7 Ways to Stop a Dog From Peeing in the House.

There are two reasons why a dog may pee in your house, the first is simply the dog peeing for relief the second is the dog marking its territory in your house. To identify the difference between the two is quite easy, when the dog marks his territory he will normally do this by peeing on upright objects such as door frames, furniture and walls. When a dog pees to empty its bladder it will normally leave a large puddle on flat surfaces such as the floor.

Here are a few things you can do to try stop your dog from peeing in the house:

If the dog sleeps in the house try giving it water to drink earlier in the evening and before you go to sleep take the dog outside to pee. Don't limit drinking too much as you don't want to dehydrate your dog.

A dog that feels a sense of insecurity within the family may pee more often so it helps

How to Breed Koi for Profit.

Believe it or not, it's not as crazy as you might think to breed Koi fish for profit, as thousands around the world have done so with decent success rates. Knowing how to do it, though, is another matter altogether; let's review exactly what you need to do in order to breed Koi fish for profit and turn a very unique source of income into a business and a successful and profitable endeavor.

What's Your Breeding Stock Like? 

First and foremost, it's critical that you have a good Koi breeding stock to source from and begin breeding on your own, or else your job may be over before it begins. A good stock means working with a good supply of quality fish, and you may need to spend a

Great Fish For Your First Saltwater Aquarium.

If you're considering a saltwater aquarium then you probably already have some ideas of the fish you want to keep. You may not know all their names, but you at least have a mental image of what they look like and can picture them swimming happily up and down your tank already. But before you get too far ahead of yourself, let's take a closer look at those fish and see if you're headed for a tropical paradise or a underwater disaster.

What makes a good starter fish? 

First, we need to determine just what it is that makes a fish suitable for the beginner in the first place. Meeting every single one of these criteria for each fish isn't critical but doing so will ultimately mean less problems later.

Small Size- probably the most important, you need fish that will fit happily in your aquarium. 

Friendly- you also need fish that won't kill each other. 

Hardy- some fish are extremely delicate so avoiding them is key. 

Affordable- it's your first tank and mistakes are prone to happen; at least you can avoid them being costly mistakes.

Setting up a Saltwater Fish Tank.

A saltwater fish tank can be one of the most striking additions to any home or office. The color and brilliance of the fish and other saltwater creatures captivate just about everyone by bringing the color and activity of a coral reef right into your home.

If you are new to saltwater fish tanks then it is a good idea to seek the expert advice of a professional fish tank keeper before setting up your tank. It does take quite a bit of up-front work before you can even begin to introduce fish, corals, and anemones to a new saltwater aquarium. The water needs to be at the optimum ph, temperature and salt content before it is safe for living animals. Because the fish and other creatures are quite expensive it pays to have the tank properly set up otherwise you could end up with sick or dying fish whose cost is impossible to recoup.

The fish you can put in one of these aquariums are quite breathe taking. The lights of the tank help bring out the true colors of these fish and colored corals creating a lively vibrant habitat. One thing you can do to further the illusion of the deep blue sea is to add a solid blue background to your tank.

When it comes to choosing fish there are literally hundreds to choose from. Some of the choices include: Lion Fish, Puffer Fish, Clown Fish (think Nemo), Eels, Panther Groups, Trigger Fish, Shrimps, Crabs, and Dog Puffers. You do want to be careful with the shrimps, crabs and snails because they can and will eat any anemones you may have.

There are some saltwater aficionados who keep tanks with just living corals and anemones in them which can be quite colorful and entertaining, just at a more relaxed pace. You can keep some fish in these types of tanks but to be aware that some fish view coral and anemones as food. Even though anemones look like plants they are actually living creatures that need to be fed. This is actually quite fun because you can hand feed them. You place the on top of the anemones tentacles and then watch it curl itself around the food as it draws it into its mouth. It's quite an amazing thing to watch.

You will also need to research the type of fish you are interested in to see how they get along with other types of fish. It is important to remember that the dynamics of a saltwater fish tank will be much like that in a real coral reef. There is prey and there are predators so it makes sense to not mix certain types of fish that have this type of relationship.

There are also some types of saltwater fish that are poisonous with Lion Fish being the most notable example. They are pretty to look at and add to any tank but the spines on their fins are highly toxic if you get stung. If this does happen you will need to seek medical help.

Along With the Tank, What Other Saltwater Fish Aquarium Equipment Do You Need?

Saltwater fish aquariums are not as easy to look after as you would first imagine. In fact it is best before you go out and buy a saltwater fish aquarium, that you spend time learning about all the aspects of having one.

Unfortunately when it comes to keeping a saltwater fish aquarium, it is not a simple case of your bringing the tank home, filling it with water and putting the fish into it. You need to learn about how to set it up correctly, as well as learning about how to maintain your aquarium once it is set up.

Heating And Lighting For Your Saltwater Fish Aquarium

The most popular type of heater used in aquariums that contain tropical fish, is the submersible ones which contain a thermostat. These particular types of heating systems that are available for your tank help to keep the water within, at a temperature which the live fish find comfortable.

All species of marine life like to be kept in water that is at a constant temperature of around 75 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit. These conditions are ideal for the saltwater fish in your tank, as this is the temperature at which they were kept in the tanks at the tropical fish store where you purchased them.

If you have a large sized aquarium, then it is crucial that, rather than purchasing one heating system for it, you purchase two. These should then be placed at either end of the tank to ensure that the water within is heated to the correct temperature at all times. Plus it is advisable to have a thermometer (some of which stick to the outside of the aquarium) to help you monitor the temperature within.

Lighting is crucial in any tank as not only does it make it look good, but also you will find that it is important to the health and well being of the fish kept within. Through the use of the right lighting, then the correct 8 to 10 hour light cycle can be produced, which will then simulate the conditions of life in the wild for the species that you have in your saltwater fish aquarium.

You have a choice between either installing fluorescent lights in your tank, or the much newer form of lighting known as metal halide. Certainly the metal halide lights are the right ones to have in a reef tank where corals live. This is because it helps to promote the growth of algae which the coral requires in order to thrive.

Other Important Equipment For Your Salt Water Fish Aquarium

Another important piece of equipment that you will need for your aquarium is something to cover the base of the tank. When it comes to keeping tropical aquarium fish, then you have the choice of two different ways of covering the base of the tanks to start with.

Generally most people who have a saltwater fish aquarium in their home choose to have both marine sand and live rocks in theirs. Not only do the rocks look great but they have a function to help maintain the tank and ensure it remains safe for the fish that are kept in the aquarium.

As well as being suitable for use in a saltwater fish aquarium, the marine sand and live rocks are suitable for use in reef and coral tanks as well. The rocks actually have their own bacteria living on them which helps to filter the water within the tank, and reduces the levels of ammonia and nitrate which can build up in a saltwater fish aquarium.

The Types of Saltwater Fish Aquarium Setups.

Saltwater fish aquarium setups need to be planned carefully and you need to make sure that you have purchased all the right equipment first. As you will soon discover, there is really no right or wrong way in which one should be setting up a saltwater fish aquarium, but you do need to know the basic procedures. Also it is a good idea to plan in advance before you actually start working on setting up your first saltwater aquarium.

What Kind Of Saltwater Fish Aquarium Should One Choose?

When it comes to setting up a saltwater fish aquarium, one first has to make a decision what kind of saltwater aquarium system it is you want. There are three different types of saltwater fish aquariums to select from, and each one needs to be set up in a slightly different way from the others. These are known as the Fish Only (FO), the Fish Only With Live Rock (FOWLR) and the Reef Tank systems.

The first saltwater fish aquarium system, known as the Fish Only system contains only fish such as Angelfish, Clownfish or Guppies. It does not contain any kind of coral or live rocks, but rather will contain artificial, dried or synthetic ones along with shells.

The second saltwater fish aquarium system is known as Fish Only With Live Rock. While these kinds of saltwater fish tanks do contain live rocks, they do not contain live corals. They will have some live invertebrates and crustaceans, as well as sessile invertebrates in the tank also. Sessile invertebrates are those which are capable of growing on live rock.

The third and final saltwater fish aquarium system is known as the reef tank setup. This system of aquarium not only contains various species of saltwater fish and marine life, it will also include live rocks and corals, as well as sessile and motile invertebrates and maybe some crustaceans also. You may even find with this particular saltwater aquarium, that some aquarists prefer not to keep fish in theirs.

What Next When Setting Up A Saltwater Fish Aquarium?

Once you have made a decision with regard to the kind of saltwater fish aquarium you want from the three mentioned above, you need to now start purchasing the right equipment and supplies for your saltwater fish tank. Along with the tank, you need good lighting, good filters and filtration system (which will help to remove food and waste from the saltwater aquarium tank), substrate (sand/gravel), a good heater and a thermometer. Also you will need the right kind of saltwater or sea salt mixture to turn your freshwater into saltwater.

The other supplies that you will need, along with the ones we have mentioned above, are a hydrometer, a test kit, supplements and additives, such as calcium and nitrate and particular tools that will help you to care for and maintain the saltwater fish tank.

When keeping a saltwater fish aquarium, it may well be advisable to purchase these other supplies for yours also, but you do not need to. A power head is a great tool for your saltwater fish tank as it makes sure that the water actually circulates around the entire aquarium properly, and throughout the whole system. A protein skimmer is advisable, as this can help you to remove any yellow waste products produced by the fish after feeding, and ensure that your fish remain healthy.

Five Different Kinds of Saltwater Aquariums.

When starting a saltwater aquarium there are several things you need to know. In this article I will go over the five main types of marine aquariums. Before we get into each type in detail, here are a few things to keep in mind. Typically saltwater aquariums have less fish than a freshwater tank of the same size. This is because saltwater fish tend to be larger than freshwater fish. Pet stores usually get their fish from breeders and aqua-farms or they are caught in the wild. Whenever possible you should by captive bred fish as opposed to ones caught in the wild. Generally captive bred fish are easier to take care of and hardier. Also it is difficult for wild caught fish to adjust to life in an aquarium. For example fish that are used to eating live prey don't adapt well to eating flake food.

As with freshwater fish, saltwater fish can be from cold water or warm tropical regions. You cannot keep these two different kinds together for apparent reasons. Mainly because of the differences in water temperatures. Since the tropical variety of fish tend to have beautiful and colorful markings which make them more desirable to hobbyist, they are more available than their cold water cousins. Most people are more familiar with a number of tropical saltwater fish whether they know it or not! Everybody knows what a clownfish is especially after the movie "Finding Nemo." But have you ever heard of the Shanny or Tompot Blenny? Those are some examples of cold water species.

Fish Only Tank

There are five main types of saltwater aquariums that you can choose from. The first type is referred to as a fish only tank. Because of its simplicity, this is the easiest to care for. In this type of system you only have fish, no corals or invertebrates.

Invertebrate Only

The second kind of saltwater tank is an invertebrate only tank. In an invertebrate only tank you will find shrimp, prawn, hermit crabs and possibly even a sea cucumber! An invert only tank may house only corals, especially the kind that have special requirements or are too delicate to place in other types of marine tanks. These tanks can be more tricky than fish only systems because of certain requirements of the inhabitants and because inverts tend to be less tolerant of fluctuations in water conditions.

FOWLR Tank

The third type of marine tank is a Fish Only With Live Rock tank or FOWLR for short. FOWLR tanks have inverts, corals, fish, and also live rock. This type of tank requires yo to do some research. The research should include: which kinds of fish and inverts can live together peacefully, the specific requirements of each species, and whether you can meet those requirements. Can the two fish you are thinking of get along or will one become a meal for the other one? FOWLR tanks are harder to treat if you have a disease outbreak such as saltwater ich because some medications will kill inverts. So you have to have room for a separate hospital or quarantine tank for medicating purposes. Don't get me wrong this type of tank is amazing to watch the different fish and inverts interact and with a little preparation they can be very successful.

Reef Tank

The fourth type of aquarium is called a reef tank or coral reef tank. These tanks house not only fish and inverts, but also corals.

Some hobbyist take it a step further and try to create a reef scene from a specific part of the world, such as the Red Sea coral reefs or Great Barrier Reef. They would plan out the tank's inhabitants using only species found on that coral reef. Once again, know the requirements of any creature you plan to include. Some corals may need high intensity lights to produce algae they need to survive. Or certain breeds of fish may eat certain types of coral, or other fish!

Species Tank

Lastly, you have what is called a species or specialty tank. A species tank houses one specific breed of fish or sometimes only one fish because of either the nature of the fish or the nature of the breed. Sea horse would be an example of a species tank because sea horses have very specific needs which would be hard to meet in a reef tank. They are slow eaters so they couldn't be housed with aggressive fish who would eat all the food before they had a chance to get any. Sea horses swim vertically and not horizontally so they need a tall tank rather than a long shallow tank. Other examples of fish for a species tank could include sharks, rays, lion fish, and octopus. These would be best kept in their own tank.

So there you have it, five different types of tanks to consider. No matter which one you decide to model, always research the types of fish, corals, and inverts you think you want to have first. This is the most important thing you should do before you purchase anything! You don't want to stock your tank only to find one fish terrorizes all the others or that your angel fish made a snack out of the expensive corals you bought last week! Be sure you can provide for all the requirements of your tanks inhabitants. If you do these things, you'll be on your way to a successful tank!

Starting a Saltwater Aquarium - FOWLR - Fish Only With Living Rock.

Fish only with live rock (FOWLR) aquariums can be an amazing and beautiful addition to your home. Besides seeing it on T.V. how else can see such colorful and amazing marine life? Saltwater (FOWLR) aquariums contain saltwater fish and living rock. Other creatures that can live in this type of tank are snails, crabs, and urchins. The great thing about a FOWLR tank is that the rock filters the water naturally. These aquariums are also much easier to setup and maintain compared to a coral reef aquarium. There are basically two types of FOWLR aquariums that you can setup: one for aggressive fish or one for peaceful fish. We suggest not mixing the two.

Aggressive Fish

These creatures are beautiful, but are really the bullies in a coral aquarium. They do however live peacefully in a FOWLR aquarium. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Large Angelfish 

Large Angelfish are a vey unique and striking fish. They dart all over the aquarium and help keep the tank clean by eating algae in the rocks.

Surgoenfish (Tangs) 

Surgonfish have scalpel-like spines on both sides of it's tail. This is a defense mechanism. They like to hide and prefer a large tank.

Triggerfish 

Triggerfish have a rectangular shape and sow in several different colors. They are called triggerfish because their dorsal fun has a strong bone that is used to help hold their position in the rocks.

Pufferfish 

Pufferfish look like they have a beak and have really strong jaws that they use to eat crustaceans. It is common for pufferfish to even eat out of someone's hands!

Peaceful fish

Dartfish 

Dartfish are small and colorful fish. They have a long and elegant look. They are an active fish and even like to jump, so make sure you keep the lid on your tank

Cardinalfish 

Cardinalfish are also very elegant. They have very interesting color patterns. They like to live in groups and are not too hard to breed in your tank.

Squirrelfish 

Squirrelfish do not like acorns and have fluffy tails. They are red and bring some color to your FOWLR aquarium. They are also a very social fish.

Are Saltwater Aquariums Hard? - Five Things That Can Make Keeping a New Saltwater Tank Difficult.

Are saltwater aquariums hard? That is a question that many people interested in marine tanks often ask. It is also a question that has many answers depending on many things, things that are often controllable by the person planning the tank. Below you find some of the things that make saltwater aquariums hard to keep and are easy to avoid.

Things That Can Make Saltwater Aquariums Hard To Keep

Buying Small Tanks- If this is your first attempt at keeping a marine aquarium you should bu a tank that is at least 30 gallons or larger. Anything smaller will require more attention to detail and water quality and be less forgiving to a beginners mistakes.

Unknowingly Keeping Difficult Fish- One huge and common beginner saltwater aquarium mistake is to buy marine fish for your tank that will not survive in captivity or fish that are very delicate. To avoid this stick with some good common beginner saltwater fish like clown fish, damsels and other easy to keep fish.

Setting It Up Like a Freshwater Tank- Many people think they can setup their new saltwater tank just like a freshwater tank. Many use an under gravel filter and just like in their freshwater tanks. This is a recipe for disaster and sick fish. Instead use a good canister filter or a sump style filter with a good protein skimmer to filter your water properly.

Constant Tinkering With The Tank- Another common mistake many people make with a new marine aquarium is to always have their hands in the tank re arranging the decoration and things like that. That is one sure way to stress your fish and make them sick.

Adding To Many Fish To Fast- Overstocking is a sure fire way to have saltwater fish that are stressed, fighting and dieing. As a good rule of thumb start off keeping only one clown fish sized fish for every ten gallons of tank volume. Add the new fish slowly waiting about a week between new additions, adding them to fast can over whelm a new aquarium system and an ammonia spike could occur and kill all of your saltwater fish.

Four Easy Tips To Make Your Saltwater Tank Thrive!

Food

The most important need that any creature has is the necessity for food. It is important to mimic the kind of food that a fish would usually eat in the ocean. Before buying a fish, find out what it usually eats in the wild. Some fish are used to eating live prey. Some have very specific dietary needs that you may not be able to provide for, such as if the fish only eats a specific kind of sponge coral. Most fish, especially if they are tank raised eat flake, frozen, or freeze dried food. These varieties are readily available at your local pet store. The cool thing about fish food, especially if you have a small tank, is that they don't go through it the way that dogs or cats go through food. A 2.2 ounce container of flake food can last upwards of a year for a small tank! In addition to food, there are vitamins that may be added to the meals to replace any nutrients that may have been lost in the freezing or drying process.

Just as we humans do not prefer to eat the same thing every single day, neither do fish. If possible, keep several varieties of food on hand. For my clownfish I keep flake food and freeze dried brine shrimp. These two types of food are available at my local pet store and quite cost effective being as a meal to them is only a few flakes at a time.

Do not overfeed!

Watch out to not over feed the fish. This can cause a build up of debris with in the tank. Only feed an amount that can be consumed within the first two to five minutes. Attempt to remove any excess food after feeding time in order to keep the tank tidy. Keep in mind how much was consumed previously and attempt to replicate that on the subsequent feedings. Over feeding fish is a common mistake, especially among new aquarium owners.

Provide a natural habitat

Have you ever heard the saying that a happy baby is a healthy baby? Effectively, the same is true for fish. Fish must be made to feel as safe and secure as possible in their new home. It is best to try to recreate their natural habitat. Research to seek out what kind of particular corals, sponges and plants the fish have in their open water environment. If a particular fish lives on a coral reef, attempt to incorporate that into the grand scheme of the aquarium. Also consider the swimming habits of the fish you intend to keep. Regal tangs and tangs in general like wide open swimming spaces. Other species are shy and need a lot of hiding spaces. By providing a natural environment stress will be minimized by offering ample opportunities for fish to behave normally.

Don't overcrowd!

Avoid overcrowding the tank. Overcrowding occurs when there are too many fish in the tank. This is a frequent problem that cam be easily avoided. A general rule of thumb is one small fish per every ten gallons of water.

Goldfish Care 101

There is a lot of ignorance when it comes to goldfish keeping, and this leads to the reduced life of these wonderful fish. Most of the time, people get goldfish because they do not want to commit to keeping a 'real pet'. We generally assume that they are going to die soon anyway and therefore don't think twice about getting one or two from the pet store. Before you can go and buy a goldfish, stop and first read these care guidelines and spare the poor creature its life.

When it comes to goldfish care, three areas need to be considered and these are the tank, the water and the fish itself.

The Tank

First of all, fish cannot survive in a bowl. Not only are they tiny, but they also have poor air quality and needless to say the fish really has nothing to do except swim around in circles. Bowls provide terrible homes for fish and if you must keep a goldfish, invest in a large tank or aquarium. One of the most important things you can do for your fish is to ensure that its home has a gravel floor. Gravel does not affect the water's pH and is great for hosting good bacteria.

The Water

Goldfish are not weaklings, and contrary to what most people think they do not require heating. The main problem comes in with changing temperatures and as a general rule do not let the waters go under 54 degrees F (12 degrees C). Large water changes are always more suitable than small water changes. Goldfish tend to produce a lot of waste which then combines with the decaying plants and uneaten foods, consequently increasing the levels of ammonia and nitrates in the water. Ammonia is especially toxic to the fish and you need to encourage the growth of good bacteria by changing water weekly and having a good filtration system in place.

The Goldfish

How you care for the fish matters. These fish get stressed easily and factors such as overcrowding, insufficient space, low water levels and sudden changes to light and temperature are just some of the things that lead them into shock. It should come as no surprise that the fish love to feed but as you may have noticed they don't stop feeding, so be careful not to over feed them.

Keeping goldfish is not rocket science, caring for them is rather easy. If you are thinking of getting a goldfish because it's pretty and cool then by all means do so but give the fish the care it deserves.