What Fish Should I Put in my Aquarium?
Choosing the Right Inhabitants for a Fish Tank is Essential
Sep 10, 2009
Everyone likes watching aquarium fish, and you may decide to have an aquarium in your home. Not all fish may be suitable for your tank though, as many fish can not coexist with one another. Here, we will give a brief overview of the basic categories of aquarium fish, suggest adequate fish for beginners, and talk about fish that should be avoided all together.
The first rule of fish keeping is that if one fish can fit into the mouth of another, that is where it will most likely end up. Any fish kept together should be relatively the same size to prevent them from eating each other.
After taking size into consideration, aquarium fish are divided into three basic compatibility categories: community, semi-aggressive, and aggressive. Most pet stores label their fish according to these categories, or the staff can tell you to which category a fish belongs.
Community
The fish in this category get along with each other, as well as any other fish placed in the aquarium. As the name suggests, these fish are great choices for people who want a wide variety of fish in their tanks of different sizes, shapes, and colors.
Examples of common community fish are neons, danios, swords, mollies, guppies, platies, and some tetras.
It should be noted here that goldfish are not necessarily community fish. Though goldfish are not aggressive and get along with others, they have different temperature requirements than tropical fish. Adding them to a tropical community tank will not only make them uncomfortable, but they can also spread diseases to tropical fish.
Semi-aggressive
The fish in this category tend to be more boisterous. Semi-aggressive fish often nip at the fins of their tank mates, and even bully them to death. Semi-aggressive fish often need to be kept in groups of the same species, as they establish pecking orders amongst themselves, thus diverting their attention from other fish in the tank.
Semi-aggressive fish include some tetras, most barbs, gouramis, red tail sharks, and angel fish.
Aggressive
These fish often try to eat or attack their tank mates. They can often only be mixed with fish of the same type. Even putting them with like species is no guarantee, as they may even kill one another.
Most cichlids are aggressive, as well as freshwater puffers and piranhas.
Beginner Fish
When setting up a new aquarium, you should choose a fish that is inexpensive and hardy. Danios are a good choice, as well as black mollies. These fish are cheap, hardy, and can withstand a wide variety of temperatures and water conditions.
If you are setting up a goldfish tank, choose a small fantail. They are usually under five dollars and can prove to be quite the survivors.
Feeder fish should be avoided. Though they are the cheapest option, feeder fish are often full of diseases. These diseases can cause new aquarium fish to get sick long after the feeders have passed on.
Fish to Avoid
There are a few fish commonly sold in pet stores, but would be better off left in the wild.
Oscars are brightly colored fish with real personality. Soon though, they outgrow their tanks and often smash aquarium heaters trying to swim around. These fish are labeled "tank busters" because they may literally outgrow the tank.
Other tank busters include pacus and iridescent sharks.
Painted glass fish are commonly found in the aquarium trade. They are fish that have literally been painted. Not only do many people consider this unethical, but these fish need very specific conditions to thrive.
An aquarium is all about the fish in the tank. Choosing fish that are appropriate both for new tanks and the skill level of the hobbyist is essential for successful fish keeping.
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