Tropical fish what do i need

There are packaged dormant bacterial agents, such as Nutrafin Cycle which can be added to your tank to maintain its health. This is definitely a must-add when setting up a new tank or performing a water change. Due to the huge variety of tropical fish there is also a variety of available foods. For optimum health it is best to feed a variety of high quality pelleted and frozen food. Defrost frozen foods prior to feeding. We feed and recommend Nutrafin Max.

Feeding quantities will vary but never more than they can consume within three to five minutes. Over feeding can cause a polluted, murky and lethal environment for your fish. Check the instructions on the packaged food that you purchase. Always wash your hands and rinse well before and after handling your tank contents as items such as perfume or hand cream can be toxic.

Use this checklist to make sure that tropical fish are right for you and your family:. Characteristically affable, they can inhabit community tanks with no signs of imminent danger to other species placed with them and preferably should be bought in a group of They are carnivores that will require cyanobacteria, tubifex, live foods, occasionally flake foods and freeze-dried bloodworms.

Most loaches spend their whole lives on the bottom of the aquarium digging in and around the gravel looking for food. This offers a different viewing level within your aquarium.

A perfect combination would be to have some bottom feeders like catfish and loach, mid-level fish like neons and mollies and a few surface swimmers like dwarf gouramis. Image credits wikimedia commons. Yes, hardy, inexpensive and easy to feed Jumpers? Yes, buy only when first introduced to the aquarium Easy to breed? No, not often bred in the home aquarium.

They have rightly earned the title of the best-loved tropical fish. Around two million of these are sold in America each month and the reason is not just that their dazzling bodies look great but actually their unmatchable temperament is the key selling point. The most desirable ambiance for them would be 10 gallons of water as a minimum.

Stable table water parameters, low lighting, dense plantation, soft water, low watt fluorescent lighting and regular sponge filter in a matured, established tank are ideal.

Even though sheltered environments are there go-to, yet they are completely community-oriented tank-mates. Moreover, they can reside amongst other species like cory catfish, barbs, guppies etc. It is best to buy them in groups of around because as a general rule this assists in the adjustment and establishment into their new home. Both, in the wild and in the home aquarium they portray omnivorous qualities making them unchallenging to feed.

Incorporate within their diets larvae from insects, brine shrimp, algae, nano vertebrates, tubifex etc. They even live up to 8 years without much effort. For more in-depth information on Neon Tetras please visit our complete guide to keeping neon tetras. Image Credits flickr. They are recognized as a standard tropical fish for every aquarist to own. These graceful fish grow up to 8 inches and can be appreciated in a varied range of shades and patterns.

They are very hardy and easy going but can be semi-aggressive from time to time. They will need a tank of 55 gallons of water as a minimum, moderate current flows, floating, driftwood, and broadleaf plants. They do, however, prefer slow-moving water with dim lighting and downed branches, as is in the wild. It is possible to place them with larger tetras, rainbowfish, catfish etc.

Catering to their semi-aggressive temperament they should be kept singly or in a large school which diminishes their aggression. Their nutrition requirements are that of an omnivore times a day including worm, small crustaceans, shrimp pellets, marine algae, frozen live foods etc. We hope that you have seen some fish in this article that attracts you to starting your own aquarium.

We think most of these fish are suitable for a fishkeeping beginner although they are not all suitable to be kept in the same aquarium. In their own right, they are all amazing fish and will help you enjoy and be successful in starting and maintaining your first aquarium.

We have a complete guide for you to read which we think will help you make some of the basic decisions when it comes to setting up and stocking your first aquarium. Good luck and we hope you enjoy your new aquarium. Please visit and subscribe to our Youtube channel to see some helpful videos and fun fish stuff.

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Bob Mills Weather Center. WARN Radar. National Radar. SkyNews 6 HD. Trav's Wild Weather Camp. When determining how much food to feed your tropical fish, a good rule of thumb to follow is to give your fish no more than what they can consume in less than five minutes — this goes for both indoor and outdoor fish. Ask your local Petbarn team member what type and amount of food is best for the particular breed of fish you are looking after.

When setting up your tropical fish aquarium , the first thing to consider is the size of your tank. Talk to your local Petbarn member to decide on what size tank is appropriate for your new friends. When choosing a position for your aquarium, avoid heaters and full sun exposure. Fill your tank firstly with a suitable substrate, such as gravel. Also include different ornaments for your fish to hide in and swim around.

Your fish will love rocks and plants. You can find these and even more ornaments at Petbarn. Before welcoming your fish into their new home, cycle your aquarium for at least one week. This will ensure the water is clean and at the perfect temperature for its new inhabitants and allows good bacteria to form. A water filter and thermometer will ensure your water is the best quality — you can even take some of the water to your local Petbarn to be tested. It depends on a culture of beneficial oxygen-loving bacteria to eliminate toxic ammonia and nitrite that accumulate in aquarium water.

The bacteria culture biologically changes the ammonia and nitrite into nitrate, which is removed with once-a-month partial water changes. Beneficial bacteria will grow naturally on many surfaces within the aquarium including gravel, decorative rock and plastic plants and will provide biological filtration. The bacteria will thrive — because as the BIO-Wheel rotates, they are nourished by exposure to the larger amount of oxygen in the air.

Heat, Light, Electrical. A heater may be used to maintain water temperature in your aquarium. Goldfish and certain other cold water species are the exception to the rule. They can exist quite comfortably without a heater. Lighting brings out the natural colors of your fish and is essential for live plant growth.

There are many different types of aquarium light fixtures available. Your dealer can help you select the appropriate light fixture for your individual needs. An aquarium hood or cover is always a good idea because it helps keep fish in and airborne pollutants out. Important Note: To avoid excessive algae growth, limit the lighting of your aquarium to 7 to 10 hours per day. Use a GFCI-protected outlet whenever possible. When creating a new aquarium environment, patience is vital to success.

Allow your system to operate for at least 24 hours before adding fish. Begin by talking with your dealer about what fish are best suited to your aquarium, what fish are compatible with one another and how many would be appropriate. Add only a few recommended fish at first, gradually introducing more over the next four to six weeks.

Choose only fish that appear active and healthy. And take special care not to overcrowd your aquarium. Fewer, healthier fish are better than an over abundance of stressed-out fish.

Make sure the water your fish enter is approximately the same temperature as the water from which they leave. To equalize the two temperatures, float the transport container usually a plastic bag in the tank for about 15 minutes.