Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Water quality is the most important element in keeping a successful aquarium, as well as the most challenging. It must be maintained in a freshwater fish tank to ensure the health of your fish. Water's pH levels relate to its acidity, which is measured on a scale from 0 to 14. Freshwater pH levels of 0 to 6.9 are acidic, 7.1 to 14.0 are alkaline and 7.0 is neutral. Water with high pH levels has high mineral contents. Low and high pH levels create stress in fish, harm their color and growth and may be fatal. Most freshwater tropical fish…
When organic waste builds up in a freshwater fish tank, the nitrate level will increase. A high level of nitrates can be fatal to fish. High levels of nitrates can lead to a large increase of algae growth as well. Keeping nitrates at a proper level will reduce stress on fish and help keep your aquarium from becoming full of algae.
Piranhas are small, primarily South American fish known for their razor-sharp teeth. Myths and lore surround the piranha, and they are often characterized as school fish with a thirst for blood. Stories abound in which piranha strip cattle or even humans of flesh within minutes, leaving nothing but skeletal remains. However, these tales are largely, if not entirely, untrue. Piranhas are not nearly as ferocious as some people allege them to be. Their diets are far more limited than myth would hold, and they migrate in distinctive patterns trying to satisfy their diets.
Freshwater prawns require special conditions in order to thrive - many other types of fish will eat smaller prawns, and prawns themselves are also very territorial and will fight. You can raise a colony of prawns together, however; and once you have established a colony, you can keep it healthy with minimal effort.
The black piranha is one of the rarest, and most feared of all piranhas. Black piranhas have powerful bodies and large sharp triangular teeth. Speculation maintains that the black piranha will attack human beings. Although these fish are sometimes available in pet stores, they are difficult to maintain due to their aggressive nature.
Piranhas have the reputation of being a blood-thirsty, man-eating species. However, these little fish have attracted the attention of aquarium enthusiasts who can see past the sharp teeth. Many people keep piranhas as pets because they are a very interesting fish to watch and learn about. They are a relatively hardy fish and are quite easy to care for if you do your research before purchasing one.
Red-bellied piranhas are infamous as bloodthirsty, viscous carnivorous fish. However, although they are aggressive and dangerous towards other fish, red-bellied piranhas are usually only dangerous towards humans when they are starving. In fact, these fascinating creatures can make interesting and unusual home aquarium inhabitants. Red-bellied piranhas also breed readily in an aquarium, when the right conditions are provided. These fish guard and care for their eggs and young. It can be captivating to watch this species as it breeds and raises the young fish.
For years, piranhas have fascinated many with their ferocious behavior. This, alongside the fact that they are incredibly hardy, have made them a popular fish in the pet trade. Although warm-climate U.S. states do not allow piranha ownership, they are legal in some. Sadly, piranha owners oftentimes become bored with the fish as piranha are typically shy unless feeding them live food. The urge to release them back into the wild is tempting, although it must not be done. If you have tired of your piranha, you will need to humanely euthanize it.
Piranhas are freshwater fish native to South America with a reputation for ferocity. While aquarium owners must take care not to house piranhas with other kinds of fish, piranhas pose little risk to people. Breeding them requires a large aquarium and careful attention to water temperature, lighting and water quality. Owning piranhas is illegal in some states and requires permits in others due to concerns that these aggressive fish could end up in the wild. Be sure to check state law in your area.
The Serrasalmus rhombeus, or Black Piranha, is a commonly kept and bred Piranha. These freshwater fish breed best in an environment devoid of other fish species. It is not easy to breed Piranhas, so you will need to provide them with an environment that feels completely natural to them so they feel comfortable enough to spawn.
The red-bellied piranha (Serrasalmus nattereri) is an aggressive fish that is native to the Amazon river. These fish can be kept in an aquarium with other piranha but will eat and attack other types of fish when they are placed in the same tank together. They have strong jaws and sharp teeth that tear flesh. Extreme care should be given when keeping them as pets. They can grow up to 12 inches long and prefer to live in slightly acidic waters.
Piranhas subsist on a meaty diet in the wild. Their food can include rodents, insects, fish and crustaceans. When you keep piranhas as pets, sticking as closely as possible to their natural diet will help avoid potential health issues. While it's acceptable to feed your piranha feeder (live) fish and pellet food, these forms of foods shouldn't make up your piranha's diet alone. It is important to quarantine feeder fish to monitor for disease before feeding them to your piranha.
Red belly piranhas (Pygocentrus nattereri) are freshwater fish from the Amazon. In the home aquarium, they grow up to 1 foot in length, and thus need a rather large aquarium of more than 100 gallons to grow to full size. When planning the aquarium, consider tank length and depth over height, and give the fish plenty of places to hide and feel secure.
If you have a fish tank at home or in your office, you know that there are a number of facets to creating a safe and healthy environment for your fish, such as making sure that you maintain the filtration system and clean the tank regularly. However,your fish's most immediate need is for oxygen. It is vital to make sure that oxygen levels are maintained at 5 to 7 mg per liter of water in the tank. There are several ways to accomplish this.
Freshwater tanks are ideal for beginners because of their easy maintenance and low setup costs. However, hobbyists experienced in maintaining a freshwater tank may consider graduating to a saltwater tank because of its vibrant looks.
Freshwater fish tanks do not require the addition of salt, but many experts believe that freshwater fish are healthier in a tank with a little salt. Adding salt replaces the chromium and sodium ions that are absent in tap water. Salt can be helpful to sick fish, prevent the fish's intake of toxins and inhibits the growth of parasites. Deciding whether to add salt is a choice dependent on the type of fish you have. Certain types of fish, like live bearers or brackish water fish, live longer and suffer less disease when a little salt is kept in the…
The main cause of high ammonia in an aquarium is the presence of fish. When you introduce fish and start feeding them, you need to take measures to keep ammonia levels low. High ammonia levels are lethal to fish, but even slightly elevated ammonia is bad for them. Nonlethal ammonia build-up increases susceptibility to disease, shortens lifespan and decreases coloration.
According to Dr. William Wurts Ph.D., professor at Kentucky State University, all fish species originated from the planet's oceans. Over time, species of fish began to tolerate lower concentrations of salt in the water. The evolutionary changes eventually led to the transition of fish to fresh waters. If you were to introduce a freshwater fish into a saltwater aquarium, the fish would die a painful death. However, one species of freshwater fish has the ability to adapt to a saltwater aquarium.
Indoor freshwater shrimp farming refers to the nursery stage of prawn farming (usually Macrobrachium rosenbergii). This is the postlarval (PL) stage, from when they leave brackish water for freshwater until the older juvenile stage, when they are transferred to outdoor "grow-out" ponds.
Adding salt to your freshwater tank will give the fish an environment that is closer to what they need in order to be healthy and thrive. Many tap-water sources do not contain enough dissolved salts. A little bit of salt acts as a sort of tonic for freshwater fish.
Nitrites are the second stage of the nitrogen cycle of an aquarium. In a healthy, mature aquarium, toxic ammonia from fish waste and decaying food is quickly converted into less harmful nitrites,which then become relatively harmless nitrates. Nitrites and nitrates are removed from the aquarium during water changes. Kits to measure nitrites are available wherever aquarium supplies are sold. Ideally, nitrites should measure as close to "0" as possible, and you should replace 2 1/2 gallons of water in your 10 gallon tank every other week.
Fish are fascinating creatures to have in your home. Watching them in your aquarium is relaxing and entertaining. Perhaps the most feared fish of all, the piranha, is legal in many states and can be kept successfully in a home aquarium.
According to the Office of Science at the Department of Energy, "Approximately 2 percent of all 21,000 species of fish actually move from fresh water to salt water or from salt to fresh at some point in their lives"(www.newton.dep.anl.gov). notable examples are eels and salmon. To accomplish this they have special triggers in their body that help them with the excretion and absorption of salt. Most fish, however, would die from losing or gaining water in their bodies at a rapid rate. To better understand this we need to understand the process of diffusion and osmosis.
One of the joys of owning a fish tank is being able to see your display "pop" through the clean, polished look of crystal-clear water. Unfortunately, cloudy water in a fish tank can be one of the biggest and most common frustrations that fish tank owners experience. Yet, with a few key steps and the proper maintenance, anyone can enjoy a crystal-clear fish tank every day.
Everything was fine last night. You fed the fish, went to bed, and woke up to ... disaster. The inhabitants of your freshwater tank are either dead, swimming sluggishly or hovering near the surface, gasping for breath. You see some ragged fins on your shark, maybe patches of fungus-looking stuff on a platy. What happened? Before you rush to the pet store to buy medicine, realize that when a freshwater tank "goes bad" all at once, it's most likely because the fish waste products have overtaken the fresh water. You can fix that.
