Twitter is a very popular social network application used by millions of people worldwide. Even celebrities are known to use this platform to connect with their fans and friends around the world. Twitter offers several features like the follow me tag which makes it easy for celebrities to use so that their fans know what they are up to.
Some of the most popular people who get followed on Twitter by anyone and everyone are the celebrities. Some of the popular celebrities who use Twitter are Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson. Even before journalists get their juicy bites about this couple, people get to know about them on Twitter.
Ashton Kutcher also uses Twitter and was also quoted saying that all filters between celebrities and their fans are removed. He has around a million followers.
Stephen Fry happens to be the biggest United Kingdom-based celebrity to use Twitter. He even informed his fans through his Tweets when he got stuck in a lift on the twenty-sixth floor of a building.
Britney Spears uses it and has tens of thousands of follower on it.
Lance Armstrong who is fighting testicular cancer also uses it and all his fans get the latest news updates about him through his Tweets.
Shaquille O’Neal is another such celebrity who uses the program and so does John Cleese, the British actor from the famous Monty Python movies.
There are several advantages of celebrities using Twitter. One is that the need for journalists who keep giving out manipulated information to their fans forever is removed. If a celebrity wants to disclose certain personal or professional information to their fans, they can do so directly. They can also personally clarify their fans’ doubts. Now fans and the celebrities have a platform where they can meet directly instead of gossip magazines.
Posted in Internet And Businesses Online tagged Britney Spears, Sixth Floor, Twitter by Stephen with No comments
The tiger barb or Barbus tetrazona are members of the family Cyprinidae commonly referred to as Cyprinids. Their habitat extends through the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. There are also scattered populations in Cambodia.
Their name is purely descriptive. Tiger barbs have an orange body with vertical black striping. Tigers are just one of over 70 species of barbs made commercially available by the aquarium industry. Selective breeding has produced a wide variety of color variations. Color morphs are green, gold and albino tiger barbs. The green tiger barb is highly melanistic. Their body reflects green over the black due to a tyndall effect.
Thetiger barb has an even temperament and makes for a good community fish. They are mid-level swimmers. Barbs do have a tendency to be fin nippers though. This behavior increases in bigger groups. Avoid mixing them with large finned species such as angelfish, bettas and fancy guppies. They are a smaller fish. They only grow to about 2.5 inches long as adults. You’ll want to raise them with similar sized species to avoid waking up to one less fish in your tank.
Barbs are a shoaling fish. Shoaling fish are community dwellers. They instinctively travel in groups. Shoaling fish are ill adapted to a life of solitude. It is recommended that you have at least four of any shoaling fish in an aquarium. Six to eight is even better.
Barbs thrive in soft, slightly acid water with a temperature range between 68-77 ?F.
They are omnivorous. They can live out their entire life fed nothing but common tropical fish flakes. But a diet supplemented with pure protein will help keep them fit, vigorous and colorful.
It is not difficult to distinguish between male and female tiger barbs. The males are typically more colorful. Males tend to have more red on their fins than females. The male’s nose will turn red when it enters into its breeding cycle.
Breeding Tiger Barbs
Tiger barbs can be induced to spawn when provided with the right conditions. Tigers typically breed in early summer in the wild. Turn the aquarium thermostat up to 77 or 78 degrees. You want them in softer water such as bottled water or reverse osmosis filtered water. You will also want to increase the waters acidity level to approximately pH 6.5. If these conditions are not conducive to your other community dwellers simply use a breeding tank to create a controlled environment conducive to spawning. You will also want to increase their protein intake by feeding them brine shrimp, bloodworms or meat based frozen or freeze dried food.
Tiger barbs are egg layers. A trait common to egg layers is that they will eat their eggs if given the chance. This can be best avoided by placing a layer of marbles over the breeding tank substrate. The eggs will sink down in between the marbles and keep the eggs safely out of harms way. After the adults have spawned they should be removed from the breeding tank.
The fry will hatch in about 36 hours. They will be free swimming in 2-3 days. Once they are free swimming they can be fed infusoria or liquid fry food formulated for egg laying fish. Larger fry can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp. In about two weeks you will be able to change their diet to finely crushed fish flakes.
Posted in Pets tagged Albino Tiger Barbs, Barbus Tetrazona, Tiger Barb Care by Stephen with No comments
Deep fried turkey, chicken and fish are great dishes to enjoy when coked outdoors; but what are the secrets to enjoying great tasting non-greasy deep fried food?
Deep-frying is fast and easy and the results are great, providing you follow some simple guidelines and providing you have the right equipment.
Regarding the best choice of outdoor deep frying equipment, our choice is the exceptional quality Bayou Classic range of turkey deep fryer and fish fryer kits that come in aluminum and stainless steel.
Coming as kits they provide all you’re ever going to need to deep fry; including: racks, hooks for lifting out the bird, the all important thermometer and injectors for inserting wonderful flavored marinades; and when you’re not using them for deep frying they can just as easily be used for steaming and boiling.
So what are the ten guiding principles to great deep fry cooking? They are simple, straight forward and as follows:
Its essential that you know the correct cooking temperature for the oil and the meat or fish that you’re cooking. If the oil is too cool then the water inside the food will not cook the food quickly and oil will begin to penetrate the meat spoiling the flavors and worse making it greasy, meaning unhealthy. Remember, it is not the oil that cooks your food it’s the water vapor inside the meat that the oil heats up that does the cooking so make sure you’re cooking at the right temperature; for this reason never deep fry without a deep fry thermometer . Never over cook meat in a deep fryer or again the oils will penetrate the bird after all the vapor has been used up within it; Make sure that you don’t over fill the stockpot. If you’re unsure about how much oil to use here is a simple test to get the level right. Put the bird into the stockpot whilst its still cold. Then fill the stockpot with cold water so that it just covers the bird. Then remove the bird and make a note of the water level; this is the level to which you should fill the stockpot with oil when preparing to cook; Make sure that you’re clear about the cooking time for whatever you’re cooking. Deep frying is much quicker than roasting three quarters of an hour will cook a bird of lbs; Get the oil up to the right temperature and then insert the bird on a dedicated rack, such as the Bayou Classic Chic Can Rack then cook the bird at the required constant temperature; do not let the temperature fall as the bird will become greasy and do not let it rise or it will be burnt on the outside and not cooked on the inside. So the rule is check you have the right temperature, put the bird in when it reaches that temperature, cook at a consistent temperature and take the bird out after its time is up; Always cook with the fryer lid closed to maintain the right temperature; Use a slotted spoon or frying tongs to take things in and out of the deep fryer it makes things much easier and far safer; Watch the fish carefully as they cook. They will begin to float as they become done, making it easy to observe the color of the pieces. When they are a golden to medium brown, remove them and allow the pieces to drain in a pan or cardboard box lined with paper towels. This is where a basket or strainer comes in handy, since all the fish can be lifted out at one time, the excess oil will drain back into the pot, and the pieces dumped into your holding container; When putting meats or fish into the deep fryer never try to over fill the stockpot, its much better to cook in batches as you will spoil the temperature and if you’re using batter if the stockpot becomes too full the batter won’t crisp up; With frozen foods remove as much of the external ice off the meat as possible; When removing your cooked food from the deep fryer place it on a paper towel covered plate to help remove excess fat; When cooking outdoors there are some simple safety guidelines that should be followed: Have a bucket of sand nearby and a fire blanket should there be a problem Cook on level ground away from any inflammable materials comprising a fire hazard Never ever leave it unattended; this is a seriously dangerous piece of kit if not treated and looked after with the greatest of care
Posted in Food And Drink tagged Deep Fried Turkey, Fish Dishes, Water Level by Stephen with No comments
Simple Ways to Breed Your Fish
The most fascinating fish you can keep is the Discus. Well of course this is just my opinion.These beautiful creatures are a very expensive and can cost in the hundreds of dollars for a single fish. I myself find this to be a crazy price tag on Discus and I would never recommend anyone pay over 70 dollars for a single adult. In Michigan, this is where I have my aquarium shop. The going rate on Discus is about 45 dollars for a juvenile and around 70 dollars, on the high end for an adult. With the high price of Discus I want to give you some secrets which will save you money on your fish because when you do these tips correctly you may never have to purchase another Discus again.
The Next Step
Keeping a Discus aquarium is a blast however there is more to the hobby. Even know I love caring for my discus, breeding them is the next level of the hobby. This is fun and is also a great way to save money on the expense of the fish. Breeding discus can be difficult, however with some proper guidance it can be real easy experience. When you care for discus you know how expensive the fish can be. This is why breeding is extremely popular among discus enthusiasts. Discus are great breeders and in some instances they will breed in your main tank without even knowing it. This ends up being a nice surprise, so pay close attention if you think this happened. You will see fry swimming around in a few weeks.
Time to Get Started
I want to show you some different ways to start your Discus fish breeding process. I will show the easy and expensive option and also the less expensive method to use. The easy option is to purchase a breeding pair. When purchasing a breeding pair let your dealer know what you are interested in. They will give you some options and pricing information to get you started. Dealers and people who don’t mind spending money prefer this route due to the fact, you can have the fish start mating in a couple of days.The only drawback is this method is very costly. Mating pairs are expensive costing between 200 and 300 dollars for the pair.
You will want to use this next option to save some money on your breeding costs. With this option you purchase a group of at least 6 discus juveniles. In this method you are hopping the sexes of the fish will be different. This is not a hundred percent guaranteed. I can say though this method has never failed me when setting up new tanks and i sue it all the time. I would definitely recommend this option for someone who is just starting to set up their new aquarium.
The Mom The Dad
With some time, in your main tank you will start to notice who the mating pair is going to be. Discus like to establish territory within you aquarium. When you see two fish defending it against their other tank mates they are getting ready to breed. Keep an eye on this because these two fish will become mom and dad. Now it’s time to move them both into the breeding tank. A breeding tank is a tank separate from the main tank where you keep your fish.. When breeding discus fish it is advised to have at least a 20 gallon tank for the two fish.
We Need To Set Up the Breeding Tank
You want to keep your discus stress free during the tank exchange. Use the water from your main tank to fill the “Discus fish breeding tank”. This will maintain the pH level your fish are used too. Remember to leave the bottom of the breeding tank clear. You do not want to have any rocks or gravel on the bottom of the tank. There is reason in doing this step. You want to make it as easy as possible to remove leftover food and debris. The only decor which is necessary is a vertical surface for their eggs. “Aquarium Discus Fish” lay their eggs like angel fish do.
Both of these types of fish prefer to lay their eggs using a vertical surface. You will have many options of vertical surfaces. Most people go the easy rout and use either a plant such as a java Fern. What I like to do is use a ceramic pot flipped upside down. When you think your tank looks a little bare I advise to put a potted plant in a corner to give your discus some shelter. All though this is not necessary, remember this tip if your fish feel stressed. Another key in the discus fish breeding process is filtration. I use a sponge filer for the biological load plus I like to use small power filter as well and put a little bag of peat moss in the back to keep the pH level in check.
The Easiest And Most Important Discus Fish Breeding Tip
Keep in mind the Discus fish breeding tank is a usually a lot smaller than your original tank. it is crucial you remeber this fact. Check the breeding tank regularly for ammonia spikes and water temperature. Check the water every day and clean the waste out of it every day. This practice is very imperative when breeding discus fish. Discus are very particular about their water conditions when they breed. When your water quality is poor the fish will not even attempt to mate.
Posted in Pets tagged Adult, Different Ways, Discus Breeders by Stephen with No comments
Jewel cichlids or Hemichromis bimaculatus belong to the family Cichlidae. Jewel cichlids are commonly known as African cichlids because that is their continent of origin. They are native to the rivers, streams, creeks and lakes of west and northeast Africa. Jewels are plentiful in the Nile, Zaire, and Niger Rivers. They live in a variety of water conditions including stagnate lagoon waters.
Jewel Cichlids are not for amateur aquarists. Nor do they make good community fish. They require fairly specific water conditions. They fare well in water with a pH level of 7.5 and a temperature range between 70-82 ?F. Jewel cichlids are innately aggressive. They appear to suffer from an extreme case of Alpha Male Syndrome. They will fight other species for dominance over their territory. They are best suite for a mono-species aquarium.
There have been reported cases where Jewel cichlids have adapted to a community environment. They are introduced when still quite young to a well established tank. This procedure, however, is not recommended. Even if they adapt to communal living, they are still voracious fin nippers due to their instinct to feed on other fish in the wild.
Even in mono-species environments they are an active species to the point of being destructive. They have a tendency to dig up both plants and substrate.
Jewel cichlids reach four to six inches long as adults and have a life span of up to eight years.
Jewel cichlids are omnivores. They will eat common variety tropical fish foods. It is a good idea to supplement their diet with some form of protein whether freeze-dried, frozen or live to help insure they are less likely to develop a taste for their tank-mates fins.
Breeding Jewel Cichlids
The Male is more brightly colored than the female. Jewel cichlids are monogamous by nature. Once they choose a mate that is it. This is not at all a trait common to most fish.
If you hope to spawn them provide them with plenty of hiding places. Rocks and caves are probably best due to their tendency to dig up plants. Once they pair up they should be removed to a breeding tank with adequate hiding places. You will know spawning is about to take place when they start to clean a flat surface to deposit their eggs on.
Both males and females have advanced parental instincts. They will guard the eggs until they are hatched and then participate in raising the fry. The parents will continue to tend to the fry until they are about half an inch long. They will even make a nest of sorts by digging a hole in the substrate to deposit the fry into. Make sure the parents are done parenting their offspring before removing them from the breeding tank.
Freshly hatched fry can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp, liquid or solid fry food. Powdered eggs can also be used as a suitable alternative to store bought food. Do not add too much at a time to avoid fowling up the water.
Posted in Pets tagged Aquarists, Community Fish, Ph Level by Stephen with No comments
