SOS FISH SAFETY AT STAKE

[The_Concerned_Girlfriend]

Hi there! My name is Natalie and recently my boyfriend has decided to get a fish tank, nothing wrong with that fish are.... cool? (I've never owned any but have seen what a task it is to clean that tank and was immediately put off) however he wants a tropical fish tank not "a boring old goldfish" now again no issues I even helped him look up the perfect beginner fish to look after, however he is adamant in getting the following; "I'm thinking guppy's couple of catfish a shark and maybe some angel fish" now if my memory serves me correct angel fish are very particular and having a shark in there is never a good idea, can someone who knows this kind of stuff help either educate me in the ways of fish or help me explain to him that it's a bad idea???

 

[Demeter32]

The best thing to do is research the species of fish he plans to keep, then show him said evidence.

It is 100% a bad idea to have guppies, angels, catfish and "sharks". Firstly the "sharks" or probably iridescent sharks, which reach well over a foot long and require brackish water when they mature, heck you can probably even acclimate them to 100% salt water and they will do well. Keeping them in freshwater their entire life will negatively effect the fish and end in a premature death.

The angels are pretty touchy and can/will eat smaller fish (guppies) when they are fully grown. Plus they need at least a 40gal tank, the taller and larger the better.

As for the catfish, who knows which species he is referring to? There's hundreds of species in the hobby ranging from 1inch to 4 feet long. Some require a school, others need to be kept on their own. Special vegitarian foods are needed for some while others need all meaty foods. Some can go with guppies and angels, some can't.

I think it's best to start with what size tank you wish to keep, then look at your pH and whatnot from your water source, then decide on the fish you wish to keep. A good beginner sized tank is a 20 or 29gal tank, you can have a nice little community of a few species.