Bettas Inc.
Aquarium Basics
 

     Even though this site is dedicated to bettas, it is always important to know some general information on tropical fish and how to care for them.  With this in mind this section will focus on the setup, care, maintenance, and the fish of a tropical aquarium.  This page has been broken-down into two categories, the basics of an aquarium setup, and basic information about tropical fish.  The following is how each category will be presented.

Basics of an Aquarium Setup
     1.  Tank Size and Shape
     2.  Tank Setup and Supplies
     3.  Tank Cycling
     4.  Tank Care and Maintenance

Basics of Tropical Fish
     1.  Fish Anatomy
     2.  Fish Species
      


Tank Size and Shape
     The type of aquarium tank you should buy is always a tough first question to ask yourself.  But the three main things to consider are time, space, and cost.  Time is important when it comes to maintaining a healthy aquarium, certain larger size tanks take more time to care for then others.  Get a tank based on the time you can dedicate to it, this is critical if you are to spot any potential problems before it's too late.  Space is another major consideration when choosing a tank.  Determine where you want to put your tank ahead of time and then see what size tanks will fit there.  Once you have an idea what size and shape you want then you have to consider cost.  Remember you may have to buy a tank light, hood, filter, heater or stand.  All of this can add up to quite a bit of money.  Choose something you can afford, you can always upgrade to something larger later after you learn the basics.  Finally you should consider your fish when selecting your tank.  Some fish require large shallow tanks, while others require deep narrow tanks.  Also tanks that are deep and narrow at the top have lower oxygen exchange rates then shallow long tanks.  Of course this can easily be bypassed by a good filtration and/or aeration system, more information on this is further down in the cycling subcategory.  Another fish consideration, which may or may not affect your choice of an aquarim tank, is whether or not you wish your tank to be species specific, or a community of species holding a variety of different types of fish.  Information on what kind of fish are community fish is given in the fish species subcategory.  Some basic starter tanks that are generally considered great for beginners are 10, 20, or 30 gallon tanks.  Once you have decided on and purchased your tank and brought it home, be sure and fill the tank to the top with water and check for leaks.  If there are none then the tank is ready to setup.

Tank Setup and Supplies
     Once you've decided which tank you want to buy there are a few other items, both required and that are luxuries, to be considered for purchase along with your tank.  The general items possibly needed for your tank are a stand, heater, thermometer, light source, hood, or filter.  Decorations such as gravel, live plants, backings, and other items may be added to enhance your tropical aquarium experience.  A few other notable items to mention that really are necessary are dechlorinator and some all purpose medications.  See the Fish Diseases and Genetic Disorders section for a list of some basic medications to keep on hand.  Most of these items will, at some point, be discussed in the Topic of the Month section.  So if you need further specifics on these items please check in that section every month.  Once you have all the items necessary it's time to put it all together.  Set your stand where you want it, place your tank on top and setup your filters, heater, thermometer, gravel, aeration, decorations, etc, and light/hood.  Something to note is that certain plants require a well established tank before they can be planted into an aqurium, so check first before buying and setting up your tank with them inside.  Once your tank has everything in place fill the tank with water.  Next plug in any items that require electricity (make sure your hands aren't wet).

Tank Cycling
     Tank cycling refers to the acclimation of your new tank water to that found in a tropical fishs natural environment.  The most important of these acclimations is something known as the Nitrogen Cycle.  This consists of the conversion of the waste product Ammonia into Nitrite (NO2) and finally less harmful Nitrate (NO3), which is a excellent aquarium plant fertilizer.  This conversion is done by bacteria that naturally forms over time.  Another important aspect of water cycling is the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) exchange rate.  Carbon Dioxide is another waste product that must be either removed or converted.  This is done by either mechancially removing the Carbon Dioxide with a filtration/aeration system, or by having a large surface area, or by having plants in an aquarium which absorb and convert Carbon Dioxide.  The amount of fish you can safely keep is dependent on which method you choose.  Also plants only release oxygen when there is light so keep that in mind if you can't keep your tank lit for at least 10 hours a day.  In order to get each of these cycles started you must introduce a few starter fish to produce the Carbon Dioxide and Ammonia.  No matter what type of fish or how expensive they are that you wish to keep in your tank, you should always get hardy starter fish initially, even if you don't keep them after the tank is cycled.  Usually two to three guppies, mollies, or swordtails are very hardy and can kick start your tank cycling.  After your tank is cycled you can either choose to keep your starter fish or you can give, trade, or sell them back to the pet/fish store.  Before you put any fish inside your newly setup tank make sure the tank has been running for at least 24 to 48 hours so that the chlorine can evaporate out of it.  You can skip this step if you purchase a chlorine/chloramine remover.  Make sure your tank temperature is stable between 75 to 85 degrees and you're ready to go.  Introduce your starter fish after floating their bag in the water for 15 minutes and be sure the scoop them out of the bag with a net and not pour them in.  Diseases and parasites are more likely to enter your tank if you pour the water in with the fish so it's better just to net the fish out.  Once your starter fish are inside and doing well don't purchase any further fish for at least two to three weeks so that the rest of the tank cycling can be stabilized.  Once this time has passed then purchase the fish you had originally wanted and place them inside.  Then make a decision on what you intend to do with your starter fish.

Tank Care and Maintenance
     Well now you have your tank setup and fish inside swimming away.  Part of your aquarium care is to be sure and feed your fish at least once a day.  Feed your fish as much as they will eat in 10 to 15 minutes.  Sometimes this can take a few feedings to determine the amount.  If you over feed them then siphon off the excess amount after 30 minutes has passed.  If there is just a tiny bit of excess you can skip this since a few fish will search along the bottom over the rest of the day and will probably eat this up.  Speaking of siphons, a few maintenance items will need to be purchased.  Make sure you have a siphon, bucket, and sponge.  Also purchase any replacement cartridges used for your filter when the need arises.  Part of maintenance also is to try and check on your fish at least once a day.  Check on their health and the temperature of the aquarim.  Clean any filters at least once a month.  Be sure and scrape any algae from the inside of your tank and siphon the gravel once a month as well if extremely dirty.  If you want your fish to do well be sure and stick to this schedule.

Fish Anatomy