So, how many guppies can you have in a 3-gallon tank? Technically, you can keep two guppies in 3-gallons, but a tank of this size is too small for such an active fish. Furthermore, keeping the water perimeters stable is much more difficult in a smaller tank. As a rule of thumb, 10-gallon is a minimum tank size for keeping guppies.

I know this is a rather short answer, but it will do for now. Continue reading to learn how many guppies can you keep in a fish tank, how to make ideal tank conditions, and what are the most common problems with small aquariums.

How Many Guppies Can You Keep In A Fish Tank?

Besides bringing plenty of color variations to tanks, guppies are also hardy and easy to keep, even if you never had fish before.

However, when it comes to guppies, overstocking is a big and common problem among beginner aquarists. Essentially, too many fish in an aquarium will cause toxins and waste to accumulate and oxygen levels to drop, which will cause all your guppies to die.

The tank in the video below might look absolutely stunning and the guppies seem to fit perfectly in there but unfortunately, it is not healthy at all for the guppies.

To avoid problems with your guppies and with your tank, you should learn how to properly stock your new aquarium.

When it comes to guppies you can follow a 1 guppy pet gallon rule or 1 inch of a guppy fish per gallon rule. Keep in mind, that male guppies are on average 0.6-1.4 inches long, and females are around 1.2-2.4 inches long if you want to avoid overstocking.

Furthermore, don’t forget that once set up, the aquarium won’t have the same holding capacity as it would without all the equipment in it. Hence, factor all of that into the equation.

If you want your guppies to grow without deformities and stay healthy, a bigger tank is always better. A spacious aquarium will offer them enough space to swim around and feel comfortable in their environment.

And although you can technically keep two guppies in a 3-gallon tank, they won’t have enough room to swim freely and can get sick due to poor water quality. Furthermore, guppies are very social and thrive living in schools.

Besides considering the number of guppies you can keep in an aquarium, you should also consider male to female ratio.

Guppies excel at reproducing, so much so, that your tank will be overrun with fry in a blink of an eye! Hence, you will have to be careful when choosing guppies for your tank if you don’t want them to breed like crazy.

To prevent unwanted breeding it is best to have more females than males, a 3:1 female to male ratio is ideal for guppies. You can also opt to keep only females or stick with a male-only aquarium.

Note that having a male-only guppy aquarium can be challenging since they will compete with one another and stronger males will end up bullying the weaker ones.

What Are Ideal Tank Conditions For Guppies?

The warm freshwater places of South America are the guppy’s natural habitat. Thus, it is very important that you do your best to mimic these conditions and create an optimal tank environment.

As with any other fish, you will have to make sure that the tank is set up properly and that the water is cycled. This will ensure that you have the right bacteria which will convert harmful compounds into less harmful ones.

While most people opt for a 10-gallon tank to keep guppies, you can also choose a bigger one. However, if you are set on a 3-gallon tank for your guppies, you will have to do a lot to ensure optimal living conditions and water quality.

One of the things you will need is a heater, that will maintain the proper water temperature between 75 and 82°F in your guppy tank. Place the heater on one end of the tank and the thermometer on the other end to check if the entire tank is heated equally.

As with a majority of fish, you will need a filter that will keep water perimeters stable. While guppies can tolerate different waters and pH levels from 5.5 – 8.5, the most ideal pH for them is between 7 – 7.2.

A hang-on filter will work for most aquariums, but if you have a mini aquarium you will need a mini power filter that won’t create strong currents.

And since maintaining the water quality in small tanks is problematic, you will also have to change 50% of the water twice a week to keep ammonia and nitrite levels in check.

Last but not least, you will need to create a pleasant environment by adding plants, rocks, and substrate to the tank.

When it comes to guppies, live plants are always a better option and you can add as much as you want since they will create hiding places and help filter the water additionally.

3 Biggest Problems When Keeping Guppies In Small Aquarium

There aren’t a lot of things that can go wrong when you keep guppies in an aquarium that is too big. When it comes to fish, no matter how small they are, a bigger aquarium is always better!

On the other hand, many things can go wrong when you have an aquarium that is too small.

Let’s take a look at the biggest problems:

1. Stunted Growth

How many times have you heard people saying fish only grow to the size of their tank? Probably a few times, if I have to guess.

Clearly, this isn’t true, but unfortunately, many people believe it is.

Any fish, including guppies, will have the urge to reach its full size regardless of the size of its tank. What actually happens is that the fish’s growth is stunted by the lack of space and as a result, its health is permanently damaged.

2. Shorter Lifespan

Living in an undersized aquarium will not only stunt your guppy’s growth, but it will also significantly shorten its lifespan. This happens for two different reasons.

First of all, guppies who live in small tanks get stressed out more easily. This added stress places an extreme amount of pressure on the heart causing it to overwork.

Secondly, living in tight quarters causes internal organ failure. As mentioned above, living in a smaller tank results in stunted growth.

This means that the guppy’s internal organs won’t have enough space to grow and develop normally, which ultimately results in organ failure and premature death.

3. Aggression

Last but not least, living in an undersized aquarium can cause behavioral problems.

Guppies can develop several behavioral problems and become stressed, anxious, or fearful. However, enhanced aggression is probably the most common issue.

Living in a small aquarium can cause a guppy to become aggressive towards its tank mates if it has any. This usually happens because the fish is stressed out or scared, and is trying to relieve the discomfort by attacking other fish.

Although guppies have peaceful temperaments, it is hard to turn them back to being friendly once they become aggressive and introduce them to a community once again. We explain more on aggression in guppies and solutions for that here!

It’s much easier to avoid aggression and other issues altogether by keeping guppies in a properly set up and spacious tank!

The post How Many Guppies Can You Have In A 3-Gallon Tank? appeared first on Water World Craze.

But, are angelfish aggressive towards each other? While less aggressive than other cichlids, angels are not peaceful and love to pick at each other. Angelfish can become aggressive for several different reasons, such as the size of the tank, lack of hiding space, dominance issues, and current patterns among other things. 

While this is a rather short answer, it should give you an idea of why angels can be aggressive towards each other. Continue reading to learn all factors that can lead to aggression and what you can do to prevent and/or stop it.

Why Are Angelfish Aggressive Towards Each Other?

Angelfish aren’t so aggressive as other members of the cichlids family, but they can bully and fight with other angels in the aquarium. Most common reasons for this pesky behavior are:

1.  Establishing The “Pecking Order”

Like most cichlids, a male angelfish sees the aquarium as “his” space. When several angelfish are introduced together they usually establish a pecking order, with the dominant male and subordinates.

Depending on the temperament, the dominant male will tolerate the other angels, or become aggressive towards them.

When a single male angelfish is placed in the aquarium he usually establishes it as his own territory. Hence, when other angles are later introduced he may or may not tolerate them.

Dominant males usually tolerate female angels, but that may not always be the case. On the other hand, males are rarely tolerated as the dominant angel sees them as intruders into his own space.

In some cases, the aggression is simple bullying, like pushing and shoving, but it can also become very physical.

The subordinate angel may be killed outright, or it may be highly stressed or frightened. The latter usually leads to a subordinate’s death sooner or later.

When angelfish fight, it looks like they are kissing. However, kissing behavior is also part of a mating ritual. To tell the difference, we highly recommend reading our two following articles:

• What does it mean when angelfish kiss?
• Are my angelfish fighting or mating?

2. Same sex group

Angels tend to get aggressive if there are only two of them in the aquarium, especially if both of them are males.

They are less aggressive and thrive when they are in pairs or groups. Once in a group, a pecking order will be established and a dominant male may bully all other fish just a little bit.

Consequently, none of your angels will become stressed out, since a small amount of bullying is natural group behavior.  However, when there are only two males, the dominant has just one option, leaving the other fish stressed out and cowering in fear.

If you are not sure what gender you angelfish have, let us help you! Read our article on that here: Can angelfish change gender?

3. Lack Of Hiding Places

Angelfish tend to be quite shy and like to have a lot of hiding places that will protect them when being picked on by other tank members.

When there are no plants, driftwood, or decorations to break up their line of sight, angels can become aggressive and bully one another. Hence, it is essential to provide adequate space and an ideal environment to prevent bullying from occurring.

4. Lack Of Space

Angelfish can grow quite large and need a big enough tank in order to stay happy and thrive.

Generally, anything smaller than a 10-gallon tank isn’t a good option for a single angelfish. However, if you have two angels you will need at least a 30-gallon tank so they can have enough room to pair and live comfortably once they reach their adult size.

When crammed in a small tank, angels can become aggressive and will bully one another for the extra space and territory.

Keep in mind that the tank should be tall, and not long, so that all of your angels have enough room to move around without having to fight one another for extra space.

Choosing the right tank size, but also choosing the right tank shape is crucial when keeping angelfish. Any mistakes here could cause problems for you and your angelfish. Read our article on choosing the right tank size and shape for angelfish here!

5. Spawning

It’s not uncommon for a pair of angelfish to fight and chase one another before and after spawning.

In this case, you will notice that your angels are locking lips, flicking their fins to look bigger, chasing, and nipping each other.

Once they are ready to spawn, angels select, clean, and defend a relatively flat surface to deposit the eggs. Furthermore, after the breeding, angelfish will guard and defend their eggs and will be aggressive towards other fish, including other angels.

How To Stop Angelfish From Fighting?

Even when kept in ideal conditions your angels can get into occasional fights. But this is nothing to worry about, and your angelfish will soon enough hash it out among each other.

However, there are things you can do to minimize aggressive behavior and to ensure that your angels have an ideal living environment to be comfortable in and thrive.

1. Introduce The Angelfish Properly

Angels are very territorial and tend to be aggressive if you decide to add newcomers to their tank.

So if you think that having just one angelfish won’t be enough, you should get a pair (male and female) or a group straight away. This way, you will give them a chance to establish a pecking order and form a group right from the start.

However, if you already have one angel and want to add another to the tank, it is best to take the dominant one out of the tank and place it in another for a couple of days. During that time, rearrange the décor and put the bully back in with the new fish to avoid any fighting.

2. Design Private Areas

Angels thrive in environments with a lot of plants and caves that can serve as hiding places, otherwise, they will fight and bully one another for territory.

To stop the fighting, use tall plants, driftwood, rocks, glass, and decoration to design hiding places and private areas for your angels.

Besides helping your angels to get along, these accessories will also make your tank aesthetically more appealing and mimic the angels’ natural environment.

3. Get A Larger Tank

Aggression is more common among adult angelfish, and when in cramped space this bickering can lead to death. Sometimes, even a 90-gallon tank isn’t enough when you have two male angels fighting for territory.

So, providing the right size tank for your angelfish is essential if you want to prevent fighting and to keep them content. Generally, a 20-gallon tank is enough for one angel, but that number rises as you add more fish to the group.

4. Don’t Change The Water Often

Angelfish communicate their social status through urine and bile that they release into the water. While keeping the tanks clean is important, changing the water often will disrupt chemical signals from the water.

Hence, making the angels blind to their social hierarchy and more aggressive towards each other. However, the attacks will stop once the chemical signals are back to normal which usually happens during the next day.

5. Keep The Current To A Minimum

A good filtration system is a must if you want to keep your aquarium clean. However, you will have to look for one that doesn’t create excessive currents in the water.

This is mainly because angelfish aren’t the most agile swimmers and a strong current can make them stressed out and more aggressive towards each other.

The post Are Angelfish Aggressive Towards Each Other? appeared first on Water World Craze.

What fish can live with koi in a tank? The types of fish that can live with koi depend entirely if you have an indoor tank or if your koi are outside in a pond type environment. Not all commercially bought fish do well outside.

You must also consider the natural environment that your fish is from and how they will be affected by the climate in which you live.

A lot of factors go into picking compatible fish to live with your koi such as size and temperament, but don’t worry we can help you out with the basics.

Read further to get an understanding of the koi’s personality, factors you need to consider before adding fish to a koi tank, and last but not least which fish are compatible with koi.

Details of the Koi

The koi due to their beauty and personality have a large devoted following. Initially taking care of koi is a little daunting, changing feeding schedules and environment can be difficult to handle.

But after a while you will get used to their schedule their disposition will win you over.

There are hundreds of varieties of Koi. They are a subspecies carp that has been breed from the Japanese Amur carp who is crossbreed with other carp species for coloring.

Koi are categorized by their markings and scale pattern rather than personality, Some, such as the tea-stained Chagoi, who makes up for their muted coloring with a sweet nature.

Koi will revert to their Amur coloring after a few generations if they are not selectively breeding.

All Koi range on the larger size, but the exact size depends on the particular koi that you purchase.

• Your common domesticated Koi will be between 12-15 inches long
• Japanese Koi are 22-26 inches long
• Jumbo-sized Koi get up to 34-36 inches long

Koi are not naturally an aggressive fish, not any more than any other fish that is. They still need their own space, plenty of food, and will get testy during mating time.

The Koi does have teeth, but they are so far back that you are not in danger of being bitten. The koi’s teeth are actually in their throat rather than their mouths.

They do have powerful mouths and can suction your finger if you take to long to give them a turn of food. This also plays a part with other fish, they can suck up another fish’s tail to the point where it reaches their back choppers and rips it off.

They will eat fry and other tiny water creatures or insects. They don’t typically eat smaller fish, but in the right circumstances, they will.

The majority of fish align with the pecking order, meaning that the bigger fish rule the roost while the smaller ones fall in line. The koi being a relatively large fish is going to rule the roost.

The koi are known to have very distinct personalities from fish to fish. Meaning that even though they are not thought of as aggressive fish you might find an aggressive individual.

When looking for tank mates’ size, environment, and personality all need to be considered

Community tanks are great, but you can’t just combine any fish that you like and expect them to live peacefully together. If your main focus is fish that are compatible with koi you have to consider their particular attributes and match them in other fish.

Picking fish that are of a similar size, environment, and the overall personality will help you a lot in the long run

Size

While the fish is not known as an aggressive fish, fish as a whole have a natural pecking order which can’t be ignored. Bigger fish will pick on or eat smaller fish, there is nothing that you can do about that, it is just in their nature.

The easiest method to prevent fighting is to get fish that are either compatible due to species or are near the same size. The temperament of each fish variety should be considered, also, when stacking your pond.

While koi are not aggressive fish they are one that has big personalities that differ from each individual. So some koi that you come across will be docile and friendly while others will be one aggressive and pushy towards their other pond mates.

We show you in detail what the minimum tank size for koi is in this article!

Personality

Overall the koi is a friendly fish and needs other fish that are the same. If you introduce an aggressive species then the koi will start to get picked on especially the more amicable varieties.

Avoid aggressive fish that are larger than your koi, or just larger fish in general because they tend to be more aggressive.

Environment

You want all of your fish to be comfortable and part of that process is making sure that all of the fish that you get are compatible in the same environment.

The koi is a cold-water fish coming from chillier climates such as China and Japan, with some varieties breed with the common carp from Europe. Keeping koi in the same tank or pond as tropical fish doesn’t work because they are from completely different environments.

Other qualities to look for

Stacking your tank

Naturally, Koi are bottom-feeding fish, however, in captivity, they will come to the surface to be feed by you. Bottom-dwelling fish are typically scavengers who feed on the leftovers from other animals or any other morsels that they can find.

Statically stacking correctly will make your tank look better. Preventing the decay from the food to dirty the water that your fish live in.

Instead of fish crowded in one area of your tank, they will be at the bottom, middle and top making it look like you have more fish than you do. Besides astatic stacking, the tank correctly creates space for each variety of fish so they don’t feel like they are overcrowded.

No matter how docile your fish are they like their own space, stacking creates that for them. Another reason to consider the area in which your fish will live is cleanliness.

As boring as it sounds you need to create the full feeding process of a natural environment in this artificial setting. That means that some fish eat at the top, but tend to be sloppy and not eat all of the food that they are given.

With only top and middle fish that means there is a lot of uneaten food at the bottom of your pond. Uneaten food will decay at the bottom of your tank causing algae, lack of oxygen and a harder time for your pump to keep clean.

While a pump and filter will help clean out your water and put oxygen back in it helps to be mindful of your koi’s natural process so you can keep your tank or pond at it’s cleanest.

One thing that will help is to get bottom-dwelling fish in the pond with your koi fish. So all of the food that your koi doesn’t eat will be gobbled up by these natural cleaners.

Slow to grow and breed

Look for fish that are slow to grow instead of those that seem to grow big when your back is turned. Koi is a long-lived fish that take about 3-4 years to age. They will continue to grow in size after this period but at a much slower pace.

Fish that reach a larger size than your koi before that time will show aggression on the baby koi. It’s easier to purchase fish that have a similar growth period or who will not torture your koi when they are a fry.

You also don’t want fish that will produce a lot of fry. Even the smaller koi need a lot of room, with a fast-breeding fish the pond or tank will quickly become overtaken and possibly eaten by your koi.

Unless you have the set up to remove the baby fish your tank will become overcrowded. Which will lead to added waste in the tank, competition for space, and a lack of oxygen for everyone to breath.

Oxygen is very important to the koi fish, without it they will get stressed, which will cause their immune system to crash allowing parasites and bacteria to infiltrate their bodies or they will suffocate then die.

Tank or pond?

While we traditionally think of koi as a pond fish, they are compatible with tanks you just have to have a large tank and even larger if you want a community aquarium. Koi by themselves need at least a 1000 gallon tank to accommodate their size.

If they are of the bigger variety such as jumbo koi then they will need a much larger tank. Then if you are adding more fish into the tank it will have to be even larger.

For this reason, most people who have koi set up ponds instead of keeping them in a tank indoors. Each one has its good points and drawbacks.

With an indoor tank, you can control the temperature a lot better, but most people don’t have space or the money to house a massive tank. You need at least 50 gallons per koi in a tank.

That means if you have 5 koi you need a 250-gallon tank.

This is just for koi alone, adding additional fish means getting a bigger aquarium. Also since they are not in a pond your options for other fish in a community tank are expanded, in tanks you can house tropical fish with koi since the temperature can be regulated easier.

If you want to house your koi in an indoor tank then opt for the smaller koi instead of the jumbo size. People who keep koi in inside tanks are those who live without yard space or chillier areas where the fish would be in hibernation year round if they were kept outside.

Ponds make it much easier for you to provide the size that they need, all that you have to do is dig a larger hole for them to live. However, the temperature is not controllable so you will have to consider the climate where you live and how much to feed them.

It also limits your options for additional fish to those who work well in your climatic zone and a pond environment. If you can afford it a pond heater will help with temperature issues, especially during the colder months.

While the koi is a bottom-dwelling fish they frequently come to the surface to feed. In a pond, a lot of bottom-dwellers will kick up the dirt in your pond causing it to be murky. Limit the number of bottom-dwellers to help keep your pond clear.

Types of fish that do well with Koi

Compatible fish for koi depends on where you are keeping them. If you have a tank setup there are more options for different varieties of fish since you have a firmer grasp on the temperature.

Tropical fish are an option with koi tanks because of this very reason. However, if you have a pond for your koi you have to make sure that they are compatible with koi, pond living, and the climate where you live.

Before getting any fish to live with your koi in a pond talk to your local pet store or your fish dealer to see what types of fish work where you live.

Tankmates

• Barbels
• Golden Orfe
• Golden Tench
• Goldfish
• Barbs
• Catfish

Barbel fish are a type of carp native to Europe. They have similar needs and temperament to the koi fish and can live in both a tank or pond. These fish can get quite big, some can grow to be 4 feet.

The majority however only reach 40 inches. These fish work best with the jumbo variety of koi. Since they are slightly larger than the koi introduce them to when they are adults.

The Golden Orfe is a beautiful fish that reaches up 20 inches perfect for the medium-sized koi. They prefer to live in groups of their kind so do better with at least three fish. These fish can be housed in a tank, but due to their size, it’s best to keep them in a large pond.

Also called the doctor fish the Golden Tench makes your pond clearer because they eat the waste from other fish. Gross, but necessary. They can grow between 16 to 26 inches, so these work well with the medium-sized koi.

These are better in ponds rather than tanks due to size and their habit of settling in the mud at the bottom of their environment.

The koi is a type of carp so they do well with those of the same species and size. Traditionally goldfish are housed with koi. The beauty of it is obvious why, but also be selective with which type of goldfish and koi that you bring together.

You want the goldfish to match the same size of your koi fish otherwise your goldfish will be picked on. Koi will even suck in the goldfish’s fins and pull them off. Goldfish work in both tank and pond environments.

Barbs come in a variety of shapes and colors, for koi tanks, it’s best to purchase the larger type such as the Rosy Barb which can reach 6 inches. These work well in a tank environment. They are a docile fish so they will get along well with the smaller koi types.

Though catfish are a bit territorial they work well with koi of the same size in a tank. There are many varieties from small to large so make sure to get one that equals the size of your koi and introduce them when your koi are fully grown.

They are tropical fish but work well in different environments. They do tend to mess up the bottom of the tank at times so if that is a deal-breaker skip this fish.

Picking compatible fish is a tedious process. Finding fish that work well with your koi and their environment while also adding beauty might seem impossible, but thankfully it isn’t when you have a better understanding of koi and what their needs are.

If you look for species that are similar to the koi in temperament, size, and environment it will make the process a lot easier. Also fish do well with those who are in the same family as they are.

Patience and thoughtfulness will help make introducing your koi to new fish a lot easier.

But just in case keep a separate container for those times when fish turn out to be less compatible than you thought and keep a good relationship with your local fish dealer to get help for your specific area.

The post What Fish Can Live With Koi In A Tank? appeared first on Water World Craze.

So how can you feed your guppies while you are on vacation?

Adult guppies can survive for two to three weeks without food, but you should not disrupt their metabolic processes, therefore you should not stray from their usual feeding sessions. You can use an automatic feeder or ask someone to feed them for you, which is actually better.

It is actually a mix of tank maintenance and guppy food preparation. We will get more into this as you go through the article. So if you are going to be away for a significant amount of time, keep on reading to know how to feed your guppies while you are on vacation.

How Long Can Guppies Survive Without Food?

Before we talk about the several ways you can prepare your tank for your coming vacation, you should first know the basics about guppy “hunger.” It will really ease your worries to know that adult guppies can survive for two to three weeks without a single amount of feeding.

However, this does not necessarily mean that you can just opt to not feed them when you are away. This simply means that your guppies are hungry, but since there is no available food, they will find different ways to satiate their hunger.

They will forage for food, eat algae, nibble on live plants, and the like. Unfortunately, this is bad news for the guppy fry that you have in the tank. First off, they need more food in order to develop and grow.

Second, they are going to be the number one target of your adult guppies when they get so hungry.

Preparation + How To Feed Guppies While On Vacation

As we have mentioned earlier, everything will go according to plan if you are on top of your tank maintenance as well as food preparation. More than that, you might be surprised that tank maintenance takes precedence over the actual feeding of your guppies.

Tank Maintenance

This actually takes over 70% of the entire preparation if you are going to leave your guppies alone for a while. We mentioned earlier that they can survive for a good number of days without food as they will find other ways to procure food.

Therefore, proper tank preparation is key so that they can do these natural survival behaviors. Your guppies are going to be okay when they do not have enough food, but surely, they will perish if the tank conditions are bad.

So, you really have to be on top of your tank maintenance before you even worry about how you can feed your guppies while you are away.

Clean The Filter

You should be 100% sure that your tank’s filter is clean and working properly before you go. Therefore, you should deep clean the mechanical filter and remove all the debris and waste that are found inside.

Keep in mind that you should remove as much or even all of the mulm (sludge in the filter that comes from fish waste, dead plants, etc.)

It is important to note that you should not clean the biological filter because there should still be beneficial bacteria in the tank. This will help in removing toxins and ammonia.

You can also opt to vacuum the gravel even though most of the waste falls to the bottom of the tank. It may seem tedious, but you really want your filter to not falter while you are away.

We explain what happens to guppies without a filter here.

Change The Water

You should start doing this a week before your vacation as you cannot change the water all in one go. Doing so might stress your guppies.

Just remember that the water change should be at least 50%-70% as opposed to the 20%-30% of water change that you do every week.

When you do a big water change it can remove a significant amount of nitrates from the water which will ensure that the water is in good condition even though you do not do a water change for a week.

Lastly, make sure that you treat the water to get rid of chloramine, chlorine, and other heavy metals found in tap water.

Aquarium Lights

You might need help on this one especially if your lights do not have a timer on it. By now you know that light is essential to your guppies’ way of life as they need a proper day and night cycle.

At the same time, you should move your tank away from windows that do not have any curtains, as you cannot predict how much or how little sunlight will hit the tank while you are away. Too much sunlight will cause the development of algae to be faster.

The best thing to do is to use a timer on your lights or ask someone to turn on and turn off the lights for you.

If these two options are not possible, then you can simply stick with the natural light, but make sure that the tank is still in a shaded area so as not to disrupt the water temperature.

Removal Of Dead Plants

The existence of dead plants in the tank contributes to the ammonia level. Therefore, if you see some of your live plants starting to brown or wilt, it is best to remove them altogether.

Replace the aquarium with healthy and live plants. Again, this can also be a source of food for your guppies.

Remove Or Separate Sick Guppies

Do this at least two or three days before you go. Take a closer look at your guppies and look for signs if one or many of them are sick.

It is better to remove or separate the sick ones from the tank if you are going away for a long time as there is a possibility that there will be a disease outbreak in the tank.

In the event that you did not see the sick guppy and he ends up dead while you are away, the decomposition of the guppy inside the tank will produce a lot of ammonia which can be too toxic for the other healthy guppies.

If you have problems with your guppies’ health, we highly recommend reading our article: 20 reasons why your guppies are dying!

Food Preparation

Now that you are done with the 70% of guppy preparation, it is now time to tackle the remaining 30% and that is the actual feeding process of your guppies. Here are some options you can try.

Asking A Friend Or Family

This is the best option as going this route will not disrupt the normal feeding sessions of your guppies. You can simply leave your friend or family member instructions on when to feed them and how much they can feed them.

In order to prevent overfeeding, you can prepare beforehand separate bags of the food that are already measured based on how much you feed your guppies.

Hiring A Fish-Sitter

There are a lot of fish-sitters that you can hire online and it is best to choose one who actually owns fishes as compared to someone who is just available and can follow instructions.

The reason behind this is that the fish-sitter who also has pet fishes can gauge different situations and he or she knows how to deal with problems in the tank.

They can also do tank maintenance which will ensure you that everything is working great with your guppies not just with their food but with their environment as well. The downside to this is, of course, you are going to give access to your house to people you really do not know.

Automatic Feeder

If the other previous options do not work for you, then you can consider purchasing an automatic feeder. However, you should first test this in your tank to see if your guppies will take food from it and if it is even working in the first place.

A disadvantage of using an automatic feeder is that it can get clogged by uneaten food. Moreover, the uneaten food will eventually become waste which can then pollute the water and change the water conditions.

Another disadvantage is that you cannot control the amount of food that it gives. Therefore, you run the risk of overfeeding your guppies.

No Overfeeding

For a lot of people who do not have the option to ask someone to feed their guppies, or even have a fish-sitter or an automatic feeder, they tend to think that if they overfeed their guppies days before they leave for their vacation, their guppies will not get hungry.

This is an absolute no-no. You should never overfeed your guppies as this will lead to their deaths. Not to mention the fact that too much uneaten food in the tank also causes the water to become polluted which is also harmful to your guppies.

Skip Feeding

You might just consider not feeding your guppies at all if all the options that we gave you are not possible. As scary as it may sound, again, your guppies are going to be okay (so, relax). Just another note, this logic does not apply to guppy fry.

Going back to the non-feeding part, this ensures that there will be not much water pollution. So the chances of your filter breaking down is next to none. At least, in this case, you will not worry that the water conditions of your tank will go bad while you are away.

It is also good to note that some fish breeders actually do this where they will deliberately not feed their guppies for two to three weeks. The reason behind this is that it is a way to clear the digestive system of the guppies.

So in the event that you decide to not feed them at all, it is not entirely a bad thing for them, in fact, it is beneficial to them.

The post How To Feed Guppies While On Vacation appeared first on Water World Craze.

Painted turtles are common pet turtles and are often offered in pairs or groups in pet shops. Also, they can live upwards of 50 years, which begs the question: Does my turtle need a companion?

Two painted turtles can live together in the same tank as long as they are not both males. Males are territorial and can get aggressive towards each other. While painted turtles can live together, they are not social creatures and don’t really need company.

Let’s dive into what you’ll need to know before keeping two painted turtles in the same habitat.

Painted Turtles Can Live Together

Turtles aren’t necessarily social creatures. In the wild, they share environments with each other and may interact with each other. For example, wild turtles need to bask somewhere and you’ll often see multiple turtles sharing the same basking spot.

However, they don’t seek out each other’s company the way dogs may seek companionship from one another. It’s more common for turtle owners to add turtle-friendly fish to their turtle’s tank than another turtle because of this.

When deciding on a pair of painted turtles to live together in captivity, it’s important to think about the painted turtle’s natural instincts.

• Females don’t have to compete with each other in the wild and, as a result, pairs of female turtles tend to do well in captivity.
• Male and female turtles do fine with each other behaviorally because there is no competition the two. However, you do risk male and female turtles mating with each other.
• Male turtles have to compete with each other to find a mate and can become territorial, so housing two male painted turtles together could be unsafe.

As you can see in the video below, some turtle keepers don’t believe that turtles enjoy living together enough to risk them fighting or being unhappy.

Some keepers feel that the larger issue is that turtle’s don’t prefer to live in a tank with more of their own species, but that turtles can get along great with another outside of their species. There are plenty of resources on Youtube or on forums that give first-hand experience to turtle tank mates.

Of course, two turtles living together would have to have the same care requirements to thrive. The safest pairing of two painted turtles will likely be two females unless you’re a responsible breeder looking to own a breeding pair.

How Big of a Tank Do Two Turtles Need

You can find a lot of information and opinions about the correct size of tank for a single adult turtle. The Pet Supply Guy Calculator, for example, shows you the size tank you should need based on the size of your turtle.

A turtle’s measurements correlate directly to tank size; every inch of your turtle’s shell equates to 10-gallons of water.

• 3.8-inch turtle needs a 38-gallon tank
• 6.8-inch turtle needs a 68-gallon tank
• 11.5-inch turtle needs a 115-gallon tank

The general rule of thumb is that if you have two turtles in one tank, you need to add another half of the single turtle’s tank requirement to house a second turtle. For example:

• Two 3.8-inch turtles would need at least 57 gallons
• Two 6.8-inch turtles would need at least 102 gallons
• Two 11.5-inch turtles would need at least 172.5 gallons

The bigger the tank that you can give your turtles, the happier and healthier they’ll be.

Filtration

A bigger tank will require a bigger filter in order to manage the waste that multiple turtles produce. Too much ammonia in a turtle tank can cause them to become ill, and two turtles produce double the waste you’re used to managing for a single turtle.

It’s smart to purchase test kits and regularly check your turtle’s water to ensure chemical levels are balanced, keeping your turtles happy and healthy.

Creature Comforts

Some other things to consider when moving two turtles into a larger tank together are the things that allow them to behave naturally and be comfortable. A larger tank will require a larger heater to keep the environment warm enough for two turtles.

Turtles require a basking spot, and you would either need to provide one large enough for two turtles at the same time or provide multiple basking spots.

If your turtles seem to be bullying each other or don’t prefer to share, you can arrange their tank in a way that gives each turtle a place to enjoy by themselves.

This would allow them to have their own space or territory and may make the transition to living with another turtle easier. Any enrichment you provide for your turtle may need to be doubled so that each turtle can participate in its fair share.

Can Turtles Living Together Be Different Ages?

Turtle owners don’t always start out with two turtles at once, which is understandable. You want to make sure you’re doing everything right before bringing home a second turtle.

Something to think about when deciding to bring another turtle home is the compatibility of the age of turtles you plan to house together.

Housing turtles of different ages or sizes together can lead to bullying. Smaller, younger turtles may be picked on by older, larger turtles. You may have an easier time introducing turtles close in age or size than introducing a baby turtle to your adult.

Typically, juvenile turtles are best housed with other juvenile turtles and adult turtles are best housed with other adult turtles. This levels the playing field and gives each turtle a fair chance to stand up for themselves.

In Conclusion

Housing two painted turtles together is definitely doable and can be a fun experience for a pet owner. It’s important to keep in mind sex, age, and tank requirements when determining turtle compatibility.

Ultimately, it’s up to your turtles to decide that they enjoy living together. Whether they live together or apart, two turtles can bring twice the enjoyment to their owners!

The post Can Two Painted Turtles Live Together? appeared first on Water World Craze.

But are they easy to keep? Yes, guppies are fairly easy to keep. However, as you can expect, there are some things that you should bear in mind for your guppies to live a long and healthy life.

Read on to find out how you can properly take care of your guppies and how you can make your life and that of your pet fish a lot easier.

1. What Makes Guppies Easy to Keep?

One of the best things about guppies is that they don’t require a lot of space. There is also little investment when it comes to having guppies as pet fish.

They cost as little as ten cents each at various pet stores, but they can be a little more expensive if they’re fancier (up to twenty-five dollars).

The flaked food that guppies require is also fairly inexpensive. If you pick up a used filter and tank, you can set up an aquarium with little cost.

Another reason that makes the guppy a popular pet fish is that it is low-maintenance. If you make sure that the tank is clean and if you provide them with good-quality food, they’ll be perfectly happy.

Like other pet fish, they can suffer from a few diseases, such as fungus infections. However, if you get your pet fish from a pet store that sources them from breeders, you have a better chance of raising healthy guppies.

The reason for this is that they often get stressed during transportation. Plus, they have a hard time adjusting to aquarium life when taken out of a hatchery.

2. What Makes Guppies Hard to Keep Compared to Other Pet Fish?

There are several reasons why guppies can be a little challenging, especially when compared to hardier species such as angelfish, for example. The lack of oxygen in the tank water can cause guppies to die.

Water temperature changes, such as putting too warm or cold water in your aquarium can also cause guppy mortality. Besides, tap water contains chlorine, which is deadly to many pet fish, including guppies.

Ammonia is harmful to pet fish, as well. How do higher levels of ammonia end up in the water? Well, an increase in ammonia can be caused by anything from a dirty filter to a dirty substrate.

Dead fish that aren’t removed from the tank can decay and also increase ammonia levels. Even uneaten fish food can decompose and turn into ammonia.

Overfeeding can be an extremely common issue with most pet fish parents. Everyone wants to feed their fish enough food so that they aren’t hungry. When it comes to feeding guppies, the rule of thumb is doing it once a day or even once every other day.

Uneaten food pollutes the aquarium and can potentially endanger your guppies’ health. We recommend feeding your guppies for 30 seconds and then waiting to see whether they are still hungry.

You can add more food if they are, but if you’ve noticed that their interest in food has disappeared, avoid feeding them more.

3. Can Genetics Make Guppies Hard To Keep?

The short answer to this question is yes. Surprisingly enough, some guppies are more prone to getting diseases, and they also have bad genes.

Usually, most of those that you will find in big pet stores are less healthy compared to those that you can get from a breeder. The latter can even live for up to 2 to 3 years.

Some of the guppy breeds that are among the hardiest ones are the following:

• Albino guppies
• Moscow guppies
• Metal guppies
• Grass tail guppies
• Cobra guppies

4. What Diseases Do Guppies Have?

We might have already mentioned fungus infections, but that’s not the only medical condition that a guppy can develop. There aren’t many guppy specific diseases, but they can still suffer from various ones. Here are several:

• Ick
• Velvet
• Fin rot
• Flukes

All of these common guppy diseases can be treated with medication. Unfortunately, there are also diseases that can’t be treated, such as guppy tuberculosis.

Given that this is a particularly contagious condition, all of the guppies that are affected need to be removed from the tank to avoid spreading it to the other fish in the aquarium.

We show you how hardy guppies are, what diseases they have in detail, and how to keep them healthy in this article! We highly recommend reading it!

5. Can Guppies Be Bred Easily?

You can breed guppies in a communal tank or their own separate tank. Both of these methods have pros and cons.

For example, a separate breeding tank means that you can better select the parents so as to produce the right offspring in terms of characteristics and coloration.

You also have the advantage of keeping a close eye on the fish that you want to breed. Plus, there are no tank mates that might end up eating newborn fry. The only drawback is that you obviously need another tank, which calls for money, as well as space.

Communal tank breeding can be rather exciting since you don’t have the ability to control the outcome. This means that the offspring can have extravagant or striking shades.

On the other hand, you have little to no control over which fish actually mate. Communal breeding is less time consuming and also cheaper, but there’s always the risk of the adults eating the little ones.

If you plan to breed, or if your guppies are already breeding, here are a few articles you should read:

6. Do You Need to Balance Out The Male-To-Female Ratio?

Even though guppies are generally friendly, the males can tend to harass the females. In an attempt to impress them and mate with them, the males can chase the females around the tank. This means that they end up being stressed.

You should usually have more female guppies than male ones so that the attention is divided between different female individuals. If you do this, you’ll minimize harassment.

A good female to male ratio is 2:1. An even better one is 3:1.

If this seems like too much of a hassle for you to manage, you can just get male guppies. We explain what you should know about keeping only male guppies here.

7. What Do You Need in a Guppy Tank?

Like other pet fish, guppies enjoy having plenty of gravel to poke around, and also places where they can hide. Therefore, adding plants and decor to the tank can come in handy.

However, you need to make sure that there’s enough space for all of the accessories that you want to add to the tank environment. Don’t fill the aquarium with extras as you can accidentally make it too crowded.

Plus, if you have lots of accessories and a lot of gravel, you’ll have a harder time cleaning everything. Waste can get trapped in between the bits of gravel.

Since guppies prefer sleeping near the bottom of the aquarium, you might want to consider not getting any gravel at all. You can simply use sand instead, especially since it is easier to clean compared to gravel.

8. How Many Guppies Can You Keep in an Aquarium?

Guppies are very small compared to other tropical fish. Female guppies can grow up to 1.5 inches while male ones can grow up to just 1.2 inches. This type of pet fish reaches full-size maturity in around six months.

The rule of thumb when it comes to picking the right tank size is 1 inch of fish per 1 gallon of water. Here’s a handy table that might be able to help you a bit.

Number of guppies Tank capacity

• 3-4 guppies: 5-gallon aquarium
• 7-10 guppies: 10-gallon aquarium

You are allowed to keep more guppies if you make sure that you have good filtration and live plants in the tank.

Proper filtration and the plants effectively eliminate the toxic fish waste from the water environment. If you make sure that these two requirements are on par, you can even change the water less often.

In this article, we explain more on how many guppies you should keep and the dangers of keeping too many guppies.

9. How Can Water Quality Affect Guppies?

While guppies are quite hardy and can accept a broad range of water parameters, you can keep them healthy only if you abide by certain rules. The table below shows you the ideal water conditions for keeping guppies.

• Water temperature: 72-82 F (22-28 C)
• Water hardness (dGH): 8-12
• Water pH: 6.8-7.8
• Ammonia: 0
• Nitrites: Maximum 10 ppm

Changing the water is crucial when it comes to keeping healthy guppies. You should change about 30% of the water if you have a low-stock tank. If you intend to use tap water, make sure that you use a water conditioner to remove chlorine and heavy metals.

Find out the temperature of the water in the tank. Once you’ve done that, make sure that the water you add to the tank has the same temperature.

If you have an overstocked tank, you need to change the water more often.

Water quality can change guppies’ behavior. We have created a couple of articles on that you should definitely read:

10. Do You Need a Filter For Your Guppy Tank?

Even though you can run your tank without a filter, there are some risks involved in doing this.

If you do not perform water changes (at least 50%) weekly or bi-weekly, you have no control over the feeding and the waste produced by it. (We explain how to keep guppies without a filter here!)

If you really don’t want to use a filter, add live plants to the aquarium. Plants can keep the water clean, and they are also capable of removing nitrates from the water column.

If you do not want to replace the water that often, you can get a basic sponge filter. If you can afford it, though, you should consider getting an internal filter as it will give you peace of mind that your guppies are going to remain healthy.

Final Thoughts

Guppies are active fish and a lot of fun to watch. They are easy to keep if you do your research beforehand and get everything you need.

Choose a good size tank and feed your guppies a variety of food, but avoid overfeeding them. To keep your pet fish healthy, make weekly water changes.

The post Are Guppies Easy To Keep? 10 Facts You Should Know appeared first on Water World Craze.

So, can Koi eat bread? It is best not to feed your koi bread. Carbohydrates like bread are hard for them to digest and they are not a healthy option of food. It is best to stick to fruit, vegetables, and meats as treats for koi. They’ll enjoy them and are good for their health too.

So, let’s take a closer look at why bread isn’t’ good for koi and what a good diet consists of.

Foods not to Feed to Your Koi

One of the favourite moments for koi owners is feeding time. They swim to the surface for their daily feeding and you can admire their beautiful colors in their pond. The thing is, most koi fish will eat anything.

This means that you can feed them anything and they will at least try it. So, anything that is dropped into their pond they will be curious about and come and investigate. But this is not always a good thing.

The Problem with Bread and Other Snacks

There are some foods that you should avoid feeding your koi altogether because they are not good for their health. This can be down to the size, hardness or general healthiness of the food. For example, snacks that are high in carbohydrates should not be feed to koi.

This includes bread, as well as peas and corn. In particular, white bread is very hard for koi to digest and over time, this can lead to health problems. This is the last thing you want for your koi.

Starchy foods can even lead to blockages in the digestive system. It is best to avoid these types of human foods.

You should also avoid giving your koi any wild fish that you have caught yourself. While you would think that this would be a healthy option for koi fish, there is the chance that the wild fish and insects could have parasites.

This can infect your pond and even make your koi sick. There are lots of pet stores that allow you to buy wild fish and insects that will be safe for your koi.

A lot of people wonder whether you can feed koi cat or dog food. After all, they are all pets. But it is best not to do this. There are often a lot of animal fats and dairy products in pet food.

These are substances that koi fish cannot digest. While a one-off snack will not harm them, it is best to avoid cat and dog food altogether to ensure the health of your koi. Over time, this type of food can mean they lack the nutrients they need for good health.

In addition, problems can develop concerning their liver, underdevelopment and even the growth of fatty tumors.

Foods Your Koi Will Enjoy

A lot of koi fish are adventurous when it comes to food. This is a good thing because it means you can introduce new and exciting snacks for them to try. But always remember everything in moderation.

You do not want to overfeed your koi fish. Here are some healthy foods your koi can enjoy.

Fruit

A healthy treat that you can give koi is fruit. This can be a nutritious food that they can enjoy since it can help to relieve stress, as well as boost their immune system to keep them healthy. Some fruits that they will enjoy include:

• Grapes
• Orange slices
• Watermelon
• Apples
• Blueberries
• Bananas
• Strawberries
• grapefruits

Remember that it may take your koi a while to work out that it is food. They may be apprehensive to try it at first. But when they get the courage to try fruit, most koi love it. Fruits are full of good vitamins that will keep them healthy.

Remember to chop up any fruit that you have into small edible pieces. For example, apples can be difficult to eat because of the skin. Consider chopping it up into small pieces and removing the skin. In addition, remove any seeds too.

Vegetables

Believe it or not, koi will also enjoy eating greens. There are many vegetables you can try out with your koi as a tasty treat. This includes broccoli and lettuce. You can even feed your koi garlic!

Vegetables can be a healthy snack for your koi so you can feel good about feeding them it during the day.

Some vegetables may be tough for koi to eat. For example, broccoli is best when it is cooked beforehand. This helps to soften it to make it easy to eat.

Live Meats

It is best for koi fish to have a diet that is high in protein. You can provide them with the protein they need to stay healthy by purchasing live meats. This can include:

• shrimp
• worms
• crayfish
• bloodworms
• silkworms
• crickets

Generally, it is anything that they would find in their natural environment. This is going to be nutritious for them and the koi will love it as a snack. You can feed them meat when it is alive for some excitement, as they will chase the meat.

But you can also feed meats to your koi that are frozen sometimes too. Again, just make sure that you do not catch the meat yourself or take them from the while. You do not know what bacteria or viruses they may be carrying. The last thing you want is to harm your koi fish.

How to Feed Koi Fish

You can feed your koi several times per day. We would say up to four times depending on many there are and feed them small amounts for around five minutes. It is best not to feed your koi fish before a storm comes.

When the rain falls on the pond, this means that oxygen levels are lower and they need oxygen when they are digesting their food.

For mealtimes, it is best to feed your koi fish special koi food. That can be flakes or pellets. This is available from your local pet store. This is going to offer them everything they need. Then you can supplement their diet with the healthy snacks we have discussed.

Remember, koi fish will also eat what they find in the pond, such as algae and any bugs that all in.

We also recommend reading our huge Koi Feeding Guide here!

Feeding Your Koi by Hand

A lot of koi fish owners want to feed their koi by hand. This is something that can be possible if you are patient and gentle. They will need to learn that you are not going to harm them and you are not a threat.

You can sit by your pond and feed them so that they know you are a source of food. They will learn that you are going to feed them when you walk over to the pond. Slowly, you can try to feed them by hand.

Make sure that you are gentle at all times with the koi and avoid sudden movements that may startle them. It can take time. So, make sure you are patient.

The post Can Koi Fish Eat Bread? Why That Is A Bad Idea appeared first on Water World Craze.

Female Angelfish will lay eggs once every seven to ten days once they reach maturation. It’s difficult to tell the difference between male and female Angelfish. Sometimes you can only know after you have observed the mating process.

Two or more Angelfish in a tank pose a risk of having fertilized eggs on a bi-monthly basis. If this is not something you want, you can take steps to prevent it. For those that do wish to breed their Angelfish, there are certain things you can do to help your fish out.

So keep on reading to learn how you can help your Angelfish to lay eggs!

Keep in mind that Freshwater Angelfish and Marine Angelfish have different ways of breeding and will require different conditions when laying the eggs.

How do you know if your Angelfish will lay eggs?

Whether or not your fish will lay eggs depends upon the sex of the fish. Females lay eggs, males fertilize them.

It isn’t easy telling the difference between a male and female, but they do have some differences that can help you identify the sex. However, even experts can be incorrect, because those differences are quite subtle and require vigilant observation to see.

Female Angelfish:

• These fish tend to have a wider papilla that can be blunted on the tip;
• When the fish is gravid, you can see the eggs in the papilla;
• Females tend to be less aggressive and territorial than males; and
• The female is the one who lays the eggs.

Male Angelfish:

• The papilla on males is long and comes to a point;
• Sometimes they will develop nuchal bumps on their forehead, just above their nose;
• They are more territorial; and
• The males will swim over the eggs and release their sperm after the female is done.

Typically people tend to own Freshwater Angelfish as they are smaller and require less maintenance.

However, once you determine the sex of the fish you have you can decide whether you want to continue dealing with the eggs every couple of weeks.

Sometimes people will have several Angelfish in one tank. While this makes a beautiful addition to your tank, it may make it difficult to prevent fertilized eggs. The more fish you have, the more difficult it is to determine the sex of each fish.

Egg Laying: The differences between Freshwater and Marine Angelfish

Freshwater Angelfish are monogamous couples. If there are several Angelfish in the tank and you see one pair laying and fertilizing eggs, they would be a couple. They will both become more territorial once the female is gravid.

If you have Marine Angelfish, this won’t be as simple. Some species of Marine Angelfish can switch sex. The dominant fish in a group will be the male. At any point this can change, depending on whether another fish becomes more dominant.

In that case, the female would change to male and the male would change to female.

It won’t be as easy to differentiate between the Marine specimens. Depending on the species, they may have a harem as well.

In the wild, Marine Angelfish have a mating season that is determined by the temperatures in the water. They will likely lay eggs every day during this season. However, in captivity their eggs may not come as regularly.

If the temperature and size of a saltwater tank aren’t correct, it will affect the ability of the fish to breed. It is more difficult to breed Marine Angelfish than Freshwater Angelfish because of this.

How do I prevent my Angelfish from laying eggs?

Female Angelfish will lay eggs consistently once they reach maturation, especially if the eggs are removed from the tank. We explain more on that in this article: Do female angelfish lay eggs without males?

If you don’t want eggs, you may want to only keep fish that are younger or try to ensure you only have male fish.

Again, this may be difficult if you own Marine Angelfish.

Another solution may be to remove the Angelfish you do have for a short period of time and allow the other fish in the tank to eat the eggs. There are several different species of fish that can live with Angelfish and fish eggs is a good dietary supplement for them.

Talk to your pet store, they will know which fish will live with them best.

Finally, you can try scraping the eggs out before the male has a chance to fertilize the eggs. This process could prove counteractive, though. If the eggs are removed every time, the female may lay eggs more often.

How do I help Angelfish fry to survive?

The Angelfish babies, known as fry, have a very short gestation period inside the egg. After about two days you can look at the eggs and see the tails of the fry moving. After approximately four or five days the fry will hatch out of their eggs and begin to swim and move around.

Generally, Angelfish that are new to breeding will eat the first eggs they lay. They may do this two or three times before they allow the fry to survive. This is normal behavior, there is no need to worry unless it continues.

Try not to keep other fish that may eat the eggs with the Angelfish if you wish to breed them.

Angelfish prefer horizontal surfaces to lay their eggs on. If possible, include smooth rocks or other flat surfaces in the tank decorations. Also, beware that the Angelfish may move the eggs to another location once they have been fertilized.

Don’t panic if you can’t find the eggs. Just look for the parents, they won’t venture far from their babies.

Maintaining the temperature and cleanliness of the tank is very important. If the water is too cold or too warm, it may affect the fry’s ability to survive or even hatch.

If you own Marine Angelfish, keep an eye on the saline level in the tank. If not closely monitored it may prevent the fish from laying eggs or allowing the eggs to survive.

The post How Often Do Angelfish Lay Eggs? appeared first on Water World Craze.

How long can koi fish go without food?  There are a lot of factors that contribute to how long your koi can go without eating. Things such as the weather or the temperature of their water contribute to how much they will eat throughout the year.

During the summer months when their metabolism is high they can go two weeks without being feed. Mostly because they are feeding on whatever comes upon their pond. Anything more than that and you are risking your koi’s life.

Read further to understand the feeding cycle of the koi, what to do if you have run out of food, and how to feed your koi while you are away.

Feeding cycle of the koi

How long koi can live without eating is highly dependent on the temperature where you live. During the colder parts of winter (40° and below) koi can go weeks without eating. However, during the summer they can only live for two weeks without food.

The koi’s metabolism fluctuates during the year. In the winter when the temperature of their water goes below 40 degrees F koi will go into hibernation mode.

Originating from colder environments like Japan, koi conserve their energy for the coldest periods. During this time they will not eat and will not move around a lot.

Summer is a different matter entirely. Their metabolism is a lot higher so koi need to eat a lot more during this period. Once the temperature reaches 75° koi need to eat at least 4 or 5 times a day.

The only time in the summer that koi will stop eating is if their water gets above 95°. Due to where they originate koi are not use to this high-temperature range will stop eating to conserve their energy.

The two-week summer estimate also has a lot of variables such as:

• Type of environment: pond or tank
• Plantlife
• Where the pond is located

If your koi is hungry, but you are not feeding them they will find what they can in their environments like plants, algae, random bugs, and smaller fish. Differences in any of these variables influence the amount of time they can go without food.

So if your koi live in a tank with no live plant life or algae to snack on don’t count on the two time period. The number of fish in your koi pond will limit the time your koi will survive without food due to the competition.

During the fall and spring months, depending on the variables above, they can last a little bit longer than the two weeks since their metabolism is not as high. Here is a helpful temperature guide to understanding the koi’s appetite in connection with the water temperature.

• Extreme heat 95-over 100° F – Koi will lose their appetite, feed once or twice a day
• 75-95° F – Four to five times a day
• 75-65° F – Four times a day
• 65-55° F – Three times a day (start to decrease their protein intake)
• 55-50° F – Two times a day
• 50-40° F-Start feeding them three times a week
• Under 40°- Stop feeding them

We also recommend reading our articles on what to do with koi fish during winter:

Now given that information you know that it isn’t a good idea to let your fish go without eating when they need food. If there is a situation where you will either be out of town or have run out of food check out the tips below.

Feeding alternatives if you have run out of food

If you are in a bit of a bind because you don’t have a local place that sells koi food and you are waiting for a shipment of food to come in don’t worry there are few things that you can check.

First what time of the year is it. If it is during the hotter months your koi will need more food, whereas in the cooler time they eat less.

Check your pantry for food that they can eat. Again the time of year plays a part in this. If it is during the summer they will enjoy protein with some carbohydrates. So if you have frozen shrimp boil them until they are tender they cut them up in pieces that they can eat.

Your koi also loves fruit and vegetables. Watery textures are a big winner with your koi so lettuces and watermelons fair well. They will even eat oranges, melons, broccoli, and kale. For food that is harder like broccoli boil it until it softens then cut it up enough for them to eat.

Harder carbs are better during the chillier months or for one meal during the hotter time. Things such as rice, potatoes, and bread are ok, but there needs to be some caution here.

The white versions of these foods are starchy which can cause your koi to swell up. Go for the whole wheat types of starches instead or sweet potatoes.

For rice and sweet potatoes boil them first, then cut them up in smaller enough bits for your koi to eat. You can lightly add honey to the food if you want. For bread they like crumbles.

The koi’s teeth are in the back of their throat so if it isn’t soft enough to break down then you will need to cut it up into pieces. Texture comes into play with harder fruits and vegetables.

Boil anything too hard for them to break down with their mouths. Let it cool down before you give them the food. You can also mix honey with the crumbly food, your koi love honey. Keep it in moderation, honey has a lot of fructose in it.

How to feed your koi when you are away

Ugh traveling while owning koi. You can’t take your koi to a local pet sitter and depending on the time of year they need care throughout the day. If you are lucky then there is already someone you can trust to take of your koi.

Not everybody has that person or they don’t trust the people around them to take care of their precious koi. Understandable for the novice feeding koi is a bit overwhelming.

For those that want a human to care for their fish while away check with your local dealer to see if any trustworthy experienced koi owners wouldn’t mind babysitting your fish.

If that isn’t an option for you or the thought of someone you don’t know taking care of your fish sends up red flags then try an auto-feeder. For indoor tanks, they are easy to find and you have a lot of options.

Outdoor auto-feeders are a little more difficult to locate. Ask your local fish person if they have any in stock or you can purchase the one below.

When purchasing an auto-feeder for your pond check the fine print to ensure it will work outside. The elements will do a number on the feeder that isn’t equipped to deal with rain, wind, snow, and the sun.

An outdoor feeder will be weatherproof and protect your koi food from any damage. These devices can be automated to schedule food times and have portion control.

If you are planning a trip purchase one a little bit before you go so that you can get the portion and timing correct. If you have a larger pond purchase two of them.

Automatic feeders can be programmed for any time of the year so you can set it for the heavy summer feeding and the slowed downfall.

This outdoor auto-feeder works well for those who away. Time and portion are both programmable on the P7000. It protects your koi’s food from damage and takes 4 C batteries so you don’t have to worry about something running while you are away.

As an extra precaution, people place these automatic feeders in a plastic tub and hang it above the middle of the pond. This is to prevent the koi from swimming up to the edge of the pond where they will be exposed to predators while you are away.

Auto-feeders such as these work better with pellet type food rather than flakes, which can jam the dispensing mechanism.

If you have a tank it’s a lot easier to find an auto-feeder for your koi. This particular model (click to see) has the same programmable features that the outdoor model above has, plus measures to keep the food dry like ventilation fan and splash-proof buttons.

Don’t freak out if your koi has stopped eating if it is cold outside. It’s their natural process to hibernate in the winter like you see bears doing. When the spring comes their metabolism will kick back up and you will be feeding them several times a day again.

Luckily enough the koi will eat just about anything so if you have run out of food and are waiting for the shipment to arrive. For trips check out auto-feeders so that you know they will be feed when you are away.

The post How Long Can Koi Fish Go Without Food? appeared first on Water World Craze.

Yes and no. A koi fish will grow to the size they are meant to. But it is possible for them to grow too big for the space they are in. If you have a small pond, you won’t be able to have large fish. It is important to make sure that your koi have enough room to swim freely.

This means that you will want to make sure you’re providing your fish with as much space as possible, especially if you plan on breeding them.

In this article, we will give you some advice on how big you should keep your koi’s pond or tank, as well as other factors that will have an impact on how large your fish will grow.

Can Tanks Stunt Your Fish’s Growth?

This is a fairly common misconception among many fish owners, whether they own koi or other species. The fact of the matter is that tanks do not have an impact on how big your koi will grow.

Regardless of the size of the tank, your fish is going to grow as much as it needs to and as much as it has been genetically predetermined to. However, having a tank that is too small will cause issues for your koi fish, and health issues can impact the amount that they will grow.

The video below shows you what kind of growth you can expect in your koi fish.  After the video, we will discuss some of the different factors that will allow your koi fish to grow to their maximum size.

Factors For Koi Growth

The tank size in and of itself will not determine how big your koi will grow, but it could cause your koi fish to develop health problems that will stunt their growth if the tank or pond is too small.

Here are some other factors that will have an impact on the way your koi grow.

1. Age

When a koi fish is in the first couple of years of its life, it will grow at a faster pace than when it gets older. There might come a time when your koi stops growing.

It is important to make sure that you provide your koi fish with all the necessary nutrients and the perfect environment so that they can reach their maximum growth potential later on.

If your koi fish does not grow much in the first few years of its life, it will be difficult to make sure that the fish will get bigger later on.

2. How many fish are in the tank

The number of fish in a tank plays a huge role in how healthy they will be and on how much they will grow.

If you keep too many fish in a tank or pond that is too small, your fish will not be able to thrive, which will have an impact on their growth. You want to make sure that your koi have enough room to swim freely, as this will help them grow as much as possible.

We will discuss how big your tank or pond should be in a later section.

3. Quality of food

As with any other animal, the quality of the nutrition you provide your koi fish will also have an impact on how much they grow.

You should make sure to consult with the breeder you purchased the fish from or with another expert to see what food would be the best option to feed your fish.

The most nutritional food would be the koi flakes and pellets, but some people like to add treats every once in a while, which might include shrimp, other live food, leafy greens, fruits, and more.

Make sure that whatever you give your koi will provide them with the most nutritional value possible. And it’s important to feed them a few times a day to keep their digestion and metabolism where it should be.

The better they are able to digest and absorb their food, the bigger they will grow. It’s especially important to ensure that your koi are getting the best nutrition possible when they are at a younger age.

We recommend reading our following articles:

4. Quality of the water

No matter what kind of fish you have, the quality of the water will play one of the biggest roles possible on its overall health and how much it will grow. Koi fare the best in water that is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

While they do have the ability to live well in many different temperatures, water that is too hot or too cold will stunt their growth.

You also will want to make sure that the pond’s pH and other chemicals are at the right levels and it’s always recommended that you have some sort of filter in the tank or pond to keep the water where it should be.

Clean it as often as necessary so that the water does not become too overrun with algae and waste.

5. Environment

The environment that your fish are in will also have an impact on their health and growth. Is there anything nearby that could cause your koi to feel afraid? Is it too cold or hot where you live? Do you live in a busy city or somewhere that is a lot more calm?

All of these are factors that could impact your fish. You will want to make sure that they are living somewhere that is calm and tranquil and that they won’t have too many disturbances.

We recommend reading our following articles:

6. Species

The size that your koi will get will also depend on the species. Domestic koi are the smallest because they are meant to grow and live indoors. They typically grow to be between around 12 and 15 inches.

Japanese koi are among the most popular because of their vibrant colors and size. Many breeders prefer this type because of how big they are known to get. Japanese koi can grow between 22 and 26 inches long.

You might also choose to get jumbo koi, which can grow to be at least 30 inches. And finally, the last type is butterfly koi, which can grow to be anywhere between 36 and 40 inches long, but it’s also common for these fish to grow to 24 inches.

So, these are all different factors that can have an impact on how well your fish grow. If you make sure that the pond is big enough and you keep your fish in the right conditions, you can be guaranteed to have koi fish that will grow to their maximum potential.

How Big the Tank, Pool or Pond Should Be

It is generally recommended that you have 10 gallons of water per how many inches your fish are. This is why you most likely should not be keeping your koi in a tank because there simply will not be enough room.

Most people prefer to keep koi in a small pond that is both wide and deep. For example, if your koi fish is 20 inches long, you should have 200 gallons of water.

This is why you will often see koi breeders with huge ponds in their yards. The bigger you are able to have the pond, the better. And you should avoid crowding too many fish in a small pond.

Keeping too many fish around and having a pond that is too small are surefire ways to give your koi fish problems that will affect their growth in the future.

Koi Growth Facts

There are two main questions about the growth patterns of koi fish, both of which pertain to the length of time it takes for koi to grow.

The first question regards how long it takes for koi fish to grow to their full potential. It will usually take around 3 to 4 years for a koi to reach their maximum size, depending on a number of different factors.

Smaller species can reach their maximum size in approximately 2 years and tend to grow at a faster rate.

Then, it depends on the individual koi fish when it comes to how long it will take them to stop growing.

While the size of a koi fish will depend on how well it grew in its youth, most koi fish stop growing when they reach around 10 to 12 years old. However, it’s not completely unheard of for a koi fish to continue growing even after this!

Again, the tank size in and of itself does not affect how large your koi fish are. They will not grow to their tank size and then stop. But, if you have a tank that is too small, it will cause your koi to have health problems that could lead to problems in their growth patterns down the line.

You want to make sure that the tank is big enough (10 gallons of water per inches of fish), and you also want to make sure that the koi are living in the right conditions to keep them healthy. If you take care of them correctly, your fish are sure to grow as big as they can.

The post Do Koi Fish Grow To Their Tank Size? 6 Growth Factors appeared first on Water World Craze.