stocking questions

[LadyApril83]

Can you get some pics of the farms fish? I have no fish farms around here. And have never been to one. Which fish do you know for certain your getting?

I want some colorful DG fishies...maybe the stripped ones that are blue with red dots into stripes. I want some fish to make the tank look nice some bottom dwellers and midlevel and high level. I want to keep ghost shrimp around too. Maybe some rainbows.
If they let me take pics, there are a lot of farmers here in central fl. one is right by my house and I didn't even know!

 

[LadyApril83]

I also was looking at a rainbow depending on color...but I don't know if they will like a short taller tank

 

[LadyApril83]

I also was looking at a rainbow depending on color...but I don't know if they will like a short taller tank

oh and duh! a pleco! and a cat fish...

 

[monaro_gto]

I would still cation on adding any more fish right now. I kept testing my water and did pwc's to keep everything as neutral as possible and i lost 3 cory's, 7 cardinals, 3 molly's and several platy's. I will never cycle a tank that way again. I thought I was doing everything right but it didnt help. about 9 weeks later I now have a cycled tank but I am still adding fish very slowly.

The driftwood is your call but like I said before, if you go the clown pleco route you will need it. Other pleco's are not as dependent but will still prefer it.

 

[LadyApril83]

Well if you want one that is good on the tank and stays small, find a rubber lip- picture 1

If you want one who is good on wood and stays small, find a clown- pic 2

If you want a bit of both, get a bristlenose- pic 3

Bristlenose do get to about 5 inches though, some even 6 inches while the other two I mentioned stay at under 4 inches. So there's a trade off you would have to make.

That rubber lip one is freaking amazing!

 

[LadyApril83]

I would still cation on adding any more fish right now. I kept testing my water and did pwc's to keep everything as neutral as possible and i lost 3 cory's, 7 cardinals, 3 molly's and several platy's. I will never cycle a tank that way again. I thought I was doing everything right but it didnt help. about 9 weeks later I now have a cycled tank but I am still adding fish very slowly.

The driftwood is your call but like I said before, if you go the clown pleco route you will need it. Other pleco's are not as dependent but will still prefer it.

I am waiting I am just dreaming of what I can create! Should I wait on trying a low light plant?

 

[monaro_gto]

I would go ahead and add your plants. I saw no ill affects of adding plants to my tank before it was cycled.

 

[LadyApril83]

I would go ahead and add your plants. I saw no ill affects of adding plants to my tank before it was cycled.

I think I am going to try an anubias now...I killed a red ludwiga already I just want a few plants to go with my fake ones I did a water change tonight and used spring water...we will see how that goes im a bit nervous about it...I did a 4gallon change.

 

[monaro_gto]

im just starting off on the planted side myself and there are a bunch of people on here that really know what they are doing but you would be better off splitting up your threads into different threads. Any plants with red are going to need pretty good light. Not sure what kind of lighting you have but java fern and amazon sword should be good. Anubias will work too

 

[LadyApril83]

im just starting off on the planted side myself and there are a bunch of people on here that really know what they are doing but you would be better off splitting up your threads into different threads. Any plants with red are going to need pretty good light. Not sure what kind of lighting you have but java fern and amazon sword should be good. Anubias will work too

yeah I will split off the plant questions thank you so much, I am sure I will have more questions soon I am just so excited to have something new and interactive in my home..

 

[FishCr8zy]

I would go ahead and add your plants. I saw no ill affects of adding plants to my tank before it was cycled.

A lot of plants will help speed up the cycle and keep everything stable. Water sprite is one of the best. I suggest getting a few of those and cycling will be much faster. Anubias, java fern, amazon sword, java moss, etc are all really good.

 

[FishCr8zy]

I also was looking at a rainbow depending on color...but I don't know if they will like a short taller tank

What type of rainbow? Some will be ok and some will be too big.

 

[LadyApril83]

A lot of plants will help speed up the cycle and keep everything stable. Water sprite is one of the best. I suggest getting a few of those and cycling will be much faster. Anubias, java fern, amazon sword, java moss, etc are all really good.

Are they all good in the low light system I seem to have (lighting is pretty intimidating to me right now). I have 3 moss balls 2 about 1.5 inches and another about 2.5 inches

 

[FishCr8zy]

I want some colorful DG fishies...maybe the stripped ones that are blue with red dots into stripes. I want some fish to make the tank look nice some bottom dwellers and midlevel and high level. I want to keep ghost shrimp around too. Maybe some rainbows.
If they let me take pics, there are a lot of farmers here in central fl. one is right by my house and I didn't even know!

Wow, a fish farmer is your neighbor? You are so lucky you have so many real fish breeders. Here, petcos and petsmart's are the main source of fish -_-. If they have kuhli loaches, I would get a few. They are great fun little bottom feeders. They are a bit shy but once in a large group ( 5+ ) they will be swimming everywhere. The only problem is they prefer sand because they dig into the substrate and have barbels.

 

[LadyApril83]

Wow, a fish farmer is your neighbor? You are so lucky you have so many real fish breeders. Here, petcos and petsmart's are the main source of fish -_-. If they have kuhli loaches, I would get a few. They are great fun little bottom feeders. They are a bit shy but once in a large group ( 5+ ) they will be swimming everywhere. The only problem is they prefer sand because they dig into the substrate and have barbels.

I bet the majority of the fish u have come from fl...they have a ton of fish farms here. A lot of the fish my local petsmart has are grown in Lakeland ..which is about an hour from me...then they send them to Atlanta then back to the warehouse here. Then to a store...lot of work to bring the fish back to where they started...that's why I'm either gonna use my friends sister to get fish directly from the farm or use my local shop who has fish directly from the farm...imma go with what is cheapest...

 

[LadyApril83]

Ohh I was looking at those khuli loach at the store..**** for me starting with a gravel substrate. Next tank ideas

 

[FishCr8zy]

I bet the majority of the fish u have come from fl...they have a ton of fish farms here. A lot of the fish my local petsmart has are grown in Lakeland ..which is about an hour from me...then they send them to Atlanta then back to the warehouse here. Then to a store...lot of work to bring the fish back to where they started...that's why I'm either gonna use my friends sister to get fish directly from the farm or use my local shop who has fish directly from the farm...imma go with what is cheapest...

Now I'm edging to go to Florida . I can just imagine the rows and rows of tubs full of fish........ *sigh*. Too bad Florida is like a days drive from here. What rainbow were you thinking of?

 

[FishCr8zy]

Ohh I was looking at those khuli loach at the store..**** for me starting with a gravel substrate. Next tank ideas

Oh well. I'm getting 12 shipped in tomorrow and I'm real excited! And the next tank, just make sure to do sand so that you have more fish to pick from .

 

[LadyApril83]

Now I'm edging to go to Florida . I can just imagine the rows and rows of tubs full of fish........ *sigh*. Too bad Florida is like a days drive from here. What rainbow were you thinking of?

I was thinking the turquoise...or if i can find a more visually stunning one.

 

[LadyApril83]

Oh well. I'm getting 12 shipped in tomorrow and I'm real excited! And the next tank, just make sure to do sand so that you have more fish to pick from .

I'm wigged out by shipping fish. I don't understand how its safe if I have to go directly home after the pet store...