How to tell if fish are happy in new tank? is a pressing question many new fish tank owners ask when they have finished maintaining or setting up a new tank. Just like many living beings, fish have their own way to tell if they are happy or not. An experienced fish tank owner will definitely be able to tell how his fish are feeling just by looking at the behavior of fish.
The factors that decide whether you fish are happy or under stress are obvious and in this article we are going to have a look at them one by one. But first let’s have a look at how to tell if fish are happy or under stress.
1) Happy fish swim freely in all corners of the tank
2) Eat most of the food because they have good appetite
3) Mix with other fish and interact confidently socially
4) Have bright colors
5) Have spotless skin
6) Are ready to breed
As you gain more experience you’ll be able to come up with more observations that can tell if you have happy fish in your tank.
Fish tank owners who are really serious about the health of their fish will never ignore quality of water and maintenance of their fish and fish living in this environment will never be under stress.
A fish tank is a miniature model of the natural environment in which fish rarely go under stress. Your job as the owner is to duplicate the same conditions but in a closed tank which can be challenging at first but can be learnt with careful observation and determination.
If you want to see your fish healthy and happy all the time, then careful attention must be given to many things. A healthy fish tank is a combination of several things working simultaneously such as
1) Quality of water – pH, Dissolved gases, de-chlorination, oxygen levels
2) Environment – Volume of tank, water temperature, decorations, lighting conditions
3) Tank mates – Compatibility of species, size of other tank mates
4) Regular maintenance – Cleaning schedule, feeding schedule, functioning of equipment
5) Cycling of tank – Tank has to go through a nitrogen cycle so that fish feel safe
Importance of Nitrogen Cycle for new tank
Out of all the above when a new tank is setup it is necessary that the tank has gone through a nitrogen cycle. This means a process where all the toxic gases are removed and converted into nitrogen gas that escapes into surrounding air and healthy levels of gases is established.
This entire process takes time and this time must be given before you put fish into the new tank. During various stages of the nitrogen cycle it is necessary that you keep testing the water with a “water testing kit” to check the levels of toxic gases that could be harmful to fish life.
How much time the nitrogen cycle takes to complete depends on size of the tank. Many owners try to make use of commercially available chemicals to balance out toxic gases, but is not recommended. When the tank is new it is recommended that only introduce fish in the tank when the nitrogen cycle is established. Fish can suffer if toxic gases are still present in the tank water.
Once the nitrogen cycle is established it is necessary that you must setup all the necessary equipment that keeps the levels of beneficial gases and bacteria maintained in the tank and the entire setup healthy. If you want to see fish happy in the new tank then it is necessary that they are surrounded with the same conditions found in natural
environment which is their original home. During the nitrogen cycle a colony of beneficial bacteria gets established in the tank that converts toxic gases into slightly harmless gases. These beneficial bacteria are not in the water but on surfaces like decorations, inside surface of glass walls, plant leaves etc.
Once the new tank is set up and running it is necessary to keep track of ongoing maintenance and following a schedule. This is because you’ll be feeding fish everyday and the leftover food settles at the bottom of the tank. This uneaten food starts decaying forming toxic gases in the tank water.
To remove these dissolved gases it is necessary that tank is equipped with a biological filter that takes care of toxins in the water. A filter which has a combination of mechanical and biological filtration works perfect in most cases.
Set up with minimum equipment required
Every tank needs some minimum equipment that takes care of the water quality. Poor water quality will result in frequent fish deaths and an over load on filtration system as well. In case of a tropical fish tank an additional fish tank heater and thermometer will be required to keep the water little warmer for fish to survive.
Every tank needs a filtration system that takes care of visible solid waste as well as dissolved toxic gases. A combination of biological and mechanical filter works best in this case.
Lighting system is not required for a fish tank unless you want to add some visual quality to it. Many tank owners prefer lighting system because many time a fish tank is a part of the home interior design theme and setting lights above the tanks adds value.
However if you have a planted tank in that case a lighting system does help in healthy plant growth. Following a strict schedule of lighting hours will avoid excess algae growth.
When fish are not happy
When fish are not happy or under stress, they will show this through their behavior. A new fish tank must be cycles before you can add fish into it. During the cycling process toxic gases get converted into nitrogen which is practically harmless. This does not happen overnight but is a slow process.
If you see your fish with abnormal behavior then it is certain that they are not happy.
Here are some signs that fish show when they are under stress
1) Rubbing body against decorations or glass from inside
2) Sitting idle at a corner (Read more)
3) Not eating enough food because of bad appetite
4) Pale in color
5) Fins start getting torn
6) Spots start to develop on body
7) Gasping for air at the top surface of tank
If you see any of these signs then it is warning sign that the new tank set up is still incomplete and something needs to be taken care of immediately. As mentioned above a healthy tank is a combination of several things running simultaneously. Once you set up all the equipment it is necessary that you keep regular maintenance of all the systems so that water quality remains intact and fish are happy.