Angelfish,
Pterophylum scalare, from the Amazon River system.
You've decided you
would like to keep fish?
Start out in the
right way; find out about the needs of the fish before you buy them.
Tanks | Filters | Water | Shopping List | Setting Up | Testing| Stocking
The
first requirement is a tank. I don't say bowl
because small bowls are more trouble than they're worth. A tank of 5gals. is a
minimum for any fish, even a little betta. Get the biggest tank you can afford
and/or accommodate.
It will need a stand
or support that can take the weight, away from draughts, heaters, loud noise
and direct sunlight. It needs to be level. Water always is, so a tank on a
slant will always show this up. You will also need access to one or more power
points.
Second
and just as important is a filter of some description. This can be anything
from a simple bubble up sponge or under-gravel through to a trickle tower as
big as the actual display tank. The filter and the bacteria that live in it
carry out the essential NITROGEN CYCLE that turns poisonous fish wastes into
less harmful nitrates. Without this cycle your fish will die from ammonia
poisoning, a phenomenon known as ‘New Tank Syndrome’.
Whatever, it is
vital for the well being of the fish.
The
water that the fish live in is their total
environment. Water can be hard or soft, alkaline or acid and every fish has its
preference. Some fish can adapt to less than optimum conditions but all will be
happier in their natural preference. Check your local water. It is easier to
start keeping fish that will be happy in your local water than trying to change
your local water into what the fish need. If you have hard, alkaline water then
live bearers or goldfish are a good choice, if it's soft and acid then tetras
and barbs may be better.
Here
we go then.
You've measured the
space in the lounge, you've checked that it's suitable for a tank and you're
off to the store.
Have a look at the
fish there. Talk to the staff. If there is a particular fish you fancy, check
that it will be OK in the tank you want. There is no sense in setting up a
10gal. tank and then trying to put a mated pair of 12" Oscars in it. It
just won't work. Start simple. A tropical community will have much more chance
of success than trying to go for a full-blown reef set-up.
Your shopping list
should look something like this
The tank and stand
Filter ( plus pump if required)
Heater (for tropicals)
Gravel (may be part of the filter in an
under-gravel set-up.)
Decor (wood, rocks or, God forbid, a ceramic
skull!)
Lighting (not essential but it helps if you can
see the fish. For live plants it IS essential- and lots of it!)
Water conditioner. This is essential to
get rid of the chlorine and chloramine in your water supply.
A bacterial culture. This will speed up the
maturation of your tank, allowing you to start getting fish sooner.
Test kits for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
(there is a very handy test strip that measures most of these in one go)
You could buy live plants at this point but it
makes more sense to get all the hardware home and set up first.
There are a number
of complete aquariums on the market. These are generally a good buy as the
equipment is matched to the size of tank. The filter should be right, the
heater should be right and the lighting should be right. I really like the
JUWEL range of aquariums. Everything from beginners tanks on up.
Take all of the
above home and get started.
Don't just throw everything
in the tank, fill it and switch on. Once your tank has gravel in it, it becomes
risky moving it without cracking it and once you add water it becomes
impossible. Do a dry run. Place the tank, position the equipment. Can you reach
the electrical supply? Do you have access to place cables, pipe work and
external equipment and work on/around them for maintenance?
Put
the tank in place. Fit the under-gravel filter if that's
the one you've chosen. Wash the gravel. You'll be surprised at how much dust is
in there. It can take some time to get it clean. Wash small amounts at a time
in a clean bucket under running water then add it to the tank. Position the
filter (and heater if you have one) then start getting artistic with the decor.
Remember to sit back in your favourite chair and see how it looks from there. See Aquascaping
You won't normally
be looking at the tank from 2 feet away with the lid off. Fit the hood and
lights.
It can be easier to
add live plants before you fill the tank, so it's another trip to the store or
a phone call to a mail order supplier. The pre-selected collections for various
sized tanks are usually a good deal. You can plant these up then, as you
progress, choose the plants that grow best in your tank or go for plants native
to your fishes habitat.
If everything is
fine, start filling the tank. For smaller tanks this is a bucket job, for
larger tanks a hose is a good idea. Pour the water in gently, onto a rock or a
small saucer placed on the gravel. This will avoid disturbing the bottom of the
tank too much. Add the water conditioner as per manufacturer's directions. It's
a good idea to measure how much water the tank holds. This will be essential
information if you need to add medications at a later date. Once the tank is
full switch on the filter. For cold water tanks leave it sitting until the
water reaches room temperature. For tropical, switch on the heater and leave it
to reach the pre-set temperature. Once it has, add the bacterial culture to the
filter.
Remember
when decorating your tank that the set ups in the shop of a heater, filter and
one plastic plant are not tanks for fishkeeping, they are tanks which allow
fish to be seen and caught. Fishkeeping is about providing a suitable habitat
for fish to stay in for the rest of their lives.
After
a couple of days start to test the water. Check
the pH, ammonia and nitrite. Until your filter matures you'll get readings of
both ammonia and nitrite. As the maturation progresses, first the ammonia, then
the nitrite levels will drop to zero. Only once they have is it safe to add
fish.
Now
it's back to the store for the good bit - buying fish!
Don't go mad though. Add the fish gradually over a few weeks. I would suggest
no more than 1/5 of your eventual total at a time over 5-10 weeks. Obviously if
the tank is a small one for a single fish you can't get it in sections so it's
100% load immediately. However you are stocking, keep up the water tests and
the bacterial culture. Your filter needs time to develop a population of
bacteria to handle the fish wastes. Get this wrong and you may well suffer a
complete wipe out, known as New Tank Syndrome, aka ammonia poisoning. Feed the
fish very sparingly, no more than they'll eat in 2 minutes, once a day.
Sit back and enjoy!
