Mollies, Guppy Aquarium, And Pet Fish Care

Having a fascination for water creatures and nurturing them in an artificial environment are two different things. In order to take the best care of our Piscean pals, it is very essential to know the basics of pet fish care. It includes the fundamental knowledge of various fishes, the necessary environment for each of them, the conditions of the environment such as lighting, temperature, food, etc. This article will provide the needed the information regarding two fishes that are most commonly petted y hobbyists. These two fishes are: Mollies and Guppy fish.

Mollies are one of those fishes with great adaptability to different surroundings. They adjust to varying temperatures with ease and are known to be perfect to be kept in an aquarium. Mollies belong to the Poecilia family and are similar to the swordtail fish, which belongs to the Xiphophorus helleri group. One of the easiest ways of differentiating Mollies from swordtail is by looking at their fins. Mollies have larger fins than swordtail fishes. Mollies come in different shapes, sizes and colors. The sizes of Mollies reach up to three to four quarter inches with only the males being an inch or so smaller in some cases. Mollies can easily become accustomed to varying temperatures in their surroundings. In an ideal situation, the heat temperature that suits Mollies ranges from 72 to 82 degree Fahrenheit and a pH level of seven or eight. Mollies prefer hard water. The food habits of Mollies include feeding on vegetables such as spinach and algae and they prefer areas that have a constant water flow. This implies that the environment that needs to be provided for Mollies in an artificial should include bright lighting and a certain level of brackishness. There should be the presence of certain aquatic plants as well.

Another variety of fish that is heavily petted is Guppy fish. Mainly in Guyana, Venezuela and Brazilian waters, Guppy fish belongs to the Poecilia reticulata family and are offshoots of the Poeciliidae family. These fishes too adapt easily to the communal tank environment. The temperature that suits them the best ranges from 68 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit with pH levels of seven or eight. Like Mollies, Guppy fish too prefers hard water. They require ample lighting, plenty of vegetables and added foodstuff. Guppy fishes have a tendency of eating their young ones. In spite of that tendency, they manage to reproduce easily.

Learning about fishes is the first and the most important step in being an informed hobbyist. Knowing the various classifications of fishes, such as marine and non-marine species, tropical and cold-water fish, having knowledge about their food habits and living conditions makes pet fish care simpler. The second step includes understanding their living conditions. It is essential to find a suitable aquarium, which can provide the environment of a natural setting with the use of technology. Due to advanced technology, a lot of innovative products have been released into the market, which has eased the task of pet fish care. Aquariums today are fitted with the best electronic circuits, which are safe for its inmates. These advanced products provide the best plugs, filtration and oxygenation systems and temperature control devices to raise or lower the heat in the water. Besides these products, there are automated lighting systems along with automated feeders, which have taken over the task of ensuring that the fish is fed on time.