Freshwater Aquarium Basics

February 12, 2009
Eddies Aquarium

How many and what kind of fish can I start with ? Eddies recommends a total fish population of 1-1 1/2 inches of fish per gallon. In a 20 gallon tank that equates to a total of 20-30 inches of fish, however, due to The Nitrogen Cycle adding fish must be done slowly over a 6-8 week period. We recommend starting with hardy fish and not more than 25% of the tanks total fish population. Hardy fish are strong and disease resistant species that easily acclimate to your new aquarium. Ask us about the adult size of  fish so you can properly plan the fish population.

Here is a sample of hardy fish

Zebra Danios- other fish in the danio family
Tiger Barbs- other fish in the barb family
Black Tetras- some other fish in the tetra family excluding Cardinal and Neon Tetras
Red Serpae Tetras
White Cloud Mountain Fish
Cory Catfish
Ask us about others

Click here to read about proper fish acclimation

What about the lighting? Keep in mind the natural habitat of these fish are lakes and streams in tropical countries. The fish are used to a day and night cycle like mother nature provides.Eddies recommends leaving the light on for 8-12 hours per day to simulate their natural habitat.
Lighting Tip! To avoid shocking the fish turn a room light on about 30 minutes before turning the aquarium light on, and leave a room light on about 30 minutes after turning the aquarium light off.
This creates a more natural day and night transition for the fish.

Feeding for optimal health fish need a variety of good quality foods. Beginners should feed once a day a small amount of food that is completely consumed within five minutes. That's a few flakes or granules per fish. The stomach of a fish is about the size of their eye ball. Any food left over should be removed with a net. After a few days the fish will be more comfortable in their new aquarium and begin rushing over for food when the aquarium lid is opened. Fish that feed actively are usually very healthy fish. Feeding time is a great opportunity to take a few minutes and  look over all the fish for early signs of disease like spots, marks, torn fins and other irregularities. After you have learned how much food the fish will consume you can begin feeding two times per day.

Can I have live plants in my new aquarium? absolutely, live plants will bring in good natural bacteria that the aquarium needs and help provide a natural environment. Waste produced by the fish will be used as food by the plants.

Algae Growth algae is a simple plant that grows under water, it looks like green or brown growth and is totally normal. Algae will usually appear after fish have been in the aquarium for a few weeks. Algae can be removed by hand with an algae scrubber or by fish that eat algae like Plecostomus, Otocliclus, Flying Fox or Chinese Algae Eaters. Also many freshwater shrimp will eat algae and are fun to watch.

Other articles of Interest

Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance

3 Secrets to a Successful Aquarium