Bgf Journal

The easiest thing to do when you first start setting up your freshwater aquarium is to stock it full of beautiful, exotic, colorful fish. This can lead to loads of trouble in the long run. Don't do it! Yes, your tank will look great for about a week, then slowly fish will start disappearing, or perhaps fins or tails will start to disappear or looking scraggly. Guess what? Your favorite fish may be getting eaten or at least attacked by the more aggressive fish in your aquarium. This can all be avoided by doing a little research. Groundwork will save the lives of your fish in the long run. You'll fall in love with them, even name them, and you don't want to risk losing them to other aggressive fish...

What is the most important piece of aquarium equipment you will purchase for your aquarium? Is it the heater? Maybe it is the aquarium lights or even maybe the decorations. The real answer is your aquarium filter. Selecting the right filter for your freshwater tropical fish tank plays a huge role in your success in the fish-keeping hobby. I would like to go ahead and state that purchasing a high quality aquarium filter will not guarantee you success. You must also pay attention to several other factors but the correct equipment will most definitely help you and your fish. In this article I will be discussing one of the most common types of aquarium filters, the power filter. The power filter or HOB...

Of the vast varieties of fishes, tropical fish are some of the most popular type of fishes that people have chose to rare at their own home. This is simply because tropical fish are more beautiful and vibrant in terms of colors and they make for great home display. This article will talk about some of the basic preparation and tips to care for your tropical fish. Make sure you know before hand what type of tropical fish breed you're planning to rare and study their habitats as well as their feeding habits. The fish you chose might be either a freshwater fish or a saltwater fish, make sure you understand which and decide on what type of water you want to use. A freshwater fish can not survive in...

Bettas have weird feeding habits. At one point, they can eat anything but then again, they can be very picky too. But one thing is for sure, they only have tiny stomachs, so overfeeding them is a big no-no. This can lead to swim bladder disease, GI blockage, or even death. In feeding a betta fish, you can give the adult bettas 3 to 4 pellets each day at once or you can feed them twice a day with 1 to 2 pellets each time. You can feed them more during pre-spawning but not more than 4 times each day with black worms and mosquito larvae. For young bettas, they can only be fed after they reach 5 days old with boiled egg yolk or brine shrimp. In feeding a betta fish with live worms, do not just pick...

When you have decided what type of fish and plants you wish to keep, found a suitable tank and purchased all the necessary equipment, the next step is to actually set up your aquarium. Many people quite randomly add stuff to their aquarium without much consideration, which usually mean that they will encounter a lot more problems that the prepared aquarists. By sticking to a plan when you arrange your first aquarium you can save yourself a lot of time and trouble. The first thing you should do is to thoroughly clean your tank. If you skip this stage simply because your new aquarium looks clean and shiny, your fish might die due to left over contaminants that become dissolved in the water. A...

When browsing through your local fish store's medicine and testing aisle, you probably won't find a test for oxygen. The importance of sufficient oxygen in your pond water is often understated, and misunderstood. While most fish owners understand the importance of low nitrates, did you know that low oxygen levels is one of the most lethal silent killers in the fish hobby? The most common cause of low oxygen levels in a Koi pond is the overuse of algaecide. When it comes to treating algae with chemicals, more is NOT always better. In fact, as algae die off, oxygen levels in your water plummet. Most experienced aquarium and pond hobbyists can attest to the horror of treating for algae and finding your...

One of my favorite aquarium fish is the freshwater stingray, particularly the ones of the genus Potamotrygon. This fish is not for the beginning hobbyist but if you have some experience this is a fascinating animal. There are many species of stingrays in the wild but you will find just a few species for sale in any local fish store. You can get a wider choice of species from specialized breeders online but they are sold by their common names. Because of this, I will not use the scientific names in this article. Stingrays are very sensitive to water parameters. They have relatively large kidneys and they produce a lot of ammonia, so make sure you have adequate filtration. The type of aquarium you...

Yes, you can actually grow live plants in your freshwater aquarium! In fact, it's better to landscape your aquarium with live plants. For one, they offer nutrients to your fish. They also offer hiding places, especially for babies, "fry", as they are called. And they make the aquarium healthier, often adding more oxygen and cleaning the water of toxins. So even if you prefer plastic plants, you might want to give live plants a try. They're more interesting, and aren't hard at all to grow. The general rule of thumb is to landscape your aquarium with plants that would probably be native to your fish's original environment. Even if your fish have never actually been in his native habitat, this is true...

So you decided that you want to invest the extra time, work and money into maintaining a saltwater fish tank rather than a traditional freshwater fish tank. The problem is that you don't know where to start or what to do about getting your saltwater fish tank setup. That's okay, in this article we will discuss some of the key ingredients that go into creating a saltwater fish tank. Of course, one of the first things you are going to want to do is a little research. You can look at books, go online or to your local fish store to see the options available to you in fish and plant selection for your saltwater fish tank. There are literally hundreds of choices that you can make when it comes to choosing...

Monos Fingerfish, monodactylus argenteus, are members of the family Monodactylidae. They are native to the coastal areas of the Indio-Pacific, western Africa and Australia. These shallow water dwellers are not initially true saltwater marine species. They frequent the brackish water found in sheltered lagoons and inshore reefs when young. Juveniles can even survive in freshwater environments. Monos are medium to large sized triangular shaped fish. Their bodies are distinctly similar to those of freshwater angelfish. The two are not in anyway related. They have white to silverfish bodies and frequently have two black vertical stripes on the anterior region of their body. This vertical striping...

Many people don't even want to think about owning an aquarium. Most have only heard horror stories or the cost outweighs the reward. But for those of us brave enough to venture into this expensive and rewarding hobby, many experience bumps in the road. The worst bump is losing animals for unknown reasons. In the brief article I will explain some easy solutions to help your animals thrive not just survive. Many people jump right into the hobby with little or no experience and take all their advice from one single local fish store that generally is just trying to make a buck. This is the incorrect way to enter a hobby dealing with precious live marine animals into the hobby. Research is key, there are...

You wake one morning to find that you healthy looking betta fish is now not so healthy looking....What looks like someone took salt and shook it all over your fish can be a lot more serious than you think. The reality is that this is the sign of a very common disease known as "fish ick (ich)" or white spot disease. Here are some things you can do to prevent and treat white spot disease: - Regularly change out the water to your aquarium- I personally change the water out of my tank twice monthly although you don't necessarily have to be that vigilant. Changing out the water is more than simply pouring it out and filling it up though. You want "aged water" meaning that you want water to be sitting out...

Are you looking for a low maintenance fish that is nevertheless vibrant and exotic? If this sounds like you, then the rainbow tropical fish is the perfect choice for you. This sadly overlooked species is a mellow little animal that is ideal for beginner and veteran aquarium keepers alike. Why is the rainbow tropical fish such a rare find? This is largely because many fish stores sell fish as juveniles or babies. Rainbow tropical fish don't tend to get their vibrant colors until they're much older-as young fish they tend to be brownish green. These school dwelling fish show their colors when attracting mates. Unlike many tropical fish, they show no signs of aggression when other males are in the tank...

Studies have shown that people who own a tropical fish tank are calmer and suffer from less ill health than those who don't. Dogs and cats are also known to have therapeutic benefits. Stroking a dog or cat has been proven to provide a calming effect on the brain. But the simple observation that watching fish makes people calmer and healthier is also backed up by studies. A freshwater or a tropical fish tank brings an increase in health and wellness and gazing at these kinds of aquariums is peaceful and relaxing. Therapy For Your Kids If you have children, you will know how much of a handful they can be but have you noticed the difference in how they behave when you take them to an aquarium center...

Fish care couldn't be simpler really; they are quite a small fish only growing between 2 to 5 inches in length in their entire lives, and they are quite easy to maintain and keep healthy as long as you follow the tips and advice available to you. It is important to start off with a good environment for them including silk or real plants (plastic plants can damage and rip the Betta's fins) and have ornaments for the fish to rest upon. You should also feed your Betta fish once a day, or once every other day and make sure that they have a varied and healthy diet which can include; flakes, pellets, fresh and freeze dried food. You should try your Betta on a little bit of everything to see which type of...

Have you ever wanted to raise coral in a saltwater aquarium?  When most people go to begin a saltwater aquarium, they do so because they have a desire to create a miniature version of the ocean in their living room.  Besides the brightly color fish and flowing plants, they've been intrigued by growing  a coral reef in their saltwater aquarium, the ultimate goal of many a saltwater aquarium enthusiast. If you're a beginner, it's not advised that your first attempt with a saltwater aquarium is to try and raise coral.  Start with a mini-pod or small saltwater aquarium and become familiar with all the ins and outs of saltwater aquariums first.  Once you have mastered the creating and maintaining of...

Wow! This morning, as I performed my "check in" procedure on a 650-gallon saltwater coral reef aquarium, I was pleased to discover (and film) a male Pajama Cardinal fish carrying a brand new batch of eggs in its mouth. This phenomenon is referred to as mouth brooding, and fish that use this breeding strategy are referred to as mouth brooders. Pajama Cardinal fish are a very hardy and easy fish for beginners to keep. And if you are consistent at maintaining a stress-free environment for them, you will likely end up with laying eggs (as long as you have a male/female pair). But for some people, this experience is elusive or just occasional, which can be frustrating, especially if you want it to happen...

The novice aquarist must face a variety of problems when a new tank is started. Beginning aquarium woes often commence with the lack of understanding exactly what is going to happen in the first six weeks the tank is active. Without knowing what processes are occurring invisibly in the aquarium, too many beginners overload the aquarium with fish right away and sentence their new pets to death by their own excretions. The fish actually create the majority of the poisons that kill them! Often the rest of the deadly compounds comes from excessive feeding that rots and promotes decay. In the new aquarium, Ammonia is produced by the fish and decay processes. It can rapidly build to toxic levels. If the...

Probably the most rewarding thing about tropical fish keeping is watching young fish grow from birth to adult size. You can take immense pride in achieving this, but is particularly true for the more difficult species to breed. However beginners should be wary of jumping in at the deep end (so to speak). Mollies Guppies, Swordtails and Platys are fantastic fish for beginners to breed. They are all live bearer fish types, ie the fish are born live and can swim from the outset. These fish come in an enormous variety of colours and patterns and are great for beginner breeders to hone their newly acquired skills Probably THE most important tip on breeding tropical fish that bear live young is to keep...

By following these 5 basic rules when setting up your tropical aquarium you can avoid a lot of heartache later on. It's going to take a little longer to see your fish swimming around doing their fishy thing, but it's so worth the effort. None of this is difficult but the benefits can not be underestimated, both for you and your fish. Wash the tank: even if your aquarium is brand new from the pet store it's always wise to give it a clean before it's used, you never know who's touched it and what might have been on their hands. Use warm clean water and absolutely do not add any chemical cleaners or detergents. Your fish will be poisoned by them and no matter how carefully you try to rinse them off...

Many people are tempted to believe that they know everything about how to keep tropical fish which can cause a few problems when everything has been set up. For that reason, it's always advisable to at least gain a basic knowledge of tropical fish keeping prior to actually going out to purchase them and a suitable aquarium. Showing a great dedication to keeping and maintaining your tropical fish will provide you with the utmost satisfaction and delight in the long run when you have taken the trouble to educate yourself with the basics of your chosen tropical variety. So, what does a beginner need to know? Probably the most important thing to know is the variety of fish you want to keep in order to...

If you love aquariums, you'll love pond fish also. Placing fish in a pond let's them live and thrive in an atmosphere more closely to the way nature intended them to live. In addition, you still have the pleasure of enjoying their presence every day. The most popular fish for ponds are the koi and goldfish species, but other species can thrive also. If you do decide to stock a pond in your yard or garden, you'll need a pond filter. A pond filter is essential in helping to keep it's ecosystem clear for the fish that inhabit it. Without a good filter, you simply can't maintain good water quality. Water filters will remove debris, waste, ammonia, odors, and many other impurities from the water. Pond...

Being healthy is a concept accepted by one and all with a sound mind. Here is the catch though, a sound mind is needed to set goals of proper health including diets. If the mind is not in prime shape then goals of health are not set or are nebulous, hence to be in proper physical shape mental sharpness is essential as is the choice of diet. Proper diet allows the mind to stay alert. Adequate rest is required by the mind too, to function at optimum level. Hence sleep is a big component of a healthy mind and sleep deprivation is a big component of anxiety disorders and other mental ill health. Proper diet is important in giving micronutrients. Components in diet like alcohol; smoking and definitely...

For fashion conscious people healthy, glowing, flawless skin is most desirable. But, how do people get it? By using all costly, top brand cosmetics? Not at all. Cosmetics only take care of skin from the outside, not from the inside. People often tend to ignore the internal aspects of skin health. One must pay attention to both internal and external skin care to get completely healthy skin. Our eating habit plays a significant role in maintaining inner skin health. Nutrient rich food should be the first and foremost choice as skin needs nutrients to protect itself from damage and replace dead skin cells with new healthy cells. It is very important to choose the right kind of food that gives us lots...

I do love to see magic when it is with cards and making someone disappear from a wooden box. But when it is about skin care, I am really serious and that is the reason why magical instant wrinkle removers or chemical based anti aging creams don't sound appealing to me. I need something solid and really effective for my skin and that's why vitamin for healthy skin is something I give a whole lot of importance. When it is about reversing skin aging, different Vitamin types play key roles to enhance the elements of your body that keeps your skin supple and firm as well as reduce the substances that are responsible for the aging problem. Collagen and Elastin are two of the most vital components of our...

Some 15 years ago, I was invited by a colleague, to work on a project in Hungary, staying in Budapest; it was delayed and eventually I was unable to go. However, somewhat jealous of his visit to this fascinating and then strangely remote destination, I inquired on his return, as to how it had all gone and was very surprised by his reply. Brian was, at this time, regularly traveling around Europe, courtesy of his son who was involved in the fledgling mass tourist market. We had over the years, developed a friendship based on a shared passion for food, and had spent many tea breaks swapping recipes and discussing where best to source various ingredients and hand tools, much to the amusement and...

High blood pressure (hipertensio arterialis) is a disease of modern times. To prevent heart and vascular diseases, pressure should be below 140/90. Nutrition is the most important way to fight high blood pressure (hypertension), either in combination with pharmacological drugs, or as a substitute for them. In the Asian countries, celery is used for a long time for lowering blood pressure. Dr. William Elliott from the University of Chicago was isolated substance from celery that lowers blood pressure, and that is confirmed by experiment on rats. He believes that celery lowers blood pressure lowering stress hormone that leads to narrowing of blood vessels and increase blood pressure. Celery is...

Buying a new fly fishing reel is not as easy as it sounds, you have to consider a few basic but essential issues before parting with your money. So before taking any action, consider some of the following points. 1 - What species of fish are you going after? is it trout, salmon, pike or even sea fish for instance bass? 2 - The reel is primarily a line carrier, its function is to smoothly retrieve line, react to striking and playing the fish. If fishing for trout then you will use a reel that can take either floating or sinking line with backing. The reels used for salmon are generally larger, but still must be smooth and quick to respond. Sea fishing fly reels need to be more durable, resistant to...

nts in the Cat Ba VQG quite rich with nearly 800 plant species characteristics useful as expected, the fruit, flower time, the needle ... 20 animals, 69 birds, 20 species of reptiles and amphibians, 11 nhái ... frog species, including species vooc top very rare only exist in VQG Cat Ba. Besides, in the province and VQG Cat Ba Cat Ba islands there are relics of ancient, the only archeologist, historical - cultural as home to Mac, the trading port (Ben Ceramics), mobile The only Bèo especially fossil tr?m of caves white. According to assessment by the archeologist, fossil found in adults have Pleistocen later (from 01 million to 11,000 years ago). With the values so important, but not a historical...

Hilsa is the national fish of Bangladesh. Hilsa is an integral part of the Bengali culture. One cannot imagine the monsoon in Bengal without cooking and feeding on fried Hilsa, or Ilish, as it is known in Bengali. It is also associated with religious ceremonies, and purchasing hilsas on soma occasions like on the day of Saraswati Puja is even considered auspicious. Essentially a sea fish, hilsa caught from the sea are thin and small, and not at all tasty. In the rainy season, the fish swim into the inland rivers to lay eggs, and become fleshy and extremely tasty. Sweet water Hilsa, especially from the river Padma that runs through Bangladesh are believed to be the best in taste. There are various...

Today the 28th of July 2007 there is an astounding headline in the "Sun" newspaper. "Great White shark filmed off Cornish beach!" (Or words to that effect.) A tourist filmed dolphins frolicking and 'porpoising' 150 metres of St Ives north beach on the north Cornish coast. But while being filmed they were in fact also being hunted by an estimated 12 foot long great white shark... This shark was filmed literally shooting out of the water, breaching and twisting in an attempt to grab a leaping dolphin in mid-air, just like great whites attack seals in South African waters. The huge size of the shark's jaws and very distinct white delineated underside were clearly observed discounting basking sharks...

Anchovies are a small sea fish found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. They grow to about 3 inches long. Anchovies are related to the herring. Those found in the Atlantic tend to be slightly larger than the Mediterranean variety. In Southern Italy and Spain they are often cooked fresh. if you are visiting these areas fresh anchovies are worth looking out for in restaurants and cafes. Fresh anchovies are often served grilled like sardines. They are good for barbecues. You can also bake them in the oven. In Italy they don't clean the fish but it's probably a good idea to do so unless your guests are used to eating them that way. They are served with a rich garlic and tomato sauce. Fresh...

With all the news coverage lately of contaminated waters, you may think it is impossible to find a good fish oil that is safe to consume. There is still hope!   Fortunately, we do still have some unpolluted areas in our seas. As a further precaution, some dietary supplement manufacturers have developed a wonderful scientific procedure to remove contaminants from the fish oil while still keeping the nutrients intact. This method that separates and discards toxins yielding a safe and pure product is a process called molecular distillation.   It is well worth the extra effort to search out and find a good fish oil because the omega-3 fatty acids that they contain are so beneficial in maintaining a...

Can you imagine taking a vacation to the Caribbean for under $600? Well, it is true; you can find vacation and promotional packages online, which will put you on a cruise to the Caribbean. You can enjoy a six night stay across the Caribbean Seas. Aboard the ship you can relax at the spa, or solarium. Shopping, beaches, cruise, activities, entertainment, and more is some of what you will enjoy by choosing Caribbean packages. Various vacation packages are available online. The top selections include the Grand Cayman Islands, San Juan, which cruises through Puerto Rico; Varadero, Cuba, and Santa Domingo, which cruises through the Dominican Republic. Santa Cana also cruises through the Dominican...