# Beginner!



## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

I'm looking at getting a fish tank for my living room.. but need a bit of advice on the best size, shape of tank and care of the fish.

I used to own quite a few gold fish when I was little but nothing more than that!

I will be looking at cold water fish as the thought of keeping tropical fish seems a little ambitious to start with.

I quite like the Black Moors and Fantails but hear they can have problems health wise?


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## Nicky09 (Feb 26, 2009)

I can't offer much advice apart from cycle the tank first, a bowl is really bad get a decent sized aquarium. Oh yes and be careful or you get more tank syndrome *goes back to planning second tank*


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

yeh I would prefer a decent size tank.. not keen n the bowls


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

Hi ive got one of these in my front room,they look great with a couple of fantail goldfish in,they are more like a lampits a bioorb,i have the largest size,around £130.Built in filter/air/light unit.


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## PetArtist (Apr 9, 2009)

Fishyfins said:


> trust me, you do not want a biorb, they have a very poor view in the hobby, and most people steer well clear of them. the filtration systems in them are very poor quality when compared to regular internal box filters, and the lack of surface area means you can only stock it very lightly. this means that even the largest size is far too small to safely keep a single goldfish long term. the huge expense of them when compared to more standard tanks also makes them not worth it. why pay lots for a below standard tank?


I agree. :thumbup1:


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

I did look at those Bi-Orbs.. but heard the goldfish, including the fancy gold fish produce loads of waste so need really big tanks!

I wouldn't mind getting a big tank.. it's just whether I can fit it in my living room!

What other cold water fish, other than the regular gold fish are there?


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## mollyismyworld (May 2, 2009)

This is totally random, and pls take it tongue in cheek....

I have a house cat and a dog so wouldn't have fish, but my cat loves the extra DVD that comes with the "Finding Nemo" DVD....it just plays like a fish tank on the screen, on a loop.

My pets love it!! heehee!


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

mollyismyworld said:


> This is totally random, and pls take it tongue in cheek....
> 
> I have a house cat and a dog so wouldn't have fish, but my cat loves the extra DVD that comes with the "Finding Nemo" DVD....it just plays like a fish tank on the screen, on a loop.
> 
> My pets love it!! heehee!


I've got 2 house cats so will just have to get a very secure lid! I'm sure they'd love the fishes!


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## mollyismyworld (May 2, 2009)

bee112 said:


> I've got 2 house cats so will just have to get a very secure lid! I'm sure they'd love the fishes!


Absolutely!!

Although i still wouldn't trust my cat when I was out...he can be particularly naughty!!!

My neighbour bought a huge tank with baby sharks...they are pretty big now! The tank and lighting look great, but I have no clue about fish and how to look after them...was just readng through and thought would add my distinct lack of knowledge!!

Hope u find what u want. xx


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## Guest (May 12, 2009)

bee112 said:


> I'm looking at getting a fish tank for my living room.. but need a bit of advice on the best size, shape of tank and care of the fish.
> 
> I used to own quite a few gold fish when I was little but nothing more than that!
> 
> ...


I started with a cold water tank years ago, i said it was easier to start with cold but i really wanted tropical. Within a few months of setting up the tank i decided i wanted Tropical after all and bought another tank. I found the Tropical much easier to look after and bought another tank, and another tank and suddenly found i had 5 tanks I cold water and 4 tropical. I eventually changed the cold to tropical too. 
My advise is buy the biggest you can accomodate and don't be in a rush to fill it.


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

Pamela said:


> I started with a cold water tank years ago, i said it was easier to start with cold but i really wanted tropical. Within a few months of setting up the tank i decided i wanted Tropical after all and bought another tank. I found the Tropical much easier to look after and bought another tank, and another tank and suddenly found i had 5 tanks I cold water and 4 tropical. I eventually changed the cold to tropical too.
> My advise is buy the biggest you can accomodate and don't be in a rush to fill it.


Yes.. will take my time finding the right tank and the fish I want.. I do love the tropical ones, but would be scared incase I got something wrong and killed all the fish!

Will only be getting a couple of fish to start off with


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## Guest (May 12, 2009)

bee112 said:


> Yes.. will take my time finding the right tank and the fish I want.. I do love the tropical ones, but would be scared incase I got something wrong and killed all the fish!
> 
> Will only be getting a couple of fish to start off with


Don't be scared I thought the same but i had less problems with my Tropical than i did with the cold water ones. The only real diffeence is the heater. There is so much more choice with Tropical. I specialised in Angel Fish.


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

Yeh.. there is so much more choice.. looking at a 3ft tank really.. that's the biggest I could accomadate without having the tank near a window.

Will have to do my research before deciding on what breeds.. and I suppose some breeds arn't compatible?

What would you say are, for a beginner the ideal tropical fish?


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## Guest (May 12, 2009)

bee112 said:


> Yeh.. there is so much more choice.. looking at a 3ft tank really.. that's the biggest I could accomadate without having the tank near a window.
> 
> Will have to do my research before deciding on what breeds.. and I suppose some breeds arn't compatible?
> 
> What would you say are, for a beginner the ideal tropical fish?


3ft is a good size, and like you said you do not want it by a window. Is there a power socket close to the place you will put it? It would be worth while buying a really good Tropical Species book that's what i did i have a brilliant one. they tell you how big they will grow and what lives with what and temperature etc. with good pictures so that you can choice what look you want to achieve. 
I dived straight in with a variety of Angel Fish, Platys, Mollies, Harlequins, White Mountain Minnows, Clown loach, Guppies ( be careful breed like mad if mixed) and Corudoras to clean the bottom, I like the Julii catfish best but had Bronze and others too. can't remeber them all now.
You could just have a species tank, Barbs or something similar you would need to look at them and decide what you like. Have a trip to the Shop and have a look what they have do you have a good one near you?


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

oooooooooooooooooooooo the big fish bowl debate the bain of the fishkeepers life:nono:
ha ha no seriously,mine is stocked with 8 danios and 1 fantail gold fish,water is always spotless,they have all thrived in there for 4 years,so cant be that bad! plus it looks nice,doubles as a lamp!! the filter works fine,i like them,yes it only holds 60 litres,where as my other tank holds 550 liters!


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## Guest (May 12, 2009)

Tropicals are certainly easier to keep than coldwater fish such as Goldfish, most are also much smaller and therefore produce less waste. Believe it or not tropicals are much hardier too, goldfish are bred in huge numbers and in a lot of cases stock fish come from fish farms in very poor condition. I'm not going to get involved in any more 'goldfish in bowls' debates however Bi-orbs certainly aren't ideal homes for these fish and to be honest I wouldn't use them for any fish, no matter how small they are.

As the others have said a 3ft tank is an excellent starting point however even a tank of this size does have its limitations where stocking is concerned. Most small tetras, barbs, danios, livebearers, catfish such as Corydoras and small anabantoids such as Honey gouramis would be ideal. The like of Clown loaches would be too big for such a tank, although there are smaller alternatives such as Pygmy chain loaches (_Botia sidthimunki_).

The best sources of info these days are magazines and the reputable websites such as forums. OK there's nothing wrong with books however a lot of them do contain fairly out-of-date information.

Remember that you will need to cycle the tank before adding any fish. This can be done by adding small doses of bottled household ammonia (9.5% concentration) or fish food. The ammonia will break down over a period ranging from 2-8 weeks into less harmful substances known as nitrite and nitrate. Once the ammonia and nitrite read 0ppm on the test kits then you can add the first fish. It may be a long wait however it certainly is worth it in the long run.


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## Guest (May 12, 2009)

I've also got an article on fishless cycling which can be found here ---->http://www.petforums.co.uk/fish-keeping-chat/31863-pleccys-guide-fishless-cycling-basic-version.html


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks guys.. great info... I certainly dont want any big fish.. just some little ones as really, 3ft is the biggest tank I can get as it would fit perfectly into the corner of my living room.. with no window and has plug sockets too.

I am really suprised at how the tropicals are hardier than the good old goldfish! Learn something new everyday..

The cyclig of the tank would probably be ideal taking a few weeks.. then I can make sure I know exactly what fish I'm getting and how to look after them properly!

I think I'll give the mad breeders as miss .. dont want baby fish being eaten! 

Oh - and what are the running costs like? especially with the constant heater on the tank?


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## Guest (May 12, 2009)

Electricity consumption these days is quite low due to the advances in technology, a filter 5-10 years ago would have used around 100w of electricity however nowadays they can use as little as 6w. Heaters aren't too bad, for a 3ft tank you will need a 150w heater, however the electricity consumption for a tank of this size will be fairly small and you may not even notice an increase to your electricity bill.


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks...

Just went to Pets at Home to have a look at some of the tropical fish (I wont be buying any from there though.. none of their animals look healthy  )..

There are so many to choose from.. I love the Guppies, Cherry Barbs and loads more... lol will be hard to make a decsision!


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## Guest (May 12, 2009)

My advice: Don't buy from [email protected], their fish are more trouble than what they're worth. Instead dig out the phonebook and look under aquatic or water garden centers, or if you PM me with just the general area where you live then I'll pinpoint some good aquatic stores for you.


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

I remember buying some cold water fish years ago from Pets at Home.. they dont last very long at.. yet the ones I won at fairs lasted years!

I'll PM you now


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## penelopedarcy (May 7, 2009)

GUPPIES!!! hehe nothing... just go crazy when i hear the word 
anyways, welcome to the hobby!
best advice is read a lot, ask a lot...
this forum and others out there are great for it...

you could also make a journal of what you've been doing so everyone could give their inputs on it. 

lastly, i think fish bowls are great... for beta's..


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

I have only done a bit of reading so far and finding it very interesting! Can see myself ending up with a room full of fish tanks before long! :lol:


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## Guest (May 13, 2009)

bee112 said:


> I have only done a bit of reading so far and finding it very interesting! Can see myself ending up with a room full of fish tanks before long! :lol:


Hee Hee I bet you do, I did. I told you it was addictive once you start you can't stop. But it's worth it.


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

Definately.. I'm on the look out for a 3ft tank now


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## Guest (May 13, 2009)

Have you a decided what shape you want, straight or bowed, and do you want one on a stand? Will you be after new or used, what area are you in. There are some good used ones on Preloved.


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

I dont mind with the shape really.. I'll have a look o preloved, see if there's anything on there


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

What fish and approx how many would you recommend for a 2 foot tank?

Or would I just be better off getting the 3foot?


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## Guest (May 13, 2009)

bee112 said:


> What fish and approx how many would you recommend for a 2 foot tank?
> 
> Or would I just be better off getting the 3foot?


If you have the room i would go for the 3foot as it gives you more choice of fish.


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## Guest (May 13, 2009)

The books say 12sq in of tank for 1 inch body of fish not counting tails.


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

yeh true... 3 foot it will be... emailed someone about a tank on another forum, so I'll see what comes back.. I'm not bothered about getting a brand new one.


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## Guest (May 13, 2009)

bee112 said:


> yeh true... 3 foot it will be... emailed someone about a tank on another forum, so I'll see what comes back.. I'm not bothered about getting a brand new one.


Yes you can pick up some good buys second hand and perloved have loads. what type is it?


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

Pamela said:


> Yes you can pick up some good buys second hand and perloved have loads. what type is it?


It's a Juwel, 3ft tank without stand. (£55)

Comes with lid and heater and filter.. I'll be lucky if it's still available though


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## sapphire123 (May 14, 2009)

Hi ive got one of these in my front room,they look great with a couple of fantail goldfish in,they are more like a lampits a bioorb,i have the largest size,around £130.Built in filter/air/light unit.


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## Guest (May 14, 2009)

bee112 said:


> It's a Juwel, 3ft tank without stand. (£55)
> 
> Comes with lid and heater and filter.. I'll be lucky if it's still available though


Any luck with the tank?


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## miaxxx (May 14, 2009)

i never had an interest in fish untill my m8 got some then i was hooked
i went straight and got a tropical as i find them a lot more interesting but its ur personal liking but i do discourage salt water tanks as they are very difficult and very expensive to maintain...x enjoy


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

I've not heard back from the lady who was selling it so think I've missed out on that one!

Will keep looking 


Yes Mia, I've heard the salt water ones are difficult.. I'll definately pass on that one!


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## Guest (May 14, 2009)

bee112 said:


> I've not heard back from the lady who was selling it so think I've missed out on that one!
> 
> Will keep looking
> 
> Yes Mia, I've heard the salt water ones are difficult.. I'll definately pass on that one!


Never mind there will be others. What area are you in?

I think Marine are too fussy for me too. Although there are some lovely fish.


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## Guest (May 14, 2009)

bee112 said:


> I've not heard back from the lady who was selling it so think I've missed out on that one!
> 
> Will keep looking
> 
> Yes Mia, I've heard the salt water ones are difficult.. I'll definately pass on that one!


Good man! Saltwater tanks demand a lot from the fishkeeper in terms of time and hard-earned cash. I'd stick with freshwater fish for now.


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## penelopedarcy (May 7, 2009)

No need to rush, there's plenty of sellers out there! :biggrin:
and stay away from saltwater for now... 
it can be a dooozy.


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## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

Pamela said:


> Never mind there will be others. What area are you in?
> 
> I think Marine are too fussy for me too. Although there are some lovely fish.


Yeh there is... love the ones with coral in aswell..!

Would it be an idea to get live plants in my new new tank or fake ones?


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## penelopedarcy (May 7, 2009)

hmmm... if you think you can handle live plants go ahead. 
in any case, here's a link -> *aquasamit.blogspot.com

he's got a step-by-step of setting up a planted aquarium with pictures too.
you might find it interesting and could provide you some direction.


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## handsome (Mar 20, 2009)

All of us have seen or experienced it. You come home and your dog is so excited to see you that he jumps on you and knocks you off balance. While it may cute when the dog is a puppy, once they become adult, it can become a real issue.

Most dogs will jump on people at times. The frequency will vary with breed and by individual. One theory suggests that dogs use their nose and eyes to explore and that whenever they try to get close to a person's face it is not to attack, but to interact.If this theory is true, then one way to prevent jumping is to kneel down and interact with the dog at its level. Keep an eye out for excessive enthusiasm but let the dog explore your face. If you have taken the time to become the pack leader, you should not fear a bite by interacting in this way.

In the case of an older rescued dog, or an unknown dog, you should take proper precaution when using this technique. Keep a thumb inserted in the dogs collar, just behind the neck and be prepared to jerk sideways, if necessary. Whenever possible, use a sideways jerk as opposed to a sharp pull backwards as the dogs throat can easily be bruised. The movement is not meant to punish but to protect the owner and inform the dog.

You can also discourage jumping using off-leash training. Begin by having the dog stand in front of you. Using a sit command is very useful against jumping but your dog can't sit all the time. Start the exercise with the dog standing as jumping usually follows standing or running.
Keep a close eye for any body tension that precedes jumping and when youyoure your dog about to jump order a 'sit'. At first, your dog will probably jump anyway. In that case, lift your leg slightly and bump the dog's chest with your knee or thigh. At the same time, you want to thrust a palm near the dog's face. Follow this by a sharp command: 'off!'. ('Down' is a separate behavior.) Using a raised knee helps to keep the dog off and puts it off balance while the hand in the face both obscures its vision and discourages a repeat jump.


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## Guest (May 16, 2009)

handsome said:


> All of us have seen or experienced it. You come home and your dog is so excited to see you that he jumps on you and knocks you off balance. While it may cute when the dog is a puppy, once they become adult, it can become a real issue.
> 
> Most dogs will jump on people at times. The frequency will vary with breed and by individual. One theory suggests that dogs use their nose and eyes to explore and that whenever they try to get close to a person's face it is not to attack, but to interact.If this theory is true, then one way to prevent jumping is to kneel down and interact with the dog at its level. Keep an eye out for excessive enthusiasm but let the dog explore your face. If you have taken the time to become the pack leader, you should not fear a bite by interacting in this way.
> 
> ...


Are you talking about some new species of 'Dogfish'? :001_rolleyes:


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## penelopedarcy (May 7, 2009)

Pleccy said:


> Are you talking about some new species of 'Dogfish'? :001_rolleyes:


LOL. I'd want one of those!:thumbup:


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## shellinch (Apr 2, 2009)

with fish, tropical are way easier to keep....little bit more expensive but they are very hardy!

if however you go coldwater buy your setup and stand water for atleast 24 hours but best a week.

with tropical let tank stand for about 1-2 weeks. basicly it lets the bacteria build up and the right water temp.

buy a water testing kit and check all the levvels in the water. nitrate, nitrite, amoonia etc... before putting fish in

when buying fish always check for ulsers and whitespot and fungus they are a right pain to get rid of!

bi orbs are ok just make sure you dont over croud the tank as thats when you get waste build up and always get a algae eater or cray fish or shrimp for tropical as they eat all the crap onthe floor

you dont nessasairy need water clafyers as if you have a spare bucket of water and leave it 24 hours its called aged water and thats because the chlorine has avaparated out of the water. good money saving tip!


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## fishy5 (May 4, 2009)

Another website for a planted tank is The Planted Tank - Articles, Forums, Pictures, Links the name kinda gives it away

chris:arf:


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## Guest (May 18, 2009)

Have you found a fish tank yet? There are some good ones come up on Preloved again if you are still looking. If they are in your area.


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