Choosing the Best Fish for an Aquarium

Keeping an aquarium can be a fun and rewarding hobby, but you need to fill it with the right fish, which can be a daunting prospect since there are so many options. To make sure you select the right combination of fish for your saltwater or freshwater aquarium, consider the following tips. 

Do Plenty of Research 

Before you decide what kind of fish you want in your aquarium, take some time to research your options. You need to make sure the fish you choose will be the right size for your aquarium and that they will coexist peacefully with the other fish you buy. Look up some of the species you want on Google, or simply ask someone at the pet store for advice. 

Buy Behaviorally Compatible Fish 

Some fish do well with others, while other fish are aggressive and territorial. Some fish that do well in a community aquarium include guppies, tetras, koi, and mollies. Some more aggressive species include oscars, Jack Dempseys, cichlids, and carnivorous catfish. While there’s nothing wrong with keeping an aggressive or territorial fish, you should probably stick with the more peaceful community fish if you want some variety in your aquarium. If you’re going to buy more aggressive fish, buy those that are of a comparable size and invest in rocks and plants so they can stake out their own territory. 

Buy Fish with Similar Needs 

It will be much easier to take care of your fish if they all have the same feeding and temperature requirements. An ideal temperature for one species of fish could kill others. Also, not all fish will eat the same food, which might not be a problem if you’re willing to buy more than one type of fish food and you can make sure the right food goes to the right mouth. You’ll have a much easier time if you have a tank full of fish that will be happy with food flakes. 

Avoid Buying a Male and Female of the Same Species 

Some fish breed quickly and easily, so don’t buy a male and a female of the same species if you want to keep your aquarium’s population at a manageable level. Guppies breed very quickly when there is a male and female present. 

Only Buy Healthy Fish 

A diseased fish will not live very long in your aquarium, and it could infect other fish if it has a communicable disease. Healthy fish have normal colors and display normal behaviors, so stay away from any fish that seem slow or have ulcers and discolored scales.

Before you choose your fish, make sure you have all of the freshwater or saltwater aquarium supplies you need to maintain a healthy habitat. Aquatic Warehouse is a leading provider of aquariums and aquarium supplies. Get in touch with us today at 858-467-9297.