Freshwater fish are perhaps the simplest fish to care for compared to saltwater species as a result of they’re sometimes hardier fish. A basic aquarium set up can be required. You will want a tank, some rocks or substrate to line bottom of the tank. You may additionally want a filter, and a few lighting. When choosing fish, it is imperative to create certain the fish are compatible. Not only do they have to be compatible for water temperature and P.H., but they conjointly should have similar food requirements. Strive to keep the fish comparatively the identical size. It’s been said that if a fish is tiny enough to fit in another fishes mouth, that’s usually where it ends up. Therefore don’t be discouraged if this happens. Even fish that have been housed along for several months are known to disappear on occasion.
Freshwater fish should be fed twice daily. Feed solely a little amount which will be consumed within the primary 2 to 5 minutes. Over feeding could be a common mistake among novice fish keepers. Any excess food ought to be lifted with a net if potential, as it can become debris and quickly dirty the tank. Water ought to be kept regulated and tested weekly. Any discrepancies in P.H. and water temperature ought to be corrected immediacy in order to reduce stress caused to the fish. Stress is vital as a result of it causes illness in fish. It’s vital to observe the activity and overall well being of the fish in an aquarium. The signs of stress will be fairly obvious. Slow moving or lethargic looking fish will require a stress coat that may be purchased at a native pet store. Attempt to avoid overcrowding the tank. This could help to reduce the quantity of stress caused to the fish.
Change regarding a third of the water within the aquarium at a time, as a result of this sort of modification can cause the smallest amount amount of disturbance to the fish and different inhabitants. This can need to be done each 2 to three weeks. Use either a bucket or a siphon to get rid of the water from the tank. Attempt to remove any loose or floating debris at this time. When adding the new water to the aquarium, be sure that it’s at intervals approximately two degrees of the tank water. The perimeters of the aquarium ought to be scrubbed often to remove an algae build up. Again use caution to not disturb the fish. Wash your hands thoroughly before and once handling the aquarium. Lastly, check the manufacturer’s recommendation on filters and change them accordingly. Filters collect any fish waste or left over food. They can not perform properly unless they’re clean.
Introduce hardy fish to a replacement tank. These fish can stand up to higher nitrite levels that are present in a new aquarium. Opt for fish like danios, barbs, gouramis, and live bearers. Don’t add more than three to four small fish per week. Acclimation times vary per species, therefore check with your retailer before adding any different new fish.
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Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Jan 20th, 2010. Comment. 
Aquarium fish can be wonderful and interesting for most people who love to maintain fish at home. Though there is no aquarium fish is maintenance free, but at least there are some fish that easier to keep than other fish.
The best and easiest aquarium fish that you can look after in your aquarium is those which are tougher in health and more forgiving of any mistakes, like the freshwater fish. These fish are suitable 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 simplest aquarium fish to look after as well as being one of the most gorgeous fish. He has a robust physical constitution and has been famous 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 muder 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 common 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 special diets and they can tolerate just about any decoration you want to plop into the aquariums.
But not all goldfish are easy to take care of. 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 take care of. They should not live in the same aquarium with regular or comet goldfish. It is since 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 nurture than others. They are bottom feeders like catfish or Chinese Algae Eaters and require their own kinds of food.
But any plecostumus you may find in your local pet stores amongst other tropical fish should be easy to keep.
The plecostomus are quite strong and tough if you compare them with other types of aquarium fish. You must be careful because they are quickly to overgrow in the aquarium they live in. It is regularly occur unpredictably and there is still no cause that can explain that occurrence.
In order to maintain your good-looking fish alive and have their pleasureable place to live, you must be aware of their foods and their habitats. You can have a book or search on the internet to seek the best thing for your fish. This is to support your aquatic hobby.
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Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Jul 9th, 2009. Comment.
Early diagnosis of disease is an important part of the overall goldfish care. If you can’t readily identify a goldfish disease see your local vet, or pet store.
Fish live by absorbing oxygen and they give off carbon dioxide as a waste product. Plants under the influence of daylight do the opposite so that what is poison to one gives life to the other. So adding plants to your aquarium will assist in keeping your goldfish healthy and disease free.
Prevention is always easier than cure, so by keeping your aquarium clean, feeding your fish properly, avoiding wide temperature fluctuations and performing partial water changes as necessary you will go a long way to keeping your fish healthy. However, no matter how well you maintain your tank, from time to time one or more of your goldfish may become stressed or ill.
Some of the more common goldfish diseases are discussed here.
Anchor worms appear as a 1/4 to 3/8 inch piece of string with a forked tail. Large anchor worms can easily be seen. They appear as clear, brownish-red, or greenish-white strings. Once the anchor worms have buried themselves into the flesh of the fish open sores may appear on the skin. Anchor worms may be visible in the sores. Frequently this parasite is introduced into the fish tank from aquarium plants, especially those taken from rivers or creek, or from adding live food to the tank. Anchor worms attach themselves beneath the scales of the fish where they bury their anchor-shaped head under the skin causing ulceration and distress.
Anchor worms are highly contagious and must be treated immediately. Your local pet store can supply an appropriate treatment for anchor worm, usually in the form of a gyrase inhibitor that can be added to the tank water. This should be effective in killing the parasites within three to four days.
Swimbladder disease should be suspected whenever a fish appears to have difficulty stabilizing itself in the tank. It is not uncommon in goldfish although fancy varieties appear more susceptible to this disease. It can be genetic in origin or caused by a variety of other factors including improper or inadequate diet, bacterial infection or even poor quality aquarium water.
Apart from improving the water condition if that is necessary, some fish keepers suggest feeding your goldfish thawed frozen peas. It is also worth feeding the fish with sinking food instead of floating food to minimize the intake of air. It may also be worthwhile moving your sick goldfish to a shallow tank while you treat it. This may reduce the stress on the fish. Swimbladder disease can often occur quite suddenly in previously healthy fish.
Dropsy is not a specific goldfish disease, but appears as a condition where the fish’s abdomen becomes swollen due to a concentration of fluids in the body tissues or cavities. The abdominal swelling often creates a pinecone effect causing the scales to protrude from the bod. The cause of the swelling could be any of several conditions including cancer, internal parasites or bacterial infection, cancer, internal parasites. Depending on what has caused the condition dropsy may be contagious. There are no known successful treatments for dropsy and the condition generally proves fatal.
Frayed or torn fins are usually indications of fin or tail rot if the fish has not been fighting. This is a bacterial infection that first appears as a whitish edge on the fins, before the fins begin to rot away. It is easily treated with antibiotics available from your pet store. Ensure the medication states that it treats fin or tail rot. In some cases a secondary fungal infection may occur. If this is the case, treat the fin rot before dealing with the fungal problem.
Fungus is usually a secondary infection. A fish with an open wound or sore caused from injury or disease may suffer from a lack of mucous around the area of the wound. This open wound can often attract a secondary fungus infection. Look for patches of grey or white fuzzy puffs attached to the skin. There are several treatments available for fungal infections from the pet store. Fungus responds well to quick treatment.
Perhaps the most common parasitic disease in goldfish is ick. It is frequently present in freshwater fish tanks and will infect fish that have suffered recent infection or those in poor general health. Ick is characterized by small white dots that look like sprinkled salt on the body. The fish may try to scratch the infected areas on the wall of the tank which can cause further damage. Cloudy eyes and rapid breathing can also be signs of ick. See your pet store for ick treatment. Badly infected fish should be moved to a hospital or quarantine tank for treatment but it is important to also treat the main aquarium, ensuring that the parasite has been removed.
Goldfish are quite hardy fish but there are still many diseases that can cause them discomfort or stress. If you want your goldfish to live a long and healthy life you need to make sure that you manage the aquarium properly and treat sick goldfish as soon as symptoms appear.
There is a comprehensive and instantly downloadable e-book covering the entire topic of treating goldfish diseases.
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Mar 25th, 2009. Comment.
