3 Important Tips for Taking Care of Your Tropical Fish

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.