by Steve Darson

Just one look at the discus fish forums will tell you how discus fish health is a highly debated topic. Discus fish health is also featured in some special magazines. This is mainly due to the failure rates of many owners, who don’t know how to preserve their discus fish health. The coordinates for perfect discus fish health are very simple and easy to follow: keep them clean, well-fed and loved and everything should go smoothly. The common mistake many owners make is to combine discus with all sorts of other incompatible species. This may result in an unfortunate co-inhabitance and have severe effects on discus fish health as well as on that of the rest of your aquatic pets.

Discus fish health is always dependant on the other inhabitants. If you place them with fish smaller than themselves, on condition that these are not cat fish with sucker mouths then you should be fine. The cat fish is dangerous for the discus fish health as they attach to their scales producing severe tissue injuries. Adding some medicine can go a long way in preserving discus fish health, but this is not always the case its better to prevent than to cure when it comes to maintaining health of discus fish.

Discus fish health also depends on nutrition; feed your discus enough protein and they will have all the energy they need. Moreover, amino acids are also highly important, and they come from the meat you feed your discus. Beware of the fact that over-feeding may also affect discus fish health since it may lead to water deterioration and the lowering of the standards in the living conditions. Your discus fish health should be well protected if you have a very powerful biological filter in the aquarium and you perform regular water changes.

Reverse osmosis is the best known method for preserving discus fish health. Reverse osmosis is done with the help of the semi-permeable membrane inside the filter that allows only water molecules to pass through it. It removes minerals, trace and any other substance, producing pure water that is so necessary for your discus fish health. A few minerals should be however added in the water to actually recreate the discus fish health-friendly environment. As a owner you are responsible for everything that goes on in your small eco system. Therefore, always keep a watchful eye on the aquarium. For more professional information on preserving discus health click here
About the Author
Steve is a free lance writer who believes in living the life to the fullest. His hobbies include writing, Pet-grooming, Swimming and hiking.

By: John Ugoshowa

How to

In all there are more than 20,000 types of fish. There is virtually no way possible anyone can outline how to care for fish and aquariums in a single group of articles. About the best that anyone can do is give you a few basic concepts, care instructions, etc, and allow you to go from there. Since aquariums, rather water and fish produce toxins you will want to learn about such toxins in aquarium and fish care.

Aquariums are containers which provide fish a habitat filled with water. Aquariums are often shaped like boxes, which fish and related aquatic animals, as well as plants are stored. The water supplies oxygen and/or air for fish to breathe, which means the water must be constantly maintained in order for the fish and plants to survive. Temperature is important as well, since unlike furry critters, fish cannot control their essence of temperature. Dehumidifiers and humidifiers can help you maintain a balanced temperature in the air, which will affect water. Ultimately, you have fish gauges, which help you to monitor the temperatures in water.

In addition, fish in tanks or aquariums are subject to bacteria and toxins. Since, bacteria and toxins are produced faster in aquariums for the reason that unlike land, fish in water do not have natural fighters against such contaminants. With this in mind, we see that fish require high eminence of water to survive. In addition, aquariums often tank salt water creatures, as well as fresh water fish. It is important that you understand the difference and how to maintain water supply for both species. Still, the two are similar in comparison as far as fish care.

How do I eliminate toxins? First, you must understand toxins in order to eliminate them. Fish will produce a degree of toxins; as well, water supplies produce its volume of toxins, such as copper, metals, chlorine, etc. Toxins spent by fish are wasted items coming from the fish life-sustaining chemicals, known as metabolism. Fish then produce pungent gases, which are colorless and highly water soluble.

Water supply often has CHLORAMINE or Chlorine combined, which are additives to fish tanks that work to purify the water. The chemicals combine to eliminate or minimize the growth of bacteria. Bacteria, develops in water pipes, drinking fountains, ground water, etc.

Now to answer your question, you will need a test kit to maintain toxic waste. You can use the kit to test the waters, thus making sure that the aquarium is not overly contaminated. You will also need filters, and pre-treatment water to balance your aquarium.

How do I find pre-treated water? Water mixed with 1 milligram of sodium THIO-sulfate, includes ten gallons of fresh water combined with 1% sodium will remove toxins such as chlorine. In addition, you can purchase products, which include chemicals that will remove CHLORAMINE and Chlorine respectively. You have the option of removing toxins from aquariums by exposing the tank to air, which allows circulation of air to penetrate the aquarium. Furthermore, you can combine gas converting it to liquids, which charge, or activates carbons. The carbon dioxide will bubble, which removes toxins as well. (Learn more about Aerating before combing gas and liquids)

Using your test kit you will know if the tank has metals, or coppers in the water. If your water supply has copper and metal you will need to purchase spring water, or purified water to remove toxins. Ultimately you can purchase hepa products, which include water purifiers to connect to your tap water. The product will eliminate metal, copper, and other contaminates, thus purifying your water supply.

About the AuthorJohn Ugoshowa. For more information about Aquariums and fish care see the art aquarium and fish care section of The Free Ad Forum at: http://www.thefreeadforum.com/infowizards/CAT/Aquariums-Fish-Care_83_1.html You are welcome to reproduce this article in your ezine or website as long as you include our link and bio above.

by: Tho Le

We all want a great looking Betta that won’t die on us after just a few days. Here’s a quick guide to help you find that healthy Betta.

First of all, make sure it’s alive! I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen dead Betta’s sitting on pet store shelves.

Body

Look for bumps, or lumps of any kind anywhere on the body. A healthy Betta has smooth scales along its body. Any loose or missing scales are signs of sickness or previous trauma. A swollen stomach is also a clear sign of a sick Betta. If you notice any white patches anywhere on the body you’re probably seeing fungus.

Fin and Gills

Although this may sometimes be difficult to tell at the pet store where many Betta’s are stored in tiny bags or boxes, take a look at the fish’s fins and gills. Betta fins should be able to expand fully with no holes, discolorations, or tears.

The Gills should be smooth with no discoloration or lumps.

Behavior

Bring your hand toward the Betta, without taping the bowl or poking the bag the betta is stored in, but just close enough and make sure the Betta is alert. Healthy Betta’s are alert and react to your movements. They may or may not flare at your movements.

Color

Unhealthy Betta’s appear pale in color and may have discoloration along their face or body.

Keep in mind that this is only a guide. It’s important to remember that a healthy Betta will only stay healthy if you treat it right. After you purchase that Betta it’s up to you to keep it healthy, otherwise, your new Betta will end up on a magical journey down the toilet.

About The Author

Tho Le is an author and enthusiast of Betta fish. You can find regularly updated betta tips, news, and information on his betta fish blog:

http://everything-betta-fish.blogspot.com/

http://www.everything-betta-fish.com/

mail@everything-betta-fish.com

By: Dane Stanton

Goldfish are known to be the most common and popular choice for pets. But why do people bring home Goldfish? They can’t run or let out a squeak leave alone express themselves and they definitely can’t play catch. All they will do is just swim and swim and swim and yet they manage to make that connection with us and we love them for it. If you ask a Goldfish lover what makes them great, the answer would be – they are great because they just are!

Are Goldfish really gold?

One of the probable reasons why people are attracted to Goldfish could be because of their golden hues. It gives them that exotic and different look. However, they aren’t really golden – more a combination (or absence) of the two or three types of pigment cells black, yellow and red – that give the Goldfish a variety of color effects. Goldfish can be golden, red, white, bronze and even blue and black. In fact, when Goldfish are born they are neither gold nor orange. They are a very tan or olive kind of shade and sometimes they can be pretty dark. It’s only when they grow that they begin to change their color.

Essentially a wild species, Goldfish probably acquired their color over the ages and thanks to genetic mutations and selective breeding we have Goldfish that can range from silver to gold, red to orange, with a single tail or a fantail and some with pop eyes and without dorsal fins! The color of goldfish depends on the environment it is bred in as well as the light it is exposed to. Goldfish is one species that has been bred, crossbred and changed quite a bit and this has been going on since more than hundreds of years. But when did it all begin?

The Birth of the Goldfish

It all began in Ancient China when the goldfish as we know it today was bred from the gibel carp which is found in slow moving waters in South China. The first evidence we have is in the year 265-415 when the Chun dynasty recorded the gold hue of this fish. From then on documents show that the goldfish were raised in ponds within Buddhist monasteries and mostly in the houses of royalty and other aristocrats.

It was during the reign on the Ming Dynasty that records show the Goldfish being raised in bowls as indoor pet. This in fact helped the Goldfish to evolve double tail and anal fins, red and white coloration and even dispense with their dorsal fins. Goldfish became linked to prosperity, fortune and good luck and even inspired art in China which was reflected in the goldfish motifs used in silks, ceramics and jade carvings.

Soon they began to become more commonly available and made their first trip out of their homeland to Japan in 1603. In 1611- 1691 goldfish were exported to Europe. It was in 1874 that Goldfish made an entry into United States of America. The 19th Century saw

the demand for aquariums and goldfish grow. The world’s first public aquarium opened in London in 1853.

Today’s modern Goldfish has its very own definition: “A small reddish golden Chinese carp kept for ornament” (Oxford Dictionary, American Edition, Oxford University Press). Its official biological name is Carassius auratus and but it’s commonly known as the golden carp or simply the goldfish.

About the Author:

If you want to know more about goldfish, than why not visit my site and pick up your own Comprehensive Guide to Goldfish! www.SecretsOfGoldfish.com (Recommended)

Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com