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Learn how to care for freshwater community fish, recommended diet & aquarium setup. Find the right food, supplies & equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Choosing the right schooling fish is essential to creating a thriving freshwater aquarium. At Petco, we carry a wide variety of small and large schooling fish great for any aquarium.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Learn how to take care of Catfish, recommended diet and tank setup. Find the right food, supplies and equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Discover the fish tank filter system that’s right for your aquarium. Learn about mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration at Petco.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Search Petco to find out the harm of high nitrates in freshwater fish aquariums. We provide vital information to help keep your fish happy & healthy.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
Guppies or Neons are excellent "starter" fish. Care is simple and they are inexpensive. A standard 10 gallon tank is recommended to start. Most people don' t realize the amount of "work" needed to maintain a tank. Filter maintenance, monitoring water chemistry, water changes, monitoring fish health and providing a balanced diet are just a few items that need regular attention to keep a tank thriving. Even though fish aren't as cuddly as cats and dogs, they do have their own personalities and even respond to their owners, especially at feeding time! Studies have shown that simply watching fish in a tank can lead to a reduction in both heart rate and blood pressure. It is quite relaxing.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Thank you for using Boop by Petco! Ariel does look like she has a little bit of white on her abdomen, and potentially some raised scales. She also appears to be swimming towards the bottom of the tank, but this may just be a coincidence in the photo. The white on the abdomen can be caused by a fungal or parasitic infection, so I recommend separating this fish from the others. You may want to change the water and sanitize the tank if any other fish start to get similar symptoms. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Our Standard Aquarium Plant Pack provides a convenient solution for your dilemma. This package includes Micro Sword or Dwarf Hairgrass, Anubias Nana or Anubias Barteri Round Leaf, Java Fern, Red Cryptocoryne or Green Cryptocoryne, Water Sprite, Hornwort, and Cabomba. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=768+2145+2146&pcatid=2146 A substrate specifically designed for live aquarium plants such as CaribSea Eco-Complete Plant Substrate is recommended for long-term success. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9087 Be sure to provide proper lighting conditions by employing aquarium light fixtures specifically designed for planted aquarium use.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Hello, and thank you for using Boop by Petco. The most common (and easiest) way to clean a fish tank is with a siphon-style cleaner. Fish tanks should be cleaned in stages, generally replacing 10-15% of the water at a time. There are times where a larger cleaning might be necessary, but removing the fish and changing too much of the water at once can be quite a shock and can be dangerous to the fish, so this should be saved for only extenuating circumstances. Here's a helpful video on using a siphon cleaner: http://video.petco.com/v/18852/how-to-clean-your-aquarium-with-the-aqueon-siphon-vacuum-/ And some more reading you may find interesting on general fish tank cleaning and maintenance: http://www.firsttankguide.net/waterchange.php Hope this helps!
Updated on August 12th, 2025
Check the water chemistry and quality. You can use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for an absence (0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20ppm or less. Elevated ammonia or nitrite levels can be toxic and could drive the fish to the surface. Water that is too warm may also do the same since it holds less dissolved oxygen. This can happen if water temp is above 82 F. Perform a partial water change, if necessary, to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. To treat the swim bladder issue, fast her for 3 days, then feed bits of cooked and shelled green peas until swimming and defecation are normal. Constipation is a common cause of swim bladder disease. You can also consider a broad spectrum dewormer since parasites may also be the cause. Find one in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label
Updated on August 12th, 2025