Article by Robert Hedley

If you are getting your fresh water aquarium set up, then you must be thinking about what kind of fish should go in there. There is more to it that just getting pretty ones that match, and here, we will go through things that you should do as you select your freshwater aquarium fish so that you end up with an aquarium that is wholesome, fun and easy to maintain.

1. Determine the number of fish you want to keep. The temptation of course is to keep as many pretty ones as you can get in there, but you may squeeze them too much. An aquarium with too many fish means much more waste, which is not good for the fish and will force you to clean more often. When there are too many fish, there may also be a scramble for food so that there are some that are not fed enough. The rule of thumb is about 2 inches of fish for every gallon of water.

2. You need to choose your fish from a reputable dealer. This way, you are sure that you are getting healthy stock. It is not uncommon to set up an aquarium and a few days later the fish are dead. They were likely not healthy when they were bought. Look at the fish in the shop to start with; are the aquariums clean and do the fish look healthy? If you are impressed with the way the store is kept, you are more likely to get good, healthy fish. If the aquariums are dirty and the fish in them look dull, look for another supplier.

3. Learn as much as you can about fresh water aquarium fish that you may be considering. Do they have particular preferences? Do they prey on other fish? Do they require special kinds of substrate? What temperature do they best thrive in? You also need to know if they have special dietary requirements. Sometimes, this information may help you decide whether you can cope with your selection; some fish breeds are rather high maintenance. A tip here is to get school fish. There will be minimal compatibility issues and it is easier to tell when something is wrong in the fish tank because they will all behave oddly. There are some that come recommended: pearl and zebra danios are beautiful; neons and cardinal tetras too.

4. Try not to get one of everything that you like; they may all be school fish, but they still have different environments under which they thrive best. It is hard to simulate all these environments in a fish tank. 2 or 3 types are ok.

5. There will be algae, and it is always best, together with regular maintenance, to get a species of fish that feeds on it so you can control it naturally. A brittle nose, a clown plecostomus or otocinclus catfish are perfect fresh water aquarium fish for this.

6. Killifish, if you can get them, are an excellent way to start your aquarium. They are not so high maintenance, and by the time you get to add other fish species, you will have got the hang of it.

7. Think about compatibility. Most people will think about freshwater aquarium fish that prey on others here, but there are also some that grow so big in a short time that they start to squeeze out the others. Cichilds, for instance grow quite big. Angel fish can easily squeeze out smaller fish if they are in a fish tank smaller than 10 gallons. Some fish types are also rather messy, and the mess they leave behind may poison more sensitive breeds.

8. DO NOT keep a piranha, unless they are all by themselves. They will eat your other fish. If you go for them, make sure to be ready for the expense that they bring. They need a lot more cleaning after, and they need to be fed much more to keep them from eating each other.

9. There are miniature sharks, like the Bala, that you can keep, but they still will grow rather big and you will need a bigger-than-standard fish tank.

10. Stay away from catfish. They will eat other fish in the fish tank and they never stop growing.You are now armed with lots of information on choosing freshwater aquarium fish and choosing fish for your aquarium so follow this guidance and remember, even one wrong fish in your fish tank can affect all the rest, so it is important to follow these tips.

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A lot of folk just rush into something before thinking about it first. Excitement gets the better of them and common sense says goodbye. But the trick for making that something last for life is not to rush in without thinking first, and starting a freshwater fish aquarium is no exception.

Owning a freshwater fish aquarium has to be one of the most beautiful hobbies around. It’s relaxing, calming, rewarding and fascinating. But it won’t be like that if you just rush into it thinking there’s not much to it. It’s a truly wonderful hobby but to be a wonderful hobby you need to carry out two actions before even thinking about starting.

The two actions are research and visiting your local pet shop. Yep, that’s it folks! Without these your hobby will last less than a month because things will go wrong and you won’t know why. Your water will get dirty and smelly.

Your fish may even die if not catered for correctly, and so the list goes on.

Without research how do you know the correct methods to use in keeping your tank and fish healthy and vibrant? Research only takes a short while and is really interesting so it’s not hard work at all. Do visit your local pet shop, look around and ask questions because the assistants or owner normally know a lot more than you think. They will be able to tell you instantly if your initial plans could mean potential disaster or not. They will be able to tell you if the variety of fish you’re thinking of buying will eat each other or not. Ask away. That’s what they are there for.

So please folks do nothing else until you’ve researched and asked. It’s not rocket science and you’ll really enjoy it anyway. But the best thing is, you’ll have a huge head start in actually starting your freshwater fish aquarium correctly and this will ensure that your hobby remains a hobby for life.

Article by Sandra Gaffney

Heaters are one of the important accessories that one should always add when raising freshwater fish. As you may know, most of the freshwater fish that are available to aquarists are native to tropical waters, and for us people in the colder region of the world, trying to raise them in a regular aquarium can be potentially lethal without the use of heaters to regulate the freshwater aquarium temperature.

Relative Temperature for Tank Size

Raising the temperature of the water in your aquarium is not enough for fish to survive: one must also know that it is necessary to maintain this temperature over certain levels in order for the fish to get used to their artificial habitat. But techniques for maintaining the temperature of the water in an aquarium vary greatly depending on the size, because heat diffuses on a larger molecular area.

Take heat as an additive coloring for example: when it is dropped on a liquid of a smaller volume, it diffuses only on a limited region, making it more concentrated. But drop the exact same amount on a larger area, and you’ll notice that the additive is actually diluted and is dispersed in the liquid farther. The exact same principle works with heat, so if you need to apply heat to a larger area, you’ll have to raise the temperature of the heater by increasing its technical power or wattage to fulfill the heat requirements of a certain amount of water.

Knowing the Average Temperature Needed

this does not only limit itself to the water in your aquarium, because the heat all around the room where the aquarium is also scatters around all the articles in the room. Now, add this fact to the heat regulation in your aquarium, and we now have a problem. No matter how much the heater works continuously to keep the aquarium warm, the temperature still drops at a considerable degree below the required temperature, because the heat diffuses from the water and out to the air around the room.

Article by Chris Walker

Freshwater aquarium maintenance might seem as easy as feeding your fish at certain times of the day. However, there is a lot more to it such as cleaning, water changes, filter changes, and more. There is a bit of art and science in the maintenance of an aquarium, which makes paying attention to your aquarium very important.

Many times, beginners in the aquarium hobby become overenthusiastic and often times buy an assortment of fish, toss them all in the tank, without thought to the carrying capacity of the tank. The carrying capacity relates to the number and size of fish in a tank. This is a hazardous practice, because there will be an imbalance within the tank. The ammonia produced by all the fish would be greater than the ammonia-eating bacteria, thus putting your fish at risk of stress or death as excessive ammonia is produced.

It is good to have a basic understanding of the nitrogen cycle for proper freshwater aquarium maintenance. The bacteria that consume ammonia produce nitrate and nitrite. The whole point is that you want to have a balance with your fish and their aquarium. You can monitor this by measuring the amount of ammonia within your tank with water testing kits or test strips. Or, you can be conservative on the number or size of fish you put in your tank and not have to worry about excessive ammonia build-up.

Finally, changing water in the tank must also be done periodically. This can further remove remove wastes and prevent mineral buildup at the same time. You can do this by siphoning water out from the tank and then replacing it with clean water. A fifth to a third of the water would be a good start, and should be done every couple weeks, every month at a minimum. Again, this activity can be done less frequently if you have less fish in your aquarium.

One thing that you should remember while changing water is to never change all of the water at one time. This could cause stress to the fish as they will have to adapt to the new water. Also, you would reduce the amount of healthy bacteria by diluting your freshwater aquarium with tap water.

A few tips to reduce the amount of maintenance, specifically, cleaning the tank are to 1) have a filter system that is more than adequate for the size of your tank, 2) use a larger tank if possible, they are easier to maintain a more stable environment, and 3) don’t put too many fish in your aquarium. Indeed, there is a lot to learn and to be considered for freshwater aquarium maintenance, but once you get the hang of it, everything will flow smoothly and will become routine.

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Article by Chris Walker

Freshwater aquarium plants are a great addition to your aquarium providing a multitude of benefits. Not only are they pleasing to the eyes, but they also aid in maintaining a good chemical balance for the water in your aquarium. This is because live plants can utilize excess nitrogen and phosphorus from the water, which could minimize hazards that can be wrought upon your fish and even may reduce algae if that is a problem in your tank. In addition, you are also providing them a resting place and cover when they feel threatened or uncomfortable.

There are many plants to choose from, some being easy to grow successfully, although, different freshwater aquarium plants require different water conditions. Factors to consider include water hardness, lighting level and type, pH, and substrate type for planting.

Lighting is very important for freshwater aquarium plants to perform photosynthesis to survive. The lighting level is usually measured in watts per gallon of water. Carbon dioxide is also needed for this photosynthesis. This gas can be provided by the fish in the tank and tank aeration done, many times, with your filter system. However, many aquarium enthusiasts feel a carbon dioxide injector should be provided for attaining excellent growth for some aquarium plants.

Next, you have to verify that the plants you are planning to place inside the aquarium are compatible with your fish. There are some fish that love to nibble on the leaves of plants, while there are some that enjoy uprooting plants. This can destroy your plants and can create a mess, therefore, increasing the amount of aquarium maintenance and making it tougher than it should be. It is best to do research about plant and fish compatibility before you plant them in your tank.

In summary, growing freshwater aquarium plants can be fun and have positive benefits for your tank. However, one must make additional considerations such as having the proper lighting and water quality, and make sure these are also compatible with the fish in your tank. Lastly, make sure that your fish will not make their entire meal out of your live plants or decide that they are fun to play with by uprooting them.

Check out these three fish to put in your aquarium and discover their needs covering: behavior, how they breed, water temperature and the food they need.

Angel Fish

Great in a community tank, it moves around at a slow pace and is lovely to look at with wonderful colors. Adults can be as big as fifteen centimetres long, so think about that when you are working out how many fish your aquaurium can accommodate.

Temperature wise they can endure quite a wide range and they are also happy with a variable range of foods.

This fish looks silvery, is thin and has curvy fins that sweep backwards. Distinct vertical stripes run along the body from the caudal fin to the eye. And you can tell when this fish is afraid as these black stripes suddenly fade away.

Other Angel fish such as the black one, obviously don’t show these stripes as clearly.

Another one, an Angel fish has lace patterns on the fins. Longer fins can be found on another Angel fish, the Veil Angel that has a marble effect.

Sexing these fish is not easy. When you do manage to get a pair they remain loyal to each other and look after they young well. When breeding you will need a well planted tank with broad leaves and the light needs to be at a low level. Sticky eggs are produced within two or three days.

Bear in mind that these fish can eat the eggs, especially if they feel afraid. The young can be fed with infusoria and then micro worms and then brine shrimps.

Badis

You cannot say that this fish has one particular color as there are lots and lots of variations. The colors vary from red to a nearly purple color and spots have even been noted. Not only that, the color changes depending on the aquarium conditions and during breeding.

Major characteristics are a dorsal fin that that might have bluish green stripes, scales with a line around them and a stripe crossing the eye.

When breeding make sure that the male is smaller than the female because she can be injured by a bigger male.

As a cave dweller ensure you use something like a plant pot for it to breed in. Have a well planted aquarium with a water temp of twenty nine degrees centigrade. Remove the female after egg laying, wait for them to hatch and then remove the male. Use infusoria to feed the young.

Black Widow

The family is Characidae and the scientific name is Gymnocorymbus ternetzi. This is a popular freshwater aquarium fish as it is peaceful, fairly small at 6.5 centimetres and therefore great in a community tank. Nevertheless it is susceptible to bad water conditions and this can be identified by seeing if it swims with the head down. Food wise, range of feeding can be used but it prefers live food.

Color wise its body has vertical dark stripes with red circled eyes and a silvery green body. Sexing is difficult a clue is that the male is not as fat in the body and it has bigger frontal and anal fins and dorsal fins that are sharper. The breeding tank must be thickly planted at on end, water at twenty degrees centigrade and you also need floating plants.

After breeding the eggs are dispersed, some adhering themselves to plant leaves and others falling to the bottom.

Remove the breeding pair after spawning and you will see the fry after about thre days. Feed the young on infusoria, then brine shrimp.

Article by Paul Curran

You really must have freshwater aquarium grass in your aquarium. There are plenty to use for both locating in the back and front areas of your tank. They also provide shelter for timid fish and adequate spawning areas. A range of species to choose from are covered in this article.

Freshwater aquarium grass plants are really essential if your aquarium is to look like it should and be a welcome haven for your fish. They will provide both cover and shelter for shy fish and areas for breeding to take place. This article describes a range of grass like plants of varying sizes that you can use in your tank.

Vallisneria

Vallisneria is an aquatic plant genus that has several species and has the common names of vallis, tape grass or eelgrass. Runners are sent out from the plant so it can spread. The tips of the leaves are round and they have noticeable veins on them. White flowers can grow to the water surface on the long stems. The Vallisneria species include vallisneria aethiopica, V. americana, V. alternifolia, V. anhuiensis, V. asiatica, V. natans, V. spiralis and v. tortifolia.

Of these, only the V. spiralis, V. natans and V.tortifolia are probably regularly used for the home aquarium. This is because they grow to a height of about 6 to 12, 9 to 12 and 3 to 4 inches respectively that seems adequate for most tank sizes.

Due to their size the V. gigantea (frequently called this but are actually V.americana) would be unsuitable due to the fact they grow up to 2 meters, although you could carry out regular pruning with sharp scissors.

The popular varieties are pretty hardy so will do alright under moderate light conditions but obviously grow more slowly. Any type of substrate can be used and they reproduce when runners are sent out with plantlets coming out from them at various locations along the runner.

Once established these additional plants can be replanted elsewhere. It is best to avoid acidic water but they will tolerate some salt in the water, up to about one tenth that found in sea water.

Straight Vallisneria (Vallisneria spiralis) is a rooter and is also known as Tape or Eel Grass. Its leaves have round tips and are narrow and straight with colors varying from light green to red.

You need to keep this plant in check as it will grow and spread rapidly in the tank. It can reach about 60 cms in length. It reproduces by putting out runners through the substrate.

White flowers may be seen at the top of the long stems. Soft to hard water quality is preferred, the temperature fifteen to thirty nine degrees centigrade and a pH range of six to nine. It will grow under a wide range of light conditions and is a favorite amongst aquarium keeping beginners.

Other Grass Plants

Lilaeopsis is another grass like plant that grows into a very thick sod like lawn. This plant requires bright light and a soft nutrient rich substrate. Often called Micro sword, it reaches a maximum height of three inches.

The Lilaeopsis genus has several species of flowering plants commonly known as grassworts. These include:* Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (syn. Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae)* Lilaeopsis carolinensis (Carolina grasswort)* Lilaeopsis chinensis (Eastern grasswort)* Lilaeopsis masonii (Mudflat quillplant)* Lilaeopsis occidentalis (Western grasswort)* Lilaeopsis schaffneriana

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis can be used to produce a lawn effect for your aquarium. Comes in pots or clumps but is best to split it up before planting. Otherwise, as a very dense plant it will accumulate algae and debris.

It will propagate by sending out runners. It seems that this freshwater aquarium grass plant establishes itself more easily when the substrate is made up of finer material.

As you can see there are quite a few freshwater aquarium grass plants to choose from and I hope this article points you in the right direction when selecting some for your aquarium.

Freshwater Aquarium Algae is probably one of the most common problems that aquarium lovers endure. In this article we cover 3 procedures to lessen the problem or ideally get rid of it.

1. Physically Getting Rid of Algae Yourself

Often, with too much light present utilized as illumination in your tank green algae will form covering the glass surfaces of your aquarium and you might also have green water trouble.You might remove the algae by employing an appropriate scraping implement with a keem edge. Some folk utilize steel wool and you would have to be very careful as you do not want to cause any marks on the glass surface by using too much pressure.

Obviously using steel wool with sand around, especially the bottom of the tank, will increase the risk of marking the glass surfaces.

Not only will the glass be covered by freshwater aquarium algae but the plants will be covered as well.

It is nearly impossible to remove all algae from the plants.

Beneath electric light, blue-green algae are favorite to be a nuisance, settling not only on glass, but also on the plants. The algae may be scraped from glass as normal, but to get it off the plants is practically impossible. Cut down on the lighting strength and see how the situation develops.

2. Chemical Treatment

One more to treat the situation is to use a chemical. However you can’t do this with living pets in your tank. You would have to develop another tank that ideally has water that has been matured so that your fish can be safely esconced for a few hours. Transport your pets and invertebrates etc securely to their temporary tank and introduce copper sulphate to the fish free fresh water aquariums.

Regarding the amount to utilize, work out what 1 parts per million might be for the volume of water in your tank.

Mix it in and leave for several hours before substituting the majority of the water. Once your fish are put back into the tank you will have to check on the water quality and carry out water changes as you would do with a new aquarium to ensure the nitrates will not rise to high levels.

Relocating your fish about too often is not fantastic for their well being so consider this a strategy for you to utilize only when you have to.

3. Using A Particular Fish To Get Rid Of The Algae

In addition to proper upkeep there is an yet another ongoing strategy you can utilize. Purchase an algae eater such as a Plecostomus. This one is not going to win a beauty competition any time soon – but it might help keep your aquarium algae to a low level.

Some people say they put more waste and nutrients into the water and algae still thrives but if you do water changes, then it should lessen their additional waste products, as with any other fish additions.

NOTE WELL: A Plecostomus (also known as) can become one and a half feet! You may be all right with one in a ten gallon tank but when it develops to that length you’d need a fifty five gallon aquarium!

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Live plants provide food and shelter for fish, prevent green water, and make your aquarium look great. They also help balance out the aquarium system by absorbing carbon dioxide and waste products.

Like any living organism, plants need nutrients and proper living conditions. Having plants fed is easy because all of the needed nutrients come right from the fish. Fertilizing plants is just as easy because the fish do that too. There are fertilizers available as additives but it can cause problems with algae in your tank if too much is added.

Most plants like water temperatures to be between 72 and 78F. A pH between 6.8 and 7.8 is also ideal for the plants.

Snails are also related to the success or failure of your aquatic plants. Snails can help clean the plants of small algae and food. There are some other types of snails that can actually start eating and damaging your plants. You can actually remove these snails by placing lettuce at the top of your tank, then removing the lettuce after the snails have been attracted to it.

It is always good practice to rinse any new plants in a warm water to get rid of any nuisance insects. Try to choose plants for your tank that have solid roots, firm leaves, and do not have a strange smell to them.

If you are looking to add plants to your aquarium, you will probably need to upgrade your lighting. Plants need about twelve to fourteen hours of light everyday. Some aquarists have differing opinions of the amount of light plants need but three to five watts per gallon seems to work well for most.

Transplanting younger plants will always be easier and have a larger chance of success. Almost all plants will need some kind of adjustment period where it may lose leaves, but if you remove all the dead leaves and not damage the roots; your plant should be just fine.

Plants do a lot to balance an aquarium aesthetically and balance the ecosystem very well.

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Article by Chris Walker

Aquarium gravel and other substrate form the bed at the bottom of your freshwater aquarium. In addition, it supports decorations and furnishings that act as habitat that you will be putting inside the aquarium. It also supports aquatic plant life providing an anchor for their roots. The aesthetic quality is not the only consideration though when choosing aquarium substrate for the bottom of your tank. There are certain things that should be kept in mind to make the appropriate choice of aquarium gravel or other substrate.

It is important to understand that the substrate bed plays a major role in the nitrogen cycle inside your aquarium as well as other chemical cycles. The nitrogen cycle is very important for the survival of your fish. Bacteria that that grow in the aquarium gravel or sand eradicate unwanted ammonia and nitrates from the aquarium. An understanding of the requirements for a good aquarium gravel bed must therefore be understood, at least at the basic level, for both the aesthetic and biological functions.

A good aquarium gravel bed must be natural and beautiful, with its granules being 3 to 4 mm in size, other sizes are also adequate. Sometimes it is good to keep in mind the type of fish you plan to raise. Some fish like to build nests or burrow which requires them being able to manipulate and move the substrate.

Ideally, the aquarium gravel bed should be at least five centimeters in height for plant placement and for maintaining the beauty of the aquarium. The bed can be heavy for an aquarium to support, therefore, an appropriate amount would be 3 kilograms for every 10 liters of water. Adding the weight of the bed to the weight of the water can make the total weight rise significantly. Natural beds work best for freshwater aquariums. There are different aquarium substrate types that you can use for this purpose each with certain characteristics that affect the whole aquarium. Gravel and coarse sand (e.g quartz sand) are the best because they allow for better water circulation and filtration. Loire sand is finer than coarse sand that contains nutrients that may be utilized by aquatic plants and are usually taken from rivers. Original Loire sand was gathered from the Loire River of France. Finally, fine sand is appealing, but it does not do well in circulating water. Lastly, it is best and easiest to purchase aquarium gravel sold specifically for aquariums rather than trying to collect and clean it yourself. It is best to consult with a knowledgeable aquarium hobbyist before deciding on a freshwater aquarium substrate.