Buying tanks then asking what to put in it I don't understand??

[venymae]

For me it was space. We live in a tiny apartment, I knew I loved to watch fish (so relaxing) and I also knew that I only have room for a 10 gallon and have a very limited knowledge (which has expanded a lot since then!) about fish types, so I figured, why not ask someone who knows more than me?

 

[DragonFish71]

There are some occasions when I will ask if someone has had experience with a certain fish because research doesn't give all the information I'm looking for, like my sheepshead minnows. I couldn't find much on them since they are a wild caught species that isn't found in home aquaria often.

 

[GodFan]

I think there are several reasons.
1. I bought x gallon aquarium and was going to keep y fish then found out it wont fit/is impossible to find what do I keep?
2. I saw a deal I couldnt pass what to do with it?
3. I really wanted a tank to put in x room what should I stock it with?
4. I had y in my x gallon tank but I want to change up. What to stock?

I know Ive done at least 3 of those lol

 

[Luananeko]

I think there are several reasons.
1. I bought x gallon aquarium and was going to keep y fish then found out it wont fit/is impossible to find what do I keep?
2. I saw a deal I couldnt pass what to do with it?
3. I really wanted a tank to put in x room what should I stock it with?
4. I had y in my x gallon tank but I want to change up. What to stock?

I know Ive done at least 3 of those lol

I think this sums it up pretty well, but I would say the issue of "I'm new and didn't know where to get started so I grabbed a tank I liked the look of" would deserve it's own number. It could fall under 1, but not completely.

#3 in particular can happen a lot when people have small spaces to work with. For example, I live in a second story condo, so my tank options are limited by how much weight the floor can hold as well as how much space I have that I can fit a tank into. That was a key factor in helping me choose the size of tank to use for my GloFish tank since it was going in a hallway to double as a nightlight when the lunar lighting was on.

 

[GodFan]

I think this sums it up pretty well, but I would say the issue of "I'm new and didn't know where to get started so I grabbed a tank I liked the look of" would deserve it's own number. It could fall under 1, but not completely.

#3 in particular can happen a lot when people have small spaces to work with. For example, I live in a second story condo, so my tank options are limited by how much weight the floor can hold as well as how much space I have that I can fit a tank into. That was a key factor in helping me choose the size of tank to use for my GloFish tank since it was going in a hallway to double as a nightlight when the lunar lighting was on.

Yea I shoukd have added that..

 

[ScotJudd]

Better to ask and learn from others mistakes. My tank is now in harmony but I made a few errors along the way. Had I known about this forum at the time someone would have advised me. I I have had some excellent advice so far and I hope I have given a little as well.
All Hail AA!

 

[Hobgob]

I don't get this help me understand. Personally I see a fish I want research it and then get the required housing. But I am seeing at least 2 or 3 threads a day I bought this tank (usually 10 or 20 gallon) help me stock it? That confuses me. Its like buying a bird cage and asking what type of bird to put in it. Its not the cage that intrigues me its the specimen being housed in it. I don't get it.

When you have 9 tanks its nice for other peoples inputs. I have currently a 40g breeder laying around. If I want to set it up I would probably ask for suggestions to get my ideas rolling.

 

[flitabout]

Or like me I had the most lovely stock picked out for my daughters' tank that I knew they would love! Then one by one they shot down everything I wanted to stock for them. No angels, no cardinals. The only thing we could agree on was that they wanted all of the platys that where born in my tank and my otos. All of them! I gave them 2 and the platys. And the only thing they have agreed on at this point is they wanted leopard print guppies! I do it to bounce ideas off of other people that might work for the girls and their current stock.

 

[Rivers2k]

When you have 9 tanks its nice for other peoples inputs. I have currently a 40g breeder laying around. If I want to set it up I would probably ask for suggestions to get my ideas rolling.

I guess this is the scenario I really don't understand. You have 9 tanks I assume you know a great deal about the hobby why set up another tank if there isn't a fish you have in mind? You are just adding more work or yourself.

 

[abw0004]

People usually have an idea of what fish they want, but will want suggestions of specialty fish that they have never heard of or their local petstore does not normally have. People like me will ask for advice on here for centerpiece fish because we know that there are a lot of experienced people on here that know more than me. I prefer getting advice and getting help here to avoid problems where I can.

 

[DragonFish71]

When you have 9 tanks its nice for other peoples inputs. I have currently a 40g breeder laying around. If I want to set it up I would probably ask for suggestions to get my ideas rolling.

Only 9 tanks? You're still in the early stages of the MTS infection huh?

 

[Luananeko]

People usually have an idea of what fish they want, but will want suggestions of specialty fish that they have never heard of or their local petstore does not normally have. People like me will ask for advice on here for centerpiece fish because we know that there are a lot of experienced people on here that know more than me. I prefer getting advice and getting help here to avoid problems where I can.

^ This. When I was planning stock for my 75 gallon I had a very good idea of what I wanted in my stocking plan. I brought it here to see if anyone had some ideas for the final touches and someone suggested Threadfin Rainbows and Gourami, neither of which had I ever tried before. Ended up completely overhauling my stock list because I really liked what I read about these fish.

The problem with coming up with your stock list with zero input from others is that you don't tend to branch out as much. Others will usually have ideas you never even considered and spawn even cooler ideas for the final stock

 

[trinifella]

Only 9 tanks? You're still in the early stages of the MTS infection huh?

LOL!!!! And OP, sometimes you buy the tank first with a plan in mind, and while setting it up or letting the water settle, you see soo many options you have no clue wat u want anymore

 

[Malupoo]

^^ this

I only planned my 35g for 2 months but the stocklist has changed sooo many times.
It was initially going to be a blue ram breeding tank but has now changed to community tank with cockatoo apisto. Something I had never heard or seen before till someone mentioned them on here

 

[Alan79]

I have created a what to stock thread when i learned what goldfish require and i was able to rehome them to a larger tank. I originally wanted threadfin rainbows and some spotted blue eyes, but they aren't stocked at my LFS (i do know where to get them online but wanted fish while my tank was still cycled). I also liked the look of Kuhlis so they were my starter fish. I had no idea really what would make a decent community for them. Other peoples wisdom is better than a tank full of fish that you will kill.

 

[Alasse]

I often ask purely because i like to hear what others would put in the tank.

While i have plenty of tanks, been fishkeeping for many years, i am still learning, i have not heard of every fish in existence, asking other for stocking options can give you knowledge of fish you never heard of.

I have empty tanks just sitting in storage, sometimes i have an idea of what i want in it, sometimes no clue, i just want to set a tank up them think about stocking later lol

I currently have a 75gal, 30gal & a nano with no stock in them, they are running. As i said before, i have an idea of what i am putting in them, but yeah, i like to hear other peoples ideas

 

[NYgiantsRP]

There is never anything wrong with asking about anything. Thats the point of the forum. If someone sees a 55g tank and the whole setup for $20 and gets is because it sparks an interest whats wrong with that? The fact they they are asking about what they can put in it and not just stocking 3 oscars, 4 goldfish, 15 tetras, and 2 crayfish is a GREAT start to the hobby. I dont think there is anything wrong with buying the tank first and going from there. If you have a small apartment, or only a bedroom dresser to put a tank on you dont have any other option then that tank.

 

[Hobgob]

Only 9 tanks? You're still in the early stages of the MTS infection huh?

Ya I know, that's the best part of the hobby. The infectious multi tank syndrome!

 

[Hobgob]

I guess this is the scenario I really don't understand. You have 9 tanks I assume you know a great deal about the hobby why set up another tank if there isn't a fish you have in mind? You are just adding more work or yourself.

To see what other fish are out there and learn more! My discus tank was doing amazing. In a week my nitrates were only at 5ppm with no water changes. So I figured I could put more plants in. Well I didn't fertilize properly everything started dying and my nitrates were raising like crazy. So I stripped everything except my two type of echinodorus, my three crypts, and my lotus since it made like 4 more bulbs. Put them all in pots and took the pfs out. Now I'm setting up a little 5gal to plant it and learn more about ferts. Plants were something I was never interested in before though.

As far as more work i don't mind it. That comes down to a personal opinion. Right now I have the majority of my work in my discus tank but after stripping it and removing the sand its getting back to normal. But in the mean time my sisters fiancé has been doing water changes on the tanks in his basement where normally I would do them. but when you get to watch everything I think it's worth it!

 

[absolutangel04]

So, I am not a new fish keeper. But, I personally still tend to start with a tank, and then figure out what I want in it. For me, it is because I have limited space and money. So, I can't really just go out and buy equipment and set-ups, I need to find things used. I generally have a very good idea of what sort of things I like, but there are so many hundreds of fish I still want to keep, that the choices overwhelm me.