Place the empty aquarium and stand on a flat solid surface in a well lit position but not in direct sunlight. Place a flat piece of Styrofoam on the stand beneath the tank, this will prevent it smashing if the tank is jarred. Direct sunlight will heat th

It is easy to decide that owning an aquarium would be a nice idea, but it can be difficult to know just where and how to start. These are the questions you must ask yourself first. What size aquarium can I accommodate (and afford)? What sort of fishes wo

Mechanical filtration traps solids by the filter However, they are still part of the system until it is replaced or cleaned. The most common media for this is plastic foam, filter floss, and gravel or sand.

Water is a necessary element for all life forms. However, to fish it is necessary to their environment as well as their metabolic state.

However good your water quality may be in the beginning, it will deteriorate after you put fish in the tank. Fish create waste, plants lose stems, and there will be uneaten pieces of food. This detritus is decomposed by bacteria through the processes call

Just as fish have adapted to local water chemistry, they are used to a particular temperature. Sudden changes in temperature, primarily a rapid drop in temperature, can be very harmful if not lethal. Most species will be able to function for a while at te

It’s hardly surprising that most of the fish you’ll find your local pet store I species is origin can be traced to the Amazon river in South America since the Amazon River has more variety is a fish that all the other rivers of the world combined.

With the never-ending choices of fish foods available to the aquarist today, it may seem difficult to determine which are appropriate for your fish. The cost factor should NOT be the deciding factor when choosing fish food, because inferior or inappropri

The type and amount of filter necessary depends on the nature of the individual aquarium. A function of bacterial population size is biological efficiency, and that is in turn dependent on the available colonisable area and oxygen supply.

This is as important as water chemistry. Most of the complexities of chemistry can be avoided by keeping fish in local water, and providing good water quality is a continuing process. This process has tow parts. First you must ensure that no harmful chemi

Most often when we are referring to Fish Tank water salinity or hardness where are you talking about brackish water aquariums or ocean water aquariums.

No matter what you have an interest in, if you have a collection, you will want to show it off in the best possible light. Similarly, if you have a pet, you will want to make sure that you care for it properly and ensure it remains in good health.

As a beginner you will likely be tempted to buy only packaged dried foods, of which there are types to suit almost every variety of fish. Huge amounts of time and money have been expended in ensuring that they provide all necessary dietary elements, and,

Many aquarists soon develop a yearning for the patter of tiny fins, perhaps because a species breeds unprompted in its community tank, perhaps because of an interest in conservation. Indeed anyone maintaining a rare or endangered species should feel duty

Maintenance is largely a matter of continuing to apply the principles learned when setting up your aquarium, thus ensuring continued optimal living conditions for your fishes. What is needed, and how often, depends on the individual aquarium and its occup

There are three main points to remember about illness in the aquarium:1. At least 95 per cent of illnesses are environmen­tal rather than pathogenic (caused by an outside organism). Moreover many pathogenic diseases remain dormant unless the fish is w

The digestive system of fish is quite simple when compared to that of the humans. Of course there are many variations between species. A fish’s mouthparts are modified for unique food habits. Some species such as sawhorses that feed on small zooplankton o

Almost all species of fish can be trained to eat a variety of prepared diets, but not all diets are equally acceptable to all fish. Even the most nutritious diet cannot maintain a fish that fails to recognize the type of food. Recognition is affected by i

While your tank finishes maturing, you should put the final touches on your shopping list of fish. You should have already determined how many fish will fit in your aquarium, and consider what type of fish you will buy. You may want to visit your local fi