One of the factors often overlooked when choosing fish for a community aquarium is the level the fish prefer. Choosing fish that prefer swimming at different levels will result in a far more attractive aquarium, while at the same time assuring that your fish will not have to compete for space. It will also reduce stress that occurs when fish have to battle for territories.Popular fish that swim at any level include: Top dwelling fish add movement and color at the top level of the aquarium, which often has very little decoration. Many fish that prefer the top level are surface feeders in nature and have upturned mouths designed for top feeding. They hang at the surface waiting for the next meal to come along.Keep in mind that some of these top-level species are strong jumpers. Hatchetfish are known for being able to leap several feet out of the water. Even fish that don't normally jump may jump when startled by loud noises or sudden movements. Take care to keep the tank well covered, and close the lid promptly after feeding or performing maintenance.

Popular top to mid-dwelling fish include: The middle level is the focal point of the aquarium and should be populated with plenty of active fish. Schooling fish, including most of the Tetra species, as well as some of the Barbs, are excellent for the middle level of a community tank. Mid-dwelling fish are often selected as dither fish for cichlid tanks, particularly schools of active fish.buy fish aquarium mumbai Larger fish such as Gouramis, Rainbows, or Angels also make interesting mid-level fish. clothes combinationHowever, it is important to remember that slower moving fish with long flowing fins may be picked upon by smaller, faster-moving fish. 55 gallon fish tank price petsmart

Barbs are particularly well known for nipping fins. Avoid combining them with Angelfish or Bettas. Also, remember that many Gouramis aren't tolerant of their own kind, so do your homework before adding them to the mix.Bottom dwelling fish lend interest to the lower levels of the tank, and often help turn over the substrate. You will note that most of them have mouths that point downward, making it easy for them to scour the tank bottom for morsels of food. custom fish tanks johannesburgHowever, do not fall into the commonly help myth that bottom dwellers do not have to be fed. fish in aquarium swimming on topAll too often bottom dwelling fish are under-fed. fish tank filter fixThey cannot subsist only on leftovers from the other fish.

Remember that the top and mid-dwelling fish will get to the food faster. Including sinking foods when feeding will ensure that those living in the lower portion of the tank receive enough food. Some bottom-dwellers are nocturnal and should be fed after turning the lights off for the night.Popular mid and bottom-dwelling fish include:Always research the fish you are interested in for your community aquarium. Although swimming levels are a factor; water parameters such as pH, temperature, and water hardness, are quite important when combining fish in a community aquarium.For a quick reference, here is a level chart that lists 100 community fish separated by the level they prefer. Don't forget that your fish must also be compatible with preferred water conditions, size, and temperament.This is going to be difficult to answer without details of how long you've had your aquarium for, the filtration etc.on this basis I am going to assume this is an new tank and you are just starting out.if this is the case, your tank is likely going through an ammonia burst if it hasn't been cycled.

This is very poisonous to fish and causes them to suffocate and their gills to burn. They therefore try and breathe air instead.i have answered a question about starting up a new aquarium and I'll paste it below to help. What I would suggest if your aquarium is newly set up, is to change 80% of the water every 1–2 days until the bacteria grow in sufficient numbers to take over ammonia breakdown. That is the short answer to helping your fish out. Also add some air stones to bubble through the water and increase oxygen levels. Read below for what I mean by cycling the aquarium and the ammonia spikes. Cloudy water in an aquarium is usually indicative of a bloom of bacteria (or algae, especially if the bloom is green, but I will come to that later) as they munch on the waste produced by fish. As they eat through this waste, they produce the breakdown waste, known as ammonia. The bacterial/ammonia bloom tends to discolour the water to a milky/cloudy white colour.Ammonia is a poison to fish.

It causes fish to suffocate. However, luckily there is a strain of bacteria out there that is able to break this ammonia into nitrITE, and then another strain which breaks this nitrite to produce nitrATE. Nitrate is generally harmless to fish until it starts to build up. The other good thing about nitrate is that it's also a plant food so live plants in the aquarium will take it up as a fertiliser.So how do we get these good bacteria into the aquarium you say? Well the good news is that they are already there, just in very small numbers. All they need is time to grow into large colonies/ numbers and a place to live.Their home is usually your filter, especially the sponge as that is where most of the fish waste will end up. Or if it's a bigger filter, then the special media compartment that these contain. They will also live in the gravel/walls/ornaments etc. The plentiful presence of ammonia in the aquarium will make these bacteria numbers multiply and bloom. As the ammonia turns into nitrite, those nitrite loving bacteria also start to bloom in numbers and grow.

They share the filter as their home too. As this is happening, you will notice your water clearing and your tank water smelling less ‘fishy’.Once all the bacterial strains achieve the right number of bacteria to food availability, they will reach a harmonious state. You will now have achieved what is known as a cycled tank and a ‘mature’ filter. This is known as the nitrogen cycle It is now safe to put fish into the aquarium.If you already have fish in there, you will need to keep an eye on them. The cycling process can kill some sensitive species and harm others. It is worth changing 75% of the water regularly to keep the ammonia levels low, even though it may prolong the maturation period as the fishes welfare is paramount. Don't forget to treat tap water with water conditioners which neutralises the chloramines and chlorines that are harmless to drink for us, but burn the sensitive fish gills and causes the fish to fall ill.When it comes to washing out your filter, never use tap water.

Again the chlorine in it to kill bacteria in the drinking water, will kill off all those good bacteria you need to keep the tank stable. The answer therefore is to take out some tank water and use that to rinse your filter sponge only.Now we come to the not-so-harmful nitrates. Over time the levels will build up. In nature, these would be used up by the plankton/plants etc that live in the water, or washed away in rivers and streams. In an aquarium we must take on this role by changing some of the water and replacing it with fresh water. Even if you had loads of plants, it is highly unlikely they will be able to keep up with the amounts of nitrate produced.This is when you will start noticing green water. The excess nitrates and light coming into the aquarium has now allowed a bloom of tiny floating algae. You can try and filter it out etc but as long as the food is there, the algae will continue to spiral out of control. You therefore need to reduce the amount of lighting time (switch the lights on for short periods only as algae are tiny plants and need light to live) and change your water frequently, e.g. between daily to weekly, depending on how big or small your tank is and how many fish are in there to produce waste.