How To Maintain A Freshwater Aquarium: Essential Tips For A Clean And Healthy Tank
The larger the tank, the smaller the chance of mistakes having a huge impact. Use the bucket with the siphoned water to give the filter a good rinse. You’ll need the bucket for the water you’ll be siphoning out during water changes. In low levels, nitrates are not harmful for your fish, but high levels are toxic. Once ammonia and nitrite levels are no longer detectable and you can detect nitrates, it means the cycle is completed. This ammonia is highly toxic for you fish, so what you need to do is perform a fishless cycle.
Betta fish would also need hideaways, which are easily achievable with the help of a couple of live aquatic plants. This is thanks to their unique labyrinth lungs, which allows them to breathe atmospheric air. For this reason, some people do not see the need for a filter in an aquarium with a Betta fish.
While they prefer to be kept with six to eight of their own kind, they don't need to be housed in a species-specific tank thanks to their gentle nature. A hardy species of fish native to China, the white cloud mountain minnow is a graceful and peaceful community fish that likes to be paired with at least five others of its species. Measuring 1.5 inches in length and living for around three to five years, they're a good fish for beginners and are easy to breed. White cloud mountain minnows do not like heat and need to be kept in water with a temperature below 72°F.
Even if you’ve chosen hardy fish as your starter fish, you’re still going to expose them to toxins, which will eventually reflect in their health. It goes without saying that adding small fish to a tank with larger fish is also a no-no, since the bigger fish will mistake the smaller ones for food. So, you’ll need to perform water changes and clean the tank regularly to keep nitrate levels under control. If you add fish to a tank that hasn’t gone to a cycling process, ammonia levels will spike because of the waste fish generate.Stable water conditions and a balanced diet of flake food, supplemented with occasional live or frozen treats, will support their health and vibrant colors. Beginners will appreciate their easygoing nature and the lively dynamics they introduce to the tank. While they can adapt to a variety of water conditions, maintaining clean and well-oxygenated water will ensure their health and happiness. Their diet should include sinking pellets and occasional live or frozen foods to mimic their natural foraging habits.

