Happy Pets

Lampeyed Panchax; LampeyeAplocheilichthys (formerly Micropanchax) macrophthalmus 30 mm 1 in. Nigeria, Cameroon : forest streams. The body is not cylindrical, but more laterally compressed. Its colour is a delicate blue, with a faint gold line running from the gill cover to the caudal fin. The caudal fin may have a yellow tinge, with red marks at the edge. The eyes are blue. Unlike some Killifishes, this species does well in hard, alkaline water. A shoaling upper water level species, perhaps too small for a community collection. Temperature: 23-26^°C (73-78^°F). Diet: live and dried foods. Breeding: lays eggs over period of days in plants or mops. Eggs hatch in two weeks and fry mature in six months. (more…)

The Egglaying Toothcarps include the so-called ‘annual’ fishes whose natural watery habitat completely dries up every year, thus killing the fishes. However, before this event occurs, the adult fishes lay their fertilized eggs in the mud of the stream bed, where they survive the rest of the dry season in a dormant state. The onset of the rainy season refills the stream bed and the eggs hatch. The fish then have to mature and spawn in their turn before the weather cycle is repeated. Aquarists have not been slow to take advantage of the fertilized eggs‘ ability to withstand semi-dehydration, and exchange fertile eggs through the post, often on a worldwide basis. (more…)

Fishes in this family are often referred to as ‘labyrinth’ fishes because they have a labyrinthine organ in the head which allows them to breathe atmospheric air if necessary. Another distinguishing feature of this group is the breeding pattern: the majority of the fishes are bubblenest builders. The nests are made of saliva-coated bubbles blown by the male, into which the fertilized eggs are placed following the nuptial embrace beneath the nest. The fry are guarded and kept within the vicinity of the nest by the male. The female is best removed after spawning as the male may attack her. When breeding, care should be taken not to allow any cold draughts of air to pass acrossthe water surface as the fry may become chilled. As it is, a fairly high mortality rate occurs within the first two weeks of life with many species, and the ratio of males to females may be low. (more…)

The species in this group live in a wide range of natural habitats in rivers and lakes. They include many aquarium favourites, such as the Blue Acara, the Angelfish and the Oscar. Most are fairly large and may be aggressive at times.

Sheeps-head Acara; Flag Cichlid Aequidens curviceps 75 mm 3 in. S0uth America, Amazon basin : rivers. The grey-green body is slightly iridescent under reflected light. The scales have dark edges, the fins are flecked with blue-green and the d0rsal fin is blue-edged. A peaceful fish. Temperature: 24^°C (75^°F). Diet: all foods. Breeding: deposits eggs on an 0pen site. Parents 0ften eat their first spawning but, given a tank to themselves, usually prove t0 be go0d parents subsequently. (more…)

Golden Lake Nyasa Cichlid Melanochromis (formerlyPseudotropheus) auratus 100 mm 4 in. Lake Malawi (Nyasa). Has an elongated, bright- yellow body. Two black bands, edged on either side with white, run along the back from the snout to the base of the .caudal fin. The dorsal and caudal fins have black patterning ; the anal fin is plain yellow. During the breeding period, the male changes from yellow to blue/black, and the horizontal bands become yellow, edged with white. The dorsal fin turns to light yellow/blue; the caudal fin becomes dark with a yellow edge, and the anal fin dark with a white edge. This fish may be aggressive and should be given a large tank with many hiding places. Temperature: 24^°C (75^°F). Diet: all foods, including vegetable matter. Breeding: mouth- brooder. (more…)

The majority of African Cichlids inhabit the Rift Valley lakes and are spectacularly coloured. These fishes are from naturally hard waters, unlike their South American relatives, and many relish algae or other vegetable matter in their diet. Some are mouthbrooding, and all appreciate a tank furnished with hideaways.

Aulonacara nyassae 150 mm 6 in. Lakes Malawi (Nyasa) and Tanganyika. Has an elongated, fairly deep body. Young males and females have brown bodies with several vertical dark bars, but mature males are deep royal blue with a red/gold suffusion on the flanks, which are crossed with dark bars. The fins are blue ; the dorsal fin is edged with pale blue and the caudal fin has dark blue/black streaks. A peaceful fish, but caves and hiding places must be provided in a reasonably sized tank. Temperature: 24^°C (75^°F). Diet: all foods. Breeding: mouth brooder. (more…)

Although related to the Clownfishes, these fishes have larger scales, and whereas the Clownfishes seek the relative safety of the Sea-anemone, the Damselfishes and Sergeant-Majors prefer to seek protection among the many coral branches of the reefs where they live. Some species have spawned in the aquarium. (more…)

Members of this family are deep-bodied and laterally compressed fishes. They are found mainly in the Indo-Pacific oceans, but one or two species occur in the Atlantic. They inhabit coral reefs, constantly pecking or scraping food from the surface and crevices of the coral heads. Their brilliant colours and startling patterns may be either a type of camouflage in the brightly lit world of the coral reef, or an aid in recognizing or communicating with fishes of the same species. The Angelfishes are distinguished from the Butterflyfishes by a spine at the bottom rear corner of the gill cover; many young Angelfishes have colours and markings that differ from those of the adult form. Angelfishes are territorial, and fishes of the same spebies will fight. (more…)

Havana Brown

In Britain the Havana (or Havana Brown as it is known in the United States) is a cat of Siamese type with a rich chestnut- brown coat; it was known for a time as the Chestnut Foreign Shorthair. In the United States the breed has a morerounded muzzle and round-tipped ears, and does not look nearly so like its relative, the Siamese. A well-bred Havana Brown should have an elegant, muscular body and oval-shaped green eyes. This is one of the most attractive breeds: playful, aristocratic, loyal and home-loving. Like the Siamese, it is very much a one-person cat. (more…)

Short fur is the normal length for cats. No wild cats have long hair, not even those living in cold climates - although their short hair is very thick. Short hair is always genetically dominant in cats, which means that if your charming, longhaired Burmese goes feral its descendants will revert to a short-haired state. Fur type and texture, and the exactlength of the hair, vary between breeds with the result that ’short-haired’ cats can look very different from one another. The sleeker, slimmer Oriental breeds are grouped separately as the Foreign Short- hairs.

British Shorthairs

The British Shorthair - and the European Shorthair, which is really just another name for the same type - is a sturdy, stocky animal officially described as compact, well balanced and powerful. It has a good depth of body, a full, broad chest and short, strong legs. (more…)