Things you wish newbies knew.

OK, I will now reveal that I have at one time worked as a fish professional.
I worked for one of the big "evil empire" type stores when I needed an extra
job to cover some expenses. Here are some things I wish people knew about
fish before they ever thought about keeping an aquarium.

1. You cannot buy an aquarium and the fish you want in it the same day. There
were even people who wanted to buy a tank and a clownfish just because they
saw Finding Nemo. Even if you bought live sand and filtered seawater this
would be a long shot for the little nemo's survival.

2. You can't stock a tank to capacity shortly after setting it up. the number
one cause of death is ammonia. Bacteria get rid of ammonia. New tanks don't
have these bacteria, so build up slow. It may take a couple of months.

3. Algae will not kill your fish. Some people panic when they see algae. They
do stupid things as a result.

4. A teardown and rebuild is a good way to kill your fish. If the fish were
happy why do you need to take everything apart? Oh, yeah, algae.

4. It's best to stick to fish that stay under 3 inches in a 10gal. tank

5. You don not *have to* get a CAE or a pl*co in order to "clean the tank".
If you just think they're cool, get one, but they are by no means necessary.
Every fish you add to a tank increases the load on a tank. There is no magic
fish that improves water quality.

6. If you think that AmmoLock, Amquel, or zeolite are a long-term solution to
your overcrowded tank, you're wrong. There are countless oscar abusers who
mistakenly rely on these products.

7. Don't worry so much about your pH. It's high. The water comes from deep
wells that extend into Jurassic seabeds. Your better off just not worrying
about and letting your cardinals die young than adding pH Down or worse to
your tank.

Can anyone else add to this list?

-E

Eric wrote:

OK, I will now reveal that I have at one time worked as a fish professional.
I worked for one of the big "evil empire" type stores when I needed an extra
job to cover some expenses. Here are some things I wish people knew about
fish before they ever thought about keeping an aquarium.

1. You cannot buy an aquarium and the fish you want in it the same day. There
were even people who wanted to buy a tank and a clownfish just because they
saw Finding Nemo. Even if you bought live sand and filtered seawater this
would be a long shot for the little nemo's survival.

2. You can't stock a tank to capacity shortly after setting it up. the number
one cause of death is ammonia. Bacteria get rid of ammonia. New tanks don't
have these bacteria, so build up slow. It may take a couple of months.

3. Algae will not kill your fish. Some people panic when they see algae. They
do stupid things as a result.

4. A teardown and rebuild is a good way to kill your fish. If the fish were
happy why do you need to take everything apart? Oh, yeah, algae.

4. It's best to stick to fish that stay under 3 inches in a 10gal. tank

5. You don not *have to* get a CAE or a pl*co in order to "clean the tank".
If you just think they're cool, get one, but they are by no means necessary.
Every fish you add to a tank increases the load on a tank. There is no magic
fish that improves water quality.

6. If you think that AmmoLock, Amquel, or zeolite are a long-term solution to
your overcrowded tank, you're wrong. There are countless oscar abusers who
mistakenly rely on these products.

7. Don't worry so much about your pH. It's high. The water comes from deep
wells that extend into Jurassic seabeds. Your better off just not worrying
about and letting your cardinals die young than adding pH Down or worse to
your tank.

Can anyone else add to this list?

-E

Your algae observations were really funny. I *worry* about fishtanks
that have no algae at all! What would the fish graze on when I feed
lightly?

From another fish store refugee...

8. Your new tank will most likely have cloudy water for a while.
Changing the water will only make it worse.

9. No, guppies (mollies, platies, swordtails) don't lay eggs. Where
did the babies go? Well, fish have this rule... If it fits into the
mouth, it's food. Be grateful the babies are gone because livebearers
will breed you out of house and home unchecked.

10. Where did your cute little baby neons go? Didn't you buy an
angelfish last weekend? See number 9. Almost any fish will consider
eating a much smaller tankmate.

11. You have to use a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel when you change
water. If you've never cleaned the gravel before, start out gradually,
cleaning a third of the tank for the next 3 water changes. Work up to
cleaning the whole gravel bed with every water change.

12. Typical aquaria have strip lights that are wildly inadequate for
live plants. Why? So typical fish-only tanks don't grow too much
algae. Get a glass canopy and a good power compact light fixture if you
really want to grow plants. At a minimum, get a strip with two
fluorescent tubes instead of one.

13. Learn how to recognize ich before it wipes out your tank. If you
can't get to the fish store easily, keep some Quick Cure on hand.

14. Never buy a fish on impulse. Research its future size, housing
requirements, temperament, compatiblity, and food requirements before
you buy. The fish you buy on impulse and later wish you hadn't will be
the one that only eats live food, is too aggressive to keep with the
rest of your fish, costs a fortune yet hides all the time, or has an
adult size of 20" long.

15. Despite their popularity, tempting colors, and low price,
livebearers are not very good beginner fish. Start with danios, tetras,
rasboras, cories, or peaceful cichlids and add the livebearers later
when your tank has stabilized.

16. Only buy fish when every fish in the store tank is healthy. If
even one fish is sick or dying, can you tell which one will be next? I
like to see most of the fish on the same shared water system healthy
too. Never add fish store water to your tank and quarantine new fish
for a few weeks if you can.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Elaine T wrote:
11. You have to use a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel when you change
water. If you've never cleaned the gravel before, start out gradually,

Not true at all. I never vaccum my gravel anymore. Plants like
fertilizer.

14. Never buy a fish on impulse. Research its future size, housing

But we've all done that, haven't we?


--
Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

Victor Martinez wrote:
Elaine T wrote:

11. You have to use a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel when you
change water. If you've never cleaned the gravel before, start out
gradually,


Not true at all. I never vaccum my gravel anymore. Plants like
fertilizer.

14. Never buy a fish on impulse. Research its future size, housing


But we've all done that, haven't we?



Small tanks might be the cheapest option but cost more in terms of time
and maintenance....best advice I ever got (regarding tank size) was to
"buy as large as you can afford and have room for" - look where that
landed me - lol. Work has started on the installation of the 6 footer....

As for impulse buying - whoops done it myself a few times...but less and
less these days...

"Gill Passman" wrote in message
.. .
Victor Martinez wrote:
Elaine T wrote:

14. Never buy a fish on impulse. Research its future size, housing


But we've all done that, haven't we?

snip

As for impulse buying - whoops done it myself a few times...but less and
less these days...

For many of us (experienced and having MTS), the danger of impulse buying
affects us, more than the fish we're buying ;~).

I seen a tank full of Tropheus duboisi last week, for $11.88 cdn each (!!).
I should never go into pet shops.
--
www.NetMax.tk

In article ,
NetMax wrote:
"Gill Passman" wrote in message
. ..
Victor Martinez wrote:
Elaine T wrote:

14. Never buy a fish on impulse. Research its future size, housing


But we've all done that, haven't we?

snip

As for impulse buying - whoops done it myself a few times...but less and
less these days...

For many of us (experienced and having MTS), the danger of impulse buying
affects us, more than the fish we're buying ;~).

I seen a tank full of Tropheus duboisi last week, for $11.88 cdn each (!!).
I should never go into pet shops.

Yeah we got that here, too. 50 of the buggers in a tank at $12 ea, all good.
It's an advertised special in a flyer. I mean I open up the stupis redneck local
counry paper and a flyer pops out offering cheap T. duboisi. WTF?

They're ugly when they're big they're ugly when they're big they're ugly when
they're big. I have willpower. They have funny diets. They die easy. Damn they're
cute.

No I dont, I slashed my cars tires so I can't get there. I'm sure the mortgage
company wuld understand missing a payment for a good sized breeding colony...
Hmm, maybe they would...

(plods outdoors) Ok, I've slashed the tires on the truck now too. If I can make
it till Saturday when the sale is over I'll be good.

If they get cheap Altums, I'm ****ed.

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

"NetMax" wrote in message
...
I seen a tank full of Tropheus duboisi last week, for $11.88 cdn each
(!!). I should never go into pet shops.
============================
I went into Pet Supermarket the other day for a few more Amazon Sword plants
and came out with not only the plants but another beautiful calico Oranda.
:-)))
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Troll Information:
http://tinyurl.com/9zbh
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

In article ,
Victor Martinez wrote:
Elaine T wrote:
11. You have to use a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel when you change
water. If you've never cleaned the gravel before, start out gradually,

Not true at all. I never vaccum my gravel anymore. Plants like
fertilizer.

14. Never buy a fish on impulse. Research its future size, housing

But we've all done that, haven't we?

Killies excluded.


--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

"Victor Martinez" wrote in message
...
Elaine T wrote:
11. You have to use a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel when you change
water. If you've never cleaned the gravel before, start out gradually,

Not true at all. I never vaccum my gravel anymore. Plants like fertilizer.


There is no need to do it gradually either, since the nitrifying bacteria
can only survive on the surface. You can do a thorough vac job with no fear
of a deadly ammonia/nitrite spike. Before I took this advice I checked a
tank and ammonia and nitrite were zero. After the thorough vacuuming and
refilling - the ammonia and nitrites were still zero after a few hours.

14. Never buy a fish on impulse. Research its future size, housing

But we've all done that, haven't we?

There you go! :-)
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Troll Information:
http://tinyurl.com/9zbh
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

Victor Martinez wrote:
Elaine T wrote:

11. You have to use a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel when you
change water. If you've never cleaned the gravel before, start out
gradually,


Not true at all. I never vaccum my gravel anymore. Plants like
fertilizer.

Yes, but how many new aquarists actually have enough plants? I saw vial
after vial of pH 6 water from people with dying fish who changed water
but never vacuumed their gravel.

14. Never buy a fish on impulse. Research its future size, housing


But we've all done that, haven't we?

When you're working in a store, you wish people wouldn't. The customers
end up dissatisfied with the service (even though we TOLD them that that
cute little Auratus was not a good choice) or bringing fish back in buckets.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com