Aquarium Care

You may be interested to learn that the past time of keeping fish as pets has been around for far longer than you may think.

Ever since man has been what we would consider civilised, there have been people who kept fish as pets in glass tanks and outdoor ponds.

If you are just about to take your first steps as the owner of your own small aquarium then you are getting started at a time when this hobby has never been more popular.

So what do you need to do?

Well if you have no experience whatsoever in keeping fish and maintaining an aquarium then your first port of call should probably be your pet store.

The staff here should be able to put together some sort of package deal for rookies that gives you everything you need to get started.

It is common for beginners to get started with some fairly standard fish breeds so that if your first fish dies, it is not worth hundreds of dollars.

On the other hand you might be keen to jump straight in at the deep end and go for the more exotic breeds.

If you do take this route, then be sure to do all you can to educate yourself on the breed you choose.

Each breed of fish will have a slightly different set of requireements that you will need to understand.

If you can study up on these topics when you first get started then you are giving your fish the greatest possible chance at a

You should also be able to get some simple instructions from the guys at your pet store about the best way to set your aquarium up and how to keep it working.

Keeping fish is something that can become a lifetime hobby/(obsession).

Your fish tank or aquarium will be a grat source of relaxation for you and for other members of your household.

Keep in mind that the more information you learn, the greater your enjoyment of your new hobby will most likely be.

Visit Discus Fish today to learn the secrets to successfully owning this magnificent Amazonian fish. Discus Fish Information.

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So how can I choose my first fish or maybe I need to change my current aquarium population? There are many families of tropical fish, tangs, catfish, bottom feeders, Characins, cyprinids, labyrinth fish, rainbowfish and many more. Make sure that your wishful tropical fish suit to your fish tank size and pick one. The Betta splendens is good selection; it is very hardy and tolerates species.

In the wild, bettas males have very shorter fins that those we usually see in stores, these are called by the Thai people “Plakad” (meaning- “Fighter”), and are used in Thailand for show-fights (just like roosters). The betta is very hardy and durable to low water conditions, though; long-finned strains are more susceptible to high amounts of nitrogen compounds in water and will quickly suffer from fin-rot, dropsy and other illnesses. In large fish tanks Betta splendens requires good filtration system with low to moderate water flow. If water flow is too strong, the betta will settle in a spot where flow is lowest and will hardly move from it. When kept in a jar, water should be changed every week or even twice a week- the amount of water changed, depends on the jar’s volume. Some people buy dry leafs of a tree called Ketapang/Indian Almond-tree (Terminalia katappa) and put them to the betta’s jar. It is said to help preventing infectious illnesses and getting the betta into breeding-mood. When feeding these fish, avoid over-feeding, as these fish tend to gorge itself, which might end up in a bloated fish suffering from deadly incurable Enlarged-leaver.

Another amazing freshwater fish is the Labidochromis caeruleus or by its common names yellow lab and lemon cichlid. The yellow lab is one of the most amazing Mbuna species that exist in the hobby, its yellow and black colors along with the fact That it is one of the least aggressive cichlids makes it very popular all over the world. The Labidochromis caeruleus requires at least 25 gallon tank size.

The Labidochromis caeruleus should kept in large community tank with other small Mbuna type fish like the species from the Labeotropheus Melanochromis. Decorate the tank with rocks, caves and other hiding places. These fish prefer hard alkaline water with a fairly high PH. The caeruleus or yellow lab will appreciate water changes on a weekly basis and well filtered water.

The last one but one of my favorites, belongs to the livebearers family, the well known Guppy fish. The guppy is an elongated tropical fish that available in many different colors. The guppy is one of the most popular aquarium fishes all over the world with many standardized varieties. This species offers a large selection of colors with no two fish look alike. It is a small member of the Poeciliidae family (and like all other members of the family, he is livebearer). The most notable characteristic of this group is the presence of a copula-tory organ in males the andropodium or gonopodium, this organ is formed by the anterior rays of the anal fin. It is very easy to distinguish between male and females, Females are dull grey while the males are very colorful and have large fins.

There is nothing special to setup if you want to breed this amazing fish, the only thing you should do is to keep a ratio of one male and three females, the reason you need to bring more than one female for the male not harass the females to the point of exhaustion. Like all livebearers when the female is in pregnant it will develop a dark triangular shaped gravid spot near her anal vent. As the pregnancy advances the gravid spot will get bigger and darker. At the time the fry comes out it is recommended to move them or the parents to another fish tank or else the parents will eat their own fry. These fry can be fed with crushed commercial foods.

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