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When starting an aquarium, be patient! It takes time for nitrifying bacteria to multiply. If you introduce fish early, the environment will be poisonous to them, and they will probably die. That would be cruel.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Fish don't adapt to new environments easily; they're like all animals which lack the ability to reason: they panic.
kellyjones00 (593)
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The main key to keeping fish in an aquarium, is: their home's condition must be correct and stable. They cannot run away when it's a mess.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Water: replace about 1/5 of the aquarium water every fortnight, with prepared water.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Changing tank water: This is very important indeed. If you tend to forget, then do a smaller water change weekly, e.g. with a favourite weekly tv show.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Use a pH kit and a kit to test the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in the aquarium before adding fish. Different fish species have different needs.
kellyjones00 (593)
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A panicked fish moves a lot, and its gills work faster. Abrupt change upsets fish. Be patient!
kellyjones00 (593)
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Filtration: remove nitrates from water, by sucking water through a filtering unit. Don't forget to clean the filtration medium (e.g. sponge).
kellyjones00 (593)
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It's better not to release ornamental fish into native fishes' habitats, or keep wild fish in aquariums.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Water: freshwater fish won't cope with the chlorine in treated town-water.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Gravel: lay a few centimetres of gravel on the aquarium floor, to provide more surface and grip for algae to grow on, which fish can graze on.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Vacations: better to feed fish a little regularly than a big amount rarely. So on vacations of up to a week, use a 'holiday' food-block that breaks down slowly. For longer holidays, use a mechanical feeder (including a patient, informed friend).
kellyjones00 (593)
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Use a microscope to examine the rinsed sediment of your aquarium. Compare it to a sample of rinsed mud from a healthy river. You may be surprised.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Quarantine: If adding new fish to an established colony of fish, quarantine the new ones in a small, clean, spare tank to watch for disease.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Breeding: Some fish eat their eggs. Use a breeding tank, then remove the adults.
kellyjones00 (593)
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