In this article we will list 10 tips for the beginners in fishkeeping to start the hobby correctly and avoid the most common mistakes.
Maintaining aquariums is a fun and rewarding activity, providing years of fun, education and even stress relief. When you’re starting out on the hobby, however, it’s easy to make a few mistakes and see your stress levels go up instead of down.
In this article, we will list 10 tips for the beginners in fishkeeping, and believe me, it can make all the difference and prevent you from making some mistakes that we ourselves made when we started in the hobby.
Avoid Starting With Small Fish Tanks
Small fish tanks can be much more difficult to maintain than larger ones and are not suitable for beginners. Water conditions tend to be more stable in larger fish tanks, and if for some reason things start to go wrong, you will have more time to fix them.
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One of the important tips for the fishkeeping beginner is to always start with the largest aquarium your budget can buy. We recommend an 60 liters fish tank at least for the beginning.
Don’t Buy The Fish When Buying The Fish Tank
A newly built fish tank is not ready to receive its first inhabitants. So, run the Cycling process before adding them, as following these steps, you will hardly have problems with premature death or illness.
Wait For The Fish Tank Cycle Period
It takes a while for the fish tank to establish its biological balance. For this, it is necessary to carry out a process known as Cycling.
There are products on the market that help to speed up this process, however, the safest way to do it is to simply wait. This entire process can take around 30 days.
Avoid Adding Too Many Fish In The Fish Tank
A new fish tank is still in the process of biological balance. Ideally, the fish should be added gradually, because due to this maturation process, when adding a huge amount of fish at once, the nitrifying bacteria will not be able to give account for the biological load that has been added, and you may have problems, such as peaks of Ammonia and Nitrite, which are harmful and deadly to fish.
One of the tips for beginners in fishkeeping is is to follow the rule of 1 centimeter of fish per liter of water. It is not an absolute truth, however, think about it when you are buying the fish for your aquarium.
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Remember that each species has specific needs, so do a lot of research on them and check the minimum recommended aquarium size to maintain it.
Test The Water Parameters
It is practically impossible to know the water parameters without carrying out chemical tests, therefore, whether it is safe or not to add fish to the fish tank.
Most fish generally adjust to the ammonia and nitrite levels that rise slowly in the fish tank, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t worry.
There are different tests on the pet shops for Ammonia, Nitrite, pH, Carbonate Hardness and General Hardness that must be purchased, as your fish need to be in an environment that meets their needs.
Unfortunately, one of the tips for beginners in fishkeeping is testing, and this is the only way to know whether your water is safe for them or not.
Avoid Overfeeding As Much As Possible
It is normal to worry about your fish starving, but it can actually do more harm than good. A fish should be fed a few times a day … again, pay attention and research the species to see the need.
Uneaten food can pollute water and raise ammonia and nitrite levels. Most fish can be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. They should be consume almost all food in less than 2 minutes.
Pay Attention When Buying The Fish Tank Filter
Be very careful when buying a filter for your fish tank. Most filters are classified based on the aquarium litration, this system works very well for most, however, densely populated fish tanks, or those with large predatory fish require very large equipment or even multiple filtration equipment.
For you who are just starting out, the ideal is to purchase a filter that passes 5 times the litration of your fish tank per hour.
For example, you bought a 60 liter fish tank, your filter must pass 300 liters / hour.
Again, this is just a tip for beginners to fishkeeping and not a RULE that must be followed to the letter. As there are fish that need different filtering parameters, however, it can apply to most beginner aquarists.
Never Leave The Aquarium Lights On All The Time
Like all animals, fish needs a rest period, and it should be the same period every day.
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In nature, the day / night cycle is quite consistent, especially in the tropics. Leaving the fish tank lights on all the time, stresses the fish, and also contributes to the algae growth.
Buy a timer for energy and set it so that your fish tank has the lights on between 8 and 12 hours a day.
Never Clean The Entire Fish Tank
When an fish tank is set up, the biological balance is fragile and unstable. Avoid removing the ornaments that have been added, stirring or vacuuming the gravel, and even cleaning the filter and biological media.
There is a know process as Partial Water Change, make it monthly or weekly, depending on the fish tank litration.
The filter cleaning, for example, must be carried out exclusively using water from the fish tank itself and never with tap water, as this way, you prevent the beneficial bacteria that are lodged in the media from being destroyed.
Add Plants Or Ornaments In The Fish Tank
Decorations in an fish tank provides your fish with safety, reduce stress and make their colors stand out. In some fish tanks, the fish usually try to hide because there are not enough decorations, seeking refuge behind a thermostat, filter or any other object.
Try to add plants, stones and any other ornaments you can purchase. Believe me … your fish will feel much safer !!
Having an fis tank at home may seem like an easy task, but it is far from it. In fishkeeping it’s necessary to have discipline, a lot of study and especially patience. We are all capable of creating beautiful fish tanks and having healthy fish that live for many years. It is just a perseverance matter.
So, what did you think of the 10 tips for the beginner in fishkeeping? Do you have any experience? Tell us in the comments! 😉
