Jeremy Gay - The Perfect Aquarium: The Complete Guide to Setting Up and Maintaining an Aquarium

THE PERFECT

AQUARIUM

An Hachette UK Company

www.hachette.co.uk

First published in Great Britain in 2005 by

Hamlyn, a division of Octopus Publishing Group Ltd

24 Heron Quays, London E14 4JP

www.octopusbooks.co.uk

Copyright Octopus Publishing Group Ltd 2005

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any other information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN 9780600635208

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Fishkeeping is often part of peoples lives from their childhood. Many children will be introduced to the world of pet care through keeping a goldfish or two in a bowl. The idea of having to maintain and care for fish in an aquarium may seem like a chore at first, but a few trips to an aquatic store will soon make keeping an aquarium an appealing prospect and tempt many people to delve further into fishkeeping and all the delights that are associated with it.

No other type of pet care offers such variety and opportunities for the owner to express their own personality, with aquarium design and species choice becoming real artforms in themselves. Creatively designed aquariums offer us a window into a tiny underwater world that would normally be ignored, and the life that is contained within this world is totally awe-inspiring.

The aim of this book is to give clear, practical instructions about the day-to-day running of an aquarium and the care of its inhabitants as well as to inspire and educate the fishkeeper. It will be of interest to fishkeepers at all levels of experience, from the complete novice through to the accomplished aquarist.

Coldwater, tropical and marine fish are described in detail, and there is information on their size, feeding habits, compatibility and the type of aquarium in which they should be kept. The profiles include species information and advice on the proper care of live aquatic plants and marine invertebrates. In addition to describing how to choose, purchase and site a tank, there are equipment tips and advice on maintenance regimes. Your responsibilities as fishkeeper are explained clearly in sections on basic fish care and healthcare.

Fishkeeping is a tremendously absorbing and relaxing hobby. The calming effect that an aquarium has on a space and the people around it has long been proven. It is no coincidence that in potentially stressful situations, such as a dentists waiting room, there is often an aquarium. Scientific investigations have shown how simply watching fish can help to lower blood pressure and provide an antidote to the stresses of modern life. This book encapsulates what all discerning fishkeepers aspire to create and demonstrates exactly how this can be achieved. A thriving aquarium is within reach of everyone. Happy fishkeeping!

This red Ranchu is simple to keep, relaxing to watch and should be within the grasp of anyone wishing to keep fish.

Neon Tetras are deservedly popular tropical fish and are stocked by all aquatic stores. They remain small and can be kept in small tanks.

The Picasso Triggerfish is beautifully marked and is also an intelligent pet but is not for beginners.

WHAT TYPE OF AQUARIUM?

Coldwater, tropical or marine?

The inspiration to set up your own aquarium will probably have come from effective display tanks in aquatic shops or perhaps in an office or restaurant, from books or magazines or even through television, where aquariums are regularly used on advertisements and as backdrops on studio sets. But once you have decided to embark on the wonderful world of fishkeeping, you will immediately be confronted by a number of choices, the first and most fundamental one being which type of fish you would like to keep.

Types of fishkeeping and water

Even as an absolute fishkeeping beginner you may already be familiar with the names of some fish species, such as the common Goldfish (Carassius auratus), Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) and Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta splendens) (see ), but you may not be aware that these three species demand three different types of water and that to keep the three together would be impossible.

There are three different types of water, and between them they can accommodate almost every aquarium fish that is available to the aquarist. They are:

Coldwater

Tropical

Tropical marine (usually referred to as only marine)

Fishkeeping ancient and modern

The art of keeping coldwater fish such as Goldfish is the oldest form of fishkeeping and started in China about a thousand years ago. Marine fishkeeping, by contrast, is the youngest form of fishkeeping but is growing in popularity. It began in the 1950s and was aided by improvements in air travel and also by the invention of the polythene bag, which made the transportation of fish possible. But the technology and knowledge were still insufficiently advanced to keep many marine fishes and invertebrates healthy in captivity, and prices were prohibitively expensive. It was not until the 1980s that marine aquariums could be widely kept with success. Marine fish continue to be the most demanding of aquarium fish, and it has taken much understanding, learning and resources to enable them to thrive in this man-made environment.

The Goldfish is the most commonly kept pet in the world and is often the first choice for beginners.

A Clown Fish is a tempting purchase but needs to be kept in the right kind of aquarium.

The Siamese Fighting Fish loves tropical temperatures and must be housed in a tropical tank.