When you think of caring for fish, what comes to mind right away? I’d bet you would probably think a ‘fishbowl’ and some tap water is adequate but really that is the worst thing to do. For any kind of fish to thrive, you need to know what kind of water it lives in, the perfect water parameters for it, the perfect tank mates to swim with, the right food, the right care, right swim space and even how spaced out the rocks are. I’m not going to do all the work for you, just explain some of the basics of fishkeeping and help you get started on your very own fish tank (if you are interested). First, the water. The most important part of the tank. The water must be tailored for your fish which surprisingly is a lot of effort to maintain in good condition. There are two main types of water types: freshwater and saltwater. Freshwater mainly for your goldfish and your tetras while saltwater is for your typical clownfish and hippo tang (or more commonly known as Dory). In my opinion there isn’t a clear winner, both having their own unique fish species and wow factors but, in both water types, salinity and other water parameters such as the amount of ammonia and nitrates in the tank are what need to be under constant regulation These can all be checked and explained in greater detail at your local fish store. Secondly, the aquascape of your tank.
You can’t just slap a SpongeBob pineapple in the middle of your tank with artificial red pebbles as a substrate, it needs to be as realistic as possible for your fish’s’ peak happiness. Making sure there is a deep enough layer of substrate allows for burrowing fish and the distribution of your substrate to be natural looking. It is also extremely important that there are no rocks touching the sides of the glass. This leads to scratches which could potentially lead to leaks and limits the amount of space for your fish. Make sure the fish you are purchasing also fits the tank, as you’ll find yourself one day with a dead fish floating at the top of your tank. The final basic tip I’ll be explaining is the fish themselves (finally). There are millions of fish to choose from, but only a few thousand will usually be suitable for your tank. To make sure you chose correctly, ask your local fish store for guidance. You may think that copper band butterflyfish looks amazing but trust me you don’t want to go through the pain of watching it starve itself. Now that you’ve learnt a lot more about fishkeeping (hopefully), please make sure you take proper care of your fish in the future.
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