Newb seeking knowledge and advice.

[Aquaman23]

Hello, my name is Jacob. I'm very new to keeping fish and I am seeking the help of friendly people to help guide me to my first tank. I have experience keeping exotic animals (Tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, lizards, etc.) so I know very well the importance of not jumping into anything blindly and knowing exactly what you are doing before making your first purchase.

I am interested in starting a freshwater fish tank but I have absolutley no clue where to start. I havoing dozens of 10 gallon tanks that I have laying around from my days of keeping and breeding tarantulas, but I have come to see that 10 gallons are kind of a joke when it comes to keeping fish.

I would like a tank of about a dozen different freshwater fish. I dont want a huge tank because I'm a college student and I don't really have the room or money for a huge tank.

My budget is reasonable and flexible. I just want to know what Im doing before I even purchase a larger tank.

A few questions:

1.) As I said, I am interested in getting a freshwater tank of about a dozen assorted fish. Just how big of a tank should I be looking to buy to accomadate that many to their adult sizes?

2.) I have seen people talking about cycling a tank? What exactly is this?

3.) What kind of fish are compatible witheach other? I have seen people talking about some needing a partner or a school.

4.) What accesories do I REALLY need for my tank? The pet store would tell me I needed bleach in the water if it would make them an extra dollar so I don't trust pet store employees.

Any information would be so greatly appreciated guys. Thanks for looking,

-Jacob Huff

 

[Lonestarbandit]

Well as you can see from my thread I am no genius myself as I forgot everything I learned years ago. However.....

The description of cycling I will leave to the experts but the idea is it allows the required bacteria needed for waste and chemical balance to establish a foothold.

When it comes to the tank - the largest you can reasonably accommodate and afford. The reason for this is to prevent overcrowding as you WILL add fish ( it's like a disease lol ) and to allow room for the growth of your fish!

Accessories. First off forget the chain stores unless needs are of an immediate emergency.
Amazon.com is your friend. (Example: 60 gallon tetra air pump. PETCO 33.00 / Amazon 13.99)

That being said many choices depend on the SIZE of your tank wattages, filtering capacity and the like.

You WILL require:

Heater of at least 100 watts
Power filter - size dependent on tank choice
Air pump - likewise
Gravel - at least enough for an inch deep make sure to rinse clean first!
Water conditioner
Bacteria culture if you are impatient (20.00 at stores)
Decorations (Also Amazon is your friend Ebay not so much on pricing)
Possibly a stand ( again depends on tank )
Air line (prefer silicone) not cheap crap that hardens and deteriorates and cannot bend
A gravel vacuum - for cleaning tank
Fish food and algae sinking food for bottom feeders
Tank lid
Light fixture

Not counting fish of course also depends on tank size

I would say that's the minimum. Expect to spend more than you expect getting started!

As far as partners when you shop at petsmart for example the tanks will have tags notifying you if the fish does best in school ( groups ) as well as potential conflicts with tank mates. As a rule of thumb most tetras are schooling fish.

 

[ErinMcG]

I an still new too, but some of the best places to go for info are the stickies that you find associated with the forum topics. So, in the freshwater getting started forum you can find a couple of stickies about getting started. One if these is links to articles on cycling both without fish and with fish. They are fantastic and reading them will likely answer most of your questions on cycling.

As for the wonderful and very detailed shopping list suggested by lonestar, while I might agree with most of it, I am not entirely sold on all of it as necessary. I think it depends a bit on what you want to do.

A minimalist list of the very basics, from my perspective (remember, I am new too!):

Tank
Filter and media suited to it
Heater
Substrate (type depends on what you want to stock - I really wanted cories and they do better in sand than gravel, so I went with sand)
Test kits for checking your water quality
Water conditioner to strip out the chlorine
Powerbar to plug it all into

Be careful about additives that are supposed to have beneficial bacteria. They are hit and miss and can just eat up your money. If you want a quick start on cycling, what you really want is seeded media from a healthy tank. Someone recently recommended an active filter from Angels Plus for me because my cycle was struggling.


A lid will keep your water from evaporating quickly, but not everyone uses them. (Also good to keep the fish IN the tank, if you have jumpers.)
A light will help you see your fish and is necessary if you want live plants.

Decorations depend on species. Many species like plants to hide in, some like caves, etc.

I would suggest identifying the species you are really into and then research what they like/need. I have seen some amazing biotope set ups that we're all based around particular compatible species. But, you need to know the species to build the tank.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Hello, my name is Jacob. I'm very new to keeping fish and I am seeking the help of friendly people to help guide me to my first tank. I have experience keeping exotic animals (Tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, lizards, etc.) so I know very well the importance of not jumping into anything blindly and knowing exactly what you are doing before making your first purchase.

I am interested in starting a freshwater fish tank but I have absolutley no clue where to start. I havoing dozens of 10 gallon tanks that I have laying around from my days of keeping and breeding tarantulas, but I have come to see that 10 gallons are kind of a joke when it comes to keeping fish.

I would like a tank of about a dozen different freshwater fish. I dont want a huge tank because I'm a college student and I don't really have the room or money for a huge tank.

My budget is reasonable and flexible. I just want to know what Im doing before I even purchase a larger tank.

A few questions:

1.) As I said, I am interested in getting a freshwater tank of about a dozen assorted fish. Just how big of a tank should I be looking to buy to accomadate that many to their adult sizes?

2.) I have seen people talking about cycling a tank? What exactly is this?

3.) What kind of fish are compatible witheach other? I have seen people talking about some needing a partner or a school.

4.) What accesories do I REALLY need for my tank? The pet store would tell me I needed bleach in the water if it would make them an extra dollar so I don't trust pet store employees.

Any information would be so greatly appreciated guys. Thanks for looking,

-Jacob Huff

Welcome to AA!
It really depends what kind of fish you plan to keep. If you go with nano fish you could have 10-12 in a 10g tank where as if you went with something like african cichlids you'd need a 40g (or bigger depending exactly what kinds) to be able to accommodate the same number. Types of fish have different needs and some can't be kept with others. I like to suggest you go to your LFS and check out the fish. Write down what takes your fancy then research them.
Some fish such as loaches, tetras, rasboras, cories and danios should be kept in shoals of 6 or more. Others must not be kept with others of their same kind such as male Betta splendens.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...-to-Starting-a-Freshwater-Aquarium/Page1.html
Here is the getting started guide. It will explain what accessories are needed and about cycling.

 

[Aquaman23]

Welcome to AA!
It really depends what kind of fish you plan to keep. If you go with nano fish you could have 10-12 in a 10g tank where as if you went with something like african cichlids you'd need a 40g (or bigger depending exactly what kinds) to be able to accommodate the same number. Types of fish have different needs and some can't be kept with others. I like to suggest you go to your LFS and check out the fish. Write down what takes your fancy then research them.
Some fish such as loaches, tetras, rasboras, cories and danios should be kept in shoals of 6 or more. Others must not be kept with others of their same kind such as male Betta splendens.
Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium
Here is the getting started guide. It will explain what accessories are needed and about cycling.

I took your advice and went to the pet store in town and I wrote down about a dozen that looked nice to be an I looked them up. Most were cichlids and were called aggressive with other fish and required a large tank so I crossed them off of my list of possible first fish.

What caught my eye were the tetras. They called them "Mixed fruit tetras" also I liked the sailfin mollies but I can not find much info on these fish? Anybody know about them or keep them? I saw that you said that they should live in groups of 6 or more. Would a 10 gallon be ablto fit that number to adult hood? Also, I have a male betta and I was wondering if he could safely cohabitate with the tetras or mollies?

 

[dlsrks]

Hello, my name is Jacob. I'm very new to keeping fish and I am seeking the help of friendly people to help guide me to my first tank. I have experience keeping exotic animals (Tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, lizards, etc.) so I know very well the importance of not jumping into anything blindly and knowing exactly what you are doing before making your first purchase.

I am interested in starting a freshwater fish tank but I have absolutley no clue where to start. I havoing dozens of 10 gallon tanks that I have laying around from my days of keeping and breeding tarantulas, but I have come to see that 10 gallons are kind of a joke when it comes to keeping fish.

I would like a tank of about a dozen different freshwater fish. I dont want a huge tank because I'm a college student and I don't really have the room or money for a huge tank.

My budget is reasonable and flexible. I just want to know what Im doing before I even purchase a larger tank.

A few questions:

1.) As I said, I am interested in getting a freshwater tank of about a dozen assorted fish. Just how big of a tank should I be looking to buy to accomadate that many to their adult sizes?

2.) I have seen people talking about cycling a tank? What exactly is this?

3.) What kind of fish are compatible witheach other? I have seen people talking about some needing a partner or a school.

4.) What accesories do I REALLY need for my tank? The pet store would tell me I needed bleach in the water if it would make them an extra dollar so I don't trust pet store employees.

Any information would be so greatly appreciated guys. Thanks for looking,

-Jacob Huff

Q 1. Depends on what kind of freshwater fish you are thinking of. Rule of thumb for freshwater; 1 inch of fish for every gallon. Although I always had more than that. You just got to watch your parameters.

Q 2. When people talk about cycling a tank, it is to get the biological and chemical parameters balanced. For a freshwater tank, you only need to cycle it for about a week before adding fish.

Q 3. You can go to a pet store and pick up a book on freshwater fish that will give you a complete biography on each fish species. When I had a small freshwater tank, I had mostly tetras. They have several different colors.

Q 4. As far as accessories, it is really your preference. The book from the pet store will guide you through it. Just make sure that when you get your gravel, you wash them thoroughly. The rocks are dyed and you need to rinse them well. Also whatever size tank you get, make sure your power filter is double. If you get a 30 gallon tank. Get a power filter that is for a 60 gallon tank or more. It will push the water through the filtration chambers quicker. It will help keep your nitrates down.

Hope this helps. Welcome to the fishy world. Bty my freshwater tank is now south American Oscar cichlids. Went from little tiny fish to great big fishes. And boy are they spoiled. Hope to put a new pics up soon.

Donna

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I took your advice and went to the pet store in town and I wrote down about a dozen that looked nice to be an I looked them up. Most were cichlids and were called aggressive with other fish and required a large tank so I crossed them off of my list of possible first fish.

What caught my eye were the tetras. They called them "Mixed fruit tetras" also I liked the sailfin mollies but I can not find much info on these fish? Anybody know about them or keep them? I saw that you said that they should live in groups of 6 or more. Would a 10 gallon be ablto fit that number to adult hood? Also, I have a male betta and I was wondering if he could safely cohabitate with the tetras or mollies?

Great job doing your research on the cichlids
The fruit tetras are actually dyed white skirt tetras (same as a black skirt tetra) that have been dipped in a colored dye to produce the different colors. What happens is their slime coat (fishes natural defense to many diseases) is stripped leaving them more prone to illness and shortened lifespans. Best to avoid them altogether. Black skirts and white skirts get rather large and aren't suited to a 10g tank I'm sorry. Sailfin molllies get too large for 10g also. Your Betta would love a new home in your 10g tank. They really thrive with some extra space. It is possible to keep tank mates with bettas but you really have to gauge what they will tolerate. Some good 10g tank mates would include harlequin rasboras, neon tetras or ember tetras. All of which would need a school of 6-8. With some bettas it's possible to even keep shrimp.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Q 1. Depends on what kind of freshwater fish you are thinking of. Rule of thumb for freshwater; 1 inch of fish for every gallon. Although I always had more than that. You just got to watch your parameters.

Q 2. When people talk about cycling a tank, it is to get the biological and chemical parameters balanced. For a freshwater tank, you only need to cycle it for about a week before adding fish.

Q 3. You can go to a pet store and pick up a book on freshwater fish that will give you a complete biography on each fish species. When I had a small freshwater tank, I had mostly tetras. They have several different colors.

Q 4. As far as accessories, it is really your preference. The book from the pet store will guide you through it. Just make sure that when you get your gravel, you wash them thoroughly. The rocks are dyed and you need to rinse them well. Also whatever size tank you get, make sure your power filter is double. If you get a 30 gallon tank. Get a power filter that is for a 60 gallon tank or more. It will push the water through the filtration chambers quicker. It will help keep your nitrates down.

Hope this helps. Welcome to the fishy world. Bty my freshwater tank is now south American Oscar cichlids. Went from little tiny fish to great big fishes. And boy are they spoiled. Hope to put a new pics up soon.

Donna

The inch per gallon rule in most cases is useless. There are too many factors to consider. I mean you wouldn't keep a 10inch Oscar in a 10g tank or even 20g for that matter.

Cycling a tank require a lot more than just letting the tank sit for a week. An ammonia source is needed and the whole process generally takes 4-8 weeks.

Extra filtration will not reduce nitrates, plants and water changes will achieve this.

 

[Autumnsky]

Some ideas...

Mumma is right different fish in different conditions.

Most Betta want to fight to defend their territory, hence their nickname Siamese Fighting Fish. I have kept many and very few get along with other fish. It totally depends on their personality.

Right now I have two very aggressive fish and a third which seems to get along with the guppies with red tails and, so far I haven't caught him eating any babies.

Also check out the Invertebrates sub forum category in Freshwater & Brackish.

You can keep lots of (dwarf) shrimp in a 10 gallon! Shrimp are awesome! One of my favorites is the Bamboo shrimp which is big not dwarf so it needs a large space and best in an established tank. Filter feeder, so fun to watch!

Have fun and enjoy the odyssey. Many here to help you!!!

 

[ErinMcG]

Q 2. When people talk about cycling a tank, it is to get the biological and chemical parameters balanced. For a freshwater tank, you only need to cycle it for about a week before adding fish.

I would have to disagree with this. If you put fish into a tank after a week you will be doing a fish in cycle. There are some who think that fish in cycles should be avoided at all costs and some who say they are ok. There are some good articles in the stickies about them. Fish in cycles are hard (I know, I am in the middle of one). You would start with only one or two small fish in a 10 gallon and then you would be testing water daily and probably changing out about half the water every day. Fishless cycles are boring, but (in my opinion) far less work. You still test constantly, but don't necessarily have to change the water all the time because you actually want ammonia in it. When you have fish in, you have to keep removing the ammonia so you don't injure or kill them. I have been way more frantic with my fish in cycle than I ever was with my fishless cycle.

 

[TenaciousTriggerFish]

Look up the following (just possibility)
Rummy nose tetras
Long finned serpae tetras
Penguin tetras
Neon/cardinal tetras
Silvertip tetras
Congo tetras
Blue tetras <-- don't know much bout this one...
I am stocking a 50 gallon long tank and I'm doing a whole bunch of research on these little guys and I plan to have no less then 40-50 of then and in my research these are some of my favorite

 

[dlsrks]

For everyone's info. I started a freshwater tank after a week and didnt have any problems. I just watched all my parameters. And the inch per gallon is the recommended amount that is listed in the aquarium books which I never followed. I'm sure it doesn't apply to oscars.