what do YOU recommend?!?!?!

[NDIrish7]

Before I ask my questions to everyone, I just want you to know my background. About a year Ago I used to have a very little 10 US gallon fish tank and had a variety of fish in it. But then i didnt feel i was taking care of them as good as i could have been so i traded them into my LFS. and sold all my equipment and got NOTHING, and NOW i got that fishy feeling again. I want to take care of some fish again.

Soooooo.....


My questions are...
(Im only thinking about getting a 30 gallon or so, UNLESS someone can tell me why i should get a bigger one )

1.)What fish do you reccomendfor a community tank?/ What kinds do you enjoy?
2.)What is the best kind of alge eater?
3.)Some ideas on setting up my fish tank?


I am not a noobie to this so dont ask me, I know how to hold down a fish tank and keep fish alive, i had a fish tank for over a year before i got rid of it.

 

[heresmike]

(Im only thinking about getting a 30 gallon or so, UNLESS someone can tell me why i should get a bigger one )

Because you'll wish you would've gotten a bigger one once the 30 gallon is fully stocked!

 

[Proof]

1.)What fish do you reccomendfor a community tank?/ What kinds do you enjoy?
a huge school of Tetras/Danios/Rasboras, yes. TONS of them. it's really pretty to watch them zip around =D and either one/pair/trio of bigger fish, like a Betta or a pair of Dwarf Gouramis or something, and some little floorfeeders like Cories. Cories are cute =3 i've just learned this today.

2.)What is the best kind of alge eater?
NEVER get a Clown Pleco. ours is so useless and just sticks to the back of the tank, i actually think i forgot to put him in my sig. Otos are good =3

3.)Some ideas on setting up my fish tank?
a TON of live plants, dark gravel, and wood/large rock. even a big square brick with holes in it is good, as long as fishies can hide in it. even PVC pipe is good ^^ i wish i'd set up my 10g with live plants, but i don't have the money to do that now.

my 2 cents

 

[tstenback]

If your serious about it this time then get the biggest tank that you can afford, with the best filter/heater/lighting tht you can afford ( this stuff should take priority over the tank...its what keeps them alive). Then its all up to your imagination and of course the space you have. Community fish are usually schooling fish as Proof mentioned with a centerpiece fish or pair of fish such as angelfish. HTH

 

[Dwarfs]

See my sig for a good semi oddball community (30g). I'm also putting the ropefish and geo in after quarantine. If you want a reg. community see my sig (55g) for fish although you couldn't fit all those in a 30 gallon. It's a 30g u.s. right?

 

[NDIrish7]

yeah in my last tank I had a Clown Pleco and i baught it pretty big so after a while it just stopped eating alge, WHAT IS THE BEST ALGE EATER THAT NEVER STOPS EATING ?

 

[Dwarfs]

If you have a peaceful non fish eating community, ottocinclus rule. 4 of them cleaned out my algae covered 20g in a few weeks

 

[White Whale]

33-gallon (long)
Heavily planted
Natural gravel

The aquarium's look should stand alone like a picture without the help of fish.
Then add peaceful tetras and barbs, only a little at a time, maybe 2 per month, just to accent the planted tank.

 

[Ken]

I would go with a New World livebearer tank: Some mixture of Mollies, Platies, Swordtail and guppies.

Plus corries for scavenging, ottos for alae, ghost shrimp for general cleaning.

Maybe one big snail.

Throw in java fern and java moss and some foxtail, and at least one rock-pile for time-outs.

That's a beautiful, active, peaceful tank that's easy to take care of.

Go with a 55gal; It won't cost that much more.

 

[NDIrish7]

what do the snails do? and the ghost shrimp?

also on cleaning, is it hard to clean out a 55 gallon and is it easy to take care of?

 

[noelberg]

When getting living algae cleaners, choose snails carefully - if you are interested in them - and get one that does not breed asexually unless you want snacks for loaches or gouramis. Otherwise you'll have lots of snails and few plants

As for other algae eaters, I love my little rubbernose pleco, and bristlenoses are another good small pleco. My friend has a farlowella cat and it is really awesome - unfortunately they're harder to find, but they don't get as big as common plecos and they look like a twig. I've heard many good things about otos and they're nice because you can get a group of 3-5. There are some other cool varieties of small plecos you can get online at liveaquaria.com or maybe on aquabid.com

GL

 

[NDIrish7]

yeah i dont plan on getting snails, BUT WHAT SIZE i am still not sure

 

[MadCow]

As big as you can afford and have room for. Because once you have that bug back in your system you will inevitably want more and bigger. I think most would agree that as the tanks get bigger the maintenance doesn't necessarily go up that much. And in fact a bigger tank is often more stable as the bigger volume keeps conditions from fluctuating with every little environmental change. I have just started a 29gal tank. It is a nice size to start with. I think I can have a good variety of some fish I like without being extremely limited in my selection. BUT...... I wish I had room for something bigger. Those 55gal, or 75gal, or 90gal, or bigger sure look good when I look at them at the LFS. Oh how wonderful it is to dream of such things. Whatever you decide good luck and enjoy your rediscovered hobby. Oh and go fishless when you cycle. You won't be sorry. JMO.

 

[jams.alaskan]

It is true that the larger tanks are a little more stable then the smaller ones. Care and cleaning really don't increase with the size, you still have to get all the same things ready and put away when you are through. If you've the money then maybe you would be happier with something around 55 gal or larger but the 30 / 38 / and 45 gal all provide enough space to have an interesting community.
to the forum and learn all you can, there are some wonderful tanks and fish in the members fish pictures forum, you may see something you really like!

ALASKA

 

[J_acon]

I started the hobby again, and went for a 70 Gals tank. The bigger the better if you can afford it. If i had the money i would have gone for a 3 meter long tank. It was awesome but couldn't afford it and no space to put it in.