It’s not a secret; I love animals of all shapes and sizes that live on land as well as water. I always talk about my dogs, cats, and rabbits, but I don’t think I have ever talked about my fish. How rude of me; poor fish want to be included too, so we are going to talk about tips to get you started with your new fish tank.
We have two tanks, one big one that we keep in the den and another that I let Vayda keep in her bedroom. Vayda has been doing an excellent job taking care of her fish too. She checks the water and feeds them daily, and I’m proud of her. Mattie and I care for the other fish; she’s learning how to take care of them because she wants to have fish in her room too lol. She is still a bit too young for that, but I’ll teach her how to take care of them.
Now, I let the kids feed them and make sure their water is okay, the pump is working and all that, but there is no way I’m going to let those two girls attempt to clean out the fish tank. Before we got fish, I remember thinking it was going to be easy taking care of fish. Just sprinkle some food and call it good, but I was wrong.
If I could go back and do it over I would have given it more thought and done a bit more research on the subject to find the fish tank that was right for our family.
So you want a fish tank? Here Are 10 Tips to Get You Started
Since you decided you want to get a fish tank, I wanted to give you a few tips to get you started.
1.) Do your research – Before getting fish, make sure to do your research and make sure you’re ready to make that commitment. There is nothing that saddens me more than people getting animals and neglecting them once the excitement of owning a new pet goes away. Fish don’t need a whole lot of attention, but they do need to be taken care of. Cleaning their tank is quite the task but worth it if you love your fish.
2.) Choose fish – Do a bit of research and decide what type of fish you want to get. If choosing more than one, make sure they can live together in the same tank. We currently have goldfish because they are pretty hearty, and they live in freshwater.
3.) Make a list of all the supplies you’ll need – There are several things you’ll need to keep your fish happy and healthy – food, thermometers, nets, hydrometers, pumps, water testing kits, etc. Make sure you have everything you need before getting the fish.
4.) Don’t get too many fish – There is nothing more relaxing than watching the fish swim around their tank, unless you have too many fish. Remember, like us, animals need room and some fish get along with others while some fish prefer to swim solo.
5.) Set up your tank – When you set up your fish tank, make sure everything is put together correctly. Before you add any water to your tank, make sure to put the rocks down. I put down plants and other things after I have the water in, otherwise when pouring the water, they will likely move around.
6.) Cleaning supplies – Before running out and purchasing items to clean your tank with, make sure they are fish friendly. So many cleaners leave stuff behind that can hurt your fish.
7.) Adding new fish – When adding new fish to your tank, it is a good idea to acclimate the new fish, which can be done by adding a decent amount of water from the aquarium into their bag. If you already have fish in the tank, it might be a good idea to put their bag inside the tank and let them sit for about 15 minutes before releasing them so that they get a chance to check things out and the other fish can check them out.
8.) Get your fish on a feeding schedule – Like most animals, fish appreciate a schedule, and it makes remembering to feed them easier for everyone else involved because you don’t risk two people accidently feeding them. Overfeeding should always be avoided.
9.) Test the water – You’ll want to test the water. They have some great water testing kits at PetSmart that you can use to monitor your tank’s water quality.
10.) Make changes slowly – If you want to change things up, be sure to do it slowly. Imagine coming home and your house being flipped upside down. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t like it, so I think it’s safe to assume it can make your fish a little nervous.
If you are not sure where to get your fish and aquarium supplies, be sure to try PetSmart. You may already know, but they have everything you need for all your pets. It’s a one-stop shop for all your pet supplies.
I love fish; I can’t think of anything more relaxing than sitting in the dark with only the light from the fish tanks on and getting lost watching the fish swim. It is one of my favorite ways to relax after everyone is in bed and my day has come to an end. I can’t count how many times I’ve fallen asleep on the couch while watching the fish swim, lol.
I hope you love your new fish tank as much as I love ours. It’s worth the hard work, and about two months ago I purchased a new pump from PetSmart for my fish tank and it’s really helped keep things clean longer.
You can get fish supplies, aquariums, food and care products at your local PetSmart. What I love about PetSmart is their awesome selection and that I can grab something for all my pets while I’m there. It’s definitely a win in my book.
Do you currently have a fish tank? Leave us a comment and let us know if you have any tips you would like to add or have any questions.
This post was sponsored by PetSmart through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about PetSmart, all opinions are my own.
3 comments
These are some great tips. We had a salt water and a fresh fish tank in the past. It was great for my young boys at the time. I would love to do this for my grandchildren. Thank you so much for this information.
Growing up, my brother had several tropical fish tanks. They look pretty but can be expensive. And require a lot of work.
Fish tanks are so cool!! This is very good information! Thank you!