Karen Sabolcik
discus@blackboard.com
Feb, 1996
1449 Atterbury Way
Bensalem, PA 19020

WHY KEEP JOURNALS?

It happens to all of us. Whether we have a problem with the water, a disease or question about our fish's offspring, we end up saying to ourselves "How did this happen?". All to often we misplace our memories and fail to find out what actually went on in that tank. This article was written to help end those sleepless nights wondering what to do with the problem at hand.

Keeping a journal is one of the most important things one can do to help their fish survive. It can be as simple as jotting down a brief summary about what went on that day or as complex as a having detailed information about water, etc. As long as you know what you wrote and understand it, that is all that is needed.

I keep one of those detailed journals on the computer since I have many tanks and something new is always going on. My categories consist of a spawn record data base, health on each tank, behavioral journal, general journal, water testing, water changes, etc. I also have a sales, purchase, growth records, utilities and food record journal. Yours needn't be so complex. Just jot down on a piece of paper with the date every time something happens that you think will someday be an important reference. For a quick reference of your journal, it's best to put a title on the top of the page so you know what that entry was for. Journals can save alot of heartache.

You still say you don't need a journal since nothing has ever happened? Well, I can point out for you why you would benefit greatly from keep ing one.

Say for instance Mr. Fishy one day was acting especially dominant. He wasn't allowing any of his friends near the food. This is unlike him. So you jot down how he acted. The next day you find him surrounded with eggs. You ask how did this happen? Well, you already know how he acts just before he finds Mrs. Right because you jotted it down. You also jotted down what the ph was, the temp. was, when the last time you changed water was and what food you fed for that whole month. In a couple of days, the eggs hatch. So you jot down the water chemistry incase Mr.Fishy decides to have little egg heads again.

Time goes by with no trace of any future Mr. Fishys swimming around and creating havoc after the first surprise. Well, you could give up or test the water and current conditions then refer to your journal.

You then find out the water was to hot or the water was not changed as often as it was when Mr. Fishy did the nasty. So you decide to repeat what happened the first time the mating was a success. Well, to your surprise, Mr. Fishy has eggs again ! You get the point. The same goes for diseases.

Suppose you treated for a disease and the fish died as a result. You now have detailed info on how much and what medications were given. The next time the disease occurs, you know you won't be doomed to repeat the same mistake again.

Since we cleared up the importance of the journal, it is time to think about how you want to create a journal to suit your needs. You could format your journal or jot down weekly or daily text in no order. I have shown some example journal listings that will get you started. Make sure to customize your journal to your needs. 

    DATE: ___     ABOUT WHAT :   ___ 
    PH :  ___  TEMPERATURE :  __ HARDNESS : _____ 
    AMMONIA LEVEL : ___  NITRITE LEVEL : ____ NITRATE LEVEL :  ___  
    DISEASE :  ____  MEDICATION : ____                 
    DATE EGGS LAID :  _____ DATE EGGS HATCHED :  ____WATER CHANGE:____

This list can go on and on. If you are breeding, its easier to use a separate journal just for logging spawn information.

Here is an example of how you might put the categories together in a journal. You could write this journal's page like the following : 
date :  10-3-95                  
ABOUT WHAT :  fin rot    

date started :  10- 1-95                            date ended : ______
medication used :    malachite green                                      
medication dosage :  one drop per gallon for 3  days                                                                
                                                                         
                   

ph : 7.0                  Ammonia : 1 ppm              temperature : 80
nitrites : 0 ppm          nitrates : 10 ppm                       
                                                                    

SUMMARY :   here is where you write details of what the fish 
            looked like, how it was acting, if you added a new 
            fish, etc. Whatever you feel is important to this entry.

I cannot stress how important keeping a journal is. It will save you from trying to remember what you did right or wrong. How do you think breeders with numerous tanks manage to care for all their living friends? Sure, after years of doing something it does become second nature so you won't really have to refer to your journal as much.

However, think about this. No matter how much you think you know, there is always something unfamiliar that crops up that you never had experience with before. Keeping fish is an ongoing learning process. You never know everything! Even the professionals need their journal from time to time.

A journal is the most important asset for those who are just beginning in the hobby or breeding fishes for the first time. It is always said that experience is the best teacher. Is it really if you cannot remember all that you experienced?

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