Featured Article: A Beginners Guide To Keeping Fish
6th October 2011
Fish make great, low-maintenance pets, and a fish tank can be quite a soothing addition to your home. However, setting up a home for your pet fish does require effort in order to ensure they enjoy a happy, healthy environment. The type of fish you get will dictate what sort of environment is needed so do a lot of research beforehand to make sure you are providing for your pet correctly.
Of course, the main key to keeping fish healthy is to take care of the water. Without properly maintained water, the fish will not thrive. While it's fine to use tap water to fill your tank, it should be conditioned first, using an aquarium water conditioner. Make sure you do this before adding the water to the tank. You should also use fish filters to oxygenate the water as well.
Before adding water to the tank, lay down the gravel first - and only use gravel which is designed for fish tanks. Anything else may have harmful chemicals or substances in it. Then place a container inside the tank and pour in the water. It will overflow the container and fill the tank, without shifting the gravel at the bottom.Tropical fish require a temperate environment, so you will need a water heater for your tank. Different kinds of fish will prefer different temperatures so this is why it's important to research beforehand, and speak to the experts at the pet shop. Goldfish, on the other hand, are coldwater fish and don't generally require any sort of heater.
You might like to add decor to your fish tank, whether novelty items like treasure chests, or just some plants. If you are using live plants - which are good for helping to oxygenise the water - then leave these in the tank for a few days before you move your fish in, if you can. If you are having many fish in the same tank, you want to introduce them slowly, rather than putting them in all at once. Try to give each one at least a day or more before adding another. This gives them all time to get used to their surroundings and other fish. To place your fish in the tank, lower the fish in its water bag into the tank and keep it there for a few minutes. Start to let the tank water seep into the bag so the fish will get used to any changes in temperature, and then scoop out your fish with a net, and set it free into its new home.
A lot of people have trouble knowing how much to feed their fish. The one thing to keep in mind is that it's better to underfeed your fish, than to overfeed it. Giving it too much can be fatal, but your fish will not starve if you don't feed it every day. Small amounts of food every so often will be sufficient to ensure your fish is happy and fed.
