How to Keep Tropical Fish Without Them Dying? Top Ten Species Every Beginner Must See
Mention tropical fish and many people draw a blank, but mention ornamental fish and many will say, oh, those! These days some households have fish tanks, and in those tanks they keep guppies, angelfish, flowerhorn cichlids and other species, all of which are tropical fish. So as a beginner just getting into tropical fish keeping, how do you keep them so they won't die? When keeping tropical fish, here are ten species recommended for you, well worth considering first!
1. How do beginners keep tropical fish without them dying?
1. Choosing the fish tank
For keeping tropical fish, choose a slightly larger rectangular or square glass tank.
2. Siphon tube
A siphon tube is used when changing the water to suck out dirt from the bottom of the tank, such as fish droppings. A siphon tube is generally made by connecting a glass tube to a soft rubber hose; the length is best determined by the height of the tank, it should not be too long or too short, and generally around 1.2-1.5 m is enough.
3. Thermometer
A thermometer is mainly for measuring the tank temperature, which helps with adjusting the water temperature. For example, when the temperature is relatively low in winter you need to raise it a little, and when it is relatively hot in summer you can take cooling measures.
4. Fish net
A fish net is used when you want to change the water, to scoop the fish out and move them. This can reduce deaths during keeping.
5. Glass lamp tube
The glass lamp tube needs to be submerged in the tank to warm and light the fish; the top opening of the glass lamp tube must be 100 mm above the water surface to prevent fish from jumping in and having an accident.
6. Electric heating tube
If you start keeping tropical fish in winter, you must buy an electric heating tube, which can raise the temperature inside the tank when it is relatively cold.
7. Air pump
The air pump's role is to remove carbon dioxide from the tank; usually only when the water is changed do the fish get enough oxygen, but changing the water every day is too troublesome, so an air pump is the most effective way to help you increase the oxygen content of the water.
8. Filter
A filter removes pollutants from the tank and maintains water quality, giving the tropical fish a clean and hygienic place to live; this reduces infections and prevents them from dying.
9. Thermostat
Putting a thermostat in the tank is mainly for automatically controlling the water temperature in the tank, so the temperature inside the tank can be kept constant at one level over the long term.
10. Feeding ring
It prevents the fish food put into the tank from floating on the water surface where the fish cannot reach it, and it also prevents fish from burrowing into the aquatic plants, which turns the plants and sand black and spoils the water quality.
The above are the 10 must-have points for beginners keeping tropical fish, none of which can be left out; keep them and you can keep the fish for however long without them dying, and you also need to combine this with water changes!
2. Which tropical fish should beginners keep? These ten species are worth recommending!
1. The first choice is of course the guppy
Guppies are relatively small in size and can also be kept together with many other fish; they are quite lively and active, but one drawback is their relatively short lifespan, so when beginners do not know which tropical fish species to choose, the guppy can be considered the first choice. The most representative strains include Tuxedo, Grass Tail, Metal, Snake King, Lace, Galaxy, Medusa and others for you to choose from.
2. Fantail fish
Fantail fish are relatively easy to keep and adapt strongly to water height and temperature; especially in winter they can survive without buying an electric heating tube to warm them, but one drawback is that they do not like to swim around and prefer to stay quietly in place.
3. Moonfish
Moonfish can survive even in especially harsh weather conditions. If you feel you are rather lazy and do not want to frequently change the water in the tank, you can choose them, because you only need to change the water once a month. Their biggest advantage is that they tolerate hunger well; it is fine not to feed them for up to half a month, but if they are not fed for a long time, they will find it hard to grow.
4. Golden triangle tetra
Golden triangle tetras are relatively easy to keep and love to move around in the tank. Their feed is also simple: you just need to give them some flakes or small bait in daily life.
5. Four-banded barb
Four-banded barbs are lively and active, very easy to keep, and have a relatively long lifespan of 3-5 years. But note that they cannot be kept together with long-finned fish, otherwise they will very likely bite off the fins of the other fish.
6. Tanichthys albonubes (red-tailed fish)
Because Tanichthys albonubes has a pair of red tails it is called the red-tailed fish; it is an especially strong and easy-to-keep tropical fish, with a lifespan of 2-3 years.
7. Corydoras
Corydoras are gentle in temperament, very easy to keep, and have a relatively long lifespan; under normal conditions they can be kept for 3-5 years.
8. Blue three-star
The young fry of the blue three-star you buy are generally light blue, with two black spots on the middle and rear of the body. But after two years of keeping, the whole body shows deep green, blue, green and other colors in varying shades, like an ink-wash painting, very artistic. It is an especially beautiful fish.
9. Variegated swordtail
The variegated swordtail is bright red in color and is one of the most sought-after tropical ornamental fish; the common ones are red and yellow, and many fish keepers have variegated swordtails in their tanks.
10. Ruby
The ruby tropical fish is relatively easy to keep and is not very strict about water quality; generally a water temperature kept at 20 degrees is enough for it to grow well. One drawback is that it needs to be fed every day, because it has a fairly large food intake and will starve to death if not fed for a few days.
The above are the easiest tropical fish species for beginners, recommended here; is there one you like?
Summary: The above content is what we have put together on the things beginners must know about keeping tropical fish, and we hope it can help friends who need it. This article is compiled from the internet.