Tips for Children's Aquarium Care

Bringing home that new fish tank for your child, who has been begging for it, is far easier than keeping it in good shape. But fear not, new fish tank keepers! As a previous fish specialist at a leading pet retailer, I'm here to give you just the basics of keeping that small but troublesome aquarium in order, and those grateful smiles coming. While this won't be a complete guide to aquariums (it actually does involve chemistry and fun stuff like that when you dig deeper), it will be useful when seeking help on certain common problems. Please keep in mind that this guide has been fine-tuned for small, children's aquariums, from ½ gallon to 5 gallons.

After following the directions included with your new tank, you should be set with clean water (never distilled, as it will kill your fish), gravel on the bottom, filter on top, maybe a heater and thermometer too. At this point, you want to stick some colorful fish in there, right? Wait and hang out for a day, a full 24 hours before putting new fish in your tank. This will cut down on the stress your fish will encounter when they land in their new home, as the water conditions will be more stable. This is especially true if you are using a heater, it should be at its set temperature long before fish arrive. So, let all of that settle for a full 24 hours before heading to the nearest pet store.

Now, you've done well by waiting! Let's get some fish! When you arrive at the pet store, most likely there will be I.D. cards on the display fish tanks giving you information as to the fish' temperature, feeding, and behavioral needs. Use these cards! They can help you choose which fish is best for your tank and which other fish they get along with. Here is a good rule of thumb when buying fish for the first time: one inch of fish per gallon. Yes, that means you shouldn't get more than a few the first time, but for good reason. Before your tank has had life in it, it is just a bowl of water. It isn't capable of sustaining life well. The good thing is, the fish themselves will fix that by living in it. What you need to do is give them a fighting chance by not putting too many fish in so they can slowly make it into a home. Another good idea is to not put the water from the pet store into your tank at home. Float the bag you brought the fish home in on the surface of the water of your tank for at least 30 minutes. Then strain the water out with your net into a bucket or (very carefully) the sink. Place the fish inside the tank from the net. Often, pet stores will have contaminants and medications in their water; you don't want those in your tank water without your say so, right?

As your fish live in the tank, they will eat, produce wastes, and the water will undergo a chemical process called "the Nitrogen Cycle". During this time, you should not change or add water to your tank, as it is working to become a habitat. You can monitor the water cycle changes through a water test kit, that you can but at any retail pet store. You can also take a clean (no dead fish in it) water sample to the fish specialist of a pet store and have them tell you about your water conditions. They will advise you as to what you should do, if there is anything. Depending on the size of your tank, you probably won't be changing the water for at least a month, and when you do, you usually only remove and refill about 1/3 of your tank's water, never the entire amount.

Some common issues with your new tank will probably be algae (green stuff that grows in your tank and can appear overnight), fish illnesses such as ick, which appear as white, salt-like spots on your fish, and cloudy water. Algae can be tackled by reducing the amount of light in you tank. Don't put your tank near a window or other sources of natural light, and keep the fish hood light off more often. Algae grows from phosphates in the water, created by light. Cut down on phosphates, cut down on algae. When it does occur, you can use a cloth or algae scrubber to physically remove it. Another handy method is to purchase a plecostomus fish or Pleco for short, when your tank is stable. They love to eat algae.

Fish illnesses are usually caused by bad water conditions, which will turn up in a clean water sample tested with a kit. Ick, fin rot, mouth fungus, and other sicknesses are common and can be treated with medications bought from retail pet stores. I have included in my references a handy site with common fish illnesses, their appearance, and the common medication for treating it. If worst comes to worst, if you bag your sick fish up and take it to the fish specialist at a store, they could possibly diagnose it for you and advise you as to what you can do.

Cloudy water is also a problem of bad water, except when you have a new tank. If you just bought a tank and put fish in for the first time, you will notice a cloud in your tank a few days later. This is a "bacterial bloom" and is a very good thing for your new tank. That is beneficial bacteria, and it will actually clear away in a few days on its own. If yours is a conditioned tank that has had fish in it for awhile and the water is cloudy, you will probably have to do a partial water change. Use your test kit or take a sample to the specialist to know for sure.

There are a ton of resources on the science of aquarium-keeping. I have left a few in the resources section of this article. There will be a site with the Nitrogen Cycle, and another with common fish disorders. You can use those to help you keep up with your tank's progress and health. Remember, fish are a relaxing pet to keep! They aren't here to stress you out, so just calm down where there are problems, and know that there is information out there to help you. Just ask or look for it. Good luck on fish-keeping!

References

This site has a Nitrogen Cycle Chart for reference and info

"http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html"

A site with a chart of common fish disorders, and how to identify and treat them

"http://www.klsnet.com/files/fishchart.htm"

Hargrove, M., & Hargrove, M. (1999). Aquariums for Dummies (2nd Ed.). Foster City, CA: IDG Books Worldwide.