Brand New! Please Help Me :-)

[Bren_c01]

Hi Everyone!

I'm completely new here. I've purchased a 200L tank which is currently cycling away. I am looking at purchasing a couple of 'packs' of tropical fish to get my new aquarium going. I have seen a 'starter pack' which includes:
2 Zebra Danios,
2 Gold Danios,
2 Leopard Danios,
4 Assorted Platys,
2 Swordtails (Pair),
3 Cherry Barbs,
3 White Cloud Mountain Minnows,
6 Neon Tetras.

I also want to add what is advertised as a 'clean up crew' which would include:
2 Algae Eaters,
1 Albino corydoras,
4 Amano Shrimp,
2 Cherry Shrimp,
2 Zebra Snails.

Does this sound like a good start first of all?

Secondly, what could I consider adding in the future? Would be hoping for something maybe a bit larger and colourful?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Wills]

Those "packs" sound rubbish to be honest, all the Danios, Barbs, Minnows and Tetras on that list need to be in groups of at least 6 same for the albino cory. The undefined Algae Eaters are probably common plecs which get to a foot long and then the cherry shrimp in a group of 2 you would never see them

And probably the biggest thing for me someone else has essentially picked a large number of fish for your tank rather than you and done it badly at that!

A lot of the beginner fish listed there as well all have issues that arise with them in those numbers and under those names on top of what I listed there ie, all the livebearers yeah sure fry are cool but how do you cope with fry the first time you get them its a night mare to face sometimes as a new fish keeper. Also things like the neons are bad fish to add straight to a newly cycled tank.

One other thing to add is that when people say begginer fish it means because they are cheap and easy to replace but at the end of the day you dont want to have to replace them and with the help of us here you wont need to. What fish do you really want?

Also when you say cycling do you mean with the ammonia and the daily testing?

Wills

 

[kizno1]

Hi Everyone!

I'm completely new here. I've purchased a 200L tank which is currently cycling away. I am looking at purchasing a couple of 'packs' of tropical fish to get my new aquarium going. I have seen a 'starter pack' which includes:
2 Zebra Danios,
2 Gold Danios,
2 Leopard Danios,
4 Assorted Platys,
2 Swordtails (Pair),
3 Cherry Barbs,
3 White Cloud Mountain Minnows,
6 Neon Tetras.

I also want to add what is advertised as a 'clean up crew' which would include:
2 Algae Eaters,
1 Albino corydoras,
4 Amano Shrimp,
2 Cherry Shrimp,
2 Zebra Snails.

Does this sound like a good start first of all?

Secondly, what could I consider adding in the future? Would be hoping for something maybe a bit larger and colourful?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

That looks quite bad IMO. Cherry barbs, mountain minnows and corys need to be kept in groups of 4+ but 6+ is better. With sword tails you need atleast 2 females to every male so a pair wouldnt work to well. The algae eaters will either be a type of plec most likely a common with can grow 18"+ or a CEA which can get very aggressive when the get bigger. Plus the fact that thats going to be alot to add all in one go.
IMO 1 big shoal of fish always looks better than a few smaller shoals. I would go for something like
3 apistogramma 1male 2 female
10 corys
1 bristlenose catfish
15 small shoaling fish like small tetra, rasbora or 10 dwarf rainbow fish
15 hatchets

But you will need to build that up slowly and have good filtration. Do you know about cycling a fish tank before you add fish?

 

[Bren_c01]

Wow. Thanks Wills! Sounds like have been completely led up the wrong path! Sorry, I meant ready for cycling away . I want to plan what I'm going to do before starting at all! I'm reading up on cycling at the moment, is fishless cycle the only way I can really start from scratch?

If the above mentioned are useless, what would you recommend for a stock for my tank? To start, and also to build into if you don't mind.

Thanks again.

Thanks kizno1.

Your advice is very much appreciated. I will put some research into the fish you mentioned. I'm trying to find out about cycling correctly before going any further.

 

[Bren_c01]

p.s. kizno1, aren't Apistogramma Cichlids? I thought they needed to be in pairs? Obviously this is wrong, can I ask if this is the case always, or just in your tank suggestion for me? Also, 10 Corys, this does sound like quite lot - which type do you recommend? Would it be 10 the same, or different types?

 

[kizno1]

p.s. kizno1, aren't Apistogramma Cichlids? I thought they needed to be in pairs? Obviously this is wrong, can I ask if this is the case always, or just in your tank suggestion for me? Also, 10 Corys, this does sound like quite lot - which type do you recommend? Would it be 10 the same, or different types?

Your right most cichlids need to be kept in pairs but apisto do best with one male to multiple females. 10 corys is fine IMO. I think corys look best in one big shoal of the same type than different types. I quite like panda corys but its upto you really most types will work fine. Heres a list of most of the types of corys. Some are rare but you can normally find a type thats similar looking and a bit more common
http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/genus.php?genus_id=1#267

 

[Bren_c01]

Cichlids seem like they might be an interested route to go down actually... Have you (or anyone else) had much experience with a Cichlid community? I found a site suggesting an Amazon Cichlid aquarium consisting of:
4 angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
1 pair of Aequidens curviceps
1 pair of Aequidens maronii (Keyhole cichlid)
6 Ancistrus (plecos)

What do you think of this as a setup? Or is this MORE bad advice lol.

 

[kizno1]

The cichlid route is a good one
That tank looks alright but i would say 6 Ancistrus is a bit much as they are really messy.
What are the dimensions of the tank? angelfish need a tank thats atleast 18" tall. What chichlids do you want do you want a more peaceful cichlids or do you want a more aggressive cichlid tank?

 

[Bren_c01]

Tank is W100 x D40 x H50cm. So height should be fine. I guess peaceful is easier? Is this right?! I really want something as colourful as possible you know?

 

[kizno1]

Aslong as you pick the tank mates right i would say its and harder.
i think you could have 2-3 pairs of smaller cihlids and a few other fish or 1 pair of medim sizeed cihlids and a few other fish.
You could go for something like
3 apisto 1M 2F
2 keyhole cihlids or cheacker board cichlids, rams, dwarf acara or rainbow cichlid
1 bristlenose plec
6 corys or another bristlnose
1 angel fish or festivum
8 dwarf rainbowfish or a bigger type of tetra or a type of barb

or you could go for
2 convict, blue acara, firemouths or what id go for 2 Tbar cichlids
1 bristlnose plec
12 fast hardy dithers like congo tetra, rosy barbs. Try to go for a type thats got a deeper body not a long thin body or it could become lunch

 

[Bren_c01]

I like the idea of your second option there, with a medium size pair. Looked up those you mentioned - I think I agree with you on the T Bar.

 

[kizno1]

Or honduran red point cichlid would work there in the same family as the convicts and tbar cichlid. Tbar cichlids are one of the more peaceful ones in the family.
so
2 Tbar cichlids 1 male 1 female
1 bristlenose (if you go for the Tbars you could get away with 2 bns 1male 1 female)
12 dithers i would go for rosy barbs or odessa barbs or gold barbs.

 

[waterdrop]

There is no need to figure out your stocking list prior to fishless cycling. The month or two it takes to grow the two species of bacteria is good timing for working on your stocking. I recommend using the Add and Wait Fishless Cycling method outlined in our article by rdd1952. If you can find a source of some mature filter media and successfully transfer some into your new filter, you have a good chance of shortening the process. There are many members here who can help with the details of your fishless cycle as we do dozens of them here each month or so.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[fshinggrl]

You've gotten some great advice here. Research!

 

[FishyWishie]

I agree 100% with WD if yur cycle has anywhere near the bumps and self inflicted mistakes mine had you will have plenty of time to research as you cycle The sooner you start the cycle the sooner you can make the fish a reality.

a.q.advisor.com (ignore the dots forum censors it for some reason) is useful for working out stocking lists but don't rely on it 100% what I did was used it to run up 2 or 3 stock lists then fed them to the forum to be torn apart or adapted lol

But def start the cycle now !