The Barred Spiny Basslet is shy and elusive, and is thus rarely seen in the aquarium trade.The body is brown with thin black bars, and broad white stripes on the cheek and nape. The fins and tail are red. These basslets need plenty of rock to feel secure, and should not be housed with large or aggressive fish.
Filed under Saltwater Fish by on Jan 7th, 2010. Comment. 
Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse is a small brightly colored fairy wrasse. Males have 2 dark burgundy horizontal marks on their orange/pink flanks. Females are pink with some yellow coloration. They are peaceful toward other fish, but will not tolerate other Lubbock’s Wrasses unless they are a mated pair. Lubbock’s Wrasses need plenty of hiding places to feel comfortable and should not be kept with large or aggressive fish. They are safe with invertebrates and make good reef tank inhabitants. In the wild, they feed on plankton but they will accept most small frozen foods in captivity.
Filed under Saltwater Fish by on Dec 9th, 2009. Comment.
Albino Tiger BarbBarbs are a hardy and active schooling fish with stunning coloration and distinct personalities that are recommended for the more advanced beginning aquarists. 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. Tiger Barbs tend to nip at the fins of larger, slower moving fish. However, extremely territorial and aggressive fish (such as African and New World Cichlids) are not recommended as tankmates.
Filed under Tropical Fish by on Jun 14th, 2009. Comment.
The best thing about Koi is the fact that they lack fear when it comes to humans. Once they see you as someone who feeds them food and the one who takes care of them, they're likely to eat through your hand (provided with proper training). Hand feeding your fish can be one of the most funniest and entertaining experiences you're going to get into!
The Koi are non-aggressive fish. They don't have teeth, so you don't have to worry about getting bitten if ever you decide in attempting to feed them with the use of your hand. This activity will also attract smaller kids, as they will be delighted and entertained by the fish's gentle nature and beautiful patterns and colors. Like all of the other wild animals out there, they will have that fear of you in the start.
Their instincts are the ones that tell them to fear you, which keeps them alive and lets them survive in the wilderness. So, you have to build up trust with your fish, and this will take a certain amount of time and patience in your part. Keep in mind that hand feeding your Koi is not acheivable overnight!
They feed on both meat and plants, as they are an omnivorous species. Being omnivorous as they are, it brings adaptability in their diets. They'll eat almost anything they are given, not caring whether it's good for them or not. Since they don't have the ability to judge what's good or bad for them, you should control their diet.
Overfeeding is another problem, as they might get overweight from eating foods that are not nutritious for them. The healthiest treats for them are the natural ones, such as tadpoles and earthworms. Also, you can feed them with veggies, bread, lettuce and fruit. Be careful when feeding them with food like corn, beans, and grapes as they come with outer casings. These outer casings will be harmful for your fish if these are not properly digested by them. Make it a point that you remove the outer casings before feeding them.
Now, the trick here is to start slow in feeding your fish. Don't make any sudden movements, because this will scare them away (even the most trusting of your Koi). What you should do is start hand training your pet right from the moment you get them (which is also applicable for those that are in your current population). Start by placing few of the pellets or snacks in your hand and then put your hand under the water.
Then allow the food to fall from your hand slowly. Now, it may seem that your fish may not seem to pay any attention, but the reality is that they are aware of your hand (and that your hand is the ones giving them food). This can be done within a period of two days.
Doing this will help you gain the interest of your pets. Then as you have now gotten their interest, let the fish remove the food from your hand. Now, if your pet will refuse to take food from your hand, don't feed them on that day (and do not stare at them during this process). They will have the notion that they must get the food from your hand if they want to feed. Doing this everyday will be able to make your fish comfortable with you.
Once you have fed the fish out of your hand, you can start feeding them from your fingers. And the same thing applies here: if they're not going to feed from your fingers, don't feed them on that day. The food will serve as your motivator in feeding wild animals, guaranteeing that no Koi will simply stare itself as it isn't sure of the situation it's in.
And once you’re successful in making your Koi feed from your hand, you can then have an alternate routine between regular feeding and hand feeding. There is no reason in trying to take the time in hand feeding if your hurrying. And once you get your fish to feed from your hand, be careful always in allowing your visitors to feed them. Supervise the kids and adults as they feed your pets; there should be no sudden movements and give your fish the right treats for them.
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Jun 7th, 2009. Comment.
Your aquarium is set up and you’ve tested the water to be sure it is safe. Now, you are ready to run to the store and buy ten or fifteen colorful fish, right? Actually, if you want to have a happy, healthy environment for your fish, there’s a bit more to it than that.
Before deciding which fish to add to your aquarium, there are certain things you should consider. You can’t add a predatory fish to a tank that already contains weak fish. Fish should be about the same size, otherwise, a larger one may end up eating a smaller one. Make sure you consider what the fish will be like when it is fully mature. You want the environment to be stress-free, so it’s best to only select fish that can dwell in an aquarium together peacefully.
The best way to avoid any problems is by researching the needs and attitudes of the fish you want to get so that you will definitely know if they are compatible. You will need to make sure the fish are community fish, which means that they like to be around other fish. You will also need to find out if the fish have about the same water quality preferences and needs in terms of temperature and hardness. They are also much easier to care for if they like the same foods and plants.
A territorial fish, such as a toadfish or a damselfish, will want to be alone so it will try to scare off other fish that are somewhat similar to it, whether in species, shape or color. A peaceful fish, such as a guppy or a swordtail, is least likely to disturb others. A spirited fish, such as a blue damsel or a goatfish, may go after slower fish.
A mildly aggressive fish won’t live well with slow or shy fish, as it will tend to bully them. The same thing applies to an aggressive fish, so this type of fish should only be with active and large fish. A vulnerable fish, such as an angler or a green chromis damsel, will be picked on by other fish, even if they are normally peaceful fish. A fish that may start off being peaceful then grow to become aggressive, should not be added with smaller or vulnerable fish.
A hardy fish, such as a harlequin basslet or a blennyfish, is resistant to many diseases and can live in many different kinds of water conditions or quality. A fish that is moderately hardy is ideal to for a healthy aquarium. A touchy fish such as a flagfin angel or a regal angel, is more likely to obtain a disease since it is really sensitive to the quality of the water.
Of course, you should also consider the fish’s eating habits. A carnivorous fish, such as an angler or an anthias, will eat other fish if they are small enough and is not the best choice for a community tank. Herbivorous fish, such as a tangfish or an angelfish, will need to be fed vegetables for the most part and can be difficult to maintain in a mixed tank.
So, before you start adding fish to the tank, be sure you discuss whether they are suited to a community environment with your local pet store employee. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy your tank without constantly having to rescue fish that are being bullied.
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Jun 17th, 2008. Comment.
