Talk with your Animals

posted by Shelley Swartzer on Nov 14

I have visited 8 Maldives resorts in the past 6 years and I have now been to Bandos twice and I can honestly say that I shall be going back! I have tried to present an objective overview in this article for anyone considering visiting it, or who is not sure which island to choose.

Bandos received a brand new look in 2005 after being closed for most of the year and has now become very popular for visitors to the Maldives, due in part since it is quite close to Male, and also because on top of a fine resort with great activities and facilities, it is also very family orientated.

There are two main restaurants on the island – the Cayenne Grill and the lighthouse – and I found the food and service to be good in both of them. The Cayenne serves a range of seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes which you can mix and match to your own tastes.

The natural beauty of the island is coupled with great food and service here. The lighthouse restaurant is a focal point of the island, with its striking white peaked spire, making it the only building on the resort that doesn’t have a thatched roof. The lighthouse takes pride of place in most of the marketing pictures for this resort and is split between two levels, with a lounge bar on the top level and offering panoramic views, and the lower-level haute cuisine restaurant serving a mixed menu of Asian and Mediterranean dishes.

There are 3 different category of room on the resort, as is typical with most Maldives island resorts – water villas, Baros villas and the Deluxe villas. The attention to detail and the workmanship is second to none, and walking into these rooms for the first time makes you feel good about arriving – always important for me. There are designer fittings, concealed plasma Tv, quality coffee maker, and more importantly for me, a well-stocked wine cooler.

Each room in the resort is never a stones throw from the beach or lagoon and all have a large verandah complete with comfortable daybed. If you consider that their is a very good 24 hour room service you wont be surprised to hear that I didn’t need to stray far short of taking the odd dip to cool down or go snorkeling.

With a fine and easily accessible reef encircling most of the island the snorkeling is really good here on Bandos (yes I am actually writing this while on the island)!. The PADI dive school is very friendly and offers open water courses and beginners can try an introductory dive in the lagoon. There are more than 30 dive sites you can visit from Baros and with several trips per day even the most avid divers have plenty to go at. There is a Marine Biologist on hand to provide talks and accompany the snorkeling and diving trips sometimes to chat about the local marine life for those who want to know more.

All in all you really are hard pushed to beat Bandos island for a rewarding tropical getaway.

Shelley is a journalist and writes about tropical holiday resorts such as Bandos island and other Maldives island resorts.

posted by Okeke Nnaemeka on Sep 15

Fish sauce is one of the fundamental ingredients in Thai cuisine. Like salt in western cuisines, and soy sauce for Chinese and Japanese cuisines, fish sauce is used to add a special flavor distinctive to Thai cooking. There’s no Thai peculiarity kitchen that does not have fish sauce in the cabinet, and very few recipes that don’t employ it in one form or another.

Fish sauce is, in the most simple of terms, the essence of fish. Derived from the leftovers of fermented fish, it can have a rather fishy flavor or more subtle tones. The style of fish sauce is dependent on how long the fish is permitted to ferment. As a rule, the lengthier that it has fermented, the less it will taste like fish. High quality fish sauce has light undertones of fish as well as other flavors. Younger fish sauce will taste strongly of fish.

Fish sauce is by and large thick and brown in color, a result of being fermented for nine months to a year, on average. It is either added to water or oils to make a dipping sauce, or directly added to meat and vegetables while they cook.

While it’s most commonly utilized in Thai cuisine, it has found a place in other cuisines, such as Lao, Cambodian, Filipino and Vietnamese. It doesn’t tend to be utilised in Western cuisines predominantly, as there’s less of a reliance on seafood and ensuring all catches of fish are used.

Fish sauce originally started to be utilised so that the small fish with little commercial value will not go to waste. As the poorer people of Thailand were likewise resourceful, they found that the fermentation procedure had the merit of this sort of sauce. As it grew in popularity, little fish were kept so that they could be utilised in fish sauce.

Depending on district, the ingredients of fish sauce may convert. Some areas will only utilise one particular type of fish to make fish sauce. Others will employ any fish that does not have commercial value. These variances allow for fish sauces to have distinct flavors and be partnered better with sure dishes. When you are selecting which fish sauce to utilize, you should experiment with the various sorts, as you may alter the last flavor just by being selective on which sauce you employ.

Fish sauce may be bought by the bottle in numerous stores that carry Asian goods.

Learn everything you need to know about preparing Food Sauce and other gourmet sauces at home now

posted by John Stoner on Aug 22

Every Koi owner wants to have their fish swimming in crystal clear water. But exactly what do you have to do to get the water in a Koi pond that clear and how do you keep it clear? There are a few pieces of equipment that you might consider trying in your Koi pond.

Consider the ozone unit. Aquarium owners have used ozone for some time but it is relatively new for Koi pond owners. The ozone is created by passing oxygen through a high voltage electrical discharge. This adds an extra atom to the oxygen molecule. This extra atom is detached and creates a powerful disinfectant effect in the process.

The ozone itself can never be let into the pond. It is very harmful to the fish. But the water is fed through the ozone unit where it is treated before it is returned to the pond. Once treated it is free of bacteria and parasites and has improved clarity.

There is another less expensive alternative for improving water quality. This piece of equipment is the UV clarifier. These units remove singled-celled algae that proliferate in sunshine and high levels of nitrates and phosphates. The water is passed through the ultraviolet light causing the algae to decay. This unit is different than the UV sterilizer that is used in aquariums.

This unit is also different from the UV sterilizer that is often used in aquariums. The clarifier allows a higher volume of water to pass over the ultraviolet light. The sterilizer lets less water pass closer to the light for a higher dose.

You can add a variety of “water polishing” units to your filtration system to greatly improve the water quality. This has commonly been accomplished by passing the water through a sand filter as the last stage before the water is returned to the pond. Today there is even a more cost effective way to do this using a canister device containing a series of sieve plates to filter out extremely fine particles.

Consider these options as you look for ways to get that extra water clarity in you pond. It will make a real difference and greatly enhance the enjoyment you get from your fish.

posted by John Stoner on Aug 20

There are many things to consider when you are starting a Koi pond project. It’s easy to see why so many people forget to pay attention to the plumbing aspect of the project. This is a mistake I hope you won’t make. A lot of headaches can be avoided if you pay proper attention to the pipe and valve layout of your project before you get started.

Plan ahead. Lay out a schematic of all the piping and valves that will be required for the project. This will allow you to see the whole thing at once so you can make critical decisions on the size of various pieces of pipe, the types of valves to be used, whether there will be any sections underground and whether there will be any places under pressure.

What types of piping and valves should you use is a question that gets asked all the time. One choice you have is flexible hose. It is very versatile and comes in many lengths. It is easy to handle around corners and curves. The biggest problem with this choice is when comes to putting different valves and accessories. Flexible hose won’t handle them. As a result it is used only in those cases when rigid piping just can’t be used.

Rigid plastic pipe is the best type to use for Koi pond installations. This will create a durable, efficient and professional looking system. Whatever pipe work you choose, follow these simple tips. Ensure you use the right type and size pipe for the job to be done. For example, make sure you use at least a 4in. pipe for the pond drain on a gravity-fed system to handle the large waste particles flowing through it.

Do a “dry run.” Lay out the entire piping system before you glue the connections. Once you have made the solvent-weld connections they won’t come apart unless you cut them. Mark all the pieces so you know where they go when you do the final assembly.

Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for proper pipe dimensions. Usually the greater the pipe dimension, the less resistance resulting in a lower flow loss. Use plenty of valves so that you can isolate pumps and other devices for easy removal, repair or replacement.

Not having the right valve combination for isolation will probably mean you will have to go to the trouble and expense of cutting out the equipment for repair or replacement. Remember always use a slide or ball valve before the filtration system so it can be isolated from the pond for cleaning.

These simple steps should make your Koi pond project go a lot faster with better results and less money out of your pocket. Follow these tips and you are on your way to a successful Koi pond project.

posted by Ferdinand Okeke on May 3

A freshly caught fish can be prepared in many ways. Any fisherman worth his salt has his own unique way of cooking a freshly caught trout, salmon or whatever fish he caught. So fisherman all across the country has been handed down methods of cooking fish. Here are some tips to get the best out of your fish.

1. Frying

Breading and frying a freshly caught fish is as good as it gets. The smell of butter emanating from the frying pan and the flair a fisherman puts in flipping his catch is worth its weight in gold, almost. For the novice fisherman, make sure that the butter is extra hot but not yet glistening. Again, make sure that the fish is properly coated in batter. Season your batter to your heart’s content, salt and pepper never goes wrong. You may want to add other herbs and spices with the batter for a more delectable fish.

2. Grilling

Initially, grilling would seem to be the quickest way to handle your fish. A novice might assume that grilling fish is the same as grilling steaks or burgers. Unlike fowl or cattle, fish tends to produce most of its own juices when cooked. On a grill the delectable juice drips into the coals.

To prevent losing the moisture, start by coating the fish with oil. The oil will glue a part of the moisture inside. Second, keep an eye on the fillets and stir them as soon as a cut would reveal that the fresh fish is cooked halfway through. After being flipped, monitor the fish carefully. Remove the fish as soon as it is cooked through.

An option to basting the fish with oil is to wrap it in aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will maintain the moisture and marinate the fish in its own moisture. Placing herbs and spices inside the foil with the fish enhances the grilling process and the fish itself.

3. Baking

Thermogenic is the best preference for the fisherman who does not want to watch over the fish during preparation. The fisherman can prepare the marinade and pre – heat the oven, then toss the fish into the oven for a predetermined amount of time. You may prefer to check on the fish intermittently, in order to ensure that you don’t overcook the fish.

Whatever fish you caught, a good recipe and adequate cooking will surely enhance the catch. Take time to prepare for cooking, a badly cooked fish will undoubtedly spoil your day. Do not forget the first rule of cooking; don’t overcook your fish.

posted by Rotem Gavish on Apr 30

People look at Tropical fish just like they are a decoration and not as a real pet. For us the true fish keepers our fish can be good companion just like dog or a cat. Tropical fish are like other species in many aspects, and that includes the fact that they have diseases. They can have fungus, eye problems, internal parasite and even tumors Just as humans, cats or dogs may get cancer or other types of tumors, so can tropical fish. In this article I will review some of these diseases regarding the cause behind fish diseases and how to prevent, treat and cure them.

For example, fin rot disease is one of the most common disease in aquarium fish but it is also easy to treat to cure. This disease caused by several negative types of bacteria (bacterial disease), in many cases we can see the fin rot disease burst the same time with other disease, It is not difficult to treat but if you will neglect the treatment it will cost the fish lives and other will infected. It is not hard to see the fin rot disease burst especially in her early stages.

We can treat and prevent this disease by maintaining our tank, performing water changes and maintaining our filter. We also should check our water parameters on a regular basis. Another key to prevent fin rot disease is to avoid overfeeding avoiding overcrowd the tank.

Another common disease is Ich disease, Ich is present all the time in aquarium just waiting the “right” time to burst. Ich burst when a fish suffers extreme stress such as sudden drop in temperature or other fish attacks. It also burst when a new fish enterer a well establish tank. Sometimes high temperatures can cause ich to burst too. Water changes are very important fighting ich outbreaks when we perform water changes it is extremely important to clean our gravel. Another way to treat ich is by using commercial chemicals. The last treatment is perhaps the best one; quarantine for several weeks (3-4 weeks) can save the entire tank.

Cloudy Eye disease is a symptom not truly a sickness in and of itself. Cloudy eye is pretty well known illnesses and is usually due to poor water quality (high nitrate, ammonia and phosphate) or to a fungal infection. Cloudy eye is a condition in which the eye appears to be cover with an opaque film. Cloudy eye is typically a secondary bacterial or fungal infection.

Cloudy eye can also appear when the pH drops too low, when the fish freaked out and panicked and ran into something and scratched its eye or when fish fighting; Fish always go for another fishes eyes when they fight so it might have got damaged. As I always say, take care of your fish supplies and treat your tank water, the fish will take care of themselves.

posted by Ferdinand Okeke on Apr 26

In order to keep the delicate flavor of a newly caught freshwater or saltwater fish, this must be done properly to avoid damage. Not to mention preserving the fish with aromatic odor. There are many ways to properly prepare and maintain the quality just after the catch of the fish into a sumptuous fishmeal. Allow surface the tips below:

1 ) As soon as the fish lands avoid contact with hard surfaces to prevent bruising. It should be washed immediately by hosing or bucket rinsing so as to extract the slime and possible bacteria that cause spoilage. Never apply water from close proximity marinas, municipal or industrial discharges. To make sure, always use potable water instead.

2 ) Simply chill the fish to avoid deterioration in less than an hour. With a little advance structure, proper icing can be achieved with the use of some relatively affordable equipment. Fish should be kept in coolers and should be well chilled. It should be three ” deep, therefore, covering a pound of fish with pound of ice. Make use of chlorinated dilute per quart of water for the final rinsing.

3 ) Clean the fish as soon as possible. Though their tissues are sterile but not their scales, which contains different types of bacteria. When cleaning fish, avoid rough treatment because wounds in the flesh can lead to the spread of bacteria. Gutting the fish does not have to be necessarily long. It is wise to cut the abdomen, as it leaves no blood or viscera in the body. Remember not to drench cleaned fish fillets in a prolonged freshwater because this could hamper the meat texture and flavor.

4 ) The eating quality and nutritional value of fish can be maintained up to five days if well cleaned. Washing of the hands before touching the fish is also important. No matter what fish and the cooking technique used, one golden rule is to be followed always. Whether it is whole or not, cook exactly ten minutes for every inch measured. Fifteen minutes should serve as allotted to fish in foil or flavour baked. Double the time for frozen fish.

Allow extra time if fish will be baked while in an aluminum foil and allow extra time for the penetration of the heat. That should be an additional five minutes for fresh fish and 10 for frozen. In defrozen frozen fish, slowly thaw in the fridge for twenty four hours or let the wrapped fish be run under cold water not at room temperature. Do not defrost a fish that’s frozen before cooking as it may make it mushy and dry.

posted by Rotem Gavish on Apr 25

People look at Tropical fish just like they are a object and not as a real creature. For us the true hobbyist our fish can be good friends just like dog or a cat. Tropical fish are like other species in many aspects, and that includes the fact that they have illnesses. They can have fungus, eye problems, internal parasite and even tumors Just as humans, cats or dogs may get cancer or other types of tumors, so can tropical fish. In this article I will review some of these sickness regarding the cause behind fish diseases and how to prevent, treat and cure it.

Fin rot disease is maybe the common disease in home aquarium but also very easy to treat, prevent and to cure. The Fin rot disease caused by several negative types of bacteria (bacterial disease), most times we can see the fin rot disease burst the same time with other disease, It is not difficult to treat but if you will neglect the treatment it will cost the fish lives and other will infected. It is also very easy to see the fin rot disease burst especially in her early stages.

We can treat and prevent the fin rot disease by maintaining our tank, performing water changes and maintaining our filter on a regular basis. We also should check our water parameters on a regular basis. Another key to prevent fin rot disease is to avoid overfeeding and ding overcrowd the tank.

Another common disease is Ich disease, Ich is present all the time in aquarium just waiting the “right” time to burst. Ich burst when a fish suffers extreme stress such as sudden drop in temperature or other fish attacks. It also burst when a new fish enterer a well establish tank. Sometimes high temperatures can cause ich to burst too. Water changes are very important fighting ich outbreaks when we perform water changes it is extremely important to clean our gravel. Another way to treat ich is by using commercial chemicals. The last treatment is perhaps the best one; quarantine for several weeks (3-4 weeks) can save the entire tank.

Cloudy Eye disease is a symptom not truly a sickness in and of itself. Cloudy eye is pretty well known illnesses and is usually due to poor water quality (high nitrate, ammonia and phosphate) or to a fungal infection. Cloudy eye is a condition in which the eye appears to be cover with an opaque film. Cloudy eye is typically a secondary bacterial or fungal infection.

Cloudy eye can also appear when the pH drops too low, when the fish freaked out and panicked and ran into something and scratched its eye or when fish fighting; Fish always go for another fishes eyes when they fight so it might have got damaged. As I always say, take care of your fish supplies and treat your tank water, the fish will take care of themselves.

posted by Shannon Linnen on Mar 27

Summer is a great period for entertaining, and a very fun way to entertain is to invite your friends and family over for a clambake. Lobster and clams cooked over a fire, some exotic drinks, brightly colored decorations and appropriate music make for a great time for everybody.

But when the weather is bad, or even when winter hits, why not hold a lobster clambake indoors? What a great way to bring the illusion of summer to a cold winter day! And it’s a fun, easy and healthy way of entertainment.

In place of any old lobster clambake, consider having a super deluxe lobster clambake, which is sure to please a variety of tastes. For your indoor clambake, purchase some fresh lobster, clams, shrimp, mussels, and maybe even some crab. You might also want to include some lobster bisque or clam chowder on the menu, in addition to roasted potatoes and corn on the cob.

Besides the food for your super deluxe lobster clambake, you will want to have a good supply of lobster bibs on hand, claw crackers, lots and lots of napkins, and a good supply of pre-moistened towlettes. Seafood is delicious but it can be very messy indeed.

You may be wondering how you can have an indoor clambake, when the clams and other seafood at a clambake are traditionally cooked in a pit over an open fire. Easy! For this super deluxe lobster clambake you will be doing all of the cooking on the traditional indoor stovetop!

Lobster stock pot is the only special equipment required to complete the cooking of lobster. A variety of models are available in the market and some incorporate a steamer rack and basket. Cooking supply stores and Internet are the places one should look for. As you search the net for your lobster stock pot , you should do an extra search for an indoor clambake recipe that sounds good.

To plan and prepare you party in even easier way, there are many super deluxe lobster clambake kits available. They can easily be found by searching the Internet. Many of the kits contain everything you need, including wetnaps, claw crackers and cloth napkins, in addition to the seafood itself. All you’ll need to shop for are the vegetables and you’ll be all set for the most popular party of the year.

So what is the next step with all of this? Well, to get your clambake ordered of course! The best place to research almost anything is the Internet, the Super Deluxe clambake is no different. Enter that specific phrase into the search engines and then visit with the top two or three entries. Call them if necessary to get a feel for how they do business. Once you have accomplished this, order up your clambake and get ready to invite over some friends.