Common Newbie Pitfalls

[BrianNY]

I thought I would make this a sticky for awhile and gather some thoughts for discussion on the subject. In this way anyone contemplating setting up a tank for the first time can read the thread and be aware of what to look for.

Most people starting an aquarium think... Add water, add fish, and that's all there is to it. Taking on just one topic at a time (eg. N cycle), please add some common pitfalls that you can think of.

[brant]

I think #1 would be not doing reserch or doing what the place of purchase tells you without double checking. Atleast thats what got me of to a bad start. But now thanks to some goods books and the good people here I am on my way the correct way.

[austinsdad]

I'm a saltie, but my advice works the same for fresh or salt water.

Don't buy a THING until you've done some research - and not the kind of research and information obtained solely from asking the [acronym:65a4651894="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:65a4651894]. I guarantee you'll waste money on either something you don't need or things that you should've bought another kind of something the first time - of course after you use it and can't return it.

Well, I just started a week or so ago, so I've already made plenty of mistakes that I'm sure are common.

- You can't always trust the person in the pet store. They may not really know what they are doing. That's what this site is for. Barring someone who has either owned the store for some time or someone who has worked with fish for some time, you won't be getting good advice unless you're lucky. Always get a second opinion.

- Overfeeding seems harmless, but it's not. I made the assumption that it was to keep the fish from getting fat, but when's the last time you saw a fat fish? Apparently, which I learned a little too late, the food will break down into ammonia, which combined with the ammonia from the fish can raise your levels quickly.

- Have patience. I didn't. Your fishkeeping life will be a lot easier if you properly cycle your tank before getting your fish.

- Add fish just a handful at a time. For instance, a pleco which can be fine alone you can throw in (well, not literally throw), but fish that like to school or those that prefer a partner may not do so well by themselves. But! You don't want to add too many fish at once. You tank won't be able to stabilize as quickly and you increase your chance of fish deaths.

- Get an air stone. Even if you don't neccessarily need one, it's fun to watch the fish play in the bubbles, and there's nothing wrong with them getting enough oxygen in there.

- Don't leave the lid open if you have ferrets and a stand they are capable of climbing nearby. They will try to go for a swim.

That's all I've got for now, but as I make more mistakes, I'll tell you.

[Fishyfanatic]

One of the biggest mistakes: Not having a test kit.

Another big one: Buying fish too large for the tank.

Or fish that will become too large for the tank without having any plans to get a bigger tank down the road.

[talloulou]

Have some patience.

Buy the biggist tank you can afford. In most cases longer tanks are preferable to taller tanks.

Stock slowly!

Don't pick fish based on the fact that you like the way they look. Know the fish. How big will it get, does it need to be kept in a school, is it more of a vegetarian or a carnivore? You can't rely on a store employees advice if you don't know them. Sadly many would sell you a Pacu and a nurse shark for a 20 gallon high.

Buy a testing kit. You want 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and nitrates under 40ppm.

There is no such thing as too many partial water changes.

Topping off a tank is not a water change.

Gravel vacs are not optional and should be a regular part of your cleaning routine.

Pythons are the best thing since sliced bread.

Don't even look at pH up and pH down products.

Feed your fish a wide variety of food ideally in very small amounts a couple times a day.

Don't attempt to treat sick fish by buying every single type of medicine available at Petsmart. Most of them are going to do more harm then good.

[tmcgee]

To add to talloulou's comment about the biggest tank you can afford. The reasoning is that it is easier to maintain water parameters in a larger tank. Temps fluctuate less and more water equals more fluid to dissipate the harmful chemicals. And when you do water changes it is a bit easier i've found. With a 10 gallon you can't vac much up because you lose a lot of water very fast and you really don't have 10 gallons in there cuz you have gravel, decor, etc. Just my two cents!!

[Jchillin]

Fish Compatibility Charts:

While these are at times helpful, they are not the absolute indicators of which fish can co-habitate with another. Some fish can co-habitate when young but once they are adults, the entire community may need to be altered.

Online Forum Advice:

Great resources of information as most of the folks providing the advice have years of experience (present company included). However, you should never base a major decision based on this alone. Gather as much information as you can from all sources you can find, then make the decision.

[bosk1]

Here are my top 3:

1. Buy a python
2. Buy a python
3. If you know there is absolutely no way you will ever want a pleco, do not, under any circumstances ever even think about broaching the subject with jchillin.