Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Clownfish Families

Clownfish Families


Author: Phil Wind

Thanks to Disney, everyone knows arguable the worlds most famous fish: Nemo , and the clownfish's interesting relationship with the Sea Anemone . However, not everyone knows all of the interesting things about young clownfish.  Young clownfish including Percula, Ocellaris or "False," Maroon, Tomato and others have not yet chosen a gender.  As they grow and mature, a group of clownfish will form a "pod," which is kind of like a family!

Each Pod may have between 2 and 6 fish, and within the pod a dominance or "pecking order" will be established.  The largest and most aggressive fish will grow into the female, the 2nd largest will become the male, and the rest will all stay juvenile "sub adults."   If anything ever happens to the male, the next largest fish will mature and take his place.

Now here is the interesting part.  If the female leaves the pod, the male will then be the largest and most dominant.  He will then grow and become female.  The next largest fish will take his place as the new male.

Clownfish are by far the most loved and common of all saltwater aquarium fish, and for good reason!  They have bright colors, interesting personalities and nearly all those available in the trade are tank raised.  This is important because it reduces the impact on natural reefs, and produces fish that are healthy and accustomed to life in captivity.  But the #1 reason clowns are so popular is that they form a symbiotic bond with Anemones !

Watching your clowns frolic in their anemone is one of the greatest joys of having a reef tank.  Just keep in mind, your baby clowns have never seen an anemone in their lives and it may take them some time to get used to the idea.

For more information, see Reef eScape
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/clownfish-families-463220.html

About the Author

Reef Aquarium Maintenance and Service for the Virginia and Washington D.C. Area
   

Monday, May 30, 2011

Recreate The Clown Loach Fish's Natural Environment

Recreate The Clown Loach Fish's Natural Environment


Author: Preston Mane

Clown loach fish are only found in Indonesia (specifically on Borneo and Sumatra). They live in murky backwater rivers where the water may be moving swiftly or standing still. The waters are densely vegetated and there is plenty of food for the feisty bottom-feeding clown loaches. They are on omnivorous and often enjoy eating crustaceans in the area or nibble on plants in the water. Borneo and Sumatra both straddle the equator so the temperature is quite high for most of the year. The temperature of the waters that the clown loach live in hovers around 74-85 degrees Fahrenheit (23-29 degrees Celsius). They live in large groups and densely populate the river beds. It is in the clown loaches nature to hide and they love hiding in spaces that they can barely fit into or dig themselves into the river bed with only their head sticking out.
How can you use this basic information in designing a comfortable aquarium for clown loaches to live in?
First and foremost, the clowns love to have places to hide and plenty of vegetation. You can build little caves with rocks or buy cave objects at the store. You can use old plastic piping, or that old model car you use to play with when you were younger. You can use pretty much anything to make a hiding place for a clown loach, but you want to make sure that there are no sharp edges. Since they enjoy squeezing into areas that are probably too small for them to be squeezing into you don't want them to get caught on sharp edges and injure themselves. As for the vegetation, pretty much anything will do, but if you want to go all out you can use plants that grow in Borneo's or Sumatra's rivers; for example, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Pista stratiotes, or Nuphar japonicum. The older the clowns become the more they like to nibble on vegetation, so stick to the fast growing and robust species of plants.
Clown loaches sometimes dig themselves into the substrate of an aquarium, so make sure there is nothing sharp in the substrate since it may do them harm. It is also a good idea to create a current in the aquarium that the clown loaches can swim against. They are fast swimmers and they can grow to be quite large (up to 12 inches or 30 centimeters). That being said, you may have to upgrade to a larger aquarium. For full grown clown loaches, a 125 gallon (540 Litre) tank is recommended. This is one of the reasons that buying a clown loach is a long-term commitment. They can live to be more than 10 years old!
After the setup and organization of the clown fish tank, there is still the problem of water quality. They are very sensitive to the water quality and they become sick much more easily than most other aquarium fish. Their natural waters have a pH that tends to be acidic (pH = 5-7) and water hardness between 7 and 12. After achieving those properties in your tank and keeping the water temperature between about 74-85F (23-28C) your clown loaches should be pretty happy.
Don't forget that clown loaches get lonely really easily and when they're lonely they get stressed, their growth may stunt, their colours may fade (don't confuse this is with the 'graying out' of their colours with age) and they may die young. So, always keep your clowns in a group of at least 5 and they should be as happy as peas in a pod.
The process of analyzing a fishes natural habitat and then trying to mimic it in an aquarium is known as biotyping. It is an idea that is recommended by many aquarists.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/recreate-the-clown-loach-fishs-natural-environment-4061889.html

About the Author

Go to my website right now to learn more about the clown loach fish. While you are there sign up for my aquarium tips newsletter and learn a thing or two about the clown fish tank.   

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Feeding and Care Habits of Salt Water Clown Fish

Feeding and Care Habits of Salt Water Clown Fish


Author: Groshan Fabiola

When you look at salt water fish for sale, you always have to think about what you are going to feed them.  You must also consider whether the other creatures in your salt water fish aquarium will get along with these new fish that you are bringing in.  This is especially true of salt water clown fish.  There is a great deal of information available on the feeding and care of these clown fish that is extremely helpful for the hobbyist making their first salt water purchases.
One of the first things that you should know about salt water clown fish is that they are omnivores and not herbivores as any people mistakenly believe.  Plant and vegetable pellets are not the best choice for clown fish.  It is better instead to buy foods that include both meat and vegetable ingredients.  And just as you would want to do with any of the creatures in your salt water fish aquarium, you want to make sure their food is high in vitamins.
If you wanted to mimic the foods that clown fish eat in the wild, you could feed them virtually any salt water creatures below them in the food chain.  They feed on small shrimp, algae, zooplankton and copepods, although they tend to eat more vegetables in the winter and proteins in the summer.  They will eat whenever they can and will even horde food to take advantage of what is available in the present time.  So you may feed the clown fish whatever is available – just don’t overfeed them, since they will most likely overeat.
It is important to learn about the eating habits of any salt water fish for sale that you are thinking about buying.  So make sure to continually drop food for your clown fish until he starts to spit some out, feed him shrimps and other foods that they would eat in nature, and make sure they have a good omnivorous diet.  Learning all the eating and care habits upfront will ensure a happy relationship with your new fish from the start.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/feeding-and-care-habits-of-salt-water-clown-fish-1747408.html

About the Author

For more resources regarding Buy WYSIWYG Coral or even about WYSIWYG Coral for sale and especially about Echinophyllia corals please review these pages.
   

Friday, May 27, 2011

Caring for Clown Fish

Caring for Clown Fish


Author: Kasan Groupe

There is a lot of extra care that goes into raising a beautiful clown fish. For a little refresher, a clown fish is a “Nemo fish.” It is very vibrant dressed in yellows, oranges, and reds, with a black and white striping. Clown fish are native to both the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Clown fish are great family pets; they will get along easily with all the other species in your fish tanks. Keep reading for simple instructions on how to care for your clown fish properly.
  1. First of all, it’s important to invest in the right size fish tank. Clown fish should be housed in as big of a tank as possible. Since some of them are saltwater fish, they require a lot more space. Even the smallest tanks should not go lower than 30 gallons of water. Anything larger will create a thriving environment for your friendly clown fish.
  2. For lighting and filter advice, talk to an aquarium technician or a knowledgeable pet store employee. And when it comes to feeding your clown fish, it should take place about two to three times a day. Be sure to thaw the food beforehand if it is frozen.
  3. Make sure the water temperature of your tank is steady between the temperatures 76 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The salinity levels should be between 1.020 and 1.026.
  4. Decorate your tank with necessary coral and sea anemone. Clown fish have a special relationship with these types of sea creatures and the inclusion of them will make them feel more at home. This can also help them feel more protected if there are predators in the tank.
  5. Keep in mind that you should never over crowd your tank with too many fish. Clown fish need a lot of room to feel comfortable and thrive in their environments. Overcrowding will only result in stress, illness, and hard to cure diseases.
  When it comes to your fish tanks, get some clown fish for yours. They are very beautiful, fun to watch, and make for excellent salt water pets. Visit FishTanksWarehouse.com for the best tank for your fish.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/caring-for-clown-fish-1566155.html

About the Author


   

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Ocellaris Clownfish - A Guide to Keeping Amphirion Ocellaris in a Marine Aquarium

Ocellaris Clownfish - A Guide to Keeping Amphirion Ocellaris in a Marine Aquarium


Author: mostafavi zezima

When it comes to popular marine fish, the Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion Ocellaris) is the undisputed king. It shares its title with the Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion Percula), since they look entirely alike to most people. Both the ocellaris and percula clowns are the marine aquarium hobby's greatest ambassadors. Most people might think this is due to the hit animated film, Finding Nemo. They don't realize these clown fish were already popular before the film was released.

The ocellaris clownfish is a staple offering in the hobby. They are heavily collected from their natural habitats in South East Asia, they are the most plentiful ornamental marine fish at the moment. Walk into any saltwater pet store and you'll find at least one ocellaris there for sale. They are also heavily bred in captivity with tank-raised ocellaris priced a little higher than wild caught specimens.

Ocellaris clownfish are entirely orange with three white bands (outlined with black) around their heads, body and near their tail. To the untrained eye, both ocellaris and percula look exactly the same. Yet they are both slightly different physically. Percula clownfish have 10 dorsal spines while ocellaris has 11. Thankfully there's an easier method to tell them apart. Percula clownfish have thicker, more pronounced black outlines while those on the ocelaris are always thin.

One of the cheapest marine fish you can buy, with specimens costing as little as $10. A few dollars more can buy a tank-raised specimen. Given a choice, never go with wild caught specimens as tank-bred ones are generally hardier and better suited to the aquarium.

Ocellaris clowns are also known as the false clown anemonefish and the false percula clown. They are called anemonefish because they share a symbiosis with anemones. They have figured out how to escape the anemones powerful sting, it is thought they have a layer of mucus on their bodies that fool the anemone into thinking there's nothing there. Anemones are not required despite clownfish needing one in the wild.

Generally peaceful, these clownfish get along well with a wide variety of tank mates. However, they do not get along well with other species of clownfish, especially those outside their species. There are three routes you can take when looking for pair:

* Purchase a mated pair

* Get a large and a small one, introduce them together and pray they pair up

* Purchase two small ones and put them together, eventually one will dominate the other and become a female, pairing up in the process

I cannot give a guarantee that options 2 or 3 will work 100% of the time.

Reaching a maximum of 3 inches in length, they are considered a small fish. All clownfish are site attached, which means they are usually around their territory (a small area) most of the time. Their territory can be anything from a pile of rocks to an anemone. Mushroom and elegance corals have been hosted by the ocellaris when an anemone isn't available. They can be housed aquariums as small as 20 gallons due to this behavior.

These fishes are very easy to feed because they will eat just about anything. While they are omnivores in the wild, they consume both meaty and algae based food in the aquarium. A wide variety of foods should be given. Prime reef, Formula One and Formula two are some good dry foods to offer. Formula two has an added amount of algea mixed in with seafood while Prime reef is mostly made up of seafood.

The best pellet food on the market are those made by New Life Spectrum. Mix in some frozen foods like mysis shrimp or krill and they will be very happy.

Overall, the ocellaris clownfish is a hardy f



Now Pay Close Attention --

Making money online with e-commerce is simpler than you've been told. Everyone faces the same two problems:

[Problem #1] How To Get Your Online Store Started

[Problem #2] How To Bring Traffic To Your Store To Produce Sales

ZamZuu has been solving these two problems for thousands of people! ZamZuu has been tried and tested and known to produce excellent results.

First: Visit ZamZuu Here
Learn How Your Can Start Your Own E-Commerce Store For Next To Nothing and Make THousands Monthly Using Our Proven Secrets!

Second: Sign Up For More Information From ZamZuu
We will show you exactly how you can start your e-commerce store and begin making profits online in as little as 7 days!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-marketing-articles/ocellaris-clownfish-a-guide-to-keeping-amphirion-ocellaris-in-a-marine-aquarium-3768723.html

About the Author

With over 2 Billion dollars being spend on e-commerce this year alone, online sales are a massive opportunity to make a great living online. But to take advantage of this amazing opportunity, it is always a good idea to get a head start on your competition with the help of a company that has been doing it for years. Visit http://www.takeforeveroff.com and learn how you can make a great living in e-commerce.
   

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Clownfish Amphiprion sebae video

Clownfish Amphiprion sebae video.


Sebae Clownfish video. Source Youtube.
Seba's clownfish, easy to keep in an aquarium, is one of the biggest Amphiprion species, as the female grows o 12 cm. An anemone houses a single couple, sometimes with the fry.
Temperature: 75.2 °F - 82.4 °F (24°C - 28°C) food: Brine Schrimps, Flakes, Frozen Food (large sort), Mysis.Recomended tanksize: 65.99 gal (~ 300L).Level of Care: Easy.