Many people with their first aquarium come into the hobby with the idea that you just fill up your aquarium, add fish and tada! While sometimes people get lucky, more often this ends in disaster. Fish end up dying from poor water conditions or from each other when beginners unwittingly mix incompatible species. It pays to do a bit of research before you start.
Balancing your water chemistry is vital. It’s safe to say that the tap water in most urban areas has chlorine in it to kill bacteria. The water must be treated to remove the chlorine to make it fish-safe. There are water additives that will do this available at any fish store. Other factors to consider are water hardness, ph levels, nitrates and nitrites. I recommend getting some 5-in-1 aquarium water test strips, test your water, and read up on what levels are suitable for aquatic life and how to alter those levels.
Next you need to “cycle” your aquarium to allow beneficial bacteria to grow. These bacteria break down and convert the toxic elements of fish waste and any decaying matter into harmless and even beneficial components. There is lots of info available on cycling an aquarium.
It’s finally time to add fish! So many people run off to the fish store and just randomly purchase different fish without considering wether or not they are compatible with each other, how big they will get, what their diet and water requirements are, etc. Keep in mind that most fish you see in the store are juveniles. That little 3″ pleco can grow up to 2 feet long depending on the species. At least they are generally docile. A Red Tailed catfish gets big too, but they’ll eat fish almost as big as themselves. Some fish seem fine until they reach maturity and suddenly become monsters, especially if there is a pair mating. All of these factors and more should be considered when stocking your tank. Don’t expect the staff at the store to tell you these things. For many people its “just a job” and they might not know these things, or in some cases they will tell you false information just so they can make the sale.
If you do your research before you start setting up your aquarium you will hopefully avoid many common pitfalls. Your fish will be healthier and happier, your tank will thrive, and you won’t end up losing interest because your fish keep getting sick or killing each other. A little knowledge early on can provide years of enjoyment.
Aquariumania 