Rules For Keeping Your Fish Stress Free

Stress is an important factor when it comes to the health of your fish. When they get stressed out, their immune systems takes a hit and they become much more prone to illnesses. So the more you can do to keep them stress free, the better they will thrive.

It is critically important to the welfare of your fish where you locate your aquarium. Because, part of keeping your fish relaxed is the placement of your tank. There are a few well established rules as to where you should or should not place your aquarium.

Constantly fluctuating or extreme aquarium temperatures will make your fish more stressful than normal. And, a heater does provide some help. Essentially, a heater will help to make sure that the tank water does not become too cold for your fish. On the other hand, you also don't want it to become too warm. And, this is especially a danger if you live in a warm state.

So, this is a big part of the rationale for not wanting your aquarium to be too much in the path of the sun. And, you don't want it near heaters. Fish become uncomfortable and stressed when the water is too warm.

Of course, the best way to keep the water from overheating is to not locate your aquarium in a warm location. But, sometimes, this is unavoidable. To prevent the water from becoming too warm, you can install an aquarium chiller. A chiller helps to cool down the water temperature as it rises from being in the sun, from the heat of the light, or from other factors. A side benefit is that it will also help to slow down the growth of algae in your tank.

Most people don't think in terms of traffic flow when locating or re-locating their tank. But, as a general rule, try to prevent placing your tank in a high traffic area such as a hallway. Basically, fish are a prey species. As such, as a survival trait, they have evolved to react to unusual movements around them. If someone is constantly passing by the tank, they are constantly being put in reactive and stressful mode. In addition, an aquarium that is located in a well traveled area, such as a hallway, is in danger of being constantly bumped by people as they walk. How do fish react to this? Similarly to how you would react if your home were to experience an earthquake.

The proper environment is also key to keeping your fish calm. For the most part, this means keeping the tank as clean as possible. But, it also means keeping the water free of chemicals such as chlorine which is placed in the tap water of many municipalities. So, before putting water from your facet into the aquarium, remove the chlorine from the water with a good dechlorinator or through some other means.

The bottom line is that if you want your fish to have a long and happy live as possible, keep them stress free.

By: Jim F. Johnson

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