Setting Up Your Cichlid Fish Tank

Cichlids are known to bring color to a room by its mere appearance. Its behavior also paves way for a very entertaining spectacle. These two reasons are just some of the reasons why more and more people have started to collect and breed cichlids. If you are a first-timer at this, you have to understand some basic cichlid necessities, such as the cichlid aquarium setup.

Flowerhorn Cichlid by Prakash Chakraborty

As we all know, the cichlids in an aquarium need several things in order to enjoy its habitat. Making all of these possible would entail basic knowledge and understanding on your part. In turn, it would lead to an immeasurable degree of health and wellness for your cichlid. Here are some things to consider while you are setting up the new home of your cichlids:

In choosing a tank, you should be very meticulous. This means that you should select a good brand. Aside from this, the dimensions of the tank should also be wide enough for your cichlids to swim around in. Ideally, the tank should have a large volume. Meanwhile, a large surface area for the tank is also required to make your fishes comfortable and healthy.

What sort of decorations to include. It is common knowledge that cichlids or any fish, for that matter, need to live in an aquarium that is similar to its original habitat. This emphasizes the importance of putting plants, gravel and other decors inside the aquarium. Cichlids would also appreciate this because it would give them more ways to divide the aquarium in different territories.

Get your hands on a good filter. Filters are important in an aquarium setup because these materials keep the aquarium safe from pollutants. If you want your cichlids to be healthy, you should prioritize sanitation for their habitat. The best way to do that is through the use of a reliable filter.

Set the water temperature at a desirable level for cichlids. This is essential because keeping cichlids mean that they should receive ample heat. Get equipment that can enable you to heat at least a watt of heating per one liter of water. Once this is secured, you can already be able to respond well to the needs of your cichlid in terms of its habitat.

Cichlids are truly beautiful types of fishes. Do not waste their worth by not taking care of them. The least you can do is to feed them well and to put up an ideal aquarium setup for them.

Author Resource: Larry Pearson is an expert author and cichlid fish enthusiast and has been keeping pet fishes for over 20 years. To learn more about cichlid aquarium setup and how to keep healthy and beautiful cichlids go to www.cichlidfishguide.com and sign up for his FREE Email Mini-Course.

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Neon Tetras in Your Tropical Fish Aquarium

Neon Tetra fish are small freshwater fishes and very popular with tropical aquarium enthusiasts because of their bright colors and ease of care.

Probably the most popular tropical aquarium Tetra is the Neon Tetra. Originally from freshwater streams in Brazil, Columbia and Peru, it's a peaceful, community fish and quite suitable for the beginner aquarist.

Black Neon Tetra and Cardinal Tetra by fro_Ost

The Neon Tetra is a schooling fish and, as such, should always be kept with a community of 10 or so - they get lonely and sicken if alone. They prefer a somewhat dim environment, so a few floating plants to filter the light is recommended as well as a dark substrate flooring. In addition, place plenty of plants on the bottom of the tank for hiding spots- but leave enough room for some "open" swimming. Be aware that during the night, - when your Neon Tetra is hiding and resting - it will "turn off" its bright sparkling colors and it will look dull or dim. Light will gradually bring back their bright coloration.

The water temperature for Neon Tetras should be kept between 72F-78F degrees. Neon Tetras, in the wild are omnivores and eat a variety of foods including crustaceans, worms and small insects. They do love to eat, though, so be careful of over-feeding. Use a high quality flake food, with occasional supplements of daphnia, or brine shrimp for variety and they will do quite well. The pH balance of your tank should be from 5.5-7.5, which should be easy to maintain with such a nice span! Because their natural habitat has lots of rainfall, it is recommended that you replace your tank water frequently.

Neon Tetras, due to the wide range of waters in which they have been bred (whether in captivity or the wild), should be carefully acclimated into your tank to allow them plenty of time to adapt to their new home.

Neon Tetras are susceptible to - well - Neon Tetra disease. The official name is Pleistophora, which is the name of the sporozoan which causes the disease. There is no cure for the disease and the best way to avoid it is to prevent it from entering your tank in the first place. New fish should always be quarantined in a separate tank for a few days before being released into the main tank. The first sign of the disease are usually restlessness and a dull coloration. This is followed by cysts, which make the fishes body look lumpy. The Tetra will have trouble swimming and near the end the spine will become curved. By quarantining new fish you can help prevent the spread of this disease. Neon Tetra can also get Pleistophora from eating the bodies of dead fish - so be sure to remove any sick or dead fish as soon as possible.

Author Resource: Written by Anthony Higgins
Neon Tetras, with their bright colors, easy disposition and general good health are the perfect fish for the beginner in tropical freshwater aquariums. If you want to learn more visit Doctor Do Little.com for lots a tropical freshwater fish resources, including a great guide to get you up and running with your new hobby.

Nano Reef Aquarium

There is a new growing popularity in the reef keeping hobby called Nano Reefs. As the name implies, a nano reef is a reef aquarium on a small scale; 2.5 to 29 gallons. The price of a nano reef is also on a small scale, from the tank itself, the lighting, and it takes less live rock and corals to make a very dramatic reef display.

It was often thought that the bigger the aquarium the easier it would be to keep the water parameters stable. You could not keep corals alive without a massive trickle filter, large efficient protein skimmer, and powerful metal halide lighting lights. The bigger the aquarium the more gadgets you could add to make the water quality pristine, from ozone generators, redox meters, ph controllers, and calcium reactors. You had to be a marine biologist and a chemist to maintain a coral reef aquarium. The nano reef aquarium would seem to go against all these principles. Can we really keep corals alive in a 10 gallon aquarium with no sump filter or a protein skimmer?

A Young Nano Reef Aquarium by Guilherme Morais

What has been learned through the years more than anything is, most of the biological filtration occurs in the live rock and live sand. Lighting has also played a role in enabling the reef aquarium to become smaller with the advent of power compact fluorescent and the smaller HQI metal halide lamps. Having invertebrates that sift through and clean the live sand and live rocks adds to the ecological balance of the tank. Most of the trace elements are replaced through strict regiments of 5% weekly water changes. There is yet to be a salt water mix that has adequate calcium and strontium levels for good coral growth and these elements should be maintained separately.

The best products to maintain calcium, strontium and other trace elements are made from aragonite, such as AragaMilk from CaribSea. So what is aragonite? Aragonite is fossilized coralline algae that has extracted minerals from the ocean to grow. Grinding aragonite into a fine powder and adding water creates a milky substance that precipitates quickly adding these minerals to the water naturally. Add a few drops to top off water to maintain calcium levels at 450 ppm. You will be amazed at the growth rate of SPS corals. Yes I did say SPS corals that can be easily maintained in a nano reef aquarium.

Fish For The Nano Reef Aquarium
Fish are a great addition to a nano reef, but you must take extra care of you nano. You will have to be sure to keep up with your water changes, because a small body of water can collect nitrates quickly. The following fish are nano reef safe: anthius, true and false percula, banggai cardinals, pajama cardinals, royal grammas, fire fish, clown gobies, pseudochromis, basslets, and most damsels. While you are not limited to just those fish, these are hardy and good for beginners. Keep the number small from 1 to 5 fish depending on the nano aquarium size.

Cleanup Crews For The Nano
A good cleanup crew will keep your nano reef running smooth, and free from algae, detritus, and other unwanted wastes. Commonly kept cleanup crew critters are red leg hermits, red tip hermits, sand sifter starfish, sand sifter gobies, turbo snails, and astrea snails.

Corals For the Nano Reef
There are may corals that are compatible with the nano tank. Soft corals would include zooanthids, zenias, star polops, and mushroom anemonies. Lps corals would include Fox Coral and Blastomusa. SPS corals do well with metal halide lighting. Acroporas and montiporas are the easiest to grow in a 24-29 gallon nano aquarium. SPS coral frags are the way to go in a nano reef. They are much cheaper and easier to ship. The benefits of buying corals online is the greater variety that cannot be found at your local pet store. Buying several items from the same seller can reduce shipping costs. Simply use some Marineland's Hold Fast, which is a two part epoxy similar to plumbers epoxy, to glue the coral frag to a live rock. Be sure to give them plenty of space for growth.

Author Resource: Written by RC Moore
Content writer for reefkeepingfever.com
For more information visit reefkeepingfever.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/nano-reef-aquarium-340648.html

Tips on Purple Firefish Care

Purple firefish (Nemateleotris decora) are members of the family Microdesmidae. These little fish are native to the Indo-West Pacific. Their habitat ranges from the Philippines to Australia. They were first made known to the aquarium trade in 1973 by marine aquatic experts Randall and Allen.

Purple firefish are often mistaken for gobies. While they are very closely related to the goby family, they are actually dartfish. This species is predominantly white or yellow with slender cylindrical bodies. The body markings on this fish are extraordinary. They have a purple patch on their head and their fins are trimmed with varying shades of purple, blue, red, orange and maroon. This is a small fish. It will only grow to a maximum length of 4 inches. They are more typically 2.5-3 inches.

Purple Firefish by Jamie Henderson

This fish carries an easy care rating and is an excellent choice for the inexperienced saltwater aquarium owner. They are rated reef safe. This is a hardy, very disease resistant species. Their general durability, small size and tolerance of varied water parameters make them extremely popular among nano-reef owners. This fish can be kept in an aquarium as small as 10 gallons, even smaller if you are diligent in maintaining water quality. Purple firefish are also sold by the aquarium industry under the names elegant firefish, flame firefish, decorated firefish, fire goby, and purple dartfish.

If this fish's size and survivability tempt you to add one to your community tank you should be aware that they are prolific jumpers. They should only be kept in a tightly lidded aquarium. This is one of the more aggressive dartfish but is still relatively docile compared to other marine species. It should only be kept with smaller, less aggressive fish. They will exhibit territorial behavior toward their own kind. Do not purchase multiples. A male and female of the species will mix together well.

The purple firefish will require lots of hiding places. Plenty of coral rubble on top of your primary substrate will make them feel right at home. This fish must be allowed to feel confident in its new surroundings. It will starve itself to death rather than compete for its food. A fading in color is a good indication that it is suffering from malnutrition. If food is not an issue this fish may live from 7-10 years in captivity.

This is a carnivorous species. In their natural habitat its diet consists primarily of zooplankton. In captivity they will eat flaked food and pellets. However as with any marine species it is advisable to provide these fish with a varied diet. You can feed them vitamin enriched brine shrimp, mysid shrimp, finely chopped fresh seafood and frozen or freeze dried food formulated for marine carnivores. These supplements will help maintain their fit and vigor.

Purple firefish do occasionally breed in home aquariums. This is an egg laying species. They are also monogamous in nature. Once a pair is mated they may spawn 2-4 times a month. Eggs are whitish in coloration and approximately 2mm in diameter. The egg's incubation period is 7-10 days depending on water temperature.

An aquarium doesn't have to be the same mundane rectangular tank found in everyone else's home. Why settle for the ordinary? Your aquarium should be a focal point to your décor, not just an afterthought shoved away in some corner. We offer unique alternatives to the traditional rectangle fish tank. Transform your fish's home into a piece of living art. Get the Look of a Custom Aquarium Without the Custom Price Tag at Exotic-Aquariums.com: Your Freshwater & Saltwater Aquarium Source.

Author Resource: Written by Stephen J. Broy
Helping you have healthier and happier fish is an essential part of our business. If you found this article interesting and would like to learn more about your favorite freshwater & saltwater aquarium fish visit our Online Fish Buying Guide.

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Corals and Their Habitat

Corals are a beautiful addition to any saltwater aquarium and they can also have beneficial effects on the miniature semi-ecosystem that exists in a well functioning aquarium.

Corals in Home Aquarium by Antonio Guerra

Corals are living animals that are commonly called sessile invertebrates. What this means is that they are animals that don't have a backbone (like vertebrates do) and that they are generally stuck in one spot and can't move around like most animals can. Corals are usually attached to a rock. Corals consist of many individual polyps. The polyps may have an internal or an external skeleton that is made of calcium carbonate. Each polyp has an oral opening that leads to a gastrovascular tube. There is a lot of variety in the types of food eaten by coral polyps. For example, some corals feed by using their stinging tentacles to catch small fish. Other corals eat microscopic organisms, where as some coral polyps don't feed at all, and obtain all their nutrition from zooxanthellae (a single-celled algae that lives within the coral).

Corals are more complicated to keep than many saltwater fish species, and can for instance require more intricate currents, powerful lighting and supreme water quality. Keeping the water temperature in the ideal range is therefore imperative when you keep corals in you aquarium. Reef building corals prefer quite shallow depths where the light penetration is good and will therefore usually grow at depths of less than 46 metres / 150 feet. The reef building corals require plenty of strong light since they form symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae. Other coral species can however survive without direct sunlight and live much deeper down in the ocean.

Corals should be thoroughly researched beforehand because of their often hefty price tag and demanding water, lighting and feeding requirements. The great part about live rock, aside from the biological importance of using it, is that you can use aquarium silicon sealant to shape the rocks into any type of design you desire. We now have a new term - "rockscaping". You can also use a drill to create small holes in the rock and use pvc pipes to hold them together to make columns or archways. The rockscaping possibilities are endless. Another thing you'll probably need to do is place the rock directly on the tank bottom and not on top of the sand. Sand burrowing species could get injured or worse if you place the rock on top of the sand.

Corals are very popular with aquarium enthusiasts. Some of the most common corals are now being successfully kept and grown in a rapidly growing number of home aquariums. There are hundreds of species including soft corals, corallimorpharians (mushroom corals), gorgonians, zoanthids, large-polyp stony corals, and small-polyp stony corals.

Fish Swimming in the Coral by Matt Woolner

For the beginner reef aquarium, there are a number of soft corals, that require less light and less than perfect water quality standards, than their hard coral cousins. These soft corals are the better candidates for converting to a fish only, or fish only with live rock aquarium tank to a reef tank with corals.

You can have coral in any sort of aquarium/fish tank i.e. fish only tanks, fish only with live rock tanks to a full reef tank.

Moving smoothly from tank to tank isn't really all that difficult. You need to move coral because believe it or not there can be turf wars in coral reef tanks. Corals on the reef compete for space. So do the corals in your aquarium. Corals are still deemed difficult for the average reef tank hobbyist but in my experience I have not found this to be true.

Corals are found all over the world, even around the poles. Reef building corals are however only found in warm subtropical and tropical waters. Reef building corals are present in the Indo-Pacific Ocean and the Western Atlantic. Their habitat is generally limited to the region between 30 degrees N and 30 degrees S latitudes. In the Indo-Pacific Ocean you will find reef building corals from the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, and eastwards in the Indian and Pacific Oceans all the way over to Panama and a few places in the Gulf of California. In the Western Atlantic corals are living outside Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Belize and around the Caribbean Islands, Bermuda and Bahamas. Reef building corals will only live where the water temperature is warm enough; 20-28 degrees celsius / 68-82 degrees fahrenheit.

Author Resource: Written by Peter Crawley
I'm a full time carer who in my spare time likes to write articles and short review. My reviews can be found on http://www.TheKeepersReviews.com

Breeding Discus Fish - Some General Tips

Breeding discus fish is perhaps one of the biggest challenges facing tropical aquarium enthusiasts today. By nature, discus are extremely picky, and if their living conditions aren't exactly perfect, they will flat-out refuse to breed.

But there are a few ways to make sure your discus fish are happy in their home. And if you can keep them happy, there's a good chance you'll end up successfully breeding them.

A Tank of Discus Fish by Marisa Roman

Natural Environment
Discus fish come from the murky, warm waters of the Amazon River in South America, so it makes sense to simulate that natural habitat. The way the fish see it, happiness starts with the right aquarium environment, and when they are happy they are much more likely to breed.

Water Conditions
Make sure the water temperature stays somewhere in the mid 80's F. Many breeders keep their discus aquariums at 85 degrees, but say that a slight deviation (by one or two degrees at the most) shouldn't cause any problems. Also, Discus fish prefer pH levels between 5.5 and 7, so aim for this range.

Structures
The Amazon River is full of places to hide - in fact that's how the Discus survives, by ducking away from predators and laying low most of the time. Try to mimic this in your aquarium. Discus love to hide, and become stressed if not given adequate cover. And if your fish is stressed, you can forget about breeding them! So provide plenty of places for them to hide.

One of the easiest mistakes to make, especially as a beginner, is to introduce some Discus into an aquarium with no cover features at all. While it is nice to watch them swim out in the open, it puts big stresses on them. And breeding discus fish that are stressed is impossible.

Diet
Make sure your fish are happy with the meals you give them by including frozen blood worms, beef heart, brine shrimp, and/or white worms. These foods promote general health which makes breeding discus fish that much easier.

A Note About Diet
If the water quality isn't perfect, your discus won't eat. If they're not eating, it's usually because of an environmental stress. Evaluate your water conditions immediately and make corrections. Discus are picky fish, and flat-out refuse to eat if they're not happy. Unfortunately, they'll literally starve themselves to death doing this, so take action as soon as you recognize a problem.

When Discus fish are happy, they eat like pigs. That's how you'll know you've got all the conditions dialed in perfectly. And when they are happy, they're more than willing to mate. In a way, successfully breeding discus fish comes down to keeping them happy.

By keeping the water conditions and diet just right, you'll soon be well on your way to breeding discus fish.

Author Resource: "Discus" David Teasock has been raising and breeding discus fish for 10 years. He understands the frustrations people have, and encourages everyone to visit his blog DiscusFishBreedingGuide.com.

Familiarize Yourself with African Cichlids Breeding

There really comes a time when a pet owner would love to breed their own fishes. As a matter of fact, African cichlids breeding has been a common practice for most fish enthusiasts. Since these types of fishes are very popular, it is somehow rewarding to have a few of your own. Inter-breeding different species of African cichlids enables one to come up with cichlids with unique color. Now, that's another feather on one's cap.

Although breeding African Cichlids is exciting as it may sound, it still involves some sort of hard work and discipline. It would also require you to do some research. Studying the ins and outs of the process like what you are doing now can really help.

Black and Yellow Striped Cichlid by DNAagram

First thing you should know is that most species of African Cichlids are mouthbrooders. When this is the case, the female cichlid keeps her eggs inside her mouth. Male African cichlids do a dance-like routine to woo the female cichlid. Once you see this seemingly unusual behavior from your male cichlid, you should start monitoring the next events.

After the actual mating process, the female will lay the eggs in the water. The male cichlid should be able to fertilize the eggs before the female takes it in her mouth. The whole process is repeated until there are fertilized eggs. The unfertilized ones are just left behind.

There is sometimes a stumbling block in breeding African Cichlids. How do you get the female and male cichlids to mate? You won't have a problem with this if you have a few female cichlids in your tanks.

You see, male African cichlids tend to fight with one another when the female cichlid is ready for mating. The fights can turn ugly and may lead you to lose some fishes. The key to this situation is to have one male and probably three female cichlids. This way, the male would have controllable aggressiveness.

Bear in mind that female cichlids must undergo necessary preparations prior to her spawning period. She must be at the pink of health. Also, take the time to ensure that she's well-fed. Female African cichlids usually go by without food during her spawning season.

Remember that female cichlids are mouthbrooders. The eggs stay inside the mother's mouth for at least two months. Feed the female as frequent as you can because she can only take little food during this time.

After the fry hatches, you need to put them in a separate tank. Otherwise, the mature cichlid will mistake them for food. The fry needs to be in a tank away from other mature fishes. Also, try to separate the mother cichlid as she needs to recover. She won't be able to do so if she has to deal with bullying from other fishes.

There is surely a lot to learn when it comes to African cichlids breeding. However, your patience would surely pave way for more worthwhile discoveries. Just pay close attention and love your cichlids more. They would surely reward your hard work.

Author Resource: Written by Larry Pearson
Is your cichlid always sick and unhappy? Are you looking for resources to help care and breed healthy beautiful cichlids? Larry Pearson is an authority on caring and breeding cichlid fish.
If you want to learn more about aggressive cichlids breeding and how to keep healthy and beautiful cichlids visit www.cichlidfishguide.com to sign up for his 10-Part FREE Email Mini-Course.

The Golden Apple Snail

The Golden Apple Snail is a popular addition to most types of freshwater aquarium due to their colour and size. They are native to Southern and Central America and Southern USA. If looked after and cared for correctly they can reach a size of up to 6 inches in diameter.

Golden Apple Snail by Roo Reynolds

Feeding
Apple Snails are voracious herbivores. Devouring most plant life in your aquarium and rasping on algae growing in your tank. Although they have extremely good appetites and cannot survive purely on the algae growing in your aquarium and will require additional food. They will scavenge for any left over foods such as flake food and pellets and can also be fed algae wafers or even vegetables such as blanched lettuce and cucumber.

Housing
They are not overly fussy about the water parameters they live in. They do require space though as they will grow to their potential maximum size regardless of the size of your aquarium. One problem that I have often seen in Apple Snails is a lack of calcium in their diet and water causing the softening and cracking of their shell. If this occurs then a good remedy is to scrape some cuttle fish, available from most pet store, in to their water and let it dissolve. This should raise the calcium levels in the water and lead to a healthier shell on your Apple Snail.

Temperature
The optimum temperature for Apple Snails is between 18 degrees c and 26 degrees c. Although they can be kept in cooler water you will find that they are less active and will eat and grow slower than when they are housed in warmer water.

Breeding
Apple snails, unlike some other snail species, need two separate sex snails to reproduce. They generally reproduce during a time of warmer water and when higher quality food is in abundance. Apple Snails lay their eggs in a medium sized, pink coloured egg case outside of the water. Usually in the lid of your aquarium. leave the egg case in position and soon enough the baby snails will hatch and make their own way into the water. Feed the baby snails well on a mixture of algae wafers, cucumber and daphnia and brineshrimp.

Author Resource: Written by Tom Williams
http://www.waterworksaquatics.co.uk

Tips on Banggai Cardinalfish Care and Spawning

Cardinalfishes or Pterapogon are classified to the family Apogogonidae. Over 200 individual species comprise this genus. Cardinalfishes are endemic to both that Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. These ray finned fish are primarily a marine species. Although, they also inhabit brackish water found where bodies of saltwater and freshwater come together.

Cardinalfish can be distinguished by their disproportionately large mouths and the division of their dorsal fins into two different fins.

The Banggai or Pterapogon kauderni is the cardinalfish most commonly raised by home aquarium owners. Banggai cardinalfish is native to the shallow water reef systems found around the twenty-seven island cluster of Banggai Archipelago in Indonesia.

Banggai Cardinalfish by Tom Weilenmann

This cardinalfish is relatively small, only growing to a total length of approximately four inches. They have a striking color pattern consisting of three black bars running vertically across the head and body. They have prominent black anterior edges on their anal and second dorsal fin. They also have a white dot patterning that develops during adolescence. Banggais have a maximum life expectancy of five years.

Banggai are an excellent choice for amateur saltwater aquarists. This is an extremely robust and docile creature. They are rated reef safe and can be easily kept with most fish typically found in marine reef aquarium. These fish function better in groups. You should have at least six if you intend to keep them in your aquarium. Avoid mixing them with more aggressive species.

Like many reef fish these fish are hiders and will require plenty of hiding places. They have a special affinity for live hiding places. Young fish display a preference for sea anemone. Adults and juveniles prefer the company of long-spined sea urchins, branching corals, and sea stars.

Banggai are nocturnal. So you will seem them most active in a dimly lit aquarium.

Unfortunately these fish are in such high demand that collecting them for the aquarium industry is threatening them with extinction in the wild. Recent surveys identified a drastic decline in the numbers of two different species from 2001-2004. The population off Limbo Island has been fished into extinction.

Cardinalfish are carnivores. They will eat frozen or dried foods formulated for marine carnivores. You can also feed them vitamin enriched brine shrimp or finely chopped fresh shrimp or squid from your local grocer.

Spawning Banggai Cardinalfish
Fortunately, for their continued long-term survival as a species, this fish is known to breed in captivity. Males and females are similar in coloration. Males can often be distinguished by their larger oral cavities. The male's jaws will become darker when it enters into its breeding cycle. The female's body will become rounder as eggs develop insider her.

Banggai have a tendency to pair up for spawning purposes. Once paired, the mating couple will establish a spawning territory away from the main group and will defend it vigorously. You will want to remove the fish to a breeding tank once they start showing signs of pairing. The breeding tank will also require plenty of hiding places.

The female will lay extraordinarily large eggs for a fish of her size. She should be removed from the tank once she has laid her eggs. Cardinalfish are mouthbrooders. The Benggai male will gather the eggs into the protective cavity of his mouth. He will keep the eggs and fry in his mouth until they are fully developed. The developmental period ranges from 20-30 days. The male will not eat until after he releases the fry.

He will be quite hungry by the time the fry are released. You will want to watch the tank carefully and remove the male promptly after release to prevent him from devouring the fry. Fry can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp.

Author Resource: Written by Stephen J. Broy
The hottest new trend in saltwater aquarium ownership is pet jellyfish. Jellyfish can't be kept in a traditional saltwater tank setup. They need specially designed Jellyfish Tank Aquariums to remain alive and healthy. Jellyfish tanks don't require the constant upkeep normally associated with saltwater aquariums. Moon Jellies are the most popular jellyfish for home aquariums because of their exotic beauty and ease of care. Find out more about Moon Jellies and other Pet Jellyfish. Jellyfish are among the most interesting creatures in the aquatic kingdom.

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Proper Tiger Barb Fish Care

Many fish lovers choose to have an aquarium in their home or office. When deciding to have an aquarium, one should do some research to find out what types of fish do well with other fish and ones that do not. It is also very important to learn proper aquarium care as well. Many local fish and pet stores can give you the information that you need or you can find many resources available online.

Tiger Barbs by Mitja Mavsar

The Tiger Barb is a very popular fish to house in an at-home aquarium. They are very short, round shaped fish with tiger like stripes on their side. At a full grown size, they are about 3 inches long. They are very lively schooling fish that are known to be very aggressive with other fish. They are notorious for nipping the fins of other fish in their tank. It is not a good idea to have the Tiger Barb with Gouramis, Betas, Angelfish, or any other fish that has long fins. A community tank is not recommended for this type of fish.

For proper Tiger Barb care, the tank needs to be completely cycled before adding them to the water. They are also very prone to a common parasite called Ich. You may want to have some kind of treatment available and on hand when you first add your Tiger Barbs to your tank. The optimal tank set-up will include hardy plant life, a soft gravel bottom and an open area for the fish to swim.

If the water conditions are optimal, the Tiger Barb will pair up and breed. They need soft and slightly acid water with a water temperature of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. That will encourage spawning. A spawning pair will scatter up to 200 eggs over the aquarium gravel. The parents should then be moved to another tank to prevent them from eating the eggs. The eggs hatch in about 3 days if they are not disturbed. Tiger Barbs will eat all types of live foods and fish food flakes. They are very active fish and are fun to keep and to watch. The Tiger Barb can be found in several color variations. Two of the most popular colors are the green and albino morphs. When they are kept in a school of six or more fish, they will make a great addition to any freshwater aquarium.

Author Resource: Dustin Williams is an avid aquarist who has kept various types of freshwater aquarium fish for several years. He has learned much about the hobby from reading books and personal experience. To learn more about Tiger Barbs please visit http://www.bbayaquariums.com

Common Species of Aquarium Sharks You Can Take Home

Many people are enthralled by the idea of having sharks in their aquarium. Admittedly, the very word shark imparts a certain aura of magic and power, that the desire to have one is understandable. It should, however, be noted that what are commercialized as aquarium sharks in pet stores are in fact species of freshwater catfish and minnows.

If you have your heart set on a genuine shark for your aquarium, unfortunately they simply are not available to the home aquarium enthusiast. These fish that are labeled aquarium sharks are, however, ideal substitutes. All have a body structure that is similar to that of a real shark, dorsal fin and all.

Below are some of the most common species of aquarium sharks:

Bala Sharks
Also known as silver sharks due to their coloration, this species will grow to a length of eight inches, but some individual specimens can reach lengths of up to twelve inches. They display schooling behavior when kept in groups of their own species. They can be considered to have a docile personality with regards to other fish, even those smaller than them. Due to their schooling instincts, the bala shark will be more at ease when grouped with more of its own species.

The drawback of the bala shark is its size. This requires a tank that is at least 48 inches long. Also, they are notorious jumpers. Aquariums with bala sharks should be securely covered to prevent them from jumping out of the water.

Rainbow Sharks
This species of aquarium shark is more colorful than the bala shark, sporting reddish tails and fins. They, however, are quite aggressive with other fish and amongst themselves. It is best to keep them in a single species aquarium and, unless you can house more than six at a time, an individual specimen is best. This is due to their quest for dominance amongst themselves. If you have two or three, there will be bitter confrontations to establish a dominant fish. If, however, you have six or more present, the quest for dominance is curtailed in that there are too many in a defined space for one to emerge victorious.

Rainbow sharks can grow to be nine inches in length, again making a 48-inch tank or larger a necessity.

Blue Torpedo Shark
This is a species closely related to the catfish. They can grow to be 14 to 16 inches long and require a lot of space. 60 to 72-inch tanks are normally called for to properly house this species. Their size and somewhat aggressive behavior do not make them a good addition to a multi-species tank. For the most part they would be best in single specimen tanks.

As you can see, size becomes an issue with these aquarium sharks. This excludes them from consideration for those aquarium enthusiasts who have tanks smaller than 48-inches. With the exception of the bala shark, aggressiveness and temperament also play a role. For the most part these would have to be placed in single species or even single specimen aquariums.

For those that do decide to get an aquarium shark, it is important to feed your shark a combination of brine shrimp, blood worms and commercially prepared food and not to succumb to the urge of feeding them live food. This will go a long way in curtailing aggressive behavior and also keeping the tank clean. Most of these aquarium sharks do not eat their live food whole. Rather, the food may be eaten in pieces which results in carcass debris to be widely scattered and the risk of water contamination greatly increased.

Aquarium sharks are very beautiful and majestic; they just may not be for everybody that wants them.

About the Author: Written by Andrew Stewart
If you want to learn more about Aquarium Sharks, you can visit my website at http://www.learnfreshwateraquariums.com for helpful tips on setting up, maintaining and caring for both your Freshwater Aquarium and the fish that inhabit it.

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=698740&ca=Pets

Photo Credits
Bala Shark by Jeff Cushner
Rainbow Shark by Drachenschwertträger36
Blue Torpedo Shark by fishtankforum_2009

Breeding Betta Fish - Betta Fish Care

A Betta fish is a beautiful freshwater fish that comes in thumping color patterns. It is one of the most inexpensive fish to keep and doesn' t require much care at all. You can obtain a good breeding betta fish if you follow these simple requirements.

Betta splendens (betta fish) have a fairly short lifespan, and are most successful as breeders when they under a year old (bettas in pet shops are usually at least six months old). They breed in bubblenests and do not require a large tank or special equipment. Breeding your betta fish in a good environment is very vital.

Male Betta Building a Bubblenest by Scott Kinmartin

Most breeders find that a bare bottomed tank of roughly ten gallons works well, although smaller tanks are also suitable. Ideally the fish should be conditioned prior to breeding, by feeding them a diet of live foods. The water should be at a pH of about 7.0, and temperature around 80 or slightly above.

The male will blow an elaborate bubblenest when he is ready to spawn. The female should be provided with a hiding place, as males may become aggressive during courtship. Even with a hiding place, it is common for the female to lose a few scales or have their fins frayed during spawning.

When they are ready to spawn, the pair will display intense coloration and begin circling each other under the bubblenest. The male will wrap himself around the female who has turned on her back. As she expels the eggs, they are fertilized and begin to sink. The male will scoop up the eggs and spit them into the nest. From this point on the male will tend the brood. It is advisable to remove the female, as the male may become aggressive towards her as he tends his young.

The male will continue to tend the bubblenest, spitting eggs that fall out back into the nest. In one to two days the eggs will hatch, and the fry will be visible hanging in the bubblenest with their tails pointing downward. They will feed off their yolk sack for another thirty six hours, during which time the male will continue to pick up any fry that fall out of the nest. The male should be removed within two days after the fry hatch, as they may eat the young once they are free swimming. The fry should be fed a couple of feedings daily of baby brine shrimp or very fine baby food. Tetra makes a dry mixture specifically for egglaying fish, and many pet shops carry frozen baby brine shrimp. Take care not to overfeed, as the uneaten food will foul the water and can quickly prove lethal to the fry. Additional information on breeding, raising fry, and photos can be found in the Additional Information section below.

Make sure not to keep two masculine Bettas in a container together because they can fight to death. Females can be kept together though. Many persons think that Bettas cannot be kept with any additional fish but this is not true. Male Bettas and female Bettas can be kept with additional quiet fish genre. Just don't put them in with any aggressive fish that may nip their fins.

Betta fish care and breeding betta fish is not a cumbersome task. It just takes effort, observation and patience.

About the Author: Written by Sylvia Jayakaranvia
Sylvia owns http://www.bettafishcares.com which helps people learn about betta fish care

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=128520&ca=Pets

Flame Angelfish Care

The flame angelfish (Centropyge Loriculus) is probably the most popular member of the genus centropyge in the saltwater aquarium hobby nowadays. It owes this fact to the beauty this saltwater aquarium fish possesses. It is a bright mixture between orange and red with blue accents toward the end of its anal and dorsal fins.

Flame Angelfish by Ken Tam

Vertical black stripes that vary in number are also present across its body. While most flame angelfish are similar in appearance, they typically vary with regards to the number of stripes present along with the overall color. Some have more orange than others.

True Hawaiian flame angels are a bright red all over their body with very little to no traces of orange present. Their stripes are also a lot more narrow than other variants. Most angelfish come from Christmas and Marshall Islands however, as Hawaiian variants are rarely seen in the marine aquarium hobby.

With proper acclimation and feeding, they can become a resilient fish to have. In the wild they graze on algae, small crustaceans and algae and are known to nip on an assortment of corals. With regards to coral nipping, it really is the luck of the draw as they can abruptly gain a taste for specific corals overnight.

A great countless marine aquarium hobbyists have kept them in full reef aquariums and have gotten away with it but there is always a risk. And once they start nipping, you will have to deal with removing them from the reef aquarium by some means, a task that is highly undesirable as it generally means dismantling the rock structure if a trap does not work.

They are not demanding feeders and will try out a broad diversity of foods in captivity. Once they have established themselves in the aquarium, they can become quite a bully. They do not tolerate the presence of other members of the dwarf angelfish family and will likely hound another flame angelfish to death if kept together in a small tank.

Author Resource
Written by Pima Laga
The Flame Angelfish along with other members of the genus Centropyge are touched upon in the authors marine aquarium fish website.

Pearl Gourami - One of the Best in the Gourami Family

The Pearl Gourami (Trichogaster leeri) is much loved by fresh water aquarists because of its lovely color display and peaceful nature. With so many hybrids, it's hard to tell which one is the original. Original Pearl Gouramis have reddish, brownish color, with the entire body and fins covered with pearly white spots. The underside of the fish is covered with rich red-orange tinge. A dark horizontal line transverses the body of the Pearl Gourami from the nose, slowly fading as it reaches the tail, ending in a blot of dark color. In comparison, females are not elaborately colored.

Shoal of 9 Pearl Gourami by JohnInFlorida51

Caring for your Pearl Gourami is easy, making it a perfect choice for those who are just starting with the hobby. It is best to buy them in pairs for they like the company other fish of their breed. A mix of 1 male for 2 females is ideal. Males have a tendency to attack females that refuse to spawn during the breeding season, making it necessary to build a harem for them. The Pearl Gourami is omnivorous and not that picky when it comes to food. Even so, a diet of various kinds of food is essential to keep your fish healthy and maintain its color. It would do well with flake food, black worms, brine shrimp, and glass worms. When it's about time to spawn, vegetables such as lettuce and spinach will be just right for them.

To create an ideal biotope for your Pearl Gourami, place as much plants as you can in the tank, both as food and as shelter for your fish. As they live in shallow waters, don't place too much water. A tank filled just about half-way would be perfect. The water filter in your tank should be adjustable. Pearl Gourami does not want too much water agitation and will always hide in the dense foliage in your tank if set on too high. When it's time to spawn, the male takes on a heavier hue of color. They breed by making bubble nests, so make sure that the other fish in your tank are peaceful in nature.

Author Resource
Written by BC Hodges
BC is a cichlid enthusiast and wants to inform people of the great joy cichlids are to keep. Check out African Cichlids to get educated about cichlids. Or check out a great resource for when you Buy Cichlids.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=BC_Hodges
http://EzineArticles.com/?Pearl-Gourami---One-of-the-Best-in-the-Gourami-Family&id=3539418

Clown Loaches

Scientific Name: Botia macracanthus
Other Scientific Name(s): Cobitis macracanthus, Botia macrocanthus
Common Name: Clown Loach

Clown Loaches, aka the Insane Clown Posse by Lindsay Sorenson

Clown loaches are very popular aquarium fish; however they are not always easy to keep successfully since they easily succumb to ick and are sensitive to poor water conditions. This article is intended to help new clown loach owners provide a good home for their loaches. Clown loaches are found in Indonesia (Sumatra and Borneo), and almost all clown loaches in aquariums are wild caught and distributed around the world before being sold. This can put considerable stress on the fish, and a vital step in getting a healthy clown loach school in your aquarium is choosing healthy fish. But how to make sure that you get healthy fish?

• Check the general conditions in the fish store. Are there dead fish in the aquariums? Is the water clean? If some tanks are mistreated there is a good chance that there might be unfavourable conditions in others too. Only buy fish from stores that take good care of their aquariums.


• How do the clown loaches look? Clown loaches can give you an indication of their condition based on their coloration. A healthy clown loach shows clear distinct colours, while a stressed one loses its colours and becomes whiter. Only buy loaches that show their correct colours.


• Are the clown loaches well fed? Those that haven't been fed correctly are hard to nurse back to health, and it is more than likely you will end up with a dead fish if you buy one. Look at their bodies and see if they look well fed, and ask the shopkeepers how often and what the loaches are fed.


• Are the clown loaches active? Healthy clown loaches are very active and full of energy. A healthy clown loach should be hard to catch.


• Do the clown loaches have hiding places? Hiding places are very important to relieve stress in clown loaches, and you are likely to get higher quality fish from aquariums with hiding places.


• Don't buy clown loaches smaller than 2 inches/5 cm if you haven't kept clown loaches before, since they are much more sensitive when they are younger.

So ideally you should look for the most coloured, most active clown loaches you can find, and buy these to have the best starting point possible. You should also consider the water conditions in the store and try to find one that keeps their clown loaches in water condition similar to the water conditions in your aquarium, to reduce stress on the clown loaches. It should also be stated that clown loaches like resting on their sides, looking almost as if they were dead. However this is completely normal and should not be seen as a sign of poor quality in the fish but rather the opposite. When you have decided where to buy your clown loaches you should buy at least 3 (preferable 8-10). Clown loaches are schooling fish that should never be kept alone!!!

Once you get home with your new clown loaches you should let the bag float on the water surface for 10-15 minutes, and then slowly every 10 minutes add a little water from the aquarium (a coffee cup). Repeat this 4-5 times before you release the fish into their new home.

Digging Clown Loaches by JohnInFlorida51

Tank Setup
Clown loaches can be kept in aquariums of 100 L / 20 G or more. Keep in mind that even though clown loaches grow very slowly they will get big eventually and need an aquarium of at least 540 L/ 125 G, and that should be considered a minimum.

Decorate your aquarium using a bottom substrate of sand or fine gravel that allows the clown loaches to dig . I recommend keeping your clown loaches in a planted aquarium, however the choice of plants differs greatly depending on whether you keep juvenile or adult clown loaches. Juvenile clown loaches can be kept with most plant species, while adults can be kept only with hardy plants such as Java fern and Anubias. All other plants will be destroyed and/or eaten by the adult clown loaches. I also recommend using floating plants to dim the lighting, which makes the loaches more active during the day.

Clown loaches want a setup with a lot of caves and other hiding places, preferably so narrow that they can just barely squeeze themselves into them. Don't be concerned if your clown loaches have squeezed themselves into caves they dug under rocks or aquarium equipment. Odds are they are not stuck - they just like it that way.

Hiding places can be created with rocks, roots, PVC pipes, flower pots, coconuts and different kinds of aquarium decorations. Sharp objects should not be used to decorate aquariums for clown loaches. You can not create too many hiding places and you should create several for each loach.

Clown loaches are sensitive to poor water quality, and they require good filtration. Higher water circulation is also appreciated since clown loaches live in currents in the wild.

Clown loaches are excellent jumpers, and you should make sure that your tank is properly sealed.

Health
As I said earlier, clown loaches are very sensitive towards poor water quality and are usually the first fish that get ill or die if the water quality drops. Water changes of at least 25% a week are recommended. Because of their low tolerance to poor water qualities they are sometimes called indicator fish, since their health indicates the status of the aquarium. Clown loaches are very sensitive to chlorine, and even small amounts can cause a mass death of loaches.

This species are very prone towards getting ick if the water quality isn't good enough, and are sensitive to most ick medicines and salts. So keep an eye on your clown loaches and only use half the recommended doses of medicine, otherwise you risk the medicine killing the loaches.

Food
Clown loaches are carnivores and only eat vegetables to complement their diet. It is therefore recommended that they are given food that reflects this. To get your clown loaches to grow, optimal feeding 3-5 times a day is recommended. (They still grow slowly). Their diet should contain a variety of foods, and can include almost any carnivorous food. A good base may be shrimps, different sinking wafers, different frozen foods, and as they grow older, fish slices. Clown loaches can make a clicking sound, and they will do this when they are content. Therefore you will soon find out what is your loaches' favourite food by them clicking when they receive it. Like most other fish, clown loaches might need some time to accept new foods, however once they do it might become a favourite. Clown loaches are one of the few fishes that eat and like snails, and can therefore be of good use in snail control.

Clown Loach Closeup by camarelius

Breeding
Clown loaches have been bred in aquariums, however it is very rare. Sexing clown loaches externally is hard, but possible by looking at the tail fin. The tail fin tips on the male are slightly bent inwards, making the fin look a little bit like a claw. The tail fin tips on the females aren't shaped like this.

Clown loaches have to be quite old and at least 7 inches / 17 cm before they are sexually mature. In the one good account of clown loaches spawning they spawned under the following conditions:

• Temp: 84F
• pH: 6.5
• Ammonia & Nitrite: 0
• Nitrate: < 25

Four large clown loaches (over 25 cm /10 inches) were kept together in a planted aquarium, and a few weeks before spawning they changed their behaviour and started eating live fish as their only accepted food. The females in the group grew very fast on this diet, and had doubled in girth by the time of spawning. The night during which the spawning took place, two clowns were swimming close beneath the surface entwined in each other and "clicking". The next morning, 450 eggs were found spread about the aquarium. Clown loaches eat their own eggs, so it is recommended moving the parents if you wish to succeed in spawning them.

The fry were fed liquid fry food for the first two weeks, after which they accepted crushed flakes. They grew relatively fast, to 2.5 cm/ 1 inch in 6 weeks. After that the growth rate slowed down.

It's suggested that older fish are essential for breeding since this fish might have to be quite old to be sexually mature. Clown loaches live to be about 50 years, so it is quite feasible that they may spawn later in life than many other species.

About the Author: This article is written by William Berg and brought to you by http://clownloach.info . William Berg also writes for other fish and pet sites. He is especially devoted to predatory fish such as those found on http://www.channa.info

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=16576&ca=Pets

A Stress Free Biorb Fish Tank

Have you ever stared at an aquarium? And then find yourself relaxed while simply looking at the bright, beautifully colored fish, and then you wonder how much money and effort it would take to get one for yourself? And then suddenly, voila! You realize it's not that so relaxing anymore. Well, with a Biorb fish tank, there's really truth to the word stress free!

Decorative Biorb Fish Tank by Simon Harrison

With regular fish bowls, maintaining good water quality is really time consuming and endless worrying about your pet fish because of dirty water, is a real deal breaker, not to mention the odor that usually accompanies dirty fish tank water. With a Biorb fish tank, water quality issues are a thing of the past, since it comes with its own filtration system that actively cleans the water of waste from your pet fish, excess food, and algae that build up in regular fish tanks making the water smell really awful and also might cause your pet fish to get sick and die, causing you stress instead of the other way around.

The built in filtration system is neatly tucked in into the base of the fish tank that also serves as an accent to the aesthetic design of the Biorb fish tank, the base and lip comes in a variety of colors further providing any owner, a custom look and finish that blends well with the unique taste and feel for anyone deciding to add a compact fish habitat in their room, office or personal space. Being able to care for pet fish in a very economical and stress free way is very important since the purpose of getting a fish bowl or a fish tank for most people is to help them relax by being able to take care and watch their colorful pet fish. It's also a good conversation piece, no doubt with friends and visitors alike and the likely question would be "where can I get one of those?"

You can customize your own Biorb fish tank, aside from the different color choices for the base and lip of the fish tank, you can also choose lighting, accessories and decorations that are unique to your own taste. The Biorb fish tank retails from $50-$100 dollars each, depending on the size of the tank and the accessories and decorations that you wish to include in your fish tank to help deliver to you stress free moments from enjoying your pet fishes and their new habitat.

Author Resource
Written by Christopher Stigson
Learn More see Biorb Fish Tank and check Fish Pond Supplies for more information.

Article From Pet Article World

Adding Angelfish To Your Freshwater Fish Tank

Angelfish are beautiful and graceful - a great addition to any fish tank, but you need to be careful that you don't put them in a tank that has fish that they will not get along with. Even though these fish seem peaceful and gentle, they can be mildly aggressive and might tend to eat your smaller fish!

A member of the Cichlid family, Angelfish come in many varieties and colors. They can be a little bit fragile when they are young but as they grow older they can be quite hardy. You'll want to keep them in groups of six or more, however, as just two or three is not a good mix and you may find that the stronger one bullies the weaker fish, but if you keep them in large schools they should be fine.

Bicolor Angelfish by Richard Ling

You'll need a large aquarium for these fish, either 29 gallons or larger depending on how many fish total you want to keep. Make sure you have gravel that is at least 1/4" thick. You will have to keep the tank temperature between 70 and 82°F so be sure that you mix your angelfish with other fish that thrive in this temperature. Make sure your aquarium is at least 24 inches deep - the deeper the better and the deeper your fish tank, the larger your fish will grow. Some angel fish have been reported to grow as large as 12 inches.

Angelfish are not that difficult to feed and they don't really require any special food. You can give them the floating flake food that you find in any pet store and may be substituted in some freeze dried blood worms. If you want to give them a treat, try some brine shrimp or live black worms but be sure to select worms that are in good condition. Although the angelfish is mildly aggressive there are many other fish that can get along quite well in the tank with them. Large Tetras (not the tiny neons) and Silver Dollar fish get along great as do Swordtails Mollies and Platies. Avoid putting Guppies in with your Angelfish as the Angels do tend to eat them. Other fish that you can include in the tank include Gouramis, Clown Loaches, Bala Sharks and Giant Danios.

Although easy to care for and rather hardy, Angelfish can become victims to other fish that like to nip at their long fins. In addition to this they can be susceptible to a common fish tank disease called hole in the head disease which manifests itself as a sore on the fish's head and spreads alarmingly eventually killing the fish.

If you treat your angelfish right, don't overcrowd the tank, make sure you do regular maintenance, feed him properly and keep the tank at the right temperature, your fish can live for 10 years!

Author Resource
Lee Dobbins writes for Fish Tank Guide where you can learn more about setting up and maintaining a fish tank as well as the different types of tropical freshwater fish.

New To Fish Keeping: Checklist

If you're new to fish keeping, there's probably a lot of information out there that's confusing you! As a result, I thought it might be quite handy to put together this checklist for anyone who is considering setting up an aquarium, to help you through the process and to try and achieve the best results you can. The most important thing you need to do is do your research! Make sure you investigate as much as possible, and look into potential pitfalls and how to avoid them. Keeping fish is not rocket science, it just requires some basic knowledge to make sure that your aquarium is looking great and your fish are healthy.

Fish Tank by hiroshiken

Research
Before you do anything, do some homework. Try and find out what is available and what might suit you the best. Your first step should be looking into different species of fish, and finding some that you feel you would like to keep. Once you've done this, you can then base everything around your choice of fish. That way, you know that your fish will have the best environment to live in, and you can enjoy them for much longer with fewer problems.

Size Up
Once you've decided what fish you'd like to keep, you'll need to think about the aquarium you'll be keeping them in. Obviously, you will probably now have a good idea of what size you'll need for your fish, but you now need to match this up with the size you have available in your home/work space. Fortunately, aquariums come in many different shapes and sizes so there should be an option out there that can suit both the needs of your fish, and the amount of space you have in your home.

Install
The installation of your aquarium should be done with plenty of time, and never be rushed. It's at this point that you'll need to make sure you have the correct equipment for the species of fish you want to keep. For example, do you need a heater or specialist filter? Also you should be thinking about things such as plant life and decor. Lighting can play a huge part in how good your aquarium looks, so try to make sure you get the best you possibly can...it'll be well worth it!

Test
The next thing to do is wait! Be patient as an aquarium takes time to settle. Your new fish will require a certain balance of bacteria within the water and this is something that takes around a week to achieve. Even then you can't be sure, so take a trip to your local aquarium store and buy yourself a testing kit. Testing the water to make sure it is ready for fish will make sure that you don't put your fish into water that may harm them. Testing kits are all relatively easy to use and if you're unsure, just seek the advice of the store owner.

Stock
The moment you've been waiting for has finally arrived, it's time to stock your new aquarium with fish! However, once again this should be a process that's not rushed. The worst thing you could do is go out and buy hundreds of fish in one go. Slow and steady is the key here, try starting off with around four fish per week and see how it goes.

Author Resource
Written by Kirsten Hendrich
For more information on aquariums and fish keeping, please feel free to visit Aquarium Group

Article From Pet Article World

Fish Tank Maintenance

Once you own an aquarium the tank maintenance will be one of your most important responsibilities. It is certainly not as much fun as you get from decorating the tank or selecting your fish, but without proper fish tank maintenance, you will be endangering the lives of your fish.

Fish tank maintenance is an essential part of your new hobby as an aquarist, and neglecting this will lead to problems with both the fish tank and the long-term health of the fish. Fish tank maintenance can sometimes seem like a bother for the aquarium owner but it doesn't have to be that way. Perform your fish tank maintenance on a regular schedule and you’ll ensure that you never miss out on what needs to be done.

Serpae Tetras by Corey Wendorf

Maintenance
Now that you have learned about establishing a fish tank and you understand the cycling process, you will better understand the process of maintenance and cleaning. If your tank contains too many fish there will be excessive waste, food particles, and chemicals in the water, making maintenance difficult and the tank unhealthy. Set up your tank with a manageable number of fish and develop a schedule for carrying out regular aquarium maintenance tasks and it will make your hobby more enjoyable. Arrange the fish tank so that future tank maintenance tasks remain as easy and efficient as possible.

Cleaning
Your maintenance and cleaning schedule should not take very long to keep your aquarium sparkling and healthy. Cleaning your fish tank not only helps with the appearance of the tank by removing algae but can also prolong the life of your fish, as no pet can live in an unhealthy environment. Algae can be removed from the tank glass with an algae magnet or scraper. Remember to regularly remove any dead leaves from live plants. Do not overfeed your fish as this will cause excess waste in the water which will settle at the bottom of the tank and need to be removed.

Filter Maintenance
Aquarium maintenance must include regular cleaning of the filtration system as well as the interior of the tank. Cleaning the filter is usually a monthly task. This involves removing the filter medium and cleaning it under running water. When the filter medium becomes too worn it will need to be replaced. Remember, however, that the filtration system also contains “good bacteria” which aids in the breaking down of ammonia and balancing the nitrites in the tank, so rinse the filter quickly to remove large particles but do not be over-zealous in your cleaning.

Once you have your fish tank setup and cycling correctly, you need to set a schedule for cleaning that is strictly followed. Fish tank maintenance is an important aspect of your setup and it is necessary to integrate this into your overall scheme.

Some aquarium owners perform too much fish tank maintenance. Ideally you want the fish tank to become a self-sustaining system and not one where you are burdened with fish tank maintenance all the time. Establish a regular schedule for cleaning and maintenance every two to three weeks and your fish should remain healthy and happy and your aquarium should sparkle.

About the Author: Alison Stevens is an online author and maintains The Goldfish Site to assist anyone who wants to get started with setting up an aquarium fish tank and gain an understanding of fish tank maintenance.

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=155828&ca=Pets

Sea Anemones In Your Aquarium

Perhaps putting in corals is one thing that makes an aquarium lovely, especially if you use a sea anemone. Anemones are actually animals that attach themselves to corals or even rocks. They have stinging cells and these things can paralyze small sea creatures. This is one good defense mechanism for these little babies. There are others who say that crabs and sea anemones share something close to a symbiotic relationship. This is because crabs will eat the small sea creatures that died from the sting and the anemones will eat the scraps of the crab.

Sea Anemones by Dennis Hamilton

Anyway, sea anemones look like flowers. This is why they are dubbed as sea flowers. They come in different colors and shapes and sometimes they may even look like green grass plants. This is why they are good in hunting because they are mistaken by other fish as harmless. The truth is, these things are predators and they are omnivorous. The hunting style of these creatures is to lie in wait for fish that will pass by and then sting them with their tentacles.

Most of the day, sea anemones are just anchored to rocks. They are considered to be great for starters or beginners for marine aquariums because they are not difficult to maintain. These things are not demanding and all you need to do as an owner is to make sure they get the right amount of food supply and lighting. These are the best things to get if you are serious in pursuing maintenance of marine aquariums. If these sea anemones will survive in your care, then you are ready to take more marine life into your hands.

About the Author
Written by Perry Stevens
If you like what you've read go to http://www.StopSmokingInsideMan.com

Article Source: http://www.affsphere.com/Pets-and-Animals/Tropical-FIsh-Species/Sea-Anemones-In-Your-Aquarium-1.html