How to Handle a Tropical Fish

While most people's relation to fish is summed up in either fishing or eating them, there is actually much more to it than that. They make for wonderful pets, and they are marvellous creatures to admire. They come in all colors and shapes, each with its unique and majestic features. Tropical fish are some of the most beautiful you could ever come across, but they require special care. If you want to get one at home, there are several factors that you need to take into consideration. This is how you can handle your tropical fish. 

The chemistry of the aquarium 

You can't just go and buy the first tank you come across and hope it works. Tropical fish require certain considerations when it comes to the chemistry of the aquarium water, and you need to know this before you even purchase one so you could prepare at home. You should ask at the store what the perfect water conditions for the kind you're about to get are –– nitrite, ammonia, nitrate, and pH levels. There are specific levels for each of these depending on the type of fish, and you have to make sure the aquarium, you have at home meets those standards so you could acclimate your fish and ensure its survival. 

Setting up the aquarium 

Moving a step earlier, getting the right aquarium (read more about acrylic aquarium) and properly setting it up are also very important. For starters, the location can't just be anywhere around your place. It can't be near loud noise because that would cause discomfort to your fish, and it definitely has to be distant from anything that might affect the water temperature like radiators and cooling units. As these fish experts add, you will also want to know if you need an air pump for your aquarium, and if so, what kind you should get. These details all matter in the quality of life your fish is going to have, so you need to be meticulous about each and every one. 

Generally speaking, you will need an air filtration system in any case. Air pumps are the mechanical kind that draws water and filters it from any debris. The biological filtration on the other hand will purify the water from any bacteria, which is probably good for the overall health of your fish. There are even chemical filters that gets rid of any chemicals in the water. The important thing is asking an expert what kind you should get for that particular type of fish. 

Putting the fish inside 

This is not like the movies where you could just open the sealed bag with the fish inside and put it inside the aquarium, not with tropical fish anyway. You will need to acclimate it first before you can put it inside the aquarium, and you can do that by floating it. You will need to float the sealed bag with the fish inside the aquarium for a while until it gets accustomed to the water temperature –– 20 to 30 minutes is the optimum duration. Next, you should open the bag and slowly start adding water from the aquarium into the bag so the fish could also get used to the chemical differences. Keep doing so until the bag is full, and then very slowly release your fish into its new home. 

Aquarium accessories 

Well, they're not exactly accessories, but rather important fittings. For starters, you should install a heater-stat for your aquarium, and it serves different functions. It can be set to a certain temperature and it would automatically turn on if the temperature drops below a certain degree. This is very important because if it gets too cold in winter, the fish could die. You then need to install an aquarium light, but this is another angle you need to ask/research about because certain water conditions and fish types require special lighting. 

Maintaining the water 

While there are many angles to maintaining an aquarium water, the most important is replacing at least a quarter of the quantity once a month. This will keep your tank clean and the fish healthy, as well as help keep chemicals at safe levels, which also increases the lifespan of your fish. 

If you think that having a tropical fish around is a walk in the park, you are mistaken. Sure, it might not be as demanding as raising a dog, but it is still a major responsibility. You will need to read up and ask around on how to properly take care of the fish once it comes, and you will also have to regularly look after it because at the end of the day, it is a life you have around in your place, not a part of your décor.