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Katy’s Tropical Fish - A Complete Guide

3 Important Tips for Taking Care of Your Tropical Fish
by Graham Wardle

If you are one of the millions of Americans with a tropical fish aquarium or pond then chances are you are looking for ways to make sure your fish enjoy a long, healthy life. For the most part, tropical fish are easy to take care of and require very little additional care outside the basics. However, there are a few things you should know that can dramatically extend the lifespan of your tropical fish, no matter if they enjoy a small 3-gallon fishbowl or a 1,000-gallon aquarium.

* The most important thing for freshwater fish is that you keep their habitat clean. Under normal circumstances, a filter will do the job just well. However, there are times when it can seem as though the tank or pond gets filled with algae or waste faster than you can keep it clean. This is often caused by a filtration device that is not sized correctly for the capacity of the tank. In most situations, you want your filter to completely clean the water every 4-6 hours. This represents the equivalent of up to 4 complete cycles of the water in a 24-hour period.

While you are checking out filters at your local store, be sure to also look into slugs and other creatures that can co-exist with your tropical fish and help clear out the algae. This is especially important in outdoor ponds or tanks where algae tend to grow faster due to direct exposure to sunlight. They are relatively cheap and do a great job that otherwise would be a manual task for you to complete!

* Next, let's talk about food. Now, you and I, well we tend to eat a lot - we are a society that loves our food! However, the same isn't the same for most tropical fish. In fact, in normal circumstances most varieties of tropical fish only need to be fed once or twice a week. The most common cause of death in household fish is over-feeding. Keep in mind that if you keep your fish in an outdoor pond that you may need to adjust the feeding schedule as the fish will also obtain food from nature - bugs and other flying insects that may make their way into the pond.

* Finally, keep in mind that most fish enjoy a warm environment. If you live in a cold climate you should make sure that your tank or pond is equipped with a heating device so that during colder weather you can keep it at a steady temperature. The ideal temperature will vary for your particular variety of fish, but rarely should you let the temperature of the water dip below 75 degrees in most circumstances.

The Author, Graham Wardle, offers tips and advice about the hobby of keeping fish both indoors and outside at http://beta-tropical-and-pond-fish-news.blogspot.com and also at http://tropicalpondandfreshwaterfishnews.blogspot.com

Find books about keeping tropical fish

Encyclopedia of Tropical Fish by Dick Mills
"beautifully illustrated introduction to all aspects of keeping tropical freshwater fish"

The A-Z of Tropical Fish by Peter Burgess
Diseases and Health Problems

Aquarium Fishes of the World by Herbert R. Axelrod
"870+ fish described - with a full colour photo of every single one! Gives all of the vital info you need: size, temperature, hard/soft water, ph, compatibility, food, breeding .."

Tropical Fishlopedia: A complete Guide to Fish Care by Peter Burgess, Mary Bailey
"the author approaches aquarium setup and maintenance with the idea of keeping the fish as stress free (and therefore healthy) as possible.."

Understanding Tropical Fish by Gina Sandford
"Including illustrated, step-by-step advice on setting up a freshwater or saltwater aquarium .."

Complete Encyclopedia of Tropical Fish
Comprehensive encyclopedia of fishes

Guide to Fish Breeding by Chris Andrews
"Learning how to breed fishes successfully in the aquarium is the ambition of all dedicated fishkeepers.."

Tropical Fish (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals) by Peter Stadelmann, Lee Finley
"Aquarium owners will find valuable information on maintaining correct water chemistry and temperature, and creating an optimal environment for tropical fish varieties.."

The Encyclopedia of Aquarium Fish by Dick Mills, John Tullock (Editor)
“This book is interesting and holds a great deal of pictures and information on many aquarium fish”

Make money from your hobby
“Using your present hobby or favorite pastime as your business base has many benefits. Why? Because any business you decide to become involved in should be doing something you LOVE something you believe in, something that you would work at NO MATTER what income it would generate...” read more

More articles about tropical fish

Breeding tropical fish

Choosing your fish

Tropical fish equipment

Plumbing and filtration

Fish disease

Setting up an aquarium

Websites related to tropical fish

www.fishdoc.co.uk
Fish disease diagnosis and disease treatments for koi, goldfish, freshwater & tropicals. Fish disease movies, ponds & filtration, water quality etc.

www.tropicalaquariums.btinternet.co.uk
Free information about tropical aquariums and fish. The site includes a tropical fish index, tips on fish care, tropical fish keeping, aquarium care, tropical fish related articles, pictures and much more.

Tropical fish supplies

www.aquatics-direct.co.uk
Sell aquariums, tropical fish keeping and pond supplies including all the best brands at the most competitive prices

www.dartfordaquatics.co.uk
Dartford Aquatics is one of the biggest online fish supply and aquarium supplier in the UK

www.fishandfins.co.uk
Aquariums and aquarium supplies and aquatic products, tropical fish food and hardware..

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