Tips For Choosing Fish For Your Tropical Fish Tanks

I was quite surprised when we first got our tropical fish tank to find that choosing fish wasn’t as simple as just going to the pet shop and picking the one that looks the prettiest. It turned out that there were a few more factors other than how pretty the fish was that we had to consider before making our choice. So in this article I’m going to share with you some tips that I have learned to consider when choosing fish for your tropical fish tanks.
Tank Temperature
If you are having tropical fish you will need to have a heater in your tank set at the right temperature for those type of fish. So it is important to remember that not all fish come from the same part of the world and therefore some fish will require different temperatures than others. So you will want to choose fish that all live within the same temperature range.
Tank Size and Fish Size
The number of fish you have in your tank is quite important as you don’t want your tank to be overcrowded. You need to keep in mind that when you buy fish they are often young fish and are not fully grown, so think about how big those fish are going to get and then work out how many fish you can have in your size tank based on their fully grown size.
Not All Fish Get Along
All fish have different personalities and some breeds tend to be more aggressive than others so it is very important to take in their personality when putting different types of fish together. Some fish breeds will not only attack other fish but some will even eat other smaller fish. Fish such as Cichlids can be quite aggressive and so it is best to keep that type of fish together with others of the same type and not mix them with other types of tropical fish, this will ensure that you have happy fish that can live peacefully together.
Fish Diet
Different types of fish will have different diets. Some fish eat frozen food, others will eat flakes and others will eat live food. It is easiest if you stick to fish that eat the same type of foods and you need to learn how much to give them and how often to feed them.
So as you can see, choosing fish isn’t as simple as picking the prettiest one, you really do need to consider these other factors. If you aren’t sure about any of these factors then talk to your fish specialist at your local pet store and I’m sure they will be able to help you find the right fish for your tropical fish tanks.

Setting Up Your Aquarium

If you are just starting out with keeping fish as pets then you might be wondering if it is as simple as filling up a tank with water and putting in the fish or if there is more involved. There is a little more involved in setting up a fish tank than just shoving the water and fish into it, and this article should help you get started with the right steps to give your fish the best start.

It really is important to prepare your aquarium and have it set up properly before putting any fish into it, otherwise there is the possibility of contamination which could kill your fish.

The first thing you need to do once you have purchased a fish tank is to wash it thoroughly. You should avoid using any chemically based cleaners as these could be harmful for the fish, it is recommended just to use clean hot water to wash the tank. You will also need to wash anything that will go into the tank, including filter, pump, gravel and ornaments. If you do use any dishwashing liquid to wash your items then you must rinse them thoroughly to make sure all trace of the liquid is removed as just the smallest amount can be harmful to your fish.

If you are using a second hand fish tank it is just as important to give it a thorough clean before using it to make sure that you remove any parasites that could be residing in the tank. Although you may not be able to see these microorganisms doesn’t mean that they aren’t there so it really is important to play it safe and have a clean environment for your new fish.

The next step for you to take is to choose where you are going to put your tank and put it in that spot before filling it with water. It is also advisable to place a thin layer of foam or a mat under the tank to avoid the glass cracking if the surface isn’t completely level. You can purchase these mats or foam from any good pet store.

Next you will need to read the instructions that came with your pump and filter to know how to place them into your tank. Some pumps and filters will need to be installed into the aquarium before adding the water. Some filters are flatbased filters that lie on the bottom of the aquarium and these will need to be added before putting the gravel into the tank. The next step is to put the gravel into the aquarium and make sure that it has been washed thoroughly first.

You can add the water next and once the tank is filled you should use a water conditioner to remove the chlorine from the water.

If you are using a previously used tank, then you may want to fill it with water before adding the pump and filter to test the tank for any leaks, once you are sure there are no leaks then proceed to setup the tank with the pump, filters and gravel.
If you are having tropical fish then now is the time to add the heater to your aquarium. Follow the steps on the instructions that came with the heater and you will also need to add a thermometer to make sure that the water is heating evenly throughout the tank. It is advisable to place the thermometer on the opposite side of the tank to the heater.

Next you can place your plants and ornaments into the tank. Your fish will be happier if they have somewhere that they can hide and if they don’t have anywhere to hide, they may continue to swim around looking for somewhere and this can be bad for the fish, so make sure there is somewhere for the fish to swim under.

Now that you have added everything to the aquarium you can plug in and turn on the pump, filter and heater. You will need to make sure that the electrical cords are safely away from the water and that you have a drip spot to avoid the water entering the power point.

You will need to purchase a water testing kit so that you can test the ph levels of the water and make sure that the water is at the right levels before adding any fish. You should continue to monitor the ph levels on a regular basis.

It is recommended to leave your aquarium set up for three to four days before adding any fish as this will give the water time to settle and become the right environment for your new fish.

Following these steps to set up your aquarium will help your new fish to adjust to their new home an dkeep them safe in a healthy system. Don’t forget that when you do add your fish to your aquarium you will need to keep them in the plastic bag floating in the aquarium for 10 to 15 minutes before releasing them into the tank.

A very popular aquarium is the Biorb Fish Tank because it is very stylish and yet simple to clean and maintain.