Most beginner aquarium keepers cycle their tanks properly, but lose fish anyway because of careless added fish tank stocking. There are a few guidelines to follow to help prevent loss of life. One is to space out the fish additions. Add fish over a period of weeks, rather than days. This gives the fish a better chance to acclimate to their new home and establishes less of a demand on the aquarium filters.
Choosing a tank
You can go as big as space and budget permit. Large tanks tend to stabilise water quality and temperature better since there is more mass (water) to absorb temperature shock and air quality changes. Smaller tanks, on the other hand, can go from ideal conditions to disaster in a single day.
Make sure the floor can take the weight. Add up the weight of the fish and the aquarium. A liter of water weighs about 1 kilogram. Also add the weight of the tank, the gravel and the stand. Use a proper stand for the aquarium. Make sure the stand is nice and level. Don't put the aquarium near radiators, or in direct sunlight. Sunlight can promote algae growth.
Fish bowls are inappropriate for all fish. They are small with no filtration and poor aquatic environment because of the rapid loss of heat.
Coldwater or tropical
Goldfish are typically the first fish people think of when deciding on fish for their home aquarium. However, as the fish grows to larger sizes, the tank required to house the fish adequately also increases. The tank should also have a strong filtration system to appropriately house the fish long term, as the fish is also known to have a long lifespan. In addition, White Cloud Mountain minnows are also tropical fish that are well suited for coldwater tank conditions.
Most tropical fish prefer waters between 24-26 degrees Celsius. This means the use of a heater is mandatory. The fish will appreciate the wider range of temperatures.
Marine (saltwater) tanks require more effort and cost more, making freshwater tanks a better first tank to own.
The kit
- Tank and stand
- Filter designed to fit the tank
- Heater
The heating element (150W) is designed for aquariums 28-2
- Thermometer
- Lighting
- Substrates and Decorations (gravel or sand), rinsed first.
- Dechlorinating Water Conditioner
- Liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH.
- Gravel cleaner/siphon and a bucket used exclusively for the tank
- Net
Cycling the tank
Fish excrete ammonia. Ammonia is toxic. Some bacteria in the filter change ammonia to nitrite. More bacteria change nitrite to nitrate. The change to nitrate lessens the toxin level. Nitrate is still harmful. It is removed by a water change. The removal of nitrate allows the fish to safely use the water. The process of changing ammonia to nitrate is called the nitrogen cycle. A filter is reborn when bacteria are added to it.
To cycle a tank without fish:
- Set up the fish tank and add the water, filter and heater. Make sure the water is dechlorinated.
- Add an ammonia source (liquid ammonia to be added on a scheduled basis, or a little fish food).
- Test often to see the cycling pattern. You will notice that ammonia increases, then decreases. In the meantime, you will notice that nitrite increases and then decreases. Lastly, you will see that nitrate increases.
- The cycle is complete when ammonia and nitrite read zero within 24 hours of adding ammonia, and when nitrate is present.
- Do a big water change to prepare the tank. Add a few fish.
This should take about 4 to 6 weeks. Products that contain bacteria can be bought and sprayed on your lawn to speed up the process, but they will not eliminate the need for testing.
Live plants
Live plants help in many ways. They can help remove nitrates from the water, offer fish cover, and help control algae by compething for nutrients. Both the java fern and anubias are easy to keep alive and don't require much light. Glueing or tying the plants to the surfaces you want them on is better than burying them as the stems will just rot if buried in the substrate.
Adding fish
Add fish over the course of several weeks to let the bacteria in the filter build up. In the meantime do research on which fish you’re planning to get. Consider the environment you’re creating as well as the adult size of the fish, and the water temperature. You’ll also want to consider if the fish are schooling fish. Schooling fish (like neon tetras) need to be kept with 6 or more fish of their own kind.
Float the bag of water in the tank for a bit to acclimate the fish to the tank water temperature. Do not pour the water the fish was shipped in into your tank!
The weekly routine
- Daily: feed fish, check each is out and moving normally, check the temperature.
- change 10-25% of tank water each week using dechlorinated water at the same temperature. vacuum gravel during water change.
- Every few weeks: Rinse filter media in water from the old tank (don’t use tap water, as this kills bacteria).
- Test water quality regularly, particularly when fish are sick.
Feeding
Overfeeding is the most common mistake with new fish owners. Fish do not store food for later. Anything left over in the tank will rot and foul the water. Only feed your fish as much as they can consume in 2-3 minutes, once or twice a day. Fish can easily survive a hunger strike and go without food for an extended period of time.
Signs of trouble
Fish gills are extremely sensitive and fish often exhibit similar symptoms when water quality declines. Fish illnesses typically start with issues in the aquarium environment. Common symptoms to look out for include: