BY BETH ANN BATES
Keeping tropical fish looks
deceptively easy. The
beautiful tanks seem to
exist effortlessly. All you
need to do is feed the fish,
right? Wrong. Fish-keeping
is a multifaceted
undertaking,
encompassing
knowledge of water
chemistry, fish biology,
even home decorating.
If you are longing for a
beautiful, exotic tank in your home, don’t despair. With a little forethought and planning,
you can get started in this wonderful hobby without anxiety. In this article, I’ll review the
main things that you should think about before you buy your first fish tank.
Think about the kind of fish you would like to keep. The fish kept in home aquariums fall
into two basic categories, saltwater (a.k.a. marine) and freshwater. Many people are
fascinated by the strong colors and amazing beauty of marine fish and live corals. Think
Finding Nemo. These are the kind of fish people often envision first. However, few people
start out in the hobby with a saltwater tank because of two major issues: cost and
difficulty level. Marine systems are much more expensive and require more chemical
savvy than their freshwater counterparts. There-fore, you are probably looking to get a
freshwater tank.
The choice to get freshwater fish still leaves you with a rainbow of potential pets to pick
from. Freshwater fish range from the common goldfish of your childhood, to the exotic
imports from the Far East. You can go for tiny guppies or African cichlids that look big
enough to put on your barbeque grill! How do you decide? Think about doing some
research. One of the best things that you can do before you buy anything, is to go to your
local public library and take out a few good books on aquarium fish. A good general
reference will describe a multitude of species, their full-grown size (remember the fish
you see in the store are generally babies), water preferences and other characteristics. It
will also give detailed instructions on setting up new aquariums. I particularly like
Aquarium Owner’s Manual by Gina Sandford (DK Publishing, 1999), but there are lots of
good ones.
An important characteristic to learn about is the hardiness of the various species of fish.
Several species are known to be hardy and therefore easier for beginners to keep.
Among the favorites are livebearers such as guppies, mollies and platys, and various
tetras. If you decide to keep more than one species together in the same tank, be careful
to research the compatibility of the species.
Another great way to research is on the internet. The wealth of information about the
aquarium hobby that you will find on-line is astounding! I particularly like About.com for
basic and easy-to-understand information (www.freshaquarium.about.com).
Think about the kind of plants you would like to keep. The basic choice is between real,
live plants and the plastic variety. Keeping live, freshwater aquatic plants is a specialty
that is popular in its own right, separate from the fish-keeping aspect. Underwater
gardens of spectacular beauty are possible, and they make wonderful homes for fish. On
the other hand, plants that are alive will grow (or not!) and require care and effort on your
part. Like fish, plants respond to the conditions surrounding them. They have needs
(water chemistry and lighting for example) and meeting these needs can be tricky. Plastic
is fool proof. It’s something to think about.
Think about the size of the tank you would like to have. This decision involves questions
of practicality and home décor. If you would like a tank that can serve as a focal point in
your living space, you are probably interested in a tank that is at least 10 or 20 gallons.
Beginners are often intimidated by big tanks. Smaller feels more manageable, but it is
actually harder to handle. The bigger tank, while costing more, actually helps to ensure
your ultimate success in the hobby. The smaller the tank, the harder it is to keep the
water quality good. Poor water quality is the number one killer of fish, and losing fish is
the number one reason people quit the hobby in discouragement. Therefore, I highly
recommend that you start out with a tank that is at least 20 gallons.
Another reason to get a larger tank is that fish need a lot more room than you think. The
general rule of thumb is one gallon for every inch of fish-but keep in mind, the fish will
grow. So a ten gallon tank should house ten inches of fish, maximum. That means about
four or five small fish. Most beginners are compelled to buy more than a few fish. So start
with a bigger tank, and you can have more fish.
Think about where in your home you can put the tank and its stand. It is extremely unwise
to place a large fish tank on any piece of furniture other than a stand manufactured
specifically for a fish tank. Here’s why: filled fish tanks weigh much more than you might
think-roughly 10 pounds per gallon. So a 20- gallon tank weighs 200 pounds or more.
This weight could easily cause a regular table to crack and break, damaging your
furniture and putting your new tank and its inhabitants at risk, not to mention the possible
water damage to the rest of your home (i.e. carpet, etc.) Please don’t risk it!
Also, remember to place your tank away from direct sunlight, which promotes the growth
of unsightly algae, and away from anything that would impact water temperature, such as
air-conditioners, stoves, etc. Be sure to measure the space before you go to the store to
buy the stand and tank. Tanks come in a wide range of sizes and shapes to fit different
decors and spaces.
One of the most important considerations in deciding where to place your tank is the
ease of maintenance. In order to keep your fish healthy, all experts agree that regular,
partial water changes are critical. Opinions vary as to how much and how often to change
the wa-ter, but a general rule of thumb would be to change at least 10 or 20% of the water
once a week.
That means if you have a 20- gallon tank, you will carry two to four gallons of used water
in buckets from your tank to a sink every week. Get the picture? The closer your tank is to
an appropriate sink, the easier your chore will be. Leave yourself some maneuvering
room around the tank for buckets and towels. Eventually you may invest in a contraption
of hoses to do water changes, but we all start out with the dreaded buckets.
Think about what this hobby will really cost. You can take steps to minimize the
expenses, but this can be a pricey pursuit. Gathering information before you buy will help
you tremendously in this area. There are hidden costs in both the initial set-up and the
continuing hobby. Let’s review some here. The initial set-up of an aquarium system
involves buying most or all of the following items:
Tank and stand
Hood with lighting
Heater
Air pump
Filter with media
Gravel
Plants (real or plastic)
Other decoration
Water conditioner (de-chlorinator)
Almost all of these items are priced based on size. So larger can be more expensive, but
it is worth it for the reasons sited above. Beware the “starter kit.” Many stores sell
groupings of the items above for a price better than if sold separately. However, I found
that several of the starter kit items were not the best quality. You may be better off
composing you own grouping and asking the store to give you a price.
Take some time to browse around the internet and various stores to see the range of
prices. When you are ready to make the purchase, I highly recommend that you shop at a
local store that specializes in aquarium fish. These shops often have healthier fish and
their staff is more knowledgeable than the general pet superstores, in my opinion.
Feel free to shop for used tanks and equipment. Check your local newspapers, garage
sales, etc. If you acquire a used tank, remember to avoid soaps of any kind when
cleaning it. Wash it out with water and a very mild bleach solution. Add water and test it to
be sure it does not leak. You may want to leave it somewhere overnight where a leak will
not damage anything, maybe outside. If you use bleach, be sure to rinse thoroughly and
use declorinator in the water when you refill.
The continuing costs are often overlooked by the would-be fish-keeper and they can add
up. Continuing costs include:
Water conditioners (all water added must be declorinated)
Water testing kits
Medications
Fish and more fish
Food (flake, frozen, even live)
Replacement filter media
Replacing equipment that fails
Cleaning equipment (glass scrapers, nets)
Buckets (can not double as for household use — soap residue kills fish!)
Fish themselves are actually a continuing cost, because you need to set up the tank and
let the water acclimate for a couple of days before adding fish.
Think about the time involved in caring for a fish tank. Like any pet, your fish needs your
time and attention. Okay, not the same kind of attention as your needy lap cat, but
attention just the same. Fish are totally dependent on you for the quality of their
environment. If you neglect the basics of tank maintenance, your fish will suffer. You
should allot an hour or two every week to change water. Related to that chore is regular
water testing. You will check for harmful elements such as ammonia (a natural by-
product of fish waste). Finding ammonia will mean more extensive water change.
Another good idea is to keep written records of your tank. Record water chemistry after
you perform the tests, fish behavior, plant growth, etc. Also, you will be cleaning the filter
and replacing the carbon insert (most models).
Think about checking out your local fish club (a.k.a. aquarium society). These are clubs
for those interested in fish. Some specialize in certain species but many are general
organizations. You can meet many people willing to share their experience with you and
hear lectures by experts at club meetings. Search the web for clubs near you. They
welcome new members, including beginners.
Think about how much you will enjoy this. Now that I’ve thoroughly scared you with my
words of caution, let me say that I love this hobby. I have been keeping fish for over two
years and it’s been great fun. It’s exciting, fascinating, frustrating and wonderful.
Sitting in my living room gazing at the angel fish gliding around my beautiful, planted 30-
gallon tank is a dream come true. It’s incredibly soothing to relax in the evening and just
watch the fish. I can’t imagine life without it. Some people even claim it can lower your
blood pressure. With a little pre-planning, your new hobby will be just as relaxing and
truly rewarding. Get started!
First published November 2006 in The Animal Companion.
Keeping tropical fish looks
deceptively easy. The
beautiful tanks seem to
exist effortlessly. All you
need to do is feed the fish,
right? Wrong. Fish-keeping
is a multifaceted
undertaking,
encompassing
knowledge of water
chemistry, fish biology,
even home decorating.
If you are longing for a
beautiful, exotic tank in your home, don’t despair. With a little forethought and planning,
you can get started in this wonderful hobby without anxiety. In this article, I’ll review the
main things that you should think about before you buy your first fish tank.
Think about the kind of fish you would like to keep. The fish kept in home aquariums fall
into two basic categories, saltwater (a.k.a. marine) and freshwater. Many people are
fascinated by the strong colors and amazing beauty of marine fish and live corals. Think
Finding Nemo. These are the kind of fish people often envision first. However, few people
start out in the hobby with a saltwater tank because of two major issues: cost and
difficulty level. Marine systems are much more expensive and require more chemical
savvy than their freshwater counterparts. There-fore, you are probably looking to get a
freshwater tank.
The choice to get freshwater fish still leaves you with a rainbow of potential pets to pick
from. Freshwater fish range from the common goldfish of your childhood, to the exotic
imports from the Far East. You can go for tiny guppies or African cichlids that look big
enough to put on your barbeque grill! How do you decide? Think about doing some
research. One of the best things that you can do before you buy anything, is to go to your
local public library and take out a few good books on aquarium fish. A good general
reference will describe a multitude of species, their full-grown size (remember the fish
you see in the store are generally babies), water preferences and other characteristics. It
will also give detailed instructions on setting up new aquariums. I particularly like
Aquarium Owner’s Manual by Gina Sandford (DK Publishing, 1999), but there are lots of
good ones.
An important characteristic to learn about is the hardiness of the various species of fish.
Several species are known to be hardy and therefore easier for beginners to keep.
Among the favorites are livebearers such as guppies, mollies and platys, and various
tetras. If you decide to keep more than one species together in the same tank, be careful
to research the compatibility of the species.
Another great way to research is on the internet. The wealth of information about the
aquarium hobby that you will find on-line is astounding! I particularly like About.com for
basic and easy-to-understand information (www.freshaquarium.about.com).
Think about the kind of plants you would like to keep. The basic choice is between real,
live plants and the plastic variety. Keeping live, freshwater aquatic plants is a specialty
that is popular in its own right, separate from the fish-keeping aspect. Underwater
gardens of spectacular beauty are possible, and they make wonderful homes for fish. On
the other hand, plants that are alive will grow (or not!) and require care and effort on your
part. Like fish, plants respond to the conditions surrounding them. They have needs
(water chemistry and lighting for example) and meeting these needs can be tricky. Plastic
is fool proof. It’s something to think about.
Think about the size of the tank you would like to have. This decision involves questions
of practicality and home décor. If you would like a tank that can serve as a focal point in
your living space, you are probably interested in a tank that is at least 10 or 20 gallons.
Beginners are often intimidated by big tanks. Smaller feels more manageable, but it is
actually harder to handle. The bigger tank, while costing more, actually helps to ensure
your ultimate success in the hobby. The smaller the tank, the harder it is to keep the
water quality good. Poor water quality is the number one killer of fish, and losing fish is
the number one reason people quit the hobby in discouragement. Therefore, I highly
recommend that you start out with a tank that is at least 20 gallons.
Another reason to get a larger tank is that fish need a lot more room than you think. The
general rule of thumb is one gallon for every inch of fish-but keep in mind, the fish will
grow. So a ten gallon tank should house ten inches of fish, maximum. That means about
four or five small fish. Most beginners are compelled to buy more than a few fish. So start
with a bigger tank, and you can have more fish.
Think about where in your home you can put the tank and its stand. It is extremely unwise
to place a large fish tank on any piece of furniture other than a stand manufactured
specifically for a fish tank. Here’s why: filled fish tanks weigh much more than you might
think-roughly 10 pounds per gallon. So a 20- gallon tank weighs 200 pounds or more.
This weight could easily cause a regular table to crack and break, damaging your
furniture and putting your new tank and its inhabitants at risk, not to mention the possible
water damage to the rest of your home (i.e. carpet, etc.) Please don’t risk it!
Also, remember to place your tank away from direct sunlight, which promotes the growth
of unsightly algae, and away from anything that would impact water temperature, such as
air-conditioners, stoves, etc. Be sure to measure the space before you go to the store to
buy the stand and tank. Tanks come in a wide range of sizes and shapes to fit different
decors and spaces.
One of the most important considerations in deciding where to place your tank is the
ease of maintenance. In order to keep your fish healthy, all experts agree that regular,
partial water changes are critical. Opinions vary as to how much and how often to change
the wa-ter, but a general rule of thumb would be to change at least 10 or 20% of the water
once a week.
That means if you have a 20- gallon tank, you will carry two to four gallons of used water
in buckets from your tank to a sink every week. Get the picture? The closer your tank is to
an appropriate sink, the easier your chore will be. Leave yourself some maneuvering
room around the tank for buckets and towels. Eventually you may invest in a contraption
of hoses to do water changes, but we all start out with the dreaded buckets.
Think about what this hobby will really cost. You can take steps to minimize the
expenses, but this can be a pricey pursuit. Gathering information before you buy will help
you tremendously in this area. There are hidden costs in both the initial set-up and the
continuing hobby. Let’s review some here. The initial set-up of an aquarium system
involves buying most or all of the following items:
Tank and stand
Hood with lighting
Heater
Air pump
Filter with media
Gravel
Plants (real or plastic)
Other decoration
Water conditioner (de-chlorinator)
Almost all of these items are priced based on size. So larger can be more expensive, but
it is worth it for the reasons sited above. Beware the “starter kit.” Many stores sell
groupings of the items above for a price better than if sold separately. However, I found
that several of the starter kit items were not the best quality. You may be better off
composing you own grouping and asking the store to give you a price.
Take some time to browse around the internet and various stores to see the range of
prices. When you are ready to make the purchase, I highly recommend that you shop at a
local store that specializes in aquarium fish. These shops often have healthier fish and
their staff is more knowledgeable than the general pet superstores, in my opinion.
Feel free to shop for used tanks and equipment. Check your local newspapers, garage
sales, etc. If you acquire a used tank, remember to avoid soaps of any kind when
cleaning it. Wash it out with water and a very mild bleach solution. Add water and test it to
be sure it does not leak. You may want to leave it somewhere overnight where a leak will
not damage anything, maybe outside. If you use bleach, be sure to rinse thoroughly and
use declorinator in the water when you refill.
The continuing costs are often overlooked by the would-be fish-keeper and they can add
up. Continuing costs include:
Water conditioners (all water added must be declorinated)
Water testing kits
Medications
Fish and more fish
Food (flake, frozen, even live)
Replacement filter media
Replacing equipment that fails
Cleaning equipment (glass scrapers, nets)
Buckets (can not double as for household use — soap residue kills fish!)
Fish themselves are actually a continuing cost, because you need to set up the tank and
let the water acclimate for a couple of days before adding fish.
Think about the time involved in caring for a fish tank. Like any pet, your fish needs your
time and attention. Okay, not the same kind of attention as your needy lap cat, but
attention just the same. Fish are totally dependent on you for the quality of their
environment. If you neglect the basics of tank maintenance, your fish will suffer. You
should allot an hour or two every week to change water. Related to that chore is regular
water testing. You will check for harmful elements such as ammonia (a natural by-
product of fish waste). Finding ammonia will mean more extensive water change.
Another good idea is to keep written records of your tank. Record water chemistry after
you perform the tests, fish behavior, plant growth, etc. Also, you will be cleaning the filter
and replacing the carbon insert (most models).
Think about checking out your local fish club (a.k.a. aquarium society). These are clubs
for those interested in fish. Some specialize in certain species but many are general
organizations. You can meet many people willing to share their experience with you and
hear lectures by experts at club meetings. Search the web for clubs near you. They
welcome new members, including beginners.
Think about how much you will enjoy this. Now that I’ve thoroughly scared you with my
words of caution, let me say that I love this hobby. I have been keeping fish for over two
years and it’s been great fun. It’s exciting, fascinating, frustrating and wonderful.
Sitting in my living room gazing at the angel fish gliding around my beautiful, planted 30-
gallon tank is a dream come true. It’s incredibly soothing to relax in the evening and just
watch the fish. I can’t imagine life without it. Some people even claim it can lower your
blood pressure. With a little pre-planning, your new hobby will be just as relaxing and
truly rewarding. Get started!
First published November 2006 in The Animal Companion.
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