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Mouth, Body and Tail fungus
This kind of diseases is very common to the flowerhorn community. The symptoms of this disease are:
This condition is caused by Saproglenia and other related bacteria.
Bad water quality only causes these kinds of bacteria to thrive. Bacterias are dealing with bad environment
Sudden changes in the water condition can also cause this condition in your fish.
If your fish has this condition, you will notice cotton like tufts at the mouth, body, fin and tail.
You may also notice your fish losing weight.
The only solution to cure this diseases are:
Add Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Aquarium Salt to your tank.
Adding Jungle Labs Fungus Eliminator will also help.
Be sure to treat the whole tank, but quarantine the most seriously ill fish.
We can prevent this things to happen by:
Change your water regularly.
Quarantine new fish for three to four weeks.
Avoid cross-tank contamination.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Common Diseases of Flowerhorn
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Labels: Flower Horn, flowerhorn, flowerhorn diseases
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
White Spot Disease of Flowerhorn
White Spot Disease
The cause of this condition is Ichthyophithirius multifilis (ICH ) , a ciliated protozoan . Bad water quality can increase the likelihood that your fish will be victim to this parasite.Low water temperatures (< 25°C) are ideal breeding grounds for ICH.The most common way Flower horns get ICH is when they are fed live or frozen food that has already been contaminated with the parasite.
The most prominent symptom of this condition are the pure white spots that will appear all over your fish. You may also notice the fins are clumped together, and they act a bit more lethargic than usual. Moreover, it's common for them to lose interest in food when ICH infects.
The parasites resides under the skin of the fish, hence it is not affected by water treatment or direct treatment applied to the fish . Break the breeding cycle of Ich by washing the tank thoroughly to remove the cysts of the parasite. Keep in mind that this is a highly contagious condition, so your entire aquarium must be treated.
To cure white spots just place Kordon Ich inhibitor in your tank.Add aquarium salt at 3g/l of water every 3 days together with the medication.After 3rd day, tank must be washed thoroughly to eliminate the causative agent.
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Labels: breeding flowerhorn, flowerhorn diseases, flowerhorn fish
Monday, March 22, 2010
Caring your Discus Fish
Raising Discus Fish is not an easy work for the aquarium hobbyists. Discus fish is very sensitive and you should be very careful for choosing the compatible fish with discus fish. The single most difficult task Discus enthusiasts tackle is finding the right partner, most Discus fish like finding their own partner in the tank and moreover you may keep with other discus-friendly fishes. When you spend the money to start up this enjoyable hobby, it is no wonder you want to start breeding and raising Discus fish to cut down on the cost. Discus fish loves to live with a community form.
Those who breed discus as a hobby will be more than surprised to notice that the discus show signs of connection to the environment outside the tank. For instance breeding discus as a hobby implies spending lots of time around the tank, cleaning, feeding or simply watching the discus. They are said to recognize the owner in time and they can get as close to you as to eat out of your hand. When breeding discus as a hobby, some owners have noticed that the discus will watch you move around the room or even react to TV noise.
Once you understand these concepts and tactics for maintaining a proper discus fish environment in your tank, you will start enjoying this hobby more and more. You should know that raising Discus fish will take some time to learn but once you have gained the tactics, your fish will grow healthier and maintaining your discus will be so much easier.
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Labels: discus, discus fish, discus fish care
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Discus Fish Care
Adorning your aquarium with many attractive species of fishes can be a great way to deck up your living room. And when it comes to beautiful fishes, you simply cannot ignore the discus fish. If you are not aware, you may want to read on to find some useful discus fish care information.
Discus tropical fish are very popular with aquarium owners, however as any experienced owner will tell you, discus are not the easiest fish to keep. If you want to keep your discus fish healthy and happy, you need to learn as much as possible about their unique living conditions, feeding habits, and breeding behavior. Only with proper knowledge can you apply techniques which will turn you aquarium into a thriving ecosystem.
Discus fish are native to the calm warm waters of the Amazon River. Therefore, it is important to mimic their natural environment in order to satisfy their desires. Without the right environmental factors taken care of, Discus fish can become sick, aggressive, or even die for no apparent reason.
Environment factors are also extremely important when breeding Discus fish. Frequently, without proper care, Discus fish will lay eggs, and then simply eat them. However, there are usually very specific reasons for why your fish are unable to reproduce, and with the proper education you will be able to create the perfect environment to produce fry.
Caring for discus fish can be a challenge and a bit of an art form, but it is also very rewarding at the same time. Armed with the right information, you will be able to prepare and maintain an environment that your fish will thrive in. Discus fish are a beautiful and exotic species will make a great addition to your home aquarium.
The discus fish aquarium can be very rewarding and provides fun and satisfaction when the areas of discus fish care are properly planned. Discus fish will recognize and inter act with you. This sets them apart from the tropical fish that just swim, eat and hide. Discus can be observed watching movement on television and they will watch you cross the room. Discus fish are very aware of what goes on around them. Discus fish will quickly endear themselves to you. They will recognize you and eagerly rush to greet you and discus fish will eat out your hand. This personable behavior of discus fish is a main reason hobbyists become so infatuated with them. As you get to know these marvelous creatures and their ways, a full blown love affair will develop.
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Labels: discus, discus fish, fish care
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Flowerhorn Information
Flowerhorn cichlids are not a naturally occurring species of fish. Like humans have selectively bred different breeds of dogs, flowerhorns have been created deliberately by man. Prized flowerhorns with just the right colors and patterns can reach a hefty price.
Flowerhorns are a product of hybridizing and selective breeding of numerous types of South American fish from the cichlid family. They were developed in Malaysia during the late 1990s.
Flowerhorn cichlids grow 12 to 16 inches long depending on the type and have a characteristic knob on the front of their head. They are usually brightly colored in various patterns and sometimes have black markings that resemble Chinese characters on their sides.
Flowerhorn cichlids are not picky eaters and readily accept most fish foods. They like pellets as a staple diet supplemented with meaty foods like worms, crabs or shrimp.
Flowerhorn cichlids prefer a neutral pH around 7.0 and a steady temperature of about 82 degrees. Keep them in a large tank, about 4 feet long and 2 feet wide.
There are many critics of flowerhorn hybridization who claim that they are unnatural and may escape into the wild damaging the environment. Flowerhorn lovers defend the fish by pointing out that there are no examples of any ecological problems and that they are not genetically modified in a lab.
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Labels: Flower Horn, flowerhorn, Flowerhorn information
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
How to Care Flowerhorn
The Flowerhorn Cichlid is a carnivore with a large appetite and can be easily underfed. So be sure they are getting enough food. Food that will be exact to his diet. In some point if you overfeed your fish they can have negative effect to in your pet. This fish can eat all kinds of live, fresh, and frozen foods of high quality. Feed high quality cichlid pellets, krill, frozen bloodworms, earthworms, night crawlers, crickets, and carotene enhanced supplements. Feed 2 to 3 times a day. It helps with maintenance if you avoid foods that pollute the tank's water. Their looks can be altered by the type of foods they are fed as well. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.
Like all larger South American Cichlids they need a lot of room. A minimum of 55 gallons for one will be needed, though a tank 4' long and 2' wide would be ideal. If you are keeping them with other large fish, 200 gallons or more may be required. They do fine with moderate water movement and good efficient filtration. They appreciate a gravel substrate and some rocks to hide behind, but will spend most of the time out in the open. It is a digger and plants don't fare so well as they will be shredded. Make sure rocks are well bedded on the actual glass bottom of the tank to prevent toppling. Be sure to have plenty of open space for swimming.
The Flowerhorn Cichlid is a rewarding specimen for the aquarist as it is very hardy and easy to keep as long as the aquarium is large enough. These fish eat a lot putting a heavy bio load in the aquarium, so do water changes of 20% biweekly or 25% weekly. They are subject to infections as well as other diseases that ail all freshwater fish. One common problem is Ich. Ich is easily treated with an elevated temperature of 86 ° F for a few days. Intestinal disease can be treated with metronidazol.
The Flowerhorn Cichlid will grow to a length of 12-16" (31 - 41 cm), depending on its ancestral breeding.The Flowerhorn Cichlid is not a community cichlid, it is territorial and aggressive. This fish is best kept alone. Even your hands are fair game and its bite can hurt. It can only be kept with other fish if the tank is very large, 200 gallons or more may be required. Keeping other fish out of its 'line of sight' will help to lower aggression, so decorate in a way that provides natural borders for its territory.
If breeding you may have to take steps to prevent a pair from killing each other. They are aggressive toward those of the same species. They will will not tolerate those of a different genus.
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Labels: Flower Horn, Flowerhorn Care
Monday, March 15, 2010
Bird Wrasse
Bird wrasse, Greenbird wrasse, Blackbird wrasse, Brownbird wrasse – many names but have one scientific name that is Paraluteres Prionurus. The different names do however have different meanings, so it can be good to clear this out once and for all. Bird wrasse is the name of the species. The name Greenbird wrasse refers to a male of the species Bird wrasse. The names Brownbird and Blackbird wrasse refer to females.
The Bird wrasse has a long narrow body with a long snout. The snout is not long in juveniles. The fish uses its snout is used to reach food in hard to reach places. Males are green. The green can be anything from olive to deep blue green. The females have this color on their posterior. The anterior is white whit brown spots. The snout on the females is orange. The Bird wrasse can not be said to be a sensitive and hard to keep species, but it isn't really a difficult species to care for either. It's a good choice for aquarists that have kept marine fish for a while and feel comfortable caring for moderately sensitive fish. It is not suitable for beginners. The Bird wrasse can be kept as a singular fish or in pairs. If you want to keep a pair you should introduce the female before the male. The Bird wrasse is-semi aggressive towards other species and can be kept with most other suitably sized semi-aggressive fish species. Do not keep them with very aggressive fish such as triggers.
The bird wrasse originates from the Indo-Pacific. It can be found in almost the entire tropical Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean; frrom the east coast of Africa via Australia and Hawaii to islands off the coast of Florida, United States. They are also humors that this fish really originated in a small island in the Philippines. Its distribution goes as far south as Australia and as far north as Japan. It is most common in the island rich area between Japan and Australia. It is found in areas with prolific coral growth at a depth of 0 -100 ft / 0-30 m.
The maximum size of this fish for Males 14 in (11 in) / 35 cm (27.5 cm more common). Females 6 in / 15 cm. The water pH they want to live is 8.1 to 8.4 with the temperature of 72 to 78ºF (22-26°C).
These fish live singly or in pairs and are tireless swimmers. Only put them in large aquariums since they need plenty of room to swim!
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Labels: Bird wrasse, Blackbird wrasse, Greenbird wrasse
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Discus Fish Guide
Discus fish is disc shaped, exotic fish that is a native of the Amazon river. These fishes can be bred in aquariums, however, they are highly sensitive and need constant attention. Discus fish care requires the water conditions to be maintained very well for their survival. This article dwells on how to take care of Discus fish.
This breed of exotic fishes and is highly popularized as aquarium fish. Discus fish is a native of shallow streams and lakes running off the Amazon river and its tributaries. In the wild, these fishes dwell close to the shore, among the submerged tree roots. They feature a laterally compressed, disc-shaped body which gives the fish its name 'discus'. The sides of the fish comprises of lovely patterns in green, blue, red and brown.
Discus fish care requires diligence on the part of the pet owner. As a pet owner one will have to gather as much information about the fish and its unique living conditions as possible, so as to attain a thriving ecosystem. Understanding their feeding habits, breeding patterns and other needs will help to maintain them properly. One does not want these lively aquarium fish to perish due to lack of knowledge. Some simple discus fish care guidelines that need to be followed are:
Water Condition
Water Hardness
Water pH
Water Temperature
Water Changes
Chlorine and Chloramin
Food and Nutrition
These were some basic discus fish care tips. Besides the above mentioned points, one should also note that the discus fishes are social creatures and need to be kept in groups. One should not introduce a lone discus into a tank filled with various other types of fishes. Lone discus fish will survive without their community, however, it will not be happy. After taking care of discus fish for a while, one can even try out breeding discus fish. Though discus fish care requires diligence, it is an overall rewarding experience. Happy Fishing!!!
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Labels: discus, Discus Guide, Discusfish Information
Beaked Leatherjacket
The Beaked Leatherjacket (Oxymonacanthus longirostris) is also commonly referred to as the 'Harlequin filefish' or 'Harlequin Leatherjacket' others known them as Harlequin Filefish or Longnose Filefish. This small leatherjacket/filefish species is known to occur in the warm tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region and has been recorded in east Africa, Samoa, Ryukyu Islands, New Caledonia, Tonga and the east coast of Australia to southern Queensland mos of them are found in Mindanao, Philippines espicially int he islands of Davao City. This species replaced by Oxymonacanthus halli in the Red Sea. The Beaked Leatherjacket has a long snout with a small upturned mouth. The body profile above and below the snout is concave. The body is green with small dark-edged yellow to orange spots. There is a dark spot on the caudal fin. It can be found living on coral reefs and in lagoons from depths of 1 to 30 metres. It is generally found in pairs and can be found hiding in amongst coral branches. It is known to feed exclusively on Acropora polyps with feeding taking place throughout the day becoming less towards the evening. The Beaked Leatherjacket (Oxymonacanthus longirostris) grows to a maximum length of approximately 9cm Male and Female.
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Labels: Beaked Leatherjacket, File Fish, Longnose Filefish
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Discus Fish Habitat
Having a discus fish you must need to know what is there true environment so that they can adopt and stay long in you. The natural discus habitat is shallow streams, creeks and small lakes running off the Amazon River and it's tributaries. The wild discus live among submerged tree roots, close to shore. Nature has provided the discus with black horizontal bars which are ideal for blending in with root systems. The natural discus habitat has warm, soft water in the acidic ph ranges. There are variations within these parameters, determined by location. Some areas have clear water, some white water and some have black water. The black water areas are due to tannins and organics in the water, primarily from leaves falling into the water. This gives rise to the numerous black water tonics found on the market. Most of these are peat based. Unless your are setting up a discus bio-tope with wild discus caught in black water areas, this additive in not necessary in providing proper discus fish care. The ideal water parameters for proper care of the discus aquarium is medium hardness, slightly acidic ph values with the temperature between 84 and 86 degrees.
In having this idea you can raise and make your discus fish happy.
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Labels: discus, discus fish habitat, happy fish
A discuss fish is a lovable fish that can be keep as a pet in your home. In keeping this fish you need to know how to handle them carefully so that you can have a beautiful set of discuss fish in your hands. We will start for the common characteristics of a discus fish. Discus fish like to school with other discus in a group. This fish will form a "pecking order" with the most dominate fish leading the group or community. The dominate discus fish is usually the largest, the first to eat and the first to pair off. Obtain the largest size aquarium possible to allow ample room for the group of discus. Calculate the estimated weight of the aquarium at 8 pounds per gallon of water. To this add the weight of the aquarium itself, including any gravel or substrate to be used. The substrate or the equalizer stone for the acidity of the water will displace, but this gives you an idea of the weight of the aquarium. You need to know the weight so that your tank will have longer life. Obtain a suitable stand for the weight of the aquarium. Some aquarium manufacturers offer 20 year warranties or longer with a stipulation the tank sits on their brand of stand. When the aquarium is set up and all equipment is operating, it is not quite ready for the addition of discus fish. This is where patience is required.
Consideration should be given to the type of filter you wish to use in your discus aquarium. For an explanation of aquarium filter types and how to set them up for best results in the discus aquarium. Also you need to understand that pick a quality pump so that it can help circulate will the water and for the porpuse good cycle of the water.
We go to filtration of a discus tank. As a said earlier your aquarium filter must "cycle" or become "established" with nitrifying bacteria before it is ready for discus fish. This process is called nitrification. For information on nitrification in the discus aquarium filter:
Discus Fish Aquarium Nitrification
This is the process of establishing colonies of nitrifying bacteria in the aquarium filter. The nitrifying bacteria consume the fish wastes as a food source. These filter bacteria eat ammonia and nitrites. Many good products are on the market to speed up the nitrification process. If an aged filter or filter media is added to the new aquarium, fish may be introduced immediately. With an understanding of the nitrification process in the discus aquarium, a decision must be made on which method to employ to achieve nitrification in the discus aquarium filter. For an explanation of the different methods used to cycle the discus aquarium filter: Cycling The Discus Aquarium Filter.
Water changes on the discus aquarium are an important aspect of proper discus fish care. Water changes must be done on a regular basis to ensure a healthy discus aquarium. Discus thrive in clean water conditions. For information on discus aquarium water changes. The best water you use for a water change will the an aged water. This water are stock for a day so that the acid that are in the water will be subside and you can assure that your water are less harmful than the water that came for your faucets.
To give time with your pet can result to a nicer and good development of your pet.
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Labels: discus, Discus fish aquarium, Discus Tank
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Discus Fish Tank
Adorning your aquarium with many attractive species of fishes can be a great way to deck up your living room. And when it comes to beautiful fishes, you simply cannot ignore the discus fish. If you are not aware, you may want to read on to find some useful discus fish care information.
The discus came to the fore as an aquarium fish in the 20's and its popularity has grown by leaps and bounds since then. It is a South American Cichlid and can be found in three varieties which are common discus, heckel discus and the symphysodon tarzoo.
Discus needs lots of room to grow to its maximum size. The bigger the tank setup the better. Water conditions are harder to maintain in an overloaded fish tank. This will lead to increase stress and stunting of fish. Therefore, the minimum tank size recommended for discus is a 55 gallon tank. As a rule most hobbyist follows, one adult discus will need about 10 gallon of water. More fish could be kept, but more frequent water changes and cleaning of filters are needed. For a beginner, we recommend 6-8 small discus for a 55 gallon tank.
Discus tank setups can be divided into two types, planted discus tank and bare bottom discus tank. Each have its own advantages and disadvantages.
Bare bottom tanks are mostly preferred by breeders and some serious discus keeper, including ourselves. These setups only have an air stone or power head for circulation and sponge filter for biological filtration. The advantages to this setup are that its easy, and simple to clean/maintain; fish can be fed heavily, uneaten food will not be trap in gravel; fish will not shy away because they have nothing to hide; and relatively inexpensive to setup. Disadvantages are that setup looks less presentable and plants cannot be kept.
As for planted tanks. The advantages are more artistically pleasing to look at; ability to keep plants; and if setup correctly, more biological balance cycle. The disadvantages are that its maintenance are more difficult; heavy feeding cannot be done; and more skills are needed (i.e. CO2 injectors, lighting, etc); medications cannot be administer without affecting plants; and cost more to setup. We do not recommend beginners to start out with planted discus tanks unless they have previously kept planted tanks.
Tank mates for discus would be any fish that are not aggressive or over complete with discus for food. An Amazon tank setting would be excellent for discus. Fish that would be compatible are small tetras (neon, cardinals, glow lights, etc), German rams, corydoras, etc. Angelfish are not good tank mates because they usually compete with discus.
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Firefish Goby
The Firefish is one of the more popular fish in the marine hobby. It is a magnificent fish with brilliant coloration, a unique body shape, and unparalleled personality. Also known as the Firefish Goby or Fire Dartfish has a yellow head, white anterior, and pinkish to orange-red posterior. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are highlighted in a dark color or black. In addition to its striking coloration, the Firefish Goby is also heralded as a sweet-tempered fish because it plays with the fish surrounds him and with its lots of personality. And, because of its small size, the Firefish Goby makes a great addition to the smaller reef system that makes them cute and admirable. The approcimate size of it is 1 ½ inches to 2 ½ inches.
To best recreate their wild habitat, the Firefish Goby requires a 10-gallon or larger system with moderate lighting conditions and a moderate current passing over the live rock "reef." Keep in mind that a stressed Firefish Goby will try to jump out of your aquarium. As such, house the Firefish Goby in aquarium systems with a lid. Hobbyists who use a halide system with an open top should construct a Plexiglas "edge" around the trim, at least 10" tall.
In the wild, the Firefish Goby is usually found in groups hovering over the reef, harvesting planktonic food that drifts by in the current. The docile, Firefish Goby is timid and in the wild, each will have a "bolt-hole" into which it quickly ducks when threatened. In the home aquarium, the Firefish Goby needs multiple safety zones amongst rocky crags or outcroppings into which it can dart if stressed. This member of the Gobiidae family is generally not aggressive towards other fish except those of its own species. However, a mated pair can live peacefully together.
Along with algae and zooplankton growing in the aquarium, the diet of the Firefish Goby should consist of finely chopped small crustaceans, vitamin-enriched brine fish (live or frozen), mysis shrimp, and prepared foods.
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Monday, March 8, 2010
Threadfin Shad
Dorosoma is Greek for "lance body", referring to the lance-like shape of young shad. The word petenense refers to Lake Peten in the Yucatan, the species type locality. Threadfin shad are usually easily distinguished from gizzard shad by the fact that the upper jaw does not project beyond the lower jaw. The anal fin usually has 20-25 rays, as opposed to 29-35 rays found in gizzard shad. The upper surface is silver-blue and grades to nearly white on the sides and belly. All fins have yellow tint except the dorsal. In this species, unlike gizzard shad, the chin and floor of the mouth is speckled with black pigment. Adults are considerably smaller than gizzard shad adults, rarely exceeding 6 inches in length.
Threadfin shad are most commonly found in large rivers and reservoirs, like gizzard shad and any shad family. That they feel free to swim and love the water.
Threadfin shad are more likely to be found in waters with a noticeable current and are usually in the upper five feet of water. They are quite temperature sensitive, with die-offs reported at temperatures below 45°F. Spawning begins in the spring when water temperatures reach approximately 70°F, and may continue into the summer. During spawning, one or more females are accompanied by several males.
This Fish naturally occur in waters west of the Appalachian Mountains, north to Kentucky, west to East Texas, south to the Rio Grande drainage, and east to Florida. The species has been widely introduced in California and Arizona, as well as Appalachian and southern Atlantic states. Threadfin shad are common in all East Texas streams and have been introduced as forage fish in many reservoirs statewide.
This fish is often used as a bait fish. Threadfin shad almost never bite on a hook. Because of there shinny color they can attract more fish and also they are easy to be catch and some how they can be a bait for more large fish at the river banks.
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Labels: gizzard shad, Threadfin, Threadfin shad
Flowerhorn Gender
How to determine the Gender of your flowerhorn. The following are some points that can be use to specify the gender of your fh.
Dorsal black spot flowerhorns are hybrids,therefore this method will not be 100%accurate.this method is usally use on pure bred cichlid. However the rest of the method we are going to talk about here will not apply to fries under 3 in therefore this one is included.
90%of fry with out dorsal spots,will be males.
60% of fry with dorsal spot will be females.
Body structure male flowerhorn often have more angular and muscular lines ,while females often have a rounder,smoother body line.
Dorsal spine method. Look at the first 6 dorsal spines of your fh, males often have rounded and thick spines, while females have a more flatened and thiner look to the first 6 dorsal spines.
Pelvic fin and pelvic spine method. Female flowerhorn need to use their pelvic fin as a fan to fan the eggs while breeding,therefore when you touch the pelvic fin and pelvic spine of your fh,if it is soft,and the spine is not as hard that will make you bleed,your fish is highly possible to be a female.
Chest line(chin line) method. If you view your fish from the side,behind the gill jucture and before the pelvic fin,right under the petoral fin,this is the chest of your fish,if your fish have a bulkier chest,the it is more possible to be male,females often have a smaller,and smoother chest(unlike human)...lol
Anal venting method. Hold your fish upsidedown,look at the anal vent,males have a V shape and females have a U shape.
now look from the side,males should have their tube pointed toward the back ,while females have straight tubes.
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Labels: flowerhorn, Flowerhorn gender, Gender Flowerhorn
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Salt can Cure Fish Stress and Sickness
Fish stress is relieved and the organism can fight off diseases easier which aides in the recovery. The concentration should be 4 teaspoons per Gallon and the duration of the bath about 30 minutes. This bath will also stimulate the protective slime coat, which will further enhance the fish's' ability to cope with the disease. Do not forget that a heavy concentration can make them loose their equilibrium and they simply "roll over". At this point the fish has to be moved to clear water very quickly.
Salt does not evaporate, it can only be removed by water changes and plants will not survive higher concentrations. The reason is similar to what we can observe with fish that cannot survive higher salt concentrations. Freshwater naturally moves from an environment with a low salt concentration, to one with a higher salt concentration (the water). As a consequence the diversity of plants and animals decrease. This is because they cannot keep the water and salt content of their bodies at the right concentrations for them to survive this environment. The lethal point for plants is reached at about 1000 mg/l of salt. One teaspoon of salt equals approx. 5500 mg.
Points to be REMEMBER:
Salt does interfere with the osmotic regulation of fish and plants. It should be left alone; nature regulated that part itself, by creating freshwater, brackish and saltwater fish.
The low beneficial amount of salt, mentioned above will not have any benefits in addition to water conditioners and/or stress coats already used for water treatments.
It is good to know about the benefits of salt and the understanding of the mechanisms involved. It comes in handy, should the nitrites get out of control or as possible treatment for parasites (salt bath). A first aid kid, for sure.
Parasite prevention? Yes - in theory. But it is not justified. The long-term use of salt in the aquarium will have more negative aspects then benefits. Use of salt as a first aid tool should be determined on an individual basis, as there are no real guidelines on how to use it safely and effectively.
And last, disease prevention and cure. This is largely if not mainly based on enhancing the slime coat or regulatory osmotic control, but again stress protecting additives and water conditioners have the same effect.
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Labels: Aquarium tanks, flowerhorn, salt fresh tank
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Salt for your Frshwater Aquarium
Another salt related claim is the prevention of nitrite poisoning, which is also a theoretical true statement. This is one common problem we hobbyist encounter. We need a safety and clean water for our fish.
Let's assume your tank is brand new and cycling, or the beneficial bacteria are adjusting to a change in tank inhabitants, or worst case, you killed some bacteria colonies using antibiotics to nuke the small algae glancing at you. But you can't kill all of them by using salt you can slowly kill the bacteria.
Salt can be used to prevent nitrite poisoning, if the chloride ions are 30 times the concentration of nitrite ions. Salt is very helpful and have a big advantage for your fish.
Nitrite reaches a toxic level at about 0.1 ppm, which would require about 3 ppm of chloride ions. Depending on the salt (sodium chloride) used, it might translate to about 5 ppm (given that common salt has a chloride concentration of 60%) to ease possible nitrite poisoning. This in mind, one teaspoon of salt would be sufficient to provide this effect for a 300 Gallon tank.
As a brief summary, 1 teaspoon per 300 Gallons will do as described above. Table salt does contain iodine and anti caking additives (to prevent the salt from clumping together). Iodine is essential for certain plants and animals, and definitely of no concern, considering the low amount of salt and the low concentration of iodine added to the salt. Iodine at this concentration should be rather beneficial instead.
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Monday, March 1, 2010
FreshWater Aquariums + Salt
Do you know that salt is best for fish in a Fresh Aquariums? Some hobbyists religiously use salt in fresh-water set-ups. The claim is a noticeable health improvement of certain fish.
There can be many benefits that can be get in salt this include the ease of stress, reducing osmotic pressure, inhibition of nitrite uptake, promoting the slime coat, and helping in healing wounds. The salt recommended should be free of additives such as iodine.
It is claimed to be safe and should be used as a preventive measure against various parasitic infestations - it is also said to cure various diseases.
One of the expert friend recommended quantity ranges from 1 tablespoon per Gallons to 1 tablespoon per 5 Gallons.
At first view the claims do not sound bad.
Salt (sodium chloride/ table salt) does in fact have a direct connection to osmotic pressure. To explain this, picture a fish in an aquarium. The internal density of fish is greater then that of the water (fish contain salt in form of sodium and chloride ions transported by the blood). Incoming water tries to dilute their bodies to equal both sides, the inside of the fish and the water outside.
Freshwater fish therefore have to constantly eliminate the water - mainly through respiration and urine. Osmotic pressure can be best described as the water trying to dilute the fish's body until both sides are equal. The same applies to saltwater species, but in this case the roles are reversed. Saltwater fish have to "drink" water in order to survive from there daily life.
Osmoregulatory stress can occur during the transport of the fish, but is taken care of by stress protecting additives right from the beginning. Other than that, osmotic pressure is essentially non-existent and needn't be of concern.
So I conclude that osmotic pressure issue, should salt be considered, for whatever reason, one teaspoon would be sufficient to treat about 500 Gallons of water.
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Labels: freshwater aquarium, freshwater tanks, salt water tank
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Quality Flowerhorn
The Flower Horn fish is believed by the Chinese as the most lucky fish that is acquired by hobbyist to date. Its every characteristic is somehow related to prosperity, health and wealth, to the owners of the fish, of course! The hump, the colur, the aggressiveness, the so-called "pearls", etc is much sought after. For the bigger, the brighter or more active fish believes to tell instantly on the owner's level of abundance. So, how do you select the best fish?
The forehead or "Nuchal Hump" of the Flower Horn fish is the main focus of attraction of the Flower Horn fish and is much sought after. After all, the main reason (among others) that this fish is so popular is because of its unique feature: the head!
A fully developed forehead, which is round and tender, is a symbol of luck, prosperity, longevity and happiness. It enhances the glory of its owner. A huge and beautiful forehead that harmonizes with its body qualifies it to be a fish of choice.
Some even believe that as the head grows bigger and bigger, so does the level of prosperity to the owner! A fully developed forehead decorated with evenly spread red spots is more preferred. Such a forehead is called "li-zhi" forehead resembling the auspiscious Chinese fruit : Lychee!
The color on the fish should be naturally pleasing yet intense enough to generate excitement. The more varied and intense the colors, the more outstanding the fish will be. The base colour of the fish should not be pale and dull.
Nowadays, the Flower Horn fish possess lots of shimmering/luminiscent scales or so-called "pearls". There are generally 2 colors on the "pearls": blue and green. Some "pearls" are by patches, like an armour and some are bright dots like stars in the sky. These "pearls" add more spectrum of colors and shine to the fish and is a considered a "must-have" on the latest Flower Horn fishes. The most auspiscious gem for generations of Chinese must be pearls, hence, the more "pearls" on the body of the fish, the better!
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Labels: breeding flowerhorn, Flower Horn, Good Flowerhorn
Friday, February 26, 2010
Other Stress Factors of FH
Stress is also induced by insufficient oxygen levels (fish gasping for air), old fish food, and an unbalanced diet.
Fish are not good travelers, even on short distances. Good care should be taken during the acclimation process.
Fish does not eat or eats less than usual
Fish hides
Fish hovers at the surface or motionless at the ground
Wounds do not healing
Fish gets sick
A lot of contributing factors have to be considered. Eliminating some causes will raise the resistance of other stress factors.
The more stress the weaker the fish.
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Labels: Flower Horn, Stress fish, stress flowerhorn
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Stress Flowerhorn
Everything outside the required environmental- or behavioral needs of your fish causes stress. Stress greatly affects the health, reduces the life span, and and closer your fish to vulnerability for diseases. Stress is also the main cause of a deteriorating slime coat that protects the fish. This slime coat is the defense system toward infections. Fish can adapt to slightly different conditions in their environment. Understanding the factors that contribute to stress, will eliminate or reduce unnecessary risks. Stability in the water column and a balanced environment are as important as eliminating some other potential stress causing factors.
This are the main factors of fish stress:
TANK MATES - Compatibility is the key. Aggressive fish chasing others, naturally or as part of a mating ritual or territorial defense. Smaller species without adequate hiding places feel unsafe among bigger fish. Some species require larger groups (schooling); others are best kept individually as some tend to get aggressive towards their own. Fish communication (body language/ behavior) also might not be recognized by other species, again potentially leading to aggressive behavior. Stress also occurs when feeding if the fish have to compete for food. Needless to say they will always compete. The thing to remember is to distribute the food evenly throughout the water surface. Avoid spot feeding.
TANK SIZE - Does overpopulation trigger a thought? The rule of thumb is about 1 inch of fish per 2 Gallons of water. This guideline should only be used in order to get a sense of the limitations of your tank. However, some species can be kept in a 10-Gallon tank, others need more physical space. Territorial fish require a larger tank as they chase intruders out of their claimed territory.
WATER TEMPERATURE - An often overlooked topic. Fluctuations of temperature should be moderate and controlled at all times. The optimum temperature varies from fish to fish, but too cold or to warm will cause stress. Keep in mind that a tank in direct sunlight will heat up during the day. The water temperature may also rise during the light-on period. This can be more of a concern with smaller tanks. Water changes cause stress as well. It is important to replace the water with fresh water, which is about the same temperature as the tank. Further, the cleaning and removal process disturbs fish. Considering this, it ads validity to the discussion about proper water changes = change less water more frequently.
WATER PARAMETERS - Poor water quality is the most significant cause for stress. Fish can survive sub-optimal conditions if not too far out of range. But sudden changes within the water chemistry will cause severe stress. Adjustments in pH, salinity, or water hardness should be made gradually. Ammonia and nitrite are extremely stressful and can be detrimental if high levels persist.
Stress is also induced by insufficient oxygen levels (fish gasping for air), old fish food, and an unbalanced diet.
Fish are not good travelers, even on short distances. Good care should be taken during the acclimation process.
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Labels: flowerhorn, flowerhorn fish, stress flowerhorn
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Determining your FH Gender
Tips on determining your flowerhorn gender:
Dorsal black spot - flowerhorns are hybrids,therefore this method will not be 100%accurate.this method is usally use on pure bred cichlid
however the rest of the method we are going to talk about here will not apply to fries under 3 in therefore this one is included.
90%of fry with out dorsal spots,will be males.
60% of fry with dorsal spot will be females.
Pelvic fin and pelvic spine method - female flowerhorn need to use their pelvic fin as a fan to fan the eggs while breeding,therefore when you touch the pelvic fin and pelvic spine of your fh,if it is soft,and the spine is not as hard that will make you bleed,your fish is highly possible to be a female.
Body structure - male flowerhorn often have more angular and muscular lines ,while females often have a rounder,smoother body line.
Dorsal spine method - look at the first 6 dorsal spines of your fh, males often have rounded and thick spines, while females have a more flatened and thiner look to the first 6 dorsal spines.
Anal venting method - hold your fish upsidedown,look at the anal vent,males have a V shape and females have a U shape.
now look from the side,males should have their tube pointed toward the back ,while females have straight tubes.
Chest line(chin line) method - if you view your fish from the side,behind the gill jucture and before the pelvic fin,right under the petoral fin,this is the chest of your fish,if your fish have a bulkier chest,the it is more possible to be male,females often have a smaller,and smoother chest(unlike human).
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Labels: female flowerhorn, FH Gender, male flowerhorn
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Flowerhorn Fish Tanks
Fish tanks are beautiful in the eyes it can relax you and release your stress out. But it would be better if your fish tanks are clean. Your fish is like a person that needs a clean environment for them lo leave. Proper fish tank management and beautiful Flowerhorn fish complements each other perfectly. Therefore, it is crucial for all hobbyists to have proper knowledge of good fish tank management. This time I will share to you the ways on choosing material in to make your tank look like there fish habitat.
As Flowerhorn fish or any fish pets is essential to set up a tank to a close simulated natural habitat for the fish, which at the same time, pleasing to the eye.
Several sizes and designs of fish tanks are available at your nearest local fish store. Select one that will complement your house. Always assume that Flowerhorns will grow to be about 500 mm in length. Thus, it is recommended to get at least a 3 feet tank to start comfortably. Acrylic aquariums are suggested as these tanks are leak proof, light weight and the wall materials provide exceptional clarity. Always have a tank top or tank cover to keep your fish from jumping out. This is one basic mistake of many hobbyists that lead to their fish "common suicide".
Several attractive background designs for aquariums are available easily. Select one that will fit the natural environment of the fish. Pebbles, stones and gravels is a must in your flower horn tank because it be used as substrate for biological filtration. The fish is also a naturally active "excavator" and this creates an environment closer to its original habitat.
Hobbyist advice is to prevent pebbles that have sharp edges. These types of pebbles usually inflict cuts on the mouth of your fishes and if not treated, it will be infected. Many flowerhorn fishes are prone to mouth infection because of minor cuts sustained when they constantly dig at the pebbles.
Other unnatural tank ornaments are discouraged as these do not serve any purpose at all in the tank. Furthermore, these objects may even be hazardous, which might cause accidental cuts and injuries on your Flowerhorns as these fish possess fierce territorial behaviors and is always actively swimming.
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Labels: Acrylic aquariums, Aquarium tanks, fish tank
Monday, February 22, 2010
I love my Flowerhorn
Aquariums should be considered to be miniature versions of natural habitats. Even though we are not able to establish perfect ecosystems in our aquariums, we can try to provide environments as close as possible to natural habitats to enjoy their beauty.
- If you buy a flowerhorn for the nuchal hump, take a look at the frontosa (Cyphotilapia frontosa) a Tanganyikan cichlid. When left in small groups in a big enough tank the dominant male develops a hump which no flowerhorn will produce.
- If colour is what you seek in a fish, then take a look at the redheaded cichlid (Cichlasoma synspilum). It's got all the colours of the rainbow.
- If you desire black markings, a trimac (Cichlasoma trimaculatum) has a distinct pattern.
- If you are looking for pearls, consider the Texas cichlid (Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum).
If there are natural specimens that have all the traits one expects in terms of sheer beauty then why go for the man-made stuff? There are 1500+ known species of cichlids in the wild and hundreds with striking beauty and amazing personalities available to the hobby. This availability is rich enough to fit anyone's need. Let us respect Mother Nature. Doing something awful is not difficult but the consequences would have to be faced. As far as we know only one planet holds the key to create, support and cycle a phenomenon called Life. Let us not cheapen it or take it for granted.
Some reports claim that the Flower Horn Fish is a "mutated" breed of fish. Rest assured that this is just a claim. Flowerhorn have gone through a lot of selective cross breeding in order to have the best characteristics of the respective strains of the Cichlid family. For instance, most breeders are striving to produce Flower Horns with a bigger nuchal hump on the forehead, better colouration, bolder black markings on the body (which at times resemble Chinese characters), more elegant fins, and wider bodies. No chemicals, or biogenetic engineering have been incorporated to improve on the traits/characteristics of the Flowerhorn. Thus, the claim that this is a mutated fish is unfounded. Its a big NO!
This fish is very hardy, and can endure water conditions that are not suitable for most breeds of aquarium fish. This is also part of the reason why the Flower Horn is well received by many tropical fish hobbyists.
What ever Negative statement I encountered, I will never let go loving the most wonderful fish.
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Labels: flowerhorn
Friday, February 19, 2010
Tips on feeding Flowerhorn
In feeding a pet you must know what will be the best food that can help them stimulate there proper growth and make them as fit as possible also away from the any illness.
I can share a simple tips on how to feed a right food for your flowerhorn fish.
Flowerhorn like similar sized fish, astronotus ocellatus for example, need a live food integration to be healthy and in shape. Their diet can consist of live food, frozen food, and standard dry fish food. The live food should be of good dimension, or the fish could not notice it, earth worms and big meal worms or wax worm are accepted; moreover you can give small fish, poecilia reticulata could be a good choice since the high number of fry they spare monthly. Remember to feed every live food you choose, and in case of live fish be sure they are healthy.
Frozen food is another good solution, especially when you do not have the live one. Young Flowerhornusually eat chironomus, brine shrimps and other frozen fish foods, while older ones could not notice them; at their place you can offer frozen fish for human use, you have a great choice, anyway if possible get freshwater fish and avoid the sea ones.
Both live and frozen food can pollute the water, so be sure that Flowerhorn eats all the given food in 5 minutes maximum, in case of rests remove them fast; for this reason it is better to have an aquariumset up that allow you to clean fast without needing to move objects.
Dry standard fish food is a good complementary option, especially if it is of good quality. You can find special food produced for cichlids that usually consist of big pellets that Flowerhorn like.
A Flowerhorn cichlid should be fed two times a day, everyday, anyway be careful with the quantities and avoid to overfeed it, reducing the food amount specially if it is really rich of nutrients.
Happy fishing!
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Labels: cichlid, Feeding Flowerhorn, flowerhorn
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Grade Your Flowerhorn
This is how breeders grade their ZZ flowerhorn (AAA,AA,A,B or C) while they are still at fry size. This process must be use or observe to make or select the best fry and comes out the best among the rest flowerhorn. You know why? First of all when a flowerhorn lay an egg they comes in a thousand, if you got lucky, this eggs will be 90% fry. So having this thousand fry and will be free swimming fry there will be a time that you do not have time to take good care and them they will not develop to there potentials and competitive fish. So usually most breeders will cull and partition their breed at the size of 1" to 1.5". Since they are such a young & small size, not much thing could be seen out of them except of their flowerline.
Firstly let us understand what does ZZ mean. ZZ means zenzu (mandarin) it equals to pearls. So what is a ZZ pearls? As you can see the earliest of ZZ do not have any pearls dots on their body so how did they come about the name pearls? For your information, the pearls on the ZZ means the each dark flowerline found on the ZZ body which was surrounded by some metalic hue & glow which resemble a black pearl shine. You may want to get back to your ZZ flowerhorn now to know what I am saying.
Ok, so it is the flowerline that determine the grade of a ZZ. This will be a great grading system of a flowerhorn fish.
Grade A - flowerline should be more than 75% to 100%. Perfect!
Grade B - flowerline should be more than 50% to 75%. Good!
Grade C - flowerline which are less than 50% or only a few dots. Average!
From Grade A, we could gradually know if the ZZ is going to be a AA or AAA later by determining the growth traits of the fish with the written explanation.
1. Kok (Head) - the bigger the better.
2. Colors(Body Color) - the more solid & colorful the better.
3. Body ( Shape of the Body)- the stout & thicker the better.
4. Finnage & Tail - Balance & proportion.
5. Flowerline (plums) - the darker & more shiny pearls surround it the better.
Hope this will help you grading your Zenzu, selection and enjoyment of this wonderful fish!! It's a beautiful thing to know the quality of your Flowerhorn.
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Labels: flowerhorn, Flowerhorn Plum, Kok
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Acclimatization on a Fish Pet
Shifting a fish can be stressfull and we all know that this fish is really sensitive to the point that this action my cause there delay of physical development. I would like to share what are my techniques in dealing this kind of problem. The following steps or point can be helpful for you. This method can be use in any kind of fish.
1. Newly arrived fish may suffer intense stress or trauma subsequent from unexpected exposure to blinding light, in order to make sure to switch off the aquarium lights, and dense the room's surrounding lighting where you open the shipping box. Do not open the package in burnished light.
2. Float the plastered bag in the aquarium for 15-20 minutes. Do not open the shipping bag yet. You need to allow the water in the shipping bag to adapt slowly to the temperature in the fish tank, while sustaining a high level of dissolved oxygen.
3. Take away or cut the tied bands at the top of the bag while it is still adrift in the aquarium. Wrap the top edge of the bag down one inch to create an air pocket within the lip of the bag. This will enable the bag to float on the surface of the water.
4. Add 1/2 cup of fish tank water to the shipping bag, and repeat the procedure every 5 minutes until the shipping bag is full.
5. Bring up the shipping bag from the fish tank and dispose half the water from the bag.
6. Swim the shipping bag in the fish tank again, and continue to add 1/2 cup of aquarium water to the shipping bag every five minutes until the bag is full.
7. Immediately your fish is ready to be discharged into the fish tank. Submerge the bag in the aquarium, and easy allow the fish to swim out from the bag into its new home.
8. Take away the filled shipping bag from the fish tank and dispose the water. Try not to spill the shipping water directly into the aquarium.
I hope you can get some point in this.
Happy fishing.
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Labels: acclimation, Acclimatization Procedure
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Taking Care with your King Kamfa
Kamfa Flowerhorn is one of the best breed flowerhorn in this planet. This kind of fish is the first flowerhorn variant that come out in the market. Kamfa is the result of the curious breeding of cichlids fish. As time goes by the beauty of this fish was discover because of some difficulties to raise and breed this variant fish. The fact that this fish are hard to raise because this flowerhorn fish needs more attention, care and love also it will eat your time to make this flowerhorn unleash his wonders to your eyes.
The following are some tips to make your king kamfa develop over all beauty.
1. Background of the tank. It is a need to invest in a colorful background for the fish (designs of coral / water plants). Also to make your eyes more relaxing.
2. Gravel – the fish needs to have colorful gravel and crushed coral as well.
3. Depth of the tank – it requires a minimum of 15 to 18 inches in depth.
4. Heating – the water temperature should be around 85 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Ideal pH will be around 7.5 to 8 for Kamfa.
6. Tank – it is recommended that the fish has it own tank of at least a 50 to 70 gallon tank for large kamfa.
7. Lighting is also of importance – make sure that the tank is properly illuminated for at least 8 – 12 hours a day.
8. Kamfa also requires a tank mate – a blood parrot / an unwanted flower horn. Be sure that they are smaller than the Kamfa .
9. Water change – the frequency depends wholly on the filtration system of the tank, but do only around 20 percent of water change each time. I personally conduct a water change to my Kamfa's tanks once every 2 weeks. You need to make sure of this because this fish are sensitive and got stress easily.
10. Feeding should be done around 3 times a day, and should be fed with a variety of food – bloodworms, feeders, and pellets (which also includes color enhancer as well).
11. Place the tank of the Kamfa in a low traffic area at home, especially for small to medium size Kamfa. For larger ones, they should have no problem in adapting quickly. Always put your Kamfa in a tank where the tank is around 4 feet above ground.
Hope this information can make your kamfa nice and beautiful.
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Labels: Kamfa, kamfa flowerhorn, King Kamfa, kk
Monday, February 15, 2010
Cyphotilapia frontosa
Cyphotilapia frontosa are commonly know as Zaire blue because you can see a blue markings below its body runs to its fins. They possess hump like a flowerhorn with a big mouth and huge eyes. Frontosa are friendly and lovable fish. Cyphotilapia frontosa is one of the largest of the cichlids collected from the Rift Lakes, Lake Tanganyika, specifically. The most common are the "Six-stripe" and the "Seven-stripe". Others include the "Cape Chaitika", "Mpimbwe Blue", "Samazi Blue", "Zambian" and the "Zaire Blue"
Frontosa is present in different populations (color variations) in all parts of Lake Tanganyika. They are found in both sandy and rocky parts of the lake. They are deep water inhabitants, ranging between 40 and 350 feet, and when collected have to be brought to the surface in stages so they don't get the bends or end up with swim bladder problems.
This fish likes hard alkaline water around 76-82 degrees, although they will tolerate slightly higher or lower temperatures. Some salt may be added but they do fine without. As stated, C. frontosa likes a sandy to rocky habitat and caves and/or large flower pots should be included. Minimum tank size is a 29 or 30 gallon tank for one fish. They do best when kept in groups. For a group of 5 or 6 adults a 75 gallon tank would be overcrowded. I recommend no less then a 125 gallon tank, the large, the better.
Cyphotilapia frontosa is a monomorphic species with little or no difference between males and females. Males usually have a larger hump than females, but this characteristic is by no means a garauntee. Frontosa can only be sexed reliably by venting, and even this method cannot always be trusted. Venting frontosa accurately requires experience. Males also tend to be larger - they can grow to over 12 inches while females are lucky to reach 10 inches - but this too is not always true. In short, be cautious of any one ready to sell you sexed frontosa; make sure they're experienced and reputable.
The Zaire blue frontosa is a predatory fish and needs protein rich food. Shrimp, fish meat, crayfish etc makes good food choices for picky frontosa but most specimens can be trained to accept cichlid pellets as well. A varied carnivorous diet is important.
Frontosa cichlids are best kept in a colony of their own species. They can be very aggressive to other fish, especially those with a similar striped pattern to their own.
Adopt a fish and take good care of them. Good Luck with your frontosa.
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Labels: Cyphotilapia frontosa, Frontosa, Zaire blue
Friday, February 12, 2010
Convict Cichlid
Convict Cichlid are commonly know as zebra or convict in the aqua world there scientific names are cryptoheros nigrofasciatus. They originated in the river Central America from Costa Rica to Panama. They are terittorial and aggressive fish but they are very easy to keep and breed in aquariums and is therefore an ideal beginner's fish and especially suited for those who want to keep their first cichlid. The name convict cichlid describes these beautiful fish and its black stripes on a white background very accurately.
Convict cichlids is a hardy species that can adept to just about any water condition which is one of the reasons behind this fish suitability as a beginner cichlid for all aquarist how can offer them an aquarium of at least 100l/ 24gallon You should however know that Convict cichlids can sometimes be white aggressive towards other fish which means that they shouldn't be kept with other to small or timid fishes. Suitable tank mates to keep with convict cichlids are instead fish species that are large enough to stand their ground or hardy species that are fast enough to avoid the convict's aggressions such as some barbs. Another good option is to keep a pair of convict cichlids alone in an aquarium without any other species in the aquarium. Keeping them alone will make it easier to observe their fascinating breeding behaviour including the rearing of the fry.
Convicts are one of the most commonly available fish in the hobby. With their ease of breeding, these pocket-sized monsters from Central America are often referred to as the "rabbits" of the fish world. One male Convict plus one female Convict equals babies on a regular basis, usually every 4 to 6 weeks, for the rest of your original pairs life. Pound for pound, Convicts are one of the most aggressive of all Central American cichlids, but this is often overlooked, due to their small size. Spawning time is when you will see the most aggression, and I have heard of Convict pairs taking down full grown Oscar's more than twice their size. These are n ot community fish and cannot be considered safe unless a very large tank is involved.
The Convict Cichlid is probably ranked number 3 out of all cichlids as far as popularity goes, with Angelfish and Oscars being 1 and 2 respectively. They have the common name of "convict cichlid" because of the white and black contrasting patterns they sport. Males may be larger than females of the same age and the females may have a pink or orange tint to the belly region. There is an Albino Convict Cichlid as well. This fish can get to be about 4 inches (10 cm) and should do fine in a 20 gallon (78 liters) or larger aquarium.
This is a fascinating species that is known as being a profilic breeder. If you have a male and female, chances are you're going to get some baby convicts soon. All they need are stable water parameters and a cave or flower pot for securing the eggs. They will get quite aggressive in protecting their territory and they should not be kept with peaceful community type fishes. The great part about breeding convict cichlids is watching the parental care given to the fry. This can provide hours of enjoyment.
Keeping a pair in a community tank is just asking for trouble. If you have only one, you may be able to get away with keeping them with peaceful species but caution is still advised.
They should eat nearly everything offered including flakes, frozen and live foods. Look for cichlid pellets which can give them all the vitamins and minerals they need.
An aquarium intended for convict cichlids should be decorated with a few flat stones and perhaps a cave or two. Plats are not necessary and most plants will be destroyed by the fish. There is however a number of hardier plants that can be kept with convict cichlids such as Amazonian swords plant and java fern. Using plants of this type can be beneficial by making the fish feel more at home and by making the aquarium more beautiful to look at. The fact is that convict cichlid will make them selves feel at home however you decide that you want to decorate as long as you avoid using harmful or toxic things in your aquarium decoration.
They will accept a very wide temperature range and pH level range as long as it keep relatively stable but is best kept in 20-28C/ 68-82F and pH 6-8.
Feeding convict cichlids is very easy since they accept any food you may choose to give them and can without any problem be kept and bred on foods such as flake food and pellets.
There are several colour variants of the convict cichlid such as an albino variant often sold as ivory cichlid and a pink variant. These variants can sometimes be a little harder to breed then the regular convict cichlid but you should be able to succeed as long as you keep the water clean, the fish well feed and have patience.
Good luck with your convicts cichlids!
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Labels: cichlid, Convict Cichlid, zebra cichlid
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Altum Angelfish
The largest of all angelfish in the earth is the altum angelfish or commonly know as orinoco angelfish. This fish is a closerelative to the freshwater angelfish and can be found in a relatively large area around Rio Orinoco and Rio Negro in Brazil, Venezuela, colombia and some parts in the philippines that are really abundant in nature.
The Altum Angelfish are not so widely available in the aquarium trade due to being more sensitive and harder to breed then the common freshwater angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) You should however be able to Altum angel fish without to much problem, but you will however have to be prepared to the fact these fish can be quite expensive, especially compared to the regular angel.
Altum angelfish is as earlier mentioned considerable more sensitive then the regular angelfish and needs a care similar to that of discus fish. They need due to their height a high aquarium tank and should never be kept in aquariums shallower then 75cm/ 30". The aquariums don't need to be very large in other aspects and an aquarium that is 120 cm/ 4 ft long is sufficient. The aquarium should be decorated with large pieces of bogwood that if possible should reach the waters surface. Large leafed plants like Amazon swordsplants can also be beneficial and are usually left alone. The water should be kept in very soft water that is not so slightly acidic. A pH level of 4.5-6.5 is suitable for Altum Angelfish. They prefer very warm water and they are best kept in 28-30°C / 82-86°F. The nitrates levels should be kept very low and the water should be slightly circulated to mimic the environments this species are normally found in, in the wild
Though they are considered a community fish, Altum Angelfish may get territorial as they get older. They are reportedly a more peaceful fish than other angelfish species, but being in the cichlid family smaller fish may not do well with them. As they mature they will pair off, developing a strong nuclear family, and defend a territory in which to breed. A nice thing about the Altum Angelfish is that they don't burrow or disturb plants!
Altum angelfish are suitable to be kept with most calm fish, and are ideally kept with other calm species from the same area such as Discus and Tetras. Small fish might be considered food and should not be kept with cardinal and neon tetras since Altum angelfish as all angelfish seems very fond of eating these. They should never be kept with regular angelfish since they can hybridise.
The Altum angelfish is a more delicate flower than the regular angelfish and requires a more caring environment but is without a doubt worth the extra effort.
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Labels: Altum Angelfish, Angelfish, orinoco angelfish
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Solid Platinum Ogon Koi
No one, it seems, can agree on the exact origin of these festive-colored carp. Perhaps no one truly knows. It is known that nishikigoi have been around for thousands of years. They definitely have Asian ancestry probably bred in China first, possibly more for a food source, then the art was mastered much later in Japan. The carp was used as a subject in many Ancient Asian sculptures and drawings. Asians believe these beautiful fish bring good luck and prosperity especially when presented as a pair.
Platinum Ogon High Quality Koi, imported from Asia, are a striking solid white color with a brilliant metallic sheen. Their deep, pure coloration does not contain blemishes of any kind. These beautiful Koi have a ghostlike appearance and stand out dramatically against the dark background of a typical pond. Ogon Koi are in the family Hikarimuji, which translates to "light without pattern." The Platinum Ogon Koi we offer are rated by breeders as AAA Grade Select - the highest rating these fish can receive. They are produced by some of the best brood stock in Asia. While Platinum Ogon HQ Koi can live longer than 200 years, they typically live 25 to 35 years. These high quality Japanese Strain Koi are a product of years of professional breeding, and will turn your pond into a showcase of champions.
The ideal setup for Platinum Ogon Koi is a 1000+ gallon pond with a fine gravel substrate, rocks, and hardy plants. Because these Koi savor plant roots and will dig to get to them, be sure to place large rocks around the base of plants to protect them. You will also need to provide adequate filtration to maintain proper water conditions.
Males are easily recognized by their concave anal section and occasionally by breeding spots on the head. Spawning may result in as many as 1,000 eggs, with fry emerging in approximately 4 to 7 days, depending on the water temperature. Feed fry small live foods or frozen daphnia for the first 3 to 4 weeks. At that time, gradually change their diet to crushed flake and pellet foods. Their color will emerge in about 3 to 12 weeks.
Nishikigoi are most often referred to as "koi" by those who speak English. That's probably due to the fact that "koi" is easier to say. Regardless of what we call them, they are basically carp that have been bred for color though most koi-keepers will refer to them as more of an obsession! It's hard to resist buying "just one" for the pond — and it's tough to decide which one to buy. They come in so many different colors and styles. It's almost like picking out a car or a new sofa!
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Labels: koi, Koi fish, Nishikigoi
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Basic Flowerhorn Set-Up
Flower Horn Fish are very territorial and very aggressive. They usually will not tolerate other fish, and will often eat smaller fish that fit into their mouths. Some aquarists have said that they can play with their Flower Horn Fish, but instead of playing the Flower Horn is probably trying to get rid of what it sees an intruder, your hand.This fish is very hardy, and can endure water conditions that are not suitable for some types of aquarium fish. Their hardiness is one of the big reasons that the Flower Horn is enjoyed by many tropical fish hobbyists.
Due the big size they can reach, Flowerhorn need big aquarium with a lot of free space for swimming; a 200 litres tank is the minimum you can offer to an adult fish to let it live healthily. It is a really strong fish and can live in different water conditions without having problems, anyway it is important to provide a temperature between 28°C and 32°C; pH value is also important, because acid water can tone down fish colours and make it sick, the ideal condition is a light alkaline water, with a pH between 7 and 7.8. Moreover it is necessary to avoid sudden condition changes of temperature and chemical values, because they can make Flowerhorn being more sensible to sickness like bacteria attacks.
Water filtration is really important because this big fish produces lots of refuses that end increasing nitrite and nitrate levels in the water. You can choose both internal and external filtration, even if the second one is preferred to leave more free space to the fish. The biological part must work properly, so be sure to have a well activated aquarium before to house a Flowerhorn cichlid.
Take also a look to the water current, an excessively strong one can damage the fish, anyway it is important that a slow movement is present, because it oxygenates the water, and avoids that the water heats only near heater.
Tank decorations are important to make the fish feel quieter. Use a layer of fine gravel and be sure that rocks and woods are stable and do not risk to fall easily on the fish; be sure, as well, that all the decorations do not make the tank cleaning too much difficult. You may also use a substrate to equalize the ph of the water, this can help shane the pearl of your fish and look healthy. Live plants are important for filtration and oxygenation, anyway choose strong plants like big anubias, because any Flowerhorn cichlid use to dig a lot; you can also use plastic plants, even if they are not useful and you can risk that the fish accidentally eat them. But some of the hobbyist don't pud plans because they want to play there fish. Space will be a great elp to make your fish grow big and more decorations can affect them. Make sure that your decoration must not be eaten by your fish.
Being big and aggressive is better not to house it with other fish species, specially if they are smaller. While if you plan to house more than one Flowerhorn, provide a big tank and divide it with accessories to let fish divide the territory; to avoid fights it is recommended not to keep more than two or three fish together in the same tank.
The success of your flowerhorn will be in the cleanliness of your aquarium.
Posted by Bakeruddin Damada 0 comments
Labels: Aquarium Set up, flowerhorn, flowerhorn aquarium
Monday, February 8, 2010
Basic type of Flowerhorn
The Flowerhorn chichlid is a result of hybridisation between different South American chichlids. The Flowerhorn was developed in Malaysia during the second half of the 1990s, and exactly which South American cichlids that was used and in which combinations is still a secret. The following are the basic type of flowerhorn.
The territorial Kamfa has a larger, more blocky build. It often has white or yellow recessed eyes, small mouth, fan tail and sometimes head flowers. More aggressive than other flowerhorns, Kamfa are difficult to breed because they remain immature longer and have fertility problems. They prefer heated water that has been sitting for a day. With a black double flower row and white pearling, the King Kamfa is a member of this family.
Zhen Zhus
With a name that translates as "pearl flowerhorn," Zhen Zhu are the most common flowerhorn in the United States. They usually have a rounded tail, large mouth, bulbous red eyes, and a noticeable head flower. Known for the pearling pattern, Zhen Zhus mature early and mate readily. A hardy fish, Zhen Zhus are popular because they demand little special attention. These agreeable breeders are often bred with other flowerhorn types. The pearling creates a desirable skin quality in their offspring.
Golden Monkey
Golden Monkey flowerhorns have the traditional large head hump with a coat that features pearling all over. When bred with a Zhen Zhu male, a Golden Monkey female produces the popular IndoMalau strain. A Golden Monkey male crossed with a Kamfa female produces a fish with a face and body resembling the Golden Monkey while the fins and eyes mirror the Kamfa. Fins have a rare frosted pearling over the head.
Golden Base (Faders)
Golden Base flowerhorns are also known as faders because as juveniles they lose color and turn black. The black then disappears, leaving vivid color in its place, traditionally red or yellow. One of the two original fader types in the United States retained their natural color, eventually replacing its gray skin with a golden hue. Red Texas cichlids are related to faders. To get the desirable red color the earliest flowerhorns, King Kong parrots were crossed with green Texas cichlids.
This fish are nice to keep and dominating the aquarium world because of their bright colors and exotic appearance, flowerhorns are coveted as pets, although their care requires thought and consideration. Most need a spacious aquarium where they can be kept alone because of their size and aggressive nature. While breeding flowerhorns raises controversy among fish enthusiasts because of genetics and overbreeding, their popularity remains strong.
Posted by Bakeruddin Damada 1 comments
Labels: fh basic type, Flowerhorn type, flowerhorn world
Friday, February 5, 2010
Flameback Angels
Flameback Angels are a small angel that makes a beautiful, colorful resident in saltwater aquariums. These Angels are adored by the people who keep them. Centropyge acanthops is known under several different common names in English, such as African flameback angelfish, African flameback angel, African pygmy angelfish, African pygmy angel, Orangeback angelfish, African cherubfish, and Jumping bean. The African Flameback Angelfish, also known as the African Pygmy Angelfish or Orangeback Angelfish, has striking contrasts of blue and orange-yellow colors. While the body is predominately blue, there is a broad and bright orange to yellow swatch from the head along the back to the tip of the dorsal fin.
Flameback Angels are a small angel that makes a beautiful, colorful resident in saltwater aquariums. These Angels are adored by the people who keep them.
The Flameback Angel often brightens up an aquarium with its activity and coloration. However, it may be kept most easily singly. Flameback Angelfish can be aggressive toward fish that they perceive as threats to their territories. Often, fish of similar species, size, or temperament are not accepted. To remedy this, a larger tank would be ideal, in order to allow each fish its own sizeable territory. Flameback Angels have also been reported to nip at coral polyps, which could be a problem in reef tanks, so they must be observed when placed in such situations. They are generally considered to be reef safe and are reported to show the less destructive behavior than most dwarf angels. If you must keep a dwarf angel in a reef environment, it is often recommended that you choose a Flameback Angel. Flameback Angels usually do best in established aquariums containing live rock, which they will often pick through in order to supplement their diets with small organisms.
At maturity, Flameback Angels may reach about three inches (7.5 centimeters) in length. They are deep blue to bluish-purple in color and have bright yellow to orange shading along their backs, from whence their names arise. This coloring extends from the top of the head down the back toward the tail.
Flameback Angels are found along the western coast of Africa, and are commonly collected from the Kenyan coast. They are also known as African Flameback Angel Fish, probably for their origin.
The African flameback angelfish is found in the Western Indian Ocean, from the coast of Somalia down to East London in South Africa. You can also be encountered it around certain oceanic islands. Its range includes the waters of the Cargados Carajos Shoals (dependency of Mauritius), the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory), Kenya, Madagascar, the Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Reunion, the Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Yemen.
The African flameback angelfish inhabits environments with coral rubble and is found from 6 m / 20 ft down to a depth of 40 m / 130 ft. It forms groups consisting of up to about 10 individuals.
The largest scientifically measured African flameback angelfish was 8.0 cm / 3.1 in.
The African flameback angelfish is a strikingly coloured fish where golden-yellow to orange shades contrast sharply against dark blue and purple. The upper sides, head, dorsal and caudal fins are golden yellow to orange, while the lower two-thirds of the body and the anal fin is dark blue and adorned with a profusion of close-set purple dots. In many specimens, a blue ring can be seen around the eye.
The African flameback angelfish (Centropyge acanthops) looks very similar to its close relative the Brazilian Flameback angelfish (Centropyge aurantonotus), but the African flameback angelfish has a somewhat transparent yellow caudal fin.
It is not advisable to house the African flameback angelfish in an aquarium smaller than 30 gallons / 115 litres. The aquarium should contain plenty of hiding spots and a lot of algae covered live rock for grazing.
The African flameback angelfish is considered reef safe with caution. It may nip at small-polyped stony corals.
The recommended water temperature for an African Flameback angelfish is 72-78º F / 22-25.5º C. The specific gravity should be in the 1.020-1.025 range and the pH-value at 8.1-8.4.
In the wild, the African flameback angelfish feeds chiefly on algae and small invertebrates. It is important to provide it with a varied omnivore diet in the aquarium to keep it healthy. You can for instance combine fresh and dried marine algae, spirulina, angelfish preparations, high-quality flakes or pellets suitable for algaevore fish, and various types of meaty foods such as mysid shrimp and brine shrimp.
A Flameback Angel is best kept in a reef environment, so long as they are not nipping at other inhabitants of the aquarium. Conditions would remain in the mid to upper 70 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 26 degrees Celsius) with a pH value of 8.3 or 8.4. The specific gravity should remain between 1.020 and 1.025 if the fish is kept alone, and normally the lower end of this range would aid in keeping parasitic infection at bay. If it is kept with invertebrates, specific gravity should remain between 1.023 and 1.025.
Flameback Angels should have a variety of foods in their diets to ensure they are receiving proper nutrition. Many will accept live mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, lettuce, plankton, vegetable-based foods, or food formulated for Angelfish. Most Flameback Angels graze on algae in their enclosures. When introducing a Flameback Angel to your aquarium, it is important to choose a healthy fish that is eating in the supplier's aquarium. When introducing a Flameback Angel into an established aquarium, you could rearrange the landscaping to render all fish in the enclosure without a territory. Keep the lights in the aquarium off for a day and monitor the fish as closely as possible.
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Labels: African cherubfish, Flameback Angels, Queen Angelfish
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Flowerhorn Care
The Flowerhorn fish is very aggresive in nature and highly territorial. It is not adviced to coexist it with another fish. Also, if your planning in having 2 or more Flowerhorn fish in one tank, have your tank patitioned or better yet, put the other fish in another tank. Some hobbyist say that they can play with their fish, real deal is that the Flowerhrn fish is trying to get rid of the intruder because of this trait.
This hybrid fish is very easy to feed. It eats live and fish pellets and it has a big appetite. There are a number of types of fish food in the market that you can buy. Have a diet planned. Giving live feeds is good, but it can be heavy in your wallet. Give your fish pellets and every once a week live feeds as a reward. Also excessive feeding of color enhancers is not recommended because it may contain harmful chemicals. Please do it in moderation.
The Flowerhorn fish does not require much when it comes to its environment. A thin layer of gravel will do. The idea is to make your fish feel at home and avoid stress. Stress could cause discoloration, loose in nuchal hump or stop its growth.
In caring your Flowerhorn you need to have a basic knowledge on the do's and dont's of this fish. I will discuss the basic tips on how to give your love to them.
The Flowerhorn fish is no different from other tropical fish when it comes to temperature of its habitat. It flourishes in temperature between 20-30 C. It is recommended to maintain a temperature between 28-31 C.
The Flowerhorn fish requires a moderate PH level, between 7.5 to 8.0. It would be best to have regular water change, intervals of once every week. It would be advisable if ou could mix crushed corals with your gravel to maintain pH level. Please be cautious that drastic changes on pH level can be harmful to your Flowerhorn. To avoid this periodically check the pH level of your tank.
To bring out the best from your Flowerhorn, a good filtration system is recommended. Usually an overhead filter is used because it is easily cleaned and clogging is minimized. The good criterias in choosing a filtration system would be its ease in cleaning, efficiency and minimal clogging.
A good water flow is recommended. This will distribute even water temperature, oxygen and will prevent thin film from forming on water surfaces which hinders gaseous exchange between the air and the water in your tank.
Salt helps the fish stabilize by providing sodium and chloride ions. It also help kill some parasites in your tank. In addition, dissolved salt contents in your tank helps make your fish feel at home.
The very important is waterchange. The water in your tank should be changed at least once a month. Be informed that your filter does not clean you tank 100%. Regular partial change of water, around 25 to 50%, once a week is recommended. This will surely make your fish heathier and happy. So don't let laziness overcome you.
For more question just drop a comment.
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Labels: breeding flowerhorn, Flowerhorn Care, flowerhorn philippines


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Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton may now be the NFL's version of Mr. October after receiving another league honor Thursday, his 28th birthday.
Dalton was named AFC offensive player of the month for October after racking up 895 yards and six touchdowns with one interception in three games -- all wins for the Bengals. Dalton finished October as the highest-rated passer in the NFL (116.1).
More from FoxSports
Dalton has the Bengals off to their best start since 1988 at 6-0. He has 14 passing touchdowns and just two interceptions this season.
He also claimed the award in October 2013.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I'm Tyler May.
I started making videos when I was 12 years old. Now I do videography and photography for my job! Creating meaningful things for other people is undoubtedly my biggest passion!
I create timeless images and videos meant to be shared shared and appreciated. I love photography, videography, design, social media marketing, and working for Patreon in San Francisco. The central goal of my art and my life is simply to help others. So I aim to inspire empathy, compassion, and appreciation of beautiful things.
Even though I may articulate my creative vision in a fairly pretentious sounding way, I still love to have fun! I'm constantly cracking jokes, though mostly for just myself, during every shoot. So if you want to have a blast and receive some good looking, meaningful content of your band, event, family, company, or even just yourself, contact me! I want to encourage your passions through the art of storytelling!
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Definition of there is no escaping
- There's no escaping the conclusion that he lied about his involvement.
- There's no escaping the fact that this system needs to be replaced.
: in or at that place
: to or into that place : thither
: at that point or stage
used as a function word to introduce a sentence or clause
used as an indefinite substitute for a name
: that place or position
: that point
used for emphasis especially after a demonstrative pronoun or a noun modified by a demonstrative adjective
used for emphasis after a demonstrative adjective but before the noun modified
: capable of being relied on for support or aid
: to get away (as by flight)
: to issue from confinement
: to run wild from cultivation
: an act or instance of escaping: such as
: flight from confinement
: evasion of something undesirable
: providing a means of escape
: providing a means of evading a regulation, claim, or commitment
What made you want to look up there is no escaping? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
resembling the blue of the sky
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"Look up here, I'm in heaven
I've got scars that can't be seen
I've got drama, can't be stolen
Everybody knows me now"
-David Bowie-"Lazarus", from Blackstar, the album released on his 69th birthday, two days before he died.
The padded envelope came without a note or a return address, but according to postage and markings, it had come from Thailand, and it was addressed to me. Inside was a jersey style t-shirt with a picture of the Goblin King on the front. It was an odd gift. Anyone who knows me even marginally well knows I'm more than a casual Bowie fan, but I've always been pretty indifferent to Labyrinth. Even as a kid, I was never swept under its spell like so many of my peers. At 13, perhaps I was just a bit too old (and prematurely cynical) for the child-like wonder of it, but not old enough to really understand who David Bowie was beyond the "Let's Dance", "Modern Love," and "China Girl" videos that MTV played on heavy rotation in its early days (though in hindsight, I do find it hard to believe that at the very least, 13 year-old me wasn't completely enamored with 16 year-old Jennifer Connelly–sadly, I was clueless about nearly everything back then.)
After some asking around, I discovered that my brother had bought it off Etsy and sent it to me for my birthday. He knows I love Bowie, of course, and the Goblin King was probably referencing shared childhood memories that seem a bit cloudy now. I think he was also making fun of me a little. Either for being too cool, or because the Goblin King is ridiculous, or both. Either way, the shirt is fucking awesome, and I love it, and every time I wear it, I get streams of compliments. I mean, apparently people of all stripes unironically love the Goblin King! Go figure. Anyway, I'm wearing it right now, and I haven't taken it off since I learned of Bowie's death late Sunday night (which I could hardly believe, and am still not totally sure I believe). Cosmically, according to Facebook, that shirt arrived at my house on December 10, 2015, exactly one year before the great Starman passed into the next dimension. Continue reading


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On Thursday 25th February 2016, Sandwell Council in conjunction with Carillion's category managers and MMH procurement team are facilitating a valuable Procurement workshop themed around the formation of a cluster group of suppliers to compete and bid for the £2.4m balustrade work packages aligned to the Midland Metropolitan Hospital (MMH).
As part of a small group, you'll gain essential knowledge about the formation of a Sandwell cluster group and learn about becoming more cost competitive, improving your purchasing efficiency and buying skills. You'll also get the unique chance to spend valuable time with members of Carillion's MMH buying team plus a group of the UK's leading procurement experts. There'll also be plenty of networking time with like-minded businesses. You can read more about our cluster group plans on this link: http://westmidlandsvirtualhospital.co.uk/media/features/procure-wmvh/