Environment

Recreating the environment is a crucial aspect of fish keeping.  If we can reproduce the conditions fish naturally live in, the fish we keep will respond by showing intense coloration, natural behavior, and increased longevity.  Water conditions are a large part of this formula, from reduction of fish wastes to maintaining a consistent temperature.  Providing structure and ample space are another factor that can make or break a successful aquarium.

Behavior

Understanding behavior is a vital part of keeping fish alive and healthy.  From breeding behavior to behavior that indicates a problem, like scratching, how a fish acts tells us a great deal about what is going on in the tank.  Monitoring the behavior of the tank’s inhabitants can clue us in to details about water quality, feeding, the environment, and more, as long as we can interpret the signs.

Nutrition

Proper feeding is important throughout a fish’s life to maintaining health, color, and behavior.  Replicating the diet of a fish in the wild is extremely difficult, and is mirrored by the huge variety of fish food available.  For most, feeding a wide variety of these foods, from freeze-dried to frozen to live foods will ensure that the fish has access to all of the nutrients necessary for a quality life.

Maintenance

Correctly maintaining an aquarium is very important to successful fish keeping.  Without our intervention, an aquarium inhabited with livestock will eventually run into the ground with poor water quality and wide variety of other problems, from disease to physical problems like flooding or leaking.  Keeping a regular schedule for maintaining the tank is critical to keeping the fish in good health.  Regular observation can also go a long way in troubleshooting and preventing problems.