Learn About Aquariums » sufficient food http://learnaboutaquariums.com Learn How To Obtain, Sustain & Maintain Your Aquatic Mini-World... Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:57:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Caring for your aquarium and tropical fishes http://learnaboutaquariums.com/caring_for_your_aquarium_and_tropical_fishes.php/ http://learnaboutaquariums.com/caring_for_your_aquarium_and_tropical_fishes.php/#comments Tue, 20 Feb 2007 11:06:43 +0000 admin http://learnaboutaquariums.com/caring_for_your_aquarium_and_tropical_fishes.php/ Whether you have a big sized aquarium with lots of tropical fish or just a glass bowl on your table with a couple of Gold fishes, they give you great pleasure and tranquility to see them.
Fishes are most soothing pets, but they can be real delicate too. However you can take a good care for your fishes by remembering some small tips.
Whether you are out for a couple of days, your fishes will be there waiting for you when you come back. Here are some tips to keep your fishes healthy.

1) Cleaning your aquarium or tank

Your fish survives in the water of your tank or your aquarium. Not only they eat in it but also the water gradually accumulates the bio-waste from our fishes and gravel.
So it makes a god sense to clean the aquarium and change the water once a week. Do not change the entire water immediately. Fishes are sensitive to water temperature and a sudden change may affect them. Collect your fishes in a tub or a plastic bag with some water of your tank or aquarium. Seal the plastic bag and put it safely. Then clean the aquarium and change the water. Put the plastic bag (with the fishes and water) inside the aquarium -without opening it. Let the temperature of the water inside the plastic bag change gradually to that of the new water in the aquarium. Your fishes will adapt to the new temperature. Then open the plastic bag and release the fishes inside the aquarium.
After all a clean aquarium is always more pleasant to look at.

2) Cleaning your aquariums air pump

Dirt and gravel often coagulates the air pump making it function less efficiently. Often bio-waste accumulates in the air filter. Consider changing the air filter at least once a month or as mentioned in the air-pump manual

3) Feeding your fishes.

One big word: Do Not Overfeed your fishes. Most aquarium fishes die of overfeeding rather then underfeeding. Also leftover foods (usually your fishes will continue eating till they are in real trouble!) contaminate the water, and promote bacteria harmful to the fishes. Feed the fish small amounts, which they can consume in three to five minutes and feed them daily. And if you are going out for a couple of days in the weekend, do not try to feed them an extra quantity on Friday. Your fishes will do well on an empty stomach for a couple of days. Also it is always better not to ask your helpful neighbor not to feed your fish when you are away for the weekend. The chances are that your over-zealous neighbor will overfeed them (with a good intention, of course!).
There is sufficient food in a balanced aquarium to keep fish healthy even though not fed for a day or more.

About the Author

See my e-book on Tropical fishes at http://dotpacket.net/tropical/

Written By: Partha Mitra

]]> http://learnaboutaquariums.com/caring_for_your_aquarium_and_tropical_fishes.php/feed/ 0 Is Your Aquarium Balanced? http://learnaboutaquariums.com/is_your_aquarium_balanced.php/ http://learnaboutaquariums.com/is_your_aquarium_balanced.php/#comments Sat, 12 Aug 2006 08:58:42 +0000 admin http://learnaboutaquariums.com/is_your_aquarium_balanced.php/ The world as we know it is in balance. Animals breathe in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. Plant absorbs carbon dioxide and give off oxygen as part of there process of photosynthesis. Animals eat plants and animals wastes, feed plants. Water evaporated from the seas and come back to freshen the earth. The absolute balance of an aquarium world is not usually possible for a beginner. Usually the fish give off more waste matter (both in gas and solids) than the plant life can absorb. And plants almost never provide sufficient food for fish life in an aquarium tank (the things that the aquarium keeper must provide to maintain plant life). But too much encourages the excess growth of algae, causing green water and green-coated tank walls.

Below are the 4 things you as an aquarium keeper must learn to balance:

Food:

It must be a balance of vegetable and animal matter. The reason is that insufficient food stunts the growth and lowers the resistance of fish to disease. On the flip side too much food can also harm the fish by polluting the aquarium.

Size of tank:

The tank must be larger enough to provide space according to the number and size of the fish. It mustalso have sufficient surface so that oxygen can be absorbed to satisfy them.

Temperature:

This poses no problem for us in this part of the world as the range of 24 degree centigrade to 30 obtainable here is most ideal for tropical fish.

Gravel:

One or two inches of sand gravel is all that is required to anchor plants. However be carefull because too much gravel accumulates waste matter that tends to pollute the aquarium.

Master balancing these 4 elements of your aquarium and your tank will look great and your fish will live a long happy life!

About the Author

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

Written By: Nathan Miller

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