Important Considerations When Buying Your Fish Tank Filter

Fish tank filters are probably one of the most important equipment in an aquarium unit but it is also one where little consideration is initially given. It is this piece of equipment that maintains the delicate balance of water purification in the aquarium allowing for an environment that is able to sustain your aquatic life.

The aquarium is an enclosed ecosystem unlike the lakes and sea that the fish originated from. In nature, the size of the body of water plus the natural environment allows for a balance of chemical concentration and pH levels that make it ideal for fish to live and breed. But in the aquarium, the amount of water is small and it is only the filter that aids in removing waste matter and balancing acidic levels to livable conditions.

When buying a fish tank filter, there are a number of considerations which you do need to take into account before actually making the purchase. They include the cost of the filter, the amount of maintenance you are able to do and the type of aquatic life that you are planning to breed.

Cost is definitely a big consideration. There are so many fish tank filters to choose from and their prices can range from mere dollars to hundreds. Canister fish tank filters are notably the most expensive and for the price that you pay, they do provide excellent filtration. The same goes for diatom fish tank filters. These expensive filters also require very little maintenance and allow you to go for long periods of time without having to do a water change. The cheaper filters such as corner filters or sponge filters will require a lot more maintenance and cleaning and do not provide as efficient filtration as their more expensive counterparts.

The amount of maintenance you are willing to do for your aquarium will play a big part in the type of aquarium filter that you buy. If you are a busy person with very little time on your hands, you will need to opt for filters that require little maintenance. These include canister filters and diatom filters. But these filters do come with a high price. However, if you are not willing to spend that much on your aquarium, bear in mind that you will need to do frequent cleaning. For undergravel filters, this involves vacuuming the gravel. for sponge filters, it would mean washing the sponge and for corner filters, you would have to remove the filter media from the box and washing it. Not doing this will cause the filter to be clogged and might even back the waste up not the aquarium water.

The type of aquatic life you plan to breed in your tank is the final consideration. The main concern here is the strength of the filter suction. If the suction is too strong, weaker aquatic life might get sucked in or stuck at the suction inlet. This will definitely kill your fish. Canister, diatom and power filters tend to have too strong suction but the more expensive models might allow you to regulate this. It is also a good idea here to place a small cage like attachment or a sponge head over the inlet to so that suction will not be focus on a small area. Undergravel and sponge filters are ideal for weaker fish. They do not suck in the fish no matter how strong the suction may be.

By Timothy Kessler

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Posted in: PETS

Five Essential Dog Clothes and Accessories

Dog clothes and accessories are serious business these days. So today I am going to review a few essential items that you may have overlooked ....

1 - Dog Beds

Every dog needs a bed, especially for older canines like ours. As our house is tiled, and the floor gets very cold. There are a few things to look for in dog beds. Our dogs bed is very sturdy. If your pooch is one that likes to have a bit of a gnaw on her slumber place, then spending extra on a hardy one will save you lots of money in the long run. Another thing is the pillow part on the bottom. Some dogs are terrible wrigglers, constantly moving around in the bed trying to get comfortable, and often the bedding comes out. The bed we have at the moment has two clips on the bottom that keeps it in place! So we don't have to keep putting it back.

2 - Harnesses

Harnesses are necessary for travelling in cars. They restrain your dog properly, so that they don't get hurt in an accident, or get in your way while driving, ( not a good idea!! ) our dog finds it hard to resist climbing into an empty lap, so that's handy for me! She has a very chic purple one that matches her collar. Harnesses are also good for walking, if you are a dog that pulls, or a sneaky dog like ours - that has worked out how to use the leash to pull out of her collar! Harnesses are much better for dog's that pull, rather than choker chains. Choker or "Check" chains are very bad for dog's necks, and can damage their throats. Harnesses work much better because they apply pressure to the dog's whole body rather than their necks.

3 - Collars

Collars are very important, for identification as well as restraint. All dogs should have a collar, and all your pooches need identification tags on them, with your phone number and your name, in case they decide to go walkabout and get lost! It's all good and well to have a microchip, but not everyone has a scanner for it, do they? Collars are also a basic dog fashion accessory.

4 - Leashes

Leash sizes and length are an important factor. If you have a big strong canine or a medium size dog like ours, your will have a much better time controlling her with a short leash - especially if you need to cross the road. For a small dog a longer leash is probably better, since they are not strong enough to pull away anyway... But I do know how feisty your little pooches get - definitely big dogs trapped in small bodies! Also, as with the collars, leashes can be very fashionable dog clothes and accessories.

5 - Collapsible Water Bowls

Of course everyone needs water - especially when we take our dogs for walks, and they get all hot and thirsty. Dogs can get heat stroke very quickly, you know! If it's hot make sure you checks their paws. If they are hot your dog may have heat stroke. Of course you can just give them a drink from a tap, but what if you can't find one? Better safe than sorry, especially when it concerns their health. Or maybe you have a dog like ours who refuses to drink from taps. She hates it when water gets up her nose, and refuses to drink from a tap.

That is it for today, remember dog clothes and accessories play a vital part in any healthy, happy dog's life.

By Jay Mac Bheathain

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Posted in: PETS

Learning To Cope With Seizures In Dogs

Seizures in dogs can be a concerning occurrence for the owner or carer. Finding out about what they are and the different types can help you to understand why they are happening and what to look for before another one occurs. You should learn what you can do and what you shouldn't do if you witness one. There are things which you could do to help your pet through their recovery and a diagnosis and treatment plan can be discussed with your vet.

These episodes are due to a malfunction in the brain, this might be seen as a sudden burst of activity or other unusual activity. This will result in a loss or reduced consciousness and this may be quite disturbing for those who witness it, particularly for the first time. The length of time can vary and in most cases will be no more than a few seconds, if it lasts for more than five minutes you should contact your vet. In some severe incidents the seizure can last for up to an hour.

What may appear as an amusing leg twitch or an unusual mouth movement that the animals appears to have no control over may be a focal seizure. The more obvious and well known type of occurrence is the full body stiffness with some involuntary movement of part of the body, and perhaps uncontrolled barking or whining. These are called Generalized seizures.

It is sometimes possible to see when a seizure is going to occur with the presence of unusual behavior. Your pet may appear worried or frightened by an apparently imagined reason. Once the incident is over you may find that your animal has still not returned to its usual self and there may still be some behavior which seems out of place, they might appear lost and confused.

Remember to keep calm so that you can help your pet, move any dangerous objects which they might crash into if they move. Take care not to touch or try to comfort the animal as this could result in you being hurt involuntarily by the dog. As any responsible animal owner would do you will more than likely need to ring the vet who can advise you on possible causes and treatments.

When your animal comes back around and is responsive they may still appear somewhat out of sorts. Try not to crowd the animal or swoop them up into a reassuring hug, keep calm and talk gently to them. This may help them to re-orientate themselves to their surroundings. They might appear tired or unsure of what to do and they might have urinated during the seizure. Keep an eye on them and make a note of what happened and how long the incident lasted so that your vet can have all the details.

Medication could be the solution to a diagnosis that indicates a repeat of the occurrence, although it can take time to find the medication best for your dog our vet will help you to make the right choices. Other reasons for fits might be tumors which might be removable, sun stroke or injury. Both which might be short term illness and may be controllable by simply changing the environment or dealing with the cause.

Whether it is the first time you have witnessed a seizure or the tenth time you might see that there are differences and what you should look for in an attempt to predict their occurrence. You will learn how to behave both during and after in a way that is most suitable for your pet and your vet can advise you on suitable long term care plans.

By Celine Europa

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Posted in: PETS

Keeping Your Cat From Damaging Furniture

Those of us with cats know all too well that one of their defining physical features is the inclusion of little razors at the end of their hands, useful for defending themselves against predators but mostly for destroying items around your house. Thankfully, there's a lot you can do to prevent the damage as much as possible. Here are just a few solutions.

There are three main reasons a cat will scratch at furniture. The first is to sharpen their claws, which they feel they need to maintain despite living a posh life indoors where their only predators are the vacuum cleaner and rocking chairs. The second reason is to stretch their muscles as the act of scratching is actually a full-body activity. The last reason is that it just feels good, so they like doing it.

When it comes to stopping cats from clawing things, it's best to start mild and work your way up to more drastic measures. Start small by simply spraying the cat with water every time it begins scratching. And yes, this does work on at least some cats. The tricky part is always catching the feline in the act. You can't punish them after the fact as they won't readily connect the two together, so they have to be sprayed while their paws are touching the fabric and the claws are popping.

If this isn't working, or if you just can't be around at all times, then consider covering the scratching corners with something to dissuade them from putting their paws on them, like double-sided tape, bitter spray, or even tin foil. The downside is that for a while you'll have to endure something silly on your furniture when the point of all of this is to lessen the damage. Still, if this works you'll be very happy with the results.

The final option is the most severe, and it involves having your cat declawed. This should only be considered in the most extreme cases as it's not a procedure that's really encouraged since it involves cutting the end of each cat's fingers off. This can cause discomfort in walking and standing, and sometimes just drastically affect your kitty's overall personality. A better solution would be to simply clip their nails on a regular basis or to attach plastic nail caps to their claws.

It seems that whatever we try and decide, cats are going to decide something different. They can be taught, but it takes a while. Find a method that you're comfortable with and good luck!

By Robert Walden

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Posted in: PETS

Welcome to the World of Affection Via Tonkinese Cats

 

'The words cat and cute are not only similar to hear, but are quite similar literally as well,' said a former TV presenter. Like dogs, cats also have a special place in the drama called life. Cats, like happiness come in different shapes, sizes and colors. One such colorful breed is the Tonkinese cat.

Like the Canadian hairless cat, the Tonkinese cats have originated from the lands of Canada. This is a medium sized cat breed, a cross between 2 beautiful cat breeds - the Siamese cat breed and the Burmese cat breed.

History of Tonkinese Cats

'History is a half right- half wrong fable agreed upon.' Same way, there are some instances which connect this recent breed to historical era of the 19th century. Some people believe that these cats often trace their roots back to the 'Wong Mau' miracle cat (a small sized walnut colored cat, courtesy - Dr. Joseph Cheesman Thompson, 1930). Most other journals and experts put the start of breeding as late 19th century, which is widely accepted. All in all, the exact history is debated but these cats aren't as old as some other species.

Name Game

This pet breed was earlier called as - Tonkanese which got later modified to Tonkinese. Origin of its name is the namesake island in the musical South Pacific. This fictitious island was special because there was no discrimination done to half-breeds and hybrids. These are commonly known as Tonks, while promoting, and also during cat shows.

These beautiful Tonkinese animals breeds often find mentions in English novels, movies, documentaries and magazines. Known for their friendly nature, these pets are often classified as the perfect apartment cats. In general, these animals are lively with gregarious personalities and form one of the bubbliest pets. With an appealing individuality, the Tonkinese pets breed is often considered to have taken good qualities of both, Siamese and Burmese cat breeds. Even its meow is slightly different than other breeds, and its voice is often an epitome of affection. The Tonkinese pet carves and returns affection very openly.

The trim and muscular cat appears lighter than what they actually are. They have the following physical features:

- Distinctive oval-shaped paw

- An adapted wedge shaped head

- Large ears which are almost set to the outside of their heads

- Muscular appearance

There are 3 main patterns in Tonkinese cats, solid, pointed and mink. They come in 4 attractive colors and their color pattern darkens with age. The solid pattern is the most common type of Tonkinese pet pattern around.

One of the major reasons why these cats appear affectionate is their curiosity; these Tonkinese puppys are unusually curious, even to the simplest of things like a human finger. These folks are playful and mischievous and like humans or other Asian cat species around.

These cats form great pets and many owners claim, there is a sense of pleasure when these are around. Cats, in general emit happiness and Tonkinese ones are no different.

By Cody Holpp

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Posted in: PETS

Finches Cages - Creating the Best Home for Your Birds

 

Providing cages for finches need not be costly or time consuming, as long the behaviour of these interesting lively pets is taken into account, along with what works best for you.

As people become busier in their lives it helps to have a pet that doesn't need much interaction, they can entertain and busy themselves very well. At the same time it is the owner's responsibility to be sure their home is livable.

The first thing to consider is the size of the cage; the length should be 2 to 3 feet and the bars should be close together, so they cannot escape.

These birds are very small but made to fly so they need enough room to fly from perch to perch.

Purchasing a second cage is recommended, to put the finches in while cleaning the main cage.

Cages for finches should never be cluttered so when it comes to accessories and extras remember;

• Grit paper or grit sprinkled on the floor of the cage.

• Two feeders; one for food and one for water available regularly.

• A dish for bathing put in the cage several times a week.

• Two or more dishes in the cage at certain times providing treats.

• A nest box so they can sleep at night.

When providing finches cages with perches to fly from or rest on remember;

• The size depends on the size of the cage.

• Perches provide great exercise for finches' feet.

• Materials can be collected from the outdoors, such as maple tree, poplar tree, pear tree or elm tree branches.

• Cement perches are great because they help trim the finches' toe nails.

• At the same time it isn't a good idea to use them only because they can be harmful to their feet after a while.

Other accessories you could use are bells, plastic rings, toys, beads, ladders, mirrors, swings, or other shiny objects. Many are available online as well as at most pet retailers. Have a collection of them but only use a few at a time, regularly swapping them over with others giving your finches versatility.

A great way to prevent mites is to use a small disk, known as a 'bird protector', which can be attached to the side of the cage. It is good idea but only an option, it won't make much of a difference whether or not you have it.

Cleaning finches cages need only be done once a week.

It is a very simple process;

• Use newspaper or brown paper bags cut to size, or paper towels at the bottom of the cage.

• Use regular scrubbing pads or cloths.

• Clean the entire cage, the bottom and top, the bars, inside and out, along with all the accessories.

• Rinse and dry everything.

Purchasing cages for finches and organising materials and accessories need not be expensive or time consuming. There are online resources as well as pet stores that can offer good deals and advice. You just need to be clear about what you are looking for.

By Chris Connolly

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Posted in: PETS