Part I here: http://www.gardenstew.com/blog/e5830-29 ... -fish.html For ponds, I recommend this book: http://www.fishlore.com/garden-ponds-simple-guide.htm Please keep in mind that what you see in advertisements or on tv rarely, if ever, portrays reality. Goldfish should not be kept in bowls. One goldfish requires 20 gallons of water. They also need to be kept in schools of no less than 4. (Does this give you a better idea of the proper size tank for keeping goldfish?) Bettas should not be kept in 8 oz containers. They should be kept in no less than a 5 gallon tank to be healthy and happy. The "inch per gallon rule" is a terrible, cruel myth, as is the idea that "fish only grow to fit the size of the tank they are kept in." And lastly, just as planting a garden is more than digging a hole, dropping a plant or seed in and making sure it gets sun and water, keeping fish is more than getting a cute tank, filling it with water and dropping the fish in and feeding it occasionally. The water needs to be treated. The tank needs to be filtered with a biological filter as well as a screening filter. The water may need to be heated or cooled. The fish will need to be slowly acclimated to it's new environment. Different fish have different diets, levels of activity, bioloads, and temperaments. These should all be researched before purchasing any fish. A person should never decide to not research and simply rely on the salesperson's advice instead. (Would anybody neglect their research when purchasing a used car?) More often than not the salespeople are completely ignorant of what they are selling. If they sound knowledgeable and sincere, like they know what they are talking about, it is because they are just trying to make the sale. They are salespeople like any other. Don't make the same mistakes I and so many other people have made when starting the fishkeeping hobby. Do the research and ask for help, information and advice from people who don't have ulterior, money-making motives. Moderator's note: removed duplicate content and linked to the original source in blog
Even though I've had ponds before I will check out those sites to refresh my information and learn more. Thanks for posting them.
