Tropical Fish Tank Lover

A filter, along with a heater, is probably the most important part of any fish tank set up. Without it the water in your fish tank will become much like a stagnant pond and little will be able to live in it except for a nice film of green algae scum.

There are two main types of fish tank filters external and internal. Both of these types of filters can be used in either fresh water or salt water aquariums.

When it comes to internal filters there are two basic types. The first is the under gravel filter seen primarily in fresh water tanks. This consists of a raised plastic grate that sits on the bottom of the tank. The gravel or base material is placed over the top and clear vertical tubes attach to holes in the filter. These tubes have either a power head sitting on top or a bubbler inserted into them. The water is forced to flow through the gravel and back up the tube into the tank. The gravel itself is the filter, collecting the extra food and fish waste that is pulled down into it.

The second internal type filter is more along the lines of a sump tank just below the main tank and is used mainly for salt water tanks. There is an internal tube that that allows water to flow down into the sump where it is pumped through a series of filters that catch all the waste and bad bacteria. The filtered water is then pumped back to the top of the main tank keeping a continuous flow going. This is a good filter choice but it is on the pricey side and does create quite a bit of background noise.

An external filter is the best choice for any fish tank, if you can afford to use it. All the filtering is done outside the tank, keeping the filtered water separate from the unfiltered water until it is returned to the tank. A couple of long hoses connect the filter to the tank, one that supplies the filter and the other that returns the filtered water to the tank. This type of filter is the most effective but also the most expensive.

You can purchase any of these types of filters at your local fish shop, but may have a harder time finding the more expensive external type at a general pet store. The sump type filter will require a tank that is either altered or custom made. If you are going to spend the extra money on this type of set up it makes better sense to spend the money on a good quality external filter instead. An external fish tank filter will cost more up front but in the long run you will save on maintenance costs and fish costs because you will be providing the best habitat they need to live long and healthy lives.

For more valuable information about choosing a fish tank filter, and setting up and maintaining a new fish tank visit the website Fish Tank Care & Supplies by Clicking Here.

If you are looking for a way to set up a tropical fish aquarium in your home then there are certain things you must know before you start collecting the items needed.

Let's look at the tropical fish aquarium from a different perspective. The tropical fish are primarily made to live in the sea water, but we are looking for a way to make them live in a small aquarium tank. No matter what you do an aquarium tank can never be replaced with real life sea life. I an aquarium we can try our best to rebuild the kind of environment that the tropical fish will enjoy, but certainly has limitations.

That is why selecting the exact types of tropical fish will help you create a healthy aquarium in no time at all. Not all tropical fish can survive in the small tank. Also there are certain species that will never live together and cam cause danger to lives of each other.

That is why the best types of tropical fish that you can use in your home aquarium are.

1) Blue Gourami or 3 Spot Gourami
2) The Black Moor Goldfish
3) The Butterfly Loach

These 3 types of tropical fish are best as pet tropical fish that you can have in a home aquarium. Actually there are hundreds of types of tropical fish with great amount of colors that can easily add to the beauty of you tropical fish aquarium, but as I said they must be willing to adjust themselves to the kind of environment you will be creating in a small aquarium.

Types of tropical fish varies with not just colors, but the kind of food they eat and types of tropical fish they will go with. Amongst the many types of tropical fish such as Rainbows, Danios, Barbs, the butterfly loach is the one that can go very well with any kind of other type of fish and helps to keep the tank clean too.

I hope this article was informative.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

Want to learn about tropical fish aquarium? Visit my blog at http://tropical-fish-aquarium-types.blogspot.com to learn the insider secrets to setting up your own stunning tropical fish aquarium, quickly and easily.

Now that you’ve set up your freshwater fish tank and you’ve conditioned the water you’ll want to populate it with some fish.? But before you run out to the store to?stock your freshwater aquarium with the first fish that catch your eye you need to make some decisions about what type of fish to select.

Selecting fish based on colors is probably the last criteria for selecting the right fish for your freshwater aquarium.? You need to understand some basics about the actual breed of fish so that your fish get along and don’t fight, or even?worse, eat each other.? ?So how do you know which freshwater fish are best??

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Depending on the fish supply store where you shop you’ll find different degrees of knowledge among the staff that work there.? Try and either get a recommendation from another fish enthusiast for a local store that knows their stuff or try asking some questions where you already know the answer and see how their answers measure up.? The knowledge of the staff will vary widely depending not only on the store itself but the staff that happens to be on duty the day you walk in to shop.

But there are really two main questions to consider:

Do you want a community fish tank or do you want a single species fish tank?

GOOD COMMUNITY FISH CITIZENS

Freshwater aquarium fish that generally get along well with others include most live bearers such as Platys, Mollies, Swordtails and Guppies.? But even then, male swordtails will often fight with one being the aggressor over another.? Gouramis and Angel Fish generally play well with others, too.? Neon Tetras and Zebra Danios add color and lots of motion and are considered school fish that usually hang out in groups.?

Cichlids are usually aggressive and territorial as are Tiger Barbs and other types of Barbs.

Non-community fish would also include Oscars, which eat other fish, as well as some exotic fish like the Cave Blind Fish which will bite first and ask questions later.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

Fish of the same sex will sometimes fight (such as the swordtails mentioned above).? Several females to one male usually works best to avoid conflict.? ?And disparity in size will often lead to problems with larger fish eating or nipping at much smaller fish.? In general, try to avoid mixing really small fish with larger fish as the temptation to eat each other will just be too great.? Not to mention a complete waste of money.? That’s not to say that a big Kissing Gourami can’t get along with a guppy.? But again, you’ll need to know what you’re bringing home.

Here are some other questions to consider:

• Does the fish like to hide (like loaches) or does it enjoy open areas (like zebra danios)?
• What is the fish’s PH preference (Lower pH verses higher pH)?
• What does the fish eat?? (Some only eat live food)
• Is it a bottom feeder or a top feeder?
• How much space does this fish need? (now and in the future when they grow)
• What temperature does this fish thrive in?

If you’re not sure about the expertise of the people working in the local fish store, one idea is to go to the store, write down some names of the fish you like and then research them on the Internet when you get home using this article as your check list.? We also strongly recommend buying only 2 - 3 new fish at a time.? Let them get settled in, see how they behave and then consider adding newcomers based on the size of your tank.

Granted, some of this will be trial and error but by doing your homework in advance, you can have a healthy, happy freshwater aquarium in no time!

Gene R. Russell is a freshwater fish expert. For more great tips on freshwater aquarium fish, visit http://www.aquarium-keepers.com/choosing-fishes-for-your-aquarium.

Some folk are just so competitive aren’t they? We usually start off when we’re kids with the old “my Dad’s bigger than your Dad” mentality and it grows into “my garage is bigger than your garage”. Of course we may not mouth those words but we sure do mean them. It seems that some folk have the same mentality regarding their freshwater fish aquariums.

I have read lots of fish forums where there is an actual argument about a person’s aquarium set up and it grows into a full scale battle over who has the best freshwater fish aquarium. Folks we’re barking up the wrong tree.

You see if all we care about is our pride and who has the biggest and best aquarium then that home for the fish ain’t gonna last very long. Why? Because pride has taken over maintenance and research that’s why. You will probably know that you cannot just buy a fish tank, fill it with water, throw lots of fish into it together with a plant or two and then hope for a happy fish home for them and a stunning visual masterpiece for you. Your “hobby” would last a month tops!

For a successful aquarium you need to research the subject which is fun and extremely interesting, ask questions to points you’re unsure of and carry out the actual aquarium set up only when you have the correct knowledge. This will ensure a life long hobby which is very rewarding, satisfying and calming, I kid you not.

So come on folks, throw your pride in the bin and make that hobby last a lifetime. Starting a freshwater aquarium is one of the best experiences you’ll ever have. But do it right with research and good maintenance and then without realising it, you really will have the best aquarium in town.

http://www.aquariumhintsandtips.com

John Eddie has for some time been a keen enthusiast in freshwater fish and their aquarium. He has gathered lots of information, much of which is not readily available at your local pet shop.
For more interesting and helpful information on freshwater fish and the aquarium please visit the above site at your leisure.

Many folk start a hobby only to make a mistake due to lack of prior research and then they become disheartened and give up before they’ve started. This is such an unnecessary shame. Starting a freshwater fish aquarium is a hobby which also needs prior research.

You know what it’s like. You get an idea in your head, excitement takes over and logical thought leaves the arena before one foot is put forward.

A classic example of this happening in the wonderful world of freshwater fish aquariums is when a person gets that same excitement about starting his aquarium set up. He ponders about it, daydreams about it and conjures up all imaginary and stunning aquariums in his mind.

Then of course, he leaves his house to get that aquarium tank, fish and all the rest of it without giving one single thought to how much space he has in his home for the tank itself. Happens all the time folks.

The 1.5m long tank arrives (with it’s owner of course) and he starts to put the tank into position. One problem. The available space is only 1.25m long and the tank simply will not fit into this shorter space and there is nowhere else in the house for it to go.

One very annoyed and hobby-hating person who may or may not get a refund for his non researched aquarium tank.

Listen folks, it really is quite easy to avoid this common mistake when starting a freshwater aquarium - measure up your available space first. Yes, common sense isn’t it, but lots of folk make this same mistake time and time again. Don’t be one of them.

http://www.aquariumhintsandtips.com

John Eddie has for some time been a keen enthusiast in freshwater fish and their aquarium. He has gathered lots of information, much of which is not readily available at your local pet shop.

For more interesting and helpful information on freshwater fish and the aquarium please visit the above site at your leisure.

Otocinclus catfish can be very handy fish to have in your aquarium. They will gladly graze on any soft brown or green algae that grows in your tank. However, what happens when your Oto eats all the algae and it doesn’t grow fast enough to sustain your catfish? Well, there are several other types of food that you can add to supplement your Oto’s diet.

1. Otos love to eat fresh vegetables. Veggies such as spinach, romaine lettuce, parsley, cucumber, zucchini, green beans, and peas are all great options. Cut them into small pieces and then blanch them, as these catfish need the veggies to be soft in order to eat them. If there are any vegetables left in the tank around 24 hours later, make sure to take them out before they dirty the water.

2. Another food that you can feed your Otocinclus that they love is frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp. These are a good source of protein that your catfish might not otherwise get, as they are mostly vegetarian. If you have other fish in your tank, be aware that your Oto might not get to the frozen food before any other fish do, as nearly all tropical fish go crazy for these frozen foods.

3. A third great option is algae pellets and flakes. These are convenient to feed and are fairly nutritious. Make sure that the ingredient list has spirulina (algae) near the top, as that is what attracts the catfish and may be the difference between your Oto ignoring the food and eating it.

As you can see, there are many different foods that you can feed your Otocinclus if your tank doesn’t have enough algae for the fish to eat.

For the past several years, Angela Marie has had multiple aquariums which have housed several types of tropical fish, including catfish, cichlids, and Bettas. She loves to educate other fish owners on the proper care of tropical fish.

Some folk have so much money they can throw it around whilst the rest of us have to count each and every penny or dime. Here is one way to throw money around whilst starting a freshwater fish aquarium and end up penniless and with no actual aquarium to show for it.

Now the first thing you need to do is get excited about starting your new found hobby of fish aquariums - no, don’t do anything else, just get excited. Ok, next you need to rush out and buy the most fancy looking aquarium you ever did see and remember, don’t ask any questions to the shop assistants. Just buy it and whatever you do, don’t measure it up first to see if it fits into your space at home which you also must not measure up.

Ok, that’s a good start. Now you need to buy strange looking objects which you’ve never seen before to go into the actual fish aquarium tank like plants and decorations. Again, don’t ask anyone if the plants you have chosen go well with the fish you’re going to buy. Buy any old substrate gravel and then one of those water filter thingies which go inside the tank itself.

Now for the fish. Buy any fish you fancy. A very important point here. Whatever you do, you must certainly not ask an assistant whether the fish you have just bought will eat each other or not.

When you get home throw everything into the tank which you have just filled with ordinary tap water, sit back and do nothing.

Ok, you get the point of what I am trying to make here.

Before getting that far you will more likely find that the tank you bought will not fit into your space at home and there just ain’t anywhere else it will go. Furthermore, the likelyhood is that the shop where you bought it from will not give a refund. Even if you did set up the tank, the fish would either die because of non treatment of the water or worse still, they could eat each other. You will have lost everything and have nothing to show for your efforts.

The lesson here is to research the hobby of starting a freshwater aquarium before you do anything. Measure up the available space at home before thinking about buying that tank. If you’re buying different species of fish then check first that they won’t each other. In other words, research, research, research. Because you have a passion for the new hobby, the research will be fun, exciting and extremely interesting so go on, get in there and make that proper start.

Then you will have a hobby for life and not for a day.

http://www.aquariumhintsandtips.com

John Eddie has for some time been a keen enthusiast in freshwater fish and their aquarium. He has gathered lots of information, much of which is not readily available at your local pet shop.

For more interesting and helpful information on freshwater fish and the aquarium please visit the above site at your leisure.

We all know how beautiful coral reefs are, many of us have seen them on the TV and few lucky enough will have visited one of the many around the world. This will of cause what will have made you to decide to keep these fantastic animals in your home.

Many of these have disappeared and even more are under threat. These include Climate change, Pollution, overfishing and other human activities. As hobbyist’s it our responsibility we don’t contribute to these threats.

Please Act responsibly. Many corals, fish and invertebrates come from the wild. many reefs around the world are productive so taking from them can be sustainable, provided it?is correctly managed. You can help by finding ways helping conservation. Here are a few ideas to help you.?

• Use all resources for selecting livestock including, Books, Magazines, experience from other Reefers and?on line Forums.?
• Learn about your upcoming purchases using the above resources.
• Find out where your fish and corals come from.
• Make sure the animals are certified and sustainable.
• Find coral ’frags’ from fellow reefers that come from their aquariums.
• Some rules. All corals require an import license, some species are banned into the EU to help protect them.

Looking for stock that is certified by the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) This stock will have met all the above criteria and more.

Now you need to be responsible in meeting your?live-stocks needs and see many years of enjoyment from your livestock. Requirements include.

• Correct water quality.
• Plenty of space.
• Correct food and feeding regime.
• Compatibility with other tank mates.
• Lighting.
• Flow.

Remember there is always something to learn. hobbyist’s?are learning new things all the time. This is one of the great things about this hobby.

For more articles and information on conservation visit my Blog - http://myreefblog.blogspot.com
Learn all about reefkeeping from this great E-book, immediate download. http://myreefblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/saltwater-aquarium-advice.html

With many people starting a freshwater fish aquarium I thought it a good idea to put down the basics in a nice and easy guide so that folk wouldn’t start on the wrong foot and then give up before they’ve even started. If you start out correctly you will certainly have a life long hobby with happy fish.

Ok, here goes.

The first thing you need to do is decide on the type of fish you want to keep. Don’t do this alone. Always consult with your local pet shop for advice as they’re usually really good and have excellent knowledge on what they sell and what’s best for your personal preferences. Your aquarium tank should never be placed in busy areas at home as it can cause distress to the fish and neither should it be placed in direct sunlight or drafts. It might be best to wipe out the tank with a wet cloth before use to get rid of any unwanted visitors.

Before using your substrate (gravel) pour water over it to clean it through and then place it in the tank as evenly as possible. You will need about one inch of substrate in your tank maybe just a little bit more, one and a half inches maximum.

Next, place your filter in or on the tank depending on which type you have and pop in the appropriate cartridge. If using a heater put this in the tank also but don’t turn anything on yet. Your decorations which you are using should also be cleansed through with water before you then place them in the tank. If you are using plants then fill the tank about half way, add them and then fill the tank leaving about a two inch gap from the top.

There you have the basics to starting a freshwater aquarium When you need more advice or are unsure about anything don’t guess. Instead ask at your local pet shop. Start in the correct way and you really will have a successful and happy aquarium with lots of happy fish and one happy owner.

http://www.aquariumhintsandtips.com

John Eddie has for some time been a keen enthusiast in freshwater fish and their aquarium. He has gathered lots of information, much of which is not readily available at your local pet shop. For more interesting and helpful information on freshwater fish and the aquarium please visit the above site at your leisure.

For many successful reef hobbyists there will come a time when the corals have adapted well and exhibit good growth. This eventually leads to overcrowding and coral trimming well, becomes necessary. This is a great chance to recoup the costs of a reef aquarium and promote aquacultured corals in the reef aquarium hobby. This hobby often impacts our precious ocean resources and efforts to minimize negative impacts and are always beneficial.

A frag tank has a few qualities that differ from a typical reef aquarium. First, a frag tank system should have very minimal rock work in the main tank. Live rock is still necessary for filtration but should be stored in the sump or refugium. The idea is to maximize the space for coral frags. This also allows for efficient flow since large objects often obstruct flow.

A frag system should be shallow as possible to maximize the efficiency of lights and pumps. A good height range for a frag tank ranges from 8 to 12 inches. Frag tanks that are dedicated to strictly SPS corals may even get away with six inches. If the frag tank will house a mixture of coral frags with different lighting requirements then it’s best to go with 12 inches.

It’s important to have high, medium to low light zones in a frag tank. This is very important since it’s very easy to overpower a shallow tank. A coral frag that was trimmed from a low light area in an aquarium that is suddenly exposed to 250 watts under a few inches of water can mean disaster. A sudden increase in intensity can quickly bleach out a coral.

High flow is very important in a frag tank because newly trimmed frags will require high flow to prevent infection. Furthermore, frag tanks are usually fed heavily to increase growth rates. For this reason good flow will help minimize settling detritus. Like a display aquarium, it is important that the water flow is random and multidirectional. Finally, a space should be set up in the frag system with an area of zero flow. Many live corals such as Xenia or Mushrooms will require time to attach to objects after being cut. These corals will need an area with nearly no flow for them to attach. A great place for this is the refugium or sump.

A frag tank doesn’t always require a complex and expensive equipment. Nano frag tanks are extremely popular and can set up quite easily. With enough effort and time it’s possible to recover the frag tank investment. Growing out coral frags is a rewarding experience and a great way to save our reefs.

Los Angeles Reefs is a reef shop that specializes in live coral, macroalgae and other marine livestock for reef aquariums. LA Reefs is owned and operated by hobbyists and run under the motto hobbyist to hobbyist. It has been enjoying success throughout the past 8 years with experience in thousands of shipments since start up.

For a wide selection of Zoanthids visit: Zoanthid Frags.