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4 Basic Tropical Fish Care Tips For Beginners

By Debbie Ray
Apr 16, 2009
Today I would like to talk to you today about the proper care of tropical fish, and the topic of fish care in general. If you've never owned a pet, especially a fish, let me reassure you that it is not all that hard however there are basic rules of fish care that must be followed to keep your fish happy and healthy. Below are a few:

First of all, you have to select your equipment, such as what size of fish tank or aquarium do you need for your tropical fish. Also, you need to decide what kind of fish you will be purchasing, as well as how many. All these factors will depend upon the size of aquarium that you plan to purchase that you will need for your fish.

If you can not decide what type of fish that you may want to purchase, you could purchase a few books at the local pet store to help you decide on what type will be a perfect fit for you and your family. You can also visit local pet stores and ask questions about fish care, what kinds of fish get along, and more importantly, what kinds of fish do not get along together.

Next, water quality is another very basic yet important factor in caring for fish. Because of this you need to buy a PH test kit for your tank as well, and depending on the PH in your water may have to buy a PH up or PH down kit. The kits I normally purchase contain both products, as your water PH can change over time.

Thirdly, airflow is also another important issue to be aware of. Regulate the airflow to a rate of about 2 liters per hour, per liter of water. Control airflow with an aerator - this can also be purchased at a local pet shop.

Once you have purchased all the necessary items (PH up/down, food, tank, aerator,gravel,temperature gauge, gravel cleaner, bucket accessories, etc.) and have properly set up your fish tank, test the water and carefully place the fish, still in the bag (in the water from the pet store) into the tank to float for a bit. This is to make sure that they do not get "shock" if there is a major water change between their old water and the new tank water. Also, be sure to check the water temperature.

Lastly, feed your new fish the appropriate amounts of food based on the amount of fish and type of fish in the aquarium. A general formula is to feed 10g flake food to 50 adult tropical or freshwater fish per month, but check with experts at a pet shop if you have any questions. Be sure to change at least 20 percent of the water every 30 days or so, due to excess food and waste that may be floating around.

Once your new fish have adjusted to the water and its new environment it's now time for you and your family to enjoy your beautiful new fish exploring their new surroundings.
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