Catfish For Aquarium

Catfish are a popular fish to keep in your fish tank because they are generally placid and can live comfortably with other species of fish in a community tank. They also have a distinctive appearance of having barbels around the mouth that look like whiskers and hence give them their colloquial name Catfish. This article will briefly describe the common types of catfish that can be kept in an aquarium, some of their habits and how to care for them.

The two species of catfish that are popular for aquariums are the Corydoras sp. (also known as corys, cory catfish or cory cats) and the Synodontis sp.

Catfish For Aquarium

Catfish For Aquarium

Corys are indigenous to the tributaries of the Amazon river system. These waters are typically clean and clear and have a constant and gentle current. Corys tend to stick at the bottom in the current searching for food on the river bed or small animal life. Corys are quite small and live in small groups in the wild. In aquariums they are often on their own.

They are fairly hardy in terms of water quality. They can tolerate slightly acidic or alkaline water but are ideally suited to neutral water. They like a fine gravel substrate as most of their time is spent foraging for food. It is important to keep the water and gravel clean because Corys will pick up bacterial infections, such as ich or fin rot, from dirty substrate. To this extent, Corys are good for cleaning up waste material off the bottom of the tank but they also eat a wide variety of food including pellets and flake food and also blood worms. They are also well adapted to cold water and can live in water ranging from 18-25 degrees Celsius.

Catfish For Aquarium

Catfish For Aquarium

Catfish For Aquarium

Catfish For Aquarium

Synodontis sp. are generally larger fish than the Corys with some notable exceptions being the upside down catfish or synodontis nigriventris. They hail from the river systems and lakes of Africa where water is quite hard. Again they are bottom dwellers that prefer fine gravel substrate that they can scour for food. Having said that they will eat most types of other food from live food to flake and pellets.

Synodontis are quite shy to some extent and prefer dark surroundings. The lighting should be low and the habitat should include plenty of rocks and wood that can create caves and other place to hide from time to time.

Simple Fish Cartoon

Fishes make awesome pets to get. They are easier to care for compared to other traditional pets like dogs, cats as well as other domesticated animals. One of the most irritating things that you have to deal with as a traditional pet owner is the fact that you need to pick up after your pets. You won't have this problem with a fish. If you decide to get a fish for a pet, here are some good name ideas that you should check out. This way, you can get a good name for your pet fish.

Simple Fish Cartoon

Cartoons - cartoon characters from Disney movies as well as Nickelodeon shows are known for their cuteness. This makes them ideal pet names for cute pets like fishes. Cartoon character names are a very popular pet name idea. In fact, they are all used for naming all kinds of pets. If you want to name your fish after a cartoon character, you should pick a cartoon character that lives in the sea. This way, the pat name will be appropriate.

There is nothing more wonderful for a family activity than fishing, and nothing makes it more fun than each person having their own fishing pole to use, including the kids. Children's fishing poles should be of a proper size and come in a variety of fun colors and characters. Let them be part of the selection process and they will more than likely take better care of their own equipment.

Simple Fish Cartoon

Simple Fish Cartoon

Some of the smaller, adult fishing poles can be used for older kids, but for the very beginner or the very young, it would be better to buy a kid's pole. Most of them have additional gear as a bonus, and who does not love a free gift? A child will be thrilled not only with the pole itself, but with the bobbers, lures and other additions to their very own tackle collection.

Simple Fish Cartoon

Simple Fish Cartoon

Simple Fish Cartoon

Simple Fish Cartoon

Colorful basic poles are an inexpensive way to start a child off, but their are other choices to consider as well, including popular, cartoon characters such as Spongebob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer and Scooby Doo to name a few. Little girls will be thrilled with the Barbie pole, and little boys would be big fans of Spiderman. Of course, there might be little girls who like the latter as well, but either way, they will be joining in on one of the greatest hobbies around.

Real Koi Fish

You will also need a decent sized pond, as they may grow up to 3 feet. You need at least a 1,000 liters of water per fish, with at least 18 inches of pond depth. The pond needs a filtration system to remove waste products, aeration to add oxygen into the water and regular care and maintenance. Don't let this put you off, looking after a pond can be as rewarding as gardening, as you add landscaping features, plants and, of course, add to your Koi fish collection.

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Certain types of small Koi may only cost a few dollars, but the rarer varieties and sizes can cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. To offset costs, owners are known to sell off their extra fish once they have grown larger. In general young Koi are cheaper than the more mature ones. Koi do not mature until they are about eight years old, so you have plenty of time to watch them develop.

Real Koi Fish

The beauty of Koi fish lies in their shapes and color mutations. So, part of the enjoyment of starting a Koi fish hobby is picking the fish in the first place. Like most things, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Find a breeder or pet shop which has a decent range of Koi fish varieties, so you have plenty of choice. It is best not to invest in your collection all at once. Built it up slowly, not only will you gradually learn about the varieties you prefer, but there is a certain satisfaction to choosing and buy the right fish so why not stretch out the fun!

Look at the fish closely to see if they look healthy. They should be swimming freely and smoothly and be without any visible physical damage. Make sure there are no holes or ulcerations in the scales, a crooked spine, missing fins, gills that do not close flat and so on. They should eat well and look as though they are breathing normally.

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Big Fish Flounder

Salt water fishing is a topic as big as the sea. It can run the gamut from angling for smaller inshore species like speckled trout, flounder and redfish, to an offshore adventure in search of pelagic giants like bluefin tuna and blue marlin. Since the inshore species are more accessible to anglers, here are a few tips to help in the search for a good catch. And just to narrow down the field even more, the tips given here will be geared more toward the beginning surf fisherman. However, these salt water fishing tips will put any beginner on the path to becoming a pro.

First, in order to catch a fish the bait has to be placed where the fish lives and feeds. This may be as simple as tossing a baited hook into the surf, which will often produce great results. But not all fishing spots are created equally. Any given stretch of beach will have certain areas that hold more fish than others. It is best if the angler can invest the time to survey the area he plans to fish at low tide, as this condition often reveals subtle dips in the bottom, deeper holes, sandbars, and other structures that will hold fish.

Big Fish Flounder

Big Fish Flounder

If it is not possible to survey the beach at low tide before fishing, at least take a few minutes to study the patterns of the incoming surf before you cast your rod. Waves that break far from the water's edge usually mean shallow water, and at times waves may be seen breaking on a sandbar many yards from shore. In contrast, if the surf rushes in and the waves break closer in one area than in another it usually means that the area is deeper than its surroundings. It is important to pay close attention since fish usually congregate around some type of underwater structure or area of depth change.

One mistake that I have seen many fishermen make is to try and send their bait as far as possible with every cast. At times this does pay off, but many times there are plenty of fish to be caught within a few yards of the sand, right in the foam. It is best to fish with multiple rods and cast various distances from shore until the fish are found.

Big Fish Flounder

Big Fish Flounder

Big Fish Flounder

Big Fish Flounder

Big Fish Flounder

Expensive, oversized tackle is not a necessity. Any decent quality rod and reels combination in medium to medium-heavy is perfectly acceptable. A simple bottom fishing rig of two or three drop lines tipped with size six hooks, and with enough weight to keep the rig on the bottom attached to the terminal end, will catch most species that live in the surf. Always remember that if you want to catch large numbers of fish you can catch a big fish on a small hook. But you can't catch a small fish on a big hook.

For the beginner, it is best to fish with natural bait. This means practically anything that the fish in your area might be feeding on. Small pieces of shelled shrimp, worms, the meat from clams, small pieces of squid, and cut fish are just a few of the best baits.

Big Fish Flounder

Salt water fishing is a topic as big as the sea. It can run the gamut from angling for smaller inshore species like speckled trout, flounder and redfish, to an offshore adventure in search of pelagic giants like bluefin tuna and blue marlin. Since the inshore species are more accessible to anglers, here are a few tips to help in the search for a good catch. And just to narrow down the field even more, the tips given here will be geared more toward the beginning surf fisherman. However, these salt water fishing tips will put any beginner on the path to becoming a pro.

First, in order to catch a fish the bait has to be placed where the fish lives and feeds. This may be as simple as tossing a baited hook into the surf, which will often produce great results. But not all fishing spots are created equally. Any given stretch of beach will have certain areas that hold more fish than others. It is best if the angler can invest the time to survey the area he plans to fish at low tide, as this condition often reveals subtle dips in the bottom, deeper holes, sandbars, and other structures that will hold fish.

Big Fish Flounder

Big Fish Flounder

If it is not possible to survey the beach at low tide before fishing, at least take a few minutes to study the patterns of the incoming surf before you cast your rod. Waves that break far from the water's edge usually mean shallow water, and at times waves may be seen breaking on a sandbar many yards from shore. In contrast, if the surf rushes in and the waves break closer in one area than in another it usually means that the area is deeper than its surroundings. It is important to pay close attention since fish usually congregate around some type of underwater structure or area of depth change.

One mistake that I have seen many fishermen make is to try and send their bait as far as possible with every cast. At times this does pay off, but many times there are plenty of fish to be caught within a few yards of the sand, right in the foam. It is best to fish with multiple rods and cast various distances from shore until the fish are found.

Big Fish Flounder

Big Fish Flounder

Big Fish Flounder

Big Fish Flounder

Big Fish Flounder

Expensive, oversized tackle is not a necessity. Any decent quality rod and reels combination in medium to medium-heavy is perfectly acceptable. A simple bottom fishing rig of two or three drop lines tipped with size six hooks, and with enough weight to keep the rig on the bottom attached to the terminal end, will catch most species that live in the surf. Always remember that if you want to catch large numbers of fish you can catch a big fish on a small hook. But you can't catch a small fish on a big hook.

For the beginner, it is best to fish with natural bait. This means practically anything that the fish in your area might be feeding on. Small pieces of shelled shrimp, worms, the meat from clams, small pieces of squid, and cut fish are just a few of the best baits.

Blue Fish

Growing up in Ohio and in a family of avid anglers, we were always going somewhere new and exciting. My dad was constantly watching a fishing show or reading the latest article on the subject of fishing. He must have seen or heard about the blue fish that was being caught off the coast of New Jersey, for it was not long before we were planning and packing for yet another great fishing excursion.

When we arrived in Atlantic City and located the local marina, we decided to come back after dinner and see who was catching the most fish. Most anglers were bringing in large numbers of blue fish, so Dad booked us on a party boat for that evening to see what kind of luck we would have. A party boat is a large fishing boat that takes anywhere from ten to thirty people out for an all day or half day fishing trip. On a party boat, the best place to fish is on the stern of the boat. If you choose these spots, you will have less trouble with tangles from your neighbor's fishing line. Wisely, Dad requested four spots on the stern.

Blue Fish

Blue Fish

As we boarded the boat, we saw a large variety of coolers, some exactly like the ones we had. We had big plans to fill these with fish.

We said hello and spoke to several people while waiting to cast off and leave the marina. You could feel the excitement and anticipation in the air. A couple of older men walked on board carrying two fifty-five gallon trash cans. Being a curious kid, I asked what they were going to do with those. They replied, "Son we're gonna fill these with fish!" With a smirk at my dad and a roll of my eyes, I thought man, where did these people come from.

Blue Fish

Blue Fish

On the way to our first fishing site, each group had a marking that would differentiate your fish from your neighbor's and everyone else's. Two slashes on the tail were some of the many distinguishing marks given. Our mark was half of a tail. Each fish we caught would be marked with the appropriate mark by slicing off half of the tail, and then it went into the fish box.

Eager to be underway, we cast off the lines and headed out. To me, it seemed like a lifetime before the Captain slowed down, came over the loud speaker, and said, "Drop your lines there are fish all over the place." We dropped our lines, and within just a few minutes, there were shouts coming from all over the boat, "Fish on! Got one, I've got one too". It was pure pandemonium and one of the best times of my life. What a frenzied spectacle this was. We had fish flopping all over the deck, lines were tangled, and people were shouting.

Blue Fish

Blue Fish

Blue Fish

Not all fishing boats will allow this. It is usually first come, first served. If you are unable to reserve a spot here, just stay near the stern on your way to your fishing spot. When the Captain stops the boat, just grab your pole and take your spot. If you don't, someone else will!

Catfish For Aquarium

Catfish are a popular fish to keep in your fish tank because they are generally placid and can live comfortably with other species of fish in a community tank. They also have a distinctive appearance of having barbels around the mouth that look like whiskers and hence give them their colloquial name Catfish. This article will briefly describe the common types of catfish that can be kept in an aquarium, some of their habits and how to care for them.

The two species of catfish that are popular for aquariums are the Corydoras sp. (also known as corys, cory catfish or cory cats) and the Synodontis sp.

Catfish For Aquarium

Catfish For Aquarium

Corys are indigenous to the tributaries of the Amazon river system. These waters are typically clean and clear and have a constant and gentle current. Corys tend to stick at the bottom in the current searching for food on the river bed or small animal life. Corys are quite small and live in small groups in the wild. In aquariums they are often on their own.

They are fairly hardy in terms of water quality. They can tolerate slightly acidic or alkaline water but are ideally suited to neutral water. They like a fine gravel substrate as most of their time is spent foraging for food. It is important to keep the water and gravel clean because Corys will pick up bacterial infections, such as ich or fin rot, from dirty substrate. To this extent, Corys are good for cleaning up waste material off the bottom of the tank but they also eat a wide variety of food including pellets and flake food and also blood worms. They are also well adapted to cold water and can live in water ranging from 18-25 degrees Celsius.

Catfish For Aquarium

Catfish For Aquarium

Catfish For Aquarium

Catfish For Aquarium

Synodontis sp. are generally larger fish than the Corys with some notable exceptions being the upside down catfish or synodontis nigriventris. They hail from the river systems and lakes of Africa where water is quite hard. Again they are bottom dwellers that prefer fine gravel substrate that they can scour for food. Having said that they will eat most types of other food from live food to flake and pellets.

Synodontis are quite shy to some extent and prefer dark surroundings. The lighting should be low and the habitat should include plenty of rocks and wood that can create caves and other place to hide from time to time.

Real Koi Fish

You will also need a decent sized pond, as they may grow up to 3 feet. You need at least a 1,000 liters of water per fish, with at least 18 inches of pond depth. The pond needs a filtration system to remove waste products, aeration to add oxygen into the water and regular care and maintenance. Don't let this put you off, looking after a pond can be as rewarding as gardening, as you add landscaping features, plants and, of course, add to your Koi fish collection.

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Certain types of small Koi may only cost a few dollars, but the rarer varieties and sizes can cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. To offset costs, owners are known to sell off their extra fish once they have grown larger. In general young Koi are cheaper than the more mature ones. Koi do not mature until they are about eight years old, so you have plenty of time to watch them develop.

Real Koi Fish

The beauty of Koi fish lies in their shapes and color mutations. So, part of the enjoyment of starting a Koi fish hobby is picking the fish in the first place. Like most things, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Find a breeder or pet shop which has a decent range of Koi fish varieties, so you have plenty of choice. It is best not to invest in your collection all at once. Built it up slowly, not only will you gradually learn about the varieties you prefer, but there is a certain satisfaction to choosing and buy the right fish so why not stretch out the fun!

Look at the fish closely to see if they look healthy. They should be swimming freely and smoothly and be without any visible physical damage. Make sure there are no holes or ulcerations in the scales, a crooked spine, missing fins, gills that do not close flat and so on. They should eat well and look as though they are breathing normally.

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish

Real Koi Fish