Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

Useful, interesting and must-know articles about aquarium and pond care

The Basics of Breeding Freshwater Aquarium Fish

Filed under Aquarium Care, Fish Care by

Platy fry

Platy fry

While several species of freshwater aquarium fish breed readily under a variety of circumstances, some have specific requirements that must be met before they are likely to spawn. The basics of breeding, however, are fairly uniform among most species of freshwater aquarium fish. The first thing you must do is to select a breeding pair, or a trio for some species, and quarantine them in a breeding tank. Once you have done so, you can begin the process of conditioning your fish for breeding.

Setting Up a Breeding Tank

The size of the breeding tank should depend on the size of the fish, but ten to twenty gallons is usually sufficient. The tank should be bare-bottomed in order to make it easier to clean and it should be decorated sparsely. It is wise to provide a few hiding places like large rocks or terra cotta pots in the event that the female needs a place to rest and recover from the male’s aggressive advances. Some species – egg-layers in particular – prefer a breeding tank stocked with live plants on which they will deposit their eggs.

Encouraging Your Fish to Spawn

Maintaining a steady temperature and providing a healthy, varied diet are two of the most important elements in encouraging your fish to spawn. The temperature of the breeding tank should be determined by the breed of fish but, in many cases, slowly raising the temperature encourages breeding behavior. In some species, however, the opposite is true. Corydoras catfish, for example, typically spawn after a recent rainfall has lowered the temperature in their native habitat, the Amazon River.

Offer your fish a varied diet consisting of small amounts of live, frozen, flake and pellets foods several times a day in order to condition them for breeding. After a few days you should begin to notice courtship and spawning behavior. The male of the species will often chase the female around the tank and some fish, like betta fish, will prepare a bubble nest and collect the eggs after spawning has occurred.

Caring for Fry

Some species of fish, such as cichlids, care for their fry after they have hatched but most freshwater fish are more likely to eat their own young. This being the case, it is wise to remove the parents from the breeding tank as soon as possible after spawning has occurred. If you are breeding an egg-laying species, dose the tank with methylene blue to prevent fungus from killing the eggs. Install a sponge filter in the corner of the tank to provide filtration without putting the fry at risk for being sucked up an intake valve.

For the first few days after hatching, the fry of most egg-laying species will subsist on the remainder of their yolk sacs. The fry of live-bearing species, however, should be started on a diet of newly hatched brine shrimp or a liquid fry food such as infusoria. During the first few weeks after hatching it is important to feed the fry small amounts several times a day. Once they have tripled in size you may begin to feed them finely crushed flake foods and, as they continue to grow, move them to a larger tank.

Tips for Breeding Success

If your fish are not in prime condition, they will be unlikely to spawn. In addition to a healthy diet, clean water is essential to the health and well-being of your fish. Establishing a colony of beneficial bacteria in your tank is one of the best ways to keep the water quality in your tank high. Install an EcoBio-Stone to begin a colony of nitrifying bacteria that will help to remove odor, break down wastes, and keep the water clear. EcoBio-Stones are made of natural volcanic rock infused with beneficial bacteria that will multiply readily upon being introduced into your tank. Not only is this product perfect for the breeding tank, but it can also be used in fry tanks where power filters are not recommended due to the danger they pose toward delicate fry.

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October 11, 2011 at 10:37 AM Comments (0)

Choosing The Best Aquarium Filter For Your Fish

Filed under Aquarium Care, Aquarium Start-up by

variety of aquarium filters

Variety of aquarium filters

Many people are choosing to have aquariums with many different types of fish in them. Certainly, they are beautiful and relaxing to look at, but it takes some knowledge and work to ensure that your fish remain healthy and that your aquarium looks as good as you envision it will. One of the ways to ensure that it does is by choosing the best aquarium filter for your fish.

Even before deciding upon the filter, you need to decide what type of aquarium you will have. If this will be your first aquarium, it’s advisable that you start with a small aquarium first, as they are a little easier to maintain. Plus, you can always upgrade to a larger aquarium if the need and desire arise later.

Second, you need to carefully consider what filter will work best with your chosen aquarium. The filter is vital equipment, as it removes impurities from the water of your aquarium either via fine physical obstacles or via chemical processes. Choosing the right type of filter now can save you from hours of backbreaking maintenance work later on.

You should consider all three types of filters: biological, chemical, and mechanical.

Wet-dry filters actually employ all three types of filtration systems mentioned above, leading to less maintenance requirements than other types of filters. Wet-dry filters are more expensive, however, so they may not be the best choice for people who have an aquarium for the first time and/or are on a limited budget.

The three types of filters use different types of processes in order to eliminate the impurities in the water and to make the water cleaner and safer for your fish. Biological filters use bacteria to crack ammonia and nitrites.  Chemical filters use activated charcoal in order to eliminate unwanted dissolved wastes from the water. Mechanical filters use filtering particles and filter floss in order to remove impurities from the water.

If you choose to use a biological filter, it’s important to add the filter to the aquarium BEFORE you add the fish. You should also NOT add too many fish to the aquarium too soon, as the bacteria from the biological filter needs time to reduce the ammonia and nitrate levels. Too many fish in the water will cause the biological filter to work overtime, and the bacteria won’t be able to keep up with the increased demand, leading to high ammonia levels and the deaths of your fish.

You can help to make sure that there are enough bacteria in the water by using EcoBio-Block® products, which regularly adds nitrifying bacteria to new aquariums so that the water in your aquarium is safer and more beneficial for your fish. This will keep your water clear and healthy and reduce maintenance work.

One of the best choices of aquarium filters, especially for new and inexperienced aquarium owners, is an undergravel filter. This type of filter is inexpensive and totally keeps out debris from the aquarium. It also pulls water that is rich in oxygen through the gravel to help make the aquarium environment more livable for your fish.

One other type of filtration for you to consider is a sponge filter.  This filter is one that provides both mechanical and biological filtration. It has a large foam rubber (like a sponge) block that is connected to a lift tube or small power head. Water is drawn through the sponge to remove small particles from the water and to help grow bacteria that will keep your pond in great condition for your fish and plants.

Having your own aquarium tank can be a wonderful experience, as the beautiful fish can mesmerize you and your guests for hours. Maintaining the health of your aquarium does take some work, but by choosing the proper filter for your aquarium, you are well on your way to creating a hospitable and beneficial environment for your fish so that they can mesmerize you for hours on end.

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March 21, 2011 at 12:00 PM Comments (0)

Clear Water-Healthy Fish in an Aquarium

Filed under Aquarium Care, Aquarium Video by

Tropical fish enjoy themselves in water clarified by EcoBio-Stones. Beneficial bacteria in the stones multiply in the block and disperse into your fish tank, using nature’s own cleansing system to create clear water and a healthy environment for your fish!

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November 22, 2010 at 4:29 PM Comment (1)

Setting Up a Quarantine Tank for Saltwater Tropical Fish

Filed under Aquarium Care, Fish Care, Saltwater Aquarium by

Clownfish in a quarantine tank

If you have saltwater tropical fish, it is virtually essential that you have a quarantine tank for them. Why? This is because most saltwater tropical fish are mostly wild and are not used to captivity when they are caught. As a result, they are more susceptible to diseases than their freshwater counterparts. Therefore, a quarantine tank will be quite helpful for treating sick saltwater tropical fish, as just one diseased fish in an aquarium tank full of fish can wipe out the entire fish population in that tank.

In addition to a quarantine tank being more convenient for saltwater fish keepers to treat their diseased tropical fish, most saltwater fish keepers will also have invertebrates and live rock in their tanks that they will not want to cover with the harsh medicines that will be needed to treat their diseased tropical fish. Some harsh medicines can even wipe out all invertebrates in an aquarium tank, so it is especially vital to have a quarantine tank ready for your saltwater tropical fish when they contract a disease or infection.

It is relatively simple to set up a quarantine tank. A tank size of 10-20 gallons will be sufficient for most people, though if you have larger fish, you can turn a larger tank into a quarantine tank as well. The main items you will need for your quarantine tank are the following items:

  • Some type of filtration.
  • A heater.
  • A powerhead and/or airstone to increase surface agitation.
  • Aquarium test kits to test for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and pH levels.
  • A fish net, as you should use a different net for your quarantine tank than you do for your main tank.

You should first fill the quarantine tank with water from your main tank and then turn on your quarantine tank.

When you place newly acquired saltwater fish in a quarantine tank, you should monitor them closely for a period of two to three weeks. Monitor the water conditions with your test kits and see if there are any bacterial infections or parasites present.

If your newly acquired saltwater fish do contract something, youíll need to treat them with the appropriate medication and keep them in the quarantine tank for an additional two weeks to ensure that you have eradicated the infection or parasite. If no problems are present after those two weeks, then you can acclimate them to the main tank and introduce them to the other fish.

If your saltwater tropical fish develop an infection or disease while in the main tank, net them and place them into the quarantine tank. This is why it’s important to use water from your main tank in the quarantine tank, you don’t have to acclimate them to the quarantine tank. Diagnose the infection or disease, treat them accordingly, then hold the fish in the quarantine tank an extra week to ensure that the fish have been completely treated before introducing them back into the main tank.

To help keep your tanks clean and risk of infection low, use the EcoBio-Block line of products in your tanks. EcoBio-Blocks are available in different sizes to keep your home aquariums clean and healthy for your fish. Be careful not to put these blocks in your quarantine tank, however; as the beneficial bacteria in the Blocks may not survive any medication necessary for treating your fish.

It’s important for owners of saltwater tropical fish to have a ready supply of saltwater on hand in case of an emergency. You don’t want to have to mix up a batch of saltwater in the middle of an emergency. Additionally, freshly mixed saltwater can be quite toxic to many saltwater tropical fish, as well as be very difficult to get accurate readings of the water with your hydrometer. Therefore, you should always have a supply of extra saltwater on hand just in case.

As you can see, having saltwater tropical fish virtually necessitates having a quarantine tank for treating your fish when they contract a disease or infection. Failure to act in removing them from the fish population could wipe out your entire population. Additionally, the treatments used to treat these diseases and infections could have adverse effects on invertebrates and/or live rocks you have in your tank.  It’s relatively easy to create a quarantine tank to help treat your fish when they become ill.  Having an additional supply of saltwater on hand is also good to deal with emergencies when they occur. By following the information here, you can increase the chances that your saltwater tropical fish will live long, healthy lives.

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September 24, 2010 at 11:16 AM Comments (0)

Creating a Healthy Small Aquarium and Keeping Your Freshwater Fish Healthy

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Healthy small tank

Creating healthy small aquariums that have around 10-20 gallons of water in them for your freshwater fish isn’t that hard and can be quite rewarding, as your aqua ecosystem will flourish with life.  You must be diligent though, as small problems can become large problems in aquariums that are small and where fish are closely living together. One disease or infection could wipe out the entire population if you delay in taking appropriate action. Therefore, you need to be committed in order to successfully create a healthy small aquarium.

You should pick a kit with integrated filtration and lighting already built in. This way, the system will be virtually foolproof and you won’t have to combine elements to create a healthy small aquarium. The only thing you’ll need to add is an appropriate heater.

You should invest in an appropriate aquarium stand, as even a small aquarium that is filled with water can easily weigh over 100 pounds! An appropriate aquarium stand will handle the weight and even provide extra storage space for supplies.

You should choose a theme for your aquarium.  Populate it with a specific region, species, or community grouping so that it is easier to keep the water parameters in good balance for all of the inhabitants of the aquarium.

It’s important when you have a small aquarium not to overpopulate it with fish, as it will be virtually impossible to keep the water quality at the level it needs to be, to ensure the health of your fish. You should only introduce a few of the smallest fish possible into your aquarium over a period of several weeks or even a few months to ensure the health and safety of your aquarium.

It is best to have natural filtration for your freshwater aquarium. You should avoid artificial plants and structures,  and instead opt for live plants and eco-complete gravel. The EcoBio-Block line of products is a great option for keeping your freshwater aquarium in optimal shape as it keeps your water clear and healthy. The EcoBio-Stone S works perfectly for small aquariums that have 10-15 gallons of water in them.

Brightening the lighting of your aquarium can increase plant and reef growth. This is important because having healthy plants and reefs are critical to the health of your fish and aquarium. Retrofit kits are easy to find and install to adjust the lighting of your aquarium.

Daily testing and observation of the water in a small aquarium is absolutely necessary, since water in small-volume aquariums experience accelerated cycles in water quality. You should keep track of your fishes’ behavior and any gasping, hiding, drifting, or darting should be taken as a sign that there are invisible health dangers present in the water that need your immediate response.

It’s vital that you change 10-20% of the water in your aquarium as often as twice a week. This is important because you want the aquarium water to be as fresh as water found in nature, and nature will recycle water via rain and water currents. This helps to eliminate much of the toxins found in the water before they rise to dangerous levels for your fish. You can reduce the frequency of water changes though, if you choose to use the EcoBio-Block products which eliminate the toxins which are bad for your fish.

It’s important to change your filter media as often as the manufacturer recommends. That filter media keeps larger pieces of waste out of the water; neglecting to change it regularly could lead to that filter media (especially the chemical type) to allow toxins to seep back into the water, threatening your fish and aquarium.

As mentioned earlier, it’s vital that you respond to any problems immediately. Even a slight delay could lead to the death of your fish and the loss of your aquarium. You should observe daily, test often, and respond to problems within the same day to ensure the health of your fish and aquarium.

As you can see, having a small freshwater aquarium can be a very enjoyable experience, but you must be committed to maintaining the health of your aquarium and be observant for any potential problems. By following the information here, you can be prepared to keep your aquarium in optimal shape and give your fish the best chance at living long and healthy lives.

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September 12, 2010 at 4:37 PM Comments (0)