Aquarium Maintenance

Aquarium Maintenance

INTRODUCTION

It is recommended to turn off electrical appliances before putting the hand in the water ! Never use detergents for your aquarium ( using a neutral detergent container all to change the water in case you want to move your aquarium fish ) .


DAILY

Few minutes a day may be sufficient to maintain aquarium .

It is not always obvious in week to take care of the aquarium ( if you live alone and you work for example). Also, one can make use of devices that turn on and off lights, and a vending machine food.

Here's the small gestures of daily maintenance :

Turn on and off lighting ( I still precise morning and evening , not in the afternoon as I 've seen ) . Note that the lighting is useful for plants!

Feeding two to three times per day ( eg morning and evening). Be careful not to give too much food ( it's worse than not feed them ) . Small portions of data repeatedly apply a large portion at once. The fish have eaten rations in less than five minutes. Make sure all the fish ate (some are faster than others, food competition requires) .
In the evening, you can feed the fish that tend to be active at night ( you know, those fish are still hiding during the day ) , with foods that sink to the bottom of the aquarium.

Check water temperature ( Reminder: 26 ° C on average for a tropical aquarium, between 18 and 22 ° C for goldfish ) .

Ensure proper operation of the equipment ( and if you have automatic devices).

Count the fish and ensure that fish do not exhibit abnormalities.

Remove the waste with a scoop : the excess food , plants rotting and if necessary, the bodies of fish.
Well, you must admit that for the moment , it is not too restrictive . For the "real" cleaning, it takes a little more time . As I already wrote , the more an aquarium , the more it is easy to maintain! Times indicated below are only indicative , because not knowing the size of your aquarium, it is difficult to be really accurate . Moreover, some fish, such as goldfish, are more " dirty " than others.


WEEKLY

The weekend leaves more time to enjoy the aquarium and make a little more care ...

Already , we can give the fish food a little richer and more " attractive " ( frozen , live food , leaf lettuce , etc. . ) . However, always be careful not to overfeed .

Clean the windows ( using accesoire adapted)

Clean the floor (by siphoning and replacing water). Some snails , as Melanoid allow you to ease this task . They " aerate " the soil, which is very beneficial for your plants. But even if you have snails , see if the ground is correct.
Caring for plants ( cuttings, fertilizer , etc.).

Check the chemical composition of the water (or every 15 days): nitrite levels , hardness, pH ... It is not mandatory, but recommended .

EVERY 15 DAYS AND / OR EVERY MONTH

Time of spring cleaning came ...

The change of water ( theory, third tray every 15 days ) . This is probably the most constraining element in the aquarium , and something we do not think through the acquisition of an aquarium. Must be sensitive not to scare the fish too and especially at least check the temperature of the water is renewed . Fish hate thermal shock !
A seal (which has never been used to wash the soil - that is to say all neutral detergents) and a hose will be helpful.

Cleaning the filter media . Again , do not clean it! Rinse with water part of your batting . Do not change the batting ( Perlon ) if it is really dirty . The blue foam that occupies decanting trays , which are equipped with most tanks , the nest is often most bacteria inhabiting the aquarium. In the aquarium , you must always remember to retain as much of the good bacteria . Of course , again, do not wash anything with detergents !
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EVERY 6 MONTHS / YEARS ALL

Simply the rest, changes defective devices, or worn , such as lighting tubes.

Tetra Neons

Neons are small quiet and peaceful fish. This is perfect for beginners in the aquarium .

Neon also called " Paracheirodon innesi " is part of the family Characidae . He is originally from Peru, Brazil and Colombia.

They like to move bench. It takes at least 5-7 individuals for neon feel good. This fish is totally calm . It coexists well with other species.

Attention to large specimens that could devour because of its small size ( 4 cm). You can enter a school of neon in your aquarium and after putting small scalar . They do not eat them because they have been accustomed to mingle .


For neon feels good in your aquarium , choose a dense vegetation. The following plants can be put in the basin: Cryptocorynes , Ceratophyllum demersum or the Echinodorus because they tolerate perfectly fresh water .

The soil should be rather dark and dim lighting. Neon occupy mainly the lower half of the basin.

When they are stressed , they are grouped separately if they swim . The water should be between 20 and 24 ° C. Do not change abruptly temperature aquarium and watch during their acclimatization because this species to a fragile heart .

Neon lights can have a heart attack due to stress .


Neon male is thinner . It has a blue line that is right on the stomach while the female is paunchy when it reaches sexual maturity and blue line is curved .


This species is omnivorous . She eats too much glitter flakes as mosquito larvae. If you leave , do not hate it, fear , neon lights can fast one or two days because they are often overweight.

Their life expectancy is up to 10 years.

All about guppy

Intoduction

Guppy are certainly among the most popular aquarium fish . They are active , very colorful and very demanding about their needs . In addition, they reproduce very easily hence the nickname " million fish ."
This text is an introduction to the principles of breeding for this species. Obviously , as with any regard to the aquarium , it is not the only way to proceed in order to achieve success . By cons , it is the technique that we use successfully for several years.


Choice of breeding fish

To obtain beautiful Guppy, it is important to select breeding stock that free diformités and are healthy. The fish are so crooked back, a very small body and a tail that is not very developed will be excluded. This will give you all the chances of getting fry healthy and above all, pleasing to the eye .
As the rules also apply to genetic Guppy, you can form pairs of a certain color to obtain fry will also have these colors. Without going into the intricate details of genetics, if you mate a red male with a female that has shades of red , you have very good chances of getting that will fry the red.

The age of your breeding is also important. Avoid choosing females that are old that may give you smaller litters .

What male-female ratio should be taken ? The norm is that we take two females to one male . As males are quite insistent , it is often better to have several females to divert his attention and that females may rest . However , a male can fertilize several females so you may well have more than 2 females per male . The reverse is obviously to avoid: several males to one female cause many problems to the latter which may suffer from exhaustion.


Water quality

Although Guppy are tolerant about the water conditions for vigorous fry , it is important to provide the best possible water quality . Slightly hard water and a slightly alkaline pH (pH about 7.4) is ideal. To increase the hardness of the water, I insert mussel shells in my filter. These shells , previously boiled and thoroughly cleaned , gently increase the hardness of the water, without trauma to the Guppy . Adding salt (1 teaspoon per 5 gallons) is also recommended .
Water changes are essential for both adults and juveniles . The standard is changed from 25 to 30% of water every two weeks.

Certainly the most important for breeding Guppy element. Feeding parents flakes sold in pet harm results. The fry are small , few and far less durable. It is important to feed breeding with a variety of food and quality. Mosquito larvae, blood worms , beef heart , brine shrimp and daphnia are among the best choices . Feed little but often. A typical day should include 4-5 meals with a different food each time. As Guppy take about 45 minutes to digest , so you can feed several times in the same evening. By cons , it is not the stuff but rather to provide females a varied and nutritious food.



Gestation and egg

Pregnancy varies widely depending on the age of the female and the temperature of the water. The higher the water temperature is high and the shorter the duration of the pregnancy . At a temperature around 76F , we can expect a gestation period of 28 days whereas 70F , a female can take up to 33 or 35 days before birth.
A few days before the female ponde , it is preferable to isolate in a small aquarium (2 ½ or 5 gallons). Well fed and if the aquarium contains plants such as Java moss or Water Sprite, she probably does not eat her fry .

Avoid at all costs small nest boxes sold in pet and that hangs on the edge of the aquarium. These nests stressing the female and the space is clearly insufficient to raise Guppy . In addition, as a female can lay up to 100 fry , you will quickly see that these nests are not at all adequate.
You can find in the classifieds , small aquariums at minimal cost and that will do nicely . A simple internal filter bubble and water heater are very fine.

Spawning lasts from a few minutes to a few hours. Once the female has finished, you remove it and replace it in the usual aquarium , leaving the fry in their aquariums. After about 28 days , the female will certainly be ready to lay new fry.


From birth , the fry begin to look for food . So make sure you have a supply of freshly hatched Artemia . These Artemia constitute the principal food of fry. As for adults, you can of course feed them commercial flakes but the growth of your fry will be significantly affected.
It is recommended to feed the fry at least 2 times per day with Artemia . You will see your fry with a very round belly sign they ate . After some 2-3 weeks you can start introducing food flake ( powdered so they can swallow ) . The fry are not difficult to feed and you'll see they are still hungry .

To maximize growth, it is important to make frequent water changes. To fry , it is even more important than for adults. A change of water, about 20 % and twice a week will give you the best results. This will give them the strength , promotes growth and reduces the risk of disease.

After a few weeks you will begin to distinguish the gender of your Guppy . At this point, you have to separate the males and females. If you leave them together , they spend more energy trying to mate and their growth will be significantly affected. Separating them , and give you every chance that your fish developing normally.

After about 4 months ( sooner if you give them ideal conditions for life ) , you will have ready to breed Guppy .

There is nothing complicated for successful breeding Guppy . Just follow certain rules of hygiene and provide space and food and you will in a very short time, more than you would like Guppy . Keep only those that interest you, others you can share them with other fans or sell to pet stores in exchange for equipment.