Archive for February, 2010.
Feb 24
what size tank do you have your blue hippo tang in, and how is it doing?..
I have mine in a 150 gal and She likes to roam all over the tank. Some sites on the Internet state that a 40 gallon is ok, I would dispute that statement just simply because these are not a stationary or almost stationary fish like clowns, gobeys, hawks etc. Tangs like to run around the tank so I would say the other sites that list the minimum size at a 70 are more accurate. I also believe that they should be a long tank and not a hexagon or round tank so they have the freedom of movement.
I’ve had my hippo tang for 2.5 years and haven’t had a problem with her, other than an occational ICH outbreak.
Feb 23
Saltwater Aquariums are a source of pleasure in many homes, and young and old people alike love to watch them. These tanks show us a wonderful glimpse of what life is like under the surface of the ocean. There is quite a variety of life that can survive in an aquarium. Plants and fishes are not the only life forms that live in the sea, so why restrict your aquarium by using these two categories alone, to beautify it?
Artificial oysters are common as a release for air bubbles in many aquariums - the oyster opens to let the bubbles out. But with more and more people trying to recreate the ocean floor with their saltwater aquariums, Pearl producing oysters are a special treat for those with home saltwater aquariums. However it is their lesser cousins you will normally find in home aquariums, and understandably so. Did you know that if you place an oyster or a scallop in your tank, they will require more care than any other life form in the aquarium? It is vital that you realize that before you get one for the tank. It is such a let down to see people spend good money on oysters, and later realizing they have bit off more than they can chew on.
Oysters demand a very special water condition. They are not for those of us who are a bit lazy when it comes to maintaining a clean aquarium. Keep in mind, they will not live very long if your tank gets dirt in it often - oysters need cleanliness and care. Nature has a nice way of dealing with this issue - oysters do clean out the water so they can balance the effect, but they can do it only up to a point and no more before it takes its toll on them. Did you know you will have to take special care of their diet as well? Don’t say we didn’t warn you! You need to feed every oyster separately through their pipette upstream. Here it is vital to note - keep the number of oysters in your aquarium minimum, unless you want to spend your entire day feeding them! You will need to give them nutrition supplements as well as a microscopic amount of plankton to keep them healthy.
Some varieties of oyster can survive more often in artificial environments than others. So if you are new at this, go for one of these. You could go for the more delicate ones once you are sure of your self. You will often see varieties like the spiny and the thorny in aquariums. These are such accurate names for these beautiful creations of nature. I bet this article has got you interested in getting an oyster into your saltwater aquarium. Why not visit your local store to see what they have available?
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/keeping-oysters-in-saltwater-aquariums-oyster-care-tips-740515.html
Feb 23
The aquarium tank has to be chosen with great care. You cannot buy the tank just on your whim. It has to be suitable for what you are planning to buy and put inside the tank. The tanks may be used for various purposes, you can decorate them, add fish to them and add amphibians and corals. These are different things and might need differing tanks as well with different elements in the tank. Fish is comparatively easy to keep, corals are rather hard.
Corals require an aquarium with the marine kind of set up, so the usage of salt water is a must. The lighting has to be intense and the salt content has to be at 0.7 which is the normal level for corals and fishes that need hard water. Corals are extremely beautiful looking rocks, with various colours and different types, they are a kind of anemones. Anemones resemble little fingers that are sitting on rocks or plants and the sight is simply great to look at. Saltwater fishes can also be added to these tanks with corals.
Amphibians on the other hand are easier to care for and all they require is a normal amount of water and other elements that are associated with their natural habitats. Some of them like snakes and turtles need baths and this can be provided. Make sure you provide enough space for free movement for the fishes and others they need to be able to move and play around comfortably without the risk of becoming disfigured and growing problems.
Fishes are the easiest to be kept in the tank environment and they require water to be filled to the full. Proper lighting, heater and filter equipments are needed. You can put different types of fishes in the tank but the may require different elements in the tank. Hence you need to ensure the tank suits the type of fish you intend to keep.
Aquariums are the vital part of the tanks set up. You have to ensure that the tank and animal type suit each other. If this is not done then the fishes will not live for long. Because the tanks are very costly they are made to be safe through the usage of safety glass so that you will not have breakage problems.
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/purchasing-aquarium-tanks-how-to-choose-one-that-suits-you-740502.html
Feb 23
If you are considering a new pet, fish aquariums offer an attractive alternative to more common pets. While expenses can vary, aquariums offer many advantages to most households.
If you do not have the time or space required for a larger size animal, then there are a number of other options available which are small in size yet can be very entertaining and rewarding. There is one option available which will not speak to you or communicate with you but is still sure to amuse and relax you. Can you guess it? Yes, here we are taking about fish aquariums.
While the purchase of the actual fish is easy, their care and maintenance can be more challenging. You normally visit different pet shops for different types of aquarium supplies and accessories. Few pet shops you visit will be able to answer all your questions based on their staffsâ experience. Whenever possible, visit a pet shop which is willing to listen to your needs and provide the answers you need along with great products at ultra-competitive prices. Â
If you visit an online store for aquarium supplies, then chances are quite high that you will end up with a good deal. However, there are some companies which have both a brick and mortar storefront along with an online presence, thus offering the best of both worlds. If you have an opportunity to deal with one such company then you will have a better chance of getting everything you need from a single source.
You have an option to deal with a pet shop which is guaranteed to provide everything needed for your aquarium. For the finest quality aquarium supplies at the best prices, we suggest you visit Washington Pet Shop.
There are many reasons to shop this website for all your aquarium needs. It offers a wide variety of pets and supplies and features some products on its website at near wholesale prices. It is one of the reasons for the stores success.
 Among the Aquarium Supplies, one of the products offered by this pet shop is Current USA - Nova Extreme T5 aquarium light fixtures. They are comprised of high output T5 lamps manufactured in European style. They consist of performance driven electronic ballasts with slim design and German parabolic reflectors and are offered in many sizes. These light fixtures are very energy efficient while producing ample lighting for both invertebrates and corals.
When it comes to aquarium filters, the best quality products are available, like Penn Plax Cascade Aquarium Filters. These filters offer innovative bio-falls quad-filtration systems along with Activated Carbon Cartridge Internal Sponges.
Another attractive filter option is the Tetra Whisper series Filter. With this filter you can maintain your aquarium with a new level of ease. It comes equipped with a new patented carbon filter carrier which is simple and convenient to use. It is the kind of system which is suitable for most aquariums.
Not only these, there are several other products as well which you can find under one roof of one pet shop i.e. Washingtonpet.
So go and shop it now!!
Vikram kuamr
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/looking-for-a-pet-shop-offering-best-quality-aquarium-supplies-visit-washingtonpet-674830.html
Feb 23
Some of the fishes which are commonly kept in aquariums are Brachydanio Albolineatus, Rerio,and Nigrofasciatus. The Braychydanio Albolineatus which is otherwise known as Gold Danio or Pearl Danio and which grows to a size of 2 inches long is commonly found in Sumatra and India. The slim simmering body of this fish resembles that of the Mother of Pearl. The Braychydanio Albolineatus come in magnificent colors like blue, green, red, yellow etc. The calm nature of this variety of fish makes it ideal for communal breeding in tanks. This fish loves to live among plenty of plants and loves the darker gravel compared to the lighter variety. When adding lights to your aquarium, make sure that you focus the lights in such a way that they fall on the front of the fish. These fishes
Breed in the same water conditions as the Rerio breed does. You can differentiate the males by their body which is slimmer and more colorful than that of the females. They also breed in the same way that the Brachydanio Reiro do.
You can find the brachydanio rerio or Zebra Danio along the eastern coasts of India. They are not only small in size but are also slim and grow upto a length of 1
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/breeding-brachydanio-fish-in-your-aquarium-tips-and-must-know-facts-740506.html
Feb 23
When you are sure to shop for a fish aquarium, you must know the right equipments and accessories that would enhance the longevity and health of your fishes and aquarium.
These accessories include:
1. Heaters
2. Buffers
3. Filters
4. Gravel
5. Floss
6. Food, etc.
In order to ensure the hygiene of your fishes, you must also know all the tips and techniques to keep the aquarium clean and the fish healthy.
The experts always advice you to research well before purchasing the fish and the aquarium. Here are some useful tips that would help you take good care of your fishes and the aquarium:
1. Some essentials for the aquarium include the following:
1. Ornaments â Decorations to add beauty and to give playful spots to your fishes.
2. Plants â You can choose from live and synthetic plants. Though live plants need lot of care they perform several functions for the benefit of your fishes.
3. Gravel â Gravel forms the base of the aquarium. The depth of this layer is defined by several factors like the plants you place in, the number of fishes you add to the aquarium, etc.
4. Test Kits â This is helpful in testing the water of the aquarium at regular intervals.
5. Water Treatment â These systems are available in various techniques and is quite essential to maintain the purity of the water, else the ever growing bacteria and ammonia in the water would kill your fish unexpectedly.
6. Food â Like all living beings fishes need food, so you must have a good supply of food for your fishes. Make sure to read the contents of the food you purchase for the fishes and supply it to the fishes as per the instructions mentioned of the details you receive with the fishes.
7. Heater Accessories â In order o maintain the temperature of the water in the tank, you would need to plant a heater in the fish tank. This is a must buy in case you are considering to keep some tropical fishes. While purchasing the heater you must take care that the heater’s size fits in to the fish tank. It must not take a lot of space, else it would make your fish uneasy in the tank. Also check that there are various types of heaters in the market, you must know which one suits the best to your requisite.
Some points to remember about maintaining the fishes and the aquarium are as follows:
1. Gravel maintains the natural resources in the aquarium. You can also consider adding some decorative ornaments in the aquarium.
2. Adding live plants t the aquarium makes your fish lively and more playful.
3. In case you are fortunate enough the fish might lay eggs in real plants, they do not do so in the synthetic ones.
4. Make sure to offer the right amount of food to the fishes. The remaining food settles down in the gravel and generates harmful bacteria.
5. Most oft you would use tap water to fill in the tank and that contains lot of bacteria and germs, so water treatment is very essential.
6. Choose your water test kit with lot of care as it must be very effective and should give most accurate results.
Here follows the procedure of making the aquarium:
1. First of all fill a bucket of water and rinse the gravel washing of the dirt, grime and germs.
2. Then add water to your tank, once the gravel is purified.
3. Further add half of the water actually required for the tank.
4. Next add the ornaments & plants to your aquarium.
5. This makes the job of additives completed for the aquarium.
6. Now finally add the tank with the water in full quantity required.
7. Now use the manual that you have received with your tank. Follow the outlines mentioned in this manual to fill your tank properly.
8. Next move to placing the heater & filtration systems in the tank.
9. In order to fit in the heater and filters safely and properly, follow the instructions mentioned in the manual you have received with these equipments.
10. Finally you add the water treatment system to the tank. This purifies the harmful chemicals form the water like metal, copper, metal and other related elements.
11. Now before adding the fish to the tank either make use of the specialized products that enable you doing that safely, else we recommended you to wait atleast a few weeks prior to adding life to your tank.
12. A tank filled with water has some natural bacteria that produce naturally. These bacteria must be filtered out of the water so as to keep your fish healthy and safe. So once the water in aquarium is settled, use your test kit to check if the water is perfectly clean or not, it must also be checked that the water has the right temperature and all the chemicals in it are balanced.
13. Now after the final verification of the water in the tank, add your fish in small quantities.
14. It is always advisable to keep passive fish in the aquarium rather than the aggressive ones. Some common passive fishes most advisable for the starters are goldfish, otocinclus, plecostemas, etc. These not only are easy to maintain but also keep the aquarium clean.
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/aquarium-and-fish-maintenance-simple-guide-for-beginners-740428.html
Feb 23
1. Food requirements of fish
No matter what kind of fish you have the main thing that you should know is how to feed them and give them the same food as they would live on when they are in their natural habitat. Such foods are available in any of the fish shops wither as frozen foods or in the form of flakes or tablets. You would have to add some vitamins to the food as some of the nutrients in the food are lost when the food is frozen or processed.
Fish, like humans get fed up of the same food everyday and need a change sometimes. So keep a variety of foods available and give them a change sometimes. Before you buy the fish make sure that you can get the food that they eat or else you will have a constant problem of procuring the right kind of food for your fish. Do not over feed the fish as this will create debris to collect in the tank. Fish should be only fed as much as they can consume in 2 or 3 minutes, not more. Watch and see how much they can eat and do not put more than that every time. New aquarium owners tend to over feed their fish. Once they have eaten remove all the excess food from the tank. This way you can maintain a clean tank.
2. Keep water conditions consistent always
To maintain your fish in a comfortable environment make sure that you keep the water conditions consistent like the temperature the salinity levels and the P. H. also. You should test the water everyday and make sure that you correct any changes that you see. The filter should be cleaned regularly and the water should not get cloudy.
To keep your fish happy in their new environment you should try and make this very like their natural habitat in the ocean. Get corals, plants and sponges that the fish have been surrounded by in the ocean and this will make them more at home in the aquarium. You can reduce the stress level of the fish by making their environment in the aquarium as natural as possible.
3. Do not overcrowd the tank
Never overcrowd an aquarium as this makes the fish quite uncomfortable. The natural habitat rule suggests one small fish for every ten gallons of water, but also bear in mind that what is a small fish now, may not be so small a little later. So before putting too many fish into the aquarium get to know what the grown up fish size will be and shop accordingly for your fish.
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/salt-water-fish-aquarium-3-great-fish-care-tips-740466.html
Feb 21
i know clown fishes are one them.
If you give them good conditions you should be able to get most small species to breed. If you have a really big aquarium you could breed larger fish (I once saw a dog fish lay a viable egg case in a big aquarium…
Feb 21
i have 2 fish tanks. both have heaters in them that make the tank hot. i put one as low as it can go and then it was still 85 degrees. this morning i saw that my fish was dead so i looked at the thermometer and it said it was 92 degrees!!!! whats kind of heater should i get? do i need one?
All Aquarium Heaters use very cheap thermostats made in taiwan. Reef keepers use industrial controllers to run heaters just because of this. I have about a dozen heaters in my closet that all have stuck thermostats. Why do I keep them? because i run them on my controller which turns them off and on .
Another trick with heaters is to get 2 much smaller than needed. This way if one gets stuck on it will not over heat your tank, if one dies the other will maintain a decent temperature for a while.
Feb 18
So, how does one put together a salt water aquarium. Like what do you need? how big should a tank be? how hard is it to maintain a salt water aquarium? everything one needs to know about making and maintaining a salt water aquarium.
I already own 2 fresh water aquariums
Have a fresh water before you even attempt SW