freshwater-aquarium-passion

The first condition to reproduce a fish speciesis is to make sure that we have at least one pair. At about 10 months old angelfish become mature, the first sign will be red iris at eyes. From this moment we will carefully watch the aquarium to see how a pair, choosen by themself, withdraw into a corner where begins to clear a leaf, the air hose or aquarium glass. The pair will remove through aggressive moves the other fish, defending their territory.

If at this time we have another tank ready (with water at the same temperature and same properties), then we can move this first pair in it to lay the eggs. Indifferent of the aquarium in which eggs were deposited, in the main tank or in an other tank where we keep only one pair of angelfish, to obtain new babies we need another tank specially prepared to receive eggs. It must have a volume of 10-15 liters, to be washed thoroughly and disinfected and to have a previously prepared water. Water must have a hardness of 3-5° dGh, pH between 6.5 and 7 (slightly acidic or neutral), a temperature of 26-28°C (equal to the water tank where eggs were deposited). In water we put a few drops of tripaflavin or blue methylene to kill fungus that attacks unfertilized eggs and then the good eggs. If we have an ultraviolet lamp, we can achieve the same effect after an exposure of 3-5 minutes.

Suppose that we met all these conditions and moved the hatching eggs in the small tank. Put the eggs down, not up to the light, which must be reduced if it is too strong. Now we will reduce air flow stream. Air stone will never be put right under the eggs, but somewhere far away.

The eggs will hatch in aprox 2 days and we will start to feed them now. Do not begin feeding until 90-95% of fry begin to swim. The first feeding will be done with Artemia hatched on the same day. Feeding the babyes will be done several times daily in small doses. After two days of feeding, clean the bottom of the tank and make the first change of water, about 20% of the aquarium. After a few days we will increase the dose of food. At first, juvenile angelfish are nothing like their parents, but after three weeks they begin to look like them. After this period, they can be moved in a greater aquarium, even planted, and we can start diversification of food.
It may happen that everything to be ok, but after six days when the young fish would start swimming, they die all. Until now, I haven't found an explanation of this fact, but can be attributed to one of the following factors:

- difference of temperature more than 2-3°C between water from the tank were eggs were deposited and water tank ready to spawn;

- eggs ventilation too strong, they are detached from the support;

- temperature too high in the tank were eggs hatched (30°C or more), temperature which speeds up hatching, babyes coming too fast and weak;

- when moving eggs support through air, the eggs are cooling because the temperature difference between water and air;

- inadequate feeding of the pair only with tubifex;

- rising column of water in the hatching tank more than 15 cm.

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Treatment with garra rufa fish for psoriasis

Member of: Cyprinidae.
Temperment: Can be an aggressive fish and may attack other fish similar in size or smaller.

Size: 5.9 inches.

Aquarium Size: a minimum of ten gallons per garra rufa.

Food: Algae wafers, blood worms, sinking pellets.

Life Span: unknown.

Aquarium Conditions: ph: 7.3, temp: 78-82.

Breeding: unknown (There is commercial breeding in which hormones are injected into the female fish).

Sexing: unknown.

Tank Mates: Other garra rufas. This fish is best kept in groups of five or more garra rufas.

Maybe the fishes from family Cyprinidae do not have six years of medicine, but in treating psoriasis and other skin diseases, no one is more skilled than them. In fact, these small fish doctors, feeds with scales caused by the disease, which aspires like real liposuction devices.

Garra Rufas are very active little fish with a high metabolism. They are great scavengers that like to hunt for uneaten food and detritus. They are also great at cleaning the algae off of the plants and the glass in your aquarium. They enjoy eating the algae as a snack.

First, this fish attack the exterior part of psoriasis and remove thick layers , then they eat thinner layers softened by warm water and suck the skin, removing all traces of the disease. At this stage, their bodies secrete a substance that is designed to coagulate blood and stop bleeding. During the cure, patients should drink at least three glasses of warm water in the morning on an empty stomach and enter the pool after breakfast, sitting for an hour, then came again, in the afternoon for another hour.

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Tank Volume Calculator

This is a very useful tool to calculate the volume of a rectangular or a round tank: Tank Volume Calculator

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Shop in Japan

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How to trim aquarium plants

Trimming is performed on plants with stem, using some scissors. Replanting the top is made at about one third of the length. The bottom of the mother plant remained produces lateral twigs which we could trim later.

The upper area of a plant with stem release chemicals that inhibit the growth of lateral twigs. If we strongly cut or pinch the upper zone, this substances don't get to the bottom area of the plant, and lateral twigs can grow and then be trimmed.

     If the bottom of the stem of a plant loses its leaves, this is a sign that light doesn't get to the bottom of the tank. Plant is cut at a few inches of soil and replant the top in good condition. Bottom can then be eliminated. If we have small breeding containers we can use them for an aquatic greenhouse, for plant culture strain. It's better to use liquid fertilizer or balls of clay.
     Plants without stem thick at their base, sometimes forming small side branches, set with roots. They can be cut through gently with a razor blade and can be replanted. Fragmentation of the basal part applies to many plants, for example at cryptocoryns.
     Some plants, like Echinodorus, develop an aerial stem that grow horizontally and at the end has a young plant, which produces roots and can be fixed in the soil, either spontaneously or because of the intervention of a hobby aquarium-keeper. After about one week, the roots develop enough and the aerial stem can be cut.
      Regarding Congo fern, it emits a rhizome that grows slowly and new leaves appear on it. Cutting this rhizome between two leaves, we get two independent plants that will continue to grow normally in the tank.

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AGA Aquascaping Contest 2010 Results

Aquatic Garden, Small (Under 70L)

1st Place

54L (14 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Apolo”

Alberto Alvarez Guti, Nerja Málaga Spain

More info here.

2st Place

30L (8 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Beyond Imagination”

Ng Hwee Tian, #06-34 Singapore

More info here.

      3st Place
     67L (18 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “On the wings of an angel”
     Filipe A. Alves Oliveira, Matosinhos Porto Portugal
    More info here.

      Honorable Mention
     64L (17 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Vein”
     HSU CHAI LI, Tainan City Taiwan (R.O.C.)
      More info here.

Aquatic Garden, Medium (70L to 200L)

1st Place and Best in Show

182L (48 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Beyond Horizon”
Siak Wee Yeo, Johor Bahru Johor Malaysia

More info here.

      2nd Place
      180L (48 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Forest”
     Yao Long Su, Pingtung City Pingtung County Taiwan
    More info here.

     3nd Place
     150L (40 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Secret shore”
     Enrico Serena, Mazzano BS Italy
More info here.

     Honorable Mention
     192L (51 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Harmony in the Wind”
     Michael G.W. Wong, North Point Hong Kong
More info here.

Aquatic Garden, Large (200L to 400L)

1st Place

230L (61 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Fond Memories”
Teoh Chee Keong, Petaling Jaya Selangor Malaysia
More info here.

      2nd Place
      250L (66 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Primary”
     Hui Kam Man, HONG KONG HONG KONG
More info here.

      3nd Place
     243L (64 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Infinite Wonder”
     Kam Wong, North Point Hong Kong

More info here.

     Honorable Mention
     320L (85 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Mountain Flowers”
     Zhenzong Su, TANGSHAN HEBEI CHINA
More info here.

Aquatic Garden, X-Large (400L+)

1st Place

432L (114 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Enchanted Forest”
Michael G.W. Wong, North Point Hong Kong
More info here.

      2nd Place
     400L (106 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “The world before Columbus”
     Pasquale Buonpane, Piedimonte Matese CE Italy
More info here.