What are your fish-keeping techniques?

Question

i've read many articles and guides on keeping all sorts of fish, but what are your tricks to keeping your fish. Also, say what type of fish.

Answer 1

right now i have just a plain 10 gallon tank that i've had for about 3 years now. I remember when i first got it, i had to let it cycle for a couple of days before i added any fish. right now i have 3 mickey mouse tailed Platties, a molly a golden dogo and a spotted dojo. i change the water once a month and the filter ever 2-3 weeks.  

Answer 2

My current tank (saltwater) has 2 blue-green chromis, 1 lawnmower blenny, 1 Pacific Cleaner Shrimp, 6 astrea snails, and 3 Seaspray Crabs. As my species list changed with the adding of the astrea snails (to control a recent hair algae outbreak), I'm currently reviewing options for the next fish I'll be purchasing.

Feeding of frozen mysis occurs once/day. Chromis will get most of it, but some will settle for the crabs and shrimp to find. Strips of Freeze-dried algae is rubber banded to a rock twice a week. The crabs and shrimp will tear it up and the blenny will rip chunks out of it. Snails and blenny graze on algae throughout the tank, keeping it trimmed.  

Shoulder-length rubber gloves used for any work in the tank.

Two water changes of 3 gallons occur every week on a 75 gallon tank. Doesn't sound like a lot, but the live rock is denitrifying the water at a fast enough rate that water changes more frequent have not been necessary. Nitrates hover around 2-5 ppm. All water-change water is made at least 48 hours in advance. Top-off water is added as necessary, usually once/week.

Penguin 350 rated for 100 gallons used. Biowheels run constantly, filter pads with activated carbon granules are replaced every 4 weeks. Weekly, I use a turkey baster to "blast" debris off of the filter intakes.

AquaC Remora Pro protein skimmer collection cup emptied twice a week. Weekly, I scrub the collection cup under hot water and the riser tube in the skimmer.

Two powerheads with crossed currents, promote gaseous exchange, and keep waste suspended to increase the changes that the filtration will pick it up. Currently, each is rated for 80 gallons, but I'll be upgrading those significantly.

Daily, salt creep is pushed back into the water. Every week, the outside of the glass is wiped off to keep the view. Monthly, the lights are inspected.

Log book is used whenever I notice an odd animals behavior, a new species is added, a configuration is change din the tank (such as when I turned the powerheads a bit to change the current), filter pads are switched out, etc.

Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and pH are tested weekly. Alkalinity is checked monthly, since there really aren't any concerns on this part. Temperature is checked twice daily, and salinity is checked twice a week. All measurements as of Saturday are recorded in the log book. Soon, I'll be adding calcium to the water to promote coralline algae growth. I'll be monitoring the calcium levels weekly.

All fish are given a freshwater bath of 2-4 minutes upon arrival and kept in quarantine for 2-3 weeks. Water chemistry and temperature match the main tank almost perfectly.  Invertebrates are not quarantined or given a freshwater bath, but they are subjected to an hour-long drip acclimation procedure before being released into the tank.

Finally, every day I sit back and just enjoy the tank and its de-stressing effects. I look at the overall scene and enjoy the sense of pride I have at building, and continually improving, my little aquatic community.

Answer 3

Most important is maintaining the tanks water quality.

That means good filters, properly cycled, and LOTS of water changes.

If you can maintain that then generally your fish will be fine. Messing with the tank, trying to adjust pH, medicating for things you fish dont have etc.. That will just give you problems.

Apart from that, compatible fish, the right size for your tank, and a suitable diet. That depends on the fish, but generally a mix of different foods is better.

Ian

Answer 4

That is a real shotgun of a question.  I will say this.  Cycle your tank before you get fish and then have clean water, clean water and more clean water!

I have guppies, albino cory cats, clown loaches, albino bristle nose plecos, apple snails, red cherry shrimp and bettas

Answer 5

i have an opaline gourami  (i recommend this fish, its my favorite) 2 male guppies, a male betta, two dwarf frogs, and three oto cats in two separate tanks. all my fish have been living for a long time. my tanks are overcrowded when using the inch per gallon rule, but according to my ammonia levels, etc, my tanks are fine. i love having live plants in my tanks, which helps alittle with the ammonia from in my slightly overstocked tank. my tanks have mostly river stones on the bottom, but also has sand on one corner/side. it makes the tank look very nice, and my fish have set up thier territories according to what they like. for ex, my oto cats stay mostly on he side with all the plants, while my guppies stay on the other side that has only  alittle bit of plants and has sand. my gourami stays in the middle...   i feed mine once daily with either flakes, freeze dried brine shrimp, or freeze dried blood worms, and occational veggies are given.  

Answer 6

Three ryukins and two fantails divided between a 50 gallon and 30 gallon tank.

I do weekly water changes and gravel vacs. I test the water midway through the week to check if they need a water change.

I never overfeed. I feed them a variety of food to keep them from becoming constipated. Flakes, pellets, and bloodworms. I also presoak the food to prevent air from getting into their compacted bodies. Also I watch who is eating and who isn't to warn me that there is a problem.

Filters get a media changed once a month to prevent loss of beneficial bacteria.

That's about it for my fish keeping techniques. With those my first fantail went from 1inch to 3 inches in about 2 months.