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Article #51: Before you buy fish

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I am writing this article to tell you Generally, I recommend community tanks
something about aquariums in general. instead of second and third case.
However, not about those big aquariums Previous paragraph shows you that it's
which can be found in Zoo's or museums, important to know everything about fish
but about home fish tanks. Of course, if you want to own. Focus on temperament
you have a castle, or really big house, primarily. If you are beginner, there are
your home aquarium can be as big as those some species, you should start with.
public ones. On the other hand not These species are not demanding, and they
everybody is Bill Gates, or Queen of the don't require much care. I am talking
United Kingdom. For us, ordinary people, about Guppies, Platies, Mollies,
smaller versions are produced. Swordtails, Neon tetras, etc. These
But from another point of view, small species are very peaceful and harmless,
doesn't immediately mean it's small too sometimes shy. Bear in mind that they
much; It's relative. Even in a small flat should be kept in shoals, what means you
or house you can have aquarium with shouldn't keep 1 or 2 of them in one
capacity of few hundred litres. tank, otherwise they will not feel happy.
Basically, you can have only 10 litres Plecos and many catfish species belong to
aquarium as well. Bear in mind that this "not demanding" group. Unlike fish
introducing any fish into such small tank which do best in shoals, they don't need
would be crime. Small sized aquariums are to be kept with too many specimens of
more suitable for plants only. their family or genus. Plecos require
Previous idea leads me to the first driftwood which becomes their most
point: tanks division based upon living favourite place as time goes by. They
beings. You can have, as I just wrote, a suck it all day long. Another good fish
plant of a fish tank. And you can have an for beginners is betta fish. Especially
aquarium, which contains fish and plants males are beautiful. They exist in many
living together in peace and harmony. colour variants and their big fins look
Especially the harmony aspect is very like jewels in the tank. They don't
important. Some fish prefer green food, harass other species, but if you put two
and we can say that healthy looking males into one aquarium, they will kill
aquarium plants are irresistible for each other. Nobody knows why. Once
them, but some fish need plants for scientist put two males into very big
hiding purposes as well. If such species garden pond, but they found each other
don't have enough hiding places, they and started to fight immediately. So how
feel stressed and they can even die. On they could survive the evolution? In
the other hand we know species which Thailand where they live in lakes, there
don't require plants necessarily, but is an alpha male which is the boss and
they love to lay on their leafs and they nobody is fighting when he's in.
also appreciate smooth touches how leafs If you aren't a beginner any more, you
slide through their bodies when swimming can try for example Gouramies - bit
around. aggressive, territorial and they eat
Now, when you know that there is a direct everything small, what is or isn't moving
relation between fish and plants, you sometimes. Another nice species is the
should know something about various fish Angelfish. But they grow to big sizes, so
species compatibility. Let's take a quick they need a big tank. This category
look into the natural food chain; It's includes also Cichlids which come from
not the rule every time, but almost every America, Africa, and many species
time that larger fish eat smaller ones. originating in Asia.
Naturally, there exist exceptions where But if you don't mind to spend a lot of
some little aggressive fish can eat the a time and and if you have enough
big one as well. Piranhas, Puffer experiences, you can choose a demanding
species, etc., etc. And this is how it fish, like the Discus fish - it needs
goes in home aquariums too. An aquarium special water conditions, or puffer fish.
with many peaceful fish is called Fish from this group need special water,
community aquarium. An aquarium where you special feeding, or they breed unusually.
keep aggressive fish and small peaceful Or they even need large aquarium, like
fish together can be called a dinner Oscar fish, freshwater Sharks, or Koi
time. And the last type is characterised carps. Sometimes it is better to keep
by many aggressive fish kept in one them in garden ponds and not in the tank
little tank; This is called "fight to the in the room.
dead" or "fight until the end".






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