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Selecting your fish
Selecting your fish is just as important as any other part of your tank set up. There are a few areas that you must consider when deciding what types of fish to put in your tank.
Breed
There are many different breeds of fish for both saltwater and freshwater aquariums. Some breeds get along well with other and certain breeds can not be placed together. When selecting the breeds you are going to put into your tank, do some research on how well that species of fish with react with other species of fish. I was in a salt water fish store in Raleigh, North Carolina and I was looking to buy a Dog Face Puffer for my tank when I overheard a little boy tell his dad that he wanted the “Finding Nemo” fish tank. The dad of course told the little boy that they would get all the fish and set it up. While the little boy was looking at the different species of Clown Fish, I walked up to the dad and started talking to him about what he had just promised his son. The father was new at saltwater aquariums and hadn’t considered the fish in the “Finding Nemo” tank.
The fish depicted in the aquarium at the dentist office in “Finding Nemo” are actually very territorial and aggressive and would not survive together. Once you decide what fish you want to have, make sure you do some research to see what else you can put in the tank. This rule goes with fresh water fish as well; certain species will not tolerate others.
Health
The health of your new fish is very important. Make sure you watch the fish prior to purchasing it or if you are ordering fish off the internet, make sure you have a guarantee on the life of the fish. While watching the fish, note any odd behaviors such as odd swimming as this could be a sign of sickness in the fish. Inspect the fish closely for missing scales, damaged fins, or any visible parasites. Talk to the store associates and get as much information as you can about the fish like how long it has been in the tank. Another key area to look at is the tank itself. Look at the bottom for and fish parts or up at the surface or near the filters. If there are quite a few dead fish in the tank, reconsider purchasing for that tank or store. The associates might not have the chemicals under control or there could be something wrong with that tank. Some fish stores have one large sump tank to circulate the water through all of their freshwater tanks and another to circulate through their salt water. Although two basic filtration systems can save time and space it does not prevent contamination between multiple freshwater tanks. Just make sure you inspect the fish really closely and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t feel that you have to purchase a fish just because you are there, it would be better to go home and not have a new addition for your aquarium, than to take one home who is sick and contaminate your home set up.
Sex
The sex of your fish is also an important choice if you are planning on breeding your fish or in a “two males can not be put together” scenario. Certain species of fish, such as Betta’s, are easy to tell apart. The males are vibrant with long flowing fins and the females are a dull grey or brown color. Other species are much harder to tell the difference and if you are not familiar with this process it can be very confusing. It is best to talk to your supplier and find out which is which. Once you are familiar with the species that you have it will be easy to tell the difference. An advanced way to tell is by a process called venting. This is somewhat traumatic for the fish because it requires you to physically touch the fish and turn them over to look at their reproductive organs. Again, unless you are familiar with the fish and this process, just leave it to the “professionals”.
Aggression and Predation
The aggression and predation rating on your fish is very important. When you are looking at your fish to purchase, a pet store will usually offer a rating of each species of fish. This rating changes from store to store but the general information is the same. The rating will contain information about what species of fish your new fish will get along with, general behavior information (is my fish territorial but not generally aggressive?), how much and what type of food to feed it and other pieces of information about size and growth. If you are going to set up a tank with predator fish purchasing aggressive fish will be ok, provided that they do not eat the other predators in the tank. If, however you want a nice calm tank, then a predator is not for you. Also if you are going to have coral, live plants, or certain types of invertebrates in your tank, there are certain species of fish that will attack and feed on these items. Make sure you understand your new fish prior to putting it in the tank.
Food
Food is also an important decision in fish selection. Consider what you will need to purchase to feed your fish. Is it simply fish flakes? Does your fish need pellets? Sinking wafers? Is my fish a predator that I am going to have to feed live feeder fish too? All of these items are important when choosing your fish. If you are choosing predators then it is best to set up a separate tank for the feeder fish.