header-hard-water-aquarium

How To Choose Your Tropical Fish

by with No Comment Aquarium FishAquarium Tips

Knowing how to choose your new tropical fish is going to be one of the most important things you ever do in this new hobby. But how can you tell which are the best fish for your tank? This is the question I will answer for you in this article.

 

The first thing we need to discuss is the temperament of your fish. There are only three main different temperaments a fish can have. Here they are:

 

Social breeds. These breeds of fish will get along with any other type of fish. Some of the most common fish to fit in this category are Danios, Tetras, Guppies, Swordtails, Mollies and Corydoras.

 

Semi-social breeds. These breeds can comfortably be kept along with other fish that are of equal size without them showing signs of aggression. Think of fish like Barbs, Angelfish and Gouramis.

 

Aggressive breeds. These breeds of fish must always be kept by themselves, or at most, in pairs with another fish of the same breed. An example of these type of fish would be Male Bettas, Oscars and Jewelfish.

 

If you’ve got a good local pet store, they should be able to give you further advice on what kind of fish you can keep together. A good question to ask the pet employees is if the fish have been kept in quarantine for at least two weeks before being available for sale.

 

If they haven’t been quarantined the fish will be much more susceptible to disease and early death if they have been exposed to high amounts of stress (such as being on an airplane) without a few weeks rest time.

 

Another important thing to look for in a fish is its color. You want to choose a fish that has a dense and well-defined color. If the fish has a pattern, check to see there isn’t any signs of blurring between colors.

Depositphotos_36944989_ds-scaled

The Basics You Need To Keep Tropical Fish

by with No Comment Aquarium FishAquarium Tips

So you’ve decided to keep tropical fish! Welcome to this unique and fascinating hobby. But before we get ahead of ourselves, we need to realize that aquariums can be a lot of work. You have to keep the water in your aquarium clean and aerated, the fish have to have enough food, if you use live plants they will need light and nutrients, and you have to keep the algae under control.

 

It may take a lot of work sometimes, but this hobby is very rewarding as you’ll soon see.

 

Okay…enough talk, let’s get to the point:

If you’re just starting out, you need to know what you need to buy to get started. Here’s a list of the essentials that you need, no matter if you keep saltwater or freshwater fish:

 

An aquarium – To keep you fish in.

 

An aquarium stand – To support your new aquarium.

 

Filtration equipment – Filters can be chemical, mechanical and biological.

 

Lights – To help live plants grow, and to enhance the colors of your fish.

 

A tank hood – To reduce evaporation, and stop anything (such as a cat’s paw) from getting in.

 

Decorations – These can be anything you decide. There are a wide range of decorations available nowadays, so you can decorate your tank however you like. You’ll also want a background to hide the wires.

 

Substrate – This is basically the sand or gravel you use for the bottom of your aquarium.

 

Plants – There’s a wide range of plants you can choose for your aquarium nowadays, including live and plastic plants.

 

Heater – Tropical fish require a water temperature that is slightly higher than most people’s room temperature.

 

Chemicals – By chemicals, I mean chemical filtration, which gets rid of harmful gases that the water picks up as it passes through a carbon filter. It’s not always needed, but it is very easy to use and it’s better for your fish.

 

Thermometer – the plastic strip one with liquid crystals are best.

 

A net – For scooping things out of your aquarium.

 

Cleaning supplies (such as a scrubby on a stick, a small round brush

and a bucket reserved solely for aquarium use)

 

Fish food – to feed your fish, obviously.

 

And last, but not least… you’ll need the fish!

 

 

the-quick-guide-to-perfect-08-06-2020

Aeration: – essential factor to aquarium fish.

by with No Comment Aquarium FishAquarium Tips

As we all know rivers and lakes are the natural habits for fish and other marines. Rivers and lakes have large surface area which makes maximum provision of oxygen for fish survival possible. On the other hand aquarium is not like river or lake, it has a smaller surface area and there is limited movement of habitats.

This makes provision of alternative means of oxygen for fish to breathe important. This artificial process of providing oxygen is called aeration. It’s a simple process of re-oxygenating the water in aquarium tank.

The Aerating System:

This is the series of material that increases the supply of air (thereby increasing oxygen concentration) they are:
the air pump
t-pieces
rubber tubing
clamp or regulator
diffusers or airstone

Air pumps come in different shapes and sizes but the most popular ones are tecax air pump from Taiwan together with ‘dyna free, and the dragon’ another popular one is super 555 from India though cheaper, but not as rugged. Occasionally available are the more expensive whisper and rens air pumps from Uk and rance respectively. Always place air pumps above the water level hooked to a non-vibrating material.

You can accomplish aeration in your aquarium tank by using the above listed aeration materials. This materials form aeration system. For small tanks all you need is to attach simple aquarium air pump to airstone by means of rubber air tube. The system will be blowing air into the water which cause motion in aquarium tank and thus provide necessary oxygen your fish needs to breathe in aquarium.

If you would like more articles on Aquariums, and Aquarium fish…come visit my new blog:
Fresh Water Aquarium

81qIXAvMNUL._AC_SL1500_

Aquarium Ornament

by with No Comment Aquarium CareAquarium FishAquarium Tips

Aquarium ornaments aren’t there to add any benefits to the fish, they are just for you to add some decoration in the tank. You can have all sorts of ornaments, big or small, traditional or caricature, simple or even complicated. There are thousands of different ornaments that you can buy in stores or you can even make your own. However ornaments are not for all fish, some fish don’t like them, I know for a fact Oscars don’t take well to any type of ornament or even plant. Some fish do need them though, basically to hide or live in and keep away from bigger fish.

 

Traditional ornaments are ornaments like castles and ships, they provide security for smaller fish from the bigger ones, they also provide a place to stay and play, yes fish do play! Fish ornaments are available in pet and fish stores. They tend to range from very low to very high prices. You can of course get more detailed ornaments that aren’t shaped to be anything except for like branches with weeds on them. Some fish need their ornaments to resemble their natural home, for example lots of plants and branches in the tank.

 

If you have amphibians in your

tank they often like a waterfall ornament with a bathing pool at the bottom of it so that they can bath in it. Amphibians need a lot of greenery in their tank as this resembles their home and therefore you should try to make sure that you fill you tank full of it! Aquarium ornaments are easy to come across and they don’t take much effort to put in the tank.

 

You should always try to keep the ornaments like the animals natural habitat unless it is a fish that couldn’t care less, like goldfish for example. Goldfish are very easy to keep and you can decorate their tank with all sorts of funny ornaments. With smaller fish you can try to decorate their tanks with funky ornaments but I always feel that the traditional ones are better!

fischaquarium-952010456-5c3df0a946e0fb000139770a

A Beginners Guide to a Clean and Healthy Aquarium

by with No Comment Aquarium CareAquarium FishAquarium Tips

A clean aquarium is the best habitat for all kinds of fish or other living organisms like crabs for example. A clean aquarium means your fish and plants will live for a longer time saving you time and allowing you to enjoy watching them grow. The best way to keep an aquarium clean is to have all the proper equipment and use it often to clean with. It is also a mater of know how. There are a few things that every aquarium owner must know to clean an aquarium and maintain it in the best possible way.

People who don’t know much about aquariums might use harsh household cleaners to clean their aquariums. This would have detrimental for the small ecosystem you ought to be striving to create. Good tips for keeping your aquarium clean is to keep the water supply clean by cleaning the water pump. To do so one should always keep the filtration system in mind. A good clean filter is what the life of your aquariums ecosystem depend on. Cleaning the filter too often might also have a negative impact on your aquariums life. It is therefore important to maintain a balance, and to clean your aquariums filter only when needed or specified by the filters manufacturer. Many aquariums experts recommend that the ornaments as well as the glass ought to be cleaned at least once every two weeks. Cleaning the aquarium ornaments and glass prevents algae from building up inside. If the aquarium is made from plastic materials then cleaning should be performed on smaller time intervals, perhaps once a week. When performing maintenance operations to your aquarium, you should always keep in mind a few things to ensure that things are going smoothly inside your aquarium. Check the air pump and see if it is running ok. It is imperative that there is enough oxygen for the fish but also to allow for proper flow of the water.

Another thing that will ensure longer life for your aquarium is ensuring that the water is changed often. This way your fish and plants will live longer and your aquarium will definitely look better. One more thing that you should do to maintain a clean aquarium is to clean, or at least rinse the gravel that sit on the bottom of your aquarium. This process entails that you remove all contents of the aquarium including the fish. Therefore, its viability depends highly on how many as well as what kind of fish you have. Keeping a clean aquarium does not only entail cleaning it every week or two weeks. You should also consider acquiring a water purifier. There are many kinds of purifiers out there for different types of aquariums as well as sizes. When you use a water purifier to clean the water contents of your fish tank you should always let it sit and mix with the water to allow it to dissolve. If you are new to aquariums, always remember to read the instructions of every product used. Be careful; keep a schedule for maintenance operations and treat your aquarium with love and it will eventually flourish.

How-to-Take-Care-of-a-Fish-Aquarium-at-Home-Cover-22-04

How to Care For Aquarium Fish

by with No Comment Aquarium Fish

An aquarium is perhaps the easiest type of pet to have. There are some basic steps to caring for fish once the tank is established. There are things that should be done daily to care for fish and some things that need only be done weekly or bi-weekly. Daily maintenance of an aquarium is fairly minimal. Look at the fish every day to make sure they appear to be overall healthy and happy. This may seem silly, but the main cause of sickness in fish is stress. So, a happy fish is a healthy fish. Check to see that all lights and filters on the aquarium are plugged in and functioning correctly. Feed the fish daily. Only feed what can be consumed in the first two to five minutes. Any excess food will become debris in the tank and lead to illness or attribute to excess nitrite levels. You should check the water ph and temp weekly. Any necessary adjustment should be made promptly. Check with your local pet store when purchasing fish to find out what levels are appropriate. They vary amongst fish species.

 

Filter cleaning is extremely important. Filters collect waste excreted by the fish and left in the tank in the form of excessive fool. The filters will eventually fill with debris and be unable to do their job unless they are cleaned. In addition to eliminating waste, filter sometimes act as an aeration device cycling oxygen through the tank. If the filters are clogged, circulation slows. This limits the amount of oxygen in the tank. If left untreated, this could be deadly for your fish. Change the filter on the aquarium every two to three weeks depending on need. You will know when it needs to be cleaned because the water will become cloudy or smelly. Some filters need to be replaced, while other simply need to be cleaned with water.

 

The proper way to change water in a tank is to do it gradually. First unplug any lights and equipment before cleaning the aquarium. Change approximately one third of the water in the aquarium every one to two weeks. Water from the tap should be treated accordingly before adding to the tank and adjusted within two degrees of the aquarium. Again, check with your local retailer when purchasing fish. Some treatments allow the tap water to be ready in as little as an hour, while others need to sit overnight before being added to the tank.

 

Clean the sides of the tank with a scrubber to remove any built up algae. Be careful not to disturb or scare the fish. Move rocks and decorations to loosen any debris. Try to collect this debris when removing the water, either with a bucket or a vacuum type of siphon. Prune any dead leaves from aquatic plants. Clean the outside of the tank with a squeegee and clean tap water. Clean the cover and lid. Lastly, plug the aquarium back in, and enjoy the freshly cleaned tank.

20160715_123159-c45ee17a924341ba8a91af9c92f21e2e

How To Discover And Prevent Aquarium Fish Illness

by with No Comment Aquarium Fish

Aquarium fish fall ill just like any other pet. The illnesses are as a result of disease. The common diseases that affect aquarium fish are mostly stress induced.

 

The micro-organisms which cause these diseases may be present in the water as part of the normal micro fauna and grab the opportunity to infest or infect the fish when it is stressed and its normal defense are weakened.

 

Different ways aquarium fish suffer from stress

 

– Aquarium fish usually start experiencing stress starting from the time it’s about living the breeding farm till when the end purchaser finally picked it from retailer. Most beginners don’t really know how to handle fish.

 

– The quality of water is another cause of aquarium fish stress. Different fish species have different water quality that will make the environment conducive for them. Quality parameters like pH, water hardness, high nitrite and carbon dioxide level, low dissolved oxygen salinity of water, water temperature and others.

 

– Any change in environment like physical damage, leaches, lice and introduction of new fish that is not quarantine could lead to stress in aquarium, thus making life non conducive for fish in aquarium tank

 

– Change in weather condition is another factor that leads to aquarium fish stress. When there is heavy downfall as you know the weather will become cold and this could lead to stress in aquarium.

 

– Poor Diet as a result of lack in nutritional requirement always leads to poor performance in fish immune system. Fish immune system will struggle to operate efficiently. This will result in a stressed fish.

 

Warning signs of illness in aquarium fish

 

You can easily know when your fish are going through stress if you watch them very well and often. You will notice signs like fish swimming with clamps up (closed) in their fins, hovering in a corner, heavy breathing and fish brushing its body against objects. These are warning signs you need to act on immediately.

 

How to reduce stress in aquarium

 

To reduce stress in aquarium, you need to guide against factors that lead to stress. The following are tips on how to prevent stress that ultimately leads to illness:

 

– Make sure you have detail information about the fish species that you will be introducing to your tank. Enquiring about its requirements before you buy it will help you a lot. Thus, ask lots of questions before making your purchase.

 

– Knowing the right food for your fish is another important thing you have to know as this may vary from species to species. If you have this knowledge you will be able to provide foods that are rich in nutritional ingredients that your fish require.

 

– Keep the environment clean.

 

– When you want to introduce new fish, make sure it’s quarantined to reduce the risk of disease.