Review on Simple Guide Fresh Water Aquariums by Jessica Morris

I would have liked to have read this book before setting up my first aquarium! Of the 40 fish I bought, 8 died within the first 2 weeks. This book taught me that you can't always rely on the integrity of your local pet store. Pet shops sometimes want to get rid of unwanted pets and can take advantage of your lack of knowledge. Reading books about caring for fish and setting up your first aquarium is far more important than relying on your pet store's advice. For example, the pet store told me to wash the aquarium well before filling it with water. He didn't tell me not to use chemicals like soap or window cleaners like Windex. The chemicals in such products will dissolve in your aquarium water and eventually kill all your fish. Always clean the aquarium with water only! You can use bleach and the author explains how. For your first aquarium, the author recommends avoiding goldfish. They will quickly pollute the aquarium with their waste and increase the ammonia content of the water. My pet store forgot to tell me this and advised me to buy mostly goldfish! The pet store told me to keep the fish in a plastic bag and let them swim in my tank for 15 minutes upon arrival at my house. This is done so that the temperature in the plastic bag matches the temperature in the aquarium. The author says that subtlety is a deception. The correct way to do this, and the way that causes the least stress on the fish, is to pour the fish and water from the bag into a small container, about 2 liters. Gradually add a cup of water from your aquarium to this container every few minutes until it is nearly full. Then take the fish from this tank into your aquarium. Drain the water from the container. NEVER pour water back into the aquarium or you risk introducing contaminants and diseases from your pet store water into your aquarium! My pet shop told me to feed the fish once a day. They even sold me a tablet to put in my aquarium during my travels that will feed my fish for about a week. The author warns against overfeeding fish. He explains how fish can easily survive 2 weeks without food. It makes sense to starve the fish regularly. The author explains that there is a lot of microscopic fish food in the water! Beware of pet stores trying to sell you groceries you don't need. The pet store gave me a plastic bottle of fish food and said it was good for all fish species. The author explains how different species require different nutrition and how fish food should be supplemented with vegetables. Feeding your fish the same food over and over is bad for their health and they get bored easily. Feed your fish a variety of foods, but always specific to the species in your tank. Fish can easily jump out of your aquarium, says the author. Always keep the aquarium closed. The pet store told me that fish cannot jump and that it is safe to keep an aquarium without a top cover. Fish and why not all fish can be mixed together (some fish eat others), and the placement of your aquarium, among many other interesting and important topics. I can continue with the list of advice given by the author. This is a really great book for any beginner and I'm glad I read it. Now I can be the best parent for my new pets. I highly recommend this book!