10/6/2008

by Todd Flory
Salina Journal

With a pet as small and calm as household fish often are, one may assume that very little is required to prepare a fish for its environment. There are, however, important steps that must be taken before having fish be a part of the family. When preparing the habitat, one must make sure to rinse thoroughly the tank and gravel, said Sarah Barr, aquatic specialist for Petco, Salina. A pound or two of gravel should be added to the tank per gallon of water used.

Once the tank is filled with tap water, water conditioner can be added. It is important that fish are not added to the tank right away. The tank with conditioned water needs to sit for at least two or three days, and ideally for up to a week. “It kind of gives it time to start its bacterial cycle,” Barr said. “What you want to establish is what is called good bacteria.”

The good bacteria break down the high levels of ammonia in the water that can kill the fish. If the water becomes too cloudy, Barr said, it might be because the tank has too high a level of ammonia. There are many different kinds of pumps and filters for the fish tank. Consulting with a pet provider may be the easiest way to find which equipment is best suited for a specific tank. Regardless of the kind of filter, it needs to be changed about once a month.

When the tank is ready to house fish, it is important to remember not to add too many fish at once. As a general rule, Barr said, one gallon of water should be used for every one inch of fish in the aquarium. This will allow ample room for each fish to swim and to have its own space. Some fish, like goldfish, can outgrow their aquarium, but that is not a common issue for most household fish.

Ask a pet provider before attempting to mix different kinds of fish in the same aquarium. Some fish are naturally more aggressive than others and should not be placed in the same tank. Likewise, Barr said, it is not a good idea to have multiple fish in the same tank with enough size differential where one fish can fit into another fish’s mouth.
Every three to four weeks, the aquarium water should be cleaned. Only 20-25 percent of the water should be drained during each cleaning, being replaced with fresh water. Barr said that taking out all of the water at once eliminates all of the good bacteria.
If careful preparation is made, fish can live for a number of years.

“In an average aquarium, two to three years in pretty good,” Barr said.
Once a fish dies, it can be taken to a veterinary clinic to be incinerated or can be flushed down the toilet.