fish Info

* A fish is a good ‘first pet’ for an interested child.

* To avoid overcrowding, adhere to: ½" of fish per gallon of water.

* Different fish have different needs, do your homework!

* Live plants are best providing oxygen, food and nitrites.

* Use 2pds. of rinsed/clean gravel per gallon of water.

* When using salt, use aquarium salt, not table salt.

* Feed a varied diet including flake, frozen and freeze dried foods.

# Guppies originally came from Trinidad and Central America. They’ve spread all through out South America and Africa and are also found wild in southern Australia. In the wild they are hardy fish, but in aquariums they are sensitive requiring clean and well oxygenated water. They generally grow to around only 5cm.

# Guppy colouration is variable. They may be silvery grey, with a bright silvery blue tail, or they may have yellow or red flecks. The tails are large and fan-like and can be bright red with black trimming of have dark blotches with patches of blue, red and yellow shading.

# Angelfish come from the Amazon region, and grow up to fifteen centimetres long. They like soft water, slightly acidic (PH 6.5 to 6.9).

# Angel fish like a varied diet.

# Their baby fish are called fry.

# The female fish lays or spawns eggs and the male then moves in and fertilizes them. They take it in turns to pass over the spawning site until several hundred or more eggs have been laid. Hatching occurs in 36-48 hours. Unfertilized eggs turn white within hours.

# Goldfish are the most common household pet in the world, they are from Asia.

# Goldfish history can be traced back over 1500 years to Ancient China. Today 'Jaws' in the most popular name for a goldfish. They were introduced to Australia in 1876 and are now widely distributed in streams and ponds through the southern half of the country.

# There are over 100 varieties and goldfish come in many colours from bright yellow to black, which relate to the habitat they live in. A goldfish will turn white when placed in a dark room. A male goldfish is usually thinner with breeding spots on the head and flanks during the spawning season. If you are close enough to see you can also check the anal section, which is concave in the male and convex in the female.

# Goldfish can grow up to 45 cm, and often grow up to 30 cm. 20-25 cm at 5-6 years is considered normal. They can live up to 30 years but usually live for 9 or 10. Despite their reputation they are very intelligent and recognize the person who feeds them.

# They have large eyes and very good eyesight, they are sensitive to bumps and loud noises. You should never tap on their tank or switch on bright lights suddenly.

# fish have been on the earth for more than 450 million years.