Johnny Tuttle
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2008
- Messages
- 298
Good morning, folks:
I'm nearly ready to finally re-enter the hobby for the first time since my teens after having finished my nomadic 20s.
I'm going to be establishing a 21 gallon tank, something small but hopefully forgiving, to get my feet wet again.
I've got 4 questions please, all related to stocking in their own way:
#1. I've got a home water softener that includes using system saver salt. My own local area features very hard water. How much should I let that dictate my choice of fishes generally? I could use peat in the substrate and filter and also bottled water for weekly changes to go with characins predominantly, but if my water is hard, am I just better off going with the less work option of livebearing types like swordtails who'd like my water (presuming it tests out as hard and possibly slightly brackish from the tap)?
#2. If I go with characins, I'm thinking of three schools + a catfish representative in the end. I'd go neons and either rummynoses or lemons, depending on availability. I'd then want a small school of surface types: would dwarf guaramis or cherry barbs work?
#3. If I go with harder water fish, I have to confess I like the idea of guppies. How much of an issue will their spawning be? How do they mix with other species? Is combining them and swordtails folly?
#4. Do either of the following combinations work if I go with harder water fish:
a. Zebra danios and tiger barbs?
b. Swordtails and mollies?
These would be two school tanks, assuming these fishes are too big for a third.
Thank you very much for any help or advice you can offer. I'd prefer to ask now than to stress out the fishes, as I learn. The hard way's worse on them.
I'm nearly ready to finally re-enter the hobby for the first time since my teens after having finished my nomadic 20s.
I'm going to be establishing a 21 gallon tank, something small but hopefully forgiving, to get my feet wet again.
I've got 4 questions please, all related to stocking in their own way:
#1. I've got a home water softener that includes using system saver salt. My own local area features very hard water. How much should I let that dictate my choice of fishes generally? I could use peat in the substrate and filter and also bottled water for weekly changes to go with characins predominantly, but if my water is hard, am I just better off going with the less work option of livebearing types like swordtails who'd like my water (presuming it tests out as hard and possibly slightly brackish from the tap)?
#2. If I go with characins, I'm thinking of three schools + a catfish representative in the end. I'd go neons and either rummynoses or lemons, depending on availability. I'd then want a small school of surface types: would dwarf guaramis or cherry barbs work?
#3. If I go with harder water fish, I have to confess I like the idea of guppies. How much of an issue will their spawning be? How do they mix with other species? Is combining them and swordtails folly?
#4. Do either of the following combinations work if I go with harder water fish:
a. Zebra danios and tiger barbs?
b. Swordtails and mollies?
These would be two school tanks, assuming these fishes are too big for a third.
Thank you very much for any help or advice you can offer. I'd prefer to ask now than to stress out the fishes, as I learn. The hard way's worse on them.