TROPICAL FISH KEEPING}  The art of fish keeping in glass aquarium tanks started round about the nineteenth century when in May 1853 the zoological society of London opened the first public aquarium This led to public interest and there are now thousands of amateur aquarists in all parts of the world. The equipment such as TANKS HEATERS LIGHTING AERATION PUMPS& FILTERS is widely available from aquarium dealers. They will also sell an extensive range of fish. These are mostly from the tropics mostly south east Asia. My advise for the beginner would be to seek practical guidance from your local aquarium shop or email me. As you gain experience you may want to consult more specialized books on maintenance& breeding. Here's some books I recommend THE CONCISE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF POPULAR FRESHWATER TROPICAL FISH {JOHN DAWES}. ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF TROPICAL FISH {ESTHER J.J. VERHOEF- VERHALLEN]. I would also recommend PRACTICAL FISHKEEPING This is Europe's best selling fishkeeping magazine.