Tuesday, December 22, 2009

All About Arowana part 1

by. Roy ganda putra manalu



Types of Arowana Fish

The distribution areas of Arowana can be categorized as:
  1. North America (3 Types)
  2. Australia (2 Types)
  3. Africa (1 Type)
  4. Asia (1 Type 4 Kinds)



    The popular Arowana in the market can be classified as follows:
    1. Indonesia Red Arowana (From Indonesia)
    2. Malayan Bonytongue (From Malaysia)
    3. Red Tail Golden Arowana (From Indonesia)
    4. Green Arowana (From Southeast Asia)
    5. Jardini (Australian Arowana)
    6. Silver Arowana (From South America)
    7. Black Arowana (From South America)

    Hong Kong people believe that if they breed any kinds of Arowana, their business will expand while their financial sources wil be accumulated. This belief of the Hong Kong people is also a way for them to exhibit their wealth and status. They strongly believe that the Arowana is an incarnation of the crust dragon, extensively adored by the Chinese.

    North America Arowana

    Basically there are 3 main types of North America Arowana:
    1. Silver Arowana
    2. Black Arowana
    3. Arapaima Pirarucu

    1. Silver Arowana
    Main Places of Origin:
    Areas around the Amazon River.

    Characteristics:



    picture 1. silver arowana

    Flat and long body, small tail, big head, when it is young, the bottom color of dosal fin is bluish pink, body is shiny like silver, with a little pink colour. After growing, the big scales are like shells in semi-circle, the side line has 31 to 35 scales, its body is silver in colour with a little blue and light pink and is sparkling and shining.

    It has a pair of barbels, lower lip longer than the upper one, ven fin has around 50 to 55 hard fin rays, hard fin ray of dosal fin around 42 to 46 and pelvic fin can extend to 4 to 6cm long.

    2. Black Arowana
    Main Places of Origin:
    Gio Grande River of Brazil

     Characteristics:



     picture 2. black arowana

    It was found in 1966 in the Rio Grande River of Brazil. Its body is similar to the Silver Arowana. The only difference occurs during the infant period, when its body is slightly black and this will fade gradually as the fish grows. The scales will then become silver in colour while each fin will turn into blue colour. When it grows very big, its colour will incline to black with purple and green.

    This kind of fish is easily frightened and thus is now considered a protected species in Brazil


    3.Arapaima Pirarucu
     Main Places of Origin:
    Amazon River of South America.
    Also found in Brazil, Columbia and South American Countries.

    Characteristics:



    picture 3. Arapaima pirarucu

    This fish can grow to a maximum length of 5m and a weight of 400kg. It is thus not suitable to breed in aquatic tank. It is a food of aborigines in Brazil. With its black colour, its round fat shape, its rough scales and its utterly hard head which is as big as a tiger's, it looks quite different from a typical Arowana.

    When it grows up, its frames of scales will turn red. It has no barbels and it grows fast, gaining 3 to 5kg a year. When it reaches 4 to 5 years old, it can lay 180 thousand eggs and the diameter of each egg is 1.8cm.

    orchids and how to plant it

    Orchid is a plant that already exist on the earth since 120 million years ago and continues to evolve until today, although many ancient plants and animals become extinct. Orchids live on all continents, except Antarctica. In this world there are nearly 35 thousand species of orchids.

    Orchid plant is a plant that already exist on the earth since 120 million years ago and have been able to continue to evolve and adapt so that it still survived until now, although many ancient plants and animals become extinct. Orchids live on all continents, except Antarctica. In China, wild orchids found living in the area of Southwest China and the South, for example in the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan. In this world there are nearly 35 thousand species of orchids. Even more undiscovered species. One of the rare orchid found in the Xishuangbanna region of Yunnan province has a unique coat.


     Picture 1.  orchid months


    In the natural landscape, orchids survive the minerals contained in the falling rain and fertilizer made from leaves, bird droppings or insect decay. Insects that assist marriage orchids drawn by the smell that must pervade, or with the colors and shapes that resemble those of insects, such as the orchids that resembles a butterfly. In addition, insects have legs by terlumuri stamens can also slip into the stigma, so that helps a marriage between orchids.

    About orchid care, basically there are several things that must be considered.

    The first is the light.

    Orchids need sunlight to live, but should not be exposed to too much sun. The best is the sun from the east, when the sun will rise. But the afternoon sun too long and not good for orchids because it can quickly daunya withered. For orchid lovers in North China, in summer they have to be careful when putting orchids on the window facing the west, because the windows facing west receive sunlight during the day until sunset. In fact, in the summer sun set over the North China at 8 or even 8:30 at night. Min Lin and Indonesian orchid lovers would not have to worry about it, but of course, preferably before noon orchids moved to a place not exposed to direct sunlight, or somewhere more quiet.





    Picture 2. Black Orchid

    Actually, each type of orchid have needs its own light. Phalaenopsis orchid family and less like oncidium light, whereas the type of Cattleya orchids, dendrobium and Vanda like light.

    The second is the humidity.

    Most orchids like humidity. For orchid lovers in Indonesia, it is certainly not a problem, because Indonesia is a humid tropical country. But for those who live in North China, the air is dry, especially in winter. Therefore they are advised to put a bucket of water near their orchids, so the water can evaporate and moisten orchids.

    The third is the irrigation.

    At best, orchids drenched in the morning, so that the water had evaporated at nightfall. Tergenangi roots so that water can rot orchid withered or dead. Therefore, the pot used to have water pores. Water is best to water orchids is rain water, because it contains has been mixed with dust and organic materials. Tap water is not too good, especially a lot of tap water contains chlorine. If tap water is used, it is better ignored it for a while so kaporitnya settle. To remember is not to flush the orchids with water that is too cold.

    Watering orchids do not need to be done too often. 5-10 days can be watered, depending on the type of orchid. To be sure, when watered, the medium where the roots of orchids growing in a state must have been really dry.

    The fourth is the temperature.

    For the people of Indonesia, the air temperature may not be a problem, because the temperature in Indonesia the average is always the same. In China, orchids should be treated in the house that uses heating in the winter. The average air orchids which bear no more than 33 degrees Celsius or below 15 degrees Celsius. Therefore, do not let your orchid is placed in a place that is too hot. After this you can also listen to commentary from orchid experts who say that the best temperature for orchids is 27? 28 degrees Celsius.

    For those who keep orchids in the room, then that also must be considered is the fifth point of the air ventilation. For most families in Indonesia, it is not too much trouble. Most houses in Indonesia are still stuck in the ground, have a yard, and enough ventilation. This is because the Indonesian people who live in tropical climates in desperate need ventilation, so the windows are often open house. But for the people of China in major cities who live in apartments and in the winter air is too cold, the ventilation can be a problem. Therefore, for a while, orchids should be placed near a fan to get air circulation. Blowing air or breeze is needed by the spray of orchids so that no stagnant water that could be a place to grow bacteria that rot the roots of orchids. So keep your orchid to grow happy, so do not forget to diangin-wind, put on the porch of the affected gust of fresh air.

    The sixth, which is also worth noting is the provision of fertilizer. Select a fertilizer that contains potassium for flower and fruit growth, phosphorus for flower production, and nitogren for plant growth. When the medium orchid bark is made from wood that has been decomposed, the nitrogen is needed because the medium is produced from the bark decay by bacteria. The bacteria eat a lot of nitrogen, so do not leave a lot of nitrogen for orchid. About the many and frequent application of fertilizers, it all depends on the state of the newly purchased plant. Ask the seller, the number and frequency of fertilizer that is used for all different orchids. The seller also typically sell orchid fertilizer recommended.

    The last thing that also must be considered is the transfer pot. Each orchid should be moved from the pot every one and a half to two years. Why? Because these orchids may have grown so big that pot is too small to accommodate the needs of the roots that have been developed. In addition, the roots of orchids also be cleaned from the roots of the dead. Also important is changing the medium orchid that may have been vitamins. The old pot can still be used, after cleaning. All this of course must be done carefully and ask the seller or the store orchid plants of the procedure. But that must be remembered, orchids like to be in the pot a bit tight, because if the pot is too large, most of the energy will be used to grow roots. Also must not move into a new pot. The transfer pot orchids do when it's too big, or when found in the pooled water can rot roots. If you can not find the reasons for moving to a new pot, let the orchids live in the pot may be another year.

    Well, you listeners, now I invite you to visit horticultural companies in China which has a special greenhouse orchids. This company orchid breeding with biotechnology seeds and exporting their orchids overseas. The following interview with Li Chun Lin, Jetgreen Responsible Production in Beijing.

    Our company import orchid flower seeds from the 70s. But this company was first established in Taiwan. In mainland China we first started in 1995 or 1996. The famous flower of our company is a flower butterfly orchid or phalaenopsis. Once the seed is taken from Taiwan, but now we membibit own. We use the cloning technology so that all the resulting seeds are guaranteed to have the same characteristics, whether it is the form of leaves, flowers, and quality.

    North China has a season where the temperature is very much different from, how can maintain orchids here?

    We use the greenhouse (greenhouse) and temperature settings. Our company alone makes this glass house. In the winter we set the temperature so as not too cold and in summer we also set the temperature not too high. Best orchids live in the temperature 27? 28 degrees Celsius.

    What if there is buying these flowers and take her home, what do buyers orchids?

    When brought back to the house, do not need it often drenched with water. Seven or ten days is enough. If the medium where the orchid grows are dry, just flush the water again. If each day with water, roots can rot. Do not put in place in the sun is too bright. But must remain in the sun a bit. In Beijing in the winter flowers can grow the program, because of the heater in the room. When in a room, the temperature below 5 degrees, then the flowers will die. Temperatures greater than 30 degrees will also affect the growth of orchids. So the best 27? 28 degrees Celsius. These flowers need sunlight for 20 thousand lux (lux is a unit measure of light intensity). Their greenhouse designed to receive sunlight for this. Sun rays should not be too bright, but it also should not be put in place that are not exposed to sunlight. If there is no sunlight, the flowers will soon fall.