Wild ram cichlids are often more colorful than the tank bred counterparts, which suffer from poor breeding and also being injected with hormones for more color, although this makes as many as one in four males infertile.

Male specimens of the ram usually have the first few rays of the dorsal fin extended, but breeding has made some females also show this.

There is also the fact that, when close to spawning, female rams have a pink or red blush on the abdomen. Females also have a blue sheen over the spot just below the dorsal fin, and males do not show this. Males reach a maximum length of seven centimeters, and females are usually slightly smaller.

(Please note that the black spot method of sexing does not apply for the golden and electric blue varieties of the species.)

New Product From Evolution Aqua, evolution Aqua's Pond Treats Variety mix are natural, high protein treats to supplement the diet of all pond fish. These high protein treats are Silkworm, Mealworm, Gammarus, and Shrimp. These treats can be fed to your fish with their regular food.

Maximum Size

7.5cm (3”)

Water Parameters

pH: 7.5 - 8.0

Temperature

(70 - 78 deg F)

Feeding

The Swordtail is an omnivore that will eat commercially prepared flaked foods and algae, as well as freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex, and brine shrimp.

Compatibility

Community

The amount of food released each time can be easily adjusted and controlled. Between 50 and 1400grams of food can be released each day. Features a unique brush mechanism which ensures that food does not get blocked. Suitable for use with pellet foods the Automatic Koi Feeder has a digital pad which allows you to easily set the amount of food to be released and the time it is released.

The battery operated feeder is easy to install, safe to use and guaranteed for 2 years.

The Superfish Automatic Koi Feeder has a capacity of 10 litres, equivalent to approximately 4kg of food, allowing you to feed several times a day.

The feeder will run for up to two months on one set of batteries (4 x C Alkaline - not included).

Evolution Aqua have teamed up with Matsuko to develop a range of quality, high performance switchboxes that manage all the electrical needs required in the garden and pond environment. Evolution Aqua Matsuko Switchboxes are ideal for controlling all types of water garden appliance.

They give owners an extra level of freedom and protection by enabling up to 5 devices, such as pumps, filters, skimmers, fountains and lights to all be programmed and controlled by one single control unit.

3 Switchbox Models

There are 3 types of switchbox available:

• 5 Way Switchbox - Offering up to 5 lines of power up to 1500 W per line. Each device that is connected can be manually powered on or off at the touch of a button.

• SwitchMaster - 5 Way Programmable Switchbox - Offers 5 lines of power each delivering 1500 W per line. Every device that gets connected can be individually programmed to power on or off at your convenience.

• SwitchMasterPro - 5 Way Programmable Switchbox with PumpGuard™ - This high end model offers all the flexibility and security you need from a 5 way programmable switchbox, with the added benefit of PumpGuard™. If a pump is connected to this switchbox, PumpGuard™ will monitor its performance, check on its parameters and perform checks to help prevent any damage to the pump. This model will also tell the power consumption of every device connected.

All models are weatherproof for outdoor use at least to IP56, IP66 when installed in accordance with our instructions.

What is PumpGuardTM?

PumpGuard™ is a patent-pending, smart technology that helps to avoid possible disasters occurring when your pump blocks or overloads.

Line 1 of every Matsuko switchbox with PumpGuard™ is set to automatically “learn” how the first pump that is connected to it behaves in normal use.

Once the learning process is over (approximately after the first 20 min of running) PumpGuard™ goes into monitoring mode. It’s just looking out for your pump showing signs of overloading or cutting out, all day every day.

PumpGuard™ also knows how long you’ve programmed your pump to run every day.

So, if the pump should start to overload, or cut out, PumpGuard™ works on a series of recovery - “keep it going” - plans. PumpGuard™’s program tries to keep the pump running but minimising the overload, or avoiding any cutting out, while still running as far as possible for the full programmed time during the day!

As soon as an overload situation has occurred PumpGuard™ sounds a warning alarm (the signal for a warning alarm is a steady beeping sound plus a red LED on line No.1) the display shows “PumpGuard™ active”.

A pump that constantly keeps restarting can easily burn itself out. PumpGuard™ detects this situation and will, if the cutting out cannot be stopped by running on a lower intensity program, disconnects the power. PumpGuard™ saves your pump from damaging itself. In this situation PumpGuard™ sounds a stop alarm (the signal for a stop alarm is a faster beeping sound plus a red LED on Line No. 1) and the display shows “Pump fail”.

When you want to connect a new pump to your switchbox, you just reset PumpGuard™ on the control panel and the learning process will start again. PumpGuard™ is integrated into the top of the range 5 Way Programmable switchbox.

To stand a chance of winning; simply log onto our website and select a product you’ve used before and write a review on it. It doesn’t have to long, but must be printable!

Competition closes 30^th April 2012.  The winner will be randomly chosen from all the reviews made via our website. Judges decision will be final and winner will be announced during May 2012.

Good luck and get writing!!!!

Well most of us can’t have a moat but adding a Garden Pond is a great way of enhancing your outside home space. We have a great collection of Tropical & Coldwater Aquariums too, so whether you sit inside or outside after a hard day, you can relax listening to the tranquil sound of running water and watching your fish swimming around.

Modern Fish Keeping is easier than ever and we can supply everything you need to enhance your home or garden this spring. With pond liners, filters, pumps, nets, waterfalls in stock, we have everything you need to get your pond ready for summer. Our new Pond Plant collection has just arrived and we have a great variety of Pond Fish in stock.

For details of our current Pond & Tropical Plants, Coldwater & Tropical Fish Stocks, check out our website for details www.fish-fish-fish.com. We look forward to seeing you soon and helping you enhance your home and garden.

Well most of us can’t have a moat but adding a Garden Pond is a great way of enhancing your outside home space. We have a great collection of Tropical & Coldwater Aquariums too, so whether you sit inside or outside after a hard day, you can relax listening to the tranquil sound of running water and watching your fish swimming around.

Modern Fish Keeping is easier than ever and we can supply everything you need to enhance your home or garden this spring. With pond liners, filters, pumps, nets, waterfalls in stock, we have everything you need to get your pond ready for summer. Our new Pond Plant collection has just arrived and we have a great variety of Pond Fish in stock.

For details of our current Pond & Tropical Plants, Coldwater & Tropical Fish Stocks, check out our website for details www.fish-fish-fish.com. We look forward to seeing you soon and helping you enhance your home and garden.

Over the coming days we shall be getting more varieties of Tropical and Coldwater Fish in stock but you can always see what’s currently available via our website. Our Aquarium Plants are due in a couple of weeks and if there is anything special you’re looking for, give us a call and we’ll try and get it in for you.

We have a large supply of dry goods from all the major brands and we have a great range of Frozen Food available in store or by post. We stock a great range of Aquariums from Aquael, Superfish & Juwel,  Aquarium Ornaments, Artificial Plants, Fish Foods, Aquarium Heaters, Pumps, Filters and Media/Foams – all available in store or on-line.

Pond Hose, Pond Pumps and Pond Equipment are now available on-line and via our shop. Our Pond Liner and Underlay is due very soon and Pond Plants will arrive once the weather allows! We have a limited supply of Pond Fish at present but again, stock is due in over the next 4 weeks so keep an eye out via our website for what is in stock. We will also be supplying Waterfalls and Lanscaping goods very soon. Now the weather is warming slightly we have a great range of Pond Treatments in stock and a large range of Pond Filters  including the New Evolution Aqua EazyPod’s and UV’s

We look forward to seeing you very soon – pop in and say “hello”

 simple to connect and tighten - gives a perfect seal

 no cleaning, drying and glueing needed

 no more mistakes and having to use the hacksaw wasting time and money !!!

 reusable over and over again !

 connects imperial to metric pipe

 very flexible and forgiving - easy to apply in tight spaces

 if your pipe run is slightly out of line, these fittings will allow a slight deviation.

 ideal for permanent use, emergency repairs, temporary show vats or quarantine systems

 ideal for the koi keeper who likes to 'tinker' and likes to add and remove new products for testing - no wasting old fittings

 ideal for connecting a ball valve, UV,circulating pump etc for easy  removal - fittings can be used again

 ideal for all types of hosetail connections

We hope you have all enjoyed our 12 Days of Christmas Competition. Here are the winners:-

“On the 12^th Day of Christmas Fish Fish Fish did send to me”

An Aquael LED Air Light (Vern Mcclelland)  

API 5-in-1 Test Kit (Steve Uttley)  

Aquarian Goldfish Food (Lisa Griffiths)  

Tetra Aquasafe & EasyBalance (Donna Griffiths)  

Hugo ‘Mini’ Car (Alison Cooper)

Aquarian Tropical Fish Food (Kevin Mcnulty)

Deluxe Airstone (John Mitchell)

5 Hugo Kamishi Plaaaaants …….. (Paul Derricott)

An Interpet Stacka Rock B (Glynn Thomas)

Superfish Air Pump (Anna Butler)

A Juwel Digital Thermometer (Lisa Vaughan)

And a Juwel Aqua Gravel Cleaner (Dave Neal)

Thank you everyone who has entered and congratulations to all our winners. Next competition is in March (so watch this space).

In the meantime, if you need any advice or help with your fishkeeping please feel free to contact us on 01799 550943, post@fish-fish-fish.com or 

The Aquael MidiKani 800 combines all the advantages of the classic canister filters (great efficiency, big capacity of filtration media, versatility, precision of workmanship and easy installation.

For MIDIKANI 800 filter, the AQUAEL constructors have used the solution already proven in case of the smaller filters (MINIKANI 80 and 120).

Miniaturized pump is located outside the filter and is designed to pump the water directly into its chamber. Thanks to that many construction elements unnecessarily obstructing the installation of the device were simply eliminated.

Therefore, MIDIKANI 800 consists of only few basic parts: pump, set of connecting tubes and hoses and air-tight container with valves and baskets filled with filtration cartridges.

It is designed for tanks of capacity of up to 250 l. External pump powering the device, pumps up to 800 l of water per hour that guarantees the actual maximum efficiency of around 650 l/h. MIDIKANI 800 is equipped with a container containing four baskets of the total capacity of 7 l.

They are filled, respectively, with fleece, sponge, zeolite, Thanks to its very simple construction, the filter is extremely efficient and very resistant to being clogged with mud and other debris. What is more, it has a very important advantage over traditional canister filters: thanks to application of force-pump, it can operate both under aquarium and placed next to it or even above the water level.

Thus, it can be used also in very shallow water, e.g. in ponds of bigger aquaterraria or paludaria with semi-aquatic turtles and other reptiles.

large filtration capacity

easy to install and use

filter can be placed wherever you need (also above the aquarium)

two variants of pump installation (in aquarium or outside)

where we are giving away daily prizes until January 5^th.

Orders despatched on Thursday 22^nd will be via our courier - APC Overnight - so should be with you on Friday 23^rd December.

Orders after 0900 hrs 22^nd December will be despatched from Wednesday 28^th December.

Wishing all our customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Outside – we now have 6 display fish tanks and 2 plant display stands ready for next spring when we shall be stocking the Pond fish and Pond Plants. The fencing around the outside is now complete and it is beginning to look like outside shop space. These features are in addition to the work already completed in the construction of the main display pond and main filtration unit.

Inside – our well insulated barns have had all the electrical work completed. Fire alarms are installed, emergency lighting installed and certification has been completed. Walls and ceilings are now painted, shelving has gone in and the tropical fish, cold water and plant aquarium bases are built – we are now just waiting for the Aquariums! Additional mood lighting has been installed to ‘show off’ the products on the shelves, new shelving has gone in to increase storage and display and we are now starting to bring stock back in so we can continue to offer great service to all our web customers whilst continuing to build our shop.

What’s next – the groundworks for access and parking is our main priority. We are in the hands of the council processes but these will be completed as soon as possible. We are also waiting for the new Aquariums for stocking our Tropical and Cold Water Fish together with the Aquarium filtration system …… still loads more to do but we’re cracking on and look forward to seeing you soon ……

New Fish Fish Fish Shop Progress

We've got the planning permission to open our very first shop

watch this space for updates

Thank you to all our loyal customers who have supported us since the launch of our new website at the end of 2010.

By the end of 2011, we will be opening our very first shop.

We looked at the feedback from all our customers and many of you often asked if you could visit our shop. Everyone is welcome, but alas we had no shop and those of you that have visited only saw store rooms – not very inviting and welcoming.

We decided that by converting our store barns into a shop and opening up our garden to Fish ponds would allow everyone to come and visit – so the planning began!

What does this mean for you?

As well as continuing to receive excellent customer service via our website for all dry Aquatic goods, you will also be able to come and visit us where you can buy everything available on our website plus Tropical and Coldwater Fish, Aquatic Plants and Frozen Foods too.

Watch this page as we progress on the build and share more details with you as we progress on our build.

The story so far ……

We received confirmation of planning Mid-August.

So what are we planning to do?

There will be a new entrance with car parking; a natural habitat water feature to attract wildlife and showcase what can be done; outside stock ponds with cold water fish and pond plants; convert the barns into one shop that stocks all the items you currently see on our website plus Tropical and Coldwater Fish and live Aquarium plants.

So far …..

We have temporarily relocated our stock so we can continue to serve all our website customers and maintain the highest standards that you have come to expect from us. We have consolidated office space too so that the work can be done with minimal interruption.

The barns are now starting to be converted with loft space being created, walls being insulated and boarded, lighting and power being installed and ‘surplus’ items disposed of!

Koi Fish and other Pond Fish are cold-blooded. As a result, their body temperature and metabolic rate is determined by the temperature of the water they are in.  As the water temperature rises the metabolic rate of your Pond Fish also increases.

As a result, your Fish’s ability to digest and absorb higher levels of protein from their diet increases and this is why people often concern themselves with the level of Protein contained in Fish Food’s.

As the temperature begins to drop your Fish’s ability to digest ‘normal’ fish food and absorb protein reduces. Between 8°-12° C, the metabolic rates and digestion efficiencies are low in your fish, as indeed are your Fish’s protein requirements. At this time, significant quantities of Protein would not be used for Fish Growth and would be wasted and exreted into your Fish Pond, which in turn would increase the levels of Ammonia. This is why people swap to a Wheatgerm Fish Food.

Wheatgerm is the ‘heart’ of the wheat grain. It provides an easily digested vegetable based food form that is low in protein.  Because of this, your fish will receive all the nutrients they require and the amount of ‘waste’ will be reduced, thus ensuring your water quality and the well-being of your Pond Fish is maintained.

Here are some simple steps to help your Aquarium Fish during this hot spell.

1. Keep an eye on the temperature by using a thermometer or for more sophisticated set ups you may wish to invest in Seneye.

2. Keep electrical equipment such as TV’s, Hi-Fi’s and table lamps away from your Aquarium if at all possible. 

3. Keep your Aquarium well ventilated – do not push up against a wall; ensure there is a gap all the way round it – top and sides. If needed, use an electrical fan to assist air circulation.

4. Turn off your Aquarium light – you’re fish won’t mind (honest!) and this will keep the heat down.

5. Ensure your tank hood has vents in it – or open the feeding hatch – and as the heat rises it will be able to escape from your Aquarium.

6. Close blinds or shutters during the peak times of sunshine and help keep the light out of the room where your Aquarium is.

7. In extreme cases, we’ve also placed a sealed bottle of frozen water into our large tank to help drop the temperature. It just floats on the top and after the fish have been nosey and had a look, they leave it alone and it just slowly defrosts. You can then refreeze the sealed bottle of water for another day!

Don’t forget, it isn’t just us and our furry pets that don’t enjoy the heat. Our Aquatic friends also feel the rising temperature and don’t enjoy it when the water gets too warm.

A Water Garden often starts out as a ‘pond’ but is transformed.

Add some flowing water either through a water fall or fountain and the water is no longer stagnant. Add some plants that break up the ‘hole-in-the-ground’ and you will add colour and texture to this part of your garden.

Insects are attracted to your water haven. This in turn will frogs, toads, newts, birds and other wildlife either seeking a meal or a drink.

If you add some fish to your pond, then the whole experience has changed from looking at a hole full of water to what is now a water garden.

At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, 'If Ford had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon.'

In response to Bill Gates's comments, Ford issued a press release, stating:
'If Ford had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part):

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash......... twice a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single 'This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation' warning light.

(I love the next one!!!)

7. The airbag system would ask 'Are you sure?' before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

9. Every time a new car was introduced, car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as in the old car.

10. You'd have to press the 'Start' button to turn the engine off.

PS - I 'd like to add that when all else fails, you could call 'customer service' in some foreign country and be instructed in some foreign language how to fix your car yourself!!!!

The various sizes of Garden Pond Pumps will show difference flow rates and Maximum Flow. The figures quoted by manufacturers often base their pumps ability without consideration to pond hose and connections. Of course once you attach pond hosing , clips, reducers and connectors then these will often restrict the water flow.

So it is best to consider how much pond hosing is to be used and ensure that any pond pump you buy is able to deal with the reduction in flow these attachments will create.

“Maximum Head” describes, in simple terms, how high the water can be pumped! The level to which the pumps maximum head is shown can usually be found on the side of the box the pump comes in. If it is not shown, check with the retailer for details as it is very important if indeed you wish to pump water ‘upwards’.

The maximum head level is also quite misleading. If, for example, it states Maximum Pump Head 2ft then at the 2ft level the pump runs out of power and there will be no water flow at this height! So be very careful when choosing your pond pump to ensure that you have sufficient maximum head.

So what is ‘maximum head’?

In its simplest form, it’s the “difference in height between the pond surface and the inlet of a waterfall or fountain”.

So when you are considering which pump to buy, you must ensure that you have considered “Maximum Head” along with water volume / hour to be pumped.

In this modern world, we can categories shopping into two main areas – necessity and luxury (or need and want; or buyer and browser!).

In the past the differential between internet shopping and retail outlet was price vs customer service. This meant that the internet was used more for the buyer and the shops were left for the browser who could then discuss the products and learn about them.

These days the boundaries are more blurred. With the internet you can become well informed about products by search engines, forums, information from the manufacturer/seller and blogs. The ‘faceless’ internet is no longer so, with strong brands and real people behind the brands to offer expert advice over the phone or by e-mail.

With lower overheads, the internet will often remain focused on price sensitivity and be able to offer some of the best prices around. The internet retailer is also there ready and willing to help customers with issues/problems/challenges they may have and offer free advice when required – without the need to get in the car and drive miles to speak to someone.

If you’ve not tried internet retailers – give it a go – you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Internet retailing is here to compliment physical shops – not replace them. At the end of the day, as with marmite!, everyone’s tastes are different and some people will always like to take a ride out,  have a good browse, talk to someone face to face and then (perhaps) go home and buy it on the internet!

This way, you will circulate your water volume 12 times in any day with the water preferably having been through some Pond Filter or UV Filter .

12 times / day water circulation should be sufficient to meet the needs of you Fish and Plants and be sufficient for the Filter Bacteria to cope with.

With this in mind, you don’t want to have too big or too small a Pond Pump and choosing the right pond pump is therefore very important to ensure you don’t spend too much, waste energy in running an oversized pump or get a pump that is too big for your Pond Filter.

If your pond is 5,000 litres in size a pond pump of between 2-4,000 litres per hour is ideal.

If your pond is 2,000 litres in size a pond pump of between 700-1,600 litres per hour is ideal.

Understanding what is happening inside your aquarium or pond is vital to ensuring that your aquatic life remains healthy. We’ve all tried, tested and benefitted from manual testing kits but Seneye water monitoring system takes this to a completely new level. Seneye allows you to continuously track the changes in the water parameters and alerts you wherever you have problems with your water quality before they affect your fish or plants. How cool is that?!

So how does Seneye work?

Simply drop the device into your aquarium and attach to your PC. It is that simple!

The Seneye reads the water quality continuously and the Seneye forecast engine analyses the data received. Seneye is clever and interprets the data to forecast predictions and can then inform you in advance of problems occurring – where ever you are!

We’re really looking forward to Seneye arriving; due in July 2011 – take a look at Seneye and what PFK have to say. Make your Aquatic Experience more fulfilling and give yourself that peace of mind that your fish are being cared for in the best manner possible.

Owning an Aquarium is a great and rewarding experience. Aquariums are first and foremost places for live fish and plants to grow and flourish with the added benefits of bringing colour, dimension and ‘art’ to your home.

Why do we put Aquarium Gravel in our Fish Tanks?

Well of course many people like to brighten up their aquariums as they are a main feature within any room. Bright coloured gravel, such as the Hugo Kamishi Aquarium Gravel range, will compliment any colour scheme you may already have.  Combined with Aquarium Plants or Aquarium Décor, aquarium gravel will enhance the overall look of your final aquarium and give you the vibe you’re after.

More importantly than looks though ……..

Aquarium gravel provides a biological filtration system! Live rock contain air pockets that hold gases such as nitrogen. These are slowly released and stored and help regulate the aquarium environment. In addition, the gravel creates a substrate layer acting as medium harbouring beneficial bacteria.  These beneficial bacteria are responsible for the breakdown of organics in the aquarium. These bacteria will colonise on any surface in the aquarium and the gravel is a great place for this bacteria to colonise.

In addition to the above, the gravel creates a great base to anchor and grow aquarium plants.

But be careful!

When cleaning your aquarium gravel can sometimes get caught on the cleaning tool and before you know it, you scratch your glass or acrylic aquarium and you will curse yourself for a long time.

So in summary, aquarium gravel brings lots of benefits to your aquariums environment, will help anchor plants in place and bring colour to the base of any aquarium – just be careful when cleaning!

Our ‘favourite’ pond weed – Spirogyra adnate – commonly known as Blanketweed, the most prolific aquatic weed known to pond-keepers in the UK. 

Blanket Weed Removal – the ‘best’ way?

Many people of course remove blanketweed by hand. This is a satisfying result as you feel that you have cleared your pond of the dreaded weed.

STOP PRESS!

Pulling Blanketweed out by hand will actually release spores which in turn produce even more Blanket Weed – so in fact the problem doesn’t truly go away. [But we still feel better for it even though the pleasure is short lived!].

The most common “natural” method includes using barley straw or barley straw derivatives. 

Nihikoi’s Goodbye Blanketweed and Yamitsu Green Go Blanketweed Treatment use this as the basis of their Blanket weed treatments.

Another great product with fantastic reviews seems to be Cloverleaf’s Blanket Answer which is a unique blend of minerals and enzymes designed to be effective in combatting blanket weed. The special formula works where many bacteria’s fail.

Both of these are safe to use and will not affect pond life.

So if you’re struggling with Blanket Weed issue, why not try one of these great products from Nishikoi or Cloverleaf or get more information from our article on Blanketweed.

Aquarium Gravel from Hugo Kamishi comes in four styles – Neon Colours, Natural Colours, Pearly Colours and Single Colours.

Neon Aquarium Gravel brings vibrant colours and represents “full of energy”

Natural Aquarium Gravel gives a blending effect

Pearly Aquarium Gravel is peaceful yet brings a powerful presence

Single Coloured Aquarium Gravel gets it inspiration from the White capped mountains of Japan, the Lava from Volcanic Rock and the peaceful Blue Skies.

Whilst looking great, don’t forget that Aquarium Gravel has other benefits too in ensuring you maintain a healthy aquarium.

Aquarium Plants from Hugo Kamishi are some of the best designed artificial plants for aquariums currently available. They are stylish and colourful, come in all shapes and sizes and are exceeding deceptively real looking.

Some plants come with bases on them to help secure to the bottom of the aquarium, others come as part of a planted feature on rocks or ornaments.

So take a look at the great range of Hugo Kamishi products available and give your aquarium a well-deserved make-over.

Blanketweed is never good in any pond, see our previous article about Blanketweed, so should be treated to minimise the detrimental effect it will have on your Fish and your enjoyment of your Garden Pond.

Cloverleaf Blanket Answer is a great way to treat your pond should you have blankweed problems – take a look at the customer survey and comments  that compares many different blanket weed treatments.

100% safe for all pond fish, pond plants and biological filtration systems, plus no need to turn off UV units or protein skimmers, Cloverleaf Blanket Answer is by far the simplest and best product on the market for helping to clear blanket weed.

To make your life a lot easier and to ensure that you don’t have to worry whilst away, the Aquatic Trade has a range of Fish Foods and Automatic Fish Feeders that make the task of feeding your fish whilst you’re away a lot easier.

The Automatic Fish Feeder from Hydor is a Battery operated fish food feeder that can feed fish for up to 1 month – great for those on an extended holiday. The automatic fish feeder has adjustable food dispensing and a unique mixing system that prevents the food from clogging so you can enjoy your break with the knowledge that your fish will be fed the right amount at the right time.

For those on shorter holidays, then the API Pyramid 7 Day Fish Food or the API Pyramid 3 Day Fish Food may be more beneficial. This slow release fish food block offers sufficient feed for your tropical aquarium fish for 3 days. With a soluble outer shell, which gradually dissolves, allowing slow release of the fish food into your aquarium, the API Tropical fish food feeding block is the great way to cover weekends away or any short period of time.

Tetra Pond Holiday Fish Food is specifically designed for your Garden Pond Fish. Tetra’s Holiday Food is 100% edible holiday food that provides 14 days of nutrition for pond fish. Providing a healthy nutritional balance with natural ingredients in Tetra’s patented gel-based formula, this holiday fish food will ensure that you can enjoy your summer holiday in the knowledge that your Pond Fish will not go hungry.

So now you can go away, relax and enjoy your holiday with the knowledge that all your fish are well fed and cared for thanks to these innovative developments from Tetra, Hydor and API.

In general, what are the guidelines for feeding your Pond Fish?

Feeding time should be one of the most enjoyable experiences not only for your fish, but you too! It is a time when you can check on the health and welfare of your fish, train your fish, watch their behaviour and also enjoy seeing them close up and on the surface.

Pond Fish prefer to be fed little but often. It should take no longer than 3-5 minutes for them to feed. If there is excess Fish Food left after this time, it is best to remove from your Fish Pond. A great way in helping control the spread of your Fish Food is to use a Feeding Ring. These encourage your fish to come and feed in one place to heighten your enjoyment and also make clearing excess Fish Food easier when required.

Over feeding your fish is quite common (unfortunately) and this in turn will reduce the water quality as the uneaten food soon pollutes the Pond Water.

As the weather warms, your Pond Fish will increase their appetite and consume larger quantities of Fish Food. You will have to adjust the amount you feed dependant of the time of year and temperature.

Nishikoi® Fish Food throughout the seasons

Nishikoi® has developed a range of foods suitable for different times of the year. Their range of foods contain

the anti-oxidant action of vitamin C & E which helps the immune system

vitamin D for strong bone formation

spirulina (enriched with fatty acids) that aid natural colour

highly digestible quality fishmeal’s

Nishikoi’s range of pond and koi foods provide a range of nutritionally complete diets from floating pond sticks, food flakes, sinking food pellets through to the higher specification Growth and Professional foods. They also come in a variety of sizes to suit different Pond Fish sizes too. Take a look at the Nishikoi range of Pond Food.

Springtime – is a period of fish coming back to ‘life’ after their winter of rest. As the water begins to warm their appetites begin to grow. A medium level of Protein is required to assist.

They like to be kept at temperatures between 20-35°

Garra Rufa can be kept in an aquarium but whilst hardy, they are not a great beginner’s fish.

The Garra Rufa fish originates from the Hot Spring Pools of the Tigress and Euphrates rivers that flow from Turkey through Syria, Iran and Iraq. Garra Rufa grows to a length of 4-7 cms and has a ventral shaped mouth (no teeth). Garra Rufa Fish has high metabolisms and they need plenty of balanced nutrients as provided by these natural Hot Spring Pools.

Garra Rufa Fish are legally protected in Turkey due to concerns of overharvesting for export. Garra Rufa can be kept in an aquarium but whilst hardy, they are not a great beginner’s fish.

The Garra Rufa Fish originates from Hot Spring Pools of the Tigress and Euphrates rivers in Turkey, Iran and Iraq. They grow to a length of 4-7 cms and have a ventral shaped mouth (no teeth) and have for many years been used for therapeutic benefits in this region of the world. The Garra Rufa Fish has high metabolisms and they need plenty of balanced nutrients as provided by these natural Hot Spring Pools. They like to be kept at temperatures between 20-35°

The beauty industry has caught on to the ‘benefits’ that the Garra Rufa Fish have in removing dead skin from their clients’ feet. Garra Rufa Fish have an enzyme called diathanal in their saliva which encourages skin regeneration and can also provide some relief for sufferers of psorisasis (a skin disease that causes red patches of thickened scaly skin).

In this unnatural environment, these open top Foot Spa’s are far removed from the Garra Rufa Fish’s natural environment or that offered by a fully filtered, temperature controlled well set up Aquarium. Health and Beauty Salons have lots of perfumes and other air borne particles around as part of their offerings to clients. Many beauty salon clients have Tan Spray on their feet or legs which are then placed in the Foot Spa with the Garra Rufa Fish. Many of the Foot Spa’s offered are for 2 or more people and there is a possibility for infections being spread.

Water is a great absorber of all these concentrated chemicals and Fish-Fish-Fish are very concerned over the short, medium and long term affect to the Garra Rufa Fish. Even though Garra Rufa Fish has high metabolisms, we are concerned that they will be over fed whilst not receiving sufficient nutrients from the dead skin. Once the novelty has worn off and people move onto the next fad, what will become of the Garra Rufa Fish supplied to the beauty salon industry as unlike other beaty salon tools, Garra Rufa Fish can neither be washed nor thrown away after use?

The RSPCA “have concerns about the welfare of any fish involved in this practice” The RSPCA also have concerns around “who would take care of the fish as required under the [Animal Welfare Act]. …the people with day-to-day responsibility for their care will not have adequate experience in fishkeeping..”

14 States in America have already banned these Foot Spa’s on health grounds. Various public bodies have concerns regarding the therapeutic use of Garra Rufa Fish and the potential to spread disease. The Independent Reported that Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland advised “that people avoid having fish pedicures, as it is not guaranteed that there is no risk of infection”.

There is a lot of information currently about the “benefit” to people’s wellbeing by using the Garra Rufa Fish in foot spa’s. There’s little concern about the wellbeing of the Garra Rufa Fish being used for cosmetic purposes in beauty salons and spa’s across the United Kingdom

What is Spirulina?

Simple, it’s a type of algae that is rich in raw protein and vitamins A1, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E. Spirulina also contains beta-carotene which is a colour enhancing pigment. All of these are ideal for Fish and help maintain healthy conditions and colour.

So why put Spirulina in Fish Food?

Spirulina offers an effective diet for most Fish whether carnivore or herbivore. Remember, carnivores will often eat herbivore Fish in the wild, so they too will benefit from the intestinal items of the Fish they consume.

Look out for Fish Food that has higher levels of Spirulina as you will need about 15-20% content for the true benefits to be obtained by your Fish.

Your Pond Fish are now into ‘growth’ season and this is the time of year when they really appreciate some good quality, high protein Fish Food. All Pond Fish and Koi need a balanced diet and the Fish Foods generally on the market these days will ensure your fish will receive all the nutrients they require for healthy lives.

Protein is a very important part of any Fish’s diet to ensure they grow and their body repairs its tissues. Koi Fish particularly require higher protein levels. In the wild, Fish will often consume a diet which is 50% protein. This is very hard for us to replicate in the unnatural environment we keep our Fish as the waste becomes ‘concentrated’ and causes the Pond Water Quality to deteriorate at a much increased rate than would be experienced in the wild.

There are various factors that are considered when calculating the level of Protein contained in Fish Foods. There has to be a balance of Carbohydrates and Lipids to give energy as well as the vitamins that would normally be extracted from natural food sources. The protein level is therefore balanced out against the energy and vitamin levels to ensure that the different Fish Species receive the right levels of Energy Foods and not too much Fat, which will add strain onto the Fish.

Older Fish require less Protein

More active Fish require more Protein (especially as the water temperature increases)

Juvenile Koi require high levels of Protein to encourage rapid Growth (30-40%)

A ‘staple’ diet level of Protein is approx. 25-30%.

So depending on your Fish, the water temperature and the age of your Fish will all impact on the level of Protein that you should look for from your Fish Food.

Now you know what size of Pond Pump you require, do you choose an External or Submersible Pump?!

External Pumps

As the name suggests, these are sited outside of the pond. External Pumps are often referred to as ‘swimming pool pumps’ as this is in effect what they are! They are more suited for larger Fish Ponds and Water Features or where above-average Flow rates are required.

Submersible Pumps

Submersible or internal pond pumps are more common. There is a large variety of Submersible Pumps on the market able to accommodate a variety of Pond sizes. From the smallest Water Fountain, to the largest Waterfall or just to flow water through the Pond Filter then there will definitely be a Pond Pump to suit your needs.

These are usually very straightforward to install and come with lengthy guarantees.

These are usually compact Pond Pumps and the only moving part is usually the magnetic impellor assembly. All the other components are safely encased within hard resin within the water-tight body of the pump.

In summary, Submersible Pond Pumps come in a variety of makes and models that will suit most domestic Fish Ponds or Water Features. External Pumps are great for large water features and specialist Fish keepers who require large flow rates.

Pond Volume

You need to calculate the water volume of your pond so you can ensure you choose the correct sized pond pump. It is ideal for Fish Pond water to be circulated once every 2 hours. So, if your pond is 2000 gallons, then you need a Pond Pump that has a flow rate circulation at least 1000 gallons per hour.

Flow Rate Considerations

The flow rate of your Pond Pump is reduced as soon as your Pond Pump has to move water above the Pond Waters surface. So, if you are ‘diverting’ water through a Water Fountain or Waterfall then this will reduce the Pond Pumps performance and you should look to get a larger Pond Pump to compensate for these features.

The vertical distance between the waters surface and the top of the water feature (fountain or water fall) is known as the ‘head’. The greater the ‘head, the harder your Pond Pump has to work and this in turn lowers your Pond Pumps water turnover flow rate.

So keeping with the same example above, if your waterfall is 2 feet high you would need to look at a Pond Pump that has a flow rate of 1000 gallons per hour at 2 feet of head. This will inevitably be a larger Pond Pump than first thought. On the side of Pond Pump boxes, there is usually a scale/chart that helps you choose the right Pond Pump with different outputs for different head heights.

Comparing Like for Like Performance

With the large variety of makes, models and sizes available how can you ensure you are choosing the right Pond Pump for you? Dependant on where the Pond Pump is manufactured you will have some showing performance in Litres/Hr and others Gallons/Hr. Rough guide if 4.56 litres to one gallon for conversion purposes.

Your Pond Pump plays a very important role in any water feature. It is in essence the ‘heart’ of your water feature as it pumps water through your pond filter – the ‘liver and kidneys’ – and helps ensure that your Fish Pond remains healthy and clean.

Usually out of sight, your Pond Pump works hard. Working for 12 months of the year come rain, shine, sleet and snow, your Pond Pump handles light and heavy materials as it pumps water around the veins of your Garden Pond.

If your Pond Pump were to stop working, you would lose more than the view or soothing sound of running water from your fountain or waterfall. Your water would fail to be pumped round your pond filter – the liver and kidneys of your Fish Pond – and this in turn will reduce the quality of your Pond Water and lead to less healthy Aquatic Life or worse!

So take care of your Pond Pump – the ‘heart’ of your Fish Pond or Water Feature. Ensure it is cleaned and checked regularly and enjoy your Fish Pond in a healthy and vibrant state.

 Simple answer – No!

Oxygen is needed by all Pond Fish, Pond Plants and the beneficial bacteria responsible for removing poisonous ammonia, nitrates and phosphates from your Fish Pond.

The normal atmosphere contains approx. 21% oxygen.  This ‘normal’ oxygen is absorbed into the pond where the pond life uses this up rapidly as your pond is not a direct replica of natural environments such as lakes, seas and oceans as your Fish Pond is likely to have higher density (or stocking) levels.

In hot conditions, the oxygen is not absorbed into the Pond Water as easily. It is more likely that oxygen levels within your pond will reduce as cold water retains oxygen better than warm water

So how do I know if I have enough oxygen in my Fish Pond?

Watch out for your Pond Fish, particularly Koi, and if you see them gulping on the pond surface for air, this is a tell-tale sign that the oxygen levels are getting low.

If you see dead fish, then this is also a sign of lack of Oxygen too.

How can I help ensure there is sufficient Oxygen in my Fish Pond?

The Nitrogen Cycle above requires a vast amount of Oxygen to ensure that the cycle is completed effectively. The most basic, but important feature is to ensure you have a working biological pond filter.

The nitrifying bacteria (Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter) that live on the biological pond filter media help remove the ammonia from the Fish Pond. You need the biological pond filter to convert the ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate – and nitrate is plant food.

Of course, if you have healthy plants, then they will add to the oxygen levels in your pond.

Ensure that you never switch off the pump supplying water to the biofilter (except for essential maintenance). If you do, then the Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria will start to die after only 4 or so hours and this will lead to an increase In lethal ammonia levels within your Fish Pond.

Introducing a waterfall or water fountain will add oxygen into your pond as the water cascades through the atmosphere capturing the oxygen in the water particles as they drop into your Fish Pond.

An air pump is also a great way of introducing oxygen within your Fish Pond. You can also attach different air-stones or air-discs to create different visual effects within the water.

If you need any further advice or support, please do not hesitate to contact us at www.fish-fish-fish.com ; e-mail us post@fish-fish-fish.com or call us on 01799 550943.

It is, as the literature says, the world’s first 3D water cube aquarium. The Fluval Edge 23 litre design makes it a small but elegant Aquarium that can be filled to the very brim thanks to the glass top, providing high definition viewing from every angle.  This, in our view, is the best feature of the Fluval Edge Aquarium as no matter where you place it, you can truly see the plants, décor and fish from all angles.

The Fluval Edge has a powerful, retractable halogen lighting system that sits discretely within the top and helps creates a visually stunning display of your aquarium.

The Fluval Edge was easy to set up. It took literally minutes, which was great. Fluval EDGE comes complete with a powerful and efficient 3 stage filter which remains completely hidden in the top along with the Halogen lamps, preserving the striking aquarium design. Featuring mechanical, chemical and biological filtration for clear, healthy water, the EDGE filter is taken from Hagen’s Aquaclear clip on filter range.

We did find that algae built up within the Fluval Edge aquarium quite quickly compared to other aquariums we have had but this could be put down to positioning rather than anything within the Fluval Edge aquariums build. This aside, cleaning the algae build up from the class wasn’t that easy due to the limited access from the top and also the glass top of the aquarium.

Feeding the fish wasn’t that great either. There is a small access chamber in the top and the fish food generally remained within this area and the fish found this hard to find at first. It was okay once they got used to it, but to start with they would swim along the top glass trying to find the food.

In summary, we felt this was a stunning looking little aquarium. There were practical cleaning issues which we couldn’t overcome (perhaps other can) and we did feel the fish didn’t seem that comfortable in the Fluval Edge compared to other aquariums. If going for looks, this is a great aquarium to add to your home or office.

Artificial aquarium plants will replicate natural beauty in any Aquarium. They offer the flexibility to change your Aquascape on a regular basis or even to create a beautiful Garden Aquarium (which is becoming more popular). With the huge variety of plants available coming in different shapes and sizes you can easily transform how your aquarium looks as often as you like. Silk Aquarium plants will sway in the Aquarium water just as natural plants and the colours are as vibrant as any natural live aquarium plants and corals without the need to take plants from their natural environments.

For people that like to change their Aquatic Plants regularly to keep their Aquarium ‘fresh’, then Artificial Aquarium Plants may be a cost effective solution as you can rotate them and use them more than once, or even just move them around your Aquarium from time to time.

Sea-nery’s ranges of plants come with anchoring points or weights and are mostly suitable for both freshwater and saltwater aquariums. Sea-nery aquatic plants come in the following range:-

‘Original’ – Vine, Ivy and Flowers

‘Giant’ – which are taller, larger and can create a real feature at the back of any aquarium

‘Mats’ – that are able to be trimmed,

create a great ‘carpet’ effect and provide hiding places for small fish

‘Floating’ – which float on the top of the water to create an added feature

‘Domes’ – which can transform any aquascape, are ideal as foreground plants and provide refuge for small fry

‘Freshwater’ – which come as Grasses, Lotus, Sword, Parrat Feather, Neseau and Hemi style plants

‘Saltwater’ which come as Calyculus, Verde, Rossa, Platycarpum, Mexicana and Verticellata style plants

‘Reef’ – which act as colourful replicas of animals and plants from world oceans, available as Anemones, Mushrooms and Ployp Stone

Fish treats are not that common, but we all get enjoyment from seeing our pond fish close up. Over time, by encouraging them to come and take a treat you may be able to get them to take the treats out of your hand. This is a great experience and is a real treat for you giving them a treat!!!

Some great Pond Fish Treats are Koi Cakes which are fantastic little biscuit like treats. Fish really love coming up and taking these Koi Cakes whole or taking a nibble whilst you hold them in your hand.  For a floating treat, why not try either Medikoi Shrimp Balls or Medikoi Mixed Balls. Both are full of goodness and these floating balls will add something different and interesting to the way your Pond Fish respond to food.

By encouraging your Pond Fish to come up close, it is a great way of inspecting them for disease and general welfare. You can do this by using the treats. Another method is by feeding your Pond Fish or Koi Fish in the same place each time. They will get used to this and respond accordingly. Some Fish however, will always ‘stand back’ and take food from the furthest point from you. One way round this is to use a Nishikoi Feeding Ring . Feeding Rings enable you to keep control of the Fish Food in one place, remove any surplus if required and encourage your Pond Fish to feed in the same place which helps you when trying to check them over.

Blanket Weed is a filamentous alga which thrives well in ornamental ponds and water features. This green coloured alga quickly changes the colour of your pond or water feature and becomes a complete nightmare and displeasure for pond-keepers.  In bright sunlight and shallow fast running waters, this alga will quickly grow and this is why waterfalls and water features suffer badly with Blanketweed.

Pond keepers regularly over-feed their fish. This may add to growth of Blanket Weed as it favours the nutrients contained in fish excrement – I found this fact very interesting indeed as we experience many people overfeeding their fish and who then suffer from prolific Blanket Weed issues!

If left, Blanket Weed will reduce oxygen levels within your Fish Pond. It is important therefore to remove or prevent it from forming if possible. Larger fish also struggle with blanketweed as they find it as an obstruction and will in turn have increased stress levels as they swim round the pond.

So what can be done to remove Blanket Weed?

Many people of course remove blanketweed by hand. This is a satisfying result as you feel that you have cleared your pond of the dreaded weed.

STOP PRESS!

Pulling Blanketweed out by hand will actually release spores which in turn produce even more Blanket Weed – so in fact the problem doesn’t truly go away. [But we still feel better for it even though the pleasure is short lived!].

The Department for Environment have effectively banned all chemical treatments to kill Blanket Weed in the UK so the favourite method of Blanket Weed control is the use of “natural” methods.

The most common “natural” method includes using barley straw or barley straw derivatives.  Many branded products use this as the basis of their Blanket weed treatments. These have varied results as there are many factors that can affect the success of any Blanket weed removal.

Other non-chemical removal methods include the aggressive use of metallic ions such as copper which if not dosed correctly can kill fish and plants.

Growing is the use of ‘safe’ bacteria. The bacterium actively competes with the Blanket weed for nutrients within the pond. The bacteria will also consume Nitrates, dissolves Ammonia and Phosphates which the Blanketweed also thrives on.

The bacteria will not affect single cell algae or blue-green algae which can produce toxins to fish. An Ultraviolet Light can be installed which can kill these single cell algae.

As a great ‘all-rounder’ Pond Fish Food, the Alpha range offer great value for money whilst not compromising on nutritional balance. The Alpha range of Fish Foods can be fed throughout the year when water temperature is 10'C (50'F) or above.

Fish of course need different amounts of food dependant on their level of activity, water temperature and stocking density levels. The Alpha Fish Food range accommodates these different requirements and the dietery needs of different fish species that you will have in your garden pond.

Take a look at these New Pond Fish Foods, we think they offer great value for money.

 It is important to know the volume of your Garden Pond so you know what size Pond Filter is required, size of Pond Pump (flow rate) and also, when required, how much Pond or Fish Treatment is needed. It is also useful when looking at densely populated ponds as the levels of Pond filtration, Water Flow rates and Pond Treatment will change if you have a well-stocked Fish Pond.

How do we calculate this? Take a look at our easy to use guide

Should I over or under estimate when calculating the volume? For Pond Water Filtration purposes you would be better to overestimate the volume. For Pond or Fish Treatment is better to under estimate as you don’t want to ‘over-treat’ your pond with medication.

FALLING PRICES - In February the suppliers all increased their prices by approx. 5%. This is on top of the 2.5% VAT increase in January – a double whammy! With YOUR  support in growing our buying power and with our promise to you in passing on discounts received,  we’ve managed to hold prices on over 56% of products and reduce our prices on over 1/3^rd of products. We only had to increase our prices on 10% of the product lines we supply

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN.

 If you need any advice or just some reassurance, we are only aphone call away and always available to offer our years of experience in fish pond and aquarium keeping.

Happy Fish keeping

Well I found out the following about Activated Carbon:

It is extremely useful in Aquariums for removal of certain heavy metals found in water

It is great for the removal of Chlorine and Chloramine from the water

It is effective in removal of excess medications and antibiotics. So when treating your Aquarium you should consider removing the Activated Carbon!

It removes dissolved organic matter

So in simple terms – the answer to the first two  questions were address and I came to the conclusion that “yes” was the answer to the third!

So “How often should I change my Activated Carbon Foam?”.  Well the answer I always got was “it depends”! My research shows that this answer was right as there are so many factors to consider but the key one were:

The stocking level/density (which some refer to as the ‘biological load’!)

Carbon Quality – which varies significantly whether it is ‘carbon pad’, ‘carbon sponge’, carbon granules’ and the age of the activated carbon

Water Quality – as the water should be mechanically pre-filtered with a good flow of water through it.

The answer to this question is less conclusive so the best thing to do is consider is the Aquarium manufacturers’ advice which varies anything from weekly to 3 months! – Glad to see they have a consistent view on the subject!

With Easter upon us and a Royal Wedding/May  Bank Holiday to follow, it would be worth spending some time sorting out your Aquatic Plants. Doing it now will prevent problems in later months and help you ensure you get the most enjoyment from the outside part of your home.

Be Plant Wise and ensure your pond is not contributing to invasive plants that have been spreading across the UK. Support native plants or cultivated plants that are not harmful to our environment and ensure you dispose of any excess or dead plants in an appropriate manner. Now’s the time plants will be sprouting and springing into life. It’s worth giving them some support with new Pond Planting Basket’s and some fresh Aquatic Compost. 

So why use an Aquatic Compost?  These are Loam based composts (based on Sand, Silt and Clay) and have added grit to enable better water flow. In addition, Aquatic Composts have the essential nutrients & trace elements required by pond plants to give healthy growth and will not cloud the water. ‘Ordinary’ soils will cloud the water and are not Loam based.

We hope you have an enjoyable time re-potting your Pond Plants and getting them ready for a glorious British Summer!