How to Create and Maintain a Minimal-Maintenance Aquarium

10 Crucial Tips on How to Maintain A Freshwater Fish Tank

The females are a light tan color with a dark stripe running down their sides. It is the unique coloring of the male species that gives this fish its name. These have a red color that becomes deep cherry red when they are spawning. These cheap fish pets grow to around 1.3” (3.5 cm) from head to tail. This bottom-dwelling fish likes to spend time by its burrow, and feeds on food that sinks to the bottom of the tank.

Beginner-Friendly Freshwater Fish (And 4 That Need Expert Attention)

Betta fish would also need hideaways, which are easily achievable with the help of a couple of live aquatic plants. This is thanks to their unique labyrinth lungs, which allows them to breathe atmospheric air. For this reason, some people do not see the need for a filter in an aquarium with a Betta fish.

The 11 Easiest Fish to Take Care Of For New Fish Parents

• They are often less hardy than common Goldfish, which can make their care slightly more difficult for beginners.
• The only time they become aggressive is if there is more than one male swordfish in the tank.
• The aquarium filter helps remove decaying matter, excess food, fish waste, suspended particles, etc. preventing cloudiness and the accumulation of toxins in the tank.
• The Java Fern and the Java Moss need nothing more than basic care and can be used to create dense aquatic vegetation in a fish tank.

There’s no denying that these colorful species are some of the best turtles for aquariums, but sometimes, they are too big for your tank. The complexities of these care needs depend on each turtle’s species. You must understand their features and habitat needs to determine the best freshwater turtles for your aquariums and level of expertise. The bristlenose plecostomus is a species of catfish with distinctive tentacles around their snout. While most catfish reach lengths of around 20 inches, the bristlenose plecostomus is much smaller at just five inches and has a lifespan of around 10 years. Known for being fantastic little vacuum cleaners, if you want a tank that looks spick and span, this is definitely a species worth considering.

Even if you’ve chosen hardy fish as your starter fish, you’re still going to expose them to toxins, which will eventually reflect in their health. It goes without saying that adding small fish to a tank with larger fish is also a no-no, since the bigger fish will mistake the smaller ones for food. So, you’ll need to perform water changes and clean the tank regularly to keep nitrate levels under control. If you add fish to a tank that hasn’t gone to a cycling process, ammonia levels will spike because of the waste fish generate.

Easy to care for and with a unique appearance, the bristlenose plecostomus is a fun addition to any aquarium. You can use marine salt for saltwater tanks, freshwater salt for freshwater systems, kosher salt in emergencies, and Epsom salt for stress relief or specific diseases. Each type serves different purposes, so choose based on your aquarium’s needs.

Aquarium Filtration

They often have tails dressed with feathers, animal hair or rubber skirting to attract bass, trout, pike and other species in shallow streams, deeper rivers and lakes. Attendees are required to register at usps.com/fishingluresstamps to receive free admission to Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. Their unique behavior and social nature make them a fascinating fish to care for with a bit of dedication.