If you want to start keeping fish as pets, there are several things you need to know. Think about the decor, as this will help determine the type of aquarium you will buy. The size and variety of fish will also play a part in your decision. The systems can be costly, but as with everything else you buy, do some research on finding the best price. If this is your first aquarium you may be thinking that you should start off with a small tank and just a couple of fish. However, this may not be the way to go. When you are setting up an aquarium you are essentially trying to setup a mini ecosystem with the proper pH balance and even living plant life. The smaller the tank the harder this is to accomplish. Twenty gallons is a good size to start with. This may seem like a lot but you certainly don't want your fish to be cramped. When choosing the fish it will have to be decided whether you want salt or fresh water fish. The tropical fish are fresh water fish. They both cannot be kept together. You can start with a few fish, say four or five. You can always increase the number when you desire. When trying to decide which fish to buy you should ask the advice of an employee at the pet store or do some research on the Internet. Some fish do not typically get along and you may find some of your fish eaten by others in the aquarium if you don't ensure they are compatible. The next step is determining what you would like to go into the tank for decorations. Anything from the pet store is fine; it's really up to your own taste. However, you should never put anything you have found at the beach into the aquarium, especially gravel. The gravel you buy at a pet store is not the same gravel you find at the beach or in nature. You can jeopardize the integrity of your aquarium's balance by adding objects which haven't been treated for an aquarium. Now that you have your fish and your aquarium all setup its time to add the water. The most important thing to know when adding water is you must treat tap water before adding it to your aquarium. This is because chlorine is added to most drinking water and this is very harmful to fish and plants. You must use a chlorine remover before adding it to your aquarium and your fish. The water temperature in your aquarium should be between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. You will need to have a thermometer to ensure that your tank is never too hot or too cold. Fish are very sensitive to water temperature and it can prove to be fatal if the temperature isn't correct. You should also consider what type of food you intend to feed your fish. There are fish flakes and pellets that are available, both of which should be fine for most fish. You can check with the pet store if they recommend any special food but most fish aren't fussy. Successfully setting up and maintaining your own aquarium can be very rewarding and enjoyable. Many people think it's as easy as throwing a couple of gold fish into a bowl and the fish will be fine. However, aquariums take much more work and can be much more rewarding than a fish bowl.
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If you want to start keeping fish as pets, there are several things you need to know. Think about the decor, as this will help determine the type of aquarium you will buy. The size and variety of fish will also play a part in your decision. The systems can be costly, but as with everything else you buy, do some research on finding the best price.
About the author: Kathy Strander writes exclusively for Rock Aquarium, there's a wealth of knowledge on the website, plus while you're there sign up for the free newsletter. Want to read more Aquarium articles?, just go to: http://www.rockaquarium.com/articles Feel free to grab a unique version of this article from the Uber aquarium article directory
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