This is the banner for Being a Good Fish Aquarium Keeper. The title is at the top in bold black. There is a drawn picture of an aquarium on a table. There is an assortment of colorful, tropical fish in the tank with plants, rocks and tank gear. There is a wall behind the tank that is white, wood panels.

Continuing our talks on pets, today we want to share Being a Good Fish Aquarium Keeper.

We have had many aquariums over the years and make different kinds of fish in them. Everyone has their favorites but not all of us are good at keeping fish happy and healthy. Some of us can not keep a fish alive at all. We believe this is similar to someone who likes plants having a “black thumb”. Just because you like it does not mean you will be able to have one.

This is the table of contents card for Being a Good Fish Aquarium Keeper. The title is at the top in black. There is a topic section in the center. There is an assortment of different tropical fish around the page.

Being a Good Fish Aquarium Keeper is by no means a complete list of things you need to know, do, or have to keep a happy, healthy, fish aquarium but it is a good place to start. It is always recommended if you are interested in something, anything no matter what it is, do your research. Do not jump in without having the correct info or all the facts, this will set you up for failure and disappointment. For a start here is a list of some ways to Be a Good Fish Aquarium Keeper.

This is a page divider for Being a Good Fish Aquarium Keeper. There is an assortment of colorful, tropical fish.

A. Tropical Fish Equipment Checklist

Tropical fish are wonderful to look at. You can get hours of enjoyment watching them dart across the tank and in and out of plants and caves. But, they do require a great deal of care and attention to thrive.

This is the table of contents card for Tropical Fish Equipment Checklist. The title is at the top in black. There is a topic section to the left side. Each item on the list has a drawn picture of that item to the right. There is an assortment of different tropical fish around the page.

This is a blank Fish Aquarium Check List to download and use.

Please feel free to download, print, and use this blank check list for your fish aquarium.

This equipment checklist will help you get started. Let’s begin with the very bare bones basics.

1. Aquarium – Which tank will you buy? What about a complete setup? You may be tempted to buy a small round bowl but that is not going to make your fish happy. Choose the biggest tank that you can afford. This prevents having to upgrade later when you get more fish. They will have to adjust to a new environment all over again.

2. Filtration system – Have you seen people with tanks that haven’t been cleaned in months? You can scrape the muck with a shovel. Without a proper filtering system, there is no need to expect your fish to live long. Waste products from fish, plants and other aquarium life need to be regularly removed to maintain the proper balance of pH and water bacteria.

3. Heater – Tropical fish like it warm. We don’t want to boil them, but a heater can maintain a constant temperature for your fish so they are comfortable.

4. Thermometer – You can’t judge the temperature by sticking your finger in the water. A sturdy rust-resistant thermometer lets you know when the temperature goes too high or too low so you can adjust your heater.

5. Gravel – Most fish aquariums have some sort of substrate on the bottom of the tank. Gravel works for fish that like to swim and catch their food on the top of the tank. For bottom feeding tropical fish, a softer material will keep them from getting hurt when they dig for food.

6. Lights – Fish need light just like we do. For several hours a day, you will turn on the lights for your fish and any real plant life you have in the tank. Using fluorescent lights can simulate natural light without heating up the tank. Regular light bulbs get hot and also blow out easier.

7. Plants – Variety is the spice of life for fish too. You can choose from artificial or live plants. Live plants increase the oxygen in the tank but need to be tended to so that they don’t get sick and die. Some fish like to swim through dark places or hide and plants can provide the cover that they need.

So you have a basic guide for what you will need in your tank to benefit your fish. There are other bells and whistles and extras you may find that you need, but this list will get you going with the right equipment.

B. Setting up your Tropical Fish Aquarium

This is the table of contents card for Setting up your Tropical Fish Aquarium. The title is at the top in black. There is a topic section in the center. There is an assortment of different tropical fish around the page.

Before you ever bring fish home, they need to have a place to stay. The aquarium will be their new home so it needs all of the amenities of their previous digs. Here is a guide to help you set up a tropical fish aquarium.

Hopefully, you have purchased the biggest aquarium that your money will buy. A thirty gallon tank may seem large for one small fish but it will grow and so will your fish family. Fish need lots of room to swim so that they can get plenty of oxygen.

1. Positioning your aquarium – It is important that you find the right spot to showcase your fish. Windows are bad because the sunlight can heat up your tank beyond what the fish can bear and they will go belly up. Also, placing the tank near an air conditioner or under a ceiling fan can cool it off too much. Be sure there is an outlet nearby for running your filters and lights easily.

2. Fill and de-chlorinate your tank water – Tap water is easy to use for freshwater aquariums, but chlorine will kill helpful bacteria and your fish. Use an approved kit to remove the chlorine before your fish take up residence.

3. Set up your filtering system – If you use an under-gravel filtering system, be sure to cover it with about an inch of gravel to aid in filtration. A filter on the side of the tank needs at least two cartridges so that you don’t disrupt the aquatic cycle when replacing one.

4.Tricking out your tank – Most people use an aquascape in the back of their tank. It is colorful and can remind fish of more tropical surroundings. It also limits the outside stimulation for your fish. Choose something colorful.

5. Test the water – Pet stores stock test kits to test the chemical levels in the tank. For instance, fish don’t thrive in tanks with a lot of ammonia build up. You can test to make sure that these levels are within normal limits. As your tank goes through its nitrogen cycle, the environment will rid itself of excess ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. You can still keep an eye on these levels before and after tank changes.

6. Accessories – Fish like to swim through things. Some like to find places to hide like caves or dense plant life. Using artificial plants means more cleaning for you so invest in live plants and rocks (coral). Follow all instructions so that plants take root well. You can choose rocks with openings for makeshift caves.

If you want to find more details on specific fish and about setting up your aquarium for their specific needs, you can go to your local bookstore and check out the magazines and manuals about how to care for your tropical fish. Pet stores and libraries also have many different books you can get to give you exact info on each kind of fish.

C. Keeping a Healthy Tank: Things to Look Out for

This is the table of contents card for Keeping a Healthy Tank: Things to Look Out for. The title is at the top in black. There is a topic section in the center. There is an assortment of different tropical fish around the page.

Your fish will be with you for a long time. In order for them to survive and survive well, you will have to keep your tank happy and healthy. When operating a tropical fish aquarium, there are a few things to be aware of so that you don’t lose your fish.

1. Regularly clean your tank – Even with a filter, tanks are not self-cleaning. Filters can get overloaded especially if you have too many fish in the tank too soon. Starting with a few fish allows the tank environment to settle into a fish-friendly mode starting with the nitrogen cycle that eliminates ammonia from the tank water.

2. Choose fish that can coexist together – All fish are not docile. Some are actually bullies. If you get a small fish that likes to fight and mix them with another fish that likes to be friendly, you won’t have the nice fish very long. He may find his way on the menu. Investigate which fish are going to get along.

3. Examine fish before buying – You don’t want to mix sickly fish with healthy fish. Fish with spots that are not common may have the “ick.” Likewise, fish that are swimming on the bottom in the tank at the pet store, are probably suffering from some sort of ailment.

4. Don’t over feed your fish – A fish swims to the top of the tank a lot but it is not always to get food. Whether pellets or flakes, fish only need to eat a few pieces twice a day. Any more than that and it will fall to the bottom and dirty the tank over time. Overeating can also cause illness or even death in fish.

5. Acclimate the fish to the tank environment – It is never a good idea to dump your fish into the new tank water. The shock may kill them. Instead, add aquarium water to your fish bowl one cup at a time so the fish can get used to it. After about ten minutes or so and a few cups of tank water, your fish will be ready to dive right in.

6. Give them light – Fish need light about eight hours a day. To be sure that the light stays on and doesn’t cause any trouble, turn it on when you get home. You can set a timer if you are afraid that you might fall asleep. Don’t leave the light on 24 hours a day.

What do fish need? They need food, light, clean water, and room to move. Sounds just like people, and other pets doesn’t it? To maintain a healthy tank and healthy fish, learn to take care of their environment from the beginning.

D. Choosing your Tropical Fish: What to Look for in a Good Fish

This is the table of contents card for Choosing your Tropical Fish: What to Look for. The title is at the top in black. There is a topic section in the center. There is an assortment of different tropical fish around the page.

If you’ve ever been to an aquarium, then you know that there are thousands of species of fish in the world. Tropical fish come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Which ones will you use to outfit your aquarium?

They are all so beautiful but all fish are not for your tank. You have to be discerning about the fish you put together. Here are a few tips to help you choose just the right mix.

1. Know your fish – Your fish tank will be a work of art through living colors. But, each fish is different just like other pet species have different temperaments. Books about fish can give you insight on what types of fish are delicate, hearty, saltwater fish or freshwater fish. Now, when you go to the pet store you are knowledgeable about the types of fish that you want for your home.

2. How healthy are the fish? – Buying fish, especially tropical fish, is an investment. As such, going to a reputable fish breeder or pet store is best. These individuals have the knowledge you need to make the right choices for your aquarium. What do you look for? If fish have any discolorations outside of their normal pigmentation, don’t buy them. Fish that have white spots are probably sick. Fish that seem to be attacking or quite aggressive to other fish in the tank will almost certainly do the same to other fish in your tank.

3. Saltwater or freshwater – Freshwater fish are less expensive. You can get started with fish keeping for less. Saltwater fish cost more and are more labor-intensive when it comes to maintenance. Keeping the temperature, salinity, pH, and bacteria levels at a proper level takes constant monitoring in a saltwater environment. Freshwater fish may be heartier and withstand conditions that other fish can’t deal with.

4. Fish size – Tropical fish come in many sizes. They may start out about an inch long but fish grow just like any other animal species. They may be small and cute now but will grow to be large and cute later. One problem with a tropical aquarium is too many fish for the size of the tank. Buy your fish keeping in mind how big they will get. In this case, less is more.

5. Fish food – All fish don’t eat pellets. Some like heartier food like worms. New fish (fry, no joke that is what they are called) have their own special diet until they are old enough to eat what you feed the rest of your fish. If you don’t want the food to ruin your budget so choose fish with simple tastes.

Before you invest in tropical fish, know what to look for when choosing a species.

E. Exotic Tropical Fish: Rare Beauties

This is the table of contents card for Exotic Tropical Fish: Rare Beauties. The title is at the top in black. There is a fish list to the left. Each fish name in the list has a drawn picture of that fish to the right. There are a couple of fish at the bottom of the page.

This section actually goes along with the idea of knowing your fish. Some people want more than just goldfish in their tank (but don’t count out the old standby just yet). You can find more exotic fish that have brilliant colors and shapes if you know where to look and what to look for. Here are a few species you might want to check out.

Exotic fish are hard to define. There are so many fish that are different from what we are used to seeing that we may term them “exotic” also. Usually fish that are hard to find have this distinction. Also fish that are interbred to keep certain specific characteristics are also put into this category.

1. Discus fish – If you’ve ever thought about a discus like in the Olympic Games, the discus variety of fish is flat and wide and brightly colored. These fish are shy and easy to get along with. They hail from the Amazon River but are also tank bred so that you can enjoy them at home. While beautiful, discus fish are sensitive to water changes. They like soft water and high temperatures (85 degrees Fahrenheit). They are usually found alone in community tanks because of the high temperatures.

2. Betta – These fish are quite beautiful and aggressive. They will fight with other betta fish. Their coloring extends to the feathery fins. As they swim, their fins open up even more for a beautiful show. Choosing betta fish that are healthy can be difficult because of their coloring. Find fish with no bruising, white spots (indication of the ich), or scars.

Though the males have longer tails the female Betta is also a beautiful fish. Males, called fighting fish, must be housed alone or they will fight and kill other fish. The female Bettas can be housed with other fish as long as you are careful to get ones that they will get along with. Female Betta can not be put in with male Betta, she will kill him, like a Black Widow spider.

3. Guppy – People have always liked guppies. They are small narrow fish with brightly colored tail fins. They resemble a bride in a tight dress with a flared bottom. Guppies are easy to care for and love community aquariums. Temperatures range for guppies and they are very hearty. Female guppies grow larger than the males by about two or three inches. For the fish keeper on a budget, they will eat those large fish flakes happily. Just don’t give them too many.

4. Platy – These fish are brightly colored in red, yellow and oranges. What distinguishes them is that they have dark colored fins which sort of outline them. Platys are hearty fish that can live in community tanks. They tolerate changes in nitrate and nitrite levels so they make good fish when you are beginning an aquarium and it is cycling to find a balance. They like vegetation to hide their eggs when they breed.

5. Goldfish – We said not to count them out. There are goldfish species that are very exotic and fetch a high price. Consider the Black Moor. It is a round goldfish with bulging eyes and long velvety tail fins. Goldfish come in all kinds of shinny colors, gold, silver, yellow, orange, black, white, and combinations of these colors. They can add some color, shine, and fun to your tank. Plus goldfish are usually easy keepers.

What types of exotic fish do you like? Here are a few varieties that work well for beginners and will liven up your tank.

On a final note, as with all pets it is best to have an emergency plan in place and ready before you need it. There are not that many Vetenarians who know how to or will bother treating fish. So again, do your research, know what problems you fish can have and what should be done about it before it happens. That way you can quickly see to your fish and have it swimming happily again in no time. Most pet stores will have book on this kind of thing.

As we said, this is not a complete list in any way. This is a very basic list of things that you need to know to keep fish. There are, of course, thousands of different kinds of fish but this is a quick list of the most common ones. It is possible to find books, magazines, and info on the net on just about any kind of fish you are interested in. Again, pet stores, bookstores, and libraries are great resources for info on any kind of fish you could want. As we said before, do your research and know what the fish you want will need from you to be happy and healthy.

This is a banner for Being a Good Fish Aquarium Keeper. It says, aquariums are like potato chips. You can’t have just one. There are colorful fish, plants, and rocks. The background is blue.

We hope you have enjoyed this talk on Being a Good Fish Aquarium Keeper. Hopefully, this list of tips will help you make the best decision for you as an aquarium keeper and for your future fish friends.

In case you missed our previous pet talks please check them out below:

You Are Thinking of Getting a Pet?

Being a Good Parrot Parent