Archive for November, 2007
Friday, November 16th, 2007
Note: This is way too many fish for 1 bowl.
There isn’t always 1 right answer when it comes to determining how many fish are appropriate for your aquarium. However there is a rule-of-thumb way of getting an estimate.
Goldfish:
For each inch of fish you will need 2 gallons of water.
Example: You have 3 goldfish, all measuring out to 2 inches each. So 6 inches of fish will require approximately 12 gallons.
Tropical Non-aggressive:
Each inch of fish requires only 1 gallon of water.
Example: You have 3 male guppies at about 1 inch each for a total of 3 inches. You’ll need 3 gallons of water.
Semi-aggressive Tropical:
Aggressive fish can be a little tricky since not all fish will get along, they may require more space, so ask your local fish store for specific setups.
However, they tend to follow the same rules as the non-aggressive tropical fish, and require about 1 gallon per inch of fish.
Posted in Aquarium Care, Goldfish, Tropical Fish | 2 Comments »
Thursday, November 15th, 2007
Fish make great pets for many reasons, but one common plus to having an aquarium rather than larger pets is ow easy it is to take care of basic fish!
And these 3 tips are no different! They are all very simple but if you stay on top of doing them then you can extend the life of your fish dramatically.
Tip #1 : Keep the tank clean! C’mon, you know you should be doing this anyway. This includes things like making sure your filter is running its best, keeping your aquarium fairly algae free, and clearing the gravel of waste.
Tip #2 : Feed your fish on a schedule. This is really a no brainer people! Feed your goldfish once in the morning and once at night. Tropical fish however can be fed only once a day. And some fish can even be fed as little as once or twice a week! And never feed them more than they need, as fun as it is to watch your little guys eat, it can be harmful to them or can make the water murky.
Tip #3 : Give your fish some space! I know how easy it is to get carried away with adding fish to your aquarium. Make sure to give goldfish 2 gallons of water per inch of fish. And give non-aggressive tropical fish 1 gallon of water per inch of fish. Aggressive fish require different amounts of space.
These 3 simple steps should have your fish on track for a healthy future!
Posted in Aquarium Care | No Comments »
Thursday, November 15th, 2007
Saltwater aquariums should usually have less fish in them than your standard fresh water tank, mainly due to the fact that Saltwater fish typically grow much larger.
When dealing with saltwater auqariums it important to remember that captive bred species are much easier to care for than your average wild caught fish. It is very hard for wild fish to adapt to a tame aquarium enviroment, so much so that they forget how to perform the most basic of functions such as eating.
Saltwater aquariums are usually classified into 5 different types.
The 1st type of aquarium is the fish only aquarium which are the easiest to take care of. This aquarium will either consist of tropical or coldwater fish but neither both for apparent reasons. Most people are fans of the tropical variety due to their more vibrant colors and more well known fish such as a Clownfish or a Tang.
Which brings us to our 2nd typ of saltwater aquarium, the invertibrate only aquarium. The types of aquariums obviously only contain invertibrates such as shrimp, crabs, or starfish.
The 3rd type of tank combines the first two types and brings the fish and the invertebrates togther in one tank. Some invertrbrates and some fish don’t mix together however making it difficult to preserve a tanks chemistry. Just be sure to do your research before hand so you don’t end up with predator and prey in the same aquarium. It may also be difficult to prevent disease.
The next type of saltwater aquarium is the reef aquarium which is in my opinion the most attractive aquarium. Coral reef tanks are by far the most difficult to stabalize and maintain.
And finally the last type is the Sepcialy saltwater aquarium, such as a shark tank, octopus or sea turtle tank.
No matter what you choose make sure you do tons of research before setting up a tank or buying fish.
Posted in Aquarium Care, Saltwater Aquariums | 1 Comment »
Thursday, November 15th, 2007
If you’ve been worrying about what to do with your fish when you move to a new home. Don’t worry this article is for you!
Since you’ve taken care of fish now I’m sure you know that fish can be VERY fragile. And moving can place a lot of stress on your fish.
If you’re going to need to fly your fish to your new location you’ll most definitely need to find movers that specialize in the field of shipping live fish. If traveling by car be sure to visit a local fish store and ask for instructions from an expert.
If traveling by car get some appropriately size insulated containers. A few days before the move change 1/3 of the water on a daily basis. And don’t feed your fish 3 days in advance as well. Don’t worry they’ll be fine without food for a couple of days. When traveling try to keep the fish in a dark place, it should help reduce their stress levels.
Its imperrative that your fish be placed back into as much of their old water as possible so try to transport the remaining water from the tank in seperate containers.
Remember to condition your water at your new home before placing your fish in their new home.
Posted in Aquarium Care | No Comments »
Thursday, November 15th, 2007
Caring for goldfish is a fun and easy to enter hobby. GOldfish have a life span of 5 to 10 years, though I’ve seen goldfish as old as 25 years old!
Of course if you expect to keep your fish that long be prepared to do a tip-top job of caring for them.
Before you even start picking out your fish, you’ll need to prepare the tank and get all neccessary supplies.
I always recommend at least a 10 gallon tank. First you’ll need to add the gravel, be sure to rinse of the residue from the gravel before putting it in the tank. Now is a good time to rinse and place your decorations or plants.
Next we will add the water. Remember that tap parter is POISONOUS to fish so you will NEED to use a water conditioner; something that removes the chlorine.
Once the water has been conditioned go ahead and start the filter and let it run for at LEAST 1 day before adding fish. No heater is needed since goldfish live in room temperature water. However you want to keep the water temperature consistant and should be stored next to a window, heater, or vent.
Try not to add more than 1 fish/week when you’re tank is young, because fish exrete ammonia especially when stressed by moving to a new enviroment. I also recommend you change 25% of the water on a weekly basis an remember to add water conditioner each time to keep your fish healthy.
For food, pelets or flakes are fine but keep in mind how big your fish is and make sure it can eat a whole pelet if you go that route.
Remember goldfish can get very large and require a good amount of space, so be sure not to overcrowd your aquarium.
Posted in Aquarium Care, Goldfish | No Comments »
Thursday, November 15th, 2007
Betta fish also known as Siamese fighting fish make for a great first pet for kids or for people without the time to care for a larger pet such as a
cat or dog. The best part about betta fish are that they require very little space. Unfortunately Betta fish must live in soliderity, as they are very aggressive fish and don’t play well with other fish.
Betta fish are fun and come in a large vareity shapes, sizes, and personalities. When picking out your betta fish take notice of their fins and make sure they are in good condition. A healthy betta will be responsive and alert.
Keep in mind that male betta fish are bigger, have more color, and more elegant fins. While the female beta fish is rather small and have very dull colors.
A healthy male will produce little bubble nests that will float at the top of their tank or bowl and will move around rock and build territories.
Posted in Betta | No Comments »
