So Far, So Good

[foxie]

so far, so good... this fishkeeping thing doesn't appear to be too difficult!

I'm just coming to the end of week 4 of my first tank and everything is running smoothly. I didn't go down the fishless cycle route and instead ran some mature filter media in with my new filter and cycled with danios and corys. Both species seem healthy and don't seem to have suffered any ill effects. its obviously still early days though.

I've been monitoring my water stats frequently now have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrate, <5 nitrite and a constant ph of 8.

My community is growing steadily, and now consists of the following (in order of introduction to tank). constructive criticism along with future tankmate suggestions welcome.

6 x zebra danios
2 x albino corys (my favourites) named gary and barry after my best mates!
2 x ottos
1 x bulldog plec

i'm lacking colour, so i was thinking either guppies, gouramis or harlequins. I'm off to the gold fish bowl in oxford at the weekend so i'll see what takes my fancy!

i have one problem: what do i do when i'm fully stocked? i've already got another tank on the way (the freebie from PFK) and the missus will go mental if i get a third?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

so far, so good... this fishkeeping thing doesn't appear to be too difficult!

I'm just coming to the end of week 4 of my first tank and everything is running smoothly. I didn't go down the fishless cycle route and instead ran some mature filter media in with my new filter and cycled with danios and corys. Both species seem healthy and don't seem to have suffered any ill effects. its obviously still early days though.

I've been monitoring my water stats frequently now have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrate, <5 nitrite and a constant ph of 8.

My community is growing steadily, and now consists of the following (in order of introduction to tank). constructive criticism along with future tankmate suggestions welcome.

6 x zebra danios
2 x albino corys (my favourites) named gary and barry after my best mates!
2 x ottos
1 x bulldog plec

i'm lacking colour, so i was thinking either guppies, gouramis or harlequins. I'm off to the gold fish bowl in oxford at the weekend so i'll see what takes my fancy!

i have one problem: what do i do when i'm fully stocked? i've already got another tank on the way (the freebie from PFK) and the missus will go mental if i get a third?

I take it you mean 5 nitrAte and not NitrIte? 'Cos 5 nitrites would be very bad .
How many gallons is the tank?

 

[foxie]

yep, i meant <5 nitrate. If you ask me, the whole nitrite/nitrate thing is the most irritating thing about the hobby! argh.

its 125 litres, 30 US gallons(?)

 

[SandMan8388]

Sounds like you've done everything right so far. I am not sure of what size of tank you have. Maybe I missed it. However Guppies and Harlequins are great (maybe try both is your tank permits)! I haven't had much luck with Gouramis (alot of squables) and I don't really like the way they look either. But that's my personal opinion. You can't really go wrong with guppies though... Unless you have mass amounts of both sexes (which results in alot of fry). Generally I just keep males or just females. Harelquins are cool as well, plus they have great color which you said you lacked of.

When you are fully stocked all you have to do is sit back and relax and watch your fish. Maybe tank some pictures and show them to us!

 

[Breeze7050]

Just a quick recomendation from me, Corys like to be in groups of AT LEAST 3. So I would recomend 1 or 2 more of the same species so they feel safer. Other than that, I think a nice shoal of schooling fish would fit in quite well!!

 

[foxie]

Just a quick recomendation from me, Corys like to be in groups of AT LEAST 3. So I would recomend 1 or 2 more of the same species so they feel safer. Other than that, I think a nice shoal of schooling fish would fit in quite well!!

i did know that about the corys, but was reluctant to overload the tank in the early stages. Up until the larger plec joined the community the corys were really outgoing and entertaining, as soon as the plec wakes up and moves around they become a little more timid. could i go for a couple of panda corys instead, will the group with the albinos?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I would advise getting another 2-3 corys and oto's as both of these fish are very sociable with each other, but as far as colour is concerned i would recommend platys or guppys or perhaps even some swordtails. You right to be concerned of stocking the tank too quickly though, as long as you keep regually testing the water though and doing regular water changes and don't add more than a few fish each fortnight/2 weeks or so, you should be fine .