Freshwater fish

[Rachel]

Hey everyone, i was just wondering, i am going to set up a freshwater fish tank within the next month and i've been to various shops that specialise in freshwater fish and i've been told by someone that i can mix Discus fish, Angelfish, Neons and Guppies etc... i am really worried incase this isnt true as ive also been told Discus fish can eat smaller fish so im very confused. Can someone tell me if these fish are alright together and what other fish they can mix with? Thanks xx

 

[CFC]

Well first off Discus require lots of care and attention and are extreemly delicate so are not good for begginners, i wouldnt recomend Discus to anyone with less than 3 years experience in keeping semi delicate fish.

Angelfish should not be kept with neons and other small fish, in the wild these would be the natural prey of the angelfish and will be eaten.
Fish should be matched according to size and temperment (there are exceptions but for the begginner its a good rough guide), if you want tetras then tankmates should be kept small and peaceful, angelfish are trickier but tankmates should be at least half the size of the angelfish and must not be fin nippers.

 

[Rachel]

Thanks, i am in two minds though, the man in the shop said that they were all community fish and would be fine together, i was wary of the discus and thought they might try and eat the smaller ones, but you think it is the angelfish?? I will take the advice you have given me, but could u just suggest to me about 5 different types of fish you would mix together in a tank like this?

 

[aquarius]

How big is your tank?

 

[Lateral Line]

Make sure you know how to set up your tank. AA's article here, tells you how to avoid the biggest killer in new tanks! As for what to put in it, yes, we'd need to know the size of the tank, (and if it is anything other than rectangular, it's shape).

Some idea of what your local tapwater is like as well would be nice, (hard/soft acidic/alkali), and if you intend to try live plants.

More info we've got, the better advice we can offer.

 

[peter101]

Angelfish should not be kept with neons and other small fish, in the wild these would be the natural prey of the angelfish and will be eaten.
Fish should be matched according to size and temperment (there are exceptions but for the begginner its a good rough guide), if you want tetras then tankmates should be kept small and peaceful, angelfish are trickier but tankmates should be at least half the size of the angelfish and must not be fin nippers.

 

[andyt_uk]

Angelfish should not be kept with neons and other small fish, in the wild these would be the natural prey of the angelfish and will be eaten.

a sad but true fact
however many keepers will tell you they have these two mixed with no problems.

my advice - which i am will be following when i get my new tank is decide which one of the two you would prefer - if it is the angels, then maybe give it a go, if you get really young angles, and more mature neons, they may grow up not realising they can eat them and leave them alone.

there is at least one guy on here who started with young angels mixed with neons and has never lost one.

if they do eat the neons, then it is just nature, but dont replace them.

as for smaller fish living together, depending on tank size, neon or cardinal tetra, cory julii, platty, guppy, harlequin, dwarf puffer, red tailed black shark (can grow to about 6") but only one male maybe more in a big planted tank, zebra danio

have a look here click on some of the names and read up on them and see images - i like lots of large groups of small shoaling fish, they can look great all swimming round together.

http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery.html

 

[Inchworm]

... i've been to various shops that specialise in freshwater fish and i've been told by someone that i can mix Discus fish, Angelfish, Neons and Guppies etc...

Hi Rachel

You are doing the right thing by asking these questions and learning all the right things to do BEFORE you set up your tank. All too often we find people coming to the forum to find out what is wrong with their fish when it is already too late to help them.

If I might make one suggestion to you it would be that you find a really good lfs (local fish store) to shop at. Whoever gave you the information above either does not know what he is talking about or does not care about your success with the hobby. Do not support such a store with your money.

Chain stores are often poor choices; independant retailers who specialize in fish or who have big fish departments are usually better. Even if you have to travel a bit to find such a place it is worth the trouble. It is in their best interests to help you become a successful fishkeeper and a loyal customer.

 

[Rachel]

Hey, thanks to everyone for all your advice. The tank is a corner tank so its trinagular and is only about 21cm by 21cm by 27cm. Thats only a rough idea as i was thinking this size tank may be too small, but the man i spoke to in the shop said i could put between 30-40 fish in a tank this size! Which i was a bit surprised about and dont actually want to do. I am going to go back to the shop today and question him on which fish to put together again, i dont want any fish to get eaten just because i was given wrong information. xx

 

[akhtar]

that is a very small tank!

its 11.907 litres, 3.15 US GALLONS! unless i got it wrong!

u could only put 3-4 small fish in this!

or a betta!

u have me confused, can someone figure her volume out?

 

[akhtar]

wait i think i got this wrong, can anyone do it?

 

[akhtar]

and one word of warning, DONT TAKE FISH STORE ADVICE!

THEY JUST WANNA SELL THE STUFF NOTHINK ELSE

THEY WANT CASH!

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

Listen to akhtar. don't go to this pet shop anymore. to keep 40-50 fish you would need over a 55 gallon aquarium, and thats only for fish like neon tetras!
Find another pet store if possable, and if you can't, don't listen to anything the guy who told you earlyer that said you could put discus in a 3.15 gallon tank.

 

[Lithril]

21cm is under a foot (3.3 feet to a meter) you won't be able to keep many fish in a tank that size.

Andy: Just looked at some of the fish you listed, I would scratch the dwarf puffer from the list, they're definately aggressive and unless you've got a very large tank with LOTS of hiding spaced for the other fish I wouldn't even think about putting them in a community tank, they'll kill, eat and generally wreak havoc among the other fish. With Angel fish normally its not a case of if they'll eat the neons its when as neons is their natural prey, they'll all go back to instinct at some point.

 

[andyt_uk]

21cm is under a foot (3.3 feet to a meter) you won't be able to keep many fish in a tank that size.

Andy: Just looked at some of the fish you listed, I would scratch the dwarf puffer from the list, they're definately aggressive and unless you've got a very large tank with LOTS of hiding spaced for the other fish I wouldn't even think about putting them in a community tank, they'll kill, eat and generally wreak havoc among the other fish. With Angel fish normally its not a case of if they'll eat the neons its when as neons is their natural prey, they'll all go back to instinct at some point.

correct by my reckoning this is about 1.5 us Gallons (or around 6 litres)
((21*21*27)/2 (cos its a triangle so half the cube))/1000 ~ 5.9 litres when completely full so thats full to the brim, no substrate, no heater, no nutthing

Q - why do we have to work in gallons? litres are so much easier to calculate
BTW if you go to google.com and search for e.g. "6 litres to gal" it works it out for you

as for my fish selections i did say depending on tank size and in a huge tank it may have worked - but you are probably right about the puffer in any size tank - thanks

as for angles vs neons ken_g_w (think thats his name) on here told me he keeps angels & neons together and has never lost one