Newbie Q's

[Lisa_brown87]

Hi there!
This is my very first post i have had a read through the forums and looked at some of the pix on here and I'm very inpressed, alot of you keep some lovely fish!

Anyway, I have a couple of questions about keeping tropical fish.... I would like a tank with a variety of fish, mostly very small ones and have decied on a few different species but I would also like a couple of 'different' things in there too.

I went to a fish shop near my aunt's house and saw a starfish, I thought it was really cool. It was in a 'coral fish' section so I'm not sure if it would need 'special treatment'? Any info on them at all would be great really!

At the same shop, I also saw a dwarf puffer. I have read a bit on here about them and it seems they can be a bit aggressive. Would I be able to have one on thier own with other species?

i have set up my tank and have left the heat and light on to get it all even before I put my fishy friends in there.

Thanks for your help, I'm sure I will have more questions soon.

 

[onlinebug]

Have you cycled your tank yet? http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...shless-Cycling/

Also, if you like smaller fish tetras and guppy also platies are nice to keep, they are schooling fish you should by a minimum of 5-6 to start them off with..

Starfish are for marine tanks, tropical fish require a different environment.


Welcome to the forums Good luck!

 

[Gremily]

Hi. Like onlinebug said, it's a good idea to fishless cycle.
If you're a newbie I think you should forget about the starfish for now. They are marine fish and it sounds like you are interested in having a freshwater aquarium. I think keeping a starfish would require more experience, so maybe save having a marine tank until you've kept a tropical freshwater tank successfully for a while.
I think dwarf puffers look really really sweet. I'd really like one but unfortunately they're not good in a community tank and I think you're meant to keep them with other dwarf puffers, or on their own. Also, I think it's recommended to give them live foods such as snails which I don't think I could do
How big is your tank?

 

[Lisa_brown87]

Hi. Like onlinebug said, it's a good idea to fishless cycle.
If you're a newbie I think you should forget about the starfish for now. They are marine fish and it sounds like you are interested in having a freshwater aquarium. I think keeping a starfish would require more experience, so maybe save having a marine tank until you've kept a tropical freshwater tank successfully for a while.
I think dwarf puffers look really really sweet. I'd really like one but unfortunately they're not good in a community tank and I think you're meant to keep them with other dwarf puffers, or on their own. Also, I think it's recommended to give them live foods such as snails which I don't think I could do
How big is your tank?

Thanks for the advice.
I'll forget about a starfish then I think as I don't want a marine tank.
My tank is about 2ft long, 1 and 1/2ft tall and about 1ft deep.

Lis
x

 

[mark.w.jones]

That's a good sized starter tank. Please think about fishless cycling it with ammonia solution. Use the Add & Wait method from the link in my sig. I would not recommend dwarf puffers as good fish for a new tank. They tend to do better in a more mature tank + you can stock nothing else with them at all. Your best bet if this is your first tank is to go for a peaceful community set up using more common varities of tropical fish. Once you have this under your belt and you're more experienced then you can start looking at species which are trickier to keep. Platies are a cracking first fish as are Harlquin Rasboras. Both are very hardy and great looking. All the best.

 

[DarkEntity]

Since no one else has mentioned it, a Dwarf Puffer with other fish isnt a sensible idea. Puffers in general dont play well with other fish. Id suggest sticking with "beginner" fish for now, once you are up to speed in cycling tanks, maintaining them etc then later move to more specialist fish like Puffers.

 

[OldMan47]

When you are done cycling your 20H, you might want to consider endlers and corydoras. The endlers can make a tank come alive all by themselves and are very easy to care for. The cories are just plain fun to watch. They are very playful if you have at least 3 or 4. With a small tank like that I would lean towards the smaller breeds of cories.

 

[Lisa_brown87]

Thanks again for all the advice everyone.

I have had tropical fish before for a bit but have never joined a forum, I wish I had have, it's good fun

The corydoras are cute! Are they a type of loach?

Lis
x

 

[emmag21]

If you dont have a tester kit already you will need one to monitor the water so you know when its cycled and ready to add fish.

Emma
xox

 

[Lisa_brown87]

If you dont have a tester kit already you will need one to monitor the water so you know when its cycled and ready to add fish.

Emma
xox

Thanks, I can easily pick one up

Lis
x