Aquarium and Fish Care

2017-04-20

Proper Winter Care for Your FISH POND Outdoors

Fishes can be wintered either outdoors or indoors. This will depend on the construction of the entire pond according to the inclination of the owner. This article will focus about things that a hobbyist can do to properly protect and care for his fishes during winter if his pond is situated outdoors.

If you’re living in a country where winter is the most prominent season of the year, better build a pond wherein a portion of it is about 30-45 inches deep.

Fish pond in winter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This will protect the fishes from long periods of cold spells. Even more drastic than cold water is the building up of gasses which are toxic in a pond that is iced over completely for a certain amount of time.

Therefore, it is mandatory that a part of the pond’s surface is kept open to enable the pond to circulate air that results to the disposal of deadly gasses and adds oxygen. You can accomplish this by:

a. Aerator.

This is a large air stone that is operated by an aquarium air pump which can constantly create a small opening inside the ice. Unfortunately, placement is quite critical and hard to be arranged precisely.

Ideally, the aerator should be placed halfway measuring from the deepest part of the entire pond and should be monitored frequently. Chances are, if the aerator is placed too near from the surface, it has a tendency to freeze, if placed deeper, it can chill the entire pond.

b. De-Icer or Heater.
There are different kinds of de-icers that can be safely used for performed ponds, liner or even in concrete. Out of the use of electricity, a puncture can be made through the iced pond where it serves as breathing hole for fishes.

Sometimes, the most efficient de-icers or heaters can produce an ice-free pond even if the winter weather is overwhelming.

c. Water pump.

Same limitations to an aerator, a water pump can provide an opening on the surface of the pond but with several conditions. One condition is that the pump must be mounted on the deepest part yet should be far enough from the bottom to avoid water circulation and far enough from the surface so that it wouldn’t solidly freeze. Regularly inspect the pump because it can freeze solid or run dry, these can destroy the integrity of the pump.

Covering the pond can be helpful for the fishes and the devices used. It can protect the pond from extreme coldness and will reduce the amount of electricity that your heater needs. Although, the cover must always be raised to enable gas exchange and prevent toxic substances to reside in the pond. The structure would turn out like a wooden frame is built over the pond at its surface then it will be covered with plywood. Insulating materials can follow. The covering must possess sturdiness to withstand the long days of snow accumulation.

Last concern is feeding your fish. Actually, you can drop this idea for even if your pets seem to be quite interested, they will just ignore the food that you’ll give. This is because during cold days, metabolism can be quite sluggish. Although, to prevent starvation, you can supplement them food that can easily be digested like the ones that are made from wheat germ.

Proper care of your pond fishes during winter can be crucial to your pets especially when it is located

outdoors.

2017-04-19

How To Cure FISH DISEASE - Three Things You Must Do

Everyone wants his fish to be disease free and it is painful to see any creature suffer. It is also a fact that if you have one sick fish, without isolation and care, pretty soon all of them will or may be sick. This can be especially disastrous if you have a pond full of koi fish or other expensive ornamental fish.

If you suspect you have a sick fish, there appear to be three separate things you have to do: Recognition, separation and treatment. One without the other two leaves you with either one sick fish or a pond full of sick fish.

Fish Pond Fish Pond (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How Do You Cure Fish Disease?

1. Learn to recognize the symptoms that indicate your fish may be sick.

There are several types of bacteria, parasite, fungi, and other illnesses common to most fish. Some of these diseases are also common to other tropical fish and cold water fish. It is a good thing to get to know the common diseases and review the symptoms, so you can quickly recognize them in your fish.

You're may not recognize the symptoms of all the diseases right away, but knowing when something is wrong with your fish is the first step toward helping the recover and protecting your pond.

Most disease can spread through pond water very quickly. So, instead of just one diseased fish, without treatment, you may soon have a pond full of them.

Depending on the type of disease and the circumstances surrounding it, there's the very real possibility that you could lose your entire pond of the beautiful fish you love. It's not fair to the other fish, it is not fair to you and it may be totally unnecessary.

No matter how big a pond you have if you don't have healthy fish to enjoy, it is just a big puddle of water, isn't it?

2. Quarantine a Sick Fish.

Fish, especially koi, have individual personalities that you will learn. And as soon as you think a fish is acting differently or may be developing a problem, don't hesitate to quarantine it until you find out for sure.

Recognizing when a fish is sick as quickly as possible can help you remove and quarantine it and hopefully avoid spreading the disease through your pond. Being able to recognize the symptoms of a sick fish is priceless.

When purchasing new fish, it is a good idea to quarantine the new ones separately from your current population for two to three weeks to observe them.

Fish that live in quarantine conditions for this length of time and have not shown any disease symptoms will have a substantially less chance of contaminating the rest of your pond.

Another important thing to remember about quarantine is to properly wash your hands when handling both quarantine items and non-quarantine items to avoid transferring anything that will make your pond sick.

3. The Treatment of Fish Disease

Identify the particular disease or condition.

There are many parasites and organisms that can make your fish sick. And you have to know what you are treating to determine treat it. Some kinds of parasites are treated by adding salt to the pond water while others cannot handle a change in water temperature.

Check for Unusual Stress Factors.

While you may think that fish disease is a result of water borne pathogens, you may not be aware that stress is a contributing factor to many of the diseases that affect your fish.

Stress works on the fish immune system much like it works on ours. It slowly lowers the immune system and makes it much more difficult to naturally fight off disease.

Stress in animals is now being increasingly being implicated in many diseases that humans get. Everything from cancer to heart disease, and (this one is hard to believe) even sinusitis. I cannot imagine a fish with sinus problems or a runny nose.

Fish stress comes from their physical environment most importantly, the quality of the water they live in. Crappy water can make it easier for disease to spread and make it more difficult to spot a fish that is having problems.

Check your pond water.

This is the easiest thing to do. In the ideal pond environment, the goal would be to remove as many stress causing factors as possible. Most of all, this means having good quality water, eliminating ammonia and nitrite and increasing the oxygen levels.

If you suspect you have a sick fish, act quickly. The most important consideration is to keep from infecting all the fish in your pond by quarantining the sick fish as soon as possible. After all, it's better to be wrong than to not act at all and lose your entire pond!

A backyard fish pond that is clean and have healthy fish with vibrant colors is a joy to behold. But sometimes bad things happen. But it is useful to know that diseases don't attack any specific species of fish any faster or often than they attack other fish.

M Crum

CLICK HERE

EzineArticles

2017-04-18

APISTOGRAMA, Dwarf Cichlids in the Aquarium

The real apistogramma's come from southern America, they all have the same characteristics, like a complex breeding behavior, as their large relatives, only their size is different. Besides the apistogramma group there are also some relatively popular dwarf cichlids from Africa, like the Pelvicachromis group. From this group the most widespread cichlid is the Pelvicachromis pulcher, also known as the Kribensis or Purple cichlid.

Flickr Photo by Britzke

Generally the cichlids from the apistogramma group are more fragile and harder to maintain, and breed, for a longer period of time. In my opinion apistogramma's are not real beginner species. They are more likely to get diseases if not all the environmental variables are properly taken care of. They need soft and acidic water with a low PH value, a PH of 5.5 to 6 is preferable. They hardly eat dry foods, best is to feed them live foods or frozen food, like bloodworms, brine shrimp and mosquito larvae. Apistogramma species can be kept in a large tropical community aquarium, but be sure the other fish are not too small, they can defend their territory very fiercely, and can be quite aggressive when they are breeding. In my opinion it is best to keep the apistogramma's on their own, in a larger aquarium you could combine two apistogramma variants together, maybe supplemented with a small group of other fish, like some livebearers or betta's. They also can be kept together with discus or angel fish. I always have a harem of apisto's in my discus tanks, just to populate the lower areas of the aquarium and I really like these small dwarfs with a big attitude.

The cichlids from the Pelvicachromis group are much more tolerant when it comes to water values and feeding, I do consider these cichlids a good beginner species. They are hardened, beautiful colored and eat almost anything. The Pelvicachromis pulcher is maybe one of the most easy to breed cichlids as well. If you have an adult couple they will reproduce, in a community tank, a special species tank or in a pond, some people like to breed them in their pond during summer.

Actually some of the biggest and nicest colored Pelvicachromis pulcher were pond bred and raised. The only thing to keep in mind with these cichlids is that they are capable of redesigning your aquarium, they can make huge holes and are real little bulldozers. So if you have, or want to setup, a subtile planted tank, don't add a couple of Pelvicachromis to your aquarium.

The last dwarf cichlid I want to mention is the Microgeophagus ramirezi, or Ram cichlid. Their behavior and care are roughly the same as the apistogramma's but they are more tolerant when it comes to water values, and in my experience they are easier to keep in good condition. Unlike the apistos they have to be kept as a couple, not a harem but that's the only breeding experience I have. I have tried several couples, have a couple in a breeding tank right now, but I have never even had a clutch of eggs. I know from other breeders that they are kind of hard to get going, but if they do they never stop.

Auke Veenstra

~~http://www.tinkerfish.com~~

EzineArticles

2017-04-17

Understanding DISCUS FISH - Most Important Things

Understanding discus fish and their environment is vital to starting in this interesting past-time. Discus fish are native to the Amazon Stream Basin in the lakes and streams surrounding it. They are from the cichlid family of fish, and like deep water. Because of this, you would like to get about the biggest aquarium that you are able to afford to get and still be ready to slot in your place.

Flickr Photo by ozz13x

Discus fish are quite social creatures and like to travel in colonies of at least 6. This makes them more assured with their group and may be less susceptible to misbehaving. This is also a way to determine if you can get some of them to partner up and then you will get into breeding and having them mate.

It is very rewarding to end up in possession of some tiny fish for your tank. Understanding discus fish and knowing that they are grazers naturally meaning that in natural settings they will virtually consistently seek food, so be happy to feed your fish a number of times during the day. Try and keep from over feeding though. One of the guidelines is to not feed them more than five times each day and make the amount such that it's about 3 to 5 percent of their body weight.

Discus fish are subject to a selection of sicknesses with the main problem being that of parasitic worms. You can monitor the healthiness of them by observing their feces and behaviour. Clear or white feces will be a hint that they're unwell and need attention. Behaviorally, if their skin becomes a darker color, or if they hide a lot or go on food strikes, this can be another pointer that your discus is unwell.

Only $ 9.99

The color of your fish can be manipulated through the food that it is fed and through hormones also. Some of food out there that publicize this feature will keep your fish's colours bright for ages however without some certain nutrient elements in their diet, their colours can fade over a period of time.

The discus fish is named such due to the flat shape of their bodies. They're so wanted due to their stunning markings and their usually social nature. Their water is their world and one of the most vital things that you can do to make certain your discus are satisfied and healthy is to keep the water as clean and pure as you can. Unclean water is going to be one of the most important things which will make your discus fish stressed and unwell.

Understanding discus fish will help you make an ecstatic discus colony and supply you with years of joy and viewing pleasure. Try the pointers that you have been given here and you may do just fine looking after these dazzling creatures.

EzineArticles

2017-04-16

How to Care for LIVE AQUARIUM PLANTS

Plants play an important role in aquarium life. They help to absorb nitrites that are toxic to the fish. In fact there are some plant only aquariums. There are many different varieties of aquatic plants. Tubers are a type of plant that needs to be anchored by the root to the bottom of the tank. They may be tied or simply buried underneath the substrate in the bottom of the aquarium. There are also floating plants. As their name suggests they simply float in the tank they do not need to be anchored and will not usually require fertilizer. The only regular care required is to make sure that water droplets are not regularly deposited on the leaves, as this will cause decay.

Water lettuce in a home aquarium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Water lettuce and Lily pads are examples of floating plants. Rooted plants, like tubers need to be anchored to the bottom of the tank. It is suggested that the roots be tied to pieces of rock or wood. These species usually grow to be fairly tall and will add length to an aquarium. When planting these, remember to allow plenty of room for growth. The roots will grow outwards and require additional space. Another type of aquatic plant is known as cuttings. These plants may be transplanted from other thriving plants, without have to root them. Cuttings should be planted individually. They will grow vertically and sprout shoots at the joints of the leaves. When these shoots grow to be a couple of inches, it is time to cut them and plant them individually.

Live plants may be kept in aquariums alone or with fish. The plants may even be used as a food source for some species of omnivorous fish. At the very least, they will provide shelter and a feeling of refuge for the fish. All plants require some form of light in order to thrive through photosynthesis. Check the specifics on the types of plants with your local retailer. Some plants will thrive on the waste put out by the fish in the aquarium, while others will require regular fertilization. Again check with your supplier for compatibility and feeding requirements. When purchasing plants, make sure that they are true aquatic plants. Live plants should be pruned weekly. Dead or broken leaves should be removed daily.

A live plant aquarium will require the same basic equipment needed for an aquarium containing fish. The basics are as follows. You will need a tank, some sort of filtration system, lighting and some basic cleaning tools. The plants are fairly easy to care for, but you do have to keep up with your regular maintenance. Synthetic plants may be a good alternative to live plants, if you are not willing to make the investment in live plants. Faux plants have come a long way in recent years. So much so, that your fish may not even notice the difference. Whether you choose live or synthetic plants, they will add interest and life to any aquarium.

2017-04-15

Fact Sheet: HARLEQUIN RASBORA - Trigonostigma heteromorpha

(Original title: Harlequin Rasbora Fact Sheet)

Harlequin rasbora, Trigonostigma heteromorpha (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Peaceful and Delightful Fish

I have grown up with the idea that this delightful fish's scientific name was Rasbora heteromorpha. This used to be correct, with the heteromorpha referring to the fact that this fish is not a typical Rasbora. Now the name has been changed to Trigonostigma heteromorpha because of the several differences between the Harlequin Rasbora and the other Rasboras.

It is also called the "Rasbora", the Harlequin and the Red Rasbora.

It is native to Singapore, Malaysia, Sumatra and parts of Thailand. It is found in small streams, often ones coming from peat bogs where the water is stained brown with tannins. The water tends to be soft, acidic and low in total salts. This is one of the little fish that can be found in the small ditches in Singapore.

Although I have seen reports of Harlequin Rasboras reaching nearly 2 inches (5cm) nearly all are less than this. They will live for about 6 years,

Water Conditions

The Harlequin Rasbora is a tropical fish and temperatures of between 21 degrees C (70 degrees F) and 28 degrees C (85 degrees F) are suitable. I recommend a temperature setting of 24 degrees C (75 degrees F) for a mixed tank including this fish Although the water in its native habitat tends to be soft, acidic and low in salts, it is able to adapt to living in a wide range of water conditions, and can live happily in neutral water somewhat harder than it is used to.

Live plants are a very good idea with the Harlequin Rasbora.

Companions

The Harlequin Rasbora is very much a schooling fish and a reasonable sized group should be kept. A school of a dozen Harlequin Rasboras is a beautiful and striking sight. Although it is an Asian fish of a different group, its characteristics are similar to many of the small South American tetras.

I would avoid large or very aggressive fish, but the Harlequin Rasbora is an ideal fish for a community tank of small fish. Suitable companion species are Lemon Tetras, Neon Tetras, Cardinal Tetras, Emperor Tetras, Head and Tail Light Tetras, Glowlight Tetras, Corydoras Catfish, White Cloud Mountain Minnows and Zebra Danios.

Breeding

One of the reasons it was removed from the Rasbora genus was its breeding behaviour. The other Rasboras are egg scatterers while the Harlequin Rasbora attaches its eggs to the underside of leaves, turning upside down to do it.

In contrast to the ease of keeping the Harlequin Rasbora, the conditions for breeding need to mimic the natural habitat of this fish fairly well. A temperature of 28 degrees C (82 degrees F) is suitable. Soft, acidic water is essential; a ph of 6 with hardness less than 3 degrees is alright. A high level of tannins in the water is also recommended.

Steve Challis

http://www.bettatrading.com.au

http://www.bettatrading.com.au/Crude-Protein.php

EzineArticles