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Having an Aquarium at home

If you are considering buying a fish tank for your home, please research what you are buying before you buy it…here are some handy hints from the ZSL Aquarium.

• Do some research about the fish you are buying before you buy it, including learning about what it eats, how it should be kept and how big it grows!
• Make sure you have enough space to keep an Aquarium; they can take up a lot of room and should be kept out of direct sunlight.
• Tropical fish can look very pretty but are sometimes more effort to look after than some coldwater species such as Goldfish, are you prepared for the hard work?
• Make sure you are aware of the costs before you buy the fish, it can be expensive to look after fish properly.

You should decide which fish you would like in your aquarium before you buy the equipment, as some special equipment may be needed to properly care for your fish. But you should not buy your fish until after you have the aquarium.

Here is the basic equipment you will need for any fish tank:

• The tank – make sure it is the correct size for the fish you choose.
• A Filter – This makes sure the tank stays clean.
• Aqua Plants – They help to add oxygen to the water, as well as providing a hiding place for shy fish!
• Gravel – This is to put in the bottom of the tank, this is mainly for decoration but some fish like to hide in gravel, or move it around as if hunting for food.
• A Heater – This depends on the fish that you are keeping, but most fish need to be kept warm.

© ZSL

You can ask all about your particular fish when you are buying them, and remember to enjoy your tank!