Fish Keeping Advice

Many people have chosen to take up fish keeping for many reasons. Some enjoy keeping and nurturing their fish, some enjoy their aquarium as an ornament or interesting feature for a room. If you are new to fish keeping, you'll likely have quite a few questions as to how to go about getting started. This article aims to help you on your way with some useful tips and bits of advice.

Deciding on what size aquarium you are going to have could depend on many factors. You will probably be limited by space as to what size tank you can have. It's at this point you should also be thinking of what fish you would eventually like to keep and how many of them you'd like to have. You need to carefully weigh up what space you have available to you, against what fish you like. With a bit of logic and common sense you should be able to gather a good idea of what is possible for your situation. As a rough guide, you should aim to have at least 1 litre of water to 1cm of fish. This is only a rough guide due to the amount of variants in species and other factors.

Unfortunately, keeping a healthy aquarium is a little more complicated than filling a tank with water and dropping some fish in. Picking fish on looks alone is not a great idea. All fish will have different requirements so make sure you do your research before you purchase any stock. Some fish are solitary and some like to be in shoals; others will require flowing water or plant life. Always consult with your local aquarium shop to get the best advice before you set your tank up.

Fish will rely on bacteria and other micro life forms in the water to survive, and a new aquarium will just not have these even if you add special bacteria solutions it is likely there will not be enough. So, to start with it is important you choose hardy species to make sure they survive in the new environment. For example, fish such as algae eaters should be avoided until there is enough algae for them to eat. Try to start with around 4-6 fish first and leave it at least a week before you add any more. this will give the aquarium the oppertunity to develop its natural cycle and provide a good environment for fish.

Your local fish retailer or aquarium shop should always be able to give you good advice on buying an aquarium, setting it up and then populating it with fish. The biggest peice of advice is not to rush into it. Make sure you do your research and take your time, always trying to seek as much advise as possible.


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Do you need more fish keeping advice? If so, visit Aquarium Group