Complete list of aquarium articles on www.aqua-fish.net

#1. Article's title: 10 tips for a successful Betta splendens reproduction

• Published: August 13, 2006, 5:48 am
• Displayed: 1126 times
• Preview: 10 tips for a successful Betta splendens reproduction Betta splendens is one of the most wanted fish in everyone`s aquarium. Breeding Bettas is not hard, though you might face problems at spawning them. They are oviparous fish, the male builds a nest in which the eggs/fry are kept for few days under the strict care of the Betta male. If you follow the next advices, you have big chances to get nice results of your Betta fish spawning. 1. Reproduction tank equipment: volume of 15-20 liters, a heater, a thermometer and air pomp connected to an air rock which will spread small bubbles. You need small bubbles because the fry are very sensitive to water movements and you don`t want them to suffer. 2. The aquarium water must have a temperature of 28-29° C, a higher temperature will hurry the eggs hatching and the fry won`t be fully developed. Keep the temperature constant using the heater and check it with the thermometer to make sure it is at the right level. 3. The water...

#3. Article's title: A guide to the tropical fishkeeping

• Published: October 19, 2006, 6:07 am
• Displayed: 746 times
• Preview: A guide to the tropical fishkeeping Before you start an aquarium, you should know many things about fish, plants, tanks, biotopes, lighting, filters and other details. Otherwise, your effort will result in diseases, unhappy fish and a dirty tank. Basically, it doesn’t matter if you want to start a species or community tank, it also doesn’t matter if you’re about to start a Cichlid tank or a tank with Guppies, Bettas, Gouramis or Catfish. There are very simple principles which apply to all tanks. Take aquariums very wisely and you’ll be happy with the result. The right place and size for an aquarium Before you buy anything, be sure you’ve chosen the right place for your future tank. The basic rules say that the place shouldn’t be very sunny or cold. Very good are the wall mounted aquariums, since they look nice and they also look like a natural part of the wall. Nowdays, the aquarium stands and backgrounds make it easy to create a beautiful scenery. Personally, I also lik...

#4. Article's title: Activated Carbon

• Published: September 23, 2006, 1:26 pm
• Displayed: 443 times
• Preview: Activated Carbon For many years, carbon has been used as an agent to remove impurities from air and water. Activated carbon is one of the most effective absorbents currently used. Activated carbon is carbon which has a positive charge added to it, which makes it much more effective at absorbing impurities and chemicals. An activated carbon filter works by the law of attraction. When water passes over the positively charged carbon, the impurities in the water which have a negative charge will be locked into the activated carbon filter. Usually activated carbon filters use either granular activated carbon or powdered block carbon. Both types of filters are effective, however the powdered block carbon filters do tend to remove more impurities than its counterpart. The efficiency of activated carbon filters are dependant on two factors. First, the amount of activated carbon which is contained in the filter and second, the amount of time the impurities stay in contact with ...

#6. Article's title: Adding a Fish Pond to Your Garden Landscape

• Published: September 8, 2006, 2:19 am
• Displayed: 561 times
• Preview: Adding a Fish Pond to Your Garden Landscape Many homeowners take pride in designing and maintaining their own landscapes and gardens. There is a lot of hard work involved and a lot of money spent, but owners definitely reap great benefit as well. Adding a fish pond, or water garden to your property will not only make it more appealing to the eye, it will also increase the value and equity of your home. Not to mention the enjoyment and relaxation you will get from the addition. Once the decision has been made to incorporate a fish pond into your landscape design, the next step is to determine the exact placement of your garden pond. It’s important to place it where you’ll always be able to see it from inside the house, or other areas of the garden. You should take into consideration the lay of the land, so you don’t have to worry about possible contamination from runoff, or other yard debris. You also need to decide what type of organisms you plan to have in your pond...

#7. Article's title: African Cichlids

• Published: May 7, 2006, 3:45 am
• Displayed: 931 times
• Preview: African Cichlids African Cichlids come from three of Africa`s great lakes - Malawi, Tanganyika, and Victoria. In these lakes there are more species of fish than in any other lakes in the world. We don`t know the exact number of species and new ones are being continually discovered in all the lakes, so you can understand how difficult it is to count them. Cichlid fishes in these lakes often have extraordinary opportunities to instigate speciation, an evolutionary process that leads to differences. That is why they are the most spectacular examples of speciation and adaptive radiation within any vertebrate family. The process is what makes Africa`s great lakes, and the cichlids that inhabit them, so interesting. African cichlids are beautifully coloured freshwater aquarium fish. They have amazing social behaviour, display extroverted personalities, and are intelligent too. It is easy to care for cichlids, and they will bring a great deal of pleasure to the aquarium enthusiast...

#8. Article's title: African Clawed Frogs. (The Aquatic Frog)

• Published: January 4, 2007, 10:49 am
• Displayed: 22 times
• Preview: The African Clawed Frog Origins Clawed Frogs originally came from Africa. The ones sold today are spawned commercially – none are captured from the wild. The albino version costs about twice as much as the greyish/greenish/brownish “normals.” Size Baby Clawed Frogs sell in the inch to inch and a half range. At this size they fit well into a community tank of fishes. When they grow to adult size, they will eat any fish they can catch. They can catch them all at night. *******Important******* DO NOT RELEASE INTO WILD PONDS! WILL EAT AND KILL EVERTHING (Illegal in California) ********************** Hiding Caves Clawed Frogs live on the bottom and dig under your decorations. They want to hide during the day. Give them several places to lurk during the day. They come out in the evenings and patrol for food. Actually, any time you put food in their water, they smell it and start rooting for food on the bottom. Foods Flake foods are accepted by small ...

#9. Article's title: Amano shrimp

• Published: December 27, 2006, 3:53 pm
• Displayed: 171 times
• Preview: Caridina Japonica – Amano shrimp Caridina japonica is the most common shrimp present in aquariums, is also known as Amano Shrimp because Takashi Amano has been the first one to introduce them in his aquariums, noticing their habit to eat algae. Caridina japonica, native of Japan, Korea and Taiwan, is a small transparent grey shrimp with black spots covering the body and a white line from the head to the tail; the body colour can anyway change a bit due food nutrients and water quality. Aquarium life Amano shrimp can live in every aquarium, prefer neutral or lightly acid PH, temperature can fluctuate between 71°F and 82°F (22°C – 28°C), while water hardness has not to be too much soft, because being a crustacean Caridina needs calcium and other minerals to grow healthy. Being really shy, it is better to house them in large groups in the aquarium, or they would spend the most of the time hidden among plants and decorations. There is not a maximum number of Carid...

#10. Article's title: Angel Fish

• Published: August 2, 2006, 2:14 am
• Displayed: 1926 times
• Preview: Angel Fish Angel Fish are one of the most beautiful kind of tropical freshwater aquarium fish. They also have a strong personality and it is a pleasure to care for them. They like to attract attention when somebody is nearby, or at feeding time. They are one of the first fish which were brought from America and they are very popular. They were brought to Europe around 1820 and in 1930 Angel Fish were bred in captivity in the United States for the first time. They have a quite round and flat body, but their dorsal and ventral fins are long, each is almost as long as the body is. They can grow up to 15 cm vertically. There are many freshwater variants like: 1) Golden - a light shade of yellow. 2) Silver - silver bodies and black vertical markings. They can be dark, light, solid, or broken. 3) Koie - white with patches of black or gold markings. Young fish can have red markings under the eye. 4) Smoky - a shade of silver on one half, and a dark grey or ebony on the...

#11. Article's title: Aquarium air pump

• Published: August 31, 2006, 11:57 am
• Displayed: 836 times
• Preview: Aquarium air pump Aquarium air pump is a device that brings air into the aquarium and it may filtrate the water too. There are many types of air pumps like air stones. You just put the air stone into the aquarium and start the device, which is out of the aquarium. An air pump may have the form of an aquarium ornament like treasure chests, shells, divers and many more. Such aerating devices make bubbles and that is how they aerate the water. Choosing the right air pump is not so difficult. You just have to choose it according to the size of your aquarium and to amount of the plants, because they can stop the bubles and the aquarium is not fully aerated. But when you are choosing an ornamental aerator, you are choosing it according to that, how do you like it, or which would look best in your aquarium. And if you want to have your tank really good aerated, then you can combine the aerators. The use of the air pump is really easy. You just do everything what the giude says. M...

#14. Article's title: Aquarium fish forum

• Published: March 19, 2006, 3:41 pm
• Displayed: 560 times
• Preview: Aquarium fish forum Join our aquarium fish forum at aqua-fish.net! It`s an easy way to exchange your experiences of keeping freshwater aquarium fish and plants, as well to discuss your problems related to freshwater aquariums. We have released our aquarium fish forum in late 2005 and after several updates, it is now completely ready for posting. What do you need to do if you want to join aqua-fish.net? 1) Register for free. You can find a registration form under Project->Registration. 2) Fill in the registration form. 3) When you`re registered, just click on Project->Our forums. 4) Every new post (except your own) since your last visit will be marked with a blue smiley. Of course, this smiley may vary, but you will see what`s new in our aquarium fish forum. Our website will inform you how many times each topic has been viewed and how many repliesit has had. The same smileys and information will appear in each topic and forum ...

#18. Article's title: Aquarium lighting

• Published: September 4, 2006, 3:48 pm
• Displayed: 786 times
• Preview: Aquarium lighting Imagine, you are a colourful tropical fish. You swim in warm water, with lot of plants, in which you can hide and of course you know where are you swimming. Do you know how this paradise may exist? It is because the sun. Sunshine is a perfect light. Thanks to the sun life exists on the surface of the Earth. Thanks to the sun I can write this article now. As you all know, it is because of the photosynthesis. So you see, that the light is very importatnt. And an aquarium needs it too. That is the reason why you have to buy a specialized aquarium lighting. When you are buying an aquarium lighting, you have to choose it carefully. The right type of the lighting is very important for the aquarium. It is because plants depend on it. If you choose a wrong type of the light, it may cause that your plants will not grow, but algae will. But it si important in the fish-only aquariums too. It is because fish need to see where they are swimming to and what they are ea...

#19. Article's title: Aquarium plants

• Published: July 7, 2006, 2:56 am
• Displayed: 1178 times
• Preview: Aquarium plants Plants are a very important part of freshwater aquariums. It is worth choosing plants carefully and taking good care of them. Water plants are not only nice in aquarium, but they are good for fish too. They give shadow to fish, which like it if they are shy. Some fish use plants as a spawning nest. For plant eating fish they also serve as food. Of course in some tanks, for example with big plant eating cichlids, plants are already doomed and it will be better to choose plastic plants. Water gardening is almost the same as normal gardening. Plants require good conditions and care. They make their food themselves in strange green cells by absorbing carbon dioxide and excrete oxygen in a process called photosynthesis. For this process light is needed. Plant nutrition: As the terrestrial plants, so water plants need nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. They usually take it from the water, but some of them take it from the roots. For som...

#20. Article's title: Aquarium Substrate

• Published: September 8, 2006, 2:11 am
• Displayed: 1139 times
• Preview: Aquarium Substrate When you think of aquariums, the first things that probably pop into your mind are beautiful fish, green submersed plants, and the little plastic diver guy that finds himself stranded in many fish tanks. Then of course there are the bubbles which permeate the water with their gentle flow upward through the seascape. Little or no attention is given to the bottom layer of the aquarium, but it is a vital part of the miniature underwater ecosystem. Unbeknownst to most people, the layer of gravel and materials (aka substrate) which lies quietly at the bottom of the aquarium plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy environment for the fish and plant life which live there. Aquarium substrate serves several purposes. In its most known role, it serves as a decorative touch for the pleasure of those who view the aquarium. It gives the aquarium a finished look, and can be quite colorful or natural toned. However, one of the most important roles is that it k...

#21. Article's title: Aquarium Thermometers Are An Essential Item

• Published: September 8, 2006, 2:15 am
• Displayed: 432 times
• Preview: Aquarium Thermometers Are An Essential Item When it comes to keeping your saltwater aquarium maintained and a safe environment for all that lives within, no piece of equipment could be more essential than the aquarium thermometer. These devices vary in the materials from which they are made, and they span a price range from cheap to expensive. The type or brand of thermometer you purchase is not as important as the fact that you do purchase one for your saltwater aquarium. The fish and other creatures which dwell in saltwater aquariums can be very sensitive when it comes to the temperature of the water around them. Temperature changes that are too dramatic will result in death to many of your expensive tropical fish and little creatures which scuttle back and forth across the bottom of the tank floor. Having your investments die, (and let’s face it, tropical fish aren’t cheap) from temperature changes is completely avoidable by simply purchasing and installing an aquar...

#22. Article's title: Aquariums in my life

• Published: January 22, 2006, 4:21 pm
• Displayed: 628 times
• Preview: Aquariums in my life Hello, my name is Susan and i thought, that i could post here an article about aquariums im my life. When I was child, about 10 years old, I had my first aquarium. It was a ball aquarium. Niegther I or my parents or anybody who I knew, had known anything about aquarium. It was disaster! There were no aquatic plants, no filter, nothing. Just gravel from outside. We were changing whole water every week. I don´t remember how many fishes died... But I felt very sorry about all of them. But now, 10 years after, I met a man, who have 2 aquariums. He knows a lot of about aquariums and care about them and I´m amazed by life in these small pieces of nature inside rooms. Now I know a lot about aquariums, biotopes, aquatic fishes and plants. Aquarium is an amazing thing. Maybe because we live on the dry land and those aquariums are a piece of the wather life. It is better than watching TV! I feel always relaxed, when I`m watching on a good arranged aquarim. Tho...

#23. Article's title: Barbus Tetrazona - The Tiger barb

• Published: November 3, 2006, 6:34 am
• Displayed: 676 times
• Preview: Barbus Tetrazona - The Tiger barb Barbus tetrazona is one of the most common barbus fish in aquariums. It comes from Sumatra and Borneo, that`s why you can find it also under the name of “Sumatra Barb”. Another common name of this fish is a “Tiger barb” due it`s colour pattern, golden body with four vertical stripes, the first on the eye and the last at the begin of tail. There are few differences between males and females, usually you are able to recognise them when they`re adults, and their size is near 2 inches. Male is slimmer than the female and has red fins, edges and mouth. Females are bigger and don`t have any red part. Like other barbus, tiger barb lives in shoals. The best number of fish in shoals is five or six. More fish could end up creating two shoals fighting towards each other; while a smaller number is dangerous because they could be aggressive towards weaker fish and not create a shoal. After captive breeding you can find various colour mutatio...

#24. Article's title: Betta fish

• Published: March 15, 2006, 9:39 am
• Displayed: 5588 times
• Preview: Betta fish Betta fish – Betta splendens is a very beautiful aquarium fish. Of course, it needs care if you want to keep this species successfully. This fish needs a lot of space even it`s not the largest fish you can buy. There are 4 betta fish in my tanks (42 l and 81 l). Naturally, only 1 male per 1 tank. Aquariums are 30 cm tall with the water depth being about 27cm from the surface of the gravel. Good care of betta fish means good feeding, adequate water temperature, water hardness and so on. Usually, I feed my fish with Sera food, and sometimes with frozen food (cows heart). The temperature in my tanks varies between 23-29 °C (winter-summer) and all betta like it. They haven`t been sick and they have bred successfully. The water in my tanks is little bit hard and alkaline. This is caused by rocks and sea shells (yes, sea shells in freshwater tank). Shells are there to keep good and stable quality of water. Of course, you will probably hide all shells, because it looks c...

#25. Article's title: Betta splendens diseases

• Published: October 8, 2006, 8:37 am
• Displayed: 1236 times
• Preview: Betta splendens diseases Betta splendens is a strong fish, and if kept in good condition, it won`t get sick. No matter what the disease is, when you notice a behaviour change, or some symptoms, remove the betta from other fish to avoid contagions. Remember also to have an “aid kit” always ready: 1) A small tank for quarantine 2) A water heater 3) A small filter or water oxygenator 4) A dedicated net 5) Products like malachite green and methylene blue. There are a lot of diseases that can develop in aquarium, betta splendens usually are subjected to these: 1. Injuries 2. Swim Bladder diseases 3. White spot diseases 4. Ammonia poisoning 5. Fins and tail rot Injuries Even if relations in aquarium looks good, sometimes injuries may happen. Often it`s impossible to understand how a fish has been injured; for bettas most of times it`s because of a male attack towards a female or vice versa, or an attack from a stronger fish disturbed by the b...

#26. Article's title: Blue-green algae

• Published: May 14, 2006, 9:46 am
• Displayed: 1321 times
• Preview: Blue-green algae Blue-green algae are bacteria which grow in warm, shallow, slow moving or still freshwater. There are known as cyanobacteria too, but they are more commonly known as pond scum. They need light for life. That is why they are photosynthetic bacteria. The first known species were blue-green. Now we know of algae from olive-green to red in color. When the conditions are good (hot, calm weather), algae populations can increase dramatically. This can create large blooms which are big numbers of blue-green algae. These blooms can cover the whole surface. Blue-green algae mostly do not live long. Some of these blue-green algal blooms can be toxic or can be poisonous if they are swallowed by wildlife, livestock, pets or people. You should not even swim in these waters, because you can get itchy. And if you drink water with these toxic blue-green alga, you may have symptoms such as sore throat, stomach cramps, diarrhoea , vomiting or fever. The toxins are ve...

#27. Article's title: Breeding Corydoras gossei

• Published: April 9, 2006, 2:39 am
• Displayed: 494 times
• Preview: Breeding Corydoras gosseiby Bud and Cathy White First published in "Tank Topics", Greater Akron Aquarium Society, April/May 2001 (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) Corydoras gossei is fairly new to the hobby, being described by Nijssen in 1972. They come from a creek near Guajara Mirim, in Rondonia, Brazil. They reach over two inches in length. Both male and female are darkly colored in the top half of the body and head, with yellow/white in the lower half. They have orange/yellow markings, and the front spine of the dorsal and pectoral fire are the same orange/yellow. The rest of the fins are mostly clear, with wavy vertical stripes on the tail. Since we have always enjoyed the different types of corys, we try to pick up new ones when we can! And from where else better to get corys than Eric Bodrock of Pennsylvania. Eric`s been breeding a lot of different corys for quite a while now, and has been very successful with th...

#28. Article's title: Breeding the Betta Fish

• Published: October 7, 2006, 3:26 pm
• Displayed: 1212 times
• Preview: Breeding Betta Fish After live bearing fishes, betta splendens is one of the easiest fish to breed in captivity even for newbies. Following some easy rules you`ll be able to have a successful breeding. There`s not the best method to breed bettas, most of breeders due to personal experience have found the best ways for them. Spawning is not difficult, and the hardest part is fry growing, at least the first days. Surely the first time you may experience a high mortality due to water pollution depending by overfeeding. Remember, bettas can be bred various times if they`re young so you can have various chances to improve your abilities. First of all you have to choose the two breeders. Both have to be healthy, fins condition tells a lot about bettas` health, a betta with damaged fins could have fought and now have low energies to mate. Betta have a short life so it`s important to choose young fish, about 5 months old, usually those you may find in shops are of that age,...

#29. Article's title: Bristlenose catfish

• Published: March 7, 2006, 10:26 am
• Displayed: 2171 times
• Preview: Bristlenose catfish Bristlenose catfish - Probably the most \"common\" fish in aquatic shops. Usually dark, sometimes with a small moustache, there is nothing sharp in the aquarium at all. It often sucks the bottom of the tank. But these are just the first impressions. When you take a more in depth look, you will see how superlative this fish is. Ancistrus is a fine and good-looking fish which complements many freshwater aquariums. I have kept ancistrus fish for more than 4 years and they have become an integral part of my tanks and my hobby. At first I bought only 4 of them and I didn`t know how to differentiate males from females. Fortunately, my aquarium was suitable for them and they did well. As time went by, the males acquired a moustache, all of them grew larger, and they all got a very nice coloration. After 2 years of successful keeping this nice species of fish, I decided to buy a larger tank. They liked it, because I saw small tails after few months. The...

#30. Article's title: Cambomba. Easy to grow filler Plant.

• Published: January 4, 2007, 8:35 pm
• Displayed: 39 times
• Preview: Cabomba The fan-shaped \"leaves\" make a very attractive plant in your tank. Cabomba makes an instant \"filler plant. It prefers clean water and good light It looks best when planted in patches each stem at least two inches from its neighbors. This gives it room to \"fan out.\" Put shorter stems in front for a natural look. Avoid planting in rows. Best way I feel to use it is to place it behind rocks or wood to\"frame\" your focal point. Keep it out of dark corners. (IT WILL FAIL TO GROW PROPERLY WITHOUT ENOUGH LIGHT) Cambomba is a good plant because it can hide baby fish from parents. An interesting fact about Cambomba is that it has been known to grow a flower. This plant is easily up-rooted. ...

#31. Article's title: Canister filter in an aquarium

• Published: September 2, 2006, 4:03 pm
• Displayed: 556 times
• Preview: Canister filter in an aquarium As words „canister filter“ say, this equipment is used for filtration in aquariums. But why are they good, what are their advantages and disadvantages? Firstly, let me say that this kind of filters are used for both, biological and mechanical filtration. Canister aquarium filters are very robust and powerful, but you should clean them periodically. You should bear in mind that filters which are installed for aquariums with a lot of waste must be cleaned oftenly, because filthiness in the water current could cause fish diseases. Some sources say that you should clean canister filters once a week, some sources say that once per 5 months is enough. I strongly recommend you to clean it when it`s needed. For example, I use hang on tank filters and I clean them if only they don`t aerate the aquariums enough. Generally, any aquarist is able to determine the situation when a filter isn`t clean enough. A canister filter can`t be placed inside an aquari...

#32. Article's title: Choosing an Aquarium Hood That’s Right for You

• Published: September 23, 2006, 1:30 pm
• Displayed: 496 times
• Preview: Choosing an Aquarium Hood That’s Right for You Unless you purchased your aquarium as a pre-selected complete kit, then you’ll also need to acquire an aquarium hood. Aquarium hoods are not only an attractive topper to finish the look of your aquarium, but they also serve practical purposes as well. They add protection from foreign objects falling in the tank which could kill your fish, and they hold the upper lighting for the aquarium. Aquarium hoods also keep wayward pets such as ferrets and cats from making an afternoon munchie of your aquarium denizens. Dust, smoke, pet dander and other airborne pollutants are also held at bay, helping to keep the tank water cleaner for a longer period of time. Of course, hoods help prevent your fish from leaping out of the tank and onto the floor to their death. We can’t always be there to scoop them up immediately and return them to the tank, therefore an aquarium hood is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. You will find that aquarium...

#33. Article's title: Choosing the first aquarium

• Published: December 22, 2006, 7:11 am
• Displayed: 171 times
• Preview: Choosing the first aquarium This article is meant to help people who want to buy the first aquarium and need some advices. First of all you should decide how big you want your aquarium, the first mistakes people usually do are: choosing a too much small tank and overpopulating it; both big and small aquariums have pro and cons, value them all and then choose your solution. Most of time aquarium shops staff can help you in your choice, but sometimes they tend to suggest you more products than those you really need. Small or big aquarium If you already have in your mind what fish you would like to have, choose the aquarium big enough according to their necessities. Most of time anyway beginners do not have any idea at all, so you can decide the aquarium size thinking about the free room you have to place it, or how much money you want to spend. A too much small aquarium has two major problems: chemical values tend to fluctuate, even dangerously, due the small amount ...

#34. Article's title: Cleaning the aquarium

• Published: July 25, 2006, 3:40 am
• Displayed: 1269 times
• Preview: Cleaning the aquarium Why do people decide to clean their aquariums? Generally, there are three basic reasons to clean the fish tank. Firstly, the tank smells. The reason for the smell varies depending on the fish; excrement fails to be filtered, pieces of old food gather on the bottom resulting in dead fish somewhere in the tank. It is important to install a strong enough filtration system in order to keep good conditions in the tank. Still water naturally smells and there are even aquariums without filters which contain many plants, which bring stable chemistry. The next reason to clean the aquarium is that it is overgrown with algae. You should bear in mind that algae usually grow in tanks where there are not enough plants, nitrification bacteria, or there is very bright lighting. In this case, you should buy some algae eater, pleco fish, cory fish, etc. The algae is a natural part of aquariums and it helps to keep good water conditions and chemistry. Fish excrement fa...

#35. Article's title: Corydoras

• Published: June 21, 2006, 4:21 pm
• Displayed: 867 times
• Preview: Corydoras Corydoras come from South America and they live in freshwater. They are known as cory catfish, cory cats or just cories. Their name Corydoras comes from Greek and it consists of kory (helmet) and doras (skin). Corydoras is a small aquarium fish. You can find many kinds of Corydoras, but they mostly differ only in their colour. Their size and their caring for is the same for all the Corydoras. When I saw a cory for the first time I thought that it was ugly. But after a while, I started to love it. Yes, it might look like alien life on earth, but that is the problem with us new guys in the aquarium business. Everything is new and strange. But the truth is, that Cories are very nice. There are many variants of cories, so you can find more or less beautiful Corydoras. We have Corydoras pandas and they are really irresistible. They really look like an aquarium panda bears. Corydoras like slow-moving and almost still (but seldom stagnant) water, which is...

#36. Article's title: Corydoras panda

• Published: April 23, 2006, 4:37 am
• Displayed: 987 times
• Preview: Panda Cory - Corydoras panda This is a small inoffensive little Cory. Corydoras Panda come from the Rio Pachitea in Peru. The body is sandy colored with black spots/patches. They have black over their eyes (like panda bears). They have a black band on the tail and the back fin is black and the rest of the fins are clear. The Panda females are more rounded and fuller than males. They grow to the size of 3.0 - 4.0 cm (1.2 - 1.6 in). Corydoras Panda feels better in a shoal so buy at least six off them. Cory, without companions, will waste away. It would also be advisable not to keep fin nipping species as they would worry them to death with their constant bother and would also deprive them of food. Other large Cichlids would also be a bad choice. A good community tank for Pandas would be inoffensive tetras such as Neon`s and other smaller fish, and if you would like other catfish, the Ancistrus types would make good partners and of course other Corydoras or Aspidoras species. ...

#37. Article's title: Discus Aquarium Fish

• Published: May 23, 2006, 2:17 pm
• Displayed: 5762 times
• Preview: Discus Aquarium Fish By Stokes Introduction The Discus is a large cichlid from the Amazon River, its tributaries and flood planes, in South America. Discus and its variants were first described in 1840 by Dr. Heckel as Symphysodon discus, this name is now in use for the Heckel discus variant. The three "original" colour variants received their own name, the Green Discus Symphysodon aequifasciata aequifasciata, the brown discus Symphysodon aequifasciata axelrodi, and the blue variant Symphysodon aequifasciata haraldi. More and more people are choosing to keep Discus Aquarium Fish over other fish. By becoming more popular more money is going into the industry which assists the funding for research and the development of products and different strains of Discus Aquarium Fish. The discus is a social fish and lives in large groups in their native waters, and has a very advanced social behaviour; they are one of the few real schooling cichlids. Remember ...

#38. Article's title: Discus. Information on water, foods, breeding and care.

• Published: January 4, 2007, 10:39 am
• Displayed: 33 times
• Preview: The Brilliant Discus Fish Appeal Everyone wants to try discus at some time during their life. Discus are at the top of the desirable fish list because they are flat out beautiful (and flat out flat). Unfortunately, discus are also flat out expensive. The equipment to keep them is also expensive. Discus work best for people who are handy with money. Size Big discus cost more than small discus. However, the larger discus survive better than the little guys. Discus less than the size of a half dollar can be very difficult to keep alive. Start with the largest discus you can afford. *******IMPORTANT********* Space Just because you saw discus in a retailer’s 10-gallon tank does not mean discus enjoy that tank. Adults need more than 10 gallons each. Groups Get two only or get six or more. If you get three discus, they want to play odd man out. The shy guy gets picked on until he dies. Water Yes, you can keep your discus healthy in “moderately hard...

#39. Article's title: External filter for a 26 gallon or bigger aquarium

• Published: November 3, 2006, 6:56 am
• Displayed: 349 times
• Preview: External filter for a 26 gallon or bigger aquarium Doing yourself an external filter is not really difficult, but needs a bit of patience. Building a filter by yourself is a good solution for those people who need a higher filtering (for big fish, turtles etc.) and do not want to spend a lot of money. Materials - 13mm garden poly pipe. It`s is usually cheap so take a good measure: think it has to start inside the aquarium go down on the floor and come back. - 13mm tap. You need 2 taps, one for the way in pipe, and one for the way out. These are extremely useful to isolate the filter in case you need to move it. - 2 or 3 gallon polycarbonate water bottle with large neck (the pump has to pass in it). You need just one bottle, the size depends on the size of your aquarium. - Aquarium silicone. - submersible aquarium water pump. The speed of the pump depends on the size of your aquarium; read the instructions on the pump before buying. Prefer anyway powerful pumps at...

#40. Article's title: Feeding Fish

• Published: February 21, 2006, 3:18 pm
• Displayed: 650 times
• Preview: (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by George Herrman Feeding Fish “How much do I feed my fish?” - this is a question we get asked every day, and there is no hard and fast rule for feeding fish. It’s all a matter of trial and error, but one thing is for sure - over feeding does more harm than under feeding. Bear in mind that in the wild fish don’t get fed on a regular basis, and in certain seasons food is very scarce. Start by sprinkling a little food over the water surface. If all this food is consumed within 3 to 5 minutes the amount of food is enough. If all the food is consumed in less time add a little more the next time you feed, and if it takes longer don’t put so much in the next time. One way to gauge the amount of food to use is to remember that most fish`s stomachs are about the same size as their eyes. Fish do not require as much food as is often thought, and it is very tempting to feed every time they look hungry or when ...

#41. Article's title: Feeding your aquarium fish

• Published: June 26, 2006, 3:38 pm
• Displayed: 962 times
• Preview: Feeding your aquarium fish Fish, like other animals, need balanced food which consists of proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. Most aquarium fish are fed onindustrial food, which has the form of flakes or granules. But you shouldfeed them with natural food also. Unbalanced food can cause health problems in the tank. But carefully customized food can play a main role in resistance against infections and illness. The general rule is to feed small amounts frequently. Usually it is an amount which is swallowed in two or three minutes two or three times a day. After few weeks there should be a day, when you don`t feed your fish. It`s always better leave fish a little bit hungry, because some part of the food, which is given to the fish until it is full, crosses the alimentary tract unconsumed and then on egestion raises the cloudiness of the water. The biggest part of natural food is usually water. The dry part consists of components of balanced food. The ...

#42. Article's title: Fish Acclimatization

• Published: January 4, 2006, 3:28 pm
• Displayed: 705 times
• Preview: (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Peter McKane The acclimatization of fish is an incredibly important process. Without it, fish that you introduce to your tank, whether it is a new setup or not, will become severely stressed and as a result may die or suffer severely reduced life expectancy. The process itself is incredibly simple, and if more people stuck to it, then many stress related deaths could be avoided. Transport Acclimatization begins where you first pick up the fish. From the moment they leave their tank, whether it is from a private supplier, a local fish store or even out of the box that they were delivered in, the fish must be kept as still as possible. If you are driving home with your fish, then hold the fish in its box or bag in the air between your legs. This means that any sudden acceleration or stopping will mean that the fish will sway and not be bumped up against the side of their container. The container s...

#43. Article's title: Goldfish

• Published: December 28, 2006, 10:28 am
• Displayed: 281 times
• Preview: Goldfish Carassius Auratus, widely known as “Goldfish”, is an ornamental ciprinidae, native from China, where it has been bred for long time. Being one of the first ornamental fish bred, goldfish has a great number of colour and shape mutations. Mutations can be divided in two categories: “long body” looking similar to the wild-type, and “short body” that usually have a egg shaped body much different from the common goldfish. “Long body” goldfish are the stronger ones and can live also in ponds; They usually reach 6-8 inches or more. Long finned are usually faster than short finned but can still live together without problems. - Common goldfish: it has a stout body and short rounded fins, the most common colour is bright orange, but you can find also brown, silver, yellow and calico. - Comet: it has thinner body and long caudal fin. Colours are the same of the common one. - Shubunkin: its shape is the same of the common goldfish body, but has a heart...

#45. Article's title: How to care about Betta Fish

• Published: October 10, 2006, 3:26 pm
• Displayed: 1983 times
• Preview: How to care about Betta Fish Betta splendens is a small siamese freshwater fish, really common in aquariums for it`s colours, easy care and peculiar behaviour, sadly they don`t have a long life, usually they reach two years old. Betta is also known as a siamese fighting fish for it`s intra specific aggressiveness, for this reason it`s impossible to house two males together in the same tank, since they`ll end up fighting to death; males can be aggressive towards females and females can attack each other as well, so keeping one male with two or three females is the best solution to avoid continuous attacks on the weaker fish. Males can be easily distinguished by females for their long fins and bright colours. In nature male bettas are brown-grey with iridescent green-blue fins and tail, while females are dark brown-grey with light coloured fins. Years of captive breeding has created new colours and fins shape both of males and females. New colours can be divided into: ...

#46. Article's title: Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis - White Spot

• Published: May 11, 2006, 8:50 am
• Displayed: 910 times
• Preview: I set up my social tank for fishes. In the first step I give in gravel and plants. 3 weeks I keep aquarium without fishes. Then I enter there first fishes. The first fishes was 2 Brachydanio rerios, 2 Otocinclus affinis and 2 Poecilia sphenops. All was OK, fishes was healthy. Then I wait one week and enter 4 Aphyosemion australe and 4 Rivulus magdalenae. Two days was all ok but next day I saw a Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis - White spot on some fishes. I started cure. It was in Saturday, aquarium shop was closed and I have only FMC medicine. The first step was change temperature to 27 °C. I don`t enter salt to water when I set up tank. Now I enter 150 g on 250 litres of water. And applied 2,5 ml FMC what is 1 ml on 100 litres of water. I applied FMC in this concentration four days. Second day was Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis - White spot on all fishes expect Rivulus and increase. Third day was Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis - White spot less. Thourth day evening I don`t see any Whit...

#48. Article's title: Koi carp

• Published: November 24, 2006, 2:09 am
• Displayed: 503 times
• Preview: Koi carp Koi carp is an ornamental mutation of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio), native from Asia, especially China and Japan. Koi carp may look like a big goldfish, anyway you can distinguish it for it`s barbels at the sides of the mouth and for it`s size, an adult Koi can reach 30 inches (75cm). Japanese breeders have selected a great number of colour varieties during years. The most common in shops are: - Kohaku: white Koi with red spots. Red and white colours are uniform, without shadings; Red spots should cover the half of the body. - Sanke: red and black spotted white Koi. Red and black colours do not have shadings. The head must have only red spots (like Kohaku). - Shusui: blue grey Koi with dark blue shadings on the lateral and dorsal lines, red colour on sides, fins and tail. - Asagi: blue grey Koi with red orange shadings on the sides, fins, and tail. - Showa: three coloured Koi. Looks like Sanke, but the black colour is more present, even on the hea...

#49. Article's title: Lake Tanganyika Cichlids

• Published: April 3, 2006, 3:30 am
• Displayed: 2735 times
• Preview: (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) Lake Tanganyika Cichlids by Andy Gordon of England, and Michelle Stuart of Ontario Canada. With photographs and contributions by Tom Hammond. Lake Tanganyika is situated in the E. African Rift Valley in an area which has active volcanoes. This has affected the whole area and the water of the lake is very rich in minerals and quite alkaline. This must be taken in to account when planning to keep any fish from this lake. There are three main biotopes within the lake itself: - Open water with a sandy substrate. - Rocky, found around parts of the shoreline and underwater reefs. - Shell beds. Piles of empty snail shells found in various bays litter the floor. Each biotope has attracted a different set of fish which has found ways to exploit that particular environment. The water quality remains the same throughout the lake - there may be one or two local variations where a river enters the lak...

#51. Article's title: New to Planted Tank?

• Published: April 12, 2006, 8:52 am
• Displayed: 1032 times
• Preview: New to Planted Tank? by Marcus Ng of Singapore Originally published on www.aquaticquotient.com Reprinted by permission. Aquarticles (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) A lush planted aquarium is a wonderful sight to behold. But often many people are held back from getting into this hobby as they perceive it to be beyond the technical grasp of a casual hobbyist. Certainly, it may look difficult at first, but as they say, the biggest hurdle in every task is your mind. And any activity that is worthwhile will involve some degree of initial learning and preparation. But it is our hope that you will find aquaticquotient.com a useful resource of information where a community of new and experienced hobbyists exchange their knowledge and learn from each other. Do note that when you are posting a question, e.g. why is my plant turning yellow etc, forummers can only help if you can provide as much information as possible about your tank...

#52. Article's title: Oscar fish

• Published: August 12, 2006, 2:05 pm
• Displayed: 3567 times
• Preview: Oscar fish This fish is very intelligent, it can even recognize it`s owner. Oscars have they own ideas. If they don´t like how the items are in the aquarium, they pick them up and replace them, or they spit it out from the tank. It doesn`t matter if the plant or rock is real or plastic. If you have a high aquarium, standing near it can be dangerous. The best choice is to have a sand bottom and few big rocks in the tank. Sometimes Oscars pretend that they are dead. In nature they pretend to be dead and wait until a small fish comes close so it can be caught and eaten. Oscars are aggressive fish so they need a big aquarium and a large group, because if there are only few fish they will fight, and the weaker Oscar will feel miserable. The best solution is to have either one or many (6 is the minimum) Oscars, but never only a few. I have heard that sometimes three fish get on well, but usually they fight and attack each other without apparent reason. But even if you have mor...

#53. Article's title: Peat in aquarium

• Published: January 9, 2007, 2:21 am
• Displayed: 86 times
• Preview: What does the peat change in an aquarium? Peat has an ability to lower down pH and water hardness values. It also changes the colour of water from clear to brown. Besides mentioned changes, it releases hormones, CO2 and probably some nitrates into the tank too. Some toxic metals are ineffective. What causes these changes? Acid materials are fantastic materials with fantastic attributes. Are these attributes fantastic or aren\'t they? Let\'s analyse the advantages and disadvantages... Positives: 1. brings down pH and hardness 2. doesn\'t change the conductivity 3. releases lots of useful materials which are welcome by fish Negatives: 1. water must be tested frequently 2. it is not suitable for fish which need hard water with high level of pH 3. if you have a dutch (planted) aquarium, some plants don\'t like the water with very low pH levels 4. it\'s difficult to select the right amount of peat for use in your aquarium If you decided to use the peat, read...

#54. Article's title: Pond filtration and set up

• Published: December 22, 2006, 3:47 pm
• Displayed: 87 times
• Preview: Pond filtration and set up Building a pond often the common mistake done is not to plan the filtration, that ends up being not effective. It is easy to think that to keep high the water quality of a pond is easier than controlling an aquarium, due to the really higher amount of water present inside. Surely a great quantity of water avoid dangerous fluctuations of chemical values, temperature and pollution; anyway this is not enough, ponds unlike aquariums are not kept in neutral environment, but being outside, in gardens, terraces etc, make them susceptible to external interferences. For this reason a filter is just a point to start to keep the pond clean. Various other factors can influence the result of a well working pond. The location Before building a pond, you have to plan the place where it is going to be, following not only your sense of beauty. - Sun. A good idea is to place the pond in a sunny place so the winter temperatures can be milder. Anywa...

#55. Article's title: Puffer Fish

• Published: May 9, 2006, 2:27 am
• Displayed: 2576 times
• Preview: Puffer Fish Puffer Fish belong to the family Tetradontidae, which means they have four teeth. They are also called blowfish. There are species of Puffer Fish which live in freshwater, some species live best in brackish water, and some Puffers live best in marine or sea water. Because they live in these kind of water, they have various colors and sizes. They are called Puffer Fish because their ability to inflate themselves with water or air when they feel threatened. It is a defensive mechanism. It`s harder to swallow a large fish than a small one. It is hard to resist a Puffer fish. If you see them you may think that it is a sweet and charming fish. Maybe because they have a unique and comical way of swimming and they have big eyes and a round belly. But it is not true. Puffers are predators. Most Puffer species have a nasty temperament. They can be fin nippers and killers. Even those who have previously been in a community tank can become aggressive when they are older...

#56. Article's title: Rotala macrandra

• Published: March 4, 2006, 3:52 pm
• Displayed: 624 times
• Preview: Rotala macrandra (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Lynn McMullen When researching the available literature dealing with aquarium plants, often the plants are categorised by growth patterns. Some of those include “roseate” (which defines plants that grow from a common central point, such as Amazon Swords); “opposite leaves” (which includes plants whose leaves grow in pairs on opposite sides of a common stalk, like Hygrophilia polysperma); and plants with “alternate” leaf arrangements (which is when the leaves grow on opposite sides of the stalk, but not exactly at the same point - there is a small space between each leaf). The Rotala macrandra falls into this last category. This plant has a dense bushy growth pattern under optimum conditions, with many branchlets and thick clusters of leaves, so that it can almost look like an impregnable wall of growth. This is a misleading impression, as the plant can be considered very soft and ...

#57. Article's title: Selecting Discus

• Published: April 1, 2006, 7:32 am
• Displayed: 983 times
• Preview: (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Beta Mahatvaraj Selecting Discus The King of Aquarium Fishes is an easy fish to keep in the home aquarium if some simple tips are followed. Proper selection is the first step to success with discus. The quality of discus on sale in the Indian LFS is usually not too good. So it’s very important to make the right start to avoid future heartbreaks. Let`s see why this is the case: Firstly, the best discus go where the money is. Japan and Europe are some of the major markets for top quality discus, and then comes North America and so on. Most of the discus offered for sale in the Indian LFS are lower grade discus from farms in South East Asia. If you want good quality discus be prepared to pay for them! The import restrictions on ornamental fishes means that there are fewer options available to the hobbyist. Enough of rambling let me get down to business! Below are some general tips on how to selec...

#59. Article's title: So You Want to Grow Aquatic Plants

• Published: January 20, 2006, 5:53 am
• Displayed: 892 times
• Preview: this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Olga Betts Some aquatic plants will grow under some conditions all of the time. In other words, anyone who wants to can grow aquatic plants. Here is the secret: Grow aquatic plants that suit the conditions of your aquarium. Know your plants. Buy a simple book about aquatic plants such as: Aquarium Plants Manual published by Barron’s. This is a good and inexpensive book to get you started; available in many aquarium stores. Aquatic plants are just the same as those that grow in a garden. Some prefer lots of sun, some prefer shade, some like rich soil, others sandy, poor soil. Of course, all aquatic plants like lots of water but the beauty of that is — you don’t have to water them! Calculate how many watts of light per gallon of water you have. You can grow most aquatic plants with at least 2 watts per gallon. Some will do fine with less; some will do better with more. The typica...

#60. Article's title: Some tips for beginners

• Published: November 22, 2005, 2:50 pm
• Displayed: 1225 times
• Preview: (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) by Bill "Pegasus NZ" of New Zealand How Long Do You Wait Before Adding Fish? Opinions vary so much on this subject that it is hard to give a reasonable answer. The Americans for instance have what is known as "cycling", which is the period of time a tank has to remain empty of fish until the good bacteria have established themselves and are controlling the conditions of the water in the tank. Most aquarists in the States recommend a six week waiting period using what they call "A Fishless Cycle". In order for the good bacteria to build up (starting the nitrogen cycle), they need a source of ammonia to feed on. When using this fishless cycle they recommend you add daily doses of pure ammonia to the tank for the bacteria to feed on, which is needed to actually start the nitrogen cycle working. I would however like to point out that I personally have never used the "...

#61. Article's title: Staghorn Algae

• Published: January 1, 2007, 6:22 pm
• Displayed: 74 times
• Preview: Staghorn algae In this article, I want to write about my experience with Staghorn algae; scientific name \"Compsopogon sp.\". However, this is not a scientific article. I don\'t write a 100% guide how to eliminate this algae from your aquarium. But I\'m going to write how I defeat it. Let\'s start from the very begenning. I established my aquarium in april 2006. I keep few plants and fish there. Feel free to read about my tank at my blog called Aquarium fish and plants. Step by step, I planted my aquarium successfully. Basically, I was introducing new plants as well as Staghorn algae into my tank. I can not say exactly when I firstly got the algae, but I noticed some algae in my aquarium. I didn´t know what a catastrophe was waiting for me. In the begining, I saw only a few spots. Immediately, the algae grew on every piece of my tank, only a week later after the first spot was noticed. It usually grows about 5-10 cm during a night, so I had to cut a lot of algae from...

#62. Article's title: Start right with tropical fishkeeping

• Published: November 22, 2005, 2:56 pm
• Displayed: 1673 times
• Preview: (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) Some helpful tips when starting with tropical freshwater fishes First published in leaflet form by Aquarian Fish Foods, of England Aquarticles Introduction Freshwater tropical fish, as their name suggests, originate in freshwater rivers and lakes in the warmer parts of the world, particularly in South America and Central Africa. There are literally tens of thousands of species of freshwater tropical fish, with new ones being discovered almost every day. With such a vast variety of fish, each living in its own particular environment, it`s easy to see why fish keepers are never lost for new areas to study and new challenges to enjoy. Fish Names All fishes are classified by the `binomial system` (two names). First there is the family or generic name -which should always be written with an initial capital letter. This is followed by the species name/s - which should always all be writ...

#63. Article's title: Starting a Planted Aquarium. Maintaning and Growing plants in your Aquarium.

• Published: January 6, 2007, 8:09 pm
• Displayed: 94 times
• Preview: Starting a Planted Aquarium To start growing plants in an aquarium is not difficult, In fact it can be rather simply if you are keeping easy to grow plants. Even if you are not keeping easy to grow plants following these guidelines, can seriously help you out. Why choose a Planted Aquarium why not a choose Plastic plants? Well firstly Planted Aquariums, if kept correctly look miles better, more natural and also keep the tank in a lot better condition by removing harmful Ammonia and Nitrates. having plants also helps the fish as they feel more secure. How to keep Plants? Keeping plants is simple as long as you have: Good Lighting, Good Soil (Substrate) and good Nutrients in the water. Below are a few basic plant care tips. - Before planting, remove any decaying or yellowed leaves. Decaying leaves are a drain on the plants nutrient supply. - Remove any dying roots, as these will rot in the substrate. These will appear limp and brown, healthy roots are norm...

#64. Article's title: The Blue Gourami

• Published: August 8, 2006, 4:43 pm
• Displayed: 1169 times
• Preview: The Blue Gourami The Blue Gourami originally comes from Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. It`s popularity originates in the beautiful blue colour, peaceful temperament towards another species, and especially it`s intelligence. I personally kept from 2 to 6 gouramis for about 2 years and the only reason I gave them up was that my tanks were too small for them. It should be pointed out at this point that even the blue gouramis grow up to 10-12 cm (about 4 inches) and they become territorial as adults. I recommend you keep 1 gourami per 40 litres. They like shallow water as well as deep tanks, so there`s no need to build a special tank for them. Since the blue gouramis are very beautiful, I highly recommend you keep them in a single species tank. They do well with tankmates, no matter if they`re guppies, angel fish or cory fish. But for breeding, it`s better to keep them alone. It also creates a special feeling if there are only gouramis in the tank. Their movement and quite lazy nat...

#65. Article's title: The Convenience of Automatic Aquarium Fish Feeders

• Published: September 21, 2006, 2:29 am
• Displayed: 591 times
• Preview: The Convenience of Automatic Aquarium Fish Feeders Note: Aqua-Fish.Net isn`t advertising any product within the article below. Automatic fish feeders help make your life as an aquarium owner much easier. It is often hard to remember whether or not you fed the fish, or if someone else in your house did already, and the automatic fish feeder eliminates missed feedings or over feeding altogether. Too much food in the water can easily clog up important filters, and cause you to have to spend more time cleaning your aquarium tank than enjoying it. There are many different brands and designs on automatic fish feeders on the market, you just have to decide which one is within your means and will best suit your needs. One of the most popular automatic fish feeders is the Eheim 3581 “Feed-Air” Digital Automatic Feeder. This model is capable of using either granule or pellet fish food types. You can set it to feed your fish up to four times per day. This model comes with its ow...

#66. Article's title: The Dwarf Gourami

• Published: April 16, 2006, 1:58 am
• Displayed: 1320 times
• Preview: The Dwarf Gourami The Dwarf Gourami is one of the small members of the Gourami family. Males are a little bit larger than the females. In the wild the male is very colorful while the female is less colored. There are several color variations, including Blue/Powder Blue, Neon, Rainbow, and Red/Blushing. Dwarf Gouramis are Labyrinth Fish, meaning they breath directly from the air, so they must have access to the surface. It is recommended to keep them in a tank that is more than 15 gallons in size. Water conditions in the tank should be stable with pH between 6.5 and 8.0, temperature from 23.0 to 28.0 °C (73.4 - 82.4 °F) and water hardness dGH of 4.0 - 18.0 °N. Because of their peaceful and shy nature and ease of care, they are well suited to smaller aquariums, as well as community aquariums. The truth is, that they should not be kept with very large or aggressive fish. They need plenty of vegetation, including floating plants that cover part of the surface of the water. O...

#67. Article's title: The Dwarf Gourami (Colisa Lalia)

• Published: October 27, 2006, 8:15 am
• Displayed: 579 times
• Preview: The Dwarf Gourami (Colisa Lalia) Colisa lalia is a peaceful freshwater fish, also known as the “Dwarf Gourami”. Gourami is the name used for a big variety of perciform fish coming from Asia, especially India and Pakistan characterized by flat body and two elongated rays of pelvic fins used as sense of touch. Since they reach only 2 inches, they can be housed in small tanks and are a good fish for beginners because of their low aggressiveness, easy care and nice look. Males can be easily distinguished from females for their colours. The dwarf gourami male is a bit bigger than the female and has turquoise and orange-red iridescent vertical bands on the entire body and on fins; you can find also colour mutations with total orange-red body and turquoise dorsal fin, or total turquoise body with just some red at the edges of the fins. The dwarf gourami female is totally silver with pale turquoise vertical stripes. Colisa lalia can live in small groups or couples, both ...

#68. Article's title: The esthetics of ugliness in aquariums

• Published: August 15, 2006, 3:15 am
• Displayed: 655 times
• Preview: Red parrot - The king of monstrosity They are sold under the name of Red Parrot or Bloody Parrots, but these fish must not be confounded with parrot Cichlids (Hoplarchus Psittacus) or with marine Parrot fish (Callyodon fasciatus). The real Parrot, Hoplarchus psittacus is an American Cichlid which lives in the Amazon waters and has a green color. This is extremely pretentious specie and it has been successfully spawned only by few American breeders. This article is not a description of this fastidious fish; it is about the baggy hybrid which can be found in pet shops. Maybe some of us are not long time experienced breeders, but certainly we are not blind. Yellow, blue, red, fluorescent green, pink - it is amazing how sublime these parrots, native from Asia, are. We only have to breed them in orange and fluorescent water, given by a cool light, with ultra colored sand and plastic plants and the kitsch is perfect! Anyway, let`s hope that at least for Christmas they w...

#69. Article's title: The Guppy fish

• Published: April 16, 2006, 2:06 am
• Displayed: 3221 times
• Preview: The Guppy fish The Guppy fish is probably the most popular aquarium species in the world. Small, beautiful, peaceful, lively, curious and hardy, there are many colorful variations that can be collected and easily bred. The Guppy fish is one of the best choices for beginners, especially children. Guppy females are much larger and rounder than males. They even do not look like one species. Females are dull grey and males are very colorful and have large fins. There are many types of Guppy fish and with breeding you can get new variants. In size they are: 4.0 - 6.0 cm ( 1.6 - 2.3 in). Guppy fish can be feed a wide variety of foods (flakes, Spirulina, lettuce, spinach, freeze dried foods, mosquito larvae). They eat almost everything. Guppies have small stomachs and can only consume a little bit of food at one feeding. By the way, it is entertaining to watch them eat larvae, which are almost as big as Guppies. They eat them like big spaghetti. It is best is to feed them in sm...

#70. Article's title: The Jack Dempsey Cichlid

• Published: April 14, 2006, 8:08 am
• Displayed: 3392 times
• Preview: The Jack Dempsey Cichlid Originally from Yucatan peninsula, Guatemala and Honduras, the Jack Dempsey Cichlid belongs to very beautiful, but aggressive fish. It`s named after the heavyweight boxing champion, Jack Dempsey. This fish can grow up to 20 cm (7.8 in), so it is recommended to keep it in a larger tank. As the Jack Dempsey Cichlid originally came from Central America, the water should be alkaline and little bit harder (dGH 18.0 - 30.0 °N and pH of 7.0 – 8.5). You can find the exact values of water chemistry and temperature in this fish profile - The Jack Dempsey Cichlid. The temperature in a tank has to vary about 25°C. So if you keep it under the right water conditions, its colours should be as beautiful as possible. You will enjoy this fish for more than 15 years as its lifespan is usually 16-17 years. The Jack Dempsey Cichlid has several colourful speckles across its body and almost a stained glass effect on the dorsal fin that will be displayed especially in the proper l...

#71. Article's title: The Jaguar Cichlid

• Published: April 14, 2006, 7:55 am
• Displayed: 1700 times
• Preview: The Jaguar Cichlid The Jaguar Cichlid has its origins in Eastern Honduras, Lake Managua, Lake Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The common name `Jaguar Cichlid` comes from all the dark spots like on the jaguar cat. In a fish tank, this beautiful fish can grow up to 35 cm and it`s a predator that likes to eat any smaller fish that fits into its mouth. You should keep Jaguar Cichlids with other large cichlids in a tank which length is at least 6 times bigger than its adult size. Of course, if you keep this fish in an aquarium that is smaller, it should grow smaller, but it will be more aggressive. Females aren`t as colorful as males and, if fed well, they`re much plumper. The Jaguar Cichlid easily adapts to a wide variety of water conditions. Nonetheless, they need clean water, which makes their colors look best. The water pH should vary between 7 and 8 and they also like soft water more than hard. They appreciate a lot of rocks and caves as well as low lighting, so they`ll feel like they...

#72. Article's title: The Kissing Fish (The kissing Gourami)

• Published: January 4, 2007, 8:14 pm
• Displayed: 55 times
• Preview: The Kissing Gourami. The Kissing fish ***Beware in fish terms a kiss is not a good thing.*** (I would recommend this fish for beginners not newbies, as it is active large and never boring) Bullies Kissing gouramis do not hesitate to push other fishes around. They mix best with larger and rougher fishes. Many get along fine with non-African cichlids. Obviously, these guys grow into big bruisers when kept in large tanks. Name Kissing fish get their name from their constant habit of “kissing” each other. These “kisses” equate to a rather hard punch to your shoulder. The kiss-ee responds with a kiss to protect itself from the kiss-er. If you have only one kisser in your tank, it will cause problems with your other fish. The bigger their tank, the fewer problems you will experience with them. Origins Kissing gouramis originally came from slow-moving waters in Java, Sumatra, Malaysia, Borneo, and Thailand. These warm, low oxygen waters abound in anabantids ...

#73. Article's title: The Kuhli Loach

• Published: January 4, 2007, 7:42 pm
• Displayed: 23 times
• Preview: The Kuhli Loach An interesting, must-have addition to any aquarium. Kuhli loaches I believe come from the warm waters of Indonesia (A great addition to an Indonesian Biotope). There are several types of kuhlis that are available. - Nocturnal (sort of): Kuhli loaches prefer darker tanks. Add a few floating watersprite plants. Watersprite plants are great for Kuhlis as it reduces light which they are not fond off., add egg-laying sites, and help keep your water cleaner. - Water Conditions: Although they come from soft acid water originally, kuhli loaches adapt to most water conditions, and are quite hardy so there is not much need for water tampering with these fish. Just keep their water clean. - Appeal: If you like worms or snakes, you’ll love kuhli loaches – especially when you see them interact with each other. - Clean up Crew: Kuhli loaches with their tiny barbels can reach into the teeniest crevices in search of edible scraps of food. Size: You’ll fin...

#74. Article's title: The Neon Tetra

• Published: October 28, 2006, 5:16 am
• Displayed: 814 times
• Preview: General information Paracheirodon innesi of the characin family, also called ‚the neon tetra‘ is probably the most known freshwater fish kept at home aquariums. This peaceful and schooling species does well in groups of 10 or more. You could find recommendations like 5+ tetras, 7+ tetras or whatever. However, my personal experiences say that more neon tetras equal happy fish. Therefore, it`s recommended to buy a species tank with 50-100 neons. In my experience, it looks terrific. Moreover, large shoals will attract your eyes more than any TV program. Well organized tank for neon tetras means plenty of plants, a bit acidic and soft water. Generally, neon tetras are very shy, what is noticeable if you keep only 2 or 3 of them. They come from South America’s moderate sized rivers, southeast Colombia and eastern parts of Peru, where the water is usually dark-yellow or dark-brown. It makes the sense, since such rivers are full of woden pieces, plants (dead or alive). Such elements h...

#75. Article's title: The pictures of the Black Skirt Tetra

• Published: September 25, 2006, 4:56 am
• Displayed: 615 times
• Preview: The pictures of the Black Skirt Tetra When I firstly saw the Black Skirt Tetras, I decided to keep them. Of course, I asked about the conditions and requirements for this fish. The Black Skirt is very nice, beautiful and peaceful. Their origin is the South Amercia; Rio Negro. As the name „Rio Negro“ says, the water where they come from, is usually dark. Dark colours are the result of decomposition of wood and relatively slow water current. Your tank should contain at least one driftwood and enough of plants. Good solution is to use Anubias Nana, Vallisneria Spiralis, Vallisneria Gigantea and some kind of Cryptocoryne. Even though these plants don`t come directly from Rio Negro, they are easy to care for. Acid or alkaline water isn`t any problem for the Black Skirt Tetra. The same goes to the question of hard or soft water. Generally, this species adapts easily, but don`t overrate them. Keep the conditions stable, so your fish will be happy. If the water is of good quality, ...

#76. Article's title: The Silver Shark. Tips on how to care for these hardy fish.

• Published: January 4, 2007, 10:29 am
• Displayed: 30 times
• Preview: The Silver Shark (Bala Shark) Origins Most bala sharks come from Far Eastern fish farms these days. The larger ones cost more than the smaller ones (as we all know). The smaller ones are much more fragile. Name Origin “Bala” comes from the first part of their scientific name. “Shark” comes from their high dorsal fin that makes them look like a saltwater shark. Of course, they’re not. Many cyprinids (minnows) with high dorsal fins earn the more sellable name “shark.” The melanopterus in their scientific name means black fins. Some folks call them “silver sharks” due to their basic body color. Water Conditions Bala sharks adjust to nearly any water conditions. They will fit into most community tanks with no little bite-size fishes. Appeal: People like bala sharks because they look like sharks. They also get along fine with other fishes. They’re easy to keep and rarely stop patrolling the waters of their aquaria. Size Theoretically, these bala sharks grow t...

#78. Article's title: Things You Should Know Before You Purchase an Aquarium Stand

• Published: September 8, 2006, 2:04 am
• Displayed: 692 times
• Preview: Things You Should Know Before You Purchase an Aquarium Stand Nothing sets fish owners apart more than the manner in which they display their aquarium. You can always tell a proud fish owner by the materials and quality of the aquarium stand which holds their aquatic investment. Aquarium stands are available in many sizes, shapes and price ranges. Although most aquarium stands are for fish tanks that are 20 gallons or more in size, there are stands available to hold aquariums from 10 gallons on up. There are several styles of aquarium stands, from the simple rack style, to the more robust cabinetry style. Materials are also varied, as the bigger the fish tank, the sturdier the stand materials must be. Rack style stands are usually for the lower gallon sized tanks, and are made of light metals such as aluminum. The racks for larger fish tanks or for double tank display are made from sturdier steel construction with welded joints. Next up the line in stands is what i...

#79. Article's title: Tips on Freshwater Aquariums

• Published: October 6, 2006, 10:58 am
• Displayed: 1230 times
• Preview: Tips on Freshwater Aquariums Nowdays more and more people have aquariums and aquarium fish. It is because fish don`t need much space, they don`t make mess in the house, they don`t destroy the furniture, they are silent, they don`t need any attention and they need only food a few times a day. And aquariums are very nice in the house. There is one thing about the aquarium, that not many people know: aquariums humidify the air and so you will be healthier. And aquariums are not good only for your physical health but for your mental health too. If you are stressed, there is no better thing like watching on those peaceful creatures as they are swimming around. Having an aquarium is like having a piece of underwater world in your livingroom. But if you want to have a realy good looking aquarium, you have to know about the needs of your fish and plants. People usually get their fish in special stores. But they mostly don`t ask about fish, they are buying, so they don`t know what...

#80. Article's title: To filter or not to filter, that is the question.

• Published: January 14, 2006, 2:20 am
• Displayed: 1412 times
• Preview: (this article was taken from aquarticles.com - free aquarium articles) By John Fichtl (not Shakespeare) The question of filtering comes up on a daily basis on most forums. Which one is the best, cheapest, most efficient? etc. The answers are very diverse. Some people have nothing but undergravel filters and swear by them. Other couldn`t live without their Eheims. Then comes the DIY person. Mind boggling. Now along comes a fellow who will open the eyes of most. Who?... Me. The Undergravel Filter. Let`s start with the trusty old undergravel filter. They are easy to install - in an empty aquarium that is - cheap to run, and hardly any maintenance...that`s what most people think. All the dirt in your water sinks to the bottom, or is slightly sucked down. The gravel acts as the filter medium. The outcome; seemingly clean water. What happened to the dirt? Where did it go? It is still there inside and underneath the gravel. It is like sweeping the dirt under the carpet. Room...

#81. Article's title: Tropical Freshwater Community Aquarium

• Published: July 13, 2006, 4:41 pm
• Displayed: 2915 times
• Preview: Tropical Freshwater Community Aquarium The goal of most aquariums is to capture the look of natural environs characteristic for specific parts of the world. Fish and plants in such aquariums are usually the kind that would live in these environs in nature. But the goal of community aquarium is different – it is to create a collection of plants and fish, which get on well together, but they don’t need to be from the same place. Such a tank is attractive because you can mix species from all around the World in it. That is why aquarists do not look further than a really good community aquarium. Before you launch into a community aquarium think carefully about what you want to reach and provide for adequate preparation. The first goal of a community aquarium should be creating stable, healthy and comfortable environs for many species of fish. Arrange the aquarium in an attractive way, so it will give an impressive and original look. The tradition is to situate fish and plants ...

#82. Article's title: Vitamins and feeding principles

• Published: November 24, 2006, 7:12 am
• Displayed: 209 times
• Preview: Vitamins and feeding principles Introduction Every aquarist is proud if fish in his aquarium are or natural colours and if they are healthy. Fish`s good health heavily depends on diet, since your pets need something similar what they could find in nature. Various fish subsist on various food including worms, maggots, algae, plants or fruits. Some are carnivores, some are omnivores. Maybe you didn`t know what food (besides common foods like flakes, granules or brine shrimp) you can feed your fish with: Daphnia, Bloodworms, Basil (Ocimum basilicum), Angelica root (Archangelica officinalis), Capsicum, Carrot, Wheat, Spinach, Nettle, Borage (Borago officinalis), Spirulina, Seaweed, Glycine soja. Daphnia and bloodworms are easily consumable and very rich fish food. Both, Basil and Angelica root help your fish against stress. Capsicum and Carrot stimulate digestion and are full of vitamins. Carotene keeps the fish coloured. Wheat contains carbonhydrates. Spinach and Nett...

#83. Article's title: Which aquarium biotope to choose?

• Published: January 23, 2006, 6:37 am
• Displayed: 1349 times
• Preview: Which aquarium biotope it the best one? When I got my first aquarium, I didn`t know anything about aquarium biotopes, good water conditions, fish species, plants, heating, etc. I didn`t know which aquatic plants I can buy in order to reach good looking tank. You can easily imagine how it was... As time went by, I found some sources on the internet and I started to plan changes. Like other people, I want to own nice aquarium too. Various plants can make your tank very attractive especially when you use them wisely. Many people consider using high aquatic plants in the background of their tanks and small plants in the foreground. It isn`t bad idea, because it gives some kind of „depth“ to the aquarium. Anyway, I decided to try something else. My aquarium has 81 litres with its measurements 90x30x30 cm. Everyone can understand, that it doesn`t give large space to experiment with aquatic plants or fishes. But it creates very good basis for some creek based biotope. Stream is ver...

#84. Article's title: Why You Should Consider Plastic Aquarium Plants for Your Tank

• Published: September 21, 2006, 11:06 am
• Displayed: 674 times
• Preview: Why You Should Consider Plastic Aquarium Plants for Your Tank Adding decorations to your aquarium can be almost as much fun as putting the fish in the tank for the first time. Adding plants to your aquarium can be a very cost effective way to spruce things up a bit. Plastic plants are inexpensive, and require very little maintenance or care once they are placed in the aquarium. The idea of adding plastic plants has made many aquarium owners shudder. At one time plastic plants were considered bulky eyesores added by novices to make their aquarium look better. You didn’t have to have a magnifying glass in hand to be able to tell that the plants weren’t real, all you had to do was look at them and there was no doubt. Aquarium plastic plants today are nothing like what they once were. They can look so real, that you have to actually touch them to tell that they are plastic. These plants are made more realistic by the fact that many are made of silk, which allows them to ...

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