Methods for catching a fish from a tank

Every fish keeper on earth has probably had various problems and issues with the things I’m going to talk about throughout this article. I can see myself chasing fish for 30 minutes all around the aquarium. In the end, they would get into the net, stressed and exhausted. It is an extremely uncomfortable experience both for you and for the fish.

It is unavoidable that at some point you’ll have to be catching some fish when owning an aquarium full of them. Reasons to do so are selling, buying or moving unhealthy fish into the quarantine tank, getting back the aggressive types of fish or moving parental ones. In chasing fish, you should be on the lookout for lashing with a net because it may stress or harm some of them. The other possibility is you won’t even catch the right one. The solution to this is to pour out some tank water and leave less space for the fish. The possibility to catch them will then increase. Now, I’ll give you some tips how to catch your fish the easiest way.

Netting the fish is one of the most common and the easiest way of catching fish. The net itself can be of any color and size. White nets are thought not to be among the best ones, unlike the ones that come in black or green, that don’t scare off the fish and, apart from that, they give them a, sort of, sense of security. But, using a white net to scare off the fish to the green or black one placed on the other side of the tank is a good tactic to catch them. Make sure you do everything gently. Eventually, the fish will go into the net by itself. If the fish’s fins get into the net you shouldn't be worried. Put the fish back into the aquarium, hold the net and the fish will free itself. If it doesn't work, carefully cut of the net with scissors. Netting can be helpful when feeding the fish, as well, but you’re trying to keep some fish apart from others. Just use a white net to separate them, and the green one to put them together, for example.

Catching fish with your hands is a method used usually with bigger fish. You have to do this carefully because some species have spines used to defend themselves. Use both of your hands to catch a fish, gently take the fish by its tail and support it from underneath. Keep in mind that all this has to be done gently and with a lot of patience. Fish that have electricity or are poisonous shouldn't ever be touched by human hand, logically.

Catching fish with the help of a bottle is a method appropriate to catch species like shrimp, dwellers or snails that are usually on the bottom of the tank. Green provides fake security for the fish (as mentioned above), so use a green bottle so you can see them and make them feel safe. Before putting the bottle into the tank, you should clean it up a little in some hot water. Don’t use detergents or anything similar to clean the bottle. You should opt for a glass bottle rather than a plastic one, because it sinks to the bottom. Place the food into the water, put it on the bottom of the tank and let it getfilled with water slowly. Switch the lights off and wait for the fish to get into the trap. Leave some room light on, and switch them off in the evening hours. Close the entrance of the bottle with your finger, after you make sure that the fish are trapped. This is a method that requires gentility and patience. It might take some time, but your fish will definitely be less stressed out. By using this method you’ll leave the same depth of the water to fish and there’ll be no need to remove the water. Also make sure you don’t hitthe tank edges while using the bottle to catch desired fish. Catching fish with glass dip tubes is not a quite popular method. The only ones who use this method are the, so called “breeder-aquarists” who have to this to catch the fry and don’t spoil it.

Conclusion

To conclude, I’ll say that keeping and catching fish all the time demands some experience and knowledge, because otherwise you may hurt or kill your own fish. I’m sure you wouldn't want that to happen, would you?

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The Soothing Sound of Water

The world today is tough. Not only do you have to put in loads of hours in your work, so that you can earn the means to survive, but you have to cope with selfish bosses, irritating coworkers, bad office space, the traffic, the economy, and all that jazz. I think that this is reason enough to make your home a peaceful, beautiful, comfortable and well designed place, so that you can rest, think things through, and wake up the next day, ready to tackle every problem that comes your way. In this article I am not going to talk about what furniture to chose, how to color your walls, how to organize the lighting, what electrical equipment to choose, but I will talk about a certain aspect of home and garden design that has been around for centuries.  I will be talking about water features.

●     What are water features?

The term is confused with water properties, which are connected to the temperature and chemical structure of the water. Water features are numerous fountains and ponds that can be put either in your home or in your garden, depending on the product, of course (some are designed for indoor, and some for outdoor use). They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Fountains can be everything from traditional Greek statue figurines, to futuristic looking fountains that shoot beams of water that, when combined with the LED lighting that is installed within, look like a very cool light show.

Ponds can be simple – a whole in the ground with water in it, or they can come in the form a beautiful waterfall. Ponds, unlike most fountains, are ideal for keeping fish. You just have to make sure that you know the properties of the natural habitat your fish are used to by nature, and that the pond is big enough so that the fish have appropriate swimming space. This information is usually provided by the pet store where the fish are bought, or you can look for such information on the internet, of course. Then, it is all about making your pond have the same properties as the fish’s natural habitat, and there are products available in the market that will aid you in this process very much.

●     Benefits for you

Apart from the fact that you will be considered as a person with taste, a water feature in your home will help you enjoy relaxation to the fullest. When you sit down near it, after a hard day’s work, at first, you will simply look at it, admire its beauty and feel proud about yourself because you have managed to purchase such a beautiful thing. Then, as your eyes start to close, the sound of water moving will make you feel like you are in touch with nature and all its magnificence. You will fall into a quality sleep, and, when you wake up, you will be good as new. This is something that I can guarantee in light of my experience, and the experience of many other satisfied water feature owners. Furthermore, this kind of thing will add value to your home, if you plan on selling it at some point in your life, and it might even pay for itself at the end. Apart from everything else stated above, a water feature, graciously displayed in your garden, will most certainly make your house stand out from all other houses in the neighborhood, and it will turn the head of each of your neighbors, as they are passing by, which will certainly make you feel good, if nothing else.

To conclude, I have already said that in this article I will not talk about the basics of home design. Actually, each individual has specific needs, so there is no such thing as a perfect home design on the market. You have to improvise, work with what you can find, and hope that it will all turn out just as you have imagined it in the end. Take everything that you have read in this piece of text as something that should be considered as a finishing touch to your home design process. So, when you get everything you need, treat yourself to a water feature, because you will not regret it.

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Aquariums – Making Fish Feel at Home

In the modern world, people have drifted away from nature due to the constant urbanization process that is taking the world up by storm, so, it is “only natural” that people have incorporated loads of things from nature into their own homes, which is something that is very good for everyday life, in my opinion. Several people have loads of plants, and it is not that uncommon nowadays to have a pet. Both of these things are literally used to live up the place and get it more in touch with the roots of our existence.

In this article, I am going to focus on all those people who have chosen fishkeeping as a way of making their home more natural, and I will provide some advice on what to do in order to get the best out of it.

First of all, an aquarium or fish tank is a place where you can keep both plants and animals, so it is, as the expression states, killing two birds with one stone. Now, modern technology has done its part and made the process of keeping the aquarium clean and well-functioning much easier to humans. There are several water cleaners and pumps that will do the filtration process and take care of all the waste that is produced by the fish. But there is a more important thing to worry about. You see, each type of fish is used to living in a specific kind of water, which is, yet again, “only natural”. When you purchase fish, make sure that you have done your homework and that you have determined what are the water properties that will suite your fish the best in terms of water heat, the pH value, the salinity, and so on. When you have done this, you have to make sure that the water is set to these properties prior to putting the fish in the aquarium. There are numerous test kits that will aid you in the process and all of them come with a detailed description of how they are used, so I will not elaborate on that in this piece of text. I will, however, tell you that if you don’t do this, you will have to deal with a tank filled with dead fish, which is something that, as far as I can tell, no one wants.

When it comes to the decoration of the aquarium, it is not just about how good it will look to you, but how natural it will be for the fish, and there are ways to make both things work. Fish are used to having plants in the water, and apart from that, they are used to all sorts of inanimate objects that they consider hiding places. So, anything that is not very big, and doesn’t use up a ton of space in the aquarium will do. Needless to say, there are loads of ornaments particularly designed to be used in an aquarium, so make sure that you explore your options as much as you can and go for what you think is best.

You should also think about the shape of the aquarium itself, because some fish are used to having a lot of space, while others do not have problems in traffic. That is yet another thing that you should keep in mind when purchasing the fish – how will it feel in your aquarium (it is logical that you purchase the fish that will like it in your aquarium that to purchase the aquarium after purchasing the fish).

To conclude this article, I will say that you purchase fish so that you bring a dose of nature to your own home, which is cool, but you should make sure that the fish are happy and satisfied, just to make sure that they have as long a lifespan as possible. If not for humane reasons, this is done for economic reasons as well – you won’t have to buy new fish as often as inconsiderate people. 

 All in all, fishkeeping is a noble process, and people who have fish in their homes are considered to be nice, considerate, successful and calm, so if you are thought to be such a person, do live up to your reputation.

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How to Keep a Fish Tank

Extra fish in your aquarium can cause a lot of problems. More fish demand more oxygen and additional production of ammonia. If you own a filter that deals with a higher level of ammonia you are, let’s say, in the clear, but, with a high ammonia level, you’ll end up with increased nitrate production and you will have to change the water more often to keep it low. Some more solid waste might also appear out of nowhere.

Some people, who are experts in this field, think that a tank with too much fish can lead to the stop of fish growth, or, as this phenomenon is more commonly called, to stunning. If the fish are kept and left to breed in the same aquarium where the adult fish are, you will notice that future generations will be smaller than their ancestors.

To sort this out, get another aquarium to raise the fry in – especially one that is big enough to serve a spawning pair, or for pregnant females.

On the other hand, many would find a quarantine tank the best among all the others. To be a successful keeper of fish, this kind of a tank can be very helpful, and is often recommended by any retailer.  Many people forget to use a microscope when purchasing fish, and that’s why they usually aren't aware of whether the fish are suffering from any kind of illness. If you buy new fish and bring it to your home, regardless of its healthy look that may mislead you, it can infect your existing livestock. The solution to this problem is to set up a separate aquarium for the new ones and keep them there for a few weeks so you can be sure they’re not infectious.

These tanks can also be used to keep and treat fish that have been bullied or ill in the main tank. It’s more effective to treat them in an unfurnished, clean tank. A medium sized tank is cheaper to treat than a heavily stocked one. You’ll also avoid a risk of killing any inverts or knocking out beneficial bacteria in the main tank, which are pretty essential.

Not all fish are compatible. When you’re a fish-keeper, there’s so little time and too many fish. This hobby can get a little complicated. The water conditions, the size of the fish and their temperament is a key thing to take into consideration.

To solve this, set up some more tanks to help you out, and sort them into hard-water and soft-water set-ups. When it comes to the radical differences, you can set one up as a rocky Rift Lake, and another one as a flora oriented one, for example. New tanks always look nicer. As time passes by, fish aquariums seem to be getting much nicer and better designed. Check out BiOrb Life 60L or Fluval Edge 46L - Water Cube, for example. There was never a choice of so many sizes and shapes, as there is now. For many people, showing off their tank is a big part of keeping fish. Like every work of art needs a good frame, having a good tank for your fish is also of big importance.

Furnishing fashion for homes changes all the time and you have a choice to have a brand new tank and not an old one made of mahogany. For many people, keeping fish is kind of a new challenge. Keeping fish attract many different people and there’s just the right kind of fish for everyone. You should try coral propagation or take the challenge of breeding. It takes some determination, skill and time to breed fish so that you provide them with everything they need and want. And don’t forget to feed the fry. When a fish-keeper is a real fanatic, he or she must come to this point: to want to make a fish room. If you’re one of them, consider that a fish room can be any room in your house - a spare room, for instance.

To sum up, keeping fish seems to be a hard and demanding job. But, it has many advantages. It’s there to bring in new colors to your living space and keep you occupied. It’s also good for relaxation and, if you have kids, it would be a lot of fun for them to have their own private part of the sea. Whatever the reasons are, make sure you don’t forget about the fact - fish can’t play with you, but still are living beings.

 

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Lighting in an Aquarium

The basic role of the aquarium lightning is to allow the fish-keepers to watch their fish. But, what’s more important, it provides the energy to the plants and animals that are photosynthetic. It’s usually the primary and the only source of lightning and it’s of big essence to any system that has plants, coral or anemones that are photosynthetic. The behavior of your fish is also influenced by the source of lightning and their psychology and health and the well-being of the whole tank depends on lightning.

Different set-ups demand different kinds of light fixtures and light bulbs. There are various different lightning options for fish-keepers and their fish, of course. The diversity of types of lightning makes it possible for the aquarists to provide the proper source of lightning for their fish. Tank lightning is grouped into three general types: there’s the common fluorescent lightning, metal halide lightning of high intensity and compact fluorescent lightning. Common output fluorescent lightning or standard fluorescent lightning are the easiest to provide the illumination for an aquarium. Choosing this sort of lightning is best for saltwater-fish-only tanks and fresh tanks, too. There’s a large selection of bulbs made for this sort of lightning and everything seems to allow the fish-keeper to customize tank lightning. You can use different bulbs in order to provide the right kind of lightning for you fish.

Actinic white bulbs create a mild blue or white light that, actually, recreates the marine light. It is a mix of a blue and white actinic light. This light may be pleasing to your eyes and, also help the photosynthetic growth of corals. Color-enhancing bulbs emit warmer and richer colors and really increase the spectrum of colors. They are made to display the colors of your tank’s inhabitants. It’s good for saltwater and fresh-fish-only tanks. Daylight bulbs provide something close to natural sunlight because they emit the wavelengths of already visible light.  The whole color spectrum is also emitted. These bulbs are made for general purposes and ideal for any type of saltwater and fresh tanks. Actinic bulbs provide all kinds of blue of the color spectrum. They imitate the light conditions of deep water and help creating the needed energy for growth of photosynthetic corals. They are appropriate for marine aquariums and coral reef tanks. Plant bulbs provide the light needed for the plants’ growth. Because they emit both blue and red regions of the spectrum of colors, they maximize the photosynthetic activity of plants. High-intensity bulbs emit a crisp white light and are usually combined with actinic bulbs in marine tanks. They imitate a brilliant light that’s found in deep water and they emit a white-blue light. This light appears pretty cool. Compact fluorescents are a higher version of normal output fluorescent lightning. This lightning doesn't have single tube bulbs, but incorporates quad or dual tube bulbs so that greater light is emitted. It can easily replace two normal fluorescent fixtures, and provide as many light as the common fluorescent fixture does. 

They also save a lot of space and are a good choice if you want to upgrade your fish tank and your light system in it. They are nothing more difficult to handle than normal fluorescent light systems, but they still have all the advantages of the normal ones. Compact fluorescents are ideal for marine and freshwater tanks. Metals halide lightning systems have a good reputation among advanced fish-keepers. Unlike other HID system, this one provides a wide range of colors of the color spectrum and the rendition of colors produced by them is well suited for tanks. They are great for aquariums, especially reef tanks, because their inhabitants need high lightning conditions. Metal halide lightning is most commonly used for very large tanks or the ones that are deeper than 25 inches. That’s because of the inability of other systems to provide that much light.

Conclusion

When choosing the right system of lightning for your tank and your fish depend on your taste, the size of your aquarium and the fish’s needs. But, make sure not to experiment with lightning systems that are not made for fish tanks. The health of your fish and the beauty of your aquarium depend on the source of lightning a lot. So, be well informed, and choose carefully.

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