Choosing Fish For Your Aquarium
So you’ve got your fish tank set up. Or you’re ready to set up your tank, and you need a whole host of swimming, happy aquarium freshwater fish to fill it, right? Well, slow down and decide exactly what sort of fish you want in there.
Possibly you are looking for fast moving, shoaling fish that will constantly entertain you by darting around the tank. Or maybe you’re interesting in those with bright, vibrant colors. Or maybe you want something else entirely. However you look at it you’re going to fish for a fish tank.
Choosing the right mix of fish can be time consuming particularly if you intend to have a few species together. Remember to research before buying anything, because you risk fish loss and eventual death if you don’t!
Research: Not Too Difficult
Usually the staff at your local fish store are enthusiasts and they are only too pleased to answer any questions that you have regarding information about your future fish stock.
Here are a few questions that you should ask:
- Does this fish like open areas, or plenty of plants?
- What pH does this fish prefer?
- Is this fish happy to live with others?
- What does this fish prefer to eat?
- Is this fish a top or bottom feeder?
- Will this fish need much space now or in the future?
- What temperature does this fish thrive in?
If you want mixed species in your aquarium then try to match their requirements closely. Your tank is going to have a much better future if you get this as close as possible.
While we could give you the breeds of fish, you’re just going to get confused – and you won’t really be able to fall in love with the fish this way. We recommend a much better option. Go to your local fish store and have a good look around. Heck, go to several in your area! Take a piece of paper with you and make a note of the varieties of fish that you like the look of, talk to the expert about their needs and make a note of them as well.
When you get home cross reference the information you got from the fish store with information on each species. This way you will know which are the best fish species for you.
We Must All Eat
There’s one thing that some people just don’t consider when purchasing multiple fish, and this is food needs. Not all fish eat at the same level – some are bottom dwellers, and others are surface eaters.
However, try to avoid asggressive top feeders because pellets intended for the bottom feeder might not get there!
Happy fish tend to have a prolonged active life so try to select fish with similar diets that will not steal from each other. Fish are cannibals so you need to make certain that they are not going to eat each other. This is no joke, there is a definite risk.
Another serious risk is aggressive fish biting smaller ones. Almost always a target ore fish with long flowing fins. Try to match aggression levels this works well. Big bullies know when to retreat so serious confrontations can be avoided.
Aggression Problems
Many fish – especially males – are going to be aggressive in general, so you really do need to try and avoid pairing more then one male in the tank, with the exception of less aggressive species. Even fish with similar colors can sometimes set it off, so be careful who you pair with whom. Two or three females to each male usually works best but there are always exceptions.
The Absolute Worst Mistake
You must never ever just leave to chance your choice of fish for a multi-species aquarium. A lot of owners do this and sadly reap the consequences. You’re almost surely going to end up in disaster, so don’t just be hopeful – do your research, and you’ll end up with a great set of fish for a long, long time.
John A Thomson is a freshwater fish expert. For more great tips on freshwater aquarium fish visit freshwateraquariumsecretsonline.com
