| If you are seriously considering keeping fish as | | | | buy an air pump to aerate the tank. I had only |
| pets or are just starting out, I would like to | | | | seen aerated aquariums in places like public |
| stress again the importance of having some basic | | | | aquariums and fancy restaurants and thought that |
| knowledge about aquariums and fish keeping in | | | | an air pump had to be very expensive, but my |
| order to enjoy the hobby for a significant length | | | | dad said it would be OK. |
| of time and to avoid frustrations and | | | | So my mom and I went to a fish store to look |
| disappointments. | | | | for an air pump. Besides the pump we also |
| In the first article I illustrated this by sharing my | | | | needed something to hook the plastic tube on to |
| own childhood experience with bettas, and now I | | | | and hold it in place. We chose to get a frog |
| shall share my experience with goldfish. | | | | ornament for that purpose (the air would come |
| While I still had my bettas I also wanted to keep | | | | out of the frog's mouth). All the stuff didn't really |
| some goldfish since I also found them attractive | | | | cost too much. |
| and interesting. My mom was reluctant to buy me | | | | As soon as we got home we hooked everything |
| some since I already had the bettas but she | | | | up and air started flowing into the aquarium. Like |
| finally gave in and bought me a pair of "telescope" | | | | magic, within a couple of minutes the fish started |
| goldfish. | | | | to "wake up" and finally became lively again. My |
| At the time I didn't have a real aquarium yet so | | | | dad said, "I told you so!" |
| we put the goldfish in a large jar (about 1 gallon). | | | | The air pump was about the only supply we |
| One of our neighbors told us that goldfish wouldn't | | | | bought for the aquarium. Having beautiful and lively |
| tolerate chlorine and therefore, we should not use | | | | goldfish in my very own aquarium was good |
| tap water. They happened to have a well and | | | | enough for me. I loved them so much that I also |
| offered to let us use the water for my goldfish. | | | | fed them too much. I was happy to watch them |
| I soon noticed that the fish were constantly | | | | eat. As you can imagine though, the water got |
| gasping for air at the surface. They also refused | | | | dirty very quickly that I had to change it every |
| to eat. After a couple of days the water started | | | | day. |
| to become cloudy, so I changed it totally. | | | | One day a friend of ours told us that we shouldn't |
| However, the fish still refused to eat and | | | | be changing the water daily since it wouldn't be |
| continued to gasp for air. Not long after that they | | | | good for the fish. Also, in the mean time I had |
| became lethargic and eventually died. | | | | read somewhere that if you wanted to use tap |
| My mom said probably "telescope" goldfish just | | | | water you should set it aside for a few days to |
| weren't hardy enough and not easy to keep. | | | | get rid of the chlorine. Therefore, I set aside a |
| However, I had not given up on goldfish yet, so I | | | | bucket of water and changed 3/4 of the water |
| asked if I could try to keep other kinds and | | | | about every 3 days. |
| hopefully would have better luck. My parents | | | | I was able to enjoy the goldfish for a few |
| eventually consented but my dad suggested that | | | | months before one of them got sick and died and |
| I get a real aquarium instead of putting the fish in | | | | the others followed soon after. I was extremely |
| a jar. You can imagine how elated I was that | | | | sad and because of that my dad told me I |
| finally I was going to have a real aquarium. | | | | couldn't buy any more fish. So, after all my fish |
| So we went out and bought a 10 gallon aquarium | | | | died my hobby came to a sad end. Well, at least |
| and a few goldfish at the same time. I believe we | | | | for a while. |
| bought 4 fish: a couple of medium sized "comets" | | | | Again, there is a take-home lesson here: if you're |
| and a pair of "pearl scales." We didn't buy them at | | | | serious about having your own aquarium, there's |
| a store, though. It was more like a wholesale type | | | | some basic knowledge you need to possess |
| of place where there were plenty of different | | | | before you even buy the aquarium and fish. You |
| sellers selling their aquariums and fish. Again, at the | | | | don't have to know everything there is to know |
| time neither my mom nor I knew much about | | | | about the hobby, but at least for the sake of the |
| fish keeping. So we didn't buy any supplies for the | | | | fish, you should understand a few things (such as |
| aquarium. Just the tank and fish. That was it! | | | | how many fish you can have in a tank, how |
| When we got home I filled up the aquarium with | | | | much to feed them, what kinds of aquarium |
| untreated tap water and immediately put the fish | | | | supplies to have, and what kinds of maintenance |
| in. I was so excited to see the goldfish swim | | | | you need to perform, just to name a few) that |
| around in the tank, but that didn't last long. In a | | | | are crucial to their well being. |
| few hours the fish were no longer lively. They | | | | If you're an expert you most likely picked up on |
| sort of stayed at the bottom and didn't move | | | | the things I did wrong in the story I shared |
| very much. | | | | above. If you're a beginner or just thinking about |
| When my dad saw them he said they probably | | | | getting started with this hobby, I invite you to |
| lacked oxygen and suggested that we go out and | | | | visit my web site (see below) to learn more. |