Creating an aquarium is a great and fulfilling hobby, and caring for and watching your fish grow is such a rewarding experience. While it may take some trial and error to master, you can create a vibrant and healthy aquarium that adds life and warmth to your home. Maintaining a growing ecosystem isn’t as hard as you may think. You can create the Ritz of all home aquariums with time, patience, and creativity.
Here are a few mistakes to avoid when creating a home aquarium.
Replacing the Entire Aquarium’s Water
There will come a time when the tank is due for a cleaning. Many people make the mistake of emptying all the water from their aquarium, but this mistake can kill your fish. This could remove all the healthy bacteria your fish needs to survive and ruin the nitrogen cycle.
Water changes should be slow and steady so that you don’t throw off the pH temperature and nitrogen cycle. You should remove about 15 percent of your tank’s water. Doing so will keep your fish happy! Remember that after changing the water, you must test the chemical levels and apply the appropriate treatment.
Putting Incompatible Fish Together
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when creating a home aquarium is putting incompatible fish in the same tank. You wouldn’t want to add a Siamese fighting fish in the same tank as a Royal Gamma because they don’t get along! While it may seem like all fish are calm, some can be territorial.
You should also watch out for invasive species in your aquariums. These fish can destroy your tank’s ecosystem, and if you release them into the wild, they can ruin that ecosystem—ask Florida residents about their problem with Florida’s invasive species.
Overfeeding Your Fish
We love to see our fish happy and healthy. We also may have the guilty pleasure of watching our beloved pets eat. One of the biggest things fish owners must watch out for is overfeeding them. Fish can last up to seven days without food. But you can always count on your pet fish to swim to the top for more, even if it just ate two minutes prior.
You should give your fish only enough food that they can eat within five minutes. However, if the ammonia and nitrogen levels are too high, you should wait a day or two to lower the waste and then feed them.
