Hi, Im new here and trying to get some ideas for my tank.

[John-Solo]

Hello! Im fairly new to this hobby. It all started about 8 months ago with my wife and I getting a gold fish at the store and a 10gl tank, sadly it died the next day so we got another!... and it died the next day, so on and so forth. I became obsessed with figuring out why these fish kept dying and it has sparked an awesome stress reliever, place to learn new things, and use my imagination.

most of my knowledge has come from the internet, along with conversations with the guys at the LFS, and a hole lot of trial and error.

Right now I have 4 bolivian rams (witch I LOVE) I think 2 males and 2 females but there still young so its hard to tell, 1 bumblebee cat fish, and 1 pleco. Id like to get some advice and ideas of some other fish to add to the tank, something that will swim in the upper level of the tank would be nice, with nice color. Id really like to get some sort of eel type fish as well. I had 2 Green Spotted Puffers for about 5 months and tried to run a brackish tank. that was a fun till one puffer got sick, I tried to medicate it then the nitrites spiked and they both died I wanted to get a Dragon gobie but never did. Id really really like to get a figure eight puffer cus I loved the GSP's and wish I could have kept them going longer. I here the F8's are not aggressive and can live in fresh water longer then the GSP.

Any way this is a long message but if anyone has any ideas and advice please let me know! Im all ears, fins, gills, flippers and what ever els! Thanks!!!

 

[marsh]

Hiya. Sounds like a new found joy in your lives, I can relate. Very safe and meditative in a crazy world, that's how I got hooked(yes a few fish passed but I had to learn how to keep my Betta named Marshall alive! RIP Harris)

My partner soon found an interest and has a tank as well. We are the lucky ones, many people here have jealous wives who hate their fish lol

 

[John-Solo]

haha my wife likes the tank to look nice, and she enjoys helping me pick out the fish but she hasn't gotten quite as into studying the different types of fish like I have. she really wants to use our 10gl for some fire belly toads, maybe but I think the fish tank takes most of the priority as of now. do you have any suggestions on other fish to add to the tank?

 

[SKB]

to the forum!! If you only have a 10 gallon tank right now with the 4 Bolivian Rams, you are overstocked....Im sorry . Ive heard of people keeping on Bolivian Ram in a 10 gallon. What kind of pleco do you have? Idk much about the bumblebee cat.

If you ever wanted a dragon goby, they come in the regular dark color (freshwater) and the violet color (brackish). They can grow very large and I believe you need a 50-75 gallon tank for them.

Puffer fish are dangerous to other fish because they have beaks. I have heard different that they are aggressive.

Are you planning on upgrading to a larger tank? Do you have an API Freshwater Master Test Kit? Testing your water is very important in the fish world. Actually, you mostly care for water, not the fish.

 

[Coryluv]

Welcome. Glad you are here.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Welcome to AA, we hope ya enjoy!

 

[John-Solo]

SKB- sorry, I have it written in my profile but I forgot to right it in my first post. I have a 30gal now with a Emperor 400 filter that has been running for about 5 months, and a few plant 3 live and 3 fake. but I would like to upgrade to something bigger when ever my wife and I move to a larger place. so I should have some room for a few more fish in the 30gl. I do not have that test kit Iv just been using the test strips. are they not ok?

I have a bristle nose pleco (its small right about an inch). The Bumble bee cat dosnt do much, it hide under the drift wood until I turn off the light or drop in some blood worms then it will come out for a bit and then go back to hiding. now I Know GSP are aggressive (even though mine never were) but lots of people on different web sights have said that the figure eights are not cus they stay small. thats good to know about the Dragon gobies I thought they could only be in brackish water, but I think even my 30 gl will still be to small. do you have any suggestions?

 

[SKB]

Test Strips are usually incorrect.

for a 30 gallon, and with your current stock, you could do a mix of different things out of this list: Neon Tetras, Zebra Danios, Mollies, Cory Cats, Snails, Sworttails, Guppies.

Since you have the 4 bolivian rams and a bristlenose (which produces a lot of waste) and the bumblebee catfish, I would check on AqAdvisor.com. You can enter your tank size, filter type, and what fish you have. It will tell you if you are overstocked and/or how many more fish you can add!

 

[SKB]

Nvm, I just put in your tank information myself because I was curious and it says you are 62% at your stocking level. You need driftwood if you don't for your pleco.

Any of the fish I listed above sound like anything youd like?

 

[John-Solo]

Yes thank, I you like the swordtails, and the neon tetras, Ill probably get a few of those Iv also been looking into tiger barbs but I had a few red tailed glow barbs in my tank and they killed all my glow danios and then killed each other so im not sure if I want to go that rout again. Iv got a peace of drift wood about 4-6" in the tank now with some slate rocks for hiding places and 3 small plants but Im getting more. Ill get another peace of wood for good measure. thanks again!

 

[SKB]

No problem!