How To Stock a Fish Aquarium?

Answer 1

Before stocking a fish aquarium, you need to understand a few basic principles about keeping fish. It is easy to go in to a pet store and select the most colorful fish, bring them home, and throw them in the water; but this isn’t ideal for the fish, and you will find your new pets will not last long.

The first step in stocking a fish aquarium is to decide what type of aquarium it is going to be. Taking an oversimplified look at this, there are three main choices. You can select a tropical (heated) tank, a freshwater (cold) tank, or a saltwater tank. The main differences being the water: cold, heated or salty.

After you have decided what type of fish aquarium you are going to have, you have very effectively cut down the endless choices of pet fish you have to a more manageable number. For instance, if you have a freshwater tank, then goldfish are your best option. Saltwater aquariums should only house Saltwater Fish, and tropical tanks should contain fish that thrive in warm tropical waters.

The next step to stocking a fish aquarium is to decide which type of fish you would like to have. Take a trip to your local pet store, but leave your wallet at home. Instead, make a list of the types of fish you like. Then come home and start your research. Look up the fish you have decided you like and identify the full-grown adult size of the fish. If you are doing a freshwater aquarium, then you should plan on one fancy goldfish for each ten gallons of water your aquarium holds. If you are doing tropical, than a very general rule of thumb is 1 gallon of water for 1 inch of fish (adult size).

While doing your research, also make note of where the fish’s natural habitat is, and how aggressive it typically is in home aquariums. Fish that live in the same areas and have similar aggression levels can be kept together. For instance, South American cichlids are very aggressive and should be kept together, while tetras are very peaceful and should not be kept with cichlids.

Try and match fish this way and you will have a much happier time with your fish aquarium. Remember to follow the guidelines for adult fish size so that you do not overstock your fish aquarium, or your fish and the water they live in will suffer. And before you add any fish, be sure and research about the different ways to properly set-up and cycle your tank, then only add a few fish at a time.