The Oscar Fish

Can Oscar Fish Hear?

A very common question we often get asked is "can fish hear?".  The answer to this question is Yes fish can hear, but not in the same way we hear sounds.  Think about it, have you ever seen a fish with ears?  Of course not, a fishes hearing isn't the same as human hearing. You can shout as loud as you like, play music at full volume, a fish will not hear anything, don't believe me?  Try the experiment yourself.

So why is this then?  Fish don't have external ears like mammals, however they have got specialized hearing parts inside their head.  They also have an organ called the lateral line which they use to detect the tiniest vibrations in the water.   So if you were to play a radio very loudly outside the tank, the Oscar would not hear it.  

On the other hand, a lot of bass as we know creates a lot of vibrations, these vibrations could be transferred through the aquarium into the water. I've never experimented myself, but I strongly suspect very heavy vibration caused by a lot of bass could well upset your fish.

An Introduction to Livebearing Fish

Just as their name suggests, livebearers are fish that give birth to live, free-swimming young. However, in the aquarium hobby, the term live-bearer is commonly used to refer to a specific group of fish belonging to the family Poeciliidae. This group of freshwater fish includes perennial aquarium favorites such as mollies, guppies, and platies.

Caring for Live-bearers:

Livebearers are able to thrive in a variety of water conditions and do well in planted aquariums. Though peaceful in temperament, it is a good idea to keep several pairs of the same species to eliminate any potential aggression that may occur. Livebearers are omnivores and require both algae-based foods as well as meaty foods. A varied diet including algae-based flake food, along with freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex worms, and brine shrimp will provide proper nutrition to a wide range of different live bearer species.

With an average life expectancy between 5 and 7 years, livebearers are relatively long-lived. This allows most hobbyists to witness the birth of several generations of fry. In fact, one of the most fascinating aspects of keeping live-bearers is the rearing of young fry. Hobbyists of all ages will be immediately enthralled and discover a new joy to fish keeping. Live bearers provide depth and dimension to fish keeping, provide a fantastic learning experience for both children and adults, and nurture a life-long appreciation for the aquarium hobby.

Birth of Live-bearers:

For most hobbyists, their first experience with fry (baby fish) is often through livebearers. Without any effort on your part, you may discover that the livebearers you brought home have given birth to a small brood. Depending on water conditions, temperature, and diet some live bearers can have broods as often as every four to eight weeks. You can tell if a female is ready to give birth by her enlarged abdomen or a dark spot located near her anal fin. The spot will turn darker as her delivery date nears. But you must be watchful because some fish will eagerly feast on the newly hatched fry.

To prevent this from happening, place the pregnant female in a separate 5-20 gallon breeding tank just before she releases the fry. This nursery should have all the features of a regular aquarium including filtration (simple foam filters are a great choice), a heater, and some artificial plants for cover. Float the plants, as babies will hide at the surface when first born. Substrate is not necessary and having no substrate makes it easier to see and remove uneaten food. After the pregnant female has released all of her fry, remove the female and return her to the main display aquarium.

Raising Fry:

The fry should be fed a quality food, such as baby brine shrimp, baby fish food, or quality flake food ground into a fine powder. Feed the fry small amounts several times a day. Maintain good water quality by performing regular water changes. Using water from your established aquarium is a great way to acclimate the fry to water conditions of their future home. In about 4 to 6 weeks, the babies should be large enough to release into the main aquarium. But be sure the babies have grown larger than the mouths of adult fish. If it's not possible to set up a separate aquarium, drop-in breeders are a great alternative. Keep in mind that the babies will quickly outgrow and crowd the net breeder. The fry will need to be moved to a larger aquarium sooner to ensure proper growth.

No More Muddy Waters: 5 Aquarium Cleaning Tips

Man's best friend may be looking less like a pup and more like a fish. A recent survey from the American Pet Products Association revealed that more than 170 million freshwater fish are currently kept as pets in U.S. households. To put that into perspective, it's a number that far surpasses other types of pets featured in the survey, including cats (93.6 million), dogs (77.5 million), birds (15 million), and reptiles (13.6 million).

Perhaps the possible health benefits are part of the draw, as some studies have suggested the presence of an aquarium can be soothing to the point of actually lowering your blood pressure. Even if you don't buy that, fish are certainly easier to maintain than some other pets since they don't need to be walked or bathed.

Of course, fish are by no means maintenance-free. You do need to keep their aquatic surroundings clean, but not completely sterile, which can be even more harmful to your fish. This is because you run the risk of removing beneficial microorganisms such as nitrifying bacteria which help break down ammonia present in fish waste. This ammonia can become lethal if left intact, so a little "dirt" is a good thing.

What's the best way to make sure your tank is safe and sound for your fish? Let's take a look at the key steps for keeping your aquarium in check without going overboard.

 

How To's for Moving an Aquarium or Transferring to a Bigger One!

Their are alot of us fellow reefers out there who at one time or another have moved, therefore had to break down a tank and set it back up again at there new residence, or are wanting to upgrade to a bigger tank. And their will be many more who are in the process or will be crossing this path soon enough! So becuase of this, I am going to try to offer some help and experience since I have had to do this a few months ago. 

The first and foremost thing that needs to be accomplished is a game plan or strategy if you will. This will cover things such as supplies needed, where the tank is going to be set-up again, equipment needed, who is going to help you with the set-up and/or moving of your tank, and a detailed step by step as to how the move/transfer will take place. Trust me, I assure you that by visualizing these issues, it will make for a much smoother and less stressful time!!!

Let's Discus Fish Tank Mates

What other types of tropical fish can be successfully kept with discus?

Cardinal tetras are probably the best companion fish for your discus aquarium. First of all, a group of cardinal tetras are simply beautiful tropical fish. They are fun to watch. Cardinal tetras are also very suitable with the warm, acidic water that discus like. Finally, cardinal tetras are dither fish. Dither fish can have a strong calming effect on more timid, larger fish like discus. The small dither fish swim back and forth in the aquarium, out in the open. The discus notice that these small fish seem secure in their environment. That gives them a signal that everything is safe in their enclosed environment and allows them to come out into the open without any fear. If you ever have shy, skittish discus that always seem to hide, you might want to add a school of cardinal tetras to your aquarium.

Corydoras catfish are another good fish to add to a discus tank. Adding a few corydoras catfish to the tank will help with clean up maintenance. They will scamper around the aquarium looking for any particles of food that have not been eaten. This will help keep the aquarium water cleaner and your discus will be much happier for it. If you add coryadoras to you discus aquarium, try to keep the water temperature around 82 - 83 degrees. Corys don't like the higher temperatures. Sterbai Ancistrus are also suitable tank mates for your discus. These fish will help keep your tank clean by eating the unwanted algae that forms in your aquarium. Make sure you supplement the ancistrus's diet with some quality algae wafers on a regular basis and add a small piece of driftwood in your tank to help them digest their food.