Buying fish for your freshwater aquarium is opportunity for a fun trip to the pet store. As you choose fish to take home, look at the physical characteristics in the following list to determine whether a fish is in good health:
Body color is rich, not faded or dull. The color should be complete and not missing in any areas.
There are no open sores, visible ulcers, boils, or obvious skin problems such as peeling scales or blemishes.
Fins are long and flowing or short and erect. The fish should not have any ragged, torn, or missing fins.
Scales are flat and smooth, not protruding away from the body.
The stomach is well rounded, not sunken or concave.
Girth of the entire body is of normal size, not bloated or emaciated.
Visible excreta (fish waste) should be dark in color, not pale.
All the fins on the fish’s body should not be collapsed or completely clamped shut.
The eyes are clear, not cloudy, and they are not popping out of their sockets.
There are no visible parasites, such as ich or velvet.
