A guide to fish care made simple
Here at AQUARIAN™ brand, we like to keep things simple for your success. Below are tips for continuous care for your aquarium and fish once it is established. If you’re looking for how to start a new aquarium, go here.
Daily Care
Feed The Fish
Fish need only a very small pinch of flake food (or a few pellets) each day. Some fish need special foods, so always research what the fish will want to eat before buying a new fish. In general, a fish’s stomach is only the volume/size of one of its eyes, so be mindful that feeding a fish more than that volume of food will create extra waste in the aquarium. Fish will absolutely beg for more food than they can eat, so don’t be tricked by your fish!
Equipment Check
Make sure the thermometer is reading the correct temperature for the fish that you are keeping. Check that all of the aquarium equipment is running properly and that the filter is not clogged or running with a reduced flow. These items are essential for your aquatic friends and should be running 24/7 in the aquarium.
Check Fish Health
Fish that are healthy should always be swimming around and exploring their environment. If you notice that fish are acting strangely, it is important to troubleshoot if something is causing stress to the fish and what can be done to fix it. Stress is generally first going to be a water quality, environmental, or tankmate issue but a stressed fish is going to be very prone to disease. Any marks on the fish such as new red areas, white spots, swelling or fuzz should be considered as signs of disease and should be treated with medication after fixing what was originally stressing the fish (water quality, environment, tankmates, etc). AQUARIAN Melacure is able to be added when bacterial disease is suspected.
Tuck In The Fish
Fish only need light during the day time. At night, be sure to turn off any lights on the tank. Fish go to sleep at night, just like people do. Keeping the light on a timer is a simple hack to make sure that your fish have a stable schedule. Making sure that the light is only on for 8-10 hours a day will help to reduce nuisance algae in the aquarium.
Weekly Care
Test The Water
Samples of the aquarium water should be tested to see if the water is correct for fish health. You will need either simple testing strips or liquid testing kits in order to do this yourself, but many local fish stores will test the water for you if you are able to bring them a large enough sample. The ammonia, nitrite, and pH levels will be the most critical to test and monitor for immediate fish health, but checking additional water parameters is going to help you with better care for your fish. If the levels are all correct, no further action is needed. If levels are not correct, check what to do in the test strip/kit booklet instructions in order to fix your fish’s environment. Adding AQUARIAN Ammonia Remover is a solution that is available to you if the ammonia level is too high, to reduce it quickly before it is able to harm the fish. AQUARIAN Kick Start should be added to all new tanks at start up cycling to keep ammonia and nitrite down, long term, but is also helpful if you find that ammonia or nitrite levels are rising in an established aquarium.
Exchange Some Water
Fish need a small portion of new water each week to refresh their aquarium. Removing and replacing about 25% of the aquarium’s volume weekly is a good start. The volume and frequency of water exchanged can be adjusted depending on the results you are seeing with your weekly water testing. When water parameters vary widely between before and after water exchange, it is a sign that water exchanges should be undertaken more frequently in the future. All new water from the tap needs to be dechlorinated before use to make it safe for the fish, so be sure to have AQUARIAN Instant Dechlorinator on hand. To prevent accidents, never leave hoses or buckets unattended. Children, pets, and other people can easily trip over hoses or buckets that are left out.
Quick Aquarium Cleaning
Add a dose of AQUARIAN Aquarium Cleaner, it helps to clean the gravel and keep your filter from clogging. Use an Algae Pad to lightly brush the inside surface of the aquarium, to wipe away any algae or dirt. Never use any soap within an aquarium, it would be harmful to the fish. If the tank is cloudy after cleaning, you are able to add a dose of AQUARIAN Cloudy Water Fix to help clear it up.
Monthly Care
Change The Filter Cartridge
Any carbon cartridge in the filter only lasts for about one month. So be sure to swap this out. If there are other items in the filter, these are able to be rinsed and reused until they become clogged or otherwise unusable.
Take a Step Back
Always remember that you are the keeper of your aquarium and it’s important to take the time to make sure that your aquarium looks nice to you. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t use the decorations that bring you joy. Find and visit your local fish store so that you are able to collect and curate the decorations and fish that speak to you. As long as you follow all of the fish care information, there is no limit to what you can create!
Having trouble along the way? Please contact us here so that we are able to assist you in having success with your aquarium and fish.