Build a Healthy Aquarium by Adding The Right Fish

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Build a Healthy Aquarium by Adding The Right Fish

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

You’ve set up your aquarium and the water has tested fine. It’s time to run to the fish store and buy a bunch of fish, right? If you wish to keep a healthy aquarium, you must follow the right steps.

Do not get confused with so many variety of fish for your aquarium. You don’t want to add an aggressive fish to a peaceful community tank. Make sure that your fish are approximately the same size since the larger fish sometimes attack the smaller ones. To find out what a mature fish of your chosen species is like, do a little research. A happy tank is stress-free, so make sure you pick fish that can live peacefully with each other.

You can avoid these sorts of problems by making sure the fish you’re interested in are known to get along with the other kinds of fish you want. If you want more than one species, make sure they are community fish that get along with others. Your fish selection should be based on the toleration of the same or similar water conditions. It is also important that they eat things which are similar and enjoy the same type of live aquarium plants.

Some fish, like damselfish, are territorial. They will prefer to be on their own, and will attempt to frighten off other fish that resemble it. Peace-loving fish like guppies don’t disturb other fish by pursuing them or picking on them. Some fish are a bit aggressive and may chase after slower fish or nip at fins.

An aquarium with a species that tends to be aggressive wouldn’t be a good environment for fish that are shy or slow as they would be bullied. Extremely vulnerable fish, like bubble-eye goldfish, may be picked on by almost any other fish, even if they are normally peaceful. Some fish that may grow aggressive as they mature should never be added to a tank with smaller or shy fish. As they mature they will start picking on the other fish, stressing them out and possibly causing them injury.

Also think about the durability of the fish. A fish that has a hardy constitution, like the blennyfish, can resist many diseases and can withstand many different water conditions. A fish that is of average hardiness should do fine in a healthy aquarium. A fragile fish like a flagfin angel may fall victim to disease or stress if the water quality isn’t just right.

Another key point is eating habits. Carnivorous fish such as an angler or an arrowana will eat other fish. They do not make a good addition to a community aquarium. Herbivorous fish like angelfish need vegetables to eat, and may be harder to maintain in a healthy condition in a combination tank. Find some fish that will eat similar diets so they can stay healthy with a food that is easy to distribute, like flakes or pellets.

A final item to consider is including some algea eaters in your aquarium. When it comes to keeping your aquarium clean, certain species of snails, shrimp or catfish can do a great job.

As you can see, there is a lot to think about before adding new fish to your aquarium. A salesperson at your local fish store will gladly field any questions you have. You can also get some good advice online. You’ll end up with a healthy aquarium that you can enjoy.

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