Spreading The Joy!!

[happyhillbilly]

I am. We just gave my old 12 gal tank with filter, hood, and stand to our family friends. I'm going over on saturday to help them set it up. I've been through the basics, I just want to know what fish will be good for a family with 3 boys aged 6, 10, and 8. The tank has a filter from Regent thats with the hood. They said that they want a starfish, but their mom already knew that that could never happen. So I want some intresting and easy to care for fish for them.

 

[Zagz]

Are you planning to do a fishless cycle or one with fish? That will make a difference to which fish would go in the tank the best.

 

[Stuart]

Interesting but easy to care for fish:

Mollies - very good first fish, very tolerant of different water conditions. Just be careful of exploding populations as they breed quite easily.

Corys - entertaining fish in that they move around a lot and are very endearing. Need to be kept in groups of 3 minimum (5 or more is best).

Platies - another tolerant live-bearer. Also prone to breeding easily as well though.

These are by no means all - but a good starting point I'd say.

 

[RoK]

If they have at least moderately hard water with a pH of 7.0+ then livebearers and some small loaches for the bottom would be good.
If the water is somewhat soft-moderate with a 6.0-7.0 pH, then most schooling fish such as barbs, tetras, cories would do well.
Most gouramis, bettas, and plecos do fine in either conditions; they adapt better than many other fish.
HTH and good luck!

 

[happyhillbilly]

I'm probably going to buy a feeder fish or two for the cycle. I'm also adding some gravel from my tank thats been going strong since May into theirs. Thanks for the tips! I'm thiking mabye some guppies, a platy, and a pleco. Would this be okay? I have the same fish in my 55, but then aqain, its a 55. Anone have some basic aquarium matinence pages or something like that? I just want to let them resarch it.

 

[Meredith]

Be careful with the feeder fish you put in there. You don't want to introduce any ich or other diseases that my harm the future fish.

 

[happyhillbilly]

I actually got the idea right after I posted that to put in some of my guppies for the cycle. They breed like crazy, and I have plenty.