Instructions for the care of aquarium fish. How to care for aquarium fish

26.04.2020 -

An aquarium is a miniature ecosystem, the balance in which is maintained by complex biological and hydrochemical processes that constantly take place in an artificial reservoir. Participants in these processes are not only fish and plants, but also such inhabitants of the aquarium as mollusks, crustaceans, protozoa, bacteria, fungi and algae. Constantly interacting with each other, they influence the well-being of the entire artificial reservoir. In order for all processes in it to proceed smoothly, it is necessary to properly care for the aquarium and take care of its inhabitants.

Daily care of the aquarium and fish is simple and usually takes no more than 10-20 minutes. It includes inspection and feeding of the inhabitants of the artificial reservoir, as well as checking the operation of the equipment.

Inspection of equipment is carried out in the morning after turning on all devices. In this case, it is necessary to make sure that the heater, compressor, filter and are in good condition. All devices must operate at the specified parameters, without failures and extraneous sounds. After assessing the condition of the equipment, they begin feeding the hydrobionts.

Fish should be fed daily or every other day. Fry are fed more often than adult fish. During feeding, it is convenient to inspect aquarium inhabitants, since even secretive individuals leave their shelters in search of food. During the inspection, pay attention to the appearance and behavior of the fish. The presence of damage, extraneous spots and redness on the body, lethargy, refusal of food or reluctance to eat it, impaired motor activity are the first signs of disease.

Weekly care

Weekly maintenance of an aquarium at home takes an average of 1-1.5 hours and includes the following activities:

glass cleaning;
soil cleaning;
decoration cleaning;
washing the filter;
plant care (fertilizing, thinning);
checking water parameters (if necessary).

During cleaning it is necessary to turn off all aquarium electrical equipment. Fish and other hydrobionts are left in the reservoir, as well as plants fortified in the ground. Greens in pots can be removed from the water for a short time for ease of cleaning.

Water change

Aquarium care necessarily includes a water change procedure. Its frequency depends on the population density of the aquarium, the number of plants and the exactingness of aquarium inhabitants to water quality. You can make a schedule of substitutions, focusing on the level of nitrates. It should be in the range of 10-30 mg / l. If the indicator is higher, you need to change the water more often.

For 1 time, 20-30% of the volume of the aquarium is replaced. It is advisable to prepare water for this with the same or as close as possible parameters (temperature, hardness, etc.). To bring the indicators back to normal, you can use special air conditioners for aquarium water.

The water from the aquarium is drained with a hose, making sure that the fish do not get inside. Fresh water is also poured through a hose. Slow mixing of the new water with the old one avoids a sharp change in its parameters and stress on the fish.

Soil cleaning

The soil is cleaned with. It is a hose with a funnel at the end. A special mesh is attached to the funnel, which prevents aquarium inhabitants and small stones from getting inside the hose. The siphon funnel is lowered to the bottom and, turning the soil particles over, they begin to clean it from silt, accumulated waste products of fish and settled uneaten food.

On a note! When cleaning with a siphon, it is necessary to monitor the water level in the aquarium. For 1 reception, no more than 30% of the volume can be replaced, therefore, when cleaning the bottom, an additional water change is not carried out.

Weekly is recommended in aquariums where there are no or very few plants. In densely planted herbals, the soil is cleaned once a year or less. The accumulated sludge is a good fertilizer for plants, as well as a habitat for nitrifying bacteria. When it is removed, the beneficial microorganisms die, and the organic matter rising into the water serves as a breeding ground for algae. In addition, the siphon can damage plant roots. Therefore, during weekly cleaning, you should only carefully collect excess dirt from the surface of the soil with a siphon, without turning it over.

Glass cleaning

Over time, plaque appears on the glass of the aquarium due to the growth of colonies of microorganisms, fungi and algae. To remove it, you can use various devices:

Scraper with a metal blade. This tool does the job well, but care must be taken when finishing the corners so as not to damage the silicone seams. The scraper is not suitable for cleaning Plexiglas aquariums, as the blade leaves scratches on this material.
. Suitable for deep aquariums and plexiglass containers. When cleaning the walls near the bottom, make sure that soil particles do not get between the glass and the scraper, which leave scratches.
Household sponge. It cleans the walls of the aquarium well, but too hard sponges leave small scratches on the surface, which eventually reduce the transparency of the glass.
Bank plastic card. This device does a good job of cleaning glass from plaque and leaves no marks, but it is not very convenient to use due to the lack of a handle.

The back wall of the aquarium is usually not cleaned. Algae growing on it serve as a top dressing for fish and purify water from nitrates and nitrites.

Filter Maintenance

The filter in the aquarium performs two functions: it retains debris and is a habitat for nitrifying bacteria that purify water from toxic compounds. Therefore, only the sponge that retains dirt is cleaned, while other filter elements that contain beneficial microorganisms are left untouched.

Rinse weekly, and external - once every few months. To clean the device, it is disassembled and immersed in water drained from the aquarium. If the filter is washed in tap water, the beneficial bacteria will die. The sponge and the rotor part of the device are subjected to cleaning. Excessive accumulation of dirt on these parts of the device reduces the filter's capacity.

decor cleaning

Another component of aquarium care is decor cleaning. On large stones, and other decorations, a plaque of algae, fungi and microorganisms accumulates over time. As a result, objects become unkempt. When cleaning the aquarium, the decorations are removed from the water and cleaned of dirt with a stiff brush without the use of detergents. If the plaque is insignificant, objects can be cleaned directly in the aquarium.

plant care

Weekly plant care consists of removing dead, algae-covered and snail-eaten leaves, cutting off shoots, and thinning out overgrown bushes. Fertilize as needed. The frequency of top dressing depends on the type of plants and the type of soil used in the aquarium.

Conclusion

To ensure the prosperous existence of the ecosystem of an artificial reservoir, it is necessary to properly care for an aquarium with fish. Daily and weekly manipulations are not difficult even for a novice aquarist. Over time, more complex interventions may be required, but with basic knowledge and skills, it will be easy to master all the secrets of proper aquarium care. Subject to all the rules for caring for an artificial reservoir, the balance of the ecosystem necessary for the normal existence of aquatic organisms will be maintained at a constant level.

It would seem that it is difficult to care for an aquarium? I fed the fish, and once a month I poured out water, washed it with soap and boiled all the filling, poured clean water. Everything sparkles the first two days. Pisces are probably happy, but for some reason they do not live long. Of course, we have described an extreme case of amateurish zeal, but let's still analyze the basic principles of caring for our small pond.

Being a real ecosystem, the aquarium is at the same time small and is an open system, and therefore unstable. Organics enter it from the outside in the form of at least food for fish, animals live in it that feed, grow, produce waste and multiply, plants live that consume some substances from the water and release others into it. Therefore, to maintain an artificial reservoir in the form in which it was conceived - clean, bright, smelling of the freshness of a forest lake - some, sometimes significant, human efforts are required.

List of events

Maintenance of an aquarium usually takes 10-20 minutes daily and an hour and a half additionally once a week.

Daily care routines include:

checking the operation of the equipment;
inspection of fish;
(This is a very broad question and a topic for a separate article).

During the start-up period of the aquarium or when there are some global changes in it, for example, when a large number of large fish are settled, a biofilter filler is replaced, or carbon dioxide supply equipment is installed, it is also very advisable to test the aquarium water daily, checking the level of ammonia, nitrite, pH and others. parameters.

Weekly activities:

water change;
cleaning the soil from excrement, food residues and other waste, siphon if necessary;
glass cleaning from algae;
washing the filter (not always, depending on its type);
plant care (fertilizing, pruning).

Testing the water once a week for nitrogen compounds, phosphates, hardness and acidity is also very useful for monitoring the condition of the aquarium, but is not mandatory in a stable and healthy bank.

Fish inspection and equipment check

It is most convenient to inspect fish during feeding, when even secretive ones swim out of their shelters. It is necessary to check whether all the fish are in place, whether their appearance has changed (if there are any spots, sores, wounds, redness, etc.) and behavior (how active they are, whether they willingly take food).

Checking the equipment is usually done in the morning after turning on the lamps. You need to make sure that the required temperature is on the thermometer, the light on the heater is on, the jet from the filter has the right strength, the aerator or compressor, if any, is working with proper power, all lighting fixtures are burning evenly and brightly.

If everything is in order, we feed the fish deliciously and enjoy our remarkably beautiful and stable ecosystem until the day it comes time to clean it up.

How to properly clean an aquarium?

During cleaning, turn off the electrical equipment. Only the external canister filter can be left switched on if its water intake hose is low enough and remains below the water level. As for the internal filter, if the cleaning is ordinary and does not drag on for a long time, it can be left in the off state in the aquarium. If the cleaning is large, general, with cleaning of all decorations, weeding and transplanting plants, draining a significant part of the water, the internal filter is placed in the drained aquarium water and turned on so that the bacterial colony does not die.

At the time of cleaning, fish are usually not evicted from the aquarium.

The first step is to clean the glass. To do this, you can use various devices, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages:

Scraper on a long handle with permanent or replaceable metal razor blades. Very effective, but not suitable for cleaning plexiglass aquariums, as it can scratch them. When choosing such a scraper, you need to pay attention to the strength of the handle (if it is too flexible, you will not be able to press on the glass with the necessary force and at the right angle). In addition, the metal blade should not be longer than the plastic sheath and stick out of it on the sides, as in this case, when cleaning near the corners, the silicone seams of the aquarium can be damaged.
A magnetic scraper is an extremely handy thing when cleaning large and deep containers. Suitable for cleaning plexiglass. When choosing, be sure to take into account what glass thickness the scraper is designed for, otherwise the power of the magnet may not be sufficient, and the scraper simply will not be attracted. Using this device, you must be very careful when cleaning the glass near the bottom so that no pebbles or grains of sand get between the scraper and the glass. They will leave deep and noticeable scratches on the glass.
Ordinary household sponge. Many aquarists use these, but they are made from materials of varying hardness, and some are quite capable of leaving scratches on the aquarium glass, which are almost invisible on their own, but over time make the glass more and more cloudy.
An ordinary bank plastic card has proven itself as a scraper. It does not damage glass, and its only drawback is the lack of a handle and, accordingly, some inconvenience in use.

Green algae torn off by a scraper from the surface, if there are not too many of them, can not be removed from the aquarium, but left in the water, the fish usually eat them instantly and with great pleasure.

Some aquarists recommend not cleaning the rear glass of the aquarium from algae, since it is usually almost completely hidden by decorations and plants, and algae usually does not spoil the external attractiveness of the reservoir, but slowly consumes nitrates and nitrites from the water. And if you start a few, then there will be no plaque left either on the rear window or on the viewing window.

Now that the glass is clean, it's the turn of the soil.

How to clean the soil in the aquarium?

There is nothing complicated here. The soil is cleaned with a siphon - a hose on which a funnel with a mesh is put on. The latter is needed to avoid getting aquarium inhabitants into the hose. You can make siphons of different models suck water in different ways: some have a special pear (in my opinion, this is the most convenient option), others need to be sharply raised and lowered several times (usually nothing happens), in others you need to pull it in with your mouth water at the risk of swallowing it.

There are different points of view on how often a siphon should be performed. Some fans siphon weekly, believing that by doing so they contribute to its cleanliness, a better supply of oxygen and prevent its decay. Others do this once a year or one and a half, or even less often, explaining this by the fact that with a siphon:

plant roots are damaged;
colonies of nitrifying bacteria that live in the upper layers of the soil die;
a suspension of organic matter and nitrates rises into the water, which is food for algae;
and in itself, the silt removed during the siphon is a valuable fertilizer.

In my opinion, weekly siphon cleaning is necessary in aquariums where there are no living plants or there are very few of them. In the same reservoirs that are densely planted with vegetation, including those with developed roots, this can be done less often - once every 3-4 months, and with a planned Sunday cleaning, simply carry out a siphon 1-2 cm from the ground, without touching it, removing excess dirt from the surface, especially in fish feeding areas.

How to change the water in the aquarium?

The frequency and intensity of water changes depend on the biological load, that is, on the number, size and voracity of aquarium inhabitants, as well as on their requirements for water quality: it is clear that, for example, the concepts of cleanliness differ somewhat among and, for example.

With the average population of the reservoir and the fastidiousness of its inhabitants, substitutions are usually carried out by a third, a quarter or a fifth of the volume every week. Ideally, to establish a change schedule, you need to test the water in the aquarium and determine the content of nitrates in it. It should be at a level of no more than 10-30 mg / l. Accordingly, if the concentration of nitrates in the water is higher, then you need to change the water more often.

To carry out the change, it is necessary to prepare water with the same or very close parameters (temperature, acidity) as in the aquarium. Most aquatic animals prefer water that has been settled for at least a day. If it is not possible to defend the water, you can use air conditioners, for example, Tetra Aqua Safe or Dennerle Avera.

Part of the water from the aquarium is drained using a siphon or hose, the end of which must be placed near the bottom. In order to easily navigate how much water needs to be drained, it is convenient to make a level mark on the glass. Fresh water is poured using a hose, bucket or other container, while the jet is not directed to the ground, which is thus easily washed away, but, for example, to a grotto or a saucer laid on the bottom.

How to clean the filter in the aquarium?

An aquarium filter has several functions. The most important: it must retain particles of dirt and turbidity (dead organic matter, food residues, mineral turbidity from the substrate) and be a home for biofilter bacteria. The accumulated dirt during the cleaning process must be removed, while the bacterial colony must be left as intact as possible. It is these conditions that determine the rules for cleaning the filter.

First question: when is it time to clean the filter? It is easy to determine this by the power of its jet. Having bought a new filter or having carried out its next general cleaning, notice or take a video of how strong its jet is, this can be seen, for example, by the vibration of nearby plants. If the jet is weak, it's time to wash the filter.

Usually, the internal sponge filters are washed once a week, just as often the sponges of the internal filters are washed, where there are compartments with porous fillers (these compartments themselves often do not need to be disturbed!). External canister filters are cleaned less frequently, once every 6-10 weeks; in some models, the pre-filter sponges, the part that performs preliminary mechanical filtration, are washed weekly.

In any case, the filter materials are carefully washed and rinsed in water drained from the aquarium in order to minimize damage to the nitrifying bacteria colony. With the same water, using a cotton swab or a toothbrush, the rotary head is washed and cleaned - the engine compartment of the filter. After cleaning, the filter is placed in the aquarium as soon as possible and switched on.

How to arrange plants?

Usually once a week, plants are fertilized with fertilizers, if they need it. In addition, leaves overgrown with algae or eaten by fish and snails are removed, the tops that have grown out of the water are cut off, overgrown bushes and grass can be cut or weeded out.

These are the basic rules for maintaining an aquarium. Of course, situations sometimes arise when additional, more complex interventions and manipulations are required, but if you master these basic principles, it will gradually be possible to easily master all other knowledge and skills.

Video tutorial on proper aquarium care:

There is an opinion that keeping fish does not require time and financial costs. Experienced aquarists will talk in detail about the complexity of this activity, which requires attention and slowness. Under your control is a small underwater world that cannot exist without competent support. Beginners will be helped by instructions on how to care for fish in an aquarium (point by point).

Excessive care for such pets is not required. The instructions will help you understand the process. Even children can remember how to care for fish in an aquarium.

Aquarium

How to choose fish?

fish species

If you do not know which species to choose and how to care for fish in an aquarium, the instructions will help resolve these issues. Among the most common are the following representatives of the ichthyofauna: platies, guppies, mollies and swordtails. The conditions of maintenance and care are required for them to be the same, which allows them to settle in the same aquarium. Among the fish that lay eggs, the most popular are speckled catfish.

Cockerels and goldfish are classic aquarists. For beginners, it is more difficult to cope with them, since they need to pay more attention. A round aquarium is not the best choice for them. These inhabitants will be more comfortable in a rectangular container. The instruction on how to care for fish in an aquarium recommends taking part of the water from the first when creating a second tank. This method will help to reduce the settling time.

Care

Instructions on how to care for fish in an aquarium, point by point, suggest:

Taking regular water thermometer readings. If there are deviations from the parameters recommended for this type of fish, the heating is switched on.
Viviparous representatives of the ichthyofauna are suitable for temperatures from 18 to 28 ºC. But each individual species has its own preferences. Breeding will only occur within this narrow temperature range.
Control of purity and hardness of water. Every 7 days, a third of the medium is removed and replaced with a new one.
Checking the filter element and compressor, without which the normal existence of the inhabitants is impossible.
The aquarium should be lit from 10 to 12 hours a day.
You need to feed the inhabitants 1-2 times a day. In the presence of fry, the number of meals is increased to 4. A portion of food is placed in the feeder, which is usually eaten in 5-10 minutes. Residues must be removed (to prevent rotting).

The following instructions on how to care for fish in an aquarium will help beginners navigate the basic requirements for their maintenance and feeding. More detailed information is worth studying for each specific type that you have.

Proper aquarium maintenance

Aquarium fish are a great opportunity to create a small corner of wildlife in your home. The aquarium looks impressive and beautiful. Fish do not require special care, but they bring great aesthetic pleasure.

How to choose an aquarium

Buying an aquarium is the very first step towards creating a living corner.

The shape and dimensions of the device are very important. A good aquarium does not interfere with the house and guarantees comfort. In addition, it must ensure the normal existence of the fish.
When buying, you should take into account that in large containers, water stays clean longer. Large aquariums require less maintenance.
The aquarium should be selected according to the size and number of fish. If you want to contemplate large fish, then you need to make a big house for them.
Landscape design of an aquarium also requires a thoughtful approach. You can decorate a home pond with soil, algae, stones and various figures.
The shape of the aquarium should be easy to clean.

Caring for fish in an aquarium includes the following regular activities:

keeping the aquarium clean;
timely partial renewal of water (in a small aquarium - once a week, in a large one - once a month);
the inner surface of the aquarium must be cleaned with a special scraper;
the ground must be in good condition.

These are the basic principles of caring for fish in an aquarium. Water quality is important. In the course of their life, fish emit harmful substances. Some of them are processed by plants. But an excess of bad components still accumulates. Therefore, the rules for caring for an aquarium must be observed.

Fresh water for fish requires preliminary preparation:

it should have the same hardness and temperature as the water in the aquarium;
first it must be defended and filtered to eliminate chlorine from the water supply. Instead of settling, you can use special conditioners (for example, AQUAYER AntiToxin Vita);
regular care of the water in the aquarium guarantees the creation of a favorable environment for fish;
the water must be saturated with oxygen.

How else can you keep the water environment clean?

Caring for a New Aquarium

The main requirement is to create the right microclimate for the fish. Experts recommend launching fish into a new “home” only after a week. However, the process can be accelerated using special capsules with microflora (biokorin, biostarter).

If you have a working aquarium, soak a sponge in water and wring it out into the new aquarium. You can just pour a few liters of water. In this option, the water needs to be defended for only 2 days. Caring for a new aquarium involves, first of all, the preparation of water and the formation of an internal climate.

How to launch animals into the aquarium? It is enough to pour the water with the fish into a new container. Rules for the care of the aquarium do not allow a sharp temperature drop. You should warm the water with the fish to room temperature, and then put them into the home aquarium.

Aquarium Care Video

Daily aquarium fish care

Fish do not need excessive care. It is very easy to take care of them. That is why many parents prefer to buy fish for their children. It is enough to remember about feeding the fish.

Remains of food floating on the surface of the water must be collected with a net. This is done 20 minutes after feeding. Fish need to be fed in the morning and evening. They are prone to overeating. This leads to their death. So don't give them too much food.

Features of fish species are important

If you are going to purchase aquarium fish, be sure to study the features of certain species before buying. Many here depend on the type of fish. Therefore, you need to know the features of the fish that you are going to buy. Most fish need warm water. The temperature in the aquarium should be between 19 and 22 degrees for some fish, and between 22 and 28 degrees for others. When caring for an aquarium, do not forget about the optimal conditions for keeping fish. Most of them do not tolerate sudden changes in temperature. However, there are exceptions. Fish with different temperature requirements cannot be placed in one container. For example, goldfish need to maintain 21 degrees.

Proper care of the aquarium should take into account the peculiarities of behavior in the flock. Some fish require a tall aquarium, such as angelfish. In addition, these fish are housed in pairs. When choosing fish, you should take into account all these nuances. If you have aquarium fish at home, caring for them will not cause much trouble.

How to remove cloudy water

Maintaining an aquarium also includes monitoring the ground. If the water is cloudy, then this is a sign of careless handling of the soil. Turbidity usually disappears over time.

Light cloudiness can be caused by unicellular and bacteria. They can significantly spoil the appearance of a home pond. In this case, you need to get rid of them. How to care for fish in an aquarium in this version? We need to clean it up. Sludge needs to be removed. Fish can not be fed for about 3 days. In addition, it is necessary to partially replace the water.

Aeration of the water also helps. It will also be useful for breathing fish. If the water in the aquarium becomes cloudy quickly, you can put a piece of copper wire there. Sometimes a change in the color of the water is due to colored food.

Aquarium and fish care for beginners

Maintaining an aquarium is like cleaning your house, the same simple rules to stay healthy and clean, and regularity. In this article, you will learn how to properly care for a home aquarium, what are the important little things and how often to do it. Why do you need to siphon the soil? What cleaning agents can be used? How to wash the filter sponge? Why and how to change the water in the aquarium? You will find answers to these and other questions.

Filter care - how to wash the filter?

What cleaning products can be used?

None. It is very important to wash the filter with water alone. And it is also important that the water was from the aquarium. Tap water contains chlorine, which kills harmful bacteria in the water. But he does not know how to understand and also kills beneficial bacteria living in the internal filter.

Settled water can be used. But here again, different water with different hardness, acidity and temperature, and it can affect the bacterial colony.
So the best method is to draw water from the aquarium and rinse the filter and its contents in this water.

Ideally, even the container in which it is washed should be used only for the needs of the aquarium, if the floors are washed from it, then the chance that the chemistry will remain in the container is quite significant.
And it is important not to wash everything to a shine, just rinse well.

Cleaning the soil in the aquarium

Replacing the water in the aquarium

Even though some aquarists go years without water changes and say they are fine, regular water changes are vital to an aquarium.
The amount of water that needs to be changed will vary depending on the conditions in your aquarium, but on average 10-20% per week is a normal amount for any tropical aquarium. Herbalists or densely planted aquariums need a 10-15% change every two weeks.

The main task of the substitution is the removal of nitrates and ammonia, and the replacement of the mineral balance. Without water changes, your aquarium will look good for a while, but only because the negative factors gradually accumulate.

Over time, nitrates will accumulate and the water will become more and more acidic. But one day the balance will be broken and the aquarium will turn into a swamp.

Water treatment

In order to change the water, it must first be prepared. Tap water contains chlorine, metals and differs in temperature and cannot be poured immediately.

There are two ways to get rid of chlorine. Buy a water conditioner that will bind chlorine and metals and just stand it for two days.
In addition, settled water will be compared with the temperature in your house and will be much more usable.

Such simple ways to care for the aquarium will help you keep it clean and beautiful for a long time. Do not be lazy and your aquarium will be a pearl in your home.

Pseudotropheus zebra: features of the species and its reproduction. How to care for fish in an aquarium?

A large beautiful aquarium is the dream of many. Watching the peaceful life of colorful fish behind the glass of an aquarium brings peace and tranquility. Carried away by this idea, novice fish lovers select the inhabitants of their home aquarium, guided only by their aesthetic preferences. And then disappointment comes: the fish do not get along or do not feel well at all. The thing is that before you decide to share your house with a water mini-kingdom, you should carefully study the features and learn how to care for the fish of each species you like.

Zebra, but not black and white

In what conditions does an aquarium zebra live comfortably?

In order for zebras to feel great and delight the eye of their owner, studying information on how to care for fish of this species, special attention should be paid to the conditions of their maintenance. Zebras are not too whimsical to care for, but there are several requirements for an aquarium, which must be met.

First of all, the size: an aquarium with zebras should be at least 60 liters for one fish and at least 150 liters if you plan to accommodate a group. If you want to populate your aquarium not only with representatives of the Pseudotropheus zebra species, then you should make sure that the size of the aquarium is 200 liters or more.

Fish of this species are very sensitive to the composition and purity of water. Therefore, it is worth taking care of good water filtration in the aquarium and its daily replacement. In order for the fish to feel comfortable, it is necessary to replace at least a third of the water in the aquarium every day.

In nature, zebras choose rocky habitats because of their love of burrowing into the ground. It is worth remembering this when settling them at home. Make sure that there are enough stones and algae with strong roots in the aquarium. The presence of such a decoration will not only create comfortable conditions for the fish, but will also reduce their rather high natural aggression. And adding corals and sand to your aquarium will allow you to maintain the proper pH level: for a zebra, this value should be in the range of 7.2-8.5.

In addition to timely cleaning and water flow, its temperature is no less important. For fish of this species, the temperature regime is 24-28 degrees.

Healthy and tasty: what to feed a zebra?

Pleasant neighborhood: with whom else can you place a zebra in an aquarium?

This beautiful fish is distinguished by a not too friendly character. If you want a variety of colorful fish to get along in your aquarium, then follow a few simple rules of zebra livability.

First of all, the group should contain one male and several females, optimally two or three. This will reduce the zebra's innate level of aggression. If you plan to populate the aquarium with fish of different species, then for the neighborhood with zebras it is worth picking up African fish. The less aggressive inhabitants of the African Lake Malawi are best suited. The fish must be of different sizes and colors, otherwise the zebras will "divide the territory" and constantly be at enmity.

Striped family: features of zebra breeding

If you plan to increase the number of your aquarium zebras, then it is worth preparing them in advance for the proper conditions for this. Readiness for reproduction of fish of this species is shown at the age of 8-12 months. They begin to show interest in individuals of the opposite sex and actively care for them.

It happens that you look forward to the offspring of your bright aquarium inhabitants, but this does not happen at all. It may be worth moving out a too aggressive tankmate: the fact is that zebras need a calm atmosphere for spawning. Also, enhanced nutrition can help speed up the process of procreation in sexually mature individuals: try feeding your fish a little more often than usual.

The female lays eggs and hides them in her mouth. Their number varies between 20-35 pieces. With the right temperature and comfortable conditions, fry will appear in the aquarium in 2-3 weeks.

Pseudotropheus zebra is an amazingly beautiful aquarium fish, which can be kept by both an experienced aquarist and an amateur. Having learned the simple features of caring for this type of fish, you can always enjoy watching the bright and mobile inhabitants of the water kingdom.

An aquarium is a kind of mini-ecosystem that requires constant attention. To create a fascinating underwater world in your home, you need to know how to care for fish in an aquarium, because ignoring the elementary rules for keeping aquatic inhabitants can lead to their quick death.

Choosing a tank

Before thinking about creating an underwater kingdom, it is necessary to organize convenience and comfort for its inhabitants. Living conditions in the tank should be as close as possible to the natural environment. Therefore, you should first study our material, which describes detailed recommendations on how to choose an aquarium and equipment for it.

The most important thing: do not forget that an artificial "reservoir" is primarily a home for living organisms, and only then an element of decor.

Before choosing fish

You can not immediately buy different fish and put them in an aquarium. It is necessary to pay attention to the following factors:

It is worth finding out which aquatic inhabitants will get along well with each other;
Know the desired acidity, water hardness and temperature at which homemade fish in an aquarium will feel perfect;
Some representatives of the water depths can only live in settled water, and fresh water does not suit them;
Fresh water in its temperature should not be higher than the temperature of the water in the aquarium, collected earlier.

We populate the aquarium

Aquarium inhabitants for beginners are divided into 2 types: spawning and viviparous. Below we list 10 fish that are the most unpretentious and best suited for a freshly bought tank, and colorful photos with fish will help you choose aquatic pets to your liking. Prices for certain individuals can vary significantly depending on the species, size and color.

viviparous species

Such fish are born without spawning. The fry are very active immediately after birth, with excellent appetite. But they are usually deposited in another "vessel", because adults can confuse them with food and swallow them.

Guppy. A popular type of aquatic pet that is great for beginners. The female has bright spots on the tail and a gray color, and is larger in size than the male. The male is distinguished by a beautiful veiled tail and a brighter color. Guppies have a peaceful disposition and get along well with different types of fish. Easily adapt to any food. The joint maintenance of aquarium fish of different sexes leads to their reproduction. When offspring appear, fry should be grown separately for some time so that adults cannot eat them. Every fish store offers these animals for beginner aquarists. The price for them is low - an average of 50 rubles per individual. There are also thoroughbred species of these aquatic inhabitants, but they are not recommended for purchase for beginners because of their capricious nature and the difficulties of care;

Pecilia. There are different interesting colors, have a small size. The largest length to which the fish grows is 5 cm. You can feed it without any problems, both with animal food and vegetable food. Underwater inhabitants with other types of fish behave peacefully, even males during the spawning period. The average cost in pet stores is from 60 rubles, depending on the size and color;

Barbs. These representatives of the underwater kingdom are very beautiful, but rather capricious and love to overeat. This is fraught with bloating and intestinal obstruction, which can lead to the death of barbs, so you need to carefully monitor them during the feeding process. They can jump out of an artificial "reservoir", in this regard, it is advisable to cover it with a lid. The cost of an individual is about 50 rubles;

Sword-bearers. They belong to large species of fish, so the best option for them would be a tank with a volume of 100 liters. They are so active that they can jump out of the tank, and to prevent the death and injury of aquatic inhabitants, cover the aquarium with a lid. They like to live in packs, but a large number of males will lead to competition and disruption of order in the "underwater world". The price for one fish is 85-100 rubles;

Neon. The fish is small in size, unpretentious in content. Sick rarely, practically not subject to death. Neons are usually kept in closed "vessels" because they are too "bouncy". In pet stores you can buy them from 20 rubles.

Spawning species of aquarium fish

For spawning, it is necessary to immediately transfer the male and female to a separate tank. The female, depending on her species, can lay up to 200 eggs. After spawning, both of them are placed back in a common container. After the birth of the fry, they are fed for a week in a separate “vessel”, then they are transplanted to other inhabitants.

Popular types of spawning animals:

Rasbora cuneiform. A very peaceful, small nanofish that lives in a flock. It's easy to take care of her. It is enough to place a lot of shelters and different plants in an artificial "reservoir", and feed them with any well-chopped food. The average price is 40 rubles per copy;

Danio rerio. Small fish with unusual appearance and graceful movements. They are comfortable living in a pack. Although danios love underwater plants, they need to be planted in such a way that they do not interfere with animals swimming. They are also good jumpers, so the tank must be covered with a lid. Most of all they like to eat flakes that they swallow from the water surface, but they are also omnivorous. Can be purchased at pet stores for an average of 100 rubles per individual;

Corridor. They are called aquarium cleaners because they eat up food that other fish have not eaten, and thus prevent the appearance of green plaque, oxidation. In stores they cost about 85 rubles per copy;

Gourami. Fish for a small aquarium where there is no additional oxygen supply system. They exist without problems in water that is not saturated with oxygen, due to the presence of a labyrinth organ. It dissolves the air that underwater inhabitants swallow from the water surface. They coexist well with fish of the same size, are unpretentious in care, eat any kind of food. Price - about 120 rubles;

For large tanks, golden or speckled catfish are great. It is better to have one large animal per 100 liters. It is very useful for the aquarium, because it eats green algae from the ground, plants, glass. The catfish's mouth is similar to a suction cup, which perfectly contributes to the rapid and effective scraping of plaque. The male differs from the female in the characteristic outgrowth on the head. The fish is characterized by a peaceful disposition, but it is undesirable to settle two representatives of the male individual together, they will constantly compete with each other. Several females and one male will get along well together.

The question of how many fish can be in an aquarium often worries not only beginners, but also experienced aquarists. After all, every underwater inhabitant should feel good, and for this you need to create the necessary comfortable conditions.

There are many opinions on how to calculate the number of pets for a certain displacement.

Often the statement is taken as an axiom that one fish should have 5 liters of water. Or, a liter of water should be allocated per 1 cm of the fish body. Both of these statements are controversial, so it is better to plan the maintenance of fish in an aquarium based on the type and power of the filter:

Bottom - 0.8 cm / l;
Internal - 1 cm / l;
Internal powerful - 1.2 cm / l;
External - 1.6 cm / l;
External powerful - 1.8 cm / l.

Aquarium care

The basic instructions for caring for aquarium fish contain a few simple points:

Tank handling. It must be constantly cleaned with a scraper from stones, various algae, snags. You also need to sift the soil with funnels. Such a procedure will help to completely get rid of fish excrement, which in the future can greatly pollute the container;
Fish inspection. Do it during the feeding period, when a large number of aquatic animals swim closer to the surface. For inspection, it is better to use a flashlight. But remember that there are pets that hide from you in different secluded corners. If you find strange or unhealthy behavior in your fish, try to identify the problem and fix it as much as possible. Keep such an inhabitant under control until the alarming symptoms disappear;

Moisture change. The volume of the "vessel" affects the frequency of water changes. At the initial stage, you can replace the water by 20%. But you should always monitor the level of nitrates - if they rise, the water for the fish in the aquarium should be completely replaced. This manipulation is carried out using a siphon, the function of which is to pump out the required amount of moisture and then fill in fresh water. Pumping is done from the bottom and at the same time they try to remove detritus;
Each new piece of decor added to the "pond" must be disinfected. This will protect against death or disease of aquatic animals. Pebbles are washed, cleaned and boiled.

Proper nutrition - healthy pets

The most important thing a beginner aquarist needs to know is what food to buy and how to feed his little friends.

Usually, aquatic inhabitants consume frozen and dry food mixed with vegetable food and bloodworms. But the best thing for these purposes is frozen bloodworms, which are remarkably digestible by most fish.

You should never overfeed the inhabitants of the "underwater kingdom", because with this procedure you can cause them great harm. Their life expectancy can be greatly reduced. The behavior of aquatic pets affects their health score. If the fish begin to behave in a bad way, such an alarm should lead to a decrease in their nutrition or even to a slight starvation.

You can develop a conditioned reflex in fish. To do this, they lightly tap the glass with a fingernail so that the inhabitants of the water depths swim to the surface of the tank. Many animals get used to this regimen and can swim up for food on their own at the same hour.

Caring for aquarium fish is not difficult, but it requires a certain amount of time, effort and inspiration every day.

Video: Guppy. Maintenance and care

The number of aquarists is constantly growing. An aquarium for beginners is not difficult, if you figure it out, after which an interesting dive into the world of aquaristics will begin. Please note that this is an introductory article for beginners. We talk about it in detail separately.

Arrangement begins with the purchase of a glass house for fish. Aquariums are sold in different shapes and sizes. The most stable bacterial environment is formed in bulk tanks, so a spacious aquarium is suitable for dummies. Plus, this capacity also in the settlement of a larger number of fish and the ability to breed pets. Give preference to the classic rectangular shape. A spherical or unusually shaped vessel will become a source of stress for the fish.

Installation Requirements

To properly set up an aquarium for beginners, the aquarist should adhere to the following rules:

The tank is installed in a place where direct sunlight does not fall, there is no constant noise and movement.
The surface on which the object is placed must withstand the weight of the reservoir in the glass.
All manipulations with the aquarium (lifting the lid, washing the filter or changing the liquid) must be carried out without obstacles.
Consider in advance where the equipment is connected.

Water

Prepare water before starting. It settles for at least a day, it should not contain chlorine and other harmful impurities. You will need special water tests and a bacterial culture for the first run. Some types of fish need soft or, conversely, hard water. The liquid is softened by boiling or freezing. Harder water becomes due to stones and shells.