Choosing Fish For Your Aquarium - Freshwater Fish
You've got your tank and you are all ready to set it up.
What kind of fish are you going to put in it? Don't make the common mistake of stocking your tank with appealing looking fish and wishing for the best.
Many new aquarium owners do this, to their dismay.
If often leads to disaster for the owner and the fish.
Do more than just wish, figure out your preferences, do your research and you'll be a happy aquarium owner with healthy fish.
First, think about what kind of fish you might like to have in your tank.
Do you want active fish that will amuse you or slow-moving fish that will provide a calm energy? Maybe you would like brightly colored fish? On the other hand, maybe you would like fish that coordinate with your décor? Perhaps you would like fish of particular shape or size.
All of these things should be taken into consideration when choosing fish for your freshwater aquarium.
After you have clarified your preferences, you will want to understand the requirements of the fish you have chosen for your tank.
Fish of different breeds have different needs.
Here are some questions to consider.
Can your chosen fish share a tank with others? What does this fish eat? Does he eat at the bottom of the tank or the top? What temperature works best for this fish? How much room does this fish need to thrive? Does this fish prefer open areas or lots of places to hide? What kind of pH does this fish prefer? Do all the breeds I have chosen have the answers to these questions in common? Another major consideration is dietary needs.
Mixing bottom feeders and top feeders is fine, as long as the top feeders are not too aggressive.
You want some of the food to reach the bottom for the bottom feeders.
You also want to be careful that you don't choose fish that feed on each other.
That's right.
Some fish qualify as food for other fish you have chosen.
The other characteristic to watch out for is aggression.
Smaller fish and fish with long, flowing fins are frequently targets for aggressive fish.
Unless you have specifically chosen a low-aggression breed, you will want to limit yourself to one male per tank.
Males are general aggressive in many types of fish.
It's best to have several females for that one male, but it really does depend on the type.
A good place to find the answers to these questions is your local fish store.
The staff should be knowledgeable about which types of fish thrive together and under what circumstances.
Browse the fish at the store, determine which ones meet your preferences, and cross check to see if they will live in harmony, and enjoy your aquarium.
What kind of fish are you going to put in it? Don't make the common mistake of stocking your tank with appealing looking fish and wishing for the best.
Many new aquarium owners do this, to their dismay.
If often leads to disaster for the owner and the fish.
Do more than just wish, figure out your preferences, do your research and you'll be a happy aquarium owner with healthy fish.
First, think about what kind of fish you might like to have in your tank.
Do you want active fish that will amuse you or slow-moving fish that will provide a calm energy? Maybe you would like brightly colored fish? On the other hand, maybe you would like fish that coordinate with your décor? Perhaps you would like fish of particular shape or size.
All of these things should be taken into consideration when choosing fish for your freshwater aquarium.
After you have clarified your preferences, you will want to understand the requirements of the fish you have chosen for your tank.
Fish of different breeds have different needs.
Here are some questions to consider.
Can your chosen fish share a tank with others? What does this fish eat? Does he eat at the bottom of the tank or the top? What temperature works best for this fish? How much room does this fish need to thrive? Does this fish prefer open areas or lots of places to hide? What kind of pH does this fish prefer? Do all the breeds I have chosen have the answers to these questions in common? Another major consideration is dietary needs.
Mixing bottom feeders and top feeders is fine, as long as the top feeders are not too aggressive.
You want some of the food to reach the bottom for the bottom feeders.
You also want to be careful that you don't choose fish that feed on each other.
That's right.
Some fish qualify as food for other fish you have chosen.
The other characteristic to watch out for is aggression.
Smaller fish and fish with long, flowing fins are frequently targets for aggressive fish.
Unless you have specifically chosen a low-aggression breed, you will want to limit yourself to one male per tank.
Males are general aggressive in many types of fish.
It's best to have several females for that one male, but it really does depend on the type.
A good place to find the answers to these questions is your local fish store.
The staff should be knowledgeable about which types of fish thrive together and under what circumstances.
Browse the fish at the store, determine which ones meet your preferences, and cross check to see if they will live in harmony, and enjoy your aquarium.