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Learn how to pick the right aquarium plants, substrate, lighting, and fertilizers to ensure that your aquarium plants thrive and stay healthy.
Updated on October 23rd, 2025
Learn how to care for a Koi, recommended diet and aquarium setup. Find Koi for sale, supplies and equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on October 23rd, 2025
Search Petco to learn about blackwater fish aquariums. We want to help you decide what lifestyle is best for your unique fish.
Updated on October 23rd, 2025
Before establishing an aquarium at home, learn more about the basics of fish care.
Updated on October 23rd, 2025
Shop Petco for low-maintenance aquarium decorations like the El Nino fern. We want to help decorate your aquarium to keep your fish happy and comfortable.
Updated on October 23rd, 2025
The most common cause of death of a newly acquired fish is usually shock or incorrect water quality. Fish tanks should be set up and left running without fish for at least 3-4 weeks to establish a proper nitrogen cycle. There are products that can shorten this time period. If this is not done, there may be high levels of ammonia, chloramine, nitrates and nitrites which can kill a fish. When introducing a fish, the bag should be floated in the tank for about 30 minutes to acclimate the fish to water temperature. This can prevent shock if the water is too hot or too cold. Test your water quality with a home test kit or submit a sample for testing. Most pet stores or aquarists will do this for free or for a nominal fee. Correct any imbalances as indicated. Slowly acclimate any new fish as written above. You can request a consultation to discuss your concerns in greater detail if necessary. Buying fish and starting a tank can be quite confusing initially.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
The majority of the acclimation guide is intended for introducing animals recently purchased online into a quarantine environment that have been inside a dark box for 24+ hours and the water quality is most likely degraded from waste. Hopefully you followed these steps before introducing your pond animals into their quarantine environment. After the quarantine period the acclimation from this environment should be relatively easy and quick – given the water parameters in the quarantine environment are ideal and similar to your pond. The best way to move the fish would be to put them in a 5 gal. bucket and float the bucket in the pond for at least 30 minutes so the temperature in the bucket can gradually reach the same temperature as the pond. Make sure you do this in a shady spot of the pond or during a time period when the bucket will not be in the sun. In order to keep the bucket from tipping it may take some creativity but it may be as simple as using a wooden pole laid across the
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Check water chemistry first. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for an absence ( 0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. Perform partial water changes, no more than 30% at a time, to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Check water temp as well. Any of these can drive a fish to the surface. The "flashing" (darting about) can be due to infection (bacterial, fungal or parasites). Consider a broad spectrum antibiotic or an "all in one" product to treat multiple infections. Look in the Aquarium section of the local Petco for options. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Thanks for reaching out. Have you tested water quality for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Correct problems. Don't see any signs of external lesion on the pictures, except fine erosion, and possible gravid fish. A veterinary visit is probably needed to trouble shoot for disease. Randomly adding chemicals to the water could have detrimental effects. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Before you buy any fish, you will need to set up the tank. A basic set up includes: a tank, filter, hood/light, heater, gravel and some decor. The tank should run without fish for at least 4 to 6 weeks. This gives it time to cycle. The Nitrogen Cycle is critical to the health of the tank and any fish you will be keeping. During this time, beneficial bacterial will populate the filter and substrate (gravel). These bacteria will be responsible for breaking down fish wastes and other wastes (uneaten food, dead plants, etc.). You will need a home test kit to monitor water chemistry (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH) or you will have to submit water samples for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. At first, you will see high levels of ammonia and nitrites. Over time, as bacteria grow, these levels will drop. When ammonia and nitrites are at 0 ppm and nitrates are below 20 ppm, you can consider adding fish. Regular (every 1 or 2 weeks) partial water changes as we
Updated on September 24th, 2025