64l Kids Tank

[Aquascaper]

Hi,

As part of the deal with the wife to let me start marines again I've had to get a tank for the kids.

It's a 64l Fish X Box model and is fully cycled with play sand substrate, plastic plants and Spongebob ornaments.

The kids want two Dwarf Frogs and some fish but seeing as I've never kept frogs I have no idea what is compatible with them. I would prefer a few larger fish rather than lots of small ones and was thinking Dwarf Gouramis or something. Anyone got any thoughts or ideas? We're off to get the fish & frogs on Friday so decisions need to be made soon.

Also, anyone know where to get E27 stick bulbs that produce pure white light? The only ones I've found are energy savers and they're too yellow. I'm trying to replace the blue moon bulb as it's horrible.

Thanks

 

[snazy]

Not sure what's compatible with them but they need their food to sink at the bottom without being attacked by other fish and any aggressive eater will starve them to death.

 

[MBOU]

Im pretty sure the fish box tanks will only take their own specific bulbs?

The frogs are cute, just make sure you get the right ones! You want African Dwarf Frongs aka Congo Frogs... NOT African Clawed Frogs!!

They dont get big but will eat anything tetra sized (deep body tetras like phantoms etc are fine).

Its also not too ideal to have really food orientated fish in with them as the frogs need to eat loads of bloodworms, krill and mysis (anything chunky but small enough for them to eat) and to be fair, they generally hide! You see about as much of them as you do khuli loaches...

Dwarf gouramis would be fine, though they probably wont live long, they arent a healthy fish species as a rule... Dwarf Gouramis and Thick Lipped gouramis are great! You could probably have two pairs of honesy, reds and yellows. They might not be as big but make up for it in personality.

Something like a few platies would be fine as well... can mix up colours for the kids...

 

[Aquascaper]

I know all about the African Clawed Frogs as the wife now wants me to set up the Juwel Vision 260 in the kitchen so she can have 3 after seeing the Dwarf Frogs at the LFS (this from someone who didn't want a fish tank in the house three months ago!)

Plan was to pipette feed the Dwarf Frogs with bloodworm/mysis shrimp/brine shrimp as I'll have plenty in stock for my reef tank anyway so hopefully won't be a problem.

As for the bulbs, a standard E27 screw cap does fit its just house bulbs are too yellow

 

[Aquascaper]

Ok, I think the consensus is:

3 x Dwarf frogs
2 x Dwarf gourami
3 x Platys

Or

3 x Dwarf frogs
5 x Platys

Thoughts/suggestions?

(PS. Any fry that survive in this tank can be used as feeders for the African Claw Frogs in the 68g)

 

[MBOU]

Sounds pretty perfect to me!!

For the bulb, i meant aside from the household bulbs which I assumed was what you were talking about, other than that... is it a 15w bulb? If so, Interpet make a white version of the blue moon bulb

 

[Aquascaper]

The problem is that UK stock of the white bulbs is very low and they are hard to get hold of (at least round here & online), I tried a normal 11w energy saver CFL which worked fine it was just too yellow. You can get 6400k (daylight) CFL bulbs with the E27 fitting but they are about £18 each so might look to retrofit some LED's instead

 

[MBOU]

Is there a Maidenhead Aquatics near you? They can get one in for you... we have suddenly had to get in loads seeing as the local shop that specialises in these tanks doesnt seem to stock the bulbs any more. We've had the bulbs come in two weeks running so definately availeable from some places...

 

[Aquascaper]

Sadly no, I have found some on eBay (not interpet ones) for only £9 though

Just so everyone knows, you can use any energy saving type bulb as long as it has an E27 screw fitting you'll just have to find one that gives the right light for your tank/personal preference.

 

[MBOU]

Im not sure on those tanks, ought to be fine, but we had a spate of people using household screwfit bulbs in the Supafish tanks and the household bulbs get a lot hotter and was literally melting the light casing. Probably not so with energy saving ones and depends if the lights have a casing around them but just thought I would point it out

Glad to know you can get them though,I will bear that in mind, you got a good deal! The interpet ones arent all that cheap!

 

[Aquascaper]

As long as they are energy savers (ie. 11/18w) then they shouldn't put out any more heat than the Interpet ones. Chances are they are identical just not Interpet branded (and obviously a different spectrum) and needless to say will invalidate the Interpet warranty

I wouldn't suggest using a 'normal' 40w as it would definitely melt the hood to a puddle

 

[MBOU]

Not necessarily, had lot of people putting 11w bulbs into tank that omes with 9w and it melted some of the tanks

 

[Aquascaper]

Really? 2 watts made that much difference in heat output.....crap tank then