Fishkeeping 101

I have recently cleaned and changed the water in my aquarium and i figured it will be great to share how i started this hobby.

photo from athos45
http://s19.beta.photobucket.com/user/athos45/media/amanotank.jpg.html

My brother-in-law bought this large tank about 4 years ago when he and my sister were still living in our house. Being a freelance artist with a busy schedule, he wasn't able to maintain the tank so he handed it over to my mom who, immediately, became interested on fishkeeping. Unfortunately, every attempt on raising fishes is always a failure because of her lack of knowledge on this subject. Yes, we were able to fill up the aquarium but the fishes would only last three months the longest.

After 2 years, the tank's bottom glass broke which somehow stopped my mom's interest in fish. In 2011, the aquarium was fixed again thanks to my mom's friend who make a living out of mirrors and window glasses. Despite being fixed, it remained unused until I decided to pet fish.

 

Later that year, I studied and searched the hows and whats of this hobby. I discovered and learned a lot of things and surprisingly, it is not as simple as it looks. Perhaps that's the reason why we weren't able to keep the fishes longer.

Don't worry though, it may not be simple but it also isn't that much complicated you see. One doesn't need a degree or master a skill in order to start this hobby. Getting cue from me, you only need to learn a few basic lessons and consider some pointer to thrive. So don't get discouraged if you are a beginner and has zero percent knowledge and experience on this hobby. I believe that everything can be learned, you just need that driving factor to succeed.

Just to give you a heads up, I am neither a certified aquarist or an expert in the field. I'm just a (quote-unquote) hobbyist who loves to share what i learned so people who wanted to keep fish can do so without getting lost in the process.

So what makes me capable for this do-it-yourself guide? Well, not to brag but I have successfully maintained my freshwater tank for two years now thanks to all the things i've learned from the net and the three books my bro-in-law gave me about fishkeeping. Im also constantly being advised by fellow fishkeepers and fish store owners about the do's and dont's, tips and tricks and some undisclosed techniques, lol.

To start, lets check whether you have what it takes to get into the hobby. Sure, everyone can do this. However, there are some points you need to consider before you can jump on the bandwagon. Remember, fishkeeping is like taking care of any other pets which require you, the owner, responsibility over them. Once you start, you have to be committed on looking after your pet's well-being and giving them all they require including love, care and attention. Refer to the checklist below to see if you are ready for this kind of adventure.

• Patience is required on the first parts of this hobby. Certain tasks needs amount of waiting before doing the next. You need to control your excitement for everything to get well. Every tasks are arranged in a timeline. You must follow this to be successful.
• Commitment. Fishkeeping will require some of your time. Like any other hobby, time is one thing you need to invest. An aquarium gets dirty after a couple of weeks, and it needs to get cleaned at least once a month. Weekly water changes should also be done to maintain the water's quality. Fishes need to be fed once or twice a day depending on the kind or amount of fish in the aquarium.
• Money. Lets face it, not everything you need in the aquarium can be found on your backyard. Some are even expensive especially if it's not already available in your area. Don't worry, I'll list some alternatives to compensate for your budget. I'll also list the stores where you can find them and how much money you are going to need to get them.

To make fishkeeping simple for beginners, I made this entry part by part. This will also allow easier navigation if you wanted to jump to specific topics or you wanted to review and check if you missed some parts.

• Something Fishy. Essential things to know about fishes.
• Freshwater Aquarium. How to setup your own.
• Choosing fish and introducing them into the Aquarium.
• Maintaining the aquarium

oreoisgood~