Search Results for: tropical fish

Tropical Fish Basics

An aquarium can be a lovely addition to a home or office; the sight of colorful fish and the sound of water can be fascinating and very calming. Here are some tips to get you started with a tropical aquarium. In general, you can have one inch of fish per gallon of water. Be sure to think about the adult size of your fish, not just the juvenile size! Avoid overcrowding your tank — this increases the frequency of tank maintenance and can make your fish uncomfortable. With larger sized fish, you may want to provide two or three gallons … Continue reading →

Four Hardy Fish for Saltwater Aquariums

Keeping a saltwater aquarium is in many ways similar — and in many ways different — from keeping a tropical aquarium. One main difference is the fish available for aquarium keepers. There are hundreds of possible choices for your saltwater aquarium, but some fish are better for beginners than others because they have a better chance of surviving tank mistakes. Here are a few options: Morays — these eels are hardy and usually adapt well to life in captivity. Watch out for occasional hunger strikes; captive morays may lose their appetites for weeks, then just as suddenly be hungry again. … Continue reading →

Summer Selections: Tangy and Tropical Fruit Salsa with Grilled Chicken and Salmon

Take an evening stroll around your neighborhood during the height of summer and you’re likely to be tantalized with the smells of grilled goodies. The temperature is rising and the grills are out in full force so why not join the masses by whipping up the following simple, delicious and nutritious recipes. Both match a version of fruit salsa to a type of grilled meat-—either chicken or salmon. The chilled fruit creations add a refreshing zing to the hot meat and they are an effective means by which you can get your kids to eat fruit at dinnertime. Grilled Chicken … Continue reading →

Sleeping with the Fishes

It’s probably not an offer you would consider if an associate of Don Vito Corleone suggested it, but the following deals, which allow you to come face to face with exotic fishes while you are trying to catch some zzzz’s, are 100% pure family-friendly. FLORIDA Getting to Jules’ Undersea Lodge, located in Florida’s Key Largo is an adventure in itself. Spending the night at the unique lodging requires diving 21 feet beneath the sea surface through a tropical mangrove lagoon. Your payoff for taking the plunge—an unforgettable night mingling with vibrant sea life at an underwater hotel that originally started … Continue reading →

Tropical Island Getaways

With winter fast approaching now is the time you should be finalizing your escape plan from your upcoming snow shoveling duties. After all, who wants to spend an entire winter dealing with ice and snow when you could be frolicking on a sugar sand beach, plunging yourself in cobalt blue waters, and soaking up the sun’s tropical rays at an exotic locale? I’ve spent dozens of blogs detailing the many fine attributes of the Hawaiian Islands, but if you are looking for a sunny destination that offers more privacy you might consider traveling to the following tropical isles: Huahine Located … Continue reading →

Common Saltwater Fish Diseases

Saltwater fish are susceptible to some of the same disease you see in tropical aquariums. As always, determining the cause of the illness is the most important thing! Many diseases are caused by stress in the fish, whether from transport, water quality, or trouble acclimating to the tank. Quarantine tanks are even more useful for saltwater aquarium hobbyists than they are for tropical aquarium hobbyists! Your saltwater fish can live in your quarantine tank for a few weeks before entering the main tank; this gives them time to acclimate and time for you to make sure the new fish are … Continue reading →

More Tropical Aquarium Tips

Keeping an aquarium can be a rewarding hobby — but it isn’t easy! These tips can help your fish stay happy and healthy in your tank. Caring for your fish starts BEFORE they enter the tank. You need to acclimate your fish before they enter your aquarium. Place the fish and the water from the bag into an empty and clean five gallon bucket. Add one cup of water from your aquarium every ten minutes for an hour. After an hour or so, the fish will be acclimated to your tank water and ready to move into the aquarium. Add … Continue reading →

Tropical Aquarium Tips

Here are some tips to help keep your aquarium running smoothly from start to finish. Starting an aquarium hobby isn’t easy — and it doesn’t happen quickly. You’ll need to take a few weeks to prepare the tank and water before you add any fish. Get the biggest tank you can afford — and the biggest tank that can fit in your space. A larger aquarium usually means the water parameters will be more stable. Water temperature also stays more stable in a bigger tank. Make sure you know and understand the nitrogen cycle. Always use your water test kit … Continue reading →

Different Types of Fish Food

We’ve looked at the basics — flake fish food, frozen fish food, live fish food, and freeze dried fish food. But there are a lot of different types of fish food that fall under those main headings. Algae wafers were developed specifically for bottom feeders like cory cats and silver dollars. Other herbivorous fish will also enjoy the occasional algae wafer. Wait to add algae wafers to your tank until your daily tank lights go off — that way your bottom feeders won’t have to compete with your top dwelling fish. Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that makes … Continue reading →

Fish Food Basics

Flake fish food is easy to use. The flakes will float on the surface while the fish eat; for bottom dwelling fish, you’ll want offer food that sinks like algae wafers or pellets. Flake fish food is a good primary food source not only for the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients — flake food is easy on the digestive system. Flake food does go bad after six months or so, so those jumbo containers aren’t always a good deal. Stick to smaller containers if you can. Some of the top brands of flake foods include Aquarian, Tetra, and Wardley. Live fish … Continue reading →