Lets Help Newcomers!

[the biffster]

but most of all wear sunscreen

Is this a dig at Steve Irwin saying that suncream protects from harmful rays?

Just make sure you read ahead however myself and many others have been pushed into the deep end by a store and left in open water without proper advice.

no its not it was a song remember i put it as afoot note as a joke line from the some because he say remember the best advise i can give you is always wear sunscreen i dont make jokes about people i respect dead or alive

 

[JoshuaA]

no its not it was a song remember i put it as afoot note as a joke line from the some because he say remember the best advise i can give you is always wear sunscreen i dont make jokes about people i respect dead or alive

Ah well I put two and two together and got five by the looks of it.

I thought since we were talking about aquariums/fish/sea life etc and then the suncream I thought you were relating to that joke. However the joke is still quality even if he was a stand up guy.

 

[the biffster]

no its not it was a song remember i put it as afoot note as a joke line from the some because he say remember the best advise i can give you is always wear sunscreen i dont make jokes about people i respect dead or alive

Ah well I put two and two together and got five by the looks of it.

I thought since we were talking about aquariums/fish/sea life etc and then the suncream I thought you were relating to that joke. However the joke is still quality even if he was a stand up guy.

not funny he was a great guy and it is a sad loss

 

[Sesshis_grl]

why "dont ever stick hands in tank"??? did I miss something?

 

[Twinklecaz]

I think it's coz of the electric shock risk......and coz of anything you may have on your hands.

But obviously you have to stick your hands in to clean.

My one is be careful when removing things from your tank NOT to drop them on your fish!

 

[Tolak]

Remove items from your shirt pocket when leaning over the tank for maintenance.

I always forget this one. I'll go into the fishroom just looking for something, end up doing something, forgetting about things in my pocket. Pens are a regular victim, last week was a pack of smokes, my cell phone has come so close so many times it's inevitable that some fish get phone access.

 

[fluttermoth]

Of course, no one's yet given the absolute, most bestest advice that it's possible to give;

Buy the biggest tank you can, and understock and overfilter it. Never be afraid of water changes, even huge ones; it won't stress your fish; it'll make them happy

 

[the biffster]

Of course, no one's yet given the absolute, most bestest advice that it's possible to give;

Buy the biggest tank you can, and understock and overfilter it. Never be afraid of water changes, even huge ones; it won't stress your fish; it'll make them happy

good sound advice well said flutter

 

[chilli-spice]

i like this thread nice and lighthearted, it makes a nice change from the mountains of research i've been reading through lol

 

[Gilli]

Dont ever leave a tub of fish food with the lid off on top of the tank while you feed them - I did that and knocked a full tub of food into my tank - problems galore!!

Dont take your caves out for cleaning without checking every nook and cranny - I took mine out with my Bristelnose plec still inside - somehow he had squeezed himself into a tiny groove!!

If feeding peas make sure you crush them small enough for the smallest fish in your tank - a greedy danio got a piece stuck in his mouth (I netted him and luckily got it out)

Remember we have all made stupid mistakes so dont feel bad - and lastly whatever you do wrong DONT PANIC!!!

 

[Sesshis_grl]

Thanks for the clarification

Dont take your caves out for cleaning without checking every nook and cranny - I took mine out with my Bristelnose plec still inside - somehow he had squeezed himself into a tiny groove!!

true! My loaches hide in the driftwood, and my pleco refuses to let go/come out of another ornament in the tank. Makes it harder to clean but still funny

 

[zophie]

Thanks guys, for stopping the arguments Here's one: Don't be afriad to ask what fishless cycling is

 

[Arei]

1.)Have patience. I've wasted tons and tons of money on filters and heaters because I was impatient and hasty and kept buying the wrong things/sizes.

2.)Make sure the siphon tube is in the bucket or out the window before you start siphoning (especially if you have laminate floors )

3.) Research everything before you start. Equipment, Fish, Plants, everything. It will save you loads of headache, frustrations, and money from being hasty and impatient.

Yeah I've found the best advice is to do your research and take your time. Being in a hurry has lead me to what I listed above, spilling water all over the place, tons of frustration with the fish-in cycle, and all that great stuff X_X

 

[Timmy_Bee]

my additions arn't so much mistakes, but general advice.

The first thing i learnt about fish keeping is still the most important: Look after your bacteria and your fish will be fine (obviously this isn't 100% true, or even close with things like compatibility [sp] or illness, but i still think its good advice)

Secondly, to butcher a quote from a well known aquatic film 'We need a bigger bucket!'
This makes water changes so much easier

 

[zophie]

my additions arn't so much mistakes, but general advice.

The first thing i learnt about fish keeping is still the most important: Look after your bacteria and your fish will be fine (obviously this isn't 100% true, or even close with things like compatibility [sp] or illness, but i still think its good advice)

Secondly, to butcher a quote from a well known aquatic film 'We need a bigger bucket!'
This makes water changes so much easier

Yes! Also, you should reall get a siphon... before I discovered this handy tool, I would just bail water out of the tank... and it took ages