Should i have a fish?

If you do decide to get a fish tank then get the largest one that you can afford and have place for. The reason behind this is two reasons. One if you drop a drop of poison in each a large tank and a small tank , which fish are going to be affected the most? Right the small tank will have a more concentrated amount of poison. Two , which freezes over first in the winter, a pond or a lake? The smaller body of water can (and does) change temp quicker than a larger body of water. Since the fishes body temp is the same as the water it is in if you change the temp too quick yo will stress the fish and lower their resistance to diseases. Do a little research when you go to buy your fish, make sure what kinds of fish will get along together. Feed only as much as they will eat in one minute or the size of the eyes is about the size of the stomach. Start slow in adding fish so that the bacteria cycle can happen without killing your fish. Yes you need bacteria in your fish tank to get rid of ammonia and nitrite that are given off by fish. Fish are giving off ammonia and a group of bacteria will eat this ammonia and their byproduct is nitrite. Nitrite is not good for your fish either so another type of bacteria will eat this nitrite and turn it into nitrate which is not too dangerous to your fish. When the ammonia has gone down to zero and the nitrite is at zero your tank is considered cycled. I like to tell people that they should syphon about 15% to 25% or the water each week and add fresh water that has no ammonia or chloramines in it, there are chemicals that will neutralize these things. Never use soap or other chemicals (unless it is aquarium related and then only if it is safe to do so). Another way to cycle a tank without dilling any fish is to get some pure ammonia, without any perfumes (or any other additives) and add enough to the tank to have a reading of about 5 ppt. If you can get some used gravel or filter cartridges from a healthy tank, that will let the cycling go faster. Keep adding ammonia each day until it is not registering on your test kit and also the nitrite s at zero. Your tank will be then fully cycled and yo can put fish in the tank after a partial water change with dechlorinated and dechloraminated water.

When people start a new tank they think that since the water is clear the fish should be able to live in it without any trouble. Sulfuric acid is clear but would you drink it? Well fish give off uric acid and that can be deadly to fish if it builds up too much. There are bacteria that break down this ammonia (which is in uric acid) into nitrite. Nitrite is also poisonous to fish but another bacterias will break this nitrite down to nitrate which is not too bad for the fish. In a new tank there is no bacteria to break down the ammonia and nitrite yet. You need to introduce the bacteria and let them grow to have a fully stocked tank. One way is to start with just a few hardy fish in the tank (the bacteria will be brought in with them but only a few) so you have to let them grow. First the ammonia will go sky high (until the first bacteria have enough time to convert it to nitrite) and after there are enough of the first bacteria the ammonia will go down but the nitrite will start climbing up until the second bacteria multiplies enough to get rid of the nitrite and converts it to nitrate. By taking readings of the ammonia and nitrite you ;can see when it is save to add more fish to your tank. When you add more fish to the tank the bacteria will have to multiply enough to get rid of the ammonia and nitrite. You can learn more about this nitrogen cycle at aquariumpros.com where I am one of the moderators.

It depends on what kind of fish you want. If you want to try an easy one, I would suggest a Beta. They are colorful and don't need alot. We had one in a little 2 gallon hexagon tank. My sister in law had hers in a little glass bowl on a shelf. They don't need a filter or aerator, but they will need food. I also put a little gravel and a tiny fake plant in with mine. If you want a bigger tank with other fish, it gets a little more involved. You need a filter system, aerator, gravel, tank chemicals. And you will need to 'season' the tank with very hardy fish to get the bacteria levels to where most fish need them. If you want the bigger tank, I would suggest a couple White Clouds to get it started. They are very hardy. It will take about 3-4 weeks to get the levels ready for other fish. Check with the pet store to see how many fish you should put in the tank you want. One male Beta can get along with most fish. Oscars are mean and don't get along with anything. Mollies and neons are good choices, too. Whatever kind you get, clean the tank as needed. DON'T take all the old water out! Only replace about 1/2 the old. Make sure you get the old food and yuck out of the gravel, too. Hope this helps. :)

I have 2 fish tank,i have tetra and pink gourame in 1 tank and some 11 discus fish on the other. It's been 5 years i have fish pet and I think this hoby makes you more relax and you'll find some good time.

If you do decide to get a fish, I would start small and work my way up. For starters, starting small will cost you less than going for a larger tank. That way, if you decide the hobby is not for you, you have not lost alot of money. Second, fish do require care on numerous levels (water quality, lighting and heating elements, food requirements, just to name a few). It is easier to start out smaller so that you can get accustomed to what needs to be done. Your best bet starting out would be to buy a "starter kit" from your local pet store or bigger chain stores (I know Walmart carries these kits). You can get them from 5 gallons and up, and they include everything you need (minus the fish) to get your aquarium up and started. Most of them also include a booklet with facts and information on fish and what they need.