What are Ideal Cichlid Tank Mates?

Finding cichlid tank mates can be a challenge. As most cichlid owners know, these intelligent freshwater aquarium fishes are highly territorial. They hold and defend their territories with all their might. They also go through a complex ritual of courtship, egg rearing, and giving birth to offspring. That’s not all, they also like to rearrange their living environment according to their liking. Though it seems like they are hard to get along with, they’re still very popular. More and more aquarium hobbyists are fascinated with the cichlid’s behaviorally advanced nature. 

Although they are territorial, cichlid can get along with certain fish species like moors and scats. These fish species are known to co-exist peacefully with cichlids as long as they have been used to brackish water. Speaking of brackish, you can also choose from a wide range of brackish water catfish like Network Synos (Synodontis eupterus) and Raphael Talking catfish (Agamyxis pectinifrons), which you can keep with your cichlids with no difficulty. 

There’s also no need to worry about cichlids living with silver tip/Columbian sharks (Arius seemani). But they best get along with the African cichlids when they’re still young. When they mature, these shark species need salt water. 

Other ideal tank mates for cichlids include plecos, gouramis and mollies. They especially get along well with the rift lake cichlids. These fishes mentioned can tolerate water conditions with a pH level of 7.5. 

Take note that when cichlids don’t get along, they fight. Subordinate fish would tend to swim away from the ferocious territorial ones. But that’s in the wild. In the smaller world of aquariums, this can be difficult. What you can do is to provide shelter where the subordinate fish can hide. Driftwood, bog wood, plastic or live plants, and decorative rocks can be a great help. 

Apart from finding the right cichlid tank mates, you need to consider more things like the size of the aquarium. A 10-gallon aquarium should be fine for non-territorial fish species. But for housing a modest number of cichlids, it’s best to go for a 40- to 50-gallon aquarium. You should also keep in mind that cichlid fishes need clean, warm and well-oxygenated water. The ideal temperature should be 78 to 84 degrees. 

Top 5 Things You Need for Your Goldfish Aquarium

Contrary to popular belief, goldfish don't have a three-second memory span. It's actually closer to 4 months, sometimes longer. In fact, goldfish can recognize their owners and can even be taught to perform tricks. Before you start training your fish, however, make sure that you provide them with a healthy environment – the ideal goldfish aquarium - where they will thrive.

1.Tank

In our heads, we’ve all had an image of keeping goldfish in a bowl. Nevertheless, goldfish are very active so they need a spacious habitat where they can get enough oxygen. A tank, therefore, is your best option. To help you choose the tank size, remember to provide at least 3 gallons for every one-inch goldfish. Make sure that you factor in how big the goldfish can grow when making your decision.

2. Filter

Goldfish are voracious eaters so they tend to produce a lot of waste. If the tank doesn't have a good filtration system, the waste will accumulate and will increase the ammonia levels in the water. A double filtration system is standard in most goldfish aquariums. This means that if you have a 20-gallon tank, the filter should be rated for a 40-gallon aquarium. Check the filter every now and then to make sure it is working properly.

3. Water

The water you will use in the goldfish aquarium should be clean and well oxygenated. Use water conditioner to remove the chlorine if you are going to use tap water. You must also check for ammonia and nitrate levels, which should both be zero. Clean the tank and partially change the water every two weeks but depending on the number of fish and the size of the tank, you might have to clean the aquarium and replace the water more frequently.

4. Plants

If you want to add plants, it is better to stick to artificial ones at first.  The goldfish will most likely eat and uproot living plants, which could lead to high ammonia levels. After a few weeks, you can start adding live plants. Choose hardy ones that will supply both oxygen and little amounts of food to the goldfish.

5. Decorations

Fish like having places where they can play and hide so it's a good idea to provide decorations in the goldfish aquarium. Just make sure that they are free from sharp edges so that the fish will not hurt themselves or damage their fins. Finally, before adding the fish to the tank run the filter for at least a few days to make sure everything is working well. This will allow you to make any adjustments so that the aquarium will be prepared for the arrival of your goldfish.

Care of Goldfish: How to Properly Take Good Care of These Pets

Raising goldfish at home is truly rewarding. They look very nice and simply relaxing to gaze at especially after a long day’s work. However, only very few people know the basics of proper care of goldfish. Thus it is very important that you totally understand what the essential requirements are needed to make your goldfish thrive and live longer. So how do you go about with your goldfish raising? Here are some goldfish care basics to get you started. 

Choosing the Right Water Tank.

As much as you can, avoid using fish bowls regardless of the number of goldfish you wish to grow. The larger the water tank is, the more likely your goldfish achieve a better quality of life. Although most goldfish owners prefer to just keep a fishbowl because it looks aesthetically pleasing, doing so will only compromise these cute little creatures. Additionally, your goldfish can easily outgrow a fishbowl and as they grow by the day, they need proper supply of oxygen- something you can’t expect to get from any ordinary fishbowl. Consequently, the larger the water tank is, the better for your goldfish. 

Consider the Size of the Goldfish.

Another essential care of goldfish tip is choosing the right size of the fish. Generally, goldfish start off very small. But they can grow even to a foot long especially if proper care is given. For first timers, it is economical to buy large tanks at the outset so you won’t end up buying ever-larger replacement fish tanks as your goldfish grows. As a rule, you need to have a 20-30 gallon tank for your goldfish. And for every additional fish, add another ten gallons to the volume of water. 

The Hood, the Light, and the Gravel Floor.

Your fish tank should have the proper hood. Keep in mind that goldfish are known to easily jump out of their uncovered fish tanks. Provide a hood to refrain this from happening. Also, the hood will also serve as a secure platform for your lighting. Moreover, fluorescent lighting is better than the typical incandescent ones as the former helps you save electricity and does not give off much heat. Essentially, lights should be lit at least ten hours a day. As for the gravel floor, make sure you go for the ones that do not stuck in the throat of your goldfish. You can either use the large ones that are too huge to swallow, or go for the very tiny ones, small enough to get caught in the throat. 

The Water.

Water with neutral pH levels has also something to do well in proper care of goldfish. Tap water is safe for use in a fish tank since it has a neutral pH (acidity level).  And since goldfish is relatively stronger as compared to other varieties, they are more likely to survive in water with pH levels less than optimal. In general, using tap water for your goldfish is safe. However, you can still double check the water pH with a test kit to ensure the water acidity neither falls nor rises substantially. 

To raise and care for goldfish is not at all that difficult. All you need is the proper knowledge and the right requirements in taking care of goldfish. Have a goldfish at home. These fishes can recognize you and even cherish your attention. Along with proper care and the right treatment, your goldfish can actually keep you company for years.

Goldfish Lifespan: Practical Tips to Make your Goldfish Grow for Years

Having goldfish at home is very relaxing. Just the sight of them swimming around the water tank is enough reason to make you feel loosened up after a day’s work. To keep your goldfish to last for years, you need to know more about how you can actually keep your goldfish lifespan longer. Essentially, you need to understand how you can properly take good care of goldfish.

One of the major factors to increase goldfish lifespan is to have the proper size of water tank. A normal tank size for a single goldfish is the twenty-gallon tank. Meaning, for a single goldfish you need twenty gallons of water, thirty for 2 goldfish, fifty for four, and so on. Of course for most homeowners, choosing the typical round glass bowl is the first option. However, these bowls provide less space, thus restricting the growth of the fish and worse, making them prone to sickness. That is why, regardless of the size of the goldfish you buy, make sure you provide them with sufficient space so that they are able to live a quality life. 

Keep in mind that before you bring in your goldfish, your water tank should be properly prepared. Doing so will help generate bacteria needed to break down the waste of the fish. Be sure you run the water tank for a number of days after you have landscaped it and filled it with water along with its filter. Monitor the concentration of ammonia, making sure you stick between the normal levels of 4 and 5ppm. You can ask your local veterinarian to know more about this. 

Cleaning the tank is also one of the major factors to consider. The number of times you clean the water tank basically depends upon the number of goldfish you have and the size of your fish tank. Bigger tanks require less maintenance. Cleaning big tanks at least once every two weeks would suffice. Furthermore, having live plants in your tank is also a good idea. Plants help absorb the nitrate, nitrite and ammonia content of the water, thus keeping the tank clean. Also, have a dechlorinator to minimize the chloramines level of the tank. Also, monitor the level of ammonia and nitrate all the time. When their average levels rise, chances are it might make the water more acidic, thus making it fatal for your fish. Furthermore, to remove dirt from the tank, you can use a vacuum. Ensure that you add more water in the tank after you vacuum and that the water temperature added should be similar of that in the tank.  

Just because you want to increase goldfish lifespan doesn’t mean it is healthy to feed them most of the time. You may have the tendency to feed your fish with practically all kinds of food. But did you know that feeding them beyond their capacity can actually restrict their lifespan and eventually cause them to die? Feeding them twice a day is sufficient. After eating, check that no leftovers are floating on the water to avoid getting the tank dirty. Remove uneaten foods immediately. 

You can easily increase your goldfish lifespan if you take your time to follow the above mentioned tips. With the right water tank and proper feeding practices, you surely will have a long way enjoying your tiny pets swimming around your aquarium.