How to Choose Fish for a Freshwater Aquarium
Determine the size of your aquarium., A good idea for the next step is getting some books from the library or searching for "freshwater fish species" on Google., You need to find out how aggressive the fish you like is., If you buy a female and male...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine the size of your aquarium.
This will help you choose what kind of fish can fit in your tank and narrow down the choice of fish.
Some fish need a lot of space or live in a school that won't fit in your aquarium.
Some Freshwater aquarium fish can be over a foot long! The fish's adult size is what you should be thinking of, not their current size. (Think clown loaches!) Your aquarium may not have enough space for some fish that are territorial to get away from each other.
Fish such as goldfish are messy and produce a lot of waste.
These fish need better filtration and larger space to keep a certain number of fish, compared to cleaner fish that can be kept in larger numbers in smaller aquariums. -
Step 2: A good idea for the next step is getting some books from the library or searching for "freshwater fish species" on Google.
When you have found what kind of fish you are interested in keeping, you can find which ones are suitable for your tank, or how to make your tank suitable for the fish. , Aggressive fish will fight.
A lot of fish are aggressive with their own kind, or males of their own kind.
Some fish are social and need to be placed with "buddies". , Also, have a plan for any fry (baby fish) they have.
Research the fish's breeding habits before purchasing and learn to identify their sexual dimorphism (the visual difference between the genders) , Some fish eat only live food, like a knife fish.
Some fish may eat invertebrates that you want to keep or will devour your other fish. , By This I mean find out how much time you can set aside for your fish and how much work you can do.
No fish is truly difficult if you can do the correct things for it.
An example of a "hard" fish is discus.
They like clean water so a couple of water changes a week is ideal for them.
They can also carry disease more commonly than other fish.
Determine how much time and work you can devote and purchase the fish accordingly. , If the fish is very hard to find, consider getting a more common fish.
Some fish are also expensive and may be too much money so consider a cheaper fish.
Still, always look for quality! , For example, don't put goldfish, which are cold water fish, in a tank with tropical fish like bettas (these fish are often grouped together as "easy" fish but are very different!). , People on these forums are helpful and knowledgeable! -
Step 3: You need to find out how aggressive the fish you like is.
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Step 4: If you buy a female and male fish that might breed
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Step 5: find out if they will be aggressive to other fish.
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Step 6: Find out what food this fish likes to eat
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Step 7: it may be hard to find and you might find yourself with a starved fish.
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Step 8: Find out how hard or easy the fish is to keep.
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Step 9: learn where to find the fish.
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Step 10: If you are planning a community tank
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Step 11: make sure the species you plan on putting together are compatible and have similar requirements.
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Step 12: If you still have trouble finding out what fish you want to put together
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Step 13: you may want to join an online fish forum for advice.
Detailed Guide
This will help you choose what kind of fish can fit in your tank and narrow down the choice of fish.
Some fish need a lot of space or live in a school that won't fit in your aquarium.
Some Freshwater aquarium fish can be over a foot long! The fish's adult size is what you should be thinking of, not their current size. (Think clown loaches!) Your aquarium may not have enough space for some fish that are territorial to get away from each other.
Fish such as goldfish are messy and produce a lot of waste.
These fish need better filtration and larger space to keep a certain number of fish, compared to cleaner fish that can be kept in larger numbers in smaller aquariums.
When you have found what kind of fish you are interested in keeping, you can find which ones are suitable for your tank, or how to make your tank suitable for the fish. , Aggressive fish will fight.
A lot of fish are aggressive with their own kind, or males of their own kind.
Some fish are social and need to be placed with "buddies". , Also, have a plan for any fry (baby fish) they have.
Research the fish's breeding habits before purchasing and learn to identify their sexual dimorphism (the visual difference between the genders) , Some fish eat only live food, like a knife fish.
Some fish may eat invertebrates that you want to keep or will devour your other fish. , By This I mean find out how much time you can set aside for your fish and how much work you can do.
No fish is truly difficult if you can do the correct things for it.
An example of a "hard" fish is discus.
They like clean water so a couple of water changes a week is ideal for them.
They can also carry disease more commonly than other fish.
Determine how much time and work you can devote and purchase the fish accordingly. , If the fish is very hard to find, consider getting a more common fish.
Some fish are also expensive and may be too much money so consider a cheaper fish.
Still, always look for quality! , For example, don't put goldfish, which are cold water fish, in a tank with tropical fish like bettas (these fish are often grouped together as "easy" fish but are very different!). , People on these forums are helpful and knowledgeable!
About the Author
Jonathan Stokes
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in crafts and beyond.
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