Cannibal in the tank – choosing the right fish for your aquarium

If anyone else has been a keen aquarist as long as I have then I
am sure by now that a few mistakes have been made when choosing
the right fish for the tank.

In the early days I was much too eager to buy the fish and shove
them in the tank without any consideration to how the fish would
interact with each other. As far as I was to know all fish would
get along ‘swimmingly’. Definitely not the case!

Unfortunately rushing to the pet store and picking out the
prettiest, most colourful and interesting looking tropical fish
is not the best way to stock the tank.

Instead consider this; if you were to buy a house what do you
look for. First of all you look the house over, does it have
what you need for your family, what about the location, does the
area look inviting? Is there a decent school for your children
and a park for them to play in? Does the property have a garden
and all the niceties you imagined when deciding to purchase a
house? Now what about your neighbours? You are not going to want
to live next door to an undesirable character are you? It is
very much the same for your fish, their needs are all different,
and characters unique. It is important to know that your fish
will be able to tolerate other fish species.

Before even setting up your tank decide what kind of fish you
are going to keep, some people don’t have much time on their
hands and so low maintenance cold or easy to manage tropical
fish are the best ways to go, for those with much more time and
a higher level of commitment there are many varied species to
chose from, including the easiest to care for fresh water fish
to beautiful and fascinating marine fish.

Research your fish well, visit your nearest aquarium centre and
ask advice. There are a vast number of web sites from
enthusiasts including myself, right through to the professional
aquarists who are always willing to assist.

You will need to find out firstly what environment the fish
need, for example a tank with lots of planting or a rockery with
many hidey holes for fish to escape or deep open water with lots
of swimming space. Remember also that the aquarium is for your
enjoyment, so if you want to be able to watch your fish swim
about then maybe fish who like to hide in rocks may not be your
ideal choice. Consider all the options from the needs of the
fish right down to your own needs.

A community tank is a good all round choice as long as you
ensure you research well. Remember that certain breads of fish
like to nibble long flowing tails; some fish can be aggressive
towards smaller or weaker breeds of fish. Also remember that
fish grow, do not go for a fish that will outgrow the tank
within a short period of time. You need to be able to
accommodate your fish’s needs at all times not just in the set
up stages.

I have found the best method is to go along to an aquarium
centre and see the livestock in the flesh, there are always
wonderful varieties on show and an expert on hand to answer any
questions. Ask lots of them, a professional dealer who knows,
understands and values the need for setting up the aquarium and
stocking it correctly will accept as many questions as you wish
to put forward, will answer them and readily offer any help and
guidance. If he/she is the kind that is only after your money
and does not care about what equipment or combination of fish
you buy, then find another who knows his/her stuff.

When a tank is fully stocked with compatible fish, the aquarium
will provide hours of entertainment, provide a focal point to
your living area as well as provide all of the essentials the
fish needs to survive including good neighbours.