Value Aquatics

The cichlids of lake Malawi and Tanganikan are very active and colourfull fish and will always produce a stunning display, they require a water ph around 8-8.5, and are very teritorial and aggressive, Give Mbuna plenty of rocky caves to hide in and slightly over stock the tank, you should be looking to keep a community of 30-40 fish in a 4ft tank

Large cichlids, Angel fish and Discus should be avoided by the complete beginner, until they have grasped the basics of keeping a healthy community of fish, and have decided they would like more of a challenge. These fish are certainly more rewarding but require a lot more time and effort dedicated to their upkeep, to produce the right results. For example to sucessfully keep and grow young Discus to a good size, will require frequent feeding of high quality frozen foods, daily water changes, and close attention to water quality and ph.

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The type of fish you are going to keep, will basically dictate what type of equipment and aquarium you will need to purchase. It is worth looking through some books, magazines or checking out the internet to get an idea of what you fancy, and spending time at your local pet shop, or garden center. Most Aquatic outlets are owned by hobbyists and they should offer you plenty of advice and guidance. It may be worth asking them about there policy should you decide to return some fish, you may decide after keeping tetra’s and gourami’s for six months that you would like to keep something a little more challenging, and returning your fish will be your only option should you fancy a complete change.

Common Tropicals
There are a lot of common tropical fish which will thrive in a mixed community, you should choose young fish of similar sizes, and buy a pair, a trio or small group of fish. Think about were the fish will swim and how active they are, and pick a range of fish that will compliment one another.

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If your new to the hobby and you’re thinking of setting up an aquarium then the following pages should be of some use. Before you make your purchase you should have a good idea of what you want, and how much it will cost, If you feel we have missed anything out of this section please let us know via the contact us page and we will add the missing information.

Budget

You should have a rough idea of what its all going to cost, and how much you can afford to spend. If your budget is limited then think about buying second hand equipment. Your local pet shop will probably have some second hand equipment, and there will certainly be plenty of tanks for sale in your local newspaper. There is nothing wrong with buying second hand equipment as long as you inspect it closely before purchasing, and shop around a little , there are plenty of nearly new aquaria for sale, if you search hard enough. If you are buying second hand then take a friend who has some experience in the hobby, if purchasing a second hand tank, inspect the glass for scratches before purchasing.

Here is an example of how costs can mount up NEW VERSUS OLD:

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Eyes - The eyes are just forward of the gills. Koi can see in two directions at same time - to either side of the body as well as above or below on each side. Nostrils - The nostrils are just forward and slightly above the eyes. The nostrils are used purely for scent.

Barbel - The barbels located are located on the upper lip of the koi and contain many sense receptors to help locate food.

Gills - Gills have a similar function to the lungs. The gills are served by a series of fine blood vessels. As the water passes over the gills, oxygen is absortbed through the blood vessels and then transported directly to the body. Carbon Dioxide is return to the water via the gills.

Fin (Pectorial) - The pectorial fins are paired and located on the lower sides of the koi. They can be used to rotate the koi almost on the same axis, this is done by one fin working in the other direction to the other. The also act as the main braking fins, they achived this by placing the fins out to provide a large surface area to the water. They also use them when looking for food to stir up the bottom.

Liver - The liver helps remove waste from the blood and controls the use of digested food. It also produces bile which is used in the digestion and absorption of fat.

Gall Bladder - Located just below the liver, the Gall Bladder stores bile and releases it to help with digestion.

Fin (Pelvic) - The pelvic or ventral fins are paired and located on the lower sides of the koi approx mid body. The pelvic fins enable the koi tp rise or descend as it swims, you could say they act as hydrofoils.

Spleen - The spleen produces lymph cells (a yellow fuild consisting mostly of blood plasma and white blood ceels) and stores red blood cells.

Repoductive organs - The internal sex organs of the male are the testes and the ovaries of the female. In both the male and female they are located below the swimbladder. Eggs and sperm exit the boby via the gonopores which is located just in front of the urinary opening. The gonopores are connect by the gonoduct.

Anal Pore - The anal pore is located just forward of the anal fin. The waste products of the koi’s digestive system are expelled via the anal pore. Water in the form of urine is also expelled via the anal pore.

Urinary Bladder - The urinary bladder plays an important part for the koi. As the salt content of the koi is higher then that of the water in which it lives the koi’s body is continually taking in water which tries to equalize the salt concentation, this is known as osmosis. As a result of this process the koi must release the excess water, otherwise it would blow up like a balloon.
Anal Fin - The anal fin located just forward of the tail and is primary for stabilisation.

Caudal or Tail - The caudal (tail) acts as the koi’s rudder and can be used to gain maximum speed/thrust.

Kidney

Swim Bladder - The swimbladder, located just below the backbone consists of 2 different size chambers. Fish adjust their position by inflating or deflating these chambers, this changes the density relative to the surrounding water. In conjunction with the auditory system it controls the fishes orientation, level at which they swim etc.

Dorsal Fin - The dorsal fin located on the top of the koi is the major stabilizing fin. It works in a similar fashion to a keel on a ship by keeping the koi upright. Koi can lower the dorsal fin to create a more streamlined effect when the koi needs to move at faster speeds.

Lateral Line - The lateral line runs roughly along the mid-body of the koi. The lateral line is a row of special pores that open into a channel which runs to the head and brain of the koi. The channel is filled with a viscous solution which is extremly sensitive to vibrations in the water.

Ears - Fish have internal ears that repsond to vibrations within the water. The auditory canal is connected to swin bladder and is used for balance.

Mouth - The mouth of Koi are located in an inferior position - not quite at the tip of the head but slightly below. This indicates that it has bottom feeding habits.

Colour - The colour variations in koi is determined by the amount of guanin cells (reflective tissue) in the skin below the scales (dermis). The guanin cells contain waste by-products of the bodies metabolism. The outlayer (epidermis) cells contain colour pigments, these are Erythrophores (contain red or orange pigment granules), Melanophores (contain the black pigment melanin), Xyanthophores (contain yellow pigment granules). Their placement in the skin will determine the colour of a koi. The more complete the guanin cell layer, the more metalic the apperance of the koi as and if this layer is partially or completly missing more colour are visable deeper.

Mucus Layer - The mucus layer covers the entire external area of the koi. The mucus layer provides protection for bacteria and fungus and gives the koi there slippery feel. It is therefore important that you hands are wet before handing koi, to ensure that the mucus layer is not damaged.
Digestive System - The digestive system of koi is more or less like that of any higher animals but differs from many as the koi doesn’t have a stomach as such. Food enters via the mouth and is crudly crushed by the pharyngeal teeth (bony projections from the gill supports). From there it passed into esophagus and then into the intestines. The anterior part of the in intestines are swollen and look a lot like a stomach. The intestines long and coiled, usually 4-5 times the length of the koi. The is due to the fact the the vegetable matter eaten by the koi require more time within the body to be broken down so that the goodness is released. The intestines exit the body at the anal pore.

Nervous System - The nervous system of a koi consists of optic and other sensory nerves that radiate from the head. Fine fibers at the nerve endings transmit and receive message to the koi’s brain, which is relatively simple. The koi’s spinal cord helps protect the central nervous system which extends to all parts of the body.

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If your looking for a starter aquarium for your children as a Christmas gift then here it, is! The Elite Aquarium is a plastic complete coldwater aquarium set upWith proper care Goldfish will grow, so consider a larger aquarium than necessary, and avoid putting too many fish in one tank!

The Elite Plastic Goldfish Aquarium includes: A Hinged Lid for Easy Access for filter maintenance and feeding!
Elite Mini Internal Filter (Stingray in the 21 ltr model), Quite, Simple to set up, and effective
Two Artificial Plants
Colour Co-ordinated Gravel
Nutrafin 30ml Aqua Plus Water Conditioner, makes tap water safe
Nutrafin 12g Goldfish Flake Food, provies premium nutrition for all Goldfish
Nutrafin 30ml Cycle biological supplement, matures filter, and controls ammonia and nitrite
Available in Purple and Orange Colours

This fantastic product will clear any discolouration or odours from your aquarium, if your aquarium contains any bogwood or anything else for that matter liable to discolour the water, then Bio Chem Zorb will have a dramatic effect on your aquarium!

Simply place the sachet into your filtration syatem or water flowpath, and within a matter of days, your water will clear and your fish will look like their swimming in fresh air.Bio Chem Zorb – A blend of resin and carbon filtration media, is composed of two research-grade organic scavenger resins, two pharmaceutical-grade ion-exchange resins, and high porosity carbon absorbants in a filter pouch.Removes organic waste in fresh and saltwater aquariums
CONTAINS NO PHOSPHATES
Removes dissolved organic waste
Scavenges out toxic metabolic by-products
Removes Toxic Heavy Metals in fresh water
Removes Aquarium Pollutants such as toxic gases, water discolouration, foul odours and phenols
Does not remove trace elements from saltwater aquariums
Safe for use in all saltwater and fresh aquariumsContents 1×10oz pouchDirections for use:Rinse pouch under tap water to remove any dust
Place pouch directly in path of water flow
Replace every 3-6 months depending on stocking density

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