A freshwater tropical fish tank can be a fascinating addition to your home that can be both good-looking and therapeutic. It will be a source of enjoyment to guests and householders and both children and adults will be enthralled and entertained. For a beginner setting up a tropical fish tank aquarium for the first time we've put together some guidelines to assist you to make the most of your new fish tank and to keep it in good condition and looking gorgeous.

Explore the types of fish you will be putting in your fish tank before going to the pet shop. Ensure you understand how large the fish will grow and the number that can be easily housed in the tank when they are fully grown. An overstocked tank will not be a healthy tank! Then check the fish that can be housed together. A tank that holds various species of fish that can live peacefully together is called a community tank. Several fish, for example rosy barbs, possibly will be okay when they are young but mature into aggressive bullies. There are many fish that can be placed in a community tank including Guppy, Hatchetfish, Horseface Loach, Lyretail, Leopard Catfish, Molly, Neon Tetra, Opaline Gourami, Head Tail Light Tetra, Pearl Gourami, Harlequin Rasbora, Platy, Penguin Fish, and many more.

Now that your tank is filled here are a few tips to make it easier to maintain it:

* Do not overfeed - Rotting food left in the fish tank will give off poisonous chemicals and damage your fish. Only add as much food as your fish can finish off in about 3 minutes, two times a day. Fish are intended to be hungry the majority of the time and if they don't approach to the top of the aquarium as you start to feed them you are feeding them too much!

* Every two weeks partially change the water. Wipe the glass every week using an algae scraper and every month or so take out the rocks and ornaments to clean off any algae. Do not change all of the water or clean out the filter, rocks, decorations etc all at the same time. This will eradicate all the beneficial microorganisms that you spent so long to establish in the first place and cause stress to the fish as the ammonia levels increase.

* When necessary, top up with chlorine free water. If you don't want to use chemicals to de chlorinate the water, leave a covered pail of tap water for two days to allow the chlorine to evaporate

* For new fish or fish that appear sick set up a small quarantine aquarium. Place any newly bought fish in the quarantine tank for no less than 7 days to prevent the introduction of parasites and diseases into your main fish tank.

* Continue to test the water for nitrite, pH and ammonia levels four or five times a week to catch anything going wrong before suffering is caused to the fish. If you notice any problems a partial water change can often help without the use of any harsh chemicals.

Lastly enjoy your new pets and consider joining a local club. Discussing problems with other fish keeping enthusiasts is a good way to discover more about your hobby.

For more information and good deals on fish tank aquarium please visit us at Best Fish Tank Aquariums or Cheap Fish Tanks for Sale