Don't Panic

To borrow a line from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: "Don’t Panic." Even the most experienced fishkeepers encounter bumps in the road. Despite having all the knowledge, doing thorough research, and following best practices, things can—and will—go wrong. Mistakes happen. You might forget something, misjudge a situation, or feel like you’re cursed and just can’t keep fish alive. But don’t let it get to you. If anything, it’s part of the journey.

Let me share a few personal stories to remind you that even experienced fishkeepers have their moments.

A Mistake with a Zebra Danio

When I was first starting out, I was just learning the ropes of fishkeeping. One day, I was trying to count all the fish in my tank and couldn’t find one. Instead of sticking my hand in the water, I used a net to gently probe around, making sure I didn’t accidentally disturb anything. Once I was finished, I set the net aside and went about my day.

Later, when I came back to check the tank, I noticed that one of my zebra danios was missing. I searched everywhere, but couldn’t find it. So, I grabbed the net to check once more, and to my horror, there it was: my zebra danio, long dead and dried up in the net. If you’ve ever kept danios, you know they’re fast little swimmers, not easy to catch. But there it was, proof that even the simplest mistakes can have big consequences.

A Saltwater Setback

I had a good foundation in freshwater tanks, but diving into saltwater was a whole new world. I bought a used tank from someone on Facebook Marketplace who was getting rid of it because he couldn’t maintain it. After getting the tank set up and adding some fish, I figured it was time to do a water change. That’s when I made three critical mistakes.

The first was using tap water from my hose. My home has a water softener that dechlorinates tap water, but I thought the softener was stripping too many micronutrients from the water. So, I decided to bypass it. My second mistake was doing a large 50% water change. Saltwater fish are far more sensitive to fluctuations in water chemistry, and this was too much of a change all at once. But the biggest mistake was this: as I poured my final bucket of water into the tank, I glanced over and saw my bottle of water conditioner still sitting on the counter—unused. It was too late. Within 24 hours, everything in the tank was dead.

Why I’m Sharing These Stories

I share these personal experiences because even though I knew better, I still made these mistakes. And you will too. The key is not to let those mistakes define you as a “bad” fishkeeper. Instead, think of them as part of the learning process. We all make errors, but every failure is a chance to grow.

Even with those early failures, I learned how to properly maintain tanks. I will never forget the water conditioner again. I’ll always check my net to make sure no fish are stuck in it. The time and money invested in keeping fish isn’t wasted just because something went wrong. That would be like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

It’s not easy—when I wiped out my brand-new saltwater tank, I, a grown man, bawled my eyes out. But I didn’t give up. I picked myself up, tried again, and now I have a stable, thriving saltwater tank that brings me immense pride. That experience taught me something invaluable: one failure doesn’t define you. It means you’re learning. As the movie Meet the Robinsons reminds us: “Keep moving forward!”

Keep Going!

Fishkeeping is a journey, and just like any journey, there will be bumps along the way. But remember, the challenges you face will only make you a better keeper. So, take your time, be patient with yourself, and keep moving forward. With every setback, you’re one step closer to mastering the art of aquarium care.