Common Newbie Pitfalls - Page 4 - Aquarium Advice

Daryth Darkmoon · 05-17-2006, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laser

I would say over crowding is something people new to the hobby do without meaning to. Always get the biggest tank you can afford and fit in the location you want to put it.

I can't help but think that you are talking about me....and you're right.

A big mistake I made, which helped my over crowding problem, was not researching a species before I bought it. And believing the little info card posted at Wal-Mart.

Always be sure to check as many sources as possible about the fish you want to make sure it is what you want.

In my case had I done the proper research I wouldn't have put a crayfish in a community tank.

Mistake made, lesson learned.

DeFeKt · 05-17-2006, 11:44 PM

heard a good one last night...
newbie put a large fish (2ft) into a large cycled tank (8'L)
fish shop didn't let him take it untill tank was cycled.
anyway, he threw a heap of goldies in for food and fish started doing death rolls the next day, bioload couldn't keep up.
heaps of pwc's later, newbie comes in and fish was happy and apparently "playing" (skipping and flicking off the gravel substrate)
Note: This fish now has ammonia poisoning/ chemical burns and most likely will die if not corrected immediatly.

Daryth Darkmoon · 05-18-2006, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeFeKt

heard a good one last night...
newbie put a large fish (2ft) into a large cycled tank (8'L)
fish shop didn't let him take it untill tank was cycled.
anyway, he threw a heap of goldies in for food and fish started doing death rolls the next day, bioload couldn't keep up.
heaps of pwc's later, newbie comes in and fish was happy and apparently "playing" (skipping and flicking off the gravel substrate)
Note: This fish now has ammonia poisoning/ chemical burns and most likely will die if not corrected immediatly.

Sounds similar to what my dad wanted to do when I had Oscars years back. I'm amazed they lived since I didn't know anything about cycling a tank, PWC, water testing......it was pretty much set up the tank, add gravel and decos...fill with water...add fish.

How I never killed them is beyond me....(had them in a 50) I'm just glad I stopped my dad from adding like 40 feeder golds to the tank. At least I knew enough to know that was a bad idea.

Laser · 05-20-2006, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daryth Darkmoon

I can't help but think that you are talking about me....and you're right.

A big mistake I made, which helped my over crowding problem, was not researching a species before I bought it. And believing the little info card posted at Wal-Mart.

Always be sure to check as many sources as possible about the fish you want to make sure it is what you want.

In my case had I done the proper research I wouldn't have put a crayfish in a community tank.

Mistake made, lesson learned.

No, I wasn't thinking of you. I didn't think you overcrowded that tank, maybe you put in too many fish at once... I'm not sure. I still wouldn't get any more fish from that store.

hulkamaniac · 06-12-2006, 08:51 PM

I think another mistake beginners commonly make is they over reach and try to do more than they're capable of at first. Discus, for example, are amazing fish, but if you put them in an uncycled tank you're asking for trouble. Angels can be the same way. The other mistake I see people make is messing too much with their water chemistry and trying to add too much. Most fish can live in all sorts of water and don't "require" water that is really soft or really hard. I wouldn't recommend that new fishkeepers add anything more to their water than dechlorinator, but that's my opinion.

Water changes never hurt. Don't trust everything the LFS tells you. Don't trust everything strangers online tell you. Don't trust anyone, everyone's out to get you. Wait, I think I took that too far.

dskidmore · 07-01-2006, 10:51 AM

Not considering a fishless cycle. The trauma and possible death that fish go through in a new tank is often a source of grief to the owner, but many of them don't know how to break in the tank without fish.

scalesojustice · 07-07-2006, 11:30 AM

i will admit that i haphazardly jumped into my 10g tank. i didn't cycle correctly or keep up with the correct routine maintenance practices. i'm surprised that i didn't lose any of my fish. they are all alive and well (3 months now). After reading over this forum a while back, i have improved my fish-keeping abilities and enjoy my tank even more now. i even enjoy cleaning it with pwc and what not (although, there is the occasionally stream of obscenities when water gets all over the place, but that problem has mostly subsided).

Thanks for all the advice everyone has offered all over this site. i look forward to learning more and becoming more active in fish-keeping.

Alshain · 07-07-2006, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scalesojustice

(although, there is the occasionally stream of obscenities when water gets all over the place, but that problem has mostly subsided).

Get a Python. :P

scalesojustice · 07-07-2006, 04:19 PM

ahead of you one that one,

yet i still get water all over the place. but i think that is my clumsy curse. still as i get more into the swing of things, there is less mess.

dskidmore · 07-07-2006, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scalesojustice

ahead of you one that one,

yet i still get water all over the place. but i think that is my clumsy curse. still as i get more into the swing of things, there is less mess.

Having a second person man the tap end helps tremendously. I try to avoid using the switch on the vaccum end unless it looks like I'm about to suck up something I'd rather keep.