It is week three of National Pet Month, and time for another of our student top tips for responsible pet ownership blogs! This week, level 2 animal care student (and fish enthusiast), Charlotte, shares her Top Tips for Responsible Fish Keeping:
Top tips for keeping fish!
- The more fish you keep in a tank, the more waste! This means more water changes, and more likely to have a nasty ammonia spike!
- The bigger the tank, the better. As the volume of water is larger, if you were to have a spike in ammonia or nitrite, it is much more diluted than if it was a smaller tank, therefore less fatal and easier to fix.
- If you buy a fish to clean the tank, it won’t. The ‘cleaning fish’ will just contribute to more waste levels, which will cause an increase in nitrates, leading to more algae/water quality issues.
- Having a wide variety of foods is great! Especially for your bottom feeders like shrimp or corydoras, they will benefit from a sinking pellet rather than flake. But fish like tetras, livebearers and middle/top occupying fish will love flake. It’s great to give frozen/live as a treat every now and then.
- Keep on top of maintenance. Not keeping of top of this can be fatal for your fish and the tank!
- Do not rush it! Fishkeeping is a hobby that requires patience. If you rush your cycle, you will face the not-so-nice consequences.
- The more expensive the kit, the better it is! They will always do a better job than your cheaper products and will more likely have a long warranty because the product is very reliable.
- Over filtrate! There is nothing wrong with this. It just means the filter can hold more good bacteria to tackle fish waste. Water changes will still need to be done regularly though!
- You are caring for the water as well as the fish. The water is beneficial for your fish to thrive, so keeping your ammonia and nitrite levels to zero and nitrates below 40ppm will help your fish thrive. Keep an eye on water pH, hardness and temperature too.
- Fish do grow big! ‘Fish will grow to the size of the tank’ is a common myth. Unfortunately keeping a fish in an aquarium too small will cause stunting, which is uncomfortable and damaging their internal organs. This is fatal!
- Goldfish do grow big! Both your common goldfish and fancy goldfish varieties do grow big, therefore will need a large aquarium. They are very messy too, so make sure the filter is powerful enough for them. Common goldfish are carp, so thrive best in a pond.
- Fish must be kept in a filtered, cycled tank. A bowl is not a suitable home for them. Make sure to have a heater if they are a tropical species.
- Do your research before buying fish, it will benefit yourself and their welfare!
During National Pet Month our students are also raising money for StreetVet – we will bring you details of activities that they are organising and taking part in in due course. StreetVet is a charity that provides free veterinary care to the pets of people experiencing homelessness. It is a wonderful cause because it not only helps ensure the health and wellbeing of these pets but also brings comfort and companionship to their owners during challenging times. You can learn more about their incredible work and donate to the cause here.
Happy National Pet Month!