First Tank Advice

[benjoey]

Hi I was wondering if anyone has any advice on what first tank to buy. I have been doing a bit of research and the Jewel Rekord 60 seems to be a good option. I know most people suggest that a beginner should get a larger tank as this is only 54 litres but everything else is probably out of my price range, taking into account filling my tank(plants substrate etc), any advice would be great.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Nothing wrong with starting with a Rekord 60; you just need the discipline not to fill it up with big fish. But for a small community of tetras and/or small livebearers and/or small catfish, it should be fine.

 

[benjoey]

ok i was thinking about having a few small corys, maybe some neon tetras or other neons, im not sure whether to get livebearers as i dont want to get overrun with fry, and i would like a couple of other small fish to add variety. This was what i am thinking about getting:
3-4 small corys
6-8 tetras
and a few other small fish(suggestions welcome)

I am also not sure whether i should use real or fake plants I was thinking of using mainly fake plants with a couple of smaller real plants for the sake of keeping the tank easier.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Sounds good to me. The Juwel lighting is nothing to write home about, but you can get a stronger light bulb to replace the one that comes with the tank, and I have had no problems growing things like Java fern and anubias in mine, with just a bit of plant food added once a week.

 

[benjoey]

thanks think i'll go research plants, just as a general rule do fish mind what type of plants are in the tank??

 

[VampirePlec]

you can get some realy nice tetras, i like my glowlights. have a few golden pencil fish that i also like. if it helps this is what i have in my 60L tank:
an Angel, 2x dwarf gouarmis, 2x danios, 3x glowlight tetras, 3x gold pencil fish, yoyo loach, kuli loach, bristlenose catfish and a pleco ( the pleco is soon 2 go 2 a new home and atm is very tiny)
i hope that helps

 

[dwarfgourami]

I wouldn't keep an angel in a Rekord 60, Vampire- it's too low for a grown angel. And keeping schooling fish, like tetras and danios in twos and threes is not very kind to them. Danios should really be in a longer tank anyway.

Fish don't mind what plants they get, benjoey, as long as general requirements are satisfied: some fish like more swimming place, others prefer more cover.

The cories would ideally like a sandy substrate, but they will be fine with smooth pea gravel. They like some hiding space, something like a cave or a piece of bogwood or a clump of plants, but also an open space where they can root around.