PetSmart’s Fish Sale: What’s Included?
Honestly, if it’s fish-friendly, it’s on sale at PetSmart right now. You can find great savings on a nice little tank for a single betta fish or show-stopping tropical aquarium with all the bells and whistles. Plus there are buy one, get one deals on tank decor and maintenance care, starter kits for up to half off, and so much more.
How to Set Up an Aquarium
Starting an aquarium requires a little bit of research. The first step is deciding what type of fish you'd like—bettas, tetras, mollies, and platys are all good beginner options. (And they are all on sale as part of the Amazing Aquatics sale, but cannot be bought online, so you need to visit your nearest PetSmart location.)
Once you have the fish figured out, you'll be able to determine the size and type of tank or aquarium you need. For example, single male betta fish can be happy living in a small tank of 1 gallon or larger. A sorority of female bettas will need a much larger aquarium (15 gallons or bigger) with plenty of aquarium plants, rocks, and ornaments to hide behind.
Between aquarium size and accessories like pumps, filters, and decor, new aquarists might like an aquarium starter kit. These all-in-one options come in all shapes and sizes and have the requisite pieces to get started right away. Be sure to consult a PetSmart fish care guide to ensure you find the right starter tank for the type and number of fish.
Don’t Forget the Fish Food & Other Extras
Setting up a bright, colorful tank and picking out the prettiest fish is a lot of fun, but you can’t forget about the maintenance that comes with keeping an aquarium. The Amazing Aquatics fish sale is a great time to stock up on fish food, water quality testers and care, fish disease treatments, and more. Some of these components, like canister filters are recommended to be checked and changed out regularly, so buying extra now at a lower price is a great savings tip!
Best Fish for Beginners
The deals don’t just stop at aquariums, even the live fish are on sale. Save 15% off cichlids and glofish, mollies, platys, and tetras. (Live fish cannot be bought online, so you'll need to visit your nearest PetSmart location to take advantage of these deals.)
Bettas
Don’t let the long, colorful fins of a betta fool you, they are pretty low maintenance, which makes them a great choice for a first-time fish. As long as they are in a nice-size tank with warm water (78º–82ºF) and few other fish to interact with, bettas can live anywhere from two to five years.
Tetras
Neon tetras are a great choice if you’re looking for a school fish. They are small—adults only grow to about 1.5 inches—but the bright red and blue streaks are fun to watch darting around a tank. They are known to be mild-mannered, so they pair well with other types of fish.
Mollies & Platys
Start sparingly with these species because it is almost guaranteed that you will have more fish in a few months. Both mollies and platys are school fish, so they are happiest when there are several of them together in a tank.
Cichlids
Cichlids are beautiful and more interactive than most other types of fish. Over time, they recognize their owners and will get excited. There are several kinds of cichlids, and not all are easy to care for. Convict cichlids are widely thought to be the easiest to keep for beginners, though they thrive best in species-only tanks.
This article is sponsored by PetSmart, but independently researched by the Groupon Coupons team.
