Caring for your fish
What to feed your fish
If your fish are kept at a constant temperature in the aquarium you can generally feed them once per day. Allow just enough food for the fish to feed for about two to three minutes. Do not give so much that there is left-over food in the tank, as this will soil the water. Never overfeed the fish.
Dietary requirements depend on the species of fish. As a general rule, a good quality pelleted diet, specific to the species of fish being kept, should be fed as the basis of the diet. This can then be supplemented with food appropriate to the species, potentially including brine shrimp, glass shrimp, smaller feeder fish, algae flakes and pellets.
Any uneaten food should be removed immediately, either from the surface or siphoned off the tank floor. If uneaten food is not removed, this will break down into waste matter, causing a build-up of toxic ammonia in the tank. This damages the water quality and risks the health of the fish.
Pond fish require feeding every two days in summer and once weekly in winter. Good quality, species appropriate pellets should be fed as the primary diet.
Setting up an aquarium
It is important that all indoor fish be kept in a properly set up aquarium and not small bowls, as they have a small water surface area and therefore limit the amount of oxygen entering the water. It’s also much harder to keep the water clean and maintain good water quality in a bowl.
Your aquarium or fish tank should be:
- an appropriate size for the number of fish held and the species being kept
- large enough to adequately accommodate the biological mass of the fish and plants
- large enough to accommodate a filter system
- away from tobacco smoke and any household sprays that can pollute the aquarium
A general rule is 4 litres of water per 1 inch of fish. A common concern is that a large tank will cause small fish to be stressed – this is not the case, the tank cannot be too large for fish, bigger is always better.
The number of fish a tank can accommodate is also related to the filter system that is in place, as well as how regularly it is cleaned and how well it is maintained. A regularly cleaned tank can house more, healthier fish, than one that is not looked after.
Cleaning your fish tank
Throughout the time you have the fish tank, it will require on-going maintenance. This means that the tank will require a weekly 20-30% water change, and regular filter cleaning and maintenance.
A siphone can be purchased from a pet store. Siphons allow gravel to be circulated at the bottom of the tank, to remove fish and food waste. This removes water in the process, and is an easy way to remove the water necessary for a water change. Fresh water, dechlorinator and good bacteria can then be added to the tank again. Please refer to a reputable Aquarium Hobbyist Group for information on maintaining marine fish tanks.
Equipment used for tank cleaning and maintenance should be clearly labelled and only ever used for the aquarium, so that there is no risk of contamination from other substances.
Establishing an outdoor pond
Fish ponds are best if in-ground. When designing or building your pond, you need to consider:
- The materials — cast concrete is best, although some prefabricated cement constructions and some butyl rubber liners are suitable
- Ensuring any plastic used is suitable for use with live fish, as many plastics are toxic
- The minimum depth of available water must be 30cm, but it is wise to have even deeper sections
- Adequate aquatic plants must be placed in the pond to help remove nitrates and phosphates and to provide shelter for the fish
- Situating the pond out of direct sunlight in order to control algae growth and sheltered from potential predator birds
Pond set-ups also require a pond pump, taking water in near the bottom of the pond, and pumping it out again near the top of the water, to agitate the surface and aerate the water. A good general rule for the size of the pump required, is that the pump should be able to move around half of the total pond volume of water every hour.
Algae and plants generate oxygen during the day, but absorb oxygen at night. On still warm summer nights the plants and algae can easily remove all of the oxygen and kill the fish. To avoid this, ensure that the pond pump runs continuously at night when there is no wind to ruffle the water.
Remember: Always cover your pond before spraying your garden with insecticides or garden sprays, as this can pollute your pond and kill your fish.
How many fish can I have in a pond?
The number of fish placed in a pond will depend on the surface area of the water and whether or not the water is filtered and circulated. Please check with your local council for any relevant regulations regarding fish pond installation, construction and depth.
