How to Have the Most Stunning Freshwater Aquarium

A well-designed freshwater aquarium can be one of the main reasons a fish hobbyist really enjoys spending time at home. A one-of-a-kind aquarium can also help decorate and add appeal to your living room and make it one of the most fashionable areas in your home.

But how do you achieve that goal? Here are some of tips to having the most stunning freshwater aquarium:

Choose your fish species. This may sound complicated but if you do not have any idea about choosing from the large variety available, you need to talk to a fish pet dealer about choosing the best types of fish to include in your fish tank - if you want it to look great. It is important for a fish hobbyist to know what kind of species he or she should include in the tank by bearing in mind what fits their needs and requirements regarding the number and size of fish (based on the size of the aquarium). However, if you have a good understanding of the various types of fish available and their appropriateness for your fish tank, it's really just a matter of personal preference. As a basic rule of thumb, you should have no more than one inch of fish for each gallon of water in the tank (to avoid clutter)

Use aquatic plants. Live aquatic plants are essential to provide a balance of life and healthy living environment for your fish. Live plants help utilize the ammonium content in your freshwater aquarium and lower the tank's waste content that might harm your fish. Freshwater tanks that have live plants are more eye-catching and attractive than tanks that do not. Also, you should be able to determine if the plants that you include in your fish tank thrive well in freshwater

Decorate and explore. Decorate your fish tank by using gravel, rocks and ornaments based on personal preference. Certain fish species use decorations as "hiding places" if they get stressed which can make them live longer and grow healthier. Colorful fish tanks (by using ornaments), enhance the beauty of your tank - not only for your fish but also for you. You should also explore what other things might be included, such as corals, shells and sand that you can find at the beach or your favorite fish shop

Know where to place your tank. Knowing what part of the living room, or for that matter, your house, you should place your fish tank is just as important as taking care of your fish. A well chosen place for your tank provides a 'home sweet home' feeling for your fish and improves their chances of living a long and healthy life.
Seek the advice of a professional. If you have the budget, seek the help of professionals who are knowledgeable about the hobby. They can help you set up and maintain your aquarium. There are many issues to consider (particularly when starting out), and you need to be aware that some fish species do not live well with others. A professional can help you decorate and choose the right types from a wide variety of fish species.

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Aquarium Decor

You've got the aquarium tank, now it's time to decorate. The tanks looked so pretty in the pet shop, but if you're like me, they left you wondering where to start. First, you need to decide on a theme, anything from Disney to Sunken ships. The theme you select for your aquarium décor is a matter of personal choice. The next suggestion would be to create a little diagram and scale everything to size. This will insure that you have room for everything you want and help eliminate gaps in the tank.

There are many different aquarium decorations out there. There are hundreds, if not thousands, to choose from. Coral, driftwood, gravel, plants, artificial plants, rocks and ceramic decorations are just a few types of aquarium décor. So, once you have decided on your theme, you should have no trouble filling your tank. You will want to make sure you put all the smaller objects and plants in the front and arrange the larger ones towards the back so it can all be seen.

It should be noted that you should only put articles in your aquarium that are labeled "for use in aquariums" so as not to contaminate the tank. Driftwood, rocks and plants from your garden or elsewhere may contain harmful ingredients like pesticides or chemicals, and even minerals that can be toxic to the aquarium life.

This is also important when caring for and maintaining your tank. Soap, bleach and other "cleaning products" are harmful for fish tanks. The tank décor and ornaments should be cleaned once a month using a cleaner made especially for cleaning fish tanks and aquariums. Cleaners that will remove biological and mineral deposits should be used. Cleaning aquarium decorations on the average is very low maintenance. Just make sure that before you add or remove any aquarium decoration or ornament that you turn off and unplug all the equipment first.

Aquarium décor is more than just ornaments and decorations in your tank. It can be used to disguise some of the unsightly plumbing of the fish tank, and more importantly, provide necessary shelter for the sea life thriving in your aquarium. It can also provide a place for the fish to lay eggs and even go and brood.

Rocks and other structures used as aquarium décor often become territorial boundaries for some of the fish in the tank. When picking out the rocks and bigger structures to decorate the tank, keep in mind that fish love to explore, so the more holes and ridges the better. It's also a good idea to rearrange the décor every time you clean. It will keep the aquarium experience fun and new for both you and the fish.

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How to Take Good Care of Your Tropical Fish Tanks

Taking good care of tropical fish tanks involve diligent cleaning and maintenance checks. Doing so will ensure that your fish will stay healthy by preventing any problem from happening.

Daily maintenance

Daily checks would only require a few minutes of your time. This involves checking the water level, doing fish head count, and checking for floating detritus. If the water level drops, you need to replace the water. You must also take out any dead fish or plant matter to maintain a suitable water condition for your tank.

Also check the temperature reading of your heater and thermometer. A huge discrepancy in their readings generally means that the heater is malfunctioning.

Weekly maintenance

Water change and light cleaning of tropical fish tanks are usually done during the weekly maintenance checks. You have to remove and clean dirty ornaments, clean the tank walls, siphon off floating particles and dirt, and prune and re-anchor live plants if you have them in your tank. When changing the water, do not remove more than 25% of the water in the tank. Before you put in the new water, make sure that it is filtered, dechlorinated, aerated, and of the correct temperature. You can leave the fish inside the tank while cleaning as long as you won't make sudden movements that will disturb them.

Monthly maintenance

Cleaning and replacement of some of the equipment of tropical fish tanks are done monthly. These are your filter media and filter cartridges. Do the monthly cleaning together with the scheduled water change so you can use the discarded water to clean the mechanical and chemical filter media of your fish tank. However, do not replace nor replace the biological media as this will wipe out the bacteria colonies needed for filtration. Make sure that you test the levels of ammonia, pH, nitrates, and nitrites in the fish tank.

It is advisable to keep a record book where your observations, activities, and testing results are noted down. Referring to those notes will help you later on in case concerns regarding water conditions or fish health will arise.

Bi-annual maintenance

The pumps, light bulbs, protein skimmers, filters, and pipes of tropical fish tanks are to be checked, cleaned and/or replaced twice a year. Check the impeller of the pumps if there are missing blades or if it has cracks. Be sure to clean the inside of the pipes. When you change the light bulbs, do so at night when they are cool enough to be handled. If you need to change two bulbs or more, replace the bulbs one day at a time. When removing, reassembling, and reinstalling these equipment, follow the manufacturers instructions.

Cleaning tools

Using the right materials during cleaning will ensure faster cleaning time with less hassle. Your cleaning kit should include algae pads, magnetic cleaners, gravel vacuums, water changing tools, scrapers, brushes, tongs, gloves, and cleaning fluids. Examples of cleaning fluids specially made for fish tanks are scratch removers, salt creep removers, lime dissolvers, and glass polishers.

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How To Care For Aquarium Catfish

Catfish are a popular fish to keep in your fish tank because they are generally placid and can live comfortably with other species of fish in a community tank. They also have a distinctive appearance of having barbels around the mouth that look like whiskers and hence give them their colloquial name Catfish. This article will briefly describe the common types of catfish that can be kept in an aquarium, some of their habits and how to care for them.

The two species of catfish that are popular for aquariums are the Corydoras sp. (also known as corys, cory catfish or cory cats) and the Synodontis sp.

Corys are indigenous to the tributaries of the Amazon river system. These waters are typically clean and clear and have a constant and gentle current. Corys tend to stick at the bottom in the current searching for food on the river bed or small animal life. Corys are quite small and live in small groups in the wild. In aquariums they are often on their own.

They are fairly hardy in terms of water quality. They can tolerate slightly acidic or alkaline water but are ideally suited to neutral water. They like a fine gravel substrate as most of their time is spent foraging for food. It is important to keep the water and gravel clean because Corys will pick up bacterial infections, such as ich or fin rot, from dirty substrate. To this extent, Corys are good for cleaning up waste material off the bottom of the tank but they also eat a wide variety of food including pellets and flake food and also blood worms. They are also well adapted to cold water and can live in water ranging from 18-25 degrees Celsius.

Synodontis sp. are generally larger fish than the Corys with some notable exceptions being the upside down catfish or synodontis nigriventris. They hail from the river systems and lakes of Africa where water is quite hard. Again they are bottom dwellers that prefer fine gravel substrate that they can scour for food. Having said that they will eat most types of other food from live food to flake and pellets.

Synodontis are quite shy to some extent and prefer dark surroundings. The lighting should be low and the habitat should include plenty of rocks and wood that can create caves and other place to hide from time to time.

They also make good inhabitants of a community tank but can be territorial at times.

Catfish are great additions to any fish tank. They can provide a contrast to the more classically elegant cichlids with their odd looks and unusual behavior. They also serve a useful purpose in eating much of the wasted food that drifts to the bottom of the aquarium. Mainly they are peaceful and will live with other species of fish and they are quite hardy to water conditions.

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Fish tank use to fill up gap T61 T85 T90

Fish tank use to fill up gap.Two in one aquarium. Top tank is built with open bottom design to allow fish to move between tank. Cleaning is make simple. Changing of water for top tank is not require. Partial change of water or removing of unwanted particles if needed is carried out in the bottom tank that include feeding. ROLE OF BACTERIA IN THE NITROGEN CYCLE Many different kinds of bacteria are present in our bodies and throughout the environment, including water. There are aerobic (good) bacteria, which require oxygen, and anaerobic (bad) bacteria, which do not require oxygen. The bacteria in the aquarium will establish themselves on all the surfaces that are suitable for them to live on. These include the gravel, ornaments, tank walls and more importantly, the filter, where a majority of them will accumulate. Aerobic bacteria need three things to survive: a habitat, food and oxygen. The filter contains a medium that provides a large surface area on which bacteria colonies can establish themselves. The water flowing through the filter provides them with good food and oxygen. Food is derived from the decaying organic material in the water column ( uneaten food, fish waste, decaying plant matter). And the movement of flowing water will permit gaseous exchanges to occur, and as a result, oxygen to be produced. Normally, it takes the good bacteria approximately six to eight to be properly established before they can cope with a new aquarium's bio-load. The environment in a ...

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Column Aquariums - A Great Choice For a Space-Challenged Home

An aquarium is a beautiful addition to any home or office. The beautiful fish moving gracefully in a lush, green plant filled environment of an aquarium are a treat to watch. Not everyone has the kind of space required to place large conventional aquariums in their homes. Column Aquariums are a great solution to small spaces, as they are upright tanks, taking more space vertically than horizontally. They might take up a very small amount of space, but they provide a large viewing area as they are very tall aquariums.They can be placed neatly in the corner of a room, or right in the middle as an attention-grabbing centerpiece.

There are many types of column tanks available that are made of various materials. The best and most popular choice is the acrylic column aquarium as they are extremely clear and light-weight. They are the strongest aquariums available and will not break easily like their glass counterparts and have aesthetic rounded corners and don't require silicone to hold their edges together.

Regular fish tanks made of glass come in typical square or rectangular forms as their corners have to be held together by silicone. It is also very hard to shape glass, so tanks made of glass don't offer too many choices of shape. Acrylic column aquariums are very versatile and can come in various sizes and shapes.

These tall aquariums made out of acrylic are not only 50% lighter than similar sized glass tanks, but they also offer 20% more insulation than the glass ones. Enhanced insulation means better regulation of temperature, allowing the introduction of a variety of fish and plant life in to the aquarium. Better insulation also decreases energy needs for maintenance of a good equilibrium in the tank.

A common misunderstanding about column aquariums that are made of acrylic is that the transparency of such aquariums would be affected due the increased insulation provided and also the strength of acrylic, resulting in a hazy view. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Acrylic is capable of passing the most light when compared to any other known material; it is actually glass aquariums that often inhibit transmission of light. An acrylic column aquarium boasts of a 93% transparency rating which means that it is just as clear as high quality optical glass. All this at just 50% the weight of a traditional glass aquarium, making the process of transporting these column aquariums very simple.

Column aquariums do have a few cons though. Acrylic can get scratched easily though it won't break. Cleaning must be done very carefully using special cleaning pads. There are products available on the market that can be applied on scratched acrylic surfaces to remove the scratches and bring the tanks back to their old glory. And due to the shape and height of these tall tanks, it can be quite a pain to reach down to the bottom and clean them thoroughly. But with all the new models now built to handle most of these cons you will find them a thing of the past.

Column aquariums are a great addition to any kind of space and a boon for fish enthusiasts who are not blessed with a lot of space in their homes. As the popularity of these tall aquariums goes up, prices will come down and they will soon replace traditional glass tanks due to their versatility, strength, lightness and excellent display qualities.

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Paris - Shopping Top 4 For Fashionistas

Known worldwide for its savvy trends and head-turning designs, Paris is the place to visit if you want to update your wardrobe in style. However, if you don't know where to look, your trip may turn out to be more exhausting than you would think. Do some research beforehand to get an idea of what you are looking for before you plunge into the sheik capital, where you may be easily overwhelmed.

1) Fashion Avenues - Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Avenue Montaign and Les Halles

If you are looking for major designers that have dramatically changed the fashion world, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore and Avenue Montaigne are the places to look. You can find the famous French shops of Emmanual Ungaro, Celiene, Chloe, Nina Ricci, Chanel, Bon Pointe and Christian Dior on Avenue Montaign, as well as Italian and American designers such as Valentino, Versace, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren and D&G. On Rue du Fauborug, look out for Hermes, Gucci, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Lavin femme, Yves Saint-Laurent and Gianni Versace. For younger fashionistas in Paris, Les Halles may be closer to paradise. Featuring Anges B and Claudie Pierlot, you can't go wrong when looking for an outfit for a night on the town, or even unique daily wear.

2) Department Stores - Boulevard Haussmann

If you are looking some of the most sheik fashion in Paris in some of the world's most extravagant malls, Paris department stores are the place to look. Two of the most famous are Printemps and Galleries Lafayette, which are both located on Boulevard Haussmann. Thousands of chic goods are spread out over five floors of merchandise. Between glorified window-shopping, enjoy gourmet food on breath-taking terraces and occasional free fashion shows. Find bargains during one of the two Parisian sales seasons, either from the end of January to the beginning of March or the latter half of June.

3) Flea Markets

Sprinkled around Paris are flea markets, which offer a delightful variety of gently used merchandise and art. A few of the city's many markets are listed below.

- Antica Market - A tiny market with only about a dozen stalls, Antica offers a gallery with high-end tapestries ornaments and other household objects.
- Biron Market - Selling the highest quality antiques, Biron is known as the most upscale market in Paris.
- Dauphine Market - Probably the largest antique market in the city, Dauphine market occupies a large space and sells everything from rare books to genuine Victorian dressers.

4) Open Air Markets

Open Air Markets have been popular in Paris since the 5th century and are an integral part of Parisian Culture. Currently there are 69 open-air and 13 closed-air markets. The schedules of the open-air markets varies, but rest assured that there is at least one open in each district, each day of the week.

If you are scared to do it on your own, don't fret, there is a solution at hand. Companies such as Chic Shopping Paris (phone 06.77.65.08.01) can help you maneuver through the foreign streets to uncover real gems in the rough.

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Common Mistakes That Can Kill Your Fish

Every year thousands and thousands of people try their luck with tropical fish but only a small part of them still keep tropical fish one year later. This can often be contributed to bad experiences such as dying fish, a smelly aquarium or a green aquarium completely conquered by algae. Most of these experiences are caused by a number of common mistakes that many fish keepers make and can be easily avoided. Below you'll find a list of 5 common mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Buying everything at once and than setting up the tank when you get home. An aquarium needs to stabilize before you introduce fish into it. This process should be allowed to take at least a couple of weeks. The reason for this is that aquariums need to establish a fauna of good bacteria that helps brake down toxins created by decaying plant part and fish waste. You can speed the process along by taking water from an already established aquarium to put into your own or by buying an aquarium starter kit.

2. Smaller isn't easier. Many beginners buy a small aquarium as their first aquarium thinking that it will be easier to maintain. Nothing could however be further from the truth. Larger aquariums are more stable and require less maintenance than smaller aquariums. I never recommend anyone to start with less than
100L / 25 gallons. An aquarium of this size is still rather small, doesn't take up a lot of room and is much easier to care for than even smaller aquariums. A larger aquarium can also house larger fish and will therefore give you much more fish species to choose among than a smaller thank would.

3. Buying the wrong fish. Some fish are hardier than other and are hence more suitable for beginners. Different fish species also has different requirements as they come from different environments in the wild. Make sure to only choose fish that suits the water in your area (or prepare the water to suit the fish) and only keep fish that wants the same type of environment in the same aquarium. Make sure to choose fish with a similar temperament and that doesn't grow too big for your aquarium. A common mistake people make are buying goldfish for their tropical aquariums. Goldfish are not tropical fish and do best in colder water. Keeping them in warm water make them more prune to diseases and shorten their life spans. It is common that you hear about people keeping their goldfish alive for a couple of years as something impressing when goldfish in reality live to be 20, 30 sometimes even 40 years.

4. Cleaning the filter in hot water. Many beginners clean their filters in warm water to get them really clean, some even use cleaners. Both these practices are no nos as they destroy the important bacteria in the filter and reduces the effectiveness of the filter. Only use room temperatured water when cleaning your filter and make sure that the filter media doesn't dry out during the cleaning. It is okay if some dirt is still there when you put it back in the aquarium.

5. Overfeeding. The fish isn't hungry each time they beg for food. Feeding them to much will just put stress on the water and potentially kill your fish in the long run. Feed your fish two times a day and no more than they can eat in a couple of minutes.

Avoid these mistakes and your fish will thank you for it.

Biube Aquarium

Exotic Aquarium 3D Screensaver

Décorez votre bureau avec ce fascinant aquarium et faites-vous ressentir une partie de l'étonnant monde sous-marin. Vous serez hypnotisés par la variété des scènes aquatiques de fantaisie avec les poissons tropicaux, des plantes exotiques dynamiques et attrayantes qui ornent l'aquarium. Appréciez la beauté de cette mise en couleurs et se détendre en regardant vos beaux poissons qui nagent avec joie entre les bulles et les plantes se balançant doucement dans l'eau de leur royaume. Decorate your desktop with fascinating aquarium views changing one another and making you feel a part of the amazing underwater world. You will be mesmerized by the variety of aquatic scenes with fancy tropical fish, vibrant exotic plants and attractive aquarium ornaments. Enjoy the beauty of this colorful setting and relax watching your lovely finny friends swimming joyfully among bubbles and gently swaying plants in their water kingdom.

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Advice on Fish Aquarium Accessories and How to Set Up Your Aquarium

Once you have your tank, you should know how many gallons of water it holds, as this determines the amount of gravel you will need to put in the tank. The general opinion is that you should put one pound of gravel to one gallon of water, this will be beneficial for the good bacteria you need that resides at the bottom of your tank. The one thing you must do before you add your gravel is to wash it to make sure it is clean, this will remove any harmful bacteria before adding it to your tank.

Once the gravel is in the tank, then you can start to put your plants in, or any other ornaments you have chosen to add, but do not over fill your tank with these items. You want a well balanced looking fish tank if possible so you can enjoy your new aquarium.

Before you start to add the water you will need to get some chemicals to help purify it, this will remove the chlorine and the ammonia that are no good for your fish. Your local aquarium retailer should be able to advise you on what you will need for your particular area. Now you can fill your tank with water and add what dosage of chemicals your retailer has advised.

You also need to get a filter for your tank, these filters are rated to work on how many gallons of water there is in your tank. I would advise buying one that is rated slightly bigger than you actually need, as this will let you add more fish to your tank in the future.

Now you can choose which fish you would like in your aquarium, there is a lot of different types of freshwater fish to choose from, go to your local retailer and view what they have in there tanks and try to imagine mixing the different types together. But be careful when choosing your fish, some fish will not be happy together in the same tank, your retailer should advise you on which sort you can put together.

Try not to over feed your fish, as the excess food will sink to the bottom of the tank and effect the good bacteria that live in the gravel, which you need to keep your fish healthy. I would also advise on cleaning your aquarium once a month, but do not change all the water as this will affect the bacteria in the gravel.

There are many more fish aquarium accessories that can help you to maintain your aquarium, you will discover these as you progress with your hobby, but at this stage just sit back and relax, and enjoy your fish in your new aquarium.

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Japanese Koi Fish Breeding

Koi are domesticated ornamental varieties of the common carp Cyprinus carpio. They are not goldfish, just very closely related to goldfish, and the style of breeding and ornamentation has become very similar, probably through the efforts of Japanese breeders to emulate goldfish.

If you travel to Japan and tell friends that you like koi, your friends might invite you to eat the dull grey fish that inhabits the waters of the islands, as in Japanese, the word koi simply means 'carp'. If you tell them you appreciate Koi, they may lead you and your camera to the pond in the garden. This article is about Nishikigoi, and uses the English word koi to refer to the colourful fish.

While a Chinese book of the Western Jin Dynasty mentions carp with various colours, Koi breeding is generally thought to have begun during the 19th century in the Niigata prefecture of Japan. Farmers working the rice fields noticed that some carp were more brightly coloured than others, they would capture them, and raise them. This would have invariably saved their lives as normally the brighter coloured fish would be more likely eaten by birds and other predators.

By the 20th century, a number of colour patterns had been established, most notably the red-and-white Kohaku. The outside world did not become aware of the degree of development until 1914, when the Niigata Koi were exhibited in Tokyo. Some of them were also presented to Crown Prince Hirohito. At that point, interest in Koi exploded throughout Japan.

Nishikigoi have been called the national fish of Japan. Today, Nishikigoi are bred not only in their place of origin, Niigata, but all over Japan, and are exported all over the world. Nishikigoi continue to gain worldwide popularity as the ultimate pond or garden fish.

As Nishikigoi were developed in Japan, the language of Nishikigoi is Japanese. Japanese is used not only to name the varieties, but also for many of the terms used to describe their colours and traits.

Koi varieties are distinguished by colouration, patterning, and scalation.

Kohaku are white koi with red markings. Probably the most common variety. The hi should be deep red with well defined edges (kiwa) where it meets the white which should be pure and bright. A tancho kohaku is a white koi with a red spot on its head. An inazuma kohaku has a continuous red marking from the head to the tail, but with variation (inazuma means 'lightning strike'). A nidan (two) kohaku has two red markings, a sandan (three) kohaku has three red markings, and a yondan (four) kohaku has four red markings.

Taisho sanke (known as sanke), hi (red) and sumi (black) on a white background. A maruten sanke has a separate red spot on the head with normal markings on the body. A tancho sanke has a red spot on the head and a white body with black markings.

Showa sanshoku (known as showa), red and white markings on a black background. A hi showa is a predominantly red showa. A kindai showa has a predominantly white pattern. A tancho showa has a red spot on the head and a black body with white markings.

Bekko are white, red or yellow koi with black (sumi) markings. Shiro bekko is a white koi with black markings. Aka bekko is a red koi with black markings (aka is another word for red). Ki bekko is a yellow koi with black markings (rare variety).

Utsurimono are often confused with bekko but are mostly black with white, red or yellow markings. Shiro utsuri is a black koi with white markings. Hi utsuri is black with red markings. Ki utsuri is black with yellow markings (rare variety).

Asagi are blue-grey koi with red along the sides and belly and in the fins.

Koromo literally means 'robed'. This describes the hi pattern, outlined in a darker colour, which varies with the variety. Ai goromo is a kohaku whose scales have blue borders. Sumi goromo have solid black on the hi markings. Budo goromo have sumi overlaying the hi giving a purple/maroon colour.

Kawarimono accomodates all non-metallic koi that do not fall into the above groups:

Karasugoi is a black koi with white or orange belly. Hajiro is a black koi with white tips to its tail and pectoral fins. Hageshiro is a black koi with white tips to its fins and white head and nose. Kumonryu is a doitsu koi which is black with white markings on its head, fins and body. Aka matsuba is a red koi with black centres to its scales, creating a pine cone effect. Goshiki are white, red, black, blue and dark blue, giving a purplish appearance. Kigoi is a yellow koi. Chagoi is a light brown/olive koi. Soragoi is a blue-grey koi. Midorigoi is a green koi. Benigoi is a deep red koi. Shiro muji is a white koi, aka muji is a red koi. Ochiba shigure is blue-grey with a brown pattern.

The Hobby of keeping Koi spread worldwide after shipping of Koi became both fast and safe for the fish. Koi are now commonly sold in most pet stores, with higher-quality fish available from specialist dealers.