A first reported incident that a leak has developed, since its opening 7 months ago, in Dubai Mall’s massive aquarium today has led to shoppers being evacuated and the shops around it were closed. There was no reported case of injury during the evacuation process.  Check out the video below.

Dubai Mall Aquarium is one of the largest aquarium in the world that holds more than 33,00o aquatic creatures where you can get up close and personal with. It also features Tiger Sharks, giant Groupers, graceful Stingrays and shimming shoals of pelagic fish.  The largest mall in Middle East holds 1,200 stores, and is located at the foot of Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world.

 

Silver carp is a filter feeder, and possesses a remarkably specialized filtration apparatus capable of filtering particles as small as 4 µm. Silver carps are produced worldwide in aquaculture. The gill rakers are fused into a sponge-like filter, and an epibranchial organ secretes mucus which assists in trapping small particles. A strong buccal pump forces water through this filter.

Like all Hypophthalmichthys species, this carp has no stomach, as they feed constantly. Silver carp are thought to feed largely on phytoplankton; they also consume zooplankton and detritus. Because of their plankton feeding habit, they have been successfully used as methods for controlling water quality, especially in the control of noxious cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).  For instance, millions silver carps have been released in the past in Taihu Lake, one of the nation’s most scenic lakes, that straddles Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, to feed on the blue-green algae plague due to the pollution from the sewage, agricultural and industrial waste. 

However, these efforts are sometimes not successful. Certain species of blue-green algae, notably the often toxic Mycrocystis, can pass through the gut of silver carp unharmed, and pick up nutrients while in the gut. Thus, in some cases blue-green algae blooms have been exacerbated by silver carp. Also, Mycrocystis has been shown to produce more toxins in the presence of silver carp. Silver carp, which have natural defenses to the toxins produced by blue-green algae, sometimes can contain enough algal toxins in their systems that they become hazardous to eat.

Silver carp are also considered as a highly invasive species, often reaching an extremely high population densities bringing undesirable effects on the environment and on native species. Considering the diet of blue-green algae this fish feeds on, one may think twice whether to feed on them as part of their diet.

Stay subscribed to our Blog Feed for continuous update, blog posts and news annoucements, and to our eStore Catalog Feed for product updates. Cheers to all!

Feature Articles

Aquarium Science: An Exciting New Micropoecilia

Author: Rich Serva

With a metallic and colorful tail, this diminutive fish is potentially a new Micropoecilia species that will delight any wild-livebearer enthusiast.

Brachys from Costa Rica

Author: Uwe Dost

An explorer-biologist traveled to Costa Rica collect two species of Brachyrhaphis—little livebearers with big, bad attitudes—and found them to be surprisingly great aquarium fish.

Breeding Seahorses

Author: José María Cid Ruiz

While captive-bred seahorses are widely available, newborn seahorses are difficult to raise at home. An accomplished aquarist and seahorse breeder details the secrets to his success. 
 

Growing Colorful Stem Plants in the Nature Aquarium

Author: Takashi Amano

Their vibrant colors and varied leaf shapes make stem plants a desirable addition to any aquascape, as the master aquascaper explains, with notes on their care requirements.

Marbled or Tile Sea Stars

Author: Bob Fenner

Starfish are generally considered difficult to keep in a reef aquarium, but those of the genus Fromia may just be an exception to the rule.

Plant Filtration—No Water Changes!

Author: Charles Clapsaddle

Mangrove trees and hornwort now do the heavy filtration lifting at Goliad Fish Farms, where these and other plants make water changes a thing of the past.

The TFH Breeder’s Challenge Part 4

Author: Ted Judy and Mike Hellweg

With Ted taking a commanding lead, is Mike ready to launch his secret weapon? Stay tuned as our two skilled breeders compete for the title of TFH Master Breeder.

The Tiger Limia: Species Unknown?

Author: Bill Allen

One of the more peaceful of the limias, the tiger limia is relatively easy to keep and breed.

Wild-Type Guppies: There’s Nothing Common About Them!

Author: Mike Hellweg

You may think you know everything there is to know about guppies, but many of the wild guppies will surprise even the most experienced of aquarists.

If you are interested to read more, you may subscribe for the digital version by clicking this LINK.

The left photo specimen, taken by Tan Heok Hui from the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research in Singapore,  is a mature female measuring just 7.9 mm from nose to tail.

This fish, which has its brain exposed, developed highly modified fins to survive in its acidic water environment. The males also have a tough pad on the front of the pelvic girdle that may be used to help them clutch onto females during mating.

Dr Maurice Kottelat warned that these tiny fish are at great risk of extinction due to the rapid destruction of Indonesian peat swamps for oil palm plantations. According to Dr Susan Page at the University of Leicester, at the current rate of burning, peatlands in Borneo, Sumatra and Papua New Guinea could be destroyed before 2040, releasing a vast amount of carbon into the atmosphere. (Right Photo courtesy of Maurice Kottelat, Carnol, Switzerland and Raffles Museum)

Here is the best wish from FnM to every Chinese in every corner of the world a Happy Lunar New Year, wishing all great wealth and health in the year of the roaring Tiger!

A Happy Valentine’s Day to Everyone too and have a romantic occasion!

Feature Articles

Anthias: Those Fancy Basses

Author: Bob Goemans

Among the most colorful fish on the reef with a wide range of personalities, there is a species of anthias to suit any reefer’s tastes.

Aquatic Plants Don’t Read the Books

Author: Jeff Walmsley

A planted tank enthusiast with a flair for large tanks discovers that some aquatic plants break the rules and do their own thing despite the most careful planning.

It’s Dwarf Crenicichla Time!

Author: Radek Bednarczuk

Small, personable, and beautiful, dwarf Crenicichla species are perfect for the aquarist who wants the excitement of keeping pike cichlids but in a smaller space.
 

Mosses and Other Bryophytes in the Nature Aquarium

Author: Takashi Amano

The master aquascaper reviews how mosses and moss-like plants can be used in the Nature Aquarium to evoke a sense of the passage of time in a natural landscape.

The TFH Breeder’s Challenge Part 3

Author: Ted Judy and Mike Hellweg

With Ted slightly in the lead, was Mike able to close the gap? Find out how our contestants are doing in pursuit of the title of TFH Master Breeder.

The Half-Red Hemigrammus: A New Species?

Author: Ivan Mikolji

Our South American adventurer journeys through the jungles of Venezuela to investigate the vibrant half-red Hemigrammus, a possible new tetra species for the hobby.

The National Aquarium in Baltimore

Author: Shari Horowitz

Take a tour through the National Aquarium, where you can see everything from an Amazonian rainforest to an Australian river gorge—and even a dolphin show!

The Rhino Pleco Pterygoplichthys scrophus

Author: Seth Gibson

A far cry from some of the monster plecos, the medium-sized rhino pleco is an unusual and exotic algae-grazing suckermouth catfish that won’t become a tankbuster.

If you are interested to read more, you may subscribe for the digital version by clicking this LINK.

So enjoy shopping with FnM aQuarium eStore today!  Be faithful to your choice, the longer you are with FnM aQuarium eStore, the more benefits you will receive!

For existing customers, please do log in to your account to check on your current qualified discount levels. For those who are new, please do take some time to register an account which is free.

All JUWEL aquariums come complete with built-in filter, heating sytem. A very elegant and popular aquarium for people new to the hobby. JUWEL aquariums are available in various series such as Rekord, Trigon, Vision and Rio. The Rio and Rekord seris are classic rectangular designs with simplicity and style. The Vision has a curved glass front on a classic rectangular design while the Trigon has a curved glass front with triangular shape ideal as a corner unit.

The complete JUWEL lines of aquariums and accessories will be available in our main eStore from January 2010 onwards. For more information and descriptions on JUWEL aquariums, you may click here for regular updates.

I wish everyone a Happy New Year and May all your New Year wishes come true!

Feature Articles

Composing a Nature Aquarium Layout with Stem Plants

Author: Takashi Amano

The visionary aquascaper focuses this month on using stem plants to produce a lush and captivating layout.

Mike vs. Ted: The TFH Breeder’s Challenge

Author: Mike Hellweg and Ted Judy

Our contestants share their first-month successes in our exciting competition—find out who’s in the lead!

Nudibranchs: Exquisite…and Unkeepable

Author: Maddy Hargrove

The beauty of these graceful aquatic creatures is matched only by their intense and arduous care requirements.

The Achilles Tang Acanthurus achilles

Author: Jeremy Gosnell

This sleek surgeonfish carries a multitude of caretaking requirements, making it a challenging but rewarding specimen for advanced marine aquarists.

The Czech Discus Championship

Author: Francesco Denitto, PhD

Our expert fish judge presents the vibrant entries and winners from the latest discus championship held in the Czech Republic.

The Killer Instinct: Predatory Fish (and How to Keep Them)

Author: Neale Monks

A fearless fishkeeper clears up the caretaking myths for some of the fiercest predators for the aquarium.

The Texas Cichlid Herichthys cyanoguttatus

Author: William Berg

Big, bold, and beautiful—discover how to keep the only cichlid native to the United States.

If you are interested to read more, you may subscribe for the digital version by clicking this LINK.

Puffers are interesting, intelligent and active fish, but they can be predators with nasty temperament.  In an aquarium, they can be fin nippers and become more aggressive as they grow older or if they are not well fed. In a freshwater community tank, Puffer Fish will thrive well with the fast swimming fish such as Danios, Rainbow Fish, or Barbs. Pufferes love snails, crabs and shrimps.

Puffers can live for several years if maintained in good condition. For the freshwater species, they thrive well with a little salt in the water, with temperature maintained at 24 – 26°C, but they are sensitive to low dKH and pH below 7.0. 

Puffers can be stubborn feeders, and most will need time to accept a variety of food given to them. Frozen food such as blood worms, dried shrimps, krill, brine shrimp are good recommendations for the Puffers. Their powerful teeth are used to crack open snail shells, so be sure to regularly add small aquatic snails in their diet to wear down their teeth. Adding snails will help the Puffers practice their hunting skills.

Sexing the Puffers can be difficult when they in juvenile stage. One way to determine the sex is to  to look at its body shape, with the female’s body much rounder than the male’s.  The males usually have a dark line that runs down their belly which are more yellow in colour. 

If you are attracted to this fish, you may consider keeping the dwarf puffers which reaches an adult size of about 2.5cm (1 inch).