12 Ivory

Ivory is an off-white color resembling the color of egg shells. Ivory roses symbolize grace and charm. If you know someone who has those traits, these flowers can make a wonderful gift for them. They’re usually given to people you care about without romantic intentions. Some people also view these roses as elegant and perfect.

13 Pearl

Pearl roses look similar to white and ivory. They’re a symbol of thoughtfulness and perfection. They’re a great way to let someone know you’re thinking of them without any romantic feelings involved.

14 Cream

Cream roses share meanings with both ivory and pearl roses. Thus, they symbolize charm and thoughtfulness. Like the other off-white colors, they’re a great way to show platonic appreciation for someone.

15 Lavender

Lavender roses often symbolize wonder and enchantment. They can be used to portray a special love, such as the kind that only happens once in a lifetime. They represent all the splendor and mystery that true love brings.

16 Purple

Purple roses are a sign of passion and infatuation. People who give purple roses are likely expressing their lasting feelings in a relationship and searching for a deeper connection. Purple roses are less intense versions of red roses, so they may lead to new relationship milestones.

17 Blue

Since blue roses don’t exist in nature, they represent mystery and uniqueness. They symbolize something that is impossible or unattainable. They are often given to someone as a way to tell them to dream big and never give up.

18 Green

Green is one of the most common colors in nature, so green roses symbolize growth and abundance. They’re also a sign of good news and new beginnings. They can be used to encourage or congratulate someone.

19 Mint

Mint is a more playful version of green. So, these roses usually represent cheerfulness and new beginnings. Like green roses, they’re used to cheer on someone during a new milestone in their lives.

20 Black

Like blue roses, black roses don’t occur naturally. So, they’re a rare and mysterious find. They usually symbolize death and mourning, so they’re a common decoration for funerals. On a more positive note, they could be a sign of a new beginning or a big change in life.

21 Multicolored

Any rose that has more than one color on it, such as rainbow roses or a mix of blue and pink, could fall into this category. Multicolored roses usually share a combination of meanings. For example, if a rose has red and yellow, it could be given to a friend you’ve developed romantic feelings for. Multicolored roses are usually vibrant, so they’re great for party decorations.

22 Assortment of Colors

Sometimes, you may receive more than one rose color. This is another way to convey multiple rose meanings at once. However, there’s not always a deeper meaning to a mixture of roses. In some cases, it’s just a vibrant decoration for a celebration. They’re a good gift for someone who wants beautiful flowers without having to worry about a deeper meaning.

Source: color-meanings.com

Thinking of buying roses for someone this Valentine’s Day or maybe expecting to receive roses?  This article details the meaning of the color of roses and what they “say” or what the sender wants them to say. 

From: Color-Meaning.com:

Buying flowers for someone can be a stressful process because there’s a chance they may misunderstand your intentions. Many people perceive giving roses as a romantic gesture, but not every color of rose is seen as a gift of deep love. So, what does each rose color mean? Understanding different roses may help you choose the best type to give someone.

Do Roses Come in Every Color?

“Roses are red” is what we’re used to hearing, but it’s not always true. They may not be the most colorful flowers in the world, but roses can come in all sorts of colors, including multi-colored varieties. Shades of red will always be the most common, but there are plenty of other natural colors roses can be. If a rose can’t be produced in a certain color, sellers may dye the flower to give it a desirable hue. The only colors that you won’t find naturally in roses are blue and black. Even though other flowers can naturally be blue, blue doesn’t exist in the rose gene pool. Some flowers can have black pigments, but no flower can be completely black naturally.

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Rose Color Meanings

Roses typically symbolize love and romance, but the color of the rose could change that meaning. So, let’s take a look at what 22 different rose colors mean.

1 Red

2 Light Pink

Roses come in many shades of pink, each with different meanings. Light pink is often a sign of innocence and appreciation. They’re a great gift for a family member or close friend to show that they’re important to you. They may also symbolize joy and gentleness.

3 Medium Pink

Most pink roses are a symbol of grace and femininity. They may also be associated with gratitude. They’re often used to decorate celebrations, and they can be given as a way to congratulate someone.

4 Dark Pink

Dark pink is a gentler version of red. Instead of passionate love, it represents a form of admiration and gratitude. Deep pink roses are often given to people to let them know you appreciate them, and they can be given for any type of love, whether it’s family, friends, or a partner.

5 Burgundy

Burgundy roses are similar to red roses, but they’re slightly darker. Thus, they’re a sign of passion and devotion. They’re almost always given as a gift to a significant other. These roses are viewed as stunning and beautiful.

6 Peach

Peach roses are often given to someone as a sign of thanks and appreciation. They’re a down-to-earth way to show someone that you’re grateful for them. Some people may also give them to a loved one when expressing sympathy.

7 Salmon

Salmon roses aren’t quite red, and they’re more vibrant than peach. They’re a sign of excitement and desire. They let the receiver know that you’re thrilled to be spending time with them.

8 Coral

Coral is similar to salmon, and it shares many of the same meanings. It’s a sign of enthusiasm and desire, so it’s a fun alternative to red roses.

9 Orange

Orange is one of the most vibrant rose colors you can buy. These flowers symbolize fascination and energy. Like similar colors, they can also be a sign of desire, excitement, and enthusiasm. They’re perfect for people who love when attention is drawn toward them.

10 Yellow

Yellow roses are a symbol of friendship and joy, so they should be given to friends and family rather than romantic partners. In the Victorian Era, yellow roses were a sign of jealousy and envy, but over time, they changed to mean the opposite. These flowers are the perfect way to tell someone they’re a great friend.

11 White

White roses symbolize new love and innocence. They’re also a sign of purity and youthfulness. They’re the perfect gift to give in the early stages of a relationship. However, these roses are sometimes also used as wedding decorations.

Source: color-meanings.com

From thesprucepets.com:

The name kissing gourami (or kisser fish) is derived from what appears to be kissing between fish; however, scientists still are not sure of the true purpose of the behavior. It is believed to be a harmless territory-challenging behavior that generally occurs between two males. This conjecture is supported by the fact that aging seems to diminish the need to challenge one another. Also with age, the desire for mating territories diminishes.

The popular kissing gourami, commonly called a kisser, originates from the Indonesian island of Java and is also found in Borneo, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is commonly cultivated in the southern Indochina region as a food fish. Today, virtually all specimens sold in the United States are commercially bred in Florida. Additionally, Thailand and Singapore commercially breed this species for the aquarium trade as well as for food consumption.

In nature, kissers are usually found in slow-moving, heavily vegetated ponds or marshes. They are a hardy fish that will tolerate a range of water conditions. These fish have a hidden structure called the labyrinth organ. It enables them to take oxygen from the air, allowing them to survive in waters with low oxygen levels.

In fact, the gills of labyrinth fish are usually not even capable of obtaining enough oxygen from the water to survive. Therefore, they must satisfy most of their oxygen requirements by gulping air at the surface of the water. For this reason, it’s essential to provide them with access to the water surface in all tank zones.

Kissers need warm water, and they need to consume plenty of plant matter. As a habitat, use artificial plants or sturdy live plants such as Java fern or Java moss. Tender live plants are likely to be eaten down to the stem.

In nature, kissers grow to a size of a foot or more, but in captivity, they generally remain about half that size. However, even a small kisser will grow too large for an aquarium smaller than 30 gallons, so this species should not be kept in mini-tanks. With proper care, it is not unusual for these fish to live well over a decade.

Kissing gouramis are omnivorous fish. On the inside surface of the kisser’s obvious lips are rows of fine teeth which are used to graze on algae and vegetable matter. Periodically provide fresh romaine lettuce, cooked zucchini, or peas to keep your kissers in optimal health. But take care when providing fresh vegetables, as uneaten portions will quickly foul the water.

They should be provided with plenty of spirulina-based foods as well as fresh vegetables when possible. Kissers also accept a variety of protein foods, including flake, frozen, freeze-dried, and small live foods, such as tubifex and brine shrimp.

Gender Differences

Both sexes of kissing gourami look almost identical, from their oval shape to their thick fleshy lips. It is almost impossible to determine the sex of these fish until they spawn. At the mating period, the body of the female becomes round as it fills with eggs.  

SOURCE: THESPRUCEPETS.COM

Hippocampus, commonly known as Sea Horse, is the designation of any of the 50 small marine fish. The word “hippocampus” is derived from the Greek words “horse” and “sea monster.” Sea Horses have a horse-like head and neck, segmented skeletal armor, an erect stance, and a curled, prehensile tail.

One of the most unusual and alluring marine animal species in existence, Sea Horses are found in both tropical and temperate regions all over the world. There’s much more to Sea Horses’ breathtaking allure than just their distinctive protruding faces and curling tails, from weird eating behaviors to exquisite courting rituals.

Appearance

Sea Horses come in a variety of sizes and can grow to be 14 inches long. Sea Horses have broad-snouted heads, curved necks, and unique trunks and tails, giving them a horse-like look and earning them the moniker. Despite being bony fish, they lack scales and instead have a thin layer of skin stretched over a number of bone plates that are distributed throughout their body in rings. 

Sea Horses are protected from predators by the armor of bone plates, and because of this external skeleton, they no longer have ribs. Sea Horses use their dorsal fins to drive themselves forward as they swim upright. They have good camouflage abilities, and depending on their environment, they can develop or shed spiky appendages.

Diet

Sea Horses are carnivorous fish. Sea Horses can easily chew their food thanks to their long snouts. Yet, because they take a long time to finish their meals and have very basic digestive processes without stomachs, they must continually feed in order to survive. Smaller crustaceans that are swimming or burrowing on the bottom are what seahorses hunt. 

Sea Horses ambush anything that floats within striking distance using their superior camouflage, waiting patiently for the right opportunity. Mysid shrimp and other little crustaceans are top choices. The three unique feeding phases in Sea Horses are anticipatory, expansion, and recuperation. When in the expanded phase, the Sea Horse catches its prey by lifting its head, opening its oral cavity, and sucking it in before returning to its normal position.

Habitat

Around the planet, shallow tropical and temperate saltwater is where you’ll mostly find Sea Horses. They are found in protected environments such as coral reefs, mangroves, estuaries, and seagrass beds. Due to their poor swimming abilities, Sea Horses must attach themselves to seaweed, coral, or any other object that will keep them anchored. 

The Western Atlantic’s Caribbean area is home to the Long Snout and Northern Sea Horses. The Mediterranean Sea and warm regions of the Atlantic Ocean are home to the common Sea Horse. The Indo-Pacific is home to the Yellow Sea Horse. The sole Sea Horse found along the eastern Pacific coast, which stretches from California to Peru, is the Pacific Sea Horse.

Reproduction

Sea Horses engage in courtship for several days before mating. During mating, the female Sea Horse can lay between 1,000 to 2,000 eggs in a brood pouch on the male’s ventral side, facing the front. The pouch serves as an incubator, nurturing the eggs until they hatch, which can take anywhere from 9 to 45 days. Once the young Sea Horses are released into the water, the male may mate again within hours or days during the mating season.

Many species of Sea Horses establish pair bonds that endure at least the mating season, despite the fact that they are not known to be lifelong partners. More monogamous fidelity is demonstrated by certain species than by others. When the chance presents itself, many species of Sea horses will quickly exchange partners. 

Threats

The Sea Horse has many predators in its natural habitat because of its tiny size and susceptibility. The Sea Horse is frequently preyed upon by crabs, fish, and rays. Additionally, Sea Horses have been found within the stomachs of predator fish species like bluefin tuna.  The Sea Horse is especially susceptible to inclement weather because, during storms, they are frequently tossed onto the shoreline from the surface they were sticking to.

Ocean pollution depletes many species’ food sources and habitats, including Sea Horses.  Additionally, Sea Horses have been overfished, particularly in Asia, to be used in recipes and as a component of medicine.

Facts about the Sea Horse

The scientific name for Sea Horses, Hippocampus, is also a brain area in humans. 

Sea Horses get their name from their resemblance to land horses.

Sea Horses move 60 inches an hour, swimming exceptionally slowly.

Seahorses are fish with digestive tracts but no stomachs.

The male species of Sea Horses are the ones that give birth.

SOURCE OCEANINFO.COM

Sand cats, also known as “sand dune cats,” are desert dwelling felines native to Northern Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East. While these cute cats look quite similar to your average housecat, be warned they are 100% wild animals. Sand cats have not been domesticated in any way, and are actually ferocious little predators.

Description of the Sand Cat

Sand cats are a pale tan or sandy color (to match all the sand of course), with some dark spots or stripes on their fur. Their tails are tipped with black, with a few black bands around them. There are two dark stripes on their upper forelegs. Their ears are quite large, which helps heat escape in the hot desert temperatures.

Interesting Facts About the Sand Cat

Don’t let their cuteness fool you… these little cats are fierce predators! They are unique felines due to their desert habitat, and have a few characteristics to help them survive this environment.

Desert Dwelling Feline – Sand dune cats are the only cats that live primarily in desert regions. Other felines may range in deserts occasionally, but sand cats specialize in surviving within these arid environments.

Purr-fect Hiding Place – Where better to snooze during the hot desert day than a nice cool burrow in the sand? Sand cats are experts at burrowing, and spend much of their naptime in shallow burrows. They also dig to seek out their prey, most of which also spends its time underground.

Furry Feet – Those fuzzy little feet aren’t just for show! Sand cats have heavily furred feet to help keep them from burning their toes on hot sand. The fur protects sand cats’ feet by providing a barrier between the sensitive footpads and the scorching sand and rock. They have so much fur on their feet that they don’t leave behind footprints!

Water? Who Needs It! – Because water is scarce in the desert, sand cats can go long periods of time without drinking. Instead, they receive most of their moisture from the prey that they eat. Sand cats can sometimes go months without drinking.

Habitat of the Sand Cat

Sand cats live exclusively in desert regions. They are found in very arid habitats with little to no vegetation. Instead, they live in dry, sandy plains and rocky valleys. Conditions are extreme in the desert, and temperatures can reach 124º F during the day, and 31º F at night. Because they need to burrow to escape the heat, sand cats are found only in soft soils.

Distribution of the Sand Cat

These cats are native to Northern Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. They are restricted mainly to the Sahara Desert in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Pakistan. Their ranges are influenced by the presence of desert as well as land development and soil composition.

Diet of the Sand Cat

Sand dune cats prey on rats, mice, hares, birds, snakes, spiders, and insects. They commonly make lunchmeat out of venomous snakes and spiders. Because they live in such a harsh environment, sand dune cats must be opportunistic feeders. The must eat whatever they can find, because they have no other choice!

Domestication

Sand cats have not been domesticated in any way.

Does the Sand Cat Make a Good Pet

No. Because sand cats are threatened, animals taken illegally for the pet trade can seriously damage wild populations. They are very sensitive animals, and do not do well in facilities not equipped for their needs.

Sand Cat Care

In zoos, sand cats must be provided with very particular care. They are provided with plenty of hiding spaces and burrowing opportunities, and have access to round the clock medical care. They are fed a diet of mice or rats, bones, and rib bone meat at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.

Behavior of the Sand Cat

Because the desert is so extremely hot, animals benefit from nighttime activity. Avoiding the heat, sand cats are nocturnal and hunt at night. They are mainly solitary animals, but not highly territorial. While they don’t socialize with other cats, they will occasionally share burrows. They do not share the same space in the burrow, but instead occupy it while the other animal is away.

Reproduction of the Sand Cat

Populations of sand cats in different locations will breed at different times of year. After mating, the female sand cat has a gestation period of 59 – 67 days. The litter usually consists of 2 – 4 kittens, with numbers up to 8 occurring as well. The kittens will begin to hunt for their own prey between 6 and 8 months of age. They reach breeding age by 14 months old, and can produce a litter of their own at that time.

SOURCE: ANIMALS.NET