Words of wisdom to new hobbyist
- Thread starter makoshoemaker
- Start date
Over feeding is real bad. It's very easy to do; I mean, its fun watching your fish eat right? For a new person my #1 piece of advice is try to understand feeding. Observe your fish, really watch them. Pay attention to extra food at the bottom of the tank or food getting sucked into filters. That’s over feeding. I think over feeding is the # 1 water quality issue with fish keepers.
Research, Research, Research!!! and then research some more.
The more you know before you buy, the less money you will waste.
Don't be afraid to ask experienced fishkeepers for help, 2 heads are always better than one...
Remember most retailers want to make money...most of them (not all) will sell you anything, no matter how big it will get.
Most responsible retailers will ask you what size tank you have before they sell or recommend fish to buy.
And don't forget, to research. If you know what you want and how to care for it, the less likely you are to make an impulse buy. (learned that the hard way!)
The more you know before you buy, the less money you will waste.
Don't be afraid to ask experienced fishkeepers for help, 2 heads are always better than one...
Remember most retailers want to make money...most of them (not all) will sell you anything, no matter how big it will get.
Most responsible retailers will ask you what size tank you have before they sell or recommend fish to buy.
And don't forget, to research. If you know what you want and how to care for it, the less likely you are to make an impulse buy. (learned that the hard way!)
Don't put unprotected glass heaters with fish known to break things.
Use a rock on your lids if you have big fish, jumping fish, and especially big jumping fish that tend to suddenly emote.
Don't buy cheap fish food or fish food that has corn, wheat or other fillers in the first four ingredients. Look for food made of things that fish eat instead.
Use a rock on your lids if you have big fish, jumping fish, and especially big jumping fish that tend to suddenly emote.
Don't buy cheap fish food or fish food that has corn, wheat or other fillers in the first four ingredients. Look for food made of things that fish eat instead.
Don't buy big fish as babies and put them in a small tank, and say you're going to buy a bigger tank when it's time. It usually doesn't happen. Unforeseen circumstances always come up. Money troubles, or space issues, etc, but usually you end up with a cramped fish in a small tank, except now you've gotten attached to the fish so you don't want to let it go to someone else, or it's too big so no one even wants to take it off your hands in the first place. Save yourself a whole world of hurt and just get the final tank first.
Don't leave the heater above water (sometimes it happens during water changes). It could explode. It's a long, traumatic story... I don't wanna talk about it.
CYCLE! I know you might be anxious to get your new fish home, but it's just gonna end up dead if the tank isn't ready. I killed so many fancy goldfish as a beginner just because I didn't know anything about cycling.
Plecos are not good cleaning fish. They're a fish, just like any other, and so they require just as much diversity in their food as any other fish. And they poop everywhere. You know those annoying spray cans that shoot out strings of foam all over the place? That's what a pleco is to the fish world.
Keep up with water changes. Even if you're exhausted... well, you wanted fish, right?
Don't leave the heater above water (sometimes it happens during water changes). It could explode. It's a long, traumatic story... I don't wanna talk about it.
CYCLE! I know you might be anxious to get your new fish home, but it's just gonna end up dead if the tank isn't ready. I killed so many fancy goldfish as a beginner just because I didn't know anything about cycling.
Plecos are not good cleaning fish. They're a fish, just like any other, and so they require just as much diversity in their food as any other fish. And they poop everywhere. You know those annoying spray cans that shoot out strings of foam all over the place? That's what a pleco is to the fish world.
Keep up with water changes. Even if you're exhausted... well, you wanted fish, right?
fresh water means they need no salt.
brackish means they need some salt.
salt/marine means they need salt.
You can not change what a fish needs. You're fish cant adapt, only some salt water fish can swim in non-salt water because they keep a reserve of salt inside there body.
brackish means they need some salt.
salt/marine means they need salt.
You can not change what a fish needs. You're fish cant adapt, only some salt water fish can swim in non-salt water because they keep a reserve of salt inside there body.
Surprisingly fish like veggies, dont be afraid to research and find out which ones. Food diversity keeps fish from being picky if you mix up their diet and helps with them getting bored with their food (not that we would know)
If your setting up a new/used tank thats 150g or more in a house that has a crawl space or basement, go ahead and support the floor. It will save you some sleep at night because with that much weight things will move without the proper support and you do not want them to.
