sourcing

WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get

Definition

WYSIWYG is a vendor practice of photographing the exact specimen being sold and listing that photo on the product page. The buyer receives the SAME specimen pictured (not a representative photo).

Practical use in aquariums

WYSIWYG is the gold standard for premium coral, named-line clownfish, and high-grade fancy goldfish + koi. Premium per-piece pricing reflects the guarantee. Browse Fast Aquatics WYSIWYG cultivars for current named-line drops.

How WYSIWYG fits the bigger picture

Understanding WYSIWYG matters because it's connected to broader husbandry decisions: sourcing decisions echo for years: a hardier captive-bred specimen pays back its premium in lower mortality + faster acclimation.

Browse the Fast Aquatics care library for full husbandry tutorials covering WYSIWYG in context.

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Aquarium-keeping fundamentals

Whatever specific topic brought you here, four fundamentals govern long-term aquarium success: water quality, parameter stability, biological filtration, and species-appropriate husbandry. Skip any one and the others struggle to compensate.

Water quality: ammonia + nitrite at zero, nitrate under 30 ppm freshwater + 10 ppm reef. Test weekly with API or Salifert kits. Use our water parameter checker to score your readings against your tank type.

Parameter stability: stable wrong parameters beat fluctuating ideal parameters. Most fish tolerate a wide pH range if it's stable. Sudden swings of 0.4+ pH or 5+°F kill fish faster than chronic suboptimal values. Use temperature controllers (Inkbird) + automated dosing for consistency.

Biological filtration: the bacterial colony on your filter media + rock + substrate is the engine. Never replace all media at once. Use our filter turnover calculator to size correctly.

Species-appropriate husbandry: research adult size, territoriality, diet, and tankmate compatibility before purchase. Use our tank stocking calculator + compatibility guides.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an aquarium take to set up? 4-6 weeks for full cycling + first stocking. Use our cycle ETA calculator + how long does cycling take.

What's the best aquarium for beginners? 20-gallon long. Big enough for parameter stability, small enough for budget + space. See beginner picks.

How often should I do water changes? 25-30% weekly. See water change frequency Q&A + water change calculator.

Why does my fish keep dying? 5 leading causes: uncycled tank, wrong species pairings, no quarantine, undersized tank, neglected water-change schedule. See full diagnosis.

Related resources

Saltwater livestock · Freshwater livestock · Coral catalog · Care library · Q&A library (222) · Glossary (127) · Disease database (50) · Calculators (29) · Interactive tools (7) · Husbandry deep-dives · DIY projects · State legality directory