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!