FISH > The Room For Them

Keeping Cichlids is an addiction. It starts with just one tank, often with no thoughts of breeding these fascinating fish. However, nature takes over and the fish start courting and breeding. Then the fish keeper is faced with the problem of where to keep and grow the newly adopted babies. A second tank is purchased to cater for the needs of the growing family, and before you notice, you're hooked. It has happened to many millions of people worldwide and will continue to happen in the future: there is nothing to be ashamed of, nor the need to feel guilty. The love of nature's wonders is perfectly natural.
Once a fishkeeper has graduated from simply having a couple of tanks in the lounge room the thoughts of expansion begin. Why not use all or part of the garage or the garden shed to house the fish? This is the logical progression, but the decisions to be made at this point should not be rushed. The setting up of a fish room can be the most important thing in this hobby. It is often the design and layout of the room that ultimately leads to success or failure, and if you will stay in the hobby for a lifetime or burn out within a year.
How large or small the area you use for the room depends on a number of factors. Things like location, available space, type of fish to be kept and budget will all govern the size of the room. Needless to say, the room will never be big enough. The construction of the room itself varies depending on the skills of the owner and if the building is to be constructed from scratch or simply converted (e.g. an existing garage). The external shell is relatively unimportant - brick, tin, fibro, weatherboard and just about any other building material is suitable.
The internal linings and the insulation within the walls and ceiling are all of vital importance. This is the area where most attention should be focussed. The internal lining of the room should be fibro or water resistant plasterboard. Cornices or quad should be used to ensure there are no gaps. This should be painted in a light coloured mildew resistant paint. The insulation used depends on the type of construction and your budget, however, the more money you spend now will be reflected in lower heating costs later. The main factor is the insulation . It must have 100% coverage to be effective. Stud walls can be best insulated with fibreglass batts. Push the batts in between the studs and use string or cord, stapled to the studs to hold the batts up until the lining is in place. An alternative to batts is polystyrene foam. No matter what the material used, the entire cavity between the stud must be filled. So cut out small strips to fill gaps, if necessary. In the ceiling the insulation is easy: if the roof is pitched, simply lay the batts or foam between the rafters. An alternative product called cellulose fibre can be pumped into the roof and is very effective. If the roof is a flat or skillion roof that is not already lined, then the best method is polystyrene foam as it is easier to install above your head, as batts tend to sag.
Windows and skylights are good to provide natural light to your fishroom, but they can also be the point of greatest heat loss. All glass openings must be double glazed. Suitable windows can be purchased or easily made by the handyman. The basic principle must be known to take advantage of this technology. It works like this: the air trapped between the two sheets of glass acts as a barrier to the heat, much the same way as a diver's wet suit. The two sheets of glass must be close together (i.e. about 15 mm) and the air must be sealed in between the sheets. If the air is not sealed between the sheets or the gap is too large then it won't work and all the effort is wasted. Doors should fit well in the jam and have a draft excluder fitted underneath.
A door closer is also a good idea, to make certain that it is not left ajar.
Heating is the major running cost in keeping fish when away from tropical areas. So once you have worked out the best way to keep the heat in, the next step is to work out the best way to generate the heat. Firstly the most costly way to heat your tanks is individual aquarium heaters in all tanks, so this should be avoided. Heating the whole room is therefore the best. Gas is the most cost effective energy to heat the room, however, some heater designs are much better than others. Models with a "Power flue" are superior to all others. These units draw air from outside and then return the exhaust gas back outside. The next best are any other flued models. Other models without flues should be avoided. Your local gas supplier should be consulted to ensure your choice is safe for your application. Reverse cycle air conditioners are the next most cost effective . The best way to run them is for only 3 one hour sessions in a 24 hour period. This can be accomplished by using an electronic timer purchased from a hardware shop. The correct times and settings for the air conditioner will be achieved by monitoring the tank temperature in the room each night, and then again in the early morning before the lights come on, and finally in the middle of the day. This will avoid you being in the room when the heater is on, and avoid heat loss from you coming and going from the room.
So, now your building is complete and you are ready for the tanks. The amount of planning you do here will directly influence the amount of time you spend on maintenance and the amount of water you can have in the room. My personal preference is to have wide tanks to maximise the amount of water per unit area. I also believe in having overflows in the tanks and some degree in automation in the area of water changing. My fish rooms have long racks or stands that suit tanks of equal width and height. The lengths of tanks can vary depending on needs. For example the bottom and middle rows can be 18 inches high and the top row 24 inches high. Having your stands set up this way is the most efficient way to maximise total water capacity and all commercial fishrooms are done in this manner. Most people use either wood or steel to make their stands. Both materials must be painted to ensure long life.
Filtration is a subject that can be as diverse as the fish we keep. However, two basic methods are preferred. The simplest is individual air operated filters of your favourite design. These are cheap to run and often easy to make yourself. The other way is to have a common filter system, where many tanks run from the same large filters. These filters can run whole racks or rows or even the whole room. Some expert assistance will be required to design a system for your needs, so shop or ask around and get detailed quotes before starting. Some advice: keep separate systems for different water conditions (e.g. Americans, Africans, or Discus) and keep your fry growing tanks on a separate system to the breeders, if possible.
Lighting in the fish room is usually less important than in a display tank in the lounge room. I have always designed my rooms as a cost saving exercise. So I only use ceiling lights above the aisles between the tanks. I have a couple of regular aquarium lights, that can be moved to a specific tank if necessary.
At this point I will give you an example of one of my rooms. The building is approximately 30 feet long and 9 feet wide (about the same as a garage for two cars, one behind the other). There are about 60 tanks from 40 litres to 1,800 litres, and the total capacity is 13,000 litres. All tanks except the two largest tanks (1,800 and 800 litres) are on air operated filters, including four 5x2x2 tanks. The total average energy costs $4.50 / week in gas and $11.50 / week in power.
I consider this to be a very cost effective room for the large amount of water.
In conclusion, think carefully before you start, look at other people's fish rooms, ask other society members how their rooms are set up, and if they have any problems with their rooms and how they can be rectified.
Please try not to make the same mistake more than once. Remember, planning ahead will make your room neater, much more functional, and more enjoyable for you and your fish.

(this articles original author by by Peter Gallagher First published in the Cichlid Circular, August 1999. New South Wales Cichlid Society, AustraliaAquarticles)

FISH > The Pet That So Famous!

Your first aquarium should never be an impulse buy. You should be aware that you are about to embark on a mission to provide a suitable world within your home to your new aquatic pets. To understand your responsibility fully, you must realize that you are playing god to these creatures and therefore you are ethically required to understand their environment and requirements fully and to the best of your ability. These creatures that you have decided to make your pets and create a home world for them have no escape except through death. It is a startling reality, which is completely ignored by most.
What are these aquatic requirements you need to fulfill?
Fishes have to be provided with a sufficiently large water body. You can decide the size of the aquarium that your budget allows and buy fish that would be comfortable in that aquarium. Alternatively you could decide the kind of fish that you want to have and buy an aquarium that suits that species. It is cruel to put a large fish into a small aquarium; the unfortunate fish would have limited mobility and low oxygen levels. In the long run such a fish would be unhealthy and as a result may succumb to opportunistic diseases. A large aquarium with few fishes or many small fishes is dreams come true. Ideally plan your aquarium for a small number of fish with a large space to swim around in.
Fishes come from rivers and lakes where there are natural currents constantly refreshing the water. This movement ensures that water is constantly exposed to air. Water from the lower reaches of your aquarium must be brought up to the surface so that fresh oxygen may dissolve in it and carbon dioxide exhaled by the fish may escape into the air. To achieve this in an aquarium you can either use an aerator or a filter-power head. The aerator does more than introducing fresh air bubbles into the water, the air curtain draws up stale water from the lower parts of the aquarium to the surface. Water rides along the water bubbles reaches the top, ripples on the surface increases oxygenation and refreshed water from the surface flows down. Remember that the aerator you select should not be so noisy so as to keep you awake at night. A filter or power head is a better choice. Select one with the flow capacity to suit your aquarium.
Your aquarium needs gravel to simulate nature. The gravel at the bottom helps in many ways. The gravel becomes home to billions of bacteria which help in harmlessly decomposing the fish excreta. This is a very important function to make your aquarium habitable to fish. In water fish excreta breaks down chemically and produces ammonia, which is very toxic to fish. These beneficial bacteria convert ammonia to less harmful nitrates. Without these bacteria your fishes would fall sick within days and eventually die by the damage ammonia does to their gills. The life of these creatures is in your hands and you have to ensure that these useful bacteria are present in your aquarium. Firstly choose gravel which is between 1 and 3 mm. in size, smaller particles will become compacted and larger gravel will make it difficult for plants to root. Make sure the gravel is free of sea shells, gravel prepared from laterite from the coast is ideal. To give your gravel a head start with bacteria, you need to fill your aquarium with water from another aquarium which has been successfully functioning for 3 months or more. You can also take a scoop of gravel from such an aquarium and add it to yours. Another way, take the sponge from an established aquarium and shake it firmly in a mug of water. Allow the mess to settle and add this water to your aquarium.
Most rivers and lakes provide aquatic life with a stable temperature. The temperature may only vary a little in tropical areas, while in other colder regions water might even freeze. Not all fishes have evolved to survive in such stressful climates. Temperatures in small bodies of water like your aquarium might vary quite a lot between day and night. If you plan to keep an aquarium indoors, the temperature may not vary much. If you plan to keep the aquarium outdoors or in an exposed area then temperatures may vary quite a bit. If you suspect that temperatures might vary a lot then you need to reduce these fluctuations by the use of an electric heater. The wattage of the heater will depend on your aquarium size, ask local aquarists for advice. Do not use heaters without automatic temperature control. Remember that glass heaters can break if handled carelessly and broken heaters immersed in water can result in FATAL injuries.
Plants are found in many water bodies, its only natural for you to provide aquatic plants in your aquarium for your pets. Plants provide much needed oxygen during the day. Plants remove nutrients from the water, reducing the buildup of nitrates. Plants provide a hiding place for fishes and break the monotony of an aquascape. Plants need to be selected by their size and suitability to your aquarium size. Some species of fish do not like plants in the aquarium; others constantly dig the gravel pulling out plants. Plants need light to grow, do not skimp on lights. Some species grow well only in bright light. For the first 6 months or more your plants need trace element supplements to do well. Add a micronutrient or trace mix according to directions.
In nature the sun rises and sets with absolute predictability. This sets the biological clock in all living things. It is very important that you provide this cycle to your plants and pets in the aquarium. Unless you plan to keep your aquarium near a well lit window, a light is required. You will have sufficient light if you use Compact Fluorescent lamps (CFL) with good electrical efficiency and keep you power bills low. Common household filament lamps have low light output and high heat radiation and are not suitable for an aquarium. Lamps should be switched on in the morning and switched off 12 hours later. You can invest in a electronic timer if you wish to automate the job. Lights may be fixed in a hood, a cover over the aquarium. When selecting light bulbs for a hood ensure that your fixtures are water proof. You can suspend lights from overhead and leave the aquarium top open. To prevent excessive evaporation, use a glass sheet to cover the top of the aquarium. This sheet is known as a condensation plate. You can use a condensation plate to protect your lighting fixtures from moisture.
In nature there is fresh water flowing in rivers. We cannot provide our home aquatic world with flowing fresh water, waste chemicals accumulate and important chemical elements get depleted so its very important to change some of the water in your aquarium regularly. Since we are driven by a calendar week of 7 days, it's easier to remember change some water weekly. Replace a maximum of 50% your aquarium water every week and add micronutrients or trace mix. If your water supply is chlorinated, you need to allow the chlorine to dissipate by allowing the water to sit in a container for a long time. You can also use chemicals like sodium hyposulphite "Hypo" to bind the chlorine and make it harmless. Chlorine is harmful to fish and it kills the useful bacteria in the aquarium.
Selecting your new fish at the shop is important. Do not buy fish that look like their fins are frayed or look visibly sick. Avoid fish with white spots, fishes with visible injuries or parasites clinging to their bodies. When in doubt avoid buying. Do not pick fish from an aquarium where there are dead fish. Do not buy fish on an impulse. Check if the fish you wish to buy are compatible. Some species are territorial and may become aggressive. You can learn a little more about a fish's nature by spending a little time at the shop observing them. Start with very few fish and increase your population with a few at a time. The aquatic world you have created needs time to adjust to fish load.
Finally your pets need to be fed. Growth of the fish is dependant on the amount of food they get. The more food they get faster they grow and shorter their life span may be. Fish food is available as pellets, flakes and live feed. Select food from reputed manufacturers, use pellets that suit the type of fish you have. Some fish species are bottom feeders, for them you need to use sinking food. They will starve if you feed your pets only floating food. Vary the food a little and give your pets some variety. Feed the fish once or twice a day, use as much as they eat in 5 minutes. Remove all excess uneaten food immediately. If you wish long life for your pets, feed them lightly. Unlike other pets, you can leave fish unfed for many days. If you have to leave town for a few days you need not worry about the fish, they will do nicely for days without being fed. Do not feed them excessively to compensate.
Plan your first aquarium with your family. Encourage your spouse and children to take part in its planning and upkeep. Keep the aquarium where it is out of reach of toddlers and four legged pets! Place the aquarium in a stable and safe place, safe for the family and safe for your fish.

(author of this original articles by by Rajendra Kumar G. G., of Bangalore, IndiaFrom the ASK All-India)

FISH > The famous wildlife in our LIFE!!

Fish
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For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation).
Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are cold-blooded, covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. Fish are abundant in the sea and in fresh water, with species being known from mountain streams (e.g., char and gudgeon) as well as in the deepest depths of the ocean (e.g., gulpers and anglerfish). They are of tremendous importance as food for people around the world, either collected from the wild (see fishing) or farmed in much the same way as cattle or chickens (see aquaculture). Fish are also exploited for recreation, through angling and fishkeeping, and fish are commonly exhibited in public aquaria. Fish have an important role in many cultures through the ages, ranging as widely as deities and religious symbols to subjects of books and popular movies

(original post from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish)




The term "fish" is most precisely used to describe any non-tetrapod chordate, i.e., an animal with a backbone that has gills throughout life and has limbs, if any, in the shape of fins.[1] Unlike groupings such as birds or mammals, fish are not a single clade but a paraphyletic collection of taxa, including hagfishes, lampreys, sharks and rays, ray-finned fishes, coelacanths, and lungfishes.[2][3]
A typical fish is cold-blooded; has a streamlined body that allows it to swim rapidly; extracts oxygen from the water using gills or an accessory breathing organ to enable it to breath atmospheric oxygen; has two sets of paired fins, usually one or two (rarely three) dorsal fins, an anal fin, and a tail fin; has jaws; has skin that is usually covered with scales; and lays eggs that are fertilized internally or externally.

Fish come in many shapes and sizes. This is a sea dragon, a close relative of the seahorse. Their leaf-like appendages enable them to blend in with floating seaweed
To each of these there are exceptions. Tuna, Swordfish, and some species of sharks show some warm-blooded adaptations, and are able to raise their body temperature significantly above that of the ambient water surrounding them.[4] Streamlining and swimming performance varies from highly streamlined and rapid swimmers which are able to reach 10-20 body-lengths per second (such as tuna, salmon, and jacks) through to slow but more maneuverable species such as eels and rays that reach no more than 0.5 body-lengths per second.[5] Many groups of freshwater fish extract oxygen from the air as well as from the water using a variety of different structures. Lungfish have paired lungs similar to those of tetrapods, gouramis have a structure called the labyrinth organ that performs a similar function, while many catfish, such as Corydoras extract oxygen via the intestine or stomach.[6] Body shape and the arrangement of the fins is highly variable, covering such seemingly un-fishlike forms as seahorses, pufferfish, anglerfish, and gulpers. Similarly, the surface of the skin may be naked (as in moray eels), or covered with scales of a variety of different types usually defined as placoid (typical of sharks and rays), cosmoid (fossil lungfishes and coelacanths), ganoid (various fossil fishes but also living gars and bichirs, cycloid, and ctenoid (these last two are found on most bony fish.[7] There are even fishes that spend most of their time out of water. Mudskippers feed and interact with one another on mudflats and are only underwater when hiding in their burrows.[8] The catfish Phreatobius cisternarum lives in underground, phreatic habitats, and a relative lives in waterlogged leaf litter.[9][10]
Fish range in size from the 16 m (51 ft) whale shark to the 8 mm (just over ¼ of an inch) long stout infantfish.
Many types of aquatic animals commonly referred to as "fish" are not fish in the sense given above; examples include shellfish, cuttlefish, starfish, crayfish and jellyfish. In earlier times, even biologists did not make a distinction - sixteenth century natural historians classified also seals, whales, amphibians, crocodiles, even hippopotamuses, as well as a host of aquatic invertebrates, as fish[11]. In some contexts, especially in aquaculture, the true fish are referred to finfish to distinguish them from these other animals.
(original post from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish)