10 Things To Consider When Choosing Freshwater Aquarium Fish

If you're getting your freshwater aquarium set up, then you must be thinking about what kind of fish should go in there. There's more to it that just getting pretty ones that match, and here, we will go through things that you should do as you select your freshwater aquarium fish so that you end up with an aquarium that's wholesome, fun and easy to maintain.

1. Determine the number of fish you want to keep. The temptation of course is to keep as many pretty ones as you can get in there, but you may squeeze them too much. An aquarium with too many fish means much more waste, which is not good for the fish and will force you to clean more often. When there are too many fish, there may also be a scramble for food so that there are some that are not fed enough. The rule of thumb is about 2 inches of fish for every gallon of water.

2. You need to choose your fish from a reputable dealer. This way, you are sure that you're getting healthy stock. It's not uncommon to set up an aquarium and a few days later the fish are dead - they were likely not healthy when they were bought. Look at the fish in the shop to start with; are the aquariums clean and do the fish look healthy? If you are impressed with the way the store is kept, you are more likely to get good, healthy fish. If the aquariums are dirty and the fish in them look dull, look for another supplier.

3. Learn as much as you can about freshwater aquarium fish that you may be considering. Do they have particular preferences? Do they prey on other fish? Do they require special kinds of substrate? What temperature do they best thrive in? You also need to know if they have special dietary requirements. Sometimes, this information may help you decide whether you can cope with your selection - some fish breeds are rather high maintenance. A tip here is to get school fish. There will be minimal compatibility issues and it's easier to tell when something is wrong in the fish tank because they will all behave oddly. There are some that come recommended: pearl and zebra danios are beautiful; neons and cardinal tetras too.

4. Try not to get one of everything that you like; they may all be school fish, but they still have different environments under which they thrive best. It's hard to simulate all these environments in a fish tank. 2 or 3 types are ok.

5. There will be algae, and it's always best, together with regular maintenance, to get a species of fish that feeds on it so you can control it naturally. A brittle nose, a clown plecostomus or otocinclus catfish are perfect fresh water aquarium fish for this.

6. Killifish, if you can get them, are an excellent way to start your aquarium. They are not so high maintenance, and by the time you get to add other fish species, you will have got the hang of it.

7. Think about compatibility. Most people will think about freshwater aquarium fish that prey on others here, but there are also some that grow so big in a short time that they start to squeeze out the others. Cichilds, for instance grow quite big. Angle fish can easily squeeze out smaller fish if they are in a fish tank smaller than 10 gallons. Some fish types are also rather messy, and the mess they leave behind may poison more sensitive breeds.

8. DON'T keep a piranha, unless all by themselves. They will eat your other fish. If you go for them, make sure to be ready for the expense that they bring. They need a lot more cleaning after, and they need to be fed much more to keep them from eating each other.

9. There are miniature sharks, like the Bala, that you can keep, but they still will grow rather big and you will need a bigger-than-standard fish tank.

10. Stay away from catfish. They will eat other fish in the fish tank and they never stop growing.

You are now armed with lots of information on choosing freshwater aquarium fish and choosing fish for your aquarium so follow this guidance and remember even one wrong fish in your fish tank can affect all the rest, so it's important to follow these tips.

Three Freshwater Aquarium Fish You Need Named A-B

Angelfish

Great in a community tank, it moves around at a slow pace and is lovely to look at with wonderful colors. Adults can be as big as fifteen centimeters long, so think about that when you are working out how many fish your aquarium can accommodate.
Temperature wise they can endure quite a wide range and they are also happy with a variable range of foods.

This fish looks silvery, is thin and has curvy fins that sweep backwards. Distinct vertical stripes run along the body from the caudal fin to the eye. And you can tell when this fish is afraid as these black stripes suddenly fade away.
Other Angel fish such as the black one, obviously don't show these stripes as clearly. Another one, an Angel fish has lace patterns on the fins. Longer fins can be found on another Angel fish, the Veil Angel that has a marble effect.

Sexing these fish is not easy. When you do manage to get a pair they remain loyal to each other and look after they young well. When breeding you will need a well planted tank with broad leaves and the light needs to be at a low level. Sticky eggs are produced within two or three days.
Bear in mind that these fish can eat the eggs, especially if they feel afraid. The young can be fed with infusoria and then micro worms and then brine shrimps.

Badis

You cannot say that this fish has one particular color as there are lots and lots of variations. The colors vary from red to a nearly purple color and spots have even been noted. Not only that, the color changes depending on the aquarium conditions and during breeding.

Major characteristics are a dorsal fin that that might have bluish green stripes, scales with a line around them and a stripe crossing the eye.
When breeding make sure that the male is smaller than the female because she can be injured by a bigger male. As a cave dweller ensure you use something like a plant pot for it to breed in. Have a well planted aquarium with a water temp of twenty nine degrees centigrade. Remove the female after egg laying, wait for them to hatch and then remove the male. Use infusoria to feed the young.

Black Widow

The family is Characidae and the scientific name is Gymnocorymbus ternetzi. This is a popular freshwater aquarium fish as it is peaceful, fairly small at 6.5 centimetres and therefore great in a community tank. Nevertheless it is susceptible to bad water conditions and this can be identified by seeing if it swims with the head down. Food wise, a range of feeding can be used but it prefers live food.

Color wise its body has vertical dark stripes with red circled eyes and a silvery green body. Sexing is difficult a clue is that the male is not as fat in the body and it has bigger frontal and anal fins and dorsal fins that are sharper. The breeding tank must be thickly planted at on end, water at twenty degrees centigrade and you also need floating plants.

After breeding the eggs are dispersed, some adhering themselves to plant leaves and others falling to the bottom. Remove the breeding pair after spawning and you will see the fry after about thre days. Feed the young on infusoria, then brine shrimp.