R.I.P Clyde - 2004-2007

Clyde today left me... I knew it had been coming - he was old and getting slow. I had to hand feed him for 3 weeks everyday as he was not getting his share of his food being too slow off the mark. I finally moved him to his own tank to give him some peace as the other fish started to steal the food from him from my hand also... he spent his last few weeks in 70 Liters on his own living it up on food and love from me.

I am devastated even though I was prepared and have cried quite a lot today <blush> He was a very special little fish to me... he was the most laid back cichlid I have ever had - not an aggressive fin in him. He was extremely hand tame and would love a good stroke turning and twisting to make sure I didn't miss any spots LOL He would look me up and let me know when he wanted attention by swimming close up to me and flaring then before I could even get up and lift the lid to the tank he would already be swimming up there waiting for me for some love ;)

Clyde as a Baby when I first got him - he was not much bigger than a Neon Tetra

Goodbye old friend... I am going to miss you so very much xxx

On top of this I am really ill with the flu at the moment and I can't shake it so I have not been blogging much - my apologies - I will be back to my fishy tales soon xxx

Fish of the Month - Sphaerichthys vaillanti

A cousin of the Chocolate Gourami but even more stunning.

     

The Sphaerichthys vaillanti is just beautiful with very striking colours and beauty.

Origin: Indonesia, Kalimantan(Borneo), Sebroang. The parameters of the place were pH 5.3,  29.5 degrees Celsius. The water is clear and slightly amber.

First import: France, 1995, by Olivier Perrin so it has not been on the market that long and is also difficult to find sometimes.

Care: Spaerichthys vaillanti should be kept in larger tanks, 80 cm minimum, and is best not kept in pairs, but rather in small groups or with other coinhabitants that originate from peat swamps like Paroshromenus sp. Water conditions pH around 5.5 and very soft water are required, temperature in the higher region. Tanned water with a low visibility and not too much light, driftwood and maybe some plants that can stand this type of environment(Javafern, Javamoss, Anubias nana, some floating plants). Sphaerichthys vaillanti pairs will establish a large territory in a tank, although no actual fighting will occur. The fish will usually inhabit the middle and lower regions of a tank, and are in general peaceful and quiet inhabitants.

Temperature:25-28 degrees

Size: 8.0 cm

pH: 5.0-6.5

Food:  They are picky eaters and love nothing more than live food such as artemia and red mosquito larvae

Breeding: Mouthbreeder, the male is the mouthbreeder, while the female defends the territory against possible intruders. To get Sphaerichthys vaillanti to breed the water should be extremely soft and acidic, pH at 5 and dGH below 2. After a breeding period of 10-15 days around 20, sometimes more, fry are released by the male. If breeding is performed in a species tank it's best to remove the female after breeding, since she will start to harass the male if no intruders are present.   The fish have to be in top condition as the male will not eat while carrying the young.

Sexual dimorphism: The female has vertical red and green stripes, while the male is grey/brown, with a wine red hint. The colours of the female become very intense while breeding

Price:  It will vary but be prepared to get your wallet open a pair usually set you back 30 Euros

                   

These are definitely not beginner fish - Use dimmed light, peat filtration and mix the water with RO water, the proportion depending on the parameters of your tap water. They need floating plants and woods to feel secure. Very susceptible to disease, especially parasites and will not tolerate anything but perfect water conditions.

Plant of the Month - Microsorum pteropus

Microsorum pteropus / Java Fern

Very undemanding plant which is perfect for those dark corners in the tank where the light does not reach or for low light tanks with no C02 or added nutrition. Actually in high light the leaves of this beauty can burn... this is a plant that anyone can keep easily.

This plant does not even need soil - it grows at it's best on a piece of driftwood or stone...just attach it with some fishing line or rubber band and within 2 weeks the roots will have attached to it.

It also propagates very quickly and easily. It is also not very fussy when it comes to water parameters - so if you have ever fancied trying a real plant in your set up this is the one to go for as it will not let you down.

Cartoon

Hehehehe had a good giggle at this one ;)

GM glowing fish could be sold

I  will keep my thoughts to myself on this as otherwise it would not be a very nice read as every other second word would be a swearword. 

              

Genetically-modified glowing fish are one step closer to being offered for sale in Australia legally to would-be pet owners looking for something a little different for their fish tank.

A United States-based biotechnology company applied earlier this year to the Gene Technology Regulator for permission to import and sell the so-called GloFish.

The zebra fish have been modified to include a fluorescent protein gene that comes from reef coral.

The gene makes the fish absorb light and then release it, so they appear to glow either red, green or yellow.

                 

According to the latest report from the Gene Technology Regulator, consultation with experts and key stakeholders was held between April and June to identify any risks to human health and safety and the environment.

The regulator said its technical advisory committee found the fluorescent proteins were not likely to be toxic to humans or other organisms, or cause an allergic reaction.

The regulator noted the fish were already being sold in the US and Singapore.

But some environmental activist groups including Greenpeace oppose the sale of the fish.

"We have no way of predicting what havoc they will cause when they are released into the wild," Greenpeace says on its website.

"Aquarium fish get introduced into native ecosystems all the time, and can survive in the warmer waters of some springs and around industrial wastewater pipes, so this really is no laughing matter. Any escape would be irreversible."

           

Fish-Skin Shoes

The latest trend after years of crocodile, snake you name it ..designers are now looking to fish skin to make shoes. 

In London you are able to buy Salmon-Skin shoes which are advertised as being amazingly waterproof and don't smell.  The creator went on to state: ''Reptile skin used to be really popular, but now everyone thinks 'poor little snake.' These shoes have that reptile look and the added attraction of not offending the animal rights lobby.''

Fish-Skin shoes had already been on the market in Thailand and other Eastern countries but it seems they are now crossing the waters our way.

Puma are one of the large companies to start with a fish-skin sneaker costing $155 !   A shoe factory in Italy has also started on production of Fish-Skin shoes and handbags...

Future Cat II Lux uses innovative material from the Wolf Fish hyde adding a unique texture and sheen.

Just have a google...  it is amazing what you can all find made out of Fish Skin - even clothes...  I wouldn't be caught dead wearing any of it the idea of having fish skin on me freaks me out a bit as does fur etc.  

Study: Europe's freshwater fish in peril

More than one in three of Europe's freshwater fish species faces extinction because ecosystems are being destroyed, the World Conservation Union said Thursday.

Scientists from Switzerland and Germany have found that 200 of the 522 species of European freshwater fish are threatened by the rapid development of agriculture and industry over the past 100 years, the group said.

The union, a network of nations, agencies and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries, said 12 species are already extinct.

Species at risk include the European eel, the jarabugo in southwestern Spain and Portugal, and several types of fish found only in one place, such as the Lake Ammersee kilch, found only in the lake in Germany.

                                 European Eel

The group, which is known by the abbreviation IUCN and produces an annual "Red List" of endangered species, said measures to reduce pollution, preserve wetlands, and limit the amount of water extracted from streams and rivers are needed to conserve the fish species.

The research is published in the "Handbook of European Freshwater Fishes," which was funded by the North of England Zoological Society.