The triangle-shaped, striped angelfish (scientific name: Pterophyllum scalar) are popular and attractive freshwater fish that make a nice addition to anyone’s home fish tank. Originating in South American river basins – particularly in the Amazon – angelfish thrive in fish tanks that emulate their southern homes: water should ideally be around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pH level should be kept at 7 or lower. As far as feeding the angelfish, they are carnivorous fish that in the wild feed on smaller fish and macroinvertebrates. In fish tanks, they will eat fish flake food but they do best when they have a variety of live, frozen, and flake foods. Breeders will be happy to know that angelfish are relatively easy to breed – in fact, the fish are most content when they have the right conditions and the opportunity to breed. What follows below are tips and steps for breeding angelfish. 1. Angelfish Make Good Husbands and Wives Angelfish are monogamous and they mate for life. Once an angelfish has chosen his or her partner, separating the pair for any reason, including death, will lead to a refusal of the remaining fish to breed. They are also loyal partners, protecting their mate from any perceived threats or other suitors. The fish reach sexual maturity between six and twelve months of age. At three years of age, the spawning of the angelfish begins to decrease, and eventually ceases altogether. 2. Angelfish Don’t Make the Best Moms and Dads Unfortunately for the angelfish, years of inbreeding has not had beneficial results for their parenting skills. Sometimes, the angelfish parents diligent moms and dads, mouthing and fanning the eggs, as well as removing any dead eggs from the bunch. But other angelfish have different ideas about their own eggs, viewing the eggs as a great mid-afternoon snack. Most professional breeders remove the eggs from the tank and hatch them away from the parents in a gallon jar of water. 3

Watching a marine aquarium is a great pleasure and probably one of the major reasons why so many keep them. With a reef system sometimes a new arrival is seen to appear, or a species of coral that is already present appears somewhere else. On a few occasions I’ve noticed arrivals that must have come in with coral rock, such as a very dark and tiny crab that was very timid and only appeared at ‘dusk’. Its presence was shown by an exploratory claw appearing out of a crevice. The crab hasn’t been seen for a long time and no doubt has gone. Corals too can appear when new live or coral rock is introduced. In this case the coral type is already present in the aquarium with a fairly large colony, and the new appearance is in a completely separate part of the aquarium. As far as I can tell, the main colony is a Rhodactis species (the purchase was made years ago and the dealer didn’t have a clue). Rhodactis are also commonly known as hairy mushrooms and mushroom anemones. I think it could possibly be Rhodactis indosinensis – but is this correct as most grow larger than my specimens? Maybe they are Discosoma species. The colony is receiving plenty of light as it is half way up the reef (about half way up the aquarium depth). The new one, however, is not; it is right down at the bottom. The aquarium is 24″ deep (21.5″ from lights to coral). Further, this new growth is at the end of the aquarium and is partly shadowed by another coral. Is my lighting system powerful? No is the answer, it’s a fluorescent array of five tubes, three marine whites and two marine blues (actinic). They’re not even T5’s, they’re T8’s

Are you often tempted to cave in to a mad buying spree every time you make a trip to the fish store? Hold back your reins! For any aquarium to thrive, planning is crucial. As with humans, you can’t please everybody. But for fish, sheer unhappiness can be a matter of life and death. Maintaining compatibility in a fish community is no picnic. Not all fish get along or thrive in the same environment, so all it takes is for any one resident to feel nervous about any one condition, and you could end up with sickly fish. Water Chemistry Consideration: As if it’s not difficult enough ascertaining the right water chemistry, temperature and quality, you have to ensure your choice will make every inhabitant happy. Do your research. Things you should be looking for are: What type of habitat is suitable for the different species in your tank? Do your fish prefer soft or hard water? Do they fall sick if the mineral content is low? Are they hardy, or do they take ill at the slightest introduction of soluble compounds? Keeping check on the temperature should be high on your priority list as the wrong aquarium climate will affect your fish badly. Fish Food and Feeding Consideration: If you’re fussy about what goes into your mouth, fish are no different either. An all-for-one fish food will not work. You need the right food types for carnivores, vegetarians, or live-food eaters.

Q: I have a pond at home, and I want to keep fish other than koi. What other species can I keep? You can try fish that you would normally keep in a tank. Just make sure you don’t overstock your pond, and that the different species of fish can live harmoniously together. You might want to read my previous articles— How To Build a Good Community Tank For Your Fish and Are You Building A Good Aquarium Community? —to familiarize yourself with community fish. A couple of quick suggestions for newbies, you might want to try tetras and live bearers such as swordtails and guppies. However, a pond with only a top view does no justice to many tropical fish, which can be best appreciated viewed in a glass tank. Beginners’ Tips: Good and Problem Fish How To Choose the Right Fuss-Free Fish To Suit Your Lifestyle Tetras: The Most Popular Fish In The World Fish Compatibility: Are You Getting The Right Mix? How To Combat Green Water In My Aquarium? Are You Building A Good Aquarium Community? Create Your Own Outdoor Koi Pond How To Build a Good Community Tank For Your Fish Understand the Basic of an Aquarium

Q: How do I separate the eggs from the fish, prevent them form being eaten, and ensure they hatch? You did not specify the type of fish you’re breeding. Some fish care for their eggs and young while others devour their eggs with relish. If you have the latter type of fish, you will need to remove the fish from the tank. It is not advisable to remove the eggs as the different water parameter in another tank may affect their hatch rate. How to Breed Goldfish Successfully Breeding Flowerhorn and Rearing The Fry Making Decisions About Keeping, Raising, And Selling Fry Are You Breeding Fry For Pleasure Or For Business? How To Care For Fry To Enhance Their Survival Rate Getting to Know More About Arowana The Importance Of Proper Nutrients In Fish Diets – Part 1

Last week I was helping my neighbour move a broken up concrete garage base to make way for a new one. Because the lumps of concrete were pretty rough I wore protective gloves. Without warning a pain similar I suppose to having a red hot needle stuck into me occurred on the inner wrist. The pain didn’t last long, about a second, so it wasn’t severe. The only word I uttered was ‘Ouch!’ I saw the wasp leave, somehow or other it had got caught between my wrist and the glove. Over a couple of days my wrist did swell to an extent, but there wasn’t a problem though the itching was an annoyance. When it happened I tried to recall the standard remedy. I knew that a wasp and bee had opposite sting make-up, one being alkaline and the other acid. Should I dose the sting spot with milk or vinegar? I wasn’t sure so I did both. Later I found that a bee sting is acid, so milk would be appropriate, and a wasp sting is alkaline, so vinegar would be appropriate. Pretty straightforward really and seldom a real problem unless the person involved is likely to severely adversely react and/or is stung many times. Australians often take a bottle of vinegar to the beach in case of stings. There are some nasty life forms that could make their presence felt. Another way if vinegar isn’t present is to use urine so I’m told (so perhaps those few beers on the beach could help in more ways than one!). Vinegar, milk and urine are not the correct medications for all venomous stings and bites etc. Marine aquariums are to be found in many places around the world. In the US and EU they are very numerous

Species name: Carassius auratus Common names: Ranchu goldfish Family: Cyprinidae Order: Cypriniformes Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) Maximum length: 7 inches Minimum tank size: 50 gallon for an adult specimen Hardiness : Easy to medium Aggressiveness: May nip at fins. Will eat fish that can fit in it’s mouth. Distribution: Central Asia, China, Japan Diet: Omnivore. In the wild, they feed on a wide range of food including plants, small crustaceans, insects, and detritus. In captivity, they will accept most aquarium food including pellets, flakes, and live prey such as worms. Additional information: The Ranchu goldfish is a variety of goldfish exclusively bred in china in the 1800s. Since it is a developed species, it is not available in the wild. They are excellent fish to keep in a pond. They require the same conditions as the common goldfish. Their lifespan is about 8-10 years. The ranchu goldfish has a body similar to the Chinese lionhead. Its body is egg shaped and it lacks the dorsal fin. Its head growth is also almost similar to the lionhead goldfish. The tail of the Ranchu, is bent a little more to face the bottom than that of the lion-head. The Ranchu goldfish is a more appealing to look at from the top. Good specimens have a short fan-tail. The length of the head and the body should be proportional. The Ranchu goldfish have a few color mutations.

More than purely decorative, aquarium plants help maintain the water balance in a fish tank and provide a natural, secure sanctuary for the inhabitants. How well your plants grow depend on an intricate balance of factors such as light, carbon dioxide, and nutrients. How do you get balance right? How To Make Your Aquarium Plants Thrive Lighting for Aquarium Plants: Important for photosynthesis, light should be intense enough to keep plants alive, and be in the right spectrum to be properly absorbed. Keep the lights on for 10 to 12 hours a day. Buy a timer: plants thrive better under a constant light cycle. If the light is dim, you can’t make up for it by leaving it on longer. If the plants need more light, install another fixture and increase the intensity. Generally, the deeper the tank, the more intense the light should be. Use about 1.5-three watts per gallon of water for a 12-inch deep tank. Opt for full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs. They are ideal, being closest to the sun’s spectrum, alternatively, “plant lights” are all right too, as they enhance the fish’s colors well. Avoid incandescent lights that generate too much heat and not enough light, as well as standard cool-white tubes that slow plant growth. Carbon Dioxide: Even if you get the lights right, without enough carbon dioxide, plants cannot photosynthesize. Fish respiration produces carbon dioxide, though it’s usually not enough for lush foliage. For plants to really flourish, a carbon dioxide level of 15-20ppm is required. Though not entirely necessary, some serious aquatic plant enthusiasts inject carbon dioxide into the tank to boost plant systems. Be careful you don’t overdo it: too much carbon dioxide can kill your plants