Deciding to put an aquarium in your house will give it a tranquil and natural feel. Since you won’t want to be constantly explaining to your guests why there are fish floating on the top, you need to learn how to look after it properly and maintain a healthy environment for your fish.
It is important you pick an aquarium that is suitable to your house. The deeper the aquarium, the more involved it will be to look after it. If you have a fish that becomes sick or dies, you will have a big job at hand when it comes to cleaning it. It is also much harder to have thriving aquarium plant life in a larger sized tank. This is because the light has much further to travel, so if you buy larger lights this should resolve the problem.
Buy everything you need before you set the tank up. You don’t want any situations to arise for which you are unprepared, so make sure you have all of the following: Aquarium cover, heater with thermostat, filter replacement, glass scrubber and strainer, stones or pebbles, testing kits, plants, spare quarantine tank, fish net and fish food. You may also like to buy a supply of fungal and bacterial medicines, decorations, buckets, gloves, aquarium vacuum and air-stones.
It is important to the survival of your home aquarium that you watch closely for any signs of change in the fish. If you suspect one fish may have a disease, you need to immediately put them into the quarantine tank and clean the aquarium. Most diseases will be undetectable until it’s too late, and the closer you watch the more likely you will be to catch it before they all die.
Whenever you buy a new fish you must quarantine it from the main aquarium for enough time to observe whether it exhibits any signs of illness. When you are positive that the new fish are healthy, add them gradually to the tank. Always be aware of the maximum number of fish you should keep in your size aquarium so you don’t end up with an ammonium problem.
Sometime certain fish can have compatibility problems with other breeds, and they will inevitably end up fighting until one dies. Your aim should be to create a harmonious environment where all your fish can live a relaxed and happy life.
The best thing you can do for your fish is learn as much as you can by reading, talking to pet shop owners and staff and even other aquarium owners. A common problem people have with their home aquariums is over-feeding the fish, so be sure to only give them as much as they can eat before it settles to the bottom as a guide.
If you follow all the above suggestions and be sure to always have clean hands when immersing them into the tank, you should be able to avoid any problems with disease. Owning an aquarium is a lovely way to stay connected with nature, and overall they are a relatively low maintenance pet compared to some. Be sure to have everything you need upfront and you will have smooth sailing for your aquarium owner’s experience.
Lee Dobbins writes for Fish Tank Guide where you can learn more about fish care and aquariums.