Aquarium Care

Useful articles, news, information, product reviews about aquarium care

Archive for the ‘Aquarium’ Category

How to treat identifieable Betta Fish Diseases

Dropsy is a very common, very fatal disease that attacks the betta fish’s internal organs. Very little is known about dropsy, except that it causes kidney failure. No one knows what causes dropsy

Dropsy can be treated with “Maracyn 2″. this is the typical treatment for several ailments such as inner infections, tail rot and gill infections. This antibiotic must be absorbed by the Betta FishCleaning and changeing the water as well as raising the temperature in the tank is a good idea.

Fungal infections generally happen because of bad water conditions. They become visible as white fluffy growths on the betta fish’s mouth, eyes, and fins and are highly infectious.

The Treatment for fungal infections is: Increase the temperature of the betta fish tank. Fungal infections is an outcome of cooler water temperatures. Medicines including Malachite green or Methylene blue are also useful. Malachite green is a totally harmless and helpful cure in fresh and salt water on a wide variety of protozoan, crustacean, and other invertebrate parasites of fishes. Adding ordinary table salt (sodium chloride) to the water, one teaspoon per gallon can lend a hand in minimizing the healing time.

If the water temperature in your tank falls below 80 degrees you may have a battle with Ich or (Ichthyophthirius multifilius) What looks like grains of sugar appearing on the fins and body is a sure indication of Ich.

Useing Malachite green or Methylene blue treatments and adding salt to the tank will help. You must adjust the water temperature to over eighty degrees.

Velvet/Oodinium is an algae parasite found on several freshwater fish. This ailment emerges as a yellow “velvety” covering on the betta fish’s body. It may also become visible as golden or rust colored. It is habitually found in fish which are anxious due to chilling, shipping, water changes or bad water quality. Symptoms comprises of fast breathing and lethargy.

Treatment for Velvety is Raised water temperature and medicines like acriflavine, Methylene Blue or Jungle’s “velvet guard” should help cure this parasite. Bowls or tanks should be drained and unsoiled. Dyes must not be used as they have mercury.

Weaker Betta Fish are suseptable to Fin Rot.

The use of antibiotics and anti-micrbials is used in the treatment of Fin Rot. Adding a teaspoon of table salt and raising the temperature of the water in the tank will help. A common antibiotic tablet is Maracyn 2.

John Anderson has been raising and Caring for Betta Fishfor many years and has compiled a very practical free guide for you at Betta Fish Diseases You will find a lot of facts and some fun.. Also published at How to treat identifieable Betta Fish Diseases.

Sphere: Related Content

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How To Keep Aquarium Fish Healthy From Day To Day

How to keep aquarium fish healthy is a common question both new aquarium owners and seasoned veterans ask. If you already have a tank you are probably fighting this battle every day, and if you are considering the purchase of one, no doubt you have many questions about keeping your tank clean and your fish healthy. Thankfully for both the newcomer and the old-timer there are products available, like the EcoBio-Block,that can help to ease the burden of maintaining your tank, saving you both time and money. Continue reading to learn more about how to keep your fish healthy with less hassle. These tips will assist you in getting more out of your aquarium.

One of the best ways for keeping your tank clean is to change out a percentage of the water regularly. Changing out the water will help to remove dead organic material and it will also remove fish waste. You can help to prevent mineral buildup and toxins simply by changing out 10 to 15 percent of the tank volume once a week. If you use an EcoBio-Block product this part of aquarium maintenance becomes a lot easier, because the stream of beneficial bacteria coming from the block will take care of organic waste which breaks down into toxic ammonia and nitrites.

You should also consider making a regular vacuum of the tanks substrate. Lots of debris can build up over time between the rocks. Unfortunately this debris is typically too small to see easily or even at all, but rest assured it is there. A good rock cleaning at every water change or about once a week or so can make a big difference in the overall quality of the water in the tank.

Water temperature is another key element for the health of your aquarium fish. Of course the temperature you should maintain will be determined by the type of fish you have. There are lots of different devices that help to keep the water temperature constant, and there are devices you can float in the tank to monitor your water temperature too.

While those little toys, trinkets, and plastic flowers at the bottom of your tank may appear only to be decorations, and in part they are, they also provide a sense of security and safety for the fish. Make sure the bottom of your aquarium has 50 to 70 percent coverage as this will help your fish feel less threatened.

Of course keeping your fish fed helps to keep them both happy and healthy. There are a number of brands and types of food you can use, and of course you will want to choose the type of food that is right for your particular fish. Remember too not to overfeed them. This can add debris to the water and make cleaning a more frequent chore.

Watch the fish closely for signs of aggression. Your fish should always appear relaxed and swimming peacefully. If you notice aggression, such as one fish actively chasing other fish around the tank or away from certain areas, you might consider donating that fish to a friend or the pet store to be placed with other more aggressive fish.

Keeping your tank clean and the fish healthy is a much easier task when you make use of products like EcoBio-Block that help to reduce frequent maintenance. If you are wondering how to keep aquarium fish healthy, follow these tips and invest in products that can assist with the job.

When you want to keep healthy fish in your aquariums or fish bowls, the conditions must be close to ideal. Healthy water is just one component of a positive environment for tropical fish varieties.

Sphere: Related Content

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

When Nature Aquarium Becomes A Hobby, Art and Business

Nature aquarium started as an upgrade from an ordinary aquarium making hobby to an art. It is where an aquarium that was originally intended for fancy fish was aquascaped with real live underwater plants. In ordinary aquarium, the emphasis of the hobby is the fish, while the emphasis of nature aquarium is the habitat and aquascape of the aquarium.

This art was popularized by a renowned Japanese photographer Takashi Amano. His specialty is naturistic photography which gave birth to his new art, nature aquarium. It’s like giving real life to all his photos and putting it inside the glass. His photography brought him to different parts of the world, and his nature aquarium became popular worldwide.

The aquarium that we are talking about is not an ordinary aquarium. Its main idea is about creating a miniature ecosystem inside the glass under a controlled environment, where fishes, bacteria, invertebrates, aquatic plants, and all other aquatic living organisms can live together as if they are living in the open wild.

There are several kinds of aquatic plants that you can plant inside the aquarium depending on your preferences and artistic imagination. “HC” or otherwise known as Hemianthus callitricodes can be a perfect choice for carpeting while Ludwigia Arcuata is a perfect choice for giving a purple color background for your aquarium. Dwarf Hairgrass is a good choice for creating a mountain like view. Again, it is all up to your own artistic imagination.

For the fishes, please note that since it is a miniature ecosystem, it is not really advisable to have huge fishes like Arowana or Oscar. It’s not what we are trying to achieve here. It is best to have small fishes such as Guppy and Tetra. If you can have some other colorful small fish, the better. But please, no Gold Fishes alright?

Also try to consider some invertebrates such as small shrimps and snails. They eat algae and some other harmful bacteria inside the nature aquarium. They can help maintain the balance of the ecosystem inside the tank.

Algae can also destroy the beauty of your aquarium that is why it needs to be controlled. But don’t bother yourself to totally eliminate it. Else, you will have an imbalance ecosystem, and you won’t have some food for your invertebrates. Just note that the goal here is to have a well balance ecosystem.

An alternative to invertebrates is a fish called “Siamese algae eater”. It is one of the best fish algae eater out there. But it is recommended to only have 1 Siamese for every 20 gallon tank.

Lastly, you also need to take care of the CO2 and oxygen, lighting, filtration, and substrate systems of your aquarium. These things are essentially important in growing the plants inside the aquarium. A mediocre quality of these tools won’t do any good to your plants.

Takashi’s hobby has become a business later on when he founded the Aqua Design Amano. He started this company that design high quality equipments for nature aquariums. Though they are quite expensive, the quality of these equipments are just so amazing and perfectly fit for your desired aquarium. It definitely one of the highest quality brand out there specifically designed for nature aquariums.

Bince is a nature lover. To learn more about nature aquarium, you can visit our site www.natureaquariums.org.

Sphere: Related Content

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What You Should Know About Custom Made Aquariums

There are actually numerous companies that make custom made aquariums. One will be able to locate these businesses with the aid of the local Yellow Pages, but it is normally considerably less difficult to locate such companies by simply doing an internet search. Even though there are various ready made aquariums for sale at pet shops, supermarkets and on the web, quite a few individuals choose to have a custom made aquarium constructed based on their specifications.

These ordinarily cost substantially more than it would to purchase an already manufactured fish tank, so it is usually a great idea to do some research and see if there is not an ideal aquarium already made that might be bought directly. Checking online merchants is really a good idea, since lots of these particular sites carry items that are not available at standard stores.

An individual who has not discovered the ideal aquarium at an internet merchant, pet store or supermarket can easily order a custom made one online without needing to bother leaving the house. The finished item will be delivered to the buyer’s home in a specified time frame. The following are some points to consider when ordering a custom made aquarium.

Considering that most custom made aquariums can’t be returned, it is extremely vital that the measurements be correct. Be sure to measure the table or countertop where the aquarium will be positioned and ensure that the height, width and breadth of the particular aquarium ordered is right for the home. One must also consider exactly how many fish will live in the tank and whether or not they are going to remain the exact same size or keep growing. It’s really vital for fish to enjoy lots of space to swim around; the truth is, fish with a lot more space are likely to stay much healthier than those living in a cramped tank.

Take into account also exactly what variety of fish are to reside in the aquarium. This information needs to be offered to the aquarium maker, to be able to be sure the tank is appropriate for the breed of fish that are to live in it. Numerous individuals who buy a custom made aquarium are interested in a lovely decoration for the home or office.

Though aesthetics are undoubtedly crucial when purchasing an aquarium tank, particularly if an individual is going to the effort and expense of getting it custom made, you should also place a high priority on the well being of the fish that are to live in the tank. Be sure there’s adequate space and that the tank will satisfy the fishes’ needs. Because custom aquarium makers are really flexible, it should not be overly difficult to get one made that’s appropriate for the fish and a great attraction in the house or office.

Are you looking for custom aquarium tanks? Captive Seas Aquariums specializes in the design, installation, and service of custom freshwater aquariums and saltwater aquariums to suit your needs.

Sphere: Related Content

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pet and Animal Care – Tips For Treating a Freshwater Fish Aquarium

Freshwater fish are perhaps the easiest fish to care for in comparison to saltwater species because they are usually hardier fish. You will need a tank, some rocks or substrate to line bottom of the tank. You will also need a filter, and some lighting. When choosing fish, it is imperative to make sure the fish are compatible. Not only do they need to be compatible for water temperature and P.H., but they also should have similar food requirements.

The water temperature in an aquarium for guppies should be kept between seventy two and eighty two degrees. The P.H. level should be kept between 7.0 and 8.2. As you can see these specifications are much more forgiving than those for certain tropical or marine fish. As with any type of aquarium, there are three basic components to caring for the fish.

Freshwater fish should be fed twice daily. Feed only a small amount that can be consumed within the first two to five minutes. Over feeding is a common mistake among novice fish keepers. Any excess food should be lifted with a net if possible, as it will become debris and quickly dirty the tank.

Conversely, most tropical fish will only allow about two degrees of variation in water temperature. It is not uncommon for the novice fish keeper to become easily discouraged. Water conditions are hard to regulate and unfortunately fish, even the freshwater variety, are not the hardiest of creatures. Sometimes they do not survive these fluctuations. It is important to be patient.

Be sure to clean the decorations and any substrate thoroughly before adding them to the aquarium. Live plants are highly recommended in new aquariums as they will help to generate the good bacteria necessary to reduce the amount of ammonia in the tank. It is a good idea to test the ammonia and nitrite levels before adding fish to the aquarium.

A few varieties of guppies are the Fantail, Flagtail, Spadetail, Deltatail and the Roundtail. The names of all of these different types of guppies focus on the tails because they are so remarkable and unique. The tail itself is usually about one third of the size of the whole fish. It is possible to mix guppies with other varieties of fish.

Guppies breed very quickly, usually about every three to four weeks. They will interbreed amongst themselves, so the aquarium could very quickly become filled with many different varieties of color. It is very feasible to have an attractive aquarium without having any other fish at all. If you don’t want the species to interbreed, simply keep them in separate tanks.

Jeff Parke is a writer and blogger who writes articles and blog posts specializing in animals, pets and animals rights. His betta fish care site is one of his many projects that he is passionate about. Along with betta fish care he has written about cats, dog and animal rights just to name a few. Click one of those links to learn more.

Sphere: Related Content

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

(c) 2008 Aquarium Care.    •    Brought by Wordpress Admin Theme.    •    Entries (RSS)    •    Comments (RSS)