Search Results for: blog wall art or fish tank

A Day at the Zoo Part II

If a few birds could make my son run for and dive into the stroller, I could not imagine how he would react to some of the other larger animals. He did not want to get out of the stroller to look at the gecko so we continued the tour through the jungle like foliage. When we came upon some kind of exotic monkey, he promptly told us that he wanted out to see the monkey. He continued on foot to see the boa constrictor. He wanted to be carried when we came to another larger waterfall and some strange … Continue reading →

Tropical Fish Basics

An aquarium can be a lovely addition to a home or office; the sight of colorful fish and the sound of water can be fascinating and very calming. Here are some tips to get you started with a tropical aquarium. In general, you can have one inch of fish per gallon of water. Be sure to think about the adult size of your fish, not just the juvenile size! Avoid overcrowding your tank — this increases the frequency of tank maintenance and can make your fish uncomfortable. With larger sized fish, you may want to provide two or three gallons … Continue reading →

Tank Care For Newts and Salamanders

Salamanders and newts have very porous skin — it makes them very sensitive to changes in environment (just like frogs and other amphibians). If you aren’t careful in your tank care, your pets can become seriously ill or injured. First things first — all tanks need water. Even terrestrial tanks have water trapped in the mossy substrate and/or in shallow pools. Don’t use distilled water to fill your tanks. You can use tap water or rainwater — but either one may need to be treated or left standing to allow chemicals to dissipate. Tap water should be treated with dechlorinating … Continue reading →

Wall-E is Coming from Pixar

In the summer of 2008, Disney and Pixar will be bringing us a new character to add to our collection of beloved favorites. From the creators of Woody and Buzz (Toy Story), Mike and Sully (Monsters Inc.) Dory and Nemo (Finding Nemo) and so many more – the next big Disney Pixar project is about a sad little robot named Wall-E. The movie is scheduled for release June 27, 2008 (give or take a day) and tells the story of a little garbage robot who works on a sad, lonely planet packaging up garbage day after day. But after 700 … Continue reading →

Wall Art or Fish Tank?

As I mentioned in my article, Shopping the Sales: Cool Christmas Clearance for Pet Lovers, I’d like to have an aquarium some day. I was thinking along the lines of a basic fish bowl, some rocks, one fish, maybe a sunken treasure or castle or something for decoration. That was until I saw the AquaVista 500. I stumbled across it in a magazine, but when I went to the product maker’s website I discovered they’ve been featured on the CBS’s The Early Show and HGTV’s I Want That. I can see why, they have a pretty neat product. Now, in … Continue reading →

Rare Pets: Axolotls

Usually in the Rare Pets column I cover animals that are uncommon pets, but still species of which most readers of heard. Today I’m going to look at a truly rare pet, one some of you might not have known existed until today: the axolotl. The axolotl is a type of salamander, native to Mexico, so in that it’s not an unheard-of pet. It certainly looks like a strange kind of salamander, however, which prompts its common nickname: water dragon. Despite its odd appearance and perhaps off-putting (or for some, encouraging) moniker, however, axolotls can make good pets. Here are … Continue reading →

Halloween Travel: Something for Everyone

This week is prime scaring time for Halloween lovers the world over. The second week in October is traditionally when most venues open their haunted houses and other spooktacular attractions to shrieking guests. While some major theme parks kicked off their fright fests and horror nights at the beginning of the month, the vast majority of smaller organizations waited until this week to debuted their ghoulish thrills and chills. If you are looking to feel the tingle of terror this month or you simply want your kids to make the most of their expensive costumes, then consider these varied Halloween … Continue reading →

Do Aquarium Pets Beg?

This past Monday was the tournament for my Monday night volleyball league. Like I did during the tourney for my Thursday night league, I sat around talking to my teammates. And, like what happened then with that conversation leading to blog material (see “Wives Judging Wives”), Monday night’s conversation also provided blog material. (This time for the Pets Blog, though, instead of the Marriage Blog.) It all started once I told two girls on my team, Jennifer and Susan, what exactly it is I do during the day. Susan’s an ardent animal lover. She’s very involved with rescuing dogs. At … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: I’m in Charge!

Thanks to a wacky set of coincidences that have both my coworkers unavailable, I’m in charge of the cats-only boarding facility for the next few days. I won’t be making any drastic changes during my reign of terror… but I do have some projects I’d like to tackle. A few big cleaning projects. We do wipe down, mop, and sanitize the playroom several times per day… but I’m dying to get the scrub brush and make that floor sparkle. Same with some spots in the main boarding room that get mopped frequently but need some elbow grease and hot water … Continue reading →

Aquarium Airstone Cleaning

If you’re using an airstone to keep the water moving in your aquarium, you may want to clean it — rather than spend money on a new one when it gets clogged. Cleaning your airstone is relatively easy! What is an airstone? It is any porous material (ceramic, stone, wood, plastic) that is used to diffuse air in your aquarium. Running your air pump through an airstone creates lots of tiny bubbles, rather than a few big bubbles. This can make your filter run more efficiently. Using an airstone also helps improve water circulation through your tank. But fish (as … Continue reading →