Betta Fish Breeding

Betta fish enthusiasts increasingly are many, both among children from childhood to adulthood. Because the fish is beautiful and also even more when the fish is ready to fight. Vibrant colours from male fish are exposed. This fish is also often called the fighting fish and the latin name is Betta splendens. It is a member from the Anabantidae (Labirynth Fisher). Betta fish tails and fins when it expands really captivate the lovers of ornamental fish. The color of the fish commonly known as beta fish is really interesting, and for the cultivation of these animals also do not require a vast place, so it can be done at home.

To breed betta fish, we just need a few things. First of all we need a pair of betta fish (a male and a female brood), a clean aquarium with proper water quality (temperature, dissolved oxygen and lighting), and also substrate for betta fish to lay their eggs. You may prepare artemia eggs to feed their larvae (baby fishes) once they are hatched from the eggs.

Description of Male Betta fish ready to mate are:

■ ± 4 months of age.
■ body shape and fins long and beautifully colored.
■ aggressive and agile movements.
■ healthy body condition (not disease).

The characteristics of female fish ready to breed are:

■ Age has reached ± 4 months
■ denotes rounded body shape ready to mate.
■ Movement is slow.
■ fin is short and the color is not appealing.
■ healthy body condition.

Steps for spawning and fish care

1.Prepare aquarium/ container with clean water. Add thermostate, temperature regulator if needed
2.Fill container with clean water with a height of 15-30 cm.
3.Put the male betta fish in advance, 1 day before mating
4.Put the female the day after the male
5. Quickly move Broods, and keep the eggs in separate place.
6. Watch out for fungal pathogens that could attack eggs.. put some Methylene Blue in the aquarium containing eggs

Thank you for reading!

Aquarium Bacterial Disease

There are many diseases that can affect your aquarium fish in. Most diseases can be put into four main categories, bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. The most common diseases of aquarium fish, we will in this article are bacterial. There are a lot more than what we do today, but below are a good mix of fatalism and ease of use.

Remember to observe the first step in combating diseases in your aquarium, is yourFish daily for signs of illness or erratic behavior. Over time, of course, will know if something correctly. If a disease is recognized recreation Aquarium you must act now on the chances of your fish to make improvements to the full.

Fin rot is probably the most common bacterial infections that appear in the aquarium fish. The primary cause of fin rot is poor water quality. It is very easy to rot accurate diagnosis because the fins are actually do and is as if her bodydissolving into the fish. There are many medications that you can buy in the local pet store the specially designed fins to address corrosion. You can also have frequent changes of water to improve water quality.

Guppies and other fish that are carriers of the living to be very sensitive to a bacterial disease called mouth fungus. The most obvious symptom that yourFish is suffering, the cotton mouth fungus, such as growth in the mouth. This growth will prevent the weight that the fish food will also observe a loss of. If treated quickly with antibiotics Bad mouth fungus is not lethal. It is also possible, water changes in your aquarium.

Vibriosis can be rapidly fatal in fish and spread quickly in the aquarium. There are many signs of infection, redness of the body;Color changes and a swollen belly and eyes. E 'extremely important that if you notice these symptoms, youfish, remove the infected as soon as possible to help quarantine tank in battle against the spread of infection to other fish. The reality is that vibriosis is fatal. Antibiotics can help, but it is very unlikely. One should disease to protect the remaining fish in the aquarium from the bacterial. Doing full water changes and treatment of water withAntibiotics.

The bacterial disease last discussion that has no swimming pools for the treatment of tuberculosis. It is fish a great loss of weight and color in your aquarium. The eyes of the fish may rise abnormally from the body. It attacks the fish'srespiratory system and is highly contagious and deadly. Piscine tuberculosis is rare, but when it occurs you losemany fish. The only treatment is to separate all the fishindividual tanks for quarantine and observe. You have to disinfect the main tank, and fill it. Ultimately you have to start all over again.

Keeping an aquarium can bring many hours of fun. The best treatment for a disease that can affect your aquarium fishis prevention. By observing your fish regularly and act quickly to signs of illness, your fish healthy and happy and avoid disasters.

Some Types Of Aquarium Fish Diseases

If you own an aquarium as an accessory of your interior decor, you should pay attention to the health of your fish. You should not only maintain the quality of the water, but also monitor the condition of their health. It is better for you to notice their activity, so you could recognize the signs whether they catch any diseases or not. To allow you get more information about some common diseases that usually come against your fish, please read the whole of this brief review.

Gill disease is the first disease that often attacks aquarium fish. The main symptom is when your fish swim in a great hurry but do not move at all. In some cases, their fins flap very quickly and they gasp for breath at the surface of the water. If you find your fish in these kinds of condition, you have to pay more attention to them.
You have to immediately improve the quality of the water for the first treatment, and then you can give some anti-bacterial substance to cure the fish completely. The threat and preventive action for this disease is similar: changing the water regularly as well as conditioning and dechlorinating it. Keeping the quality of the water will be important to prevent this disease because bacteria, fungi and parasites are the main cause of this disease.
The next disease is columnaris. Fish that catch this disease usually show some signs, but the most obvious sign is the white marks in the body or around their mouth. This symptom is similar with another disease called Mouth Fungus. Other signs shown by fish that catch columnaris are deterioration and the forms of the sores in the body of the fish.

You might need anti-bacterial medication if you notice this disease in its early stage. However, you might need help of antibiotics to cure your fish if the disease reaches the later stage. Mostly, this disease is caused by bacteria and a result of poor quality of water. In some cases, fish that are shock with their new aquarium also have risk getting catch this disease.

The third disease commonly found in fish aquarium is ick. This disease causes many grain-like spots in small size on the body of your fish. Thus, this disease is also known as white spot disease. It is caused by Ichthyophthirius Multifilis protozoa that will be easily infecting the whole environment of your aquarium. Once the protozoa form the white spots on the body of the fish, they can be more mature and release some new free-swimming parasites that surely will infect other fish. To kill the parasites, you need to wait the white spot fallen down and released into the water and so you can sterilize it.

Those are the most common diseases for aquarium fish. Learning more about fish diseases will be very thoughtful to maintain the health of your fish. Therefore, you can notice the sick fish in the earlier stage so you can cure them earlier.

Maintaining water quality is very important not only for aquarium fish, but also for fish in your garden pond. To maintain the water quality of your garden, you can install some additional supporting devices and filtration system will be quite helping. You can find pumps that fit well with your requirements.

Article from articlesbase.com

Compatibility for Tropical Fish of Freshwater Aquariums

When setting up a freshwater aquarium, you want to make sure that you understand which fish will get along. The last thing that you want to do is have your tank proper set up and acclimated, and then a few weeks, or even days, after adding a your initial fish, one or two start to nip and bully the others. This will severely stress out the other fish.

You want to make sure that you keep community fish with community fish, semi-aggressive with semi-aggressive, and aggressive fish with aggressive fish. But, in terms of aggressive and semi-aggressive fish, you want to make sure that you keep similarly sized fish in the tank. With aggressive fish, you want to keep one species per tank, as well.

Reef Secrets: Starting Right, Selecting Fishes & Invertebrates, Advanced Biotope Techniques

This is a beautiful book. There are lots of great pictures. The book is an excellent resource for those who are starting a reef tank. There are thorough and informative chapters on issues such as set-up, live rock, lighting, fitration, feeding, etc. The sections on selection & care of corals, other invertebrates, fishes, and algae are excellent. Issues of care, compatibility and conservation are addressed for all species.

I did notice a couple of incorrect pictures, but this is a very minor problem.

Overall, this is an excellent beginner/intermediate book by a pair of recognized and respected authorities in the field. Their superb 4-volume series is beyond the budget of most at a per-volume list price of around $90. Most of what the average new reefer needs is here in this book. It is an excellent value for the price.

JBJ 28 Gallon Nano-Cube Aquarium with 105 Watt Quad Compact Fluorescent Lighting

The JBJ 28 Gallon Nano-Cube Aquarium 105 Watt Quad Compact Fluorescent Lighting incorporates many high-tech features not commonly found in "All-In-One" systems. The new concept behind the 28 Gallon Nano-Cube was inspired by hundreds of reef hobbyists who requested higher powered lighting, increased water circulation, a more simplified filter, and designated water level columns in the rear chambers for heaters, refugiums and protein skimmers (heater, protein skimmers & refugium not included).

biOrb Aquarium Kit with Light Fixture

The Baby biOrb is a sophisticated aquarium that bestows the soothing sensation of swimming fish at home or at the office. It requires very little maintenance, and all supplies, including a halogen light and a comprehensive instruction guide, are provided. The unique, built-in 5-stage filtration system combines biological, chemical, and mechanical filtration to keep the water healthy and crystal-clear for months between simple filter changes. The filter cartridge conveniently lasts up to 8 weeks, so cleaning the BiOrb is quite easy. Since the filter is barely visible at the bottom of the globe, it causes no obstruction of the underwater view when the biOrb is filled. The durable, bowl-shaped Plexiglass allows a perfect 360-degree viewing angle, and the built-in halogen light provides full observation of the swimming fish any time of day. The compact size and silver trim allow it to blend into any desk, counter, table, shelf, or mantel. The Baby biOrb measures 13 x 13 x 13 inches and is covered by a manufacturer’s warranty.

Setting up a Tropical Aquarium Week by Week

Setting Up a Tropical Aquarium Week-by-Week is an encyclopedic reference that takes a fresh look at setting up and maintaining a tropical freshwater aquarium. New hobbyists are quite often impatient to set up their aquarium and want to add their expensive fish as soon as possible. This common misstep can have disastrous results that may discourage beginners from ever trying again.

To curb such enthusiastic impatience, this book presents clear step-by-step practical advice in a convenient week-by-week progression. The book uses detailed photographic sequences to follow each stage of setting up a warm water freshwater tropical aquarium in real-time over a period of ten weeks.

The set-up procedure starts with the first day, when the substrate and life-support systems are installed and progresses to the point at which the first fish are added - two weeks later. The book then follows the aquarium's development during the next eight weeks as the tank turns from an artificial environment into a living eco-system.

Alongside the main aquarium set-up sequence are photographs that show how to create two different aquascape designs based on a cube and a bow-front tank.

Profile sections show fifty aquarium plants and one hundred popular warm water freshwater aquarium fish at relevant stages of the set-up process. Throughout, the book explains the natural processes that occur so that fishkeepers can ensure ongoing success.

Combining clear text and simple-to-follow illustrations, Setting Up a Tropical Aquarium Week-by-Week is a crucial reference for tropical freshwater fish hobbyists.

Purchase the Book at Amazon.com for $19.77

About the Author

Stuart Thraves is an internationally respected authority in fishkeeping.

The Simple Guide To Fresh Water Aquariums

First published in 2001, The Simple Guide to Freshwater Aquariums Authored by DAVID E. BORUCHOWITZ, has become the bestselling reference in its category, offering an easy-to-understand look at setting up and maintaining a successful first freshwater aquarium.

Now in a completely revised second edition, The Simple Guide to Freshwater Aquariums offers comprehensive and authoritative information that will guide new hobbyists to guaranteed success. Written by a renowned aquarium hobby expert, this indispensable guide contains many ideas for tank setups and stocking schemes_with brand new text that makes the subject material even easier to access and understand for the beginner hobbyist. An all-new preface reflects changes in the hobby since the first edition, while two brand new chapters discuss the benefits of routine large water changes as well as what to expect when progressing further into aquarium keeping. The book also adds mention of all new species that are especially recommended for beginners, plus over 150 full-color photos, captions.

Pre Order the Second Edition of The Simple Guide To Fresh Water Aquariums
Price $12.21 at Amazon.com

Tips on How to Select an Aquarium Pump

If your new to the aquarium hobby you will probably get confused when you have to select a pump for an aquarium application. If you choose a size that is too small or too big, it will certainly cause trouble and might not do the job. Bigger pumps could generate overheating in the water. Below are some important factors to think about when you select an aquarium water pump:

Application

What will you use the pump for? You have to consider on which kind of system you want it to aplly on. Generally there are three categories which are "closed systems," "open systems," and "re-circulation systems."

Closed (or "static") systems are those where the water is being forced through closed filter canisters or modules. In a closed system, the entire system is sealed tight except for the intake of the pump and the return line leading back to the aquarium or reservoir. Both intake and return lines are attached to the same body of water. Closed systems typically require more powerful pumps that generate more pressure. These are called "pressure" or "high-head" pumps. Closed systems usually call for a higher turnover rate than that required for open systems. Canister filters and pump/module filters are examples of closed systems.

Open (or "gravity return") systems are those where water is being drawn from an open "source" tank or reservoir and returned via a pump to another open "destination" tank or reservoir that is located above the source tank. Open systems take advantage of gravity via an overflow or siphon box in the destination tank to return water to the source tank. Water is pumped from the source reservoir up to the destination tank. The water then overflows or is drawn by siphon from the destination tank into a return line where it flows back down to the source reservoir. An example of an open system is a typical wet/dry filter or "Berlin" reservoir.

Because this type of system uses open tanks, the pumps used for these systems should be matched carefully to the overflow (or siphon) plumbing size. The pump should be equipped with a valve to control water flow and prevent flooding of the destination tank. Pumps for these types of systems are usually referred to as "re-circulation" pumps.

A re-circulation system is similar to an open system, except that water is being drawn from and returned to the same open tank or reservoir. This may be for the purpose of providing more water current or to drive a submersible filter. An under gravel filter is an example of a re-circulation system. Small submersible pumps or power heads are usually used for simple re-circulation systems. A typical protein skimmer arrangement uses a controlled re-circulation system, with valves controlling the flow into and out of the skimmer to adjust water column height.

Number of Returns
If you are planning on returning water from a filter to your aquarium via two or more return lines, you should consider using a more powerful pump as water flow will decrease through multiple returns. Consider using a valve on each return line so you can regulate the flow coming out of each return.

Aquarium Volume & Turn-Over
In our opinion, too much emphasis is placed on the turnover of the aquarium in filtration systems. To make matters worse, no one seems to agree on what is best. Since the subject seems up for grabs, we'll offer our own opinion and hope we don't confuse you even more. Bigger is not better for open systems such as wet/dry filters. Most require a turnover rate of only three times the system volume per hour. Most wet/dry filter manufacturers provide recommendations for their filters. Our rule-of-thumb is to use a pump that will turn the tank over three times per hour for open systems and five times per hour for closed systems. If the aquarium requires more current, small power heads or submersible pumps may be used to add additional water flow.

Resistance
When a pump returns water to an aquarium, every bend in the return line offers resistance. Filter material in-line in the form of a canister or micron module also offers resistance. The more resistance there is, the more back pressure the pump must endure, and a more powerful pump will be required to do the job. Keep your return lines simple. We recommend vinyl or "spa-flex PVC" as opposed to using hard PVC.


Heat Production & Noise
So you have your system all set up, and you chuckle with glee as you watch the water in the tank swirling around and gushing into your reservoir. You used a big mucka pump and you know darn well you've got enough current to satisfy any requirement needed. A few hours later, you check your water temperature and your heart sinks as you see that your tank is now running 95 degrees Fahrenheit. This scene is more common than you might think. The bigger the pump, the more heat it will produce. Air-cooled pumps tend to run cooler but make more noise. Water-cooled pumps are quieter but produce more heat. Submersible pumps are also quiet but transfer heat by virtue of the fact that the motor is under water.

Mini Jet 606 Pump. Click here for futher details at Amazon.com

source aquariumpros.com

Knowing the pH factor

pH is one of the parameter of the water quality and we should know more about it in order to successfully keep our fish healthy.What is pH? pH is a logarithmic scale of the proportion of H+(Hydrogen) and OH-(Hydroxyl) ions ranging from 0-14, with a neutral value of 7. When the H+ ion concentration is higher, water is said to be acidic; when OH- concentration is higher it is said to be alkaline. In other words if the concentration of dissolved minerals is high then pH is high and vice versa. pH is also dependent on various factors like water hardness, dissolved minerals, oxygen level and many more.

Milwaukee pH meter.

Click here for full details at amazon.com

The smallest change of pH is said to have a stressful effect on the fish. Naturally in the wild pH occasionally change like during day and night or season related. Whenever there are more rains then there will be more oxygen dissolved, hence raising the pH.

In an aquarium system the pH is affected by decoration, decoration, gravel, temperature, nitrate content, dissolved minerals and many more. For example adding bogwood or driftwood to your aquarium can cause the pH to drop. If you are lazy usually you aquarium (with fish in it of course) will have high nitrate levels and this also lowers the pH. High nitrate is also toxic to the fish!

Here are some other facts:

Aerating the water can increase the pH, water at a high temperature can be acidic, in a planted tank - pH variation will occur because live plants have their photosynthesis system where at night plants respire an consume oxygen but releasing carbon dioxide so this will cause a low pH.

What I would suggest is that if you intend to get so called acid-loving fish like discus or tetras don't rush or panic to bring down the pH, or in the case of Malawians don't rush to lift the pH to around 9. Stay cool and your fish can adapt to your tap water, and don't spend more on water softeners like RO units or resins or water hardeners.

I don't advocate you not to change your pH deliberately, but I would advocate you not to make alterations in pH in a panic. If you are so particular in bringing down pH you can rely on peat-filtration or a piece of driftwood. Instead of spending on RO or other resins, you can spend that money on a bigger tank. Try to keep your pH fairly stable. If you are so concerned about your fish's health, consider regular water changes. Don't panic and get into a mess as fishes face more nightmares and harsh conditions in the wild than in home aquaria. I would also advocate against using a pH lowering chemical until you know its ingredients and its working and don't increase or lower your pH rapidly.

Knowing the pH factor

pH is one of the parameter of the water quality and we should know more about it in order to successfully keep our fish healthy.What is pH? pH is a logarithmic scale of the proportion of H+(Hydrogen) and OH-(Hydroxyl) ions ranging from 0-14, with a neutral value of 7. When the H+ ion concentration is higher, water is said to be acidic; when OH- concentration is higher it is said to be alkaline. In other words if the concentration of dissolved minerals is high then pH is high and vice versa. pH is also dependent on various factors like water hardness, dissolved minerals, oxygen level and many more.

Milwaukee pH meter.

Click here for full details at amazon.com

The smallest change of pH is said to have a stressful effect on the fish. Naturally in the wild pH occasionally change like during day and night or season related. Whenever there are more rains then there will be more oxygen dissolved, hence raising the pH.

In an aquarium system the pH is affected by decoration, decoration, gravel, temperature, nitrate content, dissolved minerals and many more. For example adding bogwood or driftwood to your aquarium can cause the pH to drop. If you are lazy usually you aquarium (with fish in it of course) will have high nitrate levels and this also lowers the pH. High nitrate is also toxic to the fish!

Here are some other facts:

Aerating the water can increase the pH, water at a high temperature can be acidic, in a planted tank - pH variation will occur because live plants have their photosynthesis system where at night plants respire an consume oxygen but releasing carbon dioxide so this will cause a low pH.

What I would suggest is that if you intend to get so called acid-loving fish like discus or tetras don't rush or panic to bring down the pH, or in the case of Malawians don't rush to lift the pH to around 9. Stay cool and your fish can adapt to your tap water, and don't spend more on water softeners like RO units or resins or water hardeners.

I don't advocate you not to change your pH deliberately, but I would advocate you not to make alterations in pH in a panic. If you are so particular in bringing down pH you can rely on peat-filtration or a piece of driftwood. Instead of spending on RO or other resins, you can spend that money on a bigger tank. Try to keep your pH fairly stable. If you are so concerned about your fish's health, consider regular water changes. Don't panic and get into a mess as fishes face more nightmares and harsh conditions in the wild than in home aquaria. I would also advocate against using a pH lowering chemical until you know its ingredients and its working and don't increase or lower your pH rapidly.

Some Of The Best All Year-round Aquarium Tips by Grange Aquatics

by: AquaFishTalk

When it comes to looking after your aquarium you need to be focussed on providing care all year-round. Below we look at some of the most important points

Temperature Control For Your Aquarium
When it comes to caring for your aquarium fish, temperature control is one of the most important aspects. Although we may really feel the weather outside, your aquarium fish are more likely to suffer from any drastic changes to temperature which occurs inside the aquarium. So the following tips are worth noting:

1) Ensure that you switch the lights off during the hottest part of the day.

2) Check that your heater is properly working and keeping a steady temperature. Water which is too warm may result in the fish suffocating.

3) If you need to make any change in temperature always do so gradually.

Regular Care and Maintenance of Your Aquarium

Regular care is needed if you have an aquarium. This regular maintenance should involve vigorous aeration and filtration. Make sure that you clean your tank out regularly to ensure that the fish remain healthy.

Aquarium General Tips

Following these general tips should lead to a better environment for your aquarium fish:

1)Limit the number of fish in your aquarium to maximise the amount of oxygen for each fish. It will also help minimise the number of times you will need to clean the aquarium.

2)Make sure that you think about the positioning of the aquarium – it shouldn’t be in direct sunlight as this may increase the amount of algae.

3)Research the fish before you buy. You need to check that each fish you put into the aquarium is compatible with the general environment and with the other fish.

4)You should change 25% of the water in the aquarium weekly to help maintain a healthy water balance for your fish

Article Source: http://www.articlefishtalk.com

Grange Aquatics have been in business for over 20 years and have a dedicated team of staff on hand to share their expertise in pond equipment and water features. Visit their website Aquariums.

Understanding fish diseases and how to prevent them from happening.

Picture from http://www.aquatics-warehouse.co.uk

Preventing disease:

The health of your fish depends on the quality of their environment. Poor water conditions, stress, and/or incorrect feeding can cause illness, therefore it is up to you to see that this doesn't happen. Certain procedures must be taken to prevent diseases from making themselves at home on your fish. Quarantine new species that will be introduced into your tank so you can evaluate them thoroughly. Keep in mind to handle your fish correctly when moving them whether it be from a bag or from another tank. Prevent poisons from predators from entering your tank. Make sure that heating, lighting, air, and filtration is functioning properly and well maintained. Last thing to do is make sure that the water quality is fresh, clean, and balanced for your fish. Also, if you have a planted aquarium don't forget to care for them as well.

Quarantine:

Quarantining new fish can help stop spreading possible diseases. You can monitor the fishes behaivor. Spot diseases, if any, and treat according to the type of disease. I recommend you keep new fish quaratined for 2-3 weeks before introducing them to a community tank.

Reducing stress:

Stress is a major factor in preventing disease. It is caused by bad handling, poor water conditions, sudden changes in water conditions, and the famous tapping on the glass. If you have to move a fish, remember to handle with care, if you are rough it will cause the fish to stress out. Light changes will cause fish to be stressed, to soften this shock follow this procedure:

Switch off the aquarium light before turning off the lights in the room, wait about 5-15 minutes so the fish can get adjusted to the low light level, then turn off the room lights.

A stressed out fishes immune systems is lowered, therefore allowing infections and disease to occur.

Nets:

If you use a net to move a sick fish keep in mind that net is now contagious and should not be used until disinfected. You should be able to pick up a disinfecting solution at your local fish store.

Nutrition:

Overfeeding your fish can cause algal and bacteria growth so make sure you feed your fish accordingly. A common cause of low immune systems in fish is a lack of vitamins. To prevent this use a variety of foods as like you and me, I'm sure that fish get tired of eating the same thing day after day.

Types of ailments:

External infections are easily seen and treated. Internal disorders, however are much harder to determine and cure.

Parasites:

These are the creatures that make homes out of our fish and are very much unwelcome. Most parasites feed primarily on the mucus layer on the skin and gills. Larger parasites penetrate the skin and feed on blood and tissue.

Bacteria and fungal:

Basically this is caused by poor tank conditions. Dead plant matter, feces, and/or uneaten food encourage bacteria or fungal to grow.

Skin disorders:

This is the most common problem found in fishes. They are caused by bacteria or parasites. There are several symptoms involved in diagnosing a skin disorder which I will explain in another article.

Gill disorders:

Basically it is when the fish have problems with their respiratory system. In time the gills will thicken up in response to the chronic irritation. This can and will slowly suffocate the fish. The cause of this condition may be slime disease, gill flukes, or bacterial damage.

Disorder of the eyes:

Many of the same diseases that affect a fishes skin can also affect its eyes. Bad handling and/or poor water conditions cause minimal damage which will allow bacteria or fungal infections to occur.

Dropsy:

This is when the fish appears to be abnormally swollen. They often can't be distinguished from each other without a postmortem.

Wasting:

Weight loss resulting in an uneven appearance. This is caused by harassment of an individual fish preventing access to food, or a disease such as tuberculosis, which is more common.

Swim bladder problem:

Abnormal swimming or difficulty maintaining equilibrium may be due to several reasons:

Deformed swim bladder
Cancer or tuberculosis in organ next to the swim bladder
Constipation
Poor nutrition
Chilling (colder water)
Serious parasitic infestation
Serious bacterial infections

If you think your fish has a swim bladder problem check and treat for other diseases first.

Choosing/Cleaning a Filter

Here’s a short article about cleaning/replacing your filter media:

There are 5 main types of filters. I am only going to include filters that clean out stuff from your aquarium, not chemical, light(UV), specialty, in tank (who uses them anymore).. The filters job is to remove solid waste from your water. This can include food, fish poo, plant matter, and anything else that may happen to be in your tank.

HOB (Hang On Back):
This is one of the most common filters out there. It’s a box that sits on the back of your tank and holds your filter media. The filter media traps the garbage in your tank and keeps it there until you clean it out. These filters are great for beginners but for planted tanks they aren’t the best because they gas off Co2. Common brand names include: AquaClear and Marine Land’s Bio Wheel.

Canisters:
This is my favourte type of filter. It's basicaly the same as a HOB, but its not hanging onto the tank. Instead it’s underneath or to the side of the tank. A pipe sucks water in, it flows through some media (same idea as a HOB) and returns to the tank via a spray bar. A spray bar is a pipe with many holes drilled into it for the water to exit from. These are the best for planted tanks because most of the Co2 will stay dissolved in the water.

Sumps:
These are more common in salt water tanks. In the tank there’s a hole drilled, or a tank overflow that takes water out of the tank to a certian level and drains it to a glass or plastic box under the tank. There it flows through many chambers where media, bio media, chemicals, sand, etc are kept. In the last chamber is a pump that returns the water back into the tank.

UGF (Under Gravel Filters):
These filters go under the gravel (hence the name) and have two exit tubes on the ends. Water flows through the gravel and into the collection plate. It then goes into the uplift tubes where it is returned into the tank. The filter is powered either by an air pump or a power head. IMO these are the worst and are too “old school” when compared to the others listed above. If something breaks you have no choice but to destroy the whole tank because it’s under the gravel. If not cleaned properly they can become nitrate factories. A better choice would be RUGJ or Reverse Under Gravel Jets.

Sponge Filters:
These filters are really basic. It’s a sponge, a stand, and an uplift tube. Normally powered by an air pump or a power head. Water comes in through the sponge and out the uplift tube. These are great for fry tanks as there are no moving parts, and they can not get sucked into them.

Cleaning a filter:
With any filter cleaning is basically the same because they all use the same media. Cleaning a filter is very important for its proper function.

Sponges:
These are super easy to clean. Once every 2 weeks you can take them out and swish them around in some old tank water or some water that has no chlorine in it. Reason being chlorine will kill the bacteria in it. They only need to be replaced when they are falling part. I have had mine for over a year.

Carbon:
Carbon is not needed in a normal tank. Carbon takes out meds, color, and odor. None of which should be present in your tank always (except if you have driftwood). It will become un active in about 2 weeks. After that it is useless and will not be doing anything.

Bio Media:
Bio media is any media that is designed to house bacteria. They can be ceramic noodles, Bio Max, plastic Bio Balls. They only need to be cleaned in old tank water every few months. As long as they are not clogged it should be fine.

Choosing and maintaining your filter will make fish keeping much easier. Filters are a must. It’s the life support for your fish. Without it, everything may die because nothing is cleaning out the gunk that’s in your tank. There are some filters less tanks that use plants as a natural filter. This gives a nice effect but is not the easiest thing to do. Good luck with your fish keeping!

How much should you feed your fish?

To answer this question, actually there is no definitive rule on how much you should feed your fish. One of the main reason is there is too many factors involved.

Usually I apply a theory of feeding 2 - 3 times a day, give an amount of feed as much as your fish can eat in 3 minutes. If there is too much leftover after that amount of time we have to reduce the amount of feed. This theory can be applied to beginner or community tanks but if you deal with breeding tanks, single species or hospital tanks, you should be more careful with how to feed your fish.

There are some important things to remember about fish feeding habits. In nature, most of them usually have a hard time finding food, and through evolution they have been "programmed" to eat as much as they can fit into their bellies whenever they find some, because they never know when the next meal will be found. In a tank, we do know when their next meal will come. Therefore, it's up to us to control the amount they get. Feeding them until they seem satisfied is not a good idea. Fish are expected to spend most of the day feeling hungry and searching around for little bits of food.

A common mistake made by beginners is to overfeed because their fishes seem to be desperately begging for food every time the owner approaches the tank, and he decides to satisfy their appetites every time. A hungry fish is a healthy fish...if they don't come up to you when approach in the morning, that's when you should start worrying.

As another evolutionary defense, fish seem to adapt to the availability of food, by adjusting their growth rate. When they live in a place with more food available they respond by growing fast, and vice versa. Because of this, I believe that the actual amount you decide to offer isn't as important as maintaining the same criteria throughout their lives. So the ideal situation would be to setup your tank, populate it with young fishes, define a reasonable feeding criterion and stick to it.

Finally, keep in mind that it's way easier to weaken or even kill your fish by overfeeding (because it spoils the tank water) than by making them starve to death.

Aquarium Chiller? what is it?

Author: Allan Winters (www.fishtanksdirect.com)
via articlesbase.com

Did you recently purchase a fish tank? If so, did you purchase any additional fish tank supplies or accessories? If so, what supplies and accessories did you purchase? Is an aquarium chiller included in your list of purchased supplies and accessories? If is not, you may want to examine aquarium chillers, namely what they are and what they can do for you. After a close examination, you may see why it is advised that you own an aquarium chiller.

Just as the name sounds, an aquarium chiller is a piece of equipment that is used to help keep the water temperature of your aquarium at a cooled, chilled level. As with many other fish tank supplies and accessories, aquarium chillers come in a number of different makes and models. Despite a variation in appearance, most aquarium chillers accomplish the same goal; to keep your fish tank cooled. When it comes to cooling an aquarium, aquarium chillers work just like air conditioners. In fact, many even have similar controls, allowing you to control the amount of cooling that is going on in your fish tank.

In many cases, owning an aquarium chiller is completely optional, but in other cases it may be necessary. Whether your not you actually need to own an aquarium chiller will depend on where you live, the average temperature of your home, and the type of fish that you own. These small, but important factors should be closely examined before you automatically decide that you do not need to purchase an aquarium chiller for your fish tank.

As mentioned above, where you reside may have an impact on whether or not you need to own an aquarium chiller. If you live in the south or if you live in an area that regularly experiences heat waves or high temperatures, it may be a good idea to purchase an aquarium chiller. If you do not have an aquarium chiller, it is likely that the water inside your fish tank will slowly adjust to room temperature. If the overall temperature where you live is too high, your fish tank water may increase in temperature, even to an unsafe level. In this case, an aquarium chiller may have a significant impact on the survival of your fish.

In connection with where you reside, it is also important to examine the average temperature inside your home, namely the temperature in the room where you fish tank will be housed. If you like to have the temperature inside your home to be above room temperature, an aquarium chiller may also be needed. As it was mentioned above, the temperature of your fish tank and its water may have a significant impact on your fish and how long they are able to survive. In fact, that leads to another important factor that should also be examined, the type of fish that you own.

If this is your first time owning fish, you may not necessarily know that certain fish need certain accommodations to survive. If your fish tank water is too warm or is downright hot, your fish may not only be "uncomfortable," but they also may not be able to survive. To determine what the best water temperature is for the type of fish that you have, it is best that you ask when purchasing them. If you have already made your purchase, you can easily find the same information online, often with just a standard internet search. The individual or company you are looking to buy an aquarium chiller from may also be able to give you their suggestions or professional advice.

The decision as to whether or not you want to own an aquarium chiller is yours to make; however, it is advised that you keep the above mentioned factors in mind. If you feel that you need to own an aquarium chiller or if you would like to purchase one, just in case, you are urged to examine FishTanksDirect.com. They have a relatively large selection of aquarium chillers available for sale. This includes aquarium chillers that are designed for small, large, and medium sized aquariums.

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!