Guide to Starting Your Fishkeeping Hobby

To get into the hobby of fishkeeping is more than just buying a fish bowl and a gold fish. If you are serious about the hobby, there are many steps to getting started. It may seem like a lot of work in the beginning, but in the end, it's all worth it. Hopefully with this article, you can be more informed about fishkeeping so that you can make educated decisions.

DO YOUR RESEARCH. This is the most important factor of all. Don't just go into a pet store and buy something on an impulse buy or because it "looks nice." There's more to it than that. You should have some ideas of how large of an aquarium you'd like to have. From there, you can better decide what type of fish you are capable of having as well as how many. Also make sure that the fish you are considering are all compatible to cohabitate. A great way to do this is to pick out a fish that you'd really love to have, then find some fish that are compatible with it.

SHOP FOR EQUIPMENT. This is the most expensive part of the hobby. You have done your research on the equipment, so you know what you need. Now, compare prices at different places to get the best deal. Some examples of things you'll need for a basic tropical freshwater aquarium include an aquarium, lighted hood, heater, filter, substrate (gravel), plants, decoration if desired, and an airstone just to name a few. Make sure you get all the equipment and have your tank set up and running for a good day or two before buying your fish.

SHOP FOR FISH. This is the fun part! You've done your hard work and it's paying off. Now is the time for you to stock your aquarium. It is suggested that you don't get more than 3-6 fish to stock at a time. To start with, I would get the hardiest fish for the cycling process, which will be discussed next in this article. I personally would suggest tiger barbs, danios, or platies for your starter fish in the tropical freshwater aquarium.

START CYCLING THE TANK. This is the part that can seem to take forever if you're not a patient person. Cycling a tank is your water going through the necessary changes in bacteria levels for example until it evens out to be perfectly safe for your fish. The reason for suggesting hardy fish is so that you lose the least amount of fish in the process. Cycling with establish bacteria in your tank that is needed to convert the harmful ammonia into the less harmful nitrites and eventually into nitrates. Nitrate levels are easy to balance so this is what you're aiming to get to. If you are doing the recommended cycling, the process will not begin until you have fish in the aquarium.

WATCH YOUR WATER PARAMETERS. This simply means to use a water test kit from most pet stores to check the levels of different things in your water. It's fairly simple to do, and you will be able to see your progress in cycling. Once you see a "spike" in your ammonia levels, most likely your tank will be cycled. This means that you will watch your ammonia levels start to zero out, then you will see a rise all of a sudden. This is a good sign of a completely cycled tank. You may have to add certain things to your aquarium water to zero other levels out as well. Most pet stores that deal with fish can help you with finding the right item to use for your personal need.

GET YOUR IDEAL FISH. Now that your tank has cycled, it is safe to add other fish. If the hardy fish you originally put in are compatible to the fish you have selected, great! If not, then you will have to find another place for them. In my experience, this is what has started us with having so many aquariums. A lot of people will go and buy another tank to put these fish in. Get a few fish that you have selected, and bring them home to put in your tank. Enjoy!

One very important suggestion that I can make to you is that you find a store that specializes in fish specifically. Once you find a dealer that you can trust, stick with them. It may take awhile and it may be a trial and error process, but it will be worth it in the end. Once you have a great relationship with that dealer you have chosen, you will learn so much more about the hobby. It's an ongoing learning process and it can be a lot of work. If you do your research, and follow the needed steps, it will make getting into fishkeeping so much easier.

I am not, in any way, saying that I am a professional on this topic. I am merely telling of my own personal experiences and what I've learned through many trials and errors. For professional assistance in this matter, please contact your local fish / pet shop to get further resources. This is strictly general information and may not concern specialty fish or aquariums.