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| Sunday, 23 April 2006 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Rearing pet fish, a fun activity Through this column, we have discussed many issues related to cats and dogs. All our pet lovers who like other animals are also sure to have many questions about their pets. In the future, we hope to talk about a variety of pets such as birds, squirrels and rabbits. This week, Dr. D. A. U. Samankumara, B.V.Sc of Kirindiwela Animal Clinic talks about rearing pet fish. As we know, rearing pet fish could be fun as a hobby. It is also a good income earner. Keeping pet fish is popular because it needs less labour and is less costly. Goldfish, Angel, Cat fish and Black Morris are some of the popular fish among pet lovers.
But, a common complaint made by most people is that once the fish is brought home from the pet shop, they die within a couple of days. This is also the main reason why many refuse to have pet fish. Remember, when the PH(the water's PH is a measure of its total acid and alkalinity balance) level in the water is high, fish cannot survive. Therefore, when you buy fish, don't put them into a tank that has fresh water. Always mix the old water (in which you brought the fish) with new water. The best composition will be 1/3 of old water and 2/3 of fresh water. When you prepare a new tank, do not put fresh water straight away into the tank. Water should be kept in a bucket for a couple of days before being poured into the tank. In case of an emergency, try to keep the water in the tank for at least 12 hours before adding the fish. Never overfeed the fish. Never keep fish food in the tank for over five minutes. Here is a good method to know the amount of food actually required by the fish; feed them and calculate the amount they finish within five minutes. Always feed that amount so that there will be no food left in the tank, which will make your fish sick. Another important rule is to check whether you have any sick fish in the tank. Check daily whether your fish exhibit any unusual habits. If any of the fish are sick, remove them from the tank and keep them separated from the other fish. Do not put them back with the others even if they look well. Keep them away from the others until they are fully recovered. Never put any plants that were in a tank with sick fish, into a tank with healthy fish. And do not use the same fish net and other accessories at the same time in tanks with sick and healthy fish. CNK |
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