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So You Want To Buy A Boxer Dog? Posted By : Jason Rusch
July 10th, 2008
So You Want To Buy A Boxer Dog? Posted By : Jason Rusch
Rearing a Boxer dog as a pet is definitely a good choice, since they are known for their loyalty, active spirit and good temperament. They make great additions to the family because they get along very well with children, due to their energetic and playful nature. Not only is this breed very social but also are very well- behaved with other pets in the family. Boxer dogs are very attentive to commands and thus, can be trained and disciplined easily. Owing to their active lifestyle, they need regular exercise and physical as well as mental stimulation. They take great delight in running and hen
Aquarists, stand up for animal rights. Put a stop to fish painting.
For those of you that don’t already know, fish painting is the cruel act of altering a fish’s coloring in order to make it more profitable to sell.
Fish with brighter an more striking color sell better and have more buyers and so many modern pet shops stock fish that have been painted so as to improve coloring artificially.
There are several varieties that are frequently subjected to this and are “colored skirts”, “painted glass fish”. “Painted tiger barbs” and “colored botias”. These fish are literally painted through a cruel and debatably painful process.
This removes their essential coating of “slime” that forms a crucial part of their immune system and water protection. After this they are painted and put into an “irritant bath”.
Only a small percentage of fish survive this traumatic process and the ones that do lose their coloration within a year. The amount of cheap, painte fish has increased the demand for normal-colored, natural fish and so the majority of pet shops can be found to be stocking these fish.
So what can we do about this?
There are many avenues that you can take. You can boycott the pet shops that choose to sell these horrid products and to spread the word to fellow aquarists. Or you could talk to the owners about the types of fish that they stock and bring to their attention the cruelty in selling dyed fish.
Purchasing these traumatized fish from pet shops will only encourage the shops to re-order more because you are creating a demand. This, therefore, is not the thing to do.
However, any form of campaigning against this would be beneficial. Word of mouth, posters and websites would all help to make sure that other aquarists and members of the public know about the cruelty of painted fish.
Alternatively you can sign an online petition here: http://www.petitiononline.com/fishtank/petition.html
Another thing you can do is to make sure that you DO buy fish supplies from more ethical suppliers who do not deal in dyed fish. One very high quality, ethical fish supply seller online is http://www.desertcoralaquatics.com
“With literally thousands of items in stock and ready to ship, you can be assured that you ll receive what you need quickly. See us for aquarium lighting, aquarium filters, aquarium chillers, external water pumps, tank heaters, protein skimmers and so much more.
We carry all the top brands with the best prices you ll find anywhere online. Shop in our convenient online store for brands like Mag-drive, Kent Marine, E.S.V., Dolphin Pumps, JBJ, Aqua Logic, Ice Cap, Aqua Medic Lighting, Sunlight Lighting, Current USA, Neptune Systems and other leading quality brands.”
Feel free to distribute and host this article wherever you please and free of charge as long as none of its content is changed. For more infromation about search engine optimization please visit:<a href=http://www.desercoralaquatics.com>HERE</a>
How to Sex Your Flower Horn Fish.
How to Sex Your Flower Horn Fish.
For most hobbyists, the male Flowerhorn is preferable to the female because of the different traits and behaviors they exhibit. For example, the male has big nuchal humps. In Chinese Fengshui, these are believed to bring good luck. Moreover, the males are more attractive. They have more vibrant colors, and their bodies are much broader. Females tend to be much smaller, and their features are far less attractive. However, if you’re interested in breeding your fish, you must have both sexes in your tank.
In order to get the Flowerhorn sex you really want, hobbyists are advised to purchase a fish of 4-6 months of age. This way, the sex of the fish is able to be determined. There are, though, various sexing methods at any age. The table below summarizes the these methods according to different life stages of Flowerhorns.
Sexing of Flowerhorn fish at different stages
| Age and length | Characteristic | Sexing Method |
| 2 months (1mm - 30mm) | . Juvenile stage. . Colors and body patterns are not noticeable. | . No known method. . Observations shows larger sized fish within the same batch tend to be males. |
| 2 - 5 months ( 30 mm - 150 mm) | . Colors and body patterns are becoming more distinctive. | . Distinctive black marking on the dorsal fin indicates that it is a female. However, this is not foolproof. The same pattern does exist on some male Flowerhorns. . Observations on the shape of the genital papillae. V-shaped papilla indicates a male fish, while a U-shaped papilla indicates a female fish. Gently squeezing the abdominal region may reveal the papillae. . Male Flowerhorns will have broader body with higher dorsal, anal and caudal fins. It is also observed that male Flowerhorns will have thicker jawline and more distinctive body color. |
| 5 months and above (150 mm - 600 mm) | . Flowerhorns begin to mature. Distinctive and rather prominent head humps are visible on the male fish. | .Female will start to lay eggs even without the presence of a male. |
Copyright 2000-2007 Flowerfish.com. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way and give the author name credit.
FlowerFish.com is the complete Flower Horn Fish Resource center. We are also one of the world's biggest and most recognised Flower Horn breeder, exporter and wholesaler.Please visit us at http://www.FlowerFish.com for more articles and Flower Horn fish picture galleries.
How To Breed The Flowerhorn fish.
The breeding of Flowerhorns is a rather easy task. There are, though, a few preparations that need to be made prior to breeding. One of the most important things you can do is prepare ar new bare bottom tank to store the tiny fries once they are ready to leave the parents’ nest. Do not install any filter mechanisms as the small fries will get sucked into the filtration system. An air stone is particularly sufficient for aeration purposes.
Selection of the breeding pairs is crucial prior to breeding. Desired phenotypic outcomes depend solely on the parents. Most of the time, it is almost possible to predict the external characteristics of the offspring produced by a pair of Flowerhorns. Thus, breeding Flowerhorn has an exciting aspect, as you would know the outcome of the selective breeding. Flowerhorns breed year round. No external stimuli are needed for breeding purposes, but you must place the breeding pair in a clean, big tank. An aquarium heater regulated to 28?C can be placed in the aquarium, but it is not compulsory. The use of a mechanical filtration system is sufficient to remove any feces and debris in order to keep the water quality in check as breeding pairs do not consume much food during this period.
The breeding pair need to be well fed at a fixed regime until they are ready to spawn. A balanced diet is crucial to produce fish well laden with eggs and milt. Broodstock can be fed with various types of food including live and pellet feeds.
If you intend to breed your Flowerhorn, you will need a few pairs of fish. Some pairs might not be suitable for each other. Normally, a mating pair is put in the same aquarium with a partition in the middle to separate the two. The female will usually develop black stripes all over its body when it is time to mate, and appetite loss is quite common. Observations also show that the female’s genital papilla will start to swell. It is advisable to cover the sides of your tank with newspapers or any other materials. This provides adequate privacy for the mating pair as they are easily frightened or disturbed during the mating period. When they are ready, females will secrete pheromones, and this signals the males to start spawning. Initially, this pair will show aggression toward each other through the partition. When the pair has stopped showing this behavior, the partition can be removed. Once you remove the partition, if they still seem to be ‘fighting’, observe further. If one fish is standing its ground instead of running to another corner, it means that they are actually courting each other instead of attacking. If the pair continues fighting until one of them is visibly injured, it means that this pair is not ready or not compatible for the moment. Separate them and try again after a few days.
If they are indeed a mating pair, the male fish will start to search for a breeding spot. In a tank with pebbles and gravels, the male fish will start clearing a chosen spot by removing all the pebbles. However, in a bare tank, none of this activity will take place. If you are using a bare tank, you should place a floor tile in the tank, because Flowerhorns will prefer a rough surface for spawning. Female Flowerhorns normally lay eggs close to the air stone, or where there’s a good flow of water, as this can help aerate the eggs. Moreover, because the water circulates in this area, a fungal attack on the eggs is prevented. Female fish will deposit rows of eggs, then the male will follow behind, fertilizing the eggs with its milt. This will continue until the female has deposited all of its eggs. No disturbances are allowed during the spawning moment as this will result in the parent eating the eggs as a natural protective measure.
A female Flowerhorn is able to produce approximately 500-2000 eggs at a time. The parents will usually take turns fanning the eggs with their fins to rid of unwanted debris or to prevent any fungal attack. It is advisable to add methylene blue (Hyperlink) or any anti-fungal treatment at a1mg/l gallon ratio to prevent a possible fungus attack.
The eggs will take a few days to hatch. When this happens, remove the parents. Once the parents are removed, be sure to practice proper fry management.
Copyright 2000-2007 Flowerfish.com. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way and give the author name credit.
FlowerFish.com is the complete Flower Horn Fish Resource center. We are also one of the world's biggest and most recognised Flower Horn breeder, exporter and wholesaler. Please visit us at http://www.FlowerFish.com for more articles and Flower Horn fish picture galleries.
10 tips for a successful Betta splendens reproduction
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 down from the nest. The male picks them up in its mouth and brings them back in the bubble nest, but a water column over 15 cm will tire it after few repetitions.
4. Cover the reproduction aquarium with a lid in order to keep the same temperature for the air inside the aquarium. The fry develop their labyrinth after about 30 days and they are very sensitive to temperature changes. The lid also protects against air flow which could ruin the bubble nest.
5. Select a compatible pair of Bettas. At first attempts you’ll only want to get some fry and you won’t be interested in colors/fins, but after some successful spawns you’ll be more pretentious. So you’ll chose same colored Bettas or even more, you’ll look for developing some nice fins (double tails, crown tails, half moons, etc) but this is another discussion…
6. Introduce the male in the evening and only next morning introduce the female, considering that the male has already built the bubble nest. During the night keep the female in a jar near the aquarium and assure some light in order to make eye contact between the male and female; this will stimulate the bubble nest building.
7. The next day, after introducing the female, the Betta male will brutally chase her. That’s why you have to put some plants in the corners of the aquarium in order to assure hiding places for the female. Also make sure you add some floating plants in order to help the bubble nest building.
8. After the first successful egg evacuation, the male (sometimes the female too) will take them (in the mouth) from the bottom of the aquarium and bring up in the bubble nest. You don’t have to panic because this is a natural thing, so don’t take the fish out thinking they eat their eggs 
9. A good pair of Bettas can spawn up to 400-500 eggs, after which the female has to be taken out from the aquarium because the male will brutalize her in order to protect the nest. Put the female, for a few hours, in a jar with water where you added some metilen blue in order to prevent eventually infections caused by the wounds.
10. After about 48 hours the fry will hatch and the Betta male will assure they stay together in the bubble nest. After another 2-3 days the fry will swim free. Now it’s time to take out the male and start feeding them with Paramecium and/or Artemia salina (Baby Brine Shrimp).
This is it 10 tips for a successful Betta splendens reproduction. You can find advanced information on specialized websites, books, etc, but following this article should familiarize you with the Betta splendens reproduction needs.
Laurentiu Craciunas has been breeding Betta splendens for over 5-6 years now and wants to share his experience with others. You can find more aquaria related articles on www.tropical-aquariums.com
Essential Elements for Proper Koi Fish Care
Koi fish is one of the most popular preferences for pet fish these days. That is because Koi fish is a dazzling and colorful ornamental type of pet fish. This much sought after types of pet fish are mostly adorned on garden ponds (landscaped mostly) and aquariums. Koi fish is a type of fish that belongs to the domesticated and ornamental variant of the carp family. These types of ornamental pet fish are widely domesticated and available to almost all parts of the world (except Antarctica). So if you are thinking of having Koi fish as you pet, it is important that you must know all the essential information regarding on how to properly take care of the Koi fish. Also, it is very important that you must know everything there is to know in taking care of the Koi fish. One of the most essential factors in taking care of the Koi fish is that you must know what are required in order for the Koi fish to be health and of course, alive. Negligence may and can cause the lives of the Koi fish, not to mention the wasted effort and money that you have invested on the pet fish. Proper care for the Koi fish also means that you must know the seasonal care of your pet fish. That is because Koi fish have different caring needs in every season. For example, during spring season, you must give extra attention on the water temperature of the garden pond or aquarium of the Koi fish. That is because the temperature of the water during this season is irregular meaning it can either rise or fall in an instant (which is not good for the pet fish). Also, you must always provide your Koi fish not just with adequate source of food but also with the appropriate food. It is essential that you feed your Koi fish the right kind and the right amount of food. When it comes to feeding, you must consider several issues such as the size of the garden pond or aquarium and the type of filter that is used. Always take extra effort in taking care of the garden pond or aquarium such as cleaning the filters. Remember the top most essential elements in taking proper care of the Koi fish are, the number of Koi fishes in the pond or aquarium, the season and appropriate food and proper feeding. These are just some of the few essential elements that you must know before taking the Koi fish from the pet store. Do not hesitate to ask questions and advice from Koi fish experts or the pet shop owner for the essential information that you must know in order for your ornamental pet fish to be with you longer. Because not only these dazzling and vibrant ornamental pet fish are fun to look at (especially when feeding), some Koi fish keepers say that Koi fish are lucky. For more information about koi fish, visit http://www.about-koi-fish.com
Sherlock Four is a writer and author of http://www.about-koi-fish.com
The Dangers Of White Boxer Dogs Posted By : Jason Rusch
Do you know what a boxer dog typically looks like? They are usually a stocky breed, medium-sized with a shiny, smooth and short haired coat that can be fawn colored or brindle without any markings. However, there are some that have been found with white bellies and markings on all their paws. White markings are known as flash because the coloration can appear on the dogs neck and face. These dogs are known to be flashy dogs.
Do I need aquarium lighting for my pet fish?
To some people aquarium lighting for a pet fish seems a bit like adding a neon sign to a lemonade stand. It seems like overkill and wasted money. Yet is there a real reason to use aquarium lighting? Is it important to keep my fish healthy and under ethically fair conditions?
The fact is that there are a lot of reasons that almost every serious fish-owner thinks about tank lighting. Of course there is the aesthetic element. It makes the fish look good.
You simply cannot see the beauty of many fish in the dark. Their color is only revealed when light bounces off their reflective scales. If you’re going to pay good money for a nice fish and a healthy large aquarium then you want to make sure that you can see it!
Aquarium lighting is what takes “just a fish” and turns it into a conversation starter or a tasteful decoration.
Yet, there is a more important aspect to aquarium lighting. Most fish require it for health reasons. The lighting that a fish is under can affect many of the bodily systems including the reproductive organs. Also, the regularity and strength of light can affect a fish’s stress levels.
Fish need around 12 hours of lighting per day to ensure that the tank conditions are as similar to natural conditions as possible. The lighting needs to be consistent as inconsistent lighting can cause stress in fish and lead to health problems. Timers can be bought to ensure that this is easily maintained.
Remember that fish cannot close their eyes and so the twelve hours a day of lighting should be during day time when they are awake. At night the lighting should go off in order for them to sleep.
Also, you need to make sure that lighting is as similar to natural light as possible; fluorescent lighting needs to be used. Flames and household light bulbs are no good; you need fluorescent lights which are to be replaced every eight months.
A general rule is that your aquarium needs 2.5 watts per each gallon of volume. However, if you are planning on keeping live coral or rocks in your aquarium then the lighting requirements are far higher and you may need up to 8 watts per gallon.
Also, many corals and marine plants require “full spectrum” fluorescent light. This is fairly hard to explain but research the plant that you are planning on buying and ensure that you have the right lighting. You don’t have to know how it works to work it.
However, if you don’t have coral or plant life then you might want to consider a “color-enhancing light”. These can be used in freshwater or saltwater tanks and have a yellow or pink hue so as to make a real feature of your fish’s colors.
The pitfalls of a badly lit aquarium are too much unwanted algae growth and indirectly will affect the CO2 and nutrient levels in your tank and so it is definitely an aspect of your aquarium to take seriously.
I hope that this article has helped you to consider this issue fully. If you are looking for a place to purchase aquarium lighting then I highly recommend:
http://www.desertcoralaquatics.com
Feel free to distribute and host this article wherever you please and free of charge as long as none of its content is changed. For more infromation about search engine optimization please visit: <a href=http://www.desertcoralaquatics.com>http://www.desertcoralaquatics.com</a>
How To Choose Your Tropical Fish
Knowing how to choose your new tropical fish is going to be one of the most important things you ever do in this new hobby. But how can you tell which are the best fish for your tank? This is the question I will answer for you in this article.
The first thing we need to discuss is the temperament of your fish. There are only three main different temperaments a fish can have. Here they are:
Social breeds. These breeds of fish will get along with any other type of fish. Some of the most common fish to fit in this category are Danios, Tetras, Guppies, Swordtails, Mollies and Corydoras.
Semi-social breeds. These breeds can comfortably be kept along with other fish that are of equal size without them showing signs of aggression. Think of fish like Barbs, Angelfish and Gouramis.
Aggressive breeds. These breeds of fish must always be kept by themselves, or at most, in pairs with another fish of the same breed. An example of these type of fish would be Male Bettas, Oscars and Jewelfish.
If you ve got a good local pet store, they should be able to give you further advice on what kind of fish you can keep together. A good question to ask the pet employees is if the fish have been kept in quarantine for at least two weeks before being available for sale.
If they haven t been quarantined the fish will be much more susceptible to disease and early death if they have been exposed to high amounts of stress (such as being on an airplane) without a few weeks rest time.
Another important thing to look for in a fish is its color. You want to choose a fish that has a dense and well-defined color. If the fish has a pattern, check to see there isn t any signs of blurring between colors.
Learn more about keeping tropical fish at: <a href="http://www.tropical-fish-blog.com">tropical fish</a>
Tips for Healthy Pets Posted By : Jane Dinunzio
Tips and advice to help keep your pet safe, healthy and happy.
