Information on Stocking Freshwater Fish Tanks: What kind of Fish?

By: Jill Kaestner

Match-Making
To make your aquarium a dazzling swirl of color and activity, you will want to add a variety of tropical freshwater fish. All fish have different fin designs, patterns, colors, shapes, sizes, temperaments and ideal living conditions. For the welfare of fish and therefore the success of aquariums, it is necessary that you research the fish you would like, to know which ones can cohabit in health and harmony. For example, you cannot match (i.e. without harming or stressing your fish) peaceful and aggressive fish, ones that like cooler water and ones that need higher temperatures etc. Common sense stuff!

Fish Need Room
A good idea is to decide on fish that occupy different levels in aquariums so they don’t need to compete for space. This adds a fair amount of variety and activity, enhancing the appeal of your aquarium.

Top-Dwelling Fish
Top-dwelling fish normally have upturned mouths for feeding at the water's surface. Danios are active and hardy with a long lifespan making them ideal particularly for beginning aquarists. One of the most promoted tropical freshwater fish is the Betta, an easy to look after, peaceful fish with conspicuous fins and an amazing variety of color. Hatchetfish are extraordinary but are sort of difficult to manage and are strong jumpers, so you need to replace the lid of your fish tank aquarium immediately after feeding and maintenance.

Middle-Dwelling Fish
Middle-dwelling fish could be most striking and be stocked with a mixture of schooling fish and larger colorful fish. Schooling fish are clearly happiest when they are among their own kind and you need to have at least six. Examples of schooling fish include Rainbow fish and Tetras. Rainbow fish are easy to look after and their amazing shimmering colorations change when light reflects off these fish. Neon Tetras tend to swim or remain suspended in schools to create a magnificent display of color. All types of Platies and Guppies are outstanding for middle-dwelling fish. They are both easy care fish and come in many bright color variations which add excitement and brilliance to freshwater fish tanks.

For something slightly larger, Swordtails are easy to look after and have wonderfully diverse fin and color varieties. Mollies add drama and contrast to any aquarium but require a moderate amount of care. The following small Gouramis are of a quiet temperament and easy to tend: Sparkling Gourami, Neon Blue Dwarf and Dwarf Gouramis. Angels are a striking fish to include in your tank but be mindful they are semi-aggressive and developing to 6 inches they also require at least a 30 gallon tank. For a larger aquarium (50 gallons), Cichlids are an option but many can display signs of aggression. Examples of peaceful ones are Acei Cichlid, Albino Kribensis Cichlid and Brichardi Cichlid. Of course, the Goldfish remains the most common freshwater fish and comes in many varieties with amazing features and color patterns.

Bottom-Dwelling Fish
Bottom-dwelling fish have down-turned mouths, enabling them to feed on food that falls to the bottom of the aquarium, thereby keeping the substrate clean. Cory Cats are energetic, entertaining and peaceful scavengers. They remain relatively small and live in a wide range of water conditions. For larger tank aquariums (30-50 gallons), Loaches will add color, interest and beauty to your aquarium. They are active bottom dwelling scavengers ideally suited for the community aquarium.

All Passive or All Aggressive
You will have noticed that I mainly refer to passive fish. These community fish can co-exist serenely with members of their own species and other species of similar size. Being the type of person who wants to "keep the peace" I favor easy-going fish for an easy life but if you like a bit more action, by all means pick aggressive fish. Just remember to keep all the fish species in your freshwater aquarium aggressive so no one gets bullied! Aggressive fish are aggressive toward their own species and/or other species, despite their size.

Fish Tank Sizes
Most of the fish mentioned are ideal for smaller tropical freshwater aquariums. Danios, Platies, Bettas, Gouramis and Tetras measure around two inches and are fine for the smaller 10 gallon tanks. Though small, Guppies thrive best in at least a 20 gallon tank along with Hatchetfish, while the larger Swordtails, Rainbow Fish, Goldfish, Mollies, Angels and Cory Cats will require a minimum of a 30 gallon tank. Cichlids and Loaches normally require a 50 gallon tank.

Do Your Homework!
These tropical freshwater fish are only a guide to varieties of fish which would be suitable in aquariums. It is essential that you research the fish including temperment, size, food they eat, the tending they require in order to grow and breed, and the water parameters in which each individual type of fish is the most relaxed with. This will be vital in determining the species of fish that can be suitably matched.

Copyright © 2009 Jill Kaestner @ Kaestner Marketing LLC

Article Source: http://www.collectibles-articles.com

Jill Kaestner I have created 'Aquarius', a website to display some of my amazing aquariums, and to supply you with professional advice on setting up, stocking and servicing your tank aquariums.

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