Sad Fish

New fishkeepers tend to want a large variety of colourful, different looking fish, but not everything in the shops will be suitable.

Choose a good aquatic shop with informative labels and always ask for advice. Write down the make and model of your tank, and how many litres or gallons it holds.

Do your own research as well as asking advice from retailers. Read books and PFK to give you an idea of the sort of fish you wish to keep, and try the hardiest fish first.

Don’t be tempted by juveniles of big fish. If your tank won’t house them at an adult size, don’t buy them.

Aim to keep community fish first, as these often stay small, and are easy to keep. Non-community fish may be large, predatory, aggressive, or all three, and are not good for beginners.

A community of small fish offers you the most choice, and you will be able to fit more of them in your tank than any other fish.

This causes lots of confusion and you will hear differing opinions depending on where you shop.

When you buy fish from a shop, you must tell them how long it will take you to get home so that the fish can be packed accordingly. Always take them straight home.

Once home, turn the aquarium lights off. If the fish have been packed in the dark for several hours, expose them to the room light slowly so as not to shock them.

Float the unopened bag in the water for about 20 minutes to allow the water inside the bag to attain the same temperature as the water in your tank.

If the bag is sealed with a rubber band, remove it and roll down the sides until it floats freely on the surface of the water. If the bag is tied, cut the knot off with scissors and then roll the sides down.