Freshwater

Chapter 25: Ten Ways to Kill Your Fish Without Even Trying
grow” flakes for a decade. You automatically figure that this toughie will provide
leadership skills for your unmotivated guppies. Within an hour of adding
your new leader to the tank, you are surprised to find that all of your guppies
have vanished.
Mixing apples and oranges may be great for a summer fruit salad, but it
doesn’t work in the home aquarium. Check with your local dealer if you
are unsure about the compatibility of any species.
Add Too Many Fish (the
Shoehorn Syndrome)
It is really tempting to constantly add “just one more” fish to your home
aquarium. All fishkeepers fall prey to this Shoehorn Syndrome at one time
or another. If your aquarium resembles a phone booth-packing competition,
then you have probably overstepped the capacity. Remember, overcrowding
can be deadly.
Don’t Do Your Homework
If you want to learn more about any subject, you need to do a little research.
Skilled fishkeepers do their homework before setting up a new type of system
and they investigate specific habitat requirements prior to purchasing
unknown species of fish. Isn’t that one of the reasons that you bought this
cool book?
The Internet, a local library, and tropical fish magazines can provide you with
a lot of extra good information that will keep you informed about the newest
developments in the fishkeeping hobby as well.
Let the Neighbor’s Nasty
Kid Play with Your Fish
A mischievous kid can be every fishkeeper’s nightmare. This is the same kid
who always shows up at dinnertime, skateboards through your petunias, and
in later years, escorts your only daughter to the senior prom.
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