Newbie Tropical Tank Questions

[elliotuk]

hi, im a noob!

i once tried keeping tropical fish many years ago but found that they kept dying all the time the water became very dirty with just a few days of cleaning, i dont know if the filter was faulty or something.
Anyway have decided to give it another shot, i have just ordered a Biube 35 litre Aquarium with the intelligent heater and led lighting.

I have seen loads of fish that I would love to buy but am uncertain as to what would be the maximum amount of fish I could keep in the tank?
was thinking: 8 neone tetras, 2 Electric Blue Ram Cichlids, and 1 black angelfish ? I also like the look of the Frontosa Cichlid, but apprently they grow quite large, wold my tank be too small for all of that?
and would they go well together or eat each other?!

Also the Biube aquarium comes with gravel but its quite large and clumpy from what I hear, i would like to have real plants in the tank so do I need some kinda special gravel to plant them in?

thanks!!

 

[wooch]

electric rams need 60litre minimum per pair

neons would be an ok idea but all cichlids need a minimum of 60l per pair

 

[Mo1959]

Hi and welcome. Don't want to dishearten you right away but the biube is too small for anything other than perhaps half a dozen tetras. The rocky substrate is actually required as it is part of the biological filter so you can't really replace it. The only way you may be able to get live plants is if you can find some java fern or a small anubias which can be tied onto a small piece of bogwood, otherwise I'm afraid it will have to be artificial plants.

Please also be aware that you can't just buy half a dozen fish and stock the tank right away. If you read the fishless cycling articles on the forum it will give you an idea how to start cycling your tank using ammonia to prepare your filter for fish.

 

[fluttermoth]

Hi elliot and welcome to the forum

First thing for you to do is have a read of the articles in the Beginners resource Centre; http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/ especially the ones on cycling; this is the very best thing you can do to ensure success.

You've made rather a rod for your own back with your choice of tank I'm afraid though! I know some people diagree, but a rough guideline is 1 inch of fish (small fish like neons) per 1 gallon of water. As your tank only holds around 7 gallons, that's only 7 small fish. No angels....

I'd advise against Rams too; they are a delicate fish that need special care. But there are lots and lots of small colourful fish to choose from; you can have a look around to see what's available in your area and what you like the look of while you're cycling

Best of luck.

 

[KittyKat]

I have seen loads of fish that I would love to buy but am uncertain as to what would be the maximum amount of fish I could keep in the tank?

It is not a very big tank so maybe 6× 4-5cm schooling fish and a few others would work.

was thinking: 8 neone tetras, 2 Electric Blue Ram Cichlids, and 1 black angelfish ? I also like the look of the Frontosa Cichlid, but apprently they grow quite large, wold my tank be too small for all of that?

The tank is too small for Rams and Angelfish. Neons are not the easiest fish to keep either, you will loose some. I would suggest starting with 6 Espei Rasboras and 5 Dwarf/Pigmy Corys or 5 Otos. But Corys need sand while Otos are more difficult.

Also the Biube aquarium comes with gravel but its quite large and clumpy from what I hear, i would like to have real plants in the tank so do I need some kinda special gravel to plant them in?

Most plants can grow in almost any gravel or sand. Easy plants are Anubias species, Java moss and Java fern.

May I strongly suggest that you acquire liquid tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and hardness? Also please do do a fishless cycle!

 

[elliotuk]

thanks for all the replies guys, argh! it looks like ive chosen the wrong tank i just really liked the style of it.
well maybe its best i start off with something smallish, could i get away with say 6 tetras and 2 barbs?? or are there a couple of fish a bit larger that dont need much space?

ye the tank is arriving tomorrow but i'll make sure i read up on the cycling and get it all prepared before i add the fish.

do the live plants actually need proper soil for the roots to go in? or could i just jam the bottom of the plants in the rocky substrate?
and do live plants dirty the water quicker and create more work? or do they actually help improve the tank environment?

thanks

 

[KittyKat]

thanks for all the replies guys, argh! it looks like ive chosen the wrong tank i just really liked the style of it.
well maybe its best i start off with something smallish, could i get away with say 6 tetras and 2 barbs?? or are there a couple of fish a bit larger that dont need much space?

The following fish are schooling so need to be kept in groups of 6+: Tetras, Barbs, Rasboras, Danios and Corys.

If you keep fish such as Barbs in groups on less than 2, they will terrorize each other and all the other fish (probably) to death.

A group of Microrasbora or Ember Tetras would be best.. you could probably keep 8 or so of those. There aren't really any larger fish you can keep in that tank (because it is narrow, but tall).

There is nothing wrong with the tank itself, but it is small but tall, which limits what you can keep.

do the live plants actually need proper soil for the roots to go in? or could i just jam the bottom of the plants in the rocky substrate?
and do live plants dirty the water quicker and create more work? or do they actually help improve the tank environment?

No, they don't need soil. Gentle jamming would be appreciated, of course Plants are slightly more work because they need trimming, but they also usually improve the general happyness of fish. Also they are aesthetically pleasing.

 

[fluttermoth]

I agree totally with what Kat says!

Have a look around your LFS for fish that grow to about an inch/inch and a half and have 6-8 of the ones you like best. If you want to keep more different fish you'll just have to get another tank That's how most of us started; fish tanks breed!

 

[elliotuk]

I agree totally with what Kat says!

Have a look around your LFS for fish that grow to about an inch/inch and a half and have 6-8 of the ones you like best. If you want to keep more different fish you'll just have to get another tank That's how most of us started; fish tanks breed!

ok thanks will prob get 6 tetras, and could you suggest 1 other fish that isn't a schooling fish that i could put in also? what about a 2.5" silver shark? is 1 small angelfish definately out of the question? i read somehwhere that they prefer tall tanks

my tank has just arrived so time to unpack sounds like it will be weeks before it's cycled and ready to add fish tho

 

[GrayScale]

Angelfish and the shark would not work out I'm afraid. You may want to research some inverts like shrimp or snails. For a small tank with live plants I would recommend shrimp + a group af 6-8 tetras. The bioload of the shrimp is so small compared to the fish and they are quite attractive and amusing.

 

[KittyKat]

ok thanks will prob get 6 tetras, and could you suggest 1 other fish that isn't a schooling fish that i could put in also? what about a 2.5" silver shark? is 1 small angelfish definately out of the question? i read somehwhere that they prefer tall tanks

Seriously it is for the best to have only one type of fish there..

my tank has just arrived so time to unpack sounds like it will be weeks before it's cycled and ready to add fish tho

Yay! Photos? Aye, it might be weeks, but a few weeks of patience is always better than a few dead fish.

Angelfish and the shark would not work out I'm afraid. You may want to research some inverts like shrimp or snails. For a small tank with live plants I would recommend shrimp + a group af 6-8 tetras. The bioload of the shrimp is so small compared to the fish and they are quite attractive and amusing.

I completely forgot about the shrimp! Good point GrayScale. So, my new suggestion:
8 Ember tetras
6 Cherry shrimp
+ Java moss

 

[fluttermoth]

Hello again, elliot

The problem is is that nearly all small fish rely on being in a shoal for protection; if they can't see others of their own kind they 'assume' that something bad has happened to the other fish and become stressed.

There are small fish, like Sparkling gouramis, but they really need to be in trios, and then you wouldn't have the space for enough tetra...this is why I loathe these tiny tanks; they look good, but they're really designed only for looks, not the long term welfare of the fish

When we say 'angels need tall tanks', we mean 'taller than the 15" average tank' (so, at least 18" tall) not just a tank that's taller than it is long! My mum has Silver Sharks that are getting on for 10" long and they still might grow more; yes you could put a tiny SS or a baby angel in there, same as you could keep a Great Dane in a broom cupboard, but it wouldn't be right. They would outgrow your tank very quickly, or more probably become stunted in their growth and they die.

I hope you don't think I'm sounding too harsh! You'd honestly be better off sticking to a shoal of small tetras or rasboras in this tank and buying something bigger in the future if you want to keep bigger fish.

You could think about some shrimp maybe; although I have no experience with either shrimps of Biubes, so they maybe a no no; some one else will have to advise you on that, but in theory you could, as shrimps add very, very little to the bio load of your tank.

Sorry I can't be more positive than that, but I think we should always put the welfare of the fish first, regardless of what we like the look of

 

[GrayScale]

I'm not too sure about the filtration on it. If I'm not mistaken it's got the in-hood filter with an intake tube? I would suggest putting a peice of stockings over it to keep the shrimp and fish from being sucked into it since you have to go with smaller fish. I would also recommend celestial pearl danios because of their small size but I would not recommend them if you don't have any way to raise the fry. I've had mine for only a week but I'm noticing breeding behavior but I've got a second tank set up for the youngens and i know once they start they don't stop.

I like the stocking kat provided you with and if you go with live plants the shrimp will be wayyy happy and it'll bring out the red coloration in the shrimp and fish.

 

[elliotuk]

ok have set it up now, i must confess I am dissapointed, it is smaller than expected, and i thought the whole point in the biube tanks were that the cables could be neat and therefore give a more elegant look to the tank, but with the light and heater there are cables everywhere and no way to hide them, they just poke out the top

wish i had bought a bigger tank now oh well

have added the stresscoat to kill the chlorine, and in 24 hours it says to add the stresszhyme that it comes with. If i add that and then leave it for a week or 2 will that be enough cycling for the bacteria to build up before i add fish? or do i need to buy some ammonia also?

heres a pic

 

[GrayScale]

HaveA look at the beginners resource center and check out the fishless cycling page. That will give you some pointers on what needs to be done to succesfully complete the fishless cycle. Most people around here as well as myself would recommend the APItest kits. Itcan take anywhere from 2-8 weeks to properly cycle the tank depending on light, temperature, and ph of the water. Temperature being the most crucial. High temps develop good bacteria faster but if you go too high, you'll develop bacteria that doesn't break down the ammonia and nitrites like you want it to.