Advice On Tank Mates? :)

[hollie]

Hi!

I'm new here, as you may have guessed. Not so new to fish-keeping, but this is a new aquarium I've just set up in a new home in a new country, so woo! Lots of newness.

My tank's approximately 120 litres (I say approximately because it's a homemade affair, bought secondhand, and it took me around 12 buckets of roughly 10 litres each to fill it), and I've got a little colony inhabiting it already. I bought the previous owner's two bristlenose plecs (which are huge - they're each about 20cm long), and I've got four mollies (one male, three female) and three platies (two female, one male) living in there at the minute, plus some fry that the females of each have dropped. The fry are hiding out in the bottom of the tank, where I've got a chunky gravel substrate, rocks and plants for them to shelter in. - I

The tank's been set up and cycling for about a fortnight night, and I'd like to add a few more fish to it.

I'm hoping to get hold of a few shrimp and a snail or two, to help clean up - I had glass shrimp in a set-up a few years back and loved them.

But fish-wise, I'm not sure what to get!

I was thinking perhaps a few ramirezis, or maybe a pair of angelfish, but I've read that angelfish shouldn't be kept in a community?

Guppies are always an option. I've had so many of them in the past though that I'd like to try something different, and I don't want to be up to my eyeballs in fry!

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks!

- Hollie

 

[thereverendturtle]

Bolivian rams would do well, not the blues or any variation of them. They need water temps much higher than your general community fish. Angels are great community fish, depending on the community. Personally I'd add a school of tetras, danios or rasboras, 6-12 fish depending on the species. I'd also add a pair of apistogramma agazzi, a peaceful and colorful dwarf cichlid.

 

[sheffieldlad]

Hi!

I'm new here, as you may have guessed. Not so new to fish-keeping, but this is a new aquarium I've just set up in a new home in a new country, so woo! Lots of newness.

My tank's approximately 120 litres (I say approximately because it's a homemade affair, bought secondhand, and it took me around 12 buckets of roughly 10 litres each to fill it), and I've got a little colony inhabiting it already. I bought the previous owner's two bristlenose plecs (which are huge - they're each about 20cm long), and I've got four mollies (one male, three female) and three platies (two female, one male) living in there at the minute, plus some fry that the females of each have dropped. The fry are hiding out in the bottom of the tank, where I've got a chunky gravel substrate, rocks and plants for them to shelter in. - I

The tank's been set up and cycling for about a fortnight night, and I'd like to add a few more fish to it.

I'm hoping to get hold of a few shrimp and a snail or two, to help clean up - I had glass shrimp in a set-up a few years back and loved them.

But fish-wise, I'm not sure what to get!

I was thinking perhaps a few ramirezis, or maybe a pair of angelfish, but I've read that angelfish shouldn't be kept in a community?

Guppies are always an option. I've had so many of them in the past though that I'd like to try something different, and I don't want to be up to my eyeballs in fry!

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks!

- Hollie

Welcome to the forum Hollie,

You can work out the exact volume of your tank by measuring its length, width and height and using one of the calculators on this forum or by searching on google for calculating volume.

You say the tanks been set up and cycling for a fortnight, did you buy the previous owners filter as part of the tank/fish deal?

 

[hollie]

Yep, I got his filter and his gravel.

 

[thereverendturtle]

Does your local fish store test water? If so when ever you want new fish take in a cup of water and have it tested. If you show ammonia or nitrite, don't buy fish. If you have high nitrates, over 60-80 ppm for most fish, buy your fish but do a water change before adding them.

 

[hollie]

Nope, they don't. General pet shop standards over here are non-existent at best - they're just interested in making money.

 

[minnnt]

Stick with what you have for the minute and buy a test kit... Then consider adding new fish once you know your levels are ok to do so.

Did you clean the media inside the filter at all before adding to your tank?

 

[thereverendturtle]

Are you in the UK?

 

[hollie]

Stick with what you have for the minute and buy a test kit... Then consider adding new fish once you know your levels are ok to do so.

Did you clean the media inside the filter at all before adding to your tank?

Nope, I didn't clean it. I've not seen any testing kits in any of the shops I've been in, either.

Are you in the UK?

Nope, I'm in Dubai.

 

[thereverendturtle]

That explains why they just want money. You might need to go on eBay and buy a kit. The API master freshwater test kit is a good one. Highly recommended on the boards.