Acclimating fish

After getting new fish, everyone is excited and ready to put them into the aquarium to see how they look. One of the most important keys to successfully introducing fish to your tank is acclimating your fish. Acclimation is a simple process of allowing your new fish to adapt to your tank conditions.

          When you purchase your fish they will come in a small clear bag. The first thing you do to acclimate your fish is to just simply let the bag sit in your tank water for 15-20 minutes. Letting the bag float will bring the temperature of the water in the bag to the temperature of your tank water. This is very important because if your fish goes immediately into colder or warmer water than the water that it was previously in it can shock your fish, and possibly kill it!

          After letting the bag float, open the top of the bag and pour some of your tank water into the bag. This will get your new fish used to your water conditions as far as your pH level, water hardness, and other conditions that may be different in you tank than in the tank the fish previously came from! Once tank water is poured into bag, allow to sit for 5 more minutes.

          Finally, you can release the fish into the tank.  DON’T EVER allow the water from the bag to enter into your aquarium. That water is highly polluted from the stressful experience that the fish had so adding that water can do more harm than good. The way to get the fish into the tank without dumping that bag into the tank is to “fish it out” with a net, if you have one small enough. If not, simply hold a net over a bucket, dump the bag into the net, and then put the fish into the tank.

          After a fish is released into a new aquarium, it may hide and not eat. This is not strange, just give it time and it should come alive and serve its purpose in your tank! Acclimating a fish may seem unnecessary and just a waste of time, however it’s not. It reduces a lot of stress on the fish.  So take the time and make sure with every new fish you get, a proper acclimation is performed to assure the success of that fish!

         

 

 

 

Buying Fish

Going to buy fish for your aquarium can be one of the most exciting parts of starting a new tank! However, when you buy there are still things that need to be considered!

Choosing Fish: Choosing fish can be very fun because of the great option and choices among fish! When you choose a fish it is very important to have at least a little knowledge of the fish you want. Do research on fish that interest you so that you will know important facts like your fish’s aggression, size (to know if your aquarium is large enough), water conditions, and all that’s needed to survive. Make sure when you choose a fish that you can meet all of its demands!

Fish Health: One of the most important things to consider when buying fish is the health of your fish. It is very important to make sure that you’re not buying sick fish. A sick fish will not only be a waste of money, but also can possibly infect all of the other fish in your tank and kill them. There are many signs to tell if a fish is healthy or not.
Signs of Unhealthy Fish:

• Heavy breathing
• Lack of color
• Laying at bottom of tank
• Hiding in corner
• Tiny white spots on fins (ICK Disease (VERY Dangerous))
• Swollen eyes
• Torn fins, bruises
• Motion less

Signs of healthy Fish:

• Full Color
• Full Activity
• Normal breathing
• Whole/ Un-torn fins

Now these are just a few signs of fish health. Some fish may show signs of being healthy and may be sick; some fish may show signs of being sick but may be healthy. Either way, I say don’t take the risk, choose only fish the you fell are in good shape!

Tank Mates and Compatibility

When starting an aquarium, it is very important to consider fish tank mates and compatibility! This is a very important factor in fish keeping because you want all of the fish to get along in your tank without killing one another and you want every fish in your tank to meet their own needs and requirements.



Tank Mates:
When starting a fish tank, it is very important to choose proper tanks mates (neighbors). You don’t want to have a tank where predatory fish live with peaceful fish because the results will be very disappointing! Also you can’t mix fish that grow to be 1 inch with fish that will grow to be 12 inches, because you will just be providing the 12 inch fish another meal! When choosing fish to live together, it is very important to do research on every fish you want. If you want community fish, you must make sure every fish you add into your tank has a peaceful attitude! If you want an aggressive tank, make sure every fish that you add is aggressive enough to live together, but not too aggressive. When choosing tank mates, think not so much of how fish would look together, but rather how they would feel together!

Compatibility:
When choosing fish for your tank, it is also important to consider fish compatibility. You must know if the fish you want to live together are like-minded in terms of water conditions. Some fish prefer and need warm water while others prefer colder water. Some fish prefer high levels of pH in your aquarium, while some prefer lower pH levels; some fish prefer still, slow moving water, while others prefer water with a lot of movement! Fish come from all over the world, from many different environments; some come from lakes, rivers, streams, swamps and many other places; so many fish have different requirements and conditions needed to survive and you need to make sure that every fish you keep together can live in the same (or close to the same) conditions as the other fish in your aquarium!

How Many Fish?

One of the most important things to consider when starting a fish tank is the amount of fish you can have in your tank. Many people face the problem of over stocking/overcrowding their tanks. Too many fish in a tank can cause a lack of oxygen in the water which will lead to death. Too many fish also causes higher waste levels which will make it harder to care for your aquarium. To add, too many fish can stunt the growth of your fish in your tank and will cause them to stay small. The proper way to know how many fish to add into your aquarium is using the inch per gallon rule.

 The inch per gallon rule is basically a way to find out how many fish can fit into your fish tank. All of the fish in your tank should have a gallon for every inch it grows. For example: if you a fish that is 6 inches long, that fish must have 6 gallons to itself, and those 6 gallons should be subtracted from the total number of gallons in your tank. It is important that you always use the maximum length of your fish and not the current length when using the inch per gallon rule. Down below is a little scenario explaining the inch per gallon rule:

I just bought a 35 gallon tank and plan on stocking it with tiger barbs. I did research, and I know that tiger barbs grow to a maximum length of 2.5 inches. So how many 2.5 inch tiger barbs can I fit into a 35 gallon tank? 35/2.5=14. So my 35 gallon tank can hold 14 tiger barbs!
The inch per gallon rule is a simple rule that assure that you fish can live happily without being over crowed and with enough room to grow full size. The amount of fish in your tank can be determined with common sense. Put yourself in the fish’s place in consider if you would want to live in that size aquarium an how many others you would want to live with you without being cramped!

The Best of Your Fish

Many people start aquariums and soon lose interest because their fish may seem boring. However you can determine whether your fish are amazingly fun to watch or if they are just life less. There are many things you can do to get the best of your fish:

 Tank Setup: One of the major things that affect the character of your fish is there home. If they are living in a boring tank with no decorations and no life, they will most likely live lifelessly. Then again, if there tank is full of lively decorations like plants, rocks, driftwood and other tank décor; they will enjoy it more and show you that they enjoy it more with more activity. For the best results, when thinking of fish tank setups try to imitate your fish’s natural environment, and then your fish will be more comfortable to be itself, which will result with more activity and more color showing.

 Tank mates: When seeking to get the best of your fish, considering tank mates is highly important. If you have a fish in a tank alone it’s a good chance that it will hide often. From my experience, I can say that the more fish you have in a tank, the more activity you get, (however not over stocking a tank). When considering tank mates, it is VERY important to consider compatibility. If you mix fish that don’t get along like aggressive fish and community fish, you could have a tank where all of the fish in your tank are constantly hiding. When choosing tank mates, do lots of research to assure the fish you won’t to mix can live together without killing one another, or bullying.
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 Fish Diet: The diet of your fish can really affect the way your fish behave. Be sure you stick to the diet that your fish require. If a fish is on a proper diet, it will show bright attractive colors. Conversely, if your fish is on a bad diet eating unhealthy foods, your fish could lack color and be very dull. Stay away from foods that have color enhancements, such foods have bad effect on fish and could shorten life. Keep in mind that the more vegetable based foods that your fish brings out the most color.
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 Fish Tank Environment: To get the best out of your fish, the location of the fish tank and the environment really matters. Try to keep fish tanks in quieter, calm rooms rather than rooms that are noisy or active. The environment of the tank affects the fish because if your tank is in a room where children may hit or tap glass or even yell loud, your fish may always hide due to lack of comfort.
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 Healthy Water: If the water in your tank is unhealthy: meaning unfiltered, to cold, to warm, not enough oxygen, harmful chemical, dirty, etc., it will have a huge impact on your fish. They won’t look as good as the can, and they won’t be as active as they could be.

Overall, to get the best of your fish, give the best. Allow your fish to have that feeling as if they were in their natural homes in the wild. Your tank should imitate your fish’s natural home including the natural look, the natural fish that it may encounter in the wild (or at least fish that could get along with it), the natural diet that your fish would be on in the wild, and the correct water quality. With the natural theme in your fish tank, you will get the best color and activity from your fish, and your tank will be far from boring!

Cleaning Your Tank

Cleaning Your Tank
When owning a fish tank, there is a lot of responsibility. The keeper of the tank must be able to perform weekly water changes. Every week, it is good to change 25% of the water in your aquarium and every month the tank keeper should erform a 50% water change. Doing water changes assures that your fish have proper water and suitable living conditions. The following is a list of the simple steps for basic water change.

1. When do water changes, it is good to make sure you have a tools necessary for cleaning the tank including an aquarium water changer (available at most pet stores), stress coat, and buckets to dump the water coming out of the tank. Be sure to unplug filters, heaters, and anything else plugged in.

2. Start the aquarium water changer and allow water to pour into bucket.

3. If your tank has gravel, shovel through the gravel to get all dirt and residue. If your tank has sand, the sand may get sucked with the water so just hold water changer over visible dirt.

4. Once water is at the 25% point, or 50% point, remove aqarium water changer.

5. At this point you can clean the filter catriges and whipe inside glass with clean new rag (any chemicals left on used rags may be deadly to fish) .

6. When filling the tank back up, its important to refill it with water of the same temparture, as any temparture that is far off may shock fish.

7. Once tank if full, add stress coat to remove harmful chemicals and to reduce the stress on fish.

8. You can know plug your filter and evrything else that needs to be plugged in. Most filters will need water to be pured into to it to start up.

9. Once tank is running again, you can use any window cleaner to clean OUTTER glass only. Be sure to apply any window cleaner on the lower part of tank to keep cemicals from getting in the inside. You can clean up the window clean with newspaper.

10. Exspect tank to be cloudy for a few hours usually two to three hours. Once water settles, it will clear nicely.

Once you get used to cleaning your tank all of these steps will be easy. To keep a tank full of happy, healthy fish, it is good to clean weekly 25% and monthly 50%.

Tank De'cor

For some people, the decorations of the tank can be most enjoyable. Being able to create a suitable habitat can be a good experience for fish lovers. There are many different things that you can add to your tank that can make it a piece of art. Some of the most common décor include:

Gravel/Sand: In every aquarium, it is good to have some type of material to cover the bottom. It is very unnatural to keep a aquarium where your fish are swimming over glass. The two most common bottom materials are aquarium sand and and aquarium gravel. Both materials can look very nive in your tank and it is comfortable for the fish because in most natural fish enviornments the floor is covered with sand or gravel. They both are relativel easy to clean with proper tools. Gravel is also so in a variety of colors. Both sand and gravel can be a very beneficial in your aquarium.

Plants: When designing an aquarium it is good to add some plants to create a natural look. Fish tank plants are sold both live and artificial. I recommend artificial for begginners because most fish may attempt to eat of unroot live plants. When getting plants, it is extremely important to get them all from pet stores. Some people add regular household artificial plants to aquariums and danger fish because many household artifial plants contain toxins that can kill your fish. It is best to get all aquarium plants from pet stores; and if you want to add anything else consult a fish expert at a pet store before adding it. Aquarium plants can be very beautiful in a fish tank providing height and color to your tank.

Rocks: Rocks can be very beautiful in aquariums and it can bebeift your fish. You can create caves or other hideout with rocks. Rocks can be purchesed at pet stores or you can add your own rocks. Many rocks found in streams or lakes can be very beautiful. Rocks can show differernt colors, shapes and patterns and can add a lot to your tank at a low expense. Most rocks can go imedetly into your aquarium after being washed, but rocks with bright colors like reds, purples and golds may cantain millstone or other chemicals that can danger fish.

Driftwood: Driftwood is another beautiful form of fish tank décor creating diversity and shape in your tank. Most pet stores sale drithwood, but some people add drithwood that they find on their own. When adding driftwood that you fing, it is important to boil it in hot water to kill in parisites that may live in it. Driftwood that you find will almost always float to the top of your aquarium (unlike drithwood sold at stores) so it is good to anchor it with rocks to keep it down. Driftwood will only need to be anchored for about a year, after that it will stay down on its own.

Other Décor: There are many other choices when decorating a tank as well. Many pet stores sell aquarium decorations like caves, corals, and shells. Pet store also sale aquarium ornements like bridges, trees, barrels, and many old ruins (such as Roman ruins and greek Ruins). May aquarist also add bubbles to their aquarium with an aerator, which pushes air through a tube into an air stone (comming in multiple designs), creating bubbles in your tank, which can also be beautiful.

When adding tank décor to your tank, it can be very delightful. Just keep in my the types of fish that you plan to add and what their natural enviornment is like. Your tank can be enjoyable for both you and your fish if you put the right amount of effort into it.

Tank Requirements

When starting a fish tank, there are several key items needed to be successful. Those key items include: filtration, heating, good water quality and lighting.

Filtration: Filtration is in my belief the most important requirement when running a fish tank. Filtration in a tank provides clean, oxygenated water and also removes harmful ammonia and other chemicals. Without filtration, NO Aquarium can last; all the fish will die. Filtration makes it so that all fish can breath and that the water is clean. So filtration is the number one requirement when starting an aquarium. The most common form of filtration is external filters. External filters are filters that hang on the outside of a tank and sucks water through a tube cleaning it and providing oxygen. External filters are often the most common, followed by sponge filters, the canister filters. No matter what type of filter, it is mandatory to have some type of filtration to keep your fish alive and healthy.

Heating: When keeping a fish tank with tropical fish, it is very important to keep your fish tank at the correct temperature. Heating is only required with tropical fish, cold water fish like gold fish don’t require heaters. Now with tropical fish, if your tank is too cold for your fish your fish won’t be as active, they would be dull in colorful and would most likely die. Most tropical fish need a steady temperature between 78º-82º degrees. Anywhere lower could result in serious problems. With an aquarium heater, your tank can stay the temperature needed for your fish to thrive.

Good Water Quality: Good water quality in a fish tank is very essential. The same way we humans need clean, fresh air to live, is the same way fish need clean water with proper chemical balances. Fish produce a lot of waste that makes the water quality poor, introducing harmful bacteria like nitrite and ammonia which can kill fish. Having an aquarium filter takes care of a lot of that, but not all. It is important to do weekly water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite levels out of the tank.
Another important thing to consider when seeking good water quality is making sure that your aquarium has the proper pH levels. Fish coming from all over the world have different pH requirements. Some fish require higher pH levels, while others require lower pH levels. It is important to know the required pH level of all of your fish. You can check the pH level of your tank using a pH tester kit which is available at most fish stores. It is central that you assure your tank has good water qualities to keep your fish healthy and happy.

Lighting: Lighting in a fish tank is necessary if you want a tank to have natural affects that would occur in the wild like algae growth. Most people recommend aquarium fluorescent lights, which have a similar effect as the sun, growing algae which feeds tank algae eaters like snails and algae eating fish. Fluorescent lights also have a way of high lighting colors on fish. Some people do use others lights not meant for aquariums with no consequences, however it takes away that “natural feeling” in the tank!

Aggressive Fish

When it comes to having a aggressive fish tank, it is a tank set up on the rule: survival of the fittest. An aggressive tank consist of the meanest and baddest fish; anyone who is weak won’t last! Even though an aggressive tank may sound terrible, it can very beautiful. This fish that fall in the aggressive category can be very beautiful and entaertaining.

If you desire to start an aggressive aquarium, there are many things that should be taken into consideration. Firstly, most aggressive grow quite large so the minum tank size is 55 gallons. If you plan on getting a tank with a community of aggressive fish (more than one), you should provide lots of hiding spaces to prevent fish injuries or fatilities. You should also do research on the fish that you plan on getting because not all aggressive fish will get along with each other.

When keeping an aggressive tank, it is always best to design the aquarium to the fish’s natural enviornment. Some aggressive fish such as Arowna and Oscar get pretty large so that prefer attank with lots of swimming space and a tank that’s not cramped up; however, certain fish like african mbuna cichlids prefer a tank that is full of rocks, plants, and others decorations that can provide homes and safe retreats. It is very important to do research on the fish’s natural enviornment and living requirments when getting aggressive fish.

Another important thing to consider is the diet of your aggressive fish. Many aggressive fish are carnivorous, so they will eat any fish that can fit in their mouth. That’s why its important to mix fish of simular sizes or at least fish that aren’t to small to be eaten or to big to eat others. Many hobbyist of aggressive feed their fish live fish, which are sold at most pet stores. Feeding your aggressive fish live fish is not a bad thing to do, but it may result in your fish being more aggressive. If you don’t want to feed your aggressive fish live food, there are many different pellets and flakes availbale for your fish.

Having an aggressive tank can be just as rewarding as having any other tank. Many experienced fish owners even prefer aggressive fish over others because of their beauty and enjoyment. For begginers it always good to keep in mind that even though aggressive fish can live peacefully together, it can almost be garenteed that your tank will have disputes, fights, territoral behaviors, and even a chance of fatalities (I do not recommend aggressive fish to soft-hearted people). When housing a tank full of aggressive fish, aggression will show; but you still will be able to enjoy your tank as aggressive fish can be very entertaning and enjoyable!

Semi Aggressive Tank

If you’re the type of person that don’t want community fish, but don’t won’t fish that are extremely aggressive, your best option is a semi aggressive tank. In a semi aggressive aquarium, you can enjoy that are not community fish, without having to worry about them killing one another. There are lots of options when choosing a semi aggressive fish tank and many interest fish to choose from.

The first thing that you should know about most semi aggressive fish is that unlike most community fish, they vary size. Some semi aggressive fish such as the tiger barb only grow to be about 2 inches, while the clown loach can grow well over a foot long! Being that semi aggressive fish have such a diverse range in size, I would recommend a minimum tank size of 55 US gallons. It is also good to provide some hiding spots in the tank and many plants so that the fish can stay to them selves (An open aquarium with no décor can cause higher aggression when dealing with semi aggressive fish).

Another important thing to remember when keeping a semi aggressive tank is that it is SEMI AGGRESSIVE. The inhabants of the tank won’t get along like community fish would. You should exspect some fights to occur, and some territoral behavor, but not as much with fully aggressive fish. In a semi aggressive tank you can have some days when your fish get along like one big family, and some days when your fish just can’t stand each other; but that’s one of the reason why keeping a semi aggressive tank can be so interesting.

Semi Aggessive fish for a semi aggressive tank are very interesting. You can have the tiger barbs with tiger like strips; gourami fish that come in may unique colors; the unique angle fish with their strange shapes, loaches that show very interesting personalities, the various catfish and many more fish to choose from. Having a semi aggressive tank can be very beautiful and can be very entertaining.

Community Tanks

Most people starting a tank would prefer a community tank. A community tank is a tank where mostly all fish a friendly. In a community tank, you don’t have to worry about fish killing each other, being territorial, or any thing that would disturb the peace of the tank. If you’re the type of person that hate seeing fish fight, a community tank is best for you. When starting a community tank there is a huge selection of fish to choose from.

Community tanks consist of fish that are rated community fish. Most community fish won’t grow too large, but still can be very beautiful. There are many different community fish to choose from. Some of the most common community fish are fancy guppies. Even though they don’t grow that big they still have a reputation of stunning viewers with their different shapes and colors. The male guppies in particular show great colors of blue, red, purple, green, pink, orange, yellow and more along with their longer tails.

There are also many other community fish that can amaze hobbyist like Platy’s and Mollie’s. Both fish are live bearers, meaning that they don’t lay eggs like most fish; they give birth to live fish. They impress aquarist with their bright red, yellows, whites, blacks, and other bright colors. These fish easily mix with other community fish and provide lots of color to your tank.

Another set of fish that are great for community tanks are tetra’s. Tetra’s are a group of fish that are very common consisting of many different species.Its bright colouring makes the fish visible to conspecifics in the dark blackwater streams, and is also the main reason for its popularity among tropical fish hobbyists. There are many types of tetra, but one of the most common is the neon tetra. The neon tetra are fish that prefer grouping with their own kind (usually goups of five or more). They are small fish with bright neon blues and greens running across their boy with red marks. Adding these fish to your tank will bring tremendous color and activity; keep in mind the more the better. Besides neon tetra’s, there are many other types of tetra that are stunning and will bring beauty to your tank.

 

When creating a community aquarium, there are many different options of fisht to choose from. Just be sure to do lots of research on the fish that interest you. The worst thing that can happen to a community fish keeper is for them to add a non-community fish to their tank like an African Cichlid for looks, resulting in the death of all their other fish. There are many beautiful community fish to choose, just be sure to know what you are choosing so that your tank can thrive with no problems.

Cold Water Tanks

Even though a cold water tank can’t include tropical fish, it can still be a beautiful tank. With cold water tanks, there are not many fish to choose from, but you still can have a great aquarium. Cold water aquariums don’t mean freezing water, but water that is between 60-72 degrees (although they can survive in colder water). The most common fish for cold water tanks are gold fish. Many people think that gold fish are boring fish, but they can be very beautiful and entertaining. There is also a nice diversity, as there are common (comet) gold fish that are red, white, orange, brown, gold, black, and tri-colored. There are also fancy gold fish that come in different shapes and sizes.

Another famous cold water fish is the Japanese Koi. Koi are known for their large size (growing over three feet long) and stunning coloration. Most people keep Koi in ponds because of there size. If anyone desires a Koi tank, I would recommend a minimum tank size of 120gallons holding only about four Koi with common gold fish if preferred.
There are other fish that can go in cold water as well such as channel catfish and Danio, however, proper research should been done before adding other fish species. A cold water tank can be very rewarding and beautiful. With proper care you can create an underwater habitat for your fish that will amaze others!

Tropical tank

Many people with fish tanks prefer to get a tropical fish tank. Not only is the landscape of tropical waters wonderful, but the fish are magnificent. With fish that range in colors from reds, blues, greens, purples, whites and many more colors. They also come in a diversity of shapes and sizes with fish that are an inch, to fish that are over three feet long. Having a tropical tank is not just having a plain fish tank but is as a live piece of art on you Having a tropical tank can be very rewarding, although there is much work required to maintain it. Being tropical fish, they require a constant temperature range of 72-82 degrees. It is best to keep a functioning heater in the tank and a thermometer to make sure that the water stays between the temperature ranges.

When keeping a tropical aquarium it is important to do research before choosing fish. The reason why is because even though there are many tropical fish, not all may get along. Tropical fish are classified in three groups: community fish, semi-aggressive fish, and aggressive fish. Community fish are the relatively peaceful group of fish. Semi-aggressive are the fish that are not so friendly, but are not very aggressive. Aggressive fish are the fish that are just plain aggressive. At any pet store the fish should be classified.

When you select tropical fish, it is also good to consider their diet. Fish from different parts of the world may have different sources of food. Doing research can allow you to know what type of fish food is appropriate for your fish. Choosing the correct food will cause your fish to appear healthier and brighter.

Another thing that you should consider when keeping a tropical aquarium is the health of the tropical fish. One of the things that I appreciate about tropical fish is that you can discern their health condition by their color. Many tropical fish are very colorful, and if they are stressed, disturbed, or uncomfortable their color will become dull. If you have a tropical tank full of dull fish, there is something wrong; the fish can be stressed, the water can be unbalanced or something else, you will know. If your tank is healthy your fish will have bright colors.

Starting A New Tank

Starting a fish tank can be a very rewarding. Not only can you enjoy your fish as pets, but also as a work or art. With proper care, you can create a fish tank that will blow peoples minds. But, you must first put the effort into it because it requires a lot of care. You must know what you’re doing at all times and should be able to provide all necessary care.

1. RESEARCH
One of the most important things to do when starting a new tank is research. Many people start tanks without doing research and have tons of problems from the fish killing one another to overpopulating tanks and many other problems. It is better to sacrifice two to three hours of your time doing research than to start a tank and have the entire fail. It strongly recommend that you do research before starting a tank.
What to research? There are many things that you need to know before starting a fish tank.

• First research what type of fish you want (i.e. fresh water or saltwater fish, community or aggressive fish).
• Figure out how big you want the fish get
• Do they live solitary or in groups?
• What do they eat?
• Will they get along with other fish?
• What temperature the fish requires and what pH level is necessary to stabilize your tank?
• Find out details about their natural environment so that you can know how to design your tank so that your fish are comfortable.
• Find out how many fish you can get in you aquarium so that you don’t over crowd your tank.

Fresh water fish tank

There is no limit to how much research someone can do when starting a fish aquarium. You can research what filtration system you want, what heaters you can use, how much equipment you need to maintain your aquarium and much more. You can even go to You-tube and watch videos of the fish that you are interested in to see the way that they act (although all fish won’t act the same) and how they will look when they grow. Doing research before starting a tank is no loss, you will have all the understanding necessary to run your tank successfully.

2. GETTING THE EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR TANK
Once you have done all of your research, and have figured all that you need to know about your desired fish and the requirements of the tank, you can begin working on it. Before even filling the fish tank with water, I would recommend that you make sure you have all tools needed to run the tank including a filter that fits your tank (For example, for a 20 gallon tank a filter that runs for 20 gallons or more), make sure you have a chemicals needed to start aquarium such as water conditioner, stress zyme and stress coat (all are important). It is also good to consider your lighting in the tank, to make sure you have bright light. I would recommend already having an aquarium water changer as well. Once you have all necessary equipment, you can start filling your tank with water.

Fresh Water Tank with African Cichlids

3.STABILIZING YOUR TANK
Once tank is filled, you can never immediately add fish. You must first add chemicals needed such as a water conditioner and stress zyme to remove all harmful chemicals that are in tap water. You should allow filter to run at least 3 to 4 days, between which you are making sure temperature and pH is good. You should also be using this time to add fish tank décor for fish (gravel, plants, driftwood, rocks, ect.)When adding fish, its best to introduce 2 or 3 fish at a time to reduce stress. In the beginning you may have a few casualties (deaths), but that’s normal for the first few weeks when starting a tank. Once tank is established (point where all fish healthy; usually the second week after starting the tank), you can do your weekly 25% water changes and your monthly 50% changes. Within a month, your tank should be well running and good to enjoy.