Baltimore Vet Clinic

Creating a Community Aquarium

A fish tank in which several species of fish and plants can safely live and thrive is called a community aquarium. The unique and interesting feature about these special aquariums is that though the fish can cohabitate the same space, they do not necessarily share the same origins or geographic regions. If you are considering creating a co-inhabited fish tank of your own, there is some planning and consideration that needs to go into your set-up and choice of fish.

Planning Your Fish Tank

To begin planning for your community aquarium, start with having a concrete idea of what you want it to look like. You can use this as a floor plan for picking the fish and plants that you will include in the tank. You will also need a thorough understanding of the tank’s basic set up and maintenance needs.

Equipment

All community aquariums require:

• Filters
• Heaters
• Lighting
• Cover

Selecting Your Fish

The basic idea to keep in mind when stocking your community aquarium is that you want to pick fish that have the same wants needs. This means including fish with the same pH hardness and temperament. You will also want to select fish that inhabit different layers or regions of the tank including bottom, middle, and top dwellers. Make sure to not overcrowd the tank because this could lead to poor water quality.

Visit a Baltimore Veterinarian Clinic

If you are considering starting a community aquarium in your own home and have questions about keeping your fish safe and healthy, contact your local Baltimore vet clinics today.