I want to get some fish, and a small tank. I know NOTHING about fish, and only want small ones. Help?

Start with a 10g tank or larger.

A filter cleans the water, but you'll still have to do weekly water changes with a gravel vacuum:

http://www.arcatapet.com/fullsize/10749.jpg

Pumps hooked up to tubes and decorations basically create more oxygen in the water. It makes the tank healthier, but one is not necessary as long as you have decent water disturbance from your filter.

Fish can live short lives (bettas, 3 years) to long lives (goldfish, 20+).

Freshwater is warm water (aka tropical) and cool water. Tropical fish need heaters for temps around 78-82*F whereas cold water can do without a heater at 65*F.

Get your tank and set up all the equipment, then follow this guide:

http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php

After this is completed, you can add your fish and do weekly water changes of 15-25% based on your bioload (how many fish you have and the waste they put out).

For starter fish in a 10g, I'd recommend...

Betta:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff93/tankeh/fis...

Cory Cats:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff93/tankeh/fis...

OR...

Endlers:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2113/2187355655_f6b...

Guppies:

http://members.sparedollar.com/bcsilver/guppies.jp...

Mystery Snail:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2345/2008610730_804...

OR...

...Any little fish (that stays little) you happen to come across. Be sure to research whatever you're interested in. Little fish often become big fish (example: Oscars).

If you're going with a livebearer (fish that easily reproduce, like mollies/guppies/endlers/platies, etc.) be sure to get all males or all females. Babies may be cute, but you'll soon be overrun with them and have to get rid of them somehow--either to a pet store, culling (killing) them, feeding them to a bigger fish, or rehoming (hard to do with common fish).

Good luck! If you have any other questions, be sure to e-mail!

I agree, fish bowls are death traps and no fish will live in one for more than a few days. Unless you want to be treating a fish like they do in walmart-dont use a bowl!! Seeing as though you want small fish, you should try neon tetras. They get about 1.5 inches and do best in schools. For a school of 5, your going to need about a 10 gallon tank. Don't whine. They sell 10 gallon tanks at walmart for 13 dollars, but DON'T buy fish from there. Please. Buy them from an aquarium store where people actually know what their talking about. If you get a betta, bettas do not live in bowls. I know you'll see bowls that say 'perfect for bettas!' ignore that. their DEATH TRAPS!! As I said on your other question, bettas need a 2.5 gallon tank. Just because bettas are hardy fish don't ignore the fact that they need a filter and a heater. Neon tetras need a filter, too. Check the tempertures reccomended for fish and DO NOT mix fish who have a different requirment for temperture for water. DO NOT and I can't emphasize this enough DO NOT get a goldfish! "aww their so cute and tiny i could get about 4!!" no. the common goldfish typically grows up to 16"!! I don't think that would fit in whatever tank your getting. Plus, their VERY messy fish and raise HIGH ammonia levels which call for constant cleaning. They are not good time first fish. I hope this helps, just please, keep researching fish until you think your educated enough to take one in. Best Regaurds, ♥Nichole♥

The very first thing you need to do is to go to your local pet store, book store, or public library, and get some beginner's books on aquarium keeping. It is impossible to tell you everything you need to know here. A good beginner's book will get you off to a good start.

To answer your specific questions, a pump pumps oxygen into the water, and operates those cute animated decorations like the scuba diver that goes up and down, etc. Some people say fish benefit from the extra oxygen being pumped into the water, others disagree. I like the bubbles, so I do it. A filter helps keep your water clean. Every fish produces waste, so every fish can benefit from use of a filter. Most require it. A well cared for fish kept by a knowledgeable fish-keeper can live for years. Mine tend to average about 5 years per fish. However, if you just buy a fish and throw it in some water without knowing what you're doing, that will usually result in the fish dying in weeks if not days. The main groups of fish are cold water, tropical, and marine. Cold water fish are goldfish and minnows, for example. Goldfish need no heater but very good filtration, and at least 10 gallons of water per fish. They are huge waste producers. Tropical fish require a heater and filter. Most fish you'll find at the fish store will be tropicals. These fish are what most people keep and are easiest to care for, if you learn the basics of aquarium keeping. Marine fish are salt water fish, and are only for very experienced aquarium keepers, as they are a lot harder and more expensive to care for.

Most places (including Walmart) sell starter kits, with the tank, filter, heater, etc, all in one package. These aren't usually top-of-line systems, but they're okay to get you started. I'd recommend a 20 gallon tank to start with, or at least a 10 gallon. A bigger tank is usually better, because a common mistake people make is to over-stock a tank. A rule to follow is "one inch of fish per gallon of water." This is relevant to the size the fish will be when it's full grown, so if it's only one inch now, but will be 3 inches when it's full grown, you have to allow for the 3 inches. So, a 10 gallon tank will not allow you to have very many fish, when most fish are 1-2 inches when grown.

Please, get some books on the subject, and you'll end up with a very successful first attempt at aquarium keeping. Good luck!

I would start with a tank of no less than 50l (10 gal) and preferably 100l as the more water you have the easier it is to maintain.

Whatever size tank you get you will need a filter suitable for at least 25litres larger than your tank (because manufacturers always state the maximum not the optimum) and if going for tropical a heater. Air pumps are not essential but I use them and would reccommed using one.

Once you have a tank you need to 'cycle' it - without fish. Read up on the Nitrogen Cycle and Fishless Cycling on any good fish forum.

After 4-6 weeks you will be ready for fish, if you want tropical then start with good, hardy, forgiving fish - what you can have will depend on tank size but good starter fish could be danios, corydoras, platys or other similar fish. Try to avoid neon tetras and guppies as these can be quite fragile.

Other things you will need: A liquid water testing kit, syphon/gravel vac, at least 1 bucket kept just for fish use, dechlorinator, thermometer, whatever substrate and decor you like and of course suitable fish food for the fish you get.

You will not need chemicals like ammo-lock, ph altering stuff etc and will only need medicines if your fish get sick.

Definitely join a fishkeeping forum for advice (preferably several!)

OK, check your other question like this for more of my answer but:

Filters are so they can help purify the water. Even though you'll need to clean it out yourself sometimes, this helps you so you wont have to clean the tank everyday, and is required for any fish.

The age of fish all depends on what kind you get and the care it's given. Bettas seem to live for 2-4 years, while my grandma took special care of hers and it lived for 6 years and outlived her, still living.

The temperture fish need all comes from their natural climate. Goldfish are naturally coldwater fish while angelfish are warm water and tropical fish.

Freshwater fish are the kinds that live in lakes and stuff without salt, and saltwater fish live in the ocean. I reccomend highly to start with a freshwater tank, saltwater tanks are extra hard to maintain..

Good luck!!

the pump and filter is to clean the water so u don't have to do it manually every 2 seconds. you still are going to have to clean it maunally every once in awile, but the guy at the fish place will tell you wen you have to do that. well it depends on how big the tank is going to be and how many fish you are getting. i had 10 fish and a normal sized tank and i had a fliter and it worked out great. to be on the safe side just buy one.

fish do not live very long. some only live for a few weeks even. but how you take care of your fish determines how long your fishies will live. my goldfish ended up living for 3 years.

well im pretty sure theres only 2 types i think it's just fresh water and salt water. salt water fish are the kinds that are in the ocean. most of the huge fish at the pet stores are salt water fish. the bigger they get the more expensive they are so these ones are pricy. they also require more care.

caring for fish other than salt water requires chemicals to control the ph and the water and all that stuff. the ph has to be a certain level and the temperature has to be a certain temperature and stuff like that. all that stuff depends on what fish you are getting so when you buy your fish ask and they will tell you how to care for it. but when you have fish you cannot be lazy and forget to check the ph or clean the tank or mess up the chemicals cuz that can kill your fish. you have to be really careful cuz i messed up the chemicals in my tank and ended up killing all of the fish..its hard work so make sure you're up to it but they are relaxing to watch and are pretty so you should get them.

okay. fish are very simple and easy to take care of!!!

i have 2 male beta fish. (the males are prettier than the females) i feed them each 3 little pieces of food a day. i keep them in this glass container type thing with a plant in the container also. they eat the roots, so its okay if you forget to feed them!!! their water should be kept at room temperature, and before you go out and buy a fish, set some water out on your counter so the water is ready when you get home. don't change the water all at once. its not good for the fish. every 2 weeks or so, take out about 1/3 of the water. that should keep it pretty clean without the hassle of a filter. hope i helped!!!

p.s. i keep the 2 fish seperate

first you need to get a 10 gallon tank and a heater(unless u get goldfish) and a filter(to clean the water) and a light for on top of the tank and an air pump for bubbles to put air in the water that the fish need to live. u will also need decorations for in the tank. and you will need some testing strips for te water ph and ammonia levels(fish waste creates ammonia and to much in the tank will kill them)

it depends what kind of fish u get to know how long they will live and it depends on the condition of the water etc.

i think good starter fish would be guppys, mollies, platys(they all breed fast though) or you could start with a betta but you should only get one then because they do fight and will kill eachother.

Or you could start with any kind of tetra. tetras can be pretty they come in all kinds of colors. (thats what i started with) i would also get some cory cats(they look like tiny fat catfish) and an algae eater since u are new to fish keeping an algae eater will help you control algae in the tank.

once you set up your tank with water and filters heaters and air pumps you should cycle the tank this means just let everything run for a week or so to build up the good bateria the fish will need to live just let it run for about a week and even though there arent any fish in it put a little food in the tank from time to time to build bacteria. then after it cycles for the week ull want to test the water with the test strips to make sure everything is ok before u add fish they bottle tells u how to do it tell the pet store ur looking for the 5 in 1 test strips those r the easiest.

once you have cycled the tank then u can get your fish normally for every inch of fish u have they would need a gallon of water so if u have a 2 inch fish hed need about two gallons of water and so on.

when u bring your fish home keep them in the bag and put the bag in the water still sealed so that the fish can acclimate(get used to the temp of the water) or they will go into shock let them float in the bag for about 15-20 minutes then u can release them into the tank.

you will want to feed them twice a day once in the morning and once in the evening just give them a little bit at first and watch them only give them what they can eat in a few minutes or it will pollute the tank.

You should also do water changes every week in the tank which just means taking out about 25 percent of the water and replacing it with new water, this is really easy if u get a gravel vaccum and a bucket its just a syphon and u just put it in the gravel and it sucks up all the poo and extra food out of the gravel. then when ur done vaccuming he gravel just replace the water lost with new water dump what is in the bucket from the vaccuming.

then u can pretty much just enjoy your fish but make sure u keep an eye on them if they start swimming funny (might be what they call bloat or swim bladder which is pretty much air and gases stuck in thier belly which can make them float)or get red or white spots on them ANYWHERE (could be ick with is a fungus) or their fins start dissapearing.(fin rot which eats the fins)

once you get ur new fishys dont worry when u put them in the tank if they dont really eat much or swim around much the first few days its just because believe it or not fish can be shy the first couple days trying to get used to thier new environment.

if you need anything more info let me know or you can look up pics of fish u might want and post em and ill look and give u my advice if they are good beginner fish or not. or even after u get them if they just dont seem right or whatever ill try to help my email is posted on my profile.

GOOD LUCK WITH UR NEW FISHY FRIENDS ONCEU GET THEM IF I DONT HEAR FROM YOU!!!:)

i hope u learn alot and love ur fish i know i do i have 6 tanks and i still want ore i can sit and watch them for hours.

Yahoo answers is not a good site to find this stuff out. Most people have no idea what they are talking about

I suggest you get a book out from a library

I have answered your other question in greater detail, but would like to defend the Betta here:

Myths-

-Betta's live just fine in bowls- They will survive but not thrive.

-Betta's eat plant roots- Betta's are carnivores.

-Betta's are fine at room temperature- If room temperature is 77F-82F then sure, but water at room temperature for me is 68F, way too cold for them. In most cases a heater is needed.

-A filter is not necessary- A filter keeps their water in good condition between weekly partial water changes of 25%.