Page 14 - TBAS-Sept-2020

-14- TBAS September 2020 ....................

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

One of the biggest problems that new and old fish keepers have is
getting their fish to get along, even when they are only keeping one species.
To complicate matters what works for one person may not work for someone
else. Tank Size, the habitat, food and water quality are all factors in fish
compatibility. But, sometimes you will run into a fish that does not fit its
profile. This can be caused by inbreeding, poor nutrition during egg

development or a number of other factors. These fish can be either big
bruisers or real wimps, but these are exceptions to the rule.
There are many books that try to give compatibility guides but they
often all short. Here are some simple rules that you can follow that will
help you select the right kind of fish so your tank will be a more “peaceful”
place.
The first thing you need to know is how big the fish will get. Hopefully

your fish store will have books you can look at (if they don’t have any
reference material, I would worry about buying any fish at that store). Once
you know how big the fish will become, then you will know if you have the
right-sized tank for it and any tank mates of similar size you might want to

To Table of Contents