The Basics of Aquarium Care. With some carefully planned information and advice, a beginner should care for cold freshwater fish to start; but, be aware that it is difficult to maintain them over a long period of time. They require the water temperatures that they have in the wild, and can only truly be enjoyed for a short time throughout the year.

On the other hand, setting up a warm saltwater aquarium is a lot easier to maintain than a cold water aquarium because it is easier to heat an aquarium than to cool one! The warm saltwater (tropical) fish are the reason for the growing excitement of home aquariums. Tropical fish are beautiful, comforting, decorative, expensive, easy to raise, and can actually be bred in an aquarium.

To setup a freshwater aquarium, it is necessary to purchase accessories than some believe are unnecessary. Some believe that aeration isn't necessary and in some instances can even be harmful. In most cases it is simply for attraction that you will install a pump for aeration.

The most important accessories are the heater to maintain the proper water temperature and the light which allows for the growth of aquatic plants. Plants cannot survive in an aquarium without lights.

Once again, aquariums (fresh or saltwater) are like cars. You can buy the basics or get the top of the line. For beginners, save your money until you become an experienced aquarist. To start, we need a few basic items.

• An aquarium

• Lights with cover

• Heater

• Pump and filter

• Thermometer

• Fish (if you can keep the number of fish down, you can probably do without a pump and filter)

• Plants

The basic care of an aquarium involves the following actions:

• Regular feeding

• An occasional partial water change. During this time the debris is siphoned off the bottom and the front glass is cleaned.

• It may be necessary from time to time to thin out plants

A smaller aquarium doesn't necessarily mean it is easier to keep clean. In fact, a smaller aquarium means the water goes bad much faster and requires more frequent cleaning. Your first aquarium should not be less than 10 gallons.

Take care when choosing your first aquarium and you will have many years of enjoyment watching your fish interact with their new home!

Creating an Indoor Ocean

Until recently you had to go to the ocean or a Sea World-type aquarium to watch a baby crab scuttle from under a rock, a starfish, or sea anemone in their natural habitat. In recent years the development of home sea aquariums has become quite popular and you can watch sea horses in your very own home.

Half the fun of a home salt water aquarium is being able to answer some of the great questions in life, like:

• How do starfish walk?

• Do mermaids really ride seahorses?

• What do shrimp and crabs eat?

• Where is a crab's mouth?

These are questions that we (and children) can find the answers to when we have the opportunity to observe a marine aquarium, everyday.

Creating an exotic tropical aquarium should not be intimidating or confusing, if you make an advanced plan by following a good quality book on saltwater aquariums. Remember, setting up a saltwater aquarium is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. The plan should be well thought out and carefully executed (time and money) to get the setup correct.. It can be an extremely exciting adventure to choose the decorations and fish for your little piece of the ocean and just as disappointing when your rush to setup an ill conceived plan.

No reliable pet shop owner would suggest that a person go out and purchase a saltwater aquarium or in the same manner suggest that a beginner start a fresh water aquarium as a hobby! Do your research and take the time to check out the requirements and total cost of this amazing hobby. A rectangular glass 75 gallon saltwater aquarium can cost around $1,200 just to get started! Start by identifying the kind of fish you would like to keep. Do you want a variety of fish or just one species? Don't make any purchases until you have made all the decisions necessary.

Now choose the equipment you will need to buy to meet the needs of those fish. Use the checklist in your book and make the decisions that fit your needs (and your budget), then proceed to set up your tank. Start small within budget, observe, read, implement and grow your tank SLOWLY!

Blind Cave Tetras

These interesting and completely blind fish were first discovered in the limestone cave systems of the Cueva Chica in Central Mexico back in 1936! Through the years their eyes have all but disappeared and the pigments of their skin have been lost. The shine from their skin actually comes from blood vessels which cause them to appear rosy and some say "naked."

Closely related to the Astyanax Fasciatus Mexicanus, these fish have adapted to living in their darkened world quite well. In some instances, the normally pigmented and eyed fish outside the caves have lost their coloring and their eyes have grown smaller the further they move into the caves! The young are born with fully functional eyesight but their eyes atrophy as they grow older.

Even with their eyes completely grown closed, adults can see some light and they do not feel comfortable under normal aquarium situations. Dim lighting is necessary for them to be completely happy; therefore, it is not possible to stock them in this tank. Decorating their tank can also be a challenge; but, it need not be boring. Use strange shapes of limestone to create caves and cracks in the decorations that will show attractiveness.

Find suitable shaped rocks that will allow you to dim the light even more for these dark cave dwellers by building a ceiling in their tank. While most tropical fish do not thrive when limestone is used in their tanks, these tetras do. Their water should be 15 - 28 degrees centigrade, which is actually very warm for cave creatures!

The pH of the water should be 7.5 - 8.0 and be alkaline. This should be easy to establish and maintain by using sandstone with no aquarium plants. Use only a weak bulb to illuminate this tank and place it in a dark corner area of the home. It is exciting but mysterious at night when the house is completely dark!