Saltwater Fish Tank Setup - Setting Up a Tank for Seahorses

Seahorses are one of the most graceful creatures you can keep on your tank. But they are also very fragile and just a basic salt water fish tank setup won't be enough to keep them happy and healthy. In this small article we will explore the differences between a standard tank and a seahorse tank.
Starting with the size of the tank, unlike for other saltwater creatures, bigger is not always better. For dwarf seahorses you need to provide nano tanks, which are just 2 to 20 gallons, but even for standard tanks you shouldn't go above 60 gallons because seahorses are slow swimmers and won't be able to reach food in large tanks.
And the format of the tank should also be different. Usually tanks are wide, but for a seahorse the taller the better. At the very least you should have three times the length of the seahorse, but if you can get one even taller (or build one yourself).
As for the floor of the tank, I prefer sand, which is better for bacteria (necessary because seahorses are messy eaters). Also use a lot of rocks, algae or trunks because seahorses need places to perch - if they don't have any they will cling to aquarium equipment, which may hurt them, or die of exhaustion.
Some keepers like to have a feeding station, which is a part of the tank where they feed their seahorses. Like I said, seahorses are very messy eaters and if you only feed them on an easy to clean area with lots of objects for them to perch on it will make cleaning the tank easier. I prefer to have a crew of cleaners (usually snails) and get good filtration.
Which brings us to the pump. Be careful because seahorses can't fight strong currents and they prefer tanks with little turbulence. Some seahorses have even died because they were sucked by stronger pumps.

Pet Jellyfish Facts: Feeding Jellyfish and Aquarium Maintenance

 You may find this hard to believe but a jellyfish tank is actually easier to maintain than a standard saltwater aquarium. You can learn how to keep your pet jellyfish alive and healthy in no time at all. Jellyfish have slower metabolisms than fish. You can use a smaller filtration unit and water parameters will still remain well within acceptable tolerances. A 25% water change twice a month is more than sufficient to keep your tank clean. You may occasionally have to remove algae from the walls of your tank but this would need to be done with virtually any tank.
There isn't even too much reason to be concerned about a jellyfish sting. Of the three most popular jellyfish kept in home aquariums, the moon jellyfish has the most potent sting. A moon jellyfish sting is typically not fatal or even dangerous to humans. Their sting is no more serious than a bee sting. Of course just like a bee sting, everyone reacts differently to a particular animal's sting. Keep vinegar handy to neutralize the sting area. Vinegar is not a treatment for the sting but it will prevent further nematocysts (stinging cells) from firing. What do you feed a pet jellyfish? That depends on the size of the jellyfish in question. All jellyfish are carnivores. Smaller jellyfish thrive on zooplankton. Larger jellyfish often eat fish and crustaceans. Of course the larger the jellyfish, the larger the prey it can consume.
Jellyfish in a home aquarium can be fed brine shrimp. Brine shrimp is available at any fish store that carries saltwater fish. They are cheap to buy and keep well in a refrigerator for a week or even longer. Many saltwater enthusiasts prefer to raise their own brine shrimp. If you provide your jellyfish with sufficient nutrients their mass will grow accordingly until they reach their maximum growth potential. If you need to spend a weekend out of town you can even skip feeding them as long as you feed them a little extra before and after. Larger jellies can be fed ghost shrimp or other inexpensive feeder shrimp, or feeder fish.
If the idea of constantly buying or breeding and maintaining live food seems needlessly time consuming there is an alternative. You can even order frozen plankton for your pet jellyfish online.

Use Protein Skimmers to Save Your Fish

So if you're reading this, then that must mean you are, or will become, an avid collector of fish. That's an incredibly fun hobby. But have you ever had any problems with keeping your aquarium clean? Have you ever found that your fish die out because of the lack of cleanliness of your aquarium? If you've ever had these problems, despite of your experience or inexperience in cleaning aquariums, maybe you should look to newer options to help you out! Why not look for some special devices from your local aquarium supplies store?
There are many filters and devices out there that can help you maintain the cleanliness of your aquarium, but if there are two devices that rank high in keeping your aquarium clean, they would be protein skimmers and canister filters. These are integral in keeping large aquariums clean and maintaining a great environment for your fish to survive. But if you remain unconvinced, why not read on?
Protein skimmers and what they do:
- A protein skimmer is usually used in sea water aquariums that hold sea water fish. Because sea water fish that are contained in an aquarium are more prone to be sensitive, it is very important that you maintain their aquariums clean. This is where a protein skimmer comes in. A protein skimmer is used to break down any organic material that may be floating within an aquarium so that they don't end up decomposing within the tank to become nitrogenous waste. Protein skimmers also lift a heavy load on your biological filtration device, if there is one installed
Canister filters: how exactly do they work?
- A canister filter stands outside of an aquarium. This alone can count a lot for the space that remains within an aquarium, it gives your fish more room to roam and at the same time remain clean. Canister filters function by pumping out the dirty water in the aquarium and passing it through the canister itself which contains. A canister filter can contain any type of filter that you may want to employ or may suit your personal preference. The canister filter then pumps the clean water back into the aquarium so that your fish don't have to remain in a filthy mess
While these two methods are very impressive means on their own, but in the aquarium supplies store, there is a great variety of parts, filters, methods, and even DIY processes that can help you maintain your aquarium, without the extra hassle of devices, and without the heavier price tag on any of them!
Before you but anything on impulse, however, make sure that you do some research on the different and important precautions you should take before you make any changes in the environment of your fish. Just make sure to go down to your local mall and find the aquarium supplies store, and make sure to inquire about what may be the best method for you to employ. Make sure your fish remain safe and healthy, be the responsible pet owner.

Koi and Pond Fish for Your Water Garden

Many homeowners enjoy having a water feature in their backyard. They are visually appealing, and the sound of running water is both soothing and can mask traffic noise. A popular choice for many people is a water garden with fish. With a little basic information, the homeowner can properly plan and maintain such a water feature.
Water gardens should have plants covering 50-75% of the water surface. Water hyacinths, water lettuce, and other floating plants help accomplish this. A good filtration system is needed to keep proper water quality. The number of fish should be limited, as too many fish generally cause problems. The less fish there are, the healthier the water garden tends to be. The two most common pond fish are koi and goldfish.
Koi are descended from common carp. The Japanese used selective breeding to produce what we know as koi. In the early 20th century koi began to be raised and bred in Europe and North America. Koi come in a range of colors and patterns, and are classified by their Japanese names. They can grow to three feet in length and can weigh up to 35 pounds. Koi require very good water quality to stay healthy. They should be kept in large ponds containing 1,000 gallons or more, with a sophisticated water filtration system. Properly maintained koi can live a number of years.
Goldfish are the most popular choice of fish for backyard water gardens. They are less expensive than koi and easier to maintain. Goldfish are suitable for any size pond. They come in many varieties and colors. Two popular types of goldfish are the comet and the fantail.
Common pond predators are herons, owls, hawks, and raccoons. Leaf netting is effective in keeping predators out of ponds, although some homeowners dislike the look of covering their pond. Some type of protection is especially important during the winter months, when aquatic plants tend to die back and there are fewer places for the fish to hide.
As the weather cools, a fish's metabolism slows down. They should be fed less, usually two or three times per week. When the water temperature drops below 50 degrees, the feedings should stop until spring.
Keeping backyard ponds with koi and other pond fish is a growing hobby. The South Carolina Koi and Water Garden Society was formed to encourage an interest in water gardening, and to promote the keeping of koi and pond fish. Their 2010 Regional South Carolina Koi and Goldfish Show will be held October 1-3 in Simpsonville.

5 Tips to Deal With Algae on Tropical Fish Tanks

Overgrowth of algae in tropical fish tanks can be a very frustrating problem, it can ruin your perfectly designed aquarium in no time if you don't follow few simple guidelines. Here they are:
1.Cleaning
If you spot algae developing on any of your aquarium decorations or on the glass just scrape them, ( go to your shop of choice for special aquarium scrapers) remove the stones and rocks and scrub them. If you don't act fast they can reproduce to the point that you won't be able to simply scrape them.
2.Change water regularly
Make sure you do weekly water changes, 10% is a good amount to reduce your nutrients level.
3.Too much lighting
Make sure that the sunlight don't operate on your tank as it can increase the algae population very very rapidly. Also make sure that your aquarium lighting is not too strong.
4.Overfeeding your fish
Don't put too much fish food into the tank, basically if your fish can't eat the amount you gave them in 2-3 minutes you are overfeeding them. By doing that you not only make your life harder ( more cleaning) but also you "feed" the algae which grows on excess nutrients.
5.Algae eating fish
You can also buy fish which base their diet on algae, they won't eliminate your problem if you have a big overgrowth of them but can be helpful. Make sure that you match their water requirements with rest of your fish. Black Molly, Otocinclus and Plecos are a few of those algae eating fish species.
Stay tune for more great article about tropical fish tanks.

Know Your Koi Fish With More Information

For centuries, the common Koi has been regarded with a sense of wonder and fascination that belies its humble beginnings.
Once bred as a food resource in China, it wasn't until after it was adopted by the Japanese, that it was quickly recognised more for its incredible splendor than its food potential, and therefore began the production of the most brilliant Koi colors via selective breeding. The Koi was from this point on no longer Ordinary, but an aesthetic object of beauty - much loved and designed to be the envy of all.
The word Koi actually comes from the Japanese word meaning Carp. Since the early twentieth Century, Koi have been bred and cross-bred to create a myriad of jewel-colored mutations and, whilst formerly a popular distraction of the Japanese, Koi have since turned out to be equally popular in the wider international community.
Considered to be the most stunning and admired of all ornate freshwater fish, Koi are nowadays the centre piece of scores of Koi garden ponds the world over. Featured right through the record of Chinese and Japanese Art, Koi are also considered to be vessels of good luck, wealth and happiness. With such positive symbolism surrounding Koi, it is no surprise that they have been embraced with enthusiasm by the Western World in an attempt to create a place of serenity within the home.
Establishing your own peaceful Koi Garden Fishpond might seem like a mammoth task, but, with the right research and groundwork, is completely doable and unquestionably worth the effort.
Merely close your eyes for a moment and visualise yourself sitting on a rock at the edge of your fishpond, watching and waiting as each one of your Koi come up to meet you. You've chosen names for each of them as you would for your children - it's all about how they look and their particular personalities! Yes, Koi have personalities too and will in general interact with you willingly, especially at feeding time! In fact, once they learn to recognise you, you won't want to leave them. Rearing and caring for Koi is often such a rewarding and enjoyable pastime. Let's face it - anything that reduces stress, can only be a good thing!
Knowing where to begin - now that's a good question!
How many Koi Fish should I get?, How large does my Koi Pond need to be?, What kinds of Koi Fish are there and what should I get?, What do I feed my Koi Fish?, What do I do if my Koi Fish becomes sick?, How do I construct a Koi Fish pond?, Is it hard to breed Koi?, What Koi Fish Equipment do I need to buy? - and the questions keep going!
The best place to begin is regularly at the Start - sounds corny, I know, but it's so true. Many people just do not know where to begin and therefore jump in at the middle or the end, instead of at the beginning. Before they realize it, they've used up a load of time and money, everything goes wrong, and they end up wishing they had never begun at all! This is absolutely NOT how you want your story to go. So, follow some straightforward rules and you can't go wrong!
The 4 R's
Research! Review! Revise! Relax!
Research - there's no point in starting anything, least of all a Koi Pond, without doing your homework to start with. That's just stupid - kind of like hopping in the vehicle and trying to drive to Someplace Special without a Map and ending up in Nowhere Inparticular. Make yourself a list of questions and then carry out some research until you find the answers. Also make yourself a list of what you will have to Spend on your Koi Fishpond and what you will need to Do in order to Build your Koi Pond. Once you have these 3 tasks completed, you can begin to chart out your journey to Koi Pond Paradise.
Review - every step of the way, review your plan and be certain that everything is on the right track, both timewise and moneywise!
Revise - now and again, even the best-laid plans can hit a bump-in-the-road, so remember to be Flexible. If you hit a snag, then Revise your plan and find a solution to get you back on course as quickly as possible.
Relax - once your Koi Garden Pond is completed, you can rest and begin your life-long enjoyment of being a truly devoted Koi Fish enthusiast!

What Is a Vivarium and Why Should I Buy One?

Vivarium is Latin for "place of life", and is an enclosed case for keeping pets or plants for observation or research. They are available in many different sizes, from desk-top variations through to large outdoors constructions.
The main types are Vivarium are:

• Aquarium
• Insectarium
• Paludarium
• Terrarium

An Aquarium simulates a water habitat for plants and organisms, an Insectarium for insects and arachnids, Paludarium which simulates a rain forest or swamp and an Terrarium is for simulating a dry habitat, for instance desert or savannah.
Vivarium's are usually made from a clear material such as plastic or glass and the floor must have sufficient surface area for the species living inside. Access inside the vivarium is needed for the purpose of maintenance, in some cases when the Vivarium contains animals a frontal opening is preferable.
Typical pets which are kept in a Vivarium include Snakes and Spiders, which require warmth from a heating device such as a lamp, heating element, hot places or heating chords.
In warm, humid vivariums ventilation is important for circulating air to preventing the growth of mold and bacteriaby either placing a suction fan or ventilation slits near the base or a fan near the top.
When selecting a Vivarium ensure that you check that it matches all of your needs, weight, size, price, ease of assembly and delivery lead time are all important considerations.

Health Benefits of Having a Exotic Fish

The purchase of a tropical fish and the maintenance of its environment is a simple and recognized as being effective in breaking the monotony of solitary life. According to statistics, more and more people live alone. To put life in their homes they fill them with plants, but it is often not enough to have a sense of companionship. Many will want a pet, but their busy schedules, their allergies or their standards of cleanliness will prevent them from adopting a cat or a dog.
The purchase of a tropical fish is a solution increasingly being offered by various psychologists, counselors and coaches influenced by the art of Feng Shui. Indeed, in addition to recognizing the relaxing properties of an aquarium in the house and the movements of fish that inhabit it, they argue that it is beneficial for people living alone to take care of the fishes habitat. Moreover, since these professionals are usually very involved in their careers, they are proposed to have an activity that is not stressful and reinforces in all of their skills and sensitivity.
Taking care of an aquarium is an art that requires a lot of attention, sensitivity and patience. Everything is important, the choice of fish, the diversity of their color, their rarity and compatibility, the choice of plants, temperature and pH of the water, objects of maintenance, etc.. In short, the aquarium draws upon the talents and intelligence of those who volunteer. This discipline can lead an individual to have more confidence in his abilities and he can exercise control over life, about his life.
The purchase of a tropical fish is not confined only to the acquisition of it but to create a whole environment. This responsibility is often a source of passion as it gives access to the diversity of the aquatic world. The novice in the hobby will opt for a simple setup. He will choose various ornamental fishes that can coexist and various aquatic plants to beautify the decor of the aquarium.
Over time the novice will want a more complex setup with more tropical fishes and plants, his study of the aquarium will then have to be perfected. The choice of fish, their compatibility, the plants and sea anemones are more complex and he must somehow become a specialist to take care of the world he creates. His tank will increasingly become a source of pride and accomplishment. It boasts of compliments do on its implementation.

Frontosa Cichlid - What You Need to Know About This Species!

Frontosa cichlid is incredibly magnificent and docile fish that would swim around the tank peacefully unless intimidated. They have this blue or white body accented with black bands that run vertically along the body. However, frontosa are more copious in blue color. They have the ability to grow quite largely about a foot or so in length when mature and with the right and proper water conditions and care will optimize life span of 25 years.
So much more this variety is complaisant to other tank mates as long as they are provided with capacious room for all the cichlids to swim but may tend to be territorial and will act aggressively towards any fish that will tempt to enter their domain.
It is also best to take note that this cichlid will grow huge and agile when threatened therefore it is not good to use rocks with sharp edges as an aquarium dcor or anything that may injure them must be taken out.
An appropriate aquarium size would be 75 to 100 gallons in size though a larger tank is better. Choose a longer tank and not the deep sized aquarium. The substrate may be sand or fine gravel and incorporated with caves that can be used for hiding. The pH level should be kept at 8 and maintained with a consistent temperature of 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Frontosa cichlids feed mainly on small fishes in the wild, so they will definitely thrive with a feeder fish occasionally. Although they can also be fed with live or frozen krill, Mysis, shrimp, and worms. Fry's enjoys pellets and flakes but once they reach about 5 inches in length and as they mature tend to refuse foods like flakes.
They are generally compatible with most other fish variety of the same size and are classified as semi-aggressive cichlid. But be careful not to place them with smaller fish, they are in danger of being eaten. Lake Tanganyikan, Clown loaches, and larger plecos are your best choice.
They are slow growing fish and will take at least three years for them to fully mature and get ready to breed. His color is the full determinant that your cichlid is ready to breed; they usually exhibit a vividly blue tone color while the female egg tube will start to protrude when she is ready to spawn.
When ready for breeding, the best ratio is to have four females to one male. In this way, it will aid in optimizing the success of breeding. Primarily, the male will choose a location in the tank where he can release his sperm most likely in a cave, and at the same time the female is right behind him and ready to release her egg into the sperm. When the eggs are totally out that is about 50, the female cichlid will then scoop them up into her mouth for incubation. Find out more on how to breed frontosa cichlid, get to see how amazing it is to breed and raise them in as much as keep them in aquariums.

Firemouth Cichlid - How To Care Correctly For This Cichlid Fish

The Firemouth Cichlid is one of the oldest fishes kept by aquarist because of its incredible beauty and stunning colors. It is basically an aquarium fish with attractive silver coloration with black spots lined up across its body up to its tail. They have distinctive red colored belly which makes them special compared to other varieties of the cichlidae family. It also has its intriguing features which is when threatened will have the tendency to widely open its gills to exude fierce to scare away other fishes who tries to take away its territory. This is however not a sign of aggression firemouth rarely attack other fishes except during the mating season.
When kept in an aquarium freshwater, they thrive well with water temperature of 26 - 28 degree Celsius with a pH level of 7 which is close to neutral. Firemouth can grow as much as six inches in length. The appropriate tank size for this beautiful species is about 40 gallons. They also prefer soft water with plenty of vegetation like live aquarium plants. Java fern is ideal to get this type of species acclimated to its new habitat. Firemouth is a wonderful community fish as long as tank mates would not fit its mouth and are calm. An appropriate size would be the same with your cichlid or even larger but never smaller. Specifically they live best with corydoras catfish, bolivian rams cichlids, and clown loach. These varieties are perfect for your firemouth.
Breeding cichlid firemouth is not just enjoyable but are greatly rewarding as well. Their young fry when well develop are very saleable to hobbyist. What is so amazing in breeding them is that the demands for their young are highly contemplated by fish lover. In order to produced a healthy specimen is to have the appropriate approach and technique in spawning. The first thing a breeder must do is to enrich its diet with live foods.
They would love to be fed with fish flakes, pellets and tablets but with higher feeding proportion of live foods. Live foods may aid to stimulate the spawning process. The color of both male and female firemouth will exhibit fuller and brighter shade during the mating period making them extra marvelous. During the process both firemouth will look for a spot that is free from treat where breeding will occur.
The female may lay up to 300 eggs on a flat, hard surface which will be followed through by males to fertilize. Both parents will be actively on guard with their eggs to protect them from any potential predator and an egg eating fish. The female will patiently and painstakingly fan the eggs for oxygenation. Once they have laid their eggs it will hatch in two to three days depending on its water temperature. And it will take another four days in order for the fry to be swimming freely. The parents will continue to take of their fry until they are able to take care of themselves.
The Firemouth Cichlid is easy to feed and care for. More so, they are the most sought after fish by many hobbyist and enthusiast.

Arowana Care - Tip to Bring Out The Color In Your Red Arowana

Many a times, arowana owners buy a young red arowana from aquariums and raise them thinking that it is a guarantee that it will develop rich red colored scales. They can wait for a few years and their arowanas just does not seem to become red. The fact is that if you have bought a grade 1.5 or a grade 2 arowana, there is a really good chance that it will not grow up into the nice red color that you want. These are just naming conventions and does not reflect on the eventual color of your arowana.
There are just a ton of naming conventions for red arowanas. You would have probably come across super red arowanas, chili red or blood red arowanas. A lot of farms create names based on their own brands so there is no official or formal naming convention or classification.
There are certain factors that will help to bring out the deep red color in a red arowana. Prolonged exposure to sunlight is one of them. Unfortunately, most hobbyists keep their fish at home and if we exposed the tank to constant and direct sunlight, there would have been an excessive algae growth in the tank.
Another thing that will help increases your chances of getting your arowana's color out the way you want it to be is to increase the consumption of food high in carotenoid content. You can feed your red arowana prawns frequently because their shells contain carotenoid. Do take note that you are to remove their heads first because it contains sharp parts that may hurt your fish. Another trick is to feed carrots, which are high in carotenoid content, to meal worms and then feed the worms to your fish.
You cannot be guaranteed of a deep red arowana but there are things you can do to increase your chances of getting one.

Arowana Tank - Tips For Setting Up Your Tank

To many aquarium hobbyists, setting up an arowana tank may appear to be a confusing procedure that requires a lot of work and equipment. In reality, it is a lot simpler. There are five major items in the checklist for preparing an arowana tank that you need to know. The moment you have everything in this list prepared, you can start to arrange for the transportation of your arowana back into the tank. It usually takes a few days for the water in your new fish tank to cycled properly.
Arowanas are probably one of the largest fishes you would find in a home aquarium. Some of them can even grow up to a meter long. The most popular length for an arowana tank is four feet. This helps to make sure that the arowana has sufficient space to grow. Smaller tanks also restrict the rate of growth of an arowana which is why very rarely will you find people using anything less than four feet tanks.
The next item you have to decide on is the color of your tank's background. You will usually find hobbyists using dark colors like black for red arowanas and colors like blue or white for golden arowanas.
When you set up your fish tank, also make sure that it is resting on a cabinet that props the tank up to eye level. Arowanas are beautiful fishes and one of the reasons why so many people love them at home is because they are majestic fishes at adds to the aesthetics of any home. For your tank, also make sure that you have a cover on top of it at all times. This helps to prevent your fish from jumping out of the arowana tank.
Make sure you have an air pump for your fish as well. Whether it is a submersible pump or an external pump, set it up properly before introducing your arowana.