There are over 4000 tropical fish types and choosing the right kinds for your home tank gives you a lot of options. There are many considerations when choosing species for your tank. In this article we’ll look at some of the things you should know to ensure a great home tank full of healthy fish.
First of all, salt water tanks will always be much more costly to maintain, and saltwater fish are generally much more expensive than fresh water fish, so for the casual tank owner, you’ll want to go with fresh water. Fresh water fish are just as varied and interesting as their salt water counterparts, but they won’t burn a giant hole in your wallet to keep.
Another thing to remember is that tropical fish tend to have narrow windows of optimal water temperature. When choosing fish for your tank, it’s very important to pay attention to the compatibility of the different species. Since not all fish like the same water temperature, mixing incompatible species will mean somebody has to live in less than optimal conditions, and will likely weaken and die. For warm water aquariums, you’ll want to try and keep your water temperature between 78 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Deviating from this range could seriously harm your fish. It’s also important that you monitor oxygen levels, pH levels and algae levels. For fresh water tropical fish, the pH you’ll want to shoot for is between 6.5 and 7.5.
Another very important note is that you can’t just buy your tank, turn on the systems and drop in a ton of fish. You need to run the aquarium empty for a few days, and make sure everything is working. Then, you can add a few fish. Once your initial fish have been doing fine for a while, then add more, bit by bit. Adding too many fish at once can be very detrimental to the overall health of the tank and fish.
Following these tips will help you choose the best fish for your new fish tank, and will help you care for the fish you do choose. However, this is only a drop in the bucket of knowledge that goes into caring for tropical fish. A smart investment is a good, detailed guide on caring for tropical fish, and keeping your fish happy and healthy, in a properly maintained tank, is the only way to ensure they live long lives.
For complete information on keeping and caring for tropical fish, click here to check out Katys Tropical Fish Guide. Katys Tropical Fish Guide provides complete instruction on all aspects of caring for tropical fish and maintaining a tropical fish tank.
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