If you’re a beginner, you only need 1.

That’s right. You ought to start with just one fish species. In fact, you better start with just one fish to be on the safe side. It’s a matter of training yourself for your responsibilities. By limiting yourself to just a single fish, you limit the risk if you make a mistake, such as forgetting to feed the fish or neglecting to clean the water.

Of course later on, you’ll be tempted to add more fish.

For freshwater tanks, the basic rule of thumb (though there are exceptions) for the maximum number of fish is 1 inch of fish for every gallon of water. That’s for a rectangular aquarium. If the shape of the aquarium is irregular, then it’s 1 inch of fish (you measure without including the tail) for every square foot of the aquarium’s surface area.

For a new tank, start with 25% capacity at the most. Then wait 3 weeks to add more, but limit your additions to doubling your present number of fish. You ought to stop at 90% capacity, since you have to allow for fish growth.

For a saltwater tank, the rule of thumb is 3 inches of fish for every square foot of the surface area. Start with 25% capacity, and then wait 6 weeks to test the water for nitrite and ammonia. If both tests read zero, then you can add up to 50% of the fish in the tank. So if you already have 6 inches of fish, you can add up to 3 inches more.

Well, I’ll start my answer by telling you what NOT to get: goldfish!

That’s right, the prototypical starter fish is hardly the best fish a beginner can start with. Consider the fact that goldfish can live up to 20 years, which should give you an idea that those few weeks of life it experiences in a beginner’s aquarium is actually not such a good long life at all.

So what kind of fish should you get if you’re a beginner? Let’s first take a look at the factors that matter the most. They should be inexpensive. They should be very hardy, so that they can survive your mistakes. They should be active and colorful to keep your interest, but they shouldn’t be too aggressive with other fish.

With these standards, let’s take a look at your options:

Beginners are afraid to forget to feed their fish. As a result, overfeeding the fish has become the most common cause of death for aquarium fish. Putting too much food will clog the filter of the aquarium, and the excess food can break down into toxins that harm the fish.

The right feeding frequency will ultimately depend on the type of fish you get. But usually, fish can do okay with just a single feeding a day. Some fish owners feed their fish twice, and that’s okay too.

The exceptions are herbivore fish which should have live plants inside the aquarium for them to graze on. If that’s not available, then you’ll need to feed them several small feedings a day.

And for very young fish, more frequent feedings are needed too.

But the more important factor here is how much food you should offer. And the general rule is that the amount that the fish can eat completely within 5 minutes. If you’re not sure, then underfeed. You can always feed them a little bit more later. If you offer food the fish refuse to eat anymore, then you’ll need to remove them from the aquarium before they break down.

Let’s get one thing straight. When we talk about “best location”, we’re not talking about what’s best for you. It’s not about the location that gives you the best view of your fish. This is a secondary consideration.

What we need to discuss is what’s best for the fish. That means the location should be good for the health and well-being of the fish, good for the overall setting of the aquarium, easy enough for you to do your aquarium maintenance, and safe overall for the house you live in.

With these factors in mind, here are some tips on finding the best location for the fish (and for you too):

The short answer to this question is once a week, especially if your aquarium is heavily stocked. The longest period of time you can go without changing is two weeks, but don’t do this too often. And when we mean “change the water”, we mean change 10 to 20 percent of the water.

Water changes are essential for fish. After all, they can’t go outside to poop. Weekly changes are ideal so they’re not swimming in muck.

Just imagine if you’re the fish…

Here are some types of equipment you shouldn’t be without:

Other types of equipment you need to consider including are lighting fixtures, gravel vacuum, sump, and various aquarium decorations. We have plenty of information on this website that will help you become familiarized with different aquarium devices.