Fish make wonderful, engaging pets, but they’re not always easy to care for. Like all animals, they need clean water and food, but they also need a stable environment and regular maintenance to stay happy and healthy. Fish can be more sensitive to changes in the aquarium’s environment than other animals, so a little bit of knowledge goes a long way towards helping your fish friends thrive. Go here: https://www.onyamagazine.com/australian-affairs/fish-care-tips-to-know-before-you-get-a-pet-fish/
The Importance of Regular Water Testing and Monitoring
Make sure the tank is large enough for the species and number of fish you keep. Ensure the water is safe to swim in by testing and monitoring its ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites on a weekly basis. A simple kit can be purchased from a pet store and used to test the water’s pH level, as well as ammonia and nitrite levels.
Keep the aquarium covered with a dark substrate to limit light exposure and inhibit algae growth. Regularly remove and rinse decorations coated in stubborn algae, and target visible growth with an algae scraper or scrubbing brush. Keeping up with the cleaning and adjusting the tank’s conditions prevents most algae blooms from ever getting out of hand.
Watch your fish to ensure they’re swimming actively, maintaining a healthy color, and looking healthy, not gasping for air or flaking. If they look unhealthy or act unusually, scoop them out and place them in a quarantine tank to be checked by your vet.