Whatever shape, size, color, type of fin, tail and eye you can imagine, fish have it. Fish are truly fascinating, but how to take care of them? All those chemicals for the water, the type of food, all those precautions to be taken before putting two different fish in the same aquarium, and so on … can be intimidating to a neophyte. However, don't be put off! This article is intended to guide you through the various steps: buying fish, placing them in the aquarium and taking care of them.
Steps
Step 1. Choose whether to include a tropical or cold-water fish in your aquarium
Cold-water fish include goldfish and cyprinids, while among the tropical ones we can mention the ketodon and the corydoras. Cold-water fish are usually a little more resistant and can more easily withstand any shortcomings due to the inexperience of the neophyte.
- Start by buying inexpensive fish, regardless of your financial resources. If a fish is inexpensive, it is because, given its excellent adaptability to its natural environment or to life in captivity, it is able to reproduce regularly and not die during the transfer and stay in the pet shop.
- Don't start with a saltwater fish. Maintaining them requires knowledge of far more complex techniques and notions. Furthermore, the type of water could give you countless problems due to its corrosivity and conductivity. If you still intend to set up a saltwater aquarium, buy one for tropical fish that is medium in size and has seedlings inside and determine if you are able to keep it in perfect order for a whole year.
Step 2. Choose the type and quantity of fish you want to put in your aquarium
- Read up before adding fish of different species to the aquarium; some are compatible, some are not. You might think that some species enjoy the company of other fish, so don't buy a single specimen. If you have a territorial fish in the aquarium, it is better not to buy one of the same species (an armored catfish could prove to be the best choice in these cases).
- Make sure you can cope with any needs that the fish might have; for example, different fish require different foods and some species require more frequent care than others. Keeping a fish is a big responsibility, don't forget that!
- Some fish can only feed on flake food and can be fed with a vending machine, which allows them not to take care of the aquarium even for a week or two (provided that the fish are small and the water does not need to be changed. often).
Step 3. Get an appropriately sized aquarium
Know how much water your fish need.
- For goldfish, get a 75l plus 35l aquarium for each fish you are going to add besides the first one.
- For smaller cold-water fish, calculate 3.5 liters for every 2.5 cm of fish length.
- Larger fish require more space. The volume of the fish and the amount of slag it produces increases not according to its length but to its length per cube. Thus, you could breed two or three Tetra Neons, which do not exceed 2.5 cm in length, in 3.5 liters of water for each of them but the same is not true for three or four large cichlids 15 cm long, for which would need a tank of more than 200 l (assuming they are not very territorial, because in this case this quantity of water would be enough for just two of them!)
- Particularly active fish such as wild goldfish and tetras should have much more space in proportion to their size. Fish with a more staid swim such as the oriflamme or fighting fish, on the other hand, can live comfortably in smaller aquariums.
Step 4. Make sure you have all the necessary equipment:
filters, heaters (for tropical fish), water softener, water control kits, etc.
Step 5. Set up the aquarium and, before inserting the fish, treat the water to create a habitable environment
Step 6. Insert the fish
Start by adding a few fish, to which over time you will add more. Placing too many fish all at once could overload the filter system.
Step 7. Change part of the tub water weekly
20-30% is the right amount to change. To change the water, take an aquarium siphon and vacuum the waste at the bottom. This operation will also remove part of the water. Replace the removed water with that from the tap, without forgetting to treat it first with a softener.
Step 8. Check the water quality regularly
Make sure that ammonia and nitrite are at 0 and the nitrate does not exceed the value of 40.
Step 9. Feed the fish two or three times a day
Step 10. Check the health of your fish
As they eat, watch the fish carefully. Make sure there is nothing strange, such as color changes, flaking, damaged tails, etc. Also make sure that the fish get along well with each other.
Step 11. Avoid subjecting your fish to sudden stress
Putting your hands in the tank when not necessary, touching the fish or jumping in front of the aquarium are all behaviors to be avoided.
Advice
- Growing aquatic plants inside the tank can improve the quality of the water as well as giving a more wild look to your aquarium.
- Never jump in front of the aquarium or try to touch the fish. These behaviors could stress the fish, causing them not to eat for days.
- Remember to clean the aquarium once a week in order to keep the fish healthy and always keep it tidy.
- Do not change the aquarium filter cartridge. Beneficial bacteria lurk in the filter and changing the cartridge could generate an ammonia buildup that is harmful to your aquarium.
- Always remove the algae filaments scattered inside the aquarium, as they could in the long run make the water cloudy.
- Buy a water control kit that is liquid reagent. This type of control is much more precise and reliable than that performed with bands.
Warnings
- If your tank does not contain more than 9.5 liters of water, DO NOT use any heater. With a heater, you would slowly boil your fish. Instead, buy a larger tank so your fish have more room to swim.
- Never clean objects related to the aquarium with soap, detergents or powders. This would kill your fish immediately!
- Air fresheners can also be highly toxic.
- Never put clownfish or fighting fish together with other fish species.
- Don't forget to change the water. Without regular water replacement, toxins can accumulate creating an unhealthy environment for fish and promoting the growth of algae.
