Discus Fish Care - The Beautiful Aquarium Friend

Discus can make very nice pets and a beautiful added addition to any aquarium, but there are a lot of things you need to know when it comes to discus fish care before you even consider buying your discus fish. They are popular aquarium pets, but discus fish are not the easiest of fish to look after, as any aquarium or discus enthusiast will hasten to tell you, but all you need is some good advice and information and it is possible for even novice fish owners to give great discus fish care to ensure the species thrive and are happy for years to come.

When considering fish care, the most important thing to remember (which is true with all aquarium creatures) is that in order for them to survive and remain healthy, you need to be able to recreate their natural environment. Discus actually originate from the Amazon River and so they are used to hotter climates and warmer waters, so it is imperative that you keep water temperatures in discus fish tanks at a minimum of 86 degrees. Good water conditions are a must when it comes to fish care, and this includes keeping an ideal pH level in your fish tank so that the harmful chemicals in tap water do not affect the discus. Making sure that the fish environment is as natural as possible is imperative when it comes to giving excellent discus fish care.

Once you have considered the environment in which your fish will be living, then you should also take into consideration the location of the tank. fish are very shy creatures and are sensitive to loud noises and disruption. Because of this, not only should their tank be full of places for them to hide such as ornaments and plants, but the tank its self should be kept in a quiet place away from disturbances from children, other pets or loud traffic noises. This should also be considered when planning on keeping fish within an office environment; if you have a very noisy office then it might be better to consider a different species of fish.

Fish are beautiful creatures, and they can make any aquarium come alive. But you need to remember that they need a lot of care and attention, so you should not even consider keeping these fish if you know you won't be able to give them everything that they need. If in doubt, contact your local pet store for more information.

Honeymoon Ideas - Favorite Destinations For Lovebirds

The honeymoon is your time to relax and recuperate from frantic wedding preparations. And picking a place that both of you will enjoy is a must. Fortunately, the world presents countless honeymoon ideas that have something for both of you. Here are some of the more popular honeymoon destinations for couples of all types.

For the Couple on a Budget

The newest trend in honeymoon ideas this year is staying at home. In the U.S., for instance, couples are forgoing the expensive costs of acquiring passports, tickets, hotels, rental cars, and food - opting instead to save a few bucks, choose popular honeymoon destinations at home, and remain in their own backyards (so to speak).

St. Augustine, Florida, in particular, is one of the more popular honeymoon destinations that continue to attract visitors due to its year round temperate climate, proximity to beaches, quaint restaurants, and great shopping. Called the Oldest City in America, it was founded in 1565, and is the home of the Fountain of Youth, where visitors can drink its restoring waters. Other highlights of the town are Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Matanzas, and the Lightner Museum, all accessible by foot. Cozy honeymoon ideas are horse and carriage rides, theater shows, fishing, and parks, and there are romantic bed and breakfasts aplenty.

Out on the West Coast, there's another hidden gem - Seattle, Washington. Mild in the summer, but a little chilly in the winter, this city is perfect for couples who are full of fun honeymoon ideas but don't want to break the bank. There's the Fish Market, where you can get a delicious meal, and the famous Space Needle. Even if these two honeymoon ideas don't interest you, there are thousands of popular honeymoon destinations that offer unique experiences. But if you really want to go out of country, consider the benefits of staying at a youth hostel or monastery, which offer comfortable places to sleep at bargain-basement prices.

For the Outdoorsy Types

For the true outdoors couple, even simple honeymoon ideas like hiking or staying in a romantic cabin would be welcome. Odds are that you and your loved one like to travel without all the comforts of home. One of the more popular honeymoon destinations for outdoor lovers is a tour of the Amazon River. Visitors to the region will enjoy strolling along the Rainforest Canopy Walkway, a man-made bridge of wooden slats and ropes which overlooks the forest below, camping along the banks of the Amazon, allowing you to get up close and personal with the native animals and local flora and fauna, and exploring expansive wildlife parks. Should you book as part of a package, a number of hotel options are available, including forest lodges and other rustic accommodations

Another of the more popular honeymoon destinations for couples who enjoy travelling off the beaten track is an African safari, where locals take visitors out to the more remote areas in order to witness 'the circle of life' in action. You'll see lions, tigers, cheetahs, zebras, and hyenas up close and in their natural habitat. Beautiful, pastoral African lodges add to the charm of the trip; at night, you and your sweetie can sip wine by African moonlight and talk the night away.

For the Thrill Seekers

These honeymoon ideas are not for the faint of heart. For couples who love an edge to their vacations, the following honeymoon ideas are meant just for you. One way to feel the rush is cage-diving with Great Whites off the coast of South Africa. On Seal Island, visitors get to experience the Great White shark in its natural element and watch it hunt the seals that inhabit the island. You'll be able to dive into the blue Atlantic waters with a professional guide and interact with the sharks up close (protected by a sturdy steel cage of course).

One of the more thrilling, popular honeymoon destinations is Ireland; many companies offer motorcycle tours so you and your loved one can experience the beauty of the 'Emerald Isle' in a very unusual way. You'll accelerate along the craggy cliffs, zigzagging on lonely roads, taking in the fresh Irish air. You'll stop each night at a cozy B and B for some rest and start again the next day, averaging about five hours of riding time each day.

For the Laid-Back Lovers

Imagine lounging in a comfortable chair with a cold drink in your hand underneath a palm tree. Yes, for you laid-back lovers, your preferred honeymoon ideas center around the beach where you can sample delicious, homemade seafood platters and drink ice-cold tropical drinks while watching sail boats pass by. Though many islands in the Caribbean have resort rooms that are rather expensive, these popular honeymoon destinations are usually more well traveled than the rest.

To ensure that you and your loved one get some alone time, consider travelling to Turks and Caicos, Antigua, or St. Maarten, which are, on average, much more affordable honeymoon ideas and not as touristy. St. Maarten, in particular, is just one side of a dually governed island. It still retains much of its quaint Dutch charm and also features a butterfly farm, excellent hiking opportunities, and a long boardwalk. Many resorts and hotels offer special deals to honeymooners, so you can truly get a package deal at a great price.

For the History Buffs

Some of the the most popular honeymoon destinations have traveled a bit 'too often for serious history buffs. Couples must have a certain time or country in the eyes a little research before making their honeymoon ideas into action.

There are some interesting, popular honeymoon destinations, however, recently also the fascinating eastern city of Budapest, which has a number of ideas and honeymoon attractions in the city center, including the beautiful City Park,houses a restaurant, one of the oldest zoos in the world, a circus, an amusement park, swimming pools and medicinal baths, a castle, two museums, the Palace of Art, and Heroes' Square, a well-known World Heritage Site. About an hour outside of the city is the start of the two centuries old Villany-Siklos wine route, which snakes around the countryside, allowing visitors to sample some of the best red wines in the world.

Another one of the more popular honeymoon destinations is a little closer to home - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With all the attractions close together, you'll be able to tour the city on foot, getting some great exercise while learning about America's history. About two and a half hours away is Gettysburg, home to the famed battlefield and the site of Lincoln's address to the nation. With a number of small hotels in the area, you may want to consider booking a package deal beforehand, so by the time you arrive, the concierge or housekeeper has set the scene with candles, champagne, flowers, and chocolates or other personalized honeymoon ideas.

Make It the Trip of a Lifetime

No matter which popular honeymoon destinations you choose, it should be the trip of a lifetime. It's one of the most special events you'll share with your loved one, so take lots of pictures, purchase a memorable souvenir to hang in your new home, and splurge on a leisurely dinner at a great restaurant. The hardest part is coming up with honeymoon ideas and choosing where you want to go; after that, it's time to enjoy some quality time with your sweetie!

Piranha Fishing in the Amazon

If trout fishing just isn't doing it for you anymore, you may need to add some adventure to your life by heading to the Amazon River in Peru for piranha fishing. Believe it or not these fearsome little fish are actually quite fun and easy to catch.

All you really need to catch a piranha is a knowledgeable guide who knows where these carnivorous fish hang out, some chunks of raw bloody meat, and a bamboo fishing pole. Make sure you do hire a guide however, as the Amazon can be dangerous for people unfamiliar with the area.

To find the piranhas, you may need to travel at least a half day from the main departure points. For people who have a few days, it might be nicer and more fun to take a cruise boat down the river which has skiffs for excursions. The journey to the fish is half the fun though and you are bound to see an amazing array of other wildlife like pink river dolphins, monkeys, and beautiful birds.

Once you reach the fish, you can just throw the bloody hunks of meat into the river and splash the surface of the water vigorously with a paddle or stick. Unlike other fish, piranhas are actually attracted to splashing as they think it's a delicious creature in distress - easy prey. Once you reel one in, be prepared for hissing, growling, and snapping. Make sure you keep your fingers away from their mouths.

Even though these fish are usually only 6 to 10 inches long, their teeth are razor sharp, tightly interlaced, and able to lock in order to shred flesh off the bones of their struggling victims. There are around 35 known species of piranha, and most of them live in the shallow waters of the Amazon River.

If you want to eat the piranha you caught, there are a few good recipes for this bony and tart fish. You first want to scale the piranha with a knife or brush, and then cut the meat from its side. Remove the innards, rinse it, and then soak the fish in vinegar and water. You can then either use it as an ingredient in a soup or stew, or pan fry it with some lemon, salt, and soy sauce.

Bull Shark - Appearing Out of Nowhere

One day, while free diving with a friend, the largest Bull shark I have ever seen swam under us. The problem was that we were a half-mile from the beach and Bull sharks are the most aggressive type of shark in the world. Luckily, for us, he wasn't hungry at the time and slowly swam away after a few tense moments of observation.

The Bull, Tiger, and Great White are considered the top three sharks most likely to attack humans. Growing up to 11.5 feet in length and weighing up to 500 pounds coupled with the Bull shark's very aggressive behavior means it can be extremely dangerous if a person happens to unknowingly enter into its territory or cross its path.

Although sharks are commonly known to hunt individually, I have two friends who have been SCUBA diving and seen three Bull sharks hunting as a pack in both instances (in Galveston, Texas and Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands). When the first two sharks passed my friend, diving off of Jost Van Dyke, the third one, bringing up the rear of their formation, took a bite at one of his fins. Luckily, the shark continued after its companions who were chasing a large school of fish.

The Bull shark is unique in that it is commonly seen throughout the world swimming in fresh water. Sightings and attacks have occurred in the most improbable locations such as Lake Nicaragua, 2,200 miles up the Amazon River in Peru, near St. Louis in the Mississippi River, and in Lake Michigan off the coast of Chicago. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, there were numerous sightings of Bull sharks in Lake Ponchartrain. If a river or inland body of water connects with the open ocean, there is always a possibility that Bulls could investigate and appear where it is least expected.

Puerto Maldonado's Hidden Amazon Tour

If you're looking to get away, go deep into the Amazon and explore where few have gone before, the remote jungles near Puerto Maldonado in southeast Peru, is your best bet. Rushing through the region is the Madre de Dios river, a tributary of the Amazon river, and it waters several lakes, smaller rivers, and streams. Much of the area around Puerto Maldonado is protected, such as the Tambopata National Park, the Sandoval Lake, and other reserves. In this region lives hundreds of species of birds, insects, flowers, small mammals, reptiles, and fish. Accessible only by boat, the lodges near Puerto Maldonado are about as remote as you can get.

One of the lodges, Posada Amazonas, offers an exciting itinerary of activities for the adventurous traveler. During a three or four day stay at this lodge, you can can hike the surrounding trails, watch the beautiful parrots at the nearby clay lick, and paddle down meandering rivers to find a wide variety of birds, trees, flowers, and even the rare giant otter.

On your first day, once you arrive at the Puerto Maldonado airport, you will take a transfer to the nearby port, where you will ride with the next available boat to your lodge. Once there, the friendly staff will greet you, give you a brief orientation, and then allow you to unpack and rest in your new room.

Once settled, take a short walk to the 30 meter tall canopy tower. This tower will give you stunning views over the treetops to the Tambopata River, and will put you on the same level as the toucans, parrots, and macaws that nest here.

In the evening, relax in the dining room and enjoy an after dinner cocktail.

In the morning of your second day, you'll head out early for a boat ride and hike to lake Tres Chimbadas. At this location, you can glide along in a small catamaran, quietly passing by the sides of the lake so that you have the best chance of spotting the giant river otters who live here. There are also hoatzins and other birds here.

Next you'll head to the parrot clay lick. The salt on the embankment here attracts several types of macaws, parrots, and other visually striking birds. Then you'll head back to the lodge for lunch.

Afterwards, hop in a boat again, this time headed for the ethnobotanical trail, where you'll be guided by a naturalist who will explain how many of the plants along the trail are used for medicinal purposes in local communities.

After dinner in the lodge, you'll take a short night walk to encounter some of the nocturnal animals and insects who inhabit the jungles.

On your last morning in the jungle, you'll have breakfast in the lodge and then greet your river guide, who will take you back to Puerto Maldonado for the next section of your journey.

Are Acai Berry Tablets Better Than Other Diet Supplements? Find Out Here

Acai Berry Tablets are a familiar name in the diet and weight loss industry and their popularity is growing all the time. This has a lot to do with the fact that the television and press alike have covered the fruit on which they are based in a highly positive light. Acai Berry Tablets are named after and contain extracts from the Acai Berry, a fruit that grows on the Acai Palm, found in the Amazon River Basin of Brazil.

Acai Berry Tablets are often thought to be a healthier and less damaging weight loss supplement than many of the others on the market. Many diet pills contain large amounts of stimulants such as ephedra and caffeine. The point of this is to make you feel like you have more energy than you really do but also disturbs your sleep pattern. Acai pills do not do this. They actually promote a healthy sleep pattern!!

For these reasons, many people who have used alternative supplements for a number of years are now turning to the Acai Berry diet pills in order to be able to continue with their supplements without putting their long term health at any risk.

There is a free trial available as well, in order that those who might otherwise doubt the effectiveness of diet pills or even believe them to be a scam altogether, can try them for themselves and discover whether or not they work them. So if you are undecided yourself, why listen to what anyone else is saying about this supplement? Get a free trial and decide for yourself.

A-Z of Global Warming - The Amazon

Introduction

This article is the first in a series of articles which will take the reader on an alphabetic journey on global warming, commencing with A for Amazon.

The phrase global warming is a term that has been in common usage for some time and usually refers to the warming of Earth's atmosphere, and which also implies a manmade or human influence.

Earth's atmosphere is comprised of many gases, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapour to name a few. These gases are collectively called greenhouse gases and they keep the Earth's temperature at a comfortable 15 degrees Celsius, without them Earth would be a chilly - 18 degrees Celsius. Since pre-industrial times, usually taken to be around 1750 we know from ice core records that Co2 levels were around 280 ppm, that's 280 parts of Co2 per million parts of air. As industrialisation got underway mankind started to farm the land more intensely than ever before, deforest for agriculture and settlements, and later since around 1850 or so, burn fossil fuels for energy and transport which have added considerably to greenhouse gas levels, particularly Co2.

This has resulted in Co2 levels increasing to around 385 ppm, an increase of around 37% over pre-industrial levels mainly as a result of burning fossil fuels.

How do we know this? Well, data from ice core records that go back at least 650,000 years now show us that Co2 levels have fluctuated naturally during this time between 280 and 300 ppm. Co2 levels have also been measured accurately from the top of Mauna Loa Volcano in Hawaii since 1958, and results show an increase in Co2 levels from 315 ppm to 385 ppm since that time. Therefore Co2 now stands at 85 ppm more than it has been for at least 650,000 years of Earth's history. It is a known scientific fact that higher levels of greenhouse gases will lead to higher temperatures, and this appears to be occurring now. The world has warmed by an average of 0.74 degrees during the last 100 years or so.

As a result of this warming, polar ice has started to decrease and melt, and so are Earth's land based glaciers. This in turn is causing sea levels to rise which is putting low lying islands at risk of flooding or total submersion. This will eventually threaten more and more of the worlds coastal cities and regions.

As Earth's atmosphere starts to warm, the warming itself may cause further positive feedback mechanisms to kick in. A warmer atmosphere holds more water vapour, which is itself a powerful greenhouse gas. This will in turn cause further warming, and so on.

Melting ice means that more sunlight is absorbed by the surrounding "darker" water and land, meaning further warming, and more melting ice. Methane deposits currently held in a frozen but stable state under the sea and under the permafrost maybe released as the oceans warm and permafrost melts, which will cause further warming as methane is a potent greenhouse gas etc etc.

Where better place to start this A-Z journey on global warming than with The Amazon Rainforest, which has an incredibly important role to play in maintaining a balance in the Earth's climate. The Amazon is inextricably linked to the issue of global warming and has a considerable influence on Earth's climate.

Amazon Facts

The Amazon river basin contains the largest rainforest on Earth and covers approximately 40% of the South American continent. The Amazon Rainforest is located within eight countries, Brazil contains 60% of the forest, with Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guyana containing the rest.

The Amazon forest is a natural reservoir of genetic diversity, containing the largest and most species rich tract of tropical rainforest that exists. The Amazon contains an amazing thirty-percent of Earth's species. One square kilometre of Amazon can contain about 90,000 tons of living plants! It's also amazing to consider that one in five of all the birds in the world make the rainforest their home.

The Amazon basin is drained by the Amazon river, the worlds second longest after the Nile and the river acts as the lifeline of the forest. The river is the most voluminous on Earth.

A few hundred years ago tropical rainforests covered as much as 12% of the Earth's land surface, but today the figure is less than 5%. The largest stretch of rainforest can be found in the Amazon river basin, over half of which lies in Brazil.

Why is the Amazon so important in the context of global warming?

The rainforest acts as a major store of Carbon and produces enormous amounts of oxygen. The Amazon has been referred to as "The lungs of the Earth" because of its affect on the climate. The way this is achieved is through photosynthesis, the process by which green plants/trees use the energy from sunlight to produce food by taking carbon dioxide (Co2) from the air and water and converting them to carbon. The by-product of this is oxygen.

The Amazon therefore helps recycle carbon dioxide by turning it into oxygen, and its estimated that the Amazon produces about 20% of this essential gas for Earth's atmosphere.

Trees, plants and Co2

Levels of co2 in the atmosphere have been measured since 1958 from a monitoring station located on Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii and they show sharp annual increases and decreases in co2 levels, similar to the tooth on a saw. The readings seemingly mimic a breath of air being taken in and out; it's almost as if the Earth is breathing. The readings correspond to the amount of vegetation on the planet (most of which is contained in the Northern Hemisphere, as the landmass there is greater), taking in co2, and giving out oxygen. During the Northern Hemisphere summer, when the Earth is tilted toward the sun, the Earth's vegetation is able to photosynthesise resulting in an uptake of co2, causing worldwide co2 levels to drop. During winter, when Earth's axis is tilted away from the sun, the opposite happens causing co2 levels to rise again.

When one becomes aware of the correlation between the Earth's vegetation and co2 levels, it is easy to understand why the Amazon, and rainforests in general are such an important part of Earth's ecosystem. If global warming is to be tackled, the Amazon, and other rainforests must be saved.

Copyright (c) 2008 Simon Rosser