Buying Your First Fish Tank: Does Size Matter?
Fish serve as an excellent pet option for virtually any pet owner due to their low maintenance needs, captivating beauty, and fascinating nature. Furthermore, they are an ideal initial pet for children, offering a valuable lesson in responsibility without the extensive care requirements associated with pets like dogs or cats.
When searching for a fish tank to house your new pets, it’s easy to think that a small tank will be better, as you can easily keep it out the way and it won’t require as much water or effort.
However, when it comes to fish tanks, bigger is often not only better, but also easier. Read on to find out why.
Larger Tanks Can House More Fish
Children love all of the colours and varieties of fish, and will probably want a little collection in their tank. More fish require more space to swim around in, so you’ll need a larger tank of around 20 gallons in order to give them room. There’s a handy guide here on why a 20-gallon fish tank might be the ideal choice for your needs, so follow some of the guidance in there if you’re looking to house more fish.
Bigger Tanks Don’t Get Dirty As Quickly
Larger fish tanks offer more space for your fish to swim around in, and as such, there’s more space for the dirt to spread around, meaning that your tank will look cleaner for longer. A small tank can quickly get murky, so you might find yourself having to clean it out more often.
Smaller Tanks Can Be Harder To Clean
Small fish tanks, particularly ones in innovative shapes, can be tricky to clean, as they have many small crevises to scrub. Also, you’ll find it harder to reach into the tank and clean it thoroughly. Fish need to be left in their tank while it’s cleaned, so you won’t be able to take it apart and will need to lean into the tank. The larger the tank, the easier it will be to reach into it to clean it completely or just to remove any extra detritus or old food that you notice in your tank.
You Can Introduce Species That Will Eat Algae
Algae grow in even the cleanest of fish tanks, and they can make it look dirty as well as potentially harming your fish. Some breeds of fish will eat algae, so you can save yourself time and effort scrubbing algae from your tank. You can only introduce these fish into spacious tanks with enough room for them and the other fish you want to own, so you’ll need to choose a larger tank for them. By introducing these fish, you can create a self-sufficient eco-system in your tank, meaning that you’ll need to undertake less maintenance.
Larger Tanks Are More Impressive
At the end of the day, a fish tank is a beautiful decoration that can make an incredible difference to your home if it’s properly cleaned and maintained. As such, you should try to find an impressive aquarium that looks beautiful and keeps your fish healthy and bright. A small tank isn’t as illustrious and grand as a large one, and as this article highlights, large tanks are actually easier to maintain in the long run than small ones. Considering adding a canister filters for your aquarium will also be a great idea if you want to keep your fish tank fresh and clean.