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Tropical Fish
A beautiful tropical fish tank, with fish of all colours gently swimming back and forth in crystal clear water is perhaps everyone's image of keeping fish. But what is really involved, and just how easy is it to keep it that way?
A tropical fishtank is so much more than just a bowl with water in it - it is a mini eco-system which needs maintaining in just the right way to keep your fish happy and healthy.
For starters, you will need a filter for your tank, and will need to be able to maintain it at exactly the right temparature. In the UK this means heating it.
The sort of fish you keep will be determined to some extent by the type of water in your tap!
For starters, you will need a filter for your tank, and will need to be able to maintain it at exactly the right temparature. In the UK this means heating it.
The sort of fish you keep will be determined to some extent by the type of water in your tap!
Rosy Tetra
A word of warning....
If fish are introduced to a tank where the water is not the right Ph balance for them they will die. If the water becomes unhealthly due to over feeding, for example, they will die. If you buy new fish which come from unhealthly stock and introduce a disease into your tank the fish will die.
It is easy for adults to move on when this happens, learn a lesson and try to do things better next time. But if the aquarium is a child's hobby be prepared for your son/daughter to be distraught when a prize fish dies!
If fish are introduced to a tank where the water is not the right Ph balance for them they will die. If the water becomes unhealthly due to over feeding, for example, they will die. If you buy new fish which come from unhealthly stock and introduce a disease into your tank the fish will die.
It is easy for adults to move on when this happens, learn a lesson and try to do things better next time. But if the aquarium is a child's hobby be prepared for your son/daughter to be distraught when a prize fish dies!
What you need to start an aquarium
Tropical fish keeping is a complicated hobby - not quite as simple as buy a tank, put in water and add fish! We are trying to give you some information on this site, but if you are serious about adding an aquarium to your home you should invest in a good book to guide you through tank set up in detial.
Tropical fish keeping is a complicated hobby - not quite as simple as buy a tank, put in water and add fish! We are trying to give you some information on this site, but if you are serious about adding an aquarium to your home you should invest in a good book to guide you through tank set up in detial.
Aquariums for Children
The first thing to remember is to be careful about any promises to buy an aquarium as a birthday or Christmas present. Although you will certainly be able to present the aquarium as a gift, it will not be possible to put any fish in it for at least a week. Depending on the age of your child you will need to explain this carefully so that you can manage his/her expectations.
There are three main types of set up you can have - fresh water, brackish water or marine. Marine fish, whilst undeniably beautiful to look at, are definitely not a good idea for a novice fish keeper. Brackish water contains varying amounts of salt - this is the water that is found where rivers meet the sea. If fish that need these conditions take your fancy you will need to ensure that you can keep the salt balance exactly right.
And so we come to freshwater fish. These have benefits in that some are quite hardy and easy to keep, some (guppies for example) will readily breed adding interest to the tank, and finally can be cheap to buy. Stocking a freshwater tank need not break the bank.
The first thing to remember is to be careful about any promises to buy an aquarium as a birthday or Christmas present. Although you will certainly be able to present the aquarium as a gift, it will not be possible to put any fish in it for at least a week. Depending on the age of your child you will need to explain this carefully so that you can manage his/her expectations.
There are three main types of set up you can have - fresh water, brackish water or marine. Marine fish, whilst undeniably beautiful to look at, are definitely not a good idea for a novice fish keeper. Brackish water contains varying amounts of salt - this is the water that is found where rivers meet the sea. If fish that need these conditions take your fancy you will need to ensure that you can keep the salt balance exactly right.
And so we come to freshwater fish. These have benefits in that some are quite hardy and easy to keep, some (guppies for example) will readily breed adding interest to the tank, and finally can be cheap to buy. Stocking a freshwater tank need not break the bank.