A List of Famous Don'ts
A List of Famous Don'ts
Written by Wednesday, 14 November 2007 02:00
Fishkeeping is a very rewarding hobby when things go right. Yet it can be very frustrating if things take a wrong turn. Below we present and discuss some practices which should be avoided in order to prevent problems arising. Our list is by no means exhaustive; by definition it can never be. Some of the practices we discuss are common sense; others are personal preference, grounded on our "ethics" as fishkeepers.
Tanks and Tank Maintenance
Don't buy bowls, Aquababies or other similar "maintenance-free" table top mini ecosystems. This is the best way to kill your pet and the meaning of fishkeeping alongside. Keeping goldfish (or any other fish for that matter) in bowls or other similarly confined containers is cruel; the fish haven't got sufficient space to swim and grow and they have to live in contaminated water due to the lack of filtration. Legislation is currently changing to address this issue. For example, in Italy bowls are now illegal following the re-introduction of a previous Roman law; in the UK the new law specifies the minimum sizes of bowls acceptable (anything less than that has been withdrawn from circulation). An aquarium is not a display stand; it is supposed to be the home of your fish, so it should meet their needs.
Don't buy tanks, equipment or any tank paraphernalia just because they are cheap; functionality is way more important than value. If you have to chose between equipment that needs parts replacing every so often, take that into account too. Bear in mind that equipment may not perform as expected which may adversely affect the well being of your fish and will definately affect your finances.
Don't place your tank on inappropriate surfaces. Ensure that the tank will be properly supported. When full, a tank carries a considerable weight. For example, a 300 liter tank complete with equipment, decorations and water may well weight more than 500 Kg. For bigger tanks you should also check the loading capacity of the floor. Bear in mind that where there are tanks there will be water and chemicals spilage (water conditioners, chemicals etc) no matter how careful you are. Some of the chemicals and conditioners have got dyes in them so make sure you protect your furniture and floor appropriately.
Don't neglect regular tank maintenance. The water may seem clean but after a while it is devoid of trace elements while nitrates are rising high, to name but two important things. The filters may seem to be having a good flow but the waste accumulated on the sponges demands an ever rising amount of oxygen to dissolve. This is subsequently being drawn from your tank water, thus adversely affeting the health of your fish. Regular tank maintenance ensures steady water quality, as opposed to irregular tank maintenance which results to massive changes in the water parameters; this adversely affects your fish. Thermostats and pumps will gradually deteriorate and if not checked regularly, they may stop working at a very inconvenient time (typically when you are not around to do something about it immediately).
Don't work on your tanks with the electric appliances on. Always disconnect appliances before putting your hands in the tank. Better still, try to "ground" the tank.
Don't perform massive water changes without a good reason (usually following a medication or a sudden ammonia/nitrites rise). Some fish don't tolerate these changes (e.g. cichlids from Lake Tanganyika) whilst most of them will be stressed. The amount of water changed should depend on your feeding routine, the level of stocking of your tank and the reaction of your fish to "new" water. Observing your fish during a water change will give you a good indication of the volume of new water they are comfortable with (for example Cichlids will "sit" on the bottom of the tank when they are uncomfortable with the amount of water changed). If you need to change a lot of water you are better off doing water changes more often and changing less water each time. If you observe fish dying a few days after water changes it could be due to DMS (delayed mortality syndrome). Check your water parameters before and after the water change and adjust your tank maintenance routine to ensure a stable environment for your fish.
Don't change all your filter media at the same time. When you need to clean your filters always do it in aquarium water and leave at least 35% of the old media. Your old media is colonized by useful bacteria which keep your tank running safely (they keep ammonia and nitrite levels within safe limits). Removing all filter media at the same time could cause your tank to cycle again and this may result in fish losses or a disease outbreak. Try to feed less (or not at all) for a day if you have changed a substantial amount of your filter media. Your fish won't suffer at all but this will give your filter a chance to catch up, i.e. the bacteria will start colonizing your new media.
Don't use additives in the water unless you are sure of exactly how they inluence your tank environment. Occasionally chemicals conflict and this may destabilise your tank. The less additives you use the more control you will have on what happens in your tank (except, of course, if you have a PhD in chemistry).
Aquascaping
Don't exaggerate when it comes to aquascaping. Use natural materials (or materials that at least look natural). Fancy gravel colors and pink fluorescent divers may frighten your fish or keep them from displaying their natural colors. "Disco" type lights placed in the aquarium stress the fish as they are not used to this environment. That aside, natural materials create far more "convincing" and visually pleasing effects. Always wash (no detergents or soap) and dry clean any object before adding it in your tank.
Don't put anything that may hurt your fish in the tank. Powerheads or other such electrical components may "suck" in small or weak fish if not properly covered up. Hollow ornaments can also become "fish traps". Avoid anything that rusts or may leak poisonous substances (non aquarium paints, glue etc). Thread, elastic bands or fishing lines (mainly used to tie plants on wood) can be dangerous for L-number catfish, particularly young ones. Catfish will try to squeze through openings to any dark place, so if you are planning to fit an aquarium background inside the tank make sure it is siliconed properly all the way round to avoid leaving small gaps through which the fish can slip (and eventually get trapped) behind it.
Stocking
Don't buy fish prior to obtaining reliable information about them. Don't rely exclusively on information from LFS; try to obtain information from independent sources (books, internet, etc). If you "do your homework" prior to stocking your tank you are less likely to have problems occuring in future.
Don't buy fish whose final TL size is too big for your tank. Red tail sharks are very beautiful and cute animals at 10m but they will outgrow your 100 cm tank in no time. You may well plan to change tanks in a few years but things don't always go as planned. More often than not, people who make such purchases end up disposing of the fish. Always buy fish for which you can provide a loving, appropriate home for the rest of their lives as things stand at the time of purchase.
Don't buy fish impulsively. Make sure you have the space, appropriate tank environment and time to care for them. Most importantly, make sure you can afford to keep them (the price of purchase of fish is nothing compared to the running expenses of keeping them properly). Fish (as well as all other pets) are for life. Consider the situation and plan ahead.
Don't buy fish just because they look "pretty" or colourful. Mother nature did its best to ensure that every species will thrive in the right water conditions with the right tankmates. Don't torture a small mild temperament fish by adding it to an inappropriate environment simply because it "looked so cute".
Don't buy painted, tatooed or otherwise mutilated fish. They have been through a lot of pain and suffering while they were being crippled. To give but one example, dyed fish are inserted into acid to have their scales removed prior to being injected with dye which has long term toxic effects. Very few fish survive this procedure. Some of these fish (the varieties with amputated or mis-shapen parts) have difficulties even to go through a day's normal activities (eg swimming, eating etc). In obtaining any such fish you are endorsing cruelty to animals. Bear in mind that these fish will die prematurely and are more prone to diseases which will affect your other fish too. Those very few dyed fish who make it in the end, are known to lose the added colours as they grow up. So, having endorsed cruelty in the first instance, you are likely to end up with a weakened fish with normal colouration.
Don't buy fish which are or look ill at the LFS. This includes fish which:
- are clearly stressed, lethargic or stay motionless or lay at the bottom of the tank,
- refuse to eat,
- are constantly being bullied by tank mates.
- have clear marks of disease (ulcers, open wounds, spots on body or finnage, swollen or cloudy eyes, trailing faeces),
- behave abnormally for their species (e.g hiding when they should be swimming in the open or swimming in the open when they should be hiding)
If you are unsure of the symptoms check first. If you let your feelings guide you into buying a poorly fish to save it, be aware that it will most likely require particular care to recover. This includes some expertise in the hobby and with this species, isolation and treatment. If you can't provide this care there is no point buying the fish in the first instance. Even so, chances are that you may lose the fish in the end.
Don't buy predators, particularly if they can't get trained to accept staple food and/or if you are not prepared to feed them live pray.
Don't add newly bought fish or plants directly in your tank. New fish should always be quarantined for at least a month in their own tank. Thus, a disease outbreak will not harm your existing fish. Plants should be sterilized before added in a tank. Remember that plants are as likely to carry pathogens or parasites as fish are.
Don't stock your tank immediately with fish. Your tank must be allowed to cycle first (get colonised by useful bacteria). If you do not allow for that you will end up with a very "fragile" balance and, finally, with heavy losses.
Don't use fish to cycle your tank, it is cruel. You will often see or hear species being described as "ideal" for cycling tanks because they are "hardy". Hardy doesn't mean that a species is immune to amonia, nitrite and nitrate poisoning. It means they manage to survive it without significant losses. Still the fish will be damaged during the cycling period or may get diseased due to stress; this is unfair. Aquarism is all about patience, planning and love for the animals. Don't start as you shouldn't go on -display these qualities from the point of starting your new tank.
Don't keep fish in tanks that are too small for them. Fish need space to swim and engage in activities (such as digging, playing, courting and so on), keep that in mind. Fish kept in inappropriately small tanks do not grow as they should, are prone to disease and deformities and behave abnormally because they are bored and unhappy. You will have a much more enjoyable and trouble free tank if you stock it with the appropriate species.
Feeding
Don't feed feeder fish unless the species you keep can only feed on them. If so, try to offer the fish the kind of pray it would find in its natural environments. Providing fish with the wrong type of protein may lead to disease and death.
Don't feed your fish exclusively or mainly with scraps from the family table. Fish need a balanced diet to grow healthy. Prior to offering food to your fish consider the effect this will have on their health.
Don't overfeed. Overfeeding is the first cause of deaths in aquariums. The rule "feed as much as your fish will consume in five minutes" is not widely applicable. Africans can consume enormous amounts of food in five minutes and then spend the whole day chewing it. Most L-number catfish, on the other hand, will not have time to even smell the food in 5 minutes. Get to know your fish's eating habits and feed them a balanced diet sensibly.
Breeding
Don't strip female mouthbrooders unless there is a good reason for it (disease, prolonged history of premature release or swallowing). Mouthbrooding is a natural process and seems to also serve as "training" for the young females; when their time comes to have young themselves they can, in turn mouthbrood themselves. Female fish from eggs which have been striped swallow their eggs.
Don't keep together species that will most likely cross breed. A well known example is Aulonocara species which will readily cross breed unless the females look substantially different (e.g. one has orange finnage while the other not). Recently we have heard (and seen) OB morphs of Aulonocara species which are actually a cross breed between Aulonocara and Pseudotropheus (Maylandia) species. The role of the hobbyist should be to replicate nature and to preserve the natural selection. Keep in mind that hybrids may not be sterile and they usually aren't.
Don't mislabel hybrid fish bred in your tanks when they enter the market. If you decide to give these fish, or sell them, make sure the person receiving them has accurate information. This is so much an ethical issue as well as the grounds for ensuring that confusion is avoided in the hobby.
Don't try to raise all the fry of a brood. This doesn't happen in nature and it shouldn't happen in home aquaria either. A number of individuals from each brood are weak and by taking pains to raise them and put them in the hobby you are only providing poor quality fish, prone to disease and / or an early death and giving tank bred fish a bad name. In certain cases, i.e. with prolific species, trying to raise the whole brood results in the strongest individuals being also weakened as they are deprived of the space and food they need to grow healthy. Culling may sound a hard thing to do but it is necessary and natural.
Health
Don't ignore the "emotional" health and well being of your fish. Get them used to a routine (feeding times, lighting periods etc) and stick to it. This allows them to adapt to their new life style easier and feel secure.
Don't let people knock on the glass of the tank to attract your fish. This causes them great stress. Sound travels very fast in the water and all fish are extra sensitive to vibrations. Avoid loud music and sudden movements near the tank.
Don't touch the fish with dry hands. You will severely damage their slimy coat which is both a swimming aid and a protection against diseases. Once you net the fish always wet your hands before touching it. When you have to touch a fish with open wounds it would be preferable to use surgical gloves which have been previously washed to remove the talc dust. This precaution is mainly for your safety.
Don't use medication light heartedly, preventatively or every time you see a single symptom. Appropriate medication should only be administered if there are clear symptoms of a particular properly identified disease. If there is only one individual suffering, it is preferrable to isolate it and treat it while keeping an eye on the tank for further symptoms.
Don't use antibiotics without proper consultation. Nine times out of ten, there is no need for an antibiotic. Careless or persistant use of antibiotics in a tank may result in raising resistant strains of bacteria which will be detrimental to the health of your fish and may also be harmful to you and your family.
Don't move tank furnishings, substrate, plants or fish from a tank with a disease outbreak to any other tank. Pathogens are not confining themselves to fish and / or water. If there is a problem in a tank, pathogens are everywhere, including the thermostat and filter media. Service the contaminated tank with separate pipes, buckets, glass cleaning magnets and nets. If you dip your hands in the water, wash and disinfect them prior to servicing your other tank(s) or feeding the fish in them. Always use a separate set of nets and servicing objects for your quarantine tank.
Don't touch the water or the fish in a tank with disease outbrake even if you are treating it; it is best to wear plastic or surgical gloves which can be discarded after use. Some of the chemicals used for tank treatments are dangerous to humans (e.g. formaldehyde). Similarly, some of the fish diseases are contageous to humans (e.g. FishMB). Protect yourself and your family.
Ethics
Don't dispose of ill or unwanted fish in inhumane ways. Flushing unwanted or ill fish down the toilet or removing them from the water and letting them asphyxiate to death is cruel and causes the fish a lot of unecessary pain and suffering. Diseased fish should be treated or euthanized. Unwanted healthy fish should be returned to your aquatic retailer, sold, or donated to another aquarist.
Don't euthanize healthy fish light heartedly. Do your very best to rehome the fish if you can't keep it yourself any longer. Always remember that the fish didn't ask to come to you, it was your decision to get it in the first place. Therefore you do have a responsibility for its life and well being even though this may, at times, be inconvenient.
Don't release apparently healthy fish in domestic water bodies (rivers, lakes or sea). Fish released in natural environments may cause a very serious (possibly irreversible) damage to these environments except if the fish are definately healthy and they are returned to the same biotope from which they originally came. Healthy unwanted fish should be preferrably donated or returned to an LFS (if at all possible). If none of this is possible try to consult your local authority about the best way, time and place to return the fish in its natural biotope (e.g. if the fish is a shoaling fish it needs to be in waters where it can find conspecifics). You may be advised not to do so as such an action may seriously endanger the local wildlife (e.d. by introducing disease). In this case the only option left is to euthanize the fish. Bear in mind that tank bred specimens or fish which have lived in captivity for any considerable length of time are not likely to be competitive enough to survive in nature. They will starve to death, be chased away by conspecifics or get killed by predators.
Don't release diseased or dead fish in domestic water bodies even if you think the fish died of natural causes. In the case of diseased fish if you can't treat them (or treat them successfully) you should euthanize them. Dead fish should be disposed of hygenically (depending on the cause of death sometimes this may involve incineration).
And finally,
Don't accept uncritically everything you hear. The hobby is full of myths and "rules of thumb", some of them based on dated practices, some totally unfounded, others overgeneralising in order to cover all possible species of fish under all possible circumstances. Take, for example, the well known stocking "guide" 1 cm of fish body length per liter of water. Apply this to, say, Parapetenia dovii, and you could get 10 of them at 10cm each in 100 liters of water. Did that make you smile? What about Africans? Try to house 33 haps measuring 20cm each in 660 liters and you are calling for trouble. The problem with such generalisations is that there are so many exceptions to them that one is wondering if it is worth having them at all. Returning to the stocking "guide" indicated, in addition to body length, all sorts of other factors need to be taken into account, if one is to keep fish properly. To mention but a few, levels of aggression, natural behaviour (i.e. preference to cruising or ambushing, required "floor" space etc), feeding habits, the sex and size of the fish to be housed and so on should also be taken into account (large fish, on the main, require more liters per cm of body length while a tank holding male fish need to allow for all of them to have their own territories). Finally, common sense should also be used. A cubic tank measuring 1mX1mX1m (thus holding 1.000 liters of water) just couldn't house a fish measuring 1,20 m even though the liters per cm are, according to the guide indicated, pretty sufficient.
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