Pet Buzz

The Hi-Tek Aquariums have a good supply of these popular little fish., and all the requirements for setting up a tank of your own. Nemo, (the clown fish) is a small tropical fish famous for its bright orange-and-white coloration and its affinity for hiding in clusters of sea anemones.  Whether you're an experienced marine life enthusiast or just a fan of Finding Nemo, caring for a clown fish can be a somewhat serious commitment, so it's important to understand exactly what the job entails before you make your purchase. Luckily, compared to many other tropical fish, clown fish are generally quite hardy and simple to care for!  Here's a link to a page that explains in detail how it's done; Setting up a Nemo Tank , and you'll be fascinated by the array of salt water  anemones and corals you'll find at Hi-Tek Aquariums.

I went in search of Nemo  and found, instead this 30 year old Giant Gourami.   What an amazing fish. This one is at  Hi-Tek Aquariums   in Brookvale.  He must have weighed several kilos and about a half metre in length. He was very well cared for in a several metres long, densely planted edges, with room left in the centre of the tank for him to swim. I am told that Giant Gouramis are no longer imported to Australia, so this was a rare sight, and worth visiting Hi-Tek Aquariums just to see this fellow. There a several other species of Gouramis available that are suited to a tank and are easy to keep. They can grow rapidly given sufficient food and space to move. Even under less than ideal conditions, gourami can grow from 7.5 cm to 50 cm in four years.  Like most aquarium dwellers, gouramis can be quickly raised with larger, more passive fish.  Gouramis tend towards herbivory, preferring algae-based foods, but will eat meaty foods. An algae-based flake food, along with free

Rosellas  are native to southeast Australia. They inhabit open forests, woodlands, gardens and parks. Their diet consists many types of native grass seeds, herbs, fruits and flowering buds. Rosellas are often sought out as pet birds because of their beautiful plumage.  They can be sociable with constant interaction, and will still retain their pet quality in an aviary situation if you spend time with them. Rosellas are capable of loud chatter, especially in the morning and in the evening.  Not great talkers, the Rosella’s natural call is a series of pleasant whistles, and they can be taught to whistle a tune. Rosellas need space and a good diet to help them thrive.  The largest cage you can afford is ideal, but be careful that the bars are the correct spacing for a bird with this head size. An aviary situation is ideal for rosellas, which will live peacefully with others of their kind in a large enough space. Rosellas love to bathe, so provide a shallow

A visit today to Boongala, a beautiful native plant garden in Kenthurst surprised me  with the appearance of a small flock of dainty little  Owl Finches (Taeniopygia bichenovii). Surprising because they are seldom seen in the Sydney surrounds. In fact, the garden's owners say that people come from far and wide just to see these little birds flying about their 11 hectare property. The  Owl finch  (Taeniopygia bichenovii) is found in dry savannah, tropical (lowland) dry grassland and shrubland habitats in northern and eastern Australia. They are sometimes referred to as Bicheno's finch, and also as Double Barred Finch. Owl finches can be bred in cages or aviaries, in pairs or in colonies of 3 or more pairs. They have been bred in standard breeding cages and in longer flight cages. They will take a variety of nest boxes,  and baskets with a real preference for the baskets. They will use dried grasses, coconut fibers, feathers and strips of paper in their nest cons

  I was amazed to come across a huge flock of Corellas on my walk back to my Hotel at Caves Beach. There must have been about one thousand grazing on a field of flowers. (Watch video above). These a well known in Australia and offered as pets at about $1000, for a suitably reared and innoculated pet bird. I was looking at a bird flock that looked like a million bucks! The Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) is one of the small species of cockatoo.  It’s feathers are white, a small rim of pink-orange feathers around the bill and yellow feathers under the wings. The bill and feet are bone-colored. The crest is small and white. The blueish naked patch around the eye is much bigger than in other species. 

 This species is one of the most common species of cockatoos in the wild. It occurs in Australia, mostly on open fields and is increasingly common in urban and agricultural areas. This species is one of the few species of animals that thrives because of human i

On a recent trip to Fiji, I met this young man with several Fijian Iguanas clinging to him. He offered me the chance to photograph them for a small fee. While they are often seen in Fiji, their numbers are small due to de-forestation in the past and introduced feral animals I was surprised to discover this rare creature is available as a pet in the UK. It’s pretty unusual and breeders will ask $3000AU per pair. It may be available elsewhere in the world. I don’t know.  The Fijian Crested Iguana is a diurnal creature that lives in the shade of trees and seeks sunlight/heat on cool days. It has the ability to rapidly change colour from green to black when threatened.  Bright green is standard. It changes to dark green and then to black if the threat is extreme. It will ultimately resort to an expansion of its neck, a bobbing of its head, and it will pounce itself towards the potential threat.  They move from tree to tree using the overlapping branches in order to