# Tetras!!!



## LittleAnimalLover

Hey!

Well I already have one hamster and I'm getting stick insects but I'm really interested in getting some tetra fish. I nned to know some stuff about them though:

1) Tank. I will be getting supplies from Pets at Home, so there's two tanks I could get. I'm on a really low budget so I'm trying to go as cheap as possible. This is a plastic tank thingy for reptiles, but I wondered if I could use it as a fish tank, as it's only £9? Link: Large Faunarium by Exo Terra (Available in Store Only) | Pets at Home

But, of course, If that isn't good, I could always use this? Link: My First Fish Tank by Pets at Home (Available in Store Only) | Pets at Home

2) Number of Fish. How many tetras should I get, look at the two possible tanks above. I will only have tetras in my tank though. Also, how much are they at Pets at Home?

3) Tank decor? I will only get them if they are simple to look after. Do they need one of those machines that bubble the water? And what decor/plants. Also, I live in London currently so do I need filtered water therefore??? How often do I need to clean the tank?

4) Shopping List. What is a shopping list or Pets at Home Products that are as cheap as possible?

Thanks!!

Eve


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## Fishyfins

hey there!

ok, ill try to answer your questions as methodically and in order as i can.

1) the first tank i dont think would be very suitable. tetras are tropical fish, and thus need heaters to thrive. putting a heater into that first tank would melt the plastic, thus causing a flood. not a good idea. The second tank, being glass, wouldnt have this issue, however, it is still far too small for any sort of fish. for a small shoal of tetras, you should aim for an absolute minimum of 25-30L (this really should be the baseline for any fish. the tank there is really only suitable for a few shrimp). such tanks shouldnt be all that hard to find cheaply. dont go to Pets at home, they are overpriced (believe me, i worked there for 3 years), if you want cheap, then find a friendly local retailer (make sure they are trustworthy), or look on ebay/gumtree/freecycle for people giving away small aquariums.

2) Tetras are a shoaling fish, and like their own company. i would say a minimum of 5 individuals, and with a small tank 25-30L, you probably wouldnt be able to get many more in anyway. you would have to aim for smaller tetra species as well, such as glowlights, or neons. currently, the cost of neons and glowlights at [email protected] are (i believe) 4 for £5 at the moment, but again, smaller dealers will probably be cheaper. If you decide on neons, make sure you get decent stock, as current stock tends to be very iffy with diseases due to massive overbreeding in the far east. quality stock can be hard to find, so searching around is probably the best idea.

3) Tetras dont need anything specific for decor, so its up to you. id try and avoid garishly bright colours, as it draws attention away from the bright fish, and their colours can fade i time. otherwise, just whatever you like. a nice bit of rock or wood, and a place to hide would be ideal. you dont specifically need an aerator/air pump (the bubbly thing), but they do help. be warned tough, that they are noisy. you will most certainly need a filter for the aquarium. no matter where you live, every aquarium in the world needs a filter. otherwise its impossible for fish waste to be removed from the water. even with a filter, you will need to change the water pretty often. i usually advise changing 20-25% of the water weekly, replacing it with fresh dechlorinated water.

4: shopping list for tetras would be as follows:

*Essentials*

Aquarium 25L +

Heater

Filter

Decor (what the decor is depends on what you wanna see in the tank)

Food (a good quality pellet food is preffered to flake, as flake tends to contain less nutrients, and decay quicker, causing pollution)

Test Kit (testing water regularly for ammonia, nitite and nitrate is essential. pets at home and other shops will usually test your water for free, or for a small charge, but testing yourself is usually a lot better)

Buckets and siphon for water cleaning (make sure they have not been used before. plastic has a "chemical memory", and if a bucket has been used for things like cleaning in the past, it can leach out nasty chemicals into the water)

Dechlorinator (tapwater contains chlorines and other nasties that destroy filter bacteria, so dechlorinator is essential these days)

I cant think of anything else you would need off the top of my head. you could add a light and an air pump, but these are not essentail, and can be left out with little negative effect on the tank.

I think thats all the questions answered. Ill just leave with a bit of advice. Fish are not hard to look after, if you do it right. most issues people come across are due to rushing things, impulse buying, or neglect. take things slow, read up and research before you jump (essentially what your doing here, so well done for asking all this first). make sure you cycle the tank fishlessly before adding fish (this is one of the biggest pitfalls for new fishkeepers). here is a handy guide to fishless cycling here: Frequently asked questions on fishless cycling | Features | Practical Fishkeeping

And as ive said, im not gonna tell you to avoid Pets at Home. they arnt that bad as a general stockist. i just wouldnt listen to much of what they tell you (their aquarium training isnt all that great), and them and low prices arnt often spoken together XD. if yu want better advice, go online, and if you want cheaper, most smaller local stores will be cheaper.

hope this helps
Fishy


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## Angelfish2

1) I don't think you should get a plastic tank for any fish in general. Plastic is poisonous and could kill your tetras. I'd go with a glass tank. 

2) If I were you I would get a minimum of 6 tetras, leaning towards the cardinal tetras (or neon if you want) to a maximum of 9, nothing more, nothing less. They don't do good by themselves. 

3) Small fish such as tetras don't necessarily need decorations but live plants help with oxygenation and bacteria. Also, decor makes your tank look better and helps with fish hiding; if they get scared.

4) If I were you, a 10 gallon would be a good size but from experience, it'll feel way too small and you will want a bigger one. So get a 15-20 gallon tank. You will need a heater and filter that corresponds with the size of tank you are getting, live bacteria, gravel for the bottom (very important), food (flakes), ammonia remover (a conditioner) and a bucket with a siphon. You will also need a hood and a light (preferably fluorescent). Decor would be good but it's really up to you. 

I hope this helps.


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## mstori

agree with everything said above. The second tank that you have a pic of seems to be the same as my fry tank, which sell in b&m and home bargains for around £12 and include a sponge filter and fake plant. They are very small, (i cant find a heater to fit) and currently I just use mine for shrimps and young. 

I have a 4ft tank, started with a 1ft and keep getting bigger as I want to add more variety  its addicting! so if possible try and get a larger tank, even if it means saving a bit money, but also look at ebay. I recently got my son a Aqua Start 500 65 Litre Aquarium for £24 with filter, ornament and fishnet. Its a small tank with lights, which tbh is what you want especially with neons to show their colours

For fish, again if possible I would avoid pets at home, I am yet to get one there that hasnt had some illness or died pretty quickly. I now only use the people I found through a local facebook fish page, again people sell on their tanks so worth having a look. To give you an idea of the price of fish, I pay around 50p a shrimp £1-1.20 for tetras and thats most kinds, guppies, mollies, danios etc all around £1-1.50 too and £2 for plecs

Hope you get sorted


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