Aquarium Myths & Misconceptions

• Posted on August 2, 2016
• by EFC_Editor
• in Fishing, Myths
• No Comments.

In the attempt to make aquarium keeping easier, or simply be able to provide some sort of answer to common questions. There have been a number of “rules” or guidelines that have found their way into the hobby, that you may have heard repeated over the years. You may have heard them from other hobbyists, from your LFS, Web Forums and even in published books and magazines.

• The Inch Per Gallon Rule
  Not all fish are created equal, and not all aquariums are created equal. Six one inch guppies do not equal one six inch Oscar. Body type, temperament, compatibility, adult size, diet and many other things should be considered when choosing fish. Slender bodies fishes, deep bodied fishes, schooling fish, colder water fish, all have different space and habitat needs.
• Fish will only grow to the size of the aquarium
  This one really bugs me, and I still hear it stated as fact on a regular basis. This is simply just not true, some fish may grow slower in a small aquarium, or can be kept smaller by limiting food, but this is not way to treat your fish. Often used in conjunction with the inch per gallon rule, to try and justify putting more fish in a small aquarium, by ignoring the adult size of the fish, this myth needs stop being perpetuated. Most fish that reach a large adult size, and going to get quite large in the first 2 years, if your aquarium is too small, don’t buy the fish. There are better choices to be made!
• Small fish tanks are better for beginners
  There are a plethora of small aquarium kits on the market, many of the marketed for children, or with the entry level aquarist in mind. Where this has the potential for problems is when people confuse affordability and ease of setup, with the reality of the needs of a small aquarium. The downside of the small aquarium is how quickly problems can arise, conditions can change, and frustration takes over. Some of the things that can cause serious problems in small tanks, are common mistakes made by the beginner.
• The dos and don’ts of cycling your aquarium
  Let your aquarium sit for a month before you start adding fish.
  This is false; an aquarium is no more ready for fish after a month, than it is after 24 hrs. Once you have the aquarium setup, filters running, and heated to the proper temperature, you can start to add fish right away. 24 hrs is usually sufficient for your new tank to stabilize. Start with just a small number of hardy fish to get your system started.
• Don’t do water changes while your aquarium is cycling
  This is also false. While your aquarium is cycling, toxic ammonia and nitrite levels can occur while the beneficial bacteria that consumes these waste products establishes in your system. You can absolutely perform small water changes to keep levels low enough that you do not reach levels that are toxic to your starter fish.