PET ARTICLES BLOG

In this article we describe three freshwater fish tank fish in detail with information about their behavior, feeding requirements, tank and water parameters, what they look like and how to breed them.

Madagascar Rainbow Fish - Bedotia geayi (Family: Atherinidae)

Behavior:
The Madagascar rainbow, also know as the Madagascar minnow, is happy in a community tank but prefers to be in a small shoal of its own kind.

It is an active swimmer. It is a hardy and peaceful fish that tends to dwell in the top half of the aquarium and has become very popular.

Water and tank conditions:
The water temperature should be increased from the norm to about twenty five to twenty eight degrees Celcius.

Features and colors:
A somewhat peculiar aspect of the Bedotia genus is the fact that the fish have two dorsal fins with the second one being much longer. It has a horizontal dark line running form its eye to the caudal peduncal. The main body color is olive green. It may grow to around eight cms.

Its vertical fins have dark borders and are yellow. The male is more darkly colored than the female and its caudal fin is colored red.

Feeding:
It is not a fussy eater and will eat a wide range of food but it won't leave the top half of the tank to get it!

Breeding Conditions:
Pretty easy to breed you will need a well planted tank with hard water at a temperature of 26 degrees centigrade. It will take several days for spawning to take place and eggs are attached each day by threads to the plants.

Normally the eggs will not be eaten by the parents. Eggs hatch after about a week and you then have a range of fry developed to different maturity due to the extended spawning period. They can be fed freshly hatched brine shrimp and fine dried food.

Merry Widow - Phallichthys amates (Family: Poeciliidae)

Behavior:
This freshwater fish tank fish is ideal for the community environment. It is very active, sturdy and well-behaved.

Water and Tank Conditions:
An average planted aquarium with a water temperature range of between 21 and 25 degrees centigrade will be fine.

Features and Colors:
An unusual feature is the presence of a gonopodium (which is seen in the Family Poeciliidae) in the male. In effect it is a modified anal fin that is rod like and extends under its body and is brought into action during mating, with its hooked end attaching to the female.

The adult male can grow to about 3 cms but the female can be twice the size. With an overall color of olive green, the male has blue gills and dark bars on the sides. The fish also has a splendid dorsal fin with black bordering but the female lacks this element.

Feeding:
The merry widow prefers vegetable matter and green algae and will accept dried foods.

Breeding Conditions:
Although this fish will breed readily it is prone to eating its young!

You do not need a separate breeding tank but use a breeding trap and you should be alright. The fish will produce live babies as it is viviparous. Several broods may result in up to 100 fry but not that many will survive.

Penguin - Thayeria boehlkei (Family: Characidae)

Behavior:
The reason its is called the penguin is because of its coloring and when it is still, its tails hangs down and it appears to look like a tiny penguin. It is also known as the Hockey-stick tetra. If this fish is by itself then it may shelter in amongst the plants due to its timid nature.

Better if it is in a small shoal. It is a lively swimmer, also peaceful and sturdy so will be an ideal freshwater fish tank fish for a community. You will need a cover for your aquarium as it is a good leaper.

Water and Tank Conditions:
As an active swimmer you need to ensure there is plenty of swimming area and there must be some densely planted areas. The water temperature should be about 22 to 26 degrees centigrade.

Features and Colors:
They can grow up to 10 cms. The tail is forked and the lower part is longer. It has an olive green coloration on its back with a silver body. A black strip runs along the sides of the fish.

Feeding:
Will eat anything really. Not fussy.

Breeding Conditions:
For breeding the tank water should be at twenty nine degrees Celcius and you need tall plants. Follow the well known route of keeping the male and female separate and conditioning them before breeding.

Remove the fish from the breeding tank after spawning. Fry will appear from the eggs in three to four days and can be fed on micro live foods such as green water (suspended algae).

So there we have it. Three more freshwater fish tank fish suitable for a community environment for you to choose from.

Paul Curran provides a care information system for freshwater aquariums. Get your FREE E-Course on fresh water aquariums and learn how to set up and maintain a beautiful aquarium, have the healthiest, happiest fish around AND learn about more freshwater fish tank fish

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A lot of people who are looking for a different sort of pet are turning to ferret. They are becoming very popular all around the world and you can understand why. The only real thing to be concerned with though is that in certain countries and regions they are not allowed to be owned as pets. If this effects you then you should read on.

You may think that it does not matter to much, but it is possible to get into trouble if you do not pay attention to the laws. Do the proper research first. You might be thinking that it makes no sense but the reasons for the laws are outlined in this article.
Make sure to read further by visiting ferret care.

Ferrets Are Misunderstood

Ferrets are getting more popular, but they’re not as common a sight as canines or cats. Due to this, individuals don’t at all times understand them. Many individuals, wrongly, suppose that they're similar or associated to rats.

Others have the wrong notion that they’re inherently vicious animals, incapable of dwelling as pets. Ferret owners will know that they are often playful and fun pets, with the fitting care, however the individuals who make legal guidelines probably are not ferret owners, unfortunately.
Also make sure you read more at ferret info.

Impact On Wildlife

In some environments ferrets within the wild may trigger great damage to wildlife. If they have no pure predators there have been cases, previously where ferrets have bred within the wild, causing devastation to other animals.

With responsible care the possibilities of a ferret escaping are minimal. The unhappy actuality is that almost all domestic pet ferrets would struggle to survive within the wild, notably after they've bonded with their owners. The stigma stays, nonetheless, as they are often very effective natural hunters, even when this intuition is considerably dulled by residing with humans.

Rabies

Traditionally, rabies considerations have been a big reason for restricting possession of ferrets. This was based mostly on the idea that ferrets had been a serious spreader of the disease.

More recently, it’s become clearer that ferrets don’t pose a very high risk of spreading rabies, although this danger can and should be diminished, even further. This is achieved by immunization.

Responsible pet ownership means immunizing your pets, which for ferrets contains immunizations against rabies. As that is one thing that should all the time be achieved, many areas have relaxed or eradicated restrictions which were primarily based on this fear.

Remember that rabies immunization is often a legal requirement. It also protects the health of your ferret.

What Can Be Achieved If Ferrets Are Illegal Or Restricted In My Area?

The responsible factor is to lobby, legally, for change. Becoming a member of a ferret fanatic’s group or writing to your local politician could be good methods to press for change. Become more informed on the topic, in an effort to understand the reason for restriction, in addition to any points which you are feeling may permit pet ferrets to be accommodated.

The good thing is that in recent times the areas that had restricted ferret ownership have fallen and it is becoming a lot more acceptable to have your own pet ferret than it has for a long time in the past.
You might also like to read stop ferrets biting.

And if you find that you cannot have a ferret then you really should respect the decision. It may not make complete sense to you but there should be a good reason. You could try to speak to your local authority and find out exactly what is stopping ferret ownership, and it is possible that in the future the ruling may change.