My First Tropical Aquarium

[Nytae]

Bit of a ''then and now''

I still want to add a Java fern or another live plant in at the front, and I'm wanting to get a black or light blue background and one flourescent dinosaur (for the kids, honest) OR one of those bubbly features. Feedback apprecaited. I did have more live plants in there but two of them have just died.

I can't get any pictures of my danios, they are fast little buggers!


As you can see I've started with light/silverly fish, I'm hoping to add some guppys but have a feeling the mollies might have their fins! I like Cherry Barbs, but not sure how they would fit in a community tank fin nipping wise. Any suggestions for some coloruful fish please

 

[KittyKat]

The two palms at the front are not aquatic: take them out, pot them and pop them on your windowsill. If you don't, they will rot and cause problems.

Raise the filter a bit higher so it disturbs the surface more, that's how most oxygen gets into the water. The bubbles don't do very much, from that point of view.

Please find that bala shark a new home, the poor thing will die in that aquarium! They have the potential to grow up to 16 inches / 40 cm. If you don't want to find it a better home, get it an aquarium which is 6+*2*2 ft in size and some companions, because they are schooling fish.

And you really need to read about why shooling fish (such as danios and barbs) should be kept in groups. I recommend 6 as a bare minimum and 10-15+ as a better minimum.

Be careful with the mollies, the females will be giving birth to 50-150 young every 4 weeks.. do you know how to sex livebearers? If not, look it up: males have gonopodiums, females have anal fins.

The background will improve the look of the fish quite a lot.. if it's a black/blue one, do try the black side as well because the two look quite different. Here's a comparison I made earlier: http/aquariumadventure.wordpress.com/2011/07/30/backgrounds

Have you read about cycling the filter yet? If yours isn't cycled with ammonia for 4-6+ weeks, then you need to read about fish-in cycles.

 

[Nytae]

Yep my tank was cycled for 8 weeks prior to adding fish, with household ammonia, fish flakes and mature media from a friends filter.


That picture was taking a couple of days ago and yesterday I moved the plant out (I was sold it from a shop who told me it would be suitable for my tropical tank), and I also raised the filter and moved the heater as well since that picture was taken.

I asked for three female mollies, but this was from the same shop who sold me that plant and said it'll be perfect for my aquarium. I am going to wait until they venture out a bit more so I can have a proper look at their fins to sex them

Edit: I like the comparisons, think I'm going togo for a solid black background

 

[SchottayB]

Very bright !

 

[KittyKat]

Yep my tank was cycled for 8 weeks prior to adding fish, with household ammonia, fish flakes and mature media from a friends filter.

That picture was taking a couple of days ago and yesterday I moved the plant out (I was sold it from a shop who told me it would be suitable for my tropical tank), and I also raised the filter and moved the heater as well since that picture was taken.

Now you know to do the research yourself before going to the shop By the way, the plants will do better if you space them out a bit

I asked for three female mollies, but this was from the same shop who sold me that plant and said it'll be perfect for my aquarium. I am going to wait until they venture out a bit more so I can have a proper look at their fins to sex them

The one at the front right looks like a male, unless its anal fin is clamped in the photo. Even if you have no males now, the females keep giving birth for 3-9 months after they were last with a male.

 

[Nytae]

Thanks I've spaced them out a bit more and I went to get a taller plant today and it's looking better and better

The Mollies have come out now, and instead of 3 females I have two males and a female. That poor girl will get too much attention and the males will fight

I don't know what to do now.. What's my best option? Take them back and demand I catch my own fish?

 

[minnnt]

I prefer the before tbh, but it is completely your tank.

It's not rocket science for the lfs assistant to catch what you ask for. I would check once they have caught them that they're what you asked for.

And yes i would take the ones you don't want back and ask for the correct fish. The Bala will definately have to go.

Keep up the good work, you will get there in the end. If you want a background on the cheap then use a black bag.

 

[KittyKat]

The Mollies have come out now, and instead of 3 females I have two males and a female. That poor girl will get too much attention and the males will fight

I don't know what to do now.. What's my best option? Take them back and demand I catch my own fish?

The males won't fight and you don't have to demand for them to let you catch your own fish: just point out the fish you want and make sure they get those, then double check the sexes once they're in the bag. You should either swap both males for females, one male for a female or add three females. Keep in mind that they'll probably more than double in size within the next year.

If the shop won't catch the fish you want, find yourself a better LFS.

 

[Sharpy14]

Yes sorry to repeat but That Bala shark needs to go, or he'll end up like this + he will be unhappy on his own as he's a shoaling fish.