Beginner Guides

Transporting Those Fish.   A Few Pointers Shipping fish can be a daunting and worrying thing at the best of times, but if done correctly, then your fish should arrive at their destination safe and sound. Many fish are lost in transit due to .. Incorrect packing... Stress, due to bad packing.. Ammonia poisoning due to too many fish... Bags that are not sealed correctly.. No heat packs.. so fish are cold on arrival... Late pickups... Too many to a bag... Punctured bags thr

Cycling your tank Author: Jennifer Hamlin First published in Aquarium World Magazine November 2011 When getting a new tank, it can be tempting to rush and fill it with fish, but if the filter isn’t properly prepared, a new tank can quickly result in a series of disappointments as the water quality deteriorates and the fish struggle to survive. Fish that live in enclosed aquariums are subject to a buildup of toxic wastes in their environment. The majority of these waste produc

Filters - Basic Guide Author: Adrienne Dodge Choosing a filter There are many varieties and brands of filter available to the fish keeper.  The type of filter most suitable for you and your tank will depend a lot on the tank size and the type of fish you keep. It is recommended that when purchasing a filter you choose one that will turn the volume of water in your tank over  4 – 6 times per hour ie if you have a 40 litre tank, choose a filter that has a flow rate between 160 – 600 litres per ho

Setting up a Tank - Basic Guide Author:  Adrienne Dodge Must have equipment – Tank Filter Water Conditioner/s (if required in your area) Fish Food Net Gravel cleaner/siphon Bucket   Extras Heater for tropical fish Gravel/stones Plants – live or plastic Lighting Decorations Air pump and airline Test Kit Think of your fish as pets and give them good care and attention.  To keep the water clean and healthy care must be taken not to overfeed the fish or put too many fish in the tank.  It also means

Stocking an Aquarium Author: Adrienne Dodge There is always a lot of discussion about how to work out the number of fish you can keep in an aquarium however this is dependent on many factors, ie filtration, plants, species of fish.    Overstocking leads to stress, which can cause ill health among your fish and this in turn will reduce the enjoyment you will get from keeping them.  If you get things right from the beginning you will have less problems with your fish and enjoy your tank much more

What should I feed my tropical fish? Author: Adrienne Dodge First published in Aquarium World August 2013 This is a question that commonly pops up.  What you feed your fish is as important as the aquarium conditions you provide for them. For newer fish keepers I have placed a table at the bottom of this article giving some idea of the basic foods to feed the type of fish typically kept by beginners to the hobby. The type of food you feed your fish depends largely on the following    - The size

My Fish Just Died Adapted from an article written by Bill (PegasusNZ)     So your fish just died, or are they dropping like flies.  What do we do? If your fish has no visibile signs of injury then usually we tend to just accept it as one of those things that happens, but in many cases, and with little effort, a few things can be learned from the deceased fish. Unless your fish died from old age, which few fish do, then we need to establish if possible what caused its demise, but how do we approa