Fish selection - a common problem

I wrote an earlier article that discussed which fish were the best for "your" aquarium. The basic focus of that article was to state that only you know what fish are the best for your aquairum. I went on to say that aquariums are our chance to make something, which we are able to customize to our tastes. Thus, the best fish to put in your aquarium is detemined by your preferences, not some standard equation of good and bad fish. Of course there are some borders, such as compatibility of the fish, and there eating habbits. While which fish you put in you aquarium is something which only you should decide, it is very important to do a little homework before you make your decisions.

Just a week ago, I got an email from an aquarists, asking me what tuskfish eat. Much to my surprise, the aquarists had already purchased the fish, and had it in his 75 gallon aquarium. He also wanted to know what fish are compatible with this particular species. These are very important questions, but they should be asked BEFORE you purchase your fish. I am not trying to mock this aquarist - in fact, this is actually a vary common thing that new aquarists do.

Ask yourself this question: Lets say you were buying a new bicycle. You had the frame, and now you were trying to get the wheels, brakes, etc... You go to the store, and you see a wonderful pair of brakes, and instantly, you know that these are the ones you want. Would you just purchase them, without knowing what they require for installation or if they are compatible with the wheels that you want? I don't believe so. Also, doesn't the salesman have the responsibility to make sure that you are getting the right equipment?

So what is the message in all of this? Two things...evaluate the store where you are getting your aquarium inhabitants from, and do a little research to make sure that you have something which will be compatible with those fish you already have, or think you might want in the future. By evaluating the store, I mean get an idea of the level of concern that the salesmen have for the fish they are selling you. I believe that it is the responsibility of the salesman to make sure that you are making a good choice. This requires putting the "sale" as a second priority, and being more concerned about making sure that the fish is going to be treated properly, and that you as a customer are going to be satisfied with the selection that you have made. This alone will prevent most of the selection problems which many aquarists run in to. The second point that I want to make is not incredably profound, but is very important. It is important to find a species of fish that "you" like, but it is also important to make sure that you know what the eating habits and compatibility of the fish are BEFORE you bring it home. Ask what type of food it eats, and how aggresive it is. Think ahead. If you know that you are going to want to have some rather dossile fish in you aquarium, then you probably don't want to get a grouper. The main point here is to ASK. Don't be afraid to inquire about a fish. If anything, the salesperson will be more apt to help you, and will respect you more because you cared enough to try and get some information BEFORE you took the fish home.