Fish - Pet Care at a Glance

Fish make for beautiful pets. Caring for fish can be either a low maintenance or high maintenance activity, depending on the type of fish you choose to keep and whether you choose to keep aquarium fish or pond fish.

As a rule of thumb the cost of keeping fish in terms of money and time rises from coldwater, being the lowest maintenance, through to tropical, with marine fish being the most demanding.

Dwelling Places

Talk to your pet shop when buying a fish tank or aquarium to ensure you get the right size. The tank should suit the type and number of fish you plan to keep. It should have a lid to avoid water evaporation and also include a stand, a filter, a thermometer as well as gravel, plants, and hiding places for your fish in the form of rocks or driftwood.

Fish like company so keep several in the tank but don’t overcrowd them. Your tank should be illuminated too. Watching fish swim in a gently glowing tank is incredibly relaxing.
To reduce algae growth, keep the tank out of direct sunlight but also avoid draughts. Fish are also sensitive to noise so keep them in a quiet place. These pointers go for situating a pond too. Wait 24 hours before introducing fish into a new pond as this allows the pond to settle. And watch out for the temperature: fish that are introduced to water that is too cold may die from shock.
Water quality is the most important factor to keeping aquarium-bound fish healthy. Don’t use tap water in your fish tank without using a de-chlorinating product first. Waste products must be removed regularly. Check the water quality and filter every week by using test kits made for this purpose. In new tanks the all important filter is not mature. This means it has not built up the right bacteria that removes or transforms harmful products. Cycle a new tank for two weeks before adding fish and only add a few fish at a time so that the filter matures gradually. If you don’t waste will overwhelm the filter and your fish could die from ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

Never use household cleaning materials to clean out the tank – these can be fatal to fish. Buy special fish-friendly products from the pet shop for this.

The situation is somewhat different for pond fish. Over cleaning the pond is not recommended as the fish feed on the algae. Just use a net to remove debris in the spring and remove fallen leaves in autumn. It is vital, however, to keep the pond from freezing over as toxic gases build up beneath the surface.

With pond fish remember that species like koi grow to around three feet in length, so they need a large pond. Orfe need quite a lot of space and should be kept in groups too. Goldfish may be more suitable for the average sized pond.

Fish Food

Overfeeding fish can kill them. In the wild they eat when the opportunity arises. Some species need specialist diets so seek advice. Choose a high quality fish food for day to day feeding. You can also add in treats from the pet shop – but only in small amounts and make sure they are the right treats for the right species.

Pond fish will eat well over the summer but once the temperature plummets in the autumn and winter months they will stop eating (so don’t feed them!). When temperatures rise again feed them food like wheat germ that is suitable for their newly-awaked digestive systems.

The Sickly Fish

Fish are susceptible to a number of illnesses and diseases. Bacterial infections, parasites and fungal diseases are some of the most common conditions you need to look out for.

For example, cold water fish can be affected by parasitic anchor worms. You will see them attached to the fish’s skin but you may need expert help to remove them.

‘Fin rot’ – a bacterial infection - may affect fish who have suffered poor water quality. Gill and skin flukes can affect koi carp and other pond fish. They cause respiratory distress and skin irritation.

Cotton wool-like white strands or tufts on fish can mean serious fungal disease. You can buy anti-fungal medication to treat the water. Certain goldfish suffer from over-inflated swim bladders. You will know if this is the case because the fish may swim on one side only or upside down. Seek expert help for this and indeed any health problem you suspect in your fish.

DISCLAIMER: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained here it is for educational purposes only. The writer of this article and flynnthedog can not diagnose any physical, mental or behavioural condition in animals nor prescribe treatment. We urge you to consult your vet if you have any concerns about your pet.