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Staffordshire Bull Terrier
by Deborah Oakes
My Staffordshire Bull Terrier Coco who is black, white and brindle, is just the most lovely girl. She is 1 year old and rippling with muscle. She is an athlete and so agile, showing new capabilities almost daily. She is so comical to be with, in the house or on the field. We have just had a puppy male who is 8 weeks old and she is ... looking after him as if he was her own. At first we were wary about putting the puppy down to meet her but within 5 minutes the puppy was jumping on her head, play biting and thoroughly enjoying himself. Bear who is pure white, who although is only 8 weeks, barks when Coco does and follows her around like a shadow. He is very independent though for 8 weeks old and like a lot of staffies, enjoys his food. I call them my little piggy puddings because they enjoy their food just like me and my husband!
I have to say, I could not imagine not having Staffordshire Bull Terriers in my life as they bring so much joy and fun and they are the most loyal and loving breed I have come across.
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Tropical Fish
by dreamer87
Myself and my boyfriend have lived in our house now for 5 years. Initially we only had a cat and we have both always liked fish tanks and the ambience and relaxation they bring to a living room so we decided to get one and keep tropical fish. We have now kept tropical fish for over 4 years and have had two different tanks in this time. ...
Our first tank was given to us second hand by a family member as they were upgrading to a larger tank. The tropical fish lived well in this as we kept the water as it contained all the good bacteria that only builds up over time. This tank eventually got too tatty when the filter and light broke so we went out to find a new one and came back £100 lighter but with a nice 90L tank with built in light and filter.
We tendered the water from the old tank as it was already well established with the essential bacteria and after leaving it t filter for a few days and treating the water we went out to buy some fish. We tend to keep silver and speckled mollies, clown loach and different types of bottom feeders to help maintain the tank and keep it clean.
If a tank looks dirty or has too much algea this is a sign of over feeding. Once every other day should be enough food for the fish and even then they only need a pinch as they do not know when to stop eating and this can kill them.
After the initial cost the tank shouldnt cost too much although we have had to replace the filter a few times and also the lights, we have also added to the fish as they have decreased in numbers as they have gotten old. The thing is with fish, you can choose how expensive you want them t be. I'm our local garden centre you can buy some fish as cheap as 4 for £5 or they can cost you as much as £150 a single fish!
Our tank has a lovely light in it that really enhances the colour of the fish, the orange fish especially are really vibrant. We also have live plants which need to be replaced often as the fish and snails like to chew them, and we have a few plastic plants and rock ornaments that the fish like to swim in and out of and hide in. The water doesn't need to be changed that much as the good bacteria lives in the water so you don't want to be getting rid of too much of it. Changing 10% of the water every 2 weeks will be good enough.
Occasionally we'll buy a few new fish, most will be fine but we tend to lose the odd one as they either get too shocked in transit or do not find the change in water to be compatible. When you buy new fish you need to keep them in the bag and float them in the top of your tank for at least 30 minutes so the temperature adjusts to the same else they could die from shock. This is also a good way for the fish to see the tank and the fish they are about to move in with in a safer environment.
The tank really adds a nice glow to the living room, especially at night and a lot of the time I find myself watching the fish rather than the TV! At the end of last year we were fortunate for the mollies to breed meaning we had 10-15 baby fish which was brilliant to be able to watch them grow from tiny specs into full adults. It was also nice to know that we have provided a happy environment for the fish as they are meant to breed when they feel happy and comfortable in their environment.
I would fully recommend having a tropical fish tank, be prepared for the big initial expense and don't think it will stop there as there are expenses required to maintain the tank such as pumps, filters, water heaters, lights, fish, plants etc. If you are thinking of getting a tank it's worth reading up on and maybe speaking to someone who already has one. The location of the tank also needs to be considered, it cannot be kept in direct sunlight or in an environment that would be too cold so that it'd drop the temperature of the water as tropical fish should be kept at 28-30 degrees. It'd also need access to a couple of plug sockets.
Thank you for reading and I hope you have found it interesting!
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