Setting Up Tank For First Time, Help Wanted.

[lisa2701]

Hi everyone,

I am looking to set up a tropical tank to house Endler Guppies. I have a 25l tank, which I know is not big, and I will be limited to stock etc, but its all I have space for at the moment, and so is the biggest tank I could convince my husband to have in the house. It has a built in filter and light and I am awaiting on the delivery of a heater for it. I have read about cycling the tank and 'think' I understand it to a degree. I have a friend who's dad keeps tropical fish and was thinking I might contact him to see if he could help with some old filter media to help speed the process up.

So I guess my question are:

CAN I house endler guppies in such a small tank and if so what would be the maximum number you would have (these are what I have my heart set on)?
What live plants are best for endler guppies?
Is there anything I need to consider, or I have missed that I need to know?

Strange question, but I currently have triops, could I use the triops, or their filter media to help cycle the tank? They are quite dirty little creatures.

Thanks in advance

 

[lisa2701]

Anyone??

 

[fluttermoth]

Sorry you haven't had a reply yet, lisa!

Anyway, yes you can have a few Endler's in a tank that size, but you must have only males, as you don't have room for fry.

Any plants will do for Endler's they're not fussy (or that intelligent, to be honest!); easy plants for beginners and small tanks are Java fern, cryptocorynes, Christmas moss and anubias; the anubias and Jave fern need to be tied onto a bit of wood or stone.

I'm not sure on using triops to cycle the tank, but if they produce ammonia, I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work.

Do you have a set of test kits yet? They are vital for cycling tanks.

 

[the_lock_man]

I would have said that you could have at least 6 endlers in there, especially if that's all you're going to have. I would suggest that you only have males, as the females are larger, and duller than the males.

Which particular plants you have isn't too much of an issue, in terms of compatibility with the endlers, but your problem is ensuring you have something that doesn't outgrow the tank. In my 34l, I have cryptocoryne wendtii, java moss and ludwigia repens. Other small crpytos that would be ok would be c. willisii and c. beckettii.

With regard to the triops, and the suitablility of the filter media, the honest answer is that I don't know, but being an invertebrate, my guess would be that they don't excrete ammonia in the same quantity as fish, therefore there would not be the level of bacteria in the filter. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable on these creatures could comment?

 

[lisa2701]

Thank you so much for your replies.

I am glad I can keep Endlers, I have always wanted to keep a tropical tank, but been too daunted by filters, heating, lighting etc to take the plunge, but I now feel up for the task .

I am more than happy just to have male endlers as I have been reading up on how quickly the females can reproduce and don't want a tank over run (and the males are stunning with their colours). I don't plan on keeping anything else in the tank so there will be no problem there. Want to keep my first tank nice and simple, find my feet with things, and maybe further down the line (as in a year or two) upgrade in size and add some other species in then, assuming I can work out room for one. I love guppies, Neon tetras and bristlenosed plecos, so hopefully one day I get the chance to get a bigger tank so I can have some of each.

Anyway, back to topic -

What do you make of the live plants sold on ebay? I have been looking at Java moss which is already attached to a coconut cave kind of thing, really liked the look of it.

I don't have a set of tests kits yet, although was looking at them today. My local pet store sells the API freshwater master kits, are these any good?

Hmm i'm not sure about the triops producing amonia. I shall have to find out, but if not I will ask a friend if they have any old filter media. If he can't, is there any other way of helping the process along? Water from an established tank or can I buy used filter media anywhere etc?

Anything else I need to be thinking about?

Thanks again

L x

 

[lisa2701]

I asked on a triops site about if the triops produce ammonia and was told, anything that eats produces ammonia , still non the wise as to if I can use them to cycle the tank though

 

[lisa2701]

Ok, so apparently the filter media from the triop tank should be really good for cycling a tank.

Can I just squeeze the sponges into the new filter or does the media filter need to actually be IN the new filter. Problem is, they way the old filter is designed the sponges are in a sort of case, and without cutting the sponge out (which I don't want to do as I want to continue to use the filter) I can't get the sponges into the new filter.

I will go over the next day or two and buy a water testing kit but how long, using old filter media is cycling likely to take (I understand its only an estimate)?