2. Don't overcrowd the fishes. Overcrowding can create a stressful environment for the fishes and as many fishes are very territorial, causes infighting. General rule of thumb is, one fish per gallon of water.
3. If you are planning to expand your fishy domain and introduce new species to the aquarium, make sure to check their compatibilities first. That way you won't come home to a fish tank with a one really empy tank with a fish with its stomach full of your prized schools of fishes. Which brings us to the next advice...
4. Overfeeding the fishes is one of the major cause of death for pet fishes. You want to avoid overfishing because the waste build up from uneaten food and waste produced by the fish breaks down and changes the chemistry of water in the tank.
5. Cover your fish tank, your fishes may not be Flipper but they sure can and will jump out of the tank if you provide them with the opportunity. Don't let fishy suicide be a scene you're coming home to, keep your fish tank covered.
6. Knowledge is power isn't just another public PR campaign. The more you know about your fishes, the better you are equipped to take care of it. (That's why you're reading this list presumably right? To provide a better home for your gilled buddies.) Likewise, make sure to do plenty of research about your aquarium equipment before buying them.
7. The decorations aren't just for looks. Sure the sunken pirate ships and underwater castles sass up the fish tank but they're primary function for your fishes are as hiding places. More hiding places for the fish mean happier fishes.
8. Sun light for your fishes is a good thing but like overfeeding, too much sun light, or any sort of lighting, can be a bad thing. Excessive sunlight can encourage green algae growth, which in it of itself is not a bad thing but can quickly grow out of control. Over growth in algae = extra care and maintenance. Make sure to keep the exposure of light to your fish tank limited to about 8 to 10 hours daily.
9. NEVER place your fish tank by the window. There are two reasons for this. One as mentioned previously, is that too much light exposure can encourage the excessive growth of green algae. Second is that leaving your tank near the window leaves it susceptible to temperature changes. Make sure you leave your fish tank somewhere out of way of direct sunlight and prone to extreme temperature changes.
10. When cleaning, don't remove all the stuff out. Not only does it create more work for you when cleaning out the tank, you would be scrubbing away bacterial growths in your tank that are beneficial to your fishes.
These 10 advices are just the basics of pet fish care but they should guide you towards the right direction of building your very own fantastic aquarium.
Find out more about fish tanks and pet fish care at Fish Tank Warehouse
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