Flower Horn
The Flowerhorn fish is also known with the Chinese common name Hua Luo Han; this fish does not exist in nature but it is a hybrid result of various cross-breeding of South America cichlids, in fact it can be listed under the Cichlasoma genus, even if the starting breeders are unknown, the most of people think about Cichlasoma Trimaculatus, Red Parrot, Jingang and other fish.
Flowerhorn is a big fish with compact body; it can reach 30cm in length and sometimes can grow even bigger. Intensive breeding has created a very peculiar fish that is becoming really famous and relatively common in the last few years; moreover breeders keep on trying to improve the fish qualities focusing on bigger hump on the head, new and better colours, wider body and fins, more peculiar black marks on the body, without the employ of chemical and artificial factors. For the importance of appearance, a good Flowerhorn must follow a standard that defines various aspects of its body.
Sep 18, 2009 | | Fishes
There are fish that fly, Gasteropelecidae, include the Hatchet fishes and these are found mainly in South America’s northern reaches, known for their distinctly deep figures. They are referred to as flying fish because of their affinity to raising the chest fins and attempting a float in the sky; for this reason, tank owners are advised to keep a hood on the aquarium with flying fish in them to prevent them from escaping like they are prone to doing – at least 15 feet away from the tank!
Another species similar to the first are the Carnegiella Marthae, also known as Blackwing Hatchetfish that has their roots in the Amazon areas, Peru and Venezuela. They typically grow to only an inch or a quarter more in size, boast a black chest, ridge and keel and do better inpeaceful waters and others closer to their species. A calm temperament and easy food habits are advantages of keeping this variety of fish that prefer soft waters and breed in a fashion much like that of Hyphessobrycon.
The Silver Hatchetfish or Gasteropelecus Levis originate from the lower Amazonian regions, growing to an inch more than the Blackwing variety with a silver body and blue-black tinge of parallel stripes and are generally non-fussy about sharing a tank with other fish, provided they are kept in a clean environment. Its breeding habits, much like the Blackwing variety is currently under study and not much is known about them breeding in tanks.
Sep 03, 2009 | | Fishes
Which Fish Should I Get?
Probably the most common question a freshwater aquarium keep asks is “Which kind of freshwater aquarium fish should I get?”. Freshwater fish come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some can be kept with others, some can’t. Probably the best way to decide is to look around at your local aquarium shop and see what catches your eye. If you don’t see anything you like, the shopkeeper will likely be able to help you in ordering the ones you want. And be sure and find out whether the different species of fish you are considering keeping together are compatible.
Some common choices for beginning freshwater aquariums keepers are cichlids of various types and rainbow fish. Cichlids come in all sorts of colors, and can grow to be quite large (3 feet or so) in the wild. Rainbow fish are from Australia and are usually multicolored and quite pretty. If you want a small fish to round out your tank, a school of 4-5 Neons can fill the role nicely. They never get bigger than large minnow sized, and have almost fluorescent stripes on otherwise clear bodies.
Care and Maintenance With all of these fish, you will need to pay attention to your water PH, which is a measure of how acidic or alkaline it is. Various fish have different comfort levels, and some fish, like the Discus, can actually die if the PH is not precisely maintained. Watch your temperature, and make sure it is warm or cool enough. A lot of the more colorful freshwater fish come from tropical freshwater, and require warm water to be healthy and happy.
Sep 03, 2009 | | Fishes
