Breeding Your Goldfish

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dane_Stanton]Dane Stanton

If you are keen on breeding Goldfish, you should know that it's not an easy task. It will take a lot of patience, a lot of space in the tank and quite a bit of money too. Don't get into breeding if you think it's going to be profitable, because it isn't! Breeding goldfish is best left to a professional but if you still want to breed them, here's how to begin:

Decide on the breed: You also must decide before hand what variety of goldfish you want to breed. Ideally, if you are a beginner you should decide on breeding a good quality single tail type fish like the comet.

Pair and choose the breeds: You must choose high quality goldfish to breed high quality goldfish. The goldfish you choose should be two-four years. A good quality goldfish would be assessed according to its finnage, body shape, size and color. They should be at least 4-6 inches or larger and very healthy. It's better to breed with younger fish as the older ones might produce eggs that are deformed and infertile.

* The ideal female goldfish would be heavy at the rear, protruding on the left part of her body and her anal area would be soft.

* The ideal male goldfish would be a great chaser and there should be signs of his breeding tubercles on his gills and pectoral fins.
Begin with two females and three males. The idea is to have two males for every female.

Time to breed
Here's the time plan to breed goldfish -

* You would need to plan a year ahead in the months of July or August. This is when most breeders sell their surplus fish at cheaper rates. If you skip this period than would find it hard to find a good breeding quality pair of goldfish.

* During the winter you must feed the fish and help them build enough body mass to last the winter and be ready for spawning in the early spring. By October or November, your fish would need less food and this is the time to not only clean the fish but also separate the males from the females.

Cleaning the fish: The solution you need to clean the fish is one measure of Terramycin, 80 drops of Formaldehyde and 6 drops of copper sulphate in four gallons of water. The solution should be at the right temperature and the fish should get enough oxygen to breathe. Allow the goldfish to remain in this solution for 20 minutes and then move them to a separate container of clean water while you prepare a spawning tank.

* Make sure you make the new tank a natural spawning area with bushy natural plants, artificial fibers or spawning mops and coconut fibers, all materials that can receive the spawn. Goldfish need such props for spawning.

Size of the spawning tank: You will need at least a tank that can hold 20 gallons of water. If the fish were bigger than you would need a bigger tank.

* Now that the fish are clean and the tank is clean too, do not feed the fish anything for the next two months except some amount of live food like insect larvae,worms, and brine shrimp. This preparation will help the females develop healthy and the males, milt that is needed to fertilize the eggs.

* If the winters are too cold in your area, you can consider using a heater.

* Watch the male goldfish developing breeding tubercles that look like white pimples on their gill covers and the pectoral fins.

* Watch the females become rounder body as it fills up with roe or eggs.
How do you spot the spawning moment?

* Spawning usually happens in the early morning.

* The colors of all the goldfish will look brighter then before.

* The fish would group together while swimming.

* The males will be chasing the females at random.

* Finally the active males zero in on one particular female and chase her more than before.

* The chase will intensify with the male getting aggressive and pushing against the female goldfish till she ejects her eggs.
* As the eggs are out the male will fertilize them by depositing milt over the eggs.

* The eggs will fall through the water, landing on plants. They stay in the same spot till they hatch.

* The spawning may begin again after some days of rest.

Point of note: Goldfish eat their eggs. Of the 10,000 eggs that are laid in one spawning session, hardly any will be left if the fish are not removed. So once the eggs are laid, move the parents back to another tank.

Dane Stanton - www.goldfish-secrets.com [http://www.goldfish-secrets.com]

Dane Stanton is an expert on goldfish health care. To visit his website visit [http://www.goldfish-secrets.com] for more information on Goldfish care and other aquarium related topics.
*Recommended*

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Breeding-Your-Goldfish&id=44308] Breeding Your Goldfish

Cat Obesity: Tips for Slimming Down Your Fat Cat

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Velita_Livingston]Velita Livingston

I have seen far too many people think their pudgy little cat is cute. However, did you know that cat obesity is just as dangerous in our furry little friends as it is in humans? Therefore you'll want to do something to cut down on your cat's weight as quickly as possible. This can be a little difficult if you have an indoor cat as generally they don't get the exercise they need. However, if you follow the tips in this guide you should be able to make even the laziest cat in the world drop the excess pounds.

First and foremost, you'll want to determine if your cat is overweight. Some cats appear to be a little chunky, but that is how they should be due to their breed. To quickly check, you should feel around your cat's ribs, they should be easy to identify. If you cannot feel the ribs then your cat is overweight. There are also a number of online 'calculators' which will also help you determine whether your pet is suffering from cat obesity.

One of the biggest tips I can offer is to change the food your cat is eating. You should look to purchase better quality food, such as a grain-free food that doesn't contain corn. Cheaper foods contain more fat and fillers than they need to, and they also don't have the proper nutrients. Therefore, cheaper foods could do your pet a lot of harm, so steer clear of those. Don't worry, purchasing better quality cat food isn't that much more expensive and you will probably need to feed your cat a lot less. In fact, purchasing a higher quality pet food will save you money in the long run, as it will result in fewer trips to the vet, because you'll have a healthier cat.

Another helpful suggestion is to invest in a pet food bowl with a portion control dome in the center or what is often referred to as a slow feed bowl. I have been very successful using these types of bowls in the past to slim down my fat cats. These food bowls help to control pets that gobble up their food too fast, which can result in overeating.

The next step is to cut down on the treats that you are offering your pet. Many people give their furry friends cat treats on a daily basis, and this contributes to cat obesity more than anything. Save the treats for special occasions, and even then, you can purchase 'low fat' treats from your local pet store, so use those instead!

You will also need to exercise your cat more often. If you have an indoor cat, then grab a leash from a pet store and take them for a walk at least thirty minutes a day. This is also great exercise for you as well! Also, interactive toys are a great way to keep your cat active and can also strengthen the bond between you and your pet. My cat's love the Da Bird feather toy, which they absolutely can't resist; even my laziest kitty will get off the couch for this toy. It is by far the best cat toy I can recommend for interacting with your furry friends.

Finally, ease your pet into the diet plan gradually, especially if you are changing their food. This is because sudden changes in food can wreak havoc on your cat's digestion, and can even make them sick.

Follow these simple tips and you should start seeing your kitty drop those excess pounds. When you are putting your cat through a 'weight loss' regime, you will want to constantly check them to ensure that they are actually losing weight. So keep feeling around those ribs, and weigh your pet from time to time. Remember though, your goal is to get your cat down to a 'healthy' weight, don't take it too far, plenty of people end up with a cat that is far too skinny, and that is not what you want.

Velita Livingston is the founder of the Cat Lover's Diary blob which provides rich content with great advice on cat care tips and cat training, teaching pet owners how to protect, pamper and live peacefully with their pets. Visit the http://www.catloversdiary.com to watch the Cat Lover's Diary Movie, it contains breathtaking images and heartwarming quotes... It will uplift and inspire you! You can also visit the Cat Lover's Diary on Facebook and Twitter.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Cat-Obesity:-Tips-for-Slimming-Down-Your-Fat-Cat&id=7330989] Cat Obesity: Tips for Slimming Down Your Fat Cat

15 Tips If You Are Wanting To Get A Horse

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=A_Bever]A Bever

Are you wanting to get your own horse, but are not sure what that will be like? Having a one is a huge responsibility to take on. There is a lot of joy in being able to ride and learn to compete in shows.

Before you rush out and pick out one check out these 15 tips to get started.

1. Are you looking for a companion? A companion is a pet and it classified as not being able to carry a rider. A companion horse can be for yourself or as a companion to another animal or horse. If you are looking for one to ride then you would want to avoid it if tagged as a companion only.

2. What is a cold blood or hot blood and warm blood horses? These are three main categories that each breed of horse comes under. Warm blooded are good for jumping and dressings, cold blooded are for riding and trails. While a hot blooded horse is for racing.

3. Before a purchase always ask about past health issues, is he spooked of anything, his breeding history and how much he has been ridden.

4. Study up on conformation so when you are looking at a horse you can tell if there is any problems or if there could be any future health issues by the shape of the leg bones and back.

5. Do not get one untrained with the purpose of training it. Most of the time that does not work and the new owner gets to frustrated to continue. If you are just getting into horses make sure that it is already trained.

6. Before getting a horse if you do not have any experience with one. Sign up first for training lessons to get started.

7. Inexperienced riders should stay away from stallions.

8. Understand that they can live for 20 plus years. So purchasing a one is a lifetime commitment that you must plan on.

9. Read all the books you can on nutrition, horse care, grooming, first aid before you get your horse.

10. Learn about natural horsemanship to help understand horses better.

11. Learn how pony care is different from horse care.

12. Understand the difference between good hay to feed your horse or hay that can hurt your horse.

13. Do you have fresh water for the horse? This is very important and should be planned ahead of time.

14. Find a good trainer in your area that can work with both you and the horse.

15. Have a savings account set up to cover unexpected emergencies if the horse gets sick or injured. These can be very expensive and be hard to handle without a back up in place already.

There are a lot of work and money that is needed in caring for a horse. We have 101 Tips If You Want at Get A Horse at http://mustangride.com/101-tips-if-you-want-to-get-a-horse/

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?15-Tips-If-You-Are-Wanting-To-Get-A-Horse&id=7364099] 15 Tips If You Are Wanting To Get A Horse