Fishy Gadget - Jellyfish

So you want another tank but your not sure about the extra work ...although something unusual might be nice...well there is now the Aquapict Jellyfish Aquarium (don't worry they are not real)

Available in five different colors, this nifty "Aquapict Jellyfish Aquarium" will set you back around a hefty $200.

Winner of the prestigious “Least Interactive Pet” award, the Aquapict LED aquarium houses three jellyfish. Sure, they’re fake, but you can’t really tell according to the makers

Features:
• Energy-saving timer
• Color mode selector with 11 color patterns
• “Regular” mode has the jellyfish swimming with regular colors
• “Deep sea” mode brings out amazing LED flashing colors
Specifications:
• Height: 270mm (10.6in)
• Width: 210mm (8.3in)
• Depth: 120mm (4.7in)
• Aquarium material: High quality ABS plastic
• Jellyfish material: Silicone
• Power: AC adapter

Cheaper Way to test water parameters

               

It's not a big great secret and also nothing amazingly clever but when you are at your local aqua store next time check out the prices of Pond test kits and compare to the price of Aquarium test kits - they both contain the same tests but......  they are usually more than half the price of the aquarium kits ;)

There are actually a lot of things that are cheaper for Pond peeps than us aqua peeps - water conditioners etc.  Not all are suitable for the home aqua but many are... 

                    

More Fishy Facts...

Molecularly speaking, water is actually much drier than sand.

Fish have "dandruff" caused by flaking skin, and it is impossible to filter all traces of it from drinking water.

Catfish are the only animals that naturally have an ODD number of whiskers.

A very slender and small 2.5 cm catfish called the Candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa, Trichomycteridae) from the Amazon has the nasty reputation of entering the urethra of people urinating under water! Once inside, their spiny gill covers make them impossible to extract except by surgery. They normally feed on the gill tissues of fishes

                               

this is the Vandellia cirrhosa (toothpick fish) it was even featured in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy

 

The African Lungfishes (Protopterus, Protopteridae) build themselves a "cocoon" of mud beneath the bottoms of dried up ponds and have been known to aestivate ("sleep") for as long as four years!

What is a person who studies fish called : An ichthyologist

Why are fish slimy : Fish secrete a type of mucus from their skin. This slime coating is important because it provides protection against parasites and diseases, covers wounds to prevent infection and helps fish move through the water faster. Some species release toxins in their slime which ward off attacking creatures while others use their slime to feed their young.

Fish are very good at tasting. They not only have taste buds in their mouths but some species also have them on their skin and sometimes on their fins. Catfish even have taste buds on their whiskers.

Geek, techie & weird Fish tanks

 

An Ice Sculpture Tank - mmmhhh  not sure it is cool <hahaha I am so funny - Not)

 

         

Save the weirdest for the last - a Feeder Tank - it has feeding trays for the fish so you can feed without opening the tank

The little cups on the sides of the tank in the picture are connected to the tank and open to the air, which allows the fish to swim into the cups to be hand fed (and petted or nuzzled if that’s your thing). The tank is sealed at the top, creating a vacuum which prevents the water from pouring out.

Reader's Tank of the Month

This month from 7 readers tanks I chose Syd the Squids ;)  He is one of the more regulars here and he is a really fun and sweet guy (how could he not be living where I was born - it must be the water there)

A very healthy and lush looking tank - lot's of green where the fish can swim in and out of which I know most fish love - great tank Syd!!   And thank you for sharing it with us xxx

Here a mini interview with Syd the Squid:

Tank Dimensions?

My tank dimensions are 66cmx66cmx70cm. It's an Aqua One corner unit.

Setup i.e. C02, filter

It has been set up since the middle of August and I planted it up from day one and did a fishless cycle. I am using CO2 at the moment but as the set up progresses I intend to slowly replant with various Cryotocorynes. I will keep some bunches of fast growing plants as an algae buffer. My substrate is Eco-complete at the front and Red Sea Florabase to the rear and down the right hand side.

Plants used

It is planted up with a collection of plants from Greenline Aquatic Plants. Some of the plants are Cabomba, Egeria Densa, Hornwort, Amazon Swords, Hygrophilla, Rotala, some Crypt's, Java Fern and moss.

Fishies swimming around

Fishies at the moment are a shoal of Neon Tetra's, a smaller shoal of Midnight Tetra's, 4 Polka dot loaches, 2 Honey Gourami's, 5 Guppies, 3 Pepper Cory's and 4 Oto's

                  A piccie of 2 of Syds Polka Dot Loaches

How long have you been a fish fan? 

I first kept fish in 1971 and had a range of tanks for about 15 years. I was a typical magpie, if I saw hints of breeding or eggs on a stone or leaf I would rush out and get another tank for breeding. I drove my good lady nuts as I had tanks all over the house. My first fish were the usual Guppies, Swordtails and Platies etc. When I had to give the hobby up I was keeping Discus but my big love was always aquatic plants, especially Cryptocorynes. My favourite fish is still the beautiful Discus and it is only a matter of time before they are in my tank again.

And finally any tips?

The main tip that I would give is always do a fishless cycle and be patient, it pays in the long run.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with Syd's Tip - Fishless cycling is the way to go!!!!

Another readers tank I wanted to show is Alexandre's from Portugal

It is really lovely unfortunately it seems according to Alexandre that the choice of plants & fish is not very good in Portugal which must make it even harder to have this hobby.  He has done a great job!

Want to see your tank on here?  Send me some piccies to Fishaliciousfish@gmail.com

New Fish - Huraaaaah

Yes more new fish - couldn't stop myself - friends of mine decided they no longer wanted to keep their Angelfish and decided to give them away.     I have always had a soft spot for Angelfish so couldn't resist taking a formed couple from them (saves the hassle of taking a group and waiting to see who pairs up and who has to go)    They are Black Velvet Angelfish and an absolute joy.   I usually like fish in their natural colours (wild caught) but these two were just too cute

Here are Blade & Elvira:

               

While at my friends we also took a tour of some fish shops in the area and I came across the loveliest couple of Apistogramma Macmasteri's - he is a beauty!!!!    Unfortunately I do not have any good pictures of them but I will post the bad ones I have anyway <grins>    As soon as I take some better ones I will post them.

               
                       I have named him Freckles
               
                    The little lady I named Spots 

After hunting through 5 shops also for a female Apisto Cacatouides and having seen at least 40 there was only one definite lady so I took her home with me also.   I think the breeders are currently trying to come up with a complete gold cacatouides as many of the males can very easily be confused with females as many have a very stong yellow colour which usually only females display.   The only way you can tell now is by checking the fins.

 

Sorry for the quality I hope to have good piccies up soon x

Fish found to get insomnia too

Fish might not have eyelids, but they do sleep, and some suffer from insomnia, scientists reported.
California scientists studying sleep disorders in humans found that some zebrafish, a common aquarium pet, have a mutant gene that disrupts their sleep patterns in a way similar to insomnia in humans.
Zebrafish with the mutant gene slept 30% less than fish without the mutation.

              Zebrafish / Zebra Danio / Brachydanio rerio

When they finally drifted off they remained asleep half as long as the normal fish, the researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine said.
The mutant fish lacked a working receptor for hypocretin, a neuropeptide that is secreted in normal fish by neurons in the region of the brain that controls hunger, sex and other basic behaviors.
Zebrafish, also known as zebra danio, have become popular research subjects because they are cheaper to breed than mice and they have a backbone that better represents the human nervous system than fruit flies.
The researchers, led by Emmanuel Mignot, said they would look for fish that have a mutation that causes them to oversleep or never sleep in the hope of discovering if sleep-regulating molecules and brain networks developed through evolution.
"Many people ask the questions, 'Why are we sleeping?' and, 'What is the function of sleep?'" Mignot said.

"I think it is more important to figure out first how the brain produces and regulates sleep. This will likely give us important clues on how and maybe why sleep has been selected by natural evolution and is so universal."
The study was published in Tuesday's edition of the Public Library of Science-Biology.

More kitsch fish abuse

Yes it is kind of funny and yes it is cute for on your office desk but for god's sake don't advertise it with real fish!!!   Put in a wind up goldfish or a plastic fish on a thread - just as cute and no real animal has to suffer.   I cannot even see a filter in this thing...  if anyone buys this and keeps a real fish in it I can see the cuteness wearing off pretty quick when it is covered in fish poop and with algae all over...

Sellers description:

The mental power of fish has long been ignored, and it's time to see what they can accomplish in an office setting. This desktop aquarium is outfitted like a mini cubicle, with a pint-sized plastic table, computer, lamp, chair and potted plant. The tank is super easy to maintain—just rinse and refill under the tap—and is ideal for goldfish and betas. Imported. 6Hx5Wx7L".

What a bunch of ***** sad thing is they make money with this - tsk

Terranaut - Fish go Walkies

Ever wondered where your fish would want to go if they had a free reign of the house?   Well now it is possible with the Terranaut.     I cannot help but look at it like one of those hamsterballs you can buy to watch your hamster zip around the living room.

Created by Seth Weiner, Terranaut is basically a fish-powered vehicle.

A camera mounted above the tank tracks the fish's movement and relays that information to a computer, which then drives the robot in the direction the fish was traveling - so if fishy swims left it moves left etc.   seeing it's a bowl and a fish can get pretty stressed in them I reckon it would just end up going round in circles after a while - but you never know for an occasional 'walkies' it is a pretty cool idea ;)

China Gives 'Drink Like A Fish' New Meaning

                    

Beijing - The French used grapes, Russians fermented potatoes, Koreans put ginseng in their drink and Mexicans distilled cactus plants to make fiery tequila. Now China is introducing fish wine.
Sun Keman, an entrepreneur in the north-east port city of Dalian, has formed the Dalian Fisherman's Song Maritime Biological Brewery, with a plan to use his background in the fishing industry to make fish into wine. "Different from China's thousands of years of brewing, the brewery will clean, boil, and ferment fish for making wine," the official Xinhua news agency reported. The company already had orders from Japan, Russia and other parts of China, it said. Tipplers might also take heart in knowing the brew is purported to be good for them. "Experts said the wine is nutritious and contains low alcohol," Xinhua said.

The ADA Aquascaping Results - Top 15

Technorati Tags: aquascaping , aquarium , ADA

The biggest aquarium aquascaping competition in the world has come to an end for this year - every year just get's better and better although I do find all the winners this year have very similar tank outlays.

Well here goes - the top Aqua's in the world at the moment - congrats to the winners

The number 1 tank <drumrolls please>

2.

3. (my fave)

4.

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9  (the waterfall in the water is fab!)

#10  (looooooove the moss tree)

#11

#12

#14

#15

Did You Know.... some more fishy facts

              
                                 Amano Shrimp

Shrimps' hearts are in their heads.

Flapping their fins, Hachetfish can fly out of the water for several feet.

           
                     Hatchetfish (Carnegiella strigata)

Goldfish lose their color if kept in dim light.

Scientists use ear growth rings to determine a fish's age.

Female Guppies can have up to five litters of babies from mating only one time

Discus feed their babies on mucus they excrete from their bodies.

Climbing Perch can 'walk' on dry land and even climb trees.

          
                   Climbing Perch (Anabas testudineus)

How old will my fish get?

The answer varies greatly depending on the species of fish. However, in general smaller fish have a shorter lifespan than larger fish, and fish that lay eggs live longer than those that give birth to live young.  Also a huge factor is the feeding & care of the fish....   here is a list with some of the most common:

Adolfos Cory - 5 years
Angelfish - 10 years
Apistogramma - 3 to 5 years
Archer Fish - 5 years
Armored Catfish - 7 to 15 years
Bala Shark - 10 years
Bandit Cory - 5 years
Banjo Cat - 7 to 15 years
Banjo Catfish - 5 to 8 years
Black Neon Tetra - 5 years
Black Phantom Tetra - 5 years
Black Shark - 4 to 10 years
Black Tetra - 5 years
Black Widow Tetra - 5 years
Blackfin Cory - 5+ years
Bleeding Heart Tetra - 5 years
Blindcave Fish - 5+ years
Bloodfin Tetra - 10+ years
Blue Gourami - 4 years
Boesman Rainbow - 5 years
Bronze Cory - 5 years
Bumble Bee Catfish - 5 to 8 years
Cardinal Tetra - 4 years
Cherry Barb - 5 to 7 years
Chocolate Gourami - 4 years
Clown Loach - 15+ years
Columbian Tetra - 5 years
Congo Tetra - 5 years
Convict - 10 to 18 years
Diamond Tetra - 5 years
Discus - 10 to 18 years
Dojo Loach - 10 years
Dwarf Gourami - 4 years
Emperor Tetra - 6 years
Festivum - 10+ years
Figure 8 Puffer - 5 years
Frontosa - 8 to 15 years
Giant Danio - 5 to 7 years
Glass Catfish - 8 years
Glassfish - 8 years
Glowlight Tetra - 5 years
Goldfish - 10 to 30 years
Guppy - 3 to 5 years
Harlequin - 6 years
Hatchetfish - 5 years
Hog Nose Brochis - 10 years
Honey Gourami - 4 years
Jack Dempsey - 10 to 18 years
Jordan's Catfish - 10+ years
Killifish - 1 to 2 years
Kissing Gourami - 5 years
Lemon Tetra - 5 years
Leopard Danio - 5 to 7 years
Leporinus - 5+ years
Livingstoni - 10+ years
Midas Cichlid - 15+ years
Mollie - 4 years
Moonlight Gourami - 4 years
Neon Rainbow - 3 to 4 years
Neon Tetra - 5 to 10 years
Oscar - 10 to 18 years
Otocinclus - 5 years
Pacu - 10 years
Pearl Danio - 5 years
Pearl Gourami - 4 years
Pictus Catfish - 8 years
Piranha - 10 years
Platy - 3 to 5 years
Pleco - 7 to 15 years
Rafael Catfish - 7 to 15 years
Rainbow Shark - 4 to 10 years
Rams - 4 years
Rasboras - 5 to 10 years
Red Eye Tetra - 5 years
Red Rainbow - 5 years
Red Tailed Catfish - 15 years
Redtail Shark - 8 years
Rosy Barb - 5 years
Royal Pleco - 10+ years
Rummy Nose Tetra - 5 to 10 years
Rumy Nose Tetra - 5 years
Severum - 10 to 18 years
Silver Dollar - 10+ years
Silvertip Tetra - 5 years
Swordtails - 3 to 5 years
Texas Cichlid - 10+ years
Tiger Barb - 6 years
Tigerfish - 5 years
Tinfoild Barb - 10 years
Upside Down Catfish - 5 years
Weather Loach - 10 years
Whiptail - 10+ years
White Cloud Mountain Minnow - 5 to 7 years
Zebra Cichlid - 10+ years
Zebra Danio - 5 years

What I feed my Fish

This is a question I get asked weekly via readers mails so here goes:

On the menu at my house

Monday: Daphnia

                   

Tuesday: Black Mosquito larvae

                   

Wednesday: Cyclops & Bosmiden

Thursday: White Mosquito larvae

                      

Friday: Artemia

                      

Saturday: Live Daphnia, Artemia or White Mosquito Larvae

Sunday: Same as saturday

Every two weeks they get red bloodworms (I feed these only every two weeks due to the fatty content and darm problems it can cause especially in cichlids)

             

They also get a few flakes now and again for breakfast - at least Spirinula flakes 3 times a week for some greenery and it helps with their colouring.

The bottomfeeders (Pimpelodus Pictus and Coydoras) get bottom feeder tablets a few times a week - these are thrown in at night as the lights go off so the other fish don't 'pinch' them'

The live food I get via the shops if I am lazy - if I am not in a lazy mood there is a pond not far from here where I fish it out and I also have a water drum on the balcony where a lot of black mosquito larvae turn up weekly.

Artemia are really easy to breed yourself and Daphnia are easy to keep if you have a spare little tank lying around.

A varied diet makes for a very healthy and happy fish - there is also nothing wrong with skipping a day once a week. 

You cannot only go by the size of a fish for the amount that they should eat - you should also take it's activity into account - a tetra will need a little bit more food than the larger dwarf cichlid for example as tetra's are very active fish.

Punkyfish.nl - Foto Competition Winner

Huraaaah I can go and blow my own trumpet today...  I read the Punkyfish.nl fish forum daily and now and again enter the lovely foto competition they have every month - much to my happy surprise I won the first place this month - woooohoooo

The subject was Breeding this month

Here the winning piccie (I know nothing spectacular) but I am reaaallllly happy

It is a picture of Mama Paleatus with some of her baby corydoras - there were 36 in total - the babies were then only a month old - they are now around 6 months old 

Thank you Punkyfish.nl and also to the shop De Maanvis in Nijmegen for the prize xxx