How many tropical fish can I keep in my aquarium?
This depends on the type of fish you are keeping, are they juveniles or adult fish? Are the fish aggressive or do they like to be kept in groups? It is a good idea to research your fish thoroughly before purchase. A general rule of thumb is one inch of fish per gallon, bearing in mind the full adult size the fish will grow to. Other considerations should be, Do my fish have somewhere to hide, and do they access the food source? Are my fish male or female? Where do my fish reside in the tank? Are they bottom dwellers or like to be in the open water? Some fish are happy on their own whereas others like to be in a group.
How do I prepare my new aquarium for tropical fish?
Fill up your tank and add tap water. Conditioner should then be added to make it safe for aquariums. Turn on your filter and heater and air pump.
Fish need to have healthy bacteria in the aquarium to survive. Fish waste, rotting food and plants produce Ammonia and nitrites which are extremely harmful to fish. Good bacteria converts the ammonia and turns it into nitrites which is also harmful to fish, nitrifying bacteria then turns this into nitrates which build up in the aquarium and are removed with regular water changes. This fish cycle is essential for a healthy aquarium. To start this process add bottled nitrifying bacteria and small amounts of food.
How long does it take to cycle my fishtank?
Generally a couple of weeks, depending on the size of the tank. Adding plants can help the process and having a good filtration system. There are products available to buy that speed up the process. Water test strips are also readily available to check your water parameters.
What should I feed my fish?
Most tropical fish are happy on a diet of flakes or pellets, defrosted bloodworms or brine shrimp provide a good source of protein. Be sure to think about the fish that hide and only come out to feed at night, they may need sinking pellets. Some fish have very specific needs such as very high protein food or live food for carnivorous fish or algae wafers for plecos. Feeding once a day is usually enough but this is dependent on the number of fish in the tank. Some advise to skip a day maybe once a week.
How do I check my water parameters?
Water testing strips are easily available to purchase, and are easy to read, other aspects to consider are water temperature and oxygen levels.
How do I know my fish are healthy and what can I do if they start to become poorly or act differently?
A healthy fish will have good colour,swim well, be feeding and be active.
Common issues arise from fighting with other fish leading to injuries or finrot and marks on their scales due to hurting themselves on items in the tank. It’s a good idea to visually inspect your fish regularly. Other common problems to look out for are worms or disease introduced from other fish. Treatments are available to add to the water for the various common problems that can be encountered.
Where should I place my new aquarium?
Fish tanks should be kept out of direct sunlight as it can cause rapid algae growth and affect the water temperature.
They should be kept out of arms way from other household pets
Away from tvs, and radios as fish do not like loud noise and vibrations.
Care should be taken using toxins in the room such as cleaning products and air fresheners as these can poison your aquatic water.