General Care for the Freshwater Aquarium
by Jeanie Smith

Okay, so you have decided that you want to own an aquarium. It is a good idea to make out a wish list before purchasing any fish for the aquarium. Keeping an aquarium will require patience. Unfortunately, it is not realistic to go the pet store and just start picking out fish. Take a trip to the pet store in order to gather information and window shop to determine the types of fish you wish to keep in your aquarium. Carefully research these fish to ensure that they are compatible for water temperatures and P.H., as well as the food that they eat. Be careful not to put prey and predator together in the same tank. Keep in mind that freshwater fish are hardier than the marine variety, and will be less susceptible to water fluctuations.
One reason that freshwater fish are hardier than saltwater fish is the saltwater itself. Just like any living creature, a fish's body requires water in order to function properly. Water is absorbed through a fish's skin in the freshwater environment. Alternatively, a saltwater fish actually has to drink the salt water, because the body fluids are extracted through the skin by osmosis. The salt is then excreted in the form of highly concentrated urine. Freshwater fish are a good choice for an inexperienced aquarium owner because there is more wiggle room in the water specifications. Some freshwater fish have a variation of as much as ten degrees of acceptable water temperature. Conversely, most tropical fish will only allow about two degrees of variation in water temperature It is not uncommon for the novice fish keeper to become easily discouraged. Water conditions are hard to regulate and unfortunately fish, even the freshwater variety, are not the hardiest of creatures. Sometimes they do not survive these fluctuations. It is important to be patient. An aquarium needs to run for a minimum of twenty four hours before adding any fish at all. You may want to allow the tank to run and filter with decorations and any plant life for a few days before introducing the fish. Be sure to clean the decorations and any substrate thoroughly before adding them to the aquarium. Live plants are highly recommended in new aquariums as they will help to generate the good bacteria necessary to reduce the amount of ammonia in the tank. It is a good idea to test the ammonia and nitrite levels before adding fish to the aquarium. Begin by adding only three to four small fish. A general rule is to wait another thirty days before adding additional fish, because that is the incubation period for most fish illnesses. In addition, test the nitrite and ammonia levels before adding these additional fish. The ammonia levels should return to zero. This also takes about a month.

There are a few basic tips that will keep fish healthy. Don't over feed the fish. Any excess food will become debris in the tank, and then turns into ammonia, which is toxic to fish. Change the water in the aquarium regularly. Replace approximately one third of the water in the tank every two to three weeks. This will minimize the disruption to the fish in the aquarium, eliminating the need to remove the fish from the tank. Lastly, don't forget to clean the filter. Follow the manufacturer's instructions, as some filters need to be replaced more frequently than others

About the Author
Read about goldfish care and freshwater aquarium fish at Aquarium Fish Care.


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Cat food and water bowl
by jeya

Cats with free access to outdoors will potentially have a full and natural lifestyle. The constantly changing outside world will provide all the mental and physical stimulation required to keep the individual healthy, both physically and mentally. A cat needs to be neutered or fixed if you do not your cat wandering off and getting into trouble or in a females case, having kittens.
A cat will want its own special food bowl. One way to distinguish which cats bowl it is can be perhaps by having a different colored bowl for each one of your cats. The water bowl and the food dish that you use to serve up your cats meals should be acceptable to him or else your cat may decide not to feed there. Also, it is important that the bowls you use do not scratch easily. There are some low cost feeding bowls that can dent easily if a cat scratches it hard enough and these little gashes can attract bacteria and food particles, which might make your cat sick. This means that your best investment will be high impact plastic dishes.

The black and white dish has "Woof" printed on the front and is accented with an enameled paw charm. Now the food will look as good as it tastes! Pet food and water dishes are available in virtually all shapes and sizes, and typically present a common problem for the pet caretakers they become soiled and are very undesirable to clean once in that condition.

These durable, deep dish plastic cat face food bowls include non-skid feet to eliminate the "scoot and spill" factor during your pet's mealtime. They're dishwasher safe and come in both single and double compartments. Treat your precious kitty with delicious food in our Cat Face Feeding Dish. This feeding dish has the face of an adorable feline and ears that stick out too.

About the Author
Representing the cat face food bowl in the website www.katiewongnyc.com

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