Step Four: Adding Fish To Your Tank

This is a very critical time, when your tank is brand new and completely different from the one the fish at the pet store are used to. So it's very important to follow these steps when adding fish to a new tank.

How To Add The Fish...

Follow these steps!

1. When you get home, take the plastic baggies of the fish and without opening them, let them float in the tank for about ten to fifteen minutes so that the temperature of the water in the bag can acclimate to the temperature of the water in your aquarium.
2. Open the bag and take a handful of water from your tank and pour it into the bag. Let this stand for another ten to fifteen minutes. Be careful not to let any water from the bag into your aquarium.
3. Take your net and scoop the fish out of the bag and put them into your tank. Let them swim out of the net by themselves, don't push them out of the net. They've been through enough stress already!

Tips For Selecting and Housing Your Fish

It is important to not add too many fish at one time, or add one fish too late in the game. This may result in aggressive behavior, after the fish have had their routines and patterns messed up by a newcomer. Add fish within three to six weeks of eachother.

The most common rule of thumb for deciding how many fish you can house in your tank is:

Don't keep more than one inch of fish per gallon of water.

According to the one-inch-per-gallon rule, a 20-gallon aquarium will hold 20 inches of fish. That is, 20 one-inch fish, or 10 two-inch fish. The rule basically stops at two inches. No, you can't have two 10-inch fish, or one twenty inch fish. Because the fish just don't get longer as they grow, they get larger.

When picking compatable fish, keep in mind that big fish eat little fish no matter what their temperament is. All the fish in your tank should be around the same age and the same size. Also only keep peaceful community fish with peaceful community fish, and aggressive fish with aggressive fish. Don't keep pirhanas with neon tetras! It just won't work out.

Hope you've enjoyed these beginner's tips to setting up the perfect aquarium! I wish you all good luck and hope I could have helped you out!!

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