Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Sea Horse




Seahorses have been popularized in television and in movies for years. Seahorses can be delightful creatures to keep in the aquarium, and they always seem to please their owners with their playful behavior and attitudes. In this article I will be talking about the best way to setup your very own sea horse aquarium.

The first thing you need to do is settle on the type of species of seahorse you want for your aquarium. Different fish and species of seahorses will get along, but some can harm one another, Make sure you do plenty of research when you are selecting the type of fish that you want to house with your seahorse. If you are picking out a seahorse from a pet store, make sure that the seahorse has bright coloring and appears to be healthy overall. If your seahorse does not eat within 24 hours of purchasing it, there is something wrong.


After you receive your seahorses, you can start to begin the acclimation process. First, you will want to get your seahorse used to your quarantine tank. It is much better to first keep your new pet in the quarantine tank with a close eye to see if there are any visible signs of illness. If any of the seahorses show signs of illness, or erratic behavior, you should immediately move them out of the quarantine tank and place them off to themselves. After you are sure that your new seahorses do not pose any threat to the other life in your aquarium, you can start the acclimation process.

Depending on your seahorse species, you will need to have the parameters of your aquarium at certain levels. Generally you need to have a PH balance of around 8.0 to 8.3, a specific gravity of 1.021 to 1.024. No levels of Ammonia or Nitrite can be detectable in your aquarium, and nitrate should be under 20ppm. You should start with more tropical species, so you do not have to drop the money on an aquarium chiller. Heating an aquarium is much less expensive and a lot easier than trying to cool it down. When you are selecting your heater, you should calculate 4 watts per gallon of water. You should also have an aquarium that is a bit taller than standard aquariums, seahorses need plenty of room to move vertically.

After you get your aquarium set up properly, you need to choose the proper tank mates for your new pets. There are plenty of guides around the internet that can recommend safe tank mates to your specific species of sea horse. As for feeding, you should focus on feeding your seahorse plenty of brine shrimp along with other more standard foods for best health.

I hope you have found this article helpful in your search to start your very own seahorse aquarium. Seahorses really are interesting creatures, and it can be extremely rewarding to keep them in your home aquarium. If you ever run into a question that you cannot answer on the internet, you can speak with helpful retailers around the web for the solution. Thank you for reading and good luck.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Angel Fish



Angelfish are beautiful and captivating members of the aquarium. Originally from the cichlid family, angelfish come in many different colors and varieties and angelfish are naturally found in the Amazon river and the surrounding region. In this article I will be going over a few things to consider when you are looking to purchase angelfish for your aquarium.

The first thing you need to do, is to pick out what type of angelfish you want. There are many different varieties with different temperaments and water conditions they will need to survive. Pick something that you feel you can manage, or if you have the correct aquarium environment for them. Many angelfish need slightly acidic water to live happily in. Make sure you do plenty of research when you are purchasing your angelfish. Know exactly the type of water requirements you will need to have for your tank. Angelfish normally need a water PH level of around 5-6.5.

Angelfish are one of the most popular pet fish on the market. They are normally bred in captivity and most are bred for traits that make them adapt better to a variety of water conditions. You should make sure to provide your angelfish with plenty of rocks and plants in the aquarium, as they like to have places to hide. For feeding, angelfish are naturally carnivores and should be fed a variety of flakes, bloodworms, shrimp and also brine shrimp. Angelfish are normally peaceful, but they are natural carnivores and should not be kept in the same aquarium with other spawning fish.



Angelfish may run into problems with disease. The most common disease that can show up in the aquarium is Ich. Ich is noticeable by white spots along your fish’s body, also you can see your fish displaying behavior such as rubbing against various parts of the aquarium. There are various remedies to this that are sold around the web. If you suspect that Ich is in your aquarium, take care of the problem before it gets out of hand.

You can house many other species with angelfish. You should just make sure that they are of the same temperament and can survive in water conditions of around the same level. Also you should make sure the fish are around the same size, angelfish can eat fish that are smaller than them and have a tendency to do so. The best match for an aquarium with angelfish tends to catfish, or other species of fish that are large and peaceful.

Well, I have outlined a few things to consider when purchasing angelfish for your aquarium. Angelfish make excellent additions to the aquarium, and are very bright fish. If you care for your angelfish properly, they can provide you with many years of entertainment. As always, make sure you do plenty of research before you head out and purchase your very own angelfish. It may take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of caring for angelfish you will be able to enjoy them fully in no time at all.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Caring for your own Discus Fish


Discus fish are one of the most sought after freshwater fish available on the market today. Discus fish are very intelligent fish and have very distinct personalities, and the discus fish seems to normally recognize its caretaker and will respond with a display of affection when you enter the room. You can even feed a discus fish right out of your hand! In this article I will be going through a few things to consider when caring for your own discus fish, and also some things you can expect out of your new pet.



The first thing you need to do when starting up your own discus fish tank is to pick out an appropriate aquarium for them. It is always a good idea to purchase the biggest aquarium you can afford. Having a larger aquarium will allow you to have a bit more leeway when it comes to environmental conditions. A larger aquarium will generally tend to be a bit more stable then the smaller ones. After you get your aquarium you will need to pick out the appropriate filters and equipment for your setup. Make sure to check for your discus fish’s specific requirements and adjust accordingly for your aquarium.



Discus fish are a bit harder to care for then other species of freshwater fish, and are not typically recommend for the beginning aquarium enthusiast. Discus fish tend to be more of a schooling fish and do best when kept in an aquarium with plenty of same species companions. Also you should provide plenty of cover in the form of driftwood and rocks for your discus fish. Discus fish also require water temperatures to be around 84 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit for best results. For feeding, you should feed your discus fish a steady diet of frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, and typical sinking pellets. When your discus fish are young, you should feed them at least 3 times a day. As your fish get older you can cut back feeding to once a day. Avoid overfeeding your discus fish as it can cause them to be obese and pose health problems.



Once you get the hang of your discus fish, you can start to breed them. Discus fish are very loving parents, with both of the parents playing an active role in their fry’s life. It is truly a sight to behold, seeing your discus fish swimming around with their very own offspring and I highly recommend you try and breed your discus fish when you are comfortable in your ability to provide adequate care for them.



I hope you have found this article helpful in considering owning and taking care of your very own discus fish. There are many more in-depth guides around the web that can go more into detail about the various aspects of providing care. I have just tried to give you a brief overview of a couple things to consider. As always, if you are still stuck up on some unanswered questions about discus fish, you can always contact a friendly sales representative to answer any questions you may have.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

My blog Alexa ranking

My blog alexa ranking goes down in just a week. Last time I check on it, it was 4 million and now it turns to 8,348,626 to be exact and it really alarm me because I want to rank up and not to go down.
I search methods to regain what really the status of my past alexa traffec rank and to keep more higher than what was before. I keep researching and ask for some tips to my link builder and web master friends tips and method that can help on how to mark up with alexa traffic rank.

This is a ranking system set by alexa.com that basically audits and makes public the frequency of visits on various Web sites. The algorithm according to which Alexa traffic ranking is calculated, is simple. It is based on the amount of traffic recorded from users that have the Alexa toolbar installed over a period of three months.

This traffic is based on such parameters as reach and page views. The reach refers to the number of Alexa users who visit a particular site in one day. Page view, as its name shows, is the number of times a particular page (URL) is viewed by Alexa users. Alexa.com makes it clear though that, if a particular user visits the same URL multiple times on the same day, all those visits will be counted as one.

The first step of the ranking process is calculating the reach and number of page views for all the sites on the Web on a daily basis. The Alexa ranking is obtained by performing the geometric mean of reach and page views, averaged over a predefined period of time (three months).

I will just use selected methods that will work pretty effective to my site. This are the methods:

1.Install first an alexa tool bar to your site so that you can monitor what really the real score of your site and in return the alexa.com can have a look and to manage what really the standing of your site.
2.Make an article to promote the alexa traffic rank to have more link back to your site.
3.Drop some signature that has an URL to your site to any web master forums to attract visitors and this will always refresh your site's traffic.
4.Go to ping site and ping your URL, the caution of this is when you always ping your site in a day they will force to black list your site and the worst scenario would be blocked from that ping site.
5.Make some appearance to any blog by talking chatting to chat box or do some blog commenting others will do some URL exchange. All this will give you an linkback to your site.
6.Finally Optimize your site this is really the key to increase your alexa traffic rank.

The better Optimization you do, the better result you have. Alexa have some benefit to our site especially if your site is a money blog or income generating blog. Some advertiser check if your alexa ranking is good before they will transact with your site. To have excellent alexa traffic rank is a great advantage.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Tips To Increase Your Metabolism

There is a big problem in the diet industry today. Everywhere you look there is a new book, or infomercial, or diet program that is said to be the latest and greatest way to lose weight. One program says eating carbs is bad while the other says don’t eat protein or cut out all the fat. As most weight loss interested consumers know it can get mighty confusing just trying to figure out whose hype to believe. And the fact is most people who try the latest diet or exercise program don’t stick with the program and more often than not they not only gain the weight back they actually gain more than they originally started with.

Probably the simplest and easiest way to lose weight is to increase your metabolism. So what’s the easiest way to get that metabolism increase? The answer is easy because the key to any long term weight loss and then maintaining that weight is eating healthy foods.

The first place to start when it comes to eating healthier is the grocery store. While this topic is seldom covered in many of the diet books and programs it only makes sense because that’s where we get the majority of our food. The typical grocery store keeps all the processed and junk foods in the center of the store. The healthier foods that you want to load your cart with are found around the perimeter of the store. You know, those fresh fruits and vegetables that your mom was always trying to get you to eat. When it comes to selecting a protein source it is best to go with fresh fish and poultry. You can also get red meat but it is best to eat only lean cuts.

Another tip to increase you metabolism is to actually eat more meals per day. Many people who attempt to lose weight actually skip meals but this has the opposite of the desired effect, it can actually lead to a slower metabolism. The normal practice of eating three large meals a day, while not necessarily bad, can leave you feeling bloated and tired afterwards. If you eat 5 or 6 smaller meals over the course of the day you keep your body energized throughout the day which will also help increase your metabolism. If you eat healthy food every three to four hours your body’s metabolism will run at a high rate all day long and you will always feel full and energized, keeping you from snacking on sugary foods.

Fresh raw foods are the best when it comes to increasing your metabolism. They are the healthiest foods you can buy and are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, which all cause the body to burn more energy just digesting them. They are also lower in calories, with most of their energy coming from complex carbohydrates. The thing to remember is if it comes in a box it should be avoided.

The last tip when it comes to eating healthier foods is to beware of products that are labeled “reduced” or “low fat”. What happens is manufacturers take many of their high fat products and offer a reduced fat version that still contains an ample amount of fat. They will also replace the removed fat with a form of sugar that increases the calories of the product back to its original level. It is important to see how many calories a food product actually contains whether it is reduced fat or not. Another important distinction is the type of calories a food contains. If most of the calories comes from sugar or fat it should be avoided because these types of calories are almost instantly converted to fat stores. Complex carbohydrates on the other hand are more slowly metabolized by the body and actually burn more calories digesting and processing then they contain.

By eating healthier and nutrient dense foods you can increase your metabolism significantly. This is not only good for you body as a whole but can also help you to lose weight and keep it off for the long run.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Kinds of Flower Horn!



Since I was obsess of flower horn this past months, so I keep researching on what are the main breed of this glow in the dark fish. I said glow in the dark because of the silver color that glows and pump up to your eyes as you stare on it. Also when I read the history of this high breed fish. Some breeder called it man made fish because they are raise with different combination or cross breeding of fish.

As far as what I read there are 9 kinds of flower horn and this 9 was common to all breeder:

The Golden base (faders) Faders are called by that name because during the juvenile period of life they lose their color and go completely black. As the fading process continues, the black "fades" away, leaving a more vibrant and beautiful color, usually yellow or red. They are also referred to as golden base or Golden Trimac.



Red Texas cichlids are related to the golden base family of flowerhorns. They were originally created by breeding a green Texas cichlid with a Mammon or King Kong parrot, then crossing the offspring back to the parents until a consistent red color was achieved. Hobbyists consider the most important feature of the red Texas to be the color .

King kamfa from the Kamfa family, this fish typically has white or yellow eyes, although red eyes are possible but rare. Distinctive features of this breed include an intense black double flower row along the lateral line, and very thick white pearling. Originating in Thailand, this breed has seen a recent rebirth in Vietnam. The body is typical of a Kamfa, with a fan tail, and a longer body than some other Kamfas.

Zhen Zhu. This breed originated slightly after the Kamfa, derived from the Luohan. It has a rounded tail, large mouth, red protruding eyes, and a prominent head flower. Zhen Zhu means "pearl flowerhorn." This breed's strongest characteristic is pearling. Breeders often cross other types with Zhen Zhus because they breed easily and can create better pearling for the next generation.



Kamfa. This breed originated from the Luohan. Its main characteristics are white or yellow eyes (red eyes are possible but not common), a fan tail, a water-colored head bump, sunken eyes, and smaller lips than the Zhen Zhu. This breed generally also has a larger and more square body than that of the Zhen Zhu. Head flowers can be found on the Kamfa, but not as prominently as with Zhen Zhus.

The genuine Golden Monkey or Kamalau was bred by Mr. Lam Seah and Lam Soon in Bercham, Ipoh, Malaysia. After the third generation, all of them were sold to the A-1 Aquarium in 2001. This type of flowerhorn is an original Luohan-based fish and not a mixed type Zen Zhu or Kamfa

The Red Mommon and Red Ingot breeds are the most typical of these hybrid cichlids. Both of these fishes are appreciated for feng shui. The Red Mommon is named for its high forehead, which looks like the hat worn by the God of Fortune. The Red Ingot is named for its yuan-bao shape, referring to odd-shaped gold or silver pieces formerly used as money in China.
The Red Mommon and Red Ingot grow faster in the first year, with a size of about 20 cm. They grow to 25–28 cm by two years later. Their maximum size is not yet known, and it is believed that the fish may grow to 30 cm or above in the future. Both of these fish are raised at 28°C water temperature, pH ~6–8 (with slightly acid water preferred), and kH ~3–6, while avoiding any sudden change in water quality. It is also common to test regularly for ammonia and nitrite. Both of these fishes can be bred with different kinds of cichlids.



The King Kong parrot represents an early stage in the transition to flowerhorn breeding. The blood parrot is smaller, with a bigger head, more protruding eyes, and a V-shaped mouth. The King Kong parrot is longer, with a reddish orange color, and a dorsal fin shorter than the anal fin. The shape of the King Kong is similar to the red devil cichlid, and when it reaches a size of 18 cm, the shape of the mouth changes to a triangle with a more protruding jaw. Only 20% of these fish grow to a size of a half kilogram.

Ohhh, I almost forgot this fish possess the power of there brain because literally speaking they have big heads that differs from other aquarium fishes. They called the name as kok or humps.

Hope if you read this and you have some idea that you want to share with me just drop some comment and suggestion. And that will be a great honor to me.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

How to take care of your FloweHorn!


A friend of mine have a flower horn so I was obsess to have one and because I also heard stories on that fish, so I decide to raise. After 3 months I saw the improvement of my fish and I was really amaze and become a fan of there rise. One of my objective now is to see my flower horn to enhance there maximum beauty.
To start with that objective, I need to know how to take good care. Here are some points to consider to assure that your flower horn will be really beautiful.

Proper fish tank management and beautiful Flowerhorn fish complements each other perfectly. Therefore, it is crucial for all hobbyists to have proper knowledge of good fish tank management. It is indeed more important to practice a good tank management than to purchase the suitable type of fish for your tank.

Setting Up Your Flower Horn Fish Tank.

As Flowerhorn’s ancestry originated from the Central and South American cichlids, it is essential to set up your tank to a closely simulated natural habitat for the fish, which at the same time, pleasing to the eye.

Various sizes and designs of fish tanks are available at your local fish store. Choose one that will complement your house. Always assume that Flowerhorns will grow to be about 500 mm in length. Therefore, it is advisable to get at least a 3 feet tank to start comfortably. Acrylic aquariums are recommended as these tanks are leak proof, light weight and the wall materials provide exceptional clarity. Always have a tank top or tank cover to prevent your fish from jumping out. This is one common mistake of many hobbyists that lead to their fish “committing suicide”.

Various attractive background designs for aquariums are available easily. Choose one that will fit the natural environment of the fish. Pebbles, stones and gravels is a must in your flower horn tank because it be used as substrate for biological filtration. The fish is also a naturally active “digger” and this creates an environment closer to its original habitat.

One advice is to prevent pebbles that have sharp edges. These types of pebbles usually inflict cuts on the mouth of your fishes and if not treated, it will be infected. Many flowerhorn fishes are prone to mouth infection because of minor cuts sustained when they constantly dig at the pebbles.

Other unnatural tank ornaments are discouraged as these do not serve any purpose at all in the tank. Furthermore, these objects may even be hazardous, which might cause accidental cuts and injuries on your Flowerhorns as these fish possess fierce territorial behaviors and is always actively swimming.
Suggestions : Aquarium stand, tank divider, Multi-filter (10-40 gallon tanks) , tank top.

Aquarium Lighting

Suitable aquarium lighting will enhance the coloration and the overall physical development of your Flowerhorn. It is recommended that you place your tank where is it able to get at least an hour of indirect sunlight a day. With proper water quality management, your tank should not go green with algae with that minute amount of sunlight. If this is not possible, getting a full spectrum light is therefore advisable. An exposure of your Flowerhorn to 4-8 hours of light per day from a full spectrum light source is sufficient to maintain the color development of your Flowerhorn.

Optiomum Water Quality For Flowerhorns

Flowerhorns are ‘hardy’, which means this fish are highly adaptable to different water conditions, including bad water conditions. However, it is often being mistaken that it is all right to keep your Flowerhorn in bad water condition since they are termed as a ‘hardy’ fish. Hobbyists also often mistook the fact that one can feed the Flowerhorn any possible food and not have to worry about water quality. These are indeed the few general misconceptions among Flowerhorn hobbyists. Adequate feedings and frequent water changes promote better growth and this as a result would even change the whole body morphology of the fish.

pH Level and Hardness

Water pH levels indicate the acidity and alkalinity of the water. As for the ‘hardness’ of the water indicates the amount of dissolved minerals in the water.
There is an inter relation between these two water parameters. The water is considered ‘hard’ when there is a high content of dissolved minerals in it e.g. calcium and normally the pH of ‘hard’ water is above 7, which is more alkaline. When there’s a lack of dissolved minerals in the water, it is considered ‘soft’ and thus the pH will be lower then neutral, hence more acidic.

The Flowerhorn is hybridized from large South American cichlids. These large cichlids are from lakes in South America, where the water parameters are soft and slightly acidic. Therefor, the optimum water parameter for the flowerhorn should be close to the waters of its origin. pH of about 6 -7 should be best for your flowerhorn. If the water in your location is too hard, just add peat or peat solution into the water to soften it.
Suggestions: pH Test Kit, pH Up, pH Down, Multi-Function Test Kit

Water Temperature

Flowerhorns are tropical fish. It can survive in water with various temperature ranges. They grow well in water temperature of 28°C. During transportation of Flowerhorns, water temperature is usually maintained at about 22°C. Temperature is raised to about 30°C when the fish is sick but this doesn’t mean that all illnesses are curable this way. A simple thermometer may be purchased to monitor water temperature changes in your tank.
Suggestions : Aquarium Heater, Thermometer

Dechlorination

Tap water is commonly used by hobbyists. High chlorine toxicity may lead to fatalities. Chlorine will harm the fishes’ slime coat and therefore it will subject the fish to infection. Always dechlorinate water before it is added into the tank. If you see your fish darting around, gasping for air and shows listlessnes after a water change, always suspect its chlorine poisoning. Test the water and if chlorine is present, neutrlize it immediately. After that, add a little bit of stress coat or if it is a severe poisoning (fin rot or/and cloudy eyes) quarantine the fish and add some anti-septic to prevent infection.
Suggestions : Anti-Chlorine, Stress Coat Solution

Filtration systems

A good filtration system is extremely important in an artificial aquatic environment. Reasons being, Flowerhorns feed on huge amount of food and secretes large amount waste that turns into ammonia. A good filtration system eliminates solid wastes from the fish, leftover food, ammonia and even dusts from the atmosphere. There are various types of filters available in the market. The efficiency of these filters depends on usage, stocking density and other various factors.
Mechanical filters work mainly to sieve out wastes but do not break it down. It makes the water clear but this doesn’t mean it is ‘clean’ as the ammonia produced by fish is still in the tank. The misconception of ‘clear water’ being ‘clean water’ often contributes to a lot of fish deaths. A mechanical filter normally uses filter wools and filter sponges as sieve materials. Mechanical filters work best coupled with biological filters.

Biological filters are more efficient as they provide bio-media surfaces for beneficial bacteria to grow on. Bacteria colonize these surfaces and ‘work’ on the ammonia waste left by fish to break it down into fish friendly water components (refer to the Ammonia and Nitrogen Cycle). The best that we have found is to have a good cannister filter with the proper mix of filter materials such as activated carbon, ammonia-removing resins, bio-balls, and fiter wool.
Always add activated carbon resins as part of the filter material to control ammonia, nitrate or nitrite poisoning. It can also help to absorb chlorine if chlorine is present.
Suggestions : Multi-filter (10-40 gallon tanks), activated carbon, ammonia-removing resins , cannister filter.

Thanks to Flower Fish.com.