| Now that you have set up your freshwater | | | | water from your tank every 5 minutes. Repeat |
| aquarium, I'm sure you can't wait to see your | | | | this until the water volume in the bucket has |
| tropical fish in action! Here are a few tips to make | | | | doubled. Empty half the volume and then repeat |
| sure this exciting and important part of your | | | | until the water volume is doubled again. This |
| aquarium setup is a great success. | | | | process should take around thirty minutes. Your |
| The Fishless Cycle | | | | fish should now be properly acclimatized to your |
| It is vital that you regulate the water in the tank | | | | tank water. This ensures that fish are not |
| to get it under the right conditions for the fish | | | | shocked when introduced into different tank |
| you plan to introduce (pH, temperature, ammonia | | | | aquariums. |
| and nitrate levels etc). All fish tank aquariums | | | | Adding Your Fish |
| need to be run for 2-8 weeks, depending on the | | | | Now it is time to introduce them to your |
| size of your tank, to ensure the tank has | | | | aquarium. Turn off the aquarium lights and leave |
| completed its nitrogen cycle and the beneficial | | | | them off for 3-4 hours after the fish are |
| bacteria have been established. Your tank will | | | | introduced to reduce stress as the fish adjust to |
| have completed its cycle when ammonia and | | | | the new setting. Use a net that is much larger |
| nitrite levels are undetected and nitrate reading | | | | than the fish to catch it in the bucket. Carefully |
| levels are around 10. | | | | place the net in the tank water and let the fish |
| Selecting Your Fish | | | | swim out. Repeat for each of your fish. Do not |
| You need to resist the urge of fully stocking your | | | | put any water from the bucket into your |
| tank aquariums and start off small. Select two or | | | | aquarium as part of it has come from the fish |
| three fish to begin with. I suggest starting with a | | | | store and may contain disease or other unhealthy |
| hardy species such as Zebra Danios or White | | | | chemical levels, which you do not want to |
| Clouds. Make sure you visit different pet shops to | | | | introduce into other fish tank aquariums. Instead fill |
| determine which ones have healthy, happy fish | | | | your aquarium up with new water. If there are |
| which will soon be at home in your aquarium. It is | | | | already other fish in your aquarium place the new |
| important to observe the fish before buying to | | | | fish in a separate aquarium for several days and |
| check for any signs of sickness or injury. There | | | | observe for disease. Don't add more than four |
| are a number of indicators about their behaviour | | | | fish at a time as this can cause a chemical |
| and appearance that will let you know their state | | | | imbalance in your tank. This is a much more |
| of health. Eyes should be bright and active, rather | | | | effective method than the old way of floating pet |
| than seeming small or filmed over. Make sure the | | | | shop's plastic bags in tank aquariums as this does |
| fish can feed itself and there are no fungal or | | | | nothing to acclimatize fish to the various water |
| bacterial infections in the soft tissues around the | | | | parameters of different fish tanks. |
| mouth. Check to see if the abdomen is 'fat' which | | | | A Little at a Time |
| means the fish is feeding well; a fish with a | | | | You will then need to wait around another month |
| sunken abdomen is not likely to live too long. | | | | before adding more fish. The reason for this is |
| Scales should be smooth and even while missing | | | | that it takes the fish a while to get used to their |
| scales and discoloured patches are signs of | | | | new environment and the more fish there are, |
| infection. Also note that the fish's gills are moving | | | | the higher their stress levels. Plus there is an |
| regularly and not spasmodically. There should not | | | | incubation time with diseases and you need to |
| be any tears or raggedness on the fins, the | | | | ensure the fish are healthy before contaminating |
| presence of which would indicate fighting with | | | | others. Another reason is that the tank aquarium's |
| other fish or improper aquarium filtration. | | | | ecosystem also needs to adjust to its new |
| Acclimatizing Your Fish | | | | inhabitants and the increased waste they produce. |
| Bringing your fish from the pet shop to its new | | | | Continue to monitor the temperature, pH, |
| home is just as stressful for fish as adults moving | | | | ammonia and nitrate levels throughout this period. |
| house! There are, however, ways to ease this | | | | Moving Tank is Stressful! |
| stress and to slowly introduce the fish to its new | | | | For the success of your fish tank aquariums |
| environment. Wrap the plastic bag the pet shop | | | | please ensure you follow this incredibly important |
| places your fish in, in a paper bag, and hold as still | | | | process of acclimatization. Without it, fish that you |
| as possible for the journey home. If the journey | | | | introduce will become severely stressed, thereby |
| is long, open the bag every thirty minutes to let | | | | weakening their immune system and making |
| fresh air in. When you arrive home, empty the | | | | them susceptible to illness and even death. It is |
| contents of the plastic bag into a clean bucket. | | | | largely fish that make tank aquariums beautiful |
| Ensure the environment in your aquarium is at its | | | | and exciting so they deserve to be looked after. |
| optimum for the health of your fish. Add a cup of | | | | This ensures your lasting enjoyment! |