Best Fish To Start With?...

[mikeb]

Hi, im looking to start adding fish to my tank (only 2-3 really)

Whats the best fish to start with im open to suggestions..

I dont wanna kill my first fish..

 

[catxx]

how big is your tank?

 

[mikeb]

how big is your tank?

10 galons.. (sorry i should have said tha!!!)

 

[sparky_555]

White cloud mountain minnows are very hardy fish.

Also Black widow tetras are hardy but u could only have a max of about 2 in a 10 gallon tank (wait for other replies about these, i'm not too sure)

 

[KathyM]

Tetras need to be in shoals, so 2 Black Widows wouldn't be a good idea.

 

[mark.w.jones]

Tetras need to be in shoals, so 2 Black Widows wouldn't be a good idea.

Harlequin rasboras
Platies
Glowlight tetras

are all pretty hardy.

Are you fishless cycling your tank before adding fish?

 

[mikeb]

Tetras need to be in shoals, so 2 Black Widows wouldn't be a good idea.

Harlequin rasboras
Platies
Glowlight tetras

are all pretty hardy.

Are you fishless cycling your tank before adding fish?

I dont know whats best really, i got a water test kit today... ill post the results later on..

To give me an idea how many should i be looking at getting - tank has being running 3 weeks.

Thanks in advance

 

[hot_hazza3]

ummmm platies are hardy i have found very bomb proof...not litraly tho lol

 

[Phantom Thief]

Would you like a community tank or something different?

Cause you've got quite fair bit of choice, besides the fish mentioned above, you could also go for several female bettas, or even a few dwarf puffers if you feel adventurous. Think about what you'd like and you'll have a clearer picture of what you want

P.T.

edit: also, through personal experience, i've found that some of the fish that are supposed to be hardy aren't quite as hardy as they are said to be. For example, platies and mollies have never lasted in my tank. And yet, cardinal tetras which are supposed to be quite delicate, are amongst the hardiest and longest-lived fish i've had.

To each their own

 

[Ant]

I started off with neon tetra's and a plec

 

[mikeb]

Would you like a community tank or something different?

Cause you've got quite fair bit of choice, besides the fish mentioned above, you could also go for several female bettas, or even a few dwarf puffers if you feel adventurous. Think about what you'd like and you'll have a clearer picture of what you want

P.T.

edit: also, through personal experience, i've found that some of the fish that are supposed to be hardy aren't quite as hardy as they are said to be. For example, platies and mollies have never lasted in my tank. And yet, cardinal tetras which are supposed to be quite delicate, are amongst the hardiest and longest-lived fish i've had.

To each their own

im looking for a veriaty really so the more types of fish i can have the better...

i like the puffers, and the bettas. how many should i put in, in the first load 2? 3?

ill be posing me water test results in a few hours, you might be able to help me more when you know what type of water i have thanks btw

Right done my water test

ph = 7.6
kh = p0
gk genral hardness = 10d
no2 nitrite = 1mg/l
no3 nitrate = 25mg/l

 

[geo7x]

I started off with neon tetra's and a plec

most plecs would get too big for a 10gal, plus although neons are nice, colourful, small shoaling fish (yes, shoaling, so several of them) they are not very hardy at all, and it is not a good idea to put neons in an 'immature' tank, even if it has cycled. erm, i would look at the link in jonesyUK's signature (ideas for fish for 10gals or something like that)

 

[mark.w.jones]

I started off with neon tetra's and a plec

most plecs would get too big for a 10gal, plus although neons are nice, colourful, small shoaling fish (yes, shoaling, so several of them) they are not very hardy at all, and it is not a good idea to put neons in an 'immature' tank, even if it has cycled. erm, i would look at the link in jonesyUK's signature (ideas for fish for 10gals or something like that)

Bare in mind that that link is not for good beginner fish. The hatchet fish and dwarf gourami are apparantly both a pain to keep alive, especially for newbies. Sorry to nag but how are you cycling your tank? You say it's been up and running for 3 weeks but what are you doing to get the bacteria to grow in your filter? Have you read this:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10099

You also didn't say how much ammonia NH3 was in your tank when you published your stats.

 

[mikeb]

I started off with neon tetra's and a plec

most plecs would get too big for a 10gal, plus although neons are nice, colourful, small shoaling fish (yes, shoaling, so several of them) they are not very hardy at all, and it is not a good idea to put neons in an 'immature' tank, even if it has cycled. erm, i would look at the link in jonesyUK's signature (ideas for fish for 10gals or something like that)

Bare in mind that that link is not for good beginner fish. The hatchet fish and dwarf gourami are apparantly both a pain to keep alive, especially for newbies. Sorry to nag but how are you cycling your tank? You say it's been up and running for 3 weeks but what are you doing to get the bacteria to grow in your filter? Have you read this:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10099

You also didn't say how much ammonia NH3 was in your tank when you published your stats.

yeah.. the test kit i got didnt have an NH3 test in it so i got one today just done a test and SHOCKED 8.0ppm

i have 4 plants are they rotting? or are these high levels normal... (i dont have fish in the tank!).....

just done a 25% water change to try and lower this level..

 

[Phantom Thief]

Let's sort out the tank problem before we go to the fishlist. Have you put anything at all into the tank besides the plants? Anything that could have caused an ammonia spike, a little food, contaminated water, etc. Cause i wouldn't have been surprised at anything else in the water, but ammonia in it without you putting any fish in sounds mighty suspicious.

P.T.