posted by Tess on Aug 7
As one of the easier types of aquariums to construct, a freshwater fish tank is a great way to get started into the aquarium craze.
Certainly much easier to get functioning than other types of aquariums on the market (especially reef aquariums), freshwater is a great way to learn the basics of care and maintenance for a variety of fish and plants which will give you valuable experience which you can use later for larger and more impressive ecosystems.
Nevertheless, just because a freshwater aquarium is less expensive and less impressive than other types of fish tanks does not mean that it is inferior as you can actually do a few cool things different with a freshwater tank than you can with the saltwater varieties.
Perhaps the most important decision you will make about your aquarium is what size and style of tank you should purchase. Some of the experts recommend that you should always buy whatever tank you can afford provided it can fit in your home.
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posted by Tess on Nov 14
An ounce of prevention…….You know how the saying goes. Fishkeeping is supposed to be fun and relaxing. Stress is the main cause for problems with your fish and also the main reason for causing the beginning aquarist to quit. What causes stress in fish? Mostly the same things that causes us to be stressed. Fish are very sensitive to change (just as some of us are) and we have to be educated as to these circumstances and how to prevent and handle them as they occur. Following are some of the basic causes of stress in your fish:
1. Know The Fish You Are Buying - I know, you see this really pretty fish and are anxious to add it to your collection in your aquarium. But, before you purchase this fish, you really need to find out all you can about it. What kind of an environment did it originally come from? What does it like to eat? What kind of water conditions does it prefer? What about water temperature? Will it get along with the other fish you already have? It is much better to take the time to research before you buy than to take it home and find it terrorizing the whole tank or worse yet to find other inhabitants in your tank missing altogether!
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posted by Tess on Aug 21
So you’ve decided to keep tropical fish! Welcome to this unique and fascinating hobby. But before we get ahead of ourselves, we need to realize that aquariums can be a lot of work. You have to keep the water in your aquarium clean and aerated, the fish have to have enough food, if you use live plants they will need light and nutrients, and you have to keep the algae under control.
It may take a lot of work sometimes, but this hobby is very rewarding as you’ll soon see.
Okay…enough talk, let’s get to the point: If you’re just starting out, you need to know what you need to buy to get started. Here’s a list of the essentials that you need, no matter if you keep saltwater or freshwater fish:
An aquarium – To keep you fish in.
An aquarium stand – To support your new aquarium.
Filtration equipment – Filters can be chemical, mechanical and biological.
Lights – To help live plants grow, and to enhance the colors of your fish.
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posted by Tess on May 9
How you choose your goldfish, depends largely on two things: the type of fish you really like to see, and the kind of container you intend to keep them in.
People in warmer climates, like to populate their outdoor ponds and pools with goldfish, which is a wonderful addition to the outdoor décor of your lawns and gardens. These may be natural ponds, or manmade pools that are actually vinyl liners sunk into the ground, and provided with air and water circulation through a pump system. This circulation, natural or otherwise, is important to keeping the water well oxygenated for the fish.
But surprisingly, if your pond is deep enough, it’s possible to over-winter your goldfish outside. If you are populating an outdoor pond, it’s best to start with fish that were raised that way themselves, as there is less likelihood of losing some that are unable to adapt. Store-bought fish raised in tanks can adapt, but you can expect to lose a certain percentage of them, depending on the harshness of the weather.
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posted by Tess on May 1
Whether you have a big sized aquarium with lots of tropical fish or just a glass bowl on your table with a couple of Gold fishes, they give you great pleasure and tranquility to see them. Fishes are most soothing pets, but they can be real delicate too. However you can take a good care for your fishes by remembering some small tips. Whether you are out for a couple of days, your fishes will be there waiting for you when you come back. Here are some tips to keep your fishes healthy.
1) Cleaning your aquarium or tank
Your fish survives in the water of your tank or your aquarium. Not only they eat in it but also the water gradually accumulates the bio-waste from our fishes and gravel.
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posted by Tess on Apr 27
Some tropical fish, either because of their size, feeding habits, or just their natural behavior, are not suitable for beginners to try and raise in a community tank. These are some of the big and bad, that you may want to avoid until you’re more experienced.
Oscar- This native of the Amazon River and its tributaries, is a large fish, reaching 13-14″ in length, although it can be sexually mature and laying eggs at 4″. They do best in a tank with no “fussy” things like slender plants or ornaments. They prefer a medium texture substrate because they’re great diggers, but do like wood or rock platforms that create a cave. The recommended food for Oscars is feeder goldfish, because they basically will eat anything small, that moves. This is why they can′t be kept with smaller fish, or livebearers that will have young. Most hobbyists use a special large stick food that absorbs some water and moves with the motion in the aquarium, so it mimics prey.
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posted by Tess on Apr 1
Tropical fish are like other species in many respects, and that includes the fact that they have diseases or disorders that may resemble those of other animals, but are specific to the fish themselves. One good example is tumors.
Just as humans, cats or dogs may get cancer or other types of tumors, so can tropical fish. The main difference is that treatment in fish is nearly impossible, depending on the type and location of the mass. Not only are they difficult to handle where a human can have clear visual access to them, but such things as surgery are basically out of the question.
Tumors generally show themselves as a lump under or on the skin of fish. These are a distinct bump or lump, as opposed to the white fluff of skin diseases. For the most part, tumors are benign, although it’s possible for one to grow so large that the fish’s quality of life declines and you may have to euthanize them.
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posted by Tess on Dec 28
The groups of fishes commonly referred to as Cichlids, comprise a vast group of, generally larger and more aggressive fishes from Africa and South and Central America with a few species being found in Asia. They offer such a large variety of bright colors, shapes and habits that they have become one of the most popular fishes kept by hobbyist’s world wide.
Such is the diversity of species, breeding habits and feeding that it becomes necessary to set up different groups of Cichlids in different tanks. Some of these include African Cichlids, American Cichlids, Dwarf Cichlids or Discus. It is usually recommended that you keep these like minded fishes together and don’t mix them in general.
Selecting and Positioning Your Tank
Always try to choose a tank with the largest possible surface area and volume as most cichlids grow quite large. Make sure you always have a glass cover to stop your fish jumping out.
Position your new aquarium so that you avoid direct sunlight hitting the aquarium for too long as this can cause excessive algae problems.
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posted by Tess on Dec 18
Bottom water fish are those that prefer living at the lowest level of the aquarium. It’s not that they can′t swim into the upper regions, they will when spurred by a fish that pesters them, or just for the sake of a quick dash around the tank. But for the most part, they live on the bottom, which is where most of their food comes from.
Tropical fish that prefer the bottom of the tank, usually eat algae that grows there, as well as leftover food that falls on the substrate or the broad leaves of some plants. In a way, the bottom water fish are the housekeepers of your aquarium, cleaning up scraps and preventing the build up of algae. But this is not always a sufficient diet, and they need to be given food that comes in a form or shape specifically designed to reach, and appeal to the bottom feeder.
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posted by Tess on Dec 10
So you want to keep discus fish or are already keeping discus fish. One of things you must do is keep your discus fish healthy and disease free. In this article I’m going to give you a few tips on how to keep discus fish disease free as:
One of the most common assumptions with discus is that they easily get disease and die. This is not true. They will only get disease if you mistreat them.
The root of the problem is Stress, if you cause discus Stress there Immune System will lower and make them venerable to disease. It is important to keep Stress to a minimum so below I have made you a check list of things to do.
• Make sure all water is free from chlorine and heavy metals. It is important that you invest in either an RO unit, water purifier or use a good quality tap water condition.
• Give your discus a good varied Diet including frozen bloodworm and slow sinking granules.
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