4 Ways to Dive Into Fishkeeping

SPONSORED BY DIVE: THRIVE CREATED BY fish Fish Ways to into Fishkeeping Freshwater Starter Aquarium • 20-gallon aquarium kit includes lighting, filter, pump and heater • (1) 15-lb. bag of gravel • (2) pieces of driftwood (1) 3.5-ounce bottle of water conditioner • (1) bottle of starter bacteria • Five-way test strips (alkalinity, hardness, pH, nitrite, nitrate) • Couple of smooth river rocks • 3 guppies, 6 neon tetras, 1 Otocinclus catfish, 6 marbled hatchetfish • 2 Java ferns, plus other low-tech, low-light plants, such as water sprite, crypts, etc. • 3 ghost shrimp 6 Nerita snails $323 for package 12 million U.S. households keep fish* Planted Starter Aquarium • 20-gallon aquarium kit includes lighting, filter, pump and heater • (2) bags of mineral (iron)-rich substrate • (2) pieces of driftwood • (1) co, kit • (1) 3.5-ounce bottle of water conditioner • (1) bottle of starter bacteria • Five-way test strips (alkalinity, hardness, pH, nitrite, nitrate) • Couple of smooth river rocks • Variety of plants, including Anacharis, water sprite, Anubias nana, Cryptocoryne, Amazon sword and Java ferm • 10 cardinal tetras, 3 Otocinclus, 3 ghost shrimp, 6 Nerita snails $389 for package 13% of freshwater tank owners maintain live plants Saltwater Starter Aquarium 28-gallon nano 100-watt submersible heater • Small protein skimmer • 27 Ibs. of live rock • (1) 20-lb. bag of sand • (1) aquarium salt mix • (1) 3.5-ounce bottle (1) bottle of starter bacteria Five-way test strips (alkalinity, hardness, pH, nitrite, nitrate) • 10 Nassarius snails, 10 Turbo snails, 10 cerith snails, 1 banded coral shrimp, 20 dwarf blue-legged hermits, 2 scarlet reef hermits, 3 peppermint shrimp, 2 emerald crabs 1 orange-spotted goby, 2 firefish, 3 orange-lined cardinalfish water conditioner $690 for package I 200,000 U.S. households own a saltwater tank* #4 Reef Starter Aquarium • 28-gallon nano 100-watt submersible heater • Small protein skimmer • 27 Ibs. of live rock • (1) 20-lb. bag of sand • (1) aquarium salt mix • (1) 3.5-ounce bottle of water conditioner • (1) bottle of starter bacteria • Five-way test strips (alkalinity, hardness, pH, nitrite, nitrate) • Same invertebrates as #3 • Same fish as #3 • Mix of soft corals, including mushrooms, starburst and button polyps and leathers $720 for package 31% of saltwater tank owners purchased live corals in 2010* When stocking fish, use this rule of thumb: 1 inch of fish per gallon. 8 Aquarium Life Lessons Responsibility Environmental Consciousness $ Money Management : Mentoring * Basic Life & Biological Science E Basic Math Skills Nature Appreciation E Organizational Skills Less than Depending on the type of aquarium lighting fixture being used, look to replace old light bulbs 5 percent of aquarists quarantine new fish before adding them to their main displays; new fish should be quarantined for a minimum of 14 to 21 days. every 6 to 18 months FREE THRIVE PRESCRIPTION Redeem at thriveaquatics.com Visit thriveaquatics.com, set up your profile and receive a free prescription! "Facts from 2011-2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey ** All prices approximate Get all your fishkeeping questions answered at Fishchannel.com. 4- eee