Archive for Fish

Live Plants For Your Freshwater Aquarium

Saturday, October 9th, 2010

You should always select freshwater aquarium plants which exist in your fish’s original habitat. This is true even though your individual probably has never “seen” or experienced his native habitat first hand.
In general, five types of plants can be used in your freshwater aquarium.

The first type of plant is grown from bulbs. Rather large plants are produced from these bulbs so they are only really suitable for large freshwater aquariums. These plants, such as the water lily and the aponogeton, are much better suited to outdoor settings, especially koi ponds.

Depending on the species of fish you choose, you may want to include plants that float. They make a good hiding place for young fry who need to avoid predators. Examples of these are Riccia and Fairy Moss.

Rhizomes are a group of live plants that you might also consider. This plant has a thick, horizontal stem with leaves sprouting on the top. This plant has roots growing down at the bottom of the stem. ‘Runners’ are produced across the surface of the substrate. As it grows, new roots and leaves are produced.  Two common variation of Rhizomes are the Anubias and the African Fern. Planting these is easy. You simply tie them to the driftwood you already have in your aquarium.

There is a plant which looks like a crown with roots growing below it and leaves above. It is called a rosette. They grow over the gravel by shooting out runners and producing new plants as they go. Many times these plants, which include the Amazon Sword and the Sagittaria, also produce beautiful flowers.

A plant know as a stem has leaves growing from points on a single stem – hence the name! The lower end of the plant is well rooted into the substrate. These have several varieties of leaves – single, paired and multiple.

One of the most common of aquatic plants is the Java Moss. Also called the Java Fern, this particular species is a great starter plant. It is a really tough plant that does well in all kinds of water conditions.

Another easy plant perfect for the starter aquarist is the Water Wisteria. Like the Java Fern, this plant grows quickly. It’ll also help to keep the algae content in the tank low. You should not use too much of it because it can use up a lot of the nutrients in the water.

Another rugged plant is the Anubias Nana. This spetacularly tough plant can survive almost anywhere. It flowers in the water and is very pretty. And fish don’t seem to like eating it. For the Anubia Nana to truly do well, though, you’ll want to attach this plant to a tree root or a stone.

If your tank is exposed to a lot of strong sunlight then another good choice is Lillaeopsis it looks like grass.

If you’re truly ambitious at trying your hand at plants, consider purchasing the Cryptocoryne Beckettii. This is an amphibious plant – meaning it grows both underwater and on land. It does really well under water plus it comes in a variety of colours.

You should also consider the Echinodorus Bleheri better know as the Amazon Sword plant. This is, without a doubt, the most popular of all aquarium plants of all time. It requires very little care so its great for beginning aquarists. It a quick grower and it also controls the algea growth in your tank.

Your freshwater aquarium will be greatly enhanced by live plants. Certainly they require more care but in the long run they are definitely worth the extra trouble. Start slowly with a few hardy varieties of freshwater aquarium plants and gradually expand on these as you get more experienced. A well planted tank will make your fish feel completely at home and will give you the greatest of satisfaction!

The Most Common Mistakes In Maintaining Aquarium

Thursday, October 7th, 2010

Aquarium can be sited in the living room or in your beautiful garden. This aquarium can beautify your home or your garden. It can also aid you to eliminate your blood pressure and provides a sense of triumph.

Aquarium can raise your blood pressure if you find that the fish keep floating on the surface of the water. Therefore, in order to keep away from this bad condition, you can learn about the most general mistakes that anyone can make in keeping aquarium. This article will give you briefly details about that.

Don’t Overstock

Most people frequently stuff as many fish as possible in their aquarium. in fact, you can not do that silly thing if you don’t want your fish die breathless. In most of the pet stores, the fish may be cramped, but they have resolution to maintain their fish alive. So, don’t try to do the same thing at home. It is as the pet stores commonly have pond filter koi for the fish and the fish are repeatedly to move out when they are sold. So, if you still want to keep your fish alive, then you must not do that thing at home.

The safest rule to follow is giving four gallons in your aquarium to each fish, assuming the fish are only an inch long each (excluding tail fins). The rule used to be one gallon per inch of fish. That rule can be found in lots of older aquarium care books, but it has as verified to be unreliable. In addition, your 20 gallon tank doesn’t hold 20 gallons of water, and there are also plants, gravel, and decorations. As a outcome, you can have at the most five fish in a twenty gallon tank. But if you have an outdoor pond fish, it will be a great idea for you to install large pond pumps.

Don’t Overfeed

Even if there are loads of scientists that claim aquarium fish are stupid, they’re all get the intelligence enough to beg, and they are really good at it. But you must remember that feeding the fish too much is very bad for their health. A fish that eats too much will be a fish that passes out a lot of waste. This will destroy your filtration system and also the chemical composition of the aquarium water.

The general regulation is not to feed more than your fish can eat in about three minutes. If they are underneath feeding fish or shy fish, then you can give it ten or fifteen minutes. This general rule can be learned by doing it. It seems like you’re scarcely feeding your fish at all, but they have tiny stomachs and require only a little bit of food.

Get the Biggest Tank that You Can Afford

Another mistake is that people regularly think that smaller aquariums are easier to maintain than the larger one. But in fact, smaller tank apts to get dirty very fast and it will require daily maintenance. The bigger aquarium with the appropriate amount of fish will outcome in the less maintenance it will be needed.

Because there are more and more people who love to maintain the fish by having aquarium in their home, you must be careful of some things that may be risked for fish. It is main to learn about how to take care of your fish in order to save your fish.

Freshwater Aquarium Temperature – Things You Should Know

Saturday, September 25th, 2010

What is the Best Temperature?

So your tank is almost ready, you have added the gravel and filled it with water. Now you need to set your freshwater aquarium temperature with the heater and thermostat.   What temperature should that be?   As a rule most freshwater aquariums are best kept at around 73 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 28 Celsius).   What you actually set the temperature at will depend upon whether you live in a warm or cool climate.    The reason being that you want to avoid freshwater aquarium temperature fluctuations as far as possible.   So if you live in a warm climate you would want to set the thermostat at about 80 degrees Fahrenheit on the other hand in a cooler climate 75 degrees Fahrenheit would be best.   This has the effect of minimising the impact of ambient temperature changes on the freshwater aquarium temperature.

You should bear in mind that the warmer the water the less oxygen it can hold and therefore higher levels of aeration should be employed.   It is also worth mentioning that an acrylic tank is a much better insulator than a glass tank and a reasonable tight fitting lid will also reduce temperature fluctuations.

In general the actual set temperature is less important than sudden changes in temperature.      Rapid temperature rises or falls really stress out you fish making them prone to disease and can kill them.   Large scale freshwater aquarium temperature changes in less than 24 hours cause a number of fish problems including at worst the ‘shakes’ or ‘shimmies’, ichthyophthritis (ick), fungus and at best a general decline in health.

What Size Heater?

The quantity of water to heat and the temperature difference between the room and the heated water dictates the required heater wattage.   As a general rule you need 2 watts for raising each gallon of water 5 degrees above surrounding temperature.   Two heaters may be required for larger tanks which have high temperature differentials.   In such cases they should be put at each end of the tank.

You should not have a larger wattage heater than as calculated above.   Two reasons for this are one, a very powerful heater as it cycles with the thermostat could cause a rapid temperature rise and two, if the thermostat goes wrong a large heating element would fry your fish within a few hours.

What kinds of heaters are there?

There are three kinds of heater, all work well.

1.   Immersible heaters.    These are inexpensive and easily found so they are the most common.    They dangle into the water hanging on the back or side of the tank.   Above the water surface there is a temperature control.   Their disadvantage is that some people consider them to be an eyesore and prefer the heater to be hidden from view.

2.   Submersible heaters.   As the name implies these can be completely submerged in the aquarium.   Their biggest advantage is that they can be easily hidden behind plants and rocks.   These kinds of heaters are more robust and easily keep a set tank temperature.   While they cost more than immersible heaters they are not expensive, they are easy to use and being slimline easy to hide.

3.   Filter heaters.   These are a really good option because they keep the freshwater aquarium temperature even throughout the tank.   They heat the water as it moves through a filter.   They are the most expensive heater type but they do operate as a filter unit as well.   The big plus of this type of heater is that it is outside your aquarium, so it doesn’t take up space inside and you don’t see it at all!

Don’t Forget a Themometer!

One final word, make sure you have a good thermometer in your tank. Before use chack that its calibrations are correct. After that you should check the reading every day on a regular basis. The best time is to glance at it as you feed your fish. This will make you aware of any freshwater aquarium temperature troubles before they affect the health of your precious fish.

Conclusion

So That’s it.   The actual freshwater aquarium temperature depends upon where you live but whatever it is it should be tightly comtrolled by your thermostat.   Keeping temperature fluctuations to a minimum is much more important than what you select as your freshwater aquarium temperature.

Fundamental Pieces Of Koi Fish Ponds Require A Proper Filtration Syste

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

If you plan to keep Koi fish, an excellent filtration system is vital. In order for you comfortable and healthy Koi fish, provide a pleasant filtration system for his or her pond. They are very delicate to the conditions of water they’re dwelling in. So if your system is quickly and effectively taking out dangerous substances from their atmosphere, they may dwell an extended life.

A great filtration system keeps the organic balance in your pond. The filters extract the waste produced by Koi fish. If they are dwelling in open pure setting, the waste is at all times taken away by the currents of the water. Additionally, the volume of water there will be able to deal with the air pollution factor. Nevertheless, if they’re living in a synthetic pond, this pure process isn’t available. So it’s a must to provide one which is effective enough.

The filter retains efficiently the organic balance. Mechanically, the filter will clear filth particles from the water, it will maintain the stream of water and it will take out the waste continuously.

The filter will do its work but it is advisable do yours additionally! It’s best to take out these particles from the filter and dispose them off. Whereas cleansing the filters, keep in mind to not break down the bacterial colonies residing on them. These bacteria will convey down the toxic waste to make it much less harmful.

Some of the necessary things which disturb Koi fish is the degrees of ammonia or ph levels. The filtration system will flip them into nitrites. Koi fish can maintain nitrites in small portions but they can’t tolerate high ph levels. So along with filtration, it is best to use other methods of treating the water which is able to management ph levels all of the time.

To assist the filtration system, it is best to have a pump which may force the water into the filter. The filter will not be able to flow into the water on its own, especially when the volumes of water are large. The pump will do their job. Because the movement of water starts going immediately by means of the filter, the grime particles will routinely be remoted and removed.

You must also take into account introducing a waterfall or a fountain which is able to movement all the water by the pond. It will guarantee a great provide of oxygen which is significant for the fish. The fountain will fire up the water and that may enable the oxygen to go into the water in a pure way.

It is best to perform weekly tests for the chemical contents of the water. This can be finished in {two} ways. First, take some sample from the pond and go to your pet shop to get it tasted. Alternatively, you can buy a testing kit from the shop and do the testing yourself. It is vitally necessary to maintain the composition of chemicals within the water at a secure degree all the time.

Every passion requires some time and effort. When you take pleasure in spending time by a wonderful pond where koi fish are swimming happily in a natural environment, it is best to put in some efforts. In fact it’s the accountability of the fish-keeper who’s maintaining Koi Fish. The pleasure of having fun with peacefully the attractive Koi fish is most rewarding for the effort. Find more other useful information about dog kennel training, house training dogs and cheap dog supplies

Fundamental Pieces Of Aquarium Vegetation Are Necessary For An Aquarium Atmosphere

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

Many of the aquariums will have plants. The reason is very simple. Healthy crops look good and at the same time they create a natural environment. The fish feel safer and glad when they have locations like vegetation to hide. In truth, most of fish species could not be capable of survive for a very long time in absence of vegetation within the aquarium.

The fish get a feel of security with caves and rocks also. However the rocks are not capable of produce oxygen which plants do. The fish can not eat the rocks! So the plants are inevitable selection in any aquarium.

There could also be some issues whereas maintaining the vegetation within the aquarium. The fish may eat some of them or attempt to dig the roots. However the solutions are also there. You may choose vegetation which may not require anchorage within the gravel. These crops are at all times floating. You can even select plants which the fish aren’t likely to eat, as they might not like the taste! You can even select vegetation that are strong and growing quick so that they’ll tolerate such trouble.

Moreover offering worthwhile shelter to your fish, vegetation will beautify the aquarium. They can even improve the standard of water. Really in nature, crops and fish wish to keep together and they will complement way of life of every other. The waste which is released by fish could also be useful for the crops for his or her nutrition. This waste could also be contained by the vegetation in order that it might not float round and contaminate the water. Nevertheless, do not forget that all this waste cannot be disposed off with the assistance of plants. It’s a must to take away the decaying waste manually.

Your responsibility isn’t over should you introduce plants within the aquarium and sit quiet. It is best to observe them regularly. It’s best to take away the unhealthy elements from the plants. You should also prune the plants to maintain them in affordable shapes. The crops will produce oxygen which is required by the fish and they’re going to take out carbon dioxide which is dissolved in the water. So the standard of water will increase.

The crops will resist the growth of algae as a result of each crops and algae will depend upon the same sources of nutrients. The crops may even enable microorganisms to choose them which can be helpful for maintaining the ecosystem in aquarium.

It is a frequent experience that many species of fish will not spawn in un-planted aquarium. Some fish require the crops to spawn as a result of they feel a way of security. Some will require plants to lay eggs on. If there are enough plants in the aquarium, the newly hatched fry may even really feel safe. They will take the shelter behind the plants.

The fish do not require much sunlight however the vegetation require it. So when you could have crops within the aquarium, they need to get sufficient sunlight.

If you are a beginner, it’s best to go for some selective plants. Java fern and Java moss are thought-about good for the beginners because they are robust and survive in a variety of hardness of water. These crops will propagate for themselves. The old plants will break off ultimately and the brand new ones will develop on them.

In addition to the assistance extended by the vegetation in maintaining the aquarium, you also needs to put in your efforts to maintain the surroundings clear and conducive for the properly-being of fish. Checkout more other FREE information about online dog training courses, personal protection dog training and puppy obedience training

The Importance Of Freshwater Aquarium PH

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

PH measures the degree of acidity or alkalinity present in the water of your aquarium.    The scale ranges from 0 to 14 with 0 being the most acidic, 7 being neutral, and 14 being the most alkaline.   Most fish thrive in a pH range of 6.4 to 7.8 but there are exceptions.

The ph scale is logarithmic which means in simple terms that a very small change in value is a very large change in acidity or alkalinity.

It is changes in pH value that affect your fish much more than the actual pH value.  While a fish may prefer a pH of 7.2 it will most likely be perfectly happy with a pH of 6.7.   However the same fish will become extremely stressed if you have a pH swing of 0.3 over the course of a day.

Most aquarists deal with the pH issue by keeping it as constant as possible and getting their fish used to living in that environment.   Constant measns that the pH should nt range by any more than 0.2 over 24 hours.

In some cases breeding only takes place at a particular pH value.   If you plan to breed a certain species, research the range of pH it finds acceptable to breed in.    Some varieties are easily pleased while others have a very small range.   This is probably the only good reason why you might want to aim for a particular pH value.

Factors Affecting pH

  • Biological filtration As everyone knows, good filtration is one of the essentials of a well stocked aquarium.   Biological filters reduce pH because they release carbon dioxide into the water.
  • Carbonate Hardness Carbonate hardness or kH is a measurement of the carbonate hardness of your water.   The harder your water i.e. the higher its kH then the better the water is at neutralising acids without a major change in pH.   It is called your water’s ‘buffering capacity’, generally speaking, kH should be above 4.5.

Adjusting pH

Changing the water regularly (which you should be doing anyway)  is a good way of keeping the pH at an appropriate level.

Acclimatising your fish to the pH provided is the best way to deal with pH but you can change it as shown below.

How to Lower the pH

  • Filtering water over peat
  • Add bogwood to the tank
  • Inject carbon dioxide CO2
  • Use a commercial acid buffer
  • Water changes with softened water or RO/DI (Reverse Osmosis/De-Ionized) water

How to Raise the pH
Raising the pH makes the ammonia in the water more toxic to your fish so this should be done with great care.

  • Aerate the water, to drive off excess carbon dioxide (CO2)
  • Filter over coral or limestone
  • Add rocks containing limestone to the tank or use a coral sand substrate
  • Use a commercial alkaline buffer

Conclusion

It is much more important to have a stable pH than to have a specific value for your pH.   To obtain a reasonably stable pH the carbonate hardness should be about 5-6 dH so that the water has a reasonable ‘buffering capacity’.

Even small swings of more than 0.2 pH in a day can cause your fish to die.   You should therefore not attempt to tamper with the pH unless you have a very good reason for doing so.

For more information on freshwater aquarium pH go to my website www.freshwateraquariumsecretsonline.com

 

 

The ABC’s Of Fish Ponds

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

“When planning to make a fish pond, it would be better if you understand how to take care of one before executing your plans.

If you live in an area where it is freezing cold or where the temperature is usually low, it is good to make a fish pond that is thirty to fifty inches deep. This way, the fish can stay at the bottom of the water weather conditions are not favorable. But the most effective way to keep the fish pond environment warm is to place an electrical device called de-icer that functions as a heater. This is one device that is very useful especially during winter. It keeps the water from the surface of the pond from getting frozen. Another way of keeping the fish pond warm during winter is to provide plastic cover with small holes in it to allow air to enter.

It is a must to get a pond filter to make sure the water is clean enough for fish to survive. There are many pond filters available in the market and you can actually opt to use a solar powered pond filter if you want to cut back on your electricity bill and if you want to save the environment from further harm produced by the burning of fossil. Always keep in mind to regularly check your pond filter. Along with checking it, you should also clean or change the filter as often as needed. It all depends on how big your pond, how many fish there are and the season.

If your pond is situated in a garden or in a place where there are plants and trees, you will be needing a net to keep the leaves, flowers, debris and twigs from falling into the pond.

You also need to know how and what to feed your fish. Remember that their appetite is different from us. Avoid feeding biscuits, rice and bread to your fish. Buy from your local pet shop.

Water pollution is one perpetrator that can cause health complications to fish. Thus, make sure that what you place inside the pond will not cause any pollution. If you have other pets at home like cats and dogs, make sure that they do not throw stuff in the water or urinate in it.”

Solar pond fountains can help you save energy cost. For an enchanting look of your fish pond you can add lake fountains.

Healthy Fish Pond – Dos And Don’ts

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

“Do you have plans of making your own fish pond? Are you having trouble planning the things that your pond should have? Well, stop worrying. Here are a few guidelines to help you maintain a healthy fish pond:

Depth

The very first thing you have to take in mind when making your fish pond is its depth. Having the proper depth for the size of your fish important for the way you pond will look. You will need a shallow pond if you plan to breed small fishes. Shallow pond would be about 4 feet deep, this is the minimum depth for fish ponds. If, however, you are planning to breed large fish then you can go deeper than this.

Pond Size

It is not just the depth of your fish pond that matters, but also its width and length. The size will matter because this will determine whether your fish will have enough space to swim. Larger ponds will let you breed more fish. It is known that there are some fishes that are territorial, which means that they need a space away from other fishes. Some of this fishes will attack other fish who happens to trespass into their area. Having a pond with large space will not only prevent your fishes from attacking each other, the extra space is also great for your fish which are laying eggs.

Plants

Your pond should have aquatic plans because they can help you keep your pond’s environment healthy. You should choose an underwater plant if its purpose is for providing oxygen for your fishes. Underwater plants are great giver of oxygen to your fishes. Find out also if your fish needs a shade, if they do then look form lily pads or other shade plants. Don’t put a lot of plants in your pond, let your fish adjust to their environment first. Another to take note is never to build your pond under a tree because of falling leaves and try to build your pond under a shade.

Equipment

If you want to have your pond for a long time, you must invest into some equipment. Your pond will need water aerator, ultraviolet sterilizer, water pump and filtration system.”

Everything you need for your fish pond can be found here online. From floating pond fountains to small pond fountains. Everything can be found in one place online.

Custom Saltwater Aquariums-Are They More Complicated To Retain Than Freshwater Aquariums?

Saturday, September 4th, 2010

Aquariums shape and sizing are just two of the parameters that you could specify with custom made salt water aquariums. Specialists who will layout the structure for you collaborate with other pros for instance architects and designers to provide you the aquarium that fits your requirements.

Though there is certainly a particular reduce limit for the size of your saltwater aquarium, under which the natural environment becomes unsuitable for your fish, it is possible to get an aquarium created to any dimension you want ranging from small-sized tanks set up inside a little room of the residence to a huge framework placed in the centre of the shopping mall. So, if you have a concept in thoughts, get in touch with professionals who’ve knowledge of designing custom salt drinking water aquariums to turn your vision into reality.

 

Most people are below the impression that keeping a saltwater aquarium is infinitely additional tough than keeping a freshwater one particular. This isn’t true. The actuality with the matter is the fact that maintaining saltwater fish just isn’t necessarily far more tough, you just should present the suitable natural environment and take suitable care on the fish.

The possibilities of fish that you just get with saltwater aquariums are outstanding. A gorgeous seeking marine tank may be employed to include to the ambience of purchasing malls, restaurants, properties and offices. At household, you are able to location it inside the basic activity area or your personal room to add a touch of nature towards natural environment. Also, you don’t must obtain a ready-made tank with pre-defined corners and size; you can locate a support that offers customized saltwater aquariums for commercial and residence use. The aquarium design professionals will operate with architects and designers to provide a custom made marine tank.

In addition to design, you can find also other possibilities that you just can make. You’ll be able to select tailor made saltwater aquariums that only comprise fish. These aquariums is not going to have any variety of corals, anemones or clams. They will only have fish and maybe some mobile vertebrates that will help in cleaning the tank.

Customer saltwater Aquariums can also be reef aquariums. These consist of several varieties of existence forms, with emphasis on corals and anemones. These aquariums normally incorporate a broad assortment of species that need to have an particularly specialized setup.

Keeping Fish Is A Lot More Fun Than You Might Think

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

There seem to be a lot of people out there that are completely against keeping fish because they believe they are very boring to keep but this is just not true at all and there are many interesting ways you can make the hobby fun and exciting!

 

Decorate The Tank

Don’t just buy a tank and leave it there with water and a couple of ornaments in there, get out there and buy some decent aquarium plants and with this I am not talking about the plastic types as they could actually injure your fish. the live plants are going to help your tank out a lot because they are real and the fish are going to love them. buying plants often is good for the fish and they will eat them if you keep buying them, this is a good thing as it keeps them happy and healthy.

 

Don’t Just Stick To Fish Food

Feeding fish the same old flakes day in day out is great for the fish as it provides them with all of the nutrients they need but the one thing it does not provide them with is a bit of fun with their food. something that is worth trying from time to time are blood worms and they provide a bit of entertainment when watching the fish feed. the good thing about these is that they come in cubes and are freezable, this means you could perhaps do it once a week. these kinds of things are expensive so make sure you know this. Not only will the fish in the aquarium fish tank enjoy it but it is an interesting thing to watch in the marine fish tank.

 

You will find that by doing things like this it is not a boring hobby at all and you can actually have a lot of fun with it!