There is reef aquarium and some nano aquariums featured in the video. Enjoy the water greenery!

Doctor fish are used in fish spa resorts which opened around 2006 in various part of the world, including Japan, Crotia, China, Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore etc.  The fish feed on the skin of patients with psoriasis, consuming only the affected and dead areas of the skin, leaving the healthy skin to grow. It is reported that some patients experienced complete cure of psoriasis after repeated treatments.  Despite this, the aquarium specimens are not really well suited for treatment of skin diseases, but only as a temporary cure for symptoms, since the skin-feeding behavior fully manifests only under environmental conditions where the food supply is somewhat scarce and unpredictable. 

In 2008, bans were imposed on fish spa services in certain states of US for safety and hygiene reasons. It is said that despite having rigorous safety protocol in place such as having a good filtration systems and ultraviolet light to kill bacteria in the water, there is no 100% guarantee to ensure that the fish will not carry the risk of infections from previous customer. In responding to the banning of such service, the Spa Association Singapore has said that banning fish-spa treatments is the way to go.  

Share your view with us if you have any thoughts on the banning of such service.

Meanwhile, have some fun and enjoy the youtube video below.

My aquarium hobby started in 1977 with Betta (pronounced BET-TUH, not BAY-TUH) Splendens, also known as ‘Siamese Fighting Fish’, discovered originally in its natural habitat of shallow rice patties in Siam. If this fish never fails to amazed its beholders and thrill its audiences, I will seriously wonder why, as it is the truly a very popular freshwater fish.

Betta lives comfortably in enough water to cover it, most popular being housed in small little jars sold in aquarium shops even in today’s practice. They are hardy, comes in multi-colours, but as in all other species, they deserve vigilant care.  The wild Bettas look different from those bred in captivity. In the natural wild environment, speed and agility are crucial for survival, rather than exhibiting colour and beauty.  Wild Betta have short fins and dark, mottled colouring and are very interesting and beautiful in their own way.

betta splendens

Betta’s hardiness trait resulted primarily from inhabiting the shallow, muddy water of the rice patties, which is not an ideal habitat for any other fish.  They use a special organ called the “labyrinth” which enables them to breathe oxygen directly from the water surface.  Gifted with this organ, are able to survive in their natural habitat in very low oxygen levels. That explains why Bettas can survive in little cups with just enough water, longer than other gill-breathing fish. Although this get away with the need to change water frequently, care is appreciated for better environment of the fish, to avoid ammonia built up from the decomposition of its waste contents.  Beautiful fish like them does not deserve to be ill-treated.

Male Bettas are very aggressive and territorial fish in nature. When two male Bettas are placed together, they will start intimidating each other by displaying aggression with their fins and gills wide spread and opened.  A challenge fight will only end when the loser admits defeat and escape with suffered enough injury.  If the escape fails, as in an enclosed environment, the loser will likely ended in death.  That explains why male Bettas are kept solo. Several female Bettas can be housed together since they are not too aggressive.

Bettas are kept for fighting in Siam as entertainment. Today, they are bred to bring out their beauty to capture your heart.  Stay tuned for new posts of Bettas in our blog.

Featured Freshwater Planted Aquarium Video

You would have dreamt of keeping one of those aquariums and be part of your life. So you venture into researching for more information of your interest. Freshwater or Marine Aquarium? This was a very similar decision I took back in my younger days. And to start off with an advise, freshwater is an easy start for most novice, cheaper and easier to maintain. Marine aquarium are more for the advanced. Lot’s of novice started off into the marine aquarium hobbying during the “Nemo” craze period few years ago, and many of them gave up being unable to maintain the delicate sea creature without proper knowledge of aquarium keeping.

Featured Marine Aquarium Video

However, marine aquarium keeping can be very rewarding for the experienced, as the ocean creatures are indeed exotic, and beautiful than anything a freshwater aquarium could have given you. Marine aquarium keeping is demanding in respect of maintenance, and if you cannot afford the time and money, it would be a very bad idea and disastrous, which most likely ended up your interest in the hobby being short lived.

Whichever you choose, any aquarium will add a touch of your personal character to any place where you keep it.