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Most Common Types Of Tropical Fish Diseases

July 18th, 2010    Subscribe To Our Feed

Keeping tropical fish can be a relaxing and rewarding experience. It can also be quite an investment, once you’ve set up your tank and filled it with colorful tropical fish. It can, however, become quite frustrating when you begin to realize that there is something wrong with your fish. There are many different types of diseases that can affect your fish. Here are a few of the most common tropical fish diseases.

Common Tropical Fish Diseases And Treatments

Many people are surprised to find out that there is more to keeping fish than just throwing them in a tank and feeding them once a day. There are several different tropical fish diseases that can make your tropical fish experience a little less than enjoyable.

One of the most common tropical fish diseases shows up as white spots on the skin of your fish. These are fungal diseases, and will usually show up after your fish is already weakened from stress. Monitor your fish closely after you introduce them into their new tank.

There are several signs to watch for that may indicate tropical fish diseases. If you notice that your fish has bulging eyes, open sores or ulcers, chances are your fish has some kind of bacterial disease. There are other signs as well, but these are the most common. In many cases, this type of disease needs to be treated with antibiotic medication.

If one or more of your fish appear to be rubbing their bodies on various objects in the tank, this could indicate the presence of a parasitic disease. The rubbing and scraping that the fish are doing is an attempt to remove the parasites that are trying to eat through their skin. If they are successful, eventually they will get inside the fish and kill it by eating away at the internal organs. A bath in some type of salt solution will sometimes take care of this problem.

The last on our list of tropical fish diseases are viral diseases. This is one of the most common diseases in many types of fish. It will often show up as swelled white spots on the skin. The treatment for this type of disease can be difficult because it’s hard to identify the specific virus. The most important thing to do is remove the infected fish from the tank immediately. Viruses can quickly spread to the other fish in the tank. Place the infected fish in a separate container and keep the environment as clean as possible. Over time, the virus should run its course.

Tropical Fish Care For Beginners

July 12th, 2010    Subscribe To Our Feed

When you’re thinking about purchasing tropical fish, there are a lot of things to consider. Owning a pet of any kind is a big responsibility, and it should only be done with the proper amount of preparation. Do some research, and find out exactly what you are getting into before you make the commitment. This article will provide new fish owners with some valuable information on tropical fish care.

The Tank

Once you’ve made the decision to get some tropical fish, the first thing you’re going to need is somewhere to put them. That’s why the first thing on our tropical fish care list is the tank. No matter how many fish you are getting, try to buy the largest tank that your budget will allow. There are a number of reasons for this. First, it’s just nice to give your fish as much room as possible to move around. It’s also much easier to regulate the temperature in a larger tank, and that will only keep your fish healthier. Also, you may want to add more fish at a later date.

Another important part of tropical fish care is arranging the tank properly. Make sure you have plenty of things in the tank that will give your fish lots of places to hide. They won’t necessarily hide all the time, but if they know they have plenty of options, they will not be as stressed. You also need to be careful about where you place your tank. Avoid placing it in an area where it may receive direct sunlight. There are a number of problems that can arise from this.

The Fish

If you are planning to have multiple fish in your tank, do not add them all at one time. Give your fish time to adapt without the stress of being thrown into new surroundings with a large group of other fish. This will also give the natural filtration system time to adjust as each fish gets added.

One of the most important parts of tropical fish care is proper feeding. You can get away with feeding only fish flakes to them, but a little variety will keep your fish healthier and happier. Throw in a little something else once in while to supplement the fish flakes. Another important thing to remember is not to over feed your fish. Try two small feedings instead of one big one each day. If there are flakes at the bottom of the tank after the fish have eaten, you have given them too much.

Finally, frequent water changes are very important for tropical fish care. This will keep your fish healthier and your tank looking it’s best.

What Can The Aquarium Calming Effect Do For You?

December 16th, 2009    Subscribe To Our Feed

What Can The Aquarium Calming Effect Do For You?

What kind of atmosphere does your house or office project? Does it help cheer people up, or does it make them feel restless and anxious? Part of what may be causing negative emotions in the people living in your house or working in your office may be the décor that you have chosen for it. There are certain kinds of room accessories and structures that promote not-so-good vibes primarily because of its colors or texture. However, one effective structure that you can place inside your home and office is the aquarium.

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The aquarium calming effect is one of the most popular must-haves for the home or for the office. The deep blue-green of the water set in soft lighting, as well as the movement of the fishes and plants in the water, plus the bubbles that form on the surface, have a very relaxing and calming effect on anyone who happens to chance upon it. If you haven’t experienced the aquarium calming effect yet, do give it a try - it makes for a great centerpiece in one’s home. An aquarium is a great fixture as it provides you with some sort of dynamic movement in the room in the form of your fishes and plants.

How does an aquarium calming effect become most beneficial to one’s home or office? Placement and size matters, of course. Make sure that if you want the aquarium calming effect to take the main spotlight in the room, place it in a roomy area where people can crowd around to look at it. Make sure also that it is set against soft lighting-not too harsh as strong lighting can take away from the calmness it exudes.

When the aquarium calming effect is fully in its element, it can help promote stronger relationships at home, or enable you to sell more things at work. This is because the people around it may end up in a generally good disposition, which will make them more open and receptive to what you have to say. This will be good particularly for offices that also do their buying and selling in-house. If sellers come to that particular place to buy their items, the company should place the aquarium in the middle or in a central part of the reception hall, so that everyone will see it as soon as they come in. By the time you come out to meet them, they will have experienced the calm and the relaxation that looking at the aquarium will provide them.

At the end of the day, never underestimate the power of the aquarium calming effect. The aquarium may seem like a normal or common house fixture, but it goes great lengths in ensuring that everyone around it is generally calm, happy and optimistic, and it can become a great conversation piece.

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The Koi Supplies Essential for Breeding Koi

June 16th, 2009    Subscribe To Our Feed

Koi supplies are numerous and it is important to identify those that your fish need the most. Knowing when to use and how to operate it are vital when taking care of your supplies and to make them work at its maximum.

One of the most colorful and attractive pond fish are Kois. But taking care of them requires knowledge on proper care and knowing the essential supplies you will need for giving them a comfortable place to live. One essential Koi supply that will give the fish a more tranquil environment is a fountain.

The fountain can provide the pond where the fish live sufficiently apart as it stirs the water and is a good source of blocking the unwanted noise that the fish may find disturbing. Promoting good health for your fish is vital hence using a filter is a necessity to maintain the cleanliness of the water.

Koi Filters promote quality water as it removes pollutant that will prevent common health issues with your Koi fish. Filter supplies always come with a pump which keeps the water moving for a more efficient action of the filter.

Some install waterfalls or fountains on their pond to keep the movement of the water going that assist in the filtering process. It is not advisable however that these will completely replace pumps since their actions are not strong enough to support the filtration process needed to clean up the water.

There are some Koi supplies that are not used on a daily basis but you need to keep them handy as you will need them again. A dechlorinator is used only when trying to replenish the water level of the pond with tap water. It helps eliminate harmful chemicals and keep the newly replaced water clean.

You should keep track of the pH and nitrate levels of the water by using a Koi supply that can test these chemicals on a weekly basis. Test kits are available in most pet supply stores. You should need either a baking soda or salt which you can sprinkle into the pond to help regulate the levels of nitrates and pH after testing the water with low levels of both chemicals.

Koi fish are also prone to become the prey to other predators such as kingfishers, raccoons, Herons, cats and foxes because of their colorful and brilliant colors. One way to avoid this is to create a pond designed to keep predators from wading into the water such as creating deeper pond and placing high overhangs on the pond’s sides to keep predators from reaching the water.

Placing a net is a koi supply used to conveniently keep the water clean from falling debris such as leaves for outdoor ponds. Koi fish need food to live and it is one of the most important Koi supply to keep on hand.

Keep different variations of food sources to give your fish a treat. Most kois like to feed from your hand so treat yourself with the pleasure of doing so.Koi needs special care and giving them the best comfort through the proper koi supplies is worth the effort.

Tropical Fishes - The Problems With Pond Algae.

June 16th, 2009    Subscribe To Our Feed

Blue-green algae isn’t technically an algae in the proper sense of the word – it’s actually a form of bacteria, called cyanobacteria, which is a type of bacteria capable of photosynthesis.

Cyanobacteria is one of the oldest organisms known in the world, and is estimatedt to have been around for at least three.five billion years!

It looks like a slimy coating in a number of greenish-blue shades, and the wastes it releases can actually be toxic to your fish – another good reason to keep it to a bare minimum.

The good thing…

The good thing about red marine algie is that it’s easy to remove manually: usually, it forms ‘sheets’ of hanging matter in the water, which can easily be scooped out.

The bad thing…

The bad thing about it is that it’s pretty hardy: even after a thorough removal, it’ll usually have returned by the next day

This algae is most commonly caused by low levels of nitrates (usually in conjuction with high levels of phosphate), and an imbalance of bacteria in the water.

How to get rid of this persistent eyesore:

* Block all light for a week, and siphon the dead algae out of the tank each day. Your plants will be feeling pretty sick after about a week, but they should recover just fine.

* Bacteria pellets need to be added after every water change. You can purchase bacteria pellets for this express purpose from your pet store and aquarium supply dealer. Ask for bacteria pellets that remove ammonia and excess protein from the water.

* Be stringent with your tank maintenance: keep everything clean, check the filter for clogging, make sure the lights are working adequately (blue-green algae needs light to survive, but good fluorescents are necessary to maintain an adequate balance of bacteria and plant life in the tank).

It’s not hard to cure the problem of algae if you are a structured thinker.  Just keep at it and you will get it completed.

Tropical Fish Don’t You Love Red Marine Algae Problems.

June 16th, 2009    Subscribe To Our Feed

I’ll try and not get too technical here.

Algae (pronounced AL-jee) are simple forms of marine plant life.

They’re pretty basic: they lack leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, and all the other things we normally associate with plants.

The term ‘algae’ is an umbrella phrase that’s used to refer to all forms of marine life that are capable of photosynthesis (converting sunlight into energy), although some forms of algae rely entirely on external supplies of energy (in the form of protein and fish waste in the water) for food.

As far as your tropical fish tank goes, red marine algie is definitely an unwanted visitor – it’s a real eyesore.

Of course, certain levels of algae are to be expected; small amounts are inevitable wherever there’s light, nutrients, and water in combination.

However, when levels get high enough to be visible to the naked eye, you’ve got a surplus. Unless you maintain your aquarium regularly, you can pretty much count on regular growths of algae obscuring your fish, making the water smell, and generally detracting from the aesthetic appeal of your tank.

What is is - and how will you get rid of it?

Well, it depends on the type of algae that you have, since each one needs to be treated in a specific manner. The most common algae types to affect tropical fish tanks are:

* brown algae
* green algae
* blue-green algae
* green water

What you can do about brown algae

In a newly established tank brown algae is usually the first to appear. It’s pretty easy to see: it looks like cloudy brown slime growing along the sides and bottom of your aquarium, as well as clinging onto gravel, rocks, and ornaments.

Limiting the light available won’t make any difference to this type of algae, since it’s perfectly capable of growing at low-lighting levels.

Instead, you need to cut right back on the nutrients available for sustaining its growth – which means feeding your fish less. High protein levels in the tank, derived from fish food, will fuel this algae’s growth.

Even if your fish are eating all the food you give them, this doesn’t mean you’re feeding them the right amount: when it comes to food, fish are natural opportunists, which means they’ll eat everything that’s available regardless of how much you feed them. If they’re overeating, they simply excrete the undigested food – which then floats around in the tank, feeding the algae instead!

Make sure you follow the directions stringently on the fish-food package, to be certain that you’re minimizing nutrient levels appropriately.

In addition to keeping food levels down, make sure you’re maintaining your tank adequately with enough water changes and gravel and filter cleanings.

If brown algae appears in an established aquarium, you’ll need to check the phosphate and nitrate levels, as too much of either will encourage the growth of the algae.

If the problem remains ongoing, you can use algae-eaters. These are bottom-dwelling fish – such as the Siamese algae eater and the American-flag fish - which feed on algae, and are commonly kept in pet stores and fish traders. They’ll make quick work of your brown algae problem!

What to do about green algae

Green algae will appear in just about any tank with plenty of light. Luckily, it’s easy to get rid of (it doesn’t cling to the glass too much) and most algae-eaters will consume it with ease.

For green algae, make sure you’re minimizing the protein in the tank, as you would for brown algae. Start by cutting the fish-food back by one quarter, and pay close attention to the appearance of your fish: if their bodies become flat and thin, they’re not eating enough. They should be getting just enough food to remain slightly round-bodied.

Keep your fish tank stocked with plenty of algae-eaters, and the problem should take care of itself (although it bears repeating that a certain amount of algae, particularly green algae, is to be expected).

We will look at the problems of blue-green algae and green water in another article.

The results could be disastrous if these issues are left untreated.
Yes, maintaining a healthy, attractive aquarium can be a pretty complex task – there’s so much to keep track of!

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