Aquarium Sand for Tropical Fish

One of the tips to avoid stress on Neon Tetra fish or other freshwater aquarium fish is the selection of aquarium sand which used as a place or medium of the water plant roots. Terms of safe aquarium sand to use is lime free, measuring about 2.5 mm, smooth enough so as not to cause dirt in and make pollutions, also not shaped taper, which can injure the Catfish tentacle when down the aquarium sand. In addition of the three conditions above, not recommended to use the light-colored aquarium sand for tropical ornamental fish that are kept because they will be easy to stress in aquarium with the light-colored sand.

Associated with the color of aquarium sand , if observed, there are many species of freshwater ornamental fish that have a dark dorsal. Including in the tetra fish species such as Neon Tetra and Cardinal Tetras. This is to camouflage the body color of the predators from above, because the bottom waters where he comes are dark too. In contrast, abdominal color of "freshwater aquarium fish" actually light-colored. This is to camouflage the bottoms predators which look toward a bright sky.

Panda Garra (Garra Flavatra) Profile

Panda Garra is a flamboyant tropical sucker-mouth loach for freshwater aquarium. Like its namesake the panda, the Panda Garra features broad, blinking bands of light and dark coloration. Its unique markings are decorated with diamond-shaped scale patterns and hints of red coloration in its fins. Due to its extraordinary markings and peaceful nature, the Panda Garra makes a great addition to well-filtered aquariums 30 gallons and larger.

Panda Garra (Garra flavatra) generally peaceful in the aquarium, although when kept singly some specimens may become territorial towards similar-looking species such as Crossocheilus or balitorid loaches. In a group they tend to concentrate on each other with dominance battles involving fin flaring, charging and a paling of the body coloration. However, physical damage rates from is rare to non-existent and, provided its tank mates are chosen with care, this Cyprinidae is ideal for a hill stream-style community.

In their natural habitat, the "Garra flavatra" inhabits well-oxygenated, fast-flowing streams. The addition of a powerhead or the use of a slightly oversized filter media will increase the aquarium filtration and water movement to help recreate natural conditions. While its sucker-like mouth may suggest the Panda Garra is a scavenger or algae eater, it is important not to restrict its diet solely on available algae or food debris. Panda Garras are omnivorous and their diet must consist of prepared algae flake food or algae tablets as well as frozen or freeze-dried foods. The infrequent addition of bloodworms or tubifex worms provides a nutritionally balanced and varied diet.

Male Betta Splendens

Betta splendens is often referred to as Fighting Fish or Siamese Fighting Fish since it has been bred over the years to be both colorful and combative, especially towards other males. As such, only one male Betta should be kept in an aquarium. However, smaller and shorter-finned - though often equally as colorful - females may be housed together with caution. The Betta should be housed with peaceful fish that will not nip at the Betta's glorious, flowing fins.

An ideal environment for the Betta fish is a well-filtered aquarium that holds a steady temperature of between 75° and 86°F. Though the Betta is often sold in small bowls in department stores, for best care, Betta splendens should be kept singly in aquariums of at least 1 gallon. It also prefers a variety of hiding places amongst the foliage of freshwater plants.

"Betta splendens" can be bred in the home aquarium. For breeding purposes, males and females can be temporarily housed together. Once laid by the female, the eggs are placed inside a bubblenest and tended by the male Betta splendens. Fry appear in about 24 hours and must be fed very small food initially, such as crushed or powdered flakes and newly hatched brine shrimp. Fry will also take finely chopped hard-boiled egg yolk.

Fish Cultivation in Confined Land

Fish Cultivation in Confined Land

With the new method, carp can now be grown in a narrow area, such as in the yard or the corner, home.

The notion that the cultivation of carp to be done in the vast wetland is now living myth.

Today carp can be cultivated in any location, whether in rural or urban, in the pool tarp, plastic or tub.

That way, carp can be an alternative to people who want to earn extra income on the land around their homes.

Fisheries Society Archipelago (PERMINA) Cultivation Training will hold a carp on a narrow land-based Guba biotic System Based Probiotic on Sunday, March 6, 2011 in Kampung carp Jambida, Bantul. Yogyakarta, With a practical resource, Kalimantan, Java carp tissue holder, carp farmers, and agribusiness consultant.

Besides the introduction to the basics of carp cultivation correctly, in Gubug PERMINA Training is focused on direct practice in the pool, good pond, nesting, breeding and rearing, so they can run interactive and applicable.

Training is open to the public, may be followed by anyone, retirees, employees, housewives, youth clubs, preachers, teachers and scholars of rural driving

SOURCE: MEDIA INDONESIA 18 FEBRUARY 2011 PAGE 20

Oscar with Hole in The Head Disease

Oscar fish is a very popular tropical fish and is a member of the cichlid fish family, that originated in South America, in the waters of the Amazon. Various members of the cichlid family including the Oscar fish which suffer from the hole in the head disease, that leads to small holes in the region near the head and around the face area of the fish. The fish diseases pictures show you how they must be treated in a timely manner, so that you don't have to regret it later.

There are commonly thought to be four ways that a fish can contract HITH:

Environment

The environment of a fish is very important for the health of the fish, this can be either the water quality, or in fact the stress caused by conditions such as tank size, tank mates, aquarium decor, etc. If the water quality is not good then the fish are likely to get any number of diseases, HITH is commonly associated with long periods of poor water quality, it could also be caused by stress.

Diet

It is important to give your fishes a good diet filled with nutrients, just like it is important for people, without a good balanced diet fish can become seriously ill. HITH is commonly associated with a lack of calcium, phosphorous, and vitamins C & D, fortunately many good quality fish foods are jam packed with extra vitamins.

The carbon theory

It has never been proven, but there is much evidence supporting this idea - it is thought that carbon can be a cause of HITH, there are reports of people adding carbon to a tank and the the HITH disease developing, and then when the carbon is removed the HITH heals up.

Heximita infections

Heximita is an intestinal parasite which seems to reduce the amount of nutrients the intestines can absorb, it has been thought of as a main cause of HITH, but now it seems it might just be an extra problem for these fishes.

Disease Treatment

To cure HITH you need to take good care of the infected fish, you want to start by ensuring the water quality is as perfect as can be, experts suggest doing 20% water changes every 1-2 days to help, you also should add some aquarium salt (1 tablespoon per 5 gallons), a good diet is essential, so ensure that the food you give is high quality.

Remove all carbon - this only makes sense if you think it could be the carbon causing the problems, also raise the temp to around 82-86 this might help kill off the disease, and increase the speed of recovery. There are also medicines that may help the treatment of HITH, but you may need a vets prescription. Dimetridazole and Metronidazole are said to be effective as is Waterlife "Octozin".

"Hole in the head disease" (HITH) also known as lateral line erosion is a fish disease that is most commonly associated with cichlids, but can affect all kinds of fish. The Oscar fish pictured above has a severe case of HITH disease.

Keeping Freshwater Shrimp in Aquarium

When people think about Aquariums, most only picture the different types of fish available. But fish aren’t the only aquatic life that is available. If you're bored of fish, or want something other than fish in your aquarium that requires less maintenance, shrimp are a great option. Aquarists have discovered that freshwater aquarium shrimp can match the beauty of freshwater aquarium fish and extremely rewarding.

There is just as much variety in the types of shrimp you can keep as the types of fish available. They come in all sizes and colors, range from very easy to keep to quite difficult, and are both easy to breed and nearly impossible in a freshwater aquarium. However, there are a few important things to consider when thinking about adding shrimp in general to an aquarium.

Chrystal Red Shrimp

First, you must consider your existing tankmates (should you have any). In caring for "freshwater aquarium shrimp", it must be considered that with their size, isolating them would be a good idea. They must be kept in a separate tank because small shrimp are at risk of being eaten by freshwater fish. This makes them tasty snacks for larger fish. If you have any large fish, like Oscars fish or other cichlids, you may want to avoid wasting your money. Also, certain fish eat shrimp in the wild and will quickly consume any you may buy for your aquarium.

These shrimp eating fish include loaches, puffers, and some gouramis. Mixing shrimp with fish is also not always a good investment due to the fact that if you buy a type of shrimp that does breed easily, baby shrimp will most likely be quickly snapped up. Therefore, your population will not replenish itself and the larger shrimp will die of old age.

Amano Shrimp

Second, the aquarium is filled with hazards for shrimp that don't exist in the wild, namely filter intakes. Most are shielded somewhat, and this does the job for most adult shrimp unless the filter is particularly strong. However, baby shrimp will be sucked into the filter and, depending upon what type of filter you have, either lead very boring lives stuck in a canister filter or be smashed to death in the impeller. To prevent this, you can either put a piece of stocking over the end of the intake and secure it with a rubber band or plastic tie; cut a hole in a sponge like the types you buy for filter media and stick this over the intake, or switch to air-driven sponge filters. The stocking and sponge options will quickly clog with debris and need to be taken out and cleaned every week or two, so they are quite intensive. The sponge on the other hand is guaranteed not to bubble anything to death, but it will disperse CO2 if you are using it in your aquarium, and they tend to be quite large and ugly (not to mention take up valuable space inside the aquarium).

Blue Tiger Shrimp

Third, make sure the type of shrimp you want matches your aquarium. Neocaridina japonica, or Amano shrimp, grow to be up to 2 inches long and eat algae, but the eggs will not hatch in freshwater. These are best suited for aquariums with fish. Crystal red shrimp can be upwards of $50 per shrimp for a good pattern and are very sensitive to water conditions, but will breed quickly if conditions are right. You wouldn't want to put those in with fish unless you like to give your fish very expensive snacks. Do a little research on the type of shrimp you are interested in and make sure it works with your current or planned setup.

Pregnant Cherry Shrimp

Finally, shrimp should only be put in a mature tank as they are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrates. They are much more picky about water parameters. Aquarist have found that adding certain fertilizers containing trace elements will kill off Cherry shrimp, but not Amano shrimp (most likely due to the copper or other heavy metals in the fertilizer). A tank should not be medicated when shrimp are in it. They are often much more sensitive to medications than fish: copper being the most lethal. Even foods should be examined to make sure they do not contain copper.

Overall, shrimp are an excellent addition to an aquarium and slowly has gained its market growth and look becomes an old practice rediscovered as a hobby. In fact, many people and aquarist keep tanks of just shrimp today. As a hobby, freshwater aquarium shrimp are not time consuming and give the same joy the fish.

Betta Siamese Fighting Fish

Betta fish or Siamese Fighting is one of the most popular aquarium fish and it is relatively easy to care for because they need little space without high requirements with regards to water quality. Betta fish also has bright coloration with high fins probably the main reason why they are commonly sought after especially the male bettas. Over 100 years ago aquarists in Asia began breeding Betta fish to emphasize color and finnage and the results of those efforts are readily seen in the beautiful variety of today's Bettas.

Betta splendens is often referred to as Fighting Fish. Watch out for those betta fish sold by pet stores, which have already been injured due to fighting since it has been bred over the years to be both colorful and combative, especially towards other males. Another thing, which you should take note is that, betta fish is very prone to dropsy, a fish disease which appears like a small bump or swelling in the abdominal region of the fish and is usually fatal.

Another guide to use when selecting your betta fish is to look at the fins. Normally, betta fins should be fully wide open and spread out even as it stays idle. There must not be any holes or torn fins which should be a sign of injury caused by nibbling or fighting with other fish. The Betta should be housed with peaceful fish that will not nip at the Betta's glorious, flowing fins. Look out for presence of white spots, which could be fish ich and observe carefully towards the end tail of the fin, to see whether the fin is thinning or loosely attached in strands. This could be sign of fin rot taking place whereby the water quality is deteriorating

Betta is a very aggressive and considered a solitary fish. That means no other fish should be placed together in the same confinement even with other betta fish as well except during breeding. If there are other betta fish bowl beside - usually covered on the sides - you can try to remove the cardboard separator or divider to observe the response with the other neighboring fish.

Tropical Fish Silver Dollars Metynnis argenteus

Tropical fish Silver Dollar (Metynnis hypsauchen) is native to tributaries and rivers of Amazon, South America. The round shape and silver color of its body lend the Silver Dollar a very appropriate name. Silver Dollar is also known as piranha imitator because its body shape resembles a piranha fish but it is generally herbivores, meaning that it prefers greens. Of course putting this freshwater fish species in tanks full of live aquarium plants is really a disaster. With a maximum size of 6", Silver Dollars are perfect for the larger community aquarium. This hardy characin will be a great choice for the beginner to the expert aquarist.

Silver Dollar fish originated from tropical regions and comfort to live around the shady water and not too bright. Rocks, plants, and driftwood help mirror its natural habitat and will help to reduce stress on the fish, though plastic plants may be necessary due to their herbivorous nature. They do best in soft, slightly acidic water with high filtration.

The tropical fish are a lively schooling fish and best kept in groups of three or more. Silver Dollar will breed occasionally in an aquarium setting and a hospital or "breeding tank" with clumps of floating plants to spawn between will be necessary. Slightly acidic water is best for optimal breeding habits. After the eggs are laid removing the parents will be necessary to reduce the number of lost fry.

As a herbivorous fish, Silver Dollars need plenty of vegetable matter in their daily diet. Algae wafers, flake foods or any other suitable foods should be fed multiple times daily, keeping a close watch to make sure they are getting their share from more aggressive eaters such as barbs and tetras. In order to ensure Silver Dollar stay healthy, hobbyist even goes to the extent of feeding cereals which will enhance the silver coloration on their body.

Tropical Penguin Tetra Pictures

Penguin Tetra comes from the tributaries and rivers of South America and makes a wonderful addition to any community aquarium. They are pale to golden in color, and have a black vertical stripe that extends down the bottom half of the tail, giving an appearance similar to a penguin.

Penguin Tetra is actually two related species, Thayeria boehlkei and Thayeria obliqua. Thayeria obliqua has a shorter black line than Thayeria boehlkei, and Thayeria obliqua grows a little bigger although these are both small fish. The species most often available in aquarium shops is Thayeria boehlkei and in Australia, thet often sold as a Hockey Stick Tetra.

Penguin Tetra can be housed in an aquarium with other soft water fish. Tetras are a schooling fish that work well in groups of six or more fish of the same species. Live plants, rocks and driftwood help to enhance its natural habitat and provide hiding spaces.

Penguin Tetra is a peaceful schooling fish and A school of Penguin Tetras can usually even be kept with slow long finned fish like Siamese fighting fish, Guppies and Endlers Guppies. There is not much difference between the sexes of the Penguin Tetra, but when in breeding condition, the females get a rounder belly.

Penguin Tetras breed occasionally in an aquarium setting and a hospital or "breeding tank" will be necessary. During breeding time, the females will display a fuller looking belly, which help distinguish them from the males. Slightly acidic water and very soft water with a temperature of about 27 degrees C (81 degrees F) is best for optimal breeding habits.

Thayeria boehlkei is a prolific breeder in the sense of producing a lot of eggs. A female of this little fish with a very well rounded belly can produce as many as 3000 eggs. After the eggs begin to hatch, 12 to 15 hours after being laid, removing the parents will reduce the number of lost fry. These are very small. Partial water changes are recommended to maintain the high quality of water that the fry need.

Like many tetra fish such as cardinal tetra or neon tetra, Penguin Tetra is an easily fed omnivore. They are particularly carnivorous. The Penguin Tetra will accept many small foods such as brine shrimp or daphnia, micro pellet food, and a high quality flake food. Frozen foods, including frozen blood worms or tubifex are also appreciated.

Penguin tetras are one of the characins with a very unique feature compared to other tetras, they can swim at a 45 degree angle due to low buoyancy of their tails. In the wild, these fish lie just below the surface among dense vegetation and feed on insects falling on the surface. In both these traits they closely resemble the two pencilfish species Nannostomus eques and N. unifasciatus.

Penguin Tetra is a tropical fish and it does better in clean water and care needs to be taken with the water quality. Although Penguin Tetra is a delight in an aquarium, as with all pets, do not allow them to get into ecosystems they are not native to.

Pterophyllum Altum Angelfish

Altum Angelfish is a wild caught angelfish that comes from the rivers of Colombia - South America. This ornamental fish species is the only true wild strain of freshwater angelfish, and was originally identified by Dr. Axelrod as Pterophyllum scalare altum. Since then, this species has been re-identified as Pterophyllum altum. This tropical fish species can be identified by its brown vertical stripes over a silver body. The fins are thin and typically, will extend the length of the body. Altum Angelfish is more sleek and taller than most other angelfish.

It prefers a well-planted tank of at least 30 gallons with soft, slightly acidic water. Rocks and driftwood can be added to the aquarium, but leave plenty of space for swimming.

Altum Angelfish profile :

• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Care Level: Difficult
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Water Conditions: 75-82° F, KH 1-5, pH 4.8-6.2
• Max. Size: 6"
• Color Form: Tan, White
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Columbia
• Family: Cichlidae

Altum Angelfish is very difficult to breed in captivity. It is best, when trying to breed the Altum Angel to house a number of angels in the same aquarium until they pair off. After a pair has developed, a flat surface needs to be provided where the eggs can be laid. A piece of slate, a large plant leaf, or even a flowerpot should be positioned at an angle of about 30 degrees in an area of moderate water flow. The female will lay the eggs and the male will follow behind to fertilize. After approximately three days, the eggs will hatch and the fry will emerge. Feed the fry newly hatched brine shrimp until large enough to accept crushed flake food.

The Altum Angelfish needs to be fed a variety of foods including vegetables as well as meaty foods. Feed a quality flake food as well as live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp and bloodworms. Altum angelfish can be more aggressive to small peaceful fish but they live better in a semi-aggressive tank.

Isopodiasis (fish disease)

Isopodiasis (fish disease)

Cause: Nerocilla orbiguyi, Alitropus typus, etc..
Bio-Ecology Pathogens:
• Isopod which is a blood-eating parasites 'blood feeder' relatively large size (10-50 mm), and its body consists of several segments that are equipped with a pair of eyes.
• infected at all stages of fish and most fish are susceptible to parasitic infections, especially in the fish scales.
• Sticking to the body surface of fish, in the mouth, nostrils or gill cover.
• Transmission occurs horizontally, and the trigger between
because of water conditions and high density.

Clinical Symptoms:
• Wounds and bleeding at the site of the bite, and this looks visually parasites attached to the body of the fish, especially under the scales or on the base of the fin.
• Loss of balance, weakness, and decreased appetite.
• Nekrosa the gill or skin tissue of fish.
• slow-growing fish, often resulting in death due to anemia or due to secondary infection by bacteria.
Diagnosis:
• Visually looks a parasite that attach to the body of the fish.

Control:
• shed the parasite in the container is limited to chemicals that contain active ingredients dichlorfos at concentrations 5-7 ppm for 60 minutes.
• After the parasitic loss, the fish was transferred to another container to prevent any secondary infection by bacteria in the parasite bites.
• Using the spot light at night to collect the parasite in one location, then elected to the net.


source: Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia, Directorate General of Aquaculture, Fish and Environmental Health Directorate, 2010

The World of Cichlids Fish

The world of Cichlids fish is divided into two major groups based on the native location it was the African Cichlids and the American Cichlids. Grouping based on this native location needs to be done considering a variant of the Cichlids fish species are so many and very exotic. In addition, this grouping will facilitate us in knowing of these fish.

The first group is African Cichlids. The African Cichlids family contains over 1,200 species of fish, the majority of which are found in the Tanganyika and Malawai Lakes of central Africa. The African Cichlids species known as the exotic tropical ornamental fish and one of the most famous species of this group - not intended to exclude other exotic African Cichlids species such as Duboisi Cichlid, Moorei Cichlid including the phenomenal Peacock Cichlid family from the rocky, sandy shores of Lake Malawi - is Frontosa cichlid fish which have unique characteristics.

The first characteristic of Frontosa cichlid lies in the zebra-print black and white with vertical lines or a combination of dark blue, silver, and yellow. Another characteristic is on the head of Frontosa that similar with Louhan fish which it has a lump on his face.

The American Cichlids - the second Cichlids fish group which called as the New World Cichlids family is a diverse group of fish often referred to as South or Central American Cichlids. American Cichlids are a hardy, easy to care for fish species that add brilliant color to the freshwater aquarium.

The number of the Cichlids fish species in this group as much as the African Cichlids and the most popular is Oscar fish , one of the "ornamental Cichlids fish species" of the most sought after for its beautiful color pattern on its body and its ability to recognize the owner.

Black Neon Tetra Pictures

Tropical ornamental fish species such as the Neon Tetra and Cardinal Tetra are among the most popular of all freshwater fish, adding a touch of brilliance and social interaction to the community aquarium. Besides two tetra types above, the Black Neon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) also one of the aquarium fish species with a most beautiful and unusual coloration. And like other Tetras, the Black Neon Tetra do best in a well-planted aquarium with moderate lighting.

The body of the iridescent Black Neon Tetra is an elegant blend of deep obsidian black paired with a contrasting bright, neon horizontal stripe of yellow-green. A fluorescent orange marking above its eyes completes the telltale markings of the Black Neon Tetra. Praised for its peaceful nature, the Black Neon Tetra is a great addition to any soft water community aquarium.

The distinct coloration of the Black Neon Tetra complements the shaded green and yellow hues of most freshwater plants. In turn, the plants offer hiding places for the Black Neon Tetra. The addition of rocks and driftwood also help mirror its natural habitat. The Black Neon Tetra thrives in slightly acidic water and will do best when water parameters are kept constant. Black Neon Tetra is a schooling fish and will do best if kept in odd numbers of 5 or more.

Feeding: Black Neon Tetras will accept many small foods such as brine shrimp or daphnia, freeze-dried bloodworms and tubifex, micro pellet food, and a high quality flake food.

To breed Black Neon Tetras or Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi , separate a pair into a "breeder tank" with no lighting at first, and then gradually increase light levels until spawning occurs. To encourage breeding, water hardness should be less than 4 KH. Live foods such as mosquito larvae are another great inducer. Be sure to remove the adult Black Neon Tetra after the eggs have been laid, as they will eat the eggs. The eggs should hatch within 30 hours.