Choosing Fishes For Your Aquarium

Aquarium freshwater fish info & more

So, you’ve got your fish tank set up. Or you’re ready to set up your tank, and you need a whole host of swimming, happy fish to fill it, right? Well, slow down and decide exactly what sort of fish you want in there.

Maybe you want some that are extremely active, so they’re always moving an entertaining you. Or maybe you’re interesting in those with bright, vibrant colors.

Or maybe you want something else entirely. Any way you look at it, you’re going to fish for a fish tank.

Choosing the type of fish that you want can take some time, especially if you plan on having several breeds together. Remember to research before buying anything, because you risk fish loss and eventual death if you don’t!

Research: Not All That Complicated

Staff at a fish supply store should be able to tell you a lot about what you need to keep your potential fishes happy and healthy in their tank, and you might find that they’re more knowledgeable then you previously expected.

There are many different questions to consider, including:

• Does this fish like open areas, or plenty of plants?
• Does this fish prefer alkaline or acidy water (Lower pH verses higher pH)?
• Does this fish get along with others?
• What are the feeding requirements for this fish? Does he eat at the top of the tank, or the bottom?
• How much space does this fish need?
• What temperature does this fish thrive in?

If you want more then one species of fish in the same tank, try to match these as closely as possible. The closer you get it, the better your tank is going to be in the long run.

While we could give you the breeds of fish, you’re just going to get confused – and you won’t really be able to fall in love with the fish this way. This is the exact reason that we’re recommending a different option.

Head to a fish store, and browse what they have. Heck, go to several in your area! Take a note pad and write down the species of fish that you like, and talk to the resident expert about their needs – then you can write that down, too.

Take it all home and see which species matches the best, then cross reference the information the staff gave you to information on that species.

This really is the best way to know what fish species is for you.

We All Love Food

There’s one thing that some people just don’t consider when purchasing multiple fish, and this is food needs. Not all fish eat at the same level – some are bottom dwellers, and others are surface eaters.

Mixing these are just fine, but try to avoid aggressive top feeders – pellets that go to the bottom might not get to the bottom feeders!

Try to choose fish with similar dietary needs, and a group that doesn’t steal together will live happily together, and happy fish tend to live longer and be brighter.

You also want to try and ensure that your fish aren’t going to eat each other while you’re away – and no, we’re not joking. This is completely serious, and there is a risk.

Other serious risks include aggressive fish biting other, smaller fish who simply can’t fend for themselves – fish who have long, flowing fins are almost always a target.

Match aggression levels and you’ll get a good match. Bullies know when to back off, so serious issues are mostly avoided.

Aggression Issues

Many fish – especially males – are going to be aggressive in general, so you really do need to try and avoid pairing more then one male in the tank, with the exception of less aggressive species.

Even fish with similar colors can sometimes set it off, so be careful who you pair with who. Several females to one male usually works best (Read our Breeding guide for more information), but it does really depend.

The Worst Thing You Can Do

The absolute worst thing that you can do is to just stock your tank with exotic looking fish and hope for the best. This is sadly something that many owners do.

You’re almost surely going to end up in disaster, so don’t just be hopeful – do your research, and you’ll end up with a great set of fish for a long, long time.