Great anti-smoking ads

BLOWING SMOKE: Debunking anti-smoking legislation

ANTI-SMOKING laws have now pervaded every major city in the country, making it illegal to smoke in restaurants, pubs, bars — just about everywhere where there’s a chance that others may inhale second-hand smoke.

Such laws are based on the argument that second-hand smoke causes lung cancer. There are many long-worded, perhaps confusing policies that anti-smoking advocates base this argument on, which appear to be working for them.

I’m usually put off exploring a subject the minute legal documentation presents itself, which I often find difficult to understand. I am also one to believe that it is very easy for people to hide behind vague documentation and for legal experts to put a spin on data — presenting it in a way that serves a particular agenda.

But then I watched a programme (not unlike Mythbusters) that presented all the evidence that anti-smoking advocates base their campaigns on in a very simple and easily digestible manner. So for those who are like me who want to know the truth without having to undergo the sleuth work ourselves, here are the facts behind anti-smoking laws in a nutshell (according to the programme).

The Legal Bit
In 1993 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report which stated that second-hand smoke causes 3 000 deaths in the U.S. annually. This is the main document and media catalyst that anti-smoking advocates use to support their cause and campaigns.

In 1998 the Federal Court in the U.S. discredited the findings of the EPA — stating that there was no link between second-hand smoke and cancer. The report also stated that the EPA had deviated from any scientific procedure and had basically cherry-picked the data.

The same year the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a report that was titled in such a way to suggest that second-hand smoke did cause lung cancer. However, the report went on to conclude that there was no association between cancer and second-hand smoke. In other words, it ignored its own findings.

The Statistics
The original statistics that were released regarding second hand-smoke and lung cancer are as follows: 1:80 000 Americans die annually from exposure to second hand-smoke. For those who are not exposed, the figure is 1:100 000.

These figures translate into 12,5 out of every million Americans who are exposed versus 10 out of every million people who are not. According to scientists, this difference is considered as statistically insignificant.

The EPA is equally guilty of inflating its figures, now stating that second-hand smoke kills 50 000 Americans every year (as opposed to the original 3 000). It has created a projected figure, which sounds far scarier than the original and far more likely to be paid any attention.

The Lighter Side
Just for the record, I’m all for anti-smoking laws. I’m all for a cleaner, healthier society and being considerate of one another. However, I’m sure none of us appreciate scare tactics or being lied to. On a lighter note, what we can all appreciate is clever advertising, or perhaps anti-advertising.

Disclaimer: The following advertisements are not aimed to get you or anyone to quit smoking. They are not real images, but rather graphic representations. No animals or people were harmed in the making of these adverts. These adverts will not kill you.

Now that you can take to be true.

Great anti-smoking posters

Cool.

The Dark Web Explained

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DEEP NET: The darkness that lies beneath …

I HEARD an interesting fact on Stephen Fry’s quiz show QI the other day regarding the Internet. According to online researchers, more than 90% of the Internet is comprised of spam, while less than one percent is pornography. One might have assumed the latter to be far more predominant.

In truth, there is actually very little known about the ever-changing world that is the Web as new discoveries and developments are forever being brought to the table. In fact, it is almost impossible to even predict what the Internet will be like in ten years time, let alone the distant future.

There is, however, one quite interesting dark side of the Internet that has existed for some time, yet which very few people know about. This is something known as the Dark Net or Deep Web.

The Dark Web, also known as the deep web, invisible web, and dark net, consists of web pages and data that are beyond the reach of search engines.

What is the Dark Web? How did it come about?
Once upon a time (during 1995) in Edinburgh University, an Irish teenager named Ian Clarke produced a thesis for his computer science course proposing a revolutionary new way for people to use the Internet without detection.

He called his project a “Distributed, Decentralised Information Storage and Retrieval System”. The idea was that by downloading Clarke’s unique software (which he intended to distribute free) anyone could chat online, share files or read or set up a website with almost complete anonymity.

To cut a long story short, Clarke’s tutors weren­’t too impressed, but this didn’t stop the student from going ahead with his project — releasing his software called Freenet in 2000. Since then, at least two million copies of Freenet have been downloaded, which is also now readily available on several websites. Simply do a Google search for “freenet download” to find it.

Entering the Realm of the Deep Net
After downloading the 10 MB file, installing the software takes barely a couple of minutes and requires minimal computer skills. Then you enter a previously hidden online world where you can find resources such as “The Terrorist’s Handbook: A practical guide to explosives and other things of interest to terrorists”. Freenet is also the portal to accessing pirated­ copies of books, games, movies, music, software, TV series and much more.

What perhaps started as a seemingly innocent project has today become a means for a plethora of online criminal activity from creating and sharing viruses to accessing and distributing child pornography — all anonymously of course.

The Internet has always been associated with openness and is often labeled as the ultimate form of freedom — where free speech, free access and lack of censorship have prevailed. Yet where do we draw the line when it is simply becoming easier to engage in online criminal activity without been traced?

To put it into better perspective, the Dark Web has grown so fast that it is estimated to be at least 500 times larger than the surface web.

How is the Deep Web different from the Surface Web?
To put it very simply, the web is defined as a collection of hyperlinks that are indexed by search engines. In other words, the pages/content that appears when we do a Google search, is the Internet as we know it - called the surface web.

The Dark Web, also known as the deep web, invisible web, and dark net, consists of web pages and data that are beyond the reach of search engines. Some of what makes up the Deep Web consists of abandoned, inactive web pages, but the majority of data that lies within have been crafted to deliberately avoid detection in order to remain anonymous.

Michael K. Bergman — who first coined the phrase “deep web” describes how searching on the Internet today can be compared to dragging a net across the surface of the ocean; a great deal may be caught in the net, but there is a wealth of information that is deep and therefore missed. – Wikipedia

In 2001, Bergman published a paper on the deep web that is still regularly cited today. “The Deep Web is currently 400 to 550 times larger than the commonly defined world wide web,” he wrote.

“The Deep Web is the fastest growing category of new information on the internet … The value of Deep Web content is immeasurable … Internet searches are searching only 0,03% … of the [total web] pages available.” – Bergman

How deep does the dark net go?
No doubt the Internet has changed significantly in the past eight years, yet researchers today have only just begun the plunge to the depths of the Deep Web. The bottom line is that there is simply too much data available for any search engine to index the entire deep web.

Coupled with this issue is the deliberate use of invisible web space by individuals who do not want to be found. This is the origin of groups of criminals who sent out millions of spam e-mails suggesting that you have won the international lottery before quickly disconnecting. No matter what developments are made toward catching such crooks they will always find new ways to remain hidden.

Craig Labovitz, chief scientist at Arbor Networks, a leading online security firm, was quoted in an article in the Guardian saying, “In 2000 dark and murky address space was a bit of a novelty,” says Labovitz. “This is now an entrenched part of the daily life of the Internet.”

“Defunct online companies; technical errors and failures; disputes between Internet service providers; abandoned addresses once used by the U.S. military in the earliest days of the Internet — all these have left the online landscape scattered with derelict or forgotten properties, perfect for illicit exploitation, sometimes for only a few seconds before they are returned to disuse … it just takes a PC and [an Internet] connection.” – Labovitz

Is there any light to the darkness?
Surely it was not young Ian Clarke’s vision to create a breeding ground for online criminals, which is sadly the predominant direction that the Deep Web seems to have taken. He merely wanted to offer free software to those seeking anonymous online communication.

There are secretive parts of the Internet that were specifically designed for U.S. secret service field agents and law enforcement officers to surf questionable websites and services without leaving tell-tale tracks. However, these merely seem to be more to the advantage of the crooks been sought after.

Perhaps the domain of the dark net would make sense in oppressive regimes such as China­ where the government goes to farcical extremes to censor images that contain large expanses of supposedly naked flesh. (These include images of Garfield — the orange, perhaps flesh-coloured cat). It could certainly have a positive impact in countries such as Iran — allowing people to rally support against oppressive governments without fear of being apprehended.

It’s a shuddering thought that due to the immense size and growth of the Deep Web there is virtually no way to stop it. It may not all be bad but there is a large enough criminal aspect to it to warrant concern. Clarke even admits that child pornography exists on Freenet, yet claims that it would be detrimental to try and put a stop to it.

“At Freenet we could establish a virus to destroy any child pornography on Freenet — we could implement that technically. But then whoever has the key [to that filtering software] becomes a target. Suddenly we’d start getting served copyright notices; anything suspect on Freenet, we’d get pressure to shut it down. To modify Freenet would be the end of Freenet.” – Ian Clarke

Perhaps for the meantime it’s safest to stick to Google.

Related article: The Pirate Bay

Links: • The dark side of the Internet • Ian Clarke’s blog • The Freenet project

** More Cyberculture Articles **

The terrible, untold truth of Twilight

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VAMPIRES: The new super, superheroes as seen in Twilight

HYPE over the Twilight movie has spread like a global cancer, resulting in teenagers worldwide dressing like vamps and pissing off the Goth kids. Needless to say I finally watched the film to see what all the fuss is about.

It seems that vampires are the new favourite among the superheroes. It’s easy to see why considering they have super strength, super speed, super olfactory senses, can see into the future and have super baseball skills. What’s more, they are immortal for Buddha’s sake!

That’s more than Superman, Batman, Legolas and Hiro Nakamura put together! That’s just showing off. To top all this talent, they drive hot cars and have been blessed with good looks. They may as well fly! Deer murdering vegetarians.

Billy Burke – the true hero of Twilight

The real hero of Twilight
The real hero of Twilight in my opinion is definitely bitching Bella’s dad with the cool tache – Billy Burke – who risks his mortal life every day as chief of police while simultaneously raising a confused teenage daughter. Big ups to Billy Burke! We like him.

I did also like the underlying war between the red skins, vampires and pale faces as foretold in the Native American scriptures. It would have been nice if they had explored that a little more …

The whole immortality thing
I just have one question to pose to any Twilight fans regarding immortality. If Edward what’s-his-face has been 17 all his life, does that mean his foster ‘dad’ has been in his late 30s or 40s for his immortal duration on Earth? How did he age?

There seems to be a whole flaw regarding immortality and aging. The older vampires seem to have gotten a raw deal while others are forever young. The same goes for those elves in Lord of the Rings.

Apparently the Twilight saga does get marginally better in the later episodes when the huffy-puffy teenagers get a bit more down and dirty. I reckon they should have just saved us from two hours of agony by getting Bella bitten nice and early so she would become a super-hero vampire and could elope with Edward what’s-his-face to live a happy blood-sucking life forever. No?

Anyway. Nuff said. Here’s something I think all non-fans of Twilight will enjoy:

Ahhh… that was great. I feel much better now

• Check out more Happy Friday posts

Something Fishy

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AQUARIUMS: Tropical freshwater fish profiles

I recently rediscovered a childhood hobby of mine, that being the joys and wonders of maintaining an aquarium of freshwater tropical fish species. It really is a therapeutic experience watching them swim about and do as fish do. I wanted to share what I’ve found regarding my fishy room-mates with anyone who has a similar interest in aquatic life. Here’s what I have in my tank.

Dwarf Gourami:

• Size: 8cm (3 inches)
• Life span: 3 – 4 years
• Temperature: 25°C – 28°C
• Tank Region: Middle to top
• Origin/Habitat: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh
• Breeding: Can be difficult. They build bubble nests for their eggs.
• Temperament: Mostly peaceful and hardy. Good fish for beginners.
• Diet: Will eat flakes, freeze dried and live foods. Best to vary their diet.
• Gender: Easy to determine. The male is more colorful while females are usually more gray in colour.

Originating in the warm waters of India, the Dwarf Gourami is not only beautiful but can be particularly hardy as well. They are generally peaceful creatures and make a great addition to a fully cycled community tank and are easy to care for.

Black Ghost Knife:

• Temperature: 24 – 28°C
• Lifespan: 10 years and longer
• Size: Grow up to 50cm (20 inches) but will only grow up to a foot in a small tank.
• Origin/Habitat: Amazon River basin in South America
• Diet: Besides beefheart, Black Ghost Knife Fish will accept frozen bloodworms, shrimp pellets, brine shrimp and tubifex worms.
• Special characteristics: After the Black Ghost Knife is accustomed to its tank, it can develop a strong relationship with its owner. Owners are known to hand-feed their Black Ghost Knife fish beefheart. Additionally, owners are able to pet and stroke the fish, and the fish will actually run through its owner’s hands.

The Black Ghost Knife is known for its flowing movement and unique body shape. They are similar to a graceful, rippling black curtain as they swim through an aquarium. Due to having poor eyesight, the Ghost Knife species have developed electrical organs that allow them to send out electric pulses to navigate through water. Aquarists should avoid placing other fish species that use similar electric navigation in the same tank as their electrical pulses may interfere with each other – confusing themselves in the aquarium.

Julii Cory (also known as Leopard Catfish or Armoured Catfish)

• Size: 5 – 6cm (2 – 2.5 inches)
• Lifespan: 3 – 5 years
• Tank Region: Bottom
• Temperature: 23 to 26°C
• Origin/Habitat: Lower Amazon River and coastal rivers in northeastern Brazil
• Temperament/Behavior: Very peaceful
• Breeding: Not impossible but can be difficult in a home aquarium (similar to other species of cory)
• Gender: Females are often larger and have rounder bellies than males.
• Diet: Not a fussy easter. Accepts flake foods, algae wafers, Cory pellets, shrimp pellets, insects, benthic crustaceans and most types of worms and vegetable matter.

The Julii Cory is probably the most popular Corydora species. They are very pretty and active little creatures that co-exist very peacefully with other tropical fish. They thrive in tanks that best replicate their natural Amazonian environment. A soft river substrate with a few branches of driftwood and a handful of leaves is ideal, but not essential. Most importantly, keep your tank well maintained as Corys are very sensitive to deteriorating water conditions. Ensure that your substrate is kept scrupulously clean as these cats can lose their barbels if kept in poor conditions.

Bronze Corydora

• Size: 6cm (2.5 inches)
• Lifespan: 3 – 5 years
• Tank Region: Bottom
• Origin/Habitat: South America
• Temperament/Behavior: Very peaceful
• Breeding: Can be difficult in the home aquarium.
• Gender: Females are larger and rounder than the males of the same age.
• Diet: Bottom feeder, they will scavenge around the tank looking for scraps. Supplement their diet with sinking foods such as wafers.

Bronze Corys are one of the most popular fish in the tropical fish community because of its extreme peacefulness and its habit of constantly hovering the aquarium floor to find food. They should be kept in groups of five or more as they love each other’s company. It is part of the Bronze Cory’s nature to occasioanlly shoot up to the top of the tank to grab some air.

Clown Loach

• Size: 30cm (12 inches)
• Temperature: 24°C – 29°C
• Lifespan: 10 years and longer
• Gender: Difficult to determine
• Tank Region: Mostly the bottom
• Origin/Habitat: Borneo, Sumatra
• Temperament/Behavior: Generally peaceful
• Diet: Will accept many types including flakes, freeze dried and live foods

Another favorite in the tropical fish world, the Clown Loach can live for a very long time, often 10 years or more if given good water conditions. They can be comical at times – often found laying on their side. Provide plenty of hiding spaces for your Clown Loach for they can become quite shy at times.

Red Tail Shark

• Size: Up to 6 inches (15 cm)
• Temperature: 23°C – 26°C
• Lifespan: 5 – 8 years
• Gender: Larger females have a grayer stomach whereas the males are solid black.
• Tank Region: Middle and bottom
• Origin/Habitat: Thailand
• Temperament/Behavior: These fish can be hostile but seem to behave just fine when kept with larger fish.
• Diet: Omnivorous scavenger that will happily accept flake foods.

Quite a solidary creature, the Red Tailed Shark is happiest when alone. They can become quite territorial and aggressive towards other shark species so best to just keep one of these fish in any one tank. When grouped with others, the largest shark will most likely become the dominant fish and chase the others relentlessly. Provide your shark with several hiding places (plants will suffice) to help make them feel safe and secure. It’s also recommended to have a tight fitting lid as this fish species are also known to be excellent jumpers!

Angelfish

• Lifespan: 8 – 10 years
• Size: Up to 15cm (6 inches)
• Temperature: 23°C – 29°C
• Tank Region: Mostly middle
• Origin/Habitat: Amazon River
• Breeding: Egg layers. Fairly easy to breed
• Gender: No noticeable difference except at breeding time
• Temperament/Behavior: Generally peaceful, but can be aggressive eaters and may become territorial while breeding.
• Diet: Usually very good eaters, they will take flakes, pellets, freeze dried (blood worms, brine shrimp) and especially live foods.

The freshwater Angelfish is a very popular tropical fish because of its unique shape and because of their interesting personalities. Angelfish are aggressive eaters and will go to the top of the tank when they see you approach. Angelfish are curious about their environment and can become very territorial.

Fancy Goldfish

• Lifespan: 10 – 30 years
• Temperature: 5°C – 27°C
• Tank Region: All over the tank
• Temperament/Behavior: Very peaceful
• Size: 8-13 cm (3-5 inches) but can get bigger
• Diet: Omnivorous. Will gladly accept most fish foods
• Origin/Habitat: China originally, then Japan and Asia
• Breeding: Lay their eggs on vegetation on the bottom of the tank
• Gender: Males have small white spots called tubercles around their gills when ready to spawn. Females are noticeably larger when swelling with eggs and the males may start to chase the females around the tank.

The Goldfish is a favorite for many. They are usually very hardy – capable of living in temperatures ranging from 4°C – 32°C. Being Chinese, Goldfish have extremely long lifespans if cared for properly, so getting one can become a long-term commitment. Many varieties of Goldfish are available with varied markings. Fancy varieties and colors include gold, orange, white and black.

Pearl Gourami

• Size: 13cm (5 inches)
• Temperature: 25°C – 28°C
• Tank Region: Middle and top
• Breeding: Bubble nest builder
• Lifespan: 3 – 4 years and longer
• Origin/Habitat: Asia, Thailand, Indonesia
• Diet: This is not a picky fish. They will eat flakes just as quickly as they’ll eat live and frozen foods.
• Temperament/Behavior: Mostly peaceful but they may scrap with other gouramis. Males seem to be more aggressive than females.
• Gender: Relatively easy to determine. The male has a longer dorsal fin and will develop a red breast, which becomes more visible at spawning time.

Pearl Gouramis are a very attractive fish with tons of tiny white “pearl” shapes dotting its body and a horizontal black bar that running down its length. Pearls also have a labyrinth organ that allows them to breath atmospheric oxygen. The labyrinth organ evolved in species that frequently found themselves in low oxygenated water. You will frequently see Gouramis come to the surface for gulps of air. Pearl Gouramis need to obtain oxygen from both the water and the air to survive.

Glass Catfish

• Size: 10cm (4 inches)
• Temperature: 21°C – 26°C
• Lifespan: 3 – 4 years and longer
• Tank Region: Middle near a water flow
• Gender: Almost impossible to determine
• Origin/Habitat: Borneo, Sumatra, and Thailand
• Temperament/Behavior: Peaceful yet very timid
• Breeding: They are egglaying fish, but so far breeding them in captivity has not been successfully recorded.
• Diet: Strongly prefer live foods but will learn to eat freeze-dried, frozen food (thaw it first), and flakes.

You should keep at least two Glass Catfish together in your aquarium and preferably a few more. This is a shoaling fish that does not survive in a tank without other members of its own species. A solitary Glass Catfish can actually die of lonliness. You should provide plenty of plants in your aquarium for these fish so that they feel safe. They are very shy and will fare much better if they have plenty of hiding places.

Banded Kuhli Loach

• Size: 7 – 10cm (3-4 inches)
• Temperature: 24°C – 30°C
• Lifespan: 10 years and longer
• Tank Region: Bottom of the tank – usually under something
• Diet: Omnivorous. Will gladly accept most fish foods
• Origin/Habitat: Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo, Java, and Singapore
• Temperament/Behavior: Peaceful fish that should only be kept with other peaceful fish, and one or two of its own species.
• Gender: Females are fuller bodied than the males when they are filled with eggs, otherwise males and females look very similar.
• Breeding: Egglaying fish but rarely spawn in the aquarium. When they do spawn they scatter large green eggs among the aquarium plants.

The Kuhli Loach It is an eel-like fish that usually has alternating light and dark bands on its scaleless body. They look more like snakes than fish, and you will often find them hanging from plants and other objects in the tank. Kuhli loaches are nocturnal fish that spend most of the day hiding under plants or rocks. It is best to provide caves and plants in their tank for them to hide in during the day. In fact, if you provide your Kuhli Loaches with a cave to hide in you are more likely to see them. Kuhlis like to congregate in groups, so you should keep at least three kuhli loaches together in your tank to keep them happy.

Black Moor

• Lifespan: 10 – 30 years
• Size: 10 – 25cm (4 – 10 inches)
• Tank Region: All over the tank
• Origin/Habitat: Central Asia and China
• Temperament/Behavior: Very peaceful and a great community fish
• Breeding: Egg layers that spawn readily in the right conditions
• Temperature: Very hardy. Can tolerate temperatures close to freezing
• Diet: A very happy eater - it is not difficult to get your Black Moor Goldfish into accepting all kinds of food.
• Gender: Although is it impossible to sex Goldfish when they are young and not in breeding season, the male is usually smaller and more slender that the female.

The Black Moor is a type of goldfish that has a beautiful velvety look and bulging, telescope-resembling eyes. Most Black Moors stay black but their color can change with age, ranging from gray to black, or they can revert to a metallic orange when kept in warmer water. Since their eye-sight is far from perfect, they may need a little extra help to find their food.

Goldfish generally produce a lot of waste, so good filtration is essential for maintaining the water quality of the aquarium. Regular, weekly water changes is strongly recommended to keep these fish healthy. Goldfish are very social animals and thrive in a community. Not only are they a great community fish but they are great scavengers as well. Provide a large gravel substrate to keep your Goldfish occupied and they will help keep your tank clean.

Blue Ramirezi (Blue Ram)

• Lifespan: 4 years
• Size: 5 – 6 cm (2.5 inches)
• Temperature: 25°C – 28°C
• Tank Region: All over the tank
• Origin/Habitat: South American Rivers (Comlumbia and Venezuela)
• Diet: Omnivorous. Will gladyly accept flakes or pellets but supplementing their diet with frozen foods such as blood worms or brine shrimp is recommended. May also enjoy fresh green vegetables (e.g: spinach, cucumbers and peas).
• Breeding: Breeding Blue Rams is typically easy. Males and females will often pair up, especially when they grow up together in the same tank.
• Gender: Males tend to have a longer, more pointed dorsal fin. Females tend to be smaller in size and have a red or orange hue on their pelvis.
• Temperament/Behavior: Peaceful and a bit on the timid side. Can be safely kept with other Rams or non aggressive community fish such as silver dollars, plecos, corys or tetras.

The Ramirezi is both a colurful and characterful little fish. They are typically on full display with all their fins up and can bedazzle one when caught in the right light. The bonds that form between males and females is something special if you wish to breed Blue Rams. Provide lots of vegetation (green plants) for your Rams to feel safe and secure (as they can be quite shy) and you’ll notice them getting braver and embarking on bigger explorations around your tank.

Pleco (Algae Eater)

• Lifespan: 10 – 15 years
• Size: up to 46cm (18 inches)
• Temperature: 23°C – 28°C
• Tank Region: Bottom and sides of tank
• Origin/Habitat: Central and South America
• Diet: Herbivore. Try to supplement their diet with algae wafers.
• Breeding: It can be very difficult to breed them in a home aquarium.
• Gender: There are no visible differences between the male and female.
• Temperament/Behavior: Generally peaceful, but can be aggressive toward others of the same species.

Algae Eaters are very popular because of their skill in keeping tanks clean. They are excellent scavengers that suck up much of the dirt on the bottom of the tank. If you have ornaments in the aquarium you will find the fish attach itself to them in all different hanging positions. When they are first introduced into the aquarium, they find their own spot that they will call home where they can rest. Driftwood is a great addition to include in the tank if you have Algae Eaters.

Fire Eel

• Temperature: 24°C – 27°C
• Tank Region: Mostly bottom
• Lifespan: Up to 10 years and longer
• Temperament/Behavior: Generally peaceful but may hunt new, unsuspecting small fish
• Size: Can grow up to a metre in length (roughly 40 inches) if housed in a large enough tank
• Gender: Distinguishing between the sexes can be difficult, but a mature female is usually plumper than the male.
• Origin/Habitat: Found in floods and streams in India, Borneo, Malaysia, Sumatra, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Burma.
• Breeding: Very hard, but not impossible. The female lays roughly 800 to 1200 translucent eggs on floating plants.
• Diet: A carnivore. Live foods such as earthworms and black worms are the best diet but frozen blood worms will suffice.

The Fire Eel is a nocturnal predator best suited to a large aquarium. A soft substrate is necessary for this fish as they love to burrow. This may uproot plants and rearrange decorations so it is often best to provide a dark cave for your Fire Eel. At first, a Fire Eel is usually very shy and prefers to come out only at night, but if you provide your Fire Eel with an aquarium setup that makes it feel safe, it can become quite an affectionate fish and learn to eat food out your hand. A tight lid should be used for any long, slender fish, as they will often try to escape from the aquarium. The Fire Eel should be kept with fish of similar size or larger, and will not tolerate its own kind. Be warned that if you add new small fish to the setup it will happily devour the newcomers.

Monodactylus (Fingerfish)

• Lifespan: 8 – 10 years
• Size: up to 23cm (9 inches)
• Temperature: 23°C – 27°C
• Tank Region: All over the tank
• Origin/Habitat: Australia and the Red Sea
• Diet: Omnivorous. Will eat flakes, frozen and freeze-dried foods, and live foods
• Gender: Sexing Fingerfish is difficult as males and females look identical.
• Breeding: There have been no reports of successful breeding of Fingerfish in the home aquarium.
• Temperament/Behavior: Generally a peaceful fish but may become aggresive towards other peaceful species when they grow up.

If you plan on keeping monos in your aquarium you will need a large one. Monos are shoaling fish so you need to have a large enough tank to house at least 4-6 of them. Monos are fast, energetic swimmers and grow large enough to eat smaller fish. They also frighten easily so you shouldn’t keep them with aggressive fish. They are very hardy – capable of living in both saltwater and freshwater.

Related post: A beginners guide to keeping tropical fish

For more fish profiles here are some great aquatic resources

• www.myfishtanks.info
• www.aquahobby.com
• www.aquaticcommunity.com