ReyK
Aquarium Advice Regular
I have kept many small tanks over the past decade or so, all 30 gallons or less, and now I'm helping a family member set up and design a tank for her home (I will be around to help maintain it regularly since I live next door to her).
She's decided there is no particular budget and will buy whatever I tell her to get. That being said, given the space available, my skill level (somewhere between beginner and intermediate I'd say), and the fish she's interested in, I'm going to recommend she get a 37 gallon. I believe Aqueon has a kit at Petsmart that is a decent price given that it comes with an adequate filter, heater, light, and hood.
I plan to introduce some water and filter media from my 20-gallon gourami tank to help cycle the new tank and let it run for about a month before we add any fish. Also, the tank will be moderately to heavily planted with gravel substrate plenty of natural rock or natural-looking decor.
She really likes Angelfish and guppies, so my ideas for stocking is something along these lines:
- 1-2 angelfish
- 10-15 guppies
- 3-5 mystery snails
- 10-20 cherry shrimp
What do you think of this stocking? I feel like it may seem kind of empty since the angels will be the showpieces but other than guppies I'm not sure what to add without overcrowding.
I've had experience with many beginner fish such as guppies, rasboras, danios, corydoras, mollies, dwarf gouramis, and goldfish, as well as some invertebrates like nerite and mystery snail and ghost and cherry shrimp. I've also had some unusual fish in the past such as a spiny eel and a banjo catfish, but I'm open to new ideas.
Thanks for any ideas, and criticism is welcome
She's decided there is no particular budget and will buy whatever I tell her to get. That being said, given the space available, my skill level (somewhere between beginner and intermediate I'd say), and the fish she's interested in, I'm going to recommend she get a 37 gallon. I believe Aqueon has a kit at Petsmart that is a decent price given that it comes with an adequate filter, heater, light, and hood.
I plan to introduce some water and filter media from my 20-gallon gourami tank to help cycle the new tank and let it run for about a month before we add any fish. Also, the tank will be moderately to heavily planted with gravel substrate plenty of natural rock or natural-looking decor.
She really likes Angelfish and guppies, so my ideas for stocking is something along these lines:
- 1-2 angelfish
- 10-15 guppies
- 3-5 mystery snails
- 10-20 cherry shrimp
What do you think of this stocking? I feel like it may seem kind of empty since the angels will be the showpieces but other than guppies I'm not sure what to add without overcrowding.
I've had experience with many beginner fish such as guppies, rasboras, danios, corydoras, mollies, dwarf gouramis, and goldfish, as well as some invertebrates like nerite and mystery snail and ghost and cherry shrimp. I've also had some unusual fish in the past such as a spiny eel and a banjo catfish, but I'm open to new ideas.
Thanks for any ideas, and criticism is welcome
