I have two cameras. One has a manual focus the other doesn't. I will tell you how I take pics with both, OK?

I use the manual focus for most of my fish pictures. I set it on macro and then focus myself. I will pick a spot to focus on that is within the range where the fish are, then take the pictures when they come by. After a while of doing this I know what setting to use for which part of the tank. Also with this camera I get the best photos when I use the flash. Its an older camera so the flash helps get a clear picture.

With my other camera it does not have manual focus. This one is harder to take clear pics with, but it does not need the flash. That is why I switch back and forth . There are times (like taking whole tank photos) where a flash is not good.

I will point the lens at a rock, plant, anything fairly still in the range I want. Hold the button halfway until the camera focuses on this fairly still object then either wait for the fish or move to the fish. This way doesn't work as well as the manual focus because the camera has trouble with all the moving stuff in a tank. I cannot get clear close-ups with this way.

The point is to focus on a fairly still object then the fish as it swims by may come out clear. I prefer the manual focus much more in tank pictures because then I focus where I want and the camera isn't trying to focus on everything in the frame.

I will take about 30 pics at one sitting and come out with maybe 2 clear ones. That's what is so nice about the digital camera!

The best whole tank pics are taken at night with all room lights off. That way the full colors in the tank stand out. Don't use a flash when you do this.

You can edit the photos in most editing programs. I will tweak the exposure and sometimes the sharpness too.

Here are some examples:
1-3 manual focus
#1 is a close-up of a Rummy Nose tetra. They move very fast so I focused on the near by plants and snapped as they swam by.
#2 is a wider view, focused on the drift wood
#3 my little Red Zebra kept peeking at me thru the rocks, so I focused on the rocks.

#4-5 are the camera focusing for me.
#4 is an example of the camera trying to focus on everything within the frame.
#5 is a tank shot, taken at night, all lights off with no flash. See how the colors pop out?

The main thing to keep in mind is that even professional photographers can snap hundreds of shots and still end up with only a few good ones. That's why you take so many at once, and why digital is AWESOME, as Dizz said. I can't imagine getting nearly as many good pictures if I had to take them to be developed. Plus, I'd be broke.

I take my pictures at night with all the room lights off. I just have the tank lights on. That way I don't get my reflection or any room reflection in the shots. When I take whole tank shots I will turn off all the lights and just leave the tank lights on. I don't use a flash either.

If my fish are busy digging or flirting, yet stop when I come close I will do what jweb says and sit on my couch and just zoom in.

My fish tend to be more active when the room is dark. I think its because they cannot see out of the tank, only their reflections. My male Ram will attack himself at night, so funny! They don't see me as clear sticking the camera close either.

Yea I bought my camera about the same time back. It's cost about the same as you paid and was the best in the price range. It has 10x optical zoom and 5x digital, which is awesome for no lens attachment. It also comes with all the bells and whistles of rapid shutter, aperture settings, and such.