Adding Fish

Be careful to avoid overcrowding! A good general rule of thumb for stocking the aquarium is: 1 inch for fish per gallon of fresh water. That means that in a bare 10 gal. Aquarium, 10 inches of fish can live comfortably. Remember that decorated aquariums hold less water than the stated amount. Whit the upgrading or filtration equipment, regular water changes and good knowledge of one's aquarium, this rule of thumb may easily be doubled. Determine the final size of any new fish to ensure they will be suitable for the aquarium. (Marine fish require much more room per fish. Consult your local pet dealer for specific recommendations.) Be sure the water has been de-chlorinated before fish are added. In new aquariums, add Cycle to immediately commence biological filtration. If chloramine was present in the water, ammonia will be present. Use Amrid or Fluval Ammonia Remover in the filter to help remove it. In a new set-up, be patient and add a limited number of fish. Start with a few hardy specimens. The biosphere initially is not able to cope with excessive wastes generated by the fish. The system cannot support a full organic load until the natural cycles have had a chance to establish. Regular addition of Cycle bacterial supplement during this initial period hastens the process and reduces the possibility that fish will be poisoned by their decaying wastes. The addition of Cycle helps alleviate one of the greatest difficulties for the new aquarist. After a suitable run-in period (about six weeks), the water will have aged and the biological filter will become established. Some new specimens can be safely added to the community.

Feeding

Fish in their native habitat are constantly searching for food and will therefore eat just about anything at any time when available. Their diets consist of a variety of larvae, flies, insects, vegetable matter, worms and other fish. Excessive overfeeding pollutes the aquarium and is a primary cause of fish loss. For most fish, it is advisable to feed small amounts several times daily. Feed only that quantity of food which is consumed within a two-minute period with none settling at the bottom. Feed sparingly in order to ensure that the food is eaten rather than dropping to the bottom of the aquarium and fouling the water. If any is left on the bottom after five minutes, You have overfed. Always remove uneaten food. Reduce the quantity to be fed the next time. Experiment until you find the proper amount. It is a good idea to feed a wide variety of foods to fish. This will help maintain a balanced diet for all inhabitants. In a community aquarium, it is a very good idea to feed many different foods so that all fish get what they need. Large flakes and chunks are great for larger fish like Cichlids, while small flakes and smaller freeze-dried products should be offered to Tetras and Livebearers. Be sure proper size food is offered, or it may be left uneaten and pollute the aquarium. Remove any food that is not consumed after a feeding. NutraFin Fish Foods, through scientific research, have been developed to provide all the nutritional requirements to the most finicky and demanding fish. NutraFin provides all necessary vitamins, amino acids, carbohydrates and trace elements for spawning. Specific diets have been developed to meet the needs of all tropical fish. Besides NutraFin Staple Diet, Color Tone, Growth and Plant Diet are available for all fish. Livebearer and Cichlid flakes have been developed for the more specific requirements of these types of fish. The convenient Multi-Pack food dispenser contains four popular foods that allow for variety in the diet. NutraFin Pellets are used for fish that need larger morsels of completely balanced diet. Small granules for Discus are available which float for a short period and then slowly sink for the fish to eat as they travel downwards. Discus Pellets are also great for medium to larger fish as well as many marine types. Fully nutritious, complete diets are also available for Cichlids, Koi and goldfish in larger pellet sizes as well. The lower protein levels in the Goldfish and Koi Pellets include special recipes for color enhancement or added vegetable matter to accommodate the special needs of outdoor fish. NutraFin Freeze-Dried Foods offer a complete section of high protein ingredients, which most fish are likely to encounter in their native environment. NutraFin Freeze-Dried Foods offer the additional benefit of being cleaned and totally germ free. The freeze-drying process allows for the removal of all water and humidity, retaining all of the nutritional values otherwise present. Tasty foods now available include Brine Shrimp, Daphnia, Krill, Mosquito Larvae, Red Grubs, River Shrimp, Tubifex Worms, and White Shrimp. Tropical and marine fish will eagerly accept these tempting delicacies.

Oxygenation

Carbon dioxide is removed and oxygen is replenished only at the water surface. Water movement at the surface of the aquarium achieves this. Surface agitation breaks the surface tension and brings more water molecules into contact with the air. Oxygen can only enter the water, and carbon dioxide by released, at the interface between atmosphere and water surface. The greater the water surface. The greater the agitation (within reason), the more efficient the exchange and the higher saturation of oxygen. Although airs tones do break surface water tension, they are much less efficient and effective at oxygenation than power filters which generally move and expose a much larger water-to-air ratio.

Air Pumps

The primary function of the air pump is to provide air and water movement to the aquarium. The air pump is also used to power: Air stone Assemblies - These include under gravel filters, air stones or air diffusers that create bubbles. Rising air bubbles move water to the surface, breaking the surface tension and agitating it. This promotes carbon dioxide/oxygen exchange, which can only occur at the water surface. Generally, this provides enough oxygen to aquarium water for fish to survive. Decorations - Some decorative aquarium ornaments require air to create the movement of parts. Box Filters - Simple box type filters consist of a sandwich of filter material through which water is drawn, resulting in purification. These systems provide both mechanical and some biological filtration. Their utility is restricted to smaller aquariums due to their relative size and relatively limited water movement.

Temperature Control

Fish are "cold-blooded", and require temperatures in the natural range found in native habitats. Fast changes over short duration's weaken fish rapidly. This allows parasites and infections to spread. The enzymes used to digest food are also normally restricted to limited temperature ranges. The importance of steady temperature over time cannot be stressed enough. Tropical aquariums should range between 23° -28° C (73° -82° F). For standard community fish it is best to set the temperature between 24° -26° C (75° -79° F) to keep the fish in a comfortable range. Specific temperature for a species can be found in available literature, or from the experience of a knowledgeable pet dealer.

Heaters

Purchase an accurate heater for your needs. Aquarium capacity determines the wattage required. Other influencing factors include aquarium position close to heat or air conditioning ducts and how completely the aquarium is covered. Under relatively ideal conditions, a rule of thumb of at least 5 watts per gallon can be used. If the aquarium is in a cool room or basement, the wattage should be doubled. If in doubt, obtain the next higher available wattage or consult your local pet dealer. The two most popular types of heaters are the clip-on heater, which attaches on the aquarium rim with its controls outside the aquarium, and the fully submersible style, which can be completely immersed in the aquarium. Both are reliable and accurate. Radiant heaters fasten securely to the aquarium and provide economical temperature regulation. There is a full range of wattage's available for all aquarium sizes. The Thermal heater line has three distinct types. Thermal Compact permits a large range of usable temperature and can be set outside the normal temperature range for most fish. Thermal Compact Pre-Set is a compact size heater which uses a factory set temperature calibration dial to permit a selection of the desired temperature without trouble. The Tronic heater employs a patented thermal sensing device which is equivalent to an outside probe in accurate temperature calibrating, but is integrated within the unit. Tronics are entirely solid state with no moving parts. They are completely accurate in temperature regulation and maintain constant heat reliability over time.