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http://www.garybolton.co.uk
Family: Anostomidae
Species: Anostomus anostomus
Size: 18cm (7 inch)
Diet: Omnivorous
Tank levels: All
Habitat: Streams and rivers of the Orinoco and Amazon river systems in Guyana and Surinam
Remarks: This handsome, hardy species appreciates underwater roots and stout-leaved plants among which it can feed in its characteristic head-down position. it needs some green food and lots of space. This fish hardly ever rests.
Comments: The torpedo-shaped body of this species is yellow-gold with three broad, jagged-edged, dark bands running the length of the body. The flattened head carries a long, tapered snout and an acutely upturned mouth with a protruding lower jaw. The dorsal fin contains a red blotch, and the caudal fin has two bright red patches by the caudal peduncle.
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This fish comes from the "Tropical Fish" family species of fish. I hope you enjoyed this fish profile that I put together to help people to choose the right fish for the right aquarium tank setup you may own, or be thinking of buying in the future. If you require more information about keeping fish in general and what are the right fish to choose for your tank setups, you can always visit my site called "GB Aquarium" and see what’s posted new there and also join in the discussion taking place.
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http://www.garybolton.co.uk
Family: Anostomidae
Species: Abramites hypselonotus
Size: 13cm (5 inch)
Diet: Herbivorous
Tank levels: Middle and lower
Habitat: Streams and rivers
Remarks: This species swims and rests head-down in the typical manner of the Anostomidae family. A diet with a high vegetable content is recommended; it will devour aquarium plants. It may also be slightly intolerant of its own kind.
Other Names: High-backed Headstander, Striped Headstander. formerly classed as Abramites microcephalus.
Comments: Several broad, wavy, dark brown bands run obliquely over the pale yellowish body of this fish. A dark horizontal line runs from the tip of the snout back through the eye. Dorsal, pelvic, and adipose fins carry brown markings, and the base of the caudal peduncle has a dark edge.
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This fish comes from the "Tropical Fish" family species of fish. I hope you enjoyed this fish profile that I put together to help people to choose the right fish for the right aquarium tank setup you may own, or be thinking of buying in the future. If you require more information about keeping fish in general and what are the right fish to choose for your tank setups, you can always visit my site called "GB Aquarium" and see what’s posted new there and also join in the discussion taking place.
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http://www.garybolton.co.uk
February 2, 2008
Family: Characidae
Species: Pristella maxillaris
Size: 2.5cm (1 inch)
Diet: Omnivorous
Tank levels: All
Habitat: Inland waters of Venezuela, Guyana, and Amazonian Brazil
Remarks: This is a decorative, long standing aquarium favourite. Due to demand, most specimens are now commercially bred rather than wild caught.
Comments: The body shape of the X-Ray Fish follows the traditional tetra pattern, with equal curvature on dorsal and ventral surfaces. The main distinguishing feature of this fish is the lack of colour and apparent translucence. The internal organs in their silver sac are visible. If ever there was a strange looking fish species this is one for sure. Still, a very good species of fish for a community setup.
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This fish comes from the "Tropical Fish" family species of fish. I hope you enjoyed this fish profile that I put together to help people to choose the right fish for the right aquarium tank setup you may own, or be thinking of buying in the future. If you require more information about keeping fish in general and what are the right fish to choose for your tank setups, you can always visit my site called "GB Aquarium" and see what’s posted new there and also join in the discussion taking place.
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http://www.garybolton.co.uk
Family: Characidae
Species: Paracheirodon innesi
Size: 2.5cm (1 inch)
Diet: Omnivorous
Tank levels: All
Habitat: The natural riverine habitat is Amazonia, but most Neon Tetras are now commercially bred
Remarks: The Neon Tetra is hardy and peaceful but difficult to breed.
Comments: The slim body of this fish has the same unmistakable electric blue-green stripe as the Cardinal Tetra. Here, however, the front lower body is silver. Scales are well defined in the upper dorsal area, and the fins are generally clear. Females have a plumper bodies which ‘bend’ the stripe further. This has to be one of the most kept species of tropical fish, easy to keep and looks great in large shoals together in a well planted aquarium.
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This fish comes from the ‘Tropical Fish’ family species of fish. I hope you enjoyed this fish profile that I put together to help people to choose the right fish for the right aquarium tank setup you may own, or be thinking of buying in the future. If you require more information about keeping fish in general and what are the right fish to choose for your tank setups, you can always visit my site called ‘GB Aquarium’ and see what’s posted new there and also join in the discussion taking place.
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http://www.garybolton.co.uk
Family: Characidae
Species: Paracheirodon axelrodi
Size: 4.5cm (1 three quarter inch)
Diet: Omnivorous
Tank levels: All
Habitat: Slow-flowing waters in Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia
Remarks: For best colours (and breeding conditions), provide soft acidic water. This tetra is distinguished from other similar fishes like, Paracheirodon innesi and P. simulans, by the extent of the red band.
Comments: A striking, electric blue stripe adorns this fish, running from the snout, through the top half of the eye, to the adipose fin. The lower body is bright red, with a small, silver area along the front ventral surface. Females have deeper bodies. Unlike the Neon Tetra, this fish requires much softer water to keep and breed and should not be confused with the Neon Tetra for ease of keeping.
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This fish comes from the "Tropical Fish" family species of fish. I hope you enjoyed this fish profile that I put together to help people to choose the right fish for the right aquarium tank setup you may own, or be thinking of buying in the future. If you require more information about keeping fish in general and what are the right fish to choose for your tank setups, you can always visit my site called "GB Aquarium" and see what’s posted new there and also join in the discussion taking place.
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http://www.garybolton.co.uk
January 30, 2008
Sure, he?s adorable. That bouncy, little fluff ball boasting the new-puppy smell surely warms the heart and puts a smile on a proud, new pet owner?s face. But that puff ball is now all your responsibility! That means it?s up to you to keep the little mongrel healthy and up to date on all his shots.
You may be asking yourself, ?Didn?t he get his puppy shots at the shelter where I got him?? Maybe ? but there?s a little more to it than that. Immunizations keep puppies healthy and happy ? after all ? those natural antibodies from their moms only last for about six to eight weeks.
So, here?s what to expect when you take your four-legged friend to the vet:
? The First Visit ? (6 to 8 weeks old) Your veterinarian will give him a combination vaccine (DHPP) to protect him from four dangerous diseases: Canine distemper, infectious hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus infection.
? The Second, Third, and Fourth Visit ? (9 to 12 weeks old) He?ll get a second DHPP vaccination and possibly vaccinations against coronavirus infection, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, and kennel cough, depending on his risk for those diseases.
? The Fifth Visit ? (13 to 16 weeks old) He?ll get another DHPP and any others your veterinarian recommends, plus his very first rabies shot.
? The Last Visit?finally! ? (15 to 16 months old) He?ll get all of them again, then you?ll both be done.
After that, it?s all fun and games for you and your new pup ? with the exception of those yearly boosters he?ll need. These help keep vaccine levels high enough to offer ongoing protection. PETCO?s website has a great article on this if you need more information.
By the way, don?t worry about the scary needles; they probably intimidate you more than your unwitting puppy. Just give him a little doggie treat when it?s all done and he?ll quickly forget it ever happened!
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Jed Yorkshire is a retired teacher and pet enthusiast who writes about canine health topics, specialty breeds, animal training and grooming. An avid pet lover and breeder, he owns four beautiful Giant Schnauzers. Yorkshire also works as a private pet behavior consultant.
January 29, 2008
I don?t know how you feel carrying an extra 10 pounds around, but I usually feel bloated, sluggish and downright grumpy. So just imagine how Fido feels when he?s packing extra pounds!
As it turns out, my dog and I bulked up together ? so when it was time to slim back down to my skinny jeans and start feeling better about, well, everything, I started looking for ways to get my fat ? not fluffy ? pooch back down to a healthy size. And cruising around online is where I found my answers! (Aren?t the answers to all of life?s questions on the Web, anyway?!?)
Being a good dog owner, I took my furry friend to the vet before adjusting his diet or exercise routine ? just in case he wasn?t packing on sympathy weight and was really facing some health problems. As I suspected, he received a clean bill of health ? and I got some tips from my vet on how to transform my pup?s body.
According to my vet, I should:
? Reduce his caloric intake by 25% over a long period of time.
? Front-load his caloric intake by giving him more food in the morning than at night.
? Watch his weight loss ? if he?s losing more than 5% to 8% of his starting weight a month, take him back to the vet immediately!
Cruising online for other ways to help my plump pooch shed some pounds, I also stumbled across an article on PETCO?s site that had some great ideas, including:
? Pumping up play time with longer walks and varied activities to keep you both interested.
? Very slowly introducing your dog to reduced-calorie or higher-fiber foods
? Eliminating snacks and table scraps from his diet ? even if they?re seemingly healthy
Following these tips, my pooch and I have shed our excess pounds and are running, jumping and playing more than ever. Of course, we still like the occasional treats to reward ourselves for good behavior, but now we both get healthier treats ? like frozen yogurt (for me) and all-natural jerky for her.
We?re actually looking so good that we?ve even got a double date at the dog park this afternoon!
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Jed Yorkshire is a retired teacher and pet enthusiast who writes about canine health topics, specialty breeds, animal training and grooming. An avid pet lover and breeder, he owns four beautiful Giant Schnauzers. Yorkshire also works as a private pet behavior consultant.
Vaccinations are, no doubt, an important ingredient in keeping your dog or cat happy and healthy. But, as I found out with my prized pooch, Muppet, they?re not completely risk free. I thought I was being a good ?mom? by taking her to the vet for her scheduled shots, and I was, but you can imagine my surprise when she had an unusual reaction!
Within a few hours after her vaccinations, Muppet was moping around, looking forlorn and depressed ? wouldn?t eat, wouldn?t play. I assumed she was just a little groggy and left her alone. Then came the scary vomiting and diarrhea. Freaking out, I called my vet who reassured me that those reactions are not uncommon within a 24-hour period and to keep an eye on her. By the next morning, Muppet was back to her old self. Phew!
Still, having no idea that anything like this could happen, it was quite the wakeup call to me. I also found out that some pets can experience more severe allergic reactions to their shots ? like welts, facial swelling or shaking. If this happens, you should call your veterinarian immediately for instructions. Remember, these can start several hours or several days after getting the shots, so make sure you keep a close eye on your pet.
I know all this sounds scary, but don?t let the possibility of a reaction sway you from keeping your pet?s vaccinations up to date. Vaccines save the lives of countless pets every year. Besides, if your pet has a history of bad reactions, there are steps you can take to keep your pet safe during the next round of shots:
? Don?t get all his vaccinations done at once ? but don?t separate them by any more than two weeks. It not only cuts down on reactions, it also helps pinpoint which shot is the culprit.
? Don?t take your pet to a vaccination clinic. Clinics offer a streamlined service for healthy pets and are not meant to give individual attention to a pet with a history of vaccination reactions.
? Make sure your vet knows about your pet?s past reactions.
? Be prepared to pay for special pre-vaccination meds or observation in the hospital. Some medications can be used to stop allergic reactions before they happen, obviously, this will cost you more. Some vets also want to observe your dog or cat overnight in the hospital, just to be safe.
As long as you know that a reaction is a possibility, then you?ll be ready to deal with it if it happens. And remember, most dogs and cats are in and out of the vet?s office without any adverse reactions at all.
Make sure you talk to your vet about which vaccines are recommended annually for your dog or cat. You can find out more information about this and minimum age requirements for vaccinations on PETCO’s website.
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Jed Yorkshire is a retired teacher and pet enthusiast who writes about canine health topics, specialty breeds, animal training and grooming. An avid pet lover and breeder, he owns four beautiful Giant Schnauzers. Yorkshire also works as a private pet behavior consultant.
How does a puppy know that the carpet is not the right place for potty?
How do you expect her to know that a pee pad is the right place to pee
and not your bed? It is quite natural for a puppy to bark, whine and bite.
These are normal puppy behaviors and barking is the only way she knows
how to communicate. How do you expect her to understand that
excessive barking and biting is unacceptable if she is to live with
humans?
By spending time, energy and money for puppy training you can not only
avoid the aforementioned problems but also establish a bond of love and
companionship with your canine friend. Training is an inseparable
component of your puppy?s socialization. Training helps her to
familiarize with you and your house and makes her understand the
norms of living with humans and other animals.
Starting Basic Puppy Training
You can start training a puppy from about 4 to 6 months of age. It is possible to train older dogs, but it’s a lot harder. Don?t overdo these exercises, 10 minutes a day is adequate. You’ll find that your puppy tires fairly quickly, and a tired pup won’t learn anything. Be regular in your training sessions, taking him out at about the same time each day. Dress in the same shoes or jacket each training session, and the pup will soon associate those shoes or that jacket with training.
Training Your Puppy to ?Sit?
Training your puppy to sit is the basic command of obedience training.
The first step in instilling some discipline in your puppy is to make her
sit on command. The command ?sit? is very simple to teach and under
normal circumstances, your puppy can perfect this command within 4-6
weeks. Of course, much depends upon your persistence and patience.
Here are some simple steps to train your puppy to ‘Sit’:
- Stand in front of your puppy, holding a treat above her nose but
beyond her reach. The location of the treat is an important
consideration because if you hold it too high, she will tend to
jump to reach for it and if you hold it too low; you will find
yourself without a treat!
- Now, gradually move the treat from above her nose towards her
head and continue to trace this path towards her tail. All this
while, the puppy will try to maintain an eye contact with the
treat and will sit down in the process. The moment you see her trying to sit, call your puppy?s name followed by the word ?sit? in a clear and firm tone. For example, ?Fido, sit!?
The sit command is very important to control your puppy and instill
patience and discipline in her. Proper usage of the sit command can
help you prevent bad habits in your puppy such as jumping and begging
while you are eating. This will also help you in regulating her mealtime
jumping and restlessness. By training your puppy to ’sit’ on command,
you can also save her life in danger situations.
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