Coming Back After35 Years

[poisedon]

HI there been away for 35 years or more fronm the hobbie and dont know what to keep??? how things have changed ,thinking I will have to go back to basics what is the opinion please let me know your thoughts all suggestions welcome.
POISEDON

 

[Elrohirthehasty]

HI there been away for 35 years or more fronm the hobbie and dont know what to keep??? how things have changed ,thinking I will have to go back to basics what is the opinion please let me know your thoughts all suggestions welcome.
POISEDON

Tetras and rasboras and barbs for a community setup of shoaling fish. Pretty basic.
Chiclids are as popular as ever, too!
Gouramis and angels together are interesting.

For the bottom, there are tons of plecs, some small, some very large.
Loaches are gaining more and more popularity, as well as corydoras.

Look into whatever sounds interesting!

 

[doresy]

Welcome back Obvious question, how big will your newly, fishless cycled tank be?

 

[Sari]

Hi and welcome back to the hobby! I had to go back to basics after only 10 year gap and it was a bit of a steep learning curve... I would suggest you go for 100litre/25 gal tank, bigger one if you can.

The choice for fish is huge nowadays, I'd suggest you get a good encyclopaedia of tropical fish, see what tickles your fancy and then do more research online whilst the tank is cycling. I love my community tanks so for a 80 cm (eg Fluval roma 125/Juwel Rio 125) tank:

10 glowlight danios (Danio Choprai)
Pair of kribs (Pelvicachromis Pulcher)
6 cories
1 Bristlenose plec

or

10 harlequin rasboras (Trigonostigma Heteromorpha)
6 otocinclus
8 Dwarf loaches (yashuhikotakia sidthimunki)

Or... The choices are limitless, just read read read. Gouramis, small plecs, dwarf cichlids, biotopes, planted or non planted tank, tetras, barbs... You have a lot of decisions to make.

 

[poisedon]

I am thinking of the 190 ltr fluval corner tank unit !!!

 

[saltynay]

After 35 years without then you will need to forget virtually everything you knew on aquaria as many of the rules have completely changed as research has progressed.

40 gallons is a nice amount to start playing with. I would get a large shoal of boraras botia, khuli loaches, corydoras, zebra pleco, 3 bala sharks, Horned nerite snails, Apple snails (bridgesi species), Malaysian trumpet snails (most members will send you these for just postage cost as if overfed they can become a pest) Amano shrimp, African Giant Filter Shrimp (will need targeted feeding and a spot with high flow) and red cherry shrimp.

 

[Sari]

Bala sharks will grow way too big for a 40 gallon corner tank. Their adult size will be up to 14 inches. They can also eat small tankmates and shrimps. But otherwise, I love the cornertanks and you will have loads to choose from!

In that tank I would have a shoal of mid to surface dwellers with a harem of Apistogrammas or rams, cories and some algae eaters. Oh I wish I could have a larger tank but unfortunately it isn't going to happen at the moment...

 

[saltynay]

My friend keeps 3 bala sharks and they are around 15-16" in a 45 gallon who aren't aggressive to his other fish, although they did grow up with pretty much the same stocking all their lives. Going to go run do some research now to find out more.

 

[bagu]

nice tank to re-start the hobby with!


how about keeping snakeheads?