Search Results for: blog goldfish care tips

Goldfish Bloat

Bloat can be a serious health issue for aquarium fish — especially goldfish. How do you know if your goldfish has bloat? The following symptoms are common at various stages of bloat: Bloating or swelling of the body. Passing clear, bubbly strings of feces (in early bloat). Refusal to eat. Inability to poop (in advanced bloat). Difficulty swimming. Reddish areas on the skin (in advanced bloat — often an indication of internal bleeding, which can lead to life-threatening infection). A goldfish doesn’t have a stomach that uses acid to break down foods, like humans do. Goldfish don’t have stomachs at … Continue reading →

Easy Aquarium Plants for Beginners

Ready to add live plants to your aquarium? Here are a few plants that are hardy and easy to grow — perfect for beginners! Hornwort — a stem plant with spiraling forked leaves. It looks more delicate than it actually is! This plant is difficult to kill and grows very quickly — this helps slow algae growth in your tank. Amazon sword — a tall plant with very large leaves! This plant needs more sunlight than some of the others on the list, but the plant’s height helps it get the sun it needs. Because these plants are larger than … Continue reading →

The Law of Attraction, Cozies and Cats: An Interview with Author Jennie Bentley

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about how I wish I knew any authors who featured cats in their work so I could interview them for the Pets Blog. Well, in yet another display of the Law of Attraction at work, wouldn’t you know my wish was granted this past Sunday when I was on a panel at the Southern Festival of books with Bente Gallagher who writes as Jennie Bentley? Her first mystery in her DIY Home Renovation Mystery series is called Fatal Fixer Upper and it’s due out November 4th. In the process of talking about her book … Continue reading →

Savannah Monitor

When it comes to monitor lizards, the Savannah monitor is one of the easiest to keep. Keep in mind, though, that the Savannah monitor may not be the best choice for beginners. Monitors are extremely strong lizards and can be difficult to handle — a beginner might be better off with a different breed. The Savannah monitor is considered a mid-sized monitor. When full grown, a Savannah monitor lizard can reach between three and four feet in length. This means you’ll need a good sized enclosure for your Savannah monitor. The cage should be at least five feet long and … Continue reading →

More Common Freshwater Fish Diseases

Here are some more diseases you may see in your tropical aquarium. Fin rot — symptoms include rotting fins, loss of appetite, and fish lying on the bottom of the tank. Fin rot is caused by a bacterial infection. It is often a result of poor water quality, but may also be brought on by bullying from other fish. Increase the quality of your food, check your water parameters, and try separating your fish from any bullies. If those things don’t work, pick up medication at your local pet store. Fish fungus — a white or gray cotton-like growth on … Continue reading →

When A Fish Goes Missing

Have you ever looked into your tank and not been able to find a fish? It happens more often than you might imagine. Oh where, oh where has my little fish gone? Check inside the filter. Smaller fish can easily get into a filter’s intake tube. Unfortunately, most fish who get into the filter tube do not survive the experience. You can prevent this by placing a sponge filter on the outside of the tube to block the opening. You could even cover the intake tube end with a piece of old pantyhose! Look behind and underneath ornaments and plants. … Continue reading →

Dwarf Clawed Frogs

A great frog for beginners is the dwarf clawed frog. The most common species found in pet stores is Hymenchirus boettgeri. Size: Between one and two inches long when adult. Color: Most often light brown/grey with darker spots. Sometimes light in color. Feet: Front feet are webbed. (Larger clawed frogs do not have webbed front feet.) Life span: Average life span is five years. You don’t need a huge tank to keep dwarf clawed frogs. Figure on about a gallon of water/space for each frog. Dwarf clawed frogs can live in groups and/or with community fish that are approximately the … Continue reading →

The Dangers of Having a Home Aquarium

My 2-year-old daughter loves fish. From Elmo’s goldfish, Dorothy to Nemo and more recently, some flying fish she saw Diego save a few weeks back. Her fascination with fish (and sea creatures in general) prompted me to take her to Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium for her birthday. It also had me seriously considering purchasing an aquarium for her room. That is, until I did some research and found a study about the hazards of having a home aquarium. What could be so dangerous about housing a few colorful fish, and perhaps a miniature castle for them to swim in and out … Continue reading →