Suggestions for First Fish Please

[Kurly]

Guess that is one good thing about the tank cycling process... It will give me time to look around at different locations to pick out my fish. This is going to be fun.

I do know that I want a variety of colors in my Aquarium and some fish that will be interesting for my kids to watch. I have been given some very good advice on here.

Plus hubby has just told me that he really wants a 55 gallon instead of a 30. Yay!!!!!! I'll still start out with easy beginner fish but it's nice to know that I'll be able to add more in the future!

[Buggy]

What method are you going to use to cycle the tank?

[Corydora_FREAK]

3. Mollies
4. Platy

please for your sake don't go with any live bearers (platies mollies) YET, unless your prepared to house young or to feed the young to predators(which you wont and dont have). When we just started we got mollies and platies, 5 of each in a 55 gallon, and it was awesome when they first had young, now its terrible, they overpopulate way to fast and ruin the ecosystem. I would NOT recommend livebearers unless you are ready to handle massive amounts of young. Sounds fun now, but it isn't that far down the road

1. Cory Catfish

Can never go wrong here. They are VERY cute and your family will love them, in a 55 gallon you can house an immense and happy shoal of 10 to 15 fish. This is where you get to see all their quirky and fun behaviors. I have 13 C. Paleatus The Peppered Corydoras and 2 C. Trilinatus Or the Three Lined Corydoras In my 55 gallon and they are quite happy. I can help you with anything Cory related, so ask on if you need to!

[Kurly]

Originally Posted by Buggy

What method are you going to use to cycle the tank?

I HAD some biro-spira that I used for my 2.5 gallon mini-bows but my son took it out of the fridge and well lets just say that I no longer have it!!!! I don't want to discuss that any further - lol. So I bought some stability this time around and was going to ask for guidance on cycling my big new tank with that when I actually purchase it. I wasn't sure if I could just use that alone or if I have to do other things to help cycle a bigger tank.


Thanks for the advice Corydora_FREAK I was just looking at some black mollies today and wondering if I should get some when I start buying fish. We really wanted some black fish in our tank but honestly I was worried about them reproducing alot. That is something that I DO NOT want to have to deal with so thank you for telling me that. I think I will have to say no to the Mollies and Platies no matter how cute they are. We really like the cory catfish and are going to get some of those for sure. When I get them you are going to hear from me quite a bit Does the shoal of cories all have to be the same kind or can it be a mixture of them?

[Corydora_FREAK]

Well. Cories are probably the most peacful fish around and they are very tolerable of other tank mates, they can live in a shoal of other kinds, but try to get 4 or more of the same species but they will be in mixed altogether, they just love the company of other cories no matter how they look! Still 4 or more of each species is good!

[adpierin11]

Hi there! First let me say this is an interesting thread. Don't know exactly why, but it is.
I know it's been about a month since you have posted, but as far as the cycling goes, I went to my local grocery store and bought clear ammonia. It should be in the cleaning aisle, they have other kinds like scented, but do not get those.
Anyway this is called fishless cycling. You take the ammonia and in a 30G I used a capful and poured it straight into my tank. I tested the ammonia everyday and waited quite awhile for it to reach 0. It took me so long because I put a lot more than a capful in the first time. After it hit 0 I put more ammonia back in the tank, and kept testing it waiting for it to hit 0 again. You'll keep doing this until you put ammonia in the tank and within a couple of hours, can't quite remember how long but, the ammonia is at 0.
Then you should test for nitrates, and if you have nitrates, then you have finally cycled your tank.
I like doing it this way because you aren't accidently killing any fish, and you aren't having to do any water changes until the tank is cycled, because there is nothing in there! And I have heard that putting a fish through a cycle makes them much more susceptible to diseases and such.
Good luck with the 55G. I started with a 30G and now I am getting a 75G soon.
I hope you have a good experience with keeping fish! Oh and please post some pictures of the betta and your 55G once you get it up and running!

[Kurly]

Thanks for the information This will really help because I have read so much about cycling a tank that it all gets pretty confusing. I know for sure that I want to do a fishless cycle on my aquarium when I do get it. I have changed my mind again and decided to get a 75 gallon aquarium instead of a 55 -lol. So.... it will be even longer because I am saving up money to buy everything.

I am at the Pet Stores ALL the time just standing there looking at all the fish. I want to get started as soon as possible but it feels like its taking forever

[Gourami Swami]

10 gallon to a 75 in a month- Your one of us now!


Im glad your upgrading, that will open up a WORLD of opportunity

[mesapod]

when you do start putting fish in it plz post pictures!

[shade2dope]

Just wondering are you going to get just a tank or one with every thing in it? If not what are you going to do for filtration i would go for a powerhead and sponge as you dont have to buy new filter packs. are you going to go sand or gravel what are you doing for decoration like fake plant or what not

[Kurly]

Sorry to answer this so late shade2dope. I'm going to get a tank and buy everything else seperately. I am still researching the filters and such for a 75 gallon tank. I would LOVE to have sand as a substrate not only because I love how it looks but also because I want to get plenty of corycats and I have heard that the softer substrate is somewhat better for them. I am not sure if that would be too hard to take care of as far as water changes and cleaning the bottom of the tank so still thinking about it. I am going to have some live plants in the tank also. I currently have low light plants in my Betta tank,java fern, anacharis and wisteria, and so far they have been very easy to take care of. I am going to plant the trimmings from them in a small tank to grow them out and then transfer them to my large tank whenever I do get it. Still thinking about the type of decorations. I don't want too much because I am really going to try to have it as natural looking as I can. I know for sure that I want a nice piece of driftwood and I am going to let my son and daughter each pick out something they like to put in there. I have made it clear that it has to be something tasteful and not gaudy My husband has always wanted a sunken ship in whatever aquarium we have so there will be one in there of course I just don't want to have too much going on in there to take away from the beauty of the fish.

As you can see, I have been thinking about a million and one things in my head in regards to my "dream" aquarium

And the list keeps getting longer and longer!

[shade2dope]

Sounds like its going to be very nice looking post pics when you get them. About the sand its worth it.To clean it just take the hose off the syphon and use that to go over the sand and it will grab what you want and leave the sand there, of course you will get some but nothing to care about in my opinion sands easier to clean