Next Fish?

[boblus]

Hi. Ihave been posting this question a couple of times but now, I have finally found the right forum for it.

I got my fish just over a week ago and I'll be getting more in just a couple of weeks. I have a certain choice, that'd be some Neon Tetra but I'd like to get maybe two bigger fish too.

Any ideas?

Look at my signiture for a pic of my tank and my current fish.

 

[ncjharris]

Hi!

How long has your tank been up and running?
Neon's are notouriously renounded for doing better in matured tanks (that is ones that have been running for around 6 months).

I would get more cories. You really get the best out of them when they are in groups of 4 or more.

What kind of fish are you after? Size, type, colour, etc. There are so many choices. You don't say how big your tank is or any other specs you have from it - and your picture is HUGE! I gave up after it was only about a fifth done after a minute!!

 

[boblus]

Sorry about the large picture. I've got a smaller one here.

I'm looking for a medium sized, colourful fish. Something like a Gourami or a Cichlid, but I don't know which one! Something that isn't aggressive. I don't mind about the mating time aggression because I could just get two males or two females. The Keyhole Cichlid looks quite nice. What do you think?

 

[diademhill]

What size is the tank & how long has it been up & running? Did you fishless cycle it?
It doesn't look large enough for keyholes and I agree about more cories.

What you could do is sort out the decor so the tank looks less bare with just the current fish. A fishless tank should be a work of art and the fish then enhance this.

 

[boblus]

What you could do is sort out the decor so the tank looks less bare with just the current fish. A fishless tank should be a work of art and the fish then enhance this.

Sorry, but I don't quite understand what your saying.

My tank has Width: 61cm / Height: 42cm / Diameter: 35cm.
I'm not too sure how many litres it is. It's either 63 or 48 but I'm not sure.

What about a Gourami? What type would fit my tank the best?

Oh yeah, the tank has been running for just over a week now

 

[dwarfgourami]

According to my calculator, it's a 23 US gallon tank. In my opinion, you should up the number of cories to 3 or 4. This would just about give you room for one smallish centrepiece fish, like a dwarf or honey gourami.

HOWEVER, if the tank has only been up and running for a week and you added all those 7 fish without doing a fishless cycle (pinned topic), it will be a long time before you can add more fish; instead you should buy a test kit and keep an eye on the readings of ammonia and nitrites to make sure that your current fish are ok. After a period of a month, if no readings of ammonia or nitrites are showing, you could then add a cory or two. I would wait several months before adding a gourami, as they do best in mature tanks.

 

[mark7616]

i wouldnt add anything for about another week. You could have a dwarf gourami these are nica and colourful or maybe get your self a blue ram or bolivian ram these are very colourful and good for a community tank.

 

[diademhill]

What you could do is sort out the decor so the tank looks less bare with just the current fish. A fishless tank should be a work of art and the fish then enhance this.

Sorry, but I don't quite understand what your saying.

My tank has Width: 61cm / Height: 42cm / Diameter: 35cm.
I'm not too sure how many litres it is. It's either 63 or 48 but I'm not sure.

What about a Gourami? What type would fit my tank the best?

Oh yeah, the tank has been running for just over a week now

Your tank is cycling - do a search - but you can't add any more fish until the cycle is complete and you will be doing lots of water changing.
Have you got test kits?

Can you re measure the tank - just the glass part. You do need to know the volume.

At the moment your tank looks empty, all the decor is around the edge apart from the whatever it is. Have a look here for inspiration - http/showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2004...&name=view-ag-m
- you don't have to spend a lot or have a lot of plants to pinch ideas.

 

[boblus]

My tank is a Fluval Uno Kit 600.

I know now that the tank is 48 litres.

I did do a fihless cycle for a week so the tank has been running for two weeks. I will be getting more fish in two weeks time so I don't think the cycling would be a problem. I think.

The 'whatever it is' is a bridge.

I put my decor around the edges so it would be easier to view the fishes. I don't have any real plants yet, all the ones in my tank are plastic but my fish seem fine with that.



Oh by the way, that Blue Ram looks lovely. I'd love one of them.

 

[boblus]

One of my Platies died! Would this be because of the plastic plants? Though he did have a unusual fin before. That wouldnt have anything to do with it would it? I've taken the big plastic plant out.

 

[smmetz]

I would test for amonia and nitrite. If you don't have the test kits, I would do a 25% water change today, and maybe 15-20% daily until you get a test kit. I think that maybe with 7 new fish, your tank is probably cycling.

Also, I was unaware until I read up here, but just running a tank for a week with water doesn't really cycle the tank. Also, I was unaware that adding different products which claim to give you a mature tank in 1-2 days or even a week never really work. It apparently takes longer, and you have to add amonia regularly so the bacteria have something to feed on and grow.

 

[boblus]

How do I add ammonia?

 

[diademhill]

How do I add ammonia?

You can't add ammonia with fish in the tank - it should have been done to cycle the tank ( for about a month) before you added fish.
Your fish are now producing ammonia & swimming in it which is why one died.
You need to start daily water changes of about 10%. Testing for ammonia, nitrites & nitrates will let you know when you can stop doing the daily water changes & it is safe to add more fish. Please read about the nitrogen cycle - until you have the bacteria established your tank is a nasty place for fish.

 

[boblus]

Ok, I am a beginner at this so I'm not too good at it yet. I did a 40% water change today and I will do a 10% water change everyday afterwards until I get a test kit.

Sadly, two more Platies died. The others seem happy though and same goes for the Catfish, they're fine. Unfortunately, I only have two Platies left. Will they get lonely?

 

[onemisterchristian]

The best thing you can do in order to keep your fish happy at the moment, is to add no more fish. This is what is going on in your tank right now. *NEW TANK SYNDROME This is a very helpful pinned article that should hopefully help explain to you what you need to do. Unfortunately your catfish may not be doing as well as you think. The waste tends to accumulate towards the lower levels of the tank; and since most cats are bottom dwellers they receive the brunt of the toxins.

*Regarding the article, make sure you pay extra special attention to the How to Save the Day (and the Fish) with an Un-Cycled Tank section. That will probably be most benneficial to your current situation.