Keeping Tropical Fish

Tropical Fish: How to keep them

Keeping a tropical fish aquarium is not difficult but, as they require a very specific environment to live in, it is advisable to research which kinds of fish you want to keep, how to maintain their health and which living conditions are appropriate to keep them in. Here is some starting advice for beginners who want to keep a tropical fish aquarium.

Living Conditions

Tropical fish are freshwater fish which live in warmer water. The tank must be set up ready for the fish to inhabit and they need very specific living conditions to thrive in. Space is the key as it allows for more stable pH and water conditions therefore a larger tank is actually best for the beginner rather than the smaller tanks. It is important to check which species you are buying and their requirements before setting up the tank and the retailer will be able to give out this information.

Fill up the tank with water and add a water conditioner which will right the pH to 7. Regularly test the water with a testing kit to make sure it retains the correct pH for the fish you have. Adding other accessories such as plants (real ones are better) and rocks are great as the fish have places to explore and hide for their security.

You will need a substrate to add to the tank floor such as sand or gravel. It is best to set up the tank a few days before adding fish to allow the environment to settle. The tank must be set up with a filter to remove any harmful bacteria and also a light. If real plants are added the light is necessary for their survival. Coloured lights can bring out the colours of the fish.

As it is a tank for tropical fish, a heater is required for the tank. Keep a thermometer in the tank where it is easy to read to make sure the temperature remains constant.
It is advisable to keep the tank in a place where it will not be excessively disturbed, keep it away from excessive heat or cold and away from direct sunlight as this encourages undesirable algae growth. Also place it on a surface which can take its weight; the amount of water in your tank will be extremely heavy.

Common Problems

The main problem beginners come across is over-feeding fish. Feeding twice a day is enough and make sure the fish eat the flakes before adding more at each feeding time. Disease is another common problem. Regularly changing the water in the tank can prevent this as well as providing plenty of space for fish to swim around as stress can also cause disease on-set. Quarantine any diseased fish so as to avoid it spreading while treatment is given.

Cloudy water can occur for several reasons. Most likely there is algae growth or a chemical imbalance. Testing the pH regularly, pre-washing any sand or gravel and avoiding leaving the tank light on for more than 12 hours a day should prevent this. Also avoid leaving the tank in direct sunlight as this promotes algae growth.