Big Questions

[danon]

OK, so i finally pick up my first tank on Sunday- Size 98w 47d 60h, 215 litres
The children wanted Nemo and other marine fish but, as a first timer i have realised these are to hard to keep etc. So i have decided on a Tropical tank.
The big question is, what type of fish to go for, with the children and wife they would prefer something quite colourfull, any advice much appreciated.
Also i prefer sand to gravel, are there certain fish that dont like sand or are all ok?
If sand then what type of plant do i go for?
I realise these are big questions to ask, but obviously i want to get it right first time. Also want to include substrate, plants and rocks during the fishless cycle.
Thanking you all in anticipation.

 

[ox5477]

Well you did ask the big questions and are hard to answer for anybody else, it really comes down to what you and your family want.

If your kids want a nemo... they could have it. Saltwater tanks with only fish and lr are no more taxing then most tropical freshwater tanks. It requires a bit more coinage on start-up and a bit more maintance when it comes to wc's and algae control but with the beauty int he marine world, it makes those few extra maintance pieces worth it.

But not to deture you, freshwater tropicals can be just as colorful and just as beautiful as many mrines. There are many types of schooling fish that bring tons of movement and color to any tank and are very reasonably priced.

Like I said, kind of hard for anybody else to tell you what you should get, just we should try and tell you pros and cons for both and from there, you and your family can make the decisions. I would recommend going to the Species Index here on TFF which can give you a very small but concis list of the most commonly kept fish in home aquaria.

Also, if you wish to learn more about saltwater fish keeping then scroll down on TFF's main page and check out the marine section. There is numerous experts on marine aquaria in that section and can give all the advice you would ever need if you and your family feel like they want to jump in on the salty side of life. Good Luck