Aquarium

Almost everyone has had some experience with a goldfish. They are easy to maintain and are a popular choice for young and old alike. There are many economical kits available which include a bowl, filter and food, making it simple to keep them happy and healthy. If you have decided to try a small goldfish setup, here are a few steps to follow:

SETUP

Rinse the bowl using lukewarm water - never use detergent or soap. If the bowl is stained, use aquarium salt and a soft cloth to remove it. Goldfish bowls usually require a round undergravel filter plate with a carbon cartridge. Place the filter on the bottom of the bowl, and cover the plate with about an inch of gravel. Doing so will keep the plate in place, but more importantly, it will be a place for beneficial bacteria to grow. These bacteria will remove harmful organic products from your water. If a carbon cartridge is part of the filter, rinse out any carbon dust and ensure that it is properly inserted in your filter system. Add any other decorations you wish at this time.Attach the air pump and ensure that enough air is produced to agitate the surface when the bubbles break. Never restrict the full air flow of the pump, if the air stream is too strong, purchase a ganged valve with one more outlet than needed to bleed any excess production to the atmosphere.

WATER

Fill the bowl with room temperature water. Be sure to remove chlorine, chloramines and free metal ions in the tap water supply. Many conditioners are available for this purpose. If you are unsure about your water condition, have a sample tested for you or ask experienced individuals what products are needed to test it yourself. As new water can cause stress or irritation to tender tissues such as the mouth, gill membranes or openings in the natural coating of scales, great care must be taken to properly prepare the water.A simple process to remove chlorine from water is to fill a plastic container and let it stand for 24 hours. Aeration will ensure that all the chlorine from the water before you use it. However, a safer and much faster method is to use any one of the several declorinating products available on the market today.Once the bowl is set up, as evaporation occurs, water should be replaced to maintain regular levels. Having a prepared bowl of water in advance is a good idea, especially in case an emergency arises and you need to remove the fish from the water rapidly. The reserve can be used to refill the water loss caused by evaporation. Tap water can be treated in a plastic pop bottle and then kept covered until needed. This lets the water age naturally and is gentler on the fish when it is used.

FEEDING

One of the biggest mistakes an aquarist makes is overfeeding. You should feed only the amount that the fish will consume in TWO minutes without ANY reaching the bottom. Fat fish are not any healthier than fat humans! Overfed fish have reduced digestive efficiency and create more partially digested wastes to be released into the bowl; the unused food will create excess ammonia in the environment; even low concentrations of ammonia kill fish. Do not think fish are always hungry, as fish evolved never knowing when their next meal will be available, they will always appear to be hungry. If you do overfeed, scoop out what is not eaten. As a general rule, feeding a goldfish every other day is sufficient.

Biological filtration is a naturally occurring method that occurs when bacteria breaks down ammonia and converts it to nitrite, then nitrate. This process is known as the nitrogen cycle. Biological media, an inert material that houses bacterial colonies, is placed in the filtration system and functions when water is forced through, which brings the oxygen and nutrients necessary to complete the nitrogen cycle.

It is important to check your filter and the media regularly to ensure they are not clogged. If you see a film or discoloration on the media, this just means that there are healthy bacteria residing in it. If the media is clogged to the point where it can no longer function, instead of immediately replacing it, first try flushing the media with aquarium water.

The media never should be replaced; doing so removes the bacterial population that is essential to the filtration process. To reduce the chances of clogging within your filter, it is a good idea to incorporate mechanical media; doing so will greatly reduce the amount of particulate that reaches the biological media.

Temperature is very important to bacterial health; bacteria need temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit to flourish. Once a healthy colony of bacteria is established within your biological media, only excessive cleaning, chlorinated water or certain medications can damage it.

The establishment of the Nitrogen Cycle is of greatest importance to the health and success of an aquarium. Seas and oceans cleanse and disperse wastes produced by fish, but in an aquarium biological filtration must be provided to remove the toxic ammonia-based waste. If you can measure your ammonia level, there is too much and the fish are being stressed.

The Beginning

Solid waste excreted by fish is converted to ammonia. Bacteria known as nitrifiers (microbial partners) turn potentially toxic nitrogen into nitrite and then into nitrate. A stable pH of 7.2 - 8.5 is important, so is a stable temperature of 68-86 degrees F; these produce an environment that is best for activation of nitrifiers.

Oxygen

Oxygen is a necessity for nitrifiers to perform their task (aerobic respiration). Nitrate is the final product after the bio-chemical oxidation, which plants utilize as a fertilizer, thus removing them from the water. Should your plants not be able to use all nitrates, regular maintenance will be necessary to keep nitrate levels within safe parameters.

Cycling Product

A cycling product will not interfere with the cycle itself. Both ammonia and nitrite will spike until nitrate is being produced, but adding a cycling product will lower the spikes, making them less harmful to the fish.

Speeding Up Cycling Time:

One practice is to place bacteria from an established tank into a new tank. This is accomplished by utilizing material from the existing tank. Materials often used include: A piece of foam from the aquarium filter Ceramic (biological) rings from the filter.

There are a number of fish that have gained a reputation as good additions to community aquariums. It is important to research a species of fish to understand their diet and temperament before adding them to a community situation. The following fish should be treated with caution; this doesn’t mean that they can’t be kept, it just means that without the correct tank size, suitable tank mates and specific conditions they may become problematic.

Angelfish

This cichlid can grow quite large; 6 inches from top to bottom is not uncommon. Some can be quite aggressive with their tank mates. They have long flowing fins and are fairly slow moving, both of which make them an ideal target for fin nippers. This may attract smaller fish; and like most fish, angels regard any fish small enough to be eaten as potential food - it is quite common for neon tetras and similar fish to disappear when there is a large angel around.

Mollies (All types)

Mollies are a brackish type and depend on some salt water to survive; without salt their health will suffer in the long term, and apart from salt they also require a high pH and hard water. These are conditions that do not suit most other community fish, because of this they should not be kept with other fish that require almost completely opposite water chemistry.

Sharks

These fish are very eager to fight, particularly with their own or related species. They have a tendency to chase other fish, almost to the point of exhaustion. Although there is usually no actual harm done, any fish that is constantly being harassed will begin to show signs of stress and will suffer from stress-related health problems.

Giant danios

Because of their size, speed and appetite, Giant danios have gained a reputation for eating smaller fish, most commonly tetras.

Siamese fighters

Naturally, these are solitary fish. Males will fight at the sight of another male; females will occasionally do so as well. Most of the time other fish are left alone, but, like angelfish, they often fall victim to fin nippers. For maximum success, keep a single fighter rather than a pair and choose tank mates well, avoiding potential fin nippers.

Tiger barbs

Tigers are notorious for fin nipping and may attack tank mates if they are not able to defend themselves. They should be kept in a group, leaving them to squabble amongst themselves. Even in this setting, angelfish, Siamese fighters, guppies or any other slow moving, long finned fish would still be targeted.

When starting a community tank it is a good idea to make a written selection of fish that have all been researched and that all require the same water chemistry, have a similar temperament, and are generally the same size. Always properly research a type of fish before you purchase one.

Following these simple guidelines will help you build a community that is a pleasure to have, rather than one that goes from one problem to the next

As with most other species, for fish illness is something best prevented. However, prophylactic medications can often stress fish and plants, as well as damage helpful bacteria. Here are a few practices that will help you create and maintain a healthy aquarium from the start.

1. Make sure the fish you purchase are healthy - avoid fish that look sick.

2. When increasing a fish population, it is always best to build the number up slowly, introducing only a few fish at a time.

3. If you have the space and finances to do so, putting new fish in a quarantine tank is a good idea. This will allow you to observe and treat any fish that do not look well before adding them to your existing aquarium.

4. New fish should always be acclimated properly: 15-20 minutes in the bag in the aquarium, add 20% aquarium water to the bag, wait another 15-20 minutes, and then release fish gently.

5. Chlorine, chloramines and metals are damaging to aquarium inhabitants, be sure to condition water properly using one of the many commercially available dechlorinating and cycling products. Take extra care when monitoring for metals if copper is used in your plumbing.

6. Perform regular maintenance every two weeks: change and test the water.

7. Power failures will stress fish, immediately after experiencing one, check all equipment, take a temperature reading and observe the fish.

8. Fish and plants need regular lighting; timers can be used to ensure you are not over or under lighting your aquarium. 8-10 hours a day of light is more than enough.

9. If medications have been used, perform additional water changes and use carbon to remove residual traces. Test your water frequently.

10. It is best for your fish if they are feed on a regularly scheduled basis. Remember not to overfeed!!