What Fish Should I Get?

[australia]

hey, i have a 1 foot/56litre tank with no fish in there yet, i am going out today to see what i can get, does anyone have any suggestions on what kind of fish i can fit ino that small of a tank? i want something that looks cool.......

 

[rdd1952]

Have you cycled the tank yet? If not, then make sure you get hardy fish and dont get more than about 3 of them. If you dont know what cycling is, it's the process of developing enough beneficial bacteria to process the ammonia (fish waste) that will be present.

The cycle is that fish create waste (ammonia) which will eventually, when cycled, will be broken down by bacteria and changed into nitrite. A different bacteria will break nitrite down into nitrate. Nitrate will be removed with water changes. Both ammonia and nitrite are toxic and will kill your fish or create stress in the fish which will lead to diseases.

If you decide to do a fishless cycle, here is the link to the pinned thread on how to do it.

Regardless of whether you cycle with or without fish, you will also need a good liquid master test kit (don't buy strips as they are terribly inaccurate) so you can keep a close watch on ammonia and nitrite levels.

 

[australia]

okay yeah i have cycled my tank thanks

 

[australia]

i just went to my LFS and brought 5 neon tetra 2.5cm and 3 Black Phantom Tetra 3cm, will they fight in the tank? i hope not? i havent added the black phantons yet.....??

 

[*Fishkies*]

Well your tank is approxiamentally 14 gallons. So you could put in a variety of fish. Small fish such as platies, neons, a group of female bettas by themselves in the tank. There are millions of fish types out there.

Click Here!! That is a site that lists a lot of fish, go through and see what you like. And be sure to post back here with what you like. Stay away from the cichlids, and oscars as you don't have te room for them.

 

[rdd1952]

okay yeah i have cycled my tank thanks

When you say you cycled your tank do you mean you added ammonia and built the bacteria needed or that you filled it with water, put the filter and heater in and let them run for a week? The later is not cycling and will mean you will get huge ammona spikes especially with that many fish and neons are very delicate and will not make it through the cycling process.

 

[australia]

i like the Tetra`s like i said i just brought 5 neon tetras 2.5cm and 3 black phanton tetra`s....what do use think about them fish being together..?? can i add anything else?

 

[australia]

i used goldfish to cycle my tank for 8 weeks...

 

[*Fishkies*]

Black Phantom Tetra Profile. These fish may pick on each other within themselves. As their group size should be at least 6 to make them happy.

As for the neons, their group size should be fine. However neons can be quite sensitive to their water parameters and such. Neon Tetra Profile

 

[discus dreamer]

I have exactly that size of tank and I have 6 cory sterbia and 6 harlequin rasbora. The Cories spend all their time shuffling around the bottom of the tank in a pack and the harliquins swim in the upper levels. You might want to add a small bottom feeder of some kind to help clean up.
DD

 

[angeli697]

well thats 14.8 gallons. i'd put 6 neon tetras, 2 male guppies, and 4 female guppies, and then maybe black neons....or something

 

[rdd1952]

i used goldfish to cycle my tank for 8 weeks...

Keep in mind that the tank is only cycled for the bio-load that it contained so don't add more fish than what you had in it or you may see an ammonia and/or nitrite spike again.

well thats 14.8 gallons. i'd put 6 neon tetras, 2 male guppies, and 4 female guppies, and then maybe black neons....or something

I wouldn't put that many female guppies in a tank that small with that many other fish (12 fish total) unless you have a place and a plan for the fry as you will have 4 batches of fry every month.