If you are a pet lover but unfortunately do not have enough time or space for common pets, go for having fishes at home. An aquarium can brighten up your home and life in more ways than one. Watching fish in an aquarium can be enjoyable for the entire family and is also known to relieve stress and boredom. Before bringing home fishes as pets, there are some things you should do necessary research on. Taking care of fish is not a big commitment and generally do not require a complicated aquarium set up, especially if you opt for Betta fish and common goldfish. Let us see how to go about it.

Know your tank size- First and foremost, decide on the size of the tank that you can accommodate with ease in your house. Fishes need space to move freely, so the number of fishes you can get is directly proportional to the size of the tank. The well known “inch-per-gallon” rule suggests that a 3 inch fish needs 3 gallons of space for comfortable living. This rule generally applies to slim fish and round fish need more space than this. Your aquarium will need to sit for at least 24 hours before being able to house fish.

Getting fishes- For starters it is advisable to go for low maintenance fishes like goldfish, which can live in cooler waters and you need not get a water heater installed for them. Also test the pH of your water and select fish that will well live in that pH range. Research individual species to find out their preferences before you decide to buy them. For this it is best to visit a reputable store that have a fair knowledge of it all. Ask them how big a certain fish will grow and what temperature is ideal for them. Accordingly select the variety and number of fishes you wish to take home.

Buying food- It is good to feed your fishes a variety of food and not just flakes. Ask the pet store for freeze-dried foods and also some fresh food. Live foods are also good for your fish and it is fun to see them chase their prey in the tank. Get these supplies home with the fishes so that you are ready to take care of them with immediate effect.

Be ready for them- Even though fishes require not much care and attention, still you must be ready to take care of them. If your job requires you to be out of town for a number of days at a stretch, consider setting up an electronically operated feeder. If you are leaving for more than a week, you can ask your friends and neighbours to feed them. You should also be ready to clean the tank periodically to change the dirty water and prevent excessive formation of algae in the aquarium. It is good to replace 25% of the water in your tank at least every two weeks. Even if you have a filtration system set up in the aquarium, the tank will still need to be cleaned regularly.

Once you set it all up, it is fairly easy and also interesting to have fishes as pets. They also give an opportunity to the kids to become responsible towards caring for another being and also make them innovative while decorating the fish’s home. It is fun to watch them play and grow. Aquariums also make a great home décor and choosing the right one can give a whole new dimension to your room. Check out aquariums for fishes at Waggfluence to go for a quality and hassle free buy. Stay tuned for more fish caring tips here!