I started keeping fish at a very young age, I started with guppies and did my research. I was quite successful for 7 years, then i added a fish I was too excited to quarentine, and everything got ich and died. Now all my tanks are good (Still fighting with the filtration on my 120g goldfish tank)
But, I work at petsmart, im the "Fish Lady" and here is what I have learned:
*KEEPING FISH IS AN ART MORE THAN A SCIENCE (and definately not a chimistry set!)
* Even if you do everything right, things can go wrong
* Even if you do things wrong, things can turn out alright
MOST COMMON NEW FISH-KEEPER PROBLEMS
1. People wanting fancy goldfish for bowls. I have to explain to someone atleast once a day that goldfish get big, are messy, cant be kept with tropical fish, and most certainly cant be kept in bowls. Its my life's Crusade! Just Say No To Goldfish Bowls!
2. People want to buy the 2gallon Bubbling tank, because its cheep, they want to put 5 Neon Tetras in it the same day- and then they die. These "filtered" tanks vex me! they are the downfall of many potential aquariests
3. One-Of-Everything syndrome, They dont believe schools are nessisary
4. They run an empty tank for a week, assume its cycled and then put 10 fish in it. Then comes the Bacteria Cycle explanation!
5. 100% water changes/ use of soap/ bleach- or no water changes
6. "There Has To Be A Chemical for That" Rather than doing water changes, they buy a chemical for cloudy water, algae, high ammonia, bacterial infections, fungus infections, and Ich- and add them all at one time! (oh, and they leave the carbon in)
7. PRETTY FISH/ COOL FISH- Buying without research, eels, gobys, "Sharks", Bichirs, standard Plecos..... In a 10 gallon tank ("Big Tank")
8. "Thats What She Said" Getting information from people who dont know anything about fish, and assuming its correct! I really hate this one! I think people assume that if you work at a pet store, you know all there is to know, and only get one person's opinion- "Well, the guy at walmart said I could put this irridescent shark in my 5 gallon tank with guppys and it would be fine!"
9. FISH ONLY GROW TO THE SIZE OF THIER TANK! CAN YOU SAY PLECO? OACAR? GOLDFISH? Who Started This? And Can I Kill Them?
10. Not Doing ANY research about fish, or fish-keeping, or ANYTHING before going out and splurging on a "Big" 10 gallon tank, filling it up with inappropriet fish, given by someone who just wanted to make a sale, and watching in dismay as everything dies!
I am still very skilled at flooding my floor on occasion, I think last weekend I was filling my 120 and was watching the water line, not the sump, flooded my room and shocked myself 7 times trying to mop up the water! Never leave a tank unattended while filling! Oy! I just need one of those water trough floats to turn it off when its done filling!
But, I work at petsmart, im the "Fish Lady" and here is what I have learned:
*KEEPING FISH IS AN ART MORE THAN A SCIENCE (and definately not a chimistry set!)
* Even if you do everything right, things can go wrong
* Even if you do things wrong, things can turn out alright
MOST COMMON NEW FISH-KEEPER PROBLEMS
1. People wanting fancy goldfish for bowls. I have to explain to someone atleast once a day that goldfish get big, are messy, cant be kept with tropical fish, and most certainly cant be kept in bowls. Its my life's Crusade! Just Say No To Goldfish Bowls!
2. People want to buy the 2gallon Bubbling tank, because its cheep, they want to put 5 Neon Tetras in it the same day- and then they die. These "filtered" tanks vex me! they are the downfall of many potential aquariests
3. One-Of-Everything syndrome, They dont believe schools are nessisary
4. They run an empty tank for a week, assume its cycled and then put 10 fish in it. Then comes the Bacteria Cycle explanation!
5. 100% water changes/ use of soap/ bleach- or no water changes
6. "There Has To Be A Chemical for That" Rather than doing water changes, they buy a chemical for cloudy water, algae, high ammonia, bacterial infections, fungus infections, and Ich- and add them all at one time! (oh, and they leave the carbon in)
7. PRETTY FISH/ COOL FISH- Buying without research, eels, gobys, "Sharks", Bichirs, standard Plecos..... In a 10 gallon tank ("Big Tank")
8. "Thats What She Said" Getting information from people who dont know anything about fish, and assuming its correct! I really hate this one! I think people assume that if you work at a pet store, you know all there is to know, and only get one person's opinion- "Well, the guy at walmart said I could put this irridescent shark in my 5 gallon tank with guppys and it would be fine!"
9. FISH ONLY GROW TO THE SIZE OF THIER TANK! CAN YOU SAY PLECO? OACAR? GOLDFISH? Who Started This? And Can I Kill Them?
10. Not Doing ANY research about fish, or fish-keeping, or ANYTHING before going out and splurging on a "Big" 10 gallon tank, filling it up with inappropriet fish, given by someone who just wanted to make a sale, and watching in dismay as everything dies!
I am still very skilled at flooding my floor on occasion, I think last weekend I was filling my 120 and was watching the water line, not the sump, flooded my room and shocked myself 7 times trying to mop up the water! Never leave a tank unattended while filling! Oy! I just need one of those water trough floats to turn it off when its done filling!
