
DON’TS FOR BEGINNERS 

Don’t expect success except when the aquarium is well conditioned or 
balanced, with ample growing plants and a good light. 
Don’t fail to remember that the plant life should exceed the animal life 
and scavengers be present. There can scarcely be too many health- 
growing plants in the aquarium. 
Don’t place fishes into an aquarium until the plants are well established, 
but introduce scavengers at once. 
Don’t change the water needlessly, its appearance and taste is the best 
guide. 
Don’t occasion sudden changes in the temperature of the water. 
Don’t forget that colder water will sustain more fishes than when it becomes 
warmer. 
Don’t, as a novice, begin with fine fishes; the ordinary goldfishes are 
more hardy than the finely bred toy varieties. 
Don’t, when no longer a novice, be contented with the common goldfishes ; 
the inexpensive “sports” of the finer breeds are more interesting. 
Don’t needlessly frighten the fishes; kind treatment will make them very 
tame. 
Don’t jar the aquarium or rap on the glass; fishes have finely organized 
nervous systems. Guard against even the most unintentional cruel- 
fies. 
Don’t handle fishes roughly ; bruises and the loss of the mucus covering 
of the scales become seats for fungus diseases. 
Don’t place large fishes in small aquaria, nor keep large and small fishes 
in the same receptacle, if avoidable. 
Don’t keep fishes together which molest each other. 
Don’t keep diseased fishes with healthy ones; remove them to a hospital 
jar for treatment. 
Don’t buy fishes and plants promiscuously; be sure that they are clean 
and free from infection. 
Don’t immediately introduce newly acquired fishes or plants into an es- 
tablished aquarium; keep them for some time in a separate receptacle, 
until fully assured that they are in perfect condition. This is a fre- 
quent cause of infection. 
Don’t starve the fishes, but be even more careful not to overfeed them. 
Feed more sparingly in winter than in summer. 
Don’t fail to remember that mistaken kindnesses kill as many fishes as 
neglect or inexperience. 
Don’t feed more than the fishes will eat at once; they may only masticate 
the food and later eject it to contaminate the water. 
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