Fish For Mum

[joloco]

right here's a challenge for you all or maybe it's just easy - i don't know

my mum would like a small tank of fish so i've bought her a 15 gallon tank.

i refuse to put goldfish (sorry goldfish lovers) in it so she has requested something 'unusual' thats not too sensitive.

The tank could be heated.

I love bettas so am quite keen to get one of those in there but what to put with it...

or

if not a betta what else could go in there thats 'unusual'

 

[dthoffsett]

There was a similar thread a few days back, so hopefully sparklefuzz doesn't mind me linking it. It was about a 12gal tank, but very similar and should give you some ideas.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=157524

 

[dwarfgourami]

It depends of course on how much work your Mum wants and if she has any previous experience.
A nice easy-going but still interesting community might involve corydoras or khuulie loaches at the bottom and maybe some endlers or a trio of small gouramis up top.

 

[00mitomk]

get her a fish to make her laugh i find dwarf puffers funni thy realli interact but im nt an exspert at all i jst no from looking at my cusin tht thy r funni so u might wann ask a pro coz i dnt anything abt tanks for them apart from on thier own

miles

 

[joloco]

oh i'm no illusions that she'll be looking after her fish - it'll be me!

i've already suggested a puffer but no apparently they are 'angry fish'
so after all weeks of suggestions from me it appears that she now wants guppies

so how many guppies for a 15 gallon? i assume one inch of fish per gallon or is it more? are they messy fish requiring lots of water?

what would be good with guppies?

 

[dwarfgourami]

oh i'm no illusions that she'll be looking after her fish - it'll be me!

i've already suggested a puffer but no apparently they are 'angry fish'
so after all weeks of suggestions from me it appears that she now wants guppies

so how many guppies for a 15 gallon? i assume one inch of fish per gallon or is it more? are they messy fish requiring lots of water?

what would be good with guppies?

Well, I'm very fond of guppies myself so can't blame her really. It is extra important with gups to be careful where you buy, though- choose a shop you trust and check the guppy tank VERY carefully for sick or dead fish.

The first question you need to decide is, are you going to mix the sexes and take the ensuing population explosion? If so, I would get only 1 male with a harem of females- don't worry they'll fill the tank for her. Or she could keep a group of 5 or more males (less might lead to aggression). Or she could get females only, you may still get fry that way, but at least they should stop coming eventually.

Inch per gallon is fine for guppies- count males as 1 inch, females as 2 inches.

Good fish to go with guppies- well, basically small peaceful fish. Corydoras would be good, fill the bottom part of the tank. Or khuulie loaches. Platies get on well with guppies, they are similar enough to socialise.

 

[joloco]

brilliant thanks - one more question
are flakes fine for them?

 

[dwarfgourami]

brilliant thanks - one more question
are flakes fine for them?

Yes, but an occasional treat of bloodworm or similar will be good for them. And they will benefit from a bit of veg in their diet as well, say some boiled peas once a week or a bit of spinach.