How Many Starter Fish in a New Set-Up - Set-Up Tip 6

One of the crucial factors when setting up a new fish tank is to determine how many starter fish can be safely added; once the initial waiting period has been finished. You must be careful not to add fish to the point where the population is too large. If this occurs, the new fish will actually poison themselves with the toxins they create.

It takes about six weeks before the beneficial bacteria that were not there in the beginning to created a strong enough population. Once established, they eliminate all the ammonia exhaled and created by the fish as they live. A proper biological filter eliminates this as fast as it is manufactured. In a new fish tank, this overproduction of ammonia cannot be removed by the actual population of denitrifying bacteria strains. Over time, this overproduction of ammonia gradually builds up and causes severe problems. The starter fish literally will poison themselves from the production of their own wastes.

There are lots of rules of thumb that have been offered to help a novice aquarist select the proper amount of starter fish that can be safely added to the new aquarium. We can't tell you about all of them, but will state the one we use to determine the bioload the tank should start with. Actually our guidelines need to be broken into two separate parts, The first is for the brand new aquarium set-up that is just started. The second will be elaborated in a following tip as it refers to the ultimate load an aquarium can safely support once the biological filter and its beneficial bacteria have been established.

For a new aquarium, we recommend - at the very most - one inch of starter fish per gallon capacity of the fish tank.

For example: if the newly established aquarium is a ten gallon tank, we recommend never exceeding ten inches of fish. In this initial calculation, we include the entire length of the fish; from the head to the end of the tail.

As mentioned, if the tank is overloaded with life when a bacterial filter bed is non-existent,discus fish, or still in the process of maturing, the fish will excrete more ammonia than the initial bacterial colonies can ever hope to reduce. In this case, the concentration of ammonia and/or nitrite rapidly rises in the water. To be brutally honest, in the very beginning, the less fish in the tank; as long as there are some to provide a biological load and create some ammonia naturally, the better.

It is much wiser to have a much lighter biological load and allow the bacteria to multiply in lower ammonia levels. You should try to avoid forcing the fish to live in highly toxic conditions that ammonia creates. As long as there is a concentration of ammonia in the water, the bacterial population will continue to increase until all that is produced is eliminated instantaneously.

Actually, in many cases, the ammonia is not as toxic if the pH of the water is low. This phenomenon will be discussed in a later tip. But, in any case, once the bacteria have been given enough time to establish and allowed to populate enough to reduce ammonia almost instantly, it is the consequent build-up of nitrite that is the most lethal.

Koi Types - Your Guide To Koi Varieties

The word "Koi" means "carp" and originates from the Japanese language. The nomenclature indicates both the brightly colored Koi types and the dull gray fish. In Japan the fish are called nishikigoi. The literal translation of nishikigoi is "brocaded carp". Koi in Japan means love or affection. Koi in Japan are symbols of love and affection. They have also become a popular subject for tattoos.

The common carp was grown for a food fish in China as far back at the fifth century. It has been concluded through scientific study that there are a minimum of two different subspecies of carp. One is from east Asia and another from Eurasia. Through continuous cross breeding, the various varieties have evolved. Through the study of mitochondrial DNA, it has been learned that Koi are descendents of a variety of hybridized species.

The characteristics that distinguish the Koi are scalation, patterning and coloration. The primary colors of Koi are black, white, yellow, red, blue and cream. The color combinations are unlimited. Breeders have taken it upon themselves to identify certain color combinations. The most popular of the Koi varieties are the Gasanke which consists of the Taisho Sanshoku, the Showa Sanshoku and the Kohaku varieties.

The crossbreeding has continued. As recently as the 1980's, Ghost Koi was developed in the UK. They are a cross between the wild Koi and the Ogon Koi. Their metallic scales are what distinguish them from other Koi. The dragon carp, which is also known as the Longfin Koi or the Butterfly Koi have long flowing fins which distinguish them from the other varieties. There are those breeders that do not consider the butterfly Koi and ghost Koi to be true Nishikigoi. The development of Koi types continue and the variety of choices increases. There are some who feel that the original Koi types are the only true Koi.

The Various Koi Types

Kohaku: This popular white Koi has red markings on the top of its body. the name Kohaku means red and white. This original Koi developed in the 19th century.

Taisho Sanshoku are also known as Taisho Sanke. In 1914, breeders introduced these types of Koi. They are similar to the Kohaku, but have additional black markings. These small black markings are called sumi. In the United States, they are frequently called Sanke. The kanji can be read as Sanshoku or sanke.

Showa Sanshoku is a black Koi. It has red and white markings. These types of Koi was first shown in 1927 during the Showa empire. The amount of shiroji, white markings, has increased over the years. In the United States the name has been abbreviated to Showa.

Tancho Koi are distinguished by the single red patch that you see on the head of the Koi. The Koi in this category can be either Tancho Showa, Tancho Sanke or Tancho Goshiki. This Koi was named for the Japanese crane. The crane has a red spot on its head also.

Chagoi are tea-colored Koi. The color covers a wide spectrum of colors from a very pale olive drab green to a copper or bonze hue. Recently some have appeared in shades of orange. These particular Koi types are friendly, docile and very large. Keepers like to keep them in their pond with other Koi varieties as they feel they are a sign of good luck.

Asagi Koi is usually red, yellow or cream below the lateral lines of the fish and on its cheeks. The rest of the fish is a beautiful light blue. The name means pale greenish-blue in Japanese and also spring onion or indigo.

Utsurimono Koi are black and have either white, red or yellow markings. The original is the black and white markings, called the zebra color. The red and white are Hi Utsuri and Shiro Utsuri. Utsuri means to print. The black markings are very similar to ink markings. These types of Koi are genetically the same as Showa but without the white or red pigment.

Bekko is a yellow,Freshwater Fish, white or red skinned Koi that has distinctive black markings. The name translates to "tortoise shell". The white, red and yellow Koi varieties are Shiro Bekko, Aka Bekko and Ki Bekko. Occasionally they are confused with Utsuri.

Shusui translates to "autumn green". The Shusui appeared in 1910. It is a cross between the German mirror carp and the Japanese Asagi. These particular Koi types have one line of large scales that extend from its head to its tail.

What Exactly Is Aquaponics

There is a great deal of aquaponics information available today and much of the information was obtained through trial and error. Relatively new to us, is a very unique system that is proven time and again. This system is a hybrid of aquaculture and hydroponics and is a truly "green" and remarkable process. Aquaponics systems can be small or they can be very big.

Having an understanding about aquaponics is necessary to build and maintain your own system. The statistics of food poisoning and other issues is rapidly increasing which is unfortunate with the amount of technology that currently exists. Growing our own food is becoming a necessity in order to keep our families healthy.

Balance

Any aquaponics information that you read should advise that it is an eco system that will work if and when the system is balanced. This only makes sense as we see this within our own systems. However, the components in this system interact with each other so if one part of the system fails (and not addressed in a very timely manner) the entire system will fail.

It must be stressed at this point, that if you were to start your own aquaponics system that it would fail (to a point). You may have trials and errors, but this is mandatory as you are bringing together two different systems and they must successfully unite. Having an understanding of each is important; especially if gardening and caring of fish is new to you.

Simplicity

The concept of the entire process is very simple and should be stressed in any aquaponics information that you read. You are growing two completely different crops that benefit each other. The system includes two containers that are connected by a pump and some tubing. One container, we'll call it a fish tank, holds fish and water. The other container, we'll call it a grow bed, holds plants and either water or another growing medium other than soil.

The fishy water is transferred to the container that the plants are in. The plants absorb the water along with all of the toxins that the fish created in the water, thus cleaning the water. The water is drained back into the fish tank giving the fish clean water to live in until it is time for the water to cycle again.

Decisions

Of course, there is much more aquaponics information to review. The balance of the system also hinges on the types of plants as well as the type(s) of fish you choose. The easiest plants to grow are leafy ones; however, almost any plant can grow in this type of system. The fish chosen can be almost any fish but there are limitations, to a certain point.

The choice of the fish will depend upon if you will harvest them or just use their natural services to fertilize the plants. If you choose to grow them for food, you should choose a species that is easy to care for, is hardy, reproduces easily,goldfish, grows fast and eats almost anything. The species should also be good to eat. One of the most popular species is Tilapia.

As the saying goes, knowledge is power and with aquaponics this is indeed true. The aquaponics information provided here was to give you the basics in the hopes that you will be interested enough to begin your own aquaponics system.

What You Should Think About When Looking For Fish Tanks For Sale

Any person who is in the market for an aquarium will be on the lookout for ads that read, fish tanks for sale. Getting a tank is a big decision and you must take some time to learn about this exciting hobby before you race out a buy an aquarium that will not live up to your expectations.

There are a number of key factors that you will have to take into your decision making process. The price of the tank is obviously going to play a major part in your selection, but it certainly should not be the only one. You should also consider tank placement, size and the intended occupants.

If you are like most people, you will not have unlimited funds at your disposal. Before you buy a tank, you have to work out a budget. Many individuals think that they will have everything covered if they buy a kit. Sadly, this is not the case. There are a number of mandatory items that are not going to be in the majority of packages.

Decorations will certainly not be included. This is actually one of the most important parts of maintaining a healthy tank. The items that you place in the tank should closely resemble a fish's natural environment. You have to consider the kinds of fish that you want to place in the tank when you are selecting plants, substrate (gravel) and rocks.

Take a look around your home and determine where you want to put the tank. If you want to place the tank in a corner, you might want to think about an aquarium that is specifically designed for this. When you intend to set-up a tank in a corner, you have to think about where the filter is going to be placed. If you have an underground system, this will not present much of a problem. However, if you are considering a filter that is designed to go on the outside of the tank, you will want to make a mental note of this. Most people do not want the filter at the front of the aquarium.

If you are renting your home, you may want to take a good look at your rental agreement. Numerous apartment complexes have weight restrictions. There may be a clause in your lease, which states that you cannot have a tank that is over a certain size. You may have to restrict your fish tanks for sale choices to those under a certain weight. Other factors that should be taken into account are outside doors and windows. An aquarium should never be kept near an outside door or window. Either one of these can cause the temperature to fluctuate.

Your tank should suit the fish that you want to purchase. Before you select your tank, choose your fish or at least have a good idea of what you want buy. If you are planning to set up a community tank, you will need to know how many of each kind of fish to get. Some fish should be kept in pairs,Cichlid Fish Care, whereas others will want to school. If you are planning to purchase schooling fish you need to know the optimal number to buy and how big they will grow.

There are numerous ads that read fish tanks for sale. However, before you are lured into buying a model that will be completely inappropriate for you and your home, learn about the hobby.

Aquaponics How to Build Your Own

Aquaponics is a natural and sustainable eco-food production system that integrates hydroponics and aquaculture. Aquaculture simply refers to taking care of aquatic animals in controlled or man-made environments like tanks or aquariums, while Hydroponics refers to cultivating plants in water. If you combine them together, you are creating a mutual and symbiotic relationship between the animals and plants, that is definitely beneficial to both, and also to you who can benefit from it financially. It utilizes both systems- and in doing so cancels out the major problem of each. Instead of using harmful chemicals to cultivate the plants, it uses the fish effluent which acts as a natural fertilizer for them. On the other hand, instead of cleaning and removing the water frequently, it uses the ability of plants to clean and purify the water onto which the fish lives. Cool right?

So, have you ever wondered how to build your own aquaponics? Let us ask the experts, and let me help you there, by summarizing everything below:

• Fish tank - also called rearing tank, this is needed primarily for raising and feeding the fish. This also acts as your main point of contact with the fish. This must be well spaced, and estimated based on the volume of fish that you will be cultivating.

• Solids removal tank - this is used to catch the extra uneaten foods by fish, as well as setting out fine particulates in the water. This is needed on top of the cleaning and purifying power of the plants, since some wastes are solid and not soluble in water.

• Biofilter - this is a portion where the scientific process of nitrification occurs, thus converting ammonia to nitrates.

• Sump - this is the lowest portion of the tank in which the water flows through the fish tanks.

• Oxygen supply - this is needed by both fish and plants to breathe and live. Make sure that this can be supplied by electricity safely, and in case there will be power outages, a backup is present.

On top of these components, you will also need a basic knowledge of what are the needs of fish and plants. Fish definitely needs nutrients, and oxygen-rich water. On the other hand, plants also needs nutrients, and water. These are just minor things that are covered using the basic components of aquaponics we mentioned earlier.

In the end, you will also think, that this might cost quite a bit, and be a pain in your pocket. Well, in a way yes- but there are ways to make it easier, and cheaper for you especially when you are just starting. The plant beds, usually made of wood, can be recycled. You can use some scrap materials from your own backyard and build your own. As for the tanks,pet fish, these refer to the usual basins, or containers, and doesn't really require high-priced glass setups. If you just use your creativity and estimation skills, you will need just the right amount of money, to start, cultivate, then later grow this hobby into a business.

Aquarium - How To Prevent Diseases In Your Aquarium

Introduction

If you have an aquarium, it is almost a reality your fish will become sick. But there are some things you can do to prevent your fish from getting sick.

Immune System

Like humans, your fish also have a developed immune system that can fend off the different bacteria that enters your tank. Your task is to help keep the immune system of your fish healthy and strong.

The one thing that can reduce the immune system of your fish is stress. So your task is to prevent your fish from becoming stressed.

Prevent Stressing Your Fish

There are a number of ways that you can stress your fish. If you know what they are you can prevent stressing them and stop your fish from developing illnesses. Here are some ways that you can stress your fish:

Water Quality - One of the top reasons fish get stressed is a change in your water quality. It is important that you monitor the quality of your tanks water frequently. Even a small change in your waters quality can stress your fish.
Light Cycle - Having an irregular light cycle on your aquarium can stress out your fish. I have placed my aquarium light on a timer. It is on for 12-hours and off for 12-hours.
Overstocking - Putting to many fish in your aquarium can stress them out also. To many fish can reduce the oxygen available,guppy fish, develop too much waste and not allow them to swim as much as they want. The rule of thumb I use is five inches of adult fish for every five gallons of water.
Over-Feeding - I know, I fall into the same trap and I feel sorry for my fish when they look at me with their big round eyes pleading for food. Take it from me it is all staged. They can go for days in the wild without food. There are many recommendations on how much to feed your fish, but what you want to do is ensure there is no excess food in the substrate. This food will just rot and develop bacteria.
Temperature Change - Even a degree or two of temperature change can stress your fish. Ensure you have a good heater to keep your water at a constant temperature. Since I replace 10% of the water in the tank every week, I need to be careful there is no large temperature swings. I have the replacement water at room temperature before adding it to the tank and add a little at a time to ensure no major temperature change.

Conclusion

The main thing you need to do to prevent disease in your fish is not to stress them. The things that can stress your fish are changes in water quality, irregular light cycle, over-stocking, over-feeding and water temperature changes.

5 Tips For Buying A Betta Fish Tank And Accessories

You would think that buying a betta fish tank, should be as easy as walking into a pet store, grabbing one off the shelf and heading back home.

It can almost be that easy if you take into consideration how many fish you are going to have, the size of the tank, where you are going to place it, what type of fish toys you are going to have and will you be traveling with your fish.

Tip 1 Size

If you are going to have just one fish in your tank, I would suggest getting a 2 gallon tank. You can expect this type of tank to be about 10 inches long, 7 inches wide and 9 inches tall. Of course you could get a 2 gallon betta fish bowl, a 2 gallon wine glass shaped aquarium or some other shaped tank.

If you are going to have many fish, such as 5 female bettas, in your tank, you will need to consider a 25 to 30 gallon tank (5 gallons per fish). The size of that aquarium would be around 15 inches long x 12 inches wide x 10 inches tall.

Once again, there are many types of tanks available in many different sizes, but this will give you some idea of a 5 gallon tank size.

A good rule of thumb for numerous fish in a tank is get 5 gallons per fish.

Tip 2 Placement of the Aquarium

Bettas are tropical fish and the area of the world they come from is sunny and hot.

But, bettas do not do well when their tank is placed in an area that will have direct sunlight all day.

Sunshine all day could raise the temperature of their water to a point where it would be unhealthy for the fish. The constant movement of the water and the sun glare seems to make bettas disoriented and they either stop swimming or swim in crazy patterns.

The best place for your betta tank would be on an inside wall, where there would be plenty of indirect sunlight.

Don't place your tank on a wall with mirrors. A male betta will think he has another male in the tank and will spend most of his time trying to kill the other male betta.

This will cause him to constantly be in motion to the point that he will die of exhaustion; or he will be attacking the sides of the tank, which could easily cause him harm.

Tape a magazine picture of flowers or trees on the back of the aquarium to give him a colorful background to look at.

Tip 3 Tanks For Traveling

If you are going to be traveling with your betta, in a car, truck or RV,pet fish, a smaller, plastic aquarium is what I would suggest.

When we traveled with our betta, we used a small portable tank that measured 7 inches long X 5 inches wide X 6 inches tall. This was not the ideal size for him, but he traveled for 3 years in it and survived all the trips. I would not recommend traveling with more than one fish in a tank that size.

Tip 4 Tank Toys For Your Betta

A betta in a tank that has only water in it, is a very sad thing to see. Can you imagine being in a bowl all day with nothing to hide under, nothing colorful to see for stimulation and nothing else moving.

Your betta tank should include some things that will make life more enjoyable for your fish. A few river rocks placed on top of each other will provide a nice hidy-hole, where he can get away from it all. Colored gravel on the bottom will provide more stimulation and a few betta plants will add interest for your fish.

Tip 5 Water Conditioner

In most areas, water that comes from your tap, will not be suitable for your betta to live in. There are usually chemicals like chlorine and ammonia that need to be taken out or neutralized before it is safe for a fish.

A good first step is to fill a water container and leave it overnight to get rid of the chlorine, then a good quality water conditioner should go into the water before adding it to your tank.

Most of the stress of buying a betta fish tank can be eliminated if you just give consideration to a few things, how many fish you are going to have, the size of the tank, where you are going to place it, what type of fish toys you are going to have and if you will be traveling with your fish. You will enjoy your lovely new betta for years to come, in the perfect aquarium you have selected, if you just give it a little thought ahead of time.

The Aquarium Breeder Box - Advantages And Disadvantages

Introduction

If you have an aquarium,tropical fish, you may have considered breeding some of your fish. One of the things that you will need to consider is how to protect the eggs and the fry, not only from other fish but also from their own mother and father and the filter.

One of the best ways to protect the eggs and fry is to use what is called a breeding box. There are several advantages and disadvantages of using a separate box that you need to consider before you jump in and use one.

What Is An Aquarium Breeding Box

An aquarium-breeding box is used by fish breeders to raise their fry. This is a box that has slots to allow for water circulation and is placed in the aquarium. The slots also allow the fry to swim out of the box for more exercise and allow them to return to the box for protection form the other fish.

Advantages Of Using A Breeding Box

There are many advantages to using a breeding box to raise your fry:

The main advantage to having a breeding box is there are many aquarium fish that like to eat the eggs or fry of other fish. Some fish, especially egg-scatterers, will even eat their own eggs. A breeding box will keep the eggs and fry separate from the other fish in your aquarium.
It will save you a lot of expense by not having to purchase and maintain another aquarium just for breeding.
Your fry will be in the same environment that they will live when they are adults. This will preventing shocking them when you take them from a breeding tank to the main aquarium. Shock is the main item that will cause your fish to become ill.

Disadvantages Of Using A Breeding Box

Besides the advantages there are always be some disadvantages to go along with anything that has advantages. Here are a few of the disadvantages you need to consider:

One of the biggest disadvantage to using this type of box is it will stress the female fish. She will feel confined in the box after being allowed to swim in the larger aquarium. This will may cause her to abort the eggs she has in her.
If you do not place the breeder box in the right location it may not receive the right circulation that will allow the water to stagnate.

Koi Diseases - Learn More About Common Diseases In Koi

Keeping your fish healthy is no doubt a big priority when you have your own pond full of Koi. You can usually keep them fairing well by giving them proper nutrition and ensuring proper water quality as well. However, there are Koi diseases that can occur and it's important to know a bit about these various diseases if you are going to care for these creatures. If you begin noticing that your fishes are having problems, it's a good idea to start looking at what can be causing the issue. Here is some more information about common diseases and even some ideas for prevention.

Prevention is Always Important

First, before looking at some of the common Koi diseases, it's important to realize that prevention is always important. It's much easier to work on preventing diseases than it is to treat these problems. There are many things you can do to help prevent these problems. This can be done by keeping the water filtered out appropriately, by combating parasites and fungus, and by trying to avoid stress in your fish. Work hard to ensure your fish are kept healthy to avoid disease in your pond.

Problems with Parasites

One of the common Koi diseases is parasites. Various types of parasitic infections can occur. One of the common types of parasites is known as ich, which is also known as white spot disease. Treatment for parasite problems includes ensuring that the parasite is removed from the fish so they can then be killed. Just remember that a wound will be left where the parasite was on the fish, which can be susceptible to bacteria. Using some antibiotic can be helpful for preventing a bacterial infection at the site of this wound. A few of the signs that your Koi may have a parasite infection includes scratching, visible white spots, or breathing that is heavy or rapid. Just remember that if one fish has a problem with parasites, you need to treat the entire system.

Lymphocystis

Another of the common Koi diseases to be aware of is known as lymphocystis. This is basically a virus that can attach to fish and then live on water impurities. While it doesn't live off the fish, it still can end up indirectly killing them. To eliminate this problem, you have to remove the food source of the virus. You can do this with chlorine, ozone, with water changes, diatom filtration, or with ultraviolet sterilizers. With systems that are crowded, it is more likely to be transferred from one fish to another.

Bacterial Infections

Bacterial infections are also Koi diseases that can occur. Often you'll notice a milky appearance, which is significant of a bacterial infection. It may be in one area or on several different spots on your fish. Usually this occurs on areas that have an open cut or sore. Medicated food, antibiotics, and water changes on a regular basis can help to treat this problem. To treat these infections you may have to try several different types of antibiotics before you find one that cures the problem.

Anchor Worms

You will find that anchor worms is one of the Koi diseases that commonly occurs. It is usually easy to identify this disease because of the small sticks that are protruding from the fins or other areas of the fish. These worms attach firmly to the fish and if you pull them out, sometimes they pull a bit of flesh out as well. The best treatment is Dylox that is put in their food. It will take 10-14 days on the medication to get rid of the anchor worms. Remaining worms should be taken from the fish after treating for a few days. Since sores are often left from the worms, it's important to give the fish antibiotics and to change out water on a regular basis.

Don't Forget About Stress

While stress isn't a disease, stress can end up causing a variety of the common Koi diseases. A variety of things can end up causing stress to your Koi. The wrong temperature,betta fish, sudden movements that are scary, poor diet, and even changes in the water pH can end up causing stress. Various toxins, too much ammonia, high levels of nitrate, too much or not enough light, cloudy water, quick environmental changes, and overcrowding also can cause stress for your fish. When they are under stress, epinephrine is released, which leads to an increase in respiration, blood pressure, and their heart rate. Stress can end up overloading the system so they end up developing diseases. Stress that is very severe can even make fish die right away. For this reason, avoiding stress is imperative to helping prevent Koi diseases.

How to Breed Dwarf Cichlids

If you have Cichlids in your fish aquarium, can you imagine how frustrating it can be to know you have a pair of these clever fish spawning but you can never get around to actually seeing them do it? Such is often the case with Dwarf Cichlids who are quite secretive spawners. Many spawn in rocky caves, often upside down on the ceiling, just to be different.

The Kribensis, Pelvicachromis pulcher, is a modest-sized Cichlid from West Africa. The male has a spade-shaped caudal fin whilst the female's main claim to fame is her purple coloration which intensifies at breeding time.

These fish will certainly spawn in the community aquarium and are stout defenders of both their spawning site and subsequent fry. It is not unusual for them to 'disappear' for a disconcerting period of time only to eventually reappear with a couple of dozen youngsters in tow. However it is obviously best to set up a separate breeding tank for them.

Again a planted tank is recommended with the added furnishing of a flowerpot laid on its side on the substrate. You should enlarge the drainage hole in the bottom to allow the fish to enter and exit the pot from that end should they prefer to. Alternatively, short pieces of plastic pipe may also make potential spawning sites.

As with other Cichlids, a pair of Kribensis will normally pair off spontaneously should you have a number of them grown up from young in your collection. You could also buy a pair from your dealer, using the sex identification guide, but there is no guarantee that they will turn into a compatible pair bent on producing a family for you.

Once decided on a lady of his choice,koi, the male fish will display in front of her with many turnings and U-shape bendings of his body. At this time too, his colors will be intensified.

They will disappear into the flowerpot or pipe to clean a spawning site on which eggs are laid by the female and fertilized by the male.

When the fry emerge from their hatching period and are free-swimming, the female's colors again intensify possibly to facilitate fry-adult communication. Her belly turns a deep rich purple whilst her fins take on a sooty black appearance, especially the pelvic fins which she continually flicks as if signalling to the fry.

Again, the parents will herd the young and protect them against any possible threat.

Raising the fry to young fish follows the normal feeding patterns and the fry grow quickly.

It is often the case that there is a predominance of one sex or another in the brood of youngsters. Reports suggest that this state of affairs can be altered (perhaps producing too many of the other sex next time?) by tinkering with the water chemistry, i.e., raising or lowering the pH from what is was before. Caution must be exercised when altering the water chemistry; at the very least you might put off the parents' willingness to breed - even though you wouldn't be able to see them doing it.

Getting The Best Fish Tank Table

There are many fish tank table options available to you. If you are going to get something that is going to fit your needs, you may have to look in more than one place. The good news is that it's not as hard as you may think to find the perfect one.

Where To Look

There are several places you can look for a good fish tank table. One of the best is actually at your local department store or pet store. The reason for this is there may be more options and you will probably be able to know how large a table is for your tank. Sometimes seeing it will let you know if it's going to be the right one for you.

Another option is to look online. When you look online, you won't be able to actually see the table in front of you. This can make it harder to actually know what it's going to look like,pet cat, but you can use the measurements from your tank to find a table that will work.

What to Look For

There are a few things you may want to look for when you are looking at a table for your fish tank. The first is the size. You can get something that is a bit bigger than your tank if you want to actually have room for your own items or for fish care items. You can also get a table that is just the right size so it will fit in your room. This is why it's one of the most important parts of getting a good fish tank.

Another thing to look for is the storage in the table. Some actually have a shelf or space under the table area already built in. This way you can put your fish care items under the table and tank system and save space. You can also store other items under the tank if you want to and save space in your home.

Another thing you may want to think about is the way the table is built. If you get something that is not built well, it will not be able to hold your tank or your items for you. This could make things harder in the long run for you and your fish care needs. You also may have to purchase another table faster than if you had just gotten the right one in the first place.

Take your time and you will get what you want. The last thing you want is to have something that is not going to work for you.

Aquariums - Treats For My Fish

Introduction

Are your fish getting tired of the same old fish flakes? Well here are some suggestions to spice up their life and yours, with some really tasty treats that they will absolutely love.

General

In the wild, your fish have a variety of foods they can select to eat, while in your aquarium they are subject to what you feed them. If you were to eat the same food every day, wouldn't you get bored,pet cat, well your fish are the same way.

You need to spice up their life by providing them some different food types. Do this by giving them a snack every now and then.

Here are some yummy snacks you can feed your fish.

Blood Worms

This is one of the most popular treats to feed all different types of fresh water fish. I feed my fish frozen and freeze-dried blood worms. My Gourami love the freeze-dried that float on the surface of the water, while the Tiger Barb love to tackle the cube of frozen blood worms.

Brine Shrimp

This one is also popular among Aquarist. I give my tropical fish freeze-dried shrimp. You can obtain them live, but I prefer them freeze-dried which allows them to float on the surface of the water for easy access by my fish.

If you are adventurous you can also get them when they are just eggs. People with large tanks prefer to raise their own shrimp.

These young shrimp are also wonderful treats for your young fry.

Cyclops

These are crustaceans that are fresh water and related to lobsters and crabs. As the name implies, they have one eye and are loved by large fry and small fish. Small fry should not be fed these since the Cyclops may attack them.

Water Fleas

These are also special treats for your fish. You will find these mainly frozen or freeze-dried. You may be able to even find these live which would really be exciting treat for your fish.

White Mosquito

These larvae will eventually turn into gnats. They can be found in many ponds and you can even get them live or in frozen form at many pet stores.

Conclusion

Your fish like to think they are back home in their own environment. That is why it is important to keep them thinking that way by providing them with little treats that they would find in their native home environment.

I provide mine with frozen and freeze-dried blood worms and brine shrimp. Keeps them smiling and happy.

How to Care for a Pregnant Guppy

Caring for guppies is usually really easy to do, but when it comes to caring for a pregnant guppy, that is very different. Certain considerations and adjustments need to be made to help her to give birth to healthy guppy fry with minimal stress.

A pregnant guppy can cause a fish keeper a great deal of stress, but it needn't be like that, as it's really not that hard to deal with. Most people think it's all going to go wrong, especially if they are new to it, but the truth is that guppies have been breeding successfully for hundreds of year on their own. Plus, since they are living in a nice clean warm tank with no predators apart from each other, they should be pretty much ok.

With all the above being said about guppies having babies on their own with no problems, that was in reference to wild guppies. However, we very rarely have a chance to buy wild ones anymore and they are all captive bred fish that have kind of had their wild instincts bred right out of them instead of importing them from the wild waters that are their natural homes.

Keeping tank born guppies does have its advantages over the wild ones if you look into it. For one thing,tropical fish, they don't have to endure a terribly stressful journey to the fish shop that will sell them. They are also a lot hardier and can deal with a few mistakes that the new in-experienced keeper may make.
The thing that you will notice with a pregnant guppy is that she doesn't really act any different from any of the other fish that are not even pregnant. She just goes about scouting around for food just like the rest of her tank mates.

The only time when a pregnant guppy will change her behavior is just before she is about to drop her babies, which are born live because guppies are livebearers. You will notice that she will start hiding more and more and it could take you a little detective work to try to find her. The reason a pregnant guppy will start hiding is because she is preparing to give birth to her babies within a day or two. She is hiding to try and help protect the babies and help bring up their survival rate from other fish that may be in the tank that may want to eat them.

Even though she goes to all this trouble in trying to protect her offspring, even she will eat the young herself! One way this can be prevented is to provide plenty of hiding places and make sure the female is well-fed throughout the whole pregnancy.

So, there you have it. A pregnant guppy isn't really that stressful to deal with when you simply take a step back and think about it. Things may be a bit bumpy during the first couple of births, but as time goes by you will get the hang of it and have lots of little guppies swimming around.

Getting The Best Fish Tank Table

There are many fish tank table options available to you. If you are going to get something that is going to fit your needs,guppy fish, you may have to look in more than one place. The good news is that it's not as hard as you may think to find the perfect one.

Where To Look

There are several places you can look for a good fish tank table. One of the best is actually at your local department store or pet store. The reason for this is there may be more options and you will probably be able to know how large a table is for your tank. Sometimes seeing it will let you know if it's going to be the right one for you.

Another option is to look online. When you look online, you won't be able to actually see the table in front of you. This can make it harder to actually know what it's going to look like, but you can use the measurements from your tank to find a table that will work.

What to Look For

There are a few things you may want to look for when you are looking at a table for your fish tank. The first is the size. You can get something that is a bit bigger than your tank if you want to actually have room for your own items or for fish care items. You can also get a table that is just the right size so it will fit in your room. This is why it's one of the most important parts of getting a good fish tank.

Another thing to look for is the storage in the table. Some actually have a shelf or space under the table area already built in. This way you can put your fish care items under the table and tank system and save space. You can also store other items under the tank if you want to and save space in your home.

Another thing you may want to think about is the way the table is built. If you get something that is not built well, it will not be able to hold your tank or your items for you. This could make things harder in the long run for you and your fish care needs. You also may have to purchase another table faster than if you had just gotten the right one in the first place.

Take your time and you will get what you want. The last thing you want is to have something that is not going to work for you.

Finding the Right Aquarium Heaters

Contrary to what many people think, fish are not cold blooded. They are simply unable to maintain their own body temperature. When in their natural environment, sunlight and water provides them with all the warmth they need. If you are in love with sea life or have your own aquarium with your favourite fish species, then you must invest in other aquarium accessories like aquarium heaters.

Aquarium heaters are a must buy no matter how comfortable or warm you think the room temperature is. The fact of the matter is the room might be comfortably warm to you but terribly cold for the fish. With the heater, you will be able to provide all the heat that is needed for your fish to thrive. Fish thrives very well in water that is kept at around 79 degrees Fahrenheit. This means you need to keep the water temperature as constant as you possibly can. When the temperatures keep fluctuating, even the fish will end up stressed and fall sick often as the line between a stressed and sick fish is very thin.

Your tips for getting the right aquarium heaters

These heaters are rated by watts. The best way to get the right watt is choosing watts five times the number of gammon water in your aquarium.

If your aquarium is very big, consider getting two or more heaters as they will do a better job compared to when you have just the one. If you are getting more than one heater, determine the right watts you need and divide by the number of aquarium heaters you will be getting.

Having more than one heater is beneficial as you can have a backup in case one is not working properly. You might also find it worth investing into when you get a separate thermometer that you can use to keep checking the water temperature. This way, you will tell if your heater or tank has a problem that needs urgent attention.

The different aquarium heaters

The most common yet highly affordable heater is the immersible heaters, which have a waterline that remains on above the waterline with the other part being immersed under water. You can also find the submersible heaters that go under the water entirely. Other types include the filter heater and the substrate heater. The filter heater has a special heating system placed inside the heater which enables the water to go back to the tank clean. The substrate aquarium heaters are usually installed below the substrate that is the gravel, rock or sand you use in your aquarium. It also produces even form of heating.

Quick safety tips

Any time you are doing aquarium maintenance, keep in mind that water and electricity are fatal enemies. So, handle any electrical appliance with caution.

Never touch a hot aquarium heater

Follow 's instructions on how to use the heater, if it has to go into the water completely,pet house, ensure that you do so and vice versa.

When cleaning the tank, turn the heater off and give it a few minutes to cool down. This is safe for you and prevents cracking of the heater.

Ensure that your aquarium heaters are unplugged before immersing into the water.