When it comes to choosing the right aquarium fish, there are a few simple things you should watch for to ensure the success of your tank. Not all fish like the same conditions and water temperatures, so the type of environment you plan to create will determine the type of fish you choose.

You should also remember that some fish prefer to live in schools of similar types of fish, so to only buy one of these particular fish will mean a lonely, stressed fish. The size of your tank will also be a factor in how many and what types of fish you buy. Remember that even though a fish might be small when you buy it, it could grow quite large which could mean over-crowding problems in your tank later.

When you think you know what types of fish you want to buy for your aquarium, ask plenty of questions at your aquarium store. If you already have some fish in your tank, then remember to include this information when youre considering adding other types of fish. Putting incompatible fish into the same tank could mean fighting or unhappy fish that lead to even more problems.

Tank Temperature: Putting tropical fish into a cold water tank will give you very unhappy, unhealthy fish. The same is true if you put a cold water fish into a warm water tank. Choose only fish that are best suited to the tank environment youve created.

Water Conditions: Think about how many fish you already have in your aquarium and how much growing they have left to do before you buy more. Overcrowding a tank can lead to increased ammonia levels which can make fish very ill.

Fish Size: Buying small fish doesnt mean theyre not going to mature into big fish in a few months time. Several large fish in a smaller tank or a tank already populated with lots of other fish can cause overcrowding. This can lead to even more problems.

Fish Types: Not all fish will enjoy being thrown into a tank environment with lots of other fish. There are some varieties that are very aggressive and may attack other fish in your tank and some can be territorial and hostile. If you prefer the look of lots of gentle fish living together in harmony, then move the more aggressive fish to separate tanks.

Food Types: Most people are familiar with fish flakes and the sight of fish coming to the surface to eat the bits you sprinkle over the top is common. However not all fish will eat this type of fish food. Some prefer a little more substance in their diets, so consider things like brine shrimp or mealworms. You should check what your particular fish prefer to eat.

Healthy Looks: When you see the right fish that you want to buy in an aquarium store, dont immediately ask to have that particular fish. Take a moment and check out the condition of the rest of the tank. If you see any fish sprouting white fluffy growths, dont buy anything from that particular tank.

You should also check the other fish in the tank for any unusual growths or fluffy white patches on their scales. These are also signs of bacteria or disease that could pass to your own fish. Buying a fish from a tank where disease is present means that you could be transferring that same problem into your tank.

The primary key for building a successful aquarium is to choose the right fish that will get along with each other and then to create an environment within your tank that gives your fish the best possible chance of living a happy, healthy, stress-free life in harmony with the other fish youve chosen.

Tags: Aquariums

This entry was posted on Monday, April 27th, 2009 at 8:45 pm and is filed under Aquariums. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.