| Buying the right aquarium fish for your tank is key to | | | | adding more fish will just make things worse and |
| the success of your aquarium. When selecting fish, | | | | endanger the health of all the fish in the tank. Also, |
| you may not simply be able to pick out the fish that | | | | you should be careful not to overload your tank with |
| catch your eye in the pet store as not all fish can live | | | | too many fish as this will cause stress on all the fish |
| in the same environment. Additionally not all fish get | | | | as well as cause your water quality to degrade. The |
| along with each other so you will have to be careful | | | | general rule of thumb for freshwater tropical fish |
| to choose the types of fish that are compatible. | | | | tanks is 1 inch of fish per gallon of water. If you add |
| If all this seems like hard work, don't worry, you will | | | | too many, you will have to spend more time |
| soon become familiar with the types of tropical fish | | | | changing the water and will need really good filtration |
| that work well in your tank and even have some | | | | in order to keep your tank healthy. |
| favorites that you like to keep. When choosing fish | | | | 4. Water Temperature. Not all tropical fish like the |
| for your aquarium, here's some tips to keep in mind: | | | | same temperature water. While most will do well with |
| 1. Fish appearance. Observe the particular fish you are | | | | temps in the mid 70's some do better in cooler |
| interested in carefully to make sure he is active and | | | | waters while others like it on the warm side. |
| swimming around properly. Make sure his fins are not | | | | 5. Fish size. Before you buy a new fish you might |
| chewed and he doesn't have any growths or white | | | | want to find out how big he can be expected to |
| fuzzy patches. | | | | eventually grow. Since your tank can support about 1 |
| 2. Tank condition. Dealers tanks can have parasites | | | | inch of fish per gallon, you wouldn't want to put a |
| and disease that might not be apparent in your fish | | | | fish that might grow to 5 inches in your 5 gallon tank |
| right away so you need to observe the other fish in | | | | or he might be the only one you can have! |
| the tank and take a good look at the tank conditions. | | | | 6. The type of fish. Is your new fish aggressive or |
| Is the tank clean? If not that is an indication that the | | | | does he play well with others? Is he OK being the |
| dealer probably doesn't care for the tanks well. Make | | | | only one of his kind in the tank or will he do better in |
| sure the other fish in the tank are alert and | | | | a school. Make sure you only put fish that will get |
| swimming around actively. Avoid buying a fish from a | | | | along in the tank or the more aggressive fish will pick |
| tank that has dead fish floating in it. Even if your fish | | | | on the others. Also, some fish are territorial and you |
| appears to be healthy, he could already be infected | | | | should only keep one per tank. |
| with something that might not show up until days | | | | 7. The food. Find out what type of food your new |
| after you get him home. By then it might be too late | | | | fish likes to eat. Most eat flakes, but some like |
| and you could risk infecting your other fish. | | | | freeze dried worms or other types of food. When |
| 3. Water Conditions. The condition of your water is | | | | you bring home your new fish be sure to also take |
| important as well as the number of fish you already | | | | home some of his favorite dinner. |
| have in the tank. If your water condition is poor then | | | | |