The Colors of Koi

by: Mark Justice

Photo by: Araleya

The Japanese have taken a great deal of pride in the careful breeding of Koi Fish to produce the many different fabulous colors and patterns that are available today. Koi fish are loved and treasured by their owners because of the gorgeous colors and patterns available. 

Vivid and bright colors shoud mark the Koi Fish. Yellow Koi should be a vivid yellow, and black Koi should be a deep jet black. Dullness of color or spots that are slighly off color are undesirable qualities. You also don't want any specks of gray in your pure white Koi. Color is an indicator of the Koi's overall good health. Imperfect water conditions as well as dull drab colors is an indicastion of poor health. Understanding the importance of color and what the colors should be will help a great deal when you are selecting your Koi. It will also help to keep an eye on the color at home as you are raising them to be sure the water conditions and care you are giving them is the best quality possible. 

Koi Fish come in a large variety of colors. Some of the most seen Koi colors are red, black, white, green, blue, yellow and cream. Certain terms and descriptions are used by the Japanese to describe the different colors and traits of the Koi Fish, There are a large number of categories that have been identified by Koi breeders. Gosanke is the most popular variety and it includes many sub-categories such as Kohaku, Taisho Sanshoki and Showa Sanshoki Koi. The Kohaku are white with red patterns. The white on this breed of Koi should be pure white and the red should cover 50 to 70 percent of the body with well defined edges. 

The Taisho Sanshoki category or Taisho Sanke or just Sanke, as they are also known, are white fish with red and black markings. Again the white should be snowy white and the red and black should be brightly colored with distinct edges. Like the Sanke category of Koi, the Showa Sanshoki, or just Showa category are white black and red in color as well. The difference is that the main color is black with white and red markings. There are many other varieties that each come in their own color variations. The Ogon come in an assortment of colors but they are all one color. They sould be a solid bright color with no patterns, or markings at all. 

You can help keep you Koi's colors bright and distinct by feeding them a rich diet. Shrimp, marigold, plankton and blue-green algae known as Spirulina are some of the things added to commercial grade diets for Koi. These foods are specifically geared to enhance the colors and markings of the Koi. Also, adding foods such as freeze dried brine shrimp and daphnia, you are ultimately feeding them color anhancing foods. Each of these fodds have high concentrations of carotenoids, and carotenoid pigments are the major pigments in the Koi's skin.
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About The Author


Mark Justice is a koi fish enthusiast. For more information on koi colors, visit:http://www.raisingkoifish.com

Lemon Tetras

by: Linda Paquette

Glassily transparent, the lemon tetra (hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) could appear to be just a sunbeam flashing through your community tank if not for background elements like plants and driftwood. Another member of the large characin clan, the lemon tetra has a fairly elongated body like its smaller relative the neon tetra and like neons and other characins, the lemon tetra does best if kept in small schools of six to eight fish.

Photo by: CK Yeo

One of the most distinguishing features of the lemon tetra is their large eyes. The upper part of the lemon tetra’s eye is brilliant red, which is a sharp contrast to the yellow pastels it displays in its body colors. Actually, though, the lemon tetra is quite colorful on close inspection. Body coloring is a delicate pale yellow, flanks are silver, and the leading edge of the anal fin is shiny-bright-yellow and sharply divided from the other rays, which are black. In the male, the rest of the anal fin is broad and fringed in black, a characteristic that is missing in the plumper female. As many male characins do, the male lemon tetras also have tiny hooks on their anal fins. Both males and females have the tetras’ characteristic adipose fin, which is also pale yellow in color.

Although omnivorous and able to exist on a diet of flaked food, the pale yellow color of the lemon tetra displays best if the fish’s standard diet is well supplemented with live treats. The lemon tetra is an egg-scatterer. However, breeding can be tricky since females often have a problem expelling their eggs and after spawning, the lemon tetra like many others of its species, is quick to cannibalize its eggs if not removed from the breeding tank. However, eggs will hatch in about 24 hours after spawning. Fry should be fed a live diet and if they survive, they’ll be about two inches long as adults.

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About The Author


Linda is an author of AquariumGuides.com Hundreds of especially written articles about your aquarium fish and aquarium hobby.

Aquarium Fish Health: White Spot Disease Symptoms And Cures

by: Nathan Miller

Fish death is one of the main problems that beginner aquarist and even some expert aquarist face. It’s frustrating to the extent that most quit keeping aquarium fish.

Photo by FJP

But fish death can be avoided. Most fish deaths are caused as a result of both an internal and external types parasites that compete with the fish in tank.

As a result if you watch your aquarium fish often you should be able to discover when they have been infected by this parasite and be able to treat them to avoid fish death.

Look out for the following White Spot disease behavioral symptoms in your fish:

- Constant lying on the bottom or hanging at the surface.

- Rubbing of the body against rocks

- Gasping at the water surface

- No response to feeding

- General dullness and lethargy

- Hovering in a corner

- Fish swimming with clamps up

The most common of the visible signs is the development of the pin head-size while spots on the body or fins. This ailment is referred to as White Spot disease and is caused by the parasite - Ichthyophthirius Multifillis.

This parasite has a free-swimming stage, which attaches itself to the fish. The most common chemical used in treating infected fishes is Methylene Blue. You could buy a one per cent stock solution from a reputable chemist or aquarium shop and apply at 0.8 to 1.0ml per gallon of water. This amount should be added all at once. Repeat after one or two days.

The fishes must remain in this bath until every while spot has disappeared. A water change after treatment is necessary or else prolonged contact with the chemical may affect the fertility of the fish.

Another tip if you are using a side filter with activated charcoal should remove it to prevent the coal from absorbing the Methylene Blue.

Another tip... during treatment you should use artificial aeration with coarse bubbles near the surface, since a dirty bottom would inactivate the medicament by absorption. A better measure is to remove all dirt from the bottom before treatment.

Methylene Blue is harmless to young fish and unlike the general belief, it does not affect plants if used in weaker concentration.

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About The Author


Nathan Miller


For more great aquarium related articles and resources check outhttp://freshwaterfish.aquariumspot.com

5 Tips For Your Goldfish Aquarium Maintenance

by: Abe Hensley 

Photo by:  axlbxl  

A hobby like that of maintaining a fish aquarium is something that gives one a real pleasure and takes one close to nature. But, sustaining aquatic life in conditions like that of a fish aquarium is not easy if you don’t have an exact idea of what exactly to do. Goldfish is one of the all-time favorites and needs a lot of care. Here are some general tips for keeping and maintaining a goldfish in aquarium.

1. The life for a goldfish is around 5 to 10 years. It highly depends on the fish aquarium conditions and also upon your way of maintaining it.

2. Goldfish is a very active fish and keeps on moving around in the fish aquarium. Therefore you need to give it a lot of space to swim in the fish aquarium.

3. As the goldfish lives at normal room temperature therefore you would need a heater to maintain temperature in the fish aquarium. The goldfish cannot bear any kind of rapid and abrupt changes in temperature so you need to have a good system for maintaining favorable conditions for fish.

4. Remember to put some of the ornaments or plants to your fish aquarium. This would also provide the fish with hideouts. These hideouts will make fish more active and have a positive effect on them.

5. Now, something about the water, that is the most important thing. As the water in the fish aquarium gets old, it develops some very useful and beneficial bacteria. These make fish healthy but it is a very time taking process. Also look for the extra leftover food that is left over and starts rotting up. This also produces lots of toxins that are harmful and may affect your fish badly.

http://www.aquariumhow2.com

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About The Author

Some people just have a calling, they're born with a adoration of something without knowing why. My family never lived near the ocean, however I always enjoyed fish. I recollect getting my very first fish on my 9th birthday, from my grandfather and grandmother; unfortunately the fish perished inside a couple of weeks. I was so annoyed, but that made me study more about how you can take care of them. Subsequently I have studied and built my personal freshwater and saltwater aquaria, made heaps of mistakes, but had so a lot fun. I have assisted plenty of young families build their personal home aquariums...they've been shocked at the difference it has made to their lives. An aquarium just gives this quiet and peace to the room, I suppose that's why I really like it so a lot.

Regardless, please look into my blog and get involved

http://www.aquariumhow2.com

http://www.4LUREFISHING.COM

http://www.4LANDSCAPEGARDEN.com

Feeding Bettas

by: William Berg 

Knowing the right way to feed your betta is fundamental, because not doing it right can have big consequences on your bettas health. Nothing is more stressful than dealing with a sick fish, right? So, let's do it right, and get rid from the calamity!

Here are some golden rules on feeding your betta.

First, select the proper food. Bettas are selective eaters. A betta specific pellet is ok, but live and frozen foods are preferable. The recommended diet includes frozen brine shrimp and frozen bloodworms.

Photo by cod_gabriel

The next rule is to not overfeed your Bettas. Carefully dose the meals, because even if the fish ate all you give him, he will produce so much more waist when overfed and the pollution level of the jar he is in will go beyond safe range, this problem is smaller if you keep your betta in a larger aquarium. Remember not to leave uneaten food in the Aquarium! Once your betta and the rest of the fish is done eating, you must remove all uneaten left over food. If you do not remove it, it will punctually rot and cause havoc in the tank.

Bettas prefer to eat from the upper parts of the water column. They don’t really enjoy eating from the bottom of the tank. So before dropping the food in the tank, make sure you have his attention. Let him see the food, get it close to his face from the outside of the aquarium, let him check out what it is, and then there you go! Drop food in front of his nose. The best way is to drop a tiny bit of food--about 6 frozen brine shrimp, watch the bettas eat it all and then look at the belly, if it looks the same as it did before you fed, it’s ok to give them more, but always watch and make sure to make the second portion smaller than the first.

Your betta should go for the food right away, but if not, watch where the food sinks, and what the betta does. If more than 15 min he has not eaten the food yet, remove the food. Never let the water go cloudy. If it is already, then change it, as cloudy water will threaten your betta’s health. Normally, small bowls or containers should be changed at least twice a week. Larger tank can be changed once a week. And notice if the ammonia and nitrite levels are up the roof, because both are very bad for your Betta. Also be wary of harmful bacteria they can ruin your fish life, but don’t kill of all bacteria in the aquarium since a lot of bacteria is essential for a well functioning aquarium.

During the pre-spawning period you can feed a wide variety of food, including blackworms, Grindal worms, fruit flies, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae and frozen blood worms (all are life except the frozen blood worms). During this period the adult fish may be fed 4 times per day or more depending on how close the fish are to being placed into the spawning tank.

You can start feeding your betta fry, 5 days after the spawning. Feed the fry several times per day, using a variety of foods (infusoria, boiled egg yolk, baby brine shrimp…) made up of small particles.

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About The Author

William Berg has over 20 years of aquarium experince and runs the website http://www.aquaticcommunity.com and you can find more of his articles on http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/universal.html.

Make Your Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance Fun

 by: Rozlyn Rozberry



Keeping Your Aquarium Clean

A Lot owners find that setting up their freshwater aquarium was the easy part, the maintenance to keep it running is the challenge! They have it up, but oh my, there are problems presenting themselves that they just didn't expect!

Junk Floating In Your Aquarium?

Tired of dirty water? Well believe me, your fish don't care for it either!

If you want low maintenance, consider a power filter, it does a great job removing drifting particles. Using chemicals, a good power filter will also reduce common impurities, discoloration and smells.

Aside from swapping out the filter cartridges every 3-4 weeks, which should take about 5 minutes, you will need to take an extra 10-15 minutes every few months on a detail cleaning of the filter interior. With the filter cartridges normally being throw away, all the tedious cleaning is eliminated.

Photo by Kedza 

Algae

Very little will mar a gorgeous tank faster than green algae growing in, on and around everything inside your aquarium.

If you're looking for a quick solution, consider a Plecostomus. At best, this fish could be considered "handsome", but it can put a dent in your algae growth. On the plus side, the Plecostomus has a fantastic personality!

Of course, you can always remove the algae by hand. Even if you do have algae eaters in your tank, there will inevitably be some amount of hand cleanup required. There are some great tools on the market today that will aid you in this endeavor.

Remember that algae thrives in sunlight! You can get away with placing your aquarium by a widow with daylight exposure, just not sunlight; unless of course you are intending to grow algae.

Strong Scents?

Powerful smells emanating from your tank are dangerous to your fish, clean your filter more often if this is an issue. They simply can't live in that sort of environment.

Unclear Water?

There can be many reasons for this, overfeeding is the usual culprit. Your fish ought to be fed no more than 2-3 times each day, adjust the quantity being fed so that it is consumed in 3-5 minutes. This should eliminate the problem.

If it does not, try using bottled drinking water or distilled water. Look in your neighborhood grocery store, you should find it for around 50-70 cents per gallon.

Photo by Jason Sholar 

Prepare for Your Water Changes

Every two weeks is fine if you are not having water quality problems, if you have a heavy fish load, plan on removing 20% of your water every week with a siphon or gravel cleaner. Any clean hose will work but we prefer gravel cleaners since you can remove detritus from the bottom of your tank while siphoning off the water.

Once your hose is primed, put one end in a bucket, only fill about 3/4 full.

Once you have your 20% removed, just fill the tank back up with prepared water. Depending on the size and setup of your tank, you will need an extra 45-60 minutes once a month to do some extra cleaning, one of the less glamorous chores.

The interior walls of the tank will need to be gently scrubbed, you can pick up sponges and scrapers at your pet supply store, just be sure you get ones that are safe for your tank.

Periodically remove your decorations and soak them in hot water with a bit of salt, then scrub them with a sponge until clean. Caution! Do not use any type of soap on any object used in or on your aquarium! The residue will kill your fish very quickly.

Using a gravel vacuum for your water changes is a great way to get rid of the buildup of dirt and uneaten food. Select a gravel vacuum that is sized for your tank and read the users guide before using your new vacuum for the first time.

Putting Water Back In Your Tank

Any time you are adding water to your tank, whether it is is to replenish evaporation or refill after a water change, the temperature and pH levels need to be the same as what is currently in the aquarium. A great way to put water back in your tank is to use a garden hose attachment connected to your utility faucet. If the pH matches your tanks, get the temperature just right and run a hose direct to your tank. Sure beats sloshing buckets of water on your hardwood floors! 
Tap water was not intended for freshwater fish tanks, be sure to check your chemistry BEFORE putting it in. If your having problems with your tank water, you might find that heating a 5-10 gallon container of distilled or bottled water is a better option.

Essential Tips When Buying Tropical Fish For Your Aquarium

by: Jason S Williams


Tropical fish are beautiful creatures.Such a wide variety of species available; colors, shapes and sizes from which to choose from are also abound. It is, however, also important to realize that just as there exists great variety in appearance, so too does there exist great differences in temperament and compatibility amongst different species of fish. Therefore, before embarking on your first foray to buy tropical fish there are a few factors to keep in mind. 

Where To Buy?

When buying fish, you are no longer limited to the selection available at your local pet store. In the present day, there are many reputable online tropical fish stores from which you can buy tropical fish and have them shipped to your home. 

Brick-and-mortar pet shops provide you the advantage of being able to see the actual fish that you are about to purchase. They also allow you to browse and study different fish behaviors over time prior to purchasing. In most cases, these pet shops will also have qualified and knowledgeable staff ready to answer any question that you may have when you buy tropical fish. 

Relying on internet based tropical fish stores will usually provide you with a greater diversity of available species. Although the personal contact is lost, most do provide great customer support and also provide valuable reference sections on their websites. These reference sections can be used to gain further knowledge on the behavior of different species prior to buying. 

Temperament 

Imagine placing together a fierce pit bull and a fluffy kitten in a small backyard. In this extreme example the disparity in temperament is quite obvious. Incredibly, many novice aquarium enthusiasts do not take temperament compatibility into consideration when selecting tropical fish. Being aware of the individual aggressiveness and compatibility of different species before you buy tropical fish is paramount. Traditionally, amongst the most mild-mannered tropical fish are the mollies, tetras and rainbow fish. 

There are many sources for obtaining this type of comparative information. A good place to start is the internet, followed by your local public library. Your local aquarium or pet shop is also a good source for this type of information. 

Behavior

Different species of fish will also have different behavior patterns in terms of their social interaction with other fish, eating habits and habitat preferences. This should also be taken into consideration when you buy tropical fish. Species, such as high fins, display schooling behavior. In large tanks this can provide for impressive scenes of multiple fish moving in unison. Placing such fish in small numbers or in smaller aquariums could actually be detrimental to them. Behavior can also be used to assist in keeping your tank clean. Being aware of the eating habits of catfish species would alert you to the fact that they make for effective bottom dwelling scavengers that help in keeping the tank substrate clean. Knowing the different fish species behaviors will help you obtain an aquarium that displays a rich and vibrant tapestry of behaviors. This will ensure that there is always something interesting to look at in all areas of the tank. Complementing, yet contrasting behaviors is what provides the depth of beauty to any aquarium 

As long as you are aware that you must research the temperament and behavior of each species before you buy tropical fish, you will end up with an aquarium that displays the diversity that you want and that is also healthy for the fish themselves.