Lets Help Newcomers!

[the biffster]

Fish are hard to keep... not a good first pet!

its not the fish that's hard to
keep it the water to keep right
if you can keep water right the fish
will just about look after itself
besides feeding


my old boss from a long time ago
said the art is not in the welding
but in the putting on of the underseal
mind you i don't know why he said that my
welding was perfect mind you his did look
like parrot droppings

 

[moohug4]

So everyone, I was thinking- I've made so many mistakes in my fish keeping career, and I wish someone had helped me with them. So I think we should tell everyone what our major fish keeping mistakes have been: I'll start.

Zophie's fish-keeping mistakes (not in order)

-Wash gravel before putting it in a tank.
-Learn actually what a "fishless cycle" is- don't beleive what you think it is.
-Don't overstock, however tempting.
-Don't just throw in any fish- think about size, pH, aggresion, and much more!
-Tetra's chase each other- don't worry when they start the bodychecking!
-Bottom Feeders stay on the bottom- they arn't sick.
-DON'T PUT A BETTA IN UNHEATED WATER, BELOW 25 DEGREES!
- Don't ever mix up F. and C. You'll fry or freeze your fish.
-Fish are not ornaments- get that into your head.
-Don't put 5 female bettas ina 2 gallon tank.
- Don't use Neon gravle- you'll get a head-ache.
-The rule "1 inch per gallon" does NOT work.
- Oscars and Neon Tetras are a no-no.
-Don't just skip a water change. You'll pay for it.
-Its not about the tank size, its about the water quality.


AND MUCH, MUCH, MORE...

Help the Newbies! Wright down your mistakes too, and you'll help lots of people.

Zophie

Don't keep fish in chorinated water.
Goldfish and Betta's do not go together.
Fish babies do not like to be eaten, so move them.

 

[zophie]

Fish are hard to keep... not a good first pet!

quote its not the fish that's hard to
keep it the water to keep right
if you can keep water right the fish
will just about look after itself
besides feeding


my old boss from a long time ago
said the art is not in the welding
but in the putting on of the underseal
mind you i don't know why he said that my
welding was perfect mind you his did look
like parrot droppings end quote

You summed it up, Biff. Some times I just feel like giving everything away to a LFS

 

[AstonN24vantage]

You summed it up, Biff. Some times I just feel like giving everything away to a LFS

but not get any store credit in return?

 

[Skins]

Fish are hard to keep... not a good first pet!

its not the fish that's hard to
keep it the water to keep right
if you can keep water right the fish
will just about look after itself
besides feeding

Well put Biffster.

 

[zophie]

Fish are hard to keep... not a good first pet!

its not the fish that's hard to
keep it the water to keep right
if you can keep water right the fish
will just about look after itself
besides feeding

Well put Biffster.

Agreed

 

[fishmad135]

I noticed that people have mentioned the '1 inch per gallon' does not work, is it possible for you to give me another technique i could use instead.?

 

[zophie]

I noticed that people have mentioned the '1 inch per gallon' does not work, is it possible for you to give me another technique i could use instead.?

It's hard to say. There is no real "fish rule". What I reccomend, is just telling us what you have/want in your tank, and we'll tell you if that is under-stocked or over-stocked.

 

[waterdrop]

In my opinion, the "inch guideline" is just a title for a rather complicated set of principles that generalize the black art that experienced aquarists practice when they form a "stocking plan." I feel it is quite a helpful and important guideline for beginners to be aware of. It certainly does not mean you simply estimate the inches of length of each fish that will go in and add it up, which is probably where much of the misunderstanding comes from.

A beginner bumping into an "inch guideline" comment somewhere can be an important first step for that person to have an initial awareness that such a consideration as a "stocking plan" even exists or is a skill that fishkeepers should learn and should continue to refine throughout their lifetimes.

~~waterdrop~~ "just my drop of water in the tank of discussion"

 

[Sorgintxo]

I have just been given a present of a fish but I don't know anything about keeping fish at all, I just didnt want it to be thrown away for no reason! It's a fish which was used to prepare the water for a spa using garra rufa/doctor fish. It's about4cm long, silvery grey/green colour with orangey gills anf a bit of its head is orangey as well. If anyone can help it would be great, I would like to be sure I am doing the right thing with it! I'll try to take a pic and post that too. Thanks.

 

[Aqua Tom]

I have just been given a present of a fish but I don't know anything about keeping fish at all, I just didnt want it to be thrown away for no reason! It's a fish which was used to prepare the water for a spa using garra rufa/doctor fish. It's about4cm long, silvery grey/green colour with orangey gills anf a bit of its head is orangey as well. If anyone can help it would be great, I would like to be sure I am doing the right thing with it! I'll try to take a pic and post that too. Thanks.

guppy?

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Sorgintxo.
It sounds like you have a rummy nose to me.
That fish could live with a few of his friends in a simple 10 gallon tank, the smallest that is easy for a beginner to care for. I sometimes run smaller tanks but I am experienced and know what to watch for. A larger tank like a 29 gallon is even more forgiving than a 10 but it also takes more action to correct anything that goes wrong. The 10 is a great compromise between easy care and stability.