You have an aquarium and you don’t want fishes in it, right?
You want to make your aquarium look different yet eye-catching. Well, congrats! You have stepped in the right place to get your answers.
Aquariums are not just meant for fishes. There are so many other aquatic species who can be sheltered in the tank!
Are you ready to unveil the 5 aquarium pets that are not a fish? Keep reading.
Time to welcome the mind-boggling exotic species!
- Red eared slider – The name itself induces you to get this critter, doesn’t it? They definitely look gorgeous and beautify your aquarium like never before. There are varieties of turtles available, but not all are compatible for the aquarium. The red eared slider turtle is best suited for your aquarium.
How to keep them?
These turtles are semi-aquatic species. This means that they would not only require fresh and clean water, but also ample amount of heat to bask. When you adopt this turtle, expect to have a busy schedule on a daily basis. No, I am not scaring you. They won’t disturb you much, but a proper vigilance is necessary. They love eating waxworms, crickets, earthworms, silkworms, bloodworms and shrimp. Include some aquatic plants like water hyacinth, azolla, water lettuce and duckweed.
- Fire bellied toad – Fiery! Now that sounds exotic. This amphibian will pull the crowd because of its looks. Fire bellied toads have green color on the top and fiery orange color in their tummies. They require both water and land to survive.
How to keep them?
Your task remains the same. You need to change the water frequently. This is because they secrete toxins (remember the fire bellies?) that contaminate the water. This may pose danger to them. Now, these amphibians do not require regular handling. Unlike other frogs, they don’t have extendable tongues. Offer them foods like crickets, earthworms and waxworms.
- Fresh water snails – These snails are very easy to maintain and this is the reason why so many people keep them as a pet. There are varieties of snails to choose from. Some popular ones are nerite, apple snails and rabbit snails. They look beautiful and can easily accommodate in the tank.
How to keep them?
Maintenance is not a big problem. Change 20 percent of water every two-four weeks. Ensure that the aquarium has no big hole and is enclosed properly. Snails have the tendency to climb the walls of the tank. Snails would gorge on algae and aquatic plants like elodea.
- The ghost shrimp – No, they won’t make the atmosphere eerie (if you are scared)! Ghost shrimps are famous aquatic pets and you can easily own them from the pet stores. They are totally transparent and this is the reason that they are named as ghost shrimps! You would love to watch them swimming from one end to the other.
How to keep them?
People love having ghost shrimps (yes, they are bought as foods as well). However, you can always keep them as your loving pet. These shrimps are very easy to maintain. You just require a tank and plenty of food to keep their tummies full! Offer flakes and algae to the shrimps. Also, ensure that your aquarium has a hiding place. If there is no place for hiding, they will get stressed. Female shrimps tend to be bigger in size as compared to the male shrimps.
- Here comes the octopus – Scared of them? Don’t be! They look beautiful in the tank. Expect your neighbors and relatives to stare at this rare pet. Octopuses have become popular when it comes to aquatic pets. Why not make your aquarium look different from others? Before you grab an octopus, ensure that you do a lot of research work. Different species would require different treatments. Note that there should be no companion allotted in the aquarium. This means one tank with one octopus.
How to keep them?
Get the octopus only if you are a pro. Talk to the pet store owner about the maintenance required to keep this pet. Octopuses would usually eat snails, fishes, crustaceans, small crabs, turtles, etc.
Any other aquarium pets that you know about that is not a fish? Feel free to share in the comments.
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