Newbie On The Loose :)

[Jenniflower]

Hi Peeps,

I have posted on the new here forum, but to recap, or for those who haven't seen me: I'm Jenni and live in England.

I have done a lot of readin on forums and the net in general, a little research I decided was in order before jumping in feet first with my eyes shut!

I have purchased a 68 litre (15 gallon) tropical tank, a hexagon shape on a stand, with filter, heater, light. and I have a smooth small gravel substrate.

I was hoping for advice on fish cycling, the tank wont beready for fish until Saturday coming as it has only been running since Sunday (just gone).

I have been advised to use zebra danio, mollys and or black widow tetra, is this correct?
If so how many of each, and can I mix the three?

I have been advised that testing the water is a waste of time (I don't know if this is true or not - however I seem to have read more from people that advise to do it, then not) I want to do what is best for the fish when it all comes down to it, and I have no problems doing tests if needs be.

I am unsure also about further down the line, when my tank has matured, what I could keep and how many of what.... there is a school of thought that involves the amount of 'inches of fish' you can have per gallon... that confuses me a whole lot!

Whilst I am here I may as well ask all my questions, right? You guys all seem really friendly and helpful from what i have read so far

Can my tank take a shrimp? I saw a cameroon armoured shrimp and thought maybe down the road I could get one?

My altime fave tropical fish has to be the neon and glowlight tetras so these are a must for my tank when it is mature, any suggestions of numbers and what can go with them? Will the neons shcool with the glowlights so that i can have a couple of each to leave room for other fish too?

Sorry to ask so much in one post, but I have had such conflicting advice from other forums and from the pet shop............

Love Jenni XXxxXX

 

[Bloo]

to TFF ! You've come to a great place for some friendly advice.

Well done for doing some research beforehand

Firs of all, just in case some guys don't know it, your tank is 18 US gallon (15 UK gallons).

Have you read about cycling without fish? You say your tank won't be ready, but what is it doing at the moment ? It's an absolutely must to test the water daily for nitrite and ammonia during the fist weeks and until the tank is cycled - ammonia and nitrite are lethal at certain levels and very damaging at even the smallest quantities. I strongly suggest you think about cycling without fish - this will mean no stress on new fish in the tank, and no potential ill or dead fish (which cycling with fish often cause).

This is a great easy to understand topic on Fishless Cycling.

Cameroon Armoured Shrimp are not for tanks with fish. Especially small fish. They will all become tasty snack - if not badly damaged and die from their injuries. I suggest you look at a bamboo fan shrimp instead (if you really want shrimp) - they are lovely !

Once your tank is cycled, you can add some neons and glowlights. And perhaps 3 Otos. They are cute little algae eaters that stay nice and small. But I suggest you only introduce them after a few months as they can be quite sensitive to water quality and do much better in a more established tank.

I would say you could safely have about 5 neons and 5 glowlights with 3 oto's and a shrimp

Hope that helps.

 

[barbiedoll]

bloozoo2 why do you say armoured shrimp will harm fish? I know they are big and ugly but I thought they were peaceful tank mates and fan filter feeders?
I am planning to add one to my guppy tank but I won't if they are mean!

sorry to jump in to your thread Jenni and welcome to the forum.

I have cycled with danios in a big tank and it and they were and are fine but it feels a bit mean. I am sure cycling without fish is the way to go - then you can really plan your stocking! I am stuck with 6 very nippy busy danios and can't get the hatchet fish I would much rather have - but then..... good excuse for another tank!

 

[Bloo]

somethingfishie you are absolute right - thank you for picking up on that. I was thinking of something entirely different !
That said, as Atyopsis gabonensis can reach between 15-20cm (6-8"), they would be (in my opinion) too large for such a hex tank.

 

[dgwebster]

the only thing i'd say is fishless cycling can be difficult to start with on a completely new tank - where adding 5 danios, whilst yes not increbily nice, if you check daily for ammonia and nitrites can also be a good start any further new tanks can then be done on a fishless cycle very fast with help from your existing tank.

 

[Bloo]

And then what does one do with the danios afterwards ? She want neons and glowlights - there's just no room for everything. If it's a group of danios, that's it really as she won't have room for anything else. Danios aren't suited for a hex tank that small either

 

[@ombomb]

the only thing i'd say is fishless cycling can be difficult to start with on a completely new tank

The only difficult part is patience...

 

[dgwebster]

true, it is patience etc. mines took 2 months, though i used that time to research everything to a stupid degree.

with regards to the danios afterwards, this is only really good if you wish to keep them. secondly, zebra/leopard danios are not much bigger than glowlight tetras, although yes, half an inch can make all the difference

 

[Bloo]

secondly, zebra/leopard danios are not much bigger than glowlight tetras, although yes, half an inch can make all the difference

But the biggest difference is that these fish (danios) swim very fast and great lengths. Where as glowlight and neons just cruise around peacefully. Put Danios in a small tank where they can't "strech their fins", and it's just cruel.

 

[dgwebster]

from my personal experience with them, they only tend to swim around 10" before going off at a tangent. 15gal, hexagon tank i agree tend to be slim and tall which isnt very good for most fish.

 

[Jenniflower]

Oh my, thanks for the responses - patience isn't a problem, I want to do it right, but there seems to be a whole load of conflict between the two cycling methods - I am very unsure about both now, not just after reading this but from chatting and from other forums, there appears to be a tropical fish fans divide

My tank is quite tall, although it does go wide through it's shape - even so there isn't much 'length' so to speak for long distance (in a manner of speaking) fish, grouping fish would be best so long as they want to swim up and down and around a bit rather than trying to swim lengths! Lol.

My friend has tropical fish and he recommends 4 zebra danios to get started and I believe he has them ready for me for the weekend, if I do want to replace them later he has no problems taking them back as he has a huge tank that takes up most of the one wall in his house - however he doesn't test the water at all, in any way shape of form, his tank is about 6 years old now and he has had very few casulties, excluding his mistake with a group of neons and an angel fish! Whoops! Although I believe he is the exception to the rule and most would not be a lucky as him, and perhaps it is the sheer size of the tank that has led him to be fortunate. So although a good friend, not much use with the technical bits as he just has the 3 heaters (yes his tank is that big!) and the super huge filter and lets nature do the rest, he did say himself that he would not be able to help with the techie bits for a tank as small as mine.

Eeek I rambled on a bit there! I will shush now and let you guys get back to advising little ole me

Thanks again XXxxXX

 

[Bloo]

I think you have the basics here that will help you to safely get your tank in order and a nice / save way for your fish.
Remember, even the Danios to cycle your tank are little living beings and to just "use" them under cramped conditions that are far from ideal and actually just cruel. Especially when there is another completely safe alternative method avaialbe.

To put them through the incredible stress (and pain) of ammonia and nitrite poisoning they have to live through for around 6 weeks while the tank cycles and establishes a thriving bacteria level, is just not nice

But if you choose to do so, then that's your choice. If you read these articles and have spoken to so many people now, you probably have enough (albeit conflicting) advice to make up your own mind

 

[dgwebster]

well put bloozoo2. i also moot the fishless cycle, is what i did me-self and it also served the purpose of getting to know a testing kit and my new pets profiles rather well. must have changed my fish ideas several times during that cycle.

as with regards to your friends tank, the sheer size of it will be helping. with small tanks, small changes or "problems" become noticeable very quickly, alot of people say its harder to look after the smaller tank, and would be right too.

if not for being nice to the fish, fishless cycles are a good way to get to know the chemistry and a simple slip of the ammonia can show you the dramatic effect this can have on the tanks stats - imagine that was a filter being out of order for 12 hours say.

it is your own choice and many stores will still advise on fish cycling but if you have the time, be nice