Tropical Fish Tanks and Equipment for Your Tropical Fish Tank.

Aquariums.

A fish tank is actually easier to care for than a fish bowl. Here are some recommendations about choosing an aquarium. Aquariums are made of glass or acrylic plastic. Both materials are acceptable. Glass aquarium are usually rectangular or hexagonal with straight sides. Acrylic aquariums cost more than glass aquarium but are available in more shapes. Plastic aquariums are less likely to crack or break but can scratch. The scratches can be removed with special rubbing compounds, that may be toxic to fish. So extra precautions must be taken not to expose the fish to these compounds or any other toxic compounds.

Aquarium Gravel

Cultured Gravel is normal aquarium gravel with a layer of beneficial bacteria growing on the surface of the pieces of gravel. You can buy normal aquarium gravel in most stores that sell pet fish. But new gravel in the bag will not be cultured. Sometimes a fish store will sell you a handful of cultured gravel from one of their aquariums. Fish bowls need a layer of cultured gravel about 6mm thick, so the bacteria living on the gravel can biologically remove waste from the water in the fish bowl.

But an aquarium with a power filter does not need gravel, because the beneficial bacteria grow abundantly on the filter. A layer of gravel, that is more than 6mm thick, often gets full of uneaten food and causes pollution problems. So don't have a layer of gravel more than 6mm thick in your freshwater aquarium or in your fish bowl. If you are a beginner with your first aquarium, be sure you get a power filter and don't put any gravel in your aquarium. If you like the appearance of gravel, and you've mastered feeding your fish so there are no uneaten bits of fish food to pollute the gravel, then add a thin layer of gravel not more than 6mm thick. If you decide to have gravel in your aquarium, use your net to stir it gently to see if the gravel is full of waste. If it is, then you need to immediately clean your gravel.

In the future be sure your fish eat all the food you feed them.

Fish Food And How to Feed Fish

1. What Foods to Feed Your Fish. Most small fish living in fish bowls will do well on a diet of flake food and freeze dried blood worms, which are actually mosquito larvae. Click here for more information about appropriate fish for fish bowls.

2. How to Feed Your Fish. Feed your fish twice a day with floating food. We recommend you feed your fish products such as the ones listed above. Start by feeding your fish a very small pinch of food. Carefully watch them eat. If they eat it all quickly, then give them another small pinch. Feeding your fish slowly in small amounts will give you a chance to watch them and make sure they are all eating.

Food that sinks to the bottom and is not eaten will cause water pollution, so be sure all the food is eaten. Use your net to remove the food that is not eaten after ten minutes. It’s fun to feed smaller fish a few of Freeze Dried Blood Worms for dessert. Other Foods. It's good for most fish to eat some frozen or live brine shrimp and a few live Black Worms. We try to alternate feeding live or frozen brine shrimp with Live Black Worms. One day most fish get brine shrimp, and the next day they get Live Black Worms.

http://www.aquariumfish.net/information/feeding_fish.htm