The tiger barb is one of over 70 species of barb tropical fish. The tiger barb is a common tropical fish for fresh water aquariums, sold at many pet stores in the United States.

Well I bought a new 6 Tiger Barbs which are pretty interesting since they seem very playful. Chasing each other mostly. The reason why I bought six is so they chase each other not other fish. Tiger Barbs are very easy to take care of it and have a bigger range of PH that they are comfortable with. Even though the best PH for Freshwater fish is still 7.0pH. You should get fast moving tropical fish to live with Tiger Barbs since they are very “playful”. Well I do really like these little guys and now I know why the Tiger Barb is a very popular tropical fish for beginners as well as advance aquarists a like.

Tiger Barb - Large Barbs are a hardy and active schooling fish with stunning coloration and distinct personalities. They are recommended for beginning aquarists. The Tiger Barb is silver and gold with black stripes and orange coloring on the fins. This active fish is best kept in schools of five or more, preferably with odd numbers to prevent pairing. A well-planted tank with plenty of swimming space and slightly acidic soft water is ideal. Barbs tend to nip at the fins of larger, slower moving fish.

Tiger barbs are very common in most pet stores as well as there relatives
Albino Tiger Barb

Green Tiger Barb

Rosy Barb

Cherry Barb

Tropical fish that could go with the Tiger Barb is the
Clown Loach

Clown Loach This bottom dweller is a staple in the community tank. This slender fish with an orange body with black stripes grows up to an astonishing 12 inches. Males are identified by its tail, which is larger and hooks inward. Females are generally smaller and have a tail which points straight out from its body. Unlike most loaches, the Clown Loach is quite active during the daytime. This peaceful species prefers schooling with three or more other Clown Loaches, and may even school with similar patterned fish, like Tiger Barbs. Provide many hiding places as well as ample amounts of vegetation. Although this is a community fish, Clown Loaches will eat any snail in the fish tank. Due to the lack of scales, just like other loaches, the Clown Loach is extremely sensitive to some medications, especially those with Malachite Green or Copper Sulfate.

1. Clamped Fins - The fish clamps its fins close against the its body. Experienced aquarists use this to quickly spot problems with their fish. If you see that some of your fish have clamped fins and treat your fish immediately, you can usually cure them and avoid more serious stress and disease.

2. Shimmy Looks like the fish is swimming fast but staying in the same place. Shimmy is easy to spot, and if the fish is treated immediately, you can usually cure it and avoid more serious stress and disease.

3. Red Sores Many things can cause sores on fish such as fights with other fish, scraping on sharp rocks, and small wounds that get infected and grow bigger. A new small sore can usually be cured. Older or larger sores are more difficult to treat, but sometimes you can succeed, and treating your fish will make it less likely that other fish will be infected by the fish with the sore.

More advance tropical fish dieses

1. Fin Rot where the edges of the fish’s fins disintegrate and becoming ragged.

2. Pop eye where the fish’s eye bulges out.

3. Cotton mouth where the fish has patches that look like cotton around it’s mouth.
Sometimes accompanied by a Cloudy eye this is actually a fungus that effected the eye similar to cotton mouth. This is really advance and should be treated immediately.

Two great medications for the listed tropical fish dieses are E.M Erythromycin by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc. TC Tetracycline also by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc.

TC Tetracycline by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc. Anti-bacterial medication for common tropical fish diseases such as bacterial tail rot, cotton mouth fungus and gill disease. Aquarium filtration will not affect treatment. For use in freshwater aquariums. This medication will not harm the biological filter. Note: This medication will cause a slight discoloration of water which can be removed with activated carbon. More information on this product click here for the pdf

This product is great and should be in every ones tropical fish emergency kit.
E.M Erythromycin by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc.
For broad spectrum treatment and control of bacterial disease, such as body slime, mouth fungus, Furunculosis (open lesions and swelling), bacterial gill disease and hemorrhagic septicemia (blood spots without sign of skin damage). For use in both freshwater and saltwater aquariums. Can be used with any API Ich, fungus or parasite remedy to help prevent secondary bacterial infection. This medication will not color the aquarium water. More information on this product click here for the pdf.

I also discovered a great new way to prevent ich in the future and that would be to actually add non idonize salt mix it in with the water when you change it do not dump it directly in the tank, this would burn freshwater tropical fish. I found this information on nunnie.com

Ich is easy to see in light it is little salt looking dots on your tropical fish.

Black Moor’s would be raised and need similar conditions as any other type of gold fish would need. Goldfish could be in colder water 65 to 70 Degree Fahrenheit then normal tropical fish such as Danio, Tetras or Swordtails which needs above 70 Degrees. I think these fish are really pretty and I might be getting some real soon. Even though Black Moor have big eyes, don’t let that fool you Black Moors like most Goldfish have very poor eye sight. Also Black Moors like other Goldfish will over eat and this could kill them so be very careful about doing so.

Well I think these fish are very pretty and would make a great pet, and if you have Goldfish it will bring out the beauty of your aquarium and make all the pretty Goldfish colors pop.

Black Moor Goldfish (4″-5″Length) Goldfish have been bred to bring out beautiful colors and unusual characteristics. Goldfish are hardy coldwater fish that require no extra heating to survive. The Black Moor is black in overall coloration with metallic scales.

To learn more on how to take care of the Black Moor Goldfish or any other breed of Goldfish I would recommend the Goldfish Secrets By Dane Stanton

TetraMin Large Tropical Flakes (5.65 oz.; Large Flakes) The world’s leading fish food for more than 40 years. Each highly nutritious, vitamin enriched flake is firm and highly digestible. Essential nutrients and added vitamin C promote optimum health, energetic fish, and long life.

Besides once a week feeding my Crowntail Betta bloodworms, I would feed him Wardley Premium Betta Food Pellets, I normally just drop in 3 pellets a day, I notice when I did more with past Betta they do not eat them all. Betta’s I found out have smaller stomachs then fish in there size range.

Wardley Premium Betta Food (1.2 oz.) Nutritious ingredients specially blended for bettas. Extraordinary color enhancement is achieved from natural ingredients.Floating mini pellets will not cloud the water.

I went to The New York Aquarium in Brooklyn, NY and my friends and I where talking about our fish tanks. When I was there it actually inspired me on how to do up my next fish tanks. One thing we have notice and this is actually true in a lot of life’s avenues is your should apply the KISS method (Keep It Simple Stupid). They had very lovely tanks that seemed to be great to look at that was less then 10 Gallons, and for saltwater tanks they had 45 Gallons that looked great.

Well I was thinking to talk about important equitment for an Aquarium and a very important piece of equipment is the Filter. The filter’s I trust the most is the Mariland Filter. The Mariland Filter is very easy to use and install. I have the Mariland Filter Mini Penguin for both my 10 Gallon Fish tanks.

What many novices don’t know that there’s certain preparation to be made before purchasing a betta fish. While some experts say bettas live happily in small bowels (in which pet shops sell them), it is not the best house for them. Betta-bowls are torturous devices, and it’s insane to make fish live in them. Same with us, humans; we can live in a tiny room, but prefer more spacious apartments and houses. Space is what every living creature needs. Therefore a caring betta fish lover will buy a 3-gallon tank, but normally knowledgeable pet owners tend to buy tanks with 5 gallon capacity. Also, in a bigger space of water the temperature will not shift nearly as quickly or as much.

Keep the water level lower than the tank allows. Bettas need air to inhale and can jump out of the tank. A cover is a good and inexpensive method to protect the fish from leaving home.

Contrary to a popular opinion about live plants needed in tanks, it’s possible to get away with artificial imitations. Live plants are not neutral and may cause water contamination thus deteriorating the living conditions for the betta. Remember that sick betta fish usually lives in dirty, contaminated water.
This is always a reason why regular water change is important. With a large tank, it’s possible to limit changes to once in a month, smaller tanks will need water to be changes once every two weeks. With bowls, this frequency increases to a couple of times a week.

Water temperature is crucial to ensure betta fish is never sick. In cold water, bettas are exposed to diseases. Natural processes in fish body require water temperature to be higher than room temperature. Let’s not forget that betta splendens (also known as Siamese Fighters) come from tropical countries! All Betta keepers should have an aquatic thermometer. The temperature should not drop below the low seventies Fahrenheit. It’s best to maintain the level in upper seventies or even lower eighties, but it is even more important to keep these level protected from vacillation.

There’s no real need to use distilled water. Though paranoid experts in betta fish care defend the idea of purest water, in natural conditions splendens are not found in distilled water. In fact, tapped water is OK, but water conditioner is required. Quality water with regular changes is vital in preventing betta fish diseases.

Betta fish diet should be diverse. Sticking to one kind of food from pet shop is good for manufacturers (because they make profits), but mortal to poor bettas. Make a rule to include frozen worms, betta pellets, meaty foods occasionally. At least once a month it’s good to fasten your betta. That is, give him no food for a day or so. This is absolutely harmless and helps to regulate the digestive system, which in turn is effective in preventing betta diseases (such as constipation). It’s always better take precautionary measures rather than cure illnesses.

In a decent, stable environment betta fish diseases are rare. With a bit of experience you’ll notice what your betta likes best, take not of his behavior, and then you can maintain his healthy being for years to come. Although bettas don’t live that long, when properly cared for they can thrive for several years without any diseases.

Piranhas have red throats, razor-sharp teeth to rip flesh with ease, and silvery gold flesh (red-bellies have red bellies, of course). Piranhas are native to South America and Guyana and it’s against the law to bring them in and out of most countries. They are quite dangerous and aggressive fish since they reside in schools, which has a tendency to promote a competitive environment.

When planning a piranha aquarium, fish size should be regarded first. Grown piranhas have been known to develop to two feet long in a big enough tank. Piranhas are in addition group swimmers, which means they’ll need room to roam. Strive to provide two gallons per each inch of piranha fish. An aquarium six feet long by two feet by two should allow ample hideouts. A minimum fifty-gallon aquarium is recommended.

TANK UPKEEP AND CONDITIONS

Piranhas (Serrasalmus nattereri) are very sloppy eaters. Ten to fifteen percent water switch-outs every seven days will ensure waste not trapped by the filter system is taken away. Regarding filter systems, almost all piranha aquariums will need at least two devices to manage the process, especially if the aquarium is fifty or more gallons. Nitrate concentrations, which have harmful effects on piranhas particularly, should be monitored directly. PH levels ought to stay between six and one half and 6.9 to copy those of the Amazon where piranhas came from.

Water degrees in a piranha enclosure should be about eighty degrees to encourage piranha movements. Many piranha owners employ additional water pump devices to prod piranhas to swim in opposition to the waves as in the River of the Amazon. The practice additionally promotes metabolism levels, stimulating eating habits.

For decoration, it’s preferable to keep the fish tank low lighted to encourage piranhas to venture into open water. Man-made fauna is recommended. Any rocks and synthetic centerpieces will need to be tightly fastened, seeing as strong piranhas will hurl pieces around, potentially breaking glass.

DIET

Piranhas’ diet consists completely of proteins. Living meaty rations such as non-fatty poultry or beef and fillets of fish may be administered daily or bidaily. Feeder comet fish are a non-expensive choice, but piranhas will dine on practically any variety of meat. Experiment to find what yours favor. Whatever you do, don’t leave your fingers in the water too long!

TANK MATES

Obviously piranhas are aggressive fish, which makes your choice of tank mates relatively slim. However, some other aggressive fish can co-exist with them. For example, tetras,
cichlids
,
oscars
, pleco catfish and pacus. These fish are by and large excellent defensive fish, while the plecos have tough outer shells and can grow to larger, intimidating sizes. Pacus resemble piranhas and will fight back. Tetras are quick and small with sensory instincts which allow them to stay clear of piranhas. Piranhas also aren’t likely to give chase to such speedy, small cohabitants. Cichlids may or may not coexist with piranhas; they have simply been known to team up against them to survive. Oscars are large and in charge and inexpensive to replace if they’re slurped by a fat red-belly.

As a rule of thumb, don’t introduce too many new experimental tank mates into your piranha tank. Add them one by one to see how they adapt. Whatever you do, don’t get too attached to them until you know they’re going to make it!

SUMMARY

We hope you’ve benefited from this informational piece regarding piranhas. Feel free to visit AquariumUniverse.com for more piranha aquarium information including photos and videos, additional guides and aquarium resources.

Well to keep your tank looking pretty and vibrant in color not only should you care for the water and the fish you should take care of the plants to. Keeping healthy plants could also make taking care of the water a lot easier to. As well as keeping an over all healthy tank and to do so I recommend the Freshwater Labs PLANT LAB IRON CO2 TEST KIT. CO2 is very vital for plants as most people know.

If the Freshwater Labs PLANT LAB IRON CO2 TEST KIT. Reads that your CO2 is low I would recommend getting CO2 Fizz Tabs by JUNGLE LABORATORIES.