Many people can’t afford having pets that take a lot of your time or need regular walking, but they would still fancy a pet. They don’t want to bring more harm to an animal with their way of life, so they are searching for a pet which would be suitable. Many such people decide to have aquariums with exotic fish. The downside is that you can’t really cuddle with exotic fish, but they will bring calm and relaxation into your home, and you will find yourself captivated with their beauty, colors and shapes. There are countless species of exotic fish, so let’s explain them in a bit more detail.
WHAT YOU HAVE TO WATCH OUT
The first thing you have to care about when deciding to have exotic fish is that they all can live with each other in the same aquarium, or if you want to make a system that is self sustainable, you will have to find good predator-prey relations among exotic fish. You also have to watch out that all the species you want to have in the aquarium are freshwater or saltwater species, as they can only live in the environment that is similar to their natural habitats. Some of the exotic fish include African cichlids, exotic goldfish, discus, guppies, cories and many more.
DO ALL EXOTIC FISH GET ALONG WELL?
Some exotic fish, like the crowntail or the veiltail betta tend to be very territorial, so you have to watch out not to have more than one males in the same aquarium, because otherwise it could lead to a disaster. There are also a fair amount of exotic fish species that can live with each other very well. If you are not sure which are the right combination of fish, the best is to visit a forum specialized in aquariums or a pet or fish store, where you will find the answers you are looking for. As for plants, your exotic fish will be more grateful if you get live plants, as they will produce oxygen and therefore you will not need to use the air pump that often.
HOW ABOUT CLEANING?
Well, if you take good care of your aquarium, your exotic fish won’t have to endure much cleaning. The best way to keep your exotic fish away from too much stress (like when taking them out of their habitat to change all the water) is to check the water regularly and keep the levels of calcium and magnesium ions, the PH value and the nitrogen compounds at levels most suitable for your exotic fish. That way your aquarium will keep itself clean, and you can always give it a little help with some cleaner fish or snails.