Mollies, Guppy Aquarium, And Fish Care
The Mollies belong to the Poecilia family and are easy to keep in a tank environment; they are
akin to the swordtail fish, which belongs to the Xiphophorus helleri group. It has a larger fin than
the swordtail, called and mollies can be of many different shapes and size, reaching up to 4 3-
quarter inches sometimes with only the males being an inch or so smaller; the males and
females differ in size, coloring and gonopodium but both sexes adapt to different living
surroundings rather well.
From living in an estuary habitat to varying temperatures in a natural environment, Mollies can
adapt to heat conditions ranging from 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, preferably in hard water
conditions (pH level of 7 or 8), which means bright lighting and a certain brackishness should be
present in the water besides a variety of suitable plants.
The dietary habits of Mollies include feeding on veggies, like spinach and algae and they are
more comfortable in areas that have a constant water flow. Being livebearers, Mollies typically
spawn plentifully due to a lively disposition and ability to adapt easily in a communal tank set-up.
As for the Guppy fish, these belong to the Poecilia reticulata family and are off-shoots of the
Poeciliidae family; found mainly in Guyana, Venezuela and Brazilian waters, they can be traced
around the waters surrounding Trinidad and Barbados as well since the kind of environment
enjoyed here benefits them: this means a temperature range of 68 degrees to 75 degrees
Fahrenheit with pH levels as preferred by Mollies.
The Guppies can live in hard water well enough so long as tehre is plenty of lighting, added
plant vegetation and assorted foodstuff made available to them in the tank environment. Being
loose-school natured fish, the Guppies need to be on the go constantly with good tank breeding
potential even as they eat their young, they still manage to reproduce easily enough in
community living.
Learning about the easiest kind of fish to keep in a home aquarium is the first step towards
ensuring you are an informed hobbyist; the next step is to learn about the different kinds of
aquariums available and which type is best to duplicate a natural ecosystem aided by advanced
technology to provide healthy air and water conditions for the inmates of the tank.
Innovative design technology has taken over the huge market for aquariums today, which now
come fitted with electrical circuitry of the best kind, plugs, filtration and oxygenation systems,
besides temperature control devices to raise or lower the heat in the water! The enviable choice
in lighting for tanks enables an owner today to invest in automatic or mechanical switches
besides automated feeders to ensure fish are fed in time besides a host of other accessories
that make community living a comfortable option for fish owners looking for variety in aquatic
life.
Of course, it pays to learn about the kind of fish that can harmoniously co-exist with other
varieties, including marine or non-marine species and tropical and coldwater fish.
Preparing Your Custom Made Saltwater Aquarium
-1. Getting a customized Saltwater aquarium and its inmates is the dream of many who love
fishy friends, but knowing you can learn a thing or two from the experts can help reduce the cost
of buying a custom-made one. You can buy the tank for storing your saltwater fish easily
enough from the local pet store and chalk out a tentative budget for your project to include
ornamentation and accessories for it.
-2. Cleaning out the aquarium is the first step after buying the tank; it is equally important to
cleanse the different parts with freshwater (minus soft) with a soft cloth to rid them of dust and
chemicals that may have built-up during storage, which may harm the fish.
-3. Set the tank on a steady stand a little away from a wall so electrical cords and the plug outlet
is accessible without the risk of causing any accidents as periodic cleaning and feeding the fish
will be required. Keep a soft dusting cloth handy near the aquarium to control condensation from
the saltwater tank as this can damage the stand. After ensuring level installation, fill the tank
with store-bought saltwater or you can prepare a solution of your own. Run all tank equipment
for a couple of days to test proper functioning and to judge saline, pH and temp levels of the
tank water for the species of marine fish you intend to keep in the tank.
-4. After the tank water conditions have been tested, you can move to the final level i.e.
aquarium landscaping by removing about half of the water to decorate it with plants, fronds and
rocks etc. as reducing water levels helps make landscaping easier. After this has been attended
to, you can once again replace the water marked previously by you as being the fill-line
measure. (Use a permanent marker for this).
It is strongly recommended that to begin keeping an aquarium, a minimum one-month period be
kept aside to determine the ammonia level of the water and the conditions being favorable for
the kind of marine fish you want to keep in it; you can choose to do this with the saltwater fish
kept inside or minus them.
Do not use an ammonia reducer as this will require you to go over the same process again in
order to determine the ammonia content in your tank's living conditions and rob you of precious
time in which you can lie back and enjoy your marine friends swimming about!
