Help Me Determine My Fish Specie

[cameleon222]

hi guys !, im new to this forum, as i bought my very first aquarium a couple of days ago....
i've read some topics around on how to start an aquarium, and today i bought 3 fishes, they look like shark, i liked them and bought them.. i live in lebanon, unfortunately, people here are not really professional, at least what concerns pet shops....i've taken a picture of one of them, can you please tell me what kind is it, so i can read and learn more about it ! thank you ...

 

[AshleyT]

Have you used a filter from another tank? Because if you got it a few day ago you won't have cycled your tank

 

[cameleon222]

Have you used a filter from another tank? Because if you got it a few day ago you won't have cycled your tank

Yes Ashley, i had a 20L tank, vbeen using it for like 1 week or so, i used the same foam inside the filter, on a bigger filter, and also added some stuff the guy gave me, supposed to remove unwanted stuffs in the water (cleaning i guess), and making some bacteria environement !

 

[fluttermoth]

Most people don't think that those 'bottled bacteria' will do anything to help cycle the tank. Tanks need a lot more than a week to develop the good bacteria needed; more like six or eight weeks.

The liquid to remove 'unwanted stuff' from your water is very important; it neutralises the chlorine in the tap water that is poisonous to fish. You must treat all the water that goes into your tank with that.

Change at least half the water every day for the moment.

I'm afraid your fish are one of the Pangasius family of catfish. They're really not suitable to keep in tanks, as they're very nervous and can grow to three or four feet long . I'd take them back to the shop.

 

[FishBlast]

I knew some people would buy these "sharks" just because they look like sharks... LOL.
I am so lucky my dad never came home with one of those... Though that fossilis came pretty close...

 

[cameleon222]

alwright guys ! here i am back again ! as suggested by u "fluttermoth", i went back to the shop and exchanged them for 8 little fishes, i chose 3 males and 5 females, supposedly that kind of fish makes lot of babies, lol, that's exactly what was in my mind at first when i wanted to make an aquarium, i wanted any specie that could reproduce....here's a picture, oh and by the way, also unknown specie, lol.....the guy at the pet shop seems pretty much just a business man, he dont know much about them.....i mean, anyone around here can open any kind of shop, as long as u have the budget for it !

 

[fluttermoth]

Those are fish called a 'platy' (Xiphophorus maculatus), a much more suitable fish for your tank. They will have babies; lots and LOTS of babies!

You must still make sure you change half the water every day, using your 'tap water safe', or whatever it's called, for the next six weeks or so, until the good bacteria have grown in your filter.

Make sure you NEVER wash the filter under the tap; only in some old tank water, and never change any of the stuff inside it

 

[cameleon222]

Those are fish called a 'platy' (Xiphophorus maculatus), a much more suitable fish for your tank. They will have babies; lots and LOTS of babies!

You must still make sure you change half the water every day, using your 'tap water safe', or whatever it's called, for the next six weeks or so, until the good bacteria have grown in your filter.

Make sure you NEVER wash the filter under the tap; only in some old tank water, and never change any of the stuff inside it

Thank you, but about changing my water everyday, i dont get it, the water i used to fill my 100L tank, was mineral bottle waters....i bought 68 bottles of 1.5L lollll....

 

[FishBlast]

alwright guys ! here i am back again ! as suggested by u "fluttermoth", i went back to the shop and exchanged them for 8 little fishes, i chose 3 males and 5 females, supposedly that kind of fish makes lot of babies, lol, that's exactly what was in my mind at first when i wanted to make an aquarium, i wanted any specie that could reproduce....here's a picture, oh and by the way, also unknown specie, lol.....the guy at the pet shop seems pretty much just a business man, he dont know much about them.....i mean, anyone around here can open any kind of shop, as long as u have the budget for it !

Mickey Mouse platies! Adorable!
Love the orange one the most!
They breed like swordtails, probably less fry given, but they are easy to take care of. Also, make sure that you either have LOTS of plants or save some babies in a breeder net if you want them to survive. Livebearers are known to eat their own babies.


Uh... mineral water? Easier to use water from your sink and cheaper, you just need dechlorinator to remove chlorine.
The daily water changes are to remove ammonia and nitrite (and later nitrate but that will need only once a week change if you manage to cycle the tank).
An ammonia and nitrite tester (Liquid only, no strips) are a very useful accessory to help you cycle a tank and know how much water change and when to do.

 

[cameleon222]

alwright guys ! here i am back again ! as suggested by u "fluttermoth", i went back to the shop and exchanged them for 8 little fishes, i chose 3 males and 5 females, supposedly that kind of fish makes lot of babies, lol, that's exactly what was in my mind at first when i wanted to make an aquarium, i wanted any specie that could reproduce....here's a picture, oh and by the way, also unknown specie, lol.....the guy at the pet shop seems pretty much just a business man, he dont know much about them.....i mean, anyone around here can open any kind of shop, as long as u have the budget for it !

Mickey Mouse platies! Adorable!
Love the orange one the most!
They breed like swordtails, probably less fry given, but they are easy to take care of. Also, make sure that you either have LOTS of plants or save some babies in a breeder net if you want them to survive. Livebearers are known to eat their own babies.


Uh... mineral water? Easier to use water from your sink and cheaper, you just need dechlorinator to remove chlorine.
The daily water changes are to remove ammonia and nitrite (and later nitrate but that will need only once a week change if you manage to cycle the tank).
An ammonia and nitrite tester (Liquid only, no strips) are a very useful accessory to help you cycle a tank and know how much water change and when to do.

Well, here in lebanon, water goes to the roofs, into barrels (metal), so it's full of @#!%&*, and rust, i even wonder how we even bath in such water, but well, that's how life is here......and yesterday my barel was completly empty, so i had to improvise .....

alwright guys ! here i am back again ! as suggested by u "fluttermoth", i went back to the shop and exchanged them for 8 little fishes, i chose 3 males and 5 females, supposedly that kind of fish makes lot of babies, lol, that's exactly what was in my mind at first when i wanted to make an aquarium, i wanted any specie that could reproduce....here's a picture, oh and by the way, also unknown specie, lol.....the guy at the pet shop seems pretty much just a business man, he dont know much about them.....i mean, anyone around here can open any kind of shop, as long as u have the budget for it !

Mickey Mouse platies! Adorable!
Love the orange one the most!
They breed like swordtails, probably less fry given, but they are easy to take care of. Also, make sure that you either have LOTS of plants or save some babies in a breeder net if you want them to survive. Livebearers are known to eat their own babies.


Uh... mineral water? Easier to use water from your sink and cheaper, you just need dechlorinator to remove chlorine.
The daily water changes are to remove ammonia and nitrite (and later nitrate but that will need only once a week change if you manage to cycle the tank).
An ammonia and nitrite tester (Liquid only, no strips) are a very useful accessory to help you cycle a tank and know how much water change and when to do.

Well, here in lebanon, water goes to the roofs, into barrels (metal), so it's full of @#!%&*, and rust, i even wonder how we even bath in such water, but well, that's how life is here......and yesterday my barel was completly empty, so i had to improvise .....

im originally from canada-quebec, have been living here i think for 4 years now....and i like it, of course we lack electricity (16 hours a day only), water (barrels fills once every 2 days), and ressources, but u get used to it...

 

[fluttermoth]

Thank you, but about changing my water everyday, i dont get it, the water i used to fill my 100L tank, was mineral bottle waters....i bought 68 bottles of 1.5L lollll....

Well, think about it this way; do your fish get out of the tank do go to the toilet?

No, of course they don't! So that means all their poop is in the water. If you let them swim around in all that poop, they'll get sick, and most probably die, so you have to get rid of the poop (and the wee wee!) by changing the water.

When your tank has been set up for longer, you will have good bacteria living in the filter that will clean the water for you (just like what happens in a sewage treatment plant), and then you'll only need to change the water once a week, to keep everything nice and clean and fresh.

If your water is that bad, then you might well have to use bottled; but check the pH on the label (hopefully it is labelled!) and don't use one where the pH is above 8. luckily platies like hard water, so you don't have to worry too much.

 

[FishBlast]

holy angelfish... and I thought Romania had a pretty annoying water supply, although it's still good to bathe with, I sure didn't feel well when drinking it.
Electricity - I'm lucky to have it all the time and cheap.

But that reminds me of the old time my grandparents used to only bathe / cook with the dirty water from the well... which tasted like dirt. X_X And had lots of dirt in it too.

How the blazers do you keep a filter with 16 hours a day electricity though? That thing must run all the time.


In before making bathroom for fish, complete with toilet that can be flushed. Then potty-training fish.

 

[cameleon222]

holy angelfish... and I thought Romania had a pretty annoying water supply, although it's still good to bathe with, I sure didn't feel well when drinking it.
Electricity - I'm lucky to have it all the time and cheap.

But that reminds me of the old time my grandparents used to only bathe / cook with the dirty water from the well... which tasted like dirt. X_X And had lots of dirt in it too.

How the blazers do you keep a filter with 16 hours a day electricity though? That thing must run all the time.


In before making bathroom for fish, complete with toilet that can be flushed. Then potty-training fish.

I've built a power supply for my (little appartement), 2 big 200Amp batteries, and a charger etc....

holy angelfish... and I thought Romania had a pretty annoying water supply, although it's still good to bathe with, I sure didn't feel well when drinking it.
Electricity - I'm lucky to have it all the time and cheap.

But that reminds me of the old time my grandparents used to only bathe / cook with the dirty water from the well... which tasted like dirt. X_X And had lots of dirt in it too.

How the blazers do you keep a filter with 16 hours a day electricity though? That thing must run all the time.


In before making bathroom for fish, complete with toilet that can be flushed. Then potty-training fish.

Oh ok, i get it now, it's just in the beginning of the process.....by the way, im checking on wikipedia, it says that water hardness should be around 9 - 19 dGH, i think i've skipped lot of classes in school back in time, lol, never heard of such thing !!

 

[FishBlast]

holy angelfish... and I thought Romania had a pretty annoying water supply, although it's still good to bathe with, I sure didn't feel well when drinking it.
Electricity - I'm lucky to have it all the time and cheap.

But that reminds me of the old time my grandparents used to only bathe / cook with the dirty water from the well... which tasted like dirt. X_X And had lots of dirt in it too.

How the blazers do you keep a filter with 16 hours a day electricity though? That thing must run all the time.


In before making bathroom for fish, complete with toilet that can be flushed. Then potty-training fish.

I've built a power supply for my (little appartement), 2 big 200Amp batteries, and a charger etc....

Whoa, I got to get me one of these. O.O

I'd also say adding lots of plants would help keep down the waste as they use up some of it and give the fish some places to hide / play around.
My swordtails love slipping through my plant's branches X)

We never learned about dGH either in school. Only about PH (acidity / alkalinity).
You can get test kits for hardness and PH too.
But normally, platies adapt to a wide range of water compositions so I don't think hardness would be too important unless it's exaggeratedly hard.

 

[cameleon222]

holy angelfish... and I thought Romania had a pretty annoying water supply, although it's still good to bathe with, I sure didn't feel well when drinking it.
Electricity - I'm lucky to have it all the time and cheap.

But that reminds me of the old time my grandparents used to only bathe / cook with the dirty water from the well... which tasted like dirt. X_X And had lots of dirt in it too.

How the blazers do you keep a filter with 16 hours a day electricity though? That thing must run all the time.


In before making bathroom for fish, complete with toilet that can be flushed. Then potty-training fish.

I've built a power supply for my (little appartement), 2 big 200Amp batteries, and a charger etc....

Whoa, I got to get me one of these. O.O

I'd also say adding lots of plants would help keep down the waste as they use up some of it and give the fish some places to hide / play around.
My swordtails love slipping through my plant's branches X)

is it okay if i use artificial plants ? coz i can't get my hands on real one, could go grab some at some lac...