Aquarium Care

March 8th, 2009

Fish Care Guide

AQUARIUM FISH CARE

AQUARIUM FISH CARE

Some people find taking care of fishes as a pet difficult. The reason behind this maybe is that they lack familiarity or they were not given the right information on the proper ways  aquarium care as well as the fishes inside, but the truth is, it is not that much difficult at all.

There are several things to be considered in order to become successful on taking care of freshwater aquarium :

Water

Regular water changes remove contaminants and waste byproducts from the aquarium and replace them with fresh clean water. Typically you should perform water changes on a regular schedule so that all of your water changes add up to about 100% in a month. Some common examples are 25% water change once a week or 15% water changes twice a week.

Temperature

Research the recommended temperature range for your fish and make sure that all of the fish in your tank can live in the same temperature range. After finding out what temperature is acceptable to all of your fish species set your temperature there and try to keep it from changing much. Be especially careful when performing water changes that the water is not too hot or cold when you change it.

Location

The aquarium should be located in a position to take advantage of any available daylight, but not direct sunlight. Near a window is preferable, but the tank should not be in a position where the sun shines directly into its and over heats the water. Avoid locations near heaters and radiators that can warm the tank and cause overheating. Air conditioner events and other drafty spots must be shunned as well as rooms, such as kitchens, that experienced abrupt fluctuations in temperature.

Light

About 12 hours of light per day is optimum. Fish need light to see,  feed, and reproduced. Light also has a definite effect on the fish’s’ color. Dull illumination is sufficient for most fish but more adequate lighting is a necessity for plants. Artificial light may supplement natural light or be used as the sole light source. The control of plant growth and the suppression of plankton and algae are easier with artificial light only.

Don’t use too many chemicals

Using pH adjusters or chemicals to clear the water is usually not a very good method to keep healthy fish. Also keep in mind that most medicines are very harmful to the fish because they either stress them directly or kill the biological bacteria in your tank that is keeping it healthy. If you need to adjust the pH of the water, you should use rocks or substrate to raise the pH or wood or plants to lower it. This will stabilize the pH and prevent wild swings in pH.

Some of the best advices is to be careful in feeding the fish because over feeding of fish may result to harm. There are also some people who put too many fishes on their aquarium, do not forget that might cause inadequate supply of oxygen for the fish and real plants inside the tank if there are too many fishes on the tank.

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Aquarium Store

March 4th, 2009

Tips For Choosing A Right Aquarium Store

Executive Summary About  Aquarium Store by Darren Lintern

When you walk into the aquarium store, the first thing you should take note is the general maintenance. If you notice that the aquarium store you are visiting seems to have dirty aquariums with no water or poorly staffed stores, than it is best to avoid buying from there.

A good clean aquarium store may smell a little musty or may have an earthy odor. If a store has a bad odor, they may not be taking care of their animals. In these circumstances you are unlikely to be given healthy fish.

AQUARIUM STORE

AQUARIUM STORE

If the tanks in an aquarium store don’t look good, the store is either under-staffed or the owners don’t care. In either case, you may want to think twice about shopping there. Some stores put on a good front with well-decorated tanks, but the fish in them leave a lot to be desired. Look for fish with healthy erect fins.

Watch the fish in several aquariums. Are they all swimming upright? Do you see fish hiding in the top corners of a tank? Do they seem to react and respond to each other. Slowly lift your hand up in front of an aquarium and almost touch the top of the tank. The fish should either be looking for food or ducking for cover. Look at the bodies and fins of fish for marks, blemishes, small white spots, or protrusions. Look for heavy respiration. Rapid gill movement may indicate parasites or bad water quality. One or two sick fish in a aquarium store may be normal but several tanks with sick fish may indicate a major problem.

When you are visiting aquarium store, try asking a few generalized questions regarding fish keeping and how to take care of fishes. The salespeople working in the store should be alert. If the aquarium store is slow, the staff should be busy cleaning aquariums and stocking shelves, but they should also be willing to wait on you if you need help. Good fish people have a reputation for being a little strange or eccentric. We’re not always known for our good manners either. When you feel like you’re being talked down to or patronized, you know you don’t want to learn anything from the person talking to you. A staff member can be the most knowledgeable fish person in the world. Good attitudes are good for business.

Not all aquarium stores provide outside maintenance services and many that do don’t do it well. Many excellent aquarium stores do a great job working with hobbyists, but get frustrated with aquarium owners who only want to look at the fish. Take our advice: If you don’t want to be an aquarist and you’re not going to clean the tank yourself, buy your aquarium from a reputable maintenance company or an aquarium store that does a lot of maintenance business.

Take a tour! Spend a day or two exploring all the available resources before you pick your aquarium store. Sometimes it’s worth it to drive a little out of your way to find an excellent aquarium store.

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Tropical Fish Aquarium

February 28th, 2009

Setting Up A Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium

Setting Up Freshwater Aquarium

Setting Up Freshwater Aquarium

When you have decided what fish to have, you can choose your aquarium. The size of your aquarium that you need should be based on the number of fish that you want to live in it, and the size of each fish species that you have chosen. If you are unsure, you local pet store should be able to advise you. I recommend you shop around fish store for the freshwater fish aquarium that is going to fit your best.

The next step in the process is to purchase all the equipment and your freshwater tropical fish aquarium. I recommend at the very least a 10 gallon tank, although larger will be easier for a beginner. You have already purchased, or otherwise acquired, everything you need to set up it, and have prepared a location in your home where your family and guests can get the most enjoyment from it.

After getting the right tropical fish aquarium and the right equipment, now what you are going to do is wash out your freshwater aquarium with water, no soap at all. Adding soap to clean out your freshwater aquarium can leave soap residue in the tank and can be harmful to your fish.

Rinse and wash all the items you are going to placing in your aquarium. Also clean all equipment that will be used in your new aquarium fish tank and rinse thoroughly. Take your gravel, and wash it in a bucket. Remember the implications of commercial cleaners. Drain the bucket when the gravel cleaning is complete.

Place the gravel in the bottom of the tank, approximately two inches deep. Spread it so that it is slightly deeper at the back of the tank, and slopes very gradually towards the front. Make sure that the decorations are safely a secured. Try to create plenty of good hiding spots for your fish, since this will make them feel more at home in the tropical fish aquarium. A fish that is relaxed is less prone to diseases.

Aquarium decoration is also a good way of hiding ugly cable cords, tubes etcetera. Live plants are a nice addition to the aquarium and sturdy plant species can be successfully kept even by beginner aquarists. If you want to keep live plants, you can add them now.

Your freshwater tropical fish aquarium will also require a filter and a heater. There are a number of choices to consider, and the choices that you make for these pieces of equipment should hinge on what type of environment you are looking to create. If you will be using an under-gravel filter place it in the tank first, following the instructions provided, then add the gravel, piling it a little higher towards the back of the aquarium to give the impression of distance within the tank.

A heater should be placed somewhere in the tropical fish aquarium where the circulation will be potent, since this will spread the heat evenly in the tank. The thermometer should be placed where it is easy to read heaters are important if you need to keep the water above 78 degrees, which is especially important for tropical species of fish.

Place the hood and lights on top of the aquarium, and plug everything in. You should make sure that all electrical cords are positioned in such a way to have a “drip loop”, so that if water happens to run down on them, it drips onto the floor rather than into the electrical outlet.

Before you begin to fill your tropical fish aquarium with water you should check that the spot that you have chosen is suitable. The floor must be flat and the room should ideally not be subjected to shakings. Remember that you should locate the aquarium away from direct sunlight to avoid excess algae growth.

Making sure that it is in its new home and then all the cords can be plugged in and there is a dip in the cord before it reaches the electrical outlet. Now you are ready to fill up the tank and apply the necessary water conditioners and treatments. Ideally, use dechlorinated water, or add chlorine remover in the recommended dosage.

After going through that whole process for setting up your tropical fish aquarium, , you have to wait for your water to cycle for a few days before adding any fish. Owning a freshwater aquarium requires a good deal of patience. Your aquarium should be allowed to run just as it is for at least one week before you buy your fish, though longer is always preferred.

Setting up the tank in advance gives the time for the bacteria to circulate, this assists the fish to settle down in their new home. Bacteria in the tank is extremely important to the fish as it is the bacteria that cleans the tank of fish excreta.

The last step is to add your fish. Start with a small number of fish when your tropical fish aquarium is still cycling to make sure that everything is working right before you add too many new bodies to your tank. After about a month you can begin to add more fish in, when you know that the water has properly cycled.

Once you have a completed this, you’ve gone through the first step of successful freshwater aquarium keeping and now you only need to perform regular maintenance and not over load your tank in order to keep the fish tank looking great in your tropical fish healthy.

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Tropical Freshwater Fish

February 25th, 2009

Knowing Arowana - The Greatest Tropical Pet Fish

Arowana is high value as aquarium tropical freshwater fish has impacted its conservation. Its popularity has soared since the late 1970s, and hobbyists may pay thousands of US dollars for one of these animals.

Let me introduce some of the arowana types for you, these are :

SILVER AROWANA

SILVER AROWANA

- Silver Arowana - is the most common Arowana you can find in any shops or country. It is also the cheapest and not a protected species. Silver Arowana have long fin and tail with its whole body in silver colour. It can grow up to a very large size about 49 inches!

- Black Arowana - is the same as Silver Arowana but its fin and tail are black-colour . It is not a protected species but slightly more expensive than a Silver Arowana . Black Arowana are harder to raise than Silver Arowana .

- Australia Arowana - originated from Australia. They got two types, Pearl and Spotted Arowana. Both looked the same except for the scales and colours . There are even Red or Gold Pearl Arowana . Both are not protected species .

- African Arowana - originated from Africa and unlike other Arowana . Its head are more rounded and not a protected species too .

- Asian Arowana - These tropical freshwater fish are protected species and mainly from Thailand , Indonesia and Malaysia . Asian Arowana have three main colours - Red , Gold and Green . Most businessman prefer Gold Arowana as they believe that it will bring wealth and luck.

GOLD AROWANA

GOLD AROWANA

All the various species of Arowanas can grow to be be very large. The maximum known sizes are given in the table above. Their life spans are unknown to us, but all Arowana species probably live for many years.

Asian Arowana is the most famous and expensive Arowana tropical freshwater fish in the world. Some sources differentiate these varieties into multiple species.  They have several other common names, including Asian bonytongue, dragon fish, and a number of names specific to different varieties. They include the following:

  • Green Arowana, is considered the lowest grade of the Asian Arowana . It scales are silvery-white to white colour with slightly green fins. It is also the cheapest of the Asian Arowana and not a protected species.
  • Yellow Tail Arowana, Its scales are usually milky-white with yellow colored fins and tails. It is about the same price as the Green Arowana.
  • Red Tail Arowana, is a common Asian Arowana in Singapore. Its scales slightly become gold as it matures and the fins are red in colour. As the Arowana matured, a Red-Tail Arowana will have red-coloured fins and tails with shiny body scales.
  • Malaysian Gold Arowana, is very rare and beautiful, it is from malaysia country, Its bluish scales reflect back nice colourful blue and is sought after by many. Even a small one can fetch a very high price. It is a protected species.
  • Gold Arowana, is also one of the expensive Arowanas around and it is sought after by many chinese businessman. This Arowana is believed to bring good wealth and prosperity to the owner because of its beautiful gold colour which look like gold bar.
  • Red Arowana, is by far the most beautiful and famous Arowana among all the other Arowana . The scales and fins are totally red in color and it is very expensive. There are also super red, ruby red and chili red Arowana.

The Super Red Arowana is very popular among the Chinese and is believed to bring prosperity and wealth to the owner. It is considered an endangered and protected species. They are 1st Grade Tropical Freshwater Fish of Arowana.

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Aquarium For Sale

February 23rd, 2009

Guide For Purchasing Aquarium

Picking the right tropical fish aquarium will make the care of your tank easier and much more fun for both you and the fish, so you will want to choose from aquarium for sale that not only looks shape, but is also functional and appropriate for your needs.

If you don’t own a fish tank yet and are considering buying one, look at everything you are going to have to lay out first to get your first aquarium started. When shopping for an aquarium, saltwater or freshwater, there are many factors to consider. From the size of the space you have chosen, to the amount of maintenance involved, a little research can save you time and money. Creating a list will give you a way to compare prices.

AQUARIUM FOR SALE

AQUARIUM FOR SALE

You can find variety of fish tanks for sale both offline and online. You can find your choice of aquarium for sale at an online general pet shop or if you are looking for a specific style a specialist aquarium shop may suit your need best. Aquariums are available for sale in a variety of shapes and sizes and also come in different materials.

The price is dependent on these two factors; what size you want and in what material you wish it to be? Glass is more expensive than the cheaper acrylic tanks.  Glass aquariums are usually do not scratch as easily as acrylic aquariums. They tend to look bulkier and are heavier because of the frame needed in their construction. Acrylic tanks are sealed differently then glass and usually look nicer and the seal is stronger. Both types of aquariums come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but if you want an unusual shape, acrylic fish tanks come in wider choices.

The majority of online stores accept all forms of payments and it is very secure to pay online nowadays so when you find your aquarium for sale, paying for it should not be a problem.

Many online dealers specialize in fish products and supplies and can provide your choice of aquarium for sale. This enables you to also buy everything you will need aquarium supplies for your new fish tank such as :

  • Filter and Air Pump
  • Heater
  • Lighting and Cover
  • Thermometer
  • Gravel or other substrate
  • Water Test Kit
  • Plants and Rocks
  • Chemicals + Salt for a Marine Aquarium

The other significant consideration that buyers of fish tanks forget to inquire beforehand is how the transportation of the fish tank is carried out. You should ask the seller offering aquarium for sale whether the tank will be delivered to your house and whether that will cost you extra.

You should also inquire from people offering the fish tank for sale whether they will install tanks. Some aquarium for sale will have these items preinstalled so all you have to do is to plugin the appropriate connections. Others will require professional installation.

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Freshwater Aquarium Fish

February 21st, 2009

Freshwater Aquarium Fish for Beginners

When you are looking to add a certain level of style and beauty to your home or office, having an aquarium can do just that. You would like to set up a tropical fish aquarium for the enjoyment, then need of some directions in how to get started.

Many people start with a freshwater aquarium because it is easier to get started and maintain. As they become more experienced they begin to consider keeping a saltwater tank because it offers a new challenge and many new varieties of aquatic creatures to care for. Freshwater aquarium fish are much easier to care for compared to saltwater fish so those who would like to add an aquarium to their home or office would be wise to choose freshwater aquarium fish.

Maintaining a freshwater aquarium is actually really easy and taking care of fish doesn’t require much work at all. Before you get started though, you need to know what to do to keep your tank healthy. Freshwater aquarium fish are usually smaller and require less space, and the tank is easier to maintain.

freshwater-aquarium-fish

FRESHWATER AQUARIUM FISH

The first thing you should do is choose what size tank you want. If you are a beginner, I would recommend that you start with a small aquarium, preferably ten gallons or less. If you don’t have any problems maintaining it and really like it, then you can upgrade to a larger tank later on.

But when you buy the fish tank, you must choose be large enough so that it can properly accommodate the number and types of fish that you plan to purchase. The overcrowding of a tropical fish tank can be a deadly mistake because it can cause polluted tank water and can lead to diseased fish.

The next thing you need to get decorations, gravel and plants. Decorations for aquarium include ships, castles, mushrooms and many others. In order to maintain a healthy environment for your freshwater aquarium fish, you will also need to have a quality water filtration system. You should get of essential aquarium equipments are filter, air pump, temperature control, pH level tester and lighting.

Watch your temperature, a lot of the more colorful freshwater fish come from tropical freshwater, and require warm water to be healthy and happy. Make sure that the temperature of your tank stays around 80 degrees. Get a thermometer and see what the temperature is. If it is not acceptable, you may need to purchase a heater for an aquarium.

With all of these fish, you will need to pay attention to your water pH level, which is a measure of how acidic or alkaline it is. Various fish have different comfort levels. The most important maintenance to do on the tank is water changes. Every month you should change about 25% - 30% of the water.

The other daily task that you must remember to perform is to make sure that your fish receive the proper amount and type of food as needed. Just feed like twice a day. Never overfeed and overcrowding of fish. When you bring your fish home, float the bag in the tank for about thirty minutes so they will adjust to your aquarium temperature. After that you can put them in the aquarium.

Having freshwater aquarium fish is a very rewarding experience.  For the beginner, it is highly recommended that you go with freshwater aquarium fish.

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Fish Tanks

February 18th, 2009

Tips For Changing Water in Your Fish Tanks

Changing water fish tanks is not only have the proper equipment to clean it with, but also the knowledge of how to do it. If you are new to this, you might be confused about how to clean a fish tanks properly. It’s not that hard to keep tropical fish tanks clean and healthy for your fish if you follow few simple steps and guidelines, so let’s go over those here so you can be sure you’re doing the best job possible. Water changes are not difficult to perform but there are a few things that need to be done to make sure that you do not harm your fish in the process.

Many people mistakenly believe that you have to drain the whole tanks and replace the water each time you clean the take. Water changes involve more than just removing water from the  fish tanks and replacing it. You have to consider the condition of the water you are replacing it with, and the amount of water to remove. These can affect the water quality, and the state of your fish tank’s health.

Colonies of beneficial bacteria grow on every surface in the tank. These bacteria are part of the biological filter; allowing them to thrive will help improve the quality of the biological filtration system. As the fish live in the tanks, good bacteria that cuts down on disease starts to grow in the tanks. When a tank is cleaned from top to bottom, you remove these good bacteria, putting your fish in harm’s way.

Following some easy steps, you give a clean, safe and healthy life to your fishes. These are as follows:

VACCUM THE GRAVEL

VACCUM THE GRAVEL

Take All Out of Creatures - remove your fish and any other creatures that live in your aquarium. Place them in a container that is reserved for fish only using water removed from the tanks.

The Gravel - Vacuum the gravel thoroughly in your fish tanks until the debris and the dirt is gone. Siphon the water out, and use the same hose to fill the fish tanks again.

Decorations - Remove any rocks, decorations and artificial plants that are covered with algae or look dirty. Never use soap or detergents, it can prove lethal to your fish. Scrub them with your algae scrubber. This will remove most of the algae and dirt.

Cleaning the Filter - Depending on the type of media you use, the answer may be different. If your filter media is made up of ion-exchange resins, carbon or ammonia absorbers, replace it if it has been in the filter for more than three weeks. Mechanical filters like sponges, ceramic rings or fiber can be rinsed lightly to remove dirt and debris while leaving the bacteria somewhat intact. To protect the bacteria, use water the same temperature as your tank and return the media back to the filter immediately.

The inside of the glass - Take one of your algae scrubbing pads and clean the inside of the glass. You can find many types of scrubbers at the fish store. If you have some residue on the surface that is resisting the scrubber, you can use a razor blade. If your tank is acrylic, be sure you get a plastic razor blade, since a standard one will scratch the acrylic.

The Outside of the Glass - Get a cleaner from the fish store created just for this purpose or use vinegar. And remember, rinse really well afterward, and then rinse it again! Even when you clean the outside of the glass, you have to be really careful, better not to risk it.

Placing up the Tanks Again - Now when all the items of the inside of the tank are washed well and the container is all clean, its time place everything back in to position. Only use water quality to fill in the fish tanks.

First remember that you don’t want to use any harsh cleansers, chemicals or abrasives when cleaning tropical fish tanks, especially anything with bleach. Chemicals and bleach always leave a residue no matter how much you rinse and these things are very bad for your fish.

However, changing the water on a regular basis has proven to offer fish a longer life span and the fish tanks to look much better for enjoying your fish.

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Bettas

February 16th, 2009

Bettas Diseases And How To Treat Them

BETTAS

BETTAS

Bettas fish are just like other pets, they can get sick even to the point of death. You need to ready to diagnose any problems with your sick Bettas fish. This means you should know some of the common diseases that can harm your Bettas fish, what they do, what the symptoms are and finally how to treat them. You also need to be prepared with the right medications.

Watching their behavior, they’re usually very active, but will become lethargic when something is wrong. He may stay in a corner or at the bottom of the tank and only come up for air. Sometimes he is rubbing up against hard objects. If you notice your fish doing this, then it’s likely he has been infected with a parasite. Sick bettas fish may also have a change in appearance. Some illnesses cause your fish to develop patches of color changes.

It is vitally important that you diagnose correctly any disease symptoms from your Bettas. In the event that you notice these symptoms, you should act quickly. The following are most common diseases that affect bettas fish :

Dropsy - This illness results from kidney failure which causes fluid to build-up inside your fish.  Many people have found that they can prevent dropsy all together by not allowing their fish to eat black worms.You can easily spot his swollen belly.  If he also has raised scales, it’s a pretty safe bet that he has dropsy. You should isolate the bettas that appear to have dropsy as soon as possible so the other fish will not contract the disease.  But there is no cure and most bettas die within a couple of weeks.

Betta Fish

Betta Fish

Ick - If you start to see white dots appearing on your betta’s body, including the head and even his eyes, this is a sign that your fish has ick. They may feel itchy, so you may see them darting and rubbing against rocks in their tanks.  Ick is actually a type of parasite and many times it is present in frozen food that is live. You can prevent your fish from getting ick by adding Aquarisol and salt to your fish’s water.

Swim Bladder Disorder - This actually comes as a result from feeding them too much. If your bettas that is having a hard time swimming, seems off balance, or prefers to just lay near the bottom, there is a good chance they are suffering from swim bladder disorder. It is probably a good idea to not feed them as much for a few days

Tail or Fin Rot - Tail rot and fin rot are caused by water that becomes too dirty. You can actually prevent this disease from ever affecting your fish if you are careful to always keep their water clean. Some of the symptoms to look for include the betta’s tail and fins getting shorter and shorter. Their fins may also start to have a darker color and they may appear as if they are dissolving or actually falling apart. You will need to be sure to change the water every three days and when you do you should add more medication to the water as well. It is important that you continue the treatment until your fish improves and you seen new fin and tail growth occurring.

Essentially Bettas fish diseases can be classified as environmental, bacterial or parasitic. Environmental diseases are caused by the fish tank environment. The best way to help your Bettas Fish avoid diseases is for you to be proactive by maintaining a clean and healthy environment for your bettas.

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Guppies Fish Care

February 14th, 2009

Guppies Fish Care

MALE GUPPY

MALE GUPPY

One of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish is the guppy. Guppies are noted for having colors and patterns that are very unique and beautiful.

Guppies are fascinating to watch, and they are remarkably easy and enjoyable to care for. Female guppies are much larger than males, and they have dull colored bodies with brighter colors enhancing the tail. Male guppies are brilliantly colored.

Guppies can survive on just floating flake food and freeze dried bloodworms, they will become stronger and hardier if fed some frozen brine shrimp or Black Worms.

Another popular guppy food is white worms. These little worms are often found under stones and in decaying plant matter along the Atlantic coast. Various species of white worms are also commercially bred in refrigerated units that maintain a temperature between 45 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Guppies have a short lifespan of about 3 years. The males grow to be about 2″, and females will grow a little longer at an average of 2.5″ long. Sometimes guppies will have a longer lifespan with outstanding aquarium care.

GUPPIES

GUPPIES

Some tips that will help your guppies live longer, happier and healthy are as follows:

  • Give your baby guppies proper nutrition by feeding them five small meals a day. Feed them either baby brine shrimp or live white worms. You can get both foods in most fish-supply stores.
  • Make sure your guppies get up to eight hours of light a day. To get better results, purchase a lamp that uses fluorescent light bulbs. 72 to 82 degrees is the perfect temperature of water for an aquarium providing home to the guppy fishes.
  • Watch the water pH levels, the tank’s equivalent to chlorine, pH level that is  7.0 and 8.2. for an aquarium homing guppies.
  • Create a comforting environment for your guppies. Make the tank look as much like their natural habitat as possible. Consider maintaining around 1 to 2 inches substrate at the bottom of your tank. Include such items as colored rock or dead crushed coral, varied types of plants where they can hide to help your guppies adjust better to their surroundings. But still make the aquarium pretty attractive and interesting.
  • Feed them properly, never overfeed. You should feed a guppy in very small quantities around three times a day.
  • Guppies breed every 3 to 4 weeks that is very frequently and they can also breed with the other fishes. So, very soon you could find an overcrowded aquarium. In case you do not any cross breeding, simply keep the fishes in different aquariums. Don’t mix different types of guppies in the same tank because the fish will try to breed with each other.
  • Never put adult guppies in the same tank as baby guppies because the adults will eat them.
  • Clean the tank with a siphon vacuum once a week to remove any harmful waste and prevent any damage to the tank or the guppies. Maintain high-quality water in the tank; poor water quality is the major cause of death for guppies. You must to minimize the fluctuations as this causes stress to your fishes.

With regular aquarium cleaning and maintenance, guppies will remain healthy. They are a pleasure to own and add a lot of beauty to an aquarium. Breeding and caring for guppies is a great hobby that can be very rewarding.

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Koi Fish

February 11th, 2009

Koi Fish Diseases And Treatments

FISH DISEASE

KOI FISH DISEASE

Koi fish have a high resistance generally, but the stressful conditions can break down the immune system, as in humans. A stressed koi fish becomes sick

Some causes of stress are: high ammonia level in the water, low dissolved oxygen level in the koi pond, not proper handling of koi fish , moving koi fish, poor water quality, too much koi in the pond, parasites, too high or low water temperature, toxic chemicals, sharp edges in and around pond and not proper nutrition.

There are 4 categories of pathogen (disease-causing organisms) :

Viral infections cause nodular growths on the fish and there is no real treatment except to scrape them off and hope for the best.

Bacterial infections are secondary to stress factors. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics.

Fungal infections are almost always the result of a secondary problem at the site of a previous injury. Fungus can also attack Koi fish eggs.

Parasites are probably the greatest threat to koi fish  compared to other treatable pathogens as they can prove difficult to control, particularly some of the larger parasites.

koi diseases

koi diseases

Almost all fish carry some parasites, but they usually have build up some degree of resistance to them. Of course, in the presence of stress, this resistance is lowered and the fish become more susceptible. It cannot be stressed enough that the less stress your Koi are exposed to, the less chance they will become sick.

When you get your koi sick in sick, treat them  as quickly as possible with the most appropriate treatment having positively diagnosed and identified the disease.

When you treat disease without removing the stressors, your victory over disease will be short-lived. Furthermore, when you treat against disease organisms you are simply killing or reducing the number of disease organisms rather than treating the koi fish.

All medications are used for their toxic effects on the target disease organism, whether bacteria, fungi or parasites. But, most medications are also toxic to our koi and may also retard filter bacteria and pond plants.

The chemical dose is determined by the volume of our pond rather than the size or number of koi fish . In this way, when using a long-term bath treatment it is necessary to know the precise volume of our pond rather than the size or weight of our koi in the pond.

HEALTH KOI FISH

HEALTH KOI FISH

Koi fish suffering from certain bacterial conditions are sometimes better treated individually with antibiotic injections. You must remember that pond treatments are effective because they are toxic chemicals that can kill fish as well as their target organisms. The key factor is treating with a dose that is sufficiently concentrated to kill the disease but not the host.

It is better not to treat at all rather than under-dose as under-dosing stresses our koi and does not eradicate the target pathogen, perhaps even enabling future generations of that disease to become resistant to treatment.

Koi fish are beautiful hardy fish that can live for years when they’re given a stress-free environment, good koi fish care and stable water quality.

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