Before you get new fish, it's best to make sure they're not sick before adding them to your main display aquarium. Here's a quick 2-minute tutorial that covers step-by-step instructions on how to quarantine fish. Topics include:
How do I build a cheap and easy DIY quarantine tank?
What equipment do I need to setup a quarantine tank?
What quarantine medications can I use to prevent diseases in new fish?
How long should I quarantine my new fish?
Wait, don't add us into your main aquarium yet! We could be sick... 😷
How to Build a DIY Quarantine Tank
All you need for quarantine is a simple container that allows you to view the condition of the fish, is easy to clean on a frequent basis if needed, and doesn't take much effort to set up and teardown. My current hospital tank consists of:
Clear Rubbermaid or Sterilite plastic tub with a lid
For the clear plastic tub, I marked up the side with the number of gallons to help with accurate medication dosing. I also drilled holes in the lid for air and electrical cords to pass through.
The minimal equipment for a quarantine tank includes a heater, thermometer, décor for fish to hide in, and heater if needed.
After watching Aquarium Co-op's quarantine video, I have started using their recommended fish medication trio. It's totally up to you whether you want to prophylactically medicate your fish. Lots of people like to wait and see or use gentler methods like aquarium salt or Indian almond leaves.
Final Tips on Quarantining Fish
I quarantine my fish for four to six weeks, which seems like forever but I've faced fatal fish diseases before and it's just not worth it. Besides you can still enjoy them in their temporary home in the meanwhile. Just keep a close watch on them for any signs of illness.
Also, I like to keep my quarantine setup right next to the kitchen sink so that it's super convenient to do frequent water changes and provide the new fish with lots of clean water.
Finally, feed your fish a good variety of frozen and prepared foods (or even live foods) to boost their immune systems, fatten their bellies, and make their colors truly shine. Best of luck with your new fish and keep on swimming!
Question:
How do you like to quarantine your fish? Have you ever had a disaster from skipping the quarantine process?
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for weekly videos on aquariums and gaming!
My husband, Mr. Gamer, has worked in the video game industry for over 20 years, and he often gets asked by parents and kids how to become a video game developer. I interviewed him to find out what words of advice he has for parents whose kids play a lot of video games and say they want to make video games for a living. Topics include:
► What should parents do if their kid wants to make video games?
► What are the different kinds of video game careers?
► How can parents support their child's dream?
► Are video games evil or a waste of time?
► What is some practical advice for kids who are serious about becoming a video game developer?
P.S. To protect the privacy of our kids, we’ve chosen not to show our faces on camera. Thanks for your patience and enjoy our emoji heads!
Question:
Do you think video games are a waste of time or an avenue for creative expression? What would you do if your kid wanted to make video games as a career?
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for weekly videos on aquariums and gaming!
(Skip to the end to view the 8-minute video of this care guide)
Have you kept freshwater fish before but are looking for something a little unusual? Check out the axolotl! This very unique and easy exotic pet lives entirely underwater and will capture your heart like no other.
What Is an Axolotl?
The axolotl (or Ambystoma mexicanum) is a completely aquatic salamander and never loses those fluffy external gills. It comes from a couple of high altitude freshwater lakes in Mexico, but unfortunately is probably extinct in wild due to human activities. However, because of their amazing regenerative powers, they are highly prolific in scientific research labs and now the pet industry. Most axolotls reach their full size in 1.5 to 2 years, growing to an average length of 9 to 12 inches. I've heard they can get up to 10 years in age.
Where Can I Buy an Axolotl?
You can find them occasionally in exotic pet or fish stores, but I like to look for reputable breeders on Facebook groups and forums. Just don't forget that axolotls are illegal in certain states like California, so do your research. I didn't know any better and went with the first local breeder I found on Craigslist. You want to buy an axolotl at least 3 inches long, and the cost will range anywhere from $20 to $100+ depending on the coloration or pattern. Here are some of the most common types:
Common axolotl color types
Your axolotl may also come with the gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP) – introduced from scientists splicing in jellyfish DNA – which causes their skin to glow green under black or blue light. It's not harmful to axolotls and can be inherited through breeding.
Green fluorescent protein (GFP) in a leucistic axolotl
How Do I Set up an Axolotl Aquarium?
For tank size, I personally would recommend 20 gallons for the first axolotl and 10 gallons for each additional one. I started off with two juveniles in a 20 gallon, but when they got closer to adult size, the waste load was waaay too much for my Aquaclear 50 filter to handle. Make sure you have excellent filtration but low flow – you may need a spray bar or baffle to lower the current.
Axolotls like low light (comes from having eyes on the top of their heads and no eyelids) and would greatly appreciate hiding spots or other shadowed areas to hangout in. Aquarium décor and fake plants are just fine. If you're going to try live plants, pick hardier ones because your axolotl may try to uproot them or sit on them like a favorite recliner.
My axolotl is absolutely loving/crushing this poor anubias congensis
Finally, most people recommend bare bottom, fine sand, or slate tiles for substrate. Axolotls are known to swallow gravel or smaller rocks, which some people say causes gut impaction while others say it aids with digestion and/or helps control buoyancy. So do your research.
What Water Conditions Do Axolotls Need?
Like most freshwater fish, axolotls need dechlorinated water and a cycled tank. pH can range from 6.5 to 8.0, but in general they prefer harder, more alkaline water. Water changes on a weekly basis (or more) are recommended, but it totally depends on your tank size and filtration. Just remember that axolotls are extremely messy creatures. 💩
How Do I Cool Down My Axolotl Tank?
Coming from high altitude regions, your axolotl will do best in cold temperatures ranging from 60-68°F. I had my axolotls in the low 70's (based on Internet research) and they were not happy. Get a good thermometer with an alarm that will let you know if the water ever gets too warm.
To cool down the tank, I covered three sides of my tank with reflective foil insulation and used a small USB fan to blow across the water surface, causing significant cooling by evaporation. That means your aquarium will need either a screen top or no lid at all. This method is a lot more reliable than using frozen bottles of water and is cheaper and has a smaller footprint than a chiller.
The foil insulation is barely noticeable, and any fan works well for evaporative cooling.
What Do I Feed My Axolotl?
Axolotls are carnivorous and will actively snap at anything in front of their faces. They only have little stumps for teeth, so they tend to suck up food like a vacuum. Younger axolotls will eat live foods (like blackworms or microworms) and frozen foods (like daphnia, brine shrimp, and bloodworms). As they grown in size, you can feed them larger worms (like red wigglers or cut-up nightcrawlers from fishing bait stores or Walmart) and soft sinking pellets (like Hikari Carnivore Pellets or Lexolotls pellets). Variety in diet is key.
Do I have something in my teeth?
Feed your axolotls every day when they're younger, and then slow down to every 2 to 4 days when they're older. They'll generally stop eating when they're full. Aim for the axolotl's abdomen to be about as wide as its head.
What Tank Mates Can I Keep with My Axolotl?
Unfortunately, fish like to nibble on axolotl gills (since they look like worms), and axolotls like to, well, eat fish. You might be able to keep some shrimp or white cloud minnows in the aquarium as live food. In general, people recommend a species-only tank... with some caveats. Juvenile axolotls less than 6 inches long are cannibalistic and may nip off their roommate's body parts. Also, try to keep adult males and females apart so that your females aren't exhausted by overbreeding.
Yeah my brother ate my hand, but it's cool... I've got Deadpool's regenerative DNA in me!
Overall Rating for Axolotls
In general, axolotls are pretty easy to source in the US and don't cost as much as most other exotic pets (although they are more expensive than most freshwater fish). They're pretty hardy because of their crazy regenerative properties. I rated them lower on ease of care and difficulty level because a) it's harder to keep the water cold and b) there's not a lot of good information out there on keeping axolotls since they're newer to the pet industry. And finally, their appearance is super cute and unique! Overall, would I keep them again? That's a definite thumbs up!
Question:
Have you ever kept a pet axolotl before? What did you like or dislike about them?
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for weekly videos on aquariums and gaming!
Ever try to take close-up pictures or video of your aquarium, only to end up with a blurry mess? Here's a short tutorial on an easy way to take macro shots of your aquarium fish using a smartphone. The only thing you'll have to buy is a cell phone lens kit. For $20 or less on Amazon or eBay, you'll get several different lenses to play with, but I mainly use the macro one. Simply clip it over your phone's camera lens (like a clothespin) and you're ready to go!
#1 Set Up the Shot
A macro lens like this one has a fixed focal length, which means objects are only clear at a certain distance from your phone. So bribe your fish to come right up to the front by dropping some food or sticking some Sera O-Nip tablets on the glass.
#2 Keep Very Still
Stabilize the phone as much as possible by bracing both of your hands against the aquarium (kind of like a tripod). Keep at least one finger free for tapping on the screen to focus the shot and take the picture. Unless you're trying to pick up a specific detail (like the fish's scales), I like to focus on the closest eye of the fish or a high contrast area that's easy for the cell phone to lock on.
#3 Adjust the Exposure
Once the focus is set, feel free to adjust the exposure and any other settings you need. My albino cory catfish looked way too shiny under those bright aquarium lights, so I lowered the exposure till some more details popped. Also, if the focus is still a bit off, all you have to do is slightly move the smartphone forward or backward till you get the sharpest image.
#4 Make Slow, Smooth Movements
When taking macro video, even the slightest shift of your phone can be amplified into shaky-cam madness. So if your subject swims away while filming, don't panic! Just slowly pan over to its new position as smoothly as you can and then re-focus. Worse to worse, you can always edit out any big fumbles. :)
As with all fish photography, it'll take lots of time and patience to get the perfect shot. So take as many pictures or video as you need, and then delete, delete, delete! I hope you took away a few useful tips that will help you take amazing aquarium macro photography. Good luck and keep on swimming!
Question:
How do you like to take macro photography? Do you find yourself using your phone or an actual camera more often?
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for weekly videos on aquariums and gaming!
