Something Fishy
By Anne Marie Mills
Signal Staff Writer


Home aquariums – tranquil beauty combined with the excitement of marine life and science – can serve as great family projects with an opportunity for everyone to participate, even the youngest of family members.



“I don’t like to pigeonhole any one age to get started in home aquariums,” said David Hirschberg, owner of Advanced Aquatics Tropical Fish in Newhall, which has served the Santa Clarita Valley for 17 years. “Children love to watch fish and even preschoolers can participate in feeding fish so long as an adult is supervising them. And a child as young as 8 may be able to take over many of the responsibilities of a small freshwater tank.



“It seems simple enough, just add water and fish, right? The answer is yes, and no.”This is easy and it is fun but it is all about patience,” Hirschberg said. “You will hear me say, ‘no, you are not ready to add a new fish,’ more often than you will hear me telling you to buy one.”

Hirschberg noted that tank water needs to be “cured” for 30 days after inception before adding more fish. In addition, he advises that your new underwater wonderland needs a plan in order to be successful. Asking the right questions is the best way to develop an underwater world for your family to enjoy.

Do you want a freshwater tank that will accommodate gold fish?

Do you want colorful tropical freshwater fish that will need to have a heater along with the filter in the tank?

Do you want to step over into the next great adventure and establish a saltwater tank?

“Saltwater tanks require good maintenance because the water needs to be of good quality without ammonia or nitrate that can create bacteria,” said Nick Paradise, a marine life specialist at Seascapes Aquariums in Newhall. Paradise said that beginners should stick with freshwater tanks and not take on saltwater tanks until they are ready and willing to learn more and put the extra time and effort into their care and maintenance.

Can just about any fish live out the good life in captivity with proper care? “Several fish do not do well in captivity,” Hirschberg said. “For example, a ‘Moorish idol,’ one of the stars of the movie, ‘Nemo,’ is extremely difficult to keep in captivity.”

Hirschberg said fish tanks can be a lifelong hobby.”It’s very easy to get started on this hobby,” said Hirschberg. “You just have to start at square one and be instructed.”

Refraining from overfeeding fish and regular tank maintenance – including rinsing the filter cartridge once a month – are basic responsibilities that can be assigned to different family members.

A complete freshwater aquarium can be started with less than $100 Hirschberg said. A complete saltwater tank can be started with less then $200.”

A good size aquarium to start with is a 10 gallon aquarium,” said Hirschberg, noting that a freshwater aquarium can support more fish than a saltwater aquarium.

Choosing among the less aggressive fish is also key for first timers, he added. Using the Internet together to research fish care is an additional way to turn an aquarium into a long-term family learning project.

“Tetra” offers a free program called TetraCare that helps people with successful startup and maintenance of an aquarium and includes e-mail reminders and toll-free telephone support if needed. And just for fun, Tetra offers “Aquademics” on-line as well, a program with fun educational activities based on an aquarium. Readers can register for both programs at www.tetra-fish.com.

Signal Intern Scott Kanowsky contributed to this story.

Copyright:The Signal

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