Kaix
07-27-2006, 02:23 PM
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"
Have a proper filtering system
Change Water Regularly (30-40%)
Have a correct mixture of fishes
Proper feeding
Proper lighting
Removing all dead animals, plants and excess food immediately.
Air bubbles should not be too fine
Always keep a bottle of the following handy incase of emergency
RID-ALL GENERAL AID
RID-ALL ANTI-FUNGUS
RID-ALL ANTI-CHLORINE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS & PROBLEMS
1. Air pump - does not force air into the water. Cause circulation only - important to get wide surface area. Fighting fish, gouramis, paradise fishes, etc. are exception as they breathe through the air directly.
2. Bubbles should not be so strong that fishes have problem swimming.
3. Do not have too fine air bubbles floating in the tank. Known to give rise to "POP-EYE" problems in goldfishes.
4. In a marine tank, the air bubbles are finer and wooden wood diffusers can work. In freshwater, the diffusers cannot work and the same air stone will give bigger bubbles. (Density of water is different)
5. Using the gang value properly - one valve MUST be open to the maximum to all excess air to escape.
6. Before buying air stones - rub the stones - sand must not come off readily.
7. Do not waste money on living bacteria sold in a liquid form - short shelf life - use powdered form if necessary. No need to use at all.
8. Vitamins must be consumed for effectiveness, just dropping into the water have very little effect
9. Big fish will eat small fish (Rule of Nature) - Do not mix very different sizes together.
10. Salt does not evaporate only water will. When changing water DO NOT use salt. It does not remove chlorine.
11. Activated Carbon should be placed where there is a strong flow of water through it - like in a filter media. Throwing it into the tank alone will not be effective.
12. Overfeeding kills. Decaying excess food causes change to pH, ammonia, nitrate levels, etc.
13. Overnight water refers to water without chlorine content.
14. Hardwater refers to water with a great deal of dissolved minerals, the pH is mostly high.
15. Excretion floating along the water surface is a sign that your fish have constipation. This is clearly seen in bigger fishes like goldfish and Kois as air bubbles can be seen within the sag
16. Marine sand, crushed corals, and white sand (marble chips) should NOT be used in a freshwater tank. Overtime, the carbonates will dissolve in the water affecting your pH and hardness. Yellow residue at the water surface is a symptom that your water is getting "harder".
17. Use of a Heater is to prevent temperature fluctuations and not to “cook” your fishes.
18. Try not to mix hardwater fishes with softwater fishes, as the water chemistry is different and will be quite difficult to keep both species alive together. It is not impossible, just difficult. One species will do better than the other.
19. Terrapins require sunlight for their shell to grow properly (harden). Even fishes exposed to natural sunlight have better colours.
20. Avoid using antibiotics unless you know what you are doing. Avoid all chemicals that destroy the 'good' bacteria if you are using biological filtration.
21. If your fishes are very slimy, chances are that you have used too much salt, or the pH of your water has become too acidic or too alkaline.
22. If you have a community tank, have an algae eater, some freshwater shrimps or even freshwater crabs (small ones) to help keep the tank clean. Dead or dying fishes can and will be consumed by the scavengers
23. Decide on the fish you intent to keep before you decide on the tank size or the decorations.
24. Get a good reference Book. So you can check the basic water, temperature and special requirements for your fishes and plants.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"
Have a proper filtering system
Change Water Regularly (30-40%)
Have a correct mixture of fishes
Proper feeding
Proper lighting
Removing all dead animals, plants and excess food immediately.
Air bubbles should not be too fine
Always keep a bottle of the following handy incase of emergency
RID-ALL GENERAL AID
RID-ALL ANTI-FUNGUS
RID-ALL ANTI-CHLORINE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS & PROBLEMS
1. Air pump - does not force air into the water. Cause circulation only - important to get wide surface area. Fighting fish, gouramis, paradise fishes, etc. are exception as they breathe through the air directly.
2. Bubbles should not be so strong that fishes have problem swimming.
3. Do not have too fine air bubbles floating in the tank. Known to give rise to "POP-EYE" problems in goldfishes.
4. In a marine tank, the air bubbles are finer and wooden wood diffusers can work. In freshwater, the diffusers cannot work and the same air stone will give bigger bubbles. (Density of water is different)
5. Using the gang value properly - one valve MUST be open to the maximum to all excess air to escape.
6. Before buying air stones - rub the stones - sand must not come off readily.
7. Do not waste money on living bacteria sold in a liquid form - short shelf life - use powdered form if necessary. No need to use at all.
8. Vitamins must be consumed for effectiveness, just dropping into the water have very little effect
9. Big fish will eat small fish (Rule of Nature) - Do not mix very different sizes together.
10. Salt does not evaporate only water will. When changing water DO NOT use salt. It does not remove chlorine.
11. Activated Carbon should be placed where there is a strong flow of water through it - like in a filter media. Throwing it into the tank alone will not be effective.
12. Overfeeding kills. Decaying excess food causes change to pH, ammonia, nitrate levels, etc.
13. Overnight water refers to water without chlorine content.
14. Hardwater refers to water with a great deal of dissolved minerals, the pH is mostly high.
15. Excretion floating along the water surface is a sign that your fish have constipation. This is clearly seen in bigger fishes like goldfish and Kois as air bubbles can be seen within the sag
16. Marine sand, crushed corals, and white sand (marble chips) should NOT be used in a freshwater tank. Overtime, the carbonates will dissolve in the water affecting your pH and hardness. Yellow residue at the water surface is a symptom that your water is getting "harder".
17. Use of a Heater is to prevent temperature fluctuations and not to “cook” your fishes.
18. Try not to mix hardwater fishes with softwater fishes, as the water chemistry is different and will be quite difficult to keep both species alive together. It is not impossible, just difficult. One species will do better than the other.
19. Terrapins require sunlight for their shell to grow properly (harden). Even fishes exposed to natural sunlight have better colours.
20. Avoid using antibiotics unless you know what you are doing. Avoid all chemicals that destroy the 'good' bacteria if you are using biological filtration.
21. If your fishes are very slimy, chances are that you have used too much salt, or the pH of your water has become too acidic or too alkaline.
22. If you have a community tank, have an algae eater, some freshwater shrimps or even freshwater crabs (small ones) to help keep the tank clean. Dead or dying fishes can and will be consumed by the scavengers
23. Decide on the fish you intent to keep before you decide on the tank size or the decorations.
24. Get a good reference Book. So you can check the basic water, temperature and special requirements for your fishes and plants.