How To Take Care Of Ornamental Fish
Many people prefer to raise fish at home for the purpose of decoration and to increase the beauty of the appearance of the house, or for entertainment, and among these fish are ornamental fish that are distinguished by their beauty and ease of breeding, as they are easy to acquire at home, but they require a lot of care to preserve them.
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| Ornamental Fish Caring: How To Care For Ornamental Fish |
There are several slight differences between caring for ornamental fish in the pond and in the aquarium. Tetras, discus and guppies are the best ornamental fish to keep in the aquarium. The following is a description of how to take care of ornamental fish in detail.
This is an informative article. Nodisk One is not permitted to make a diagnosis or recommend any form of veterinary care. If your pet is in pain or ill, we recommend that you take him to the vet.
Choose The Type Of Ornamental Fish
It is necessary to first identify the types of ornamental fish, as there are many types and each type has its own way of taking care of it, and the methods of selection are as follows:
- Choosing a ornamental fish that does not require a lot of care at first so that you can learn to care for it easily.
- If you prefer to choose several types of ornamental fish, you must make sure that their characteristics are close to each other in terms of how to take care of them.
- Ensure that the ornamental fish you choose to take care of are safe from various fish diseases so that they do not get sick and die.
- Do not put too many ornamental fish in the same aquarium so that you can take better care of them, and so that the fish can merge with each other.
- Read and learn about ornamental fish, and ask for advice to help choose the best fish.
Some types of ornamental fish are more popular than others when they want to be raised; This is due to the fact that they are more able to withstand differences in water chemistry compared to others, in addition to the fact that they do not need to heat the water in which they live, and they are also considered healthy fish in view of what they feed on, and therefore more solid and tolerant than other types, including:
- Dexas Fish: which is characterized by its beautiful shape, bright and bright colors, but it needs a large area, and medium lighting for living and swimming.
- GoldFish: These ornamental fish are social and live with other species, in addition to devouring the dirt at the bottom of the aquarium.
- AngelFish: This type of fish is one of the most beautiful ornamental fish, which is characterized by being peaceful and smooth movement in the water.
Caring For Ornamental Fish
There are several things to consider when caring for an aquarium, including the following:
- Maintaining aquariums, paying close attention to and regulating water, temperature, light, food, and oxygen, and paying attention to the necessary requirements of the specific species of ornamental fish.
- The use of green aquatic plants in ponds, due to the necessity of photosynthesis to provide oxygen.
- Provide some mollusks, such as: snails and mussels, in order to clean up the waste remaining in the aquarium.
Choosing A Fish Aquarium
There are two types of ornamental fish aquariums, namely: the glass aquarium, which is the most commonly used aquarium, and is known for its heavy weight, and the acrylic aquarium, which is a basin made of a strong and transparent plastic material, and it is known for its beautiful shape compared to the glass aquarium, but it has some disadvantages, such as: its high cost, ease Exposing it to scratching, and it is recommended to choose a sink that can be covered, to prevent contaminants from entering it, as well as containing a water filter, and other tools for cleaning the aquarium.
Aquarium Plants
Many people put some types of plants in the fish aquarium, in order to increase its beauty, and to protect the small ornamental fish from the large fish if they are in the same aquarium, where the small fish take the plants as a shield to protect them, and to convert the nitrates and carbon in the water as a result of fish breathing into oxygen.
Aquarium Water Type And Quality
The type and quality of aquarium water is one of the important elements for maintaining aquarium fish. Good water conditions help keep ornamental fish in good condition, while bad water conditions negatively affect fish health.
If the water used is PDAM / PAM water, you must add anti-carburetes before putting the water in the fish aquarium. If you use well and river water, then the water must be sedimented first to clean it, and it is necessary to change the aquarium water within two to three weeks at most.
Auxiliary Equipment For The Aquarium
Some equipment and other supplies must be provided for the aquarium, to ensure the greatest comfort for the ornamental fish. Among the most important equipment; An air pump that supplies air to the water in the aquarium, and pushes vapors or polluted air out of the aquarium.
A lamp must be provided for the aquarium, so that it looks more beautiful, and other aquatic objects such as: aquatic plants, rocks, sand, etc. should be placed; In order for the aquarium environment to be closer to the natural environment inside the seas.
Ornamental Fish Food
Caring for the food of ornamental fish helps to keep them in good health, and artificial feed for them can be obtained from fish feed stores, and natural food can be obtained for ornamental fish such as: silk worms, larvae of nymphs, water fleas and others.
Ornamental fish food must contain a high percentage of protein, whether it is manufactured feed or natural food, and attention should be paid to the appropriate amount that must be provided to the ornamental fish, so that food residues do not contaminate the water of the Aquarium, and food is provided to the fish twice a day.
Feeding ornamental fish requires a bit of experience and care, as the increase or lack of food for them leads to the same result, which is the death or disease of the fish. Therefore, there are a set of criteria that must be observed when feeding the ornamental fish to maintain its integrity, which are as follows:
- Make sure to buy food for them from private stores, and stay away from household foods that lead to pollution of the aquarium and fish disease.
- Feed the ornamental fish live worms at least once a week, taking care to keep fish food out of children's reach.
- Feed the ornamental fish by one person to avoid a disruption in the timing of feeding them.
Ornamental fish, of course, feed on dry crust food in the case of fish that need a greater proportion of protein, while vegetarian ornamental fish need food similar to flakes to provide a greater proportion of vegetable ingredients, and there are many types and different brands, it is advisable to be careful to buy the best types, as It is recommended to use several different types and foods in feeding and to switch between them each time the fish is fed; To ensure that she is provided with a balanced diet.
On the other hand, it is necessary to take into account not to overfeed the ornamental fish and to suffice with a little of it so that the fish can finish its meal within five minutes; This is to prevent water pollution and not kill ornamental fish. It is worth noting to be careful not to buy ornamental fish food in large quantities if you do not have a large group of ornamental fish; This is because fish food begins to lose its nutritional value as soon as the package is opened.
Diseases That Can Affect Ornamental Fish
Ornamental fish, like all other living organisms, are infected with various diseases such as:
- Fungus Infection
The fungus appears on the fish’s body in the form of a sting that has a cottony feel, and it can be treated by using anti-fungal salix, preparing a light iodine solution, and placing it on its body, or by adding 1% of potassium dichromate to the aquarium water.
- Eye Infection With Fungus
The fish's eye becomes covered with white foam, and it can be cured by injecting 1% potassium dichromate solution into its Aquarium.
- Fish Tail Erosion
Fish tail erosion can be treated by adding ten milligrams of oromycin to the water of the aquarium.
- White Point
White point disease leads to loss of appetite, flatulence of the fish's abdomen, and slow movement, and it can be cured by raising the temperature of the aquarium water to 27 degrees Celsius. Therefore, you must always pay attention to the health of the ornamental fish so that the infection does not spread quickly through the water and the infection spreads among all the ornamental fish in the aquarium.
Attention should be paid to the necessity of not placing infected or dead fish in any public watercourse. Therefore, the best thing that can be done is to return it to the owner of the store from which it was purchased in order to dispose of it properly. Among the most important symptoms that should be paid attention to and acted immediately when observed on ornamental fish are the following:
1. Significant appetite loss or weight loss
2. Skin ulcers or fin erosion.
3. Loss of bright colors and fading of the general appearance of the fish.
4. Unusual flatulence.
5. Loss of ability to control buoyancy.
6. Swimming abnormally.
7. Swollen eyes.
General Tips For Maintaining The Health Of Ornamental Fish
Here are some tips for maintaining the health of ornamental fish:
Test The Aquarium Water
Tests for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and pH of the aquarium water should be done before introducing the ornamental fish to the Aquarium. Ideally, a zero value should be read for all these elements except the pH, to keep the ornamental fish alive.
Temperature Of The Aquarium Water
You must make sure that the temperature of the aquarium water is appropriate for the type of ornamental fish in it, for example:
- Fresh water mostly: 21-27 degrees Celsius.
- Cold water often: 13.5-20 ° C.
Purification Device
The filtration device is the heart of any Ornamental fish, by filtering the water and air, it is the source of environmental life in the aquarium, and the filtration devices must be cleaned regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Nutrition
Feeding the ornamental fish twice a day is sufficient, as the food is useful within only three minutes of placing it in the aquarium, after that it descends to the bottom and decomposes in the aquarium water, which causes some problems, such as: high phosphates, nitrates, and bad algae.
Changing The Aquarium Water
Changing the aquarium water is a good procedure for both ornamental fish and aquarium, as it should be done approximately every two weeks, with an amount of ten to fifteen percent of the aquarium water.
Other Tips That Help In Caring For Ornamental Fish
The following points touch on some tips that help in caring for ornamental fish:
- Ornamental fish Of different kinds have different needs for space and water volume, so it is important to consult an expert about these needs.
- Treat tap water well before using it as a living environment for ornamental fish; To ensure that it does not contain chlorine and other chemicals.
- Checking the pH of the water on a weekly basis after the first month.
- Use an air pump to provide oxygen.
- Use a filter to purify water from fish waste and small waste, and some plants can also be used to help in this task and to provide a side food source for ornamental fish fish.
- Monitoring the water temperature to be within the appropriate range according to the type of thickness, and using water heaters and thermometers to monitor it and maintain its stability.
Only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, are used by Nodisk One to substantiate the information in our articles.
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