Stressful Conditions in Your Aquarium 

In an aquarium, fish and invertebrates are exposed to stressors that may not even exist in the wild.

Here are just a few and also some easy solutions:

Poor water quality.  Fish can live for days without food, but without clean water, they will die immediately. Water is, to them, what air is to us. When they excrete waste into the ocean, it's only a drop in the bucket. However, when aquarium water is polluted with waste material, it can be dangerous. Clean water means healthy water, and healthy water means healthy fish. 

To avoid poor water quality, have adequate filtration for the size of your aquarium and practice proper maintenance by testing the water regularly.

Poor nutrition.  An animal will not be healthy and strong if it is not eating correctly.

Make sure that you are feeding your fish the right kinds of food as well as the right amount. Don't let the more aggressive tank mates steal all the food from the less aggressive fish.

Overcrowding.  Too many fish in an aquarium will have very stressful results. Not having enough space leads to territorial fighting and possible injury, which in turn can lead to infection, disease, and death.

You can probably accommodate 1 inch of fish per 4 gallons of water for the first 6 months. Gradually increase to 1 inch per 2 gallons after this startup period.

Lighting Disturbances.  A sudden change in light or sound can stress your fish. Even tapping on the aquarium glass may be detrimental if repeated too often. 

Try not to switch on the light when the fish are resting late at night. Avoid sudden changes in noise level and ask that people not constantly tap on the glass.

Handling the fish.  Every time you chase the fish with a net or remove them from the water, you're stressing your pets. This type of stress cannot be avoided, but may be minimized.

Make sure to use a net that is soft and large enough to fit the entire fish. Attempt to coax the fish with food into one corner of the tank where it can be picked up easier. Move it to its new container or bag as quickly as possible, and try to keep travel time short.

Temperature changes.  If your heater malfunctions, the water temperature will drop, and your fish will stress. If the heater doesn't turn off, the temperature will soar, and your fish will stress. If the temperatures are too extreme one way or the other, the acute stress will kill them immediately. If the temperature extremes do not kill the fish, they may still weaken the fishes' immune systems and lead to disease.

Frequently check your heater and water temperature to avoid extreme changes in temperature. Before transferring a fish, make sure that water temperatures are the same in both containers.