Shop in Japan

How to trim aquarium plants

    

     Trimming  is performed on plants with stem, using some scissors. Replanting the top is made at about one third of the length. The bottom of the mother plant remained produces lateral twigs which we could trim later.

     The upper area of a plant with stem release chemicals that inhibit the growth of lateral twigs. If  we strongly cut or pinch the upper zone, this substances don't get to the bottom area of the plant, and lateral twigs can grow and then be trimmed.

     If the bottom of the stem of a plant loses its leaves, this is a sign that light doesn't get to the bottom of the tank. Plant is cut at a few inches of soil and replant the top in good condition. Bottom can then be eliminated. If we have small breeding containers we can use them for an aquatic greenhouse, for plant culture strain. It's better to use liquid fertilizer or balls of clay.
     Plants without stem thick at their base, sometimes forming small side branches, set with roots. They can be cut through gently with a razor blade and can be replanted. Fragmentation of the basal part applies to many plants, for example at cryptocoryns.
     Some plants, like Echinodorus, develop an aerial stem that grow horizontally and at the end has a young plant, which produces roots and can be fixed in the soil, either spontaneously or because of the intervention of a hobby aquarium-keeper. After about one week, the roots develop enough and the aerial stem can be cut. 
      Regarding Congo fern, it emits a rhizome that grows slowly and new leaves appear on it. Cutting this rhizome between two leaves, we get two independent plants that will continue to grow normally in the tank.

AGA Aquascaping Contest 2010 Results

Aquatic Garden, Small (Under 70L)

     1st Place

     54L (14 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Apolo”

     Alberto Alvarez Guti, Nerja Málaga Spain

     More info here.

 

     2st Place

     30L (8 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Beyond Imagination”

     Ng Hwee Tian, #06-34 Singapore

     More info here. 

     

      3st Place
     67L (18 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “On the wings of an angel”
     Filipe A. Alves Oliveira, Matosinhos Porto Portugal
      More info here.

      Honorable Mention
     64L (17 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Vein”
     HSU CHAI LI, Tainan City Taiwan (R.O.C.)
      More info here.

Aquatic Garden, Medium (70L to 200L)

     1st Place and Best in Show

     182L (48 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Beyond Horizon”
     Siak Wee Yeo, Johor Bahru Johor Malaysia 

     More info here. 

      2nd Place
      180L (48 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Forest”
     Yao Long Su, Pingtung City Pingtung County Taiwan
      More info here.

     3nd Place 
     150L (40 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Secret shore”
     Enrico Serena, Mazzano BS Italy 
      More info here. 

     Honorable Mention
     192L (51 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Harmony in the Wind”
     Michael G.W. Wong, North Point Hong Kong 
      More info here. 

Aquatic Garden, Large (200L to 400L)

     1st Place

     230L (61 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Fond Memories”
     Teoh Chee Keong, Petaling Jaya Selangor Malaysia
     More info here.

      2nd Place
      250L (66 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Primary”
     Hui Kam Man, HONG KONG HONG KONG
     More info here.

   
      3nd Place 
     243L (64 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Infinite Wonder”
     Kam Wong, North Point Hong Kong 

     More info here.

 

     Honorable Mention
     320L (85 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Mountain Flowers”
     Zhenzong Su, TANGSHAN HEBEI CHINA
     More info here.

Aquatic Garden, X-Large (400L+)

     1st Place

     432L (114 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Enchanted Forest”
     Michael G.W. Wong, North Point Hong Kong
     More info here.

      2nd Place
     400L (106 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “The world before Columbus”
     Pasquale Buonpane, Piedimonte Matese CE Italy
     More info here.

     3nd Place 
     412L (109 gallon) Aquatic Garden: “Simba’s Peak”
     Kam Wong, North Point Hong Kong

     More info here. 

Biotope Category

      

      1st Place

     2600L (688 gallon) Biotope Aquascape: “Tanganyika dreams”
     Jesper Taustrup, Ryomgård Århus Denmark
     More info here.

      2nd Place
     250L (66 gallon) Biotope Aquascape: “Taiwanee Reef Lake Malawi”
     Jesper Taustrup, Ryomgård Århus Denmark
     More info here.

     3nd Place 
     231L (61 gallon) Biotope Aquascape: “Tributary’s Mekon River”
     BONETTI Pascal, MEYZIEU Rhône-Alpes France

     More info here.

 Paludarium Category

      1st Place

     3L (1 gallon) Paludarium: “Oasis”
     Carl Stenbratt, Vallda Halland Sweden
     More info here.

      2nd Place
     30L (8 gallon) Paludarium: “Dwarf Cichlid’s World II”
     Chan Wah Fai, Hong Kong Guangdong China
     More info here.

      3nd Place 
     120L (32 gallon) Paludarium: “Aigua Dolça”
     jordi pelegri , barcelona barcelona españa

     More info here.

 

Treatment for Anchor Worms

      Lernea Elegans or Anchor Worm is a very common external parasite. Most often, it is common at goldfish and koi fish ,at smaller-sized fish such infections can be fatal. It is named "anchor" because get deep into the body's fish, especially in the tail or dorsal fin. Is easy to see with the naked eye.

     At the end of the outside shape, it develops their eggs, which mature very quickly, the maximum being 14 days. Although mature parasites prefer other areas to be fixed, lernea larvae choose to fix on gills, until they reach sexual maturity. After breeding, the male dies and the female is swimming  free in the aquarium for a period of time, then she's looking for a new host.

     Both during the growing and mature period, this parasites feed with the host's blood, which causes injuries, or worse, destruction of muscles. Anchor worm causes more pain, and the fish will be tormented a while to get rid of the worm, rubbing on gravel, decor, rocks, ornaments, etc.. In addition, the infected fish is quickly scared and is agitated.

     The wounds are hard to heal, so it is best to take action immediately to avoid their breeding. The more parasites, the more they need more blood to feed. In cases like this, the fish can be so weak that it becomes lethargic and will refuse food until death. Also, injuries caused, may cause true infections.

     Treatment

     The bad news is that, as I said above, anchor worm is multiplied by  eggs, so you have to apply the treatment in the entire aquarium, which, with this occasion, will become decycled.

     Besides treatment, you can pull the parasite with the tweezers through a fast moving. But before use an anesthetic, such as clove oil. Then, use a disinfectant, because after this operation, the fish remains with an open wound for a while. Both larvae and worms, can be treated with Sera Cyprinopur or JBL Argudol.

     Another treatment is baths with a substance called formalin. It is used in a concentration of 200 ppm in long baths, approximately one hour, during which the water will be aerated. However, these baths are made separately, so the eggs from the tank are still dangerous. Pay attention to formalin: if the fish has open wounds, do not use this method of treatment, it may be lethal. Also, if the fish is struggling, get it immediately out and make a weaker concentration.

     Another treatment is baths with potassium permanganate (5-10 ppm) but still can cause fish death.

     After treatment, disinfect the entire aquarium very well.

Climacium Japonicum

     Climacium Japonicum is native to China and then Japan, its particularity is a miniature palm tree in the aquatic environment. Known as a riparium plant, it  also fits well in aquariums.

     Climacium Japonicum has a robust brown stem of a few inches and  on top shows the magnificent fallen leaves, giving the appearance of a palm tree. If planted in the shade has a beautiful olive green color, in bright light turns red and then brown. 

     This beautiful plant requires a water temperature between 15-27 °C  (59-80 °F) and a pH of 6-7.5. It is considered to be a good refuge for several species of small fish.

Aquascaping Contest 2010 in Vietnam

The Golden Prize - Wakening

Author: solid
Title: Wakening
Dimension (WxDxH): 125x60x50 cm
Volume: 375 L
Plants: Hemianthus callitrichoides, Marsilea hirsute, Hemianthus micranthemoides, Glossostigma-elatinoides, Eleocharis acicularis, Vesicularia montagnei
Fishes: Paracheirodon axelrod , otocinclus
Ages: 5 month
Light system: fluorescent 6x40W Jebo 10.000K
CO2 system: 2 bps
Filtration system: External Canister filter Atman EF4 + Overflow filter
Comment: Tank describes a mountain chain in the early morning. Living beings just have waken up after a long sleep with the new fresh day, full of power. This tank also marks my return to planted tank with many changes in the manner of presentation and idea expression.

The Silver Prize - Sangri-la

Author: vietlam
Title: Sangri - La
Dimension (WxDxH): 106x61x48 cm
Volume: 310 L
Plants: Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis quadricostatus, Marsilea drummondi, Hemianthus callitrichoides, Utricularia graminifolia, Glossostigma elatinoides, Hygrophila sp, Weeping Moss
Fishes: Paracheirodon innesi
Ages: 17 week
Light system: fluorescent 6x39W
CO2 system: 3 bps
Filtration system: External canister filter 25W
Comment: Shangri-La is a legendary valley leading from the Lama Religion monastery deep in the west end of the Kunlun Mountains. Shangri-La paradise on earth where the trees live on this land is always green, things seem to live immortality and the happiness became permanently...

The Bronzer Prize - Changing Season Time

 

Author: coi77
Title: Changing season time
Dimension (WxDxH): 108X50X48 cm
Volume: 259 L
Plants: Eleocharis acicularis/Eleocharis quadricostatus, Glossostigma elatinoides, Marsilea drummondi
Fishes: Paracheirodon innesi
Ages: 3 month
Light system: fluorescent 4x39W Aqua Japan 10.000k
CO2 system: 1 bps
Filtration system: external canister filter Atman EF4
Comment: During the business trip to the Northwest in the last spring, the picture of rice terraced fields intermixed in the limestone mountains, the immense imposing rock fields remain always in my mind. From that idea, I used plants to combine with the Iwagumi arrangement to create “Changing season time”.

Pavel Bautin IAPLC 2010

Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Danionella Dracula - Dracula Fish

     This fish was discovered in April 2007 in a river in Myanmar, Burma. Scientists believe that its features are "extraordinary" as one of the most interesting vertebrate discovered in recent decades.

     Called Dracula Fish, this creature has only 17 mm in length and shows a sharp bony prominence, developed in the jaw bones that resembles some teeth.

     Of the 3,700 species belonging to the order Cypriniformes, none shows teeth. Only males have these "teeth" that are used in territorial fights.

     This fish reach sexual maturity before they fully develop and because of that more than 40 bones are missing in comparison with its relative, the zebra fish, Danio Rerio.

Guizzi Di Colore 2010

    

     "Guizzi Di Colore" 2010 is an italian contest with guppies that took place at Ranco (VA), Italy on  25 - 26 September 2010. The purpose of this event is to accumulate more knowledge on guppy selection for beginners, and to meet with more experienced breeders. Evaluation parameters of the competition were established by IKGH.

1-STEFANO GIOVANNINI 1-1-9 Punti 130 Coppia

2-PIETRO BOLOGNESI 2-1-8 Punti 141,67 Coppia

3-VALENTINO GASPERONI 2-1-8 Punti 133,67 Coppia

4-FRANCESCO GIANNINI 2-1-8 Punti 135,67 Coppia

5-STEFANO CAVICCHI 2-1-8 Punti 136,33 Coppia

6-VALENTINO GASPERONI 2-1-8 Punti 144 Coppia

7-VALENTINO GASPERONI 2-1-8 Punti 144,33 Coppia

8-VALENTINO GASPERONI 2-1-8 Punti 144 Coppia

9-FRANCESCO GIANNINI 2-1-8 Punti 140,67 Coppia

10-CINZIA LAMOURE 2-1-8 Punti 139,33 Coppia

     For more info check the facebook page:

     http://www.facebook.com/guizzidicolore?v=wall&ref=mf

IAPLC 2010 Results Part II

     This post is a continuation to IAPLC 2010 Results Part I
     I have managed to find top 10 pictures of the winners IAPLC 2010, they aren't at a good quality, sorry for that.