The Oranda Goldfish - An Interesting Fish For Your Aquarium

Author: Lee Dobbins
source Articlesbase.com

If you want a fancy looking goldfish that has an unusual characteristic and you might consider the Oranda goldfish for your aquarium. This fish has a beautiful metallic scaled appearance and comes in a variety of colors from yellow to bright red as well as an interesting chocolate color and a pure white with a red cap.

The interesting characteristic of this goldfish is that they have a bumpy growth on the top of their head which develops when they are a couple of years old. This growth is called a wen and is an unusual, but somewhat appealing characteristic. While this differentiates the Orlando from other goldfish he is similar in many other ways including his paired anal fans and dorsal fin.

The Oranda goldfish can grow to be about 7 inches in length and will survive best in the tank that is between 65 and 72 degrees F. Like other goldfish, he is a good community fish and will even help to clean excess food from the bottom of the tank. However, you must be sure to keep him in a tank that is of sufficient size keeping in mind the population of fish you wish to house in the aquarium. Appropriate aquarium maintenance is a must to keep the water quality in good shape. While goldfish are hardy, they will do best with a well cared for tank.

Goldfish are omnivores, and the Oranda is no exception so you want to be sure to feed him a good-quality flake food every day. In addition, you want to include some fresh or frozen foods such as tubifex worms, brine shrimp or blood worms. Keep in mind that live foods can introduce parasites and bacteria into the tank so you might want to stick to frozen foods only.

With the Oranda, you do want to be careful about bacterial infections because debris, fingi and bacteria can get caught in the folds of their wen. Well, for the most part, these fish will be fine you do want to keep an eye out for any red or wall looking patches and take the appropriate steps to clear up an infection should one arise. On some fish, you may be alarmed to notice that the wen has grown to cover over the eyes. This seems to disturb the owners more than the fish, however, and the Oranda somehow does fine even if it seems like he can't see where he is going.

Originally from China, Oranda goldfish can be found in most pet stores today. They are not inexpensive fish, however, they can be a bit delicate and may not be the best choice for a novice aquarist.

Taking Care of Fish and Aquariums

Author: John Ugoshowa
Source: Amazines.com

If you own fish and aquariums, you should have already researched to know how to take care of your fish and aquarium. If you have not, then it is important that you research, asked questions, read materials, etc, which will help you provide proper care to your fish and tank.

If you plan to purchase non-marine and marine fish combined, you will need to consider a variety of details. The one thing you want to avoid is inserting aggressive and non-aggressive fish into the same tank. Unless you want to lose money, this is the best recommendation anyone can offer you. Damsels are aggressive fish, which the fish are typically starter fish. Fish owners tend to start with damsels, since the fish are inexpensive and require less maintenance and attention. It is recommended that you only put two of the same or similar fish in a single aquarium.

In addition to fish, you will need to purchase with your aquarium test kits, buffers, filters, gravel, floss, and so on. It is important to keep fish water fresh. If you have, saltwater fish you will need to add salt every two weeks. In addition, you can purchase fish that will adapt well to saltwater, especially if you have primarily saltwater fish in your tank.

How to maintain freshwater fish Common freshwater fish will adapt to nearly any type of tank. Saltwater fish tend to do well in reef tanks. Since freshwater fish will adapt to a variety of tanks, it is easier to take care of the fish. In fact, freshwater fish is recommended for beginners. In the category of freshwater fish are the tropical fish and the Coldwater fish. To help you get started we can consider aquariums.

Considering aquariums The first thing you want to consider is the area you will place the aquarium. You want to make sure you have sufficient space at your home to spot the tank. You should never put fish aquariums near open Windows, or windows in general. The sunlight will cause photosynthetic organisms (Algae) to grow quicker. You will need to avoid spotting the tank near heaters, or doorways. It is important that you maintain room temperature when caring for fish. You can purchase dehumidifiers and humidifiers, which can help you, maintain room temperature. In addition, when you purchase your aquarium, make sure that you consider filters, floss, gravel, medicines, food, water, etc. You want to make sure that your plug sockets can handle the level of electricity required of fish aquariums.

How to choose filters? Filters are categorized as chemical, biological, and mechanical. You can purchase external, internal, and under-gravel filtration systems to support your fish aquarium. If you are just starting out in fish care and aquarium care, avoid the under-gravel filters since it will require excessive maintenance, as well as the filters do not produce quality power. However, you can use under-gravel filters in conjunction with mechanical, biological, or chemical filters. It is recommended to learn the actions performed by each filtering system before joining under-gravel filters with another filtration system. One of the most popular filters utilized is the internal filters. The internal filters include foam cartridge(s) and a diminutive box. The filters work to draw liquid from grills. The liquids are then filtered by the foam cartridge, which exits through the nozzles found at the top of the filters. Beginners could benefit from using the internal filters, since indicators will alert you when to clean or replace the filters. Valves work to produce oxygen, which adds to the advantages of using internal filters. The internal filters also have filtering pads, which remove chemicals while using polyester and/or carbon pads. The strong synthetic fabrics produce low moisture, which absorbs the chemicals. The filters are hardwearing, which means you will not have to replace the filters as often. John Ugoshowa. For more information about Aquariums and fish care see the art aquarium and fish care section of The Free Ad Forum at: http://www.thefreeadforum.com/infowizards/CAT/Aquariums-Fish-Care_83_1.html

How To Avoid Disease In Your Aquarium

Author: Lee Dobbins
Source: articles-hub.com

There are many diseases that can affect your aquarium fish and once your tank is infected, there's a good change that all your fish can get sick. Luckily, keeping a disease free tank is not that hard. Most disease is a result of poor water quality so not overcrowding your tank and keeping a regular maintenance schedule is a must.

There are many diseases that can affect your aquarium fish and once your tank is infected, there's a good change that all your fish can get sick. Luckily, keeping a disease free tank is not that hard. Most disease is a result of poor water quality so not overcrowding your tank and keeping a regular maintenance schedule is a must.

Most aquarium disease can be avoided by making sure your aquarium water is healthy. If disease does break out, doing a water change and treating the water for the particular disease is the best way to nip it in the bud. If you don't do these two things your tank is a disaster waiting to happen.

Neglecting the appropriate tank maintenance and partial water changes will allow toxins to build up in the water, basically polluting your fish's environment. As the water becomes more toxic your fish become more "stressed", the more stressed your fish becomes the easier it is for the micro organisms present in your aquarium water to infect your fish with various diseases.

I addition to insuring your aquarium has good water quality, you should also keep an eye on your fish each day so that you can be alerted to any signs of stress right away and take the appropriate action.

So how do you tell if your tropical fish are stressed?

Tropical fish don't react the same way to stress as people do, but there are some tell tale signs you can be on the look out for. Some things to look for include; fish rubbing themselves against the gravel or aquarium décor, fish hiding in the corner or under plants or rocks all the time, fish bobbing around with their fins close to they body and any growths or white fuzzy spots are some of the things that indicate aquarium disease.

Of course, the first step in treating aquarium disease is preventing it. Here's some steps to make sure your aquarium remains free of disease.

1. Don't overcrowd your fish tank. Your tank can only support so many fish - the more fish you have the more waste they create and if the filtration cannot handle the waste you end up with toxins in the water that can accumulate to dangerous levels over time. The larger the tank, the more fish you can have.

2. Acclimate new fish to the tank properly. When you bring a new fish home form the pet store, it's already been through quite a bit. Shipped from the breeders to the new store and put in a new tank, then transported into your tank all can be stressful to the fish. To acclimate your fish properly, make sure you float him in the bag in your aquarium for 10 minutes then open the back and introduce some of your aquarium water into the bag, let that sit for about 10 minutes and then let the fish out into your tank.

3. Make sure to have great water quality. Since poor water quality is the greatest case of fish disease and death you'll want to be diligent about your tank maintenance and partial water changes. Also, make sure to test the PH and nitrite / nitrate levels and adjust the tank accordingly. This is quite easy and there are test kits made for testing as well as adjusting the water.

Keeping your aquarium disease free is not difficult and will help you enjoy beautiful healthy fish for years to come!

How to Care fo Aquarium Catfish

Author: Li Ming Wong

via aritclesbase.com

Catfish are common fish found in freshwater aquariums. Catfish are very unique and differ from other fish in regards to their health and care. The most distinguishing feature of a catfish is the prominent "barbells", which look like whiskers on a cat, hence giving these one of a kind fish their name. The other thing that set catfish apart from any other fish is the fact that they have no scales. They also possess a strong, hollow ray on their fins that a stinging protein can be emitted from if the fish is irritated or in danger.

The most common catfish found in aquariums are the armored catfish. This group is smaller in size than other types of catfish and make a great addition to an aquarium. When you are setting up your tank initially, it is best to decide then whether you are going to house catfish. Your decision will impact the type of gravel or sand you will use as well as the pH of the water within the tank. Armored catfish prefer soft bottom material because they forage for food within the substrate. Catfish feel more secure when they are hidden from the light, so be sure to have caves and hiding places for this type of fish.

Overall, the care of catfish does not vary from caring for your other fish. You should try to include a food that will settle on the bottom of the tank as these fish are bottom feeders. The water should have a temperature in the middle to upper seventies and the pH should be neutral. This is usually the same set up and water balance you will use to house other fish as well, so it should not be a major concern when you add your catfish.

Catfish are known to be somewhat goofy and comical, but this may depend on the species of catfish you have. Their behavior will vary, but as a whole, the catfish is an entertaining addition to an aquarium. There are group and schooling catfish that get along well with each other. There are also loners who always stay away from their neighbors. Catfishes are the ideal candidates for community tanks because they inhabit niches and shelters on the bottom not occupied by other aquarium inhabitants. They generally get along well with all types of fish. Only in combination with some larger Cichlids can there be a problem as the Cichlids tend to extend their territorial claim to the entire tank.

The one thing to consider before adding a catfish to your existing aquarium set-up is the size of the other fish. While catfish generally get along with most fish, they are a predator and will attack and feed on smaller fish. Catfish are also nocturnal, and should be fed later in the day or at night. You may have to adjust the feeding times depending on what your schedule is now and what other types of fish inhabit the tank. With the number of species of Armored catfish, you will be sure to have a colorful and amusing aquarium with the addition of these comical fish. As with all fish, be sure to keep the aquarium clean and healthy so as to ensure the health of the fish as well as your enjoyment for years to come.

the exciting thing about comet goldfish

author allen jesson
via articlesbase.com

The Comet goldfish is ideal for novice goldfish keepers since it is tough and adaptable and do not require a lot of pampering to do well. It can be kept in outdoor ponds as well as in big cold water aquariums. They can grow quite big as an adult and a length of 14 inches is not uncommon.

There exists several different variants of the Comet goldfish, but they all have long and slender bodies and a big and elongated single tail fin. The large tail fin gives the Comet goldfish a very stylish streamlined body shape. The name Comet is probably derived from how they resemble comets in the sky with long and flowing tails. You can find multicoloured variants as well as specimens with single coloured bodies. One example of a popular Comet goldfish variant is the beautiful Sarasa Comet goldfish. This fish will typically display a multicoloured body and look a bit similar to a Koi fish.

The home of a Comet goldfish should contain densely planted regions as well as big open areas where it can swim around without being entangled in aquatic plants. If you keep your Comet goldfish in an aquarium, you can for instance use Anubias, Crinum, Elodea (Egeria) and Java moss. Keep in mind that many popular aquarium plant species can not tolerate the low temperatures in a goldfish aquarium. In an outdoor pond, you must select aquatic plant species suitable for your particular part of the world and it is therefore difficult to provide any general recommendations.

Getting a Comet goldfish to eat is not difficult and they will accept a wide range of different food types, including flakes and pellets. A varied diet is recommended to make sure that your Comet goldfish receives all necessary nutrients. Vegetables should always be included in the diet and you can for instance feed it lettuce, zucchini and peas. The amount of food must be adjusted according to season, since the metabolism of the Comet goldfish is affected by the water temperature. Feeding your Comet goldfish the same amount of food year round in an outdoor pond that is affected by seasonal temperature variations can result in obesity or starvation.

Comet goldfish are not only bred in outdoor ponds; they frequently reproduce in large aquariums as well. They are naturally inclined to spawn in spring when the water gradually becomes warmer and warmer after the winter. If you do not live in a region where this happens, or if you keep your Comet goldfish indoors, you must usually simulate a winter season and a subsequent spring to coax your fish into spawning. Decrease the water temperature for at least 30 days before you gradually allow it to become warmer and warmer. Professional breeders will often separate the fry from the adult fish to ensure a high fry survival rate. If you keep your fish in a well planted pond or aquarium where the bottom is covered with large grains, at least a portion of the fry will however survive even when kept with adult fish.

Care of Live Aquarium Plants

Author: Li Ming Wong
Source: Articlesbase.com

To add that special effect and enhance the natural setting within your aquarium, try using live plants instead of fake plastic plants. The use of live plants will not only add a pleasing visual appeal, but will also help maintain your tank. By adding oxygen to the water, the use of live plants helps keep your aquarium balanced and will aid in fish health.

The most important factor in growing and maintaining healthy aquarium plants is the lighting used. For a well planted aquarium, it is suggested to use 2-3 watts per gallon of water. The use of fluorescent bulbs is practical and adds a nice lighting effect. Take caution when deciding to use florescent lights if your tank has a depth of 20" or more. The low growing plants, or plants with multiple leave levels will suffer from a lack of light as the florescent rays will not provide enough light.

Once you have figured out what type of lighting you will use, you must turn your attention to the hardness of the water. The majority of aquarium plants will thrive in water that has a hardness between 4-12 dH, and between the range of 6.5-7.2 for pH. Plants need clean and clear water to survive best in, so proper cleaning and maintenance should be performed on the aquarium. Most plants will not survive if there is too much debris or waste in the water, so keeping up with cleaning is essential.

Once your plants are established in a clean, well lighted tank, you must care for them by making sure they receive the nutrients required for healthy growth. Plants need both macro- and micro nutrients. Macro nutrients are usually found naturally in tap water and in the fish themselves. These nutrients include nitrates, sulfates and phosphates. Macro nutrients should never need to be added to the water of the tank. They exist on their own. Micro nutrients are needed in very small amounts. Copper, iron and zinc are among the micro nutrients live plants will need to survive in the aquarium.

Generally, the water and the fish in the tank will provide the nutrients and fertilizers needed for plant growth. It is rare that any supplements will need to be added. One important factor in having healthy plant life is your filtration system. Stay away from under gravel filters because they produce a steady flow of bubbles that disturb the surface. The filter plate on under gravel filters also limit's the composition of the gravel in which the plants are rooted. All other kinds of filtration systems will work well. The only things to be concerned about are if your filter causes too much disruption to the water surface. When this happens, carbon dioxide is lost and plants will suffer. Also make sure the filter creates a current that keeps nutrients moving throughout the tank.

By having a good chemical balance in the aquarium and having an efficient filtering system, you will be sure to have healthy live plant growth. These plants will add to the beauty of the tank and will also keep your fish relaxed because it will be a natural setting for them. If you are considering adding plants for decoration within the aquarium, consider the great benefits of using live plants.

How To Set Up a Calcium Reactor in Your Aquarium

Author: Devin Gilliland
via articlesbase.com

That is the reason why calcium reactors are so important to be used in aquariums. These calcium reactors can produce calcium continuously in the tank to the precise levels required so that optimal conditions are maintained. Calcium reactors will use up the carbon dioxide that is given off as a waste product into the aquarium and generate calcium, which can be useful in a number of ways to the inhabitants of the aquarium.

The following are two important ways in which calcium reactors become indispensable to the aquarium.

The most prominent benefit of using calcium reactors is that they maintain the pH value of the water. The pH value of the water has to be maintained at a neutral state, but if the level changes, then the water can become too acidic or too alkaline for the inhabitants of the tank. When calcium is released into the water by the calcium reactors, it helps to stabilize the pH value of the water and maintain it at an optimum level.

Algae that live in the aquarium play an important role in the closed ecosystem of the tank. They are useful for the sustenance of living organisms in your reef tank. For example, some of these algae could help the corals within your tank with their nutrition by forming a mutually benefiting association with them. But algae, especially the algae that grow on corals, require calcium to survive. Calcium reactors help to fulfill this necessity.

Setting up a calcium reactor in an aquarium is very simple, and you can do it yourself by referring to a DIY guide. Calcium reactors are set up by assembling several components. Here is a list of the different components that need to be assembled:-

1. Carbon dioxide cylinder - The carbon dioxide is available in a pressurized cylinder. It is present in a refillable bottle. It is attached by straps to the aquarium so that it does not accidentally fall over.

2. Calcium carbonate medium - The medium is kept within the calcium reactor and it gets dissolved into the tank. The dissolution is controlled by the pH values that are set within the reactor. These calcium carbonate media are different substances containing CaCO­3 in them, such as calcite for example. They are slowly allowed to dissolve into the tank.

3. Solenoid valve - The solenoid valve is like a switch that is used to allow the carbon dioxide to flow into the reactor. It is usually connected between the carbon dioxide cylinder and the main reactor. Another method of connection is to attach it to the pH controller and then to put the probe into the reactor.

4. Pump - The pump will be required to feed the water into the reactor. The attachment of the pump will depend on the kind; however the pump connection must be such that a proper circulation of water is maintained into the reactor.

Maintenance Of Aquarium Filters

Author: Devin Gilliland
Via articlesbase.com

Aquarium filters come in many shapes and sizes. Their principles of filtering the media inside the aquarium are entirely different too, and so is their effectiveness. Based on their principle of functioning, aquarium filters can be classified into three main categories:

1. Mechanical Filters - These filters actually allow the aquarium medium to pass through a pad or a sponge that holds back the impurities within the medium and allows clear liquid to pass through.

2. Chemical Filters - Chemical filters use the principle of adsorption to allow the pollutants in the aquarium medium to get adhered to them and then eliminated. Generally, activated carbon black is used in such aquarium filters. The benefit of chemical aquarium filters is that they can remove not only the impurities within the aquarium, but also foul odors and colors from within. Hence, the water that passes through a chemical filter is much purer than that passing through a mechanical filter.

3. Biological Filters - As their name suggests, biological filters use real live organisms and microorganisms to clean out the inside environment of the aquarium tank. Biological filters might just refer to a bed of bacteria on the aquarium gravel. Bacteria are very useful in the aquarium to maintain the ammonium cycle, which helps in removing the nitrite and nitrate impurities.

Most aquariums will have all three kinds of filters in them. The reason is that all the three filters focus on cleaning different aspects of the aquarium - mechanical filters will mostly remove the particulate pollutants within the tank; chemical filters will remove organic matter and colors and odors and the biological filters will remove degradable matter and some chemicals. Huge aquariums will require all three kinds of filters.

Even the maintenance of the three different kinds of filters follows different rules. The following are some basic steps necessary in the maintenance of aquarium filters:

1. Maintenance of mechanical filters - Since mechanical filters contain mechanical components such as pads and sponges, physical cleaning is often required. Sponges have pores, and these pores can get clogged with impurities. Hence, it is necessary to take out these sponges and pads and to rinse them under flowing water at least once in seven days. But that really will depend on the population of the tank and how many impurities are produced in it.

2. Maintenance of chemical filters - Chemical filters use activated carbon black, which cannot remain for a long time in its activated state. Hence, these filters will lose out on their effectiveness in some time. Generally, chemical filters need replacement of the activated carbon black every alternate month.

3. Maintenance of biological filters - It is difficult to clean biological filters because they are microscopic living organisms. A careful rinsing method can be employed taking care that the bacterial growths remain intact. It is wiser to actually clean out the mechanical and chemical filters before handling the biological filters, because many a time, cleaning out the mechanical and chemical filters cleans out the biological filters too.

When you go shopping for an aquarium filter, you must keep the size of your tank in mind, and the number of occupants in it. Also ask in the store what special measures you will have to adopt to maintain the filters.

Maintaing a Freshwater Aquarium

Author: Devin Gilliland
via articlesbase.com

Freshwater aquariums are preferred among aquarium hobbyists for the apparent reason that they require very low maintenance. It is true that freshwater fish require lesser maintenance than seawater fishes, but that does not mean they should be neglected. Even freshwater fish need some suitable conditions for their good health, and hence it is required to maintain those needs for your tank inhabitants.

The following are the important steps you will have to perform for the care of your freshwater inhabitants:

1. Removing the organic debris from the tank.

There is a lot of pollution in aquarium tanks, whether they house freshwater fish or saltwater fish. This pollution comes from the waste products of the fish, and from the fragments of the food that has been uneaten by the fish. When microorganisms in your freshwater tank die, they will also contribute to the pollution level of the tank. You must remove all these from the tank on a regular basis. Vacuuming is the most suitable method for this purpose. You can cheaply get aquarium pumps at any reputed pet store. Vacuum your freshwater tank at least once every month.

2. Checking the conditions of water in the tank.

You must understand that fish live in the water, and for them the water is just as important as air is to us. That is why you must make every effort to check the condition of the water. This is done by setting a proper pH value for your tank. You will have to ask your aquarium supplier what will be the proper pH value for your fish, as the pH value differs for different fish types. Then you must get a pH filter that will help you keep the proper pH value. But in the initial two months or so, you will need to check the water condition once every few days. This can be reduced to a monthly checkup after the first two months are over. That is the time your aquarium will have completely set in.

3. Checking your aquarium's filtration.

There are several different filtration requirements for your aquarium, and you will need mechanical, chemical as well as biological filters for your tank. The mechanical filters are made of pads and sponges, and their work is to filter out the particulate impurities from the tank, while the chemical filters will remove all unendurable odors and colors. The biological filters are a complex bed of microorganisms in your tank - mostly bacteria - that provide your tank with the natural environment it needs. However, as time passes by, mechanical filters will get choked, chemical filters will lose their adsorptive power and biological filters could simply die out. Hence, you will need to check out the efficiency of your aquarium filters from time to time. Monthly cleaning is enough for aquarium filter maintenance.

4. Changing the water in the aquarium.

You will have to change the water in your aquarium periodically. You must replace about one-tenth of the water every week, a quarter of the water once a month and about half the water once every six months. That will ensure the water in your tank remains pure. However, you should never replace all the water in your tank because then you will be losing out on the valuable biological ecosystems that are already set up within your tank.

How To Properly Transport Live Fish

Author: Author: VARADHARAJA PERUMAL
Via articlesbase

Tropical fish are among the highlights of many aquariums. This is because they are usually varied in both color and appearances.

Due to this high demand for them, many sellers and fish breeders guarantee that they can send they to wherever you are in the United States of America.

Transporting

Tropical fish are sensitive to climate changes in the water they belong to. These changes in the water temperature can affect the fishs health and living condition up to a point that it can cause death.

Some pet store owners recommend transporting live fish in a plastic bag. The bag should be filled halfway with water. They shall then be placed in the plastic and then the plastic must be filled with oxygen and sealed.

They come from the tropics are often transported in this way as well. The only difference is that the plastic bags are stored in Styrofoam containers that help to regulate the temperature.

Lowering the temperature can help to lower the metabolism of the fish and enable them to survive better through the long and arduous journey.

They are always transported in this method when they are just being brought to the United States from Asia. What usually happens is that one fish is put in one plastic bag and then they are packed into a Styrofoam container.

The reason why only a single fish is placed in an otherwise roomy bag is to isolate deaths. If there are three fish in a container and one dies, the water will stagnate and poison the other fish in it.

Ice is often placed at the bottom of the plastic bags under some insulation so as not to have any direct contact with the plastic bag to lower the temperature of the entire container.

They being transported usually have a long way to go before they reach their destination.

The transportation of they plays a big role on the prices of the fish. Since these fish are usually transported by air to their destinations, the price of their cargo and handling along with the shipping costs are included with the fish prices in the pet stores.

They are difficult to propagate and breed so breeding them is not such a feasible idea. Tropical fish seldom live long in an aquarium unless they are in a really large tank with the right kind of water and conditions.

Care of Live Aquarium Plants

Author: Li Ming Wong

To add that special effect and enhance the natural setting within your aquarium, try using live plants instead of fake plastic plants. The use of live plants will not only add a pleasing visual appeal, but will also help maintain your tank. By adding oxygen to the water, the use of live plants helps keep your aquarium balanced and will aid in fish health.

The most important factor in growing and maintaining healthy aquarium plants is the lighting used. For a well planted aquarium, it is suggested to use 2-3 watts per gallon of water. The use of fluorescent bulbs is practical and adds a nice lighting effect. Take caution when deciding to use florescent lights if your tank has a depth of 20" or more. The low growing plants, or plants with multiple leave levels will suffer from a lack of light as the florescent rays will not provide enough light.

Once you have figured out what type of lighting you will use, you must turn your attention to the hardness of the water. The majority of aquarium plants will thrive in water that has a hardness between 4-12 dH, and between the range of 6.5-7.2 for pH. Plants need clean and clear water to survive best in, so proper cleaning and maintenance should be performed on the aquarium. Most plants will not survive if there is too much debris or waste in the water, so keeping up with cleaning is essential.

Once your plants are established in a clean, well lighted tank, you must care for them by making sure they receive the nutrients required for healthy growth. Plants need both macro- and micro nutrients. Macro nutrients are usually found naturally in tap water and in the fish themselves. These nutrients include nitrates, sulfates and phosphates. Macro nutrients should never need to be added to the water of the tank. They exist on their own. Micro nutrients are needed in very small amounts. Copper, iron and zinc are among the micro nutrients live plants will need to survive in the aquarium.

Generally, the water and the fish in the tank will provide the nutrients and fertilizers needed for plant growth. It is rare that any supplements will need to be added. One important factor in having healthy plant life is your filtration system. Stay away from under gravel filters because they produce a steady flow of bubbles that disturb the surface. The filter plate on under gravel filters also limit's the composition of the gravel in which the plants are rooted. All other kinds of filtration systems will work well. The only things to be concerned about are if your filter causes too much disruption to the water surface. When this happens, carbon dioxide is lost and plants will suffer. Also make sure the filter creates a current that keeps nutrients moving throughout the tank.

By having a good chemical balance in the aquarium and having an efficient filtering system, you will be sure to have healthy live plant growth. These plants will add to the beauty of the tank and will also keep your fish relaxed because it will be a natural setting for them. If you are considering adding plants for decoration within the aquarium, consider the great benefits of using live plants.

Via: Articlesbase.com

Video: Aquariana 2007

Here is a video collage from my visit to Aquariana 2007. I used my digital camera (samsung A7) to take the video and compiled it with Windows Movie Maker on Windows Vista. FInally, I uploaded it to Youtube.

Please enjoy!

Report on Aquariana 2007

Aquariana 2007 held at one of the campus building of Ghent University (Belgium) was quite a success. I did not manage to take quality photos, because I failed to take good shots, a lot of them were blurry and had glare effects. (I learned a lesson that I should prepare more on photography techniques). I will present the video collage in the next post.

Well, it seems like the event was managed professionally, as all the aquarium setup was nicely presented. The aquarium stand were not as much as I expected but they present enjoyable setups ranging from asian region aquarium, african, reptiles, even they present an aquarium simulating a mangrove environment.

Overall it was an enjoyable visit. This visit attracted a lot of Gentenaars (inhabitants of gents), young and old, hobbyist or not, they came to see, respect and enjoy the event.

For the aquarium fish presented, again I did not note down the species name, well some of them I know, like barbs, cichlids, rasbora, tetras. I really liked how they focused a lot on designing the aquascaping.

Overall (again), this show was worth the money (we had to pay 2.5 euro to get in).
Wait for the video collage on my next post!

Here are some photos I took. Please enjoy!

Mangrove aquascape with blue crab?

Rainbow fish

Again rainbow fish

half water half plants.. (Darn... I gotta learn to take better pics)

Aquarium Accessories to Enhance the Appearance of your Fish’s Habitat

Having an aquarium can be much more than just a place to put the fish. Using the right aquarium accessories, you can turn the aquarium into a fine piece of decoration in the house. With the proper accessories, you can add to your fish’s habitat and dress up the overall appearance.

When selecting aquarium accessories, you first want to identify the type of water and the type of fish you have. There are some accessories that will not hold up in salt water like they can in freshwater. Also, some accessories are not good for various types of fish.

For a salt water aquarium, coral can be a great addition because of the elegance it adds. It will fill the aquarium up nicely and make it look less dull. There are several different kinds of coral to choose from giving you options to decorate the aquarium.

Rocks are another accessory that can suit an aquarium perfectly. There is a plethora of different sizes, styles, and colors of rocks to choose from. This way you can match the rocks with the scenery you have already added. Some options include rainbow rocks, lace rocks, and carved lava.

If you have a freshwater aquarium, there are just as many options to choose from to spice up the tank. As with saltwater, you can opt to place all different kinds of rocks with no problems. An accessory that is only suitable for freshwater is driftwood. Driftwood comes from swamplands and sinks naturally to the bottom of the tank. This will keep it from tangling up and injuring the fish.

Aside from adding style to your aquarium, you also need maintenance aquarium accessories like pumps and filters. These will help keep the tank free from toxic waste that could harm your fish.

Lastly, you will need additives for the water. Additives will allow you to keep the fish healthy and free of any kind of harm. For a saltwater aquarium, you can use a reef solution to enhance the lifestyle or your fish. For freshwater aquariums, there is a solution that can be used to stimulate the appetite of the fish.

Aquarium accessories are crucial to enhancing the appearance of the tank and the overall lifestyle of the fish. Everything from coral to rocks to pumps and filters should be considered when looking for accessories. While decorating the tank adds to the appearance, pumps and filters can keep fish healthy and lively.

Author: Danny Wright
Via Articlesbase.com

3D Fish School Screensaver 3.94

3D Aquarium Fish Screensaver from Gelios Software features schools up to 100 salt-water or fresh-water fish swimming among bubbles within beautiful underwater backgrounds at the same time. You can set the number of fishes or bubbles, customize as fish swim their way around and change the underwater background with very soothing underwater effects. If you have multi-monitors, you can display 3D Aquarium Screensaver on them via settings of your virtual desktop.

Version 3.94 displays a new registration screen.
Can run on Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/Vista

Download here!

Cichlid Mating Behaviour

This is how Cichlid behave when they are mating.

Video from calwhiz

Aquarium Show at Gent!

I will attend an aquarium expo "Aquariana 2007" at the 16 september 2007 in Ghent, Belgium.

Off course, I will report things that I found there!

Barbs in Fish Care and Aquariums

Tiger barbs, Rosy barbs, Red Barbs, and Sumatra barbs are various types of freshwater fish that are easiest to breed and maintain. However, the larger barbs are best suited with fish of their own size. The larger barbs will steer up trouble in communal tanks, as well as uproot your fancy plants. It seems the larger barbs demand more attention than the smaller barbs; therefore, the barbs should be grouped and separated.

The Black Ruby and Purple Head Barbs come from Ceylon. The fish grow around 2 ½ inches in size and live well in communal tanks. The female barbs produce colorful environments with their yellow-gray figures that share dark stripes in vertical lines and in blotches. The male counterparts are brownish-black and/or black with frontals that present vermilion red. Unlike the boisterous Puntius Conchonius groups, this fish will live well in communal waters. The fish is not finicky; therefore, this breed will feast on all foodstuffs. In addition, the fish does not place high demand on water conditions, yet they will live well in neutral waters, which is moderately hard. Like the Puntius, this breed is one of the easier fish to breed. The barb lays around 300 eggs, and spawns like many other barbs.

The Tiger Barb and Sumatra are of the Capoeta Tetrazona species. This specie comes from Borneo and Sumatra, which they grow around 2 inches in size. The colorful fish set off communal tanks with its reddish-yellow figure that presents a wide array of black stripes. This fish has a changeable attitude, which makes this one of the most diverse fish on the market. The fish according to few will bully other fish and nip at their fins, while others claim that the fish has a calming nature.

The Tiger and Sumatra fish require the same water conditions as other barbs. The Tiger Barbs and Sumatra tend to inhabit well in practical or impartial alkalinity water. As well, the fish do well in judicious hard water. It is recommended that fish owners set the temperature at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The Tiger and Sumatra fish have a hearty craving for provisions, in view of the fact that the fish will eat all foodstuffs. Breeders will benefit from the Barbs, since all barbs are healthy spawns.

Female Tiger and Sumatra fish are plump, which differ from the male counterparts slim and colorful figures. The female are plain Jane, which breed as that of other barbs. The fry however tend to endure bladder problems and their fins tend to rot. The water then should be in extreme spotless conditions. The tank should also be monitored during breeding, since mutants will gnaw at the spawn laid by Tiger and Sumatra fish.

Cherry Barbs or Capoeta Titteya fish originate in Ceylon, which the fish grow around 2 inches in size. The fish compose a figure of yellow-brown, or red-brown. The fish are distinguished by their dark top to bottom black stripes. The fish make great communal fish, and request the same feeding and water conditions as that of other barbs. Capoeta Titteya male counterparts have darker colors and when bred the fish will change colors. The colors usually appear black and cherry red, which the stripes virtually evaporate.


The Cherry Barbs breed in the same fashion as other barbs, and will lay up to 200 eggs. The Cherry Barbs come in variety, which some barbs will feast on their barbs, while others will not.

In conclusion, if you are just getting started in fish care and aquariums, check out the line of Harlequins.

About the Author: John Ugoshowa. For more information about Aquariums and fish care see the art aquarium and fish care section of The Free Ad Forum at: http://www.thefreeadforum.com/infowizards/CAT/Aquariums-Fish-Care_83_1.html

Source: easyarticles.com

Aquarium Pumps Are Essential For Any Aquarium

Author: Darren Lintern

If you have a fish tank, than an aquarium pump is essential to the functioning of the aquarium, and must be chosen with great care. Without a pump, your fish would not be able to get the oxygen that they need.

Finding the pump that is right for you can be difficult if you are not familiar with the industry. In many cases, when you purchase a new tank, it is likely that most of the necessary equipment including the filter pump come pre-packaged. This makes the set up so much easier, as you will instantly know that you have everything needed.

But in the event that you are in the market for a new aquarium pump, here are some important points to keep in mind including the resistance offered by the pump, heat generated, noise production and number of returns.

A mistake that is commonly made while buying a filter pump is to instantly opt for the biggest and most powerful pump available irrespective of the size of the fish tank. This of course should be avoided under all circumstances since large pumps will generate a lot of heat and can endanger the fragile ecosystem prevailing in the fish tank by raising the temperature of the water.

On the other hand you should not opt for smallest possible pump as they may lack sufficient power to pump water. This may force you to install an additional pump to save the aquarium and fishes. The most important point that you must keep in mind while buying pump, is the volume of water to be stored in the tank.

In a closed system or a static system, it is necessary for a more powerful pump to be installed to generate the pressure needed. This is due to the water needing to be filtered through the canister or the module filters. These pumps will also require a comparatively higher turnover rate. In the open system aquariums the pump turnover rate is much lower. Wet and dry filters are a typical example of open system aquarium pumps.

You should not increase or decrease the intake or the return of the aquarium pumps. If the intake of the pump is lowered this could lead to overheating of the pump. The pump life can also be affected if you reduce the return of the pump. This will be due to the resistance of the pump building and causing the temperature to rise.

Make sure to check your pump regularly as part of the maintenance schedule. Any pump that you find to be giving problems must be replaced immediately. It would be a wise investment to purchase an extra aquarium pump in the case of emergencies. This way, if something happens, you will be able to quickly swap them over, keeping your fish in healthy, oxygenated water.

via articlesbase.com

Matrix Crayfish

This time my post is not about aquarium fish. I want to show you a pic I randomly found. It is a culture system to raise crayfish (found by blueyabby.com) called extreme density unit (EDU).

It reminds me to a scene of the matrix movie! Just take a look at the pic (Maybe they were inspired by the movie?).


Do you think its a little bit cruel?


original pic from blueyabby.com

Tips For Treating New Fish

Here are some tips to do if you just brought back your newly purchased fish back home.

1. Always transport your fish at moderate temperature - excessive heat or cold can severely stress and possibly kill the fish. When transporting a large number of fish use a white polystyrene box. Most quality aquatic outlets will provide you with one.

2. On arriving back to your aquarium, float your new fish (still sealed in the bag) for 20 minutes, ideally with the lights switched off to reduce stress.

3. Open the bag and add 5 to 10 drops of Stresscoat, Aquaplus or Stress Guard. At this point add a disease preventive (such as Protozin) to the aquarium. Remove any carbon or polyfilters from your filtration etc. for two or three days, as these will quickly absorb remedies or treatments.

4. Slowly add a small amount of water from your aquarium in to the bag with the new fish in and allow the bag to float for 2-3 minutes.

5. Repeat step four, 4 or 5 times until you are confident that the water in the bag has reached the same temperature as the water in your aquarium.

6. Do not introduce water from the bag to your aquarium, as this will contain fish waste.

7. Gently net the fish out of the bag and free them in to your aquarium.

8. Monitor your water quality daily (Nitrate, Nitrite, pH and Ammonia) for the next week to ensure the new introductions do not adversely affect the condition of your aquarium, either through increased feeding or otherwise.

Source Shirley Aquatics

Related articles:
Decorating your tropical aquarium
How to select an aquarium
Setting up your new aquarium
Very good aquarium for beginners
How to clean a dirty aquarium

Keeping Killifish and Loach Fish in Aquarium

Loach fish come in a wide variety, including the family of Cobitidae. The prime fish are made up of nocturnal and are relate to catfish. The fish primarily live at the bottom of waters, which barbels help them to sift through gravel. The Kuli Loach is one of the Loach fish that has a long snake-like body. The fish is a favorite aquarium choice. Some people describe the Kuli as having a worm shape body. Kuli does not tolerate bright lights, and prefers hiding areas. The fish tends to habitat in the back corners and enjoys cave environments. The fish is shy in nature, unless you keep fish of its kind in the same tank. Kuli enjoys feasting on Tubifex. The fish has a thin, long body, which grows up to 3 inches in size. The fish has a peaceful nature, and lives will in communal tanks.

Loach fish come from the family of Cobitidae, Acanthophthalmus Semicinctus, and the Botia Macracantha group, which you can find these fish in most pet stores. One of the easiest to care for in the Loach category is the Botias. This fish enjoys moderate hard water, or alkalinity based water. It is recommended that you avoid acidity waters. In addition, the water temperature should remain at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and no higher than 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The Botia makes a welcoming communal tank neighbor. Botia also includes the Tiger and Clown Fish. To learn more about these fish check online or consult with your supplier.


Kuli Loach Preferred Water conditions
Kuli enjoys slight acidy waters, or neutral water, and does not have a pH preference. Tank condition: This shy fish does not care for bright lights; therefore, you should give him a home in plant dense aquariums with plenty of areas to hide.

Feed:
Kuli takes delight in feasting off Tubifex, yet he will eat frozen foods, as well as a selection of dried foods.

Killifish come from the family of Cyprinodontidae. The fish is widely distributed and has the brightest colors of all freshwater and saltwater fishes. This fish is ideal for starters, since it will dwell in communal tanks without a problem. The fish habitat in African Sub-Saharan waters. The streams dry out during particular seasons, which this fish dies. Yet the offspring or spawns live well in dry climates, which resurrects the Killifish. The fish will live in small tanks, and desire water conditions set at 70 degrees, or 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The fish live longer in 70-degree temperatures. Killifish grows to 2 or 4 inches in size.

Water conditions
Peat filtered waters is ideal, yet the fish will tolerate soft, hard, or slightly acidy waters.

Food
The fish will eat a wide assortment of frozen and dried foodstuff. The downside about the Killifish is that you will rarely find this bred in pet shops. The AKA (American Killifish Association) group can help you find areas where the fish are sold.

About the Author: John Ugoshowa. For more information about Aquariums and fish care see the art aquarium and fish care section of The Free Ad Forum at: http://www.thefreeadforum.com/infowizards/CAT/Aquariums-Fish-Care_83_1.html

Image of killifish from wikipedia.org.

Lookatmyfish.com is not mine!

I was going to buy the domain of lookatmyfish.com, but recently somebody already bought it.

I just want to inform the readers that the site is not mine. The genuine blog of lookatmyfish is here (at blogspot).

Terminalia Catappa Leaves

Ketapang leaves also known as Indian Almond Leaves, Tropical Almond Leaves, Sweet Almond Leaves, Wild Almond Leaves, Sea Almond Leaves, Catappa Leaves, Java Almond Leaves or Ketapang Leaves, are used by tropical fish farm breeders and fish hobbyist to create brackish water or k-water extract to promote healing and breeding for tropical fishes, such as Guppies, Betas, Arowanas, Tetras, Gouramis, Apistos, etc. Usually it is used in after dried and cleaned

Beside creating a natural environment and induces spawning, it also controls or reduces the pH level of water, thus it is also one of the best aquarium water conditioner . They are known to have antibacteria, antifungal, stress relieve and immune boosting properties for all tropical fishes too.

For usage simply rinse dry katapang leaves with tap water before putting them into your aquarium tank. After 1-2 days the leaves will be water-logged and sink. This will leave a strong brown dye that will tan the water slightly (to a clear amber) and provide a very natural stream-bottom look to your aquarium. This dye consists of tanic acid and other organic materials that emulates the natural environment of most tropical fishes. Remove the leaves from the tank after 10 days.

For smaller betta containers, you can also break up the leaf in small 1-2 square inches and drop it in the container and let it seep in the water for at least 3 days to achieve the desirable and 5 days for best result. Water treated with almond leaf help reduce the number of water change in your betta containers from twice a week to once a week.

Alternatively, you can boil the leaves to make blackwater extract and dose when you need. Soaking the leaves in a tank for 10 days will produce a similar result.

Recommended dosage would be 1 leave to 20 liters of water for 10 days, thus 10 leaves to a 200 liter tank. Size of premium leaves ship will be 7" in length and more!

If you are interested ang would like to purchase the leaves you can go to this site (my friend in Riau - Indonesia). :)

strange neon tetras

I'm just wondering why the neon tetras here are not active.

cool wiki site

Hi readers! I just want to tell you that I found a good website called The Aquarium Wiki. Although I think it still needs more content. I think its worth a visit.

Visit The Aquarium Wiki

Video Guide: Starting a Saltwater Aquarium

When searching amazon for aquarium videos, I found this gem. This video is sort of a video guide to start a salt water aquarium. It is made by Carson Passey, who has been a long time aquarium hobbyist and consultant. For years he has helped family, friends, and countless clients achieve wonderful and eye-catching aquariums in homes and offices.

The Aquarium Series DVDs as Carson shows how to keep a beautiful aquarium with out the mistakes and setbacks that so often lead people to quit the hobby. Everybody will enjoy his simple approach to creating and maintaining fun and exciting aquariums.

Find out more about the video.

Starting A Saltwater Aquarium The Easy Way

aquarium dvd

I've been looking around amazon and I found a lot of products which are DVD with aquarium movies (live aquarium shots). If you turn your TV into an aquarium, would it have the same effect (to reduce stress) as a real aquarium?

Just wondering

How To Select an Aquarium

Author: Jimmy Cox

Far too many people start off on the wrong foot by acquiring an aquarium first and deciding what to do with it afterwards. Sometimes this turns out well enough, but it is equally likely to cause a good deal of difficulty and expense.

In selecting your aquarium there are three things you must consider. Where you are going to locate it; what size will be right; and what style you should choose. As there are certain conditions that must be observed in order to have a successful aquarium, we will discuss location, size and style separately.

Location

Naturally you want to look at your fish, so choose a spot that will allow you to view them while you are seated comfortably. You will be watching them for hours.

Keep in mind that the beautiful colors of the fish are due to reflected light from their scales, so place your aquarium in a corner or along an inside wall where you have top or front light exclusively.

Although most tropical fish will withstand moderate variations of temperature it is best to avoid sudden or extreme changes. Remember that air circulation is a principal reason for varying temperature. This means that your aquarium should be located in a quiet place away from heaters or draughts or open windows.

Excessive light should be avoided also. Placing an aquarium in front of a window, or having a bright light shining in your aquarium, will cause the growth of disagreeable algae. Many kinds may form - some adhere to the glass, others form in filaments or strings throughout the aquarium, still others float and color the water green. You will then have the trouble of cleaning out your aquarium.

Size

There will be a natural inclination to begin by buying a small tank to see how it goes, with the possibility of getting a bigger one later if successful. This may appear wise on the face of it, but experience has shown that the smaller sizes of aquaria are much more liable to have things go wrong than the larger ones, and the chances of the initial cost- being wasted or additional cost being continually incurred are greater with small tanks.

So we strongly advise you to get the largest tank you can accommodate or afford. This is simply because a large body of water is not so liable to sudden changes of temperature, and is less likely to be affected by small amounts of harmful matter that may get into the tank; while the added space gives the fish better exercise and a chance to get away from the occasional bully among them.

Style

Today you can purchase an aquarium and style it to fit any decor - from traditional to modern, from handsome hardwood to wrought-iron, from knotty pine to polished chrome or plastic. You will find tanks finished so nicely that no other decoration is necessary - rectangular tanks with smooth or stippled stainless steel frames, modernistic flared styles where the top is wider than the bottom and is supported from the top of the tank, even large glass balls some two feet in diameter. Make your choice. Your own taste will dictate the tank you want to fit your location and size.

Keeping goldfish in small glass bowls is a form of cruelty which should be beneath the dignity of all people who call themselves civilized. Goldfish can be kept very successfully indoors in a properly filtered aquarium. They are ideal pets, being among the most colorful and easily cared-for fish, and do not require special heating. They must not be crowded, however.

Once you have considered the location, size and style of your aquarium, you are ready to buy one, and begin the wonderful hobby of fish-keeping.

Via: Articlesbase.com

Spawning of Bronze Corydoras

A video of corydoras breeding! Corydoras means “little armored catfish.” Cory scales protect them from some predators that snap up little swimming morsels. Their dorsal and pectoral fins also contain the so-called catfish “horns,” another protection against fish gulpers. Most people shorten their name to “cory cats” for convenience.

More on how to breed Corydoras click here.

Decorating Your Tropical Aquarium

Author: Lee Dobins

Having a tropical aquarium can be a fun hobby as well as a great way to add a decorative focal point to any room. Everyone knows that filtration and lighting are key elements to an aquarium, but many people don't realize that the "decorations" in your tank also have an important function in the tank. Aside from making your aquarium look great, decorations can provide important hiding places for your fish.

Gravel comes in many colors and styles and is key to the look of your tank. If you want a colorful tank, you can get gravel in almost any color you want. If you prefer a more natural look, you can get white, off white or even gravel that looks like stone.

Aside from being decorative, gravel is also functional. Gravel plays in important role in the biological filtration of your tank as well as under gravel filtration if you have that type of system. It can also provide an anchor for root systems of live plants so it is important to be sure you choose the right type of gravel. It' best to choose a gravel that is 4 to 6 millimeters, especially if you have an under gravel filter as this will help with water flow. Those neat looking shiny marble type stones you see are not recommended for gravel, but if you really like the look, you can scatter some on top of the gravel.

Rocks add a natural look to your tropical aquarium and provide a place for fish to hide behind. Rocks can also be handy as a surface for some types of aquarium plants to grow on such as Java Moss. You can buy interesting rocks in all shapes and sizes at your aquarium store. If you use rocks from your own yard, make sure you clean them thoroughly and rinse off any soapy restudy before putting them in the tank.

Bogwood is another great addition to a tropical aquarium and can help give your fish lots of places to hide and swim around in. This type of wood can last a long time in your tank and is available in most fish stores. It's probably not a good idea to use wood you find in the woods or your yard as it can have parasites or other things that are not suited for tropical fish.

Live plants are a great way to enhance the natural look of your tropical aquarium while also helping to improve the water quality and providing the fish with a natural cover and spawning area. If you have ever tried to keep live plants and found they wilt and turn pale after a couple of weeks, this is probably because you have not provided them with enough (or the right kinds) of light. Most plants have specific lighting requirements and you may simply need to buy a different bulb for the tank. Once you do that, you will find live plants are easy to grow and will interest to your aquarium.

If you like a more traditional decorative look for your tropical aquarium, you may want to add in some interesting décor such as sunken treasure chests, underwater divers or greek ruins.

Your tropical aquarium can be decorated for any look you want as long as you be careful not to add anything that would be toxic to the tank. Be sure to clean and rinse anything you plan to add so as to not contaminate the tank.

Source: articlesbase.com

Related articles

Tips for treating new fish

How to select an aquarium

Setting up your new aquarium

Very good aquarium for beginners

How to clean a dirty aquarium

Starting a Marine Aquarium - the Very First Considerations

Author: Peter Cunningham

Seeing pictures of a healthy marine fish only or reef aquarium in books or on the internet, or even better, in reality at a public aquarium will cause just about anyone to appreciate the beauty and general fascination of them. Some people will wonder if they could have one, and the thought will shortly disappear. Others, however, will not forget so easily and will want to delve further into the possibility of having their own home aquarium.

If the potential aquarist knows a friend who already has a healthy marine aquarium, then there is a source of advice available already. The friend will already have been through all the research and considerations. Often, however, the potential aquarist will want to find out for him/herself. That is very good, as the aquarium system will be understood thoroughly. Then there may not be a known marine aquarist available, so what is the first move? Dashing to the local shop and buying an aquarium and a few bits of equipment that the shop says is needed is totally incorrect.

The first move is to follow a planning scaffold. This scaffold will be the foundation for all the decisions that need to be made in building the system. There are quite a few decisions along the way and things can get a little confusing, even to someone who is experienced in the freshwater aquarium field. The scaffold will help.

The scaffold has to prepare the budding marine aquarist so that indicative costing on basic equipment provision can be made. Often marine aquarists have equipment laying about. This could have been caused by upgrading because the original equipment was not adequate and needed to be replaced. Money expended that perhaps need not have been.

So, the scaffold then. The following is a list of headings and basic notes. It does not attempt and is not intended to open a comprehensive path from zero to a fantastic fish only or reef tank. What it does do is give a lead to follow on the way towards a successful aquarium. No doubt extra considerations will arise on the way, and that’s as it should be, it means the planning is working. Each stage of planning needs individual consideration, and there will often be more than one decision to make. On the way, research using books and/or the internet is useful or necessary.

Where is it practical to site the aquarium?
Try to choose a location away from direct sunlight, to assist with proper lighting control. There should not be heavy and/or noisy household traffic passing (reasonable traffic is acceptable). There needs to be a reliable power supply available, ie. power outlets. Generally easy access to the aquarium is required. If floors are suspended, consider floor strength - aquariums full of seawater are heavy!

What size aquarium?
The aquarium should not stand on ordinary furniture, but on a properly designed stand. The aquarium may need a hood. These need to be taken into account. Then the available space for the aquarium can be considered.

What type of system?
The system can be fish only or reef. This decision affects other later decisions. Most will opt for a reef.

Sump or no sump?
A sump is a small aquarium that is attached to the main one. It supplies extra water capacity to the system, and allows heaters, sand beds and protein skimmers to be kept away from the display aquarium. The sump can be beside or underneath the display aquarium. A sump on any type system is highly recommended. (If a sump is to be used, the main aquarium will need to be drilled to allow plumbing to take water from the aquarium to the sump. It is then pumped back again.) Note: if a DSB (deep sand bed) or plenum (a raised DSB) is to be employed, the sand bed area should be at least 2/3rds of the base area of the main aquarium. The sand bed should be at least 4″ deep. Consider the cost for the fine sand for the DSB. A DSB in the sump is highly recommended. Leave enough room for a partitioned area for the seawater return pump.

Lighting?
Is the system to be fish only or a reef? If fish only, then two marine fluorescents are sufficient. If reef then:

Hard Corals.
Best lighting is halide, supplemented by actinic fluorescent tubes. T5 fluorescent tubes can be used (marine white and actinic equally mixed) but they do not penetrate the seawater as deeply.

Soft corals.
It is sufficient to use T5 fluorescent lighting (actinic and white mixed). Halide lighting can be used, however, and will not be detrimental (ensure corals exposed are light demanding varieties).

Net seawater capacity of aquarium and sump (if used)? This is easily calculated once the aquarium size and sump have been decided. This gallonage will be excessive as, when rocks and sand are added, it will decrease. Therefore, reduce the amount by 10%. This will still not be correct, but does give a reasonable allowance for displacement.

Seawater circulation?
The seawater in the display aquarium will need to be circulated for the health of the inhabitants whatever they are, but particularly in a reef system. It is recommended that a minimum of two powerheads are used to achieve this. The turnover of seawater in a reef needs to be around ten to twenty times the net capacity of the display aquarium (exclude the sump) per hour, depending on coral occupants.. In fish only systems, it can be less.

Protein skimmer?
A protein skimmer is essential for most systems(*), in particular where there is inexperience. The device is very useful as it helps significantly towards high water quality. The protein skimmer should be sized for around twice the net seawater capacity of the aquarium plus sump (if used). Now that the use of a sump (or not) has been decided, consider whether to use a hang-on or stand alone skimmer.
(* some mud based system designs do not require a skimmer.)

Heating?
The net gallonage of the system is known, so the heating need can be considered. (Note: it is best to purchase two heaters as this is a good safety feature for the aquarium inhabitants. Each heater should be one half of the total heating requirement.) In warm areas where temperatures are always above 80 deg F, the use of a seawater cooler (chiller) will replace heaters.

Return pump?
This only applies if using a sump. Seawater, once it has flowed to the sump, needs to be returned to the main aquarium. A pump is required for this. As a guide, the flow through the sump should be two or three times the net capacity of the system per hour. When considering the pump, remember to factor in the lift, that is the height from the pump level to the highest point that the returning seawater reaches before it enters the main aquarium.

‘Live’ rock.
This is used for filtration purposes (it is excellent for this) and for the construction of the reef. It can also be used in a fish only system. Allow 1½ lbs for each gallon that is in the entire system. There are other filtration methods, but ‘live’ rock coupled with a DSB in a sump is highly recommended.

Reverse osmosis (R/O) unit?
The R/O unit is a tap water filtration device that removes nearly all (around 95 to 98%) unwanted contaminants. Therefore the seawater mix is at its best from the start. It is highly recommended that R/O water is always used, including the first fill of the aquarium. R/O units come in different gallons per day outputs. Remember that usually the aquarium is filled completely only once. The normal routine water change amount is 10% of the net system gallonage weekly.

Dry salt mix?
There are several makes on the market. If keeping a reef system, obtain one that is ‘designed’ for reefs, as additional attention has been given to calcium content etc. Fish only systems can use ‘standard’ mixes or as described above.

Make a list.
As each item is gone through, find out and write down the likely cost. If it is electrical, also write down the wattage (W).

The evidence. When all items are priced, add them up. This represents a general guideline to the cost of setting up. If electrical, add up the wattage. Divide the total wattage by 1000, this will give kilowatts. The cost of electricity per kilowatt will be known. Multiply the number of kilowatts, including any fraction, by the cost per kilowatt, this is the approximate electrical running cost of the system per day. To get weekly, multiply by seven. Monthly, multiply by four. Etc. (Note: lights can be considered as being on 50% of the day. Heaters/coolers will not be on all the time, but it is difficult to determine a guideline percentage.)

OK. The list is there and it indicates the guideline aquarium equipment cost and electrical running cost of the system. These will not be completely accurate but near enough to either dissuade the desire to have an aquarium or to go ahead. There are other costs, of course. For example, no account has been taken of the fish and/or corals that are to inhabit the aquarium. Then additional equipment, often considered later, might be obtained, such as a calcium reactor, a de-nitrator, or a canister filter etc. Maybe coarse coral sand, ½ to 1″ deep, will be used as a decoration in the display aquarium.

Nevertheless, the scaffold will have achieved its purpose, which is to generally guide the new aquarist down a path that cuts its way through what can be a confusing beginning.

After the scaffold, there is still plenty to be done. Many answers can be found in the listed articles on this site (http://www.aquaristsonline.com).

Appropriate articles can be worked through one by one. Any remaining questions can go on the forum. The internet is an excellent resource for knowledge. Typing in a name, eg, marine aquarium lighting etc, into a search engine should produce a good response. Then, of course, there are books. Nothing like an hour of bedtime reading.

Source: articlesbase.com
Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stronghold/80000384/

Apple Aquarium

This interesting home-made aquarium was named G4 Cubequarium.
Source from here. Guides to make aquarium included!

Breeding Black Ghosts

This posts is the second part of my earlier post :)

There are 2 ways to breed the Black Ghost:

1. By pairing sets: Prepare a set of Black Ghost broodstock (3 male and 4 female) in an aquarium of 100 x 50 x 40 cm.

2. By massal breeding: Black Ghost could be bred in a pond or fiber glass container (2.5 x 1.5 x 0.5 m). Prepare broodstock preferably of 8 males and 12 females. The pH of the water should be maintained at 6.6 but it will be ok at a range of 6-7.

Things needed in breeding!

Black ghosts love to hide, and hiding spots are indeed needed in the process, this is according to the behaviour of this fish which prefers being in the dark. For the hiding places you could use various objects such as tiles, bricks, pipes. Size of the objects should consider to the size of the broodstock.

The next important thing we need is a media for eggs to stick on. In Indonesia we use pakis or ijuk. I am really sorry but I cannot find the meaning in English but its basically an organic material derived from plants (Sorry but I'll have to search for this). Basically the media is dark coloured, porous and consist of fibers. If this is not available, maybe something similar could be used. Because this material floats in water, then it should be arranged and try to put some weight over it.

Broodstock nutrition is an important factor. Bloodworms and mosquito larva are good examples for stimulating the ripening of the gonads. Hinder the use of tubifex worm because the fat content is relatively higher.

Water quality must be maintained therefore water must be refreshed.

Usually the black ghosts breed in night, and eggs could be seen sticking on to the media. Therefore the media should be removed from the breeding tank if in the eggs are present.

Eggs are placed in a separate tank until hatching. If its possible, apply treatments to disinfect eggs or dilute antibiotics to hinder pathogens to the eggs.

Hygiene is needed in all the process above.

Breeding Blackghosts (Apteronotus albifrons)

Author Roffi Grandiosa


The black ghost knifefish, Apteronotus albifrons, is a tropical fish belonging to the ghost knifefish family (Apteronotidae). They originate in South America in the Amazon Basin in Peru and from Venezuela through Paraguay in the Paraná Rivers. The fish is all black except for two white rings on its tail. It moves mainly by undulating a long fin on its underside. It will grow to a maximum length of 20 inches (50 centimeters).

The fish is has an ellegant style of swimming, with its elongated anal fin which starts from the pectoral fin. The peculiar look of this fish is quite dazzling, and the calm behaviour inside the aquarium, makes this fish a must to buy.

I have an experience breeding them and they are very easy to breed. In order to breed you must have a broodstock of 1,5 year old fish with a length of 7-8 inch (20-30 cm). A healthy broodstock should be active, not injured and have a fresh colour (not dull). Now you must differentiate the male and the female, females of blackghosts has a short jaw, a little bit fatter and the size is relatively bigger but shorter than the male fish. The male has a longer jaw with the much longer, skinny and straight body.

To be continued in the next post!

here is a video of a blackghost... really a playful fish!