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Fishkeeping Articles
A Beginner's Guide to Fishkeeping
So, you’ve decided to become a fishkeeper. Within the guise of ‘fishkeeping’ there are some subsections namely coldwater,
freshwater tropical and marine. All three involve primarily the same requirements: a tank of suitable size for your desired inhabitants,
good filtration and good, compatible inhabitants themselves. There are specifics, such as a heater in tropical tanks to ensure the water
is of the right temperature and various additional items for marines. Let’s stick with freshwater tropical aquaria here; marines will follow
in due course.
Once you’ve decided what type of fish to keep then you can begin to get an idea of your equipment needs. Having a 40 litre tank with a large
number of cute little fish from the pet shop isn’t the way to go. These ‘cute’ little fish will more than likely grow into much larger fish! The
main aim is to stock your tank based on the final size of your chosen fish, not their starting size. Also, aim to go for as big a tank as you can
afford space-, as the larger the tank the more stable the water parameters.
Let’s not go into specifics of fish species here, a separate database will follow. However, there are different types of fish to be considered,
which are usually define by the area of the tank they occupy. Bottom dwellers such as catfish, sometimes referred to as part of your ‘clean up crew’
(let’s not go there!), mid-tank dwellers such as angelfish, and top-tank dwellers such as hatchetfish can all provide very different characteristics
to the tank. Other factors such as compatibility and security must be taken into account too, schooling fish should be kept in larger number so that
they feel secure. Likewise combining a large school of small fish with a carnivorous predator isn’t going to end well!
Providing an appropriate aquascape for your fish is also a good idea. It doesn’t necessary have to be a biotope but choices such as substrate
can alter the behaviour of your fish. For example corydoras much prefer sand so that they can dig for leftover food. Larger gravel tends to let
this food fall through it, depriving the corys of their chance to forage. Altering the colour of your substrate has also been known to affect the
colouration of the fish. The decor can also have a positive effect on your inhabitants. Dwarf cichlids and tetra, for example, love to have lots
of places to hide, which in turn makes them feel more confident and encourages them to be more visible within the tank.
Plants are another option within the tank, adding oxygen to the water. They require certain light levels though, and also have the ability to
add unwanted guests to the tank unless washed properly, such as snails!
In summary, research your chosen fish well for final size, preferred numbers (ie schooling/solitary), aggression levels and preferred
environment...more to follow!
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Latest Blog Comments

some genuinely interesting information, well written and broadly user friendly .
Hi, i have been using wordpress for a few weeks and have been managing fine with spam. Individual approval is working for me but i guess if the volume of spam increased then it could be an issue. I've never used blogspot but can you not download a plugin to monitor spam? Feel free to contact me if you require more info. Thanks, linz_d87
There is a really clear picture of one tiny fry lol
I know, I've been surprised at how uniform the growth is. There are a few that are slightly smaller than the others but last time it was like a sliding scale. I could literally pass on all but about 10 of the fry now. Delighted with their progress!
Wow... this seems to be happening so much quicker than the last time. Well Done!
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