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Setting Up Your First Aquarium - Page 4

© Douglas DuHamel

Selecting Fish
There are many different tropical fish on the market. There are also fish that are good with other fish and ones that are not. It is important to research the compatibility of your fish. Some fish are good community fish and others aren't. If you want to keep aggressive fish then limit yourself to that species only in your tank. Some stores have compatibility ratings on their fish and this is a great help to customers. Find out where the fish swim in the tank. For instance, gouramis like to swim at the top while catfish stay at the bottom or mid-tank. To get a nice display, try to buy fish that swim in different positions. In addition, determine which fish should be bought in multiples. For example, tetras are small and like to swim in schools. Don't buy just one. A good fish salesperson will ask you what kind of fish you have (or plan to have) and will advise you as to what to buy.

Don't buy expensive fish until you get more experience. There is usually a reason why certain fish cost more. They may be harder to acquire from a breeder due to low birthrate or difficulty in breeding. Some fish are extremely sensitive to water conditions or diseases and require extra special care and attention. Certain fish can only be imported from other countries and the cost of shipping raises the prices. There are many inexpensive fish that have beautiful colors and are easy to keep.

Here are a few tips for choosing fish for your aquarium:

• Visit several pet stores and observe the tanks. Are there dead fish in the tank? Do the fish look listless or have nipped fins? What is the store's return policy on livestock?
• Do some price comparisons or look for sales
• Make sure the fish you choose will interact with each other. Some fish are social and others will kill each other. If you want these aggressive fish, be sure to keep them by themselves, plus keep lots of hiding places in your aquarium like plants, drift wood and rocks. Try to keep one cave for every male aggressive fish you decide to keep.
• Always pick the fish that seem most active in the tank. You don't want to purchase a sick fish.
• Don't overcrowd your aquarium, unless you are keeping cichlids where if you over crowd your aquarium you will cut down on aggression, otherwise I recommend one fish per gallon of water.

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