Aquarium Tips

Get an Eclipse hood: They are more expensive but worth every penny. If you keep Goldfish these are a must. It combines a power filter with carbon filter pads and a biowheel that removes harmful bacteria very well. They also have the lights too. Through regular cleanings and the Eclipse hood my Goldies are very, very clean.

Get a gravel vacuum to do water changes: They really do a good job of getting waste and uneaten food out of the tank and it is a lot easier than dipping a cup in to scoop it out. Just hang onto 2 liter bottles, have a couple for water changes and a couple more to have water ready. I recommend several small changes every few days than on bit change once a week as it puts less stress on the fish and keeps the water healthier and clearer. Besides, they are very cheap so you have no excuse!

Try to keep to the 1 inch per gallon rule: It's a good rule of thumb for large fish. You definitely want a 30 gallon tank if you plan on having just 2 Goldfish, a 50 gallon would be good for 3. There is nothing wrong with under crowding a tank.

Always keep male Bettas in their own tank: This one you must follow or they will either kill each other and/or in the process of doing that they will shred each others fins. You don't want that. Females can be put together as long as you have at least 3 and no males SHOULD be kept with them. You COULD but I wouldn't recommend it.

Always research the fish you want to buy before actually buying it: This seems like a no brainer but one could think that your local fish store will give you correct information. Not always true. I have seen Danios sold as tropical fish and with a recommended water temperature of 78 degrees. They live in 67 to 75 degree water in the wild. They could be kept in warmer water but will act better in cooler water.

A constant higher/lower than normal temperature is better than a fluctuating temperature: I keep Goldfish and Bettas, in the summer I have a hard time keeping the Goldies cooler than 78 degrees and in the winter a hard time keeping the Bettas warmer than 72 degrees, both are off about 6 degrees from ideal temperatures. This is better than heating the Bettas up and then having the water cool and also trying to cool the Goldies with ice water and then the tank warming up again. Temperature fluctuations are what kill a lot of fish. Make sure any new water you put in your tanks during changes is close to the same temperature as the water already there.