- Are you open to the public and can I collect?
- How do I know what fish can go together?
- Can I request specific sexes?
- What is the guarantee?
- Can I add tropical fish to my new aquarium straight away?
- Can I use tap water to fill my tank?
- Do I really need a quarantine tank?
- How often should I change my water?
- How often should I feed my fish?
- How should I introduce my new fish?
- I have recently setup my tank and now my tropical fish are dying?
- I think that my fish are acting strangely?
- Is there a minimum order?
- Will I receive the same fish as in the photographs?
- What size will my fish be?
- How many tropical fish can I have?
- Are you open to the public and can I collect?
Yes, we are open on a Monday, Friday and Saturday from 9am until 5pm. We are a working fish farm with a huge number of tanks so it is worth setting plenty of time aside so that you have time for a good look round. We are not a glossy retail store and do things a little differently here. Our tanks change stock on a daily basis as you can imagine and this means that there are no species names or prices on the tanks. The Trop House fish boys are more than happy to let you know the exact locations of the species that you are interested in so do not be scared to ask. Afterall, to look at every Fish tank for 30 seconds each would mean staying here for 10 hours!
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- How do I know what fish can go together?
Most fish listings have a compatibility chart and details of the fish’s optimal temperature and pH range. Often, we provide information regarding tank mates and compatibility on the list. However, if you are unsure, please give us a call and we will do our best to help.
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- Can I request specific sexes?
If you require specific numbers of male and female fish you are welcome to request this in the comments box when placing your order. The boys always try their best to fulfil all requests, however it all depends on what we have in the tanks at the time of picking your order. Many fish are easy to sex, but some are not so easy. We will always do our best but cannot guarantee it. If you are unsure, please give us a call and we will do our best to help.
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- What is the guarantee?
We are so confident in the quality of our fish that we are able to offer them all with a comprehensive guarantee. This guarantee covers all of the fish that we supply to you and covers them for a period of 7 days after delivery. We are not able to cover for fish that have been kept in unacceptable conditions or have been allowed to jump out. We are also not able to guarantee any of your existing stock. We always advise that all new fish purchased from anywhere are kept separately from existing stocks until you are completely happy with their health and wellbeing.
If, although rare, you have need to make a claim on the guarantee, please do not dispose of the fish until you have taken photographs of them. Please get in touch with us and we will do everything that we can to help.
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- Can I add tropical fish to my new aquarium straight away?
You can stock straight away using our Nitrico goop. When you first set up an aquarium it is basically a sterile environment and is not stable. A new filter is not immediately capable of breaking down fish waste. It needs to contain a strong colony of nitrifying bacteria before it will work effectively. Nitrico goop instantly matures aquarium filters, meaning you can stock the tank straight away and do not have to wait weeks. We also sell pre-matured filters and mature K1 media to make your life a lot easier!
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- Can I use tap water to fill my tank?
It is important that you do not add chlorine or chloramine to your tank, especially if it contains fish. They are harsh chemicals that are used to treat tap water to ensure that it does not contain bacteria. Unfortunately they also harm fish and kill bacteria in your filter. Tap water should be treated to remove these chemicals or allowed to stand for a period to allow the chemicals to gas off.
There are some sensitive fish that require softer water or the addition of 'Reverse Osmosis' water. To keep Discus properly, an aquarium needs to contain soft water. This can often be by the addition of some rainwater or some RO water. Shrimps and Cardinal Tetras are also sensitive to hard water environments. Please give us a call to discuss this if you wish.
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- Do I really need a quarantine tank?
Quarantine tanks can be very useful to the more serious aquarist to ensure that all fish are added to their collection are healthy. However, quarantine tanks can often be a problem if they are not operated correctly. It is important that the water quality in a quarantine tank can kill your new fish if not maintained.
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- How often should I change my water?
This is another question that has a number of variables. A lot depends on the number of fish you have and also the quality of your filtration system. In a lightly stocked tank, a 10% water change every week or 20% a fortnight will usually work well. If this is accompanied by a gravel clean at the same time, it can be ideal.
For heavily stocked tanks, a larger or more frequent water change may be necessary.
It is important that water changes do not upset the water chemistry that the fish are used to. Smaller more frequent water changes are better than large, less frequent ones.
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- How often should I feed my fish?
Small feeds more often are better than infrequent large feeds. Most people only feed their fish once or twice a day. A feed should always be eaten within 2 minutes (however some bottom dwellers can be slower eaters so bear this in mind).
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- How should I introduce my new fish?
When your fish arrive, turn off your aquarium light. Inspect your new fish in the bags and float the bag on the tank for a period of about 20 minutes to help equalise the temperatures. Then cut the bag below the metal clip and roll the top down so that the bag can float in the aquarium. Add a cup of aquarium water to the bag and leave for a further 5 minutes. You can then release your fish. If the water in the bag is very dirty then net the fish from the bag and let them go. If the water is not particularly dirty then you can pour it into the tank. There will very rarely be too much ammonia in the bag to upset the aquarium.
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- I have recently setup my tank and now my tropical fish are dying?
Water chemistry is by far the most common reason for fish deaths. In a new aquarium, the filter is not capable of breaking down the fish waste effectively. It is important to purchase a test kit and check your Ammonia and Nitrite levels to ensure that the tank water is safe for them. It is worth reading up about filtration and the nitrogen cycle.
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- I think that my fish are acting strangely?
Please give us a call and we can discuss your observations. Alternatively, you can send us a video of your fish via email (sales@tropco.uk) or Whatsapp (01732243424).
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- Is there a minimum order?
There is no minimum order although, due to the cost of packaging we have to add a £5 surcharge to any orders under £20. Very sorry!!
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- Will I receive the same fish as in the photographs?
We try to make sure that every photograph that we use on the website is representative of the stock that you will receive. We often use library pictures to show the fish that you are buying as some of the species are very difficult to photograph. These library pictures usually show adult specimens and, as some of the fish that we supply are juvenile, they will often not have their full adult coloration or body shape when they arrive. Tropical fish also often bleach their colours during transit and may not show any coloration until they have settled into their new home.
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- What size will my fish be?
The Trop Co. will always do our best to send out the size of fish as described in the listing. On rare occassions, this may not be possible if the suppliers have sent us fish of a different size to usual but we will always do our utmost to stick to the sizes as listed.
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- How many tropical fish can I have?
This is an almost impossible question to answer honestly as there are an infinite number of variables. There is a rule of thumb that states 1 inch of fish to 1 gallon of water but this does not mean that you can keep a 10 inch fish in a 10 gallon tanks!
A huge amount also depends on your filtration system on the tank. A large external filter will break down the waste efficiently from far more fish than a small internal canister filter will. Monitoring Ammonia and Nitrite levels is often a good indicator of whether your aquarium has too many fish in for your filter to cope with. If you are getting spikes in these chemicals a few hours after feeding then your filter is struggling to cope effectively.
Another good rule is, if your aquarium looks too busy then it probably is!
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