When you are deciding on which type of fish you would like to keep and what sort of aquarium you want, also give some thought to how much time you can devote to fishkeeping. All types of livestock make constant demands on the owner, and essential maintenance means just that - it simply has to be done! Fish will always need feeding and their water will always need to be changed, so bear this in mind when you are choosing a particular system. For example, a larger tank, with a proportionately greater number of fish, will mean larger water changes, which will take more time and energy to carry them out.
Routine tasks
To give a better idea of what is involved in aquarium fishkeeping, the lists below detail the daily, weekly and monthly tasks. Some of these are optional and will depend on the particular type of fish you are keeping, but most of them will have to be built into your routine to ensure responsible and rewarding fishkeeping.
Daily tasks
Check water temperature
Feed the fish
Turn lights on and off
Check all fish are present
Check fish health
Weekly tasks
Test aquarium water
Wipe algae from the front glass
Change some of the tank water
Add plant food/coral additives
Top up water lost through evaporation
Monthly tasks
Replace carbon in filter
Vacuum gravel
Prune plants
Maintain filter
Clean covering glass and light tubes
Time saving strategies
Now that you can see at a glance the range of routine tasks you will need to undertake, you should have a better understanding of how much work is involved in keeping fish. However, don't let this put you off! Some of these tasks take only a matter of minutes to carry out and do not cost anything at all, and even though others are more time consuming, they can often be combined into one weekly or monthly task - combining gravel vacuuming with algae wiping, for example, or filter maintenance with water changing. If they are carried out properly and efficiently, even these combined tasks should take no longer than an hour to complete.
Time consuming set ups
Some styles of aquarium and species of fish will take longer to maintain than others. The more dedicated fishkeeper may decide to specialize in one area of the hobby and make more time to accommodate it. Bear in mind that you can never fully judge from the outset the demands the hobby will make on you - many aquarists, for instance, find themselves unexpectedly in a situation where they have to invest in more aquariums and equipment as a result of their fish breeding.
The Discus is a prime example of a relatively more demanding and less forgiving species of fish. To keep this species in top condition, more water changes and more feeding will need to be carried out than might be expected for a more average tropical community fish.
Tanks containing more livestock than others will also ultimately take up more of your time. A heavily planted aquarium, for instance, will require more time for maintenance of the plants as well as the fish. Reef aquariums can contain many more invertebrates than fish, and all marine life is inevitably more delicate than their freshwater equivalents.
Assessing your available time
After considering all these factors, you need to assess realistically how much time you can devote to your fishkeeping and then tailor your choice accordingly. If you frequently go away on holiday, hardy coldwater or tropical species are probably the best choice for you. If you have time and space for only one aquarium, do not buy fish that breed readily or grow large, and if you move home frequently, avoid setting up complex aquariums, because the process of dismantling, transporting and reinstallation will be very stressful not only for you but also for the livestock.
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