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| A 5-gallon Betta tank |
Let’s face it, pets are great. They help relieve stress, fulfill our desire to nurture, and give us something to talk to that won’t talk back. But what if you’re too busy to properly care for a four-legged friend? Try fins! Fish make excellent pets – they’re peaceful to watch and can actually be very low-maintenance (all of the pictures included in this post feature easily maintainable tanks!). Plus, fish won’t keep you up all hours of the night barking at a shadow on the wall.
Getting Started: Equipment
Perhaps the most obvious thing you’ll need is the aquarium itself. There are a few things you should consider when selecting what type of aquarium will house your fish. First, you need to decide what size tank you can fit into your space. The general consensus is that larger tanks are easier to care for because they tend to be more forgiving as far as water quality goes. However, smaller tanks can still be easy to maintain so don’t be discouraged if you only have room for a humble 10-gallon tank. You also need to think about what material you want your tank made out of. Usually glass or acrylic is the best choice. Acrylic is more crack-resistant than glass but tends to scratch much, much easier. Still, both are excellent choices. I do recommend staying away from those all-in-one aquarium kits that come with the plastic tanks. They tend to be of less than desirable quality and aren’t very good for housing fish long-term. There are also many different shapes of aquarium available. You can pretty much pick any shape that you want. Just keep in mind that we want to maximize water-to-air contact so that oxygen can easily enter the aquarium.
You’ll also need an aquarium light and hood. Most of the time this will come with your tank but if it doesn’t, make sure that you get one! Aquariums are different lengths, so be sure to measure before you buy your hood. As far as the bulb goes, your best choice is a general aquarium light. They’re cheap and will work fine for fish and several plant species. One thing to note: If you’re considering keeping saltwater fish and might want to try your hand at corals one day, you’ll eventually need a more high-powered light. Basic lights just aren’t strong enough for the photosynthetic symbionts found in corals. I wouldn’t worry too much about it initially, but it’s something to keep in the back of your mind.
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| My family's 180-gallon saltwater reef tank |
The filter for your aquarium is also very important. Filters that hang off the back of the tank are common and easy to maintain. There are also under-gravel filters and sumps setups that can be used. However, I will focus on the first group of filters since they are common and more affordable. Most filters have a form of mechanical filtration and biological filtration. We will discuss later why biological filtration is important. Additionally, if you want a saltwater tank, you will need a protein skimmer. These help remove dissolved organic matter from the water. You need to make sure that all forms of filtration are strong enough to handle whatever size tank you have. When in doubt, go big!
Since most common aquarium fish are from the tropics, heaters are very important. They’re pretty inexpensive but you do have to make sure that whatever one you buy is strong enough to handle the size tank that you have. Most have a temperature adjustment feature so that you can tailor the water temperature to the specific needs of your fish.
One of the more fun aspects of staring a new tank up is getting to decorate it. While I prefer for my tanks to look as natural as possible, feel free to go wild and decorate to your taste. After all, it’s your tank! You’ll need a good substrate (gravel, sand, etc.) and you’ll need enough of it to cover the entire bottom of the tank to about 2” thick. Fish also like having lots of nooks and crannies to hide in. It makes them feel safer and they’re just generally happier fish. Additionally, make sure any other decorations that you get are made specifically for aquariums! This keeps toxic chemicals from leeching into the water and harming your fish.
I know that this sounds like a ton of stuff to have to buy – and it is! However, if you don’t mind taking your time, all of the necessary equipment can be found quite inexpensively. I think it cost me about $30 to get my tank going. Keep in mind that saltwater tanks tend to be a bit more expensive to get started, though.
So, you’ve got your tank all set up. You’re almost ready to go and get your fish! However, first we need to briefly go over some aquarium keeping basics.
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| My 10-gallon freshwater tank |
(Still) Getting Started: The Importance of Cycling and Biological Filtration
It’s important that you give your tank time to establish healthy colonies of beneficial nitrifying bacteria in order for fish to be able to survive. These bacteria will convert the ammonia released by your fish into a much less toxic version that you will then remove with regular water changes. In order for these colonies to be able to establish themselves, you have to introduce them into the system first! A lot of stores now sell commercial bacteria mixes that you can just add right into your water. However, if you happen to know someone else with an established aquarium, you can just ask them for a few cups of water to get you started. You then add a few hardy fish and let the cycling begin!
Once these bacteria have established themselves, they will make up your biological filter. The colonies will live everywhere in your tank and you want to do your best to preserve them. This means that you never, never, never do a complete water change! Experts generally recommend a 5% water change every few weeks. My tank is able to go about a month before I need to change the water again but the time between water changes may vary depending on your setup. With aquariums, it’s okay to be a little dirty!
Here is a nice day-by-day guide to cycling a new aquarium. Check it out for more detailed information.
Easy to Care for Fish
The hardy little fish that are good to cycle your tank with are also good choices for long-term inhabitants. In fact, I still have all of the fish that I cycled my tank with! I am particularly fond of tetras. Gouramis are also a good choice – my dwarf gourami is beautiful and a great tankmate to my other fish! It’s also a good idea to get at least one fish that “cleans up” the gravel. This will help keep uneaten food from building up and messing with your water quality. Of course, before purchasing a fish, make sure to do your research and learn about its preferred water specifications, diet, and behavior. If you have any questions, just head down to your local aquarium store (i.e. not PetSmart – fish-specific stores tend to have more knowledgeable staff) and ask away!
Here is a great list of a bunch of different hardy, easy to care for, and commonly available fish species.
Some other great sites with excellent information:
And some great books:
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| My family's 180-gallon saltwater tank |
Jodi has been keeping fish for going on six years now. She has experience setting up multiple tanks and enjoys sharing fish keeping basics with others.
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