65L tank fish ideas

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peterf

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
Messages
3
Hi All

I have just gotten my first aquarium and I am looking for some advice on what sort of fish would go well together and be suitable for my tank. I am totally new to this so I will try to give you as much info on my tank as possible.

The tank is 65L (17/18Gal approx) with the following dimensions H 37 x W 60 x D 32 cm. I am using an Interpet PF2 filter which is advertised to do 110gal/hour and a Delta therm heater and we have soft water in my area.

I am currently 2 weeks into my fishless cycle I don't want to do a fish in cycle as I don't like the idea of Stressing fish when there is a way to do it with out the risk, especially as I am new to this and the chances of me killing the fish due to inexperience is quite high. I have been researching the process for a few weeks now and found this guide to be the best so far so I am following it and the directions on my tapesafe and filter start to the letter:-
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

I am using small gravel as my substrate (I am prepared to change it if needed) and i have quite a few ornaments for the fish to hide in and swim through

I am starting to see things happen with regards to the chemicals in my tank so it has gotten me thinking of putting fish in my tank. I know i am still a month or so off actually adding fish however id like to be well peppered and informed before I go ahead and get some.

I have asked around my local pet stores and been horrified at the advice i have been getting (my favorite was to get a betta and a dwarf gourami as they wont attack each other).

I like the idea of having 2 shoals of smaller fish and then a larger or very brightly colored centerpiece fish. I was thinking of may be a shoal or either neon or cardinal Tetras a shoal of Corydoras (not sure on the type) and my be either a betta OR dwarf gourami as a center piece. This is just my initial idea from my research on the internet.

What i would like to know is would my above idea would be suitable and if so how many of each also does any one have any suggestions or changes that I could/should make. I would quite like a colorful tank with different looking fish so any suggestions on different species would be welcome, however the fish come fist so I don't want to get ones that will either fight each other or grow too big for my tank.

Thanks for any advice you give and I'm sorry if this post seems a bit disjointed I just wanted to give you as much info as I could before you made any suggestions.

Cheers
Pete
 
Hi All

I have just gotten my first aquarium and I am looking for some advice on what sort of fish would go well together and be suitable for my tank. I am totally new to this so I will try to give you as much info on my tank as possible.

The tank is 65L (17/18Gal approx) with the following dimensions H 37 x W 60 x D 32 cm. I am using an Interpet PF2 filter which is advertised to do 110gal/hour and a Delta therm heater and we have soft water in my area.

I am currently 2 weeks into my fishless cycle I don't want to do a fish in cycle as I don't like the idea of Stressing fish when there is a way to do it with out the risk, especially as I am new to this and the chances of me killing the fish due to inexperience is quite high. I have been researching the process for a few weeks now and found this guide to be the best so far so I am following it and the directions on my tapesafe and filter start to the letter:-
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/the-almost-complete-guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

I am using small gravel as my substrate (I am prepared to change it if needed) and i have quite a few ornaments for the fish to hide in and swim through

I am starting to see things happen with regards to the chemicals in my tank so it has gotten me thinking of putting fish in my tank. I know i am still a month or so off actually adding fish however id like to be well peppered and informed before I go ahead and get some.

I have asked around my local pet stores and been horrified at the advice i have been getting (my favorite was to get a betta and a dwarf gourami as they wont attack each other).

I like the idea of having 2 shoals of smaller fish and then a larger or very brightly colored centerpiece fish. I was thinking of may be a shoal or either neon or cardinal Tetras a shoal of Corydoras (not sure on the type) and my be either a betta OR dwarf gourami as a center piece. This is just my initial idea from my research on the internet.

What i would like to know is would my above idea would be suitable and if so how many of each also does any one have any suggestions or changes that I could/should make. I would quite like a colorful tank with different looking fish so any suggestions on different species would be welcome, however the fish come fist so I don't want to get ones that will either fight each other or grow too big for my tank.

Thanks for any advice you give and I'm sorry if this post seems a bit disjointed I just wanted to give you as much info as I could before you made any suggestions.

Cheers
Pete

Hello I'm sharing with you my first fish ideas.... Well first of all a rule of thumb for you every inch of fish equals one gallon.... But anyway I started with harlequin rasboras which are one of the hardiest fish out there and aren't vey bright colors but I love them they are my favorite fish....if you choose to have these they are schooling fish that are one inch long so you would need about five or six.... Another starter fish idea are black skirt tetras. These are too very hardy and I haven't lost one since I started my a tank a couple months ago even with an ammonia spike. This fish is black and grey bit are very pretty to watch.... These are schooling fish so you would want five or more.... Then for your bigger fish a great idea user Bolivian rams and you would probably only keep one since they are pretty big... But this fish are so beatiful and make a great centerpiece.... I hope this helped and I can post pictures of these fish too I have some....
 
Hi Obsessedfishlover

Thanks for the advice I had head that about stocking size but its kind of hard to find different fish that are small when you are new to the whole thing (googleing small tropical fish inst much help :) ) so I really appreciate the suggestions on different species, I just really don't want to over stock or do anything that's going to cause unhappy fish.

I have just looked up the fish you mentioned and they look really, I hadnt thought of the black skirt tetras. To be honest I always see people with neon and cardinal tetras but I think i prefer the black skirts and the Bolivian rams look really pretty. Are they ok as a single fish?

if you have any photos please feel free to share id really appreciate it
 
Hi Obsessedfishlover

Thanks for the advice I had head that about stocking size but its kind of hard to find different fish that are small when you are new to the whole thing (googleing small tropical fish inst much help :) ) so I really appreciate the suggestions on different species, I just really don't want to over stock or do anything that's going to cause unhappy fish.

I have just looked up the fish you mentioned and they look really, I hadnt thought of the black skirt tetras. To be honest I always see people with neon and cardinal tetras but I think i prefer the black skirts and the Bolivian rams look really pretty. Are they ok as a single fish?

if you have any photos please feel free to share id really appreciate it

The bolivian rams are ok as single fish because they aren't schooling fish... But the black skirts are schooling fish so I would do five but I have four and they are fine so maybe if you want less you could do four but your supposed to have five for them to school.... Also I don't think you could use your betta as a centerpiece unless you get a plain old female because those fish are very aggressive and will literally eat your other fish alive.... Also the neon and cardinal tetras you probably don't want to go with because they aren't hardy at all and will die if you have just one little spike of anything like ammonia.... If you are looking for a hardy fish that is very colorful I would also suggest zebra danios... They are very bright and neon and striped and make a great fish that are VERY hardy....
 
Hello I'm sharing with you my first fish ideas.... Well first of all a rule of thumb for you every inch of fish equals one gallon.... But anyway I started with harlequin rasboras which are one of the hardiest fish out there and aren't vey bright colors but I love them they are my favorite fish....if you choose to have these they are schooling fish that are one inch long so you would need about five or six.... Another starter fish idea are black skirt tetras. These are too very hardy and I haven't lost one since I started my a tank a couple months ago even with an ammonia spike. This fish is black and grey bit are very pretty to watch.... These are schooling fish so you would want five or more.... Then for your bigger fish a great idea user Bolivian rams and you would probably only keep one since they are pretty big... But this fish are so beatiful and make a great centerpiece.... I hope this helped and I can post pictures of these fish too I have some....

The rule of the thumb is so inacurrate. Please try to avoid this rule as it causes many problems. Cardinal tetras and neon tetras, along with harlequin Rasboras are schooling fish. Because they mimic each others moves. Corydoras are schoaling fish as they do not mimic each others movements. I wouldn't do black skirt tetras because I think they need a minimum of around 30g. Each of them is around 2.4 inches. They also need a school which would be too active in a 17g. As for schooling ideas how about chilli Rasboras or cardinal tetras. 6 along with a shoal or Pygmy Cories? Probably five. then as a centrepiece a Dwarf gourami. I wou
Dot do bolivians in a tank which is only 17g. I would place them in a 30g jmo
 
The rule of the thumb is so inacurrate. Please try to avoid this rule as it causes many problems. Cardinal tetras and neon tetras, along with harlequin Rasboras are schooling fish. Because they mimic each others moves. Corydoras are schoaling fish as they do not mimic each others movements. I wouldn't do black skirt tetras because I think they need a minimum of around 30g. Each of them is around 2.4 inches. They also need a school which would be too active in a 17g. As for schooling ideas how about chilli Rasboras or cardinal tetras. 6 along with a shoal or Pygmy Cories? Probably five. then as a centrepiece a Dwarf gourami. I wou
Dot do bolivians in a tank which is only 17g. I would place them in a 30g jmo

A pair of bolivian rams have a tak size minimum of twenty.
 
Hi

thanks for the help there, I am really worried about getting fish that will be too big for my tank (hence the reason for asking the forums not the people in the pet stores), and I am conscious that my tank is relatively small so i am trying to stick to small colorful fish in schools and not a group of larger fish. I do like the look of the chilli Rasboras however I may keep away from the neon tetras as I am only new to this and will make a mistake at some point so i dont want to kill off the fish. Would Chilli and harlequin ( 6 of each?) be OK to keep together.
 
Hi

thanks for the help there, I am really worried about getting fish that will be too big for my tank (hence the reason for asking the forums not the people in the pet stores), and I am conscious that my tank is relatively small so i am trying to stick to small colorful fish in schools and not a group of larger fish. I do like the look of the chilli Rasboras however I may keep away from the neon tetras as I am only new to this and will make a mistake at some point so i dont want to kill off the fish. Would Chilli and harlequin ( 6 of each?) be OK to keep together.

Yes since they are of the same species yes they would be amazing together....
 
Hi

thanks for the help there, I am really worried about getting fish that will be too big for my tank (hence the reason for asking the forums not the people in the pet stores), and I am conscious that my tank is relatively small so i am trying to stick to small colorful fish in schools and not a group of larger fish. I do like the look of the chilli Rasboras however I may keep away from the neon tetras as I am only new to this and will make a mistake at some point so i dont want to kill off the fish. Would Chilli and harlequin ( 6 of each?) be OK to keep together.

Also peterf I would get a couple of snails....since you are a starter you will probably end up with some kind of growing algae problem(not to be mean) and snails are so fun to watch and I love them and are great cleaners they even clean my heater!!!!
 
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