How to Choose the Right Fish Tank

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By rumblebug
eHow Community Member

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(8 Ratings)

If you are about to take the plunge and invest in a new pet, a fish tank is a great opportunity to take care of animals with relatively low commitment. Making sure you know exactly what you want from the start will ensure that you and your fish are happy and healthy in the long-run.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

CONSIDER THE SIZE - The most obvious first decision to make is what size a tank you want. While it may seem that starting small is your best bet but in reality, the larger the tank you get the easier it is to maintain. A smaller tank is more sensitive to slight changes in water quality and environmental changes while a larger tank may be able to withstand and bounce back from any hazardous condition (i.e. your heater goes on the fritz and heats like crazy, your child dumps a bunch of fish food in all at once, or your fish come down with a fungus or parasite.)
Step 2

HOT OR COLD - This has actually been a large debate in our house, to heat the tank for tropical fish or keep it cool for the goldfish variety. While this is mostly a personal choice there are benefits and drawbacks to both. A tropical fish tank can normally hold more fish only because some tropical varieties do not grow as large as most goldfish do. If left to their own accord goldfish can grow up to 26" or more in length. While it will take many years to get there, it's something to consider. Keep sizing and variety in mind when deciding to purchase a heater for your tank.
Step 3

SALTWATER OR FRESHWATER - Most fish keepers will agree that saltwater tanks are best done by more experienced fish owners, but it's not always the case. If you do your due diligence, saltwater tanks can provide an amazing array of fish and other live plant and coral options with little or no complications. If you aren't thinking that weeks or months in a library researching is on your list of things you want to do, then freshwater might be your safest starting point.
Step 4

LOTS OR LITTLE - This corresponds with both step 1 and step 2. Decide now if you want to enjoy lots of smaller fish or a few larger fish. Make sure to do your research on just how big these fish will ultimately grow. If you are just starting out, it may be wise to invest in a few smaller and inexpensive fish to get your tank settled and then move on to the larger more exotic fish later.