Aquarium Fish

Aquarium Fish

What Are Bottom Water Tropical Fish?

Bottom water fish are those that prefer living at the lowest level of the aquarium. It's not that they can't swim into the upper regions, they will when spurred by a fish that pesters them, or just for the sake of a quick dash around the tank. But for the most part, they live on the bottom, which is where most of their food comes from.

Tropical fish that prefer the bottom of the tank, usually eat algae that grows there, as well as leftover food that falls on the substrate or the broad leaves of some plants. In a way, the bottom water fish are the housekeepers of your aquarium, cleaning up scraps and preventing the build up of algae. But this is not always a sufficient diet, and they need to be given food that comes in a form or shape specifically designed to reach, and appeal to the bottom feeder.

This is usually a wafer shape, dense enough that it sinks past the top and middle feeders, to rest on the bottom and soften. The bottom feeders can then browse at their leisure, returning later to clean up the remains. In that respect, they are not like top and middle feeders, where food is given a pinch at a time, and feeding should stop as soon as they lose interest. Those tropical fish that hang around the bottom tend to be "grazers", and not the gulpers that you'll find dashing for the surface when they see you coming.

Some of the better-known bottom water fish are the loach, and catfish. There are also algae eaters, Botia, Corys, Knifefish and the more unusual specimens like Goby and Needle Nose.

by: Nate Jamieson

Aquarium Fish

Aquarium Fish

Tropical Fish Tanks - Simple Rules To Follow For Successful Fishkeeping

These Rules Apply To ALL Aquariums

Whether you have a big sized aquarium with lots of fishes or just a glass bowl on your table with a couple of Goldfish, they give you great pleasure and tranquility to see them. Tropical & Coldwater Fishes are the most soothing of pets, but they may be a little delicate too. However you can take good care of your fishes by remembering some simple rules...

All Aquariums go through a period of settling in BEFORE introducing fishy friends to their new home. The reason for this is the nitrogen cycle. We don't wish to bore your with aquatic chemistry but suffice to say there are bacteria that are essential to 'breaking down' fish waste. These aquatic bacteria require a period of growth and multiplication before they can carry out their duties as the 'sewage system' within the aquarium. The length of time it takes to produce these bacteria varies, however, we have found that in our experience this tends to be around three weeks.

The Nitrogen Cycle is critical to the wellbeing of your aquatic inhabitants. we recommend strongly that ALL aquarists purchase a Nitrite Test Kit to keep a close eye on the most harmful of the nitrogen cycle states, that of Nitrite (NO2). Nitrite is the most common cause of fish death and disease in new aquariums and is most lethal at between 10 & 18 days after the initial installation of the aquarium. Any time there appears to be problems with your aquarium a nitrite test should be carried out before any other course of action.

Regular Water Changes - The aquarium is a closed bio-system with the end product of bacterial action and filtration being Nitrate (NO3). This can be controlled by planting your aquarium adequately (approx. 60% - 75% of the aquarium base). However, we recommend that all aquatic enthusiasts remove 10% of the aquarium water weekly and replace it with fresh water from a good source. Larger changes are sometimes necessary but generally our advice is little and often. Gone are the days, we hope, of flushing all the water down the toilet and starting again!The best thing you could do is research into keeping any kind of fish. One of the best books I have come across is 'Katy's Tropical & Aquarium Fish' Secrets Guide, which you can get by clicking here

Aquarium Fish

Aquarium Fish

Hello and welcome to my aquarium fish blog.

Here you will learn everything you will need to know about aquarium fish including general care and tips.

Also learn how to breed aquarium fish. Coming soon...