Three Considerations When Choosing Fish For A Tropical Fish Tank

While you simply cannot take a fish out to play fetch, you don't have to worry about a fish scratching up your furniture or chewing up your shoes. If you are looking for a pet that does not require walking or changing the litter box, then a fish may be just what you need. On the other hand, if you want a healthy fish tank, you need to choose the fish for your tank carefully. 

Tank Size

One key to choosing fish for your tank is making sure that your tank has enough room for your fish to swim around and get the exercise they require to be healthy. The size of tank required to keep your fish happy will depend on the body type and species of the fish you want to put in your tank. To get a general idea of how many fish you can fit in one tank, you should use a fish calculator. Such a calculator will tell you how many inches of fish you can safely support inside the dimensions of your tank. Once you have determined the total number if inches of fish you can fit in your tank, make sure you choose fish that will not grow too much over time. Make sure you base your measurements on how big your fish will grow instead of how big they are when you buy them. 

School's in or out

Some fish like to swim around in schools and others are happy to swim alone. While you might be tempted to choose a fish based on its looks, if you choose a beautiful fish that likes to swim with company, your fish will not be as healthy or active as it should be. Make sure you have room in your tank for a school of fish before you choose a schooling fish. 

Compatibility

One final consideration is whether the fish you put in your tank are compatible or not. Some fish may attack other fish, and to avoid having dead fish floating around in your tank, you will want to make sure that you check to make sure the fish you choose for your tank can coexist. 

While there is much to be said for the setup of a fish tank, you can perfectly set up and maintain your tank and still not have a healthy fish population if you don't choose your fish species carefully. The above guidelines should help you to choose the right number, size, and species of fish for your tank, but if you have questions, be sure to check with an aquarium expert so that you can ensure the best quality of life for your new pets. 

For more information, contact Neptune's Tropical Fish or a similar company.