Goldies or fresh water tropicals?
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th08tu
Aquarium Advice Freak
Just comes down to what you prefer. If it was me, I would go salt/reef, then tropical planted, then goldfish. But that is just me. You could have a nice community tank with a whole bunch of small tropicals and it would look really nice too. I'm not a fan of Cichlids but that is another option
FishEggs
Aquarium Advice Addict
planted tropical community. you can get lots of different colors and fish.
crazyfishkeeper101
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2010
- Messages
- 15
how do i post a question
th08tu
Aquarium Advice Freak
you just did? if you want to start a new thread there is that option at the top left of the forum pages
Thanks, I appreciate. What would you recommend as a good tropical community? Will I need to do much for my already cycled tank to get it ready?
th08tu
Aquarium Advice Freak
I personally haven't done fresh water for a while, but I'll do my best. Your goldfish you have in there now will be a fairly large bioload, so if you don't plan on changing substrate you shouldn't have to worry about it cycling again. As for fish, I'm not too sure, it depends what you are going for and what you like, but I am sure more people will chime in on that. Stay away from livebearers though, they reproduce like crazy, and (at least for me) get boring after a while.
I really like neons and danios, and if you do it properly you could get a good number of them in there and have a nice looking tank. What are you thinking about doing? Maybe we could help direct you in the right direction...
I really like neons and danios, and if you do it properly you could get a good number of them in there and have a nice looking tank. What are you thinking about doing? Maybe we could help direct you in the right direction...
Thank you so much again. Well after your post, and also learning today that even the fancy goldfish can get huge, I'm really veering towards tropicals, and perhaps a planted tank, or at least a mixture. Little by little.
I know I will need a thermometer, but my main concern is the water quality. It's nice and clear and 0 ammonia, but nitrates are still high: 200ppm. Have a hard time getting it down. seems to fluctuate. Plus our water here is hard.
So do I need to do something before adding new fish?
Also I now have gravel substrate. Do I need to add some other kind that is good for plants?
Salt water I think sounds great, but I hesitate. Must be a challenge to set up.
I know I will need a thermometer, but my main concern is the water quality. It's nice and clear and 0 ammonia, but nitrates are still high: 200ppm. Have a hard time getting it down. seems to fluctuate. Plus our water here is hard.
So do I need to do something before adding new fish?
Also I now have gravel substrate. Do I need to add some other kind that is good for plants?
Salt water I think sounds great, but I hesitate. Must be a challenge to set up.
Mark Hewitt
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Personally I find goldfish too big and ponderous. With tropicals they are a lot more active IMO so I would go with that. Plus of course goldies are very messy so you can have many more tropicals in comparison.
BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
Compromise and get koi swordtails.
And yes, if you're planning on having plants other than easy ferns and mosses - you'll need to:
1. Replace the gravel with plantable substrate, OR
2. Lay down plantable substrate under the gravel, AND
3. Let us know your current lighting setup, cause you may need brighter lights over a planted tank than just a fish tank.
1. Replace the gravel with plantable substrate, OR
2. Lay down plantable substrate under the gravel, AND
3. Let us know your current lighting setup, cause you may need brighter lights over a planted tank than just a fish tank.
Andrewz00
Aquarium Advice FINatic
im planted and have only gravel as a substrate with no problems...
im currently running a 90G mostly barb tank.... you can check "my tanks" for my stocking list.... there are about 40 fish, 3 shrimp and now a bunch of snails... lots of activity
im currently running a 90G mostly barb tank.... you can check "my tanks" for my stocking list.... there are about 40 fish, 3 shrimp and now a bunch of snails... lots of activity
What to do now . . .
Lights are LIFE GLOW T8 20w
50g aquarium (recently planted after moving my 9 goldfish to a pond). Starting out with freshwater tropicals. Cycled.
My PetCo help who is very knowledgeable advised me to start out with serpae tetras, just to make sure. Now I find out that they are semi aggressive, and everything I've read tells horror stories of how they have killed or harassed other tetras and even gouramis
I've had them 3 days and already 2 of them are chasing the 3rd away when I give them food:
!
My initial hope (and I talked to her about this initially) would have been cardinal tetras, glowlight tetras, pearl gouramis and some kind of catfish.
Looks like with these guys, I wouldn't be able to have any of these . . .
So . . . my choices are: to bring these 3 back, or to stock according to what I have now.
Appreciate any input/advice
Lights are LIFE GLOW T8 20w
50g aquarium (recently planted after moving my 9 goldfish to a pond). Starting out with freshwater tropicals. Cycled.
My PetCo help who is very knowledgeable advised me to start out with serpae tetras, just to make sure. Now I find out that they are semi aggressive, and everything I've read tells horror stories of how they have killed or harassed other tetras and even gouramis
My initial hope (and I talked to her about this initially) would have been cardinal tetras, glowlight tetras, pearl gouramis and some kind of catfish.
Looks like with these guys, I wouldn't be able to have any of these . . .
So . . . my choices are: to bring these 3 back, or to stock according to what I have now.
adeebm
Aquarium Advice FINatic
never had serpe tetras, but if you don't like them, I would bring them back. Cardinals like soft water and are a bit tricky to acclimate, but once established, they're pretty hardy. So I would drip acclimate if you get them. The other fish sound good too. You could do a couple schools of different tetras in a 50gal, that would look nice.
That light is pretty weak, I'm assuming you only have 1 bulb? You might be able to get away with some low light plants, but I would look to upgrading your lights for more plant options. You can keep your existing gravel and use root tabs, or mix in a plant substrate to help the plants out.
--Adeeb
That light is pretty weak, I'm assuming you only have 1 bulb? You might be able to get away with some low light plants, but I would look to upgrading your lights for more plant options. You can keep your existing gravel and use root tabs, or mix in a plant substrate to help the plants out.
--Adeeb
Mark Hewitt
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Yep, take them back before you get too attached to them. Stocking really is a difficult area if you're after a community tank, so many that just won't live with other species. Even when they are supposedly peaceful.
And when you only have the one tank it's difficult as you don't just want to have one type of fish!
And when you only have the one tank it's difficult as you don't just want to have one type of fish!
Thank you for all the great help and suggestions. Well I guess i got attached! and decided to keep the serpaes . . . they look so happy and seem to be all together again. They really are quite lovely. So in a day or two I will add some more so they are either 5 or 7. the girl at the pet store said uneven numbers are best. and in another week or two she said cardinals would be fine, or maybe lemon tetras. Most any tetras she said. But I'll go slow. she also said that fish behaviors are different, just like humans they can surprise us. I've added root tabs to the substrate. Actually I have 2 bulbs. I'll look for another that is good for plants. Maybe some dayIi could even be daring and try a pearl gourami . . . if there is peace in the tank . . .
they can surprise us. I've added root tabs to the substrate. Actually I have 2 bulbs. I'll look for another that is good for plants. Maybe some dayIi could even be daring and try a pearl gourami . . . if there is peace in the tank . . .Mark Hewitt
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Good stuff. Best to get small amount of whatever companions to see if they will get on. IME if they last the first two weeks, they will last the long haul.
