[kvish]

Originally Posted by audioholic

If you are a newbie to fish keeping, most shops will rip you off with exorbitant rates for everything. Avoid huge establishments and search for a rather smallish shop who will usually sell at lower prices. For example, a specific brand of fish food has an MRP tag of Rs. 180 which is sold at MRP in one shop, whereas a shop near my house sells it for Rs. 80. That is how different the prices are. In case you need any help, do PM me for an idea of the costs. Same applies for fish too.

Thanks Audioholic. Even though I had an aquarium for a few years, I still consider myself as a newbie since I was nowhere close to having a proper setup. This time I want to focus on quality than on quantity. Thats a mistake I did earlier.

Originally Posted by ariesonu

Cost of aquarium largely depends on size/thickness of glass.
I'll suggest minimum 8mm glass. You may opt for thinner glass but again this depends on the size of your intended aquarium.
To avoid getting ripped by LFS (Local Fish Shop) just counter check the PSF price of glass of all thicknesses. Some glass shops also make aquariums so you can check that too.
If you are looking at ACRYLIC aquariums then they are almost twice the price of an ordinary glass aquariums. However they come with most fitments like air pump etc. They make nice clean buy and are clutter free.
Buy TETRA BITS (Rs 250 for 330 ml can)-Excellent fish food.

Raab rakha.

Thanks ariesonu. I would like to buy the ACRYLIC aquarium. I am looking for 2x1x1 or 2.5x1x1.5 as the size. Not really big but I guess it should be good enough for some nice aquatic plants and some cardinal tetras...

[msbehave]

Another gory practice is to cut a portion of the ear of the dogs which have been sterlised. Outright cruelty. Not sure why PFA, PETA, CUPA oppose such things. Feel like thrashing the people who obtain such contracts and for the sake of money, they just do their job in the cheapest, easiest and careless way.

Usually, the ear is nicked so we can easily identify the dogs who have been neutered/spayed. If the muncipal corporation is actually cutting off part of the ear, thats grossly negligent and cruel. But, having an easy identification method is necessary.

Yes the dog is somewhat restless, running around and whining. But this is the only dog that showed such a behavior. The other strays used to come near me, jump, wag tail but never bark or whine. That was why I thought this was not normal. Thanks for your input.

No, just like some humans would greet you with a handshake, some with namaste and some with a high-five - similarly so for dogs. I think you may have mentioned its a nervous dog- the crying is an appeasement behaviour to ensure a good reaction from you. I dont think the dog is suffering any anxiety so you neednt worry.

[sajands]

Guys,

Posting on behalf of my friend, He is looking for a true animal lover who can take care of this 2 year old brown female doberman called jenny. She is well trained and behaved and only bites when provoked.

3 Kittens looking for a good home there are a give away. Anyone interested in giving a home to these kittens please do let me know.

Regards,
Sajan

[audioholic]

Where are those kittens? I am interested but have my exams going on so wouldnt be able to pick up soon.

[sajands]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Where are those kittens? I am interested but have my exams going on so wouldnt be able to pick up soon.

The kittens are located at rajainagar. If needed, can arrange a drop to your place as well Where are you located.

-Sajan

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by sajands

If needed, can arrange a drop to your place as well

-Sajan

Hey thanks for the offer. I can pick it up thats not an issue. The coming week my exams get over after which I will be out of station for a couple of days. So if I am planning to get it home, I think my presence is required for at least some time until they get used to the surroundings. Hence, if no one picks it up, I shall do it mid-July. However if someone else is ready to keep them, do hand it over to them. Thanks again for offering a drop

[sajands]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Hey thanks for the offer. I can pick it up thats not an issue. The coming week my exams get over after which I will be out of station for a couple of days. So if I am planning to get it home, I think my presence is required for at least some time until they get used to the surroundings. Hence, if no one picks it up, I shall do it mid-July. However if someone else is ready to keep them, do hand it over to them. Thanks again for offering a drop

Thanks audioholic, Will keep you posted in case someone else picks them up.

-Sajan

[Abhi_abarth]

Friends, need advice. I have been feeding my 15 months old lab on royal cannin (lab Jr) and planning to switch him over to home cooked food. I give him mutton bones or chicken liver mixed with rice on weekends as he feels bored eating Rc daily and sometimes even refuses to eat. Here are my concerns :

1. Whenever he eats non-packaged food he finds difficulties in going pottie, I mean he takes at least 3 to 4 attempts to flush it and that too after putting great force. Even the flow of his potty is like seeds and hard unlike the flow when on Royal cannin. How to cure this.

2. I used to feed him carrots but after few months he stopped eating them, maybe he thought non-veg tastes better veg. He now doesn't touch home cooked food if it doesn't have egg or non-veg in it. Please suggest.

We have started adding boiled eggs in his Rc in both his meals on a daily basis.

Please suggest.

cheers,
Abhi

[Aroy]

If feed my Lab home cooked food. Recipe is give in past posts.

When the dog eats high protien food, there is not much left to excrete (most of it is digested), hence hard stool. Do not be worried, just give some rice and vegetables (as given in my recipes) and that will provide the roughage required.

Even my Lab used to love carrots and apples, but grew out of them by his second year.

In case the Lab does not touch home cooked vegetarian rice, add a cople of Maggi Chichen cubes to the rice while cooking it, and he will lap it up.

[Abhi_abarth]

Thank you Aroy. I am liittle relieved reading this. All this while I only thought there is some problem. Let me search your old posts for the home cooked food and get back for any doubts.

Thanks again.

[shankar.balan]

I came back night before last from a week long business trip to find a strange, good natured young black and white dog in the neighbourhood. Both his forelegs are hurt and he is limping, looks like he has been cared for but possibly abandoned. Anyway, while I cannot take him in, I ensure that he gets fed along with the two other local dogs who are given lunch and snacks at my house by my cook. This dog is extremely appealing and very friendly. I hope he lives peacefully in the neighbourhood without getting hurt by some infidel. As of mow he lurks near my gate or in so,e under construction house in the neighbourhood. Poor little chap.

[shashank.nk]

Need some help in aquascaping my African Cichlid tank (Mbunas to be specific). My tank dimenions are 36"L 15"B 18"H and is made of 12mm glass (I know its an overkill)

So i picked up approx 12 rocks from a river bed,where sand trucks are regularly parked :P Out of these 4-5 are real huge and heavy, the other 4 are medium and 2 or 3 are very small

The substrate is sieved sand and since these fishes are diggers i'm scared to place one rock over the other so as of now i've just kept all the rock in the tank which looks really bad. Want to place them one over the other like in the video below. Will it be safe to do so ? Any precautions I can take to prevent caving in of rocks should the fishes dig through the sand ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqgLf2SuoX4

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

Friends, need advice. I have been feeding my 15 months old lab on royal cannin (lab Jr) and planning to switch him over to home cooked food. I give him mutton bones or chicken liver mixed with rice on weekends as he feels bored eating Rc daily and sometimes even refuses to eat. Here are my concerns :

1. Whenever he eats non-packaged food he finds difficulties in going pottie, I mean he takes at least 3 to 4 attempts to flush it and that too after putting great force. Even the flow of his potty is like seeds and hard unlike the flow when on Royal cannin. How to cure this.

2. I used to feed him carrots but after few months he stopped eating them, maybe he thought non-veg tastes better veg. He now doesn't touch home cooked food if it doesn't have egg or non-veg in it. Please suggest.

We have started adding boiled eggs in his Rc in both his meals on a daily basis.

Please suggest.

When shifting diets, especially to something drastically different, it is better to gradually wean off the old food and increase the new food for a few days. This way, the dog and his digestive system does not face drastic change and there is lesser probability of rejection later. Here's an example of what I'm suggesting :

Day 1 : 400gm of Royal Canin (prior to switch)
Day 2 : 300 gm of RC, 100 gm of new food
Day 3 : 250 gm of RC, 150 gm of new food
Day 4 : 200 gm of RC, 200 gm of new food
Day 5 : 100 gm of RC, 300 gm of new food
Day 6 : Switch complete, 400 gm of new food

For boredom in eating RC, mix a small amount of his favourite food to retain interest levels

[MuzzledMoose]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

Friends, need advice. I have been feeding my 15 months old lab on royal cannin (lab Jr) and planning to switch him over to home cooked food. I give him mutton bones or chicken liver mixed with rice on weekends as he feels bored eating Rc daily and sometimes even refuses to eat. Here are my concerns :

1. Whenever he eats non-packaged food he finds difficulties in going pottie, I mean he takes at least 3 to 4 attempts to flush it and that too after putting great force. Even the flow of his potty is like seeds and hard unlike the flow when on Royal cannin. How to cure this.

2. I used to feed him carrots but after few months he stopped eating them, maybe he thought non-veg tastes better veg. He now doesn't touch home cooked food if it doesn't have egg or non-veg in it. Please suggest.

We have started adding boiled eggs in his Rc in both his meals on a daily basis.

Please suggest.

cheers,
Abhi

Please keep adding Royal canin to the diet always as it helps for stools that are easier to clean and also healthier for the pooch

[Abhi_abarth]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Day 1 : 400gm of Royal Canin (prior to switch)
Day 2 : 300 gm of RC, 100 gm of new food
Day 3 : 250 gm of RC, 150 gm of new food
Day 4 : 200 gm of RC, 200 gm of new food
Day 5 : 100 gm of RC, 300 gm of new food
Day 6 : Switch complete, 400 gm of new food

For boredom in eating RC, mix a small amount of his favourite food to retain interest levels

Actually, what I do is feed him chicken/chicken liver or meat bones mixed with rice from Saturday to Monday as he rejects food most of the times if its the same. I tried mixing RC in the new food too but he is so smart that eats everything leaving rice and RC grains.

We have been giving him eggs with RC daily and these days he just goes for the eggs (that too after taking his sweet time) and leaves RC. Me and my dad are breaking our heads on this. He was dewormed in March and i am thinking if i should deworm now. He hates milk and curd. Thought curd rice will cool his stomach but even that didn't help as he refuses to eat it

Originally Posted by MuzzledMoose

Please keep adding Royal canin to the diet always as it helps for stools that are easier to clean and also healthier for the pooch

Absolutely right, will do it.