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As a newcomer to fish keeping, you can be forgiven for thinking that all fish are friendly and can live in harmony with each other.
You will soon realize this isn’t the case.
For instance if you mixed a Royal Gramma with a Royal Dottyback, you will definitely have trouble. In fact, you will be lucky to still have two fish alive after placing them in the same aquarium.
This is why when you are buying fish for your aquarium you should always check their compatibility.
Some fish are so aggressive you can’t even have two of the same species living together (e.g. Bettas).
Not only are some fish just incompatible because of aggression, they may also be incompatible because of the environment they need to live in.
Example
You would not mix an Oscar with a Royal Gramma. This is because Royal Grammas require saltwater, whereas Oscars requires freshwater.
How do I avoid this mistake? Most pet stores will have a compatibility list you can check before you buy the fish. If not make sure to check online that the species of fish are compatible before you visit the store. Check out our compatibility list blog post "Choosing Compatible Tank Mates"