Caring For A Fish
Housing
When buying a fish tank or aquarium, talk to you local aquatic specialist or pet shop about the size of tank and the specification you will need. The size of tank will depend on the type of fish and the number of fish.
There are also other accessories that you may consider like lighting, specialist gravels, plants, filters and a stand. It is important that the fish are able to behave as they would in the wild like seeking shelter.
The fish tank will need to be kept out of direct sunlight to reduce the growth of algae. Keep the tank away from noisy areas and draughts. Make sure the tank is kept on a stand or a sturdy piece of furniture as a fish tank full of water is very heavy.
Tap water must be treated before it is used in an aquarium as it contains chlorine. If your tank goes cloudy, an algae scraper will help remove algae from tank walls and you should clean your tank out and re-introduce your fish by using the equalise method. Do not use an algae scraper on tanks made of perspex as these will scratch the surface and don’t use household chemicals to clean tanks as these may prove fatal for fish.
Nutrition
Fish food that floats is easier for goldfish to find and makes it easy to learn how much food your fish need. Tropical fish will feed differently so make sure you buy the right food for them. Do not over feed your fish as this can lead to digestive problems and uneaten food can pollute the tank.
Company
In the wild, fish live in shoals, so it is important that fish can have companionship. Make sure you know how many fish your aquarium can hold. Too many fish in a tank leads to competition for food and poor water quality. It is important when you buy your fish that you take into consideration whether they can live happily together.
