Keeping fish as pets takes more than just feeding them and changing the water every once in a while. Sadly, many people aren't aware of that and they just buy aquarium fish because they're attractive. After a short while the fish start to get sick and die one after the other, and the newbie would lose interest in the hobby and give it up all together.
Basic knowledge of fish keeping, together with the right aquarium supplies, is crucial to the livelihood and longevity of your fish. It's important to maintain the optimum living conditions for your fish and other living things you may have in your aquarium if you are to enjoy them for a long time.
To illustrate this, I shall share with you my own experiences when I got started with this hobby for the very first time as a child. The first experience was with bettas and the second with goldfish; two different kinds of fish with different requirements.
My first pet fish were a pair of bettas (a male and a female) which my mom bought me because she knew that I liked fish and felt sorry for me because a toy fish was all I had.
We put the bettas in a small plastic jar with a floating live plant. The male was aggressive. He continuously chased after the female and attacked her until she was full of bruises. One night, running out of place to hide, the female desperately jumped out of the water onto the floor. Fortunately I was nearby and was able to save her.
My mom then suggested that we separate the fish. So we put the female in a different jar. However, I felt that the female was lonely. So one day I asked my mom if I could buy another fish. There was a beautiful green male betta that I decided to buy.
At that time I didn't know that bettas were fighting fish and that the males would fight with each other. So at first I decided to put the new male in the same container as the first male. I knew the first male was aggressive and I just wondered how he would react toward another male.
To my amazement the two males fought with each other and there was no sign that they would stop. After a while I got worried. I didn't want any of them to die so I finally separated them and put the new male together with the female, and to my pleasant surprise they got along pretty well.
However, that little jar was kind of small for a pair of fish although they got along. So, we decided to move the fish to a much larger plastic container. Later I added a couple more females so that it became sort of a betta community tank.
Being fascinated by the beauty of the male bettas, I bought a couple more and put each in individual jars. I fed them dried food and occasionally bread. However, I fed them too much. The water would become cloudy fast from fish waste and uneaten food. So, I completely changed the water every other day. I would fill up the jar with new water right from the tap.
As you might guess, the fish didn't last very long. After only a few months they started to get sick and eventually one after the other died.
Dirty water, untreated new water, fluctuating water temperatures, and trauma from being moved frequently during water changes were some of the factors that contributed to the fish's low resistance to diseases.
Although it's acceptable to keep bettas in relatively small containers without aeration, it would be much better to put them in a tank of at least 2 gallons, and you would still need to observe certain basic things such as not feeding them too much and setting aside new water to equilibrate the temperature and remove chorine prior to water changes.
I was only about 10 years old at the time and didn't know anything about fish keeping. Neither did my mom. Also, back then there were very few books about aquarium fish and the aquarium supplies were not as sophisticated as they are today.
Today, there are plenty of good books and magazines as well as web sites about fish aquariums. So, if you're serious about taking up this hobby, you should start by reading a few of them and gain the basic knowledge before you even buy your aquarium and fish.
In the next article you will learn what happened when I tried to keep some goldfish, also with very little knowledge. In the mean time I invite you to visit my web site (see below) to learn more about aquarium fish keeping.
About the author:
Jonathan Wangsa is the webmaster of all about aquarium supplies. There you can find resources and information about aquarium supplies and other aquarium related topics. Whether you're an expert or a newbie, you can also share your own experiences.
Get a Free Special Report when you sign up for a all about aquarium supplies.
bathroom cleaning service Lincolnshire ..Just as humans allergies can show up as a sneeze... Read More
Introducing your puppy to the crate should be an easy... Read More
Some people say they are exclusively "cat people," meaning they... Read More
At some time or another even the sweetest cat "misbehaves."... Read More
Is your cat talking to you?Many cat lovers claim that... Read More
The most important things in dog training are consistency, keeping... Read More
Still remember that very moment when you first laid your... Read More
Maintaining your fish bowl can be difficult sometimes. However, your... Read More
Cockatiels are one of the most lovable pets in the... Read More
If you take a quick look at this species they... Read More
Do you make a lot of trips to the vet's... Read More
The large animal organizations and the public money.It is said... Read More
If you are looking for tips on breeding tropical fish,... Read More
Settling a puppy into a new home successful is often... Read More
Many cat owners believe that their good little kitty would... Read More
Hamster breeding can sometimes be confusing for a hamster owner.... Read More
Did you know that more than one million north americans... Read More
How do you build a goldfish pond outdoors?The tools you... Read More
There is a dangerous problem that horse owners should be... Read More
One of the most difficult hurdles that any new puppy... Read More
A poorly trained dog is a nuisance and can even... Read More
Small dog breeds are great pets, but since their personalities... Read More
Canine Diabetes: A Serious Dog Disease That is Completely ManageableCanine... Read More
Cats need only be provided with decent shelter, food and... Read More
For Discus fish, there are 2 consideration in tanks -... Read More
recurring housekeeping Des Plaines ..As there are certain health issues that affect only the... Read More
One of the greatest thrills for a little boy or... Read More
Throughout the course of my life, I've encountered my own... Read More
Dog bite injuries are alarmingly the most common condition that... Read More
Dogs and kids, it's a combination that at it's best... Read More
The act of offering Christmas gifts is always enhanced if... Read More
The idea of picking up a horse's hooves can intimidate... Read More
If you love dogs and you enjoy making money then... Read More
Eclampsia, or milk fever, is an acute, life-threatening condition which... Read More
If you're contemplating the idea of starting a home-based business... Read More
Potty Training Your Puppy:Make sure you feed your dog at... Read More
Internet Fraud, Classifieds Scams, Abuse and Suspicious Replies are world... Read More
Every month I am approached by dog owners of my... Read More
We've all heard the phrase, "Free as a bird." In... Read More
Are you thinking about dog obedience school? Do you know... Read More
My wife and I have been married for 32 years.... Read More
This is a question that has been asked of me... Read More
Caring for a kitten is a lot of work. With... Read More
More and more folks are looking to the Internet to... Read More
Even if you haven't had a run-in involving your pet... Read More
Attention breeders, livestock owners and pet lovers! *Pets looking for... Read More
Congratulations on your choice to bring home a West Highland... Read More
Did you know that pets outnumber people in the United... Read More
According to recent statistics, an astounding 65% of all U.S.... Read More
The American Kennel Club recognizes 150 different dog breeds. There... Read More
Pet |