A Tank With Potential?

[miniman]

Hello All

Firstly this looks like a great webiste and I have already done a lot of reading since returning from the fish shop yesterday! I didnt realise how in-depth keeping fish was but after speaking to the shop assistant I have decided to look into setting up a tropical tank - marine looks amazing but i dont have the cash or the knowledge!

Looking at the tanks the biggest that I could probably put in my flat is the Duo 600 which I think was an 84 Litre tank. I was wondering whether this tank size has the potential for a diverse range of life. I really love the catfish and would love to have a couple of these with a mix of other small or medium fish - like some neon tetras look great (obv my research will have to include what lives together etc..)

However before I got too indepth with my research I wondered if a tank of this size would allow for this dort of diversity or would I be restricted to the very small fish?

Many Thanks for any replies in advance... I know there are a lot of ill treated fishies out there and want to make sure that i dont jump in wiothout making sure I can do what I want and look after the fishies first!

Ps - If anyone has a similar tank size I would love to the know the fish you have so I could look them up!

 

[richiej1979]

Hello All

Firstly this looks like a great webiste and I have already done a lot of reading since returning from the fish shop yesterday! I didnt realise how in-depth keeping fish was but after speaking to the shop assistant I have decided to look into setting up a tropical tank - marine looks amazing but i dont have the cash or the knowledge!

Looking at the tanks the biggest that I could probably put in my flat is the Duo 600 which I think was an 84 Litre tank. I was wondering whether this tank size has the potential for a diverse range of life. I really love the catfish and would love to have a couple of these with a mix of other small or medium fish - like some neon tetras look great (obv my research will have to include what lives together etc..)

However before I got too indepth with my research I wondered if a tank of this size would allow for this dort of diversity or would I be restricted to the very small fish?

Many Thanks for any replies in advance... I know there are a lot of ill treated fishies out there and want to make sure that i dont jump in wiothout making sure I can do what I want and look after the fishies first!

Ps - If anyone has a similar tank size I would love to the know the fish you have so I could look them up!

Hi - its great that your researching first!

I would say that the tank you are choosing would be more suitable for either a community tank with maybe tetra's, Cory's (small cat fish), Platty's and the other community fish. Be really carefull when buying cathfish and loaches as they can grow to 15cm so I would stick with the Cory's.

You could also look to have a species only tank, to keep some of the more aggressive fish. Also a Chichild tank would be cool. If its your first tank I would have a look at the fish index in this site and try and choose your fav fish first and then work around that.

 

[LisaLQ]

Catfsh and loaches can get to 15cm? All of them?

Depends on the species. A cory will get to (depending on species) 4-8cm I guess, but if you pick up a sailfin/gibby - they can get to 2ft. Clown loaches can get to 12", although the norm is around 8". I wont even bring up redtail catfishes, or pangasius - needless to say if they only got to 15cm, I'd have a couple by now! Times it by ten and you might be nearer the mark

To the OP - yes, you're restricted to what you can get, but that doesn't mean you cant have a beautiful tank. Some nice plants, small varieties of colourful fish (tetras, rasboras etc), and a handful of cories (or some of the small species of loach) would be really pretty

 

[miniman]

Hi

Thanks for the replies. Ive been looking into the type of fish more and I think you are right - there seem to be plenty of smaller fish to chose from. I like the look of the Leopard Cory (although this site doesnt mention them?) neon or cardinal tetras and some other small fish!

Thanks for the advice

 

[Dave Spencer]

Have you looked in to the environment you are putting them in? ie. plants, substrate, lighting. Corys are my favourite fish and they are more at home with a sand substrate.

 

[miniman]

Getting my head around the fishies first! Although I have done some reading on the substrate and think I would def look at getting mostly sand for the corys - plus it looks better The only thing I wonder about the sand is it getting sucked up during cleaning/water change - but I have more reading to do on this!

Plants I havn't started looking at yet but I seems that most fish like real plants so i will be looking into the different types ... im in no rush, want to make sure i get it right..!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

good for you for researching first

thats about 22 us gallons, you shoudl stock roughly 1" of fish per us gallon of water, so if you stick to small 1" fish you can have about 22 in there, bear in mind a lot of small fish like to be in species groups of 6+ then you could have 3/4 different types of fish in there.

you can, with a little research and planning, make a lovely tank with this size set up. yes you will be limited to an extent but don't let that put you off. small doesn't mean naff. try searching the members pics for 'nano' tanks.... you'll see some lovely things people have done with tanks much smaller than yours.

 

[Dutchie]

The small Panda or Blackfin Cory's get to around 5cm or else a a few Black Phantom Tetras but they do like good planted aquariums.........

They look really nice............(at least the photos in my new Tropical Fish Encyclopedia).....