I'm thinking of buying some tropical fish. Do tropical fish need to live in salt water?

C

catx

New member
Tropical refers to temperature, the average "tropical" fish you get in a pet store a freshwater however, like Guppies, Platys etc. They would be listed as saltwater fish if they needed salt!

I think you need to do plenty of research before you get into this hobby!
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Beginning_Fishkeeping
 
No salt needed... tropical just means you will need to have a heater to help keep the water at a warmer temperature...

Make sure that the water is properly treated...
Do not overfeed...

Do not overstock... A good rule of thumb is 1 gallon of water per 1 inch of fish (at adult size)...

Goldfish (which are not tropical) (and some others) require 2 gallons of water per inch... I have a 10 inch goldfish in a 29 gallon by itself... started out as a 28 cent feeder for my son to learn how to take care of and grew into a beautiful goldfish... They grow fast at first then slow down at around 6-7 inches... Mine got to about 6-7 inches in the first year and added about 1 inch per year afterwords... Goldfish also can have a long life if treated properly... I do not consider goldfish good beginner fish as they will keep the tank dirty if you do not keep up with the maintenance once they get larger... It quickly grew out of the 10 gallon tank it was initially in...

Ask at the pet store when you buy them if you are not sure...

What kind of fish are you planning on getting...
 
No, they are freshwater fish and don't need any salt at all. Tapwater treated with conditioner does the trick. They do need proper care, feeding, and stocking, so learn those things!
 
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