All Things Fishy

508-229-0076            officeaqua@aol.com                             www.allthingsfishy.net

Aquarium tips - pointers - suggestions:

1. Everything (gravel, decorations, etc, and even your hands) that ever goes into the tank should first be rinsed with plain water,
2. Never allow any cleaning chemicals or soaps to come into contact with aquarium decorations or water
3. Wait approx 5 days of setting up tank before adding anything that’s alive
4. Be sure to add some kind of bio start product when introducing the first new fish
5. Gradually add tank residents over a period of weeks and months
6. Never buy fish that have not been in the store a minimum of 1 week
7. Choose animals according to their adult size
8. Choose animals that have similar needs
9. Keep only as few fish as makes you happy and hope that what makes you happy works to keep the fish happy
10. Its best to have as few fish as possible, in as large of a tank as possible
11. Its best to offer as much variety and types of foods, including frozen foods as possible
12. Do not crush food, let your fish be a fish, in nature no one cuts their food for them
13. Multiple feedings are best however the food must always be consumed within 2 or 3 minutes
14. If food is consumed in 1 minute or less give them a little more
15. It is best to remove any uneaten food after 5 minutes, wait an extra day before feeding again, then use less for the next feeding
16. Be aware that over feeding is about portions not frequency. Overfeeding is the #1 source of all problems in all aquariums
17. Sniff your aquarium regularly, it should have no smell or a pleasant earthy smell, it should never smell foul or unpleasant
18. Having too many fish or adding them too soon is the # 2 reason for all      problems in all aquariums
19. Keep in mind that fish live in and need a clean environment, not a sterile one
20. There should never be any reason to change any water in the first 3 months
21. There should never be any reason to change or clean the filter in the first 3 months.  
22. Never ever perform more than a 10% water change at any1 time.
23. It is best to perform water changes at least once per week  (only after 3 months )
24. It is best to use “aged” water for all water changes and for “topping off”
25. Always clean aquarium in stages, baby steps are always best
26. It is best to have lights on a timer, on for a max of 12 hours of total light per day
27. Physically remove any hair or beard algae at the first sign, this stuffs a bear to get rid of !!!
28. When possible using live plants is a benefit to overall aquarium health
29. Never use salt in live planted aquariums
30. Our best advise is to buy as much as possible from us at All Things Fishy, or to call with questions 508-229-0076 or email officeaqua@aol.com or, if you want to see our dry goods inventory list, go to, www.allthingsfishy.net