Old Hobbyist Getting Back Into The Hobby!

[Genevieve]

Hello, I've owned fish most of my life. (My first fish was a female black molly when I was four. She had pink gravel and a little castle. ) In 2009 I had to leave the hobby because of health reasons, I've bitterly not started again but now I'm really considering it.

Sooo, I'm starting with a simple 30 gallon. Currently I'm considering:
-pufferfish & compatible fish/filter sand/real plants/rock (I've never had puffers but I've always found them super cute. I can watch videos of them for hours!)
-Ram cichlids and a bright entourage of community fish/black substrate/rocks/branches/a few plants.

Some of my favourites are German blue rams, killifish, danios, flame dwarf gouramis, puffers, cardinal tetras. I like colourful, entertaining and personable fish.

I think I'm an intermediate level aquarist right now. (I mean, I don't trust myself with discus but I'm not inept.) I'd really appreciate some help.

P.S. I have hardwood floors and I'd like to prevent disaster. Any ideas?

 

[balajake]

you would have to keep puffers on their own if you wanted some, they are aggressive .


firstly when you got the tank you would do a fishless cycle (if you don't know what that is)

info here

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/113861-fishless-cycling/

also if you look on youtube you can see some great videos of how to decorate your aquarium.

as for a filter you could try an external. tetratec ex700 is a good one or a fluval 205

 

[Dieses Madchen]

ONce you get down on cycling, my next question would be:

Do you prefera single species tank? Or would you prefer a variety

 

[Fishy friend2]

It would be very informative and helpful to know the exact measurements of your 30 gallon, as many fish prefer to have a longer footprint to swim back and forth, and to dart around. and all the fish that you've selected actually prefer to have the space to swim.
The prefered fish that you are thinking of are great choices May I recommend a tank with stocking something along the lines of this

an Electric blue ram pair
8 cardinal tetras
10 ember tetras
15 dwarf cprydoras

Are you aware of the fish nitrogen cycling process? if not then I have provided a link with a fair amount of info on it, along with a few thread containing helpful info about other problems you may face in the coming future
The Nitrogen Cycle In the Home Aquaria
What's Cycling
Fishless Cycling
Fish In Cycling
Beginner's Resource Center, Find all your answers here

When Aqua Scaping you have to take lots of things into consieration. would you want a hard scape? what fish do you have? are you planning on getting herbivorous fish?
From your fish that you want and the fact you have a fair amount of space to deal with I would recommend a nice Aquascape with
- Nice, smooth river stones
- white, or black sand
- a nice piece of driftwood with multiple branches
- nicely planted to contrast the fish selection
- a lighter colored backround
these are the plant I would suggest
Vallisneria spiralis - backround
Micro swords - fore ground
rotala rotundifolia - mid ground
hornwort - mid ground, or back round. you can even let it float
anubias - mid ground
amazon sword plant - mid ground
java moss - fore ground
and here is a thread with helpful info concerning aqua-scaping
Basics To Aqua Scaping

 

[tkdjr1186]

It would be very informative and helpful to know the exact measurements of your 30 gallon, as many fish prefer to have a longer footprint to swim back and forth, and to dart around. and all the fish that you've selected actually prefer to have the space to swim.
The prefered fish that you are thinking of are great choices May I recommend a tank with stocking something along the lines of this

an Electric blue ram pair
8 cardinal tetras
10 ember tetras
15 dwarf cprydoras

Are you aware of the fish nitrogen cycling process? if not then I have provided a link with a fair amount of info on it, along with a few thread containing helpful info about other problems you may face in the coming future
The Nitrogen Cycle In the Home Aquaria
What's Cycling
Fishless Cycling
Fish In Cycling
Beginner's Resource Center, Find all your answers here

When Aqua Scaping you have to take lots of things into consieration. would you want a hard scape? what fish do you have? are you planning on getting herbivorous fish?
From your fish that you want and the fact you have a fair amount of space to deal with I would recommend a nice Aquascape with
- Nice, smooth river stones
- white, or black sand
- a nice piece of driftwood with multiple branches
- nicely planted to contrast the fish selection
- a lighter colored backround
these are the plant I would suggest
Vallisneria spiralis - backround
Micro swords - fore ground
rotala rotundifolia - mid ground
hornwort - mid ground, or back round. you can even let it float
anubias - mid ground
amazon sword plant - mid ground
java moss - fore ground
and here is a thread with helpful info concerning aqua-scaping
Basics To Aqua Scaping

I'm sure OP understands a cycle as he/she said they are not a beginner.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Many people have many definitions to a beginner, some people think that its the knowledge, some people think its how long you've owned fish. we arent sure how The OP defines themselves as an "intermediate" fishkeeper. Many people that have just returned to the hobby dont even know about cycling. It's a very complicated process that not alot of people are aware of.
so just for next time.
when other people are in the situation just speak for yourself unless your 100% sure about what you say, as you may be wrong

 

[Genevieve]

balajake: I've cycled a few tanks. I've usually cycled planted, fishless for 1-2 weeks but this time the tank will be cycling for more like 1-2 months because school is so crazy. I have a Marineland Penguin Bio-filter from before but I'll change if it would be best. Yeah, I'm going to try to aquascape to the best of my ability. I might even get a new fancy light for the plants.. I love those algae balls from Asia, I had those before. Amazing!

Diese Madchen: I'm not sure yet. If I get a puffer then it'll be solo but it I go with the community idea I'd like a nice variety of colourful fish.

Fishy friend2: It's 3 feet by 1 foot and a little over 1 foot tall. That's a lot of fish for a 30! Before I was an aquascaping n00b, I'm going to try harder this time and order more plants online than the generic pet store plants.


If I got a puffer I would get a Tetraodon biocellatus (Figure 8 Pufferfish). What I've read so far says they're very intelligent and not as aggressive as other puffers. I just found out puffers need to get their teeth clipped! Just like my rats!

Do figure 8 puffers do best alone or in a pair? Are there brackish fish that would be compatible? I was actually thinking about putting some cherry shrimp in with them but seeing as they eat them..

 

[Fishy friend2]

figure eight's are very aggressive fish that should be housed in a a species only tank as they will bully other fish, I would recommend that you keep one singly and not in pairs though

 

[Genevieve]

Many people have many definitions to a beginner, some people think that its the knowledge, some people think its how long you've owned fish. we arent sure how The OP defines themselves as an "intermediate" fishkeeper. Many people that have just returned to the hobby dont even know about cycling. It's a very complicated process that not alot of people are aware of.
so just for next time.
when other people are in the situation just speak for yourself unless your 100% sure about what you say, as you may be wrong

Seventeen years of being fascinated by fish, owning them, raising them,having family/friends owning fish, biology buff, animal rights activist. I'd say I'm decent at cycling a tank. My mother hammered the cycling thing in my head when I was five and started my first ten gallon. I wanted to get fish for it right away, mommy said no and I demanded an explanation.. The rest is history.

When I think advanced I think dozens of discus, monster tank full of cichlids, breading rare saltwater species. Intermediate is not having any premature deaths, reading up on fish a bit, maintaining tropical freshwater aquariums for years, raising fry, stopping people in pet stores from making stupid choices. You know what I'm talking about..

I've learned some good stuff here in a few hours, like that puffers omnomnom shrimp and snails that were supposed to be "friends not food."

 

[Genevieve]

figure eight's are very aggressive fish that should be housed in a a species only tank as they will bully other fish, I would recommend that you keep one singly and not in pairs though

They attack each other? So one figure eight in a 30 gallon. Seems lonely but I'm not a puffer.

Thank you for you help!