How to Take Care of Fish - 3 Great Beginner Tips

Nobody knows how to take care of fish automatically but with a few tips and pieces of advice, you'll soon see that it is not difficult at all. In this article, I'll tell you how to make sure you have happy, well behaved fish that live for a long time.

Tip 1 - Mixing Fish

Every species of fish is different. Some prefer to live on their own. Others are more social. Some will fight if put together - this is quite common for males but can even occur between two females.

Fish sharing an aquarium should generally be of a similar size. If you place one fish with another that is much smaller then it stands a good chance of losing a few fins and may even be eaten, even if you are feeding your fish well!

Often, it is a good idea to mix regular tropical fish with bottom feeders like catfish. As they do not compete for food (tropical fish tend to aim for the surface of the watter) then these species are usually highly compatible tank mates.

Tip 2 - Environment

Fish don't like to be stressed. Some species are totally unsuitable if you have children, for example, as the stress can kill them.

Fish should generally be kept away from large groups of people, loud music and direct sunlight.

You should also find out what kind of water your fish like. Many people overlook the temperature of the water and also its acidity.

If you don't regulate both of these carefully then your fish may get stressed, live a short life and fail to breed.

Tip 3 - Cleaning

Cleaning is a necessary part of keeping fish. Again, how often you clean depends on the species of fish you are keeping. Regardless, the good news is that you don't have to move your fish out of the tank to perform cleaning.

Obviously, when the water looks murky then the water needs changing. However, some species demand more water changing than others. For example, many cichlid experts will perform a water change on a daily basis.

There is a lot of bad advice out there that recommends changing the water once per week. For most species, this is not enough. You should be looking at doing water changes between three and six times per week.

Bengal Kittens

The Bengal is a hybrid, resulting from the crossing of a domestic cat with an Asian leopard cat. The name Bengal doesn't apply to the cat until the fourth generation, when they are considered to be the most stable and domesticated. Most pet Bengals are wild only in looks, not in personality. This breed is muscular, energetic, active, alert and intelligent. They get along wonderfully with other family pets.

Today Bengals are about the size of a large domestic cat. Female Bengals average from 7 to 11 pounds at maturity, while the more heavily muscled males can average from 11 to 18 pounds at maturity. They are known for their beautifully spotted or marbled coats with high contrast between the pattern and background colors. Bengals come in two coat patterns, spotted and marbled. The spotted should be formed in a random and horizontal pattern rather than vertical. Rosettes are preferred over plain spots but good contrast is more important. The marbled pattern should flow horizontally, and should resemble marble. Their colours come from the wild--black, brown or rust on bright shades of tan, gold or mahogany. Like its wild counterpart, an ivory version of the Bengal is called a snow. The preferred pattern is leopard spots, not tabby stripes, on legs and ribs. Ivory-to-white undersides and small, rounded ears also are desirable.

Temperament is of primary concern, both to breeders and to pet buyers. Modern-day, carefully bred kittens have loving, outgoing personalities. The instinctive suspicion of the wild cat has been bred out through careful selection. The two main things breeders look for are sweet temperament and a beautiful, wild appearance. First-cross (F1) hybrids are often shy, nervous, untouchable cats, much like their wild ancestors. Like mules, first-generation hybrid Bengal males are infertile, but their F1 sisters can reproduce. In subsequent generations, males are fertile so out crosses to domestic cats are no longer needed. In fact, they are undesirable because breeding back to domestics dilutes the wild inheritance.

Well-bred Bengals are affectionate, purr enthusiastically and are exceedingly intelligent, a trait probably inherited from the wild cat's natural selection for jungle survival. They use the litter tray, like to climb and run, and are quick and curious about everything. Bengal owners report that their cats retrieve, learn tricks and love water, sometimes coming right into the bath or shower to play with human toes. When Bengals are excited, their tails fluff up into massive raccoon-like tails. Even as adults, Bengals are entertaining and playful, but as in other breeds of domestic cats, they vary greatly in appearance and behavior. In general, skittish, fearful kittens seldom become affectionate pets, but they may bond to certain family members. Bengal kittens often go through an ugly stage of fuzzyness between 2 and 6 months of age in which the clearly contrasted markings are spoiled and blurry.

This muting is probably nature's way of protecting the young; baby cheetahs go through a similar fuzzy stage. Then, depending on the seasons, the fuzzy coat falls out and the coloration returns, unless, of course, the kitten was gray (tawny) at birth. All Bengals must have a black tail tip, regardless of body color. The marbled has no counterpart in the wild, and in captivity no two marbled Bengals are alike. The pattern may be sharply defined patches of color; reminiscent of a stained glass windows, or flowing, twisting streams of clear color. Domestic Bengals are no different than any other domestic cat when it comes to care and feeding.