| Fish Ownership | | | | the fresh water variety which increases the |
| Most of us are familiar with the joy and | | | | degree of risk for your initial investment. Once |
| excitement a pet can bring to our lives. Be it a | | | | you get the hang of it then you might want to |
| dog or a spider, a parrot or a rodent, a pet is a | | | | venture in to saltier waters. |
| friend that is always a pleasure to have. Like | | | | Unless the whole exercise is about getting specific |
| many others, fish ownership is also a matchless | | | | specie of marine life, going for a fresh water fish |
| experience. It is a joy to watch a beautiful | | | | would probably be a better idea for starters. |
| aquarium with fish swimming around, and getting a | | | | When you go to the pet shop to find yourself |
| glimpse of the life of these beautiful creatures. | | | | your perfect little 'nemo' keep a few things in |
| | | | mind: |
| Before getting the fish home, there are a few | | | | - Buying a lot of fish in one go, especially when |
| things that you should keep in mind as they will be | | | | you are introducing the fish to your aquarium, |
| crucial in the success of your venture | | | | should be avoided. The more the fish the harder it |
| The first and foremost is to buy the fish a nice | | | | will be to keep the conditions optimum. Keeping all |
| home. The style of the aquarium depends on | | | | the different levels, like pH and ammonia, under |
| your personal preference; just make sure that | | | | control might become a challenge. This, in turn, |
| the aquarium has a good solid and stable stand. | | | | might add to the risk to getting early floaters in |
| Place the aquarium so that you will have easy | | | | your tank. |
| access while cleaning the tank. Avoid direct | | | | - Make sure that the fish you choose has been in |
| sunlight and the proximity of the air conditioning | | | | the shop for at least a few days. Buying a fish |
| vents. Next you will need proper filtration and | | | | that is already under stress after being |
| aeration mechanisms setup. Match the capacity of | | | | transported to the shop will give you a much |
| the filters with the estimated number of fish you | | | | stressed fish on your hands. |
| will have in your aquarium. | | | | - It very important to try and keep the stress |
| Before the inhabitants arrive the conditions should | | | | level low when you take the fish home from the |
| be as close to optimum as possible. Make sure | | | | shop. Ask for a bigger bag for transportation and |
| you de-chlorinate the water, if it is chlorinated for | | | | make sure that the whole ordeal is over for your |
| human use. That can be achieved by aeration of | | | | new little buddy as soon as possible. A stressed |
| the water, passing it through active carbon or by | | | | fish normally stays close to the surface, doesn't |
| adding some Sodium thiosulfate to the water. It's | | | | eat well or keeps hidden under some cover. |
| important to have a fully functioning tank set up | | | | Stress can also be due to some injury or |
| at least 24 hours before the inhabitants arrive to | | | | aggression from other fish, lack of oxygen in the |
| let conditions settle a bit. | | | | tank or less than optimum conditions or some |
| The next and probably the most important | | | | sickness. |
| question regarding fish ownership, without a | | | | - Select the type of fish very carefully. Even |
| doubt, is which fish do you go for?? | | | | though gold fish is considered to be the easiest |
| There are two main categories, fresh water and | | | | fresh water fish to work with, there are a lot of |
| salt water fish. Generally the idea is that owning a | | | | other options open. It's worth noting that not all |
| salt water fish is trickier than going for a fresh | | | | fish get along. Some fish like to hang around with |
| water fish; reason being that the survival of the | | | | their own kind, while others are happier with the |
| fish in an aquarium depends a great deal on the | | | | other species and tend to get aggressive towards |
| kind of conditions that they are kept in and it's a | | | | their own. Asking a few questions before buying |
| bit more difficult to imitate the ocean than the | | | | about who gets along with whom can save you a |
| river. Secondly, they are more expensive than | | | | lot of trouble latter. |