New starter - Advice please

[Markdon]

Hi all,
After redesigning our garden last year, which meant the removal of our 2500L pond (partner worried about safety issues with newborn, unable to convince her steps could be taken), i have had a fish shaped hole in my life.

I have always fancied some indoor fish, i am edging towards a tropical set up. I dont have loads of money to do this, so have been looking at 2nd hand tanks etc.

I have found a local Aqua One 165L, the ones with the cabinet below the tank, and it comes with a CF1200 filer. I understand i will need a heater of some sort if i want to keep tropical fish, i wondered if someone could advise?

As for what fish to keep, im not sure, my grandad used to keep neons and fighting fish, i always enjoyed watching those, i guess with 165L, i could get a few others in there? I was thinking about getting some other lodgers, like shrimp to help with algae, perhaps a bottom dweller and perhaps a pleco? Any advice would be great, i know i need to have the tank set up and established for a while before i introduce any lodgers.

Would like to add some greenery and some ornaments for the fish to hide in if they need to too.

Thanks for any help.

Mark.

 

[Pawtrekker]

I'm not much of an expert on the bigger tanks but it sounds like you could put a smaller variety of Pleco in your tank Like a Bristlenose or maybe a Rubber Lip Pleco. As for fighting fish, (I suppose you mean Bettas?) If I'm doing my conversions right, a 45 gallon seems a bit overkill for a Betta but it may be okay. There are lot's of options for a tank that size. You could probably do angelfish but you'd have to see what others say. I think a nice school of tetras would be great too. Bosami Ranbows would also look really neat. Just throwing ideas out there.

You could also do a nice little group of Cory Catfish to help clean up leftover food (Shrimp will help with that too)

I bought my heaters from Amazon.com and they work well. Just make sure to get the right size for your tank.

Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

First of all welcome to AA!

I wouldn't do a beta in a tank that big they don't like bigger than 20 gallons
Neons are very sensitive little fish be careful with those
Have you cycled your tank? If you haven't you can ask me if you have questions
I would do something like a golden nugget, rio negro pleco, bristle nose pleco, or bulldog pleco
Why not substitute the beta for a gourami, they do much better in big tanks
Shrimp don't really clean algae, but otocinclus catfish sure do!
Any questions?

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Don't do bosemani rainbows, they get too big

If you want greenery, live plants, you must put in some fertilizer like flora max, makes a very nice substrate

 

[Scottyhorse]

First of all welcome to AA!

I wouldn't do a beta in a tank that big they don't like bigger than 20 gallons

False. I have a male betta with 'incompatible' tank mates in a 25 gallon tank. 19" tall. He's fine

 

[Scottyhorse]

Don't do bosemani rainbows, they get too big

If you want greenery, live plants, you must put in some fertilizer like flora max, makes a very nice substrate

FloraMax is not a fertilizer. It is just crushed lava rock. It houses fertalizer that you put in your tank so the plants can access them easier.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Well, IME and many other people's including experienced beta breeders like my uncle who has been in the beta business for 45 years, it is not advisable
Betas in the wild have a territory ranging from 1 gallon to 20 gallons, and if I or my uncle try to put them in a 29 gallon or larger either they get sick, die, or try to jump out, so please save yourself some trouble and don't put a beta in something more than 20 gallons

 

[Khuligirl93]

I've had a beta in a 36 gal for months and he loves it.

 

[Pawtrekker]

Don't do bosemani rainbows, they get too big

If you want greenery, live plants, you must put in some fertilizer like flora max, makes a very nice substrate

Yeah, listen to this person because I really don't know anything about them. XD

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

I've had a beta in a 36 gal for months and he loves it.

I mean yes you can do it but it won't live to its full extent, just trying to make your beta live longer and happier

 

[Mebbid]

Wow guys.. just wow.

Bettas will do just fine in larger tanks; I have never heard of a tank that is "too large" That being said, bettas will tend to attack colorful fish with large fins, shrimp, and even snails. It depends wholly on the fish so some will react differently to other fish but by and large they are fine to keep.

If you are on a budget then I would suggest that you wait to set up live plants in an aquarium. The lighting system alone can be a large monetary investment and can also add a level of difficulty when you are first starting out.

If I were in your shoes, I would start with a fine sand substrate. As for stocking the tank I would do a shoal of 10 cory cats (panda corys are my fav), a school of 10 harlequin rasboras, 1 Bristlenose Pleco, 1 Pearl Gourami OR Betta.

This is a good start to a stocked tank and will give you good bottom movement as well as mid tank movement. It will also give you room to add more fish as you would like.