Fish Painting

A painting art of Koi fish or Japanese carp , an ornamental domesticated varieties of the common carp that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor ponds and water gardens. This fish painting clip art also available in wide screen size. It great for desktop wallpaper background. Need some modification for use in powerpoint template ( You can crop it, change level or add new layer with 50% of opacity.



Koi
Koi (鯉?, pronounced [koꜜi]) (English: /ˈkɔɪ/), or more specifically nishikigoi (錦鯉?, [niɕi̥kiꜜɡo.i], literally "brocaded carp"), are ornamental domesticated varieties of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor ponds and water gardens. They are also called Japanese carp.

Koi were developed from common carp in Japan in the 1820s, and are still popular there because they are a symbol of love and friendship. A variety of colors and color patterns have since been developed; common colors include white, black, red, yellow, blue, and cream. The most popular category of koi is the Gosanke, which is made up of the Kohaku, Taisho Sanshoku, and Showa Sanshoku varieties.

History

The carp is a large group of fish originally found in Central Europe and Asia. Various carp species were originally domesticated in East Asia, where they were used as food fish. The ability of carp to survive and adapt to many climates and water conditions allowed the domesticated species to be propagated to many new locations including Japan. Natural color mutations of these carp would have occurred across all populations. Carp were first bred for color mutations in China more than a thousand years ago, where selective breeding of the Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) led to the development of the goldfish.

Carp are known as koi in Japan. Of the various domesticated carp species, the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is one of the more commonly used in aquaculture. Common carp were first introduced into Japan by way of China between 400 to 600 years ago. Common carp were first bred for color in Japan in the 1820s, initially in the town of Ojiya in the Niigata prefecture on the north eastern coast of Honshu island. By the 20th century, a number of color patterns had been established, most notably the red-and-white Kohaku. The outside world was not aware of the development of color variations in koi until 1914, when the Niigata koi were exhibited in the annual exposition in Tokyo. At that point, interest in koi exploded throughout Japan. The hobby of keeping koi eventually spread worldwide. Koi are now commonly sold in most pet stores, with higher-quality fish available from specialist dealers.

Extensive hybridization between different populations has muddled the historical zoogeography of the common carp. However, scientific consensus is that there are at least two subspecies of the common carp, one from Western Eurasia (Cyprinus carpio carpio) and another from East Asia (Cyprinus carpio haematopterus). One recent study on the mitochondrial DNA of various common carp indicate that koi are of the East Asian subspecies.[5] However another recent study on the mitochondrial DNA of koi have found that koi are descended from multiple lineages of common carp from both Western Eurasian and East Asian varieties. This could be the result of koi being bred from a mix of East Asian and Western Eurasian carp varieties, or koi being bred exclusively from East Asian varieties and being subsequently hybridized with Western Eurasian varieties (the butterfly koi is one known product of such a cross). Which is true has not been resolved.

Etymology

The word 'koi' comes from Japanese, simply meaning "carp." It includes both the dull grey fish and the brightly colored varieties. What are known as 'koi' in English are referred to more specifically as 'nishikigoi' in Japan (literally meaning 'brocaded carp'). In Japanese, 'koi' is a homophone for another word that means 'affection or love'; koi are therefore symbols of love and friendship in Japan. An example of this is given in a short story by Mukoda Kuniko, "Koi-san". Koi tattoos have also become a popular trend in North America.

Just One More Whitefish This Year Please

December 26, 2009

Normally, if you suggested floating the South Fork of the Snake River between Christmas and New Years I would respond with, “Ha! No thanks! Snow and ice covered boat ramps, brutal cold, no fun and no way.” I can’t stand when my guides freeze up every cast. However, when friend Rob Parkins, a well know fishing guide and fly tier here in Teton Valley, asked that I join he and another friend , Zack Dalton, of Rio Fly Lines, to fish the day after Christmas, I surprised myself when I answered cautiously, “Maybe.”

Robs offer to me came about a week or so ago. I said if it wasn’t unbearably cold I’d be interested. Assuming that it would be, I never gave much thought to the idea again. But on Christmas Eve Rob was visiting the house and was quick to let me know he and Zack were still going. Since my hunt to Minnesota and Iowa two weeks ago, I’ve spent most my time hunched over art projects waiting for a new excuse to get outdoors. I knew by now that temperatures for the day after Christmas were predicted to be about 12 degrees Fahrenheit along with sunny skies. Surprising to most, 12 degrees isn’t too bad around here as it’s generally a dry cold and with sunshine feels considerably warmer. With all that in mind, my response was, “I’m in.”

Despite being 5 below zero when I woke up this morning, Rob picked me up at 10am and one could already feel the suns warmth. When we met Zack who was arriving from Idaho Falls at the icy boat ramp at the Palisades Dam, it was already about 10 degrees and continuing to rise. While they did our short shuttle, Dam to Husky, I rigged my 6-weight Ross with 10 feet of straight 0X Rio Flouroflex Plus tippet and attached two flies. Usually my streamer rig is about 18 feet of 0X (Shockingly long to most), however, knowing my fly rod guides were going to freeze, the shorter leader would be easier to handle. When the boys returned I offered to row the drift boat across the river to so they could nymph below the dam.


There are huge rainbows and cutthroats taken with regularity directly below the dam on nymphs. If your wondering why I rigged up a streamer it’s because I’m not a big nympher. Despite many years of competing internationally and applying European nymphing tactics to my daily fishing, it’s not my favorite method. My heart is really in dry fly fishing and I’m known to enjoy chucking streamers. I knew Rob and Zack would cover the water well without my help and until it warmed up I’d be content popping some photos and giving moral support.

Fishing was slower than expected. Although Zack nailed a fantastic rainbow on his first drift with a mysis shrimp, they caught only one other trout and a handful of whitefish. Rather than waste a day there we floated down to another favorite run. I struggled to get more than three casts in a row without having to crack ice out of my guides during the drift. That diminished my fly in the water time and I realized my highlight of the day was going to be lunch.

Rob took charge of lunch putting four huge elk burger patties on the boat size charcoal grill. Both Zack and I felt as though we were on a guided trip and indulged on the delicious lunch. Between eating and cooking, they nymphed the run and I dredged, slowly stripping my two streamers. Zack landed a beautiful cutty but then followed with a hand full of whiteys along with Rob and me.

We floated the rest of the short float in an hour hap-hazardly fishing as we drifted along. I avoided a skunk by landing two nice rainbows and Rob nymphed up a good brown and a “mighty whitey”. While spending much of December working on art projects, preparing for the show circuit and gorging around the Holliday table, it was great to hit the river again. The thought of floating the last week of December will never again be considered a “not a chance” deal. In fact, I’ll just bet there will be another fishing report posted here shortly!

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing Web Site

Where do tropical fish wholesalers get their fish from?

Hi, I recently purchase some fish from a wholesaler. I know that regular fish shops purchase from them, but I was wondering where does wholesalers get their fish from? and why doesn’t fish shops just buy from them instead of the wholesalers?

Fish for consumption:
I know of an independent fish shop that buys straight from the source, but further inland they’d probably buy from a wholesaler because the wholesaler might provide a delivery service whereas the source might not.

Ornamental fish:
I know that for marine aquariums almost all of the fish are fished straight from the reef and sold. Same reason as above though for aquarium fish shops not buying straight from the source (unless the wholesaler does the fishing as well): transportation of the fish is probably provided by the wholesaler as opposed to the people who go out and catch the fish. To be honest, at a quick glance I think tropical marine fish are a bit unethical to buy/encourage the trade of by the looks of this article: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-5-2006-104634.asp

Freshwater aquarium fish are different though (presumably because freshwater is easier to maintain compared to sea water); apparently in the US most of them are bred in man made ponds in Florida.

‘Relative to other aquaculture ponds, tropical
fish ponds are very small, averaging 25′×75′,
with a maximum depth of about 6 feet’

I’d imagine the wholesaler will have the fish imported to a certain state or country from the source and then individual aquarium fish shops will buy from their nearest wholesaler. The aquarium shop won’t have to import a small number of fish from a long distance (costing alot per fish) as opposed to having the wholesaler import lots of fish from a long distance (not as much cost per fish delivered) and it probably working out cheaper for the aquarium fish shop and the consumer.

Test Post #2

Royal Wulff. Sizes 10-16.  A truly regal fly,  the wulff is one of the best looking trout flies one will ever fish.   It was one of the first flies I ever bought and is a challenge to tie properly. 
On another note this blog should be good to go.  Now only if I can stick with it.......  We'll see......

The First Post...

An Elk Hair Caddis. Ink and watercolor. Best in sizes 12-18. This is the first post and is only a test of the operation of this system.

freshwater aquatic planted aquarium/tank

aquatic plants
Mosses – Christmas Tree Moss
Fissidens Grandifrons “Planiccaulis”
Fissidens Nobilis
Vesicularia Dubyana

Foreground – Anubias Barteri var Nana “Veriegated”
Cryptocoryne Becketii
Cryptocoryne Wendtii “Green Gecko”
Eleocharis Parvula (Japan Version)
Eriocaulon “Australia”
Eriocaulon Cinereum
Eriocaulon Robustius
Eriocaulon “Taco”
Pogostemon Helferi
Ranunculus Papulentus

Midground – Microsorium Pteropus “Windelov”
Nesaea crassicaulis
Rotala Indica “Uliginosa”

Background – Aponogeton Madagascarensis
Crinum Calamistratum
Echinodorus “Oriental”
Echinodorus “Ozelot”
Echinodorus “Ozelot Green”
Echinodorus “Red Flame”
Hygrophila Balsamica
Limnophila sp
Nymphaea Micrantha
Microsorium Pteropus “Narrow Leaf”
Microsorium Pteropus “Tropica”

Most Popular Marine Ornamental Fish In The Hobby

There is a enormous choice of fish available to saltwater tank hobbyists. They come from hundreds of species and come in all shapes plus sizes. However, there are a handful that time in addition to again garner notice from the community due to their beauty. Let us take a look at these recognizable marine fishes.

At number one, we have Amphiprion Percula plus Amphiprion Ocellaris. They make up the most popular in addition to recognizable saltwater fishes for sale in the industry. They have even been represented on the big screen as the star of the hit animated feature, Finding Nemo. However, to most marine enthusiasts they are simply known as the false percula along with the true percula.

Both species have differing number of dorsal spines . Amphiprion ocellaris sells for very low due to large amounts being collected from the seas. The pricier specimen between the two is Amphiprion percula as less are collected. They both do well in the tank plus are good selections for experienced or new enthusiasts.

The second prize goes to the blue tang as well as the yellow tang. They are the poster child of the tang family with both of them generally featured on a diversity of posters promoting some product or another. The movie Finding Nemo also starred the blue tang. There, she was identified as the clumsy Dory. Yellow tangs are usually more pricey than blue tangs.

They are both top candidates for captive life if they have ample room to swim and are treated for any parasites that came in with them during shipment. Like It must be noted however that all tangs are susceptible to lateral line erosion as well as particularly ich. Ensure they are given a diet that is rich in greens as they are algae grazers in the wild.

Finally, 4 angelfish make up the last spot. They are the queen angelfish, emperor angelfish, french angelfish as well as the stunning flame angelfish. All four fish typically garner good demand from marine fishes keepers. In terms of price, they cost the most compared with the other fishes mentioned. Excluding the flame angelfish, the rest can go for a few hundred in particular if they are large plus in great condition.

Flame angelfish are the cheapest angelfish of the bunch. Among the dwarf angels, flame angelfish are by far the most popular. Feed angelfish with a nice balanced diet consisting of greens and meaty selections. They are also known to consume corals in the wild so be warned.

For a very in depth article concerning Amphiprion Ocellaris along with its close cousin Amphiprion Percula, do drop by the authors hubpage for how to guides concerning a selection of saltwater aquarium fish as well as corals.

Blizzards, Beer and a Pheasant

Usually you expect a fishing report from this blog, however, this weekend I found myself in South Eastern Iowa on a pheasant hunting trip. It was a get together with some of my old college buddies from Northland College in Ashland, WI. We studied together there over twenty years ago! Remarkably, we continue to stay in touch like family and do some really fun trips together.

Although this particular trip has been an annual for over a decade, I’ve never been able to go because it occurs in December. Getting time off from the old retail job during Christmas season was next to impossible. But now with my new career, I gave myself the time off and don’t plan to miss such excursions ever again.

There were eight of us total. We expected more, but the blizzard that ripped through the heartland last week put a damper on some schedules. I lucked out by flying into Minneapolis Thursday night just scathing the huge storm. A couple of the fellas are from MN and asked me to co-pilot their road journey to IA. It was a great idea as we got extra time to catch up and I got to see some country that I rarely get to see.

Our precise destination was Marion, IA at our colleague Mike Birmingham’s family farm. It’s a gorgeous estate where he has turned the farms corn crib into his house. It overlooks the property and at any given moment you could watch whitetails feeding on the edge of the oak forest or pheasants in the snow covered corn fields.

Birmingham greeted us in his driveway with open beers. He was quick to inform us, we’d be drinking quite a few of these because pheasant populations were horrible from consecutive harsh winters and serious floods from last spring. This wasn’t bad news to us for the true meaning of the visit was to catch up with old friends. Two of the gang had been hunting the farm for two days and literally saw one bird. That was enough for me to not even pick up a gun (I’m not a serious hunter or a good one) and let the others get their best shot.

That proved to be a wise decision. Despite spending Saturday on another private farm, only a pheasant and a rabbit were taken amongst the crew all weekend. While most the boys spent their time carrying shotguns and running the dogs, I enjoyed a snowy walk through the oak forests where I jumped the occasional whitetail deer.

Today I’m travelling home and as one can imagine after a weekend of post-holing through deep snow and late evenings with old friends, I’m flat out exhausted. It was a great four days and I look forward to our next get-together. From what I hear, it’s warmed up in ID and I just may sneak over to the South Fork on foot for a couple hours this week to fish some midges. Stay tuned. . .

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing Web Site

Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance – Preventative Measures To Keep Fish Thriving

Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance is relatively easy to do. Regular maintenance will help to keep your aquarium sparkling. Water will need to be removed and added every week to every two weeks and the gravel at the bottom needs to be cleaned with a special vacuum cleaner. Always check the apparatus of the tank every day to make sure everything is working and the fish are thriving.

Water changing is one of the most important steps to keeping your aquarium healthy. Changing water keeps the chemicals at a level that is not toxic to fish in the aquarium. Many things make a tank dirty including waste from the fish, uneaten food, and the respiration of the fish and this can create ammonia which is toxic to fish. Toxins are removed when you do a partial change of water. Another thing that must be done to maintain your aquarium is to remove excess garbage from the gravel in the bottom of the aquarium.

When you are performing regular maintenance on an aquarium it is important that anything electrical be turned off and unplugged so that you do not get shocked by mistake. Turning everything off for just an hour or so will not do any harm to the fish. Remove all ornamental objects from the aquarium but leave live plants in. Gravel vacuums should come with the aquarium and if not purchase one at the pet store. You cannot do without one. Put the nozzle in the gravel and move it back in forth. This will stir up a great deal of dirt but keep going until the stuff coming into the tubing looks clean.

Purchase one bucket and use it only for aquarium maintenance and nothing else. To remove water from the aquarium put some plastic tubing in and the bucket on the floor with the other end of the tubing in it. Start siphoning out the water and remove about half. Once that is done you can slowly and carefully put fresh water back in but check the temperature because the new water should be close to the temperature as what was removed. If not you can shock the fish. If the place that sold you the fish told you to add dechlorinator do so before replacing the water. Check the pH of the new water. Normal pH for a freshwater aquarium is around 7 or 7. 5.

Filter cartridges need to be replaced on a monthly basis. If your air pump has a filter you will have to replace it regularly as well. Some filters can be washed with water and replaced. This will help your pump to last much longer. If the inside of the aquarium gets a little green you can use an algae scrubber pad on it just before changing the water. Also make sure to clean the hood monthly so that the lights will give the ultimate light to your aquarium.

Avoid overfeeding fish in a freshwater aquarium. The amount of food the fish eat in a 5 minute time period is what you should feed them, no more. Food that drops to the bottom of the tank makes the water cloudy and feeds algae. Find out how many times a tank of fish needs to eat from a pet store. There are some that should be fed once a day or twice a day and some less. With regular maintenance your aquarium should provide a healthy environment for tropical fish for a long time.

Maui council member wants to wipe out callous aquarium industry practises

A bill introduced by Maui County Council Member Mike Molina may tighten up the rules for how aquarium fish is treated after being caught in Maui waters. Existing animal welfare laws only stipulate that ornamental fish collectors must maintain facilities that can keep the fish alive and “in reasonable health”.

“The reality is that the inhumane treatment is inherent in the trade,” said environmentalist and dive operator Renee Umberger. “They don’t consider them to really be animals. That’s why it’s important to change the (legal) definition of what the state considers pets.”

The new bill would piggyback on superseding state laws and is intended to make sure that ornamental fish is treated well. Molina also hopes that the bill will raise awareness about overfishing and the fragility of Hawaii’s reefs. Over the past two decades, Hawaii’s aquarium reef fish population has declined by nearly 60 percent.

According to statistics from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Maui fishermen caught aquarium fish valued at $32,478 last year. In the entire state, the value of all caught aquarium fish was roughly $2 million in the same period.

Robert Wintner, owner of Snorkel Bob’s, now questions why Hawaii is endangering its reef fish population for a mere $2 million a year when hundreds of local jobs in the multimillion scuba and tour sector depends on the wellbeing of the reefs.

Examples of what the Molina bill is suggesting

• Prohibition of several industry practises, such deflating the swim bladder, exposing the fish to air, and temperature changes of more than 2 degrees.
• Mortality rates and dead fish disposal methods must be documented.
• Causing the death of an ornamental fish will be considered an inhumane treatment of aquatic life.
• Violation of the law would be a misdemeanour. The fine would range between $500 and $2,000 and up to a year in jail.

Before the bill goes before the full County Council, it needs to be assigned to a committee for further discussion.

More Art, Less Fishing and Moose

December 5, 2009

There isn’t much snow on the ground here in Victor, Idaho, but the winter temperatures have arrived. It’s seriously cold and with the exception of a run or a hike I’ve been inside working on various art projects. It’s the exact weather needed to get me off the rivers and on to my work. Most of the artwork I’ve been doing is filling orders for Christmas. These include watercolors of cutthroats, brown trout, rainbow trout and even a muskellunge to name a few. It’s been great fun working at home for myself.

It would be a lie if I claimed I could go a whole week without fishing. And sure enough, a trip to Jackson Hole for a few hours of errands today turned into a quick jaunt up to the Jackson Lake Dam in Grand Teton National Park. Although most of the Park is closed to driving during the winter, the road to Moran Junction and to Jackson Lake remains open. From the dam runs the Snake River. Because the water running through the dam comes from the bottom of Jackson Lake, it’s warm enough that it doesn’t freeze. The warmth attracts baitfish such as Utah Chubs and whitefish that in turn bring in the predatory Snake River Cutthroats and brown trout. The dam turbines also blow through some lake trout from Jackson Lake itself. If you can stand the brutal temperatures, you often catch numerous fish until you’re so cold you can’t move.

Today such fishing was not the case. I fished with my friend Mark Kuhn, better known as “Milkfish” and between the both of us managed only two fish. I caught a brown and a laker. It was a surprise to do so poorly, but perhaps the fish were a little “doggy” because it was literally only five degrees.

Two nice fish certainly doesn’t call for a bad day, however, due to the slow fishing and severe chilly conditions, we opted to head home early to perhaps see some wildlife. Sure enough, our drive hardly let us down. We saw a coyote, hundreds of buffalo, elk, and best of all, several rutting bull moose. One of the bulls was quite large and I managed a few photos. Unfortunately, all I had was my point and shoot Canon so the photo you see is the best I could get. Hopefully in a few days I’ll round up a shot from Milkfish who had a nice camera and a zoom lens.

Global Fly Fishing web site

Guide To Fish Pond Building

Outdoor ponds make an excellent addition to your garden. You can install a pond as an accent or as a centerpiece of your backyard’s overall design. However, a pond can also serve a more fulfilling purpose; a place to raise fish.

Now a pond is neither an aquarium nor a fish farm. Aquariums are aesthetic, a place to display ornamental fish. Fish farms are practical, a place for breeding fish. A backyard pond is a happy medium. It’s a place to show off your fish but at the same time allow them to live and breed in a natural setting.

Why Build a Fish Pond?

When does a pond become a fish pond? Obviously, it’s when your pond contains fish! But that doesn’t mean you can simply buy a bunch of fish and dump them into your pond. A fish pond is specially built not only to contain fish, but also to keep them alive and healthy. Why should you build a fish pond? A few ideas come to mind:

- Taking care of fish is a challenging and enjoyable hobby.

- A fish pond is an attractive feature that adds to the beauty of your backyard.

- Challenge. Some water gardeners aren’t satisfied with a simple self-sustaining pond. They want to constantly test their horticultural and husbandry skills; and nothing provides a better vehicle for this than taking care of a pond full of fish.

Tips for a Healthy Fish Pond

Every feature of your pond should be carefully considered and controlled. The pond’s many parts should work in harmony for the benefit of your fish. Here are some key points that you should remember to make your backyard pond thrive.

For example, water quality should be maintained. Fish are susceptible to diseases and also high nitrogen levels. Your fish pond will surely need a good filtration system.

Build your pond so that it’s well away from trees and shrubbery. This will reduce the amount of debris that falls into your pond and prevent your filter from becoming clogged. This will also save you a lot of tedious maintenance work.

Finally, spend some time researching your fish’s needs. Each fish has its own requirements that you would do well to consider when sizing your pond. For example, goldfish need very little space and you can stock quite a lot even in a small pond. Koi however need a lot of room to swim and thus you’ll need a bigger pond. Happy fish make for a successful pond and a satisfied pond builder.

Want to find out more about Pond Building, then visit Michael W.’s site on how to build the best outdoor pond for your needs and dreams.