Fishful thinking
Fishkeeping can be as satisfying and rewarding as it is frustrating and soul destroying. As more people delve into the hobby, fish fan Ian Knott shares the basics to help ease the long-term pain.
While fishkeeping has always been around, the hobby has seen a recent surge in popularity, reflected by the fact there are now no fewer than five dedicated stores in Christchurch alone.
Tropical freshwater fish are the most popular due to the sheer volume of fish varieties available and the relatively low costs involved. Cold freshwater (goldfish) have fewer choices, and saltwater marine setups are definitely at the pricier end and require more boxes to be ticked to keep things in pristine running order.
In this digital age, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the flood of information and indeed misinformation if you are looking to enter the hobby. One ‘expert’ will tell you one thing, while the next will say the opposite. There are, however some basics that everyone should follow to give themselves, and their fish, the best chance of a rewarding experience.
Water quality is important, but what’s more important is water stability. Most fish species are fairly adaptable to water conditions, but sudden spikes in ammonia, nitrates, nitrites can wipe out a tank overnight. One of the biggest causes of sudden changes in water chemistry is overfeeding. Fish always look hungry, but they are not. They associate you walking past the tank with food and get excited, so don’t get fooled by their big round eyes.
Syphoning waste from the gravel, having good filtration and keeping up small but regular water changes goes a long way to having a stable environment. Having a well planted aquarium, or houseplants with their roots in the water also helps to filter out nasties.
It’s also important to dechlorinate your tapwater and let beneficial bacteria build up in a new tank. This is called cycling. This can take anything from a few days to weeks. Beneficial bacteria don’t live in the water, they live on surfaces. So borrowing some ornaments or filter media from someone with an established tank can speed up the cycling process dramatically.
Do your research and choose your tankmates wisely: That stunning feathery-finned catfish you bought on a whim might look amazing, but most are nocturnal hunters with deceptively large mouths, and you’ll wonder why your smaller fish are mysteriously disappearing. Fish basically live by one code: ‘Can I eat it or can it eat me?’ If a fish can fit in another’s mouth – that’s where it’s likely to end up.
Control your lighting levels. Algae loves light, and grows very fast. Too much light and your tank can become green sludge. Some types, like Black Beard Algae can be almost impossible to irradicate. You may think counteracting that by buying an algae eating fish like a Plecostomus is the answer, and for a time it can be. But many algae eaters get big, poo a lot, and go off algae altogether.
The struggle is real. Knowing someone with real-world experience can be an invaluable source of information when you’re starting out rather than having AI lead you down the wrong path.
For more fishy tips, follow Ian on youtube.com/@only-fins-fish
