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Caring for Your Fish 101: What You Need to Know

Caring for Your Fish 101: What You Need to Know

Updated On June 11th, 2018

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Reviewed By Petco’s Animal Care, Education and Compliance (ACE) Team

Keeping an aquarium can be both a rewarding and relaxing experience. Freshwater tanks do have a modest investment to set up, depending on the size of aquarium, but are relatively inexpensive to maintain. As you gain knowledge and experience, different types of aquaria such as marine 'salt water,' cold water, or brackish water aquariums can be set up and maintained. Whatever system you choose, it is important to know the basics of aquatic care.

Water, Water Everywhere!

Without a source of good clean water, aquatic life will not survive. It is important to determine the quality of your water source as a baseline in order to provide a healthy aquatic environment. Municipal water systems frequently treat tap water with chemicals that can be detrimental to aquatic life. Some systems have different mineral contents, resulting in hard or soft water. Private well systems can have contaminants or water borne parasites. 

There are regional differences in water quality. The baseline quality of your primary source of water will help to determine the type of aquatic life best suited for your home aquarium. Determining water quality can be done by submitting a sample to a laboratory for testing or by conducting testing at home. Pet stores may perform water testing for free or for a nominal fee. Most aquarists elect to invest in a home test kit to regularly monitor water parameters as a part of routine tank maintenance. 

Cycle Your Tank, No Pedaling Necessary

A common mistake made by new aquarium keepers is buying both the tank and fish on the same day. The tank is filled, decorations and accessories are added, then in go the fish. Within a few days, the fish are all deceased. This can be frustrating and disheartening. One of the first rules of aquarium care is to never fill a tank and add fish on the same day. New tanks require time to establish the growth of the beneficial bacteria that break down the ammonia and other nitrogen-containing compounds. This is establishing what is known as the Nitrogen Cycle, also known as the start-up cycle or biological cycle. Establishing the cycle in a new tank can take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks, or may take a little longer. 

Ammonia is produced by fish waste, excess food, and decaying plant matter. In the Nitrogen Cycle, ammonia is converted to nitrites, which are then converted to nitrates. The nitrates are used by live plants, removed via filtration, or diluted through partial water changes. All these changes are brought about by several types of beneficial bacteria. The bacteria can be supplied to an aquarium via a commercial start up product, by the addition of organic matter (fish food, plant matter, etc.) or by using substrate or filter media from an established tank. More experienced aquarists sometimes add one or two fish to a new tank to establish the Cycle. This would seem to go against previous statements, but in this situation, the aquarist chooses hardy fish able to withstand a new setup. The tank is kept deliberately understocked to avoid ammonia poisoning. 

If the aquarium is not properly cycled prior to the addition of aquatic life, toxic effects of high ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate levels can kill aquatic life if the levels are high enough. Regular water monitoring using a home test kit is recommended to detect spikes or changes in levels. 

Time for School

Congratulations on getting your tank set up! Now it is time to stock it. Basic care involves researching and choosing the right aquatic life for your aquarium. While “pretty” fish can be fun to observe, some can be aggressive or may rapidly outgrow their space. Some species of fish do better in schools while others are more solitary. Fish can also be divided by where they “live” in the tank (bottom feeder versus top feeder), as well as through diet and water temperature discrepancies. Knowledge about the aquatic life preferred will help to provide for a healthy environment. In addition to choosing incompatible aquatic life species, overcrowding the tank is another common mistake made by new aquarium owners. A crowded tank may result in increased aggression, stress, disease, and unhealthy conditions for the inhabitants. 

Feeding

All pets need appropriate food and nutrition. Fish do well when their feeding schedule mimics the availability of food in nature, namely multiple small meals throughout the day. A varied diet is healthiest. A varied diet of pellets, tabs, flakes, freeze dried, frozen and live foods should all be offered. There are different varieties of dry foods (pellets, tabs, cubes, and flakes) from which to choose, such as those dedicated to enhancing color, those based on eggs or crustaceans, and others based on worms. Offering a varied diet will ensure that all tank inhabitants receive some favorites. 

Live and frozen foods are also available. Aquarists can choose from a wide variety of options. Keeping live food can be a challenge and requires additional space and equipment, but some aquatic life species prefer these foods. Frozen foods should be defrosted in a separate container and not simply dropped into the tank to avoid adding any contaminants found in the ice to the aquarium water. 

Feed as much as the fish will eat in one to two minutes. Flakes and pellets are acceptable for top feeders and most fish. Bottom feeders will need sinking wafers, pellets or sticks. Remember, the more you feed, the more waste is produced. Overfeeding can disrupt the nitrogen cycle in the absence of adequate filtration. This can lead to stress, and illness or infection in the tank. 

Stress and Illness

Everyone knows that stress is bad. Fish can feel stress just like we can, and they exhibit it in several ways. A lack of activity, behavioral changes, decreased appetite, hiding, clamped fins, color change, or gasping at the surface are all signs of stress in fish. Causes can include poor water quality or diet, incorrect water temperature, being in an overcrowded tank, or living with aggressive species. The best way to resolve stress is to identify and correct the negative stimuli. 

Left unchecked, stress can lead to illness in aquatic life. It can weaken the immune system, leaving them open to bacterial, fungal or parasitic infections. Beneficial bacteria live throughout the aquarium, filter and substrate. They are an integral part of the Nitrogen Cycle, which converts waste and reduces toxins. Harmful bacteria can cause fin rot, ulcers, skin diseases, and internal organ damage. Fungal and parasitic infections can also cause harm, or even lead to death in aquatic life. Clean water, a healthy diet, and a stress-free aquarium are the best ways to prevent illness in aquatic life. 

Most minor infections can be treated with over- the- counter products, depending on the type of infection present. There are a variety of antibiotics, antifungals, and anti-parasitic medications available online or at most pet stores. It is always recommended to get the advice of an experienced aquarist, or a veterinarian experienced in treating aquatic life before medicating. A “hospital” or quarantine tank should be utilized to treat sick species. Quarantining sick aquatic life can prevent an infection from spreading throughout the larger tank. 

Treating a larger aquarium is much more difficult. The smaller size of the quarantine tank will require significantly less medication and is also beneficial to the inhabitant, requiring them to expend less energy in seeking food and in hiding away from others. A quarantine tank may need to be warmer by a few degrees than the main tank, provide hiding places, and use dim lighting. Use plastic plants in the quarantine tank because many live plants are adversely affected by medications. Once the infection is resolved and the aquatic life is transferred to back to the main tank, the hospital tank can be sanitized and re-established for the next use. 

You Can Do It

Once your aquarium is established and stocked, the average time required for routine care and maintenance could be as little as an hour per week, depending on the tank size. This allows for many hours of enjoyment with minimal effort. 

A pet requires a clean, safe, and stress-free living environment and it is your responsibility to provide one. Aquatic life species are not disposable pets. Do not be discouraged when you lose an aquarium inhabitant because it may have perished for unknown reasons. Keep at it and continue gaining knowledge. If you have questions or need help,  seek advice from your veterinarian or fellow aquarists 

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Hello, my dog Raven has been itching for awhile. I have been giving her Zyrtec allergy medicine for 2 months but I’m not sure if that’s been helping. Just the past 4 days I have started giving her Salmon Fish Oil Omega 3 with Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil from Zesty Paws. I have given her those supplements before but stopped months ago. I noticed today she has these red bumpy spots under her belly and some other spots she has flaky skin. All these spots are near her back side under/top. Thank you.

Thank you for using Boop by Petco. From your picture it appears that Raven has a skin infection. This usually occurs secondary to allergies as they lick and scratch leaving the skin more susceptible to yeast and bacteria. I would recommend a vet visit to get her on appropriate antibiotics and possible a medication for allergies. There are many treatment options to try for an itchy dog.

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Fish has white fluffy stuff on gills and eyes as well as what looks like fin rot. We’ve lost almost all the fish in our aquarium… we thought ick initially and have dosed Melafix but it doesn’t seem to be working. They won’t eat, they’re either laying on the ground or floating at the top of the tank gasping ): we have a large tank with several peaceful species and now we’re down to just a handful of fish left. We are devastated.

Hi and thanks for your request. this ''fluffy'' material on the skin fish is likely a oomycetes (a fungus basically) called Saprolegnia. This is a secondary proliferation due to a primary infection which could be due to a variety of causes unfortunately. From the pic white spot disease (ich) dies not seem to be present. Given the high mortality incidence it is absolutely necessary to check water parameters and make sure they are normal and take the moribund fish (and the dead ones) to your local veterinarian for (euthanasia if needed and) necroscopic examination. Your local veterinarian will be able to tell what is going on or possibly prescribe some treatment (likely antibiotics or disinfectants).

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My fish has a bump on his head I’ve been using Pimafix and meta fix treatments and not sure what to do now

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Zoey has some dry skin causing dandruff, last time I took her to the vet the vet suggested incorporating fish oil into her diet but to be sure it was specifically for cats. Are there any recommend brands of fish oil for cats or specific fish? Just trying to find the best for her. Thanks!

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17-month-old neutered rescued male. Very itchy lesions on head behind ears. Three vet trips. Steroid and antibiotic shots. Skin scrape. No answers. Changed food from chicken. Grain-free fish only. Revolution Plus most of his life. Indoor only. Only pet. Does not appear to affect appetite or energy level but seems to get depressed. Wears cone 24/7. Hates!! Help!! I love my baby so much and he is miserable. Vet can not help.

Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. I'm sorry that multiple trips to the vet have not helped. Unfortunately, not everything is easy and cut and dry. Sometimes advanced diagnostics are needed to find out the problem. My best guess is that this is an autoimmune disease. You would need to have that skin biopsied to get an answer. This is my best guess based on what you have stated. It is difficult for me to say much else without the whole medical history. You didn't mention but I'm guessing there is no ear infections? Any blood testing done? This could be a food allergy but what you need to do is use a food with a hydrolyzed protein. A novel protein, like fish, is not likely to help. With hydrolyzed diets the protein particles are too small for the body to react to them. With any diet trial you have to be 100% sure he doesn't eat anything but the new food. No treats, no people food, nothing. If after 8 weeks on a hydrolyzed diet he is not significantly better then it is definitely not a food allergy. You will need a prescription from your vet OR you can order it from my website and I will authorize it for you. ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198943_Home.pml?productId=114505 ) He could have otitis media which is an inner ear infection (behind the ear drum) that would only be seen with advanced imaging though. I suggest you do a hydrolyzed diet trial. If no resolution then you should take him to see a veterinary dermatologist. I suggest this one - seems to be close to the zip code you provided: ( https://www.dcaseattle.com ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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My betta fish has fin rot, it’s progressing very fast. Within a day there’s a noticeable difference. He’s in a 55 gallon glofish tank(I tried multiple dividers and he kept escaping with no injuries) yesterday I put some betta fix medicine but it took the whole bottle, didn’t even get the desired dose for the tank. I have a 10 gallon for the betta but the stuff for nitrogen cycle is in the mail and I know it can take a long time. I’m not sure what to do. Thank you!

It may be easier (and more economical) to use a one or two gallon vessel to use as a "hospital tank". Use the water from the main tank initially and change the water in the smaller tank every couple days. For the small amount of water, you can use a water conditioner such as Prime (by SeaChem). Find it in your local Petco. A bit of StressCoat will also aid in recovery. Maintain pristine water quality and proper temp (78F to 80F) to aid in healing. Make sure he continues to eat normally as well.

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