Fish are wonderful pets for people of any age. One of the major benefits of having fish as pets is that they are fun to watch and take up relatively little room. They also do not smell as bad as some animals and are low maintenance. There are some important things that you should know about fish before you invest in fish and the equipment needed to take care of fish. Here are some tips to help you be a good fish owner:
There are two main types of fish: saltwater and freshwater. Saltwater fish tend to be colorful and large whereas freshwater fish are generally smaller and have very earth-tone colors. Saltwater fish are often harder to take care of than freshwater fish, and tend to be far more expensive. Therefore, most fish owners have freshwater fish. Coriadoras, Mollies, Rasboras and Goldfish are among the most popular freshwater fish. In general, it is recommended that you have a gallon of water for each fish, so if you have a ten gallon tank, you should limit your fish number to only ten.
Fish are relatively easy to take care of. Keep in mind that fish are very sensitive to their environments. Therefore, you will need to have a water temperature regulator and will need to treat the water that you put your fish in. Also, be careful about the amount of food that you feed your fish, as too much food will kill them. When it comes to taking care of the tank, you should clean the tank at least once every week. Smaller tanks need to be cleaned more regularly, whereas big tanks can be cleaned every other week, depending on the chemistry in the tank and the types of fish that you have.
Fish are inexpensive (after the initial equipment investment). They are not very interactive pets and will probably never even know you exist. Therefore, some people prefer to invest in different animals if they want to receive affection. However, if you enjoy spending time watching fish and like aquaculture, then you may do well to invest in a few fish. Remember to monitor their feeding and clean their tank often in order to ensure that the fish are healthy and happy.
Fish are fun pets that can lead to hours of enjoyment. The average fish stays alive for 3-5 years. Your fish will require frequent care, as they certainly cannot fend for themselves if you forget to feed them or if they are left alone for several days. Though you can invest in automatic fish feeders, you will not be able to clean the tank regularly. Make sure that you do ample research into types of fish prior to making your fish purchase.