faq topics
- Thread starter catfishmike
- Start date
a FAQ is such a great idea. I think it should include general rules of thumb like lights-wpg, heat-wpg, substrate-lbs/gal, and a warning about the size of fish to the size of your tank. Also general ick questions, feeding frequency, and how to add new fish to your tank.
At another board i post at, they add topics that are talked about in the general forum to a FAQ forum, so it's easier to search. Just a few thoughts.
I was fortunate, i had a good teacher when i got into the hobby (AmazonTankz).
Fixxxer
At another board i post at, they add topics that are talked about in the general forum to a FAQ forum, so it's easier to search. Just a few thoughts.
I was fortunate, i had a good teacher when i got into the hobby (AmazonTankz).
Fixxxer
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I would also have a "common misconseption" area....for all those things that might be told to the new aquarist about the hobby that aren't trure in varying degrees. Things like, neons are a hardy and good for a beginner, angels are peacful, and even though they are not fish..fiddler crabs need air and land. Also, dispell that whole "ready for fish in hours!" crap that is said on the side of tank boxes. Oh and let us not forget, goldfish can not live(happily) in a bowl!
PS (there are lots others, but I can't think of any more right now..)
[edit] Thanks Fixxxer!!]
PS (there are lots others, but I can't think of any more right now..)
[edit] Thanks Fixxxer
!!]
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I would really like to see a faq about common diseases, like ich. The articles section is pretty brief in this respect, so a lot of people ask questions on the forum. I would really like a list of the cures, and how effective they are, etc. I have read so much conflicting advice about how to deal with them (on other sites as well as here). I know there probably is no definitive answer on many of these things, but I would at least like a list of options.
I would like to see a list of fish generally thought to be "unnatural" like those that are colored/painted artificially. Perhaps also a list of those that are endangered in the wild. Sometimes I have seen fish I am unfamiliar with in a store, wondered about them, and gone to look them up, only to find I wouldn't want to have them because they were treated cruelly.
Another suggestion for a faq is on livebearers pregnancy/birth. I see a lot of the same questions asked again and again (and I admit to doing it myself -- only once of course).
Those are just some of the faq's I would like to see (or would have referred to if they had been there).
I really love your forums, but occasionally get confused by all the differences of opinions, and find that I have to double check who is giving advice.
I would like to see a list of fish generally thought to be "unnatural" like those that are colored/painted artificially. Perhaps also a list of those that are endangered in the wild. Sometimes I have seen fish I am unfamiliar with in a store, wondered about them, and gone to look them up, only to find I wouldn't want to have them because they were treated cruelly.
Another suggestion for a faq is on livebearers pregnancy/birth. I see a lot of the same questions asked again and again (and I admit to doing it myself -- only once of course).
Those are just some of the faq's I would like to see (or would have referred to if they had been there).
I really love your forums, but occasionally get confused by all the differences of opinions, and find that I have to double check who is giving advice.
How's about a lesson on how to use the search button
What about a compilation good links - like www.thekrib.com - Honestly there aren't too many questions asked on this board that aren't well covered over there
Andy
What about a compilation good links - like www.thekrib.com - Honestly there aren't too many questions asked on this board that aren't well covered over there
Andy
I think what Lotus is refering to is more detailed info on things like ich for the beginner.
"There are cases where the parasite actually lies dormant in the skin of the fish and will not emerge until it is ready, making eradication quite difficult.
The best time to kill them is when they are free swimming and looking for a host. Treatment must be external and aimed at the free swimming stage hence the need to dose again after a few days, suitable cures are widely available."
While this info (taken from the disease database) is 100% correct, it still doesn't mention alot of facts (like copper in some ich medications can kill your loaches, intense light will speed up the ich spawning process, etc.)
Maybe list of suitable meds and or other treatments could be useful?
Just a thought..
"There are cases where the parasite actually lies dormant in the skin of the fish and will not emerge until it is ready, making eradication quite difficult.
The best time to kill them is when they are free swimming and looking for a host. Treatment must be external and aimed at the free swimming stage hence the need to dose again after a few days, suitable cures are widely available."
While this info (taken from the disease database) is 100% correct, it still doesn't mention alot of facts (like copper in some ich medications can kill your loaches, intense light will speed up the ich spawning process, etc.)
Maybe list of suitable meds and or other treatments could be useful?
Just a thought..
what and put us out of anwsering the same 20 questions all the time thats just crazy your funny andy.like i said i'm going for general stuff set up equipment,fish choices,food,nothing that really moves from generalization to specialization e.g. live bearers,disease,breeding ect... i want to have an faq that we can refer begginers to.although andy made a good point which is fostering the spirit of rescearch in new fishkeepers.i'll have to touch on that topic in the faq.
your funny andy.like i said i'm going for general stuff set up equipment,fish choices,food,nothing that really moves from generalization to specialization e.g. live bearers,disease,breeding ect... i want to have an faq that we can refer begginers to.although andy made a good point which is fostering the spirit of rescearch in new fishkeepers.i'll have to touch on that topic in the faq.
how about some cookie cutter setups for certain common size community tanks?
maybe a 10, 20, 29, and 50? I think most people start somewhere around there....it would be a fairly in depth project simply b/c of the variety of options but if it could be organized in a sort of "mix and match" manner it might be feasable (eg a section for a tank of small schooling fish, one for SA cichlids. one for africans, one for larger community tank, one for semiagressive) i think people would look through the setups and gain a better understanding of generalized fish behaviour/size and the concurrent requirements for those fish and could extrapolate from there, leaving us with more specific questions in the forum than "dude, i got a 10g...what should i put in it?"...hopefully more like "i am planning to put 3 cories and 5 danios in a ten gallon, is this feasable?"
on the research note, if a beginner sees something of interest hopefully they will search out some more info on it
Kevin
maybe a 10, 20, 29, and 50? I think most people start somewhere around there....it would be a fairly in depth project simply b/c of the variety of options but if it could be organized in a sort of "mix and match" manner it might be feasable (eg a section for a tank of small schooling fish, one for SA cichlids. one for africans, one for larger community tank, one for semiagressive) i think people would look through the setups and gain a better understanding of generalized fish behaviour/size and the concurrent requirements for those fish and could extrapolate from there, leaving us with more specific questions in the forum than "dude, i got a 10g...what should i put in it?"...hopefully more like "i am planning to put 3 cories and 5 danios in a ten gallon, is this feasable?"
on the research note, if a beginner sees something of interest hopefully they will search out some more info on it
Kevin
79 - I don't see that fitting in a FAQ very well... But someone could make one heck of a java based version of that! Of course, if you do that - You can be sure someone is going to go out buy all the fish mentioned plus that cute knifefish - come home plop them all in the tank - and then complain when either they all die (due to not cycling), or get eaten.
Catfishmike: PLEASE put in a section explaning basic water parameters! Touching on pH modification (and the myth surrounding it) hard water vs soft water. AND how you don't need the exact water conditions the fishies would have seen IF they had been born in the wild.
Andy
Catfishmike: PLEASE put in a section explaning basic water parameters! Touching on pH modification (and the myth surrounding it) hard water vs soft water. AND how you don't need the exact water conditions the fishies would have seen IF they had been born in the wild.
Andy
My first thought was maybe something that beginners can look at that totally spells out cycling. The pros and cons of fishless cycling vs. fish in cycling vs. NOT cycling at all vs. cycling with plants. There are some basic parts of cycling that I'm finding that I explain over and over and if we just had somewhere to point them it would be great. Pointing them to the fishless cycling thread just seems to confuse newbies for some reason, even though I think that article is a good article to get to understand the cycling process.
Another common misconception is the one that "cycling" is just letting the tank sit for a day or a week and thinking that that is cycling...even though nothing is really happening because there is no source of ammonia.
As for the disease portion...how about a general part about things you can do to help sick/new/stressed out fish feel more comfortable. All of the usual, turn your lights off (unless you have live plants) add some salt (OH SPEAKING OF SALT we should put Andy's explaination of which salt to use...why/how because it seems that has been asked a lot lately) maybe add some stress coat etc.
OH another thought I had was how about some general rules about tanks not being set up in direct sunlight or near a drafty place or a wall heater etc. Stuff that most of us think comes as common sense a newbie might not think of and I know I wish someone would have told me in the beginning really surface stuff like that.
OH another thought (I could keep going but this is the last one cuz i"m late for a meeting back at the office) is an explaination of types of filters...ie what does HOB mean...what does UGF mean...what is the difference between a power filter and a canister filter...what gph rating should I get for my tank. Even though opinons on the different types go a long way, I think it would be helpful to lay them all out. I thought my two choices were HOB or UGF when I was setting up my tanks...never even heard of a canister filter!
OK stopping for now.
Another common misconception is the one that "cycling" is just letting the tank sit for a day or a week and thinking that that is cycling...even though nothing is really happening because there is no source of ammonia.
As for the disease portion...how about a general part about things you can do to help sick/new/stressed out fish feel more comfortable. All of the usual, turn your lights off (unless you have live plants) add some salt (OH SPEAKING OF SALT we should put Andy's explaination of which salt to use...why/how because it seems that has been asked a lot lately) maybe add some stress coat etc.
OH another thought I had was how about some general rules about tanks not being set up in direct sunlight or near a drafty place or a wall heater etc. Stuff that most of us think comes as common sense a newbie might not think of and I know I wish someone would have told me in the beginning really surface stuff like that.
OH another thought (I could keep going but this is the last one cuz i"m late for a meeting back at the office) is an explaination of types of filters...ie what does HOB mean...what does UGF mean...what is the difference between a power filter and a canister filter...what gph rating should I get for my tank. Even though opinons on the different types go a long way, I think it would be helpful to lay them all out. I thought my two choices were HOB or UGF when I was setting up my tanks...never even heard of a canister filter!
OK stopping for now.
i think that in addition to a good, CLEAR explanation of how to cycle a tank (fish or fishless) a beginners guide to selecting fish would be helpful.
I mean something along the lines of good/bad fish for beginners, as well as what to look for at your LFS when buying a fish.
I mention because, being in the chicagoland area, I have a ton of stores to go to. but easily half of those stores dont care for the fish that well and therefore the fish are in bad shape.
some info about what to look for in the LFS tanks and on the LFS fish to tell if they are good healthy fish and if your LFS is reliable.
I mean something along the lines of good/bad fish for beginners, as well as what to look for at your LFS when buying a fish.
I mention because, being in the chicagoland area, I have a ton of stores to go to. but easily half of those stores dont care for the fish that well and therefore the fish are in bad shape.
some info about what to look for in the LFS tanks and on the LFS fish to tell if they are good healthy fish and if your LFS is reliable.
also, i would love to see a faq (not necessarily for beginners) that explains sexing all the major species of fish. i know this would be quite a task, but i'd love to be able to find out what sex my pristella tetra are without posting new threads....
and most of the info i've found on sexing fish isnt very clear.....
and most of the info i've found on sexing fish isnt very clear.....
ok so far topics i like are ph and water parameters,total cycling,what to look for when shopping for fish and fish supplys,and begining fish and compatibility,oh and that common sense stuff froggy mentioned(almost forgot that)
things i may look into:common tank set ups and pre planed fish communitys(i like this idea,what fish next threads are driving me nuts!?)definetly like having calculators,basic medications.
things i may look into:common tank set ups and pre planed fish communitys(i like this idea,what fish next threads are driving me nuts!?)definetly like having calculators,basic medications.
One site I went to (I don't remember which) had classified the fish in its profiles with a color (4 colors, ranging from community to aggressive) to help users choose fish for their tanks. Of course the chains do this too (although I am not sure I agree with their classification every time). This might make it easier for beginners to choose fish. Perhaps a size guide using numbers could help for numbers of fish you could put in a tank. It's just an idea.
I know there are a lot of ideas being kicked around, and it probably seems like a mammouth task to please at least some of the site visitors. Keep up the good work
I know there are a lot of ideas being kicked around, and it probably seems like a mammouth task to please at least some of the site visitors. Keep up the good work