Stocking

stocking

• Planning your first tank? Look no further!* *please look further and do research specific to your needs

what is stocking?

• A little planning needs to go into what fish or tank size or even type of tank you'll buy. Fair warning: aquariums can be expensive but so worth it. Just remember to cycle your tank before actually buying fish.

how do i start?

• The first thing I recommend thinking about is what type of fish or other pets you want to have. Some people prefer freshwater fish, some people saltwater, but you cannot mix the two (in most circumstances).


• here's a checklist of things to decide:
• freshwater or saltwater?
• tank size range
• do you have experience with aquariums? can you handle difficult pets?

freshwater vs saltwater

• I personally am a freshwater type of guy but both tanks look beautiful! The biggest difference is obviously the extra maintenance that saltwater tanks require to keep salinity levels where they should be. The trade offer is that they are usually more vibrant and striking than freshwater aquariums, and of course you get to have cute pet coral. Marine pets tend to also be more delicate to parametre changes; a log thrown into the sea will have a much smaller effect on the water than a log thrown into a pond or a creek after all.

tank size

• Never EVER put a fish in one of these:
• Please please research the minimum gallons a specific fish species needs. Some fish do better in groups, so the rule of thumb is to add a gallon for every inch of extra tankmates. Betta males are great solitary pets, but don't forget fish are also sentient creatures and can get bored! Too big is better than too small. Shrimp are also a great small tank option and I personally find them very fun to watch!
• I think it's a common misconception that smaller tanks are easier to care for but the opposite is actually true! Think about it; if you accidentally put an extra tablespoon of sugar in your coffe mug, then made the same mistake again in your coffee pot, which do you think will have the bigger difference? There's more room for error in larger tanks.

difficulty

• Some fish are notoriously picky eaters, or extremely sensitive to changes in their water, or aggressive. Maybe there's a specific fish you've been eyeing, but please remember with time comes experience, and you can always get it later. Compatibility between different tankmates shoukd be noted.

final notes

• Tanks can get expensive, I recommend drafting down on paper where you'll have the tank, what size, what plants and animals, and estimated price for it all. Remember to also think about your electricity and water bill! Heating a tank can get a little energy-sapping.