Aquarium 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. 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.

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.

Choose fish that can coexist together – All fish are not docile. Some are actually bullying. 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.

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.

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.

Acclimatise the fish to the tank environment first time it is brought in – 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.

Give them light – Fish need light just like we do. 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. Using fluorescent lights can simulate natural light without heating up the tank. Regular light bulbs get hot and also blow out easier.

What do fish need? They need food, light, clean water and room to move. Sounds like people, huh? To maintain a healthy tank and healthy fish, learn to take care of their environment from the beginning.