Archive for September, 2010


Tropical Fish Fungus Disease

The most common type of fungus is called Saprolegnia this causes cotton wool like growths to appear on the fins, gills, mouth and eyes of infected fish. This disease normally effects fish that are suffering from other illnesses such as White Spot . Symptoms Of Tropical Fish Fungus Disease Cotton wool like tuffs appear or [...]

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Discus Cichlids Fish

Discus Cichlids Care Image Water Freshwater Temperature 75-86°F (24-30°C) Illumination Medium pH 6.5 Size (wild) up to 20cm (8 in) Tank Setup Add peat to water. Have well planted tank and allow swimming space in center of tank. Tank should be deep. Change ¼ of water every four weeks Family Cichlidae Distribution Amazon Basin Shape [...]

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Tropical Fish Body Color

The color and species of a fish is normally the best and most reliable way to tell what sex a fish is. Sometimes its color can assist in determining what species it is as well. This is because a lot of species are very similar in shape. A fish’s actual color is made up from [...]

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White Spot Ich Disease

White Spot Ich (Ichthyophthiriasis, ichthyophthirius) is one of the most common tropical freshwater fish diseases its marine equivalent is called Cryptocaryon irritans. This parasite is also very easy to spot as the name suggests that the fish will become covered with tiny white spots on its body and fins. When the parasite reaches its full [...]

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Velvet And Coral Disease

Velvet Oodinium belong to a group of parasites known as dinoflagellates, which is related to algae and contain chlorophyll. It is a fairly common disease to diagnose as the fish is covered with a layer of fine gold dust. The marine equivalent is called Coral Fish Disease Amyloodinium. Symptoms Of Velvet And Coral Disease This [...]

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Tropical Fish Fins And Tail

The fins and tail of fish provide a method of propulsion and stability they are also used for defence in some fish ( lionfish ). In some cases as a spawning aid, during pre-spawning and courtship displays, egg and fry care aids. Fins and the tail are cartilage or bone webbed with tissue that can [...]

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Long Finned Characin Fish

Long Finned Characin Care Image Water Freshwater Temperature 73-77°F (23-25°C) Illumination High pH 6.5 Size (wild) upto 16cm (6 ¼ in) Tank Setup Good lighting; Thickly planted including some floating plants. Family Characidae Distribution Tropical West Africa ( from Sierra Leone to Zaire ). Shape Elongated body , compressed sides. The dorsal fin is in [...]

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Tropical Fish Disease Prevention

The best method of tropical fish disease prevention is to prevent poor fish health is carefully choosing the original stock combined with the use of a quarantined / hospital tank; good aquarium hygiene at all time and regularly checking all aspects of water chemistry. When you originally stock or add a fish to your community [...]

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Dropsy Disease

Dropsy is potentially fatal disease for fish. The fish is characterised by a swollen or hollow abdomen. The swollen abdomen appears so large that proportionally give the fish a very strange look. Often this disease is ignored as the aquarium owner thinks that either the fish is pregnant  or carrying eggs. The cause of this [...]

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Fire Mouth Cichlid Fish

Fire Mouth Cichlid Fish Care Image Water Freshwater Temperature 68-73°F (20-23°C) Illumination Medium pH 6-8 Size (wild) upto 15cm (6 in) Tank Setup Well Planted tank Family Cichlidae Distribution Guatemala and Yucatan ( Mexico) Shape Typical cichlid shape with large head Color Light blue / grey. The name fire mouth comes from the red on [...]

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Gill And Skin Flukes Disease

Gill flukes is the infection from either the Dactylogyrus or Gyrodactylus parasite. There are two types monogenetic (single host) and digenectic flukes (several hosts). This disease is more common on coldwater fish, monogenetic flukes do not bother freshwater tropical fish. Flukes often appear on the skin and are known as skin flukes. These can appear [...]

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Coolie Loach Fish

Coolie Loach Care Image Water Freshwater Temperature 75-86°F (24-30°C) Illumination Low pH 7 Size (wild) upto 8cm (3 in) Tank Setup Well Planted tank. Soft sand at bottom, rocks, pots to provide cavities Family Cobitidae Distribution Southern part of the Malayan peninsula to Sumatra, java and Borneo Shape Eel shape, elongated slightly compressed sides Color [...]

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Fin Tail Rot Disease

Fin rot and fin tail rot is the degeneration of the tissue between the individual rays of fins caused by a bacterial infection often brought on by bad water conditions. The fins especially tail fin may already be damaged by a bullying fish or bad handling. This is one of the most common tropical fish [...]

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Hole In The Head Disease

This diseases is also known as Freshwater Head Lateral Line Erosion (FHLLE) and is a common freshwater fish disease. It mostly effects cichlids, discus and Oscars. The disease is thought to be caused by the parasite Hexamita, that eventually causes holes to appear in the head along the lateral line. The parasite is found in [...]

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Grey Slime Disease

Grey Slim Disease Grey slime disease is caused by several parasite families. These are Chilodonella in freshwater, Trichodina and Costia (Ichthyobodo) in both freshwater and marine water and Brooklynella in marine water. When a fish is effected by these parasites they produce a large quantity of mucus. Symptoms Of Grey Slime Disease The build of [...]

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Blue Acara Fish

Image Water Freshwater Temperature 72-79°F (22-26°C) Illumination High pH 6-8 Size (wild) upto 17cm (6 ¾ in) Tank Setup Good lighting; deep bottom matter and thickly planted. Some free swimming space, Stones and roots to create hiding places. Family Cichlidae Distribution Trinidad, Panama, nothern Venezuela, Colombia Shape Deep body, compressed Color Blue/ black fins with [...]

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Tropical Fish Mouth Position

Fish Anatomy – Fish Mouth Position The position of the mouth indicates what region of the water the fish will normally get its food from. There are basically three mouth positions. The superior mouth is upturned for feeding on the surface. The design of the mouth allows the fish to gather floating objects. The next [...]

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Blind Cave Fish

Image Water Freshwater Temperature 64-75°F (18-24°C) Illumination Medium pH 7.5 Size (wild) upto 9cm (3 ½ in) Tank Setup Deep sandy bottom with simulated stone caves. Family Characidae Distribution Underground waters of Mexico. Shape small, elongated sides. Small eyes completeley buried under skin. Color pink tint with silver sheen. Feeding Onnivorous. Behavior Very peaceful schooling [...]

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Discus Cichlid Fish

Image Water Freshwater Temperature 75-86°F (24-30°C) Illumination Medium pH 6.5 Size (wild) up to 20cm (8 in) Tank Setup Add peat to water. Have well planted tank and allow swimming space in center of tank. Tank should be deep. Change ¼ of water every four weeks Family Cichlidae Distribution Amazon Basin Shape Disk shaped body, [...]

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Blue Oscar Fish

The Blue Oscar fish or Velvet Cichlid ( Astronotus ocellatus ) is also referred to as The Peacock Cichlid color is not natural. The color is ink injected also known as painted and many tropical fish buyers are unaware of this cruel process. The natural colors are red, gold and Albino. Oscar fish are very [...]

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Aquarium Tank Selection

The composition of the aquarium water is liable to change with the presence of aquarium fish and aquarium plants. To minimize the effect of any changes a reasonable quantity of water is advisable, at least 20 gallons (91 liters). This amount of water can be contained in many shapes of aquaria but the surface area [...]

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Aquarium Tank Setup

Setting up an aquarium needs to be planned correctly. Not only will you save time and money but hopefully create a suitable place for your future live stock to thrive. Probably your first decision is the type of aquarium that you want to setup and if you plan to create a temperate or tropical environment. [...]

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Tropical Fish Painting Juicing

I have owned an aquarium for many years now, I try to give my fish the best possible environment to live in. Until recently I was un-aware of the process known as fish painting or juicing and quite honestly I am shocked that this process is allowed. What attracted me to this hobby was the [...]

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Tropical Fish Body Shape

Fish have evolved over time to suite the environment that they live in, both in their structure and their behaviour. This evolution has made them vulnerable to changes in the environment that they live in. An understanding of how fish work and why fish look different is useful for any aquarium keeper. The body shape [...]

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