Category Fish

Breeding fish is one of the most rewarding aspects of the hobby, from live bearers to egg layers, egg scatterers and mouth brooders there are almost as many ways of reproduction as there are species of fish.

What Fish to Breed?

If you’re hoping to get a pair of fish, pop them in a tank and start producing hundreds of fry, which you can then sell on at a vast profit and make your fortune, then think again. Fish breeding will take time effort and money, for most breeders fish breeding is a side hobby that may just about pay for the extra electricity that running all the tanks will take.

So with this in mind choose fish that interest you. Do you want to watch fish build elaborate nests and raise their fry together? Then consider a cichlid species. Do you want to enter your fish in shows then see what strains catch your fancy? Many species of fish are easy to breed, whilst others are almost impossible, with only one or two people worldwide successful in having raised fry.

Once you’ve chosen your fish and lo and behold they’ve got fry, then the hard work starts. Assuming that either the species you chose doesn’t take care of their fry, or you’ve decided to raise them yourself.

Housing the fry

You can either transfer the fry into a tank filled with water taken from the parent’s tank, or you can remove the parents.

The hardest part about keeping fry alive is keeping the water clean. With this in mind many breeders keep them in a bare bottomed tank with no decorations. Some fry however don’t like the bare glass and so a thin layer of sand can be beneficial.

Rather than move the fry as they grow it can be best to put them in a large enough tank in the first place. Filter with an air driven sponge filter rather than an internal or external filter which may suck up the fry. The sponge may also house algae and other food sources for the fry.

Small regular water changes are the most important, as well as keeping the water parameters steady.

Feeding Fry

Fry hatch or are born in a variety of sizes from tiny through to large enough to take crumbled flake. There are a range of commercial fry foods available but these are expensive if you have a lot of fish to raise.

Live foods are the commonest types of food feed to fry by breeders.

Vinegar eels are tiny organisms that are useful for tiny fry.

Walter worms, banana worms and micro worms are all different sizes of worms or worm like creatures that are easy to grow on and are a great food source.

Brine shrimp can be hatched easily using an old plastic bottle, an air stone and an air pump, baby brine shrimp (BBS) make great food for small mouths, whilst it is possible to feed the brine shrimp and grow them on for larger fry this is more difficult.

Daphnia and blood worm are readily available from fish stores, and daphnia especially is easy enough to grow on yourself as an ongoing food source.

Many keepers put buckets of water outside to collect mosquito larvae that will grow in there in the summer months, but some aquatic insect larvae predates on fry, specifically dragonfly nymphs.

Grading and culling

Often fry will grow at different rates, and the larger may become able to eat the smaller, even if the difference isn’t this big the larger ones will still be able to get more of the food than the smaller. It’s well worth separating the fry by size.

The other and less pleasant aspect of breeding fish is culling some of the fry. There are a number of reasons to do this.

Deformed fry: in many species of fish the gene pool is limited and often the fry are born deformed, assuming that you don’t have unlimited space to raise on an unlimited amount of fry, its more common to cull these immediately. Even if you have the space is the fry are suffering it’s important to cull them.

Wrong colours/Shape/characteristics: for many fish the colours that are desired in the aquarium are unusual colour morphs, for example goldfish will frequently have young that revert to the wild bronze or silver colour. For some species e.g. koi the first cull can be around 1 in 30 fish, and that means in in every 30 fish survives, the other 29 are mashed up and fed back to the other fry, or other fish. This may seem heartless, but for some breeders to get 20 good fish each year they start with 4000-5000, would you have space for 4980 unwanted fish, every year. Some species will breed closer to the original form, such as many cichlids, meaning that you have a lot fewer culls required.

Genetics

This isn’t meant to be an in-depth look at the genetics of fish, but the basics.

Dominant and recessive: Fish have two pairs of genetic material, some traits are dominant, some are recessive, and others can exist side by side. Many of the more unusual colour traits are recessive, meaning that both parents have to have the gene, to be able to pass it on to 25% of their off spring.

Albino variety’s and electric blue are two examples of recessive colour traits. In some fish if they show this colour they are infertile, meaning that to breed them you will need parents who both carry the genes of these colours and breed them, half the off spring will carry the genes, 25% will be normal and 25% will show the colours.

Selling your fish

It is legal to sell your own fish if they are just unwanted extras in your tank that you bred in small scale projects, once the scale of your selling is enough that you might be seen to be making a profit you may be seen as a pet shop and require licensing from your local authority.

It is legal to sell fish on most websites, but a good way is at auctions held by local fish groups. These are specifically set up to allow breeders to exchange blood lines and sell off excess stock.

Breeding fish is one of the most rewarding aspects of the hobby, from live bearers to egg layers, egg scatterers and mouth brooders there are almost as many ways of reproduction as there are species of fish.

What Fish to Breed?

If you’re hoping to get a pair of fish, pop them in a tank and start producing hundreds of fry, which you can then sell on at a vast profit and make your fortune, then think again. Fish breeding will take time effort and money, for most breeders fish breeding is a side hobby that may just about pay for the extra electricity that running all the tanks will take.

So with this in mind choose fish that interest you. Do you want to watch fish build elaborate nests and raise their fry together? Then consider a cichlid species. Do you want to enter your fish in shows then see what strains catch your fancy? Many species of fish are easy to breed, whilst others are almost impossible, with only one or two people worldwide successful in having raised fry.

Once you’ve chosen your fish and lo and behold they’ve got fry, then the hard work starts. Assuming that either the species you chose doesn’t take care of their fry, or you’ve decided to raise them yourself.

Housing the fry

You can either transfer the fry into a tank filled with water taken from the parent’s tank, or you can remove the parents.

The hardest part about keeping fry alive is keeping the water clean. With this in mind many breeders keep them in a bare bottomed tank with no decorations. Some fry however don’t like the bare glass and so a thin layer of sand can be beneficial.

Rather than move the fry as they grow it can be best to put them in a large enough tank in the first place. Filter with an air driven sponge filter rather than an internal or external filter which may suck up the fry. The sponge may also house algae and other food sources for the fry.

Small regular water changes are the most important, as well as keeping the water parameters steady.

Feeding Fry

Fry hatch or are born in a variety of sizes from tiny through to large enough to take crumbled flake. There are a range of commercial fry foods available but these are expensive if you have a lot of fish to raise.

Live foods are the commonest types of food feed to fry by breeders.

Vinegar eels are tiny organisms that are useful for tiny fry.

Walter worms, banana worms and micro worms are all different sizes of worms or worm like creatures that are easy to grow on and are a great food source.

Brine shrimp can be hatched easily using an old plastic bottle, an air stone and an air pump, baby brine shrimp (BBS) make great food for small mouths, whilst it is possible to feed the brine shrimp and grow them on for larger fry this is more difficult.

Daphnia and blood worm are readily available from fish stores, and daphnia especially is easy enough to grow on yourself as an ongoing food source.

Many keepers put buckets of water outside to collect mosquito larvae that will grow in there in the summer months, but some aquatic insect larvae predates on fry, specifically dragonfly nymphs.

Grading and culling

Often fry will grow at different rates, and the larger may become able to eat the smaller, even if the difference isn’t this big the larger ones will still be able to get more of the food than the smaller. It’s well worth separating the fry by size.

The other and less pleasant aspect of breeding fish is culling some of the fry. There are a number of reasons to do this.

Deformed fry: in many species of fish the gene pool is limited and often the fry are born deformed, assuming that you don’t have unlimited space to raise on an unlimited amount of fry, its more common to cull these immediately. Even if you have the space is the fry are suffering it’s important to cull them.

Wrong colours/Shape/characteristics: for many fish the colours that are desired in the aquarium are unusual colour morphs, for example goldfish will frequently have young that revert to the wild bronze or silver colour. For some species e.g. koi the first cull can be around 1 in 30 fish, and that means in in every 30 fish survives, the other 29 are mashed up and fed back to the other fry, or other fish. This may seem heartless, but for some breeders to get 20 good fish each year they start with 4000-5000, would you have space for 4980 unwanted fish, every year. Some species will breed closer to the original form, such as many cichlids, meaning that you have a lot fewer culls required.

Genetics

This isn’t meant to be an in-depth look at the genetics of fish, but the basics.

Dominant and recessive: Fish have two pairs of genetic material, some traits are dominant, some are recessive, and others can exist side by side. Many of the more unusual colour traits are recessive, meaning that both parents have to have the gene, to be able to pass it on to 25% of their off spring.

Albino variety’s and electric blue are two examples of recessive colour traits. In some fish if they show this colour they are infertile, meaning that to breed them you will need parents who both carry the genes of these colours and breed them, half the off spring will carry the genes, 25% will be normal and 25% will show the colours.

Selling your fish

It is legal to sell your own fish if they are just unwanted extras in your tank that you bred in small scale projects, once the scale of your selling is enough that you might be seen to be making a profit you may be seen as a pet shop and require licensing from your local authority.

It is legal to sell fish on most websites, but a good way is at auctions held by local fish groups. These are specifically set up to allow breeders to exchange blood lines and sell off excess stock.

Your fish tank is a micro world, where your fish’s lives play out before your eyes. You get to watch them play, fight, feed and live out their lives, and it’s only natural that you would want to take this to the next level and breed your fish. Watch the life cycle begin a fresh, raise the fry to full adults, and maybe sell the grown fish on. Breeding fish can be incredibly rewarding, getting a good pair of fish, watching them set up a territory, lay eggs, guard and take care of them, watching the eggs hatch into wrigglers and waiting until that day that they are free swimming. Maybe following their parents around, or waiting till you come into feed them. Watching them grow every single day, going from a generic fry shape, growing gradually into miniature adults, getting the correct shapes, colours, and maybe, just maybe, finding one that is a new colour, is a better shape, maybe you want to show your fish at a competition, or just enjoy them at home. But it can be a different story some times. The adults may pair off, and despite a tank to themselves, quality food, and water as perfect as you can, they just don’t breed, or they do, and the eggs aren’t fertile. Sometimes they do breed, and then one day the fry are just gone. The parents for some unknown reason have decided to snack on the young. Or maybe you have removed them from the parents, and they just die, one by one, or all at once. Or they grow, and suddenly you realise that some aren’t the right colour, they aren’t the right shape, some have problems that mean it would be cruel to let them live, or just that you’ll never be able to sell them. Culling out these imperfect fish can be horrible, but what are you to do with them. 1000s of koi fry are culled before that one quality fish is chosen, unless you have an unlimited supply of tanks at one point or another you’ll have to dispatch some of those deformed fry. Finally you’ve got some through to be large enough to take to the fish store, and they give you 20p per fish, or even less, or maybe just take them in and offer you nothing. So how do you start on this rollercoaster that is breeding fish. Fish can and will breed in a general tank, but the eggs and the young can and will get eaten. Some parents guard the babies and may hurt and kill other fish in defence of the young, but normally the other fish get in anyway. For breeding you’ll need at the very least a separate tank for the parents, if they can go back in the main tank afterwards then you can raise the young in that tank, but otherwise you’ll need to have a second tank to raise the young in. Each of these will need a filter and a heater. I tend to use air driven sponge filters in the tanks, there is less chance of the young being pulled into the filter, and the sponge filter often has life on it that may provide food for the new fry. So you have your tanks set up, cycled from the main tank so the bacteria levels are steady. Now where?Well your first thought has to be what sort of fish you want to breed, guppies and other livebearers will breed at will in the tank, but for watching the parents care for the eggs and raise the fry nothing beats cichlids. The British Cichlid Association are fond of saying that there is a cichlid for every tank, and if you’re looking for advice they are a good place to start. But the saying is true, from the small south American cichlids, to the larger central American cichlids, or the colourful rift lake cichlids, there is a huge variety out there. Kribs Pelvis Pulcher are a great beginners’ fish. Males are larger and have more pointed tails, whilst the smaller females are rounder and when breeding have the most amazing purple bellies. You can buy good quality fish from your local fish store, and the assistant should be able to give you a pair easily. Unlike some other cichlids, kribs tend to be happy with each other as long as there is a male and a female. Another fish, although not a cichlid, I enjoy raising are Corydoras catfish, these little guys lay eggs which you have to remove before the parents see them as a snack. For this you tend to need a female and two males at least. Females tend to be plumper than the males. I tend to buy a group of youngsters and let them grow up together, if you have at least five there is a good chance you’ll get a good mix. So you’ve got the prospective parents, now comes the hard work. You need to get them so that they think it’s time to breed. They need to be big and old enough, this might mean waiting a few months, until they are adults. I feed the parents a quality food whilst I’m trying to get them into condition. I raise live food for them, including brine shrimp, species of live worm suitable for feeding to fish, and daphnia, these can also be fed to the fry once they have arrived, different foods as the fry grow. They also get suitable flake or pellet food, and if their diet requires vegetable, or protein. Water changes are just as important, you want the fish to think that it is the spring and all that fresh melt water is coming down the rivers, signalling that soon there will be food for the young fish often in the form of insect larva and invertebrates that are also being born in the spring. For cories you need to do a huge water change, and provide some form of flow to mimic these spring flood conditions, and normally this works. Kribs tend to set up territory in a cave, I use half a new terracotta plant pot, this seems to be their favourite home, you’ll get to watch the two display to each other, and their colours get more and more vibrant, the females belly becoming a deep purple, the males fin getting highlighted in blue, shivering and dancing around each other, and then one day one or both hiding in the cave, guarding the precious eggs. The cories spawn normally on the side of the tank, I tend to angle the flow so it’s on the front of the tank, just to make my life easier, some people then remove the parents to another tank, however I use a plastic scraper to remove the sticky eggs from the tank, and transfer them straight into a clean ice-cream container of water. Now you have eggs, I place the containers on top of another tank to keep the water warm, drop an air stone into the water and keep an eye on the eggs, sadly often you lose them to fungus, the eggs turning into little balls of fur. Often people use medication to keep this at bay, I’ve personally had success by putting the eggs into clean water that has never been in a tank, just make sure it’s the correct temperature. Kribs make great parents, sheparding the young around the tank, it’s not unheard of for new parents to eat their eggs or fry, but just give them another chance, you can remove the young, but I love watching the parents chasing after errant fry, grabbing them in their mouths and bringing them back to spit out where ever they think the young should be. Feeding the small mouths can be a problem, Baby brine shrimp are a firm favourite with fish keepers, easy to raise, and relatively inexpensive, I also have Banana, Micro and Walter worms to feed the fry, and often have a culture of daphnia going. You can also buy powdered fry food, but the live food seems to bring better results. You should by now be enjoying watching the fry whiz round the tank. Often fish breeders keep the bottom of the tank bare and ornaments to a minimum so as cleaning is easier. Keep the tank as clean as possible and the fry will grow quicker and be healthier for it. But most of all enjoy them, it can be a magically frustrating and enchantingly addictive to watch the young lives form.

Your fish tank is a micro world, where your fish’s lives play out before your eyes. You get to watch them play, fight, feed and live out their lives, and it’s only natural that you would want to take this to the next level and breed your fish. Watch the life cycle begin a fresh, raise the fry to full adults, and maybe sell the grown fish on. Breeding fish can be incredibly rewarding, getting a good pair of fish, watching them set up a territory, lay eggs, guard and take care of them, watching the eggs hatch into wrigglers and waiting until that day that they are free swimming. Maybe following their parents around, or waiting till you come into feed them. Watching them grow every single day, going from a generic fry shape, growing gradually into miniature adults, getting the correct shapes, colours, and maybe, just maybe, finding one that is a new colour, is a better shape, maybe you want to show your fish at a competition, or just enjoy them at home. But it can be a different story some times. The adults may pair off, and despite a tank to themselves, quality food, and water as perfect as you can, they just don’t breed, or they do, and the eggs aren’t fertile. Sometimes they do breed, and then one day the fry are just gone. The parents for some unknown reason have decided to snack on the young. Or maybe you have removed them from the parents, and they just die, one by one, or all at once. Or they grow, and suddenly you realise that some aren’t the right colour, they aren’t the right shape, some have problems that mean it would be cruel to let them live, or just that you’ll never be able to sell them. Culling out these imperfect fish can be horrible, but what are you to do with them. 1000s of koi fry are culled before that one quality fish is chosen, unless you have an unlimited supply of tanks at one point or another you’ll have to dispatch some of those deformed fry. Finally you’ve got some through to be large enough to take to the fish store, and they give you 20p per fish, or even less, or maybe just take them in and offer you nothing. So how do you start on this rollercoaster that is breeding fish. Fish can and will breed in a general tank, but the eggs and the young can and will get eaten. Some parents guard the babies and may hurt and kill other fish in defence of the young, but normally the other fish get in anyway. For breeding you’ll need at the very least a separate tank for the parents, if they can go back in the main tank afterwards then you can raise the young in that tank, but otherwise you’ll need to have a second tank to raise the young in. Each of these will need a filter and a heater. I tend to use air driven sponge filters in the tanks, there is less chance of the young being pulled into the filter, and the sponge filter often has life on it that may provide food for the new fry. So you have your tanks set up, cycled from the main tank so the bacteria levels are steady. Now where?Well your first thought has to be what sort of fish you want to breed, guppies and other livebearers will breed at will in the tank, but for watching the parents care for the eggs and raise the fry nothing beats cichlids. The British Cichlid Association are fond of saying that there is a cichlid for every tank, and if you’re looking for advice they are a good place to start. But the saying is true, from the small south American cichlids, to the larger central American cichlids, or the colourful rift lake cichlids, there is a huge variety out there. Kribs Pelvis Pulcher are a great beginners’ fish. Males are larger and have more pointed tails, whilst the smaller females are rounder and when breeding have the most amazing purple bellies. You can buy good quality fish from your local fish store, and the assistant should be able to give you a pair easily. Unlike some other cichlids, kribs tend to be happy with each other as long as there is a male and a female. Another fish, although not a cichlid, I enjoy raising are Corydoras catfish, these little guys lay eggs which you have to remove before the parents see them as a snack. For this you tend to need a female and two males at least. Females tend to be plumper than the males. I tend to buy a group of youngsters and let them grow up together, if you have at least five there is a good chance you’ll get a good mix. So you’ve got the prospective parents, now comes the hard work. You need to get them so that they think it’s time to breed. They need to be big and old enough, this might mean waiting a few months, until they are adults. I feed the parents a quality food whilst I’m trying to get them into condition. I raise live food for them, including brine shrimp, species of live worm suitable for feeding to fish, and daphnia, these can also be fed to the fry once they have arrived, different foods as the fry grow. They also get suitable flake or pellet food, and if their diet requires vegetable, or protein. Water changes are just as important, you want the fish to think that it is the spring and all that fresh melt water is coming down the rivers, signalling that soon there will be food for the young fish often in the form of insect larva and invertebrates that are also being born in the spring. For cories you need to do a huge water change, and provide some form of flow to mimic these spring flood conditions, and normally this works. Kribs tend to set up territory in a cave, I use half a new terracotta plant pot, this seems to be their favourite home, you’ll get to watch the two display to each other, and their colours get more and more vibrant, the females belly becoming a deep purple, the males fin getting highlighted in blue, shivering and dancing around each other, and then one day one or both hiding in the cave, guarding the precious eggs. The cories spawn normally on the side of the tank, I tend to angle the flow so it’s on the front of the tank, just to make my life easier, some people then remove the parents to another tank, however I use a plastic scraper to remove the sticky eggs from the tank, and transfer them straight into a clean ice-cream container of water. Now you have eggs, I place the containers on top of another tank to keep the water warm, drop an air stone into the water and keep an eye on the eggs, sadly often you lose them to fungus, the eggs turning into little balls of fur. Often people use medication to keep this at bay, I’ve personally had success by putting the eggs into clean water that has never been in a tank, just make sure it’s the correct temperature. Kribs make great parents, sheparding the young around the tank, it’s not unheard of for new parents to eat their eggs or fry, but just give them another chance, you can remove the young, but I love watching the parents chasing after errant fry, grabbing them in their mouths and bringing them back to spit out where ever they think the young should be. Feeding the small mouths can be a problem, Baby brine shrimp are a firm favourite with fish keepers, easy to raise, and relatively inexpensive, I also have Banana, Micro and Walter worms to feed the fry, and often have a culture of daphnia going. You can also buy powdered fry food, but the live food seems to bring better results. You should by now be enjoying watching the fry whiz round the tank. Often fish breeders keep the bottom of the tank bare and ornaments to a minimum so as cleaning is easier. Keep the tank as clean as possible and the fry will grow quicker and be healthier for it. But most of all enjoy them, it can be a magically frustrating and enchantingly addictive to watch the young lives form.

Fish can make wonderful pets. They don’t need to be walked in the rain, they come in a wide range of beautiful colours, shapes and sizes, and you can pass countless blissful and relaxing hours watching them swim hypnotically around a tank.

Naturally, however, ‘fish’ is a very broad term for pets. There is a big difference between a solitary goldfish in a bowl and a tank filled with exotic and imported aquatic animals. There are legal restrictions on which breeds of fish can be kept as pets under the Prohibition of Keeping and Release of Live Fish Order of 2014.

Let’s dig deeper into the legal implications of keeping tropical and exotic fish in the UK, including which species are protected by law.

Do You Need a License to Keep a Pet Fish in the UK?

Many common and popular fish can be kept without any kind of official licence. A golden rule is that if you can purchase a fish from a pet shop, they will not come with any particular restrictions.

However, many different breeds of fish require the use of an individual licence to keep as pets. Popular examples of this include the following:

• Bass
• Marbled Trout
• Blue Bream
• Sunfish
• Various Species of Carp
• Various Species of Perch

This is just the tip of the iceberg, however. There are numerous exotic fish that require an individual licence, and you will need to research this before bringing one into your home. Always check the legality of owning a fish that you may be interested in.

Additionally, some other fish families require a general licence to keep. Examples of these include Catfish, Fathead Minnows and Sturgeons. As always, it is best to check with a professional before bringing any kind of adopted fish into your home.

Fish are Protected by the Animal Welfare Act of 2006

Yes, fish are afforded the same rights and protections under this act as dogs, cats and other popular domestic companions. If you decide to keep exotic fish as pets, you will be held responsible for their welfare and must display a duty of care towards the species.

This does not just mean that you have to feed your fish and clean their tank or pond. You will also be duty-bound to ensure that the fish enjoy a sufficient quality of life, and that you understand the implications of keeping them as pets.

This could include ensuring that any species of fish can live together in harmony. Some fish may fight, or even eat each other. In addition, you must understand the difference in habitat needs between different fish. Freshwater fish will need to be kept at a different temperature to cold water fish, for example. If in doubt about what fish may successfully and happily live together, consult a professional.

Fish may seem like a simple pet at first, but you may have a lot of homework to do before bringing them into your home and family. If you are a newcomer to the world of exotic fish, start small and seek professional advice as much as possible.

Some Fish Breeds Cannot Share a Tank with Others

Another critical element of caring for exotic fish is knowing what breeds can happily live side by side. Some of the things that must be kept in mind are:

• Ensure that all the fish thrive in the same water pH. Freshwater fish and tropical fish are used to very different levels of alkaline in their water.
• Never group freshwater fish with saltwater fish. They will need different levels of filtration.
• Match up fish of similar sizes and with similar eating habits. If you have a bigger fish populating the same tank as a smaller species, the latter may grow intimidated and feel they cannot get their fair share of the food. A large fish may even eat a smaller species, given the opportunity.
• Don’t pair an aggressive species with a docile one. Believe it or not, some fish can be big bullies. Cichlids are a common example of ‘bully breed.’
• Don’t just have one species of each fish. These animals like to live in schools and draw comfort from sharing their space with familiar faces and fins.
• Check the sex of your fish, and learn the best possible combinations based on gender. Some popular exotic species, such as a male Bretta, are very dominant and forceful if they are forced to share a tank with other males.

If you are not aware of the requirements of any particular fish breed, consult a professional before bringing them home. A fish kept with the wrong tank mates or in the wrong conditions can easily become stressed, and stressed fish often grow unwell – sometimes fatally.

Are Any Fish Species Banned in the UK?

The following fish cannot be brought into the country without special dispensation from the government, as they are considered to be invasive species.

• All breeds of Crayfish
• Chinese Sleeper (aka Amur Sleeper)
• Stone Moroko (aka Topmouth Gudgeon)

Technically, no breed of fish is outright banned in the U.K. as a permit to keep these species can be applied for. However, you will need an extremely compelling argument to request such a fish as a private enthusiast!

If you do have a reason to bring these fish into your collection, contact your local authority to discuss the possibility of a permit.

Can I Import Other, Legal Fish to Keep as a Pet in the UK?

The Import of Live Fish Act places restrictions upon what fish can be brought into the UK, and from where. You will need to apply for a permit from the government to keep a non-native species of fish in a tank or pond on your property.

Contact your local authority before making any purchase of exotic fish from overseas to ensure that you are complying with the law. Also, always ensure that you are trading with a legitimate and professional breeder.

Can Freshwater Fish Caught with a Rod be Kept as Pets?

This is legal provided you obey the local bylaws of your area. This means that you must be fishing with an allowed area with a rod, line and approved bait within the designated fishing season. Obviously, you will also need to hold a valid fishing permit.

There may also be varying local bylaws on what size of fish you are permitted to remove from freshwater. Check with your local authority if you have any questions about this and ensure that you are operating within the confines of the law. Also, be aware this is only legal if you are fishing for individual bites, using a rod and line. The act of using a net to remove multiple fish from freshwater at once is prohibited.

Can a Pet Fish be Released into the Wild?

No, this illegal – and potentially very cruel. Fish that are used to being kept as pets are not cut out for life in wild waters. They will not understand the dangers inherent with such surroundings and may struggle to find food. They will also have grown accustomed to living in heated water, so without this the fish may go into shock and die. A fish is a pet for life, not until they grow too large for their current tank or you lose interest in caring for them.

How to Dispose of a Dead Exotic Fish

Like all living beings, exotic and tropical fish have a finite lifespan. This could be anything from five to twenty-five years, depending on the species.

If the end has come for one of your tropical fish, remove them from the tank and change the water immediately. A dead fish may quickly rot and cause infection for the rest of the fish.

When you’re ready to dispose of the body, don’t just flush it down the loo. That’s cold, cruel, and unhygienic. The best approach is burial, though you will need to dig fairly deep to ensure that local cats or dogs do not smell the fish and dig it up. Eating the fish could leave a domestic pet sick. You should wear gloves throughout the process for the same reason.

Another option is to place the fish into your rubbish, though again this may feel a little cold. If you decide to take this route, wrap the fish in newspaper or something else, and place it in a padded envelope. You may also want to spray some perfume inside the envelope. Remember, a dead fish can smell very pungent – you will not want to leave that scent laying around in your bin.

Fish can make wonderful pets. They don’t need to be walked in the rain, they come in a wide range of beautiful colours, shapes and sizes, and you can pass countless blissful and relaxing hours watching them swim hypnotically around a tank.

Naturally, however, ‘fish’ is a very broad term for pets. There is a big difference between a solitary goldfish in a bowl and a tank filled with exotic and imported aquatic animals. There are legal restrictions on which breeds of fish can be kept as pets under the Prohibition of Keeping and Release of Live Fish Order of 2014.

Let’s dig deeper into the legal implications of keeping tropical and exotic fish in the UK, including which species are protected by law.

Do You Need a License to Keep a Pet Fish in the UK?

Many common and popular fish can be kept without any kind of official licence. A golden rule is that if you can purchase a fish from a pet shop, they will not come with any particular restrictions.

However, many different breeds of fish require the use of an individual licence to keep as pets. Popular examples of this include the following:

• Bass
• Marbled Trout
• Blue Bream
• Sunfish
• Various Species of Carp
• Various Species of Perch

This is just the tip of the iceberg, however. There are numerous exotic fish that require an individual licence, and you will need to research this before bringing one into your home. Always check the legality of owning a fish that you may be interested in.

Additionally, some other fish families require a general licence to keep. Examples of these include Catfish, Fathead Minnows and Sturgeons. As always, it is best to check with a professional before bringing any kind of adopted fish into your home.

Fish are Protected by the Animal Welfare Act of 2006

Yes, fish are afforded the same rights and protections under this act as dogs, cats and other popular domestic companions. If you decide to keep exotic fish as pets, you will be held responsible for their welfare and must display a duty of care towards the species.

This does not just mean that you have to feed your fish and clean their tank or pond. You will also be duty-bound to ensure that the fish enjoy a sufficient quality of life, and that you understand the implications of keeping them as pets.

This could include ensuring that any species of fish can live together in harmony. Some fish may fight, or even eat each other. In addition, you must understand the difference in habitat needs between different fish. Freshwater fish will need to be kept at a different temperature to cold water fish, for example. If in doubt about what fish may successfully and happily live together, consult a professional.

Fish may seem like a simple pet at first, but you may have a lot of homework to do before bringing them into your home and family. If you are a newcomer to the world of exotic fish, start small and seek professional advice as much as possible.

Some Fish Breeds Cannot Share a Tank with Others

Another critical element of caring for exotic fish is knowing what breeds can happily live side by side. Some of the things that must be kept in mind are:

• Ensure that all the fish thrive in the same water pH. Freshwater fish and tropical fish are used to very different levels of alkaline in their water.
• Never group freshwater fish with saltwater fish. They will need different levels of filtration.
• Match up fish of similar sizes and with similar eating habits. If you have a bigger fish populating the same tank as a smaller species, the latter may grow intimidated and feel they cannot get their fair share of the food. A large fish may even eat a smaller species, given the opportunity.
• Don’t pair an aggressive species with a docile one. Believe it or not, some fish can be big bullies. Cichlids are a common example of ‘bully breed.’
• Don’t just have one species of each fish. These animals like to live in schools and draw comfort from sharing their space with familiar faces and fins.
• Check the sex of your fish, and learn the best possible combinations based on gender. Some popular exotic species, such as a male Bretta, are very dominant and forceful if they are forced to share a tank with other males.

If you are not aware of the requirements of any particular fish breed, consult a professional before bringing them home. A fish kept with the wrong tank mates or in the wrong conditions can easily become stressed, and stressed fish often grow unwell – sometimes fatally.

Are Any Fish Species Banned in the UK?

The following fish cannot be brought into the country without special dispensation from the government, as they are considered to be invasive species.

• All breeds of Crayfish
• Chinese Sleeper (aka Amur Sleeper)
• Stone Moroko (aka Topmouth Gudgeon)

Technically, no breed of fish is outright banned in the U.K. as a permit to keep these species can be applied for. However, you will need an extremely compelling argument to request such a fish as a private enthusiast!

If you do have a reason to bring these fish into your collection, contact your local authority to discuss the possibility of a permit.

Can I Import Other, Legal Fish to Keep as a Pet in the UK?

The Import of Live Fish Act places restrictions upon what fish can be brought into the UK, and from where. You will need to apply for a permit from the government to keep a non-native species of fish in a tank or pond on your property.

Contact your local authority before making any purchase of exotic fish from overseas to ensure that you are complying with the law. Also, always ensure that you are trading with a legitimate and professional breeder.

Can Freshwater Fish Caught with a Rod be Kept as Pets?

This is legal provided you obey the local bylaws of your area. This means that you must be fishing with an allowed area with a rod, line and approved bait within the designated fishing season. Obviously, you will also need to hold a valid fishing permit.

There may also be varying local bylaws on what size of fish you are permitted to remove from freshwater. Check with your local authority if you have any questions about this and ensure that you are operating within the confines of the law. Also, be aware this is only legal if you are fishing for individual bites, using a rod and line. The act of using a net to remove multiple fish from freshwater at once is prohibited.

Can a Pet Fish be Released into the Wild?

No, this illegal – and potentially very cruel. Fish that are used to being kept as pets are not cut out for life in wild waters. They will not understand the dangers inherent with such surroundings and may struggle to find food. They will also have grown accustomed to living in heated water, so without this the fish may go into shock and die. A fish is a pet for life, not until they grow too large for their current tank or you lose interest in caring for them.

How to Dispose of a Dead Exotic Fish

Like all living beings, exotic and tropical fish have a finite lifespan. This could be anything from five to twenty-five years, depending on the species.

If the end has come for one of your tropical fish, remove them from the tank and change the water immediately. A dead fish may quickly rot and cause infection for the rest of the fish.

When you’re ready to dispose of the body, don’t just flush it down the loo. That’s cold, cruel, and unhygienic. The best approach is burial, though you will need to dig fairly deep to ensure that local cats or dogs do not smell the fish and dig it up. Eating the fish could leave a domestic pet sick. You should wear gloves throughout the process for the same reason.

Another option is to place the fish into your rubbish, though again this may feel a little cold. If you decide to take this route, wrap the fish in newspaper or something else, and place it in a padded envelope. You may also want to spray some perfume inside the envelope. Remember, a dead fish can smell very pungent – you will not want to leave that scent laying around in your bin.

Watching vibrant, colourful fish swimming around in the crystal-clear water of their tank can be enthralling and relaxing, and is part of the appeal of keeping pet fish. However, if the water in the tank looks cloudy or murky, this can not only spoil your view and make it harder to see the full vibrant detail of your fish and tank, but also indicates that there is a problem with the quality of the tank water-which can have an acute and negative impact on the health of your fish and any live plants you keep within it.

If you keep fish and want to make sure that your water stays clear and clean or are having problems with cloudy water and are not sure what is wrong or how to fix it, read on to learn more about what makes the water in a fish tank turn cloudy, and what to do about it.

Cloudy fish tanks

There are a huge range of different things that can make tank water cloudy, and sometimes the problem will resolve itself within a couple of days or even hours, whilst some issues can be more of a challenge to fix. The colour of the cloudiness can help you to determine what the problem is-white cloudy tanks are usually caused by different problems than green, for instance.

Also, before you begin investigating the water itself and trying to work out the problem, make sure first that it is actually the water than is murky or cloudy, and not just algae, dirt or scratches on the glass of the tank, while the water itself is clear!

Next, we will look at the most common causes of cloudy fish tank water, and how to fix them.

Poor filtration

If your fish tank tends to get cloudy within a couple of days of cleaning out the tank, the chances are that the tank’s filtration is not up to the task. All fish tanks need filtration-even goldfish tanks-and keeping your fish in a small, unfiltered bowl is both very bad for the fish, and likely to lead to cloudy water.

Make sure that your filter is sufficient to filter the volume of water in the tank, and also that it is all working properly and does not need the filter media replacing.

New filtration

Many types of aquarium filtration require “good” bacterial cultures that develop over time in the filter media to keep the water clean and remove contaminants and “bad” bacteria, and so if you have a brand-new filter or have recently replaced old filter media for new, this can lead to cloudy water while the new filter media becomes colonised with the necessary bacteria.

Rather than replacing old media for brand new, try to culture the new media with the old, to give it a head start and ensure it is capable of meeting the demands of your established tank.

Poor quality tap water

Water straight from the tap needs to be treated and conditioned with the appropriate supplements before using it in your tank, to neutralise chlorine and other chemicals that can affect the health of your fish. Even if you collect rainwater for your tank, the quality of it may be variable and it can easily get contaminated, so make sure that you are using the right water treatments in the right quantities before you add new water to the tank.

Algae blooms

Green, brown or otherwise murky water is almost always caused by algae blooms, which can happen if the tank is kept in direct sunlight, receives too much light, or otherwise provides the right environment for algae to grow out of control.

Keeping snails or fish that eat algae in your tank, regularly scraping the tank sides and ornaments to remove algae and potentially, using an algae treatment supplement can all help, as can of course ensuring that your tank is not getting too much light.

Water that is too old

If you don’t clean your fish tank out regularly and perform sufficient water changes, the water will soon look and smell bad, and affect the health of your fish. Make sure that you clean the tank and perform partial water changes regularly, and do not leave the tank until it is disgusting and then totally replace all of the water!

A new tank set-up that has not settled

New tanks need time to settle in before you start stocking them-a tank should be left at least a week or two before you add any plants, then longer again before you add your first fish, and new fish should be added gradually over time, not all at once!

If you set up a new tank and populate it too quickly, the filtration will not be able to keep up and there will not be enough cleaning bacteria established in the tank to maintain stable water quality, which can lead to a tank turning murky or cloudy overnight.

Overcrowding

Too many fish in the tank will always compromise the water quality, as well as placing the filter under stress and causing your fish to be stressed out as well. The vast majority of domestic fish tanks and aquariums are actually overcrowded-fish need much more space than many people think, and so you may find that you have to get a second tank to ease the pressure on your first one if you have too many fish!

Overfeeding

Overfeeding your fish is another common cause of cloudy water, as fish produce a lot of waste, and are also often permanently willing to eat however much is offered to them. Ensure that you are not overfeeding your fish, which can soon contribute to poor water quality and a cloudy tank.

Unrinsed gravel

Finally, one of the simplest explanations for cloudy water in a new tank is gravel that has not been rinsed properly before placing it into the tank! New gravel needs to be rinsed out very thoroughly and for quite a long time to remove dust and hard to see muck and debris on it, and if you are not vigilant about this, you may found that apparently clean-looking gravel turns the water cloudy as soon as you put it in the tank.

Watching vibrant, colourful fish swimming around in the crystal-clear water of their tank can be enthralling and relaxing, and is part of the appeal of keeping pet fish. However, if the water in the tank looks cloudy or murky, this can not only spoil your view and make it harder to see the full vibrant detail of your fish and tank, but also indicates that there is a problem with the quality of the tank water-which can have an acute and negative impact on the health of your fish and any live plants you keep within it.

If you keep fish and want to make sure that your water stays clear and clean or are having problems with cloudy water and are not sure what is wrong or how to fix it, read on to learn more about what makes the water in a fish tank turn cloudy, and what to do about it.

Cloudy fish tanks

There are a huge range of different things that can make tank water cloudy, and sometimes the problem will resolve itself within a couple of days or even hours, whilst some issues can be more of a challenge to fix. The colour of the cloudiness can help you to determine what the problem is-white cloudy tanks are usually caused by different problems than green, for instance.

Also, before you begin investigating the water itself and trying to work out the problem, make sure first that it is actually the water than is murky or cloudy, and not just algae, dirt or scratches on the glass of the tank, while the water itself is clear!

Next, we will look at the most common causes of cloudy fish tank water, and how to fix them.

Poor filtration

If your fish tank tends to get cloudy within a couple of days of cleaning out the tank, the chances are that the tank’s filtration is not up to the task. All fish tanks need filtration-even goldfish tanks-and keeping your fish in a small, unfiltered bowl is both very bad for the fish, and likely to lead to cloudy water.

Make sure that your filter is sufficient to filter the volume of water in the tank, and also that it is all working properly and does not need the filter media replacing.

New filtration

Many types of aquarium filtration require “good” bacterial cultures that develop over time in the filter media to keep the water clean and remove contaminants and “bad” bacteria, and so if you have a brand-new filter or have recently replaced old filter media for new, this can lead to cloudy water while the new filter media becomes colonised with the necessary bacteria.

Rather than replacing old media for brand new, try to culture the new media with the old, to give it a head start and ensure it is capable of meeting the demands of your established tank.

Poor quality tap water

Water straight from the tap needs to be treated and conditioned with the appropriate supplements before using it in your tank, to neutralise chlorine and other chemicals that can affect the health of your fish. Even if you collect rainwater for your tank, the quality of it may be variable and it can easily get contaminated, so make sure that you are using the right water treatments in the right quantities before you add new water to the tank.

Algae blooms

Green, brown or otherwise murky water is almost always caused by algae blooms, which can happen if the tank is kept in direct sunlight, receives too much light, or otherwise provides the right environment for algae to grow out of control.

Keeping snails or fish that eat algae in your tank, regularly scraping the tank sides and ornaments to remove algae and potentially, using an algae treatment supplement can all help, as can of course ensuring that your tank is not getting too much light.

Water that is too old

If you don’t clean your fish tank out regularly and perform sufficient water changes, the water will soon look and smell bad, and affect the health of your fish. Make sure that you clean the tank and perform partial water changes regularly, and do not leave the tank until it is disgusting and then totally replace all of the water!

A new tank set-up that has not settled

New tanks need time to settle in before you start stocking them-a tank should be left at least a week or two before you add any plants, then longer again before you add your first fish, and new fish should be added gradually over time, not all at once!

If you set up a new tank and populate it too quickly, the filtration will not be able to keep up and there will not be enough cleaning bacteria established in the tank to maintain stable water quality, which can lead to a tank turning murky or cloudy overnight.

Overcrowding

Too many fish in the tank will always compromise the water quality, as well as placing the filter under stress and causing your fish to be stressed out as well. The vast majority of domestic fish tanks and aquariums are actually overcrowded-fish need much more space than many people think, and so you may find that you have to get a second tank to ease the pressure on your first one if you have too many fish!

Overfeeding

Overfeeding your fish is another common cause of cloudy water, as fish produce a lot of waste, and are also often permanently willing to eat however much is offered to them. Ensure that you are not overfeeding your fish, which can soon contribute to poor water quality and a cloudy tank.

Unrinsed gravel

Finally, one of the simplest explanations for cloudy water in a new tank is gravel that has not been rinsed properly before placing it into the tank! New gravel needs to be rinsed out very thoroughly and for quite a long time to remove dust and hard to see muck and debris on it, and if you are not vigilant about this, you may found that apparently clean-looking gravel turns the water cloudy as soon as you put it in the tank.

Tropical fish are among the most low maintenance and popular of pets, with many people enjoying watching their beautiful, vibrant aquariums when they have relaxed after doing all of the hard work and maintenance!

While fishkeeping of cold-water and freshwater tropical fish is something that virtually anyone can achieve successfully with a little research and effort, there are several common mistakes that even conscientious, experienced fish keepers can make on occasion, all of which can lead to stress, and potentially, affect the health of both your individual fish themselves, and your tank as a whole.

In this article, we will look at some of the main indications of stress in tropical fish, and what can cause it. Read on to learn more.

What sort of things can lead to stress?

A huge range of different things and combinations of things can lead to stress in tropical fish, and one of the most common of these is overcrowding, or having too many fish in the tank. This can happen very easily, as the amount of space needed for each fish to really thrive is often overlooked, and the vast majority of home aquariums are overstocked to some extent. This can be a particular problem if you keep guppies, which tend to breed easily and prolifically, leading to many more fish than you had planned for inhabiting your tank over time!

Keeping the wrong combination of fish species together can also cause stress, as not all tropical fish will get on well together. Large fish and very small fish together will often lead to stress on the small fish as they struggle to avoid being eaten, while some popular and pretty aquarium fish such as angelfish tend to be rather bossy and aggressive, and can soon upset their tank mates.

Changes to the tank itself and what it in it can be stressful for fish too, even small things like performing a big water change if the tank was overdue for cleaning, or rearranging the aquarium décor. The water chemistry and parameters are also something that can fluctuate and change, which is a hidden cause of stress that the owner will not be aware of without water testing, but that will have an acute impact on the fish themselves.

Dirty water or a tank that is not cleaned out enough will lead to stress and upset in your fish, which can also occur if your tank’s filtration system is not able to keep up with the size of your tank or the number of fish within it.

Extremes of hot and cold from the thermostat and changes in the lighting patterns can all cause stress too, and so a thermostat and timers to regulate the temperature and light are all advisable. Your tank should not be too bright for your fish, and if it is near to a window, the sun can affect both the tank’s temperature and lighting levels at different times of the day too.

Fish need to be able to feel safe and secure, and so a range of small hiding places and cover plants are important, particularly for small fish that need to hide from larger predators.

Finally, just adding one new fish to an otherwise well balanced tank can cause stress and upset while all of your fish get used to each other too, so consider any new additions carefully.

How to identify stressed fish

Learning how to identify the signs of stress in tropical fish is important, as if you are not aware of a problem, you will not be able to fix it! Once you have ascertained that some or all of your fish are stressed, you can then go about finding out what is causing their stress, and make changes in order to keep them happier.

Stress can be present in just one fish, a group, or all of the inhabitants of your tank, and how it presents can vary considerably.

If your fish are lethargic and appear sluggish or reluctant to do much, they might be physically ill, or simply not thriving due to stress. Loss of appetite is another big indicator to look out for, which can once again be a sign of a health condition too.

Fish that are swimming oddly, are hyperactive or that are otherwise behaving in a different way to the norm could also be exhibiting signs of stress, but these indicators can also mean a range of other things too, such as the onset of the breeding season!

Poor water quality or not enough oxygen in the tank too can lead to a general listlessness and other symptoms in your fish, and so testing your water parameters regularly is important.

Over the long term, stress from any source can lead to physical changes in your fish, such as dull or flaking scales, loss or change of colour, and a generally unkempt, ragged appearance, which is particularly likely to occur if your fish is being bullied by other fish in the tank.

Keep an eye on the behaviour, activity and normal parameters of your fish, and act quickly to correct any problems when you spot them.

If your child is keen to start a new hobby and/or have a pet all of their own, one of the best ways to enable this without devoting all of your time and a lot of ongoing expense to it is to allow them to set up their own tropical fish tank, which is a good, relatively low-maintenance introduction to the responsibilities of pet ownership and care, and also very educational too!

Exactly what age any child should be deemed ready to be largely responsible for taking care of a tank on their own will vary enormously from case to case, and ultimately, only you can make that decision-but your child should at least be old enough to understand the basics of keeping a healthy tank, prepared to commit to researching it and taking care of it, and physically capable of doing the maintenance that it will require!

In this article, we will look at some of the considerations to bear in mind when deciding whether or not your child should be allowed to have their first tropical aquarium, and how to assess if they are ready or not. Read on to learn more.

Cost

First of all, while maintaining a tropical aquarium on an ongoing basis is one of the cheapest of hobbies and pets to keep, the initial outlay for setting up a basic small but reasonable tank will usually cost upwards of £100, and for larger tanks, even more. This is no small sum of money to shell out at the get-go, so find out about the various things that the tank will need and how much it will all cost you before you float the idea to your child and set them off on doing their own research!

Research

In order to demonstrate a willingness and commitment to taking care of their tank, your child should be expected to do their own research on how to set up and care for tropical fish, which may mean getting a selection of books, talking to other fish keepers, and learning on the internet.

It is important for you as the parent to do your own research too, in order to ensure that your child has found out everything that they need to and that the information they have gathered is accurate, but setting your child to learn about it all for themselves too is an important first step.

Making good choices

You should also assess your child’s ability to make good choices where the tank is concerned, by managing their expectations about the sort of plants and fish that can be kept in the tank, what sort of combination of fish will work well together, and vitally, knowing the importance of not overcrowding the tank.

Patience

Planning to keep tropical fish is also a test of patience for many children-after setting up the tank and planting it, they will then need to wait a couple of weeks for the water to settle down before adding their first fish, and then have to wait once more to allow the water parameters to settle down again before adding more!

Maintaining the tank

Will your child be capable of taking care of the tank on an ongoing basis? This means being capable and willing to clean out and maintain the tank, and trusted to move volumes of potentially dirty water around without flooding the whole house!

Basic chemistry is also involved, as checking the water parameters and making any changes needed are all important for tropical fish!

Knowing what to do if things go wrong

Your child should also be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of tropical fish sickness and health, identifying sick fish, and how to keep the tank healthy in order to avoid this. Your child will need to learn a little bit about what is required to keep a tank clean and healthy and the sort of problems that can lead to ill health in fish, and know how to get help and advice if they do run into any problems.

Helping out

The chances are that you will need to help your child out at some point when it comes to their tank care, possibly by carrying water, looking after the tank if your child goes on holiday with the school, or otherwise needs a hand. Think about what this will entail before you go forwards, and how this may restrict you or your child from doing certain things.

Stepping in if needed

Finally, you should be prepared to step in and take over if needed, such as if your child proves to be unable to take care of the tank properly, or loses interest and will no longer maintain the tank well. While this will obviously be disappointing for you, you must ensure that you are prepared to step in if needed-and remember that is better to find out and have to step in with relatively low maintenance pets such as fish than something larger and more demanding like a dog!