Archive for the Aquarium Fish category.
Feb 16
1. Water conditions differ in every area
Most aquariums today are quite self sufficient and do not need much caring, but the water is something that has to be checked and the conditions checked and made safe for fish to be put into. Water is different in each separate part of the world and in some places it is contaminated and has to be made suitable for fish to survive in. The plants play an important role in this too. Some fish like tetras like soft water and so when testing the water for such fish you should make sure that the water is soft.
On the other hand Cichlid is a fish that prefers hard water. These species are from Africa where there is a lot of salt from natural sources in the water. Do not add limestone as gravel in the fish tanks.
After you test the pH readings of the water you will have an idea of the condition of the water. The proper figure that the pH should be is 7.If the number is lower then the water is acidic and if it is higher than the water is alkaline. So if you maintain your water at the proper temperature and balance then you will have plants and fish that are healthy and that will live much longer. Some fish like the red nosed tetra like a lot of area to swim in and also a lot of plants around them. So make sure that the fish that you have in the aquarium all need the sort of conditions to survive in and not different. This will create a problem to maintain them properly.
2. Testing the water
To test the water you will need a test kit which you can procure at the local pet shop or online. Getting one at the pet store is more practical as the person at the store can give you some advice on how to use it and tell you what the readings mean, especially if you are new to using these kits. What are very useful are water conditioners which you can put in every time you change the water in the tank.
3. Temperature of the water in the tank
The water heater should be kept at a low volume as the water should not get over heated.
It is for this reason that the fish tank should not be kept in the living room as living rooms are pretty warm compared to the rest of the house. If you have a lot of plants in the tank and a tropical variety of fish then there should not be much of a problem, as these fish prefer warmer temperatures. The same way tropical plants also are more acclimatized to warm temperatures. So maintaining the proper temperature will give your plants and fish a longer lease of life and a healthier one too. A heater that has a heaterstats is a good buy as it automatically regulates the heat and controls it by thermostat. This heater can be fixed to the glass with suction cups and every time it comes on a small lamp that it has comes on.
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/maintaining-aquarium-water-how-to-create-right-atmosphere-for-your-fish-740481.html
Jan 27
I am doing research on the saltwater aquarium industry for my class and need a list of popular fish for Saltwater Aquariums. Thank you for your answers
I am doing research on the saltwater aquarium industry for my class and need a list of popular fish for saltwater aquariums. I am looking for specific names, such as Flame angels vs Angels in general. Thank you for your answers
also if possible list the source of the information
1 Angelfish (Large)
2 Angelfish (Dwarf)
3 Anthias
4 Bass & Groupers
5 Basslets & Assessors
6 Batfish
7 Blennies
8 Boxfish & Pufferfish
9 Butterflyfish
10 Cardinalfish
11 Chromis
12 Clownfish
13 Damsels
14 Dartfish
15 Dragonets
16 Eels
17 Filefish
18 Foxface
19 Flatfish
20 Frogfish
21 Goatfish
22 Gobies
23 Grunts
24 Hamlet
25 Hawkfish
26 Hogfish
27 Jacks
28 Jawfish
29 Lionfish
30 Parrotfish
31 Pipefish
32 Pseudochromis
33 Rabbitfish
34 Rays
35 Scorpionfish
36 Seahorse
37 Squirrelfish
38 Sharks
39 Snappers
40 Tangs
41 Tilefish
42 Triggerfish
43 Wrasse
Jan 27
Owning tropical fish can provide you with immense enjoyment and can become a wonderful hobby that not only you but other will benefit from also.
Although most tropical fish can be relatively easy to care for it is important to educate yourself before buying tropical fish because without proper understanding of their needs your new hobby could become extremely expensive.
You will need to know and research how to set up an aquarium, understand the size you will need for the amount of fish you are hoping to keep. Also be aware of the sizes your fish will grow to as most tropical fish are not purchased at adult size.
By reading books and looking on the internet you will be able to find out what temperature the water in your aquarium needs to be and will know how to test the ph levels, water hardness and for any toxins.
Be aware of diseases, one of the most common tropical fish diseases is white spot, this is caused by a parasite called ‘ick’ or ‘ich’ you will know if this has affected you tropical fish as you will notice white spots on the fishes scales. White spot is a very irritating disease for tropical fish, if you notice your fish rubbing themselves against objects or plants this could be a sign of infection.
It is important to treat white spot immediately. It can kill tropical fish within a few days and will be spread to others in the tank. If one of your fish has been affected you will need to treat the entire tank.
It is important to clean your fish tank and all the stones and plants that are in it, you will need to change the water checking the ph levels as you do so.
To prevent white spot from affecting your fish you should always quarantine new fish for approximately 2 days. Maintain a high water quality and always provide your fish with a balanced diet.
You should never over feed your tropical fish, this can pollute the water and also harm you fish. Provide enough food for them to survive and grow healthily. You may find that different fish will eat different food so it is worth researching this aspect. Some fish are scavengers and are happy to feed off scraps and debris from the tank others will need a specific type of food.
If you are beginner it may be tempting to rush out and buy the best tank you can see and add all the colourful fish you can find however, without being armed with the right information and the correct knowledge about owning tropical fish your efforts could result in disaster.
Your local pet shop owner or aquarium shops will be happy to talk to you about any information or concerns you have about setting up and keeping an aquarium. By knowing all the facts you will be able to purchase an aquarium and tropical fish that will be an enjoyment and pleasure to keep.
Allen Jesson
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/tropical-fish-a-beginners-guide-136843.html
Jan 23
The local Aquarium Fish shop prices fish about 0.5-2 dollars more than the wal mart.
Where should I go for fish?
Since you are hopefuly only buying these fish once, I would spend the extra couple bucks and get them from you locally owned and operated fish store if only for principle if not for the fact that fish at these stores are usualy much better cared for and are less likely to be diseased. Wal Mart has tons of money already and can go without yours. Usualy folks who work at locally owned fish stores are much more knowledgable about their fish than are anyone at Wal Mart.
Jan 19
Imagine a fish tank that has nothing but fish in it! Boring, to say the least! To make your aquarium attractive, you need to accessorize it. There are all sorts of ornaments on offer in the market today. First, you need to take into account the size of your tank and the kind of effect you wish to create. Of course, the most important consideration would be the type of fish you wish to breed in your tank. The ornamentation of a tank is more for people than for the fish. In fact, certain species don’t like gewgaws. The extras seem to get in their way. Oscars don’t like greenery, let alone trimmings! On the other hand, some fish would be lost without some place to ‘get away’. Others need some place to call ‘home’, while a few need something to play around, surprising as that may seem. If you have both small and large fish in your tank, the smaller ones would appreciate something to protect them from being preyed upon.
Select what best suits your requirements from the local pet store or an exclusive fish store. On display, you will find traditional accessories like ships and castles. You could choose seaweed and other branched greenery or imitations of these in various materials. You could pick up shimmery stones of varied hue or pretty baubles to embellish your fish tank. Besides these, there are any number of new fangled accessories to suit every pocket.
Some people are fascinated with amphibians. If you are one of these who keep pet amphibians in your aquarium, the requirement is different. These creatures love waterfalls that terminate in a pool they can luxuriate in. Waterfalls come in all shapes and sizes. You can best replicate their natural habitat by providing for a virtual ‘forest’ of water plants in their tank.
When you choose ornaments for you aquarium, keep in mind what the fish you would like to raise are partial to. Get some literature and read up on their preferences. Certain fish are more sensitive and even a few accessories may traumatize them. Goldfish make excellent pets as they don’t need much care and they don’t seem to mind what’s in the tank with them. Therefore, you can go wild and do what appeals to you. Small fish don’t seem to mind either. So it’s entirely up to you on how you ‘do up’ the tank for small fish.
If you make your aquarium especially attractive, it could become a conversation piece. Use accessories that simulate their natural habitat. That will certainly keep the fish happy! You, your children and your friends can spend hours enjoying the antics of the fish. This occupation is known to be therapeutic, to boot. So be imaginative in decorating your tank. Create your own ornaments or stick with the conventional. The outcome should give you and the fish pleasure.
George Adams
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-make-your-aquarium-attractive-88060.html
Jan 17
Just looking to know the benefits of having plants in the aquarium with my fish. I have some oscars. Will I still have to do water changes? What do I need to know and what are the best plants to have? Thanks.
None…
90% of the time the plants die and the decaying leaves cause ammonia making tank conditions even worse.
you will have to do more changes than less
do your research because keeping plants is 10 times harder than keeping fish hence the attraction.
you need the right light, co2 level and liquid ferts…
if your up for the challenge then go for it…ask anyone with a heavly planted tank the fish in it are the last thing they care about….
java ferns, amazon swords and crypts are good beginner plants….
your tank will be twice the work not less work….
I’ve been keeping planted tanks for years…
its mad science getting the perfect balance of light, co2 and ferts..
one is off and all your grow is one of 6 types of algae…
good luck
Jan 12
Does anyone know how to get past the mining/bomb section of the Happy Aquarium Fish training game (on facebook)??
I’ve gotten past many of the obstacles in the game, but this is the only part my fish dies in…
(The umbrella, cat paw, venus fly trap mouth, poison fish food, squid, etc)
Help! What do you do? I’ve tried clicking it and obviously it explodes and kills my fish in the process
I meet same problem, need answer too.
Jan 10
If I were a fish I would hope and prey I did not go to a modern trendy home where the owners liked the latest craze. At the moment the latest trend is the fish tank coffee table. Although this type of aquarium looks stunning it is a death trap for fish. They are beautiful looking items of furniture and become the centre of attraction since you cannot fail to see and admire it.
Why the Fish Tank Coffee Table are Called Death Traps for the Fish?
The fish tank coffee table is a great piece of interior home décor; however, the same fish tank coffee table is actually murdering the fish. The reason they are cruel to marine life is because this type of aquarium gives very little place for installing proper filters, and it allows very little maintenance. The fish have height but they need the width as well in order to feel comfortable. The fish actually feel very uncomfortable if they have to swim between the different heights that make the fish tank coffee table.A solution to this problem would be mechanical fish.
If you do not want your fish in this type of aquarium to die a slow and very painful death then the best solution is to replace your live fish with mechanical fish. This way your fish tank coffee table stays as a splendid interior decoration piece without harming anyone or anything.
A Modern Looking Fish Tank Coffee Table
If you must have live fish in your fish tank coffee table then a large rectangular one would be best. This would also enable you to install adequate filters underneath the base of the table. This type of aquarium will be better for fish to live. So in order for the fish to be comfortable, they will need to be accommodated in a rectangular and long aquarium. The larger the surface the more fish can live in there.
Alternative Fish Tank Coffee Tables That Do Not Have Live Fish!
There is another choice for people who really must have a fish tank coffee table and do not like the idea of mechanical fish. You can fill a tank with colorful decorations and plants and add to it oxygen pumps which let out small and big bubbles. This, in combination with good lighting, can be as beautiful as an aquarium, without making you guilty of any cruelty. There are some lovely looking plants and colored stones and ornaments which are available to buy at very cheap prices and would really make your display the centre of attention.
Sharon Price
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/why-the-fish-tank-coffee-table-is-dreaded-by-fish-121680.html
Dec 30
Aquarium Disease Prevention;
I have kept up many aquariums (marine and freshwater) during my years of aquarium maintenance. It was more of a challenge than my personal aquariums as many of customers overfed or did not tell me fish were sick until it was too late. That is why prevention is the best remedy. This is basic information, I have more in depth articles about these subjects, please follow those links or see my information site in the resource box.
[1] Cleanliness; regular quality water changes are extremely important. By quality I mean to not over clean the water by taking fish out and washing the gravel. You want to use a gravel vacuum and do partial water changes that disrupt the fish as little as possible. The purpose of this is to remove organic debris before it can fully go through the Nitrogen cycle, eventually increasing your Nitrates and lowering your ph. You also want to de-chlorinate the water so as to not stress out the fish or environment. There are many good products for this: Novaqua, Start Right, Stress Coat, just to name a few.
[2] Good filtration. I recommend two filters for redundancy, and I never totally throw out all media, rather I rinse part of the filter media in used aquarium water so as to preserve beneficial (aerobic) bacteria for proper biological filtration (ammonia and nitrite removal). Sponge Pre filters are a great addition to HOB filters in particular, they improve bio filtration, especially during filter media changes.
[3] Use ultra violet sterilization. UV sterilizers prevent many bacterial, fungal, and protozoa diseases. In addition they help with oxidation properties (Redox Potential) of the water and in so doing, water clarity. For more information about UV Sterilization, please follow his link: Why use UV Sterilization and how it works
[4] Do not overfeed! Use quality, aquatic based foods, not foods high in cereal, beef proteins and fats, and soy proteins. Some good brands: HBH, Ocean Nutrition, Blue Lagoon, Sanyu, Hikari, Spirulina 20, Omega. Some brands to avoid: Tetra, Hartz.
For more information read my article: Quality Fish Food; What ingredients are needed for proper fish nutrition, growth and health
[5] Watch water chemistry, such PH, ammonia (0), nitrites (0), nitrates (below 30 ppm), hardness, KH (80 ppm or higher), ECT. Note that ammonia is more toxic at a higher ph! A KH above 80 ppm provides the needed calcium for proper osmotic processes and healing from infections and wounds. High ammonia and nitrite levels make fish extremely susceptible to infection and will eventually kill the fish outright.
Prolonged nitrate levels above 80ppm will stunt fish growth and lower fish immunity.
[6] When you do treat for disease, do not over medicate or under medicate, then change water. Medicated wonder shells work well for ich and are buffered, which makes one of the active ingredients; malachite green, safer (malachite green is more toxic at lower ph). There are many other excellent treatments such as Pimafix (a great Natural remedy for fungus and flexibacter.
[7] When you purchase fish; First make sure all the fish in the aquarium are healthy (if the fish store has a centralized system [which I do not recommend], check ALL the aquariums). Second, float your fish in the bag for 30-60 minutes for temperature and osmotic stabilization, then open the bag and SLOWLY add your aquarium water to the bag. Third, dispose of the water in the bag to avoid contamination. Fourth, add a shock preventative like NovAqua, Start Right, ECT.
Carl Strohmeyer
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/basic-aquarium-disease-prevention-73404.html
Dec 25
Tomorrow i am going to buy a basic little fish aquarium for my room (not saltwater aquarium) The aquarium is about 10 inches width and probably about 12 inches height and i would really like to know what kind of fish i should get for my aquarium? i want to put about 2 or 3 in the aquarium and since i am buying the aquarium and fish with my own money i kinda have a smaller budget so dont make your answers like BIG FANCY FISH PLEASE!!!!!
If your aquarium is 10 inches wide and 12 inches high, that is going to be around 3g tank - that’s pretty small.
You could go with a small group of either neon tetra or cardinal tetra. You have a tiny bit of room for small corydoras species.
I would do:
- 5 neon tetras
- 3 pygmy cories or panda cories.
Both are generally recommended for slightly larger tanks but if you keep up with water changes, you are ok.
Please make sure you do get a filter and a heater.
You can look further into your options at www.aqadvisor.com
