Exotic pets are fascinating to have, right? Besides having them as your friend, they add beauty and a sense of creativity to your home.
It is safe to admit that exotic pets excite guests and catch their attention for quite some time. I am a victim of staring at fish in their aquarium for a good minute.
As the old saying goes, two is better than one, and you have probably thought about adding another exotic pet to your home. Is it safe to add another exotic pet? Will it need more effort to take care of them?
Some species are safe to add to your aquarium. This read will exploit a good number of fish you can and cannot add to your aquarium.
What Should I Consider When Adding Pets In My Aquarium?
Before deciding what animals you can add to your aquarium, it is vital to ensure you have all requirements that allow you to add a pet or two. Let’s cut to the chase!
1. Aquarium Size
The size of your aquarium matters the most when making this decision. As much as you will be adding a companion to your fish, you must consider the space you will have for the two. It must be big enough to accommodate both in terms of space.
Your pets have to get along for them to survive together. When the space is small, they will most definitely fight for it, which inevitably reduces their chances of getting along.
How big is big enough? You might wonder. An inch per adult fish for every net gallon is just enough. Just like territorial human beings, such fish will need more space.
Active fish will also need a more expansive aquarium for enough swimming space. Twenty gallons is the recommended aquarium size for beginners.
2. Decorations and Plants
Fish can be quite territorial. Those decorations and plants you add to your aquarium are not just decorations for fish. This is what fish use to mark their territories.
As you add new pets to the aquarium, introduce new plants and decors to re-establish the existing territories. This will make the already existing fish create new domains.
3. Fish Species
The species of fish is a great part of their identity. Fish will get along and communicate easily with fish of their species.
It might be hard to identify these fish species as human beings unless you’re a specialist. Knowing your fish species before deciding on the pet you will add to the aquarium is imperative.
Some fish hardly get along with fish of their species or close to their species. A good example is the knife fish. You might consider getting different species if you have this fish.
4. Fish Age
Young fish are usually kept together despite their species. As young as they are, they will grow up used to each other, and if one is a predator and another a prey, the predator will not eat the prey.
The ability to mix younger fish with various pets in an aquarium makes the thought of having many pets in your aquarium doable.
5. Fish Gender
Did you ever think that fish can also be “alpha males”? Male fish tend to be territorial in their aquarium. For this reason, you might easily find it hard to accommodate two male fish in the same aquarium.
Female fish have proven to be less territorial, making it better to have them in an aquarium with one male.
What Pet Combinations Can I Keep With Fish In My Aquarium?
These combinations are guided by the factors mentioned above. It is important to have pets that are compatible with a habitable aquarium. Compatible pets will also lead to
1. Rainbow Shark and Tiger Barb
Both have red fins, which resemble a little bit. On top of that, they are both dark.
They also grow quickly, making them better in large to medium size aquariums. While rainbow sharks spend most of their time on the low end of the aquarium looking for food, the active tiger barbs spend their time swimming.
2. Cardinal Tetra, Discus, and Rummy Nose Tetra
This fantastic triple comes from the Amazon region, and their beauty is eye pleasing when they are together. The discus swims slowly in the aquarium and will mostly find his spot to spend. This pet will always avoid direct water currents.
On the other hand, the cardinal and rummy nose tetras enjoy swimming toward the water currents. They will also eat any food the discus leaves behind.
Conclusion
Fish in your aquarium need some company, but that is what we think as human beings. Fish also enjoy their own space, and with this in mind, you need to add a pet that your fish will have an easy time living with. The factors explained are the best guide before adding a pet to your aquarium.
