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Tropical fish

Linda and I have been keeping freshwater tropical fish for quite a few years now.  In this time, we have had several fish tanks (and up to three "on the go" at one time. We now have an Aqua One AR-920 tank that is approx 39" wide, 18" deep and 18" high. (It's actually taller than 18 inches, because the filter and lights are in the hood of the tank - the 18" refers to the water depth.) It has a bowed glass front and looks very nice. We've set it up as a community tank, which means it has had mixed fish species inside.  I've also, for a bit of fun, built a small 2 gallon tank to fit inside the shell of a Mac Classic - plans are available on the web (search for "Macquarium") although I'm not using it at the moment.

In our "real" tank, along with some rocks, a couple of pieces of bogwood and a lot of plants are the following fish:  two 3-spot gourami, 2 silver sharks, 2 yellow mollies, a kuhli loach, .

Some beginner's tips

I've deliberately kept this page fairly simple, because a lot of people make out that keeping tropical fish is more complicated than it really is. (I qualify that by reminding you that I am talking about freshwater fish - marine fish are a little more involved.) If you are thinking of setting up a freshwater tank, here are some things to consider:

  1. Find a friendly fish shop where you can ask advice and where you are not pressured into buying anything. In Lincolnshire, even the poor shops are rarer, but there is a good one at Boston and at downtown, Grantham.  Look around a few, and see which strikes you as best.  If you can, avoid the weekends, when everyone else is there - the staff will have more time to talk to you.  I strongly recommend going to a specialist shop, rather than a general pet shop - and especially a certain chain of pet stores often found on retail parks- you know who you are!  I have found that they often sell poor quality fish and their staff are generally not very knowledgeable.  If you see diseased or deformed fish swimming in the tank with the ones you want, don't bother.  Try again later, or better still, try somewhere else.
  2. Get a couple of "beginner's books" from the library and read through them thoroughly.  The more research and planning you do, the more successful you will be.  I have heard that the majority of fishkeepers leave the hobby in less than a year, because their fish keep dying.  In most cases this is due to poor planning and care.  The Bible advises us to consider the cost of a tower before we set out to build it.  Management "experts" came late to this, and now teach "Prior planning and preparation prevents poor performance" (or slight variations on the theme.)
  3. Buy your tank (second-hand set-ups are often advertised quite cheaply) and get that running. 
  4. Do NOT buy your fish until the tank has been set up for at least one week, preferably longer, and the water quality tested and acceptable. (Simple water testing kits are available at the fish shop.) 
  5. Introduce new fish a few at a time - don't go on a big spending spree as soon as the water is ready.  Check that the species are compatible with each other if you want a community (mixed) tank. 
  6. Only buy fish that you have read about and understand. Don't just buy something you like the look of in the shop. It's only asking for trouble. If you've got a decent pocket-sized book, take it with you to the shop, and ask for advice from the staff.
  7. Be prepared to lose a few fish as you go along. Not everyone does, but we did, and I reckon at least 99% of fish keepers do!  Doing your homework on fish-keeping and the particular species helps to reduce the number of fish that you do lose, and really is kinder to your pet. 

There are hundreds, nay thousands of pages on the 'net about the hobby.  Many of them are a good source of info, but be prepared for a wide range of opinions!

If I started out all over again, I think I would steer clear of the Tiger Barbs that we used to keep (they need to swim in a school of at least five, or they start to get interested in other fishes' fins), and the Chinese Algae Eater, which when it gets to about 3 to 4 inches long, starts to damage other fish by sucking on to them and causing wounds - but hey, they're only protecting their territory.

Steve