Your first tank. What fish should you get

[BrianNY]

Many first time aquarium owners set up their tanks without planning what inhabitants it will house. They will wander through the lfs confused about what fish should be kept with what, or worse buy whatever strikes their fancy. This is one of the most common mistakes a newbie will make.

Having a plan to stock your tank will save both you and your fish alot of aggrevation. We can help you plan a trouble free first aquarium if you provide us with the following information:

1. Tank size
2. Current filtration
3. Type of substrate
4. pH of your water
5. What type of fish you like the most.

After deciding on the type of aquarium you want, and what fish you want to keep, begin a new thread in this forum and we'll discuss the needs and compatibility of these fish before you make a purchase.

[QTOFFER]

Great thread, Brian!

You know why you see so many complete aquarium setups in the trash, at garage sales/flea markets, or listed on Craigslist/E-Bay?

The people who previously owned them probably didn't know how to cycle the filter, or keep the water parameters stable, or they simply purchased incompatible species...or species that just require some degree of experience. The result was fish deaths, frustration, replacement fish, more fish deaths, more frustration, and finally...giving up.

Don't let this happen to you! AA can help!

[gfink]

Good suggestions for different types of communities with links to info on each fish.

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/c106communityinfo.htm

I also use this site to get info on specific fish. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/categ.cfm?pcatid=830

[mr86mister]

i took some time to look up some cycling and beginners questions so they can read up as well as getting help from us

The Nitrogen Cycle: http://www.algone.com/cycle.htm

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/cycling2.htm

The Beneficial Bacteria: http://www.algone.com/nitrifiers.htm

Fishless Cycling: http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Fishlesscycle.htm

http://www.pcpages.com/fish/fishless.html

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/tom01.html

Info on live plants: http://www.algone.com/plants.htm

Basic info on Tropical Aquarium: http://www.aquariumfish.net/informat..._aquariums.htm

Choosing Fish: http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Choosing.htm

Some fish to start with after Cycle is complete: http://home.comcast.net/~jpsweb/fish.html


i hope this helps everyone, its for beginners and i know others will have different ideas or views as do i, but this is good for beginners

[fishfan12]

another good idea is to contact drsfostersmith.com, call them and they will send you a fish compatibility chart.