Caring For Your Goldfish
Care information about keeping goldfish as pets.
Goldfish are undemanding, cheap to feed and pretty to look at, which makes them popular pets. However a lot of owners don't know how to keep them healthy and happy.
First of all, when buying goldfish, you shouldn't let them be placed in those small water-filled plastic bags as these do not hold enough water or oxygen, so the fish usually dies soon afterwards. Because goldfish thrive on a good oxygen supply, you should buy a regtangular aquarium with a large water surface area, avoiding traditional round goldfish bowls. The aquarium should also have a glass cover with a gap of a few cenimetres for air exchange. Try to place the aquarium in a bright area that receives at least an hour's direct sunlight a day. The water must be kept unpolluted with a neutral pH range (between 6.8 and 7.2). Unfiltered aquariums should have the water partially changed several times a week; fltered tanks only need to have this done once a month. If you use tap water, let is stand in another container for about 45 days or buy some de-chlorinating tablets.
The greatest cause of death in goldfish is overfeeding. Only feed your fish what they can eat within five minutes and remove any leftover food. The average goldfish should be fed once a day with a pinch of fish food.
Sick fish are easy to spot. They will sit on the bottom of the tank, their fins and tails drooping, swim on their sides or even float upside down. Diseases can be caused by lack of filtration, incorrect water pH, dirty water, overcrowding and rough handling. Goldfish are also particularly sensitive to changes in their environment. Substances such as sprays, nicotene and new paint will harm the goldfish. If you suspect that your fish is sick take it to the vet and keep it in isolation to prevent the disease from spreading.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Breeding Siamese Fighting Fish
Breeding Siamese Fighting Fish
The Siamese Fighting Fish, or Betta splendens, are bubble-nesters that breed by collecting and tending to their eggs in bubbles at the aquarium's water surface. The Betta splendens or the Siamese Fighting Fish tropical freshwater aquarium fishes that are known and bred for their exotically colorful finnage. As "labyrinth" fishes, also known as Anabantids, they have the capability to breathe air and survive in what would normally be considered unpleasant habitats such as filter-less, non-aerated tanks, or even individual jars. This preferred solo existence, however, is actually for their own health and safety because in a community, Betta males will seek each other and fight to death.
Most labyrinth fishes, the Betta included, are bubble-nesters. To successfully breed the Betta, you need an average-sized aquarium that is very lightly aerated and heavily planted with vegetation reaching up to the surface. Floating plants with trailing roots will also serve the purpose because the fish will build their bubble-nests among the plants close to the water surface. The plants will hold the bubble-nest in place.
Use a tight-fitting cover for the tank so that humidity remains high at the surface. The humidity will prevent the bubble-nest and eggs from drying up.
At breeding time, the male Betta chooses a small area among the plants at the water surface to build a nest. He gulps air through his mouth and expels them in the water through his gills. The expelled bubbles are covered with sticky mucus; they float upwards (but don't pop), and remain held together, afloat, by the plant leaves.
The male then courts a female and lures her under the bubble nest. When the female is ready, the pair engages in a tumbling embrace where eggs and milt are released into the water. Betta eggs are heavy so they sink to the bottom. As soon as the male recovers from the embrace, he goes about catching the eggs with his mouth and depositing them into the bubble nest. The female joins the male in collecting the eggs, after which, they resume spawning. The tumbling, spawning, and egg-catching activity lasts for several hours, giving rise to a nest of about 200 to 300 eggs.
After spawning, the male assumes its paternal role: to watch over the nest and pick a fight with whoever comes near, including the female. At this point, the female should be removed from the breeding tank.
The male will continue to reinforce the bubble nest, diligently returning eggs that fall off or float away back into the cluster. In two to four days, the fry will emerge. The male must be removed at this point, because he will tend to consider the small fishes as food. The fry should then be fed with infusoria or any appropriate fine-powdered fry food.
The Siamese Fighting Fish, or Betta splendens, are bubble-nesters that breed by collecting and tending to their eggs in bubbles at the aquarium's water surface. The Betta splendens or the Siamese Fighting Fish tropical freshwater aquarium fishes that are known and bred for their exotically colorful finnage. As "labyrinth" fishes, also known as Anabantids, they have the capability to breathe air and survive in what would normally be considered unpleasant habitats such as filter-less, non-aerated tanks, or even individual jars. This preferred solo existence, however, is actually for their own health and safety because in a community, Betta males will seek each other and fight to death.
Most labyrinth fishes, the Betta included, are bubble-nesters. To successfully breed the Betta, you need an average-sized aquarium that is very lightly aerated and heavily planted with vegetation reaching up to the surface. Floating plants with trailing roots will also serve the purpose because the fish will build their bubble-nests among the plants close to the water surface. The plants will hold the bubble-nest in place.
Use a tight-fitting cover for the tank so that humidity remains high at the surface. The humidity will prevent the bubble-nest and eggs from drying up.
At breeding time, the male Betta chooses a small area among the plants at the water surface to build a nest. He gulps air through his mouth and expels them in the water through his gills. The expelled bubbles are covered with sticky mucus; they float upwards (but don't pop), and remain held together, afloat, by the plant leaves.
The male then courts a female and lures her under the bubble nest. When the female is ready, the pair engages in a tumbling embrace where eggs and milt are released into the water. Betta eggs are heavy so they sink to the bottom. As soon as the male recovers from the embrace, he goes about catching the eggs with his mouth and depositing them into the bubble nest. The female joins the male in collecting the eggs, after which, they resume spawning. The tumbling, spawning, and egg-catching activity lasts for several hours, giving rise to a nest of about 200 to 300 eggs.
After spawning, the male assumes its paternal role: to watch over the nest and pick a fight with whoever comes near, including the female. At this point, the female should be removed from the breeding tank.
The male will continue to reinforce the bubble nest, diligently returning eggs that fall off or float away back into the cluster. In two to four days, the fry will emerge. The male must be removed at this point, because he will tend to consider the small fishes as food. The fry should then be fed with infusoria or any appropriate fine-powdered fry food.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Breeding Guppies
Breeding Guppies
Breeding Guppies is an awesome responsibility requiring time, space, and a financial commitment.
Is Breeding Guppies the hobby for you?
Learn more.
Pet care is an awesome responsibility even with tiny pets such as guppies. The breeding of guppies is an even larger commitment. It requires a serious outlook and should not be taken lightly.
The initial consideration is space. Guppies are relatively easy to breed compared to other animals; however, it is essential to have plenty of room in your home or apartment to accommodate the equipment needed. The secret is to start small. Expansion should be expected if there is success.
In addition to the initial tank, two more aquariums, one for each sex, each with the capacity of 15 to 20 gallons, should be prepared for the young guppies. Keeping the sexes separate from the earliest possible time allows guppies to be nurtured to maturity and more easily and selectively bred. A series of additional ten-gallon aquariums should be maintained, too, so you can separate guppies of certain desired color patterns that appear from time to time. Each tank will require all the necessary equipment that is normally needed in a single tank, such as proper lighting, heating, and a filtration system.
Once you've set up the equipment, shop for your first breeding guppies. The requirement is a virgin female neither too young nor too old. The male should be as close to the female's age as possible. Start them off on a conditioned diet of white worms, live or frozen foods, mosquito larvae, and brine shrimp, with a daily addition of high quality dry food.
Observe the male and female in their new environment. The male at this point is almost always swimming around the female in an elaborate display, spreading his fins before the female, seeking her attention. It may seem that copulation occurs many times. Guppy copulation occurs when the male touches its forward protruding copulatory fin to the female's genital area.
If all goes as planned, a fertilized guppy female will produce a new batch of fry approximately every four weeks, if kept warm, with as many as five litters being produced as a result of a single mating.
The first sign that a female is about to give birth is her gravid spot on her belly. It begins to appear darker in color. The gravid spot gets darker and moves down the female's body toward her vent. At this point, remove the female from the tank very carefully and place her in the previously prepared separate aquarium with large masses of floating plants.
Young guppies are usually born head first, emerging from their mother's genital opening in a curled position. They will uncurl almost immediately after they are born and will make their way to the surface, where their swim bladders are filled with air for the first time. The best time to net them is when they begin to near the surface.
As soon after birth as possible, remove the female guppy to another aquarium by herself. While well-fed guppies do not usually feed on their own young, it is always best to play it safe.
Observe the new fry for at least a week. Fry food is available at pet stores. It is powdery in nature, so avoid over-feeding as this has a tendency to clog the filter. If you observe any deformed guppies, remove them immediately.
It is possible to begin determining the sexes and separating the fry after the initial week. Experts have a procedure for "sexing" the fry that is easily reproduced by a home enthusiast.
First, you will need a two-gallon aquarium and a piece of black cardboard that can cover the back of the aquarium. Cut a hole about 1/2 inch in the center of the cardboard and place it on the back of the aquarium. Place a small lamp with a frosted 100-watt bulb directly behind the hole. Using the water from the aquarium containing the new fry, fill the two-gallon tank. Carefully remove two or three fry from the tank and put them in the sexing tank. Wait until early evening when the sun is dim, and using a magnifying glass, observe the guppy as it swims through the beam of light. Under these specialized conditions, the gravid spot of the females can be detected. Males will not have this spot. Segregate the males and females.
After 4 to 6 weeks, you should be able to see if any of the fry are displaying unusual color designs that greatly vary from the parents. If you are seriously working toward developing an unusual color strain, these should be segregated into a smaller tank of about ten gallons.
Among guppy breeding enthusiasts, there is great honor bestowed on those who are able to produce a male and female strain of guppies whose color and markings are closely matched. For this reason, it is also recommended that you study body coloration and spots on fins of the females.
After six months, the time has come to choose a couple of females who have developed well-shaped bodies, fins, and coloration. Observe them and remove them carefully from the tank. Place two females in another aquarium with the male you have chosen. Lower the net carefully into the water and allow the guppies to swim out on their own. Never drop them as this can cause undo stress. At this point, the process of breeding starts all over again.
If your interest is serious, experts suggest acquiring new stock from sources different from where you acquired your original stock. In this manner, there is a possibility of creating a hybrid.
Breeding guppies is not for everyone. It is an awesome responsibility requiring time, space, and a financial commitment. If breeding guppies isn't the answer, guppies make wonderful pets without the need to breed them. Both are fun.
Breeding Guppies is an awesome responsibility requiring time, space, and a financial commitment.
Is Breeding Guppies the hobby for you?
Learn more.
Pet care is an awesome responsibility even with tiny pets such as guppies. The breeding of guppies is an even larger commitment. It requires a serious outlook and should not be taken lightly.
The initial consideration is space. Guppies are relatively easy to breed compared to other animals; however, it is essential to have plenty of room in your home or apartment to accommodate the equipment needed. The secret is to start small. Expansion should be expected if there is success.
In addition to the initial tank, two more aquariums, one for each sex, each with the capacity of 15 to 20 gallons, should be prepared for the young guppies. Keeping the sexes separate from the earliest possible time allows guppies to be nurtured to maturity and more easily and selectively bred. A series of additional ten-gallon aquariums should be maintained, too, so you can separate guppies of certain desired color patterns that appear from time to time. Each tank will require all the necessary equipment that is normally needed in a single tank, such as proper lighting, heating, and a filtration system.
Once you've set up the equipment, shop for your first breeding guppies. The requirement is a virgin female neither too young nor too old. The male should be as close to the female's age as possible. Start them off on a conditioned diet of white worms, live or frozen foods, mosquito larvae, and brine shrimp, with a daily addition of high quality dry food.
Observe the male and female in their new environment. The male at this point is almost always swimming around the female in an elaborate display, spreading his fins before the female, seeking her attention. It may seem that copulation occurs many times. Guppy copulation occurs when the male touches its forward protruding copulatory fin to the female's genital area.
If all goes as planned, a fertilized guppy female will produce a new batch of fry approximately every four weeks, if kept warm, with as many as five litters being produced as a result of a single mating.
The first sign that a female is about to give birth is her gravid spot on her belly. It begins to appear darker in color. The gravid spot gets darker and moves down the female's body toward her vent. At this point, remove the female from the tank very carefully and place her in the previously prepared separate aquarium with large masses of floating plants.
Young guppies are usually born head first, emerging from their mother's genital opening in a curled position. They will uncurl almost immediately after they are born and will make their way to the surface, where their swim bladders are filled with air for the first time. The best time to net them is when they begin to near the surface.
As soon after birth as possible, remove the female guppy to another aquarium by herself. While well-fed guppies do not usually feed on their own young, it is always best to play it safe.
Observe the new fry for at least a week. Fry food is available at pet stores. It is powdery in nature, so avoid over-feeding as this has a tendency to clog the filter. If you observe any deformed guppies, remove them immediately.
It is possible to begin determining the sexes and separating the fry after the initial week. Experts have a procedure for "sexing" the fry that is easily reproduced by a home enthusiast.
First, you will need a two-gallon aquarium and a piece of black cardboard that can cover the back of the aquarium. Cut a hole about 1/2 inch in the center of the cardboard and place it on the back of the aquarium. Place a small lamp with a frosted 100-watt bulb directly behind the hole. Using the water from the aquarium containing the new fry, fill the two-gallon tank. Carefully remove two or three fry from the tank and put them in the sexing tank. Wait until early evening when the sun is dim, and using a magnifying glass, observe the guppy as it swims through the beam of light. Under these specialized conditions, the gravid spot of the females can be detected. Males will not have this spot. Segregate the males and females.
After 4 to 6 weeks, you should be able to see if any of the fry are displaying unusual color designs that greatly vary from the parents. If you are seriously working toward developing an unusual color strain, these should be segregated into a smaller tank of about ten gallons.
Among guppy breeding enthusiasts, there is great honor bestowed on those who are able to produce a male and female strain of guppies whose color and markings are closely matched. For this reason, it is also recommended that you study body coloration and spots on fins of the females.
After six months, the time has come to choose a couple of females who have developed well-shaped bodies, fins, and coloration. Observe them and remove them carefully from the tank. Place two females in another aquarium with the male you have chosen. Lower the net carefully into the water and allow the guppies to swim out on their own. Never drop them as this can cause undo stress. At this point, the process of breeding starts all over again.
If your interest is serious, experts suggest acquiring new stock from sources different from where you acquired your original stock. In this manner, there is a possibility of creating a hybrid.
Breeding guppies is not for everyone. It is an awesome responsibility requiring time, space, and a financial commitment. If breeding guppies isn't the answer, guppies make wonderful pets without the need to breed them. Both are fun.
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