Aquatics

Buying Your First Fish

Fish are great pets for all kinds of people. For kids they are great for encouraging responsibility and for adults they make an exciting display within the home. Fish are suitable for people with fur or feather allergies and are usually allowed in most flats where larger animals may not be. There are three main kinds of indoor fish; Freshwater Fish, Tropical Fish, and Marine Fish.

Cold Freshwater Fish - These are generally your traditional goldfish who live in fresh (not salt) water and don't need any form of heating to keep them healthy. Freshwater fish are the usual choice for children as there is no technical equipment required. There are plenty of child friendly aquariums in all kinds of fun designs for you to choose from.

Tropical Fish - These are freshwater fish which require warmer temperatures, therefore a little more time has to be spent setting up the tank and checking that the fish tank heater and fish tank filter is working ok. These fish are usually more colourful and if you have a large enough tropical fish tank you can have a whole community of different fish living happily.

Marine Fish - These are fish which originate from the oceans (Like Nemo from the Disney film). They require very thorough monitoring of water content and quality as well as temperature. Marine fish are the most expensive and less hardy fish, so if you do not get your set up right it will mean a lot of fish loss. We do not recommend a marine aquarium for newcomers to fish keeping, but once you have some experience then a marine fish tank would be an amazing addition to your home.

Types of Fish Tanks

Plastic Tanks - These are great for kids and usually pretty cheap. Plastic tanks are usually used for cold freshwater fish.

Glass Fish Tanks - These are suitable for all fish, with larger tanks being able to support more fish.

Fashionable Mini Fish Tanks - These include the Biorb Fish Tank and Fluval Edge Fish Tank. These small tanks are great for smaller homes with limited space.