Fish Breeding for Beginners

Cichlids are fish which are very nice to keep as aquatic pets. Why? They are very active fish and they come in different colors which are fun to watch.

Cichlids come from the family of Cichlidae and are one of the largest families of vertebrates. One of the characteristics of cichlids is that they are very territorial. It is advisable to keep to the same species otherwise they will end up attacking each other.

They also come in different colors which makes your aquarium colorful and attractive. These are nice aquatic pets to have but before you own one, it is important to know how to raise them well.

Caring For Your Fish.

Information about proper care is the first thing that you should acquire to enable you to keep them healthy and alive. What are the things that you should consider most when owning a cichlid?

The temperature of the aquarium should be similar to the temperature where the cichlids live. The best temperature for the cichlids in an aquarium is 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature affects the growth of the fish. If the temperature is higher, the metabolism of the fish increases, making them eat more which makes them grow faster.

Cichlids are very territorial and aggressive so if you want to reduce the aggressive behavior of the fish, you could lower the temperature of the aquarium.

Tanks or aquariums should not be near areas which produces too much heat eg windows, room heaters. If the temperature is not suitable for the cichlids, tank heaters can be used to keep the temperature at the optimum level for them if necessary.

You should also make sure that the optimum pH level of the water (7.5 to 8.5 pH level ) in the aquarium is maintained. Abrupt changes can cause harm to the health of the cichlids. You should also make sure that the tank gets proper filtration.

This will maintain the cleanliness of your tank or aquarium. Power filters and sponge filters are some the filters which are effective and available for maintaining the cleanliness of the tank. Also, always clean the filters to make them last longer and be effective. Food and diet are important as they will affect the cichlids health.

Buying Cichlids.

Before you purchase your cichlids, make sure that you have enough cichlid information and you know the proper cichlid care so that you will be able to raise them healthily and easily.

Make sure that you buy specific cichlid food which is full of nutrients to keep them healthy. Changing the water regularly is important to make sure that the water where the cichlids live is always clean to avoid risks to the heath of the fish.

Proper lighting in the aquarium which is similar to the lighting of their natural habitat is also important to know. However, it is advisable that the lighting should only be used during the evening as algae problems might result if it is used during the day.

You should be experienced in raising a fish because it requires some techniques and styles in growing them. But all the beginners out there discouraged. Keeping your fishes in an aquatic system is much simpler than keeping them in a traditional aquarium fish. You will just need to follow simple guidelines in growing your fishes and from there on, you will now be ready in catching your healthy fish as your meal or harvest for your business. There are lots of fish species that can be used in an aquatic system, but it will depend in your local climate and the availability of your supplies. Fishes needs some longer time for them to be grown and mature. So here are some lists of useful species for your fish aquaponics system.

First is the Barramundi, wherein it often grows in warmer climates, and most of the fish growers are buying mature stocks in order for them to harvest larger fishes at their growing season. These kinds of species are known to be clean and have a crisp taste. They are able to provide their users with a decent harvest because they are renowned to be the majestic species and edible fishes. Next is the catfish, they are considered to be channel fishes wherein they are mostly used in aquaculture like in the United States. They are also quick growing fishes and have a food ratio which is quite good. Lastly they don’t have scales so it is a must that you skin them. Third is the carp, they are the species which are very suitable for the aquaponics fish system; it is because they don’t have the capability to reproduce. They can quickly adapt in various climates. The main reason why many fish growers keep carp as their main fish species it is because the carps have a good profit in return, they are the leading well paid species.

Fourth is the goldfish, wherein most of the people sell these species as pets. They also need plants together when they are placed on breeding tanks. The jade perch is the fifth specie, and has the highest amounts of omega three oils among all of the various species. These are perfect for all the people out there who are health conscious. They also require warm water because in there they can quickly grow. Koi is the other species of carp, and they are the sixth specie in the list. You can find Koi in different areas in Asia and placed on ornamental ponds as decorations. Seventh is the Murray Cod, wherein they are considered to be as the magnificent Australian native fish. So these are the leading fish species which can be used in the fish aquaponics system.

Discus farms are categorised into large, medium discus hatcheries and home breeders. Large farms may have about 700 aquariums and 110 breeding pairs. Breeders without employees manage medium farms of less than 230 aquariums with about 50 pairs. Home breeders have 40 to 60 aquariums with less than 13 pairs. Malaysia is renowned for her famous discus fish breeding, especially for exporting purpose. The state with the most discus farms here is certainly Penang. Most houses there were converted into farms because this way will save the cost of space rental. It is best to breed and raise discus indoor since temperature fluctuation is high during the night, and this can cause much stress to the fish kept outdoor.

Basic facilities in a farm are well drained water system, aquariums, air pump and some water heaters. For a large and medium farm, water storage tanks are installed in order to provide enough dechlorinated water when water crisis or shortage occurred. Aging water in the large storage tanks over a period of 24 hours with the aeration will effectively remove chlorine. Sodium thiosulfate and granulated activated carbon are also practical in removing chlorine.

Different sizes of aquarium are required for purpose such as breeding, raising fry to young discus. For example, for breeding tank, the suitable aquarium size is 135 litres. Raising good quality discus depends on good water quality. A large water hose draws out water until the fishes are swimming in a slant position. The aquarium is refilled with dechlorinated water replacing the old water. The method of changing water is called ‘in-out’ and will remove all unwanted substance from the aquarium. This method of water change does away with costly biological filtration equipment. New fishes should not be introduced into a set-up aquarium for a simple reason that the new fishes might harbour diseases.

The new fishes should be quarantined for a period of 4 to 6 weeks. Do not feed your fishes on the first two days during quarantine. Change a portion of the water daily. Taking care of discus farm involve hard work in changing water but it is a joy if we can implement an efficient water drainage system either by motorized system or the ‘in-out’ method. The average cost of setting up a new small farm is around USD 5000 in Malaysia. Electricity bill is very low but water bill is higher since frequent water changing is required, after the fishes are fed with beef-heart.

There are several facts about clownfish that have helped them in becoming one of the first fish many hobbyists choose for their saltwater aquariums. Well before Disney gave the saltwater industry a shot of adrenaline with the release of “Finding Nemo”, clowns were already one of the most popular captive marine fish due to their vibrant colors and hardiness. These fish are also well-known for displaying odd, yet entertaining behavior. Such behaviors include abnormal sleeping positions, an equally abnormal swimming style, and the capability to change their sex. It is these types of actions, along with their coloring, that led to these species earning the moniker of “clowns”.

All clownfish are born as males. As they grow older, a hierarchy is naturally established with the most dominant fish at the top and the rest falling in line accordingly. The fish that sits atop this chain of command will go through a sexual transformation and become a female. The female will then pair with the male that is “second in command”, or the next most dominant of the group. The rest of the juveniles will remain males until one of the mated pair dies off. If it is the female that dies, its male partner will become female, and the cycle continues with the next male in line becoming mated with the newly transformed female. It is common to see juveniles “bullying” one another while they are going through these changes and establishing the hierarchy.

Aside from the trademark colors and striping, clown fish also display a distinguished swimming style. Clowns swim by rotating their pectoral fins(the ones on the side), as opposed to the flapping/stroking motion used by the majority of other fish. Using the pectoral fins is what give them their characteristic hovering motion. As they rotate their fins they also shake their tail, giving them a waddling look as they swim across the tank. Personally, I can watch them for hours, completely entertained by their swimming motions.

As you may have noticed by now, these fish seem to pride themselves on being abnormal. They stay true to this bizarre mentality in the way they choose to sleep. Countless owners have awoken to find their favorite little fish floating upside down at the top of the tank, laying flat on the bottom, on top of each other, and just about any other position you can think of. This can cause panic with new owners who aren’t used to the “clownish behavior” of these fish, as they usually think their fish have died. About 5-10 minutes after turning on the lights you will find that your fish will be up and swimming around as normal, and that it was nothing more than a false alarm.

This is just a few of the numerous facts about clownfish behavior that makes the species one of the more interesting to have within your home aquarium. These actions made this fish popular in the early days of captive marine tanks, and has preserved their popularity all the way to present-day. It is important to expect the unexpected with these fish, and not freak-out every time you see something out of the ordinary. Only after this, will you find yourself thoroughly enjoying the always entertaining aspects of clown fish behavior.