5 Fish Tank Accessories You Need to Know
By Jacob Graham

When searching for fish tank accessories, the internet offers hundreds and thousands of machines, equipment and other stuff. Beginners will end up confused and unsure, which accessory they really need for their aquarium. Here is a list of 5 accessories, a fish tank should be equipped with:

1) Fish Tank Pump

The heart of your aquarium is the pump itself. While not necessarily included, most pumps also have an integrated filtration system. The pump pushes the water through the filter and good pumps will also oxygenate the water.

2) Filter System

Absolutely necessary to filtrate the water in your fish tank. Every day, the water gets soiled for several reasons and without cleaning it, your fish tank will soon get cloudy and your fishes might die of disease. It's very important to take into account, how many gallons of water your fish tank holds and get an adequate filter system, otherwise it can't filter enough water to have any effect! Filtration Systems contain a mechanical and a chemical filter and depending on the fishes you want to have in your aquarium, you should make sure, your filtration system doesn't remove any substances, your fishes need for living.

3) Heater

Like any animal, every fish species has a certain temperature in which they can survive the best. If the water in your fish tank is wither too cold or too warm, your fishes will most likely suffer and die. Fluctuations in temperature can have the same effect, so you will want to make sure, the water has the right, constant temperature at any time! Tropical fishes often prefer warmer water and you should inform yourself about the preferences of your fish species. Remember, that for example putting your fish tank into sunlight, the warmth from the heater and the sunlight might sum up to a temperature much higher then you wanted.

4) Light

Lights are very important for both your fishes and the plants in your fish tank. Most fish do have a cycle in which they sleep and eat and a lightning system assures, that this cycle is not influenced by random illuminations in your room - try to imagine how confused you would be, if the sun would rise and set randomly every day!

5) Plants

Don't put only inanimate rocks into your fish tank - choose some plants too! It's your choice: Do you prefer living plants (in this case you have to inform yourself what the plants need to live, how much light they need and if you need a special filtration system) or artificial plants? However, any kind of plant will enhance your fish tanks look.

Knowing these fish tank accessories, you will be able to classify everything the internet and professional stores have to offer.

Learn special techniques and tips from a real professional. Check out my review of a complete guide to fish tank and tropical fish care on my blog. Here's the link: http://best-tropical-fish-guide.blogspot.com/

This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any Ezine, newsletter, blog, or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Graham

Bad Dogs Audition for New Reality Show at Atlantic Station
Atlanta Journal-Constitution







Bichon Frise Care and Grooming
by Troy Foote

Bichon Frise are a very sociable dog from the time that they are puppies on through adulthood. Bichon Frises have an easy, happy disposition. A Bichon Frisé (French, literally meaning Curly lap dog; often spelled Bichon Frise in English) is a small breed of dog.

The Bichon Frise was developed in the Mediterranean area, when a Barbet (a large water spaniel breed) was crossed with small white lapdogs. The Bichon Frise of today has its lineage in the Bichon Tenerife breed line, which found its way to the Mediterranean area, onto the Canary Islands or rather, "the Island of Tenerife

. In the 1980s, the Bichon Frise was part of the "Yuppie Puppies" choice of the majority population, and everyone just HAD to have one. Bichon Frises make an excellent addition to the family. Bichon Frise are affectionate, cuddly and just plain happy to see people.

The disposition of the Bichon Frise is sweet, perky, bouncy, active, and very playful with sporadic bursts of energy that leads them into many unknown adventures--usually beyond the fenced in yard or when they get loose from the leash, even though they are considered to be gentle creatures. Bichon Frises can be hard to house train; crate training may be a successful technique. Bichon Frises can conform to apartment life fairly easily. Bichon Frise also are very intelligent and quick learners.

Bichon Frise, as with many sociable breeds, are not suited to being left alone all day. Bichon Frises have a life span of 12-13 years and have litters of 4-5 pups. An independent dog, the Bichon Frise bond well with adults and children and is also very highly intelligent, affectionate, charming, and self-assured. Serious dog lovers who own, or want to own a Bichon Frise would rather invest their valuable Internet time on a website that truly UNDERSTANDS this amazing breed.

Training

Training must be gentle and firm, with no harsh corrections or scolding. Training the Bichon works well with food treats along with the leash and collar. A crate is usually the best method of training. The puppy should come to see his/her crate as his personal space so avoid using it as discipline for bad behavior to maximize house training potential.

Roughhousing is definitely out with this guy, and play training is in. This breed requires gentle and firm training, as they are so gentle and sensitive that any harsh training or negative corrections will have an opposite effect on the puppy or adult dog. But all trainers/owners will eventually need a collar and leash to begin the training-the many types available will depend on the person doing the training, as each one is a matter of personal preference and what the dog needs.

Some of the training collar tools that are acceptable for the Bichon training, as chain or nylon chokers will matt and tangle in their hair, are the buckle collars, leather-training collars, or even the reversed pinch collars. The head collar is becoming very popular as a training tool for most dogs in training classes. Positive reinforcement and gentle training are the choice training of the day, with kindness, persistence, and patience. As far as training is concerned, this breed often proves to be hard to housebreak, but likes to learn. The Bichon does not require aggressive training, and likes challenges. These dogs need training and exercise at the minimum one walk a day.

Grooming

Grooming requirements are based on coat type and the size of the dog. Grooming is recommended on a daily basis to avoid matting. Professional grooming is recommended every 4 weeks. They are a non-shedding breed that requires daily grooming. They require regular grooming, which can be expensive and/or time-consuming.

Because Bichons are so susceptible to skin problems and allergies, good grooming practices are very important. Like all dogs that require frequent grooming, Bichons should be accustomed to grooming from a young age and care should be taken to keep grooming pleasurable. Anyone considering a Bichon should carefully weigh the amount of time available for grooming, for the coat needs lots of attention.

But good grooming is required once shedding begins, as the undercoat needs to be removed once the weather begins to warm up or excessive shedding will leave piles of hair throughout the home. High on the playfulness range, along with friendliness toward strangers, watchdog ability, and grooming requirements-anyone who purchases the Bichon will be a powder-puff challenge, to say the least.

To keep the Bichons soft white curly coat well cared for takes daily grooming and as the coat is white and non shedding, it also needs regular bathing and trimming. There are two popular Bichon Frise grooming styles: a short, poodle-like coat or a long, puffy coat for a more rounded appearance. For anyone wanting to learn to do the grooming on their own dogs, be prepared to make many mistakes along the way.

Conclusion

With proper attention, the Bichon Frise will develop into a wonderful companion animal. Bichon Frise are a very sociable dog from the time that they are puppies on through adulthood. So instead of wasting hours of your time scouring the Internet for specific info about the Bichon Frise, it's all here in one place. You can find out all you need to know about the Bichon Frise. With thousands of Bichon Frise puppies for sale and hundreds of Bichon Frise dog breeders, you're sure to find the perfect Bichon Frise puppy.

About the Author
Married, Father of two boys. Living in Ontario Canada.



Cat Care Tips For The Long Term
by Steve Peters

Not only is a cat a pet, it can also be a friend. If you want the feline to be with you for the long term, it pays to know proper cat care.
Be sure your new pet has a place to sleep, food and water bowls, and a litter box ready before you go to the pet store or animal shelter. Collars with your name, address, and phone number, allow your neighbors or anyone who finds the cat wandering to be able to return it to you.

Another thing you can do is put a microchip under their skin. A pet ID tag can not only help you recover your lost cat, it can also work as a deterrent for fleas due to the chemical repellant it has on it.

The best made cat foods are the only ones you should purchase for your pet. These should contain a lot of protein, which can be found in fish, meat, and poultry. These are available either in canned or Kibble and most nutritionists agree that a combination of both is ideal so they do not develop food addictions.

One thing you must never feed a cat is chocolate because it has certain chemicals that could be fatal for them.

Aside from food, you can also give your cat food supplements such as Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Taurine which is an essential amino acid.

Remember to take your cat to the veterinarian at least one time a year. This should be done in order to keep your pet current on vaccinations and to maintain his good health. You should remember that as a cat ages, visits to the veterinarian should be scheduled every six months.

If there is an issue or doubt that something is abnormal, drive to a vet immediately in spite the fact that you don't have an appointment. Remember that when it comes to dealing with felines, this professional is the specialist.

Keep their nails short to avoid scratching to hard and injuring themselves and you. Since cats love to scratch, having a scratch pad nearby may save your furniture from damage.

House cats should always be kept indoors. If you do decide to leave, remember to lock all the doors and windows.

If you take good care of your cat, it could possibly live in excess of ten years.

About the Author
Steve Peters is a caring and loving cat owner and owns a number of pet related websites. To get more cat care tip you should grab our extensive ten part must have course, filled to the brim with cat care tips and secrets from http://www.catcarepower.com



Origins Of Hamsters, gerbils & Chinchillas
by weijun1980

Although related to rodents, hamsters, gerbils & chinchillas have been domesticated and reared for a long time compared to their more undesirable cousins the rat.Hamsters come from the subfamily Creticinae, gerbils from the order of Rodentia and chinchillas from the family of Chinchillidae.
Hamsters have been bred in captivity for some time, whilst gerbils and chinchillas have been brought and introduced to U.S by a scientist Dr Victor Schwentker and a engineer Mathias F. Chapman in 1954 & 1918 respectively.

Even though these animals look the same, their living environments are totally different. For example the gerbil with its small body and long tail lives in dry places such as deserts or prairies(there are african,indian and asian species) while chinchillas, having a bigger body with a more furry tail lives in the Andes moubtains in South Americas.

Hamsters and gerbils have a average lifespan of 2 to 4 years while chinchillas have a lifespan on average 15 to 20 years(!). However their choice of food is quite similar. Besides the common hamster feed, they also eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. They consume little liquids due to the dry environments they came from and also from the food they ingest.

Rearing these animals is a nice alternative to other pets such as dogs or cats due to their quiet nature, and they need less maintenance other than the occasional cleaning of cages and the change of drinking water. More information regarding these animals and their care can be read from my blog... hope it helps!

http://wwwmyreviewplacewsdfelix1.blogspot.com/

About the Author
28 years of age, single, living in singapore.