Beginner Fish Keeping Questions?

[himinymin]

OK so i'm new to the fish hobby and i'm starting with just goldfish in a tank and i had some questions:
 
If i have algae eaters and a few live plants do I need a filter?
Would i need to clean the tank more?
What algae eaters/snails would you suggest?
can I use a undertank heater used for reptiles in a fish tank?
 
Any advice would be appreciated!
 

 

[fluttermoth]

All fish tanks need a filter.
 
In new tanks, the filter doesn't do much because it doesn't have any good bacteria growing in it that eat the toxins from the fish's wastes. Growing those bacteria is called 'cycling', and it's the most important thing to learn about in fishkeeping.
 
How often you water change, and how much, depends on how big your tank is and how many fish you have, but algae eaters do tend to produce a lot of waste; they're the cattle of the fish world. Cleaning up after an algae eater is usually harder work than just cleaning the algae yourself, so you might want to think about whether you really want one.
 
Undertank reptile heaters aren't suitable for fish tanks; you need a proper aquarium one.
 
How big is your tank?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Goldfish don't require a heater though.

 

[himinymin]

OK so would a snail or shrimp produce less waste? (any other suggestions for the new tank IE decor, Filter brands, etc?)

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Decor?  The best decor comes from nature:  ie. natural plants, rocks, and driftwood.
 
 
Wood - if you are looking for easy to find - MOPANI.  Check out the reptile section of the pet store for more selection.  Sinks immediately, and some plants can be tied to this - great look.
 
Rocks - This can be a bit trickier than the wood, but in general any rock that doesn't "fizz" when you pour some distilled white vinegar over it, should be safe and won't mess with the water chemistry.  Granite and slate are two very good options.
 
Plants - this is where it can get confusing.  But, there are plenty of very easy to maintain, low light plants available.  Moss (ie. java moss) and ferns (java fern) can be tied to rocks or wood and grow very nicely under almost any conditions.  Amazon swords, Cryptocorynes spp. and echinodorus spp. are pretty easy as far as substrate planted plants go.

 

[fluttermoth]

I think goldfish would eat shrimps; they'll eat anything they can fit in their mouths (and sometimes things they can't as well!)
 
We really need to know how big your tank is; what sort of goldfish too (IE are they 'normal' looking fish, or do they have short, fat bodies and a twin tail)?
 
If you don't have a filter at the moment, then you must change nearly all the water, every day until you do get one, and it's cycled.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Please research the wtater temperature requirement for all of the things you want to put into your tank. You may find they can not all do well at the same temps.

 

[sadguppy]

Goldfish will also eat almost any plants you put on. Elodea might be a good bet.

You need a filter though.