| Aquarium tank fish death is one of the common | | | | pets.Another thing to watch out for in a newly installed |
| challenges faced by aquarists. There are number of | | | | tank is the quantity of food: very little of this should be |
| factors that could be responsible for the deaths | | | | given during the fist three weeks. Mind you! I am not |
| experienced. These are outlined briefly below:- The | | | | suggesting that you should not give them food at all, |
| aquarist selection of fish.- The removal and packing of | | | | because without food, no bacterial flora forms. The |
| the fish from the pet shop- Transport time and period | | | | food supply to the bacteria should be increased only |
| and the handling of the fish in transit- Quarantine | | | | very gradually.Fish keepers with old functional |
| procedure.- Adjustment and adaptation into the new | | | | aquariums should avoid general cleaning that is |
| community or environment by the new fish.When | | | | washing of sand/gravel, scrubbing of tank wall and |
| buying fish from the pet shop always spend some | | | | complete water changes so as not to disturb the |
| time at the place to inquire about the life history and | | | | bacterial flora.When you have to service, it should just |
| habits of the new purchase. You can then make a | | | | be the removal of the mulm and dead leaves sufficient |
| selection from collection of the same species. Never | | | | to ensure adequate flow through the filter and no |
| buy the last specimen in reserve at any shop because | | | | more. The bad habit of replacing the entire filter |
| if it had been a good specimen, you would not have | | | | material or the soiled part with fresh materials is |
| met it there in the first instance.Always form the habit | | | | detrimental to fish life. Most bacterial live in the sludge |
| of making your fish purchase during the cool periods of | | | | at the bottom of the tank, so don't throw them |
| the day, preferably before 12 noon or after | | | | away.Many pet shops that operate a house-to-house |
| 4.30pm.These are the only periods I can guarantee for | | | | maintenance routine on aquariums are used to the |
| fish comfort. This restriction is borne out of my | | | | habit of complete overhaul which invariably lead to fish |
| observation that most pet shops and aquarists alike do | | | | death. I have met many people who have said, "I used |
| not seem to care about insulation of the fish against | | | | to service my tank myself. On close scrutiny I |
| temperature fluctuations after gassing them in a | | | | discovered that he indulge in the unforgivable habit of |
| polythene.When making your fish selection from the | | | | washing the aquarium with detergents!In real life |
| pet shop be sure the attendant has the expertise to | | | | situation, no one can attest to having experienced a |
| pick fish out from a selection. This you can know | | | | complete overhaul of a river bed. The only thing that |
| through the swiftness with which your choice fish is | | | | happens during heavy rains or flood is the partial |
| removed out of the selection.Reject a fish that has | | | | complete change of the water body. The bed, sand |
| been chased around, gasping for breath... It is week | | | | and gravel components get cleaned but not |
| already! Chances are that it gives up with the further | | | | overhauled.This is nature's method of 'servicing' the |
| stress that accompanies the transportation of the | | | | fish's natural environment. So why don't we all adopt |
| fish.Make sure that your new purchase is quarantined. | | | | nature's method. |
| That's a single factor that affects fish survival as | | | | |