February POTM For Aquatic Passion = Big!

February was Aquatic Passion’s largest ‘Photo Of The Month (POTM) yet. It received 15 entries, all of which were good. The winner of this February’s contest had a great image of an acara, a  type of cichlid similar to that of a severum, and convict.  The winner will receive $20 cash as they live outside of the United States of America. This month’s giftcard for Aquatic Passion’s contest was a $20.00 Live Aquaria.com gift card, for USA members, or $20 cash if they lived outside of the United States. Below is the winner’s great image!

Congratulations to Domenique!

What a wonderful photo!

In March’s POTM contest for Aquatic Passion, it is possible that the winner will be getting a $20.00 PetSmart® giftcard, so those of you that frequent PetSmart, it may be “smart” to enter an aquarium image into next month’s POTM.
Note: The Administrators, have not officially decided on the prize, but there is a high likely hood that it will be a PetSmart giftcard.

Remember, all images are welcome in our contest as long as they follow our rules and regulations.  To participate in our contest, you will need a valid Aquatic Passion account. This means you must have a registered account on Aquatic Passion. The image you enter into the contest must be yours! We can perform a Google, Bing, or Yahoo.com search on any photo, to see authencity.

Besides contests, Aquatic Passion is a great forum for asking aquarium questions for both fresh, and saltwater fish. It is a community made up from members all over the world, and of all different backgrounds, with different experiences, but great advice, and people always willing to help. If you join and post, you may ask questions, contribute to our gallery, write blogs, or help other members. Engage in a debate or discussion! Either way, Aquatic Passion is a great community for you to choose.

Tomorrow (March 1,2010) will start the March Photo of The Month contest submissions. This usually lasts from March 1-March 15, so you have 15 days to enter! Be sure to look for the submissions thread in this forum

http://aquaticpassion.animal-world.com/index.php?showforum=80

To register with Aquatic Passion simply go to Aquatic Passion, and click register

http://aquaticpassion.animal-world.com

Hope you all have a great fish keeping experience,

Happy Fish Keeping!

Homing Pigeon – Mrs. White

Mrs. White
"What could possibly make Mrs. White angry?"
2010-01-15

Here’s what Snehashis Sarkar says about Mrs. White:

"She is very gentle to others but when someone comes near her room she becomes very angry. And stares at them very angrily."

"What a beautiful bird is Mrs. White. She sounds like a real character too! Thanks for sharing her here."

2010-01-15

Name:    Mrs. White
Type:     White Homing Pigeon
Age:       2 years
Size:       10 inches, 2 kg
Cuteness: 11+ ("She gets so cute when shes angry… Gotta love it!")

Black Moor Goldfish – Blacky

Blacky
"A photogenic black moor goldfish is what we have here!"
2010-01-08

Dr. Jungle says…

"If at first you don’t succeed, try swimming with the current!"

---

Here’s what Snehashis Sarkar says about Blacky:

" Its fun to see when he is in front of the filter and cannot tolerate the force, but he tries again and again…"

"Beautiful photo of a beautiful fish. Thanks for sharing Blacky with us."

2010-01-08

Name:    Blacky
Type:     Black Moor Goldfish
Age:       1 year
Size:       3 inches
Cuteness: 11+ ("Blacky gets the cutest pet in the “Going against the flow” category!")

Bunny Rabbit – Buttons

Buttons
"A mischievious bunny? How can this be?"
2010-01-08

Here’s what Chantal says about Buttons:

"He’s very mischievious & loves playing in a cardboard box =)"

Dr. Jungle says…

"I understand the cardboard box thingy… I can’t resist them either!"

Name:    Buttons
Type:     A Mischievious Bunny Rabbit
Age:       6 years
Cuteness: 11+ ("Buttons gets the “Mischievious But Cute” award!")

Oranda Fancy Goldfish – Jumbo

Jumbo and friends
"A mug only a mother could love? You be the judge!"
2010-01-04

Here’s what Snehashis Sarkar says about Jumbo and friends:

"He is largest fish in my goldfish tank. No one comes near him when they see him coming. Jumbos friends – They always push my other fishes down to the bottom. They are always in a hurry."

"It sounds like your goldfish are real characters! They are appropriately named as well. Thanks for sharing them with us."

The Aquarium’s First Contest

The Aquarium Rep.-Today marked the launch of The Aquarium’s ( Animal-World’s newest aquarium forum dedicated to environmentally friendly fish keeping, and fish keeping that can save your wallet ) first contest. Instead of POTM similar to what Aquatic Passion holds monthly, The Aquarium started with a “Tank Of The Month” or TOTM contest. This is a contest where members submit photos of their aquariums, to compete with other members. There were some very good entries! This month the winner gets a banner declaring they’re a winner, and their image on Animal-World. Next month, in March, there will be a cash prize available for the winner! Below are all five of the entries for this months contest.

If you like these photos, why not register an account and vote for your favorite at http://theaquarium.animal-world.com

The Aquarium was made and designed for a very friendly and environmentally friendly side of fish keeping. It was also made to help you save allot of money when buying fish and supplies, I recommend you join today!

Aquatic Passion’s February 2010 POTM

Aquatic Passion Rep.- Aquatic Passion’s largest “Photo Of The Month” contest has started. It received more entries than any other contest Aquatic Passion has had yet! And all of the entries were great and special in their own way. In addition to the winner getting a small banner, and their image displayed on Animal-World ( This Site! ), the winner also receives a free $20.00 LiveAquaria.com Giftcard! Live-Aquaria is known for it’s huge selection of tropical fish, marine fish, and invertebrates. It has quality shipping as well. Is is also an Animal-World.com sponsor.

This is going to be a very tough contest to win, but honestly, it’s anyone’s contest. Below are just four of the 15 entries that were entered in the contest, and they are great images!

If you would like to vote for your favorite image, or view the other images in the contest, simply register an account, and vote! Here is the link to the contest page

http://aquaticpassion.animal-world.com/index.php?showtopic=1431

Also, if you would like, next month, we are also holding a POTM, just like we do every month, so why not join and wait for the next contest which will start March 1, 2010.  To register simply go to the forums, and click register. Aquatic Passion isn’t just good for contests, it’s also GREAT for fish questions, or any questions about fish or inverts that you may have about Freshwater, Saltwater, or Brackish water aquariums, or even any aquarium! It’s a great aquarium community to be in!

http://aquaticpassion.animal-world.com/index.php?act=idx

Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish) – The Don

The Don
"The Don needs his space!"
2010-01-04

Here’s what Snehashis Sarkar says about The Don:

"He’s always like a don in my aquarium. Whenever my pearl scale gold fishes come near his cave, he comes running and pushes the golds away from his cave. "

Dr. Jungle says…

"Well… theres probably not enough room in his cave for all those fish and The Don needs his space, no?"

---

"What a beautifully colored betta. He’s a real beauty. Thanks!"

The Wonderful World Of Mbuna

This article was given to us on our forum, ‘The Aquarium’ which is a nice community that focuses on the Environmentally Friendly side of fish keeping, which can save your fish, and can save you some money. The article contains how to setup a proper Mbuna Aquarium, the article was submitted by ‘BlueFish’ a moderator on ‘The Aquarium’ we hope it helps you in the future, if you decide on setting up a Mbuna Cichlid aquarium.

So you want to start a mbuna tank? Many people see these beautiful fish at their local petstore and decide to set up a tank with not much research. After a while things get crazy and suddenly they are stuck with aggressive fish and are unsure of how to fix the problem. All can be avoided with a little research. With appropriate stocking and care you too can enjoy a colorful and active mbuna tank!

Introduction

Mbuna (pronounced mboo-na) are rock dwelling fish found along the coats of Lake Malawi. This African Lake hosts many different types of cichlids. Mbuna have specialized mouths for grazing on the algae that grow on the surrounding rocks. They live in dense populations and competition is high. Males spend their days protecting territories and trying to entice females to breed.

The Tank

When setting up a mbuna tank it is best to try and replicate their natural environment. When picking out the tank itself it is best to go for a tank that is at least 4 feet long. Mbuna are very territorial and will appreciate a larger footprint. A 3 foot tank can work but you will be greatly limited when picking species. As with any other set up, bigger is always better. Try to avoid tall tanks, mbuna tend to stay near the bottom of the tank and will not use the vertical space. A 55 or 75 gallon tank is a great beginner mbuna set up.

Equipment

For starters you will need a filter. Either a canister filter or a hang on back filter will do. It is best to over filter the tank since mbuna can be messy and are often overstocked. You will also need a heater. Mbuna prefer temperatures around 77-82°F (25-28°C). For a larger tank, you may want to purchase 2 heaters and place them at opposite ends of the tank for more even heating. You will also want to purchase a thermometer to keep track of the temperature in the tank.
A good liquid test kit is also recommended to help keep up with water parameters. Mbuna need a cycled tank with 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and less than 40 nitrates. Here’s a link on cycling a tank. The lake that mbuna come from is very alkaline. Mbuna appreciate hard water with a high Ph of around 7.5-8.5. Though it must be noted that many mbuna are tank raised and can adapt to a wide range of Ph.
You will need some dechlorinator and buckets for water changes. It is generally recommended to do water changes at least once a week of at least 25%. You may need to change more water depending on your stocking and water parameters.

Decorating the Tank

Now the fun begins! Mbuna like to have a lot of caves and hiding places. Most people use rocks to create a more natural environment. A natural environment looks nice but if you really want to use plastic castles, PVC pipe of flower pots feel free. If you are using rocks here are some recommended types: Limestone, granite, slate or Texas holey rock. Rocks like lime stone and Texas holey rock will help buffer your water and help to keep a higher PH.
Next is substrate. Generally sand is preferred. Mbuna love to dig and sift through sand. Make sure the sand you choose doesn’t have sharp edges that could harm your mbuna. Types of sand that can be used are playsand, pool filter sand, and aragonite. Each type of sand has different qualities so be sure to do research to find the best one for you.

A Note on Plants

A planted tank is a very attractive set up that doesn’t always work with mbuna. Mbuna are herbivores and will eat most plants put in a tank or tear them up for the fun of it. Some people have luck with Java fern, onion plants and anubias. These plants can work but may not. If you want plants in your mbuna tank it may be better to stick to plastic ones.

Stocking

Depending on the size of your tank, it is best to pick out a few species of mbuna then keep 1 male per 4 females. This ratio keeps the male from harassing the females and keeps him busy enough to not bother tankmates. For example a 55 gallon can generally hold 3 species of mbuna with 5 of each species. A great beginner tank set up is a 55 gallon with 1m:4f Labidochromis caeruleus, 1m:4f Pseudotropheus Acei, and 1m:4f Iodotropheus sprengerae.

There are many species of mbuna out there. A good place to start is to go to your local fish store and see what you like. Be aware of tanks that are labeled “Assorted African Cichlids.” These tanks can contain hybrids or fish with bad genetics.

Here are some commonly seen Mbuna:

Labidochromis caeruleus(electric yellow cichlid, Yellow Lab)-This is a bright yellow colored mbuna with black on it’s fins. This fish is generally less aggressive than many other mbuna. Gets to be 4-5 inches long. Males and females have the same coloration.

Pseudotropheus Acei- A purple cichlid with yellow fins. There is a white finned morph as well. These mbuna are generally less aggressive and less territorial. They like to be in groups of their own kind. Gets to be 6-7 inches long. Males and females have the same coloration.

Iodotropheus sprengerae(Rusty cichlid)- These fish have a rusty red color with some purple along their sides. They are generally less aggressive than other mbuna. They get to be 3-4 inches long. Males and females have the same coloration.

Metriaclima estherae (red zebra)- These fish are a solid orange color. They also come in a orange blotched morph and in albino. Red zebras can be aggressive towards each other and tankmates. Get to be 5-6 inches long. Males tend to be more of a peach color with hints of blue on the fins. Females are a deep solid colored orange.

Metriaclima callainos(cobalt blue zebra)- This is a solid blue fish. These fish can be aggressive towards each other and tankmates. Sometimes albinos and blotched versions of this fish can be found. Get to be 5-6 inches long. Males and females look very similar. Males may have nicer coloring.

Metriaclima Greshakei(ice blue zebra)- Males are a light blue with a bright orange dorsal fin. Females are brown with some hints of orange on the dorsal fin. Sometimes these fish can be found in albino. These fish can be aggressive towards each other and tankmates. Get to be 5-6 inches long.

Pseudotropheus socolofi(powder blue cichlid)- A solid blue fish that sometimes has a black strip running along it’s dorsal fin. The also come in albino know as ‘Snow White Socolfi”. These fish can be very aggressive towards each other and tankmates. Do better when housed with other mbuna with similar temperaments. Get to be 4-5 inches long. Males and females have the same coloration.

Pseudotropheus demasoni- A blue fish with wide vertical black stripes. These fish are extremely aggressive towards one another, they can be very aggressive with tankmates. It is recommended to keep these fish in large colonies of 12+ to help spread out aggression. Get to be 3-4 inches long. Males and females have the same coloration.

Species that are NOT recommended

Pseudotropheus lombardoi(Kenyi)- These fish are VERY aggressive towards one another and tankmates. Males are yellow with faint vertical stripes and females are a powder blue with vertical black stripes.

Melanochromis auratus (golden cichlid)- One of the most aggressive commonly found. Females are yellow with black horizontal stripes. Males are the opposite, mostly black with yellow/tan stripes.

Metriaclima crabro(bumblebee cichlid)- A large and extremely aggressive fish. Males can be almost black. Females tend to be yellow with black vertical stripes.

Sadly these overly aggressive fish are usually very commonly sold in fish stores. Be sure to research any species for adding them to your tank.

Tankmates for Mbuna

Generally mbuna will not get along with most commonly available community fish. Mbuna tend to do best with other mbuna. Some Synodontis catfish can work. Synodontis petricola make nice tank mates. Some plecos can work but it is hit or miss. Mbuna are capable of killing tankmates.

Diet

Most mbuna are herbivores and have a very long digestive tract. Feeding them foods too high in protein can lead to a condition known as Malawi bloat. To avoid this it is recommended to avoid feeding your mbuna meaty foods. Instead stick to a low protein pellet, veggie flakes and fresh vegetables. Fasting the fish for a day can also help to prevent bloat.

Breeding

Mbuna are maternal mouth brooders. Males will court a female by showing his best colors and “shimming” for her. The female lays eggs and picks them up in her mouth. While she’s doing this the male will show his “egg spots” located on his anal fin. The female will try and pick these “eggs” up and the male will fertilize the eggs she is holding. Females carry the eggs for 21-40 days and will not eat during this time. Once the fry are big enough the female will release them to fend for themselves. Mbuna breed fairly easily when provided with clean water and a safe environment.

Conclusion

A Mbuna tank is quite a site. They are hardy fish and are relatively easy to care for. Mbuna are active and interesting and their behaviors might surprise you. All that is needed is some planning and preparation. When considering a mbuna tank it is recommended to ask around to get advise that can help you set up a successful tank.

Here are some images of Mbuna Cichlids

If you liked this article, why not join the forum, and become a member

http://theaquarium.animal-world.com/forum.php

Further images, submitted by the author of this article

Blackskirt Tetra – Skirty

Black Skirty
"The fish of many colors… of skirts!"
2010-01-04

Dr. Jungle says…

"Ohh… I want one of those skirts that changes color with your mood. I think they call em ‘mood skirts’"

---

Here’s what Snehashis Sarkar says about Black Skirty:

"Its fun to see his skirt’s color changing whenever he gets scared."

"Now that is one fine specimen. His fins are almost perfect! Thanks for sharing Black Skirty here."

2010-01-04

Name:    Black Skirty
Type:     
Age:       2 years
Size:       1.5 inches, 15 gram
Cuteness: 11+ ("Who knew that cuteness comes in different colors depending on your mood?")

Next Page »