Choosing the Best Live Freshwater Aquarium Plants
When setting up your aquarium, it is very important to reproduce the fish's natural habitat, to ensure that they are healthy and can breed. An easy way to do this is by choosing freshwater aquarium plants that the particular species of fish would probably live around in the wild.
Live freshwater aquarium plants, hence, are the most suitable choice and there many different types that you can choose from. Depending on what kind of fish you buy, you can include floating plants in your aquarium, which will not only add to the tank's beauty but will also provide the fish with a great place to hide. Floating freshwater aquarium plants include Fairy Moss and Riccia.
Using Rhizomes is also a good way of incorporating freshwater aquarium plants into your aquarium, as these generally grow upwards and its roots spread on the gravel. These roots hence give the look of a lush green carpet spread over the bottom of your tank. The most commonly known varieties of Rhizomes are anubias and the African Fern.
In addition to looking gorgeous in the tank, they are also very easy to plant, as these plants attach to any piece of wood or large stones in your tank. As the Rhizomes grow, there shoots expand horizontally, they produce leaves, as well and eventually covers most of the aquarium. This gives your fish the perfect hiding spots.
Another commonly known freshwater aquarium plant is the rosette. They are said to look like crowns. These also cover the entire aquarium by the branching of their shoots. Sometimes, these plants, including the Amazon Sword and Sagittaria, also produce lovely flowers.
One of the most commonly found aquarium plants is the stems. As ordinary as the name may sound, these miraculous plants grow from the nodes of a single stem. This trait is also the origin of the plants name. The roots of the stem are firmly rooted in the gravel and the stem rises upwards. The stem also has leaves, which can be either individual or in pairs and on rare occasions having multiple leaves.
Java Moss is another freshwater aquarium favorite and it is sometimes known as the java fern. The java fern will make a great tank starter plant. Because of its nature to survive in a range of pH and is not particularly sensitive to all kinds of water.
Algae are the worst enemy of a dedicated aquarium keeper. It not only destroys the clear look of your tank, but also has more far-reaching and threatening consequences. Being a living creature, algae has a respiratory system and needs oxygen to survive; therefore, it consumes the vital oxygen content of the water. The best possible solution to this problem is to choose between two plants known as Water Wisteria and Plectomus. These two freshwater aquarium plants are 'algae-eaters' and help keep the algae content in your tank to a minimum.
If you are searching for one special plan, try cryptocoryne becketti. This plant comes with a potential of growing both on land and underwater. What makes this plant a real hit is the fact that it is available in a range of exceptional colors.
Amazon sword is another good option to consider for those who are searching for a popular aquarium plant. Echinodorus bleheri is its technical name and it is popular for its easy maintenance. As it grows fast and does not ask for a lot of care, it is the right choice for someone who has just setup a freshwater aquarium for the first time.
The fact of the matter is that live plants add to the visual delight of your fresh water aquarium. No doubt, you have to put in more effort to take care of these live plants, but they also allow you to reap several amazing benefits. So, get them and make your fish feel extremely comfortable.
Don Hill is a Freshwater Aquarium enthusiast. For more information on Freshwater Aquariums Visit
http://freshwater-aquariums-answers.com/
More on Freshwater Aquarium Live Plants.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_P_Hill
What You Need to Know About Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance
Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance Tips
Good freshwater aqurium maintenance habits are important not only for your own enjoyment but also for the life and health of your fish.
Now that you have your home freshwater aquarium up and running and populated with fish you want to make sure to protect the lives of your fish and keep them healthy and stress-free.
Proper maintenance of your home freshwater aquarium means doing regular water changes, maintaining a steady and proper tempature level, monitoring the water's PH levels and keeping the water clean and debris-free.
CHANGING THE WATER
You should siphon out approximately 20-20% of the water in your tank about twice a week and refill it with clean water. Make sure you do a partial water change at least once a month if you can't do it every two weeks, but two weeks is optimal.
You also want to make sure you don't change the water too frequently, as the friendly bacteria that builds up is actually required to keep the tank balanced and the fish healthy.
MAINTAIN A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE
Maintaining a constant temperateure between 72 and 75 degrees is optimal for most community tanks. Some fish like it a little warmer while others can tolerate it cooler, but this range will suit most home aquarium fish breeds.
KEEP A STEADY PH LEVEL
The PH level of your fish tank is basically how alkaline or acidic your water is, The PH scale ranges from 0 (highly acidic) to 14 (highly acidic). 7.0 is considered neutral and for most community fish this is what you should try for and maintain.
Maintaining a proper PH level in the tank is key and can sldo be dependent on the PH level of the water coming out of your tap. Unusually hard or softwater will need to be pre-treated before you can use it.
TIP: take a sample to your local pet store where you buy your fish and have them test it. You can buy various chemicals to adjust the PH of your tank depending on the levels.
KEEP THE WATER CLEAN
Probably the biggest reason for dirty water is overfeeding. It's a simple truth that the more food your fish ingest the more waste comes out the other end.
Now, we're not suggesting you starve your fish for the sake of a clean tank but a pinch of food goes a long, long way.
A good rule of thumb is to put a pinch of food into the tank and see if it all gets eaten within a minute or so. If it does, add a second pinch, and that's it.
Granted, it totally depends on the size of your tank and how many fish since 30 fish will simply eat more than 13 fish, but watch to see how many flakes are just rolling along the bottom of the tank after 5 minutes. If after 5 minutes you still see flakes floating or rolling around, yoo're feeding them too much. Cut back a bit next time.
KEEP OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT
A little sunlight on the tank each day won't harm the tank or the fish and is actually a good thing.
But you want to avoid sustained amounts of direct sunlight since this can contribute to algae.
Algae can take over your tank and make it hard to clean and see the fish and sometimes makes the water smell bad, too.
A healthy, balanced, well-aerated home freshwater aquarium will hardly smell at all and should not have a fishy smell or any strong odors.
Odors are usually a sign of decay, either from rotting food or a dead fish. So doing a smell check as part of your routine freshwater aquarium maintenance duties is a good tool to use. The nose knows!
KEEP IT AERATED
Keeping the water aerated with a separate air pump and airstone will help your home freshwater aquarium maintain good circulation and oxygen levels which the fish need to maintain good health.
By having a properly aerated home freshwater aquarium with the correct temperature and PH that you don't overfeed, will increase your chances of having a healthy and happy fish tank for years to come.
Gene Sower is an expert in freshwater aquarium keeping with nearly 40 years of experience. For more information on how to keep your freshwater home aquarium clean, visit http://www.aquarium-keepers.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gene_R._Sower
Bird of paradise
The birds-of-paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes. The majority of species in this family are found on the island of New Guinea and its satellites, with a few species occurring in the Moluccas and eastern Australia. The family has forty species in 13 genera. The members of this family are perhaps best known for the plumage of the males of most species, in particular highly elongated and elaborate feathers extending from the beak, wings or head. For the most part they are confined to dense rainforest habitat. The diet of all species is dominated by fruit and to a lesser extent arthropods. The birds-of-paradise have a variety of breeding systems, ranging from monogamy to lek-based polygamy.
Data refer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird-of-paradise
Blue bird of paradise
King Bird-of-paradise
King of Saxony Bird-of-paradise
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Red bird of Paradise
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Dog Halloween Costumes
At Halloween, kids aren't the only ones who get to dress up and enjoy treats. Hundreds of dog lovers get their pets into the act with dog Halloween costumes. The following are the costumes for dogs this Halloween.
Angel Dog Halloween
Clown Dog Halloween
Devil Dog Halloween
Groom and Bride Dog Halloween
Jailbird Dog Halloween
Pirates Halloween Costumes
Adding Salt to Freshwater Aquarium
The practice of adding salt to a freshwater aquarium is one that has been around for quite some time. There are several reasons why sodium chloride (aka table salt or aquarium salt) would be added to a freshwater tank, including stress reduction, medication, and to create a natural environment for fish normally found in brackish water. Before you add salt to your freshwater aquarium for any reason, be sure to understand the reasons for doing so and any possible side effects.
Many popular aquarium fish species come from brackish areas, such as rivers feeding into an ocean. In these cases, adding salt to the aquarium serves to replicate their natural habitat by creating a water quality that is between the typical freshwater and saltwater tank options. Known as "brackish," attaining the optimum salt content for these types of fish requires knowledge of your fish species' natural environment, as the salt requirements can vary widely even among brackish fish.
Many species of fish are not brackish, but still benefit from a small quantity of salt in their water. Salt can reduce stress in goldfish, African Cichlids, and most live-bearers such as Mollys, Platys, Guppies, and Swordtails. When using salt to reduce stress, the recommended dose is one to two tablespoons for ten gallons of water. This use of salt in a freshwater aquarium is especially common with fish that have lost a lot of scales. A teaspoon per 10 gallons of water will support the healing of scales by helping the fish maintain the proper level of salt in its blood.
In addition to this use, salt may be added to treat common ailments of freshwater aquarium fish, including ecoparasites, ich, and Costia. To kill these ailments, you'd need to add about 1 1/2 cups of salt for every 10 gallons of aquarium water. If you have an aquarium hydrometer, which measures the salt content, it should read between 1.005 and 1.009, or 7 to 19 parts per million. This salt level must be maintained for several weeks. Not all species can tolerate this much salt. Whenever treating freshwater fish with salt, you must monitor the fish closely for signs of stress, and return the fish to a fully freshwater environment if necessary.
A short-term dip in lightly salted water is often recommended as a treatment for fish that have been exposed to water with a high level of nitrites. Add about four teaspoons of salt to a gallon of water, and place your fish in the bucket for about half an hour, observing them closely for signs of distress during this time.
When should you avoid adding salt to an aquarium? If your tank is planted with live plants, avoid salt, because plants are easily damaged by relatively low salt levels. Scaleless fish are very sensitive to salt, as are some other fish species, including Tetras.
If you do decide to add salt to your aquarium, avoid using ordinary table salt, which contains additives such as iodine and calcium silicate. Aquarium salt has no such additives, making it safer for your fish.
Many popular aquarium fish species come from brackish areas, such as rivers feeding into an ocean. In these cases, adding salt to the aquarium serves to replicate their natural habitat by creating a water quality that is between the typical freshwater and saltwater tank options. Known as "brackish," attaining the optimum salt content for these types of fish requires knowledge of your fish species' natural environment, as the salt requirements can vary widely even among brackish fish.
Many species of fish are not brackish, but still benefit from a small quantity of salt in their water. Salt can reduce stress in goldfish, African Cichlids, and most live-bearers such as Mollys, Platys, Guppies, and Swordtails. When using salt to reduce stress, the recommended dose is one to two tablespoons for ten gallons of water. This use of salt in a freshwater aquarium is especially common with fish that have lost a lot of scales. A teaspoon per 10 gallons of water will support the healing of scales by helping the fish maintain the proper level of salt in its blood.
In addition to this use, salt may be added to treat common ailments of freshwater aquarium fish, including ecoparasites, ich, and Costia. To kill these ailments, you'd need to add about 1 1/2 cups of salt for every 10 gallons of aquarium water. If you have an aquarium hydrometer, which measures the salt content, it should read between 1.005 and 1.009, or 7 to 19 parts per million. This salt level must be maintained for several weeks. Not all species can tolerate this much salt. Whenever treating freshwater fish with salt, you must monitor the fish closely for signs of stress, and return the fish to a fully freshwater environment if necessary.
A short-term dip in lightly salted water is often recommended as a treatment for fish that have been exposed to water with a high level of nitrites. Add about four teaspoons of salt to a gallon of water, and place your fish in the bucket for about half an hour, observing them closely for signs of distress during this time.
When should you avoid adding salt to an aquarium? If your tank is planted with live plants, avoid salt, because plants are easily damaged by relatively low salt levels. Scaleless fish are very sensitive to salt, as are some other fish species, including Tetras.
If you do decide to add salt to your aquarium, avoid using ordinary table salt, which contains additives such as iodine and calcium silicate. Aquarium salt has no such additives, making it safer for your fish.
Jason MacParland is a freshwater aquarium expert. For more great information on Adding salt to freshwater aquarium, visit http://www.easyfreshwateraquariumcare.com to learn more about setting up and maintaining a freshwater aquarium.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_MacParland
Helpful Tips For Starting a Tropical Freshwater Aquarium
There are many worthwhile hobbies that you may seriously consider adding to your list of creative interests. Caring for tropical fish is a great option and you can begin your venture by learning proper knowledge and tips regarding starting a tropical freshwater aquarium. In the course of beginning this exciting aquatic adventure, there are several things you need to know and understand to have a successful endeavor.
How do you ensure that your aquarium, especially for beginners, is a success? It is every fish keepers ultimate goal to have healthy fish with remarkable longevity. An aquarium that is breathtaking adds not only self fulfillment but also color to a boring and dull room. However, you want to make sure that it will not take all of your time in maintaining your freshwater aquarium.
Setting up a tank takes time and patience to get started right. It is not a good idea to purchase a tank, set it up, and add fish to the aquarium in one day. If you want to have the best results and a wonderfully assembled fish aquarium, start by doing your research, then purchase your tank and equipment or an aquarium kit and set it up. Next, add water and run the filter system. Let the tank cycle for at least 48 hours which will allow the water conditions to stabilize and allows important micro-organisms to grow in your tank.
The freshwater aquarium setup is vital to the health and overall quality of your aquatic friends because it provides the environment for your fish to live and be comfortable. Stressed fish are most likely to have weaker immune systems, become susceptible to diseases and eventually perish.
Other fish keeping guidelines to consider include not overfeeding your fish and keeping them in an aquarium with compatible tank mates. A major part for successful fish keeping is determined by your maintenance of your freshwater aquarium. Make sure that you regularly make partial water changes to ensure good water quality. Check your filtration system and make sure it is working in order to provide the cleanest water and healthiest place for your pets. It is also imperative to give them enough room where they can live and interact with other tank mates. One of the biggest sources of tank problems has to do with putting too many fish in your aquarium. This can cause stress, excessive waste in the tank, algae problems, and more.
Choosing the best tropical freshwater aquarium setup is a very crucial yet rewarding effort to begin with in developing your passion for freshwater fish keeping. Make the most of your time by doing thorough research which will save you time, money, and most of all make aquarium keeping more enjoyable.
How do you ensure that your aquarium, especially for beginners, is a success? It is every fish keepers ultimate goal to have healthy fish with remarkable longevity. An aquarium that is breathtaking adds not only self fulfillment but also color to a boring and dull room. However, you want to make sure that it will not take all of your time in maintaining your freshwater aquarium.
Setting up a tank takes time and patience to get started right. It is not a good idea to purchase a tank, set it up, and add fish to the aquarium in one day. If you want to have the best results and a wonderfully assembled fish aquarium, start by doing your research, then purchase your tank and equipment or an aquarium kit and set it up. Next, add water and run the filter system. Let the tank cycle for at least 48 hours which will allow the water conditions to stabilize and allows important micro-organisms to grow in your tank.
The freshwater aquarium setup is vital to the health and overall quality of your aquatic friends because it provides the environment for your fish to live and be comfortable. Stressed fish are most likely to have weaker immune systems, become susceptible to diseases and eventually perish.
Other fish keeping guidelines to consider include not overfeeding your fish and keeping them in an aquarium with compatible tank mates. A major part for successful fish keeping is determined by your maintenance of your freshwater aquarium. Make sure that you regularly make partial water changes to ensure good water quality. Check your filtration system and make sure it is working in order to provide the cleanest water and healthiest place for your pets. It is also imperative to give them enough room where they can live and interact with other tank mates. One of the biggest sources of tank problems has to do with putting too many fish in your aquarium. This can cause stress, excessive waste in the tank, algae problems, and more.
Choosing the best tropical freshwater aquarium setup is a very crucial yet rewarding effort to begin with in developing your passion for freshwater fish keeping. Make the most of your time by doing thorough research which will save you time, money, and most of all make aquarium keeping more enjoyable.
Chris Walker is an aquarium enthusiast. For more great information on setting up a tropical freshwater aquarium, visit http://freshwateraquarium.org/.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_E_Walker
Guide For Buying and Preparing Your Freshwater Aquarium Tank
Before buying your freshwater aquarium tank, one of the first considerations is how much available space you have. The size of your tank will also determine the number and size of fish you can keep. It is my experience that larger aquarium tanks are easier to maintain once they are up and running for a few months. Now that you have considered how much space you have, it is now time to secure your freshwater aquarium.
Buying the Tank
When you go to a pet store, or a preferably a retailer that specializes in fish tanks, choose among the available tanks that will fit in the space you allocated in your home. Another decision is whether you want a fish tank made of glass or acrylic material for your home freshwater aquarium tank.
If you have children at home, the best choice might be an acrylic fish tank because they are more durable and much more difficult to break. However, this material is also prone to scratches, and is more expensive. Nonetheless, it is a good material for a fish tank. A fish tank that is made from glass is less prone to scratches, although it does scratch, costs less, but the event of a breakage cannot be dismissed. I usually keep aquariums made of glass and just exercise caution so that breakage does not occur.
One more thing that you have to consider is the number of fish that you will be placing inside the tank. A general rule is to load the tank at 1 inch of fish per gallon. It is my experience that this can be somewhat excessive. I am usually more conservative loading my tank as low as 1 inch of fish per 2 gallons of water. This combined with an aquarium filter that is more than adequate for a fish tank can reduce the frequency of tank cleaning and aquarium maintenance activities.
Preparing the Aquarium Tank
The freshwater aquarium tank must be prepared before fish can be placed inside. First, fill the tank with freshwater. Setup all accessories that you would like to see in your aquarium such as aquarium gravel or sand, background paper on the back of the fish tank, set up the filter system and aquarium heater, and place any other habitat you provide such as rocks or plants. Get everything up and running and let every run for 3 days to a week. This allows the water chemistry to stabilize and give time for important micro-organisms to grow in your tank.
Stabilizing the aquarium before placing the fish inside it is a must. The pH level should come to an acceptable level, the temperature should be normal for all the fish in the tank. Everything inside the tank contributes to the general well-being of the fish, and therefore, everything must be in place when the tank would be set to run for stabilization.
Time to Buy the Fish
Now that your tank has stabilized since it has been running for a couple of days, you now can go back to the pet store and buy your fish.
Once you have purchased all the fish that you will be placing inside the aquarium, let them acclimatize first to their new home. Float your fish, which should be in plastic bags, in the water so that the water temperatures normalize, so they won't get shocked by being submerged immediately into water that they are not used to.
The freshwater aquarium tank is the home for your fish and must be maintained with care. With the appropriate care, freshwater aquarium keeping can be fun, easy, and be a low maintenance hobby. If done wrong, you could have a lot of maintenance on your hands by learning the hard way, as I have many times in the past.
Buying the Tank
When you go to a pet store, or a preferably a retailer that specializes in fish tanks, choose among the available tanks that will fit in the space you allocated in your home. Another decision is whether you want a fish tank made of glass or acrylic material for your home freshwater aquarium tank.
If you have children at home, the best choice might be an acrylic fish tank because they are more durable and much more difficult to break. However, this material is also prone to scratches, and is more expensive. Nonetheless, it is a good material for a fish tank. A fish tank that is made from glass is less prone to scratches, although it does scratch, costs less, but the event of a breakage cannot be dismissed. I usually keep aquariums made of glass and just exercise caution so that breakage does not occur.
One more thing that you have to consider is the number of fish that you will be placing inside the tank. A general rule is to load the tank at 1 inch of fish per gallon. It is my experience that this can be somewhat excessive. I am usually more conservative loading my tank as low as 1 inch of fish per 2 gallons of water. This combined with an aquarium filter that is more than adequate for a fish tank can reduce the frequency of tank cleaning and aquarium maintenance activities.
Preparing the Aquarium Tank
The freshwater aquarium tank must be prepared before fish can be placed inside. First, fill the tank with freshwater. Setup all accessories that you would like to see in your aquarium such as aquarium gravel or sand, background paper on the back of the fish tank, set up the filter system and aquarium heater, and place any other habitat you provide such as rocks or plants. Get everything up and running and let every run for 3 days to a week. This allows the water chemistry to stabilize and give time for important micro-organisms to grow in your tank.
Stabilizing the aquarium before placing the fish inside it is a must. The pH level should come to an acceptable level, the temperature should be normal for all the fish in the tank. Everything inside the tank contributes to the general well-being of the fish, and therefore, everything must be in place when the tank would be set to run for stabilization.
Time to Buy the Fish
Now that your tank has stabilized since it has been running for a couple of days, you now can go back to the pet store and buy your fish.
Once you have purchased all the fish that you will be placing inside the aquarium, let them acclimatize first to their new home. Float your fish, which should be in plastic bags, in the water so that the water temperatures normalize, so they won't get shocked by being submerged immediately into water that they are not used to.
The freshwater aquarium tank is the home for your fish and must be maintained with care. With the appropriate care, freshwater aquarium keeping can be fun, easy, and be a low maintenance hobby. If done wrong, you could have a lot of maintenance on your hands by learning the hard way, as I have many times in the past.
Chris Walker is a biologist freshwater aquarium enthusiast. For information on freshwater aquarium tanks, visit http://freshwateraquarium.org.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_E_Walker
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