Freshwater Aquariums For Dummies

By Maddy Hargrove and Mic Hargrove

Covers the latest aquarium gadgets


Design a dazzling underwater environment with this bestselling guide!

Setting up your first freshwater aquarium can be a daunting task. This friendly guide answers all your questions, from setting up your tank and selecting fish to the water, chemicals, plants, and much more. There's also expanded guidance on combining different species of fish, maintaining a tank, cleaning gravel, and dealing with common problems such as algae.

Discover how to
* Choose the right aquarium
* Select the best fish
* Get good deals on equipment
* Maintain a clean, healthy environment
* Handle tank pitfalls
* Breed your fish

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wiley
• Release date: Oct 1, 2004
• ISBN: 9781118050972

Book preview

Part I

Aquarium Basics

In this part . . .

It’s time to enter the world of freshwater aquariums. The first six chapters of this book provide an overview of aquariums and aquarium equipment such as heaters, pumps, and filters. These chapters provide the mechanical and technological foundation necessary to bring your tanks to life.

Chapter 1

Tanks for the Memories

In This Chapter

bullet Understanding the basics of aquariums

bullet Looking at what goes in an aquarium

bullet Understanding fish and plant choices

bullet Expanding your hobby

We think some of the most pleasurable moments in our lives life have involved aquarium keeping. There is a special excitement that comes with owning a beautiful tank full of wonderful fish and plants. Most people have either owned an aquarium, lived in a house with a fish tank, or dreamed of putting one together.

Maddy remembers the first time her fish had babies. Her little heart was ready to burst with excitement and pride! She stayed up all night watching the new fry adjusting to their new world. She also remembers getting a $20 gift certificate for her 10th birthday that she could redeem at the local fish store. She walked to that store feeling like she had just won the lottery. (Okay, she admits that she is older than dirt, and $20 bought a lot in those days.)

She can still remember entering the store the day after her birthday and just feeling like she was in a whirlwind of new and exciting discoveries as she saw isle after isle of equipment and tank after tank of fish. Sound like fun? Well it is more than fun; aquarium keeping is hobby that can bring joy throughout your entire lifetime.

Many people think aquarium fish are harder to keep than other pets. This is simply not true. Everyone pretty much knows how to feed, water, and walk a dog, but many tend to shy away from setting up an aquarium because they worry about the minor details too much. Never fear, this book will show you how simple fishkeeping can really be so that you can start building your own memories.

Remember

You can be successful at any hobby you choose by simply understanding the basics:

bullet In this book you will learn the basic building blocks of an aquarium system such as tanks, gravel, equipment, plants, and fish.

bullet In this book you will learn how to make choices that will suit your needs and ideas so that you can make the perfect aquatic world that will bring you years of enjoyment and pleasure!

bullet In this book you will find many ways to expand your aquarium-keeping hobby.

Well, now that you are ready to get started on your new adventure into the wonderful world of fishkeeping, let’s get going and see what else you are going to learn as you read this book.

Remember

If you have other immediate family members living with you, such as children, don’t forget to get them involved in the aquarium decisions as well. By involving others, you will be able to share your new hobby from day one with those you love.

Seeing the Big Aquarium Picture

If you look at an aquarium from all sides and from the top, you will quickly see that it is just a glass, plastic, or acrylic box with a bunch of things added to it. It is as simple as that.

You may be asking yourself a few questions: What is the function of all this equipment, and how does the tank use them to run? Does it matter which fish and plants I choose? Is there a special type of water in the tank? How do I feed and care for my fish and plants?

These are all very good questions, and you have come to the right place for answers. Let’s take a brief look and preview some of the main aquatic questions that people have when they are figuring out how to set up an aquarium.

Where do I put my tank?

People wonder where they should place an aquarium in their home. There are good places and bad places. Tanks should be placed away from direct sunlight and drafts. There are also household traffic issues and electrical considerations to take into account as well.

In Chapter 3 you learn how certain places in a room can affect the water temperature of your tank. You will also learn about how high-traffic areas have an impact on your fish, how close your water source needs to be to your tank, what electrical supply is required, and how much space will be ample to set up the tank that you want.

Every home has numerous spots to put an aquarium, and after reading Chapter 3, you will know exactly where to put your tank so that your fish will be safe and happy.

What type of tank and stand should I buy?

There are many sizes and shapes of aquariums and stands on the marketplace, and you may be wondering if you should start out with a small tank or a large tank. In Chapter 4, you learn that starting out with a larger tank will provide a more stable environment for your fish.

In that chapter you also learn the difference between glass, acrylic, and plastic aquariums. You will be given the information needed to purchase an aquarium stand that works best for your needs. Chapter 4 also shows you how to correctly move an aquarium if you ever decide to set your tank up in a different location or in a new home.

What do I put inside my aquarium?

When you look at different aquariums, you will see that they contain many different combinations of rocks, decorations and interesting objects such as driftwood. No big mystery here. Some items are necessary for your tank to run properly, and others are not.

In Chapter 5, you learn that gravel and/or other substrates are necessary for your aquarium. You also learn that the type and number of decorations in an aquarium come down to matter of individual taste (though some species do well with certain additions such as rock caves), and that this is an area that you can really let your creativity, decorating skills, and good taste shine.

Chapter 5 shows you what types of substrates there are and gives you good information on the types of decorations available. The chapter also gives you a good excuse to spend your mad money on cool-looking stuff.

What does all this aquarium equipment do?

Most new hobbyists get very confused when it comes down to deciding what equipment to purchase. As you find out in Chapter 6, there are many different options to choose from.

Chapter 6 explains filters, heaters, lighting, pumps, airstones, thermometers, tubes, valves, and hoods. In that chapter you will also learn the most important rule when it comes to purchasing equipment: Always buy the best that your budget will allow.

Remember

When it comes to setting up an aquarium, there are no shortcuts. You can’t rush your down to your aquarium store, buy a bunch of stuff, and expect to have fish swimming around in your new tank within an hour. If you take the time to set up an aquarium properly, you will have fewer problems later on down the road.

Caring for Your New Aquatic Pets

Once you have read through the chapters that show you how to set up an aquarium system, you need to start thinking about what other things you will need to take care of the fish you will be purchasing. You will also have to get a general idea of what type of fish you will be purchasing so that you know what types of plants you will need and how to set up water conditions that are just right for the species you choose.

Why are so many fish so different?

A fish’s physical makeup (fin shape and size, body shape, color, and so on) is important when determining what type of fish and what type of aquarium is needed for that particular species. For example, long, thin, streamlined fish such as danios tend to be speedy horizontal swimmers and love a tank that is long and not tall.

Chapter 7 explains the physical makeup of aquatic species so that you can understand what system your fish will enjoy most. This chapter also allows you to quickly see if there is a problem such as stress or disease by observing any deviation from your fish’s normal body shape, fin shape, and swimming patterns.

Knowledge is not only power, it is also the best preventative method on earth for diagnosing aquarium problems before they get out of hand.

What type of fish is best for me?

There are so many choices in aquarium fish; you may wonder, where is the best place to start? Chapter 8 gives you a good selection of popular aquarium fishes so that you have a many good options to choose from right off the bat.

Of course, there are numerous other fish not listed in that chapter. It would take volumes to describe all the species available. Chapter 8 offers excellent choices for beginning hobbyists. These fishes are inexpensive, easy to find, forgiving of beginner mistakes, and will help get any aquarium off to a good start.

What should I look for when buying fish?

The best way to start out as a beginning fishkeeper is to develop a good relationship with a local pet store. A quality vendor can help you make decisions on the best way to set up or improve your system. They can also make good suggestions on fish compatibility and lend a hand if your fish become ill.

Chapter 9 helps you learn how to choose quality dealers and develop good relationships with them. This chapter also shows you how to select healthy fish for your new aquarium by providing information on how to evaluate the physical attributes and behavior of fish in a store.

The World Wide Web is a great place to find fish, plants, and equipment for your new aquarium, but nothing beats the wonderful feeling of walking through a tropical fish store and seeing everything up close with a helpful dealer at your side.

What should I feed my fish?

We all know that you can buy canned fish food. But nutrition goes beyond pre-manufactured dry food. Many species of fish have different nutritional requirements.

Chapter 10 helps you understand basic aquatic nutrition and shows you what and how to feed your fish properly.

Remember

A well-balanced diet for you fish can include prepackaged, frozen food, live food, and in some cases fresh vegetables.

What if my fish get sick?

Despite having the best setup possible, fish will eventually contract disease from time to time. This is usually not a cause for alarm because most fish illnesses can be cured.

Chapter 11 helps you identify stress, spot common problems ahead of time to prevent disease, treat common illnesses, set up a hospital tank to treat disease, and understand the importance of a quarantine tank to avoid introducing sickness into your main tank with newly purchased fish.

Warning(bomb)

Never buy ill fish with the noble idea of taking them home and nursing them back to health. This practice will endanger your other fish and risk upsetting your current system.

Understanding Water, Chemicals, and Live Plants

In Part III, you learn many important new concepts:

bullet Chapter 12 shows you which water is safe to use in your aquarium.

bullet Chapter 13 helps you to understand what chemicals you can use to improve your aquarium conditions.

bullet Chapter 14 explains the nitrogen cycle and water testing so that your aquarium water will be perfect for your fish and plants.

bullet Chapter 15 describes the steps that are necessary to set up examples of a freshwater, coldwater, and indoor mini pond.

bullet Chapter 16 helps you understand the nature of live plants and what is required to keep them healthy and happy in a home aquarium.

bullet Chapter 17 offers some good examples of plants that are great choices for beginning aquarium keepers.

bullet Chapter 18 is a quick guide to fixing the most common aquarium problems.

Cool! A lot of great new stuff to learn!

Expanding Your Aquarium Hobby

Setting up and maintaining an aquarium is only the beginning. If you want to expand your hobby, you can do many fun and interesting projects.

Can I breed my fish?

Many hobbyists love to breed their fish for fun and profit. If you become really good at breeding, you may even come up with a new color or pattern for the world to enjoy. Chapter 19 helps you find the right water conditions, feeding schedule, plants, and equipment for breeding fish. It also tells you how to help coax your fish into mating. When you get to Chapter 20, you will learn how to decide which fish to breed, how to select strong breeding traits, the best way to care for fry and protect them from other fish, and how to succeed in this wonderful and challenging aspect of the hobby.

How do I keep track of all my fish?

Many hobbyists are concerned about remembering every fish and the problems and success they have had with each species. Chapter 21 helps you cut through the clutter by teaching you how to accurately record fish data and photograph your fish for fun, education, and potential profit.

How do fish shows work?

Like dog shows, fish also have their own competitions. Fish shows can be a lot of fun. Chapter 22 explains how to get your fish in top form, the best way to transport your aquatic friends to a show, how to set up once you arrive, and the standards by which your species will be judged.

Is there another type of aquarium system?

Once you have mastered the basics of freshwater fishkeeping, Chapter 23 gives you a brief overview of the marine (saltwater) side of the hobby. This chapter also shows you where to find good information on setting up an aquarium for those oh-so-beautiful marine species of fish and invertebrates.

Now that you know what this book has to offer, let’s move on to Chapter 2 so you can get started.

Chapter 2

The Practice of Aquarium Keeping

In This Chapter

bullet Discovering the joys of fishkeeping

bullet Differentiating among freshwater, marine, and brackish tank systems

bullet Choosing the freshwater hobby

bullet Getting and staying organized to provide your fish with the best environment

Welcome you to the world’s greatest hobby! We have always loved fishkeeping, and know that you will, too. This book can help you achieve your goal of setting up and maintaining a successful freshwater aquarium. Aquarium keeping is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the world, so get ready to dive right in.

Imagine: It’s eight o’clock at night and you’re just getting home from the office, where you spent the final half hour listening to your irate boss rant and rave about problems beyond your control. Your ears are still ringing, your head is pounding, and your mood is ugly. You walk in the front door of your home, plop down in your best easy chair, and let the healing therapy begin.

Directly in front of you is your beautifully maintained 55-gallon aquarium. In your private underwater world, you can see bright green plants waving softly in the gentle current. The clear water soothes your tired eyes as it swirls endlessly through the tank. A frolicking mix of brightly colored guppies and platys dart merrily though a hole in a piece of driftwood. The smooth pebbles on the aquarium floor gently reflect the dazzling array of fish colors. The faint soothing bubbling from the filter reminds you that there is always a place you can go to relax and get away from it all right in your own home.

Hey, your aquarium sounds fantastic! Can we come over?

The Benefits of an Aquarium

Okay, it’s time to snag a comfortable chair and travel with me through the marvelous world of freshwater aquarium keeping. There are a lot of great reasons for having aquatic pets in your home. Fishkeeping is a hobby that the whole family can participate in and enjoy together. A fish tank is a great way to teach children the responsibility of animal care as well as the biological principles that go hand in hand with their own species’ daily survival. The older generation can also benefit as well — scientific research shows that aquariums can help lower stress and prolong life.

Another advantage of keeping an aquarium is that the tanks don’t require a lot of space, and are perfect for apartment dwellers who may be prohibited from owning larger, roaming pets, such as dogs and cats. You can match an aquarium to almost any space that you have. You can get a tank that takes up an entire wall in your home, or one small enough to fit on your desk — and every size in between. And speaking of desktops, an aquarium in your office is a great way to spend a little bit of time goofing off each day without your boss finding out. Besides, your coworkers will think you’re cool if you have a tank that they can come look at.

Other advantages to keeping aquariums are that fish don’t bark at the neighbors, caterwaul at the moon, chase the letter carrier, make unsightly messes on the floor, or whimper all night. You probably will never have to bail an escaped renegade goldfish out of the local pound, either.

If you need to go on a vacation, fish are the perfect pets to leave home alone. As you will learn later on in this book, there are many ways to feed and maintain your fish while you are away. No need to find daily petsitters for your aquatic friends, because today’s aquarium technology allows you to spend your time enjoying your vacation instead of worrying about your fish.

An aquarium encourages your artistic side to run wild when it comes to aquatic decorating, and you won’t find another hobby quite as soothing — nothing compares to dipping your tired arms into nice cool water to do a little underwater planting or rearranging. It beats periodically putting a new collar on your dog any day. Aquariums are great because aquascaping allows you some real hands-on interaction with your aquatic pet’s amazing environment.

Daily care and maintenance of a home aquarium is fairly simple, and really doesn’t require a great deal of time or money. You can set up a complete aquarium system with a relatively little investment, as long as you don’t go overboard at the beginning and are content to add to your system as you go along. But if you’re like me, you may find yourself paying off several charge accounts at your local pet shops.

Setting up and maintaining an aquarium is simply a matter of learning and following basic rules. That is what this book is for. Knowledge is the key to success, and you’re making a good start by buying this book. But you can also keep current on future fishkeeping trends by joining local fishkeeping societies, and from many other sources, such as libraries, magazines, and the World Wide Web. A little research can go a long way and make all the difference between complete success and unnecessary failure. Do your homework well and you’ll be prepared to handle any aquatic situation.

SB-Begin

Aquariums of old

The ancient Egyptians are generally believed to be the first true aquarium keepers. Historical evidence suggests that Egyptians kept fish in ponds as a source of food, and smaller species in their homes to impress their friends. (We don’t know if they had pyramid-shaped aquariums back then, but we kind of doubt it.)

High-ranking Roman officials are rumored to have kept ponds full of hungry eels. If an eelkeeping official happened to have a politically uncooperative neighbor . . . well, the neighbor may have gotten a fish-eye view of their good buddy’s aquatic pets.

From Rome, fishkeeping began spreading in the Far East. Oriental aquarists became so fascinated with the common goldfish that they went into aquatic hyperdrive and started selectively breeding them at a rapid rate. Needless to say, they came up with a bunch of cool-looking goldfish!

Public aquariums began to show up in Europe in the late 1800s. Those first aquariums were quite a bit different that the ones we have today and displayed only a few different species. Later on, expensive glass aquariums were manufactured for the elegant homes of the rich and famous. Unfortunately, because they were heated by open flames or oil lamps, these primitive tanks were unsafe. Often, members of high society with aquariums ended up with a very large pile of ashes where their mansions once stood (and a fish fry dinner).

During these early, dark days of aquarium keeping, hobbyists had to make do with makeshift equipment and scary potions. The situation finally began to improve in the 1900s when fish shows and aquarium societies (fish nerds gathered together in one place) emerged to help the increasing number of hobbyists maintain their tanks.

Today we have the best of the aquarium-keeping world. Top-of-the-line equipment, caring breeders, and expanding species availability allows anyone to keep a home aquarium with ease. Technology has made it easier than ever to keep our aquatic pets healthy and happy.

SB-End

What Kind of Aquarium Do You Want?

You are starting out in the freshwater side of the hobby, which is why you purchased this book. Good choice! This book focuses on freshwater systems, but the following gives a good glimpse of what you might want to dive into after you have mastered the basics of freshwater fishkeeping.

The aquarium hobby has three general types of systems to set up: saltwater, freshwater, and brackish. Individual types of fish, tanks, equipment, and plants vary dramatically from system to system. Here is a brief overview of each type of setup to give you a better idea how space considerations, initial financial outlay, difficulty level, and availability of species may effect your decision to try other systems after freshwater.

Freshwater systems

The most popular type of aquarium is a freshwater system. It’s the most practical system for a beginning aquarist for several reasons:

bullet A freshwater system is not quite as expensive to set up as a saltwater system. (Saltwater systems require larger tanks and extra equipment; see the Marine systems section later in this chapter.)

bullet Freshwater fish are generally less expensive than marine fish. It’s much better to work with less expensive fish when you’re just starting out, and still learning the ins and outs of the hobby.

bullet Freshwater fish are readily available at most aquarium shops and come in a wide variety of colorful species. Many hardy species, such as guppies, platys, and swordtails, are very easy to keep and do not have difficult special requirements. Marine fish are much more sensitive to water conditions and don’t tolerate mistakes as easily.

bullet Many varieties of freshwater fish breed quite easily. Breeding freshwater fish may provide you with opportunities to sell your overstock (don’t quit your day job, though) and a chance to experiment with new breeds.

bullet You can have more fish. You can keep significantly more freshwater fish than marine fish in the same amount of space.

Freshwater systems come in either tropical or coldwater varieties. Each has slightly different equipment requirements and houses different types of fish.

Freshwater tropical aquariums

Freshwater tropical aquariums house the majority of retail freshwater fish. If you choose a tropical system, you can set up a community aquarium with a variety of species that can coexist peacefully. Or you may decide to try a species tank for a more aggressive fish family, such as cichlids. A freshwater tropical aquarium offers a huge number of choices in livestock and plants to suit everyone’s individual taste.

Tip

Most tropical freshwater fish are inexpensive and pretty easy to keep, which is why this is the best system for a beginning hobbyist. You can also purchase an aquarium system at many superstores and pet stores in kit form. A kit generally includes a tank, hood, filter, net, food, instruction book, and the heater necessary for a tropical tank. A kit often doesn’t include gravel, plants, or decorations that must be purchased separately. Always read the box label so that you will know what extras you will need to buy to get the tank up and running properly. Pet stores and large retail stores are great places to find these starter kits, which are a good buy for the money.

Popular species of tropical freshwater fish include these:

bullet Platys

bullet Guppies

bullet Mollies

bullet Neons

bullet Swordtails

bullet Angelfish

bullet Bettas

bullet Tetras

bullet Barbs

And that’s just to name a few.

Freshwater coldwater aquariums

A coldwater aquarium usually houses species such as these:

bullet Goldfish

bullet Sunfish

bullet Shiners

bullet Bitterlings

In their native habitat, these fish normally live in lower temperatures than their tropical counterparts. Large koi are often kept in coldwater ponds. The equipment you need for a coldwater aquarium is similar to that for a tropical aquarium, except that coldwater tanks don’t require a heating system. Larger tanks are better for this type of system because coldwater species are generally bigger than most tropicals and consume more oxygen.

Tip

Special consideration must be taken when choosing plants for a coldwater system because many plants can’t survive the lower temperatures. Room temperature is a factor in coldwater aquarium setups as well, because many homes are kept very warm which can affect the temperature of your tank.

Remember

Aside from goldfish, coldwater fish can be difficult to obtain in many areas of the country. Setting up a coldwater system drastically reduces your choices of fish and live plants, unless your local dealer can special order them if he does not have them in stock. The World Wide Web is an excellent place to purchase coldwater fish, as you can see in Chapter 9.

Marine systems

Marine or saltwater systems, not surprisingly, require saltwater. You see marine fish on scuba and underwater nature programs. The most popular of these fish includes the coral reef species often found living in close proximity to various invertebrates (animals without backbones, such as anemones), and are often very colorful and quite beautiful. But don’t fool yourself, beauty has its price. Saltwater fish and invertebrates that go in their aquariums can be very expensive.

TechnicalStuff

The saltwater used in a marine system is usually obtained by mixing fresh water with a manufactured salt mix. A good filtration system is important in marine tanks to keep the oxygen levels high and the ammonia levels low. Marine fish have a lower tolerance to ammonia (a fish waste product) than freshwater species do, and an inadequate filter soon leads to disaster in a saltwater tank.

Remember

Gaining a little experience with a freshwater tropical or coldwater system is a great way to prepare yourself to enter the marine side of the hobby. Don’t get me wrong. A beginner can maintain a successful marine tank, but the lessons you learn can be very expensive. We see many new hobbyists become disheartened with fishkeeping because they start out with a marine setup that’s just too much for them to handle. If you have a close friend who is experienced in marine systems, ask her for advice—she may be able to help you get started successfully. And check out Saltwater Aquariums For Dummies, 2nd Edition by Greg Skomal (Wiley Publishing, 2006).

Brackish systems

The brackish aquarium is the least popular of all the three systems, simply because the fish are generally difficult to find in many local pet stores and are usually more expensive than freshwater tropical fish. The water in a brackish aquarium lies somewhere between fresh and marine in salt content.

Here are some popular species for a brackish system:

bullet Monos

bullet Archers

bullet Puffers

bullet Scats

The equipment for a brackish system is similar to that for a freshwater setup, but only specific plants can tolerate a brackish system.

Organization Is the Key to Success

One of the keys to success in almost any project is organizing your goals and ideas. If you’re like me, you own one of those all-purpose planners that weigh about as much as the family car. This would be a good time to start using it. If you don’t have a planner, and your earliest memory goes back to yesterday’s breakfast, then you should probably begin your aquarium project by making a simple list. Even if you have a good memory, go ahead and make a list anyway.

Tip

A good list provides you with a set of short- and long-term goals to help you set up and maintain your new aquarium system. For example, your short-term goals may include purchasing your tank and equipment and picking out a few starter fish. Long-term goals may be breeding your fish and trying different types of systems. By setting a few goals, you give yourself a plan to follow. You can begin your own list of goals as you read through this book.

A little knowledge can spell the difference between success and ultimate failure. We realize that research may bring up frightening memories of school librarians, but there are other practical ways to gain knowledge. With the advent of the Internet, aquarists can access current information on the aquarium hobby. Here are a few good places to start:

bullet www.aquaria.info

bullet www.aquariuminfosite.com

bullet freshaquarium.about.com

bullet www.aquahobby.com/links/

Remember

It is important to keep researching the type of system you’re interested in, even after you have it set up. By researching a fish’s natural environment and finding out how and where it lives in the wild, you arm yourself to provide your fish with the best aquarium conditions and environment possible. A natural, stress-free environment promotes long and healthy lives for your wet pets.

As mentioned previously, this book focuses on freshwater systems so that you can gain a strong foothold on the basics of keeping a successful aquarium. After you have mastered the basics of freshwater aquariums, your choices will become unlimited, and you may want to continue your adventures in the hobby by trying other types of setups.

Chapter 3

Finding a Good Location

In This Chapter

bullet Understanding room temperature and your fish

bullet Running your fish