When Choosing Fish...

[rabbut]

Hi all,

For a University project, I am creating a fish website. As part of this, I want to allow users to enter details about their tanks and the fish already held in them, plus the equipment (not too specific) being used for them. What do you guys look at when deciding if a fish in compatible? My list is;

Is the tank big enough?
Will the tank become overstocked by adding the extras?
Is the fish aggressive?
Is the fish a fin nipper?
Is the fish prone to being fin nipped?
Top, bottom or middle swimmer?
How crowded are the above mentioned areas of the tank?

I'm sure I'll think of more, but can anybody see any other factors I've missed? I want to get all my variables set before I start adding stuff to my database and testing it...

The site will be "interactive" giving users personalised hints and tips, like adding a fish may not be a good idea because, too heavily stocked, incompatible tank mates, tanks too small, filters not big enough to handle more load e.t.c

Thanks
Rabbut

 

[Truck]

Is the tank big enough?
Will the tank become overstocked by adding the extras?
Is the fish aggressive?
Is the fish a fin nipper?
Is the fish prone to being fin nipped?
Top, bottom or middle swimmer?
How crowded are the above mentioned areas of the tank?

does it require any special feeding
will it require a different temperature
will it require a different substrate
will it require different water conditions
is the filtration and maintenance up to scratch?
is their too much flow in your tank for the fish (eg betta)

 

[rabbut]

Thanks for the input, diet and temperature will be added to the list.

I will include a brief description of the fish also, so can cover the substrate issue in there, maintenance is a difficult one to model on a computer, so I may just have to link to a good maintenance site to give the users info on correct tank maintenance. Filtration is covered above, but the point in too much flow is one I'm not sure what to do with. It isn't overly easy to model as far as I can see, but an important one all the same. Food for thought me thinks

All the best
Rabbut

 

[keenonfish]

If this for real it would be great if this was mobile phone friendly too (i.e. optimised for smaller screens)so people access from the lfs

 

[star4]

I use a site called thinkfish this has a section where you can create your tank, add what fish you want and it tells you if they are compatable. You could try that for some ideas, the only thing I think would be usefull is if you wanted a type of fish and is wasnt compatable an alternative could be offered.

 

[rabbut]

Some useful input from you three that have replied, that's for sure.

Truck, I'm trying to work out how to model a few of your suggestions to get the website application to recognise some of the things you consider while planning stockings

Star4, I will look at that website when I have a chance, see what ideas I can lift/modify/build-on e.t.c

keenonfish, this will eventually be a fully working site, it has to be to hand in at uni if I want any marks for it... Hosting it as a live site on a server, well, that involves paying for hosting, with a provider that supports Apache2, Python script, Django and can cope with moderate-to-heavy loadings, as Django isn't the most efficient web application tool, especially for static pages, of which this site will contain a few... The requirements for hosting this site would likely lead to it being expensive. I may look into it though, as a summer project type of thing. As it is ATM, I'd have to add the details of each individual species individually by hand... Not fun I suspect... Making it fit a smaller screen, well, that may be doable, but a concern for me to look into after I have a hosted site IMO, as being mobile phone friendly isn't part of the spec for the site while it remains a Uni project...

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Christi_22]

Hi Rabbut,

Such an interesting project.

I have also used the ThinkFish website, and it is quite a fun thing to use, albeit, I think the stocking recommendations are a bit full on, but the information given seems to be very correct. (pretty much)

It seems like you have a fair bit to work with, I just thought, what about fish that are "Biotope friendly" that would be perfect.

Good luck

C

 

[tenohfive]

I used Thinkfish as well when I first started out in the hobby, and whilst its pretty good I soon learned to verify things. If anything though it erred on the side of caution, and I'd encourage you to do the same as well Rabbut.

I take it you're not taking into account compatibility between fish? Aside from the obvious "Don't put adult angels with neon's" and "don't put a betta with a guppy" mixes theres a fair few others - such as not putting a breeding pair of semi-aggressive SA/CA cichlids in with anything else, unless decor and space permit.

As a project it sounds like fun, and I'm sure you'll be able to tick most of the boxes. If I were you though I wouldn't worry too much about the finite detail as you'll never be able to create a fool proof system. I'd concentrate more on the presentation, functionality and technology behind it - going into too much detail will take up alot more time, and won't be appreciated by whoever's judging it I suspect.