When it comes to purchasing fish for your aquarium you may be overwhelmed by the large number of options. There are the large chain pet stores as well as the local, family-owned pet stores that offer a selection of aquarium fish.
Buying freshwater tropical fish isn’t as straightforward as you may think. Learn important advice that may save you time and money!
It may sound easy to purchase freshwater tropical fish for the aquarium. After all, you just go to the fish store, pick out some pretty fish, buy ’em and take ’em home…right? Well, not exactly! Unless you take a few precautions,and put forth the effort to do a little research before you buy, you may find yourself facing some negative consequences. If you rush the process of purchasing your fish or buy them from a disreputable source your fish could die and you will be faced with the cost of replacing them. In order to avoid this, peruse your options and make an educated decision about where you will buy the fish for your new aquarium.
Where to Buy Aquarium Fish
When it comes to purchasing fish for your aquarium you may be overwhelmed by the large number of options. There are the large chain pet stores as well as the local, family-owned pet stores that offer a selection of aquarium fish. It is also possible to order fish directly from a breeder or to purchase them online from an aquarium supply company. All of these options have their associated advantages and disadvantages so the only way to make the right choice is to research the options and decide which suits you best.
Online versus In-Store
The main advantage of purchasing your fish in-store is that you can actually see and observe the fish for yourself before you buy. While this does not guarantee that the fish you bring home will be completely healthy, you will at least have some control over the selection of your fish. When purchasing from an online retailer or breeder you do not have the luxury of choosing the exact fish you want. While this is considered a disadvantage to some aquarium hobbyists, the fish you receive from a breeder may actually be healthier than those you might buy from a pet store. The fish in the pet store may already be stressed from the shipping process, but purchasing from a breeder ensures that the fish are shipped directly to you with no stops in between.
While the tropical fish you purchase online may be healthier than those you would purchase in-store, they are also likely to be more expensive. In addition to paying for your fish, the breeder will also charge you a fee for priority shipping. Some breeders and retailers adjust the price of their fish or offer flat-rate shipping fees to their customers to make it more affordable. Most breeders also offer their customers free replacement fish if the ones they receive in the mail die during the shipping process. Also, the breeders and other online sources usually make every effort to ship the healthiest fish possible so that the fish have a better chance of surviving the shipping process.
What to Look For When You Buy
The last thing you want to do is spend your hard-earned cash on a selection of beautiful tropical fish just to have them die within a few days of introducing them into your home aquarium. While keeping the water quality in your home aquarium high will greatly increase the chance of survival for your fish, there is something you can do before you even bring them home. Maintaining a healthy aquarium starts with purchasing healthy fish.
When you arrive at the pet store, spend a few minutes looking around at all of the fish tanks. Are they clean or are the walls slick with algae and the water levels too low? Do the tanks look well-stocked (or worse yet, overstocked) or is the selection very limited? Check to see whether there are dead fish lying at the bottom of the tank or stuck to the filters. If there are, the rest of the fish in the tank may not be far behind. Dead fish in multiple tanks may be a sign of negligence on the part of the staff, poor water quality or inferior stock. Whatever the reason may be, it is best to avoid purchasing fish from a store that has these problems.
There are several things to look for when buying fish from a pet store. Select fish that are lively and active – they shouldn’t be floating at the surface or lolling about on the bottom of the tank. If possible, visit the store while the fish are being fed to see which fish have a healthy appetite. Look for fish with intact fins, no swelling or redness around the gills and clear eyes. If there are any growths, discolored patches or signs of bloating do not purchase the fish.
Other Tips For Buying Tropical Fish
Stocking your home aquarium can be fun, but it is not a process you should take lightly. In addition to purchasing your fish from a reputable dealer and selecting fish that are healthy, you need to be sure that the fish you are bringing home are compatible with one another. Certain species of fish are more aggressive than others and if you try to fill your tank with aggressive fish it may only be a matter of time before you see trouble. In order to ensure that your fish are happy and healthy, brush up on the basics of tropical fish compatibility before you buy. Check out our “Fish Photos” section for more freshwater tropical fish information.
