Choosing the Right Fish

Before choosing a fish you must first decide that it is the right pet for you and your family. You must first ask yourself whether your particular circumstances make your family suitable fish owners. Fish are amongst the easier pets to look after, especially since they do not require house training, or regular trips to the vet. Keeping all this in mind there are still several questions you should ask yourself before you finally decide if fishkeeping is for you.

Affordability:

The initial cost of setting up an aquarium can be quite expensive and time consuming, however, the ongoing maintenance costs are relatively low compared to other common family pets.

Other pets and children:

Stress is the main cause of ill health in fish and this can be caused by many things, such as tapping on the glass of the tank or other disturbance. Young children need to be supervised around fish tanks and measures need to be taken to ensure cats and other pets can not threaten the health, or life, of your fish.

Responsibility and commitment:

Looking after fish will probably take about half an hour every day. The fish themselves are totally dependant on your management of them and their environment, and it is therefore essential that you are able to dedicate time and resources. Some fish are relatively short lived, however, others can live for many years.

Stable environment:

Fish need a stable environment in which to live. To achieve this you will need to purchase all the appropriate equipment and make a decision on the best location for your fish tank. This should be an area which is away from direct sunlight and drafts so that the temperature remains consistent. It should also be away from the hustle and bustle of family life to reduce stress levels on the fish. Consider your home environment before you choose the right tank and the right fish for you.

Once you have decided that you would like to set up an aquarium within your home it is recommended that you obtain books about the types of fish you wish to keep. These will help you to understand the commitment you need to give to your fish, the type of environment specific fish species require and the tank size that is most appropriate.

There are many varieties of fish, both tropical and coldwater species. Beginners to fishkeeping should start with species that are easy to maintain, and are readily available.

When considering housing fish within indoor aquaria, it is important to be aware of their total dependence on their owner. The level of responsibility required will be 1-2 hours per week, to ensure the health of your fish.

Choosing the right fish for your aquarium is vital. Some species are very territorial, while others can live peacefully as part of an aquarium community. It is important to choose the right fish for your aquarium and vice versa.  Always ask if you are unsure of a fishes requirements and compatibility.

Fishkeeping itself is a complicated hobby and it is vital that you consult books, other aquarists and organisations so that you can attain the information you need for successful fishkeeping. Before you purchase your fish, it is essential that you find out as much as you can about the particular species you would like to keep. It is important to understand their specific environmental and nutritional requirements; as well as the behavioural characteristics.

There are hundreds of fish available to choose from for your first aquarium. Amongst the most popular coldwater fish are fancy varieties of the common goldfish selectively bred for their impressive colours or shapes, although the common varieties can be just as interesting to keep.

What fish should I choose?

There are more coldwater fish available than you may think with many different types of goldfish available alone. However, some fish will not mix very well in the confines of your tank so make sure you get advice before purchasing.

• Avoid combining very large and very small fish, the law ‘eat or be eaten’ may well take over.
• Always keep shoaling fish in numbers, being alone can cause stress.
• Different fish feed at different points in the water and have different dietary needs so make sure you cater for them all.
• The addition of some bottom feeding fish is interesting to watch as well as being a way to keep your gravel/sand clean.

Common goldfish :

Surely the most popular of all fish, the common goldfish is as happy in a tank as in a pond. The biggest misconception with goldfish, however, is that they can be kept in a bowl without filtration. All fish need filtration to keep the water clean, plus this breaks the water surface oxygenating the water allowing the fish to breathe. Goldfish can grow up to 20cm so certainly need a lot more space than a bowl can offer. See our stocking guide to assess if your fish has enough space.

Comets :

The comet is an ideal tank and pond fish being a hardy character. They are fast swimmers with slim bodies and with a potential growth of up to 30cm they do require a lot of space, hence their suitability to ponds. They are a peaceful but hungry fish and are more suited to sharing their space with fast swimmers as opposed to its rounder, slower cousins, who are likely to struggle for their share of dinner.

Orandas :

A member of the fancy goldfish family, the oranda is a popular coldwater tank fish coming in various colour combinations. The main characteristic of Orandas is their unusual head shape, known as a wen, but don’t be surprised if a young fish seems to be without their wen, they develop as the fish grows. Orandas are slow swimmers and are comfortable living with other fancy goldfish but not so with their faster ‘non fancy’ cousins. Be sure to vary their diet, as due to their body shape, orandas (and other fancy goldfish varieties) are susceptible to swimbladder problems if consistently fed the same food.   Feeding pellets and frozen foods can help prevent this from happening.

Selecting healthy fish

A healthy fish will seem generally alert and in shoaling varieties will stay with the other fish; eyes should be bright and clear with no cloudiness. The fins of a fish should be complete without spots, tufts or blood streaking, as these could be signs of stress or disease. Fins should be held erect away from the body not clamped against it. Shiny sleek scales with no patches of discoloration or obvious physical injury are also pointers to good health. Breathing should be even and a steady with rhythmical gill movement evident.

Introducing your fish

It is vitally important to gradually introduce fish over a number of weeks and not to overstock your aquarium. There are many fish to choose from and our staff will advise which are suitable and compatible for your tank. Always purchase small numbers of fish to prevent over-stocking and overloading the filter.

Your fish will be packed in a plastic bag when you purchase them, and should not be kept in this for more than three hours.

Care should be taken in transporting them and they should not be allowed to get too hot or too cold. When you get them home float the bag in your tank for about twenty minutes, to allow the water temperatures to equalise and reduce stress, add some water to the bag and wait for about 10 minutes before releasing the fish into the aquarium with a fish net.

Throw the bag and water away. The fish may be nervous and hide for a period of time. Let them settle down for a few hours before feeding.

Please note that after deliveries of new livestock in store fish will be taken off sale temporarily to allow them to adjust to their new surroundings and cause them as little stress as possible. Delivery times vary so we are unable to guarantee when these periods will occur and apologise for any inconvenience.  We recommend contacting your local store for details of delivery days to save disappointment.