How to care for Barbs and Puntius

If you intend to own fish it is important that you learn fish care and how to upkeep aquariums. Fish are living beings that require food, oxygen, water, attention, and a clean atmosphere.

If you are not prepared to maintain fish health, water, and aquariums, you are probably better off collecting rocks.

The advantage you have today is that most modern aquariums are self-sufficient. The tanks include switches and controls, which enable you to regulate lights, filters, food, dosage, and so on.

In addition, today’s tanks enable you to handle a large volume of plants and fish without stressing over water conditions, and purities. Test kits are available that enable you to control the waters chemical intake. To get started we can consider a few types of fish to help you better select breeds.

Barbs are one of the largest groups of fish that offers variety in aquarium waters. The fish are typically happy-go-lucky creatures, which have colorful designs. The active fish are the easiest to feed; as well, the fish are not finicky when it comes to water conditions.

Marine fish include the Acanthurus leucosternon and Acanthurus lineadae. The first breed is the Powder Blue Surgeonfish. The Surgeonfish come from the family of Acanthuridae, which dwells in the tropical Indo-Pacific Oceans.

This pressed oval shape fish has a small mouth and pectoral fins. The fins are long. In addition, the fish has low, shallow notches around his caudal fins. Powder Blue Surgeonfish have black masked face, sky blue body, and yellow stripes around the lower jaw and striped down the scalpel spine. White bars contrast the multi-colors. Powder Blue Surgeonfish grow up to 11 ¾ inches in size.

Powder Blue Surgeonfish Environmental Preferences

Powder Blue Surgeonfish prefer water temperatures at 77 degrees to 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Powder Blue Surgeonfish prefer substrate environments, as well as a pH balance at 8.2 to 9.4. Water density should be around 1.020 at all times.

The tank should have good lighting. As well, the tank should be large and have a sandy bottom. The Powder Blue Surgeonfish is a good tank fish, since it feeds of algae. The downside is the fish will eat smaller creatures. The fish will also eat the flesh of Enchytraea mussels. In addition, the fish will eat particular shrimps, such as the Mysis. Powder Blue Surgeonfish will also eat dried foodstuffs, as well as vegetables.

Loach fish come from the family of Cobitidae, Acanthophthalmus Semicinctus, and the Botia Macracantha group. Online you will find helpful information that will inform you about the different types of fish, which in this article we will cover, a small selection.

Acanthophthalmus Semicinctus

Acanthophthalmus Semicinctus includes the various Loach families. Loach fish such as the Acanthophthalmus Semicinctus breeds come from India. The fish mature to 3 ½ inches in size. Acanthophthalmus Semicinctus is commonly known as the Half Band Coolie fish, which the off breeds include the European group.

Half Band Coolie Loaches has a body like a snake. The body resembles an Eastern Coral Snake, in that the yellow and black shades offset a pinkish colored belly. Acanthophthalmus Semicinctus includes the sub-species and distinct species.

Acanthophthalmus Semicinctus are generally communal fish, which have a calming nature. The tanks however should have minimal plants, as well as deposits of debris. (Peat) These breeds of Half Band Coolies tend to hide.

The fish enjoy feasting on photosynthetic organisms, as well as Tubifex. The fish will eat all sorts of food, yet they require a clean water system. Half Band Coolie fish often do not stress water condition, yet the fish are inclined to moderate or neutral waters. The water temperature should remain at 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

Catfish include the body of Siluridae, which is actually off springs of the Catfish. The European catfish, including the naked skinned fish is kin to the Asiatic group. The translucent layers of skin makes the Siluridae group one of the less desired aquarium fish.

Next to the Siluridae is the group of Glass Catfish, which are listed under the Kryptopterus Bicirrhis group. The fish derived from the Greater Sunda Islands, as well as from the lands of India. This group of catfish grow 3 ½ inches in size, and appear as powerfully pressed translucent fish with glass-like bodies. The anal fins have an extended baseline. The upper jaw line has a pair of whiskers, otherwise known as barbell.

The Glass Catfish are best suited with its own kin. The fish tends to stand off into the background, lurking the tank. Catfish will eat from top layers of the water, and will feast on living foods. This particular fish has not been bred while in captivity, and its breed does not have a particular or preferred water condition.

Kin to the Glass Catfish is the Mockokidae. Mockokidae derive from African waters. The naked Mockokidae, as well as many other catfish are helpful fish, since these fish feed off biochemicals, which makes these fish scavengers.