Common beginner mistakes
- Thread starter NJ Devils Fan
- Start date
Hmmm, the fist mistake I made was I didnt treat my water when putting it in the tank, a few fish died and I am sorry for that - I will never let it happen again
I dont know if this was mentioned but a huge mistake is giving up. If things dont go your way or all of your fish die for no reason. Dont just stop keeping fish all together.nLearn from your mistakes and ask questions. Also AC is a great place to get information.
My first tank
My first aquarium was a 45 gallon job that went wonderfully well. Started with artificial plants until the environment stabilized. Never tested for pH and whatnot, but did change the water regularly and was modest with feeding. My mistakes:
1) Not heeding warnings regarding aggressive fish cohabiting with community fish. I had a school of tiger barbs that were like Hells Angels terrorising the neighborhood. Sad to say they found a hasty home in a creek by the local elementary school.
2) Allowed too much space for air hoses, etc. Came home on a couple of occasions to find some happy-jumping-fish who had landed on my bedspread (and not lived to tell about it).
3) Not waiting long enough to plant live plants. Plants need food too, and they fed nicely on the gunk which settled into the substrate after several months.
4) Not providing enough shelter for baby fish. Larger aquariums can provide neat hiding places for breeding, but none of my fry had sufficient safety areas to grow (nor could I easily find them to transfer them elsewhere). That's something that will be fun to learn.
My first aquarium was a 45 gallon job that went wonderfully well. Started with artificial plants until the environment stabilized. Never tested for pH and whatnot, but did change the water regularly and was modest with feeding. My mistakes:
1) Not heeding warnings regarding aggressive fish cohabiting with community fish. I had a school of tiger barbs that were like Hells Angels terrorising the neighborhood. Sad to say they found a hasty home in a creek by the local elementary school.
2) Allowed too much space for air hoses, etc. Came home on a couple of occasions to find some happy-jumping-fish who had landed on my bedspread (and not lived to tell about it).
3) Not waiting long enough to plant live plants. Plants need food too, and they fed nicely on the gunk which settled into the substrate after several months.
4) Not providing enough shelter for baby fish. Larger aquariums can provide neat hiding places for breeding, but none of my fry had sufficient safety areas to grow (nor could I easily find them to transfer them elsewhere). That's something that will be fun to learn.
Re: My first tank
It is illegal in most states to release fish from captivity into the wild. Find a better home, return them to the LFS, or kill them. Do NOT dump them.
It is a huge mistake to assume that your unwanted aquarium fish are welcome in your local waterways. Depending on where you live, those fish may survive, and threaten a native fish. No matter where you live, this is one way that aquarium diseases are released into wild populations.
It is illegal in most states to release fish from captivity into the wild. Find a better home, return them to the LFS, or kill them. Do NOT dump them.
let me reiterate what everyone else said...
BE PATIENT!!!!!!
also make sure your fish are compatible
don't overstock
don't overfeed
do water changes
BE PATIENT!!!!!!
also make sure your fish are compatible
don't overstock
don't overfeed
do water changes
okay I want the answer to this one I make messes all the time when cleaning my tanks even with my pythonOriginally posted by famman
Number 4 Mistake - Spilling Water
A mistake I am seeing in many posts...Not knowing what your fish eat by preference. For example, many 'plecos' are not primarily herbivores--they need meaty foods to thrive. Gouramies tend to do better on a mostly plant diet. Oscars don't need feeders! Mollies, platies and guppies will graze, but should be supplemented...It goes on, and gets worse on the saltwater side...
When researching your fish of choice, in addition to noting habitat preference/needs, try to identify a healthy diet as well.
When researching your fish of choice, in addition to noting habitat preference/needs, try to identify a healthy diet as well.
My biggest mistake was not doing weekly maintenance...
water changes
gravel vac's
and filter cleaning
and also thinking that to clean a small 10 gallon tank that I had to take all of the fish out and rinse the gravel and rinse out the tank and then put it all back in
(i was rather young and didn't have the net or a very good LFS)
water changes
gravel vac's
and filter cleaning
and also thinking that to clean a small 10 gallon tank that I had to take all of the fish out and rinse the gravel and rinse out the tank and then put it all back in
(i was rather young and didn't have the net or a very good LFS)
