Freshwater

Archive for the ‘Freshwater’ Category

Easiest Way to Feed Frozen Fish Foods

Feeding frozen fish food can be a hassle. If you are like most people, you go to the freezer, pop out a few cubes or break off a section of frozen fish food; you place the food on a lid or a plate and go check FaceBook, watch TV or get involved in some work as you wait for it to thaw. After a considerable amount of time – maybe even the next day – you remember, “Oh, NO!” You find thawed, foul-smelling food on the counter or, you wonder why you have an aquarium full of skinny fish!

Thus begs the question: can you simply feed the fish frozen food? Many years ago, I attended a Fish Health Management course at the University of Georgia by Dr. Gratzek. He took frozen food from the freezer and dropped it directly into his saltwater fish aquarium. He claimed it did not make any difference whether the food was frozen or thawed.

To be honest, most people have fed their fish frozen or partially thawed food at least some of the time. This happens when we either are in a hurry or remember right at bedtime. I know I would not be thrilled to eat steak and vegetables in their frozen form! It still seems logical that the best and least stressful way to feed our finned friends is to let their food thaw before dropping it in the tank!

Albino Bristlenose Plecostomus Is A Great Algae Eater For Your Freshwater Aquarium

One of the most popular and best algae eating catfish is called the plecostomus (pleco for short.) When shopping for a pleco you will find them attached to the inside of an aquarium with their sucker mouth, laying on the gravel or a resting on a piece of driftwood. A pleco makes a great addition for most community aquarium but there is one huge drawback.

The plecotomus sold most often in pet and aquarium stores, can grow quite large, over a foot long or more. Although these pleco’s are inexpensive they will outgrow most fish tanks. The solution is a cool peaceful fish known as the albino Bristlenose Bushy Nose plecostomus. This pleco gets its name from bristles, that develop on the head of mature males. The females only have a few small bristles, around the rim of their head. This little guy only grow to four and a half inches long. There small adult size make them a perfect addition form most community aquariums. The bristles are used to detect fish food. Not only are they available in other colors there is even a long fin species.