We believe that all pets should be cared for to the utmost by their owners. This includes fish and invertebrates as well as dogs, cats and other popular animals that people keep.
Sadly, some people take the view that ‘it’s only a fish’ and do not seem to have the capacity or capabilty to care for their pets with the care that they need and deserve. This is why we will always ask many questions of potential owners and the suitability of the pets they wish to own and care for.
If we feel at any time that a potential owner is not willing to provide what we believe is the minimum needed, we reserve the right to refuse any sale of livestock.
We are more than happy to give advice to the new fishkeeper in relation to stocking levels, feeding, filtration etc.
We believe in ‘fishless cycling’ – a system of growing the beneficial bacteria by introducing an ammonia source to replicate having fish in the aquarium and thereby avoiding ‘new tank syndrome’ where fish are introduced to a new aquarium are used to establish the tank. Studies have shown that fish introduced too quickly to an aquarium will suffer from ammonia and nitrite poisoning.
Not only is a waste of money having to replace dead fish, it is rather cruel to subject a living creature to suffering.
We will provide everything needed to a new fishkeeper who is willing to do a ‘fishless’ cycle. This includes an ammonia source and frequent water testing as well as advice on stocking. We do not charge for this service.
Other retailers will say that after 24 hours your aquarium is ready for fish. This is untrue! It takes 4-6 weeks to make a new aquarium ready for fish. There are ‘shortcuts’, however. Using filter media seeded with beneficial bacteria from an existing mature aquarium filter, or even pond filter is one such method. We can advise on this.
There are various products available to purchase which say that they make an aquarium ready for fish either ‘instantly’ or within ’24 hours’ (according to a certain ‘chain-store’)! (Waterlife, Evolution Aqua, Fluval, Tetra and Seachem etc., sell products which say that it is safe to add fish to an aquarium with their ‘product’ to reduce the risk of NTS (New Tank Syndrome)
‘New Tank Syndrome’ is a direct result of misinformation. You can add fish to a ‘new’ setup as long as water changes are done very frequently for the first 8 weeks or so, and adequate measures are taken to ensure the stability of the water conditions for the type of fish that are being kept.
Fish produce Ammonia which poison’s the water they live in. The Nitrogen Cycle converts fish ‘waste’ and all other organic waste into Nitrite and then Nitrate – it is called ‘the nitrogen ‘cycle’
