Tropical Fish Information – Your Fish Tank Guru

Treating Common Ailments in Freshwater Aquarium Fish
By Jason MacParland

Although partial water changes and good quality food lower the chances of fish ailments, fish keepers should always know ways to treating common ailments in freshwater aquarium fish. There are many diseases that can strike fish and while some of these diseases are rare, others are more common. This article will elaborate on all you need to know about treating common ailments in aquarium fish.

Illness in Fish

Aquariums contain many parasites that cause diseases like hex, ich, hole in the head disease, velvet and dropsy. Fish that have a healthy immune system fight off these parasites but fish that are stressed out get affected by these parasites. Partial water changes and good food ensure that your fish have a strong immune system.

Treating Ich

Ich is also known as white spots since the main symptom of this disease is white spots on the body of the affected fish. Fish that are affected by ich often scratch their bodies on decorations and the glass which causes wounds along with secondary infection. Treatment of this disease consists of raising the temperature of the water by 2 – 3 degrees and using 1 teaspoon aquarium salt per gallon water. If the affected fish does not improve with this course of treatment then you can use malachite green or methylene blue to treat the fish.

Treating Hole in The Head

Hole in the head is caused due to a lot of factors but the most common cause is bad water conditions. The main symptom of this illness is a hole in the forehead of the fish. Angelfish, Oscars and discus are often affected by this illness. Treatment of this illness consists of improving water quality by changing 30% water every 2 days for 1 month. While changing the water you should also use 1 teaspoon aquarium salt per gallon water. After this disease has been cured you should continue to maintain water quality so that your fish are not affected by this illness again. A combination of Marcyn medications are sometimes used to treat hole in the head disease.

Treating Dropsy

Dropsy in fish is caused due to bacteria and symptoms of dropsy include a swollen tummy and scales that protrude like a pine cone when looked from above. This disease is considered fatal and hard to treat if not caught in time. Treatment of dropsy consists of using Epsom salt to extract water from the body of the fish. Anti bacterial medicines like teramycin can also be used but antibiotics should be used if Epsom salt does not work.

Assembling a First Aid Kit for Fish

Your first aid kit for treating common ailments in aquarium fish should contain aquarium salt, Marcyn I, Marcyn II, teramycin, metronidazole and Epsom salt. You should replace medicines whenever you use them and you should replace medicines that have expired.

Note

While treating common ailments in aquarium fish you should partially change the water once to keep the nitrate levels in control. It is important to remember that copper based medications kill invertebrates, plants and scale less fish so these medicines should be used with caution.

Jason MacParland is a freshwater aquarium expert. For more great information on home freshwater aquariums, visit http://www.easyfreshwateraquariumcare.com to learn more about setting up and maintaining a home freshwater aquarium.

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How to Select Fish For Your New Freshwater Aquarium
By Jason MacParland

New freshwater aquariums owners often can’t wait to add a lot of colorful fish to their established tank. While it is tempting to add the best looking fish to the first aquarium it is beneficial to select compatible fish so that the chosen fish live happily. This article will provide information on how to select fish for your new aquarium.

Requirements of Various Fish

Barbs are tetras are small colorful fish that look very beautiful. The tetras available in local fish shops are usually less than 1.5 inches while the barbs available in local fish shops are usually less than 2.5 inches. Barbs make great additions to a community tank but some barbs like tiger barbs are known to nip fins so they should be kept in a species only tank. Tetras on the other hand do well in small schools since they feel comfortable when they are with others of their own species. Small loaches and cory cat fish can be kept with barbs and tetras.

Livebearers like guppies and swordtails can be kept in community tanks since they are peaceful. Since mollies require brackish water to grow well it is recommended not to keep mollies with freshwater fish.

Goldfish are cold water fish that should not be mixed with tropical water fish since their temperature requirements are different.

Bettas a very beautiful and common fish are very territorial fish and males should be kept alone. Female bettas can be kept in groups of five or more provided there is enough place to hide.

Cichlids are aggressive fish that need to be kept with compatible tank mates. Oscars are large cichlids that should be kept alone. Cory cat and clown loaches fish do well in small schools.

Things to Keep in Mind

While learning how to select fish for your new aquarium you should remember that your aquarium should not be over crowded. Fish in overcrowded aquariums are prone to illnesses due to stress and bad water conditions. The fish you choose should also be comfortable in the aquarium you have. Small fish like neons and barbs can be kept in aquariums more than 10 gallons but Oscars or other larger fish need bigger aquariums. Plecos that are commonly sold as sucker catfish grow to a length of 24 inches and they should not be kept in tanks that are lesser than 60 gallons.

While selecting fish for your new aquarium you should stock your tank based on the adult size of the fish. Oscars are large fish that reach a size of 12 inches and Australian arowanas can reach a size of 26 inches. The inch per gallon rule is not the right way to calculate the number of fish you can keep since this rule is only meant for slim bodied fish like tetras. As a general rule you should give 20 gallons of water per goldfish, 55 gallons of water per Oscar, 2 gallons of water per tetra or barb and 5 gallons of water per betta. Small sized loaches and cory cat fish should be given 5 gallons of water per fish. Since clown loaches can grow to a size of 18 inches and they need to be kept in small schools these fish should be kept only in large tanks.

James MacParland is a freshwater aquarium expert. For more great information on freshwater aquarium fish, visit http://www.easyfreshwateraquariumcare.com to learn more about how to pick the right freshwater aquarium fish as well as properly setting up and maintaining a freshwater aquarium.

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The great thing about having fish is that they are easy to care for and they can add vitality and life to any home. Cleaning and feeding is going to be necessary. If you do a bit of cleaning every week, your regular maintenance does not have to take more than half an hour.

It is a good idea to feed your fish every day. It is very easy to over feed fish so be careful. Fish flakes are the most commonly used food but there are a variety of other things you can choose from. Like most pets a variety of foods has benefits. You can choose things like pellets, freeze dried, live or frozen.

When you are feeding your fish take a minute to check that all your fish are healthy. Watch to make sure that all the fish in the tank are swimming and eating well. Look at each fish for any growths or abnormal behaviour. You want to detect any problems as soon as possible.

The water in your aquarium should be tested every week. You want to check the pH, nitrate and ammonia levels. Any major change in these conditions can result in potentially dangerous or toxic situations. 20% of the water in the tank needs to be changed every week.

Once a week you should also check and see if all the equipment in your tank is functioning correctly. Check to ensure that your filter is in good condition. Not every filter will need to have a weekly cleaning, some may only need to be cleaned every second week. Take a moment to make sure that all plugs and electric cords are in good shape.

Cleaning everything in your tank at once is never a good idea. Each week you should clean only one or two items in your tank. The reason you do this is to prevent your chemical levels from spiking. You also want to make sure that you clean the glass. You should scrape the sides of the glass to remove all the algae.

These are the basic fish care routine things that you should do to make certain that your fish have a healthy, happy life.

Tropical fish are among the more renowned options of pets. This is mostly because of they can be put in one tank without making any mess at all. Tropical fish do not need any high preservation as other pets. They are also soothing to watch.

Tropical fish are among the numerous of more renowned kinds of fish that are kept in a home aquarium. They have brilliant colors and wide-ranging shapes and sizes. That is why they are extremely entertaining to watch by numerous aquarium proprietors. Many people are also extremely glad to watch their tropical fish swim around for hours at a time.

There are lots of different kinds of tropical fish. These animals can come from fresh water and salt water as well as long as the species come from the tropics originally. Because of the high demand for tropical fish, lots of of them are bred in the USA and are technically not from the tropics anymore but with tropical origins. The following fish belong to the freshwater variety.

Barbs

Under the barb family there are lots of different kinds of tropical fish. These fish are generally put as a school in a fresh water aquarium. A lot of of the barb fish have strong colors or patterns on their body. They can be rather aggressive to other more fragile fish. That is why you may require selecting which other species of tropical fish are well-matched with barbs.

Livebearers

Livebearer tropical fish are a little of species of fish that do not lay eggs. As an option they give birth to their young much like mammals do. Guppies, swordtails, platies and mollies belong to this group of tropical fish. In the fish group the females are normally larger and less showy. As a result, you can hope to see a dull female followed around by a little of males. This group of fish prefers to live in schools. As a result, it is best to keep more than four fish of this variety in the tank.

Tetras

Tetras are beautiful fish that come in dazzling sometimes neon colors. You might require particular lights to bring out a little of of their neon colors. These tropical fish prefer large spaces. Nonetheless, they may also require a number of places to hide. That is why a little of vegetation might be relevant. You can put these small fish in schools. Nonetheless, they can also survive separately.

Tropical fish are highly renowned for hobbyists. There are lots of accessories and much equipment that is relevant for the aquarium to function well. Preservation of a fresh water aquarium is less thorny than that of a saltwater aquarium. The fish species explained above are marvelous for novice aquarists and also for hobbyists.

Are you still at sea of knowing more about tropical fish? Just look around and click the links your best answer herein!

Keeping fish is a popular hobby for a number of reasons, because fish are fun pets to keep and also exciting to learn about. There are numerous considerations that need to be made when it comes to setting upup your own fish keeping hobby, including selecting the tank aquarium, selecting the environment, choosing your fish and setting up the right accessories.

The initial step to setting up your aquarium is to decide what size aquarium you want to begin with. There a quite a few tank aquariums to choose from but even as a beginner, larger is usually better. So while you may be able to begin with a 10 gallon aquarium, the smallest that is recommended is closer to 25 or 30 gallons.

Where are you going to put your aquarium? Ensure that you have adequatespace on a surface, or that you are prepared to buy an appropriate stand. If placing your aquarium on another piece of furniture, keep in mind that a single gallon of water weighs 8 lbs.

Most tank aquariums will already come with a basic light and a hood that will work on a general purpose basis unless you plan to grow a few aquatic plants. If your hood and light are not already running on a timer, it would be advantageous to purchase one when you buy your aquarium. Depending on the species of fish you keep, your aquarium lights should only operate for between 8 and 10 hours a day for the best results.

Your aquarium will also require a filter and a heater. There are a number of choices to consider, and the choices that you make for these pieces of equipment should hinge on what type of environment you are looking to create. Each filter type, for example, has pros and cons associated with it.

Bio-Wheel filters are popular for small and medium sized aquariums. What you should think about when buying an aquarium filter is the gallons per hour flow that the filter has. Your GPH rating should be 2 times the size of the aquarium that you are purchasing for the best results.

Heaters are important if you need to keep the water above 78 degrees, which is essential for tropical species of fish.

Another important consideration to make is the substrate that you will use for your aquarium. If you are looking to create a tropical fish aquarium, then sand or gravel is usually ideal. Some species of fish tend to prefer one or the other, so make sure that the fish you are going to buy will work well with the substrate that you want to use.

Aquarium d?cor is completely up to you. Ask someone at your local pet store before you add anything that you did not purchase from the store. The d?cor you buy at a pet store is designed to be safe for your aquarium, but bringing home random shells, driftwood or other d?cor may cause problems with your aquarium.

Setting up your aquarium is the next step before you buy your fish. Set your tank up exactly how you like it, fill it with water, and apply the necessary water conditioners and treatments. Your aquarium should be allowed to run just as it is for at least 24 hours before you buy your fish, though longer is always preferred.

The last step is to add your fish. Choose community fish and always ask a professional before you mix different species, because even some community fish are aggressive towards other species. Generally you should stick to 1 inch of fish per gallon of water, based on the full grown length of each fish. Start with a small number of fish when your aquarium is still cycling to make sure that everything is working right before you add too many new bodies to your tank. After about a month you can begin to add more fish in, when you know that the water has properly cycled.

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Aquarium fish can be tremendous and attractive for most people who love to maintain fish at home. Even though there is no aquarium fish is maintenance free, but at least there are some fish that easier to maintain than other fish.

The best and easiest aquarium fish that you can care for in your aquarium is those which are tougher in health and more forgiving of any mistakes, like the freshwater fish. These fish are proper for the beginners who apt to make more mistakes in maintaining fish. The freshwater fish are the Betta, the usual goldfish and the plecostomus.

Bettas

The Betta which is also recognized as the Siamese fighting fish is maybe one of the easiest aquarium fish to care for as well as being one of the most gorgeous fish. He has a robust physical constitution and has been recognized to live in small bowls successfully, unlike other fish. He also emits less waste than goldfish.

However, the betta is an aggressive fellow and often fights with other fish. He will slay another male Betta as he was breed to battle in fish fights. Female Bettas are more social with other tropical fish. They are drabber in color and have much shorter fins than the male bettas. They can eat the similar foods as the other tropical fish with a fussy desirability to bloodworms.

Widespread Goldfish

Many hobbyists claim that the usual goldfish and its close relation, the Comet Goldfish are the easiest aquarium fish to maintain. These goldfish are much more social than the Bettas and they have brilliant colors. They don’t require distinctive diets and they can tolerate just about any ornament you care to plop into the aquariums.

But not all goldfish are easy to care for. You must understand that the egg-shaped goldfish that have bubble eyes, swim slowly, no top fin or have long fins are not considered easy to care for. They should not live in the same aquarium with usual or comet goldfish. It is as they swim so fast that the fan-tailed or egg-shaped goldfish will never be able to get their fair share of food.

The Plecostomus

The name “plecostomus” refers to a family of aquarium fish that has hundreds of varieties. Some of the plecostomus are harder to care for than others. They are bottom feeders like catfish or Chinese Algae Eaters and require their own sorts of food.
But any plecostumus you may find in your local pet stores amongst other tropical fish should be easy to maintain.

The plecostomus are somewhat strong and tough if you compare them with other sorts of aquarium fish. You must be careful as they are quickly to overgrow in the aquarium they live in. It is frequently occur unpredictably and there is still no reason that can explain that occurrence.

In order to keep your gorgeous fish alive and have their pleasant place to live, you must be aware of their foods and their habitats. You can have a book or search on the internet to find the best thing for your fish. This is to keep up your aquatic hobby.

Want to know further about aquarium fish? Let’s explore more on the links here and you will get much more about aquarium as well as any thing related.

Hello,

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.

Cleaning Algae from a tank could be a simple job but who would really want to do it.

So to make cleaning algae easier you should get an algae eating fish or snails.  But the best cleaner of the all is the Pleco. Some stats on very good species of a Plecos is below.  Plecos are peaceful so they get along with majority of other tropical fish species and they are an algae eating machine.  Unlike the Chinese algae eater which are very efficent but also aggressive and been known to attack other fish.

Bushy Nose Pleco L-144

(Ancistrus sp.)

QUICK STATS Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Care Level: Easy Temperament: Peaceful Water Conditions: 74-79° F, pH 6.5-7.4, KH 6-10 Max. Size: 4½” Color Form: Orange, Tan, White Diet: Omnivore Origin: South America Family: Loricariidae