2007 May | Learn About Aquariums

The Clown Loach is a popular fish in tropical aquariums since it is very beautiful and not too difficult to keep. Its scientific name is Botia macracanthus and it is therefore also known as Botia fish. When you buy a loach it will typically need at least a 100 liter / 20 gallon aquarium to do well. They are usually sold when quite young and will therefore grow larger and larger as they mature. A fully grown Clown Loach will need a 540 liter / 125 gallon aquarium or larger.

Wild Clown Loaches inhabit densely grown waters in Indonesia and will therefore appreciate a planted aquarium or an aquarium with plenty of rocks and caves which the Clown Loach can hide among. A combination of both plants and caves are ideal. Adult Clown Loaches like to nibble on plants and you should therefore ideally choose tough and fast growing plants like Java Fern and Anubias. Juvenile Clown Loaches can usually be kept with all types of plants as long as they appreciate the same water conditions as the fish. The Clown Loach loves to squeeze it self into caves, rocky formations and other tiny places that can barely fit it. To put it simple: the more decorations the better. The aquarium must be decorated when you bring your Clown Loach home from the fish store, since it is most likely quite stressed from the long journey from Indonesia. A majority of the Clown Loaches available in the aquarium trade is caught in the waters of Sumatra and Borneo. If you place your Clown Loach in a barren aquarium, it will not have a chance to recuperate. It will instead become more and more stressed. Stressed Clown Loaches are very susceptible to a parasite called Ich (White Spot Disease).

Don’t be afraid if you notice that your Clown Loach has squeezed itself behind a piece of aquarium equipment, chances are that it is not at all stuck, it just likes to feel safe. The Clown Loach is also found of digging itself into tiny places. It is therefore important to use a substrate without any sharp edges in the aquarium. In the substrate your can place a wide range of different things for your Clown Loach to explore and hide among. You do not have to limit your self to plants and rocks; PVC pipes, flower pots, roots and ceramic and plastic aquarium ornaments will also be highly appreciated. It is important that the decorations have no sharp edges, since the Clown Loach will like to squeeze itself into the smallest places possible. If you place floating plants in the water they will dim the light and make your Clown Loach less shy and more active during the day.

Vigorous filtration is necessary since Clown Loaches are sensitive to poor water conditions. A combination of mechanical, chemical and biological filtration is recommended. Change 25 percent of the water at least once a week. Smaller and more frequent water changes are even better. Even a slight disturbance in the water quality can harm you Clown Loach and in a community aquarium the Clown Loach is usually the first fish that falls ill or die when the water quality drops. Since your will find the live Clown Loaches in streams and rivers, the aquarium should ideally also have strong water circulation. The aquarium must have a will fitted lid since Clown Loaches are vigorous jumpers.

About the author:

Read more about clown loaches like for exampel what to think about when buying clown loaches and the best clown loach aquarium setup.

Written By: William Berg

Our warm-blooded nature enables our body temperature to adjust to our environment. Fish and invertebrates are not as fortunate. The body temperatures of these cold-blooded creatures are harmonious to their environment. It is, therefore, the fish owners’ responsibility to maintain the appropriate aquarium temperature.

98.6 degrees is our optimal body temperature. Anything venturing too far above or below this invariably results in a trip to the emergency room. There is no across the board temperature for fish as this depends on their origin. A fluctuation of just one or two degrees can be fatal. To avoid losing your aquatic friends, determine whether your fish is a temperate or tropical one. Temperate fish originate from cooler waters and require a coldwater aquarium. You will find that most fish are tropical and need warm water set to between 75 and 79 degrees. This is a job for an aquarium heater.

There are numerous heaters options on the market. Most of them fall into three major categories.

Hanging Tank Heaters

Hanging tank heaters have been around the longest and are the least expensive. They hang upon the rim of the tank while the glass portion of the heater is submerged in the water. This partial submersion, consequently, results in less than adequate heat exchange. The heater’s placement on the tank’s rim also increases the risk of damage.

Submersible Heaters

As the name suggests, submersible heaters are fully immersed making them better for heat exchange. They can be placed anywhere, although areas of high circulation such as the filtration system or sump pump are recommended. Owners of submersible heaters also enjoy advanced thermostat controls.

Heating Cable Heaters

Heating cable systems are most commonly found in freshwater aquariums, but they do exist in some saltwater tanks. The heaters rest below the aquarium’s substrate and are manipulated by a separate electronic controlling unit. There is one caveat. When these systems need to be replaced, the entire substrate must be dug up in order to remove it.

Selecting the correct heater tube length for your aquarium is critical. Because heat rises, skilled aquarist stay clear of shorter units that under perform. Heaters also offer varying levels of power. The general rule of thumb is to select 5 watts of heater per gallon of water.

Most heaters come equipped with a thermometer, but you will want to purchase an external one so you can monitor it for yourself. Thermometers that attach to the outside of the tank are influenced by air temperature. Avoid them along with those made of metal and use mercury. Floating bulb thermometers and LCD strip thermometers that stick to the side of the tank are the most common. If you have a larger tank, consider purchasing two thermometers and placing them on opposite sides of the aquarium. They will work in tandem to provide accurate readings for the entire tank.

Sustaining your aquarium’s optimal temperature is necessary for your pets’ survival. Purchasing the right equipment and regularly monitoring your aquarium will keep you and your fish out of hot water.

About the author:

http://www.reefsaltwateraquarium.com

Written By: Reef Saltwateraquarium

Buying Your First Aquarium, What To Look For

If you are interested in buying an aquarium and keeping several varieties of fish as pets, there are several things you should know before you start looking. Some factors to keep in mind are type of fish, number of fish, and what type of decor would you like. Buying an aquarium can end up costing a great deal of money but if you shop smart you can get a nice aquarium for a good price.

If you haven’t owned an aquarium before, you might think it would be best to start off small. In truth you are establishing an ecosystem, so buying a small tank and only a few fish, is actually harder than going a bit bigger. In order for your aquarium to survive, you need the correct pH balance and also some live plants. Think in terms of twenty gallons as a starting size. This will give your fish room to swim and not feel trapped in a tiny space. It will give you more to look at and enjoy as well.

Don’t purchase too many fish in the beginning. Four or five is a good number. You’ll be able to add more later on if you want to. Another consideration is deciding if you want fresh water fish or salt water fish. You can’t have both in the same aquarium. Most of the tropicals live in salt water.

Before you randomly choose some fish, do some Internet research or talk to the pet store employees. Some fish species don’t interact well and may actually eat one another for lunch.

Now that you know the tank and the fish you want, it’s time to think about decorations. There are a lot of choices at the pet store, and the right ones depend only on what you like. That doesn’t mean however, that you can just put anything in the water. Gravel especially must come from a pet store, since it won’t have an adverse affect on your aquarium system, like beach gravel would. You don’t want to upset the balance you’ve worked so hard to establish.

After having your fish and decided upon the aquarium you would like, next you will have to bring in the water. The chlorine in the normal tap water is harmful for the plants and the fish. This is the most important factor. You will have to treat the tap water to remove the chlorine content. Use a chlorine remover before adding the water to the aquarium.

Maintaining the correct water temperature is another important consideration for your aquarium. It needs to be between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so be sure to purchase a thermometer. If the temperature isn’t just right, your fish could die.

The next thing to be considered is the food for the fish. Most fish are not fussy about the food they are given, fish flakes and pellets are both fine with the fish. Recommendation for any special food can be ascertained from the pet store.

Some people are of the opinion that just placing a few gold fish in a bowl and hoping that the fish will be fine. However it takes much more effort. Starting an aquarium and then maintaining it can be very enjoyable and satisfying.

About The Author

Kathy Strander runs a very interesting website at Rock Aquarium, visit there today for the latest Aquarium advice, and while you’re there sign up for the free newsletter. Read many more interesting articles on Aquarium at: http://www.rockaquarium.com/articles

Written By: Kathy Strander

There are two areas of introducing new fish into an aquarium that you must be aware of: 1. Fish Quarantine

Fish quarantine is one big, singular factor that must be observed strictly before you can be sure that your new fish is of good health and not an apostle of doom for the other inmates. Most new fishkeepers don’t take consider this very important factor.

For the benefit of intending aquarists, quarantine in the fish world refers to the physical and chemical treatment of new fishes (either imported or caught from the wild) to rid them of disease and restlessness before introduction into a new environment,

A small quarantine tank (30×20x25cm) is advisable for any serious aquarist. The alternative is to be sure that your pet shop has a functional quarantine section to cater for bacterial, fungal and viral diseases.

This is a sure guarantee against fish deaths. The unfortunate thing with most shops in the country is the lack of space and inadequate expertise to build and administer the prophylaxis procedure on new fish, as the procedure is sure to last at least nigh days! To the average aqua-investor, this is an unnecessary tie down of capital and you know what that means.

Admittedly, the expense incurred on quarantine by way of chemical purchase e.g. copper sulphate, wescodyne, malachite green, teremycin etc) is high. This is more or less reflected on the final sales price of the fish, which is slightly higher in our shop. But, this would pay you off in the long run, as it is unlikely that you will complain of fish deaths any longer.

I am quite sure, some fish farmers reading this column would be more concerned about the application of this procedure to solve their farm problems especially those with hatcheries or those who stock with post fry and fingerlings.

2. Feeding New Fish

When you just introduce a new fish to aquarium tank it’s necessary to feed the fish. Though this will not be instant because no matter how carefully you add the fish to your aquarium tank they will look very unhappy for a while.

Thus it’s necessary that you turn the flights out, and leave them overnight to get used to their new home first before thinking of feeding them. Then feed fish with aquarium fish food with fish flakes the next day, this will make the fish feel at home.

If you already have an established tank, it is advisable to quarantine new fish before adding them to an existing populated, and the cheapest way to do this is to purchase a plastic tank which will need no gravel or plants.

This can be used solely for quarantine and as a hospital tank.

Leave the fish in this tank for about three days during which any disease harbored by the fish would be evident for which it can be treated using available chemicals from your dealer. The fish can then be introduced into the tank in the same way as before.

When you add new fish to an established community, there will probably be a certain amount of harassment of the new arrivals by the original fish. Try to divert their attention by giving them a good feed when the fish are introduced.

About the Author

For more great aquarium related articles and resources check out http://tropicalfish.aquariumspot.com

Written By: Nathan Miller

Just as trees, flowers and plants help our environment, add a food source and make our landscapes beautiful so too do aquatic plants provide the same for your aquarium.

Just like us fish like to have areas where they can swim around and nibble at, but plant life in the aquarium plays a much greater part in the aquatic environment.

Toxins in the water created by rotting food and fish excrement pollute and starve the water of vital oxygen. Remembering that the fish breathe water through their gills we know that it is vital to keep oxygen levels up in the tank. Aquatic plants will help the process and uses the phosphate created in the nitrogen cycle to help them grow.

So what is the nitrogen cycle? Just like on land the leaves, plant life and animal droppings rot and mulch down into a fertiliser. Plant roots take the fertiliser and use it as a feed. In the aquarium rotting foods, and fish waste falls to the bottom of the tank and turns into a fertiliser for the aquatic plants. In turn they produce oxygen through photosynthesis just as the trees and flowers do above water. More oxygen means that the fish can breathe healthy clean and safe water.

Aquatic plants also play an important part in the breeding process of fish. Some species lay their eggs beneath the leaves away from other predatory fish swimming around the plants to ward off fish from nearing them until the eggs hatch, the leafy plants then offer a good food source for the young fry and indeed many adult fish enjoy nibbling on the fresh leaves as much as we enjoy our garden vegetables..

Not only are aquatic plants important to the tank environment but offer an exciting landscape for you and your fish. Imagine walking through the countryside and seeing no trees, no flowers and plant life, pretty grim thought yes? In the same respect the underwater garden offers you the chance to create dramatic and stunning plant effects that will give you hours of watching pleasure as you see your fish happily swimming and enjoying the garden you have given them.

Different plants have different visual effects, look around your aquatic centre and ask for advice as some plants are hardier than others and therefore easier to look after. You will also need to ensure you have a good substrate for the roots to grow and a plant food, this usually comes in liquid form and can be added at intervals to ensure your plants get what they need to survive life in the tank.

The plants come in all shapes and sizes, various colours can brighten a drab looking aquarium, this not only creates great effect for you and any visitors to your home, but also gives the fish a greater enjoyment. When you plant your garden, use your imagination, create an effect you will truly be happy with, and if you need an extra hand there are hundreds of ideas to choose from in websites and books readily available on the net, library’s and in your local aquatic centre.

About the author:

Cerianwen is a keen aquarist with many years personal experience in tropical and cold water fish keeping. This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pet Forums.

Written By: Cerianwen Ball