Best Ways To Maintain A Happy Home For Your Fish

Bringing a pet fish into your home is one of the best ways you can make your living space a little more lively. From fish who sparkle with color to those who thrive in calm environments. No matter what kind of fish you're into, or where you live, when it comes to giving your fish a happy home, it's all about care.

Pet fish are one of the easiest house pets to keep and maintain. They're great for animal lovers, won't disturb newborn babies, and don't make noise to disrupt your night's sleep. However, just because they're easy animals doesn't mean they deserve less attention. Proper pet care and maintenance for your fish is essential to keeping them happy in their home within your home. Here are the best ways you can give a happy home for your fish.

Understanding what kind of fish you're about to bring home is perhaps the most important factor in a pet fish's living situation. Knowing the type of natural environment they come from like if they enjoy swimming in open spaces or around a lot of aquatic plants. Also knowing how big they grow can help determine how to care for your new pet.

The most common types of pet fish bought are betta fish, goldfish, mollies, and guppies. Between those four fish, there's already a difference in size between goldfish, who normally stay small and don't get larger than two inches, and betta fish, who can grow up to three inches. Do your research on the kind of fish you're looking to adopt, but rather than just choosing based on appearance and color, consider their growth, habits, and natural living conditions.

Once you understand the specifics behind your chosen fish, you'll be able to choose the right kind of aquarium for them. Growth and size are a huge factor when it comes to picking out the kind of tank your fish will live in. Choosing a simple goldfish bowl for a betta fish won't work because they won't have the room or space to grow. Most fish owners use a standard, rectangular 10-gallon tank to house their fish which is more than enough room to fit more than fish. You don't want your fish to grow so big it breaks the glass!

A few additional but very essential tools that should come with your aquarium are a chemical filter, heater, thermometer, and lighting. Always remember that a fish's aquarium is their home, so treat it like you would treat your own.

Giving your fish the correct amount of space will also keep them happy in their homes. Knowing whether or not your fish is instinctively territorial is important if you know you're going to be housing multiple fish. Not all fish breeds are territorial, but if they are it can be important to allow them space to claim for themselves, away from other fish.

Fish are also natural swimmers (obviously) and they will need space to move around! Preventing them the room to do so might make your fish go crazy. So, on top of getting the right sized aquarium, make sure you're not over-decorating the inside of your fish tank to allow for maximum room.

Maintaining the right water temperature for your fish is important. Most tropical freshwater fish will need a stable temperature between 72°F to 82°F. The best to monitor the temperature of your aquarium's water is to get a thermometer and an aquatic heater to help regulate heat and coolness.

Keep your fish's aquarium or tank away from direct sunlight. Don't place their tank near a window or place where sunlight can reach. Ensuring that your fish is comfortable temperature-wise in their home will also keep them happy and healthy.

Just like you'd want to keep your own clean, fish need to live in clean homes too. The best way to prevent your fish's aquarium from building up bacteria and staying filthy is to clean it at least once a month. Transfer your fish to a temporary clean water container using a TankMatez fish trap while you clean the inside, bottoms, and decor of the tank. Invest in a water filter to keep the water clean as your fish lives in it on the days you won't be cleaning its tank. On cleaning day, however, don't forget to clean the water filter too!

A common theme between pet-fish owners is to decorate their fish tanks with beautiful, eye-catching decor that often matches the decor in their house. Even with larger fish tanks, you'll see tons of decor, fake plants, and accessories. Let's be honest, your fish don't care how fancy its surroundings are. They just want to be comfortable! Remember why you bought a larger tank in the first place. Your fish needs space. Don't overcrowd it with unnecessary decor.

If you know that your fish is the kind of breed that likes to burrow or hide in dark places and corners, investing in a few shady plants or objects they can swim over, under, or through can be beneficial. Just don't take up too much space!

Fish belong in nature, but that doesn't mean they can't thrive as pets either. A great way of keeping your fish happy is to recreate their natural environment. Freshwater fish often love being in cool, large open water. Pebbles are a great addition to the inside of the tank as it can often recreate the feeling of being in a river. For saltwater fish, fill the bottom of your tank with sand to give it that "just like home," natural feeling.

If your fish is losing its color, not eating, or behaving oddly and unusual, there is a good chance they might be sick. What many fish owners believe when they observe their fish like this is that there's no way to cure them, which is untrue.

If you notice your fish is sick, quarantine them immediately from other fish in your tank. If they are the only fish in the tank, remove them from the tank water anyway. Ensure they aren't living with cramped corners and little to no room. Make sure you're feeding them the right food and cleaning their tank regularly. If you've done all these things and still aren't seeing your fish's color or eating habits restored, contact your vet.

Believe it or not, fish are just like humans and they can experience stress in situations that disrupt their natural habitats! Things like knocking, tapping, or pounding on the glass can disrupt your fish's peace. Keep other pets like cats and dogs away from the fish's tank, as they can also pose a threat to your fish no matter how friendly. No animal likes to be stressed, and fish are no exception. It can be hard to decipher when they are feeling stressed because they won't be able to tell you themselves, but more space and clean water will keep them stress free and happy!

So, you've followed all these steps to give a happy home for your fish, and now you're wondering how you can tell if your fish is happy. If your fish looks vibrant in color, is swimming around, rises to the surface to eat its food, and can be seen in peaceful moments of floating as it rests, then your fish is perfectly happy and healthy! As long as you remember to treat your fish's home the way you would treat your own, your fish will feel comfortable, satisfied, and more at home than ever!