Female Three Spot gourami - (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Blue Gourami, sometimes also called the 3 Spot Gourami is a popular freshwater tropical fish for aquarium keeping. these fish are usually a light blue color and have three dark spots, one on the base of the tail, one in the middle of the body and the eye which looks like the third spot. The Gourami type of fish itself comes in several colors, the blue which you often see in pet stores, gold, and opaline as well as a few other rears of varieties. These fish can grow very large and are best suited for larger aquariums.
The Blue Gourami is a fairly easy fish to keep and will exist fine on floating flake food that you probably feed to the majority of the other fish in your tank. However, like most creatures, these fish do need a little bit of variety and it's good to throw in some freeze dried blood worms or frozen brine shrimp every once in a while just to be sure they are getting all the vital nutrients that they need.
If you buy a Gourami fish that is very small you might be able to start them off in a smaller aquarium but eventually, you going to have to get a 50 gallon or larger as the fish grows. This species can grow quite large and you want to be sure that you house them suitably. you also need to be sure that you have a good heater on the tank as these, like many other freshwater tropical fish, require the water temperature to be between 70 and 82°F. Other tank conditions include a PH of 6.0 to 8.8 and a hardness of 5-35 dGH.
Since these fish are used to thickly vegetated waters as found in their native tropical waters of the Far East, the Gourami will feel right at home if you have a lot of plants in your aquarium. They get along with other fish of their kind but you need to make sure that you have many Gourami's and preferably different type's in the tank to keep them from ganging up on the other fish. It is best to have at least 4 Gouramis in the tank and even better if you can get a mix of the blue, gold and opaline varieties. Generally, you want to stick to having only one male and the tank as they can be territorial.
The Blue Gourami enjoys the company of the other varieties of Gourami. You could keep Gold, Blue and Opaline Gourami together peacefully in the same aquarium. Oddly enough, if your tank has only one variety of Gourami with other species of fish, the Gourami will gang up on the other fish. When you keep a mix of Gourami in the tank among other fish species, the Gourami tend to focus on their own type and leave the other fish alone. It is recommended that you have a minimum of four Gourami's in your tank, with a mix of the different varieties.
The Gourami can get along in the tank with other fish of the same size and can live peacefully with Barbs, Clown Loaches, Bala Sharks, Danios, Rainbow Sharks, Red Tail Sharks, and Rainbows.
If you take excellent care of your Gouramis and provide them with the proper tank conditions, they can live to be four years old and grow to be 4 inches in length.
Koi pond under construction (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
First, you must understand that Koi ponds are not just simply holes in the ground that you can keep fish in. For a Koi pond to work properly, and actually sustain fish, a number of different things must be considered when you begin planning it. A few simple rules will ensure that you do not end up with an expensive hole with dead fish.
First, unless you have a large amount of knowledge in outdoor landscaping, fish keeping, and construction, it may be a good idea to leave the pond building up to a professional. While some people think that building the pond yourself with save you money, this could not be further from the case. If your pond is not built properly the first time, you will end up spending a large amount of money on fixing the problems that come up. Not only that, if your pond is not properly setup, you may not even be able to keep fish alive.
Remember when you hire a professional, it is their job to give you what you want. They can give their knowledge when it comes to decision making, but ultimately, they will do whatever you want them too. Because of this, you cannot blame them if your pond fails to do to location, size, or other factors. However, beware of extremely cheap quotes as they may cut corners that could potentially cause you problems later. While quotes will come in different, there should not be a very dramatic difference between them.
Koi ponds are by no means, swimming pools or animal water troughs. This is the reason why so much care must be taken in planning and building your pond. It may cost more money then building a typical swimming pool, but the rewards are much greater. Be sure to keep all children and other none fish pets out of the pond, as they can cause problems. If your children swim in your pond, not only could they cause a chemical imbalance, but they could also cause major problems such as leaks. While it is typically ok to have other pets around your Koi pond, some pets may get the idea that is fun to mess with your filtration system or chase your Koi around.
Remember, the majority of Koi ponds are permanent once they are built. This means that you cannot decide in two or three weeks that you do not want you Koi pond in the front yard, that you would rather have it in the backyard. Carefully plan each and every aspect of your pond, because once it is built, there is little you can do to change it. Remember such things as size requirements and placement.
Finally, remember that maintaining a Koi pond can be a substantial amount of work. Make sure that you will have enough time to carry out the everyday needed maintenance, and remember that, like with any other pets, issues will arise that require extra special attention. Vet visits may be needed, or you may need to take some extra time out of your weekend to clear up an algae infection. Have a plan, and make sure that if you are going to be going away, make sure someone with enough knowledge to properly maintain your pond is available until you return.
Saltwater aquarium pests and parasites might have an adverse effect on the health of your marine tank. Bacterial diseases can cause ill-health in your fish and invertebrates. Bacterial disease can also kill the fish in your tank. To get rid of the problem you might have to start all over again from scratch. This is not only very upsetting but also very expensive.
So it makes sense to be on the lookout for saltwater aquarium pests and parasites and to treat your fish at the first sign of illness. Marine fish usually fall prey to gram-negative bacteria. These include Pseudomonas, Vibrio and Myxobacteria. It is not always easy to spot saltwater aquarium pests and parasites in marine fish. Often you may not know that there is something wrong until your fish become seriously ill.
You can help prevent saltwater aquarium pests and parasites by making sure that conditions in your tank don’t encourage their growth. To do this you need to understand how and why saltwater aquarium pests and parasites occur in marine fish in the first place.
The bacterial disease is caused by a number of things, sometimes in combination. Such disease can be topical (external) – for example, fin and tail rot and ulcers or systemic (affecting the body internally) or it might be a combination of both. Saltwater aquarium pests and parasites are more likely to affect fish that are in poor condition. The healthier your fish are the more resistance they will have to saltwater aquarium pests and parasites.
However, fish that are weak, sick or stressed by environmental conditions in the tank are easily infected by saltwater aquarium pests and parasites. Bacterial diseases may gain entry into the body through the pores along the lateral line. The gills are another site of entry into the body of a fish.
So what environmental conditions make it more likely for saltwater aquarium pests and parasites to cause illness in your tank? The leading cause of the bacterial attack is poor environmental conditions in the tank. If conditions are allowed to deteriorate the health of your fish is impacted and this might make them more susceptible to diseases.
Saltwater aquarium pests and parasites will soon bloom and over-run the tank. If the water is white and cloudy and the fish have sores on their body, conditions in the tank are very poor and must be corrected.
Your fish may also be affected by saltwater aquarium pests and parasites if they have other infections. So treating them is crucial. If your fish are not fed properly they might not have built up a good resistance to infection. Any injuries that your fish have might allow bacteria to take hold. Fish that are stressed and harassed are also more likely to become ill.
Older, weaker fish are at increased risk of contracting a bacterial infection as are any fish that come from water that has been contaminated (for example tap water!). If a fish eats the flesh of a sick fish it may also become ill with the same disease. So how do you know if your fish are infected with saltwater aquarium pests and parasites? What should you look for?
If your fish are afflicted with saltwater aquarium pests and parasites they might show one or more of the following symptoms:
- Red frayed fins or fins that show red streaks.
- The fins might disintegrate (in fin and tail rot).
- Red areas around the lateral line (streaks or blotches).
- Open sores on the sides of the body and near the fins.
- Bloody scales at the fin base.
- Fast breathing.
- A grey film may cover the eyes.
- The fish may appear listless or lethargic.
- They may lose their appetite.
- The stomach may be swollen or bloated from saltwater aquarium pests and parasites that cause bladder infections, for example.
Bacteria are not the only saltwater aquarium pests and parasites that might affect your fish. Black Spot disease is a common marine illness caused by a parasitic turbellarian flatworm in the genus Paravortex. It makes its home at the bottom of the tank after which is attached to a host fish for about six days then falls off into the substrate again. It is common in Yellow tangs and Angelfishes.
If you notice tiny black dots on the body of your fish and they seem to be scratching against objects or have red skin and are lethargic they might have black spot disease. It is less common than some other saltwater aquarium pests and parasites (white ich for example) but should still be looked for.
If any of your fish contract the diseases mentioned above or other illnesses, they may not die immediately. But in general, if saltwater aquarium pests and parasites are not treated your fish will die in a one to two week period. There are viral strains that can kill fish within a day or two. Even if you don’t know what the disease is you need to take steps immediately to isolate the ill fish.
Fish that are infected with saltwater aquarium pests and parasites should be placed into a quarantine tank. This is because bacterial infections will spread to healthy fish very quickly if sick fish are allowed to interact with them. Once the illness affects the internal organs the fish will stop eating, breathing rapidly, and lie on the bottom of the tank where it may be eaten by other fish or start to decay releasing bacteria into the water.
To protect your fish from saltwater aquarium pests and parasites diagnose and treat your fish with the appropriate antibiotics. Ask your aquarist for advice if necessary. Only place your fish back into the tank once they are completely healthy. This will ensure that your tank stays pest free. The most important way to guard against diseases is to make sure that your fish are as healthy as possible and you can do this by making sure that conditions in your tank are at optimum levels.
Blue Ram, Gold Ram, which is which? This little dwarf South American Cichlid has had its name changed so many times it has every right to be confused. But whatever you call it, the Blue Ram, or the Gold Ram (originally I knew it as Apistogramma ramirezi) is one of the most intriguing fish you can keep in a passive aquarium community. The fish has been also been called Microgeophagus (little dirt eater) and is listed in my copy of the Baensch Aquarium Atlas as Papilliochromis ramirezi.
Doesn't matter what they call it, at least scientifically, I like these fish. They have a very gentle personality and are extremely passive, keeping pretty much to themselves when they are added to a community aquarium. In fact, this is often a problem, they are so easily intimidated by more active swimming fish that they may never become as colourful as they can be. Even if other fish are not even trying to bother them, swift movements and rapid fish can simply be too much and the fish will waste away. For this reason, I most often will simply give the group a tank of their own and let the interactions in their own community offer the action in the tank. In a species tank like this, I often see much more interaction between the individuals. It may only be my opinion, but the social characteristics of these fish as a group is well worth devoting a small tank just to them.
In my experience they can be quite delicate and prefer softer acid water, some of the books do note they will tolerate up to neutral (7.0 pH) water, but I feel that is a maximum limit, lower pH down to 6.5 are much more preferable. Above all, they simply do not tolerate environmental changes well. Be very careful when adding any type of chemical, if you must treat the water for softness and acidity, try to do it naturally, possibly with peat rather than chemical treatments that can cause the conditions to rapidly fluctuate. It is much better to allow the change to be very gradual, rather than all of a sudden. and always ensure the water you are replacing during regular aquarium maintenance protocols has been properly treated outside the aquarium to eliminate chlorine and other toxins well before coming in contact with the aquarium.
If you give do give them the conditions they require and let them settle in and get comfortable, you will watch one of the true jewels of the freshwater tropical fish species as it goes about its business. Too much action by other species in the tank and it the entire group will become timid and easily spooked, but in the right conditions, it is truly a spectacular addition to the small community aquarium. I have found the blue and gold rams can be mixed pretty easily and that they prefer to be in groups rather than simple pairs. The interaction of the group is quite social, so having at least five or six in the tank gives them chance to interact with interesting results.
Most of the tanks that I have kept Rams of assorted types have been pretty bare of plants, but with lots of rocks and ornaments that allow them to hide and claim as territory. They have survived and flourished in a rocky environment, and even bred repeatedly on a flat rock or on a grave impression they have dug. One of their many names was Microgeophagus - or little dirt eater. My observations show this is a good description for them. They will dig and move the gravel and can create hollows in the bottom, some have even spawned there. I would suggest using relatively small fine gravel for the bottom of a ram tank since they will be moving it around anyway, and large gravel will make the effort great.
I was not a fan of keeping live plants when I kept and bred these originally. The fact that they move the gravel means that any plants you keep for them must be well anchored. They do enjoy a planted tank with densely bunched plants that offer places to hide and disappear within, but like my previous environments, they do need plenty of open bottom swimming area as well. In essence, the plants provide the same type of protection that a properly rocked aquarium will for them. Either way, when planting or rocking the aquarium, concentrate near the back and ensure there is a plenty of swimming space is probably the best way to set the aquarium. Other fish can be included in the habitat, but keep them to lazy swimming fish in the upper regions so there is little interaction between the rams and the other species.
The Gold Ram was the first Cichlid I tried my hand at keeping and breeding. When I first saw them introduced a few decades ago to my area, I knew I wanted to see what they were about. Once I looked into them, the general Cichlid species characteristics intrigued me, having had my fill of fish that evidence no parental behaviour, either giving birth and abandoning them as they drop or simply scattering eggs and ignoring them afterwards. it was a refreshing change of pace to finally encounter fish that actually cared for their eggs until they hatch, protecting the clutch and the area from unwanted intruders. This is the time when rams become their most aggressive.
Sure there are a lot of other Dwarf Cichlids, and many of them are just as stunning, but I have yet to see any fish with the depth and brilliance of colour as a well-conditioned Blue Ram in full breeding colours showing off for a receptive female. These dwarfs do not have as pronounced roles for the parental care as many of their larger cousins display. The roles blur and both do what is required without as clear-cut responsibilities. They can be a problem to keep happy, but when they do breed and the eggs have been laid, it is best to remove other occupants and let the eggs hatch. Once the babies are fully free swimming, they can be removed to a grow out tank.
Java Fern, one of only a few ferns capable of growing underwater. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It is suggested that people should keep aquarium plants at their places because these are really very important in creating a balance in the environment via exchange of gases required in the respiration process. As such these are very helpful in maintaining a proper gaseous exchange balance in their surroundings. However, these plants also require special attention in the sense of supply of enough CO2, proper lighting, and algae for their regulation.
Aquariums plants, as already mentioned require a proper supply of gases, lightning, and food with appropriate minerals, and care and attention. The most important requirement of it is the proper supply of light, which is in most cases the dilemma due to which such plants die early. The reason is that the artificial lighting system that is present in houses is not strong enough to provide with the amount of light parallel to their needs. Hence, these plants suffer weak health and die at an early stage of life without prospering much.
It is suggested to provide yellow-green light spectrum in houses so that the requirement of their lightning needs is fulfilled. Still, one must also know how much time the light should be provided that is well according to the needs and requirements of the plants.
One must also note that the light intensity must not be very high that it burns the plants, or very low that the plants can not fulfill their needs. Aquarium plants' specialists suggest that the lightning time for such plants should be 12 hours per day with a normal light intensity.
Well- known aquarium plants include the Hornwort, Java Moss, Dwarf Anubis, Java Fern, Water Sprite, Anacharis/Elodea, Amazon Sword, Dwarf Lily, Wendi, Banana Plant, and Rotala Macrandra. However, it is not recommended to keep plants such as Mondo Grass, Purple Waffle, Aluminum Plant or Peace Lilies as they require vast open area and will die if planted in aquariums.
Discus fish (Symphysodon aequifasciatus)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
You've been to every local fish store in your area. You've spent hours online looking at Discus galleries. You've started thinking of things you can sell to pay for the Discus fish and aquarium set up. You've put your couch in the garage to make room for the aquarium. It sounds like you've been bitten by the Discus bug. Now, how do you get started?
There are as many opinions on how to properly raise Discus as there are websites devoted to them. You will find debates over planted tank vs. bare bottom, tap water or RO, what to feed them, how often to change the water and how much, it goes on and on. These debates contribute to making Discus keeping fun or a real pain. It really depends on your likes and dislikes. If you enjoy the excitement and challenge of learning something new and are able to successfully translate many different opinions into "what works best for you", then keeping Discus will be a fun rewarding undertaking which you can enjoy for years to come. With that being said, the following are some guidelines to what I've learned over the years and what works best for me in setting up a new Discus aquarium.
Equipment
In choosing the tank, start with a minimum tank size of 50 gallons. Make sure you have a suitable place to set up your aquarium. You will want a very sturdy support for your tank which you will position in a location that doesn't receive direct sunlight. The filtration system will be made up of two extra large sponge filters run by an air pump along with an external box filter such as an Aqua Clear properly rated for your tank size and containing a pre-filter sponge on the intake tube. You will need a heater with a ratio of 5watts/gallon, meaning a tank size of 50 gallons would require a 250-watt heater. The tank needs to be covered and there are hood options available when you purchase your tank. You will want one with a lighting strip as well as a cover for the tank. In a pinch, you can always pick up a piece of Plexiglass from your local hardware store and cut it to fit. In order to keep the tank clean and maintained, you will need a siphon hose, a five-gallon bucket, and a clean utility sponge.
Preparing for Your Discus' Arrival
You will want to have your aquarium cycled before adding your Discus. This means that the beneficial bacteria has been established in your filtration. There are many methods of cycling your tank so be sure to do your research and choose the option that fits for you. It is a very important step and is absolutely necessary. Putting your new Discus in a tank that hasn't been cycled is a death sentence for the fish.
Buying Your Discus Fish
An absolute must is starting with healthy Discus. If you are lucky enough to have a reputable breeder in your area you are ahead of the game. If not, mail order is also an exciting option. There are a real rush and excitement to having Discus delivered to your front door. Make sure to research any online vendor you may want to order from. There are some great breeders out there with a great selection. On the downside shipping usually runs from $50-$75 depending on the service. If mail order isn't an option and you are left with your local fish store you'll need to take some precautions and do your best to pick out healthy fish. If possible try to find a shop that specializes in higher end tropical fish and avoid chain stores. Find out what the shop's quarantine and guarantee policies are. Ask them how long the Discus should be quarantined once you get them home. If their answer is "you don't need to", this is a major red flag. Ask questions to get a feel for how well they support and care for their product.
So, what does a healthy Discus look like? Here some things to look for in the Discus you buy:
When you walk by the tank, the fish should be active and come up to greet you. Avoid fish that are dark, hiding or hanging behind uplift tubes. The water in the tank and the tank itself should look clear and clean. If there are dead fish in the tank keep walking. Now, (if you haven't left the store) look at the fish, they should have a full body that doesn't look sunken and is free of scrapes, bumps, visible injuries and or parasites. The body shape should have a nice round appearance void of bent, stubbed tails, and flat foreheads. Check the skin and make sure it doesn't have a dull, matte, or slimy look to it. The fins should look healthy and not have a cottony or milky appearance. The fins should be intact with no white specs or splits and not be clamped to the body. The Discus should be using both pectoral fins to move about. Watch for how the fish are breathing. An overly rapid gill rate or if the Discus looks to be grasping is a good sign of gill parasites. The fishes movement should be fluent and have no problem with balance. You don't want to pick a fish that can't hold itself level. The eyes of your Discus should have a healthy clean look to them. The eyes are a good indicator of how well it's been taken care of. You will want a fish with small eyes compared to its body with a centered pupil. Big or bulging eyes are usually a sign of neglect. Ask to see the Discus eat. Be wary if they feed live bloodworms or tubifex worms. Watch to make sure the fish are able to easily get the food into their mouth. Avoid fish that continually miss the food that is right in front of them or doesn't seem interested in eating. Most 2"-3" Discus won't have full body color or pattern at this size.
Installing Your Discus
For the proposed 50 gallon setup you will want to purchase from six to ten, two - three-inch juvenile Discus. Young Discus like the security of numbers. Make sure you follow standard acclimation procedures and that your tank is fully cycled as stated above. As your fish grow and mature a pecking order will develop. Eventually, the smaller weaker Discus will need to be removed in order to keep a 10 gallon to 1 Discus rule. In order to provide an easy way to keep a clean environment for your new fish, use a bare aquarium. That means no gravel or plants. The bare bottom tank makes it easy to vacuum fish waste and wipe down the glass. If you'd like, you can add a ceramic pot or two to give your Discus an anchor to establish territories but the pots will need to be moved and wiped down with your water changes to ensure they aren't trapping waste. Once a week you will want to clean your pre-filter and every few weeks, your sponge and box filters, being careful to use de-chlorinated water as to not harm the beneficial bacteria. A good tip here is to siphon some tank water into your five-gallon bucket and use that for your filter cleaning water.
Discus Water
Clean water is a crucial element in growing out your fish. You will want to match the water conditions as closely as possible to that of the source of your Discus. Daily changes of 50 to 60 percent are recommended and at least on an every other day schedule. You will want to provide new tap water that has been de-chlorinated and matches closely to the tank water in temperature at 84 degrees. Avoid using RO water for young Discus, they need the minerals of harder water to aid in their development. Once they have matured and if you're interested in breeding them you can dabble with softening their water. If you have purchased Discus from different places you will need to keep them quarantined separately for 4 - 6 weeks. Don't Cheat!
Feeding Your Discus
Your new Discus should greet you at the front of the tank with a voracious appetite. Happy healthy Discus is always hungry. You will want to break up their feedings over several times during the day adding up to six small feedings. Feed a variety of foods using quality brands of dry and frozen foods. A good tip is to feed dry foods which your fish may not like as much early when they're hungry from their overnight fast. Feed messy or frozen foods later in the day closer to your water changes.
The Discus hobby is a great one. It has its ups and downs just like anything. If you enjoy not only the beauty of the fish but actually watching their behavior, growth, and interaction, Discus keeping will stick with you. There's a lot to learn and this is just a small start. Make sure you do a lot of reading and ask lots of questions. Start with healthy Discus, keep their water and tank very clean, feed them well, and you're sure to succeed!
