please help me get started

[icehound71]

Hello all,
I do not have any fish yet. I am thinking of getting Bettas for now. I think all pets should have company, but I am not exactly sure about fish. Can I put 2 female Bettas in one five gallon tank or will they kill each other? I am also not sure what else to put in the tank. I have not purchased anything yet, if anyone can tell me what to buy and how to go about setting it up I would appreciate it. I am clueless about this fish stuff and would like to start with something that does not cost very much and is pretty simple to set up and care for. Am I on the right track? :?

 

[Guest]

Am I on the right track?

YES! You are trying to learn first, buy later. This is 100% the way to go. Go to your local bookstore, LFS (local fish store), or Library, and get some basic aquarium books 1-2 to start with. Also, go to the link below, and read all the freshwater articles. This will help you with the basis to be a good fishkeeper.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showfaq.php?fldAuto=2

It may seem complicated at first, but it's really not. knowing what you're doing and having confidence that you are doing it right will help you succeed in this hobby.

 

[deucebigalow]

hello, i am also a new starter

i have just bought a 150ltr (I think thats 40 gallons!) tropical tank setup and dont really know what fish to start up with - i did buy a few anglefish and a couple gouramis but the angle's died within a few hours and i dont really know where to go from there....

I dont really know much about fish and get embarresed asking the aquarium owner questions all the time!!

Any suggestions?? I do want colourful fish (of course!) but i have no idea!!

 

[loganj]

Yes, you can put female bettas together. Males you can not as they will fight. I would go larger than a 5g tank though. At least a 10g with a 20 being much better. It'll be easier to take care of and will give you some flexibility on what kind of fish you can keep. Keep reading and ask us anything you need to.
Logan J

 

[Guest]

Deuceb,

I dont really know much about fish and get embarresed asking the aquarium owner questions all the time!!

Any suggestions?? I do want colourful fish (of course!) but i have no idea!!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showfaq.php?fldAuto=2

Again, Read These Articles! ( Freswater and General) They will help you learn the basics, and why you shouldn't do things like putting Angels in a brand-new tank. Also, altought there are many very knowledgable folks at aq shops, remember, some of them just want to Sell You Stuff! Do your own research, through books or online, then go buy stuff once you have abetter idea of what you need to be doing.

 

[Konrade]

Did you cycle your tank deuceb? Also I wouldn't reccomend any angelfish to start out with as they need a mature tank. Mine loves brine shrimp, bugs, and tetracolor flake food. They also need plenty of plants(fake or real) to make them feel secure. Good luck with both of your tanks!

 

[severum mama]

I would go larger than a 5g tank though. At least a 10g with a 20 being much better.

I totally agree. It will be easier to care for 10 gallon or more than a 5 gallon- the more water you have to work with, the more stable the tank will be. Plus, a 10 gallon tank is cheap and will not cost you much more than a 5 gallon. You will have more choices as far as stocking, too. It will also help you to check out the equipment review section here, so you can learn about equipment and get the best stuff for the amount of money you want to spend.