Tropical Fish - Less work then a Dog, more interesting then a Plant

Tropical Fish - Less work then a Dog, more interesting then a Plant
Many people would not consider a fish to be a real pet, but keeping tropical fish is a pleasurable hobby for families around the world. It s also great for the person who is allergic to fur but stills wants some kind of company at home. If you are a complete beginner then beginning with a goldfish would be your best start, but if you want a little more of a challenge then tropical fish are the way to go. Most people choose tropical fish because there are more choices and typically more brightly coloured fish then among freshwater fish, and it s much simpler than having a reef aquarium. There is also an aesthetic appeal of keeping a tropical fish tank in your home because you get to design and decorate your tank. Tropical fish don t tie you down to a lot of expenses after you set up the aquarium and buy the fish; it should cost you around $25 a year to feed a fish. But what most people appreciate most is that you don t have to walk them, wash them, groom them, play catch with them or take them in for check-ups. But that doesn t mean that you can just put your fish in a tank and walk away. Tropical fish do require more care than a plant; you must know how to change the water, clean the tank, and what to feed them. A little research will help you keep your aquarium free from algae blooms and snail infestations. An absolute necessity for tropical fish is a tank heater, and you may also find a tank thermometer to be very helpful. The most commonly used heater for aquariums is a submersible heater, which you should position where it will circulate the most water, so it can spread out the heat. The thermometer should also be a submersed one because they are usually more accurate and if you are keeping tropical fish the temperature of the tank water is of the utmost importance. As with any new hobby or endeavour, it is important to learn about the needs of the different species of tropical fish before you invite them to share your home. But with a little advance planning and preparation, you will soon come to see that keeping fish as pets can be pleasing and quite fun to do!

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How To Deal With New Tank Syndrome?
New tank syndrome is the term used to describe the all-too-frequent problem of stocking a newly set up aquarium with too many fish too quickly. Toxic ammonia and nitrite build up because as there are not enough friendly bacteria in the tank to consume and break down the waste that is being produced by the fish. The fish that are in the aquarium may become lethargic and go off their food, and at worst, the occupants may die if levels continue to rise and are not remedied.

4 Must Have Cat Training Tips
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African Lake Cichlids - Lake Malawi
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Index of Tropical Fish Diseases
After creating and maintaining your beautiful aquarium, all the time and money you spent on it, the last thing you want to deal with is tropical fish diseases. Coming home and finding your fish covered with white spots, the eyes swollen or the fins disintegrating is a blow to any aquarist. Following are the categories and symptoms of the most common diseases in tropical fish.

Types of Pet Containment to Choose
A lot of pet owners are aware that pets need exercise and roam around. However, there are times that you need to contain them for their safety. Pet containment is important for your pet s safety and for the public safety as well. Pet containment or pet …

About Saltwater Aquarium Fish! - Beautiful…
Saltwater aquarium fish are amongst the most beautiful of animals to be found anywhere in the world. A variety of saltwater aquarium fish can be housed in your marine tank provided you know what they need in terms of care, such as feeding, environment, competitors and space to grow.

Any marine enthusiast will tell you that setting up a marine tank is tricky and so is choosing the right saltwater aquarium fish! This is because it?s easy to make mistakes with the kinds of fish you choose. It?s usually best to start your marine tank with a few hardy and affordable fish. The majority of saltwater aquarium fish are collected from nature rather than captive raised so don?t waste that gift by making mistakes that result in the death of your fish.

Damsels are a great saltwater aquarium fish to start off with. Damsels are hardy little creatures and can survive in poorer water conditions than many other marine species. They are not fussy about their food and won?t cost you the earth. Unfortunately damsels are also quite aggressive. You can easily keep one or two of these tough saltwater aquarium fish in a tank but don?t try any more than that.

Its best to start with damsels and then add more aggressive fish later, If you want to house saltwater aquarium fish that are more shy, you need to take your damsels out before adding more timid varieties of saltwater aquarium fish. Blue and yellow damsels are two species that are less aggressive than others.

Mollies are an alternative starter saltwater aquarium fish. Mollies that are used to salt water allow you to start with cheaper fish while you learn how to make sure the salinity of your tank is correct for more sensitive creatures. On the other hand mollies are raised and bred in captivity so you won?t get much real experience in keeping them. Get them used to the tank by allowing saltwater to drip into the bag for about 6-8 hours. When the bag becomes full remove some water. After the tank cycles you can keep the fish in the tank.

Clownfish are cousins to damsel fish and are a fairly hardy saltwater aquarium fish. They are not that easy to acclimate to a marine tank, though. They are also quite territorial but aren?t likely to be aggressive to other species. They don?t have to have an anemone to survive. If you do get one bear in mind that they need water that is very clean and high quality lighting.

Blennies or gobies are fairly hardy and small and shouldn?t be a problem for the other saltwater aquarium fish in the tank. They are character fish but they are small and so might get lost in very big tanks with bigger saltwater aquarium fish. They are a good choice to help control algae but if you have a fish only tank they may not be easy to keep fed.

Tangs are a hardy saltwater aquarium fish which are a little sensitive and tend to contract marine ich (also know as “White Spot”). They eat algae so as soon as you grow some you might try to introduce some tangs.

Triggerfish or lionfish are an ideal saltwater aquarium fish for a tank which will eventually contain large aggressive fish. However they can be costly if you make mistakes. It might be a good idea to ?practice? on fish that are both cheaper and easier. You will need to feed them lots of shell fish and other sea creatures to keep them healthy.

Angels and butterflies are very sensitive and difficult saltwater aquarium fish to keep. They need special diets most of the time so they are not that easy to care for in a tank. The same goes for batfish.

Once you gain more experience in keeping conditions in your tank stable you can add a few other varieties of fish. Choose from hawkfishes, grammas, dottybacks, basslets and wrasses. But make sure to find out about how to take care of them properly because some are not as easy as others. However they are a much easier bet that angels and butterflies.

So which saltwater aquarium fish should beginners avoid? You should not attempt angelfish, butterfly fish, pipefish, seahorses, long-nosed filefish, blue ribbon eels, stonefish, and Moorish Idols as well as mandarin fish until you really know what you are doing.

What about invertebrates? Contrary to popular belief invertebrates are well suited for mini or micro-reef tanks. Many invertebrates do well in non-reef tanks. For the novice aquarist the hardy species are best. These include shrimps like the cleaner shrimp, blood shrimp or peppermint shrimp and coral banded shrimp. As is the case with saltwater aquarium fish, stick to the hardier shrimps to begin with.

Anemone crabs are another option you might try along with your saltwater aquarium fish. And why not add some sea urchins and starfish which are quite well suited to beginners with a couple of month?s experience? They differ in size, shape and color and some are poisonous so be careful! Sea urchins and starfish eat detritus and algae and other small bits of food so they will help to keep your tank clean and your saltwater aquarium fish healthy.

Anemones are not really suited for beginners. They need special lighting and top-notch water conditions so if you can?t foot the bill for the lights stay away or you?ll live to regret it. Invertebrates you should avoid include tridacna clams, flame scallops, Octopi, Nudibranchs, or any hard or soft coral and sea squirts. Like the saltwater aquarium fish listed previously these invertebrates have special feeding and living requirements.

When you choose saltwater aquarium fish, you need to bear in mind that they are a bit more expensive then the freshwater varieties. For this reason you should take care with them and try to keep them alive. When fish are captured and moved from the store to your home they are liable to get stressed, especially since most of them have been taken from the ocean mere days ago. So make sure you can properly care for your new friends before you bring them home!

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Is a Protein Skimmer Necessary?
Aquarium fish keeping has always been considered an immensely enjoyable and fulfilling hobby. This fun and irresistible activity is becoming progressively popular among the American people. If you love to keep fish as pets, then learning to look after your fish tank or pond is of absolute importance for the well-being and happiness of your fish.

Managing Your Flowerhorn Aquarium
Managing Your Flowerhorn Aquarium

If you’re thinking about purchasing a beautiful Flowerhorn fish, you’re not alone. The beautiful Flowerhorn fish is one of the more popular additions to your aquarium. However, if you have chosen a Flowerhorn, proper tank management is essential. It is, indeed, more important to practice a good tank management than it is to purchase the suitable type of fish for your tank.

Proper fish tank management and beautiful Flowerhorn fish complement each other perfectly. It is, therefore, crucial for all hobbyists to have proper knowledge of good fish tank management. While it is not as simple as dumping clean water in every few weeks, it isn’t as terribly complicated as you may imagine.

The Tank
As the Flowerhorn’s ancestry originated from the Central and South American cichlids, it is essential to set up your tank to a closely simulated natural habitat for the fish, which at the same time, is incredibly pleasing to the eye.

Various sizes and designs of fish tanks are available at your local fish store. Choose one that will complement your house, and always assume that your Flowerhorns will grow to be about 500 mm in length. It is advisable to get at least a 3 feet tank to start comfortably. Acrylic aquariums are recommended as these tanks are leak proof, lightweight and the wall materials provide exceptional clarity. The SeaClear 26 gallon flat back hexagonal tank is one good example of an acrylic tank that is great for keeping Flowerhorns.

Tank Accessories
Once you’ve gotten the tank, you may want to think about backgrounds. Various attractive background designs for aquariums are easily available. Choose one that will fit the natural environment of the fish. Added pebbles, stones and gravels is a good idea as well. They can be used as substrate for biological filtration as well as a tool to help smooth and polish the teeth of Flowerhorns as they dig, shove and carry these pebbles. Keep in mind that in captivity, the teeth of the Flowerhorn tends to be quite sharp, and if you can help to take the edges off a bit with pebbles or gravel, less damage will be caused during mating or fighting sessions. Once you’ve added that gravel, expect to see it migrate around the tank a bit. Flowerhorns tend to build their ‘nest’ by moving the pebbles and stones from one place to another. This behavior normally indicates that the fish has matured, and it is ready for mating purposes.

Even though you may think that sunken pirate ship looks neat, other unnatural tank ornaments are discouraged. These do not serve any purpose at all in the tank, and they may even be hazardous because they can cause accidental cuts and injuries on your Flowerhorns. These fish possess fierce territorial behaviors, and fights among fishes are common. Keeping objects like these in the tank only causes problems during fights.

Lighting
Suitable aquarium lighting will enhance the coloration and the overall physical development of your Flowerhorn. It is recommended that you place your tank where is it able to get at least an hour of indirect sunlight a day. While you may worry that algae will infest your tank because of the sunlight, with proper water quality management, your tank should not go green with algae with that minute amount of sunlight. If sunlight isn’t possible in your living space, getting a full spectrum light is advisable. Be sure to leave it on for four to eight hours a day to maintain the color development of your Flowerhorn.

Water quality
Flowerhorns are ‘hardy’, which means these fish are highly adaptable to different water conditions, including bad water ones. However, just because they’re ‘hardy’ fish doesn’t mean that you should keep poor water conditions in your tank. Adequate feedings and frequent water changes promote better growth, and, as a result, can even change the whole body morphology of the fish.

Water pH level and Mineral Content
Water pH levels indicate the acidity and alkalinity of the water. Dissolved minerals in the water are often termed the “hardness” of the water. These two water parameters are interrelated. The water is considered ‘hard’ when there is a high content of dissolved minerals in it (like calcium), and normally the pH of ‘hard’ water is above 7, which is more alkaline. When there’s a lack of dissolved minerals in the water, it is considered ’soft,’ and thus the pH will be lower than neutral making it acidic.

Local breeders have indicated that higher pH levels (7.5 to 7.8) will favor the growth of the nuchal hump, and lower pH levels (6.1 to 6.5) will favor color development in Flowerhorn fish. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Proper pH powder is widely used to maintain water quality. As a bonus, with its aloe vera and electrolytes contents, it also works to eliminate chlorine and heavy metals from the water while reducing fish stress. Depending on which traits you desire in your Flowerhorn, it is possible to adjust your water pH level accordingly.

Temperature
Flowerhorns are tropical fish. They can survive in water with various temperature ranges, but they grow well in water temperature of 28 C. During transportation, the water temperature is usually maintained at about 22 C, and the temperature is raised to about 30 C when the fish is sick. This, though, doesn’t mean that all illnesses are curable this way. Check out the “Common Illnesses” section for more information. A simple thermometer may be purchased to monitor water temperature changes in your tank.

Dechlorination
Tap water is commonly used by hobbyist, but most tap water contains high levels of chlorine, which poses a danger to your Flowerhorn. High chlorine toxicity may lead to fatalities. Dechlorination of tap water is crucial prior to usage. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Conditioner instantly removes and detoxifies heavy metals from tap water. Add one teaspoon to your water to treat up to ten gallons.

Filtration systems
In an artificial aquatic environment, a good filtration system is extremely important. Flowerhorns feed on huge amounts of food, and as a by product, they secrete large amounts of ammonia. A good filtration system eliminates solid wastes from the fish, leftover food, ammonia and even dusts from the atmosphere. There are various types of filters available in the market. The efficiency of these filters depends on usage, stocking density and other factors.

Mechanical filters work mainly to sieve out wastes, but they do not break it down. It makes the water clear, but this doesn’t mean it is ‘clean,’ as the ammonia produced by fish is still in the tank. The misconception of ‘clear water’ being ‘clean water’ often contributes to a lot of fish deaths. A mechanical filter normally uses filter wools and filter sponges as sieve materials. Mechanical filters work best coupled with biological filters.

Biological filters are more efficient as they provide bio-media surfaces for beneficial bacteria to grow on. Bacteria colonize these surfaces and ‘work’ on the ammonia waste left by fish to break it down into fish friendly water components. You can read more about this in the “Ammonia and Nitrogen Cycle” article.

Flowerhorn fish are quite beautiful, and they’ll make a lovely addition to your home aquarium display, but ensuring successful aquarium management is essential to keep your fish healthy and happy.

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What You Should Know About Feeding Your Tropical Fish
No matter what type of fish you have, whether it s an anemone, coral or crustacean they will fall into one of three types of feeder.

Carnivores. These types of feeders eat other fish. They are all either predators or scavengers. Predators like to hunt for their food, so they may be uninterested in what you re feeding them, if they want to hunt instead. Once a predator has eaten, it may not feel the urge to eat again for a few days. Scavengers are more opportunistic, and usually prefer to eat the leftovers left by predators.

Herbivores. These types of feeders eat many marine plants and algae. To find their food, they spend their days moving around and grazing, picking up food whenever they can find it.

Omnivores. These types of fish are a mixture of the two above. They like to eat a combination of corals, crustaceans, invertebrates and also plants and algae.

It s important to remember that when you put food in your tank, many of your fish will ignore it for a while first. Because they aren t fed when they are in the ocean, they just aren t accustomed to being served food. Some of your fish will eventually learn that you are giving them food, but many others won t.

Herbivores and omnivores tend to adapt to being tank-fed quicker than other types of feeders. However, some breeds, Angels comes to mind, are used to finding their food on the ocean floor rather than free floating, so it will take a little long for them to understand.

How often should you feed your fish?

It s a good idea to stick to feeding your fish just once a day, and to feed them no more than they can eat in one minute. To some people this may seem like not enough, but if your fish aren t hurrying to eat up the food within a minute, they simply aren t hungry enough to need feeding.

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