Month: July 2019

Is Your Female Flowerhorn Sick Below Are A Few Flowerhorn Diseases And How To Manage Them

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Flowerhorn cichlid are often tough to breed requiring extra effort but when you stick to a few basic tips it is without doubt very easy. On this post I had indicated several diseases and what will you do if your fish suffers from it.

Diseases in cichlid fish are commonly caused by parasites in the body, fungi on their exterior and also bad bacteria in the tank water.

Signs and symptoms to be aware of are cloudy or puffy eyes, blisters on their bodies, loss in color, limited motion, bloatedness of belly or internal organs. These indicators usually are brought on by some kind of bacterial infection.

If you observe any strange looking growth around the face area or sporadic behavior in the tank like darting about a crazy manner you may be looking at some sort of fungal infection.

In the event you observe any poor inhaling and exhaling, reduced motion, mucus growth on the skin, lack of desire for food, spots, extreme itching. They are usually the sign of parasite infection which might consist of leeches, worms or lice.

Practically the most typical baby flowerhorn disease is hole in the head disease. Hexamita, generally leads to fast weight reduction and a significant lack of appetite, and you’ll likewise observe little indentations on and around the head area.

And another common cichlid disease is Ich or Ichtyophthirius. With this certain disorder whitened crystal marks appear on the head first, after which propagate over the whole body. Inhaling and exhaling is rapid, the fish scrapes a whole lot, and also the eye balls and fins all become cloudy.

When the belly is enlarged, and you see reddish scales around this area, it is likely that the cichlid is in fact having difficulties with Dropsy. This may be due to germs, parasites, or cancer. The simplest way to manage this is saltwater treatment method.

If you neglect their water conditions then your fish may end up with Fish Pox, Fin Rot or even Ammonia poisoning.

Your female flowerhorn can also suffer constipation which will cause a swelling of the stomach, loss of appetite, and erratic swimming. The fish may even have feces hanging off of them. The best way to fix this is to starve them for two days then start a different diet.

On the subject of diet in case you over feed your fish they may finish up with Swim Bladder disease which will result in difficulty in swimming, swimming upside down, floating. Flip Over disease can also be possible with these symptoms.

One popular way of dealing with diseases is salt treatment, but this should ideally be done in a quarantined tank as other fish may be negatively affected. Plus it will not guarantee a cure for all diseases.

Today since a fish tank is really a tiny closed environment, with no correct checking and treatment method can be a disease incubator. Frequent washing of your fish tank and water will be your very best weapon towards disease in your aquarium tank. At all times keep in mind an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

How Much Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp Are In Your Fish Tank

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In recent years, the exotic freshwater aquarium shrimp has been added to the aquaria hobby. Shrimp has been kept in many tanks in some parts of the world for many years until creative hobbyists found them to be great in home aquarium. Freshwater aquarium fish are being kept and bred for their assorted colors and their non-aggressive behavior. They are now also being sold in pet shops like any other traditional aquatic pets.

Takashi Amano, a Japanese aquarist, introduced a shrimp variety known as the Yamato Numa Ebi in the 1980’s. Also known as the “Japanese marsh shrimp” and “Amano shrimp”, they are more colorful than other freshwater aquarium shrimp. Their color combinations are light brown to reddish brown. They can get as large as 2 inches when fully grown and prefer to eat soft algae. They are sensitive to high levels of ammonia but can tolerate high alkalinity. Coming from a temperate region, they only thrive in waters temperatures ranging from 30 C and below. When algae is not available , they will eat fish food and some other things in the absence of their normal food supply.

Another popular variety is the Cherry shrimp which originated from Taiwan. The most sought after variation of this type is the Red Cherry shrimp which was bred in Germany. They were brought to the Unite States in the 1990’s. The Red Cherry shrimp have care requirements almost the same with the Amano shrimp. They are the same in size and eating habits. Known in the scientific circles as Neocaridina denticulata sinensis, Cherry shrimp are non-aggressive. They are very active and spend most of the time grazing on plant leaves and the tanks bottom for algae.

A known and somewhat popular kind is the Bee shrimps who have also become known as Bumble Bee shrimp. These small freshwater shrimp came from Hong Kong. They grow slowly and only grow to 1 inch in adulthood. Unlike the Amano shrimp and Cherry shrimp, they are not good algae eaters. They consume vegetable matter and soft mosses. They thrive well in waters ranging from 22 to 25C, and a water ph of 7.5 and the water should be free of any ammonia. Bumble Bee shrimp can reproduce 12 times in a year if their habitat is properly maintained. They reach adulthood in half a year and can live to almost one and a half years.

There are large, long-arm shrimp that are preferred by some aquarists but they are known to be aggressive. With their chelipeds they can catch small fish and other small pets in within the tank. The Indian whisker shrimp are one of these species. They also require bigger tanks compared to their smaller counterparts. They must be isolated from smaller shrimp and fish because they may cause disruptions in the habitat.

In caring for freshwater aquarium shrimp, it must be considered that with their size, isolating them would be a good idea. They must be kept in a separate tank because small shrimp are at risk of being eaten by freshwater fish. Avoiding ammonia is also a main consideration and it can be done by selecting a 10-gallon tank. A smaller tank can not give the water quality the shrimp need. They are more sensitive than freshwater fish to water conditions. They can be easily killed by accumulated amounts of ammonia.

For biological filtration, an air-driven sponge filter is one of the better options. Cherry shrimp and a few others like the fine grains of silica sand and the like, as the substrate for the bottomm of their fish tank home. Java moss could be a great addition to the tank. It has been observed that shrimp are more active and productive having Java moss because it does not drastically compete with them in nutrients. Pellets and flakes are good for feeding shrimp but the shrimp will do better with other foods more to their liking. It is a better to give them the amount they can consume in a few minutes. Putting excess food in the tank can affect water quality and may endanger the shrimp.

Water quality must be monitored constantly because the slightest changes in its condition have an immediate adverse effect on the shrimp. The water temperature must be maintained at 25C and a maximum of 30C. Always use a dechlorinator and ammonia neutralizer to reduce the levels of chlorine and ammonia in the tank, and keep them really low to prevent any harm to your shrimp. Toxins must be eliminated from the aquarium on the weekly basis to protect the live shrimp in the tank and should be done on a weekly schedule and in stages of around 30 percent of the water per water change.

The health of the shrimp can be judged with their behavior in the water. They are healthy if they constantly move and look for food. They never hold still unless they drop their shell in the course of growing. As their new shell hardens in about two days, they stay hidden because at this condition they are vulnerable to predators especially in a community tank. Maintaining the parameters of their habitat will ensure their health and longer life span. New and improved ways of caring for them are being discovered as more people appreciate them as part of this hobby.

The market for freshwater aquarium shrimp is slowly gaining ground. The west of the Americas are now seeing the bauty in these pets and getting them for their home aquariums and well as some office fish tanks. The Japanese and other people in the Orient have been doing it for many years now. Keeping shrimp is an old practice rediscovered as a hobby. It took a second look at the shrimp not just as an edible creature, but a living decoration that helped us realize its beauty and vitality.

Natural Discus Or Domestic Discus – Primer On Discus Fish Types

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Discus fish attract attention, whether they are spawned naturally or some of the human bred kind.

Any time someone lays eyes on a discus aquarium for the first time, the reaction is usually the same. Eyes widen, mouth drops open, comments such as, “What type of fish are these?” or “Holy Cow, what a gorgeous aquarium!”.

People assume that it is a saltwater tank mainly because of the vivid colors and patterns.

An uninformed observer would not be able to suppose that there are merely four species of natural discus fish. The reason is that there are now so many discus fish types. (Well, the truth is there is possibly another species that is being contemplated now by scientists).

Wild discus fish call the Amazon River home. You know, the world’s longest river. And the Amazon is the ONLY place to find discus fish in the wild. Even then, each species is found separate from the others. They have their own “territory” in the Amazon River. They do not exist in the same environmental space for the most part.

The types of wild discus fish are reasonably elementary. Scientists have their own methods of naming discus, but identifying them as Green, Brown, Blue, and Heckel is much easier. How the Heckel got in there with those simple colors… ?

But it, the Heckel, is also characterized by two colors, either blue or red. You can tell if it’s a Heckel by the prominent darker stripe every fifth stripe along the body.

The demand for discus is huge. They are so pretty that many folks want to have them around all the time. An aquarium with discus fish wandering slowly to and fro has a relaxing, or calming effect on a home.

The result of the demand has itself spawned “discus farms” all over. These domestic breeders have used selective breeding techniques to produce many different varieties of discus that have even more eye-catching colors and patterns.

Sometimes the colors are solid, as in the Golden Discus. This fish is a solid striking yellow color, one that you would definitely not see in the wild.

Then there are patterns called Leopard and Snakeskin and Leopard Snakeskin, each of which has a different color and/or pattern. One thing remains the same, though. It’s the round, thin body style that is characteristic of discus fish.

Which are the more desirable, wild discus fish or man-bred\domestic discus? Consider two things.

First, wild discus fish come from a totally different ecosystem than their domestic cousins. You have the clear, clean water of the breeders vs the muddy, murky water of the Amazon River. So, there may be some things the aquarium hobbyist should remember to do to try to keep the tank suitable for these varieties.

Next, fish from trustworthy breeders are used to the type of environment that you will probably supply for them, and they are more likely to be healthy coming from a controlled tank (remember, the key is getting them from “reputable” breeders – know where your fish are coming from).

Finding the most amazing variety of aquarium fish for you is really a matter of personal preference and personal education. If you are an aquarium hobbyist “wanna-be”, make sure you get the education before you dive into the tank with pricey fish. You might want to check websites that are dedicated to getting you the best start possible.