What is needed in a coldwater fish tank?
26 March 2010
3 Comments
Im from the UK and iv just brought a cold water fish tank, the womman in the shop said I don't nessaserally need a filter, will the fish be ok without one? And when I clean the tank out once a week will I need to add more tap water. Conditioner to it? Thanks. <33
Never entirely trust pet store workers, they often base their info on antique ways of keeping fish.
ALL fish require a filter. A filter keeps the water quality healthy once it’s been matured. Without a filter the water quality will constantly be unstable and could kill your fish!
Next, how big is this "coldwater" tank? Also, a tank isn’t actually coldwater unless it’s got a chiller on it, it’s just room temperature which is going to fluctuate through the seasons and depending on when you’ve got the heating on. A fluctuating temperature can also harm fish! Fish require stability to thrive.
I recommend you start reading through these and be prepared for a VERY steep learning curve!
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Beginning_Fishkeeping
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/The_Nitrogen_Cycle
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Category:Stocking_Suggestions
Ok I wouldn’t listen to the woman in the shop. You can get away without a filter but you’ll have a much healthier tank if you have a good supply of oxygen getting into it. You can either use a filter (which will create ripples on the surface of the water, thus adding oxygen to the tank) or a pump (which pumps air into the tank, again creating ripples). The filter will most likely be quieter.
Also, don’t clean it out once a week. That’s too often and will not allow the mini ecosystem in your tank to build up first. Ideally you need to get the tank matured before you put any fish in it (approx 6 weeks…) otherwise they’ll just die. I know this is really frustrating having an empty tank but unfortunately you’ll just have to wait.
Set up the tank, put your filter and water in, along with a bunch of plants and perhaps some aquatic snails (not too many). Change the water after three weeks (putting the conditioner in – as you said), and then again in another three weeks before you put any fish in. When changing the water you only need to take 25%-33% out.
Once you have the fish in there, change the water about once every 3-4 weeks at first, and gradually increase the gap between changing the water.
My tank is quite mature now, and I change the water about once every 2 months.
When you first put fish in there, just start with 2-3. Let them settle for a few months before buying any more.
Coldwater? The only fish that can really survive temperatures below 70 degress are goldfish. Most fish in pet stores came from South America or Afica originally, so they need a heater and warmer water.
You always want a filter unless it’s something really small like a betta bowl. Even if you clean it often, the filter helps not only keep the water clean but by keeping the water moving throughout the tank. Otherwise it just sits there, stagnant. Filters can be very cheap, so I wouldn’t skimp on one.
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