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Having An Aquarium

An aquarium is an enclosed space having at least one face transparent meant to keep fish and other aquatic animals. Its a decorative enclosure for big or small fish and its size depends upon the space being meant for different types of aquatic species, mainly fish. An aquarist keeps aquarium for his hobby and aesthetics. The aquarium may be as big as it can be. The small cuboid aquarium meant to be kept at home are called fish tanks and the bowl shaped small aquariams are called as fish bowls. Its a hobby which makes you love the fish as well as makes you as active as the fish. The fish seem to convey us the message that stay active, otherwise you will die..

My Story of keeping Aquarium at home

It was April, 2013, My first purchase of aquarium fish. I bought beautiful 11 fish and a big fish bowl. Took it in my car and reached home after a 5 hour journey. Was lucky enough to find that none had died. No much knowledge, but had heard that fish die in tap water , so made a routine of my father to bring water from a nearby natural water source. My father brought water daily and changed water almost daily. So much work for his son’s hobby. Hobby of mine and fish being taken care of by my father. Days passed and kept on hearing from home, one died, two died , and within first 2 months, before autumn break(October) only 2 were left. Discouraging enough to leave such a hobby.

Unique little ways

To keep the hobby intact I used many unique ways. My daughter was motivated enough to keep my hobby alive. She had kept the names of those fish- Crystal and Goldie. They were alive, active and always encouraging. I studied more then enough about keeping fish and learnt many new do’s and don’ts of keeping fish. They lived in those bowls for almost a year. I got the support of my loving family to keep my hobby alive. Had read that fish bowls aren’t a good place to keep the fish, so worked upon the other options. I bought a small fish tank from Pathankot, added a few more fish. Kept on adding and losing the fish . But “the Crystal” lived for more then 2 years. It made me changing my methodology for increasing the life span of fish I kept. It made me increase my knowledge of fish I had. My Unique little ways included changing water frequently, keeping the tank free of algae and dust particles and obeying to the directions of the supplier from whom I bought the fish tank. Today I have two fish tanks and 5+ 5 fish in them are living happily from the last 2 years.

Types of fish I had

In the last 5 years I have kept many types of fish in my fish bowls and tanks. The range varies from Silver shark, Red carp, Koi carp, Gold fish, Alvino tetras, Black widow tetras, Sucker cat, Gourami, Barb tetras, Angel Fish, Guppies, Mollies, Betta and many more. To be very honest , never ever tried to keep fish of heavy prices, for the confidence the vendors selling them give. “The Crystal” was an active Koi carp.

I enjoyed keeping all the fish and buying them as small new fish and seeing them growing in our fish tank is a very good experience. At present having 1 Indian Gourami, 1 Koi carp, 3 Gold fish in one tank and 5 barb fish in other smaller tank.

Challenges one faces in keeping aquariums

It is difficult to keep animals as they can’t express their feelings, their pain. But it is much difficult to keep fish for the reason that they are inside a very different environment and surroundings.Perception and knowledge play a much greater role than understanding things. It comes in the life of every aquarium keeper, a time that makes you feel that you are killing your pets. That it isn’t going well and you should leave this hobby. The fish kept in water tanks seem to die for no reasons. Whatever change (Good or Bad) you are doing , makes you suspect that something wrong is going to happen. The biggest challenge is to save them from dying. If one or more fish seems to die, it seems that everyone there will die. Every effort starts failing for a new hobbyist. Type of water, a new fish from a different tank, change in temperature, proper cleanliness all are to be kept in check. Moreover the biggest thing to be kept in mind, that a few check, is the number of fish to be kept in the tank according to size and capacity of tank.The fewer they are , the better are the chances that they will live longer.

Do's for a Healthy fish tank

The following is the list of things to be kept in mind to have a healthy and lively Fish tank:

Cleanliness of the tank to be maintained. The fish tank is to be kept clean by going through a monthly water change routine. Water change should be not more than 60% . Also the filter is to be cleaned periodically, but not on the same day when water is changed.
Number of fish in the fish tank to be kept in check. The lesser they are, better will be their health. The golden rule is : One inch of fish per 3.5 liter of water. Smaller fish in more number and larger fish in smaller number.
Tap water if being used for fish tank must be de-chlorinated and conditioned. It can be done easily by not introducing it directly to the tank. We can do it by keeping the water took from tank in an open vessel overnight and than only putting it to tank.
A filter to be kept inside the tank, so as to keep the water clear and healthy for swimming fish. Many types of filters are available in the market, and any of them can be used.
Keeping a sucker cat or any other kind of fish which cleans the algae being collected in the tank. These fish are natural cleaners and keep the glass or fiber f the fish tank clear from algae or dirt.
Fish food should have variety and be of good quality. Any kind of food for fish isn’t good. It will deteriorate the water quality.
Temperature of water to be kept in check. A good quality Water heater with auto feature is a must for a good water tank. Such water heater will never allow water temperature to lower down drastically. The sudden lowering of temperature kills fish.
Schooling fish like tetras , guppies or mollies to be purchased in larger number(6 or more). They love to live with their school/group. For the sake of decoration don’t try to put many types of fish in same tank. Check for the compatibility of fish with other varieties/species.

Don't s for an aquarium setup

The following points must be taken care of and not to be done for the health of your fish in the aquariums/tanks.

Don’t completely clear your aquarium to clean it. This will destroy the biological balance with disastrous results.
Don’t buy fish the same day as the aquarium. Instead, set the tank up and let it run for a few days before bringing the first fish home.
Don’t place the aquarium near a sunny window or in a drafty location.
Don’t place it in such a place where frequency of the people moving is more. It will cause stress to the fish.
Never change more than 60% of your aquarium water at once as larger water exchanges stresses the fish and upset the balance in the aquarium.
Don’t leave the aquarium light on 24/7. This not only stresses your fish, but can lead to algae growth which isn’t good for a fish tank.
Don’t buy equipment based on price only. Make sure it will do the job you are asking it to do, and will last.
Don’t purchase fish on impulse. Make sure they won’t crowd the tank.
Impulsive buying also means buying any kind of fish for some species of fish are non-compatible with existing tank inhabitants. Avoid impulsive buying.
Don’t put store water in to your aquarium when adding new fish you’ve purchased.
Don’t add too many fish at one time, especially in smaller or newly set up aquariums.
Don’t overstock your aquarium. Fish that are crowded may fight, and overstocking can lead to water quality problems.
Don’t feed more than your fish can consume in under 2 minutes. Uneaten food pollutes the water and stress fish in fish tank.
Don’t use buckets, scrub pads or any other equipment that have been used with soap or other chemicals on your aquarium.

Common Fish Problems that everyone faces

I faced a lot of problems in the initial stages for establishing a proper fish tank for my fish and for my hobby. As told earlier 11 fish reduced to 2 only within the first 2 months of my initial purchase. Why it happened, I pondered, studied, and found the following main problems that I faced :

Start with too small of a fish tank or a fish Bowl: Small aquariums are more difficult to maintain than bigger ones.Small Fish bowls and Tanks are not well-suited to beginners. Conditions are more stable in larger aquariums. Always start with the largest aquarium that ones space and budget allows.
Not cycling the aquarium before first use: It takes time to establish the biological balance in an aquarium. The safest way to cycle a newly set up aquarium is to 1) Add just a few fish initially, 2) feed sparingly and Repeat this process until the aquarium is fully stocked.
To buy fish on the same day as the aquarium. A newly set up aquarium is not ready for fish on the first day. A new aquarium set up should be run for a minimum of 2 to 3 days before the first fish are introduced.
Add too many fish at the first instance: A new aquarium is a biological clean slate. The microbes that filter water and create balance in the aquarium are not established and a sudden overload of fish waste can cause toxic ammonia and nitrite levels to rise to dangerous.
Overstock: When one is new to fish keeping, he/she wants to buy every fish one sees. But there is a limit to how many fish a beginner aquarium can hold, regardless of how large it is or how efficient the filter is. Many fish grow larger after they are purchased, and some fish are territorial and become aggressive when crowded with other fish. Always insist on having fewer fish in your aquarium rather than too many.
Overfeed : It’s normal to worry about your fish going hungry, but one can actually cause more harm by feeding too much. Uneaten food can pollute the water and cause ammonia and nitrite levels to rise.
Buy a filter that is too small: You can’t really over-filter an aquarium, but it’s fairly easy to under-filter one. Most beginner fish tank filters are rated based on how many gallons the aquarium holds. This rating system works well for the most part, however, heavily populated aquariums, or those with large predatory fish or fish that generate large amounts of waste should be fitted with oversized or multiple filters. For best results, purchase a filter that is rated for an aquarium a little larger than the one you own.
Seek advice from too many sources: It’s important to research equipment and livestock purchases before making them, but asking the same question of a number of different “experts” can sometimes result in confusion because everyone has a different opinion or method for success. When you’re new to aquarium keeping, it’s hard to know what techniques will work best for you.
Compromise quality for price: No one wants to overpay for anything, but the saying “You get what you pay for” often applies in the aquarium world and with your initial fish tank set up. Reliable, quality equipment may cost a little more, but your fishes’ lives depend on it.
Impulse purchase: Always research new fish before purchasing them to make sure for their compatibility with existing inhabitants and will not outgrow the aquarium. Some fish have special water chemistry needs such as lower pH or alkalinity, which your tap water may not provide. Also, if fish you are considering buying are specialized feeders, make sure you are able to provide the proper food for them.
Leave the aquarium light on all the time: Like all animals, fish need a resting period, and it should be the same period every day. Leaving the aquarium light on all the time stresses fish, and also contributes to unsightly algae growth.
Over clean: When an aquarium is first set up, the biological balance is fragile and unstable. Avoid scrubbing ornaments, stirring or vacuuming the gravel or cleaning the filter when it doesn’t really need it, as this can destroy beneficial bacteria and upset the balance.
Top off for evaporation instead of doing a water change. Adding water to your aquarium when it evaporates is called “topping off”. Doing this instead of performing a water change on a regular basis will result in an accumulation of pollutants such as nitrate and phosphate and a drop in pH and alkalinity. This stresses fish and leaves them more susceptible to disease.
Insufficient cover. Aquarium decorations provide habitat, make your fish feel secure, reduce stress and enhance their colors. Fish often hide because there are not enough decorations in the aquarium, seeking refuge behind a heater, filter tube or other object.

Most easy to keep fish

For the beginners, only those fish suit in the early days, which are very easy to keep and don’t demand much care. Below is the list of those fish. Important here is to mention that the fish need routine care. It is important to keep the tank clean and provide any kind of fish a good environment to live.

S. No.	Fish Species	Difficulty to keep	Some facts
1.	Gold Fish	Hardy	Can recognize their owners.
2	Koi Carp	Hardy	Can live up to 30 years in open ponds.
3	Barb species	Hardy	Have many sub-species, are aggressive.
4	Tetras	Hardy	Live in schools not less than 6
5	Corydora (Sucker Cat)	Hardy	Dwell in the bottom of aquarium

Fish Tank/ Aquarium minimum requirements

One who wants an aquarium in his Drawing room or living room must have the following things:

A cool and calm corner or space in their house to place the Fish tank/ Aquarium.
A fish Tank big enough to accommodate at least 3 fish in it.
A power supply near by to attach the appliances to the aquarium.
Fish which are lively and away from any diseases.
Aquarium decorations including pebbles, gravel, substrates, artificial plants serving as hiding places for fish.
An air pump to keep water moving and aerated and keep the fish busy enough.
A good filter to wash off the dirt of fish and uneaten fish food.
Variety of fish food.
A heater to serve the purpose of avoiding sudden change in temperature of water.
Last but the most important one- A zeal to keep fish happy enough by keeping the water and environment of fish clean and fish friendly.

Conclusion

Early days of walking, early days of learning new skills is always difficult. It is the case with fish keeping too. Fish can’t talk, they don’t interact with you, but still they will energize the environment of your house. The aura of house remains enlightened with the sound of water and busy fish swimming around their space.It is a great experience to keep fish and loosing them for any reason makes you feel uneasy. If you keep any other pet then you can keep fish too. Fish are beautiful pets to keep. They are indeed happy dwellers in the house where they are taken care of with priority.