Posts by Shortie

I would never take the risk of leaving the heater or the chiller without power for as long as a power cut could last. I would be too worried that it would cause more harm than good. I would definitely try and invest in some kind of backup generator if you are able to and have that set to kick in if there ever was a power cut, that way you would have that peace of mind that they were still running even if your power was out.

From past experience from knowing people who have had tanks that have had heaters in, I always noticed that they would have their heater near their filters so that as the water was being filtered and was moving through, the heat was being evenly placed around the water so there was an even amount of heat rather than it all being in one spot and you having to move the water yourself to even the heat out and potentially causing more issues.

This is something else I was completely unaware that you could do, make your own food for your fish. I have always bought any food for my fish from the store and never considered to even look into making my own food for the fish. It has got me interested though on how you can make your own food and what you would need to make it. Definitely something I will be looking into before I choose to get any more fish.

This is very new to me. I did not know that you could feed fish cucumbers, I always say you learn something new every day. I would say though that if giving them cucumbers you found them to be bloated afterwards, it more than likely is that they have eaten more than they should have and that has caused the bloating. I would definitely consider either putting less in or changing the time you put the cucumber in so that there are no issues with the fish overeating and the shrimp get what they need.

I honestly never thought about a time of day that I would feed my fish if I were honest. I always used to feed my fish a little after I woke in the morning after I had somewhat woken myself and at least had something to eat myself and I would do that each morning as a routine. I am curious though if people have a specific time they have found to be a better time they have fed their fish or is it just what you feel happier doing?

I have always bought any food that I used for my fish locally. Where I live, we have a shop that does fish food, and they are a local business and a small business and I used to use those when I was getting fish food because it was at a budget I could afford, and it was good food. The only time I would consider going with branded food is if that was the only food my fish could have because of a specific diet they needed. Luckily the fish I had at the time were able to eat the food I was getting so I could always buy locally without issue.

It's a tough one because as much as they would all attempt to eat the same food, you would need to look at all the reasons it could be an issue such as would they be able to eat it, would it be too big for them to eat. As much as it would be easier and cheaper to give all your fish the same food it may not be good for their diet and health to do that. I would definitely look into the fish you have and look to see what foods they can eat and what foods they can both eat and give them a variety of foods so that all fish get what they need and there is no risk of them going without or ending up ill because of what they ate.

One thing I learned myself when I would help look after the fish with my parents when I was at home is that you can and may in the beginning accidentally over feed your fish. One noticeable problem that will arise if you do over feed your fish is the change of color of the water and if it gives a funky smell. That is a sign that too much food was placed in, and the fish did not eat it either because it was too much or because they were just not eating it. I found that looking online for advice on how much to feed specific fish per day helped me prevent from over feeding and keep the water clean and frsh for longer.

Finding one that would be suitable to automatically feed them for 2 weeks or longer is quite difficult. The most I have seen them for if I am honest is for about 6 - 7 days and then they would need to be refilled.

This one I found feeds for up to 6 days Eheim Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic0;Food Dispenser : Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

Another alternative would be to maybe ask a family member or a friend to come round and maybe fill the automatic feeder after 6 days when it would be empty so it could last longer if you are away for two weeks or over?

I would say leaving them for around 7 days would be fine if their diet was a good one and they were fed well prior to the last feed but personally, I would always be worried that I took the risk to leave them that long and it would live in my head about losing them. If you are able to, I would definitely get an automatic feeder for your fish and set it to open every few days, so you know they are still getting fed and you do not have that worry hanging over you whilst you are away.

I no longer have a pond that has fish in it now but I remember when I was a kid, my Grandma had a pond and she had about 4 large gold fish in the pond that she had and I remember her having them for years, eventually it started getting too much for my Grandma and she offered the pond and the fish my parents and to me and my brothers and we had it placed in our garden and rehomed the fish in the pond once we had it set. I remember the goldfish lasting quite a while longer after that, when we lost them, we would replace them with another goldfish until the pond started getting too much for my parents and then they got rid after all the fish had passed.

I unfortunately have come across someone who has left their tank to just go badly, and it was an awful sight, and I was absolutely shocked to see that they would allow their tank to get that bad even though they seemed to be a person that was dedicated to taking care of their fish. I remember their tank being so green you couldn't see anything in the tank, it was just green so you could tell that they hadn't cleaned them out in a very long time. I honestly cannot understand why people would get fish and then not bother with them at all unless it was to feed them and that was it. If you really don't have the time, then wait until you do before getting fish and setting up a tank.

As someone who hates to see any marks on the side of the tank, I always tend to fill my tank up to almost full but not to the top. The reason I do not fill it right to the top is so that there is no ability the water can spill if I have to reach in to do something, I would hate to fill it to the top and then have to reach in for something and end up losing quite a bit of water just for the sake of that little bit extra I didn't fill.

I always budget when it comes to buying everything that I need so that I know exactly how much I need, and I know that I will be able to afford to buy all I need without the worry of getting so much and being without some. The last thing I would want is to go on a huge spending spree for everything I needed and getting to a point where something I really did need; I couldn't afford at the moment and then just being left with what I had until I could afford to get what I hadn't got the first time around.

I started this hobby when I was a child. My parents had a huge fish tank when I was younger, and they would buy fish to put in it and I would help them with picking out fish that could go in the tank together and also help with the decorating the tank when I was younger. I really enjoyed being involved with picking out fish and decorations and also taking care of the fish and I learned a lot of what I know today from that when I was younger and my parents having fish. As I got older, I decided to continue wanting to have fish and look after them and give them great homes to stay in.

There is so much I wish I knew at the beginning when I first started looking after fish that I know now but unfortunately it was too late after I had already lost fish in the past. When I think about all the times I have bought fish and had issues that I was unsure of, the one that springs to mind every time that I wish I knew more about was to ask more questions regarding the fish I was buying such as if there may be any issues or if they knew of anything health wise with the fish before I purchased. Sometimes you can feel like you have asked everything when purchasing fish but it's usually after the inevitable happens that I then remember I should have probably asked something. Definitely a lesson learned.

Quote from Gilbert

Do you think that the social pressures of others who may view your tank come into effect as well? Or do you just go with your gut and own instincts when getting it all set up based on your original thought/idea(s)?

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No, I don't think about what others may think when I go with ideas for my tank if I am honest. I am someone that if I get an idea in my head and I like it, I will follow through with it. They always say that your gut instinct is right, and I feel myself that is definitely right. With each tank I have built up and decorated I have gone with my own gut and have always been very pleased with it and so many have always commented on my tanks when they have been done but I don't let their concerns bother me. As long as I am happy with it then I am happy.

Those prices sound about right if I am honest, I had been taking a look myself just out of interest at how much it would cost to set up and fill a tank and at first, I did think it was a bit steep but the more I thought about it, the more I thought that if they are more expensive to get they are more likely to have been cared for pretty well before coming with me to their new home. I have in the past gone with fish that have been a lot cheaper for me to afford due to budget and I found that those fish didn't last as long as I expected, and I really feel like it was the care of them prior to getting into my care.

I remember years ago when I was a lot younger, my parents had a huge tank in the house, and we had 3 different kinds of fish in there at once. From what I remember I know we had goldfish, minnows and there was also a black fish that would stick to the side of the tank and clean the glass but I for the life of me cannot remember the name of the fish at all, it was a very unique fish though, so I remember what it looked like.

I haven't had any fish in a while just to life being a little crazy and me not having the time to really put into looking after fish like I used to. I feel that if I did ever get the time again to be able to dedicate to taking care and having fish, I would probably end up going for goldfish again to start and working my way up that way on the decision of what to get next.