Aquarium

Tropical Freshwater Fish That Will Look Good In Your Aquarium – B To C

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Brown Acara – Aequidens portalegrensis (Family: Cichlidae)
The main body color of the adult is reddish-brown, the scales are large and the fins are greenish and marbled with a range of colors. A horizontal line of dark colored bars runs from the eye to near the tail at which there is a dark area surrounded by yellow or green dots.

Although timid, it can grow to more than 15 cms so you need to consider if it is ideal or not for your community tank. The difference between the sexes is subtle. The anal fin of the male is longer and less rounder than that of the female and the colors of the fins are less bright. After mating the pair stay together for life which is a particular feature of the species.

The breeding tank must have rocks and similar stuff removed as the fish can be injured during the vigorous courtship. The pair should be about the same build and be fed on live food. Place a piece of slate in the tank so eggs can be laid on it and when the fry are hatched and able to swim remove both the parents. Feed the fry on infusoria, micro-worms and daphnids.

Cardinal Tetra – Cheirodon axelrodi (Family: Characidae)
One of the most popular tetras and great for a community aquarium as it is active and peaceful. Slim, it grows up to about 7 cms, ideally should be part of a small shoal and giving them live food now and again will keep them fit and healthy.

From the mouth and eye to the tail runs a reddish-brown coloration covering most of the lower body. Above that runs a green fluorescent band. The dorsal and anal fins have no color. The male is less thicker in the body than the female. This species is not easy to breed. Suitable pairs are picked by observation and kept apart feeding with live food to get them ready.

The female is placed in the breeding tank in the morning and the male in the evening. The tank will be thickly planted at one end with nylon breeding mops scattered about. The next day spawning should take place and semi-sticky eggs will be placed in the breeding mops which are then removed to a separate tank at the same temperature. After five days left in darkness you should find fry swimming about which can then be fed on infusoria till they are ready for bigger food such as micro-worms.

Chocolate Gourami – Sphaerichthys osphromenoides (Family: Belontiidae)
Although it can be put in a community tank this fish is quite susceptible to disease so be warned. But once it gets through any illness and gets used to the environment it is then quite hardy. Its aquarium requirements are soft water, a temperature of 26 to 30 degrees centigrade and a densely planted area.

The body color is from dark brown to black and it has several vertical silver white stripes of different shape. The mouth shows tiny teeth and the pelvic, dorsal and anal fins are black. As bubble-nest breeders the eggs are produced by the female after mating, the male puts them in his mouth and blows them into the bubble nest he previously built floating on the surface.

Remove the female after she lays the eggs. The male looks after the eggs; he will replace eggs that fall from the nest, he will maintain the nest structure with additional bubbles and aerate the eggs by swishing his tail near them. Remove the male after the fry start swimming.

Easy-to-care-for Freshwater Aquarium Fish

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Freshwater aquarium fish are just as lovely and relaxing as their saltwater cousins, but are much easier to take care of. While a freshwater tank still has to be kept clean and in the right pH range, there is no salinity to worry about.

Some freshwater aquarium fish are easy enough for a young child to take care of. The best fish are not so sensitive to water quality, and so they make a good, hardy species for the family to enjoy. These popular species are also coldwater fish, meaning the aquarium will not need a heater.

Goldfish

Without a doubt, goldfish are the most popular freshwater aquarium fish. If cared for well, a goldfish will live about six to eight years. People have bred the ones with bright orange scales for hundreds of years. They cost as little as 25 cents each and produce a lot of waste relative to their size; so changing the water in the fish tank frequently is important to the fish’s health.

Angelfish

Domestic angelfish originate from species native to the Amazon River. Their flat, triangular shape is rather uniform, but breeders have produced a range of colors and patterns in their scales. Some have delicate flowing tails and fins while some are more compact.

Angelfish are sometimes known to eat very small freshwater aquarium fish, but in general, if there is enough artificial fish food supplied, an angelfish will not turn on his tank mates.

Neon Tetra

Tetra are very small fish; domestic tetras rarely grow bigger than an inch. But neon tetras have a bright stripe along the sides of their tiny bodies, giving them a big visual impact. They swim in schools, making their colors even more obvious.

Tetras originally came from South American waters. Tetra generally should not be put in a tank with other freshwater aquarium fish because they are liable to be eaten or bullied. They can live up to ten years in a home aquarium.

Betta fish

Betta fish are actually a large family, comprising many members beyond the popular red “Siamese fighting fish”. Siamese fighting fish have elaborate fins in red trimmed in blue, purple or green. Fish keepers say a male betta fish should never be kept in a tank with another male as they will fight. In general, the beta fish needs to be paired with fish that are too big for him to attack and do not have large fins.

Cardinal Sins Of A Marine Aquarist

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I thought Id jot down what I consider to be the five major sins of a marine aquarist, be that for a reef tank or a fish only tank. They are not in any particular order. The list is not just aimed at beginners to the hobby who are just starting a saltwater aquarium but at aquarists of any level.

Overfeeding

This is self explanatory, and is probably for the most part the domain of the new aquarist. Overfeeding occurs so easily, with those beautiful fish swimming close to the front glass begging for food. Overfeeding can occur with the best of intentions, the aquarist being concerned that the fish (and whatever else) are sufficiently fed. Flake food (for example) is concentrated and rich, and pollutes the water very easily. That is the problem, pollution. Eventually, even with routine water changes, water quality reduces. Food is a major source of nitrate and phosphate, both of which are nutrients for nuisance algae.

The solution to overfeeding is simply dont do it. Observe the livestock. Are they well fed? Remember, they will obtain some food from the reef/decorations. Discipline and observation are the essentials.

Failure to Test the Seawater

It is repeated over and over again by every authority that seawater quality is the number one on the aquarists list of must haves. The seawater in the aquarium is nearly everything to livestock, they are touching it constantly and rely on it for oxygen and other essentials. Food alone, no matter how high the quality, will not sustain them entirely. As soon as seawater is in the aquarium with livestock, it begins to deteriorate. The rate of deterioration can be slowed down by, in particular, the employment of a high quality protein skimmer. Other aids can be the reef itself (live rock), a deep sand bed, a calcium reactor (some of these inject more than calcium) etc. Nevertheless, seawater quality deterioration is there. The fish only aquarist can do fewer tests than the reef aquarist, but whatever the livestock, testing must be done. Once experience has been gained then testing frequency can be reduced. However, the aquarist must always be aware of the state of the seawater. We would not be happy walking around in and breathing polluted air.

Routine water changes should be completed, using reverse osmosis water for the mix. At the start, 10% (of the systems net gallonage) should be changed. Again, this can be reduced when experience is gained, either by lowering the percentage or increasing the period between changes, and also subject to a light or heavy bio-load. In some cases the percentage may need to be raised to maintain high quality seawater, but if this is the case an examination of filtration, feeding and stocking should be undertaken. Are the filters functioning correctly, and are they sufficiently sized? Is the system overstocked? Are the livestock being overfed?

Failure to Renew the Light Bulbs

By light bulbs I am referring to metal halide bulbs or fluorescent tubes. Lighting needs are more appropriate to the reef aquarist. Lighting is a close second to water quality. A large number of corals need lighting of the correct intensity and spectrum to flourish. Light bulbs reduce in efficiency as time passes. This efficiency loss is because of light intensity reduction and also spectrum shift. The aquarist pays quite an amount for bulbs, so they should at least perform as designed. Changing the bulbs at regular intervals achieves this. Fluorescent tubes should be changed at six months to one year. Halides should be changed at one year to two years. Look at what the manufacturer states, and pay heed to what other aquarists who use the same make and type of bulb say.

If light requiring corals are not flourishing, and seawater quality, including seawater movement, is known to be fault free, consider the lighting. Is there a problem? Do the bulb(s) need changing?

Incompatible Stocking

The aquarist may have very high seawater quality and lighting may be fault free, but some of the fish (for example) may be sickly, feeding poorly and obviously unhappy. When on the wild reef fish have few objectives in their lives, but the ones they do have are :

1. To breed
2. To avoid confrontation
3. To find enough food
4. To avoid becoming food

So if a small fish has gone missing, has a predator (example: a lionfish Pterois volitions) been introduced? Dont smile, youd be surprised at what is purchased sometimes on impulse. Is a fish showing ragged fins, poor colours, hovering in a corner, or hiding in rockwork, hardly coming out even to feed? Is it being harassed by bold and aggressive fishes? It is not only inter-fish problems that must be avoided. There are fish that would love to eat that shrimp. There are shrimps that would love to eat that starfish.

Research what is being put into the aquarium. Ensure full compatibility. It is cruel to fail to do this. Nowadays there are many quality books available, and the internet where information is freely available.

Overstocking

Large or small, every aquarium system has its limit in the amount of livestock that can be kept. Keeping too much livestock, in particular fish, increases the bio-load that has to be dealt with. The biological support of the aquarium will increase over time as the bio-load increases – up to a point. Then it is unable to deal with the wastes and disaster is just around the corner. The aquarium inhabitants face death by poisoning. The need for large seawater changes is going to increase. Even then, disaster is close. The aquarist has put all his/her efforts in jeopardy, including seawater quality and even all aquarium life.

Quite apart from the dangers of reduced seawater quality and failing biological support, there is the question of the space needs of the inhabitants themselves. Fish etc need to feel secure in order to prosper and be healthy, which means they need to be able to find a hide hole during the dark hours and in daylight hours have a hole to disappear into. If the aquarium is overstocked holes are going to be at a premium and aggression and fights could ensue. On the wild reef it is life to have a secure hole and the instinctive need does not disappear in an aquarium.

Many aquarists, particularly those with reef aquariums, dont stock to the theoretical capacity. They under stock knowing that seawater quality will be better, and the corals and fish will be all the better for it. Avoid the temptation of just one more fish.

Cape Town’s Green Season

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Cape Town has become a highly acclaimed international destination and is a desirable South African destination for tourists. The South African summer occurs with winter in the Northern hemisphere; which entices large numbers of tourists o Cape Town during December /January at the same tome as the local people take their annual holiday to enjoy the wonderful beaches , amazing scenery, and wonderful attractions. The results is in difficulty in securing affordable holiday accommodation, high prices; slow traffic laden roads and overloaded facilities.
Most tourists visit South Africa between November to April, which is why the rainy season which is Winter in Cape Town is known as the Green season – stretching from late Autumn (May) to Spring
( October). During the winter months in Cape Town tourist attractions are not very busy and there is little traffic. Restaurant proprietors will accord a warm personal welcome to their establishment. This is the season where one will find the lowest Cape Town accommodation rates, and many restaurants offer winter specials to entice clients. Care hire is usually much cheaper at this time.

Surprisingly it is not always cold in winter in Cape Town; the average daytime temperature ranges from 10 to 20 degrees C, with many warm and windless days where the temperature rises above the 20s. (70 degrees F). During this time there are may lovely, warm sunny days with cool evenings. Cape Town does have winter rainfall but recently rain seems to have become more dispersed throughout the year. It can, however, often rain for successive days on end.

Winter is when the Cape is visited by the annual Whale migration, and many whales are to be seen in False Bay from July to October. In September the self proclaimed Whale capital of South Africa Hermanus, hosts the eagerly anticipated Whales and Wheels festival- being able to see these huge creature close up makes a holiday in the winter worthwhile. False Bay, Cape Town affords great opportunity for watching whales at close proximity where the road follows the coast. It is very exciting to see the great tails (flukes) of these gargantuan creatures as they frolic in the bay.

If one is faced with cold wet, winter days there are many indoor attractions to enjoy , including these
family activities.

Simonstown has the famous Warrior Toy Museum enjoyed by kids of all age, with its exhibition of toys, scale model die cast cars, boats, trains, soldiers, airplanes dolls, and other toys. There is a working train display.

The Scratch Patch, in Simonstown has a ground floor with a huge cave, the floor of which is strewn with polished semi-precious gem stones. For a small cost you can fill a bag or cup with gemstones to take away .

Castle of Good Hope : Cape Towns impressive stone was built around 1666- 1669, by the Dutch settlers. This massive stone fort has tours of the dungeons, and includes military and nautical exhibits and a collection of historic art and artworks..

Cape Town has many museums. The most popular with is the South African Museum. Exhibits include huge skeletons of various species of dinosaur, as well as beautifully recreated dinosaur scenes.
There is a collection of whale and skeletons, which can be viewed from all floors, and includes a 20.5 metre blue whale skeleton, and casts other whales.
The museum also has many natural history exhibits as well as Shark World exhibit with a life-size, 2+ meter high model of the jaws of the Megatooth Shark, probably the largest predator the world has ever known.
The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (V&A Waterfront) is the most popular attraction of Cape Town. On rainy days the highlight for children is surely the Two Oceans Aquarium. There are many fascinating and colourful fish exhibits in tanks, but everyone loves to gaze at the shoals of fish and sharks swimming past the glass sides of the underwater tanks . Penguin feedings are popular with families.

Canal Walk is a just a short drive toward the West Coast highway from Cape Town, and can keep your family busy for a whole day. The MTN Science Centre is an interactive science centre where kids can have fun, while learning about scientific discoveries and technological innovations. Canal Walk is the largest regional shopping mall in Africa, with an impressive range of shops, restaurants, and cinemas. Children will enjoy the Place of Play which is the largest indoor and outdoor play park in South Africa. It has almost every type of fun activity including a huge jungle gym and laser beam room, and even a teddy bear stuffing machine.

Groot Constantia offers an enjoyable family venue. This beautiful wine estate with it 300 year old manor house offers Treasure hunts which gives kids the opportunity to explore and learn more about this historical Estate. Cellar Tours are also offered. The manor house is a magnificent example of Cape Dutch architecture open to the public and houses a collection of period furniture and ceramics.

Coincidentally, this coincides with the prime safari season in Southern Africa, so if you are planning a safari in the Winter or Spring, include Cape Town in your itinerary, and take advantage of low available winter special accommodation rates.

Fish Aquarium Supplies And Aquarium For Indian Hobbyists

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A fish aquarium not only serves to your desire for having exotic and beautiful pets but is also often a wonderful decorative element in your home interior. Just like the birds, fishes, especially aquarium fishes in captivity are also extremely delicate and you must acquire different types of high quality fish pet supplies for the purpose. Shopping at an online pet store can make things easier both for novice and experiences hobbyists. Until a couple of years ago, they were required to hop from one shop to another looking for new arrivals of colorful fishes in attractive shapes and also for fish aquarium supplies. Now there job has been made a lot easier as all aquarium supplies, as well as livestock and accessories like pumps, filters and fountains are available online and aquarium enthusiasts can always buy them against attractive prices right from their home.

One major reason is that forcing a growing number of people to shop fish tank supplies online is better availability. Your local pet shop can seldom offer you exactly the fishes you were looking for as it is really difficult for them to maintain a huge stock. Even if you order from them, they will invariably take a lot time to procure them and will also charge you more realizing your urge for having them. But this is never going to be a problem with fish supplies online for storage is never a problem with them and even if something is not available, they can also get it from other stores once they receive your order and also deliver in no time without any extra charge. They also have a very good collection of tropical fish supplies available with them.

Depending upon the size of your aquarium, there are many different kinds of aquarium fish food and aquarium supplies available online. Every time you buy fish food online keep in mind that food and habitation requirements for different fishes are different and you can never keep saline water fishes in the same aquarium with the sweet water fishes. If you are having both of them in your collection you need to have separate tanks for one can never survive with the other. If you are having separate albums for tropical fishes or saline water fishes, always make sure you buy separate online fish food for them. Apart from different types of fishes and their food, many other types of aquarium items like live corals and saltwater invertebrates are also available with them.

Algae control is a very important part in aquarium maintenance. You will find it on the glass, on the live corals, on the stone bed and are a threat to everything live in the aquarium. Moreover as aquarium fishes never get their natural diet, that makes it more important for you to buy high quality fish food India. Online you find a chance to purchase branded fish food for tropical or saltwater fishes from reputed fish food manufacturers in the world and also natural and you can also buy fish food that is natural and organic.