Things you need to get started with a tropical tank:

• tank
• filter
• airstones (optional)
• heater
• thermometer
• water conditioner to remove chlorine/chloramines/bind metals
• test kits (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH are essentials)
• substrate (some tropicals prefer sand others do well with gravel)
• nets
• siphon for water changes
• buckets for fish only use
• an extra tank or container for quarantine and hospital tank

Before fish comes the cycle

• It is preferable to cycle your tank before adding fish. Cycle means to build up bacteria that will help remove toxic waste from your fish. When you fishless cycle you add ammonia that will feed and establish the good-guy bacteria. Read about fishless cycle here.
• You can cycle with fish. But you will have to start with a light load (1/3-1/2 of stocking capacity) and choose hardy species as some fish are so sensitive to ammonia and nitrite build-up they may not survive the process. Read about cycling with fish here.

Know your fish

• Tropical fish cover a wide range of fish with different temperaments and requirement.
• Pick your fish with care.
• Do as much research as you can before making your purchase.
  • Consult a fish atlas at your local library or an online fish directory
  • Ask other fish keepers for advice (like right here on our board for instance)
  • Have a healthy dose of skepticism to fish store workers' advice. Some have very little training; others emphasize sales over fish welfare.

Size Matters

Your tank size should a primary guide when choosing fish. Some fish like a lot of space, some are aggressive and need privacy, while others are social and need a big group of friends they can hang out with. A small tank 10 gallons and under limits your choices.

Compatibility

If you are planning a community tank (mix of tropicals) rather than a species tank (one species only) you have consider whether the fish can live together in the same tank. Some species are aggressive or fin nippers and will not make good tank mates of slower more docile fish. Others cannot stand the company of their own kind. In a community tank it also makes sense to plan towards an ecosystem with bottom, middle and top dwellers.

Do not overstock

• Rule of thumb for stocking freshwater tropical tank is to have only 1 inch of fish per gallon of water. This should be considered merely a guideline. Round-bodied fish (like guorami) may require more space. Others (like some cichlids) will not stand to be crowded.
• When you are stocking count the size the fish will have as an adult. Many fish in pet stores are just babies and juveniles.

Your fish have preferences and needs

Tropical aquarium fish have requirements related to the area that they originated from. This means that some like low pH, others neutral and others may prefer soft or hard water. Though most fish can adapt to different conditions, you will have better success if you pick fish that like the kind of water (pH, hardness) you have in your area. Provide good lighting for your fish. If your room is not bright use fluorescent light in the hood of the tank. (Incandescent lights tend to give out a lot of heat and should be avoided) Decorate your tank according to the fish's preferences. Some fish feel safe with decorations others prefer to have a lot of swimming room. Some fish need to have plants (artificial or real) to prosper.

Your fish can adapt

• Don't tinker too much with "adjusters". Providing stable conditions (pH and GH) is better than trying to adjust hardness and pH (which can result in pH swings).
• Use a heater to keep the temperature stable. Goldfish can adjust to a wide range. Tropicals need about 77-79 Fahrenheit.
• Use a thermometer to measure temperature. And make sure the temperature of the change water is the same as the temperature of the tank water.
• Test your pH every week and check the pH of your tap water often.

If you take care of the water, the water will take care of the fish

• Cycle your tank before getting tropicals or stock very lightly (1/3-1/2) of stocking capacity if you are cycling with fish.
• Treat your tap water with a high quality tap water conditioner that will neutralize chlorine/chloramines and detoxify heavy metals from your tap water.
• Measure it for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH to make sure the water is stable and non toxic.
• Filter it. Your filter traps trap debris and particles in your tank and also serves as a home for the bacteria that keep the water happy by converting ammonia (toxic) into nitrIte (still toxic) into nitrAte (less toxic). It will take several weeks to establish your biological filter (the good guy bacteria). Read about this process called cycling here.
• Perform partial water changes weekly or biweekly (15-25%) to take care of the waste not dealt with in the biological cycle and to replenish the minerals and other good stuff the inhabitants have used up.
• Clean the filter by rinsing filter media (the fuzzy stuff) in some tank water twice a month.
• Clean the gravel. Vacuum parts (but not all of it) every time you do a partial water change.

Fish are living beings and need oxygen

• Provide large surface area. Select a tank that is long, rather than tall. Longer tanks provide a larger surface area for optimal gas exchange.
• Do not overstock. More fish means less oxygen per member.
• Perform partial water changes weekly to remove dead plant material and leftover food. The breakdown process of biological material is a place for oxygen consuming bacteria to hang out.
• Watch for gasping. If fish gasp you may have a problem related to oxygen.

Good food means healthy and happy fish

• Feed your fish once or twice a day (more often if they are babies and juveniles)
• Pay attention to their food requirements. Some tropicals prefer vegetarian matter; others are carnivores and prefer fish/shrimp/worms. Many of them are omnivores and will need a combination of the two.
• Do not overfeed.
• If you feed dry food (pellets or flakes) make sure they are good quality ones and not too old
• As much as possible augment their food with fresh or frozen alternatives or even live food.

Plan for the unexpected

• Fish can get sick so keep your medicine cabinet stocked
• Quarantine new fish (three to four weeks) to prevent illness spreading
• Have a Hospital Tank ready (or something that will work as a make-up tank) just in case.

Be the best veterinarian you can

• If fish get sick or out of sorts try make a specific diagnosis rather than poison fish with too many medicines.
• Always check your water first
• Isolate sick specimens

Last but not least: Enjoy your fish!

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