Tiger Oscar, Albino

Tiger Oscar, Albino
(Astronotus ocellatus)

QUICK STATS
Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons
Care Level: Difficult
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Water Conditions: 72-77° F, KH 5-19, pH 6.0-8.0
Max. Size: 1'
Color Form: Red, White
Diet: Carnivore
Origin: Thailand
Family: Cichlidae

The Albino Tiger Oscar is a stunning albino variety of the extremely popular Tiger Oscar. Irregular blotches or spattering of orange-red energize an opaque, cream-white body to dramatic effect. The eye-catching Albino Tiger Oscar is so visually dissimilar to the normally dark colored Tiger Oscar that it instantly becomes the center of attention and a topic of conversation.
The Albino Tiger Oscar requires a large, well-filtered aquarium of at least 70 gallons with a deep sand bottom and a few large rocks. It will dig up plants so any that are in the tank should be potted with the root surfaces covered with rocks. Using floating plants is a good alternative. The Albino Tiger Oscars is not as territorial as most other cichlids when full grown but will consume anything they can fit into their mouths. Though this hardy and easy-to-care-for cichlid is generally mild-mannered in nature, the Albino Tiger Oscar is best kept in a species tanks or with similar size tank mates.

A large tank should be used for breeding, if possible, as large as 100 gallons. The Albino Tiger Oscar will spawn in soft or hard water as long as it is clean and clear and has a temperature between 79-86°F. The Albino Tiger Oscar will pair to form a nuclear family. The female will then lay between 1,000-2,000 eggs on rocks that have been carefully cleaned. The eggs are opaque at first, turning transparent in 24 hours. The brood will be carefully guarded and cared for and the fry will be kept in pits and may even be covered. When they are free-swimming, the fry should be fed Cyclops. Sometimes the fry will cling to their parents. The male and female are difficult to differentiate but during spawning the genital papilla of the female becomes noticeable.

The Albino Tiger Oscar is a predatory carnivore with a hearty appetite. Oscars will eat a variety of meaty foods, including small fish and earthworms, Cichlid pellets, larger flake food, ocean plankton, bloodworms, and tubifex worms.

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Zebra Longfin Danio

Zebra Longfin Danio
(Danio rerio)

QUICK STATS
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 64-75° F, KH 8-12, pH 6.5-7.0
Max. Size: 3"
Color Form: Blue, Purple, White, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Origin: Farm Raised - USA
Family: Cyprinidae

The Zebra Longfin Danio is a long fin variety developed through selective breeding. The Zebra Longfin Danio shares the same characteristics of the hardy and popular Zebra Danio but enhanced with long, elegant fins. This variety of Danio rerio is either silver or gold with five uniform blue/purple stripes that stretch from the gill to the end of the tail. The flowing fins of the Zebra Longfin Danio accentuate the horizontal stripes to give this beautiful fish a refined and fluid quality when it is in motion.

Native to the Ganges region in Eastern India, wild Zebra Danios are found in a variety of habitats, ranging from fast-moving streams to slow-moving, nearly stagnant ponds. In the home aquarium, this member of the Cyprinidae family prefers a well-planted aquarium with large, open swimming areas. For the best care, keep the peaceful Zebra Longfin Danio in small schools with equally non-aggressive fish. Since they are omnivores, feed the Zebra Longfin Danio a varied diet of flake and frozen foods.

Male Zebra Longfin Danios are generally more torpedo shaped, while females tend to have a larger belly. Generally, male Zebra Longfin Danios spawn with and remain loyal to one female. A breeding pair should be placed in a breeding aquarium with fine-leaved plants for them to spawn over. Roughly 300-400 eggs are produced and hatch within two days. The fry should be fed small pieces of live foods, such as brine shrimp.


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Turquoise Danio

Turquoise Danio
(Brachydanio kerri)

QUICK STATS
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 73-77° F, KH 8-12, pH 6.5-7.0
Max. Size: 2"
Color Form: Blue
Diet: Omnivore
Origin: Asia, Malay Peninsula
Family: Cyprinidae

The Turquoise Danio, also known as the Blue Danio or Pearl Danio, is a slender-bodied, active, schooling fish ideal for the community aquarium.
Native to streams and pools, the Turquoise Danio does well with other Danio species and other peaceful fish of similar size. Kept with others in a school, this fish will be very active. The Turquoise Danio prefers a planted aquarium with plenty of swimming space available.

Turquoise Danio scatter their eggs in shallow water over a substrate of coarse gravel. After hatching, usually within 36 hours after spawning, the fry should be fed fine pieces of live foods. Sunlight may trigger spawning.

Turquoise Danios are omnivores and should be fed a diet of flake foods with plenty of vegetable matter, as well as freeze-dried bloodworms and tubifex.


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Tiger Pleco (L-02)

Tiger Pleco (L-02)
(Peckoltia vermiculata)

QUICK STATS
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 72-76° F, KH 8-12, pH 6.5-7.5
Max. Size: 5"
Color Form: Red, Tan
Diet: Omnivore
Origin: South America
Family: Loricariidae

The Tiger Pleco comes from the Amazon Basin of South America. It gets its name from the striped pattern it has on its body. Constant temperature and pH levels will help maintain this peaceful Plecostomus' health. Tiger Plecos make good additions to any community aquarium.
Planted aquariums with high aeration and water movement make for a healthy environment. Rocks and driftwood help to accent a natural habitat and provide hiding spaces to reduce stress for the Tiger Pleco. A 30 gallon aquarium or larger is recommended for this species.

Breeding in an aquarium setting has not been successful yet, however, different methods are being used in the industry. The Tiger Plecostomus is an egg-layer, that tends to use plants and rocks as an anchor.

Feeding the Tiger Pleco is not difficult due to the fact that it is not a picky eater. Feeding off the bottom of the aquarium, it gets most of its nutrition from left over food and algae. If there is no algae or left over food present, supplement with high quality flake food, sinking carnivore pellets, freeze-dried bloodworms, and tubifex.


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Tiger Barb

Tiger Barb
(Puntius tetrazona)

QUICK STATS
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Water Conditions: 74-79° F, KH 4-10, pH 6.0-7.0
Max. Size: 3"
Color Form: Black, Orange, White, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Origin: Farm Raised, USA
Family: Cyprinidae

The Tiger Barb is silver/gold with black stripes and orange accented fins. They are a very lively, playful fish that prefers to be in schools.

They prefer a well-planted tank of at least 30 gallons with soft, slightly acidic water. Rocks and driftwood can be added to the aquarium, but leave plenty of space for swimming. The Tiger Barb is a very active fish that may pester or even nip the fins of larger, slower moving fish.

It is best, when trying to breed the Tiger Barb, to house a number of Barbs in the same aquarium until they pair off. After a pair has developed, the female will lay the eggs and the male will follow behind to fertilize. The fry will be free-swimming after about 5 days. Feed the fry newly hatched brine shrimp until large enough to accept crushed flake food.

The Tiger Barb needs to be fed a variety of foods including vegetables as well as meaty foods. Feed a quality flake food as well as live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp and bloodworms.


from www.liveaquaria.com