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Once all the research, planning and waiting is complete and the aquarium is full of water and has finally finished cycling you will finally be ready to introduce your first fish.

It is important to ensure that you make the right choice though as there are some fish which are suitable to be added at this stage and there are fish which are not.

Do you know what you are looking for in the selection of your first fish?

Firstly and foremost the fish you choose must be relatively hardy. The reason for this is that the saltwater aquarium is new and the water will not be completely stable. Another reason is that as aquarists we all make mistakes at one time or another and with having a hardy fish they are more forgiving to these mistakes.

You will probably have an idea as to the type of fish you would like to keep in your aquarium therefore it is imperative that this fish you choose now will be compatible with future tank mates. If you added an aggressive fish for example at the start then whenever you decided to add a new fish there would be fighting in the aquarium. Not what you want at this stage really is it.

Which fish are good fish to start with?

Below is a list of what I believe to be good starter fish for a saltwater aquarium. They are all relatively hardy, peaceful and none of them have special feeding requirements.

* Clownfish
* Orchid Dottyback
* Royal Gramma
* Blenny
* Chromis
* Firefish

Lets have a look at each of these in a little more detail :

Clownfish

The clownfish to me is a fantastic little fish. The way it swims, the way it lives in corals etc and especially the colours – a great addition to any aquarium. They are also one of the most popular starter fish. They are quite hardy and are very well suited to captive life in an aquarium.

You can keep these singularly or you can keep them in pairs. When kept in pairs the most dominant fish sometimes will turn into a female and the two may even end up breeding.

There is a mis-belief that clown fish must be kept with an anemone. This simply is not the case. Clownfish will be more than happy in an aquarium without one. Anenomes are quite hard to keep and at this stage of the aquariums life the aquarium is not yet ready for one, possibly neither are you.

There are various species of clownfish, however the best ones to start with are :

* Common clown (Amphiprion ocellaris)
* Black and white clown (Amphiprion ocellaris)
* Percula clown (Amphiprion percula)

Clownfish can be purchased tank bred and if this is an available option it is recommended that you follow this option.

Orchid Dottyback

The orchid dottyback (Fridmani pseudochromis) is a relatively peaceful fish which grows to around 3-4 inches in length. The good thing about the orchid dottyback is that they can be purchased tank bred.

One thing to be noted is that you should not mix this fish with other fish of the same shape (ie the royal gramma below) or with other dottybacks.

Once the fish has become accustomed to life in your aquarium it will become quite bold and swim happily around the aquarium.

Royal Gramma

Royal grammas (Gramma Loreto) are a peaceful fish with the exception of their own kind and are very colourful fish with the colours changing from purple to yellow along the fish’s body.

There are other fish which can easily be confused with the Royal Gramma as they look very similar so ensure that it actually is a Royal Gramma prior to purchasing it.

Blenny

There are a couple of blennies which in my opinion make good additions to the aquarium as starter fish and there are the Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas) and the Bicolour Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor).

These are both fantastic to watch. They both like to either rest on a ledge or find a hole and simply watch the world go by.

Chromis

Chromis (Chromis viridis) are great to add to an aquarium. They are relatively hardy and if you have a larger aquarium then you can add a small group. They normally come in two colours (blue and green).

One of the good things about chromis is that they do not grow to be that large. They normally do not grow larger than 2 inches in length.

Firefish

The normal firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) and then purple firefish (Nemateleotris decora) are great starter fish to add to the aquarium. Both of these are very colourful fish which grow to a maximum size of about 4 inches.

The firefish has a large dorsal fin which it uses to lock itself into a hole in the rocks which is normally down at the bottom. This hole is where the fish retires to when the lights go out but it also uses it when it becomes startled. These fish are prone to jumping when startled therefore you need to take care to prevent this.

Unless you can locate an established pair I would recommend that these are kept singularly.

A dog is a member of your family that needs its own space.  Whether you have a puppy or and older dog, they will need a place where they can retreat to take a nap, sleep or just relax after a long day of activities.

Many people purchase dog beds to keep the dog off of the furniture.  When a dog knows they have their own comfortable space, they will usually stay there rather than getting on your furniture.

Dog beds come in a variety of styles and configurations and it is up to you to pick the right one for your dog.  Some of the styles you will find include dog couches, the traditional round beds, and donut style and pillbox versions.

A dog bed should be comfortable for your dog and give good support to their bodies.  You will have to remember that your dog is a dog.  Many beds look fancy and are supposed to get the owner’s attention but, provide little benefit to the dog.  Looks are nice but, not always important when it comes to your dog’s comfort.  If you have an older dog you may want to look at orthopedic style dog beds for the proper support for aching bones and joints.

When looking for a dog bed there are several factors to consider.

1.      Size- You will want to measure your dog while they are resting to get an idea of the proper size bed where they will be comfortable.  Your vet can also provide you with guidelines for sizing.

2.      Space- you will need to find a space for the bed.  Preferably, this space should be out of high traffic areas but, close enough to everyone else so they don’t feel left out.  You will also have to measure this space to make sure it will fit the bed size you need.

3.      Health- Take your dog’s health into consideration.  If you have a young dog or a puppy you don’t have to worry so much but, if you have an older dog you may want to see which beds give the most support.

4.      Maintenance- The dog’s bed is where a lot of self cleaning and chewing will happen.  For this reason you will want to make sure the bed is easily kept clean and washable or has replaceable covers.

Follow these tips and you should be very successful in finding a great bed for you dog.

Have you ever watched your dog sleep? His paws twitch, his tail wags and he lets out little barks. Perhaps he’s dreaming of a romp through his favorite meadow or a game of fetch with his best friend. Ever wonder if you make him that happy? You can. Here are some helpful hints for all adoring pet owners.

Keep him or her groomed properly, and that includes regular bathing, but always be cautious of potential coat conditions that could occur. Also, regular brushing doesn’t just make your pooch look pretty, it also helps to prevent skin diseases and can strengthen the bond between the two of you. Make sure they have a warm comfortable and safe place to lay down their head, so purchase a quality dog kennel, and dog crates and carriers. Feed them high quality foods for good health and well being, including fresh water on a daily basis. Keep the critters off that make them miserable, especially fleas and ticks, if you are not sure what to get then just ask your vet. Play with your pets, it will make both of you feel much better. Make sure that they get plenty of exercise, even if you only have time for a brief walk down the driveway or around the house. Watch out for body language, if happy the tail wags and if sad or ill, the tail will droop. Don’t ever forget or put off the checkups, even if your dog’s not a fan of going to the veterinarian, remember that regular checkups are vital to his health and longevity. Dog collars along with the ID tags are very important for safety precautions, if he or she were to get lost this will provide a way back home to you.

There are many things we can do to improve our pets life and if we are good parents the lives of our favorite pets will be greatly extended.

The mouth of an adult cat comprises of 15 teeth. Majority of them are tiny. Compared to the other teeth, the canines are the biggest in terms of size, edge and length. Cats catch and grasp their food with these fangs. They use canines to shred their prey into pieces.

Cats possess extremely specialized teeth used for shredding of meat. The first premolar and molar comprise the carnassials pair, present on both the sides of the cat’s mouth. This pair functions effectively to tear meat and thus acts as scissor. Canids also possess them, but they are highly evolved in felines. In addition, papillae or razor sharp spines are present on its tongue. These spines are beneficial for retaining and tearing the flesh of a prey. The tiny keratin having backward facing hooks also help in the grooming of a cat.

A cat uses different types of phonations for communication, because of its oral mouth structure.

Ears:

A cat can direct its hearing since it possesses single muscles in both the ears. The movements of both the ears are independent of each other. Most cats possess straight ears directed upwards. Some cats also have folded ears called Scottish Folds. Other cats have curled ears that resemble the Highlanders. Such ears are due to genetic mutation.

Cats use ears as a source of expression when they are scared or angry. They lay their ears back accompanied by hissing or growling voices. This is regarded as a caution from the cat. At times, when cats are playing, they turn their ears back to hear something behind them. One can effectively interpret a cat’s mood by observing its ears.

Legs:

Cats walk on their toes directly and hence are digitigrades. Each hind paw of a cat is placed almost accurately in the mark of the comparable forepaw, thus reducing sound and visible tracks. This method of walking is termed as register. Cats are less likely to lose their feet even on bumpy terrain.

Many animals move their legs alternately while walking. Cats on the other hand move both their legs in one direction and vice versa while walking. This manner of walking is similar to camels, giraffes, pacer horses and so on. There are not many reasons available to explain this.

All members belonging to the cat family possess retractable claws. In relaxed state, the retractable claws are covered with skin and fur. In a wild cat, this keeps its claws razor sharp despite continual contact with ground. Sheathing of the claws also enables a cat to follow its prey. The forefoot claws are considerably sharper than the hind feet claws. Cats draw out their claws in self-defense, to eat something, and so on. Sometimes, a cat will willingly extend its claw for nail clipping, thus co-operating with a human.

Many felines possess five claws and five or four claws on their front and rear paw respectively. At times, there is a protrusion called a sixth finger. This is called the carpal pad. It functions as an anti-skidding feature.

It happens every night. You settle in for a lovely slumber only to be interrupted by your cat pouncing on your bed as it looks for its own nice place to rest. Sure, this would not be a problem if he was quick about it, but 15 minutes later he settles down and now you are wide awake. To keep this from happening again, give your cat its own space to rest and relax by purchasing some lovely cat furniture for it.

Now, the type of cat furniture that would provide your pet with a fantastic spot to sleep the night away would be a kitty condo or cat house. This type of furnishing is made out of some type of wood that is then covered in fabric that is both durable and soft like carpeting. Usually it will be cylindrical in shape, has enclosed sleeping areas, and can be one or multiple levels high. So, if you have more than one cat, they can all share the condo at night. Another nice option for sleeping for your cat is a luxury cat bed, which is just as plush and soft as your own bed.

Along with providing your cat a nice place to take it easy, there are also other cat furniture options perfect for letting your cat play and release some of its pent up energy. For example, you can purchase a kitty gym for it that, like the kitty condo, can have multiple levels and is made out of a durable soft fabric. However, instead of just being cylindrical in shape, it will have multiple perch areas, juxtaposing towers and boards where your cat can climb and jump, enclosed towers, and they can even come with hanging toys built right into them. There are other furniture options too besides the kitty gym where your cat can have a good time and they include cat trees, scratching posts, and cat steps, which are also nice for helping your cat get around.

If your cat already has a spot to play and rest, but you are still searching for a way to pamper it, there are a number of lovely cat accessories that you can purchase for it that allow you to do just that. For example, you can your cat jewelry, a decorative food and water dish, a hideaway litter box, and a slew of toys. For a fast and easy way to browse all the different options, forget about jumping in your car and heading to the nearest pet store. Instead, just go on the Internet and do some comparison shopping. Just by the click of the mouse you can check out everything that is available and once you do find something you want, it is shipped right to your door. Now, it cannot get any more convenient than that.

So, if you want to keep your cat out of your bed at night, give it a place of its own by purchasing some cat furniture for it. By getting some today, you can enjoy a good night’s rest tomorrow.