How to care for fish in an aquarium. Home Aquarium Care Tips

Many people start aquarium fish ok simply because they require little or no maintenance. Over time, new inhabitants are added to the fish, sometimes not knowing about the incompatibility of different types of fish. Meanwhile, from proper care fish can also suffer and even die, and in the absence of it, this will not take long. Teach yourself and your loved ones to take care of aquarium inhabitants correctly so that their appearance will please you even more. long years, and diseases did not concern your fish. You will find many nuances in this article.

How to care for fish - sorting fish

Look at your aquarium - are all fish compatible in it? When buying, you were most likely told the name of each of them. Go to the internet and find detailed description for each of your species. You need these criteria:

Predatory fish or not. If you find a predator in your aquarium, then you need to resettle it, otherwise, sooner or later, it will eat smaller fish.
Thermophilicity of fish. A very important criterion that affects the quality of life of your pets. There are fish that need to be kept in water at room temperature, as many owners do, but there are heat-loving species of fish that are shown to warm the water.
In addition, the fish also have character. Some may simply not like each other, in connection with which you will see a real war of two fish in your aquarium. Such fish will also have to be resettled.

If you went to the store to select new inhabitants, try to watch them longer. It is by observing the fish that you can identify sick or aggressive individuals.

How to care for fish - choosing the right aquarium

By mistake, some owners believe that a small aquarium requires less maintenance than a large one. This is a fundamentally false statement: in a large aquarium, the water stays clean longer due to its volume. In a small aquarium, you will have to clean more often. There is a conditional rule for determining the dimensions of the aquarium:

One centimeter square centimeter of water falls on one medium-sized fish.

Remember it, since the number of fish more than one per centimeter of height is already considered overpopulation.
Remember to install the filter and turn it on eight hours a day.

How to care for fish - water cleaning

A delicate process as many tropical and exotic fish do not like fresh water. Other fish, on the contrary, gladly accept it. Check this detail when buying fish.

The best solution is not to pour into the aquarium immediately clean water. Let it stand for at least two days, so that the bleach disappears and a significant proportion of oxygen leaves.
You do not have time to wait, then experts recommend heating running water to seventeen degrees and cooling it, then the water will take on the desired properties.
Some species of fish only need to add fresh water in small portions so as not to cause stress.
Do not forget to feed in moderation so that it is completely eaten, and the water is not polluted by it.
Catch any dirt you see with the net.

Even for rearing, fish need to be planted together if they are schooling or shoal. Add Daphnia to clean the aquarium. All aquarium items need to be brushed: stones, misers, decorations. Glass is also well cleaned with special tools. The optimal solution is to change one-fourth of the water in the aquarium every week, and wash it completely once a month.

How to care for fish - fish nutrition

If you overfeed your pets, they will simply die. Overeating for aquatic inhabitants is very harmful and dangerous, it shortens their life and increases the risk of sudden death. Feed your fish no more than twice a day in moderate portions. If you see that they do not eat food and are not very active in absorption, then reduce the dose, or transfer them to a single meal.

Combine food: give them bloodworms as a treat, dry food and vegetable.

Be sure to observe the behavior of your fish in order to always notice deviations in time.

Fish are one of the most problem-free and therefore very common pets. But each animal has its own troubles and problem areas, so the maintenance of fish also has its own nuances. Let's see how the care of an aquarium and fish for beginners will turn out.

Choosing an aquarium

You start taking care of the fish even before they appear - when choosing an aquarium. Yes, this moment can be called the most important and difficult of all. Size, shape, volume - all this should be decided in advance, because the aquarium is the home of your future pets. It is worth considering its layout very carefully, since not only the convenience of the fish's habitat will depend on this, but also how easy it will be for you to care for the aquarium.

When buying a container, you should pay attention to the following points:

The larger your aquarium, the easier it will be to care for it. But do not forget that cleaning at least once a month is a must, no matter what size you choose a model.
The size of the fish house cannot be chosen arbitrarily, it will need to be agreed with the future tenants themselves, or rather with their sizes.

Important! For a 5 cm fish, 4-5 liters of liquid is enough. Based on these data, be guided by the total size of the aquarium.

Pay due attention to the design and decoration of the house - this is also very important, including for yourself. From design features and decor will completely depend on how convenient and quick it will be to care for the aquarium. In addition, here you also need to know what kind of fish you want, but not in size, but in physiological characteristics. For example, some fish like a lot of thickets and different kind vegetation, and the rest - wastewater.

Important! If you are wondering how to care for an aquarium and fish for beginners, you definitely should not immediately give preference to those types of ornamental fish that are particularly demanding on environmental conditions. Don't make life difficult for yourself.

Responsibly treat the choice of the shape of the aquarium. Do not buy over-shaped and incomprehensible capacity tanks. First of all, think about how you will wash it. Get an ordinary rectangular aquarium - and save money and nerves.

aquarium decoration

There are many aquarium decorations, but how do you choose which one is right for you? To get started, browse the Internet and find out about the living conditions of the fish that you want to put there.

Various stones, soil, films with drawings that are glued to the back wall, algae (live and artificial) - all this is easily accessible and can be purchased at a regular pet store.

Important! It is really worth trying to make the conditions as close as possible to wild nature- only then your underwater inhabitants will really take root in it. They should not feel inconvenience and discomfort. Yes, you will undoubtedly have to spend a considerable amount of effort and money. But these are temporary chores that will end, and they will be replaced by cute fish that will delight the eye and soothe everything after a hard day's work.

Care of the aquarium will begin from now on. Before placing anything in it, it is worth disinfecting it, because a considerable number of microbes live on decorative rocks and stones, which even boiling water does not kill. That is why experienced aquarists are advised to treat all new items with potassium permanganate and only then place them in the aquarium.

Important! In no case should you overdo it - if you throw everything that you saw in the pet store into the aquarium, then this will also be of little use. In any case, you need to leave a lot of space for free swimming of the inhabitants.

Buying fish

And now the most important and crucial moment - the purchase of the most fish. Here, try to pay maximum attention and make maximum efforts. When buying fish, there are also a considerable number of rules that must be followed if you want to keep them for a long time:

Carefully select fish one by one if you plan to mix several of their species. There are heat-loving and cold-resistant, predators and civilians, the diet of many fish also differs significantly. Therefore, when choosing inhabitants for an aquarium, it is worth comparing them well with each other.
You should not buy fish that require a phenomenal investment of time and effort, because soon you will get tired of such aquarium care and you will abandon this business. Buy undemanding, quiet and low-cost aquatic inhabitants.
While choosing them in the store, be sure to look at each of the fish, watch its behavior, ask for food and watch your appetite. Often there are cases when it was in the store that a sick fish was sold, which naturally did not get along in another aquarium and soon died, for which the owner blamed himself.

Now, if you have already got an aquarium and its inhabitants, let's look at all the problems that you may have during the week, that is, the very aquarium care for beginners.

How to feed the fish?

Proper feeding of your pets is half the battle. Here, follow these rules:

It is best to feed them at the same time.
Just before the feeding process, go to the aquarium and lightly tap it with your nails, so the fish will develop a reflex. In the future - every time you do this, they will float up and wait for food.
The most important rule in feeding aquarium fish is not to overdo it. It is absolutely enough for them to eat 1 time per day. Otherwise, when overfeeding the fish, they can float upside down.

Important! Many people ask themselves: what kind of food would be best to choose - dry, refined, frozen, live? It is better to alternate all this, because a variety in nutrition is a plus not only for people, but also for pets. But be as careful as possible with live food, they can bring some kind of infection into the aquarium.

Aquarium filter maintenance

Caring for the filter in an aquarium involves elementary regular cleaning. For this:

The sponge that is inside the filter must be rinsed to avoid reducing the flow of water that it can clean.
Keep in mind that a dirty sponge is much more effective than a freshly bought one in a store. The reason for this lies in the fact that bacteria live on the surface of a dirty sponge, which purify the water and turn chemicals into natural ones.

Important! In an effort to provide the most correct care for the aquarium, do not go to extremes. It’s also not worth running the sponge too hard, because a dirty tool reduces the amount of oxygen that these bacteria need to live.

The frequency of changing the sponge depends on the power of the internal filter pump. A filter sponge with medium power should be changed every 2 weeks, and with a high one - once a month.
Do not use any detergents to clean the filter. Ordinary tap water, which contains chlorine, will help. It kills all bacteria remarkably.

Replacing the water in the aquarium

Water care in an aquarium is the most important attribute of caring for fish. First you need the so-called "change" of water. This is not a complete replacement, but only 15-20%.

Important! If you decide not to replace the water at all, but to partially replace it, then you need to do this about once a week, at least. The main task of the substitution is to maintain mineral balance.

A complete replacement is a 100% replacement of the water in the aquarium, which must be carried out once a month.

The influence of the aquarium on the psychological and physiological state of a person was studied by British scientists. It turned out that the more the container is filled with fish and plants, the more comfortable a person feels. But not only a person should have fun, aquatic inhabitants should also feel comfortable. To do this, you need to learn how to care for the fish, so that it brings contentment and pleasant sensations to everyone.

Today, you can freely purchase an aquarium of any size and shape. The use of new technologies and materials makes it possible to make seamless containers that can withstand significant loads. Before you go for an aquarium, you must first consider some factors:

the number and size of aquatic life;
living conditions and compatibility;
the number and types of plants necessary for the comfort of the inhabitants;
decorative elements tailored to a certain style.

After you have decided on the size and inhabitants, you can think about the shape. It will allow you to fit the home pond into the interior as organically as possible. But it must be taken into account that the capacity complex shape harder to serve.

There are the following types of aquariums:

wall- until recently, this type of aquarium was inconvenient to maintain. Today it is a closed ecosystem, which, thanks to accessories, exists offline;
angular- allowing to save space by using non-functional parts of the room;
rectangular- this classic form has long been a success, as it allows you to create any underwater landscape and contain any kind of fish;
panoramic- thanks to the magnifying capabilities of the front wall, you can see in detail all the details of the life of underwater inhabitants.

The shape of the aquarium can be cubic, rectangular, round, multifaceted. You can choose any of these aquariums, but you need to know in advance how to care for them, clean them, and maintain the necessary environmental parameters.

The choice of material also requires certain knowledge. Most often for the production of a home pond use:

acrylic (organic glass);
glass: silicate, tempered, extra strong.

Plexiglas is plastic, light, but scratches remain on the surface during mechanical action. A big plus of this material is that it can be used to make containers of complex shapes without seams. Acrylic is used in the manufacture of wall aquariums due to their lightness. In addition, acrylic is less thermally conductive than silicate glass. Changes in ambient air temperature have less effect on the temperature of the water in the aquarium, which is very important when keeping some types of fish.

Tempered glass - made from silicate, followed by hardening, which increases its strength. But such glass becomes very fragile and crumbles into small fragments upon impact.

Extra strong glass is also ordinary glass, but its strength is increased using a special film or by gluing several layers (triplex). It can withstand a direct hit by a stone, and if it breaks, the fragments remain in place, glued to the film.

The cheapest, easiest to clean and maintain is ordinary silicate glass. It does not turn yellow over time, does not distort the picture, and is biologically inactive. If you plan an aquarium of large volumes, then it is better to choose acrylic. Other types of glasses are used in special cases. To properly care for the aquarium, you need to make a schedule:

weekly water changes;
cleaning from waste products of fish, dead parts of plants, food residues not removed by the filtration system;
cleaning the sight glass from algae.

Caring for an aquarium takes very little time and is facilitated by the use of filters, aerators, heaters, quartzizers, and feeders. They help reduce the level of ammonia, nitrates and nitrites, remove some of the organic residues, maintain the necessary temperature regime and saturation of the water with oxygen.

To improve visibility, glass containers are cleaned of algae. To do this, use special scrapers with metal or plastic blades and magnetic wipers. When using metal scrapers, care must be taken if the aquarium is made of plexiglass, and also in the corners of the container, so as not to damage the silicone sealant.

Selecting and checking accessories

When setting up an aquarium, it is necessary to consider the choice of the necessary equipment. It is its uninterrupted operation that ensures the preservation of comfortable conditions for the existence of fish and plants.

Filtration system

Water filtration is provided by internal and external filters. If you need to save space inside a small container, choose an external filter. This placement has undeniable advantages if the aquarium is inhabited by small fish that tend to seek shelter in unusual places, including in the filter. A powerful device can suck in small fish, caviar.

The internal filter is easy to clean - it takes several minutes to clean the filter element (sponge). In addition, such a system is cheaper than an external one. Placement inside the aquarium prevents leaks, does not require additional space for placement. But it also has disadvantages, the main of which is a weak cleaning system. The internal filter does not provide a complete set of fillers for chemical cleaning.

An external filter can have several sections that fill activated carbon, peat, zeolite, special fillers with anti-nitrate and anti-phosphate properties. In addition, it can be placed fillers for biological treatment. The performance of external filters is higher, and the degree of water purification is better. These advantages are especially important when filling the aquarium with fish species that are sensitive to the composition of the water, as well as maintaining the biocenosis in large containers.

Filters need to be cleaned periodically and fillers replaced. Small internal filters need to be cleaned more frequently. Mechanical particles clog the pores of the sponge, reducing the performance of the system. If the aquarium is inhabited by fish that love to dig the ground, then you need to clean the filter often. The filter is disassembled, the fillers and the sponge are washed under running water without the use of cleaners and detergents.

The internal surfaces are wiped with a cloth to remove accumulated mucus and dirt. Ceramic rings are washed in aquarium water to retain beneficial bacteria. Internal filters are cleaned every 2-4 weeks, and external filters once every 3 months.

aeration system

Aeration equipment is needed to maintain dissolved oxygen levels and agitate the water. Some fish species are very sensitive to oxygen content, so an aeration system in such an aquarium is a must.

In home aquariums, membrane and piston compressors are used. Vibratory or diaphragm pumps are powerful enough, have low power consumption, are cheap, but make a lot of noise.

Reciprocating compressors, which have a large number of modifications, can create high pressure. They are best used in the aeration of large aquariums. Compressors do not require frequent maintenance.

Water heaters

Water heaters are used to provide comfortable conditions for tropical fish and plants. Often, spawning, the condition of the fry, and the activity of the fish themselves depend on its temperature. When choosing a thermostat, pay attention to:

ensuring uniform heating of the entire volume of water. For this length heating element should correspond to the depth of the reservoir;
safety and tightness, compatibility with a thermostat;
correct readings of the thermostat and maintaining the set mode.

The heater must be periodically inspected in order to eliminate leaks in time. Using a conventional thermometer, check the heat production of the heater. Permissible discrepancy between readings is ≤ 2°C.

Lighting

Of great importance is the lighting of the aquarium. Some plants prefer intense lighting, and some fish like subdued lighting. Therefore, when choosing lamps, you need to correctly calculate the power. With intense lighting, they can heat the water, which contributes to the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. To avoid this, the lamps are screened with reflectors and placed at a considerable distance from the surface.

Maintenance of instruments and systems must be included in the aquarium care schedule. Starting a new aquarium requires certain rules to be followed. After all systems are installed and tested, the reservoir must “stand” for at least a week. Only then can fish be launched into it. To accelerate the formation of a suitable biocenosis, capsules with microorganisms are used - Biokorin, Biostarter.

Soil selection

Soil plays an important role in creating a winning background for fish and a substrate for plants. For light fish bright colors it is worth choosing a dark soil. Against its background, the fish will look more impressive. For dark fish, it is better to choose a light background.

Some types of fish like to dig in the ground. To prevent turbidity from rising, the bottom is covered with small river pebbles. It is easy to clean (siphon), the water does not deteriorate, does not emit harmful substances and does not injure the fish. If the inhabitants do not require living plants, then the soil can be decorative. But it must also comply with safety requirements.

In the case when the aquarium is decorated with plants, it is necessary to provide a nutrient substrate for their growth. To do this, use special substrates that are laid on a glass bottom and covered with pebbles, pebbles, sand. However, they can affect water characteristics, cause bacterial outbreaks and uncontrolled plant growth. These soils are best for experienced aquarists. Beginners can plant unpretentious plants that grow well on sand or gravel without a substrate.

The soil is periodically cleaned of detritus using a siphon. But the microbiocenosis of the reservoir depends on the composition and condition of the soil. Bacteria live on it, utilizing most of the ammonia, nitrates and nitrites. Violation of the surface, mixing of the soil can lead to their death. The thickness of the layer depends on the soil fraction and the type of plant root system.

Caring for fish and plants

In caring for fish, in addition to maintaining the conditions of their environment, it is necessary to provide them with regular good nutrition. They feed the inhabitants in the morning and evening. Nocturnal inhabitants need to be fed in the evening and early morning. Excess food floating on the water is collected with a net. The process of dosing food and uninterrupted nutrition during periods of absence of the owners is provided by automatic feeders, pre-programmed for a certain time.

Also, the fish must be regularly examined, their activity, behavior, and appetite should be monitored. An attentive owner of a reservoir can quickly identify sick fish and isolate them in time. It is also necessary to monitor the condition of plants, preventing their excessive growth or death.

With the proper organization of the aquarium, its maintenance requires a minimum amount of time and money. Proper care of equipment and inhabitants will make the aquarium the center of the interior, a source of Have a good mood and health.

Aquarium care video

Physicians have long established that the contemplation of the aquarium has a beneficial effect on nervous system, helps to relax, and charges with positive energy. However, not everyone can afford to have such pleasure at home.

The seeming simplicity of aquarium care is very deceptive and, with a frivolous attitude to this process, can turn into a real problem for some and absolute stress for others.

If you still decide to take on additional chores, then carefully read how to care for an aquarium and how to clean it. We present brief information in this article, drawing attention to the most basic points of this responsible process.

General view

For those who have never come across an aquarium in terms of caring for it, it is very important to get acquainted with what it is like “from the inside”. Failure to understand the ongoing processes in the aquarium environment leads to errors, each of which can be fatal for the fish.

After the aquarium is "launched", it begins to live according to its internal biological laws, like any biosystem, for the life support of which balance and balance are important.

Non-professional interference can disrupt this fragile world, triggering unwanted processes that disturb this biological balance. That is why it is necessary to follow all the rules of care strictly, without neglecting a single "little thing".

Typical errors

It is impossible to list all the mistakes of novice aquarists, we will give only the most common of them:

irregular cleaning of the aquarium;
insufficient or excessive cleansing. Strange as it may sound, but a radical cleansing is also detrimental to the existing bio-balance of the aquarium, it must be carried out at a certain time, followed by a new "launch" of the aquarium;
usage poor quality water for filling the aquarium. If used tap water, then it must be defended in containers without lids for at least 5-6 days;
use of chemical detergents for cleaning.The fish themselves, as well as the entire biological environment of the aquarium, are very sensitive to even small particles of cleaning agents. chemicals, for example, left on the sponge after it has been used for other purposes.
aquarium overcrowding;
non-optimal water temperature;
improper feeding of fish.

Factors affecting the frequency of cleansing

In order to competently draw up an individual cleaning schedule specifically for your aquarium, you need to rely on the experience already gained, as well as knowledge of the factors that affect the frequency of work.

The determining factors include:

aquarium size. The larger the aquarium, the more often you need to clean;
the number of inhabitants;
the optimal amount of vegetation and;
the presence of natural orderlies of reservoirs. These include such inhabitants as snails, catfish, as well as plants with a sufficiently powerful root system for an aquarium, capable of independently processing waste and waste products of fish;
optimal nutrition. When excess food does not clog the aquarium;
an effective filter.

Approximate cleaning schedule

Experienced aquarists who have kept aquariums for many years are willing to share their experience with beginners. Thanks to these tips, a general schedule has been drawn up necessary work, which is taken as a basis with subsequent individual correction of terms.

The work schedule includes:

daily activities;
weekly and more;
semiannual.

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Daily compulsory work

If you decide to start an aquarium, then you were probably ready to carve out some of your free time to care for it in advance, so you should not miss a day, and spend every day:

feeding. You choose the optimal mode yourself, while focusing on how the fish eat food, the number of feedings is 1-2 times a day. Feed during feeding should not fall on the ground, the fish should have time to swallow it.
careful removal of food and waste products. The work is done with a special tube with a soft pear at the opposite end, the contaminants are simply sucked into it, and then drained into the prepared container;
observation of fish behavior. In fact, this is very important, it is to observe daily how active the fish are and whether their appetite is good enough;
constant temperature control. The temperature difference between the lower layers of water and the upper ones should not exceed 3 * C.

Important note:When removing food and waste products, as well as carrying out other work inside the aquarium, it is necessary to act very carefully so as not to raise turbidity from the surface of the soil and not to disturb it.

The fact is that the soil is one of the components of a single whole aquarium ecosystem, on the surface and inside of which there are beneficial aerobic bacteria that have a positive effect on balance and balance.

Fish health monitoring

This is another very serious headache aquarist, keep the health of the fish under constant control. There are plenty of diseases in fish, the symptoms often echo what is wrong with the fish, it is very difficult to determine, most likely it dies.

That is why you should not allow any deviations in the aquarium biosystem and carry out regular, correct and timely cleaning, as well as preventive measures against bacteria and viruses.

Fish diseases can be classified as:

With regular periodic inspection of the fish, you should pay attention to the following signs of disease:

color change;
mucous secretions;
the appearance of unusual spots and tubercles, as well as other neoplasms;
gluing of fins;
cloudy sclera of the eyes;
swelling around the eyes;
asymmetrical abdomen;
nonadherent scales.

If any of the above signs are found, the fish is immediately separated into a separate container for quarantine and further actions are considered.

Weekly aquarium cleaning

Every week it is necessary to thoroughly and competently clean the aquarium, for which the following work should be carried out:

glass cleaning.Don't miss out on this important work, otherwise you run the risk of polluting the water in the aquarium and getting hard-to-clean organic deposits on the glass. This work should be carried out with a clean sponge with high abrasive qualities or a brush, as well as other devices sold in a pet store;
"siphon" of soil. To carry out this important procedure for weekly cleaning of the soil, it is necessary to acquire a special device - a siphon. With a tip from the siphon, carefully, so as not to disturb the entire soil and fish, they are carried over the surface, drawing in the dirt, then draining them along with part of the water. Periodically, the tip is gently slightly deepened into the ground to clean it more deeply. When draining water, it is necessary to ensure that it does not glass too much, below we will explain why this is important;
cleansing of plants and decor. When part of the water from the aquarium is drained, it will become much more convenient to clean the leaves of plants from plaque, as well as cut off yellowed and rotten leaves. If the vegetation has become too dense, we also carry out weeding with special devices.

Attention: when "siphoning" the soil, cleaning should not be carried out close to the powerful root system of plants, which itself is able to biologically cope with organic pollution, processing them.

Decor elements also need to be cleaned regularly, it is enough to wipe them right in the aquarium with your fingers. However, if there are signs heavy pollution, coating rusty or green coating, then the decor is removed and washed in settled water, but without the use of chemicals.

Attention: if necessary, for a deeper cleansing of decor elements, you can use soda or special agent from a pet store.

Water change

This procedure refers to weekly events, however, due to its particular importance, we will highlight it in a separate block of information.

Let's make a reservation right away that we are not talking about a complete change of water at all, this can be done only once every six months, when there is a radical cleaning of the aquarium with its subsequent “launch”.

The fact is that, as we have already said, after the launch of the aquarium, a biological balance is established in it, such a balance is necessary for the internal microclimate in which the fish feel comfortable and do not get sick.

Water, on the other hand, is not replaced every week, but is replaced, that is, part of the water is drained, fresh, but always settled, is added. The volume of weekly water changes should not exceed 20% of the total volume.

Equipment

For an aquarium, it is necessary to purchase high-quality reliable equipment that will greatly facilitate this hard work of care and maintenance.

As a rule, you can limit yourself to the following list of basic equipment:

filter;
backlight;
aerator;
heating system;
thermometer.

Attention: It is very important to turn off electrical appliances when cleaning the aquarium for safety reasons.

It is also important that you can not turn off the equipment at night or during the day for a long period.

Filter cleaning

Filters for aquariums are:

mechanical;
biological;
chemical.

The frequency of its cleaning, which is indicated in the instructions, also depends on the design of the filter. It is important to properly clean the filter, and it should not be cleaned in fresh water, but in the one that is drained during partial replacement.

A beautiful aquarium is a piece of the sea in your home. How often have you seen one like this at a party or in organizations that you visited ... Pale blue, with green algae and leisurely fish, it evokes fantastic peace. Who wouldn't want a living space like this to decorate their living room or gurgle with oxygen in their bedroom? And now the long-awaited purchase took place. The shiny reservoir is filled with water, the soil is carefully laid out, and plants are planted. But after a few days, you notice that the water has turned cloudy, the plants begin to die, and the released fish die one by one.

This typical mistake many newbies. Before embarking on this difficult task, it would be nice to study the instructions on how to care for fish in an aquarium. That is what we are going to do with you today.

Choosing a tank

Therein lies the first difficulty. On the one hand, it is easier for a beginner to try his hand at small aquarium. It is less costly and takes less time. However, when studying the instructions on how to care for fish in an aquarium, we are faced with a recommendation to immediately take a tank of at least 100 liters.

The reason is simple. Inside, its own ecosystem is formed. You feed the fish, their excrement serves as plant food. If the capacity is large, then the ecosystem is quite stable. That is, the water will not turn green. A small aquarium is a less stable system. Bright lighting, a slight overdose of fish food - all this leads to the growth of bacteria and algae. As a result, the water quickly deteriorates and becomes unsuitable for fish.

We select inhabitants

The aquarium is selected, now you can continue to study the instructions. How to care for fish in an aquarium can take years to learn, but the basic rules are easy to learn at an early stage. So, you need to choose fish based on the size of your aqua. If the container is small, then you can buy one large fish or several small ones. Choosing inhabitants large aquarium, one can consider the most different variants. Here it is important to pacify your desire to populate it with a variety of underwater inhabitants. Many of them may not match.

We populate the aqua

We continue the conversation about how to care for fish in an aquarium. The instruction suggests not to rush with the choice of fish. It is necessary to consult regarding the conditions of detention of each of the breeds you like. Each variety requires different indicators of water temperature, its hardness and acidity. It is also necessary to ask store consultants about the need for aeration and water filtration. Based on this, you need to purchase and install the necessary equipment. Installing it in the aquarium marks the end of the preparatory work.

Interior and plants

Today we will briefly consider only the main points on how to care for fish. Simple instruction will allow you to equip the aquarium of your dreams. If you decide to buy catfish or moray eels, as well as other bottom fish, you will need to install special grottoes in which they can hide. Along with the aquarium, you need to buy algae. Consult separately about special fertilizers that fit into the ground. This allows the plants to take root well.

What care is required for underwater inhabitants

Instructions for caring for fish in an aquarium should give the beginner the basic knowledge and skills that will help keep the fish alive and healthy, as well as keep the water perfectly clean and transparent. Everything is very individual here, so the instructions will have to be drawn up for each type of fish inhabiting the aquarium. It should include the following information:

Creation of comfortable living conditions. This is what we talked about above. It is necessary to choose the temperature and other parameters in such a way that they meet the requirements of your underwater inhabitants.
Support for microclimate parameters.
Feeding.
Inspection.
Aquarium cleaning.

Disease prevention

How to properly care for aquarium fish not too difficult (at least at first glance), many beginners ignore tips and tricks. The result can be at least the disease of pets, and sometimes the death of the entire population. Therefore, you must be careful and not miss the signs of an emerging epidemic.

Treatment, as a rule, is reduced to the removal of a sick individual and placing it in a separate aquarium. Special additives are added to the water medications to help speed up the healing process. However, good care gives your pets a chance to be immune to disease.

Proper Care

What should an aquarist do in order for his pets to live a long life? Below is a set of practical recommendations:

A heater and thermometer must be installed. Every day, check the indicators of the devices, maintaining the figures recommended for your inhabitants.
Devices for aeration and filtration are vital for the normal life of the aqua.
The state of water is affected not only by its purity, but also by its composition. This is important for plants and fish. Equally important is the lighting.
Poor quality aquarium accessories can cause water to spoil.
Top up with fresh water periodically.

Experts say that you should not completely change the water in the aquarium. If you need to change the water, you can only remove debris from the bottom of the aquarium. After that, two-thirds of the liquid is drained from the container and topped up with fresh. Do not forget that it must fully comply with the characteristics of the one that was in the aquarium.

Fish feeding

Tips for caring for a home aquarium necessarily include recommendations for the introduction of feed mixtures. There are fish that eat the larvae of various insects with great pleasure. Others are more enthusiastic about special pellets that contain grass, vegetables and cereals. Therefore, again, you will have to build on the preferences of your pets.

These are just the basics of aquarium care, but this is enough to get you started.

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