| Nothing is more fun to watch than aquarium | | | | fight another fish to the death of one of them if |
| freshwater fish. That's because you can choose | | | | they are incompatible. And, even if death is not an |
| many different types of fish that will live happily | | | | issue, some placid fish can be terrorized daily by |
| together in a community. Some will be bright, others | | | | more aggressive fish, having their fins nipped at and |
| more darkly colored, some small and some large, | | | | being driven away from the food. |
| many will move very fast and just fly through the | | | | The truth is that many of the people who work in |
| water while others will be extremely slow swimmers. | | | | pet stores are not experts on aquarium freshwater |
| Fish community | | | | fish. That means that you should write down what |
| When you are choosing fish for your aquarium, you | | | | the salesperson said and take your notepad home to |
| need to consider many different options. The worst | | | | do a little more research. There are literally thousands |
| thing you can do is to walk into a pet store and just | | | | of websites online about aquarium freshwater fish, |
| choose a group of fish because you liked the colors | | | | and dozens of forums where people get together to |
| or the way they looked. Just as all people cannot get | | | | talk about their fish. Never let a pet store employee |
| along together, neither can all fish. Not doing a little | | | | talk you into bringing your aquarium and your fish |
| research beforehand is a recipe for disaster. | | | | home on the same day. |
| When you are first setting up a freshwater aquarium, | | | | Online fish facts |
| you need to let it run for a few weeks so that | | | | Do a little more research to figure out if the fish you |
| everything is working properly and the water is just | | | | like get along with one another. Find out if the fish |
| right for the fish. As you eagerly await placing your | | | | need to have lot of plants and other hiding places. If |
| first fish in the tank, it is the perfect time to do a | | | | some of your fish need huge open spaces and |
| little research on fish and find out which aquarium | | | | others need large areas of plants, you will not be able |
| freshwater fish are going to get along together the | | | | to live with the smallest tank available. Keep in mind |
| best. | | | | that for every one inch of fish, you need 3 to 4 |
| Once you figure out which fish can live together in a | | | | gallons of water. The rule of thumb that says each |
| community, the next thing to determine is which fish | | | | inch of fish needs one gallon of water is far from |
| to choose for different levels of the tank. You see, | | | | reality. |
| every aquarium works best when you have top | | | | Obviously, if you are enthused by large fish you are |
| feeders, who like to live near the surface of the | | | | going to have to put out some big bucks to buy a |
| water, middle feeders, who like to be right in the | | | | big tank. Go down the list of fish you liked and see |
| center of the tank (vertically), and bottom dwellers, | | | | how much space they will need. Find out if they can |
| those nifty fish who swim around the bottom of the | | | | all live in water with the same acidity level. This is |
| tank, eating all of the food that falls there. These | | | | determined by a number and then the letters, pH. |
| bottom dwellers actually keep uneaten food from | | | | Some fish need a low pH and some need a high one. |
| spoiling and ruining your tank water, which causes | | | | And, check out as to whether or not you have fish |
| diseases. They also keep it algae-free. | | | | who can live at the surface, mid-way and bottom |
| Pet Store Discoveries | | | | water levels. |
| Unless you are completely fixated on a certain type | | | | Even if you choose to have fish that all live at one |
| of fish, the best choice for aquarium freshwater fish | | | | level, you will need a bottom feeder, or you will have |
| is to have a whole aquarium of fish who get along, | | | | big problems keeping your water clean and your fish |
| live at different levels, and are colorful and exciting to | | | | healthy. Besides, bottom dwellers are a lot of fun to |
| watch. One of the best ways to make these | | | | watch as they scour the bottom of the tank with |
| selections is to go to the local pet store and spend | | | | their big mouths constantly opening and closing. Also |
| some time looking at the fish. Don't let shop | | | | make sure all the fish can survive at a similar |
| salespeople hurry you along. Just take all the time | | | | temperature level. |
| you need going from tank to tank, and bring along a | | | | Best beginner fish |
| notepad to jot down the names of the fish you | | | | As you are trying to determine the freshwater |
| really liked. | | | | aquarium fish you want to purchase, take a look at |
| Next, ask the salesperson to take a look at what | | | | some of these fish, who all live at the same |
| you have chosen and make their recommendations | | | | temperature level, different water levels, and who all |
| as to what fish can live in harmony and which cannot. | | | | get along in a community. Most fish do best with at |
| As a rule it is always best never to put more than | | | | least a half dozen of their own kind in the tank. |
| one male of any type of fish in an aquarium. Males of | | | | Check these out: tetras (used to be the best tiny |
| different species can get along but as a rule, two | | | | fish but in recent years quality has declined and they |
| males of the same species will not. So, one male and | | | | don't live as long), cherry barbs, danios, blue |
| several females is a better choice. The aggression | | | | gouramis, rasboras, and corydoras catfish, who are |
| level of fish is very important because some fish will | | | | perfect bottom dwellers. |