The best gift for a fishkeeper really depends on what area of the hobby they are into, and how serious they are. Here’s some ideas on good gifts for different situations:

Adult Tropical Hobbyist with a Single Tank.
One of the most common situations. Snoop around a little to see what equipment they have. Equipment they might need:
-pH/ammonia/nitrite test kits. These save fish lives, but too many people don’t buy them.
-spare heater
-fluorescent light bulb of correct size and shape. These do burn out.
-fluorescent light hood. Vastly better than incandescent.
-filter inserts for their particular filter
-frozen fish food
-aquarium salt. Useful medication for several diseases, and really cheap. Also good for a few species to have permenantly in their water.
-aquarium thermometer. Essential and extremely cheap.
-hospital/quarantine tank. 5 gal tank with heater and mechanical filter. It is really, really useful to be able to quarantine sick or newly acquired fish. Second hand tanks are a good way to find these cheap.
-general aquarium book

Child with A Single Small Unheated Aquarium
-fish tank decorations. Many children adore these and they are really easy to find in any petstore. They are often among the cheapest fishtank related gifts.
-a ten gallon kit. If the child shows real interest in their aquarium, get them decent equipment. A lot of the little plastic kits are nearly junk. If a plastick kit has goldfish in them, goldfish that live more than a year or so will outgrow the tank.
-a small filter. Many of these tanks don’t come with them and it really improves tank conditions and the ease of keeping fish.
-LED tank light. Looks pretty, uses little energy and now you can grow low-light live plants.

Adult with Single Cold Water Tank
-pH/ammonia/nitrite test kits. These save fish lives, but too many people don’t buy them.
-fluorescent light bulb of correct size and shape. These do burn out.
-fluorescent light hood. Vastly better than incandescent.
-filter inserts for their particular filter
-frozen fish food
-Aquarium salt. Useful for treatment of some diseases and very cheap.
-hospital/quarantine tank. 5 gal tank with mechanical filter. It is really, really useful to be able to quarantine sick or newly acquired fish. Second hand tanks are a good way to find these cheap.
-general aquarium book

So you have a friend or family member who wants a fish tank?  Here are some basic suggestions of possible gifts that they will love.

The best gift here is probably a 10 gallon aquarium kit.  These usually come with everything required (though they often lack a heater) and are much better value for money than buying everything new separately.  Ten gallons is large enough to have a decent choice of species, yet small enough to keep costs down and be easy to find space for.   Five gallon kits are cheaper but they are much more restricted in terms of what you can keep in them.  If you have the money, 20 gallon kits allow a wider choice of species and decor, as well as increased stability in tank conditions which may make fishkeeping a little easier.

If you are short of money, check the web for second hand equipment.  Be careful to look over what you are buying carefully.  Remember that because it’s second hand, some of it may well be mismatched, missing or not work.  You may well end up buying the problem items new and this can raise the costs above what you initially estimated.  Been there, done that.  Even so, it can still be a lot cheaper than buying new.

Many people buy plastic kits that are cheaper than glass.  These are not such a good idea for a couple of reasons.  Most of these kits lack lighting, they scratch more easily and so don’t last as well, they don’t come with heaters, many heaters aren’t safe for use in them, and they may also lack a filter.  Many of them are also too small for anything other than a Betta or some shrimp.  If your budget is limited, I recommend second hand glass aquaria over these.

Another excellent gift is a book on aquarium keeping.  There’s a lot to aquarium keeping and having a decent book constantly on hand is a good way to prevent mishaps and respond to emergencies.

If the person you are buying for isn’t yet ready for fish, or isn’t sure that an aquarium is right for them, a book can give them a good idea of whether it is what they really want, and what type of aquarium would be best for them.

Don’ts when buying for new fishkeepers:

-Don’t buy the fish at the same time as the tank.  Get them after the aquarium has been set up for two weeks with plants in it, or fully cycled by another method.

-Don’t buy a goldfish bowl for a goldfish.  Goldfish bowls are far too small for a large, waste-producing fish like a goldfish.

-Don’t buy live animals immediately before Christmas.  The stores will be insanely busy and the salespeople won’t have time to help you as much as they normally would.  In bad cases, the animals may also not be as well looked after because the staff get overwhelmed.  Buy the tank, then go back and buy fish once the tank is set up and cycled.

-Don’t buy any pet you aren’t sure they want.

Nano tanks are quite popular, but it can sometimes be difficult to figure out what fish you should put in them.  Many aquarium fish grow too big, especially if you’re thinking of keeping schooling fish.  Then there’s the question of which fish is are compatible with each other.

Here are some suggestions for groups of fishes that are compatible inhabitants for 5 gallon tanks.  I have only included fish is that are at least relatively easy to keep.

Note: I am assuming a standard 5 gallon long tank. If your 5 gallon tank is tall and narrow, it will support fewer fish as it is surface area that determines the number of fish you can have. There are a variety of rules of thumb people use for determining number of fish. For a properly-filtered tank of standard proportions containing tropical species, a 5 gallon tank should contain no more than 10 inches of fish. I have kept the fish inches here to 8.5 or less because this leaves more room for equipment malfunction such as short power outages and human error.

Cold water fish need more space – no more than one inch of fish per gallon in a standard-sized tank.

The tanks:
5 gallon tank with plants and a pH of between 6 to 7.

Fish Tank One: Amazon Nano Aquarium 1
6 Neon Tetras
1 Otocinclus

Fish Tank Two: Amazon Nano Aquarium 2
6 Black Phantom Tetras

Fish Tank Three: Betta Bachelor Pad
1 male Betta

Fish Tank Four: Lady Betta and Frogs
1 female betta
2 dwarf frogs
1 Otocinclus

5 gallon tank with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5

Fish Tank Five: Subtropical Stream
4-5 White Cloud Mountain Minnows

Fish Tank Six: Mini Catfish Tank
6 Pygmy Corydoras
1 Otocinlus

5 gallon tank with plants and a pH of 7.0  to 7.6

Fish Tank Seven: Where’s the Fish?
8 shrimp of any mix of species that doesn’t exceed one inch, Cherry shrimp is a good beginner species
1 horned nerite snail

Fish Tank Eight: Guppies, Guppies, Guppies
5 Male Guppies
1 horned nerite snail

There is currently a major drought in the Amazon, and it is very, very bad. Millions, probably billions of dead fish, dried up tributaries, and the lower Rio-Negro, the world’s largest freshwater river is so low you can walk across it. Given that the rivers are the major form of transport in the Amazon basin, large areas are now cut off from the outside world. And given all the dried up stream and small rivers, there may have been species extinctions.

This is important for the fishkeeping hobby because a surprising number of fishes are still wild-caught from the Amazon, including such popular fish as Cardinal Tetras. This is not the only major recent drought. There was another large drought in 2005 described as a once in a century drought, and repeated droughts of this nature can hardly help but cause damage to the forest and its fish.

Given the predicted effects of climate change on the Amazon I was expecting something like this to happen. This year’s drought is probably partly caused by El Nino, but previous El Ninos didn’t cause this much devastation, and I blame the difference on climate change. See my previous post on the subject. However, I wasn’t expecting it this soon. There is more detail on the 2010 drought in this article by Heiko Bleher in Practical Fishkeeping: The Greatest Amazon River disaster in history.

Given the major problems aquarium fish in the Amazon are facing, you may wish to avoid buying wild-caught Amazonian fishes for the next year or so, unless you intend to breed them and have the skills to do so.

Corydoras catfish are wonderful fish, but the most common species, such as the Bronze Corydoras and the Peppered Corydoras, grow too large for tanks of much under ten gallons if you’re to keep them in a group. Since Corydoras are schooling species and prefer to be in groups, it is good that there are smaller species available. All of the species listed below are under 2 inches when fully grown.

Small Corydoras Species:

C. osteocarus 1.8in
C. tukano 1.8in
C. melini 1.8in
C. breei 1.8in
C. boesemani 1.8in
C. bicolor 1.8in
C. sanchesi 1.6in
C. paragua 1.6in
C. ortegai 1.6in
C. multimaculatus 1.6in
C. gracilis 1.6in
C. lamberti 1.5in
C. paucerna 1.4in
C. habrosus 1.4in
C. cochui 1.4in
C. pygmaeus 1.3in
C. hastatus 1.3in

Sources:

Planet Catfish for species lengths.

Crayfish are crustaceans that look much like small lobsters or large shrimp and come from freshwater streams and rivers around the world. They can make very good inhabitants for the aquarium, but they do have special requirements that must be met.   In particular, they require aerated water, space, are often aggressive, and will eat small tankmates.

Because they come from running water, they require well-aerated water. This means they should have a filter or at least an air stone, and may well enjoy filtration that produces a strong current.

Crayfish are good at escaping, and tanks for them should have a tight-fitting lid that they cannot get out of.  They typically get to the top of the tank by climbing up any equipment that extends to the top of or out of the tank. Hiding places are important in order to make the crayfish feel secure, and there should be more hiding places than crayfish in a given tank in order to reduce fighting.  Crayfish like to burrow and will rearrange tank decorations if the decorations are light enough. They also eats live plants, so try not to get too attached to any decorating scheme or plant you put in their aquarium.

They are are best kept one to a tank, as they are likely to fight with each other. Some may also be kept in male-female pairs, which is necessary if you want to breed them.  There are also a couple of very small species in the genus Cambarellus that can be kept in groups if sufficient hiding places are given. Like Bettas, crayfish are sometimes used in animal behavior labs to demonstrate aggressive behavior – in both species the animals cannot actually get at each other.  The behaviors are observed as they threaten each other through the glass.

Crayfish are larger than most other invertebrates commonly kept in aquaria and large adults will need considerable space.  Ten gallons is enough for an adult of most of the North American species, but some of the Australian species can reach 16 inches and would need a 30 gallon or larger tank. There are a few dwarf species such as the Dwarf Cajun Crayfish, and Mexican Orange Dwarf Crayfish, that can be kept in a smaller fish tank or in a group in a 10 gallon tank if there are enough hiding places.

Crayfish will eat fish if the fish are small enough, so tank mates need to be considered very carefully.  Slow-moving species of fish are likely to get their fins damaged even if they do not get caught. The dwarf crayfish species can be kept with fish, but keeping them with very tiny fish or fry is probably not safe, and they should not be kept with large fish because the fish may eat them.

Crayfish can be fed on shrimp pellets or flakes, but there are often specialty crayfish foods available and many crayfish enjoy vegetables such as zucchini or peas.  If you live in a soft water area, you may wish to add calcium to their water, as this nutrient is important for growing a healthy exoskeleton.  Molting crayfish will eat their discarded exoskeleton to recover the nutrients, so this is often left in the tank.  Temperature requirements vary, but many species are happier in cooler water than the standard tropical tank.

Some Interesting Crayfish Species:

Procambarus alleni “electric blue”, Florida blue lobster
6-8 in, typical needs for a crayfish.

Procambarus sp. “Marble”
This species has no males.  The offspring are clones of the parent. More mundanely, it grows to about 4 inches in length and has typical requirements.

Cambarellus patzcuarensis Mexican orange dwarf crayfish
Thi species is tiny, at 1 to 1 1/2 inches in length.  If it can be kept was small fish, but not with large fish as the fish may eat this crayfish.  Many individuals can be kept in the 10 gallon tank so long as there are hiding places. It can stand warmer water, being comfortable in 60-82F.

Cambarellus schufeldtii Dwarf Cajun Crayfish
Very similar to the Mexican Orange Dwarf.

Cherax tenuimanus “Blue Marron”
This species grows large at 10 to 16 inches in length and requires a larger tank of 20 to 30 gallons.  It likes temperatures of 60 to 72 Fahrenheit, and care is otherwise as for most crayfish.

Sources:

Aquatic Community Aquarium Forum

canadiancrayfish.ca

McClure, Susan. Crayfish Care. Badman’s Tropical Fish.

The Asian Arawana, Scleropages formosus, is endangered, mainly due to habitat destruction. It is listed under CITES Appendix 1, which means that trading this species across national boundaries is illegal unless the individual fish are captive bred. The Asian Arawana is captive bred in Kalimantan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Unfortunately, it is also illegally wild caught in various places in Southeast Asia. Captive breeding, poaching, and smuggling are all encouraged by the high prices these fish bring.

Captive bred fish from Singapore usually come with an embedded microchip to prove that they are captive bred and prevent theft. Asian Arawanas are selectively bred for color, especially red or gold variations. There is a tradition in China that this fish, especially if red or golden, brings good luck to its owner. This is one reason for the fish’s popularity and high price.

Because of the prices these fish sell for, farming this species is quite lucrative and has been described as a ‘gold rush’ on the Arowana club website. A very good specimen may be worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Because Asian Arawanas are so expensive, they are sometimes smuggled. This means that if you are looking to buy one, you should check its papers and that it has an identifying microchip. It is all too easy to find stories about Arowanas being confiscated by customs officials, whether in boxes under legal items, or inside a dress being worn at the time. Problems you just don’t get with Neon Tetras…

Sources:

Arowana-care.com

Arowanaclub.com

CITES Convention Text

Fishbase.org

Ng, P., Tan, H. (1997) Freshwater fishes of Southeast Asia: potential for the fish trade and conservation issues. Aquarium Sciences and Conservation. Vol 1: 79-90

UNEP-WCMC. 6 March, 2007. UNEP-WCMC Species Database: CITES-Listed Species

Bettas are probably the fish most commonly kept in small unheated and unfiltered bowls or tanks. At first sight, they seem the ideal fish for this situation. Bettas stay small, growing to approximately 3 inches in length. The waters from which they come are naturally slow-moving or still, and shallow. Bettas have the ability to take in oxygen from the air, which increases their resistance to low oxygen conditions. They dislike fast filtration. They are solitary in temperament and swim slowly. All these things makes them seem an ideal candidate for the small unfiltered bowl.

Problems With Betta Bowls

However, the waters from which they come are warm: the average temperature is 24-30C (75-86F), according to Fishbase.org. This is much higher than the temperature in most people’s houses, especially in the winter. While they will survive in an unheated bowl provided the room is decently warm, housing them like this seems questionable. When kept at lower temperatures, Bettas are less active and are more susceptible to disease.

While Bettas do much better than most fish in low-oxygen conditions, they still suffer from build up of fish wastes when kept in small bowls. Such bowls must be cleaned much more frequently than a tank to prevent build-up: 100% water changes multiple times per week. The long fins of male bettas are susceptible to finrot, and dirty water increases the likelihood of problems.

Some of the objects in which Bettas are kept are too small for any fish. In petstores, they are often kept in hand-size bowls, or worse, in plastic drinking cups. I’ve even seen a few in containers narrower than their body was long, not counting the fins. Moral sentiment and the fish’s health aside, this is not a sensible way to sell these fish, as they cannot display properly and their beauty is completely invisible.

Advantages of a Heated Aquarium

Keeping these fish in an adequate-sized and warm tank has advantages to the fishkeeper in addition to feeling good about the way you keep your fish. Healthy fish display more, build bubble nests and check every nook and cranny of the aquarium for missed food. They are much more interesting to watch, and a betta doing an aggressive display in a well-lighted aquarium is a truly stunning sight.

Sources:

Fishbase.org

RandomWiktor. Tiny Mud Puddles and Other Lies: Myths and Misconceptions About Our Beloved Bettas

The Walking Catfish, Clarias batrachus, is a very large catfish sometimes seen in the aquarium trade. It is also used as a food fish. It is native to Southeastern Asia, but it has been introduced to numerous other places where it has become an invasive and predatory pest. Once in an area, it is hard to contain because it can walk across land, entering aquaculture ponds and eating the fish, or entering seasonal wetlands not normally inhabited by fish to eat tadpoles.

It has been introduced to Indonesia (Sulawesi), the USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, UK, Papua New Guinea, Guam, Taiwan, Thailand, and possibly the Philippines. This species has been nominated as one of the world’s top 100 invasive species. The method of invasion involves escapees from the pet trade as well as aquaculture. It is illegal to keep this fish in some countries, as well as in many US states.

Very cold water kills Walking Catfish, so if your area goes below freezing in the winter this fish should not become invasive even if some manage to escape. In many areas with warmer water it is often illegal to keep them without a permit. Even if they are legal in a warmer area, it is still very important not to let them escape from their tank.  Because of their ability to walk on land, the possibility of escape is much greater than with most tropical fish.  Make sure their aquarium has a strong and tightly fitting lid so that they cannot push it up and wander off.

Sources:

Global invasive species database. Compiled by Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)

Brogan, Christine. 2003 Introduced Species Summary Project

Pond snails are the snails that turn up unintentionally when you buy aquatic plants. They breed prolifically and are often considered a pest. However, these snails have their good points: they are easy to feed, help keep the tank free of uneaten fish food, eat algae, stay small, do well at both tropical and low temperatures and are not aggressive towards other animals. They are safe inhabitants for a shrimp tank, which is especially valuable when you consider that the majority of fish cannot be kept with shrimp without the shrimp becoming dinner.

They have their bad points too. They eat plants, poop a lot, and use space and oxygen you might have intended for your fish or shrimp. Snails can also act as an alternate host for some fish diseases, and for this reason you should never collect them from your local pond or lake.

The family Lymnaeidae is known as the pond snails. There are multiple species known as pond snails, and figuring out precisely which one you have in your aquarium may be more trouble than it’s worth. They are all hermaphroditic, and those seen in aquariums generally stay below 1 inch in length, although some seen in the wild can be nearly three inches.

Care and Feeding of Pond Snails:

They eat fishfood, algae, and soft leaved aquarium plants. They do not eat fish poop or have a noticeable effect on java ferns or java moss. Dissolved metals are often toxic to them, and fish medications based on metals, especially copper, should be avoided. Fish medications using dyes may also be toxic, although mine have survive Victoria Green B with no obvious ill effects. They prefer water that isn’t soft and acidic as they require calcium for shell formation. Mine is surviving in soft, acidic water, but its shell is showing signs of problems.

How to Avoid Pond Snail Overpopulation:

• Don’t overfeed. If they don’t have sufficient food, their population won’t explode.
• If you don’t want these snails, try picking over and quarantining plants before introducing them to the main tank.

How to Reduce Your Pond Snail Population:

• Put lettuce in a small container with the lid off. When snails collect in the container, remove it from the tank with the snails.
• Buy fish that like to eat snails. Puffer fishes, convict cichlids, certain african cichlids, clown loaches and yoyo loaches are sometimes recommended. But before you buy, check that the species you choose will fit in well with your other fish and not grow too large or require water conditions you can’t provide.
• Remove them by hand. If you have a lot, this will take a long time and you’ll never manage to get all of them.
• Use a snail killing chemical. However, chemicals that contain copper sulfate tend to be toxic to fish as well and need to be used with great care. You may prefer to use another method.

Sources:

How to Get Rid of Small Snails

Pond Snails, Bane or Boon?

Ryan Wood. Pond Snail. Planet Inverts.

The Living World of Molluscs. Pond Snails Lymnaeidae