Hey all, so iv been thinking of ways to keep myself busy, since getting pregnant and not working I havent really done much, Iv decided to find ways to decorate our soon to be new apartment where moving in may, and have decided to make my livingroom sorta feng shui, I would like to ad plants around the apartment and maybe a small fish tank. Iv never owned fish but find them interesting , well when i was a kid we had each a small fish tank but I dont think it counts if mom does everything :slingshot. Anyways Im looking for info, on what would fit properly in a small fish tank I dont want anything to huge as I wont be able to lift it, being pregnant and all. Im also looking for any info on fish betas gold fish ect , there care ect Thanks
considering fish ?
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You shouldn't have to lift your aquarium. If you thought that was necessary for cleaning, I have good news 
. "Cleaning" an aquarium consists of changing out some of the water (not all of it) and maybe vacuuming the substrate. Cycled aquariums rely on beneficial bacteria for most of the filtration, combined with mechanical and chemical filtration provided by the filter.
It's hard (if not impossible) to give general care information since different set-ups and fish species can need drastically different care. I would first decide where you want to place the fish tank, from there you can figure out how large the tank can be. I wouldn't go any smaller than a 20-gallon and a 29-gallon or larger would be ideal. On the other hand, going larger than a 55-gallon could be overwhelming and expensive for a new aquarium owner. The reason I don't suggest small tanks is because they're difficult to keep stable and you can't keep many fish (which is frustrating for new people who want a "community" set-up with all different species). A small mistake can cause a tank crash in a desktop aquarium but not even affect a larger aquarium. You just have more room for error.
Once you have an idea of the volume you'll be working with, I'd visit a local pet store that has fish on display. DON'T LET THEM SELL YOU ANYTHING. Unless it's a good book or something. Just take a look at the fish and get ideas. Write down the names of fish you're interested in (or even take pictures) and look them up when you get home. Post on here, too, so people can give you their personal experiences with the species in question. The best way to put together a good aquarium set-up is to pick a species you really like and then build the aquarium based on their needs.
I would also read up on cycling. Most people who have issues with fish didn't properly cycle their aquariums. You can start here: http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f77/cycling-a-freshwater-aquarium-43789.html
Cycling sounds like scary chemistry at first but it's really not. You essentially need to "grow" good bacteria before you add fish. This can be as simple as using a product like SafeStart or adding a pinch of fish food to start the process.
. "Cleaning" an aquarium consists of changing out some of the water (not all of it) and maybe vacuuming the substrate. Cycled aquariums rely on beneficial bacteria for most of the filtration, combined with mechanical and chemical filtration provided by the filter.It's hard (if not impossible) to give general care information since different set-ups and fish species can need drastically different care. I would first decide where you want to place the fish tank, from there you can figure out how large the tank can be. I wouldn't go any smaller than a 20-gallon and a 29-gallon or larger would be ideal. On the other hand, going larger than a 55-gallon could be overwhelming and expensive for a new aquarium owner. The reason I don't suggest small tanks is because they're difficult to keep stable and you can't keep many fish (which is frustrating for new people who want a "community" set-up with all different species). A small mistake can cause a tank crash in a desktop aquarium but not even affect a larger aquarium. You just have more room for error
.Once you have an idea of the volume you'll be working with, I'd visit a local pet store that has fish on display. DON'T LET THEM SELL YOU ANYTHING. Unless it's a good book or something. Just take a look at the fish and get ideas
. Write down the names of fish you're interested in (or even take pictures) and look them up when you get home. Post on here, too, so people can give you their personal experiences with the species in question. The best way to put together a good aquarium set-up is to pick a species you really like and then build the aquarium based on their needs.I would also read up on cycling. Most people who have issues with fish didn't properly cycle their aquariums. You can start here: http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f77/cycling-a-freshwater-aquarium-43789.html
Cycling sounds like scary chemistry at first but it's really not. You essentially need to "grow" good bacteria before you add fish. This can be as simple as using a product like SafeStart or adding a pinch of fish food to start the process.
They usually aren't, unfortunately. But if you're really interested in them, it can work! You'd need at least a 40-gallon for a couple of fancy goldfish (I would avoid the "common" aka feeder goldfish completely) with a filter rated for a much larger tank. You'd also need to keep up on water changes--I'd recommend changing out 20% of the water weekly. Goldfish are extremely messy :lol:.
The reasons I don't normally recommend them are because most people don't want such a large tank for just a couple of fish. Goldfish also can't be mixed with tropical fish so you pretty much have to dedicate the aquarium as goldfish-only.
If you like how they look but don't want a huge tank, check out a different fish called a Rosy Barb. There are short-finned and long-finned varieties. They look similar but don't need as much space and can live with other fish.
the rosy barb fish are kinda cute im gonna look more into them i saw fish at the pet shop today as well that im researching called black moor goldfish
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