Aquarium fish

When choosing the appropriate fish for your aquarium you need to think a little further than the way they match the room’s furniture. Specialists’ advices you to follow the next steps:

First you have to think objectively about the number of fish your aquarium can host bearing in mind its capacity. A possible general rule can be allowing six centimetres of fish for every three litres of water.  

It is advisable to buy the fish from a specialised fish store since you are looking for healthy fish. In this case, the next thing you need to take into consideration is the salesman’s knowledge regarding fish. In order to form an opinion about that, you can check out the presentation aquariums form the store.

In case the fish look satisfied and this looks close to the image you have in mind about your own aquarium it means the store is trustworthy; but in case you notice dead plants or fish floating in the aquarium you’d better look for a different place to buy your fish from.  

You need to thoroughly inform yourself over the types of fish you plan to include in your fish tank. You need to read about them preferable form more sources, if possible. Some fish have special needs regarding the temperature of the water, the level of chemicals, their diet or their compatibility with other fish species.

Try to buy fish that enjoy company of other fish. In this situation the compatibility issues are going to be minor and it would be easy to notice if the fish are acting strangely.  

Although it is difficult, try to resist the temptation of buying one fish out of all your favourites’ species.

After you made up your mind about the perfect fish store and you have researched your favourite types of fish, ask the salesman as well about the fish’ compatibility issues.

Try not to buy fish in order to impress others like so many people do, by buying piranha fish. Piranhas are shy fish that eventually end up eating other fish. Not only that, but they are also expensive and have bigger tendencies towards developing diseases and parasites. Although they are considered group fish, in case they are not properly fed they end up eating each other.  

Consider purchasing a fish like the Bala sharks fish. This is a fish that provides great aspect to your aquarium, but they grow up to 30 cm so if your aquarium is not spacious enough you better abandon this idea.

Try to avoid the sea cats, they tend to grow a lot more than any of you can imagine.  

Some advices regarding introducing new fish into your aquarium: 

 Before introducing a new fish into the aquarium it is advisable to keep it in a different bowl, in quarantine for a couple of days.

 When you bring the fish home from the store it is recommended to put the bag into something opaque like a paper bag.

 Try to introduce the fish into its new environment as slowly as possible. You can equalise the water’s temperature by holding the bag with the new fish into the aquarium’s water. Periodically add to the quarantine bowl water from the aquarium.

 You need to provide minimum amount of light for the first days in a new environment.

 Make sure there are enough hiding places for the new fish.

 Do not introduce more than four fish at one time into an aquarium; otherwise you can destroy the chemical balance of the aquarium.

 Be careful with gold fish as they are not real tropical fish and they need lower water temperatures than other fish may do. This is why they tend to develop more health problems. 

 Knife fish may represent a bad purchase for your aquarium in certain circumstances. If you start missing fish from the aquarium pay close attention to these night predators.