Using freshwater aquariums to decorate your home

The simplest way to display a fish would be to use a single tank or a small 2 gallon aquarium. Using either would require some type of substrate (gravel) and decorations. You may decide to use cold water fish such as Bettas (Siamese fighting fish) or Goldfish. They both like colder water, which means you don’t need a heater. Fish tanks don’t require filtration either. Both Bettas and Goldfish enjoy a simple diet or flakes or pellets and would require weekly water changes. Make sure to keep them out of high traffic areas, as too much activity is stressful for any type of fish. Bettas tend to be aggressive so you can only have one in a bowl or aquarium. Goldfish do well alone or in groups.

Even if you are a beginning hobbyist, you can keep warm-water fish that are easy to care for. Warm water fish require temperatures between 72 and 82 degrees, which means they will require a heater. Easy-care species include Black Mollies, White Clouds, Danios, Swordtails, and Guppies. These fish can live together in a community tank with little trouble. All these species are hardy, lively, they can live on diets in scales or granules, active, small and durable. The aquarium would require a 10 percent water change to keep the water fresh and healthy.

Aquariums can be decorated according to your personal taste, using any color preference and the many types of decorations are limitless, so combining any decoration would be a breeze to do. Personally, I have a 55 gallon aquarium with a red bellied Pacu. My tank is located in my dining room. My living room and dining room consists of off-white and black furniture. My aquarium has white gravel with black slate rock pieces, as well as a solid black background. Before the Pacu grew, there were also black and white plants. The tank is on a black wrought iron stand and blends in perfectly with the surrounding décor. The only downside to an aquarium of this size is not being able to move it at will. It is ideally located away from windows to prevent algae growth, and it is also away from high traffic areas.

The aquarium is a great conversation piece, as visitors are always enthralled with my Pacu’s size and care. My Pacu is roughly the length of my forearm and will eventually need a larger tank to support its girth. What started as a way to fill in the empty space has grown into a large aquarium that houses a species of lone fish and is a very beautiful decorative accent in my home.