Hardy Tropical Fish?

[Antoniakr]

I do like neon tetras but i prefer the Rummynose tetra For some reason Guppies Bore me, They're very common. i want platys and i want to have fry and experience that, and looking after them etc... i don't see it as ''i want tropical fish because they're pretty to look at'' i want them to experience them and see how they live But Platys are beautiful 

The table i am going to put my tank on is about 45cm long, so i cant get a big tank, Also i'm not going to spend over £60 on a tank, If there were tanks 50cm long and however tall that'd be fantastic, but i cant find any. My LFS Said 10Gallon is fine for 3 platys. the tank is 50 x 30 x 30cm / 19.7" x 11.8" x 11.8" (L x W x H) 

Also the tank i am buying comes with a free starter kit so it's saving my money, if i needed to get a bigger tank id have to buy a stand and they are extremely expensive! 

 

[ashcole1989]

Yeah a good stand/cabinet/surface for your tank is essential! Get your current tank up and running and go from there. Prove to your parents you enjoy it and can do it and maybe they'll buy you a bigger setup

Also keep in mind the fish you'll be keeping to your tank dimensions. Some prefer the length to swim around, others prefer the height.

Everyone has their own opinion on different fish. I personally am not a fan of mollies or the larger gourami, so I'd always suggest keep the fish you'd like, to the best conditions as possible to suit the fish

P.S there are loads more experienced members here although if you're planning on breeding them I'm certain you'll need a bigger, potential second tank and plenty of research

It'll be nice to see your setup once you're up and running too

 

[Antoniakr]

Yes the tank i am getting will be perfect for the stand i have I am going to get another tank i saw at my LFS it is a pretty big tank and it's very cheap, that will be for the fry the Platys have. I'm very excited to Decorate my tank as i am an artist too - also i like experimenting so doing the cycle without fish will be fun. i want everything perfect for the Platys i will soon have. i cant wait to show everyone what i will soon achieve 

i will go and research a lot more about Platys and their behavior. i am sure they will be fine in the tank i am going to buy but hopefully one day i will be able to upgrade to a bigger better one! 

Thank you for your infomation  

 

[hobby5]

I don't think 3 platys will be happy in a 10G tank. The "boss" will hassle the other two around.

 

[Antoniakr]

Platys are about 2" The tank i am getting is 19.5" in length. 3 platys = 6" 

the tank is 11.5 in width and height as well.

I don't see why they wouldn't be happy? 

 

[hobby5]

Because platys are not the friendly fish you think. They will establish a hierarchy and if the boss is a meanie the others will have no fun. Best is to keep them in larger groups in larger tanks.

 

[Antoniakr]

Ive been looking for a 15 gallon tank, but everything is really expensive is there any websites for cheap Fish tanks? 

 

[Lillefishy]

Have a look on Gumtree, Preloved & Ebay, there's often bargains to be had

 

[Antoniakr]

I have but there isnt any 50cm length 15 gallon tanks near me. also non of them can deliver

Also the 10gal tank i was/am getting comes with - 
 

• Hood lighting with 15 Watt T8 light tube
• Starter set: food, water treatment and filter bio starter
• Volume 45 litres / 9.9 gallons
• Hinged feeding hatch
• Hood with stay-rod
• Aquael internal filter
• AquaEL 50w internal heater
• Medium mesh fish net
• Glass aquarium thermometer
• 3 sachets of Stress Coat + to remove chlorine from tap water
• 3 sachets of Stress Zyme + to keep reduce sludge in your gravel
• Goldfish flake food for if you have coldwater fish
• Tropical flake food for if you have tropical fish
• 2 year guarantee
  
  And all of it costs £58.99, Free postage.
   

It's hard finding a deal like that with a bigger tank, i dont have much money to spend

 

[daizeUK]

When we say gallons, we always mean US gallons so your 45 litres is actually closer to 12 gallons

I have seen 60L tanks selling with stand, filter and heater for about £30 second hand on Ebay but it all depends on what's available near you of course.

 

[AquaPit]

Antonia, its sucks having lots of restrictions!

Just do what you can and what makes you happy..

Do it considerably taking in some of the advise people have been giving too.. Try to strike a balance between both yours and their interests..

What's most important is keeping the fish to the best you can and I believe you are committed to do so! Even if mistakes come along, you will be learning from them..

No worries! Have fun!

Ps: I can tell you its not so fun when trouble kicks in during some part of the journey! Lol!

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Harlequin Rasboras deserve a tank in excess of 75cm long, they are reasonably active fish. Very few fish can responsibly live their whole lives in a 60cm long tank or less.
 
Your existing 4 goldfish should be in at least a 250l tank. They do have a filter, don't they?
 
Dechlorinator does not need to cost the earth, a 50g tub of Seachem Safe would last you years and cost <£8.

 

[star4]

Why dont you just re-home the goldfish as it sounds from your post their tank is totally inadequate and you have not cared for them properly, do they have a filter? you could use that tank then rather than going to the expense of buying another tank for tropicals, just get a heater and filter if you dont have one.

 

[Antoniakr]

Well i have had them 8 years and i have only just found out they need a bigger tank, they swim about a lot, and yes my mum cleans it regularly and we have a good filter in it, it has lasted us the whole 8 years. They're my mums fish, if anything ever happens to them my granddad will happily put them in his pond. They have never been ill once in their life. They seem happy.

It'd break my familys heart re-homing them, we had them since they were eggs...

And yes i thought harlequin rasboras would need a bigger tank, i dont think i will get any. I am still on the look for a Bigger tank though for The Platys i do Desperately want.

All the websites ive been on Costs Like £24 for 2-3 Tubs I will have to check out Seachem safe, Thanks

I have checked Ebay, Gumtree, and all the other Second-hand websites. Most of them are for collection only, and no one i live with drives a car  Do you think 12 gallons is okay then DaizeUK? I am still looking for a tank though, i have seen a tank - Aquael Hexaset II 60 Aquarium - Black It's 95l But it is quite expensive, for £97.49 (sale price)

I am being patient, all i want is people advice and i thank you all for it. I'm not going to do anything until i am completely positive that i understand the platy and everything else. Also i just worry about price costs because im a beginner - i don't know how much water treatment you need per week, month etc... i was worried it had to be every day! I am not going to buy any equipment until i know i have enough money for everything, and that i know all about the platy because i want a perfect life for them. That is what i will love to see, Happy Platys!

and yes i am sure you all made mistakes when you was a beginner, people are bound to. But this is why i want all your help - so i dont make them i have never owned tropical fish before, it's a first time for me

 

 

[daizeUK]

That's a very sensible approach

I wish I could tell you that 12G is enough for platies but personally I can't recommend it. The horizontal swimming space is important and 60cm is considered absolute minimum for a lot of fish. If your aim is happy platies then I would recommend that you hold out and find some way of getting hold of a 2ft tank or bigger.

Some ebay or gumtree sellers may be willing to deliver to you for reasonable compensation if you ask them. The cost saving may well be worth it. All four tanks that I've bought were available on the second-hand market for about one third of the retail price.

Water conditioner is a good example of how you can save money by buying smart. A lot of water conditioners are heavily diluted and won't last very long although they appear cheap on the shelf. A concentrated water conditioner will cost more initially but last much longer and work out 10x cheaper in the long run. That's one reason why a lot of us use Seachem Prime - there are alternatives you can buy that are even cheaper but some of them aren't as good for example some don't remove chloramines.