Aquarium at Home: 5 Handy Tips to Maintain Fish in the Aquarium
Aquariums are an interesting segment of your home decor and if maintained in the right way can serve as an art as well as a source of tranquility. It even makes up a hobby for your free time. It is difficult to maintain an aquarium as well as the fish inside and you need to give constant care to keep it beautiful and healthy.
These days you can hire professional help for aquarium maintenance, but if you prefer a more cost-friendly and do-it-yourself approach, then these tips will come in handy.
Correct Temperature: Changes in the water temperature inside your aquarium are a big deal to your pet fishes so check the temperature every day. Even if the temperature is off by only a couple of degrees, it can cause a major impact in the aquarium’s ecosystem. Since water bodies usually have a stable temperature, your fishes are extremely sensitive to the small changes that can even prove fatal to them.
Balanced pH: pH is a measure of acidity and determines how acidic or basic your fish tank is. Some fish prefer alkaline while others prefer a slightly acidic water in nature. So when building and maintaining your aquarium, keep pH levels in mind and include creatures that prefer a common pH level.
Overfeeding: This is a common issue found among people who own a fish tank for the first time. Too much of food won’t make your pet fish grow faster, instead it will probably die. The excess food would float around in the tank, polluting it and this will in turn make it unhospitable for the fish. General rule of the thumb is to not throw in any food that your fish can’t eat in five minutes. Also take care that your pet eats every morsel of the food and is not just spitting it out.
If your aquarium contains more than one species of fish and coral, then create a balanced diet for the ecosystem. Throwing in the perfect food for one fish might not be so good for the others in the tank, so keep in mind the needs of all the creatures that live in your aquarium.
Fish Diseases: Keep a close eye on your aquarium for any fish that may seem too dull or keep still in one corner. Chances are that it is sick. Fishes are prone to sickness, especially if they can’t adapt to the water and food. Also, some fishes fall sick when new fishes are introduced into the tank. Watch out for the signs and remove the ones that are sick lest they infect the others too.
Cleanliness: Perhaps the most important aspect of keeping an aquarium is maintaining it clean and healthy. Aside from the fact that you have a thriving ecosystem inside your room, a clean aquarium gives a clear view of a beautiful aquascape. Perform regular water changes and remove any algae build-up you can see. Give clear oxygen input into the tank and maintain proper lighting.