My saving grace!

[Jmaxey71]

Hello to all! I am new here and am just overwhelmed with the info you have available. I have found so much info that I have been needing. Thank you for this site/forum. I hope to gain invaluable knowledge and provide a much better environment for my fish ( when I aquire them). Bad experiences have marred me but I am here to start anew and win this time.

 

[eco23]

Welcome to the site . All previous experiences good or bad (and being a member here on AA) will help you become a great fish keeper in the future.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Hello to all! I am new here and am just overwhelmed with the info you have available. I have found so much info that I have been needing. Thank you for this site/forum. I hope to gain invaluable knowledge and provide a much better environment for my fish ( when I aquire them). Bad experiences have marred me but I am here to start anew and win this time.

Welcome Aboard!

Many have been where you were, so don't worry or feel bad about that. Keeping fish is like any other pet, in that proper care and knowing what they need to not just survive, but thrive will make you a better aquarist.

 

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard. We are glad you found us here at AA.

 

[Jmaxey71]

Thanks again! I am so excited to have some good advice. I can't wait to get the ball rolling.

 

[Homedog98]

Welcome to AA! Don't worry about it, we all had to start somewhere!

 

[Jmaxey71]

I posted some info in the newbie section I think. As I am new to forums and posting and such, I didn't want to put too much here. I will try to post where I should and stay off of toes where I shouldn't.
I currently have a 29gal tank that was dismantled and moved with fish, gravel, filter, water and re-assembled all about 1 month ago. I have not added any new fish. Old cichlid with disease was euthanized last week and there is a catfish left. I am hoping to create an active community tank as I go. As I was growing up, my dad always had discus cichlids and they were so beautiful especially when we would play our musical instruments. I remember how peaceful they would make me feel. I have had some fish off and on over the years, but now that I am in a stable home that I don't plan to move from for quite a while, I am starting again. This time I will do it right hopefully and have a nice healthy aquarium and fish.

 

[andresdeo]

Thats is great to hear, have you decided to go with cichlids or are you still thinking over your stocking options? Maybe a 29 gal will be a little small to keep multiple cichlids, someone else would have to help us out there.

Welcome to AA and hope we can help you with what we can.

 

[Jmaxey71]

Thanks andresdeo! I have considered cichlids and still may. My husband wants a more full, active tank so I thought a community tank would be the way to go.

 

[eco23]

Thanks andresdeo! I have considered cichlids and still may. My husband wants a more full, active tank so I thought a community tank would be the way to go.

I would think a nice peaceful community tank with small schooling fish like Danios or Tetras, with a Dwarf Cichlid like a Bolivian Ram or GBR as a centerpiece fish would fit that description nicely

 

[Jmaxey71]

Hey thanks eco23! I have considered a small cichlid like a ram as a centerpiece fish but wondered about the compatability of it with others and are the water parameters same for both? Is GBR a blue ram?

 

[eco23]

Hey thanks eco23! I have considered a small cichlid like a ram as a centerpiece fish but wondered about the compatability of it with others and are the water parameters same for both? Is GBR a blue ram?

Yep, GBR is German Blue Ram. The GBR's are definitely more sensitive, and it can be difficult to find good stock. They have a notoriety of being perfectly healthy and suddenly dying for no reason other than they have been over-bred (happened to me :-( ). Bolivians are much more hardy and also beautiful.

I have a male Bolivian Ram with schools of Neons, Danios, Red Eye Tetras and both Amano and Red Cherry Shrimp. He is as peaceful as can be and has formed a rather odd relationship with my Red Eyes. For some reason they have adopted him as their leader and follow him lovingly around the tank, lol.

They are both said to prefer soft, acidic water...but as long as they are acclimated properly they can adapt (especially the Bolivian). There are some very respected members on the site who breed Rams, and it's definitely worth looking into purchasing from a private breeder rather than chain stores when it comes to more rare fish

 

[Jmaxey71]

Thank you for the info. I feel a little better about having a cichlid in the tank. I really like them all. I had oscars at one point years ago and really liked them as they seemed so personable while at the same time sizing anyone up looking at them as if they were great big food I will look a little deeper at a Bolivian and get with the members here who are into cichlids to help me.