Back after 8 years! New tank required

[steve_b21]

Hello all

I was a fairly active member on here 8 years ago and built a custom tank fitted into a wall which went well eventually... I sold the property a few years back - along with tank and fish.

Moving on I am looking for a tank to start up again, mainly for my 3 year old so.

I have seen Biorb life portrait Aquariams and like the look of them, are they any good? They come in 15, 30 and 60 litre tanks. Something like : https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00200LPH0/?tag=

I understand the water cycling process and how I need to cycle before adding fish.

I am in 2 minds;
1. To keep as cold tank and add goldfish. If I was do go down this option what size tank would I require?

2. I love beta fighting fish, neon tetra, guppies. Understand these would require heated tank, but what size tank would I need and how many fish could I have?


Many thanks
Steve

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome back

The biOrb tanks are not the easiest to work in and don't have a good surface area for the fish to swim. A plain old boring rectangular tank is more practical and will give you more space for fish and ornaments, which kids love to pick out.

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If you want goldfish then get a tank that is at least 3 foot long and get small goldfish. They will be fine for a year or two but will eventually need a bigger tank. Adult fantail (double tail) goldfish should have a tank that is at least 4 foot long, and adult shubunkins, comet or common (single tail) goldfish should have a tank that is at least 6 foot long.

Do not mix single tail goldfish with double tail goldfish because the single tail ones will out compete the slower moving fantails.

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A male Betta would be ok in the 30 or 60 litre biOrb tank in the link you provided assuming you add a heater to keep the water warm.

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Guppies prefer hard water with a pH above 7.0. Neon tetras prefer soft water with a pH below 7.0. It is best to keep these species in separate tanks so you can accommodate their individual water chemistry requirements.

A minimum size tank for neons and guppies is about 30 inches long or bigger, preferably bigger. You can keep male guppies in a tank that is 24 inches long but if you have females and they give birth, you will need to remove most of the young so you don't overstock the tank. A 30 inch tank (or bigger) will give you more room so if they do breed it won't become overcrowded as quickly. A 3 foot tank would be better still.

If you keep livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies) try to keep single sex tanks, (all males or all females). If you have males and females, the males constantly harass the females and end up stressing them. If you want a colourful tank of guppies, get a 2 foot tank and put 8-10 male guppies in it. You will have lots of colour and no babies so it won't become overcrowded.

If you do get livebearers, deworm them as soon as you get them. Use Praziquantel to treat them for gill flukes & tapeworms, and Levamisole to treat them for thread/ round worms. You treat them once a week for 3 weeks and do a 75% water change 24-48 hours after treating. Don't use the medications together because you can overdose the fish and kill them.

The easiest way to treat them is to use Praziquantel on day one. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate on day 2 & 3. Treat the tank with Levamisole on day 4 and do a 75% water change and gravel clean on day 5, 6 & 7 and then start with Praziquantel again on day 8.

The water changes will remove most of the medication so you don't overdose the fish. The gravel cleaning will suck out any worms and eggs that have been expelled by the fish. Repeating the treating for 3 doses at weekly intervals will kill any worms that hatch from eggs. At the end of the treatment you will have healthier fish.

 

[steve_b21]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

The wife wants a tank that is more appealing to the eye rather than a “boring” rectangle one.

If I get a 60l biorb it has dimensions of
63.5 x 43.2 x 43.2 cm

I take it I won’t be able to squeeze in say 5 tetras and a beta fish?

 

[Essjay]

I would not keep tetras with a betta in any tank. Bettas should be kept alone. And tetras need a bigger group than 5.

If you have soft water, the largest model would be just about OK with very small tetras such as embers, or other tiny fish such as those in the genus Boraras (chili rasboras are the most common in shops). At least 10 of any of those, with plenty of hiding place such as plants, real or fake.
If you have hard water, a group of male only endlers.

Because the rocks on the bottom are part of the filter, you can't replace them with sand so bottom dwellers eg cories are not an option for this tank.

 

[Colin_T]

Unfortunately the biOrbs are the wrong shape for most fish. A Betta or some small gouramis would be ok but tetras need more swimming room (lengthwise). Even the 60 litre model has a very limited surface area so the fish would be swimming up and down instead of lengthwise like they normally would. You could sort of squeeze some small tetras into it but they would be better off in a tank that was 63 long rather than 43 long.

 

[**sarahp**]

If you do get livebearers, deworm them as soon as you get them. Use Praziquantel to treat them for gill flukes & tapeworms, and Levamisole to treat them for thread/ round worms. You treat them once a week for 3 weeks and do a 75% water change 24-48 hours after treating. Don't use the medications together because you can overdose the fish and kill them.

The easiest way to treat them is to use Praziquantel on day one. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate on day 2 & 3. Treat the tank with Levamisole on day 4 and do a 75% water change and gravel clean on day 5, 6 & 7 and then start with Praziquantel again on day 8.

The water changes will remove most of the medication so you don't overdose the fish. The gravel cleaning will suck out any worms and eggs that have been expelled by the fish. Repeating the treating for 3 doses at weekly intervals will kill any worms that hatch from eggs. At the end of the treatment you will have healthier fish.

I never knew that!! That’s what I like about this forum - there’s always something new to learn!

 

[TallPaul]

I would avoid Biorb like the plague. Massively overpriced for what is a plastic bowl with a filter. There are other brands that can offer similar for a fraction of the cost

 

[steve_b21]

I would avoid Biorb like the plague. Massively overpriced for what is a plastic bowl with a filter. There are other brands that can offer similar for a fraction of the cost

Care to list some examples please?

I am looking to get the tank tomorrow (sons bday on sunday).... I know it will take a while to cycle however atleast he will have the tank up and ready.

There is a Biorb listed on ebay, its 30L. Up and running tank with 5 neons, 3 guppy and 1 gourami. I take it (from the comments earlier in this thread) that these fish are not suited to the tank size, which is 41x40x23cm

 

[Byron]

There is a Biorb listed on ebay, its 30L. Up and running tank with 5 neons, 3 guppy and 1 gourami. I take it (from the comments earlier in this thread) that these fish are not suited to the tank size, which is 41x40x23cm

Correct. Those fish at those numbers in that tank is cruelty to animals, seriously. They are totally out of what they "expect."

 

[steve_b21]

I'm running out of time so thought id do a bit more looking around for tanks.

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/ciano-nexus-25-led-aquarium-light-22-litres-tank-white

https://www.aquariumgardens.co.uk/dennerle-nano-cube-60l-1576-p.asp

https://www.swelluk.com/juwel-rekord-600-aquarium/

So what are your views on the above 3? Could any one please give their suggestions on what fish type/capacity each tank could hold?

Thanks

(I still think the Biorbs look better but can see why a few of the above are more fish friendly)

 

[Byron]

I shall be general in my comments that hopefully will answer your question.

Ignoring for the moment volume and dealing only with dimensions...linear tanks offer more options for fish species than column or vertical cube-type tanks. Several species of pencilfish for example will be happy in a cube tank (again ignoring volume here) but all species will be happy in linear tanks. Rasbora tend to do OK in cube tanks. Depending upon the volume, dwarf cichlids can do well in cube tanks. Most (but not all) tetras do not, because they need swimming space and that must be horizontal. No true danios or barbs suit a cube tank...though if very large it can work. But I am being general and within the confines of the small tanks being linked.

I cannot suggest numbers until I know the species, and the intended tank, as there is so much variation.

Water parameters are also very important as many of the fish suitable for small tanks whether cube or linear will be wild caught and have specific requirements. Knowing your GH and pH of the source water will help going forward once you get into specific tanks.