Whether you own a monster six foot marine tank, or a more affordable and economical Biorb / Nano fish tank, the chances are at some point you are going to want to acquire some fish for your aquarium.

This article is written with a UK perspective; however the advice will still be relevant where ever you are based.

Within the UK, anyone who commercially retails fish is by law required to hold a Pet Shop License. Anyone trading without a license is committing a criminal offence. The issuing of licensees is overseen by the relevant local council. Having visited several council Licensing web sites – and after speaking to a few local fish shop owners I get the impression requirements vary greatly. Some Councils will require a physical visit to the store premises which is conducted by the licensing officer before issuing of a license Will be considered. Whereas other councils appear to just require a form completing and the required fee paying with no Inspection.

The bottom line is the just because a store has a Pet Shop License, this is no guarantee on the quality of their livestock or their own husbandry skills.

Obviously, recommendation from friends and colleagues is a great starting point. Regardless of word of mouth advice, we would always recommend the following points are considered.

You need to consider the size of your fish tank. A yellow Tang may well be fine in a large tank, but there is no way you could house one in a Biorb Fish Tank.

Ask the shop where the fish was sourced from. Seriously. Don’t be embarrassed by this, you’d actually be surprised how willing a store will be to advise you on where the fish was stocked from. The majority of stores in the UK purchase marine fish from TMC (Tropical Marine Centre). As costs have risen, more stores are tending to purchase stock through consolidators or arranging direct imports themselves.

To the credit of TMC, they boast very impressive holding facilities at their depots and pride themselves on their filtration plant. Additionally, we understand TMC employ staff to ensure that the fish collectors abroad are treated fairly and that fish are collected via ethical methods.

Stores sourcing their fish directly or through consolidators tend to offer cheaper prices. You do have to bear in mind that the Quality of the fish they obtain *may* have been collected by dubious methods abroad.

Always ask to see the fish you intend to purchase feeding first. A diseased fish is unlikely to be feeding well.

Don’t be afraid to ask for advice on compatibility of your prospective fish with your existing tank inhabitants.

Ask about the quarantine procedures the store adopts. Are all new fish quarantined for a period, or are they put straight on sale?

Ask whether the store runs trace copper in their tanks. Copper is used for treating various parasites on fish. It is also used by some stores to help prevent parasite outbreaks. If you own a tank with corals or any other invertebrates, be aware that copper is deadly to such inhabitants. Another good reason to make sure while acclimatising your new purchase at home, none of the stores tank water from the fish bag, enters your tank.

At the end of the day, asking questions is the responsible thing to do and professional stores will not mind at all. If the member of staff is not prepared to answer your questions, just walk away.

The author is a fanatical fish keeper who loves anything aquarium related; be it public aquariums right down to the famous designer Biorb Fish Tanks (which incidently is the topic of his personal website)