Aquariums vary from 5 gallons to over 100 gallons. Air pump, airline hosing, and airstone - required to make sure water is well oxygenated.ĮNCLOSURE SIZE: The enclosure should be a solid glass or acrylic aquarium.Water test kit - necessary to ensure proper water quality.Gravel and tank decorations - A 1-2 inch layer of gravel is recommended for most tanks.Filter - The filter should be large enough to handle the size tank and number of fish in the tank.Thermometer - to monitor the aquarium’s temperature.Aquarium heater - either a hang-on-the-side or submersible variety is acceptable.Aquarium hoods should fit snugly to prevent fish from jumping out. Light and hood - most aquarium lights are fluorescent strip lights.Aquarium - these range in size from 5 gallons to over 100 gallons!.If a lot of food is left over after 5 minutes, cut back the amount fed. All the food given should be completely consumed within 5 minutes. Decomposing food adds extra waste compounds to the water which in turn cause increased algae growth. Overfeeding leaves uneaten food to decompose in your aquarium. It is important not to overfeed your fish. Larger carnivorous fish should be fed once daily while young and every other day to two to three times per week once fully grown. The remainder of their diet should be frozen foods or vegetable matter for herbivorous species (see above). The majority of their diet, about 75%, should be commercial pellet or flake food. Most freshwater fish should be fed at least twice daily. Feeding live “feeder fish” is NOT recommended as these feeder fish carry parasites and diseases that can be harmful to your pets. Larger carnivorous fish should be fed high protein commercial diets supplemented with high protein foods such as market shrimp, earthworms, clams/mussels, or frozen smelt/silversides. The following groups of fish benefit from receiving a high amount of vegetable matter in their diet: Live bearing fish (mollies, guppies, platties, etc.) Goldfish and koi Most sucker mouth catfish (plecostomas, otocinclus catfish, algae eaters, etc.) Besides commercially available spirulina flakes and algae discs, the following fresh vegetables are good supplements for herbivorous fish: raw peas, lettuce (avoid iceberg lettuce), zucchini, and green beans Small carnivorous/omnivorous fish can be fed frozen foods such as brine shrimp, bloodworms, beef heart, or mysis shrimp. tropical fish flake food, cichlid pellets, spirulina flake food, algae discs). Many commercial diets are available that tailor to specific groups of fish, as well as diets that are acceptable for a wide variety of fish (e.g. Research the type of fish you want before buying it to determine its dietary requirements. The majority of fish are either carnivores or omnivores with a few species being herbivores. DIET:Īquarium fish vary in their dietary requirements. However, there are many that do not get along well with each other or grow large enough to eat their tank mates! The section at the end of this care sheet will provide some basic information on keeping different species together. NOTE: Many fish can be housed together in “community” aquarium setups. The majority of catfish are nocturnal though many learn to come out during the day when fed!

Most fish are diurnal, or most active during the day, though some species are nocturnal, or most active at night. They all share basic physical characteristics such as gills used for breathing, a lateral line organ on their side to sense vibrations (look closely!), and fins for moving around their environment. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:įreshwater aquarium fish come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. To help reduce the number of fish collected from the wild, try to buy captive bred fish whenever possible. Many commonly kept species are now bred in captivity while others are still wild caught. See the listing at the end of this care sheet to guide your choice and combination of fish for your aquarium. Size and temperament can vary considerably between fish as well, even between fish found in the same part of the world. Depending on where they come from, freshwater aquarium fish will require different water parameters. With the exception of goldfish and koi, the majority of freshwater aquarium fish come from tropical to sub-tropical regions of the world. Goldfish/koi - 65-72 degrees F WILD HISTORY: 3-10+ years depending on species AVERAGE SIZE:ġ” to 12” + depending on species WATER TEMPS:

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