New tank set up

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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.
 
First of all, welcome to AA, and welcome back to the hobby! Several years back I did something similar to you, came back to the hobby in my 30's after not having had fish since my childhood. I found it to be a much more rewarding experience the second time around, so I hope the same is true for you. :)

I'm by no means an expert but I can share a few insights from my own experiences....

1. I don't think you need to let your water dictate your choice of fish, for the most part. Where I lived (up until last week), we had super hard water (almost liquid rock), and I successfully kept a variety of fish including neon tetras, and my neighbor (same water supply) kept rummynose tetras as well as several other tetra schools.

2. In a 21 gal tank, you would probably only want ONE dwarf gourami. Or if you do two, then be sure it is a male and a female. Males can get aggressive with each other, and ~20 gallons isn't all that much space to keep them separated. And as for cherry barbs, I really don't think they are "surface" fish, though other than that they should work fine. (Note cherry barbs in particular like a pretty heavily planted tank--moreso than a lot of other barb species, from what I have read.)

3. Guppies mix fine with almost anything, just realize if you have males & females you are gonna have fry galore. The only thing guppies don't do well with are fish that are notorious fin-nippers (Tiger Barbs, etc.) or else something like a male betta that might mistake a male guppy & its long, colorful fins for a rival male betta.

4. Pretty sure either of those combos would work. Option B is going to give you tons of fry (similar to a guppy tank).

Need to head out the door so that's all I can say for now. Feel free to follow-up with further questions. :cool:
 
I'd heard that guppies sometimes get harrassed even by tetras.

What if I mixed zebra danios and swordtails? Folly?

Thanks very much.
 
I'm off to purchase the tank today. Very exciting. I'm hoping to be able to have it fully furnished and planted within the next few weeks. I'm just going to take things slow, thinking that Hallowe'en is an optimistic target for having a fully functioning, planted and stocked tank.
 
I strongly recommend against purchasing a dwarf gourami from a retail fish store. Take a look at the following links, which describe the problem with these fish.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums...mi-104192.html

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.u....php?news=1139

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/dwfgdis.htm

A very large percentage of the dwarf gouramis sold in retail fish stores have an incurable virus that takes their lives within a few months. Although most retailers are aware of the problem, they continue to stock dwarf varieties. You may wish to opt instead for the non-dwarf and thick-lipped varieties. They do not seem to carry the same virus.

Until fishkeepers take a stand and stop purchasing these fish, they will continue to be bred and sold despite this serious problem. If you love dwarf gouramis and really want to have them, I would purchase only from local breeders who can prove to you that their stock is healthy over generations.

Good luck with your new tank, and welcome to AA!
 
Thanks very much for the tip.

I did get the 21 gallon, but just yesterday. I've soaked my piece of wood, and cleaned the tank and the substrate. (It's a geosystem 60.) I've put just enough water in it to cover the wood now that I've cleared its tannins.

Over the next week, I'll have to get brave and cut the hood to fit the heater and the aqua clear 30 filter. Then, I'll finish loading in water until it hits 3/4 full and start thinking about planting. I'm going for a river/Amazon motif. So far, I've got the river gravel, three small round river rocks, and the large drift wood in the center.

Neons are on sale for September at my local fish store, but I might not be in a position to be ready for them. Cherry barbs and flame tetras are now available, too. I'm thinking as many as 10 neons, 5-6 cherry barbs, and something fun for the surface. Would a male betta be a terrible choice? A breeding pair of guppies?

I'm hoping to be fully stocked and running by Hallowe'en.

Oh, and the LFS offered me a bag of their water to help boost my fishless cycle, which I'm going to start before I plant by adding in an ammonia source (raw shrimp?).

Very exciting.
 
One last question: I'll want a pair of small, small catfish and an algae eater. I'm assuming I'll need to wait plenty time for them--to give them something to eat/do by the time I'm adding them. Am I right to think I shouldn't think about buying those for a couple of months after the first fish hits the water?
 
Unfortunately very little beneficial bacteria lives in aquarium water. Try to talk your LFS into some used filter media or gravel instead.
 
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