Some Helpful Tips for Choosing the Right Tropical Fish

If you are starting out new in your tropical fish hobby then you may be wondering just what type of fish you should get. Perhaps you want something a bit more advanced than the traditional goldfish that sat on your dresser as a child. The good news is that there is such a wide variety of tropical fish nowadays that you can pretty much find one that will fit your personality and setting. Let’s check out some tips for helping you choose the right ones for your aquarium!

* Now think of this for a moment. Say you purchase 4 small Angelfish thinking they are perfect for your tank. They look great until a year later you wake up and realize that they have grown and are now over 110mm in length! Suddenly that aquarium that housed them with plenty of room is cramped and the Angelfish aren’t looking too healthy. It’s important when choosing your tropical fish you not only account for the space they take now, but how much they will take as they grow older.

* A piece of advice any good tropical fish hobbyist will give you is to purchase your fish from a reputable dealer. Wal-Mart is not the place to be buying fish you plan to keep for years. A pet store or aquatic supply shop that takes pride in what they sell will make sure you are getting quality stock. Any sick fish will be isolated from the rest of the bunch. At mass merchandisers that sell fish you are pretty much “hoping for the best”. It’s worthwhile to spend a little more money to make sure you are not going to get a sick fish that could potentially infect your entire tank!

* Just like people, different fish have different requirements in what makes a good environment for them to live in. For example, Angelfish tend to favor tall tanks, while Tetras and Danios like space as they tend to school together and love to race each other around! A fish like a Labyrinth, as the name suggests, like places they can hide so be sure to have rocks, plants and other decorations they can retreat off too.

When stocking the fish in the tank, keep in mind that if you try and add too many you will get what is called toxic shock syndrome and risk losing your entire tank! Seek out advice if you are not familiar in how many fish per gallon you need in your tank or are unsure about the space requirements of what you plan to purchase. Again, this is where it helps to go to a store that specializes in tropical fish that can give you expert advice.