Tips on Tropical Fish Keeping

Tropical fish keeping can be more than just a simple hobby. It can be a way to beautify your home, teach your children about caring for a pet and provide you with something very enjoyable to watch. Tropical fish keeping is also very easy, even if you've never owned a fish before. If you're considering trying your hand at tropical fish keeping, here are some of the main items you'll need so you can begin shopping around:

· Aquarium tank

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· Aquarium stand (optional)

· Air pump

· Lighting equipment

· Hood

· Filters

· Heater

· Thermometer and water test kits

· Aquarium Gravel (2" on bottom of tank

· Aquarium Maintenance Kit

· Decorations

If you're new and inexperienced at tropical fish keeping, I strongly recommend you learn all you can about the topic and visit your local pet or fish store for help and advice prior to making your purchases on the equipment required. The type of fish you get will depend on your personal choice. Guppies and Betta are both very easy to raise, so you may want to start with them.

Choosing a tank is one of the largest decisions you'll make in your fish keeping hobby. Keeping your budget and size of your room in mind, try to get a fish tank large enough to allow your fish plenty of room. Even if you're new at tropical fish keeping, try to start with at least a 10-gallon tank. It's better to have a big tank with fewer fish than a smaller tank that's crowded. The more water surface they have, the more oxygen they'll get. Air pumps will help aerate the water and keep your fish supplied with oxygen.

While an aquarium stand is an attractive addition, you can also use an end table or some other kind of table if you're trying to cut back on costs. The expenses involved in getting started on tropical fish keeping can add up quickly! Make sure you keep your tank away from direct sunlight and heating or cooling vents. The tank should also not be near noisy appliances or machines, as they'll be stressed very easily.

Your aquarium tank can be an acrylic or glass tank. Your pet store can help you choose the heaters, lights, air pumps and hood you'll need for tropical fish keeping. While some people choose complete filtration systems, others choose to go with a simple canister or sponge filter. Filtration systems are available in three types: biological, mechanical, and chemical. The purpose of filters is to help keep the water clear, remove odors and eliminate harmful substances from the water.

Pet and fish stores offer heaters that have attached lights (fluorescent or incandescent) and hood, providing you with one complete and very convenient system.

A heater that's thermostatically controlled will help you to maintain the correct temperature in your water. While tropical fish may be very easy to keep and maintain, they do have certain requirements to ensure a healthy environment. A water test kit is a necessity for tropical fish keeping to ensure their water is the proper pH level and temperature.

Once you've set up all the necessities for your aquarium (pumps, heaters, filters, lights, etc.), you're ready for the fun stuff: selecting decorations. You'll be amazed at the many different varieties of aquarium decorations you'll find. You'll have so much fun; you may find yourself at the pet or fish store every week!

Tips on Tropical Fish Keeping

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