal spot. The albino has red eyes, a white bo...

• Published: June 15, 2008, 10:47 pm
• Displayed: 309 times
• Preview: RAINBOWFISH advertisement Rainbow fish deservedly earned their name from the amazing variety of colors that the fish display. The colors seem to change as they swim about, giving a beautiful show for the aquarists. These fish were first discovered way back in the mid 1800’s, they are only to be found naturally in Australia, New Guinea, and the surrounding islands, where they inhabit the local rivers, streams and lakes. There are many, many varieties of this fish, but the families that they are classed as belonging to are Atherinidae, Telmatheriidae, Melanotaeniidae, and Pseudomugilidae. They have a good reputation for being peaceful fish, ideal for any community tank, but they are best kept in groups of at least six fish as they are schooling. All of the varieties are top swimmers and feeders so make an ideal choice to fill the top area of the aquarium. They have been kept by aquarists since the start of the last century, so this alone has proven their popularity has stood the test of time. A lot of keepers never appreciate their true colors when they visit the pet stores, ...

• Published: April 7, 2008, 2:47 pm
• Displayed: 534 times
• Preview: The Red Belly Piranha advertisement When someone says piranha, the first thing that comes to mind is often the red churning water over prey that has entered the fish’s territory. It is truly astonishing how a large mammal can turn into nothing in the blink of an eye once it hits piranha infested waters. A vicious fish yes, but just as any other aquarium pet, the piranha species demands extreme care and attention. The most notorious of the species, the Red Belly Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) lives in the wild hunting together in schools that can reach into the thousands. Most people think piranhas only will eat meat, but in the wild they will eat nuts and fruit that fall from nearby trees. When setting up an aquarium for any fish, the best environment is one that closely mimics the natural setting the fish lives in. Seeing how the Red Belly Piranha (RBP) is from the murky, highly vegetated rivers and streams of South America, dropping him in your old betta tank with a couple marbles at the bottom is not going to cut it. Aquarium decor: It should have a lot of...

• Published: January 4, 2007, 10:29 am
• Displayed: 10466 times
• Preview: The Silver Shark (Bala Shark)By Tim Gautrey advertisement Characteristic and tank requirements Scientific Name Balantiocheilos melanopterus Common Names Bala Shark, Silver Shark Size Up to 13 inches long (33 cm) pH: 6 - 8 Temperature: 22°C - 28°C, I have known them to be quite happy in much cooler waters. Water Hardness: 5° to 12° dH, Lifespan: 8 - 10 years Origin: South East Asia Temperament, breeding, compatibility, feeding, pictures & final word Temperament Peaceful and can be kept with smaller fish. However, will eat fish if they are small enough to take in their mouths Breeding Breeding is rare in the home aquarium due to their size. Tank 75 gallons minimum. Compatibility Will get on with most other fish. Diet Will eat most foods including flakes, pellets and live foods. They also love shelling snails! My Bala Sharks have great personalities and mix well with all sorts of other fish. They are rarely quiet, always rooting around and playing in the plants and ornaments. They are now around 12 months o...

• Published: September 21, 2006, 1:57 am
• Displayed: 8058 times
• Preview: The Skinny on Wall Mounted Aquariums advertisement Aquariums can be found in all shapes and sizes. For those of you who think you don’t have room in your home or office for an aquarium, but would love to have one, you should consider purchasing a wall mounted aquarium. Wall mounted aquariums take up no floor space, and are also a good way to keep children’s little fingers out of the tank. Wall mounted aquariums are also known as portrait or wall aquariums. Wall mounted aquariums come in a number of sizes, so you are sure to be able to find one to suit your needs. You can install your wall mounted aquarium yourself, just locate the wall studs and follow the included instructions. Wall mounted aquariums have many benefits to offer that you cannot get from a traditional aquarium setup. They take up no floor space at all, so you don’t have to worry about moving things around to make room for your tank. Design your room around your wall mounted aquarium. You can have your wall mounted aquarium built into your wall to act as a divider between two rooms, which allows you to view ...

• Published: January 16, 2007, 2:47 am
• Displayed: 11482 times
• Preview: The Swordtail fish advertisement Brief Description An article explaining how to care for swordtail fish. The questions that have been answered include How much water does a swordtail fish need, How big do swordtails get, How long do swordtail fish live, How to breed swordtail fish, How do swordtail fish mate, How often should you feed a swordtail fish, How a swordtail adapts. If you're experienced keeper and if you're willing to share tips, go to the bottom of this page where you can find a form for the purpose of sharing ideas. Xiphophorus hellerii - Swordtailfish is a favourite aquarium live-bearer fish. Generally, it is considered a suitable tropical fish for beginners. But this is not true. You must be an experienced aquarist generally, and you must be experienced in taking care of aquariums and fish especially. Only then you will be successful in breeding and keeping the Swordtail fish. General information as mentioned in the database: Fish name: Xiphophorus hellerii Common name: Swordtail Maximum size (min-max): 10.0 - 12.0 cm ( 3.9 - 4.7 in) pH of water: 7.0...

• Published: October 18, 2008, 1:37 am
• Displayed: 226 times
• Preview: Texas Cichlid (Herichthys Cyanoguttatus) advertisement This cichlid is very unusual as it is the only one that is native to the United States; often it is the game fish for many anglers. It is not a recommended fish for beginners; this is due to the Texas cichlid having a very aggressive nature. It is found in sub tropical areas swimming on the bottom to mid water areas of the lower ROI Grande in Texas and north eastern areas of Mexico. The Texas cichlid mainly inhabits the pools and narrow waterways that lead onto the larger rivers. If kept in optimum conditions, this fish should live up to 15 years of age. There are several color varieties, the main ones being the Red, Green, and Blue. The body of the fish should display white and turquoise dots on a golden background running down the middle of the body, as the dots approach the caudal fin they will turn dark. Most Texas cichlids should also display three black bars, for some reason there are a few that don’t. Juvenile Texas cichlids will not display the full coloration, their bodies will display a grayish background with...

• Published: January 17, 2007, 11:08 am
• Displayed: 9989 times
• Preview: The underrated GoldfishBy Tim Gautrey advertisement Profile Scientific Name Carassius auratus Common Names Goldfish, various other names Size 1” to 36” dependant on environment pH 6 - 8 Temperature 4°C - 28°C, I have known them to be quite happy in much cooler waters. Water Hardness dGH 4 - 18 Lifespan 5 - 20 years Origin China Temperament Peaceful. Will tolerate most fish of similar size. Breeding Difficult to breed in an aquarium, as they need temperature changes to trigger sporning. They breed in the spring, when the water warms after a long period of cold. This is very difficult to imitate in aquaria. Tank Anything from 1 gallon upwards Compatibility Will get on well with almost any fish large enough not to be considered as food! Diet Almost any foods, flake, frozen, fresh and live. Other information Goldfish are some of the most underrated fish on the planet. Originally from China, the Chinese have bred them for centuries. They are the most adaptable and hardy fish to ever come ...

• Published: October 23, 2008, 5:21 am
• Displayed: 214 times
• Preview: Wolf Cichlid (Parachromis dovii) advertisement The Wolf cichlid is not a fish that should be kept unless you have a good knowledge of them and a large tank to put them in. Adults can grow to over two feet (60cm) in length and have a very aggressive nature. Their natural habitat is the lakes and rivers that are found in the Honduras right down to Costa Rica. They can also be found on the Atlantic side of Central America and it is even believed that populations of Wolf cichlids are to be found in Florida. They do not like fast flowing water so the larger populations are to be found more in Lakes than in rivers, but they do adapt to a slower current. The body of the Wolf cichlid is designed to be the perfect killing machine, it is packed with solid muscle and it will attempt to attack anything in its path. The body coloration is mostly silver with touches of green and a black line runs from the back of the eye right down to the tail fin. The area below this midway line tends to be lighter than the area above it. Tank set up for the Wolf cichlid:- As mentioned earlier, the t...

• Published: July 3, 2008, 10:24 am
• Displayed: 307 times
• Preview: YOYO LOACH (BOTIA ALMORHAE) advertisement Botia Almorhae has several common names, yoyo loach, Pakistani loach, Almora loach and even its scientific name has changed recently from Botia Lochata to the above. The common name yoyo loach is derived from the fact that on its body, with some individuals the markings actually spells out the word “yoyo”. This strange phenomenon never seems to occur with juvenile fish, the strange markings only develop with the fish maturing. This loach belongs to the family Cobitidae and is found in the slow moving waters of India and Pakistan. This is what gives it the other common name Pakistani loach. They can reach a size of up to 6 inches in the wild, but in captivity 4 inches is more often than not the maximum size. The yoyo loach is generally longer and slimmer than some of the other loaches that are part of this family but it still retains the overall shape of a typical loach with its curved back and straight belly. On the mouth there are four distinct pairs of barbells, a spine is also located just below the eye socket. The main colo...

• Published: October 29, 2008, 3:42 am
• Displayed: 224 times
• Preview: Things to know about Aquarium Chillers advertisement In this article I`m going to answer the most common questions regarding aquarium chillers, their usage, purpose, advantages and disadvantages. These questions have been compiled from questions asked by our previous visitors. What is the purpose of an aquarium chiller? To chill the water in an aquarium. Read below why some fish need this. Although I mention fish only, corals or live rocks need stable temperature too. And some freshwater plants are sensible to dramatic temperature changes too. Do I need an aquarium chiller? Well... It depends on the type of your aquarium. If it`s a marine fish tank, then it is very likely that one needs a chiller. This results from the fact that saltwater fish live in waters with very stable temperature (unlike freshwater species). Unless you live in a country where the average yearly temperature stays below 20°C (even in rooms; which is not likely), it is not necessary to buy an aquarium chiller. The second possibility when one needs a cooler is a coldwater fish tank. Some fish ...

• Published: November 30, 2009, 10:37 pm
• Displayed: 50 times
• Preview: Tiger Barb an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The tiger barb or Barbus tetrazona are members of the family Cyprinidae commonly referred to as Cyprinids. Their habitat extends through the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. There are also scattered populations in Cambodia. Their name is purely descriptive. Tiger barbs have an orange body with vertical black striping. Tigers are just one of over 70 species of barbs made commercially available by the aquarium industry. Selective breeding has produced a wide variety of color variations. Color morphs are green, gold and albino tiger barbs. The green tiger barb is highly melanistic. Their body reflects green over the black due to a tyndall effect. The tiger barb has an even temperament and makes for a good community fish. They are mid-level swimmers. Barbs do have a tendency to be fin nippers though. This behavior increases in bigger groups. Avoid mixing them with large finned species such as angelfish, bettas and fancy guppies. They are a smaller fish. They only grow to about 2.5 inches long as adults. You...

• Published: May 25, 2008, 11:14 pm
• Displayed: 372 times
• Preview: Tilapia Fish advertisement Tilapia is the Tswana word for fish. There are many varieties of fish called tilapia but the 4 main categories are Tilapia, Oreochromis, Sarotherodon, and Danakilia. The name Tilapia is the common name for almost 100 species of cichlids from the “Tilapiine Cichlid Tribe”. Most tilapia cichlids are freshwater fish and some are brackish water species. Tilapia cichlids are native to waters throughout Africa and the Middle East. The water chemistry and quality in these areas are not always suitable for many species but tilapia have the ability to survive even where conditions are very poor. Most types of tilapia are omnivorous, preferring to eat soft vegetation and detritus, which can be anything from dead animals and organisms to fecal matter. Originally they were introduced into several different countries to help control pesky plant populations or mosquitoes. It turns out the tilapia became a worse pest in many areas of the world than the pests they were meant to eliminate. This species is considered a pest because they can take over many bodies of fre...

• Published: October 6, 2006, 10:58 am
• Displayed: 7678 times
• Preview: Tips on Freshwater Aquariums advertisement Nowadays more and more people have aquariums and aquarium fish. It is because fish don`t need much space, they don`t make mess in the house, they don`t destroy the furniture, they are silent, they don`t need any attention and they need only food a few times a day. And aquariums are very nice in the house. There is one thing about the aquarium, that not many people know: aquariums humidify the air and so you will be healthier. And aquariums are not good only for your physical health but for your mental health too. If you are stressed, there is no better thing like watching on those peaceful creatures as they are swimming around. Having an aquarium is like having a piece of underwater world in your living room. But if you want to have a realy good looking aquarium, you have to know about the needs of your fish and plants. People usually get their fish in special stores. But they mostly don`t ask about fish, they are buying, so they don`t know what the fish requires. I know only sellers, who say something about any fish only if you ask. ...

• Published: June 13, 2008, 12:10 am
• Displayed: 310 times
• Preview: TITANIUM AQUARIUM HEATERS advertisement As most of us know there are a wide variety of submersible aquarium heaters available to buy, normally aquarists will purchase the standard units where the heating element is enclosed in a glass or plastic case. Another option on the market that is now widely available is the submersible titanium heater. Standard heaters are more in the price range of most people, but they do have their disadvantages. They have to be submerged to the recommended water level (normally there is a line on the glass tube to act as an indicator), if the water drops below that the tube can blow, or at least overheat, this could mean a premature death for your fish, and it will definitely kill off the heater. Remembering to turn off the heater before removing it from the aquarium is often overlooked; I have done it myself on numerous occasions.After constant use a build up of scale can accumulate on the heater, not only is this unsightly, it can lead to total failure of the heater.Some of the cheaper heaters can sometimes be made to fairly low standards; thi...

• Published: January 14, 2006, 2:20 am
• Displayed: 7223 times
• Preview: To filter or not to filter, that is the question (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) By John Fichtl (not Shakespeare) advertisement The question of filtering comes up on a daily basis on most forums. Which one is the best, cheapest, most efficient? etc. The answers are very diverse. Some people have nothing but undergravel filters and swear by them. Other couldn`t live without their Eheims. Then comes the DIY person. Mind boggling. Now along comes a fellow who will open the eyes of most. Who?... Me. The Undergravel Filter. Let`s start with the trusty old undergravel filter. They are easy to install - in an empty aquarium that is - cheap to run, and hardly any maintenance...that`s what most people think. All the dirt in your water sinks to the bottom, or is slightly sucked down. The gravel acts as the filter medium. The outcome; seemingly clean water. What happened to the dirt? Where did it go? It is still there inside and underneath the gravel. It is like sweeping the dirt under the carpet. Room looks clean. But is it? - No. The same wit...

• Published: April 14, 2008, 10:32 pm
• Displayed: 408 times
• Preview: Tropheus species advertisement The genus “Tropheus” is a very popular cichlid found in Lake Tanganyika. Lake Tanganyika is located in central Africa, and is known to be the second deepest lake in the world. Below the surface of the lake live over 600 species, and among them are Tropheus. Tropheus are not a fish I would recommend for a beginner aquarist. They are very demanding and require a lot of attention not only with the food you feed them, but with the habitat you create for them in your aquarium. Tropheus are very aggressive and should be kept in large numbers. With my personal experience I have found that the aggression is kept to a minimum if you are female heavy and provide lots of rock work for them to seek shelter. In the wild, Tropheus are found throughout rocky habitats, all over Lake Tanganyika. They feed on algae, andother vegetation that may grow on the rocks. They can be seen in schools of more than one Tropheus species feeding together, although it is not recommended that you keep more than one Tropheus species together in the same aquarium because of hybridiza...

• Published: March 5, 2010, 1:38 am
• Displayed: 24 times
• Preview: Tropical Fish for Beginners advertisement In all of my years of fish keeping there is always one question that I am repeatedly asked, “I am new to fish keeping, which fish should I start with?” This question can be answered easily and if the initial stocking of the tank is correct it will make the hobby enjoyable from the start and a lot of the initial stress can be avoided, it is often the initial tank set up that goes horribly wrong and makes a lot of people leave the hobby before they have really gotten into it. Before we can even consider buying fish we must make sure that we are starting off with a fully cycled tank, even hardy fish will struggle in an tank that hasn`t been cycled. During the cycling period we have time to look at our options of which fish to keep and spend a bit of time going around the aquatic stores looking at the fish and asking advice. There are several considerations to take into account when selecting your first fish:- Are they aggressive, if they are a shoaling species it is a good sign that they are not aggressive to tank mates.If y...

• Published: July 13, 2006, 4:41 pm
• Displayed: 16165 times
• Preview: Tropical Freshwater Community Aquarium advertisement The goal of most aquariums is to capture the look of natural environs characteristic for specific parts of the world. Fish and plants in such aquariums are usually the kind that would live in these environs in nature. But the goal of community aquarium is different – it is to create a collection of plants and fish, which get on well together, but they don’t need to be from the same place. Such a tank is attractive because you can mix species from all around the World in it. That is why aquarists do not look further than a really good community aquarium. Before you launch into a community aquarium think carefully about what you want to reach and provide for adequate preparation. The first goal of a community aquarium should be creating stable, healthy and comfortable environs for many species of fish. Arrange the aquarium in an attractive way, so it will give an impressive and original look. The tradition is to situate fish and plants from various environs into the community aquarium, which will probably settle into various par...

• Published: March 28, 2010, 4:53 am
• Displayed: 22 times
• Preview: Turtle Aquariums advertisement Turtles are fast becoming a very popular pet and they are being kept indoors in their own turtle aquarium where the outside climate isn`t suitable for them. Due to the fact that they are a relatively new pet to be housed by many people, knowledge of keeping them in the best condition can be limited and there are only a few keepers that have had any length of experience with them so hopefully this article will help to answer any questions that may arise when deciding whether or not to keep these beautiful pets or how to house them properly in a well set up turtle aquarium. As mentioned above it is possible to house turtles outdoors in warmer climates but for the purpose of this article we will concentrate on setting up a turtle aquarium indoors and offer tips on feeding. Setting up your turtle aquarium It is crucial to purchase a suitably sized aquarium for your turtles, they are often sold as young specimens in the aquatic stores but as the mature they do grow in size so be aware of this when selecting your aquarium. To help you understan...

• Published: March 2, 2010, 4:45 am
• Displayed: 22 times
• Preview: Ultraviolet Sterilizers advertisement What is an Ultraviolet Sterilizer and how does it work? Ultraviolet sterilizers have been around for many years but were mostly used for outdoors ponds, nowadays they are becoming more popular with aquarium keepers and can serve a useful purpose for them. They work basically by pumping the water over a tube that produces Ultraviolet rays, this will remove from the water any unwanted microscopic bacteria, parasites,fungal cells and even pathogens. It will also prevent a lot of algal growth in the tank as the rays will destroy a high percentage of algal spores that are present in the water. The Ultraviolet rays actually penetrate the living cells of these microscopic creatures and destroys their DNA making them lifeless and they quickly die off. There is a mixed consensus of opinion as to whether these are a worthwhile investment in the aquarium, some keepers swear by them while others shy away from them and prefer to control the water quality by other means. The most common Ultraviolet Sterilizer available to purchase nowadays is the Qu...

• Published: August 6, 2007, 10:46 pm
• Displayed: 3686 times
• Preview: Under Gravel filter CleaningBy Tim Gautrey (---reprinted with permissions---) advertisement Most people complain about the cleaning of UGFs and their effectiveness after a while. It involves taking the tank down, re-locating the fish, plants, ornaments etc., emptying the gravel out and cleaning it, lifting the UGF and washing it off, (holding your nose while doing this), scrubbing the tank itself and rinsing it out and then putting the whole lot back together, re-cycling and then putting the fish back in. I have found a solution to this chore that is simple, easy, quick and completely safe and stress less for the fish and the human. It does not involve pulling the tank apart, unsettling plants or even removing the fish! (You might want to take out small ones though, just to be sure). What you need A wet/dry vacuum, preferably the bottle type with adjustable power; A hose adaptor to fit onto the UGF riser pipe and the cleaner hose; (You may have to make this beforehand); About five minutes of your time! What you do: Remove the cap and air stone or power-h...

• Published: March 21, 2008, 9:48 pm
• Displayed: 472 times
• Preview: Undergravel Filters advertisement Old, familiar, outdated, problematic, simple, reliable, they have been called all of these and more, depending on who you ask. Please note: During this guide, I am attempting to give a balanced view and not condemning any specific filter or manufacturer. I have chosen Eheim in this guide purely because they are a well-known brand with a good reputation. Under Gravel Filters, (UGF), were the first type of filter made available for aquarists. Although they have a long and proven record, many aquarists have turned their backs on these in favour of more powerful, and more expensive filters. The undergravel filter is a simple biological filter, using a shaped plastic plate which lays on the bottom of the tank with slots cut into it to allow water through into the gullies of the moulding, and a riser tube to draw the water back to the surface with the aid of an airstone or powerhead. The plate is covered with gravel and that`s it! It works very effectively by pulling water down through the gravel, where the solid debris is trapped close t...

• Published: February 7, 2008, 10:14 am
• Displayed: 980 times
• Preview: Underwater aquarium lightingby Albert advertisement Humans have always enjoyed a fascination for fish. It may well be that in a strange way we might even envy them their freedom, even those who live in a fish tank don’t seem to have it too bad. Fed and pampered by their owners, and free of the dangers of being way down the food chain. There is something very tranquil about watching a goldfish or a flock of guppies swimming effortlessly around in an aquarium. This is why so many people enjoy having a home aquarium. And there is no doubt that it has become an increasingly more “user friendly” hobby that it was even ten or fifteen years ago. Advances in technology has meant that acquiring an aquarium is in reach of us all, and there is such a wide variety of accessories that can make placing an aquarium as a center point of attraction in your front room a very attractive prospect, both for the owner, their family and their guests. One aspect of home aquarium management that has improved immeasurably over the last while is the underwater aquarium lighting that is now avail...

• Published: March 18, 2008, 2:23 pm
• Displayed: 462 times
• Preview: UV Clarifiers/Sterilizers advertisement What is a UVC? A UVC (Ultra-Violet Clarifier) is used for the purpose of removing water-bound Algae spores. This is primarily used for ponds where algae is most prevalent because of the still water conditions. It can also be used to clear algae from indoor fish tanks with great effect. A UVS (Ultra-Violet Steriliser) is basically the same as above but is usually more powerful. When do we need them? For pond owners, this next section is a “must read”, for aquarium owners, some of this information will be informative and may raise a few questions in your present methods! Traditionally, ponds are naturally filtered by live plants and poorly maintained. When they are new, they look great, but after a year or so, they tend to get forgotten and allowed to stagnate and silt up. This is a shame, as well maintained ponds are a real pleasure as well as a small pocket of nature in your garden. Do you have a pond? When was the last time you changed the water? Have you cleaned the bottom lately? Most people will answer “No” to these qu...

• Published: January 13, 2007, 10:06 pm
• Displayed: 3981 times
• Preview: Vallisneria Spiralis and Anubias Nana in your aquarium advertisement Previous article notice Original article about Jaguar Cichlid was replaced with article about plants. If you came to this page looking for previous information, simply follow this link. Article People who want to grow aquarium plants are usually excited when they see nicely planted tanks with numerous plants species inside. My personal experiences say that less is sometimes more and that a man may achieve interesting layout with very few species. Currently I am focusing on growing Vallisneria Spiralis, Vallisneria Gigantea and Anubias Nana. Introduction My initial goal was to have two types of tanks; Planted one and rocky one. Nevertheless both of my aquariums look different now. If you're a beginner, you'll end up in a similar way just like me. Dealers will sell you ten or twenty different plants, you'll put them into the tank and as time goes by, 50% or even more will die, or will not reproduce at all. This fast is caused by different geographical origins and various habitats. Every thing's nice...

• Published: November 24, 2006, 7:12 am
• Displayed: 3295 times
• Preview: Vitamins and fish feeding principles advertisement Introduction Every aquarist is proud if fish in his aquarium are or natural colours and if they are healthy. Fish`s good health heavily depends on diet, since your pets need something similar what they could find in nature. Various fish subsist on various food including worms, maggots, algae, plants or fruits. Some are carnivores, some are omnivores. Maybe you didn`t know what food (besides common foods like flakes, granules or brine shrimp) you can feed your fish with: Daphnia, Bloodworms, Basil (Ocimum basilicum), Angelica root (Archangelica officinalis), Capsicum, Carrot, Wheat, Spinach, Nettle, Borage (Borago officinalis), Spirulina, Seaweed, Glycine soja. Daphnia and bloodworms are easily consumable and very rich fish food. Both, Basil and Angelica root help your fish against stress. Capsicum and Carrot stimulate digestion and are full of vitamins. Carotene keeps the fish coloured. Wheat contains carbonhydrates. Spinach and Nettles offers a lot of minerals and trace elements which help them to grow naturally. B...

• Published: July 4, 2008, 10:30 am
• Displayed: 307 times
• Preview: WALL MOUNTED FISH TANKS advertisement Many fish keepers say that looking at their fish tank is far more entertaining than watching their television. This inspired many companies to take the next step in aquariums and produce a tank that actually sits on the wall. The wall mounted aquariums are also known as portrait aquariums; they were first produced in Korea and were actually made with a picture frame surround, hence the “portrait” in the name. These are not to everyone’s taste, some keepers think they are cruel, some fish keepers think that they are an excellent addition to the room, a showpiece to give visitors something to talk about. I personally would not use one purely for the thought of the limited swimming space, but that is my opinion. They are mounted on the wall by means of studs or brackets, and these need to be strong to support the weight of the aquarium, nobody wants to go into a room to see the tank lying on the floor. Originally they were only sold in smaller sizes, but as they have become more popular the sizes have increased to meet demand. Advanta...

• Published: October 19, 2007, 9:14 pm
• Displayed: 1414 times
• Preview: Water Chemistry: What about it and why should we worry?by Tim advertisement The chemistry of the water in a fish tank is very important. A fish tank is a closed environment, where everything that goes into it affects the chemistry in one way or another. Imagine you are sealed into a room with no toilet, no windows and fed only when the keeper saw fit. What would the air be like in a week? This is essentially what happens in a fish tank. The fish are trapped in an environment that you control. They get fed when you give them food, the water gets changed when you remember to do it. Filters help a lot, by controlling the levels of toxins, removing large bits of debris and un-eaten food and aerating the water, either by disturbing the surface or by adding air internally in the filter. You can add air stones, plants and ornaments, but the fish are still trapped. The décor makes it a little more comfortable for the fish, but they are still trapped. So, where does the water chemistry come into the frame? Without knowing what the conditions are inside the tank, you cannot tell w...

• Published: September 24, 2008, 7:11 am
• Displayed: 238 times
• Preview: What to do with your aquarium while on holiday advertisement Holidays are booked; everything is packed but what about the aquarium? How will the fish cope without food, water changes? This is a problem that all fish keepers face every time that they go away on vacation, in some cases it becomes such a worry that several keepers will not even consider leaving the tank while they are on vacation. If everything is organized properly it is not a problem keeping the tank in order, feeding the fish etc. so a vacation need not be avoided. While you are away the last thing you need is to be worrying about your aquarium all of the time. The main concern that most keepers have is worrying that the fish will not be fed and will suffer because of this. Let me give you some facts about fish feeding that many people do not realize. Fish do not need to be fed every day, even while keepers are at home tending the tanks themselves, one day of the week is set aside for not giving the fish any food so that it will aid the fish to clear out their digestive systems, this does work, even wh...

• Published: January 23, 2006, 6:37 am
• Displayed: 5904 times
• Preview: Which aquarium biotope is the best one? advertisement When I got my first aquarium, I didn`t know anything about aquarium biotopes, good water conditions, fish species, plants, heating, etc. I didn`t know which aquatic plants I can buy in order to reach good looking tank. You can easily imagine how it was... As time went by, I found some sources on the internet and I started to plan changes. Like other people, I want to own nice aquarium too. Various plants can make your tank very attractive especially when you use them wisely. Many people consider using high aquatic plants in the background of their tanks and small plants in the foreground. It isn`t bad idea, because it gives some kind of „depth“ to the aquarium. Anyway, I decided to try something else. My aquarium has 81 litres with its measurements 90x30x30 cm. Everyone can understand, that it doesn`t give large space to experiment with aquatic plants or fishes. But it creates very good basis for some creek based biotope. Stream is very important factor in creek biotope. Let`s talk about creeks now... Creek aquarium...

• Published: May 11, 2006, 8:50 am
• Displayed: 6680 times
• Preview: Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis - White Spot Disease advertisement I set up my social tank for fishes. In the first step I give in gravel and plants. 3 weeks I keep aquarium without fishes. Then I enter there first fishes. The first fishes was 2 Brachydanio rerios, 2 Otocinclus affinis and 2 Poecilia sphenops. All was OK, fishes was healthy. Then I waited one week and entered 4 Aphyosemion australe along with 4 Rivulus magdalenae. Two days was all OK but next day I saw a Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis - White spot on some fishes. I started cure. It was in Saturday, aquarium shop was closed and I have only FMC medicine. The first step was change temperature to 27 °C. I don`t enter salt to water when I set up tank. Now I enter 150 g on 250 litres of water. And applied 2,5 ml FMC what is 1 ml on 100 litres of water. I applied FMC in this concentration four days. Second day was Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis - White spot on all fishes expect Rivulus and increase. Third day was Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis - White spot less. Thourth day evening I don`t see any White spot. Next day I change...

• Published: January 6, 2007, 8:09 pm
• Displayed: 7399 times
• Preview: Why have a Planted Tank?By Tim Gautrey advertisement There are several reasons for wanting real living plants in your aquarium. To start with, plants can help the environment in the tank by removing the nitrates from the water as well as oxygenation, help to reduce algae growth and they look good as well. Artificial plants have their uses too, but real plants, well tended and arranged well can make an aquarium simply stunning! Before you decide on whether to go for a planted tank, check that it is the right option for you. Are the fish you will have in the tank going to eat or uproot the plants? What type of plants do you want? Is there enough light for the types of plants you want to grow. Is the substrate suitable for plants? Do you have enough time to tend them? What about CO2? Will you need to feed the plants? What about cleaning the tank after it’s planted? Can you get the right plants to make it look good? There are many factors to consider achieving a successful planted aquarium. Let’s look at this subject from the top: What types of fish are best suited to...

• Published: September 21, 2006, 11:06 am
• Displayed: 5907 times
• Preview: Why You Should Consider Plastic Aquarium Plants for Your Tank advertisement Adding decorations to your aquarium can be almost as much fun as putting the fish in the tank for the first time. Adding plants to your aquarium can be a very cost effective way to spruce things up a bit. Plastic plants are inexpensive, and require very little maintenance or care once they are placed in the aquarium. The idea of adding plastic plants has made many aquarium owners shudder. At one time plastic plants were considered bulky eyesores added by novices to make their aquarium look better. You didn’t have to have a magnifying glass in hand to be able to tell that the plants weren’t real, all you had to do was look at them and there was no doubt. Aquarium plastic plants today are nothing like what they once were. They can look so real, that you have to actually touch them to tell that they are plastic. These plants are made more realistic by the fact that many are made of silk, which allows them to move freely within the water. One benefit that aquarium plastic plants give is that the...

• Published: December 1, 2009, 5:40 pm
• Displayed: 55 times
• Preview: X-Ray Tetra and Tetras an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The x-ray tetra or Pristella maxillaries is a wide bodied fish that is popular among aquarium owners because of is translucent body. X-rays have an iridescent sheen to them under aquarium lighting. They are a smaller variety fish reaching only 1.5 to 2 inches in length. Males tend to slimmer than females. Since this is the last article on tetras, we will review them as a family. Tetras are members of the family Characidae more commonly known as characids. They are endemic to the Americas. They inhabit the freshwaters of southwest Texas through Central all the way down to South America. Many are native to the Amazon River. Characids have a life span of approximately five years. Tetras are a peaceful, hardy fish. They make a good choice for novice aquarists. They make suitable community fish but have a tendency to be fin nippers. This behavior is more prominent in larger groupings. Avoid mixing large finned species such as angelfish, bettas and fancy guppies with tetras. Tetras are extremely ...

• Published: December 2, 2009, 4:26 pm
• Displayed: 66 times
• Preview: Zebra Tilapia an article submitted by Exotic Aquariums advertisement The Zebra Tilapia or Tilapia buttikoferi are members of the family Cichlidae more commonly referred to as cichlids. They inhabit the rivers and streams of Liberia in West Africa. Zebra tilapias have a pale yellow or off white body with vertical black striping from the region to their eyes to the base of their tale. They are also referred to by the names of other striped animals such as hornet or tiger tilapia. Their stripes will actually change shade according to their mood. They will vary from very light to nearly black. The vertical markings tend to fade as the fish grows older. The zebra tilapia is a larger species of cichlid. They commonly grow up to 16 inches in length. A similarly sized aquarium will be necessary if you intend to raise them. A 75 gallon tank is the minimum recommendation. These fish are mid-level swimmers. Zebras are one of the most vicious members of the cichlid family. They are best suited for a mono-species tank. They are so territorial that it is not recommended that you a...