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Zebra Pleco Size, Information | Imperial Pleco Fish Price, Info

Filed under: Fish Species — Tags: , — Nik @ 5:50 am

Zebra Pleco Size

Also known as the Imperial pleco, the zebra pleco derives its name from the immediately recognizable zebra stripes and also possesses a substantially long snout and eyes that are set noticeably high in the head. The animal’s base color is whitish while the markings are black. One of the more definitive characteristics of the fish is the very noticeable inverted form of the letter ‘E’ on its forehead. Some specimens of the zebra pleco have stripes running parallel to the main band running across the fish’s body. The zebra pleco price, which is relatively high, does not seem to intimidate most enthusiasts as the species remains very popular. The average zebra pleco size may not be great but they do require large tanks because of their timid but territorial nature.

The zebra pleco’s natural habitat is around the Rio Xingu, which is a tributary of the Rio Amazon located in North Eastern Brazil. Housing them in a domesticated aquarium will require you to mimic their natural conditions, which are either soft or neutral water or the slightly acidic conditions of its natural stream. The water should be warm and well oxygenated at all times while there should also be good water movement. Organic waste within the water should always be maintained at a minimum level and never allowed to rise. Because of the fact that the zebra pleco does not eat algae efficiently, the fish needs to be fed plenty of protein rich food for it to remain healthy. The tank that contains the fish needs to be rather large and able to hold at least 30 gallons of water at a temperature of between 78 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The average zebra pleco size is about 8 to 9 centimeters and will usually take about 2 or 3 years to reach its full maturity.

The zebra pleco price will zone in around $60.00 for the cheaper ones and as much as $90.00 for the more expensive varieties. The general attitude of the zebra pleco is one of a shy and nocturnal fish whose tank mates should not be aggressive and prevent the zebra pleco from getting its share of the food. As a result, when the zebra pleco is first introduced into the tank, it is essential to make sure that the fish is getting its share of food. One method of telling their genders apart is to look at the fishes head with the male having a much broader head and the first pectoral fin ray of the male being thicker than the female. The female zebra pleco’s will lay about 7 to 15 eggs in each spawn with about 7 days to hatch.

Rainbow Cichlid Care, Info | Profile of Rainbow Cichlid Fish Species

Filed under: Fish Species — Tags: , — Nik @ 3:52 am

Rainbow Cichlid Care

Most of us who love to have a fish tank in our houses would also want to have some colorful fish in it. The Rainbow cichlid is one such fish that could be kept in your tank at home. However, it would help to get a complete Rainbow cichlid profile before you actually start rearing the fish. The article below would provide some light on the rainbow cichlid profile. Rainbow cichlid care would require you to firstly have a reasonable sized tank which has a few plants, rocks and wood in it. If you are keeping a pair, twenty nine gallons is the smallest size tank you could keep. If more than one pair, ensure that the tank is at least 4” in length. The water in the tank should be medium hard and the temperature should be 71°F to 78°F (22 to 26°C). Rainbow cichlids are omnivorous fish and generally eat most prepared or frozen foods. Rainbow cichlid care requires feeding them tubifex, flake food, cichlid food pellets, bloodworms and freeze dried krill. Food that is especially good for them is algae based flakes or plant matter. They relish live food and you can observe this by seeing the intense golden orange coloration when you add live foods to their diet. These fish are easy to breed. The eggs are laid on a flat surface and both the male and female care for them.

The Rainbow cichlid is a tropical freshwater Central America cichlid. The scientific name for it is Herotilapia multispinosa. The Rainbow cichlid originates from Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. If you have never kept a cichlid before, a Rainbow cichlid is the ideal one for you to begin with, as they are easy to maintain and breed. The body of the Rainbow cichlid is somewhat laterally compressed and elongated. The female rainbow cichlids are smaller than the male rainbow cichlid. The anal and dorsal fins of the males are more pointed than those on the females. As the males mature, they will also be more colorful than the female fish. The rainbow cichlid will change color according to its moods. This is a colorful fish, it does not grow very big and it is very peaceful. This fish should not be kept with very aggressive companions. These kinds of fish usually have a bright orange base with variable black markings along the length of their bodies. The fins, excluding the pectoral ones are edged in bright blue. These darken and can extend up to the lower portion of the body when these fish are breeding. Unlike other cichlid in Central America, this cichlid has tricuspid teeth. They use these teeth when feeding on the filamentous algae which are part of their diet in the wild.

Rainbow cichlid fish do not require any special care. They are easy to look after. You could read up any books on fish care if you still need any information on the Rainbow cichlid profile. These books are easily available in bookstores and libraries.

Shark Catfish Species Health Information | Shark Catfish Characteristics

Filed under: Fish Species — Tags: — Nik @ 6:05 am

Shark Catfish Information

The shark catfish belong to the family of fish called Pangasiidae. These shark catfish are generally found in brackish and fresh waters. They are normally located all over southern Asia, starting from Pakistan all the way to Borneo. One of the biggest known freshwater fish is the plant eating Mekong giant catfish Pangasianodon gigas. This is one of the endangered species and ranges among the 30 odd members of the catfish family. They can also be referred to as Hexanematichthys seemani, Arius jordani or Tachisurus seemani.

Physically the shark catfish can be identified by its elongated body which is silver in color and it has a belly that is white. The fins of the shark catfish are black and have white tips. The head tends to be broad and it has a large mouth. The eyes of the catfish are quite large and appear to protrude from its head. The Shark Catfish has three sets of barbels; one located on its upper jaw and two are located on the lower jaw. The upper jaw barbels are referred to as the maxillary barbels and then it has the chin barbels. An adult Mekong giant catfish only has the maxillary barbels. The color contrasts tend to fade with its age. The dorsal fin of the shark catfish is located quite far forward, and is set closer to the head. It is often triangular and high, which is why it has the common name. The anal fin of the shark catfish is lengthy, with almost 26 to 45 rays. Pangasiids are noted for their compressed body and their tiny adipose fin. They normally range in size from 60 cm when living in nature but in captivity they are rarely bigger than 38 cm.

An interesting point regarding pet health information for the shark catfish is that they are known to survive very well with the sand shark when kept in captivity. Some of the key points to note with regards to pet health care of the shark catfish is that the catfish needs a mix of fresh water and salt water in its tank. Catfish shark are known to be inhabitants of those sections of the ocean where the sea meets the river. The mixture of fresh and salt water is known as ‘brackish’ water. Some pet health issues to watch out for when one has a pet catfish shark is that even though they do not grow larger than a foot in length, some of them can develop a singular habit of swallowing any other pet inmates in the tank they share that is of a size to fit in its mouth.