Size of Your Aquarium

Even though a lot of people think that it is right to start with a small fish tank, this is not really the best choice because a smaller tank is harder to keep in good condition and require much more work to keep in a healthy condition. This is because the water in a smaller tank is rapidly affected by any disturbances, therefore if the room temperature drops or rises unexpectedly, for example, there will be an immediate change in the water conditions inside the tank. A much larger aquarium will be a lot more stable. Another thing to think about is that with a much larger aquarium the toxic wastes from the fish, are dispersed through a much larger volume of water and consequently will be less likely to affect your fish.  A 40 gallon tank is a good size to start with at a minimum.

Acrylic or Glass?

The next decision to make is between a traditional glass or an acrylic fish tank. This needs to be thought about with shape of the aquarium you prefer in mind because some shapes, cylindrical for example, can only be bought in acrylic. Glass tanks are usually much cheaper than acrylic tanks but are usually heavier. They also tend to leak as they get older but an aquarium sealant can easily fix this. They are not made in such a wide variety of shapes as acrylic tanks. If you are looking for an exotic shaped tank you will normally have to purchase acrylic.

Acrylic aquariums cost more than all-glass tanks but are lighter in weight and, as they are designed in only one piece, are not so prone to leaking. Care must be taken not to scratch the outside of the aquarium and keep away from using any abrasive cleaning materials on the acrylic as this will cause small scratches on the exterior which will make it less than clear.

The Shape of the Aquarium

The long-established rectangular tank is certainly the best shape for an aquarium because it has a high surface area to water ratio which allows the greatest gas exchange. On the other hand if you fancy a less common shape then you will need to ensure the tank is properly aerated in order for the fish to get enough oxygen. Acrylic aquariums are available in many different shapes including round, cylindrical, hexagon, octagon and also mounted as coffee tables or as wall aquariums.

What is the Best Location for Your Fish Tank?

When deciding on where to locate your aquarium ensure you have enough room and that the aquarium’s weight can be accommodated. A fifty gallon filled tank will weigh as much as 550  pounds so you must be careful that the flooring and stand are sturdy enough. You can place a wall aquarium on a dividing wall so that you can view the tank from two adjoining rooms and is a breathtaking centerpiece to any room.

For more information please visit us at Cheap Aquariums for Sale

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One of the most important things you can do for your goldfish is to choose the right tank. Goldfish need well oxygenated water so you’ll want to pick a tank that has a lot of surface area – or area where the water meets the air. It’s in your fish’s best interest to choose a tank that is shorter and longer as opposed to one that is taller and thinner. I know a lot of people keep their goldfish in a bowl, but this isn’t really a very good environment for a fish and it certainly won’t allow for you to expand and add other fish to your collection.

Another important piece of  advice for goldfish care is to make sure that the water is always clean. Goldfish, in general are actually pretty messy fish and they can pollute their own water pretty quickly. You also need to be careful not to feed them too much as the excess food will float to the bottom and start to decay. Plus they will eat too much and then poop more and their waste in the water will also start to decay. Both of these will add up to bad water quality leaving your goldfish stressed out and at risk for disease.

Doing partial water changes, about 25% of the total water changed out once a month, is a must to keep your goldfish happy and healthy.

Just like you,  your goldfish can get sick and part of caring for him is to keep an eye on them to make sure he doesn’t show any of the signs of disease. You want to look for little white spots that almost look like salt which is a disease called Ichtyopthirius and needs to be treated right away. Also, observe your fish every day and make sure that he doesn’t exhibit any unusual behavior that can indicate that he is sick. Make sure you keep the tank at a constant temperature and that the PH level remains within the preferred range.

Goldfish care is not that hard and merely requires that you provide him with an appropriate environment in which to live. Feeding him a varied diet consisting of flake foods, brine shrimp and blood worms will help keep them healthy. Make sure you have a good heater and filtration system on your aquarium and your goldfish should be happy and healthy for quite some time.

By: Lee Dobbins

Caring for A Goldfish Aquarium

If you care for your aquarium properly, you will be sure to have happy and healthy Goldfish for many years. Goldfish have a life expectancy of five to ten years. If you do a good job maintaining their fish tank, you should have fun.

Goldfish: Caring For Them  Some Common Myths

Now, let’s talk about setting up a goldfish tank. Goldfish need much larger tanks than other common fish because of their adult size. If you take good care of your goldfish, it can be with you for over 20 years! 

Freshwater Aquarium: Is Goldfish A lucky fish?

Some people believes that to raise a fish could give some luck. 

Demon Goldfish?

These fish have some bright colors and have some very fancy fins, but they are mostly large goldfish, and eventually switch to tropical fish to get a larger selection of fish. But keeping tropical fish can be a … There is always the possibility that some of your fish will get eaten, but the only way to make keeping fish not a gamble is to keep each fish in their own separate fish tank 

Does A Bigger Tank Promote Faster Growth In Fish?

With a bigger tank, fish will have more space to move around. Naturally, they will tend to “exercise” more, thus eat more which in turn grow faster than in a constraint environment. 

Aquarium Care for Freshwater Fish

Freshwater fish are perhaps the easiest & fef lt;b>fish to care for in comparison to saltwater species because they are usually hardier fish. A basic aquarium set up will be required. You will need a tank, some rocks or substrate to line the bottom.

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Lee Dobbins writes for Fish Tank Guide where you can learn more about fish tank care and maintenance as well as how to care for your goldfish.

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South American Cichlid, wolf, convict, flowerhorn, firemouth and jewel cichlids – so many beautiful names for such a pretty species.

The cichlid fish has a very colorful appearance which makes them one of the most popular fish to own. Their care is not that difficult but they do have requirements that must be adhered to in order for them to be healthy.

Most cichlids come from Africa, but they are also found in Central and South America. They are found in many different kinds of waters, such as rivers, lakes and ponds. There are many different cichlid species and many different color variations.

In your cichlid tank, you must provide places for them to hide, such as large pieces of driftwood or rock caves. If you have a large species of cichlids, it is best not to put plants in their aquarium because they tend to dig up substrate materials. Other species, like the angelfish and discus prefer a planted tank.

Most cichlids like to be in water temperatures in the mid seventies. The Discus species prefers slightly higher temperatures. The staple food of your cichlid’s diet should be a large flake food, but you should also feed many different types of live and frozen foods. It’s good to have variety in their diet. If you have a large cichlid, it can even be fed earthworms and crickets.

Cichlids are very territorial which makes them aggressive. You must watch out for this aggression. If you have a mating pair, the male will usually drive away the female after mating. There needs to be somewhere for her to hide or else she can be killed. Because they are so aggressive, you should only keep them with other large fish that can stand up against them.

If you carefully select the fish, cichlids can be kept in a community tank. Dwarf cichlids work extremely well for this. They can be kept together pretty easily with schooling fish like Characins. If you keep cichlids in a tank together just make sure there is enough room for them to claim their own territory.

Large cichlids should only be kept with fish of the same size and temperament as themselves. Do not keep any large cichlid with a small fish because they will probably make them a meal.

If you decide to breed cichlids, you need to realize that there are two different types of breeders. Substrate brooders lay eggs out in the open on a surface or hidden in a cavity. They will fan the eggs to increase oxygen supply and after they hatch, the fish will look after the young until they are eating on their own and free swimming. After that, the parents will still protect the young against predators. The parents will be extremely aggressive during this time.

The other type of breeder is called a mouthbrooder. They put the eggs and larvae in their mouths. They keep them in their mouths until the young are free swimming. Most mouthbrooders stop looking after the young once they are free swimming, but others do continue to care for them by letting them go back into their mouths when there is danger.

Cichlids are really fun fish to own. There are so many different kinds of cichlids and some of the colors are truly stunning. Before you get cichlids, just try to do as much research about them as you can.

Michael Russell      Your Independent guide to Aquariums

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Sick Cichlids

Ok those of you that helped me out last week know that I just got a 40 gallon up and going. All readings are normal. Temp is about 79 degrees..

Cichlids

Pictures Tank examples Library Cichlid Forum Natural habitats. New cichlid. Also got this 1 yesterday can anyone id for me.

Cichlids on Flickr – Photo Sharing!

Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration Mystic, CT If you know the species, leave a comment.

Cichlids Digging Nests

It’s always fascinating to watch my African Cichlids rebuild after a tank cleaning. They’re very territorial fish, and they build nests by moving around the gravel in the tank. We captured on video one of the fish building his nest.

Freshwater Aquarium: Lyretail Cichlid

Same like most cichlids, they have bad characters. Lyretail Cichlids will defend their territory. It could attack any fish, which disturb their territory. Therefore, we cannot put Lyretail Cichlids in community tanks.

Freshwater Aquarium: Convict Julie Cichlids Profile

The Convict Julie color is gold and black strip like Golden Julie cichlids. The pattern color is different with convict cichlids. Golden Julie has Kipili variety too that  has more yellow color. The pattern could different 

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