There are different forms of lupus and the rashes differ due to the type. The lupus rash from acute cutaneous lupus has a shape that has been called the butterfly rash. If you tend to use tanning salons or sunbathe the rash may become even more prominent, so be careful about this. The rash is usually pink or red in color. One thing that is a comfort is that it usually won’t result in scarring. Since the cheek and nose areas is quite visible, this can be a great relief. Some people have a flat form of the rash, for others the rash is raised.

A second form of lupus can be discoid with scales on the face and scalp areas. Itching is a common complaint for this type of rash, especially around the ear areas. This is important to treat because it can lead to permanent hair loss as well as some skin discoloration. Babies can get neonatal lupus and in appearance it looks like circles with scales. Some say this is due to sun exposure. A popular name for this form of lupus is called LE. If the case is widespread, adults may be prescribed hydroxychloroquine for relief.

For treatment, many start with creams before considering steroids. Steroids are injected for discoid lupus for some patients. Because lupus is an auto-immune disease, stress can play a large factor. There may be additional symptoms such as a mild fever, joint pain and muscle aches. Seeing a physician is important and remember that there are many ways that a lupus rash can appear so don’t just go by pictures and images you find on the internet.

1. Mutual Trust: If trust does not exist, caring is limited. When the relationship is tested by the stress of life, it will not hold up. If you cannot be honest with a friend, co-worker, family member, lover, or spouse, this places severe limitations on communication.

2. Freedom: Some relationships are like prison sentences. You cannot have a healthy relationship, when one or both parties are trying to establish control, demanding, or placing unrealistic expectations on each other.At the same time, both parties should never feel trapped. A healthy relationship is not a form of confinement. When a relationship is consistently unhealthy, both parties should be free to withdraw or part company.

3. Acceptance: A relationship must be taken at face value. To be happy with what you have is a form of Santosha (contentment). You have every right to correct your children and teach them good manners, but trying to change a friend puts a strain on both parties.

If one person has a “check list” for another to fulfill, there will never be happiness in the relationship. Some people feel that their spouse must think, speak, and act, according to their standards. The irony is that we would feel very bored if everyone agreed with us all the time.During your next Yoga session, when you begin to meditate, it would be healthy to contemplate a relationship that could use some extra care. What can you do to improve it? What should you avoid doing? Why do you want to improve it?The actions you take should be ethical and rooted in mutual benefit. It is one thing to improve yourself from within, but it quite another to be patient, avoid conflict, spread happiness, and be tolerant of others.Always remember that you can influence relationships on a daily basis. Yoga practice teaches us to put our ego in the “back seat.” Take the time for self-realization and bring healthy solutions to your relationships.

Threadfin Butterflyfish or Chaetodon auriga belong to the family Chaetodontidae which is comprised of 120 species in 10 different genera. This family is more commonly referred to as butterflyfish. This species is native to the indo-Pacific. Populations can be found throughout the Red Sea, as far north as Japan down the entire length of East Africa to as far south of Lord Howe Island situated southeast of Australia. Its natural habitat also extends from the Red Sea to the Hawaiian Islands. These fish occupy depths from surface level to approximately 100 feet.This is by far one of the most exotic butterflyfish marketed by the aquarium trade. It has a white, slightly elongated snout with a black vertical bar from its eyes to the bottom of its head. Its predominantly white body is striated with a pattern of ascending and descending oblique grey lines. This white and grey patterning darkens to a grey or black on yellow on the upper part of its posterior. Dorsal, anal and caudal fins are bright yellow. As it matures, this species develops a trailing filament on the back of its dorsal fin that extends passed it tail fin. This long tread-like extension is why they are called threadfins. This species frequently has an eyespot on the back of its dorsal fin. This false eye is not generally present on specimens from the Red Sea. In Hawaii this fish is called Kapuhili. It is often sold under the names Auriga Butterflyfish, and Cross-Stripe Butterflyfish.This is one of the best all around choices among butterflyfish for a community tank. It is hardier than most butterflies and comes with an easy care rating. Many butterflyfish are recommended for only expert level aquarists. This species can be raised by more novice hobbyists. Threadfins grow can grow up to 9 inches in length as adults and require a minimum tank size of 75 gallons. This species makes a wonderful addition to fish-only tanks but is not suitable for marine reef aquariums.

Most butterfly species are classified in the semi aggressive category. This particular species is of a more docile nature. They are quite shy for butterflyfish and will require plenty of hiding places. They will however display aggressive behavior toward conspefics (members of their own species) and fish of similar color pattern. Multiples can be kept in larger aquariums if introduced simultaneously, preferably as juveniles. A male-female couple will often forage for food separately and then perform a greeting display upon reuniting. They will spend most of their time swimming in close proximity of one another. The threadfin’s easy care rating and mild mannered temperament has made them one of the most popular butterflies in home aquariums.This is an omnivorous species. In its natural habitat its diet includes; sessile invertebraes, most large polyp stony coral polyps, feather dusters and fanworms and algae.In an aquarium it should be provided with plenty of live rock to graze on. In exchange it will perform the service of ridding your live rock of aiptasia anemones. Most aquarists consider this species a pest. They are quite frequently accidentally introduced to an aquarium with the addition of live rock. Once present they are notoriously hard to get rid of. If your aquarium suffers from aiptasia infestation you should consider purchasing a threadfin.These fish are not picky eaters. They will readily accept common variety food fare. They will also consume food preparations not intended for them. This is fine as long as their total consumption is a well balanced combination of plant, animal and algae matter. Dried algae sheets, chopped broccoli and asparagus are good supplements.As with most butterflyfish, this species is a sequential hermaphrodite. The introduction of two juveniles into an aquarium will result in a male-female pair. This fish seldom breeds in captivity.

]]> http://www.butterflycares.org/tips-on-threadfin-butterflyfish-care/feed/ 0 http://www.butterflycares.org/how-to-get-a-beautiful-lawn/ http://www.butterflycares.org/how-to-get-a-beautiful-lawn/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:00:27 +0000 yuki http://www.butterflycares.org/?p=26 Getting your lawn looking at its best takes a lot of hard work and all year round. The beautiful green grass that you see in some of the magazine takes a little more than the odd mowing.To get the best out of your lawn is a year round job which starts from March to May when the lawn needs to be fertilised. The best type of fertiliser is a temperature activated slow release type which is applied to give your lawn an attractive early colour and it also kick starts the growth for the following season. The first mowing of the lawn should not be too short. You want to leave about a third of the grass so that the plant can feed down to the roots. As the summer comes along you should gradually cut the lawn shorter.Between May to July grass needs a good herbicide which is a type of weed killer that targets all types of weeds in your lawn. This will improve the appearance of the grass and also the health of it. If this doesn’t kill all of the weeds you can use a few applications of this herbicide.

The months between July and September you should use a summer fertiliser. For the best results use only a high quality temperature activated fertiliser. This will continue to feed and nourish your lawn strengthening the roots for the rest of the summer.From September right through to February a winter fertiliser needs to be added. This is a special treatment which utilises a high iron content feed which gives grass an excellent winter colour and also helps to control the build up of any moss. There is also micro nutrients in this fertiliser which will help to harden the grass plant and encourage deep rooting which is essential for maintaining healthy green grass right through to spring.That is the feeding side of lawn care covered but there are also other treatments which add to giving grass that professional look and this is scarifying. Scarifying should be done in either Autumn or Spring and it is where spinning blades from a professional scarifier remove dead organic matter and moss from the surface of your grass.

Aeration is another Autumn or Spring specialist treatment which aids the lawn giving it a lush green colour. Aeration removes small plugs of soil and thatch from the top of your grass relieving compaction and aiding the flow of nutrients, air and water to the roots of your lawn. This means the food fertiliser you give the lawn all year gets to the roots of the grass making it even more effective.Irrigation and drainage is needed if your grass is repeatedly getting wet and water-logged in winter. We use a very effective pipe and gravel systems which will remove excess surface and sub-surface water to allow the ground to breathe again and encourage healthy green grass growth.All of these treatments you can do yourself if you have the time. But if your lawn is very large and you don’t have enough time but can afford help you can get a lawn care company to do all of the above. This is exactly what a professional lawn company will know about and do year round. So if you want a green lawn like you see in the movies or in the glossy magazines, this is what you need to do.

]]> http://www.butterflycares.org/how-to-get-a-beautiful-lawn/feed/ 0 http://www.butterflycares.org/tips-on-banded-butterflyfish-care-and-spawning/ http://www.butterflycares.org/tips-on-banded-butterflyfish-care-and-spawning/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:19:34 +0000 yuki http://www.butterflycares.org/?p=34 The banded butterflyfish or Chaetodon striatus belongs to the family Chaetodontidae. They are native to the Atlanatic Ocean form Massachusetts to Brazil, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico. These are shallow marine reef dwellers frequently inhabiting depths from of 3 to 55 meters.The fish was first classified by Carolus Linnaeus in 1758. Chaetodontidae means bristle-tooth. Striatus refers to the fish’s thick black vertical stripes. There are three of these stripes, two on both sides and a third extending from their dorsal fin to their caudal peduncle. These flat, disk shaped fish have a silver body with black pectoral fins and a shot pointed snout. They typically grow to length of 5-6.5 inches. They will live five to seven years.Juveniles look different than adults. They have a large black ring with a dark spot in the middle that resembles an eye on their bodies. This artificial eye tends to confuse would-be predators. The spot fades away as they mature. Juveniles are also a different color than adults. They are brownish yellow in color. This may be a means of protective camouflage while they are young and too small to defend themselves against attack.The banded butterflyfish is known by various other names including; banded mariposa, butterbum, butterflyfish, Portuguese butterfly, and school mistress.Banded butterflies are frequently found in pairs. Pairing occurs early in life and has been observed to last for periods of time, suggesting that this is a monogamous species.

This fish is a perfect choice for beginning saltwater aquarists. They are a docile species whose habitation of marine reefs lends to their peaceful cohabitation with other species. It is best to raise them in pairs. They are not good candidates for reef aquariums. It would be the equivalent to giving them free tickets to an all you can eat buffet.This is a diurnal species. They are active during the day and rest at night. They will seek shelter from night predators such as moray eels and sharks when the sun starts to go down.This species is not harvested for human consumption. It is, however, harvested for the aquarium industry.In the wild banded butterflies eat polychaete worms, coral polyps, crustaceans and mollusk eggs. They frequently pick the parasites off of other fish such as grunts and surgeon fish. Adults also feast on the plankton columns common to marine reefs. They will also pick at the ocean floor in search of food.In an aquarium they will eat most of the commercially available marine fish foods. They generally will not turn their nose up at Marine fish flakes or freeze-dried food products.Banded Butterflyfish Breeding Courtship rituals between a pair of banded butterflies are long and energetic. It begins buy the fish circling each other until one fish eventually breaks the pattern and runs. They will then start chasing each other all around the reef. Intruders to the courtship are quickly chased away. Spawning occurs at dusk. The female will release up to 4000 eggs. The eggs will hatch within a day.The larvae of these fish, referred to as tholichthys, are specific to the butterflyfish. Tholichthys are incased in bony armor-like plates that extend backwards from their heads. Once they are a few days old they will settle on the bottom of the reef overnight. The next morning the will emerge as fully developed juveniles.

Pyramid butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys polylepis) are members of the family Chaetodontidae. This family consists of over 120 species in 10 genera. Pyramids make their home in the Central Pacific and eastern Indian Oceans. Their habitat ranges form the Great Barrier Reef north to Japan and east to Hawaii. Large shoals of this species congregate around outer reef areas near oceanic drops-offs in depths from 10 to 200. Pyramids are medium size fish. They can reach an adult length of up to 7 inches. They are narrow in width with a roughly triangularly shaped profile. This fish’s name derives from the white pyramid that begins on the underbellies on both side of their bodies and terminates just below their dorsal fin. They have a white and yellow color palette with white caudal fins. Juveniles have yellow heads. As the fish mature this yellow will darken to a brown or a deep purplish brown in color. Pyramids are frequently sold by retailers under the name Yellow Zoster Butterfly.

Butterflyfish are reputed to be hard to maintain. They are notoriously unsuitable for marine reef tanks. The pyramid falls into neither of these categories. Pyramids have a moderate rather than difficult care level and are considered reef safe provided they have an adequate food supply. This is a superbly adaptable species. These fish will acclimate quickly to their new surroundings and will thrive under a variety of conditions. This is not a quarrelsome species. They lack the innate aggression present in many butterflyfish but are assertive enough to be housed with semi-aggressive tank mates. They are not prone to hunger strikes when first introduced to a new aquarium and will readily accept common variety fish foods. Pyramids have been reported to live up to 12 years in captivity.

This is a shoaling species and should not be kept as a solitary specimen. A group of no less than four is recommended. They will not squabble amongst themselves or with other members of the community if they are housed in spacious surroundings with adequate hiding places. A 100 gallon or larger tank will provide them with the room they need to feel at home.Pyramid butterflies are omnivorous. In their natural habitat they are primarily planktonic feeders. The water columns they derive their nutrition from in the wild are comprised of minuscule and microscopic crustaceans, plants, algae, archaea and bacteria. In captivity pyramids are not finicky eaters. They will eat flake food and pellets. As with any marine specimen a varied diet will maintain general health, color and vigor. Frozen and freeze dried food preparations that contain a good percentage of algae are adequate supplements. Vitamin enriched brine and mysis shrimp should also be on the menu. Dried algae sheets will help insure that these fish do not suffer from nutritional deficiencies. Pyramids should be fed 2-3 times daily. An adequate supply of well established living rock will provide them with healthy snack food between feedings. An underfed pyramid may resort to nibbling on Xenia and other soft corals.

The decorations with butterfly works are very popular these days. These are in the form of art works, pictures, photos, butterfly houses, shadow boxes, and framed butterflies. Framed butterflies are those decorative pieces in which real butterflies are framed and displayed as a piece of art. The beauty of the whole display lies in the beauty of the butterfly and the frame. Framing butterflies require a lot of attention and care. These are often done by professionally trained people. But if you wish, you can make your own framed butterfly display as well. The perfection to it lies in spreading out the wings cautiously, symmetrically, and without causing any damages to it.Framed butterflies are considered as beautiful pieces of art owing to the beauty of the creature. Generally, the colours on the wings do not fade off. You must keep it without exposure to direct sunlight. If kept in a cool and dry place, the framed display will last as new for decades together.The butterflies to be framed commercially are not caught from the nature and framed. They are raised in butterfly farms for the purpose of sale and framing. And it is often the very common species of butterflies that are used for the framing purpose. Rare species of butterflies are not used in the framing purpose. If rare butterfly frames are available, they will be very costly.Some people create butterfly frames on their own. For this they find dead butterflies, catch them, or buy them online. The wings will have to be spread out very carefully without causing any harm as it is very fragile. You can use see through tapes, thin wires and threads to secure the butterfly, with the wings spread out, in place. Spreading out the wings symmetrically is the time consuming part. It is also good, if you have somebody to help, as the wings may curl up during the spreading out process.

Buying framed butterflies is not that costly. Once you buy, it will last for very long. The frames are available in wood, metals, plastic, and other materials. Some stores allow you to choose the butterfly, frame, and background, so that a custom order can be placed. Once the order is placed, everything is put together to make the beautiful framed butterfly. You can use it as part of your room decoration or gift it to somebody who loves butterflies or framed collections.Framed butterfly displays can be found at both online and physical stores. The cost varies depending on the species of the butterfly, frame, and other materials used for the decorative purposes. If you are ordering your framed butterfly online, shipping charges also will apply. This can vary depending on the country and weight of the shipment.Framed butterfly is a very good gifting and decorating idea. It would be better if you learn about the species of the butterfly and its other aspects.

The design of your butterfly garden is a matter of personal preference. Things to consider are the size of your garden and the types of flowers and plants you want to grow. Pick a style of garden that you like the most, but ensure it also contains the plants and flowers that appeal to the butterflies you wish to attract. It is prudent to find out which plants and flowers will attract the species of butterflies that live in your area. This information can be found at the local library.

When planting your butterfly garden, be careful how you coordinate the colors for your flowerbeds. Although butterflies do not care much about your choice of color, you don’t want your garden to be a medley of unrelated colors and textures. Butterflies are attracted to those flowers that have nectar rather than pollen, like honeysuckle, milkweed, summer lilac, Valerian, daisies, Purple Coneflower, Yellow Sage, day lilies and lavender.

Some people find it helpful to draw a layout and define the color schema of their butterfly flower gardening plan to see what the finished product would look like. Keep in mind that warm colors like red and orange are flashy and showy. These colors have a greater impact against a strong green background. Cool colors such as blue and purple are soothing and toned down and would work better with a white contrast to create the look of freshness and brightness.

Yellow longnose butterflyfish or Forcipiger flavissimus belong to the family Chaetodontidae. This family is comprised of 120 species in 10 genera and encompasses all butteflyfish as well as bannerfish and coralfish. This species habitat extends from the Red Sea throughout the Indo-Pacific and east to the Hawaiian Islands. They are not as common to Hawaii but a significant populace exists near the island of Maui. This fish has one of the longest names in the Hawaiian language: La-u wi-li-wi-li nu-ku-nu-ku ‘o-i ‘o-i. The translation breaks down to; (lau) leaf, wili-wili (tree), (nu-ku nu-ku) nose, (‘oi-’oi) long sharp.The name itself, longnose butterflyfish implies a fish of unique proportions. And thus is the case. From the tip of its long snout to the base of it caudal fin, this fish’s body and fin structure forms the general shape of a triangle. Their dorsal fins are split into a series of feather like projections that look very much like a Mohawk. This fish is bright yellow in color with a white triangle from its snout to the bottom of its head and a silver triangle from its eyes to the top of its head. There is a white patch directly below the pectoral fins. The color palette is further accent in black. They have markings around their eyes and just behind the silver triangle with a black “false eye” at the top of their anal fin. Their caudal fins are typically transparent.

These fish have moderate care levels and benign attitudes. They make an excellent choice for amateur to moderately experienced aquarists. These exotic beauties are a longtime favorite among saltwater aquarium owners. They will mix well with other peace loving fish in a multi-species environment. In nature they are most often found in pairs. Longnose pairs will vigorously defend their territories in the confines of an aquarium. This species is not well suited for marine reef set ups. They will grow to an adult length of as long as 9 inches. An aquarium with a minimum 75 gallon capacity is recommended. You should also provide them with plenty of hiding places as well as wide open areas to swim in. These fish have an amusing habit of swimming upside down near the surface of the water when they are comfortable with their surroundings.This is a carnivorous, foraging species. In nature they use their elongated snouts to poke down in the nooks and crannies of rocks and reef formations in search of small invertebrates. Their diet consists largely of tubeworms including; feather dusters, fan, coco, and spaghetti worms.In an aquarium setting you will want to provide them with an abundance of living rock for snack food in between meals. They have been known to nibble on coral and urchins in the absence of an adequate food supply. A well fed longnose will generally leave them alone.This species may demonstrate a reluctance to eat when first introduced to an aquarium. Should this prove the case, try tempting them with mysis or brine shrimp. Tubiflex and bloodworms may also entice them to begin feeding. A good trick to get them to accept non-living food items is by wedging it into the cracks and crevices of rocks for them to forage. Once they have been properly acclimated to life in captivity they will readily accept most food preparations formulated for carnivorous marine species. To maintain body weight and overall fit and vigor you will want to feed your longnose two to three times a day.

Serrapeptase is an enzyme the silkworm moth employs to dissolve its tough, proteinaceous cocoon in order to break free to the outside world. It’s now produced in nice sterile labs without the involvement of any insects, and potentially offers humans a similar liberation from quite a long list of ailments which have unneeded, non-living protein as a contributing or causative factor.

That means serrapeptidase positively impacts inflammation (acute as well as chronic), edema, pain, blood clots, fibroids, cysts, scar tissue of all types, mucous, and even arterial blockage. Within these categories are dozens and dozens of human complaints which could show improvement — have shown improvement in clinical studies. while it may not work for everyone, millions of people nevertheless could find themselves pain free, their arteries unclogged, their arthritis relieved, their lungs cleared, their scar tissue dissolved, their fibroids and cysts eliminated, etc., all thanks to serrapaptase benefits.

For inflammation alone, serrapeptase looms as an extremely helpful potential ally when you consider the fact that chronic internal inflammation is now understood as instrumental in virtually all our degenerative health problems from heart and artery disease to diabetes to Alzheimer’s and many more.

Serrapeptase has been known, studied and widely prescribed in Europe and Asia for the better part of 30 years. It was introduced to the United States in the late 1990s but not many people have heard of it yet. It’s said to be a standard for care in Germany, where one of its early promoters, Dr. Hans Nieper, used it for chelation of clogged arteries and found it faster and more effective than EDTA. Where time and other conditions allow, imagine being able to take a plaque-reducing course of serrapeptase rather than waiting your turn to go under the knife.