Are you choosing a pet for kids?  You need a pet that is hardy and easy to care for, but a pet that will also teach your child responsibility.  A perfect pet is the goldfish.  They are relatively easy to keep and are entertaining.

If you would like a goldfish that is not gold, consider the moor goldfish.  Just remember that a moor goldfish should not be placed in a tank with regular goldfish.  The moor is considered a slower goldfish and should be housed with similar goldfish, for example the bulging eyed goldfish. 

Visit a pet store with your child to choose your pet goldfish.  There you can get help choosing a fish and learn more about caring for a goldfish. The pet store will also help you gather supplies, like a cheap fish tank and food. As you help your child choose a pet goldfish watch for especially small fish that are the same age as other fish in the tank.  You don’t want a runt.  Also watch for fish that can’t swim to the bottom of the tank easily.  Choose a healthy, hardy goldfish. 

You can keep your child’s new pet goldfish in a fishbowl, but that is not ideal.  Goldfish will survive longer in an aquarium.  If a pet shop aquarium is too expensive, find one at a garage sale or thrift store.  A ten gallon tank is ideal.  Be sure to add a good filtration system.  Gravel in the bottom of the tank is not necessary.  It serves as a trap for food that sinks to the bottom and can contribute to a dirty tank.

When you first fill your aquarium let the water sit out at room temperature at least overnight.  Leaving the tank out will allow chlorine and harmful chemicals in the fish tank to dissipate. Then you will place your new goldfish in a healthy water environment. 

If you will change the water partially, over time, it will help keep your pet goldfish healthy.  If the water becomes so dirty that you have to change it all at one time it can be dangerous for your fish.  Your fish can suffer from shock and become ill if the water is changed all at once.

Goldfish will eat as much as you will feed them.  It’s not good for them, so do not over feed your fish. The best measure for feeding your fish is to give them as much as they can consume in 2 to 3 minutes.  Scoop out any excess flakes.

Many people love fish and they also love having a aquarium in their home so that they can enjoy them. Setting up a fish tank is easy if one gets the proper PH level.

When you buy fish that cost $30 or more dollars you definitely want your fish tank water to be perfect for them. There is nothing more frustrating than buying a new fish, putting it into your tank, and then just a day or two later find it floating in your tank. It’s an awful feeling too.

A tropical fish tank is easy to keep but a lot of work to setup in the beginning. Once the aquarium is set up properly, it is pretty easy to maintain. You just have to provide regular maintenance and cleaning.

First, decide where to position your aquarium. Aquariums stands are needed because fish tanks are very heavy and weigh 100 punds or more. or more. You must avoid direct sunlight or sitting the tank near windows or doors because of fluctuating temperatures. Whether using a fish tank stand or not, you should place the tank in a lower traffic area of the room.

You can find many references online or at the pet store that will give you ideas on which fish to stock into your tropical fish tank. Also consider the size of your tropical fish. A guideline for the size of tank you need would be one gallon of water per inch of fish in the tank.

Consider the mass of the fish not just the length. Determine the amount of waste a tropical fish will have. Balancing the type of fish in your tank can help minimize waste in the tank.

Next you need to make sure your tropical fish tank is leak-proof, then decorate your tank with aqua-scape. This is the fun part! Rinse aquarium decorations before putting them in the tank. Then, place your heater near the filter output for maximized heating. Make sure your filter components are installed and working properly and that your lights work. Lastly, prepare your tank water with water conditioner.

Now you can finally add the fish to your tropical fish tank. To add the fish and avoid shocking them, you need to acclimate them slowly. Let the fish acclimate to the water temerature by securing the plastic bag containing the fish to the side of the aquarium until the temperature adjusts. Let the bag of fish float around there for about 20 minutes. Then, scoop out a little bit of the water from the bag and replace it with water from your tank.

Continue until the water in the bag is the same temperature as the fish tank water. This will allow the fish to adjust to the fish tanks water temerature and avoid shock. Aquarium setup should be easy and your tank will be enjoyed for years to com!

Now your aquarium has been set up, and your water tested ok. It’s time to run to the fish store and buy a bunch of fish, right? In reality, if you want to have a healthy aquarium, you need to take it one step at a time.

Before you go wild in the fish store, take a few moments to decide what species is best. Aggressive fish do not belong in a peaceful community tank. Keep your fish within the same size range because a larger one may end up taking a bite out of a smaller one. Do a little research to find out what a mature fish of your chosen species is like. A happy tank is stress-free, so make sure you pick fish that can live peacefully with each other.

You can avoid these sorts of problems by making sure the fish you’re interested in are known to get along with the other kinds of fish you want. If you want more than one species, make sure they are community fish that get along with others. The fish you choose should prefer the same water conditions of hardness and temperature. They should also eat similar things and like the same live aquarium plants.

Some fish, like damselfish, are territorial. They will prefer to be on their own, and will attempt to frighten off other fish that resemble it. Peace-loving fish like guppies don’t disturb other fish by pursuing them or picking on them. Slower fish at times have problems when aggressive fish chase them or nip at their fins.

Shy or slow fish won’t fare well in an aquarium with a species that is a little aggressive because they will be the victims of bullying. Even non aggressive fish will pick on the weakest of fish, like the bubble-eye goldfish. Some fish that may grow aggressive as they mature should never be added to a tank with smaller or shy fish. As they mature they will start picking on the other fish, stressing them out and possibly causing them injury.

Also think about the durability of the fish. A fish that has a hardy constitution, like the blennyfish, can resist many diseases and can withstand many different water conditions. A fish that is of average hardiness should do fine in a healthy aquarium. If the water quality isn’t just right,a fragile fish like a flagfin angel may fall victim to disease or stress.

Another key point is eating habits. Meat-eating fish such as the angler or arrowana will devour other fish. They do not make a good addition to a community aquarium. Herbivorous fish like angelfish need vegetables to eat, and may be harder to maintain in a healthy condition in a combination tank. An easy way to keep all of your fish on similar healthy diets, is to find fish that will be able to eat the same easily distributed foods, like pellets and or flakes.

Last but not least, you should also consider including some algae eaters in your tank. Some species of catfish, snails or shrimp can do very well at keeping your tank clean.

A lot must be considered prior to adding new aquarium fish. A salesperson at your local fish store will gladly field any questions you have. You can also get some good advice online. You’ll end up with a healthy aquarium that you can enjoy.

• In feng shui, clean, flowing, well-lit water with fish is the ultimate way of transforming bad energy and round objects help chi (the energy force that flows throughout the Universe) to curve around rooms and buildings.
• A fish bowl on the left hand side of your front door encourages good ‘chi’.
• The chinese word for fish AND success is “yu”.
• It’s believed that by placing fish in the home or office brings good fortune
• Three fish symbolise “yang” energy. The best combination is two goldfish (representing good luck and energy) and one black fish (representing protection)
• Goldfish (or ‘baby dragons’) in feng shui are considered very lucky.

With the five-stage filtration system, bubbling water and low-voltage light, Biorb is considered by some to be perfect for good Feng Shui. Further tips include combining fish with a biOrb with a blue or black lid and base to activate your career. A biOrb with a green lid & base positioned around in the east of your room boosts energies of health and ambition.

So what is Biorb?

Biorb is the brainchild of Reef One, pioneers of aquarium products since 1998. The original BiOrb was designed back in ‘98. The two main collections today are Biorb Classic and Biorb Life.

Biorb Aquariums are very chic and wouldn’t look out of place in a lush city centre apartment or office environment. Their simple yet stunning designs range from the traditional ‘fish bowl’ sphere to a ‘retro’ square.

New editions are in development continuously but currect collections that you can buy today.

Biorb Life - The Biorb Life collection is a set of really funky retro aquariums. You can choose between large or small portrait (rectangular) or a box/square design. These would certainly attract comments from visitors due to their interesting design. The Biorb Life is a perfect solution if you get a little kick when friends admire your home decor and furniture tastes.

BiUbe Pure - The BiUbe Pure aquarium is constructed with crystal clear acrylic which really emphasises the colours inside. The advanced LED lighting gives the appearance that water is suspended in mid-air. Pure is a ‘plug and go’ aquarium, like all BiOrbs and comes with:

BiOrb 30 & BiOrb 60 - The original classic BiOrb designs are a popular favourite probably the most popular because of their classic ‘fish bowl’ shape. Remember the BiOrbs are complete aquariums and delivered ready to plug in. You don’t have to go shopping for anything else - except the fish of course…just don’t forget you need to add water!

Measuring 42 cm high and 40cm wide, the BiOrb 30 aquarium is clearly the smaller of the two classic Orb shaped aquariums while the Biorb 60 Aquarium is a mammoth tank. It gets the name because it is 60 kilos in weight and holds up to 60L of water. This is the BiOrb design for you if you have a larger space which would drown the smaller ranges! This is really a complete aquarium kit with a simple set up but you can convert it to a Marine (saltwater) aquarium if desired and also opt for further accessories such as a heater, halogen light or 24hour LED.

Biorb Biube - The BiUbe is a little more compact than the classic Orb range and is perfect for the small home office. You can change the base and lid colour and it is so simple to maintain just like the other models. It has a capacity for 35 litres of water and is ideal for both tropical or coldwater fish

SpyOrb Biorb - This aquarium is relatively new and the design speaks for itself as it resembles an underwater spy hole on a ship. It can be used to hold freshwater fish or it can be converted to a Saltwater (Marine) aquarium if you prefer the more exotic aquatic life.

The Biorb Spyorb comes in white, black or silver

Baby BiOrb - The Baby Biorb’s are the cutest and smallest of the Biorb Classic aquariums. I can see these looking simply elegant as a coffee table centre piece or a finishing touch on a hallway stand. The standard base and top colours are black or silver which blend in perfectly with modern furniture and fittings. You can opt for a function called ‘Baby BiOrb Moonlight’ which switches the lighting effects when evening comes. Baby biOrb Moonlight automatically switches off the daylight bulb leaving just the soothing blue blue glow of the moonlight. How lovely?

Kids Biorb Aquariums - With the colourful lid and base options the Baby BiOrb is just PERFECT for a child’s bedroom. Choose from baby pink for the girls or baby blue for the boys. A neutral theme for a child could be the tangy yellow or Glow in the Dark Green is perfect for little lads!

BiOrb Lighting - You can get an LED light unit to create a 24 hour lighting cycle effect including sunrise, daylight, sunset and moonlight. The unit is concealed in the aquarium lid and can actually last 50,000 hours. Like all BiOrb aquariums, you simply plug and go - a very simple set up yet such stunning effects. The LED unit is thought to reduce the stress on the fish by producing artificial light cycles that would occur in their natural habitat. There are actually 7 different cycles to choose from and you can change between them at the push of a button or simply leave it on automatic. the LED unit gives an added ‘mood lighting’ affect although the Biorb is aesthetically appealing as an aquarium by itself.

A freshwater tank may be the best choice if you are new to keeping an aquarium. The care and maintenance of saltwater aquariums is more complicated than freshwater tanks, but you have a better choice of fish to pick from. It can take several months to gain the knowledge and skill necessary to keep a saltwater tank going, as you learn over this time all that is required for success. If you’re up for a challenge, you can of course choose to start with a saltwater tank.

One reason is the ease in set up and maintenance of a freshwater over a saltwater tank. The equipment also costs a lot less. Additionally, the marine fish which you would need for a saltwater tank are much more expensive than freshwater fish. Saltwater tanks are more likely to use live rock.

Live rock is a section of live coral reef including marine wildlife like worms, sponges, sea urchins and algae to help provide a natural ecosystem for your saltwater fish. This environment is helpful in reducing waste products. You have to create a natural environment for you fish where food, oxygen and cleaning are part of the natural ecological process. You’ll also need a protein skimmer for a saltwater tank, however; this will keep organic waste out of the water.

A more expensive lighting system is required for a saltwater tank compared to a freshwater tank. Getting the lighting right is extremely important; this will keep the growth and behavior of all of the tank’s inhabitants natural. You will need the right lighting in order to promote the necessary processes of photosynthesis and oxygenation.

Unlike a freshwater tank, a saltwater tank requires a complete, functioning ecosystem in order for your fish to survive and thrive. All of the elements are important and depend on one another to stay in balance to ensure the survival of all of the organisms in the tank. If you want your fish to survive, you will need the right plants and animals so that the environment is healthy for your fish.

If you are new to keeping an aquarium, you might want to think long and hard about that saltwater tank – there are a lot of costs involved and the maintenance is much more complicated; by comparison, freshwater aquariums are great for beginners. Taking care of your freshwater tank will increase your skills and knowledge and prepare you to ultimately take on the responsibility of a saltwater tank.