Ensuring your fish stays healthy is not an easy job. For a beginner, it’s easy to make mistakes. And once problems occur, they can be hard to solve.

Though cliché, prevention is easier than cure. You need to set aside time and patience for research and tank maintenance. A nice, healthy aquarium is not achieved overnight. Don’t expect to get your tank, fish, and equipment all in one day, dump them together, and expect longevity for your fish.

A few points you need to take note of…
Keeping Your Fish Robust Much Longer

• Toxic Waste: Fish produce toxic waste or ammonia, which needs to be broken down with a good biological filtration system. Clogged filters won’t remove the waste thoroughly.
• Chlorine: Though chlorine is safe for human consumption in tap water, it can be toxic to fish and weaken or kill them. Treat all tap water to remove chlorine and acclimatize your fish before putting them in the tank. When changing water, change only part of it to avoid killing all the good bacteria.
• Parameters: A stable pH level is also vital in ensuring your fish stays healthy. Pick fish native to the local tap water pH to ensure they don’t have too hard a time fitting into their new environment. If you’re thinking of constantly having to change the pH level of the water to suit your fish, think twice. It’s hard, tedious work, and can take the joy out of the hobby. You may even make a mistake. It’s best to check with your dealer which fish will live happily in local water.
• Scantily: Picking fish for your aquarium? Don’t overcrowd the tank, and think long-term compatibility. Just as you wouldn’t want to be stuck in an enclosed environment with nasty partners for your whole life, neither do fish. For example, that baby fish may look really cute now, but when it grows big, will it view the other inhabitants as potential meals?
• Quality: Shop around and buy quality fish from a reputable dealer. You don’t want to introduce diseased, dying fish into your tank, and a good dealer can help advise you on the right fish to get, as well as recommend suitable living and space requirements for it.