Tools and Equipment for the Aquarium

Aquarium Tools

Some Aquarists prefer to have dedicated tools for their aquarium, particularly if it has live plants. Aquarium tools are useful for trimming and pruning the plants. They can also be used to arrange gravel, remove dead fish and scrape the aquarium surfaces to remove algae.

Different tools are available for different functions. Examples are tools such as bent scissors, tweezers, scraper etc.

Specialized Tools may be required while handling corals in marine aquariums. These tools make handling plants easy.

Aquarium Heater

Fish are cold blooded animals. They cannot regulate temperature on their own and are thus extremely sensitive to temperature. Hence, the temperature within the aquarium should be within the limits experienced by the fish in its original natural environment.

Today, fish which were once present in one part of the world are found in aquariums the world over. Hence, special attention should be given to learn about the temperature requirements of each fish and maintain the temperature.

In cold climates, fish may need a heater to increase the temperature.

Aquarium heaters are heaters encased in a ceramic tube. The tube is immersed either partially or fully in the water. The heaters have a thermostat which can maintain the heater temperature.

Some planted aquariums have a heating cable below the substrate. This helps heat the tank. Heating mats are another method of heating aquarium. The heating mat is placed below the aquarium. However, since glass is a poor conductor of heat, this method of heating is not efficient.

Chillers in Aquariums

Chillers are used in Aquarium to reduce the temperature particularly during hot seasons. When the temperature rises, the oxygen level in the water drops. Fish, being cold-blooded, are very sensitive to rise in temperature and may be come stressful.

The Deep Ocean is always cold. Hence, if you have deep sea species in your marine aquarium, you must have chillers.

Some aquariums need both heaters and coolers at different times of the day or at different seasons of the year. In such cases, there are temperature control units which have equipments for both heating and cooling.

Chillers reduce the temperature of the water by removing heat. Thermoelectric Chillers are used for small aquariums up to 55 gallons. For larger Aquariums, inline chillers need to be used.

There are also Drop in Chillers which are placed directly in the tank or in the sump.

Sump in Aquariums

A sump is a separate tank placed behind or below the main aquarium. The function of the sump is to house the equipment which may be unsightly. Equipments such as filters, sterilizers, heaters and chillers can affect the aesthetics of the tank.

Hence, in large tanks, a separate tank which is connected to the main tank serves as the sump.

Reef Tanks always have an sump as part of their design.

PowerHead for Aquariums

A Power head is a pump which sucks water from the tank and passes to to devices such as filters or UV sterilizers. Power Heads are available in a variety of formats from hang on types to submersible ones to externally fitted power heads.

Power heads can be used to create water flow patterns which simulate the natural flow in streams and rivers.

Power Heads come in various power ratings.

Timer for lighting in Aquarium

Fish need proper and cyclic lighting which simulate the natural day/night conditions. Switching on the Light the whole time or switching it off the whole time may interfere with the fish's daily cycle.

An Aquarium Lighting Timer automates the task of switching the light on and off. Light can be switched on for a pre-set duration and switched off. This is ideal for light control on a daily basis or during vacations.

Timers can be connected with any aquarium light. Some timers also enable the gradual dimming or brightening of the light to more closely light cycles in nature.

Air Powered Filters in Aquariums

Air Powered Filters are filters of small capacity which are ideal for small aquariums. These filters do not require any external power source. They are driven by the air flow from the pump.

The air is allowed to rise through a tube which drives the water upwards. This causes a suction effect in the bottom. The water from the surrounding areas enter the tube through a sponge which filters the water.

The sponge material also serves as a medium for the beneficial bacteria to grow. Thus, it also acts as a biological filter.

Selecting a net for your aquarium

Selecting a net to catch fish is important. A net should be big enough to catch the fish without injuring it. It should also be small enough for easy movement through the aquarium.

Nets are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. There are square nets and round nets. There are nets which are fine and nets which are coarse. Coarse ones are ideal for big fish. Coarse nets can damage the fins of small fish which can get caught in the small holes.

If you have a rectangular or square tank, a rectangular net will be useful as it can fit better against the corners. If you have circular tanks, you can use circular nets.

When trying to catch the fish, position the net close to the fish without startling it. This will help prevent the difficult chases across the aquarium which can damage the plants and other fitments.

Some people lower the water level when they are catching difficult fish.

Another technique is to use two nets and drive the fish into one using the other.

Air Pump in an Aquarium

An Air pump is a critical and important equipment in indoor aquarium which are mostly enclosed. The Air pump helps keeps dissolved oxygen levels in the aquarium within limits.

The Air pump pumps air into the aquarium which is released through an air stone or through a filter.The bubbles which are released agitate the surface of the water and make the exchange of oxygen possible.

Air Pumps work on domestic AC supply. They are powered by an electromagnet motor which operates a bellow. Multiple connections can be taken from the same air pump depending on the capacity.

Keep the Air pump as close to the tank as possible. The Tubing should have a regulating valve to control the air flow.

Function of an Air stone in an Aquarium

An air stone is a special piece of porous stone through which air from an air pump is passed. The many holes on the porous surface of the air stone serve to release air as many small bubbles which is pleasing to look at.

The bubbles agitate the water in the surface and help in oxygenation.

There are wooden air stones as well which are made from special types of wood such as tila. Today, there are synthetic airstones as well which are made from fiberglass.

Air stones may need to be cleaned periodically for better flow.

Salt Water Aquariums - Set up

Setting up a Saltwater Aquarium

A saltwater aquarium seeks to recreate a sea environment in your living room.  A saltwater aquarium can be an extremely fulfilling hobby and a great learning experience.

Setting up and maintaining a saltwater aquarium is not a difficult job as many people think.  A basic understanding of how the aquarium works is enough. A Saltwater aquarium is only slightly different from a freshwater aquarium.  The difference is obvious. It has saltwater instead of fresh water.

This saltwater has to be made by mixing salt and water at the right proportion to get the right specific gravity.  This is measured by a hydrometer.

A Saltwater Aquarium

A saltwater aquarium needs more space than a freshwater aquarium as it requires special filtration and  monitoring equipment.  It is better to place it in the centre of the room.

Saltwater fish are used to living in the ocean with limitless space.  Hence, a saltwater aquarium should be bigger.  Each fish should have a per capita area of at least 10 gallons.

A Saltwater aquarium will need some accessories such as lighting, filters, heater and a hydrometer.  The tank should be located near an electrical outlet to draw power for the accessories.

Mix water and salt till you get a salt solution with a specific gravity between 1.021 and 1.025.  The temperature of saltwater is also important as it affects the specific gravity measurement and the salinity.  A temperature of around 27 degrees Celsius should be maintained.

Leave the saltwater overnight with the filtration equipment running.  Check the temperature and the specific gravity the next morning.

If the values are ok, you can proceed with adding the gravel and fixing the decorations and the plants.

You can run the aquarium without the fish for 2 days for the tank to stabilize.

Introduce the fish, two at a time into the tank.

Preparing Artificial Sea Water for Aquariums

A Marine Tank requires periodic water changes. The water for the marine tank can be obtained directly from the sea through aquarium suppliers or can be mixed at home.

Artificial seawater is obtained by mixing marine salt mixes available at your pet store. These mixes contain salts along with the ions and trace elements found in the sea.

The salinity and the specific gravity are two important parameters to be checked before adding the water to the aquarium.

Specific gravity is measured with a hydrometer while salinity is measured with a refractometer.

Wave makers for the Aquarium – An Overview

A Wave maker is a pump which simulates the wave action in a freshwater body or in the sea. Wave makers come in various capacities, sizes. They can also simulate the wave action in different environments such as a freshwater stream or an ocean reef.  Wave makers are usually fitted in marine aquariums where they simulate the natural wave action or the sea.

Organism such as corals and anemones are fixed. They depend on the ocean currents and the waves to bring them the nutrients which they absorb from the water. In the absence of wave action in the aquarium, these organism will not be able to draw sustenance from the environment. A wave maker circulates the water and helps these species get their nutrition

Wave Maker

Wave makers circulate the water and ensures the flow of oxygenated water throughout the aquarium. This ensure that the water does not stay stagnant at any single place.

Stagnant pockets of water in the aquariums result in the accumulation of dirt and detritus in specific locations such as behind rocks or plants. The circulation of water by wave makers ensure that these debris are carried away to the filters and removed.

Aesthetics is another reason for the wave maker. Wave makers give a natural feel the aquarium. The flow of water has a soothing effect on the viewers. Fish also feel more relaxed in a moving water environment.

While wave makers have benefits. They should be properly positioned. The output of the wave maker should not be too strong that it disturbs the aquarium set up and stresses the fish.

Protein Skimmers in the Aquarium 

Protein Skimmers are devices used in marine aquariums to remove unwanted proteins floating in the water. Proteins can originate from decomposing organic matter such as fish waste and plant detritus.

Protein Skimmers work by creating a large air/water interface by using a large

Protein Skimmer

 amount of bubbles which are allowed to pass through a water column. The water bubbles rise to the surface along with the proteins which are attracted to the bubbles. In addition to proteins, these skimmers also remove fatty substances, carbohydrates, bacteria, etc.  The result is a foamy layer of liquid in the skimmer. This foamy layer gets thicker as more and more proteins rise to the surface. This Foamy layer is then removed.

Proteins Skimmers are used in marine aquariums where periodic water changes are not possible. They reduce the load on the main filtration systems.

Protein Skimmers cannot be used in freshwater aquariums as the density of freshwater is lesser than the saltwater of marine tanks. Thus, the fine bubbles which can be created in the marine aquariums for higher air/water interface cannot be created in the freshwater aquarium.

Protein Skimmers can be used in freshwater aquariums which are overstocked. However, these are extremely rare.

Fish Stocking and Managing the population in Aquariums

Keeping the fish population under control is a necessary part of having a good aquarium. While it may seem difficult to get fish to breed in initial stages of an aquarium. Once the right conditions are made available, it is difficult to stop fish from breeding.

Fish breed in large numbers. Live bearers such as guppies and platies give birth to about 15 to 30 young ones while egg-laying fish such as goldfish, bettas produced hundreds of young ones.In the wild, the population is kept in check by natural predators and the scarcity of food. 

However, in the aquarium food is plentiful and predators are absent. Thus, the population will start to increase in the aquariums. Thus, there is no way of keeping the population in check. This results in overcrowding and disease.

Hence, it is necessary to control the population of the aquarium.

Methods of controlling aquarium fish population

There are several methods of keeping the population in check

Selling fish

This is one of the best ways of regulating the number of fish. This also helps you make some money out of your hobby. While newborn fry cannot be sold. Fish that are a few weeks or months old can be sold. If you have space for a few more tanks you can use them to raise the fry.

Keeping the males and females separate

This can be done only if you have more than one tank. Some hobbyists stock their tank with fish belonging to only one gender. This, however, is unnatural and can stress the fish as it disturbs the natural routine.

Introducing one or two large predator fish

Large Predator fish can eat up the small fry. This ensures that only a few number of fish survive.

Decreasing plant cover

Small fish hide in the plants. Removing the plants in your aquarium will result in the small fish getting exposed to predators.

Stocking the Aquarium evenly

Stocking your aquarium evenly is important as it ensures optimum use of the aquarium space and a pleasant viewing experience. Fish live at different levels in the water. Hence, selecting fish which occupy the top, middle and lower level of the aquarium ensures that all the fish have more space. This prevents fights and injuries.

Fish such as hatchetfish, zebra fish are top dwelling fish. Their mouths are upturned as they feed from the surface. 

Fish such as guppies, swordtails, tetras are middle level fish. They swim in the lower levels. Gouramis are also another popular middle level fish. 

Bottom dwelling fish have mouths which are turned downwards. These fish scour the bottom of the tank for food. Examples include loaches, cory catfish and the pictus catfish.

Setting up an Aquarium

Choosing the right location for the aquarium

Locating the aquarium in the right place in your home or office is crucial.  Here are some common tips for selecting the right place for your aquarium.

Place the aquarium at a place where you are likely to spend most of your time.

Placing the aquarium at a place where your spend most of your time ensures that you and those who visit your home enjoy the presence of your aquarium.  If it is placed in a corner where nobody goes, it can tend to get neglected.  At the same time, placing it in the centre of the room can sometimes become an obstruction as it may get in the way.

Ensure that there is adequate space around for maintenance

An aquarium requires periodic maintenance.  These maintenance activities require space for free movement of people and materials.  While choosing the place ensure that there is space around the aquarium.

Ensure the presence of electrical power supply and a water source nearby

An aquarium needs power to operate the aerator and the filter. Ensure that there is a power socket nearby to connect these equipments.  Having a water source nearby makes cleaning a lot easier.

Ensure a level location

An aquarium needs to be placed in a level location.  If it is not placed in a level location, there can be a leak or uneven stress on the tank walls which can result in a breakage.  Use a spirit level to check that the tank is properly leveled.

Keep the Aquarium Away from the Windows

Placing Aquariums near windows may result the water getting heated by sunlight.  Dust can also enter and settle on the tank and its fittings.

Make sure that the floor can bear the weight of an aquarium.

Aquariums can get quite heavy.  Some can weight hundreds of kilograms.  Ensure that the flooring of the building can support the weight.  Talk to an engineer if necessary.

Select the proper aquarium tank size

When it comes to aquarium size, it is always better to have a bigger aquarium. Bigger Aquariums give more space for fish to swim about. You have a wider choice of aquascape designs to be implemented in a bigger aquarium.

Aquariums which are bigger can house more fish and more diverse species. Aquariums which are bigger are also more tolerant of mistakes such as overdosing and delayed maintenance as the water quantity is larger.

While bigger aquariums are better. They are not always feasible.

Smaller aquariums are easier to clean occupy less space and can be placed wherever you want. It is easier for beginners to sustain interest in them.

Many aquarists buy small aquariums and regret not have a slightly bigger one after they are quite established in the hobby.

Get the optimum size for you. Keep in mind the space in your apartment and the number of fish you would like to buy.

If you are a starter, you can begin with a smaller aquarium and then as your fish collection becomes bigger, you can exchange the old aquarium (some pet shops have exchange offers) and get a new bigger one.

Choosing the substrate for your Tank

A substrate is the material at the bottom of the tank. The substrate serves to anchor the plants in the aquarium. It also serves to conceal the uneaten food and dirt at the bottom of the tank.

It also adds to the aesthetics of the tank. Choose a substrate which fits with the scheme of colors in the tank. Some substrate tend to eclipse the fish. The substrate should complement the aquarium and bring out the beauty of the plants and the fish. Look at different types of aquarium and their substrates before deciding a substrate for your aquarium.

There are many different substrates to choose from Gravel and sand are the most common substrates.

Gravel

There are many types of gravel in varying sizes and colors. Gravel is simple and easy to clean. It does not irritate fish, particularly those species which love to scoop the substrate in their mouth. Gravel is available in large and small sizes. Large sizes may create spaces in between in which food and other particles can accumulate. However, larger gravel sizes are easier to clean.

Crushed Coral

Crushed coral has the effect of increasing the pH due to the calcium carbonate which is the primary constituent of shells and corals. This is used for fish species such as cichlids which are used to a higher pH level and hard water in their native environment. Crushed coral should not be used for fish used to a lower pH and soft water such as those from the amazon.

Sand

Sand is used to give a natural look to the aquarium. Sand is ideal for species which like to build nests. Other species such as stingrays like to bury themselves in sand.  There are many different types of sand available.

One of the disadvantages of sand is that it is difficult to clean. When siphoning the aquarium, sand gets vacuumed along with the dirt.

Sand also tends to compact over a period of time. This 'caking' effect needs to be periodically broken to ensure a fine texture.

Peat

Peat is made of decomposed vegetable matter. Peat is the natural substrate in many parts of the amazonia from which most tropical fish hail. Hence, if you want an aquarium mimicking the amazon basin, you can consider Peat. Peat tends to color the water slightly brown. Peat has good anti-microbial properties and is ideal for live plants.

There are also many other artificial substrate which are fertilized to support live plants. These can be purchased at your nearest pet store.

Two Friends

It was the first day of the year.  The students were excited to be in the new class. Manoj was one of the students in the class.  He, like all others, had been promoted to the 9th grade.  He was a very intelligent and hardworking student. In the class, he used to sit in the first row and was attentive in all his classes.  His friend Ramesh, though intelligent, was playful and mischievous in class.  He was an average student.

Soon, the class teacher entered the class and the students stood up to greet her.  She was a young lady who looked kindly at the students.  After the introduction was over, the teacher started with the lessons right away.  The first class of the day was Maths.  Maths was Manoj’s favourite subject. Manoj would solve the problems faster than anyone else.  He knew almost all the formulae and knew when to apply them.  The teacher was happy to see such an intelligent boy in class.  She praised Manoj in front of everybody.

Ramesh, however, did not concentrate in class.  He spent most of his time daydreaming.  He formed a group of friends who were like him.  He would play with those friends in the evening when Manoj would be studying.  Soon, his studies were affected.  The teacher noticed that Ramesh was not performing well and pointed it out to him.  But, Ramesh did not listen. 

Soon, the term exams came.  Manoj stood first in almost all the subjects.  The teachers were proud of him.  Ramesh did not perform well.  He failed in many subjects.  The class teacher, who had earlier warned Ramesh was angry at him.  The teacher scolded him in front of the whole class.  Ramesh was sullen and depressed for over a week. 

Manoj tried to help his friend.  He talked to Ramesh.  He offered to sit with him and help him in the difficult topics.  But Ramesh was not interested.  He went back to his playful ways and loitered about with his friends.

His performance fell even worse in the next exam.  Gradually, Ramesh began to feel jealous of Manoj.  He hated to see all the teachers praise him.  All the boys in class looked up to him as a leader.  He felt left out of the class.  Soon, the friendship between Manoj and Ramesh grew cold.  Manoj noticed the change in his friend and tried to sort out the issues.  But Ramesh did not respond.  He was happy with his new set of friends – boys like him who did not study well and played all the time.

Ramesh grew even more jealous of Manoj when he was made the class leader.  All the students clapped when the teacher made the announcement but not Ramesh.  Ramesh felt angry at the teacher and his classmates.  He felt all the more angry and alone when he failed in all the subjects in the next exam.  The teacher and the school principal were disappointed at his performance.

Ramesh came to school the next day with a long face.  All his classmates began to avoid him.  He felt all the more jealous of Manoj when someone praised him.  One day an evil idea came to his mind.  Rahul was a boy who sat next to Manoj.   Rahul’s was from a rich family.   Ramesh decided to put his wicked plan into action.  The next day was Wednesday.  Every Wednesday, the boys had a session on physical education.  They would have to go to the playground to perform some exercises.

The next day, the boys left the class to go to the play ground.  Ramesh, deliberately, waited until the other boys had gone.  He then crept across the classroom to where Rahul was sitting.  Ramesh had planned to take Rahul’s wallet and to hide it in Manoj’s schoolbag.  When Rahul would find his bag missing, he would tell the teacher, a search would be organized and the wallet would be found in Manoj’s bag.  Manoj would be called a thief, humiliated and shunned by everyone.  That was what Ramesh wanted.

 Ramesh crept across the classroom.  He checked to see if anyone was looking.  He opened Rahul’s bag and took out his wallet.  He then went to Manoj’s bag opened it and was about to put it in his bag when Manoj entered the class room.  The sports teacher had asked him to fetch a register from the cupboard.    Manoj was shocked to see what had been done.  He was angry.  Ramesh was shocked that he had been exposed.  He knew that Manoj was the class leader and could haul him up before the school teacher and the principal.  His future would be ruined if the school were to expel him.

Ramesh broke into tears and confessed to everything he had planned.  He begged Manoj to forgive him and not to tell anyone of what he had seen.  Manoj embraced Ramesh.  “I have always thought of you as my friend”, he said, “I forgive you”.  Ramesh felt ashamed of himself.  He put the wallet back in Rahul’s bag.   Manoj made Ramesh sit with him the front bench and helped him in his studies.  Soon, Ramesh’s grades began to improve.  Ramesh came to admire Manoj even more and the two boys became good friends once again.

Children, this story tells us about the damage jealousy can cause to friendship.  We should always love our friends and be happy at their successes.  This story also teaches us to be forgiving when our friends wrong us.

The Wolf and the little Kids

Once upon a time there lived a goat called Sheetal.  Sheetal made her home the forest of Ranjvan.  She lived there with her six children.  She grazed in the sweet grass which grew in the meadows.  In the evenings, she returned home. The little ones were the pride and joy of her life.

The forest was home to many predators.  Among them was Chandru, the wolf.  A wild and wicked creature, the wolf would devour any small animal which came across its path.

Sheetal was also scared of the wolf, particularly since she had her kids.  She had found a small cave at the foot of a hill.  She made a cosy and warm house inside for her family.

Every day, when she left in the morning to graze in the forest, here heart skipped a beat as she thought of her children.  She warned them about the dangerous wolf.  The little ones were too young to understand the full meaning of what she said. But they sensed that there was danger outside.  “Never open the door, children, to anyone when I am away”, she told them.   “Yes, Mamma”, the young ones nodded.  They looked so sweet and innocent.  The mother sadly bid good bye and went away into the forest.

A couple of hours later, there was loud knock on the door.  The youngest of the lot went to open the door.  But the eldest kid, Sonu sensed something amiss.  She went and pulled the young kid back. “That is not our mamma”, she said,” she would not be home so soon”.  After a short silence, there was a knock in the door. “I am your mamma, darlings. Open the door”, said a voice.  But the voice was rough and hoarse very much unlike the soft and sweet of their mother.

“You are not our mother”, the young kids said,” she does not have such a rough voice”.  The wolf was angry that his ruse had been discovered.  Frantically, he banged the door.    The kids feared that the door would give way any minute. But the door was a strong one.

Frustrated, the wolf walked back and forth in front of the cave. Sheetal had made a chimney to allow the smoke to escape from the kitchen when she was cooking.  It was a small opening.  As he was pacing in front, the wolf saw it.

He tried to jump but could not reach it.  Finally, he hit upon an idea.  He dug up mud near the cave and piled it up into a mound.  Standing on the mound, he jumped on to the opening.   As he   was trying to squeeze in, the tin pipe which was connected to the chimney gave a rattling noise.  The kids were frightened.  The wolf had returned.  They did not know what to do.

Sonu had an idea.  Entering the kitchen, she lit the stove and threw in some coals.  Soon, the hot embers were glowing.  She placed them below the opening into the chimney.

The wolf, meanwhile, was squeezing itself into the narrow pipe.  Sonu, reassured her siblings.  She put the next part of the plan to action.  Now that the wolf was inside the chimney pipe, she went and opened the door.  As he emerged out of the pipe, the wolf fell right on the smouldering coals.  The hot coals singed his fur and burnt him.  He yelped in great pain.  But he could not get out.  The little kids ran out of the cave.  Sonu quickly shut the door, locking the wolf inside.  She took his siblings and hid inside a bush near the cave.  When Sheetal returned in the evening, the kids narrated what had happened.  Sheetal was shocked.  She was full of praise for Sonu.

Now that the wolf was inside, Sheetal went around to her friends, the other goats in the forest.  She saw an opportunity to settle this once and for all.  The other goats too had suffered at the hands of the wolf.  The wolf had eaten many of their kids.  They came in a large herd to the cave.  The wolf had managed to get out of the fire.  He was in the living room.

Sheetal now opened the door.  At her signal, all the goats rushed inside.  The wolf did not know what was going on.  The angry goats fell upon the wolf and pierced him with their sharp horns.  Attacked by so many, the wolf did not stand a chance.  He bled to death at that very place.

That was the end of the wicked wolf.  Sheetal lived with her kids in peace.  The kids grew up into fine and beautiful goats.

Children, this story tell us to be careful and follow the instructions our parents give us for our safety.  It also teaches us the importance of being calm and taking quick decisions in the face of danger.

The Wolf and the Little Deer

One upon a time there lived a small deer in a jungle.  The poor animal was an orphan.  Its mother had died a short while after he was born.

However, the little deer had managed to survive. He had found a small patch of grassland near a stream. The area was walled off  by sharp rocks and thorny bushes.  There was a narrow entrance through the rocks.

There was a wolf in the jungle.  The wolf was a mean and dangerous creature -a ruthless predator who would not spare any small animal he could get his paws on.    He chanced upon the rocky area while wandering in search of prey.   His sharp nose soon picked up scent of the little animal.  The poor deer was fast asleep in its shelter.

The wolf came closer and looked at the deer.  The deer, oblivious to the danger, was sleeping peacefully.  The wolf was disappointed to see that the deer was small.  He thought that he could feast on him.  But this little animal had only skin and bones.  He would provide very little meat.

The wolf hit upon a plan.  “I will fatten this animal for a few months”, he said to himself, “then, when he is plump enough, I will have him for food.”  The wolf stayed there while the deer slept.

It was evening when the deer awoke.  As he looked around, he was terrified to see the wolf.  The poor animal had never seen a wolf before with its sharp fangs and angry gaze.  The wolf sensed this.  He quickly put on a deceptive smile on his face.

“Little One! Do not be afraid.  I am not here to harm you.  I am only here to help you.”, he said.  The little deer was confused.  The wolf went on,”Your mother appeared in my dream yesterday and told me to take care of you.  She also showed this place where you live.  That is how I found you.”  Hearing this, the deer began to trust the wolf.  The wolf was pleased.

“Thank You, so much for your kindness”, the deer said.  The wolf gave a wicked grin.  From then on, the innocent deer began to trust the wolf completely.  The wolf took the deer along through the jungle.  He took him to places where there was plenty of grass.  The deer enjoyed the company of the wolf.  He was thankful for the wolf’s supposed kindness.

The other animals of the jungle observed the strange relationship of the wolf and the little deer.  The had never seen anything like this before.  The wolf would accompany the little deer almost everywhere.  The peacock was also observing this.  He was a kind bird.  He had lived in the forest for many years.  He knew that the wolf had some wicked plan.

One day, when the little deer was alone, the peacock flew down and perched beside him.  “Be careful, little one!”, the bird said, “The wolf is a wicked animal.  Do not trust him.”  The little deer was bewildered.  “The wolf is kind to me and helps me”, he thought, “How could he be wicked”.

A few weeks later, a rabbit which lived in the forest gave the same warning to the little deer.  He, too, had been observing the wolf.

By now, the deer had grown bigger.  The wolf was observing the deer greedily.  The deer had noticed the strange glances.  He wondered what the wolf was thinking.  He thought about the warnings had had received.  Soon, he understood that the wolf had some other plan regarding him.  He began to observe the wolf more closely.  The more he observed the more he became convinced that something was amiss.

The deer was getting fatter day by day.  The wolf began to sense that the time was right.  He began to put the final part of his plan to action.

One day, the deer was grazing atop a cliff.  The grass there was particularly sweet.  The wolf came near the deer with a  fake smile.  He came slowly towards the deer.  The deer began to sense danger.

The wolf came near and pounced on the deer.  But the alert deer deftly stepped aside.  The wolf lost his balance and tumbled over the cliff and fell into the deep valley below.  That was the end of the wicked wolf.

The deer was shaken by the sudden turn of events.  He went back to the forest and thanked the animals for their warning.  He lived there for many  years in peace.

Children, this story teaches us not to trust anyone blindly.  We must always be careful when people seem too friendly or helpful.  If we observe anything strange we must pay attention and talk to our parents or teachers.