# Going for tropical



## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

Hi,

Sorry to start a new thread  but I kept changing my mind and wanted to get more advice on this subject. I very much appreciate the advice in the other thread, which is why I have opted to go with tropical fish.

Now, I am ordering some equipment online and was wondering if I have missed anything out:

Non return check valve
Thermometer sticker
25 watt heater (is that correct? Or do I need 50 watt?)
Mini air pump
Dual action internal filter (what is the dual action bit?)
Airline hose and 2 airstones
Replacement filter cartridges

I already have the tank, will be getting gravel, plants (real or fake?) and a bulb (mine is a small 15 watt screw in bulb and can only seem to find strip lights). 

What fish do you recommend? Will need pretty small ones, maybe ones that are good together as I am looking to get 2 or 3, preferably 3. Want little cutie ones, maybe some unusual ones, was after kissing gouramis but saw they can get to about 6". 

I have a corner tank - height 14", width 17" with depth measured from front to the back corner point 11".

Am also preferably after an omnivore. Can't stomach live creatures. :blush2:

Also, how much are they generally and where is the best kind of place to get them?

Thank you in advance and sorry for clogging the boards!


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2009)

You're equipment choice looks fine, ignore things like 'Dual action' on filters, this is just to make them look high-tec. :lol:

Most aquariums nowadays use fluorescent lighting, I'd recommend a little gadget called the Arcadia Arc-pod, this uses a single T5 power compact tube and is perfect for smaller aquariums. It simply clamps onto the side of the tank. The 11w size is the one to go for. This should be suitable for growing the less demanding species of live plants, such as Java fern, Cryptocorynes, Cabomba, Java moss, Hygrophila etc. Take a look at http://www.tropica.com

For growing plants a sand substrate is much better than gravel, coarse substrates will inhibit root growth and believe it or not sand is actually easier to keep clean. Kid's playsand from a DIY store would be ideal, this usually costs about £3-4 for a 20lb bag.

As for fish I wouldn't recommend anything that grows larger than 5cm/2", so cichlids and a large majority of catfish such as plecs are out of the question. A lot of species such as Tetras, Rasboras, Danios etc. need to be kept in groups of at least six.

If you want a pair of Gouramis then Honey or Sparkling gouramis would be suitable. You might also want to consider 2-3 Amano shrimp (_Caridinia_ _multidentata_).

Remember that the tank is fairly small so keep the fish numbers below ten to avoid overstocking. The majority of surface and mid-water dwellers will be fine on a good quality flake food, with occasional feeds with freeze-dried bloodworms or daphnia.

When it comes to buying fish dig out the phonebook and look for a good, independent aquatic stores. Large chain stores seem to have bad reputations for supplying poor quality or diseased specimens. If any store tries to sell you things you don't need (i.e chemicals) then walk straight out.

Assuming you have all of the extras such as dechlorinator, algae scrapers and a test kit then you're good to go! 

Finally, take a look at this.


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

Wow thank you! 

I have been scouting the internet and found tiger barbs which are cute and up to 3", smaller in aquaria it says. How about 3 of those? Or would 2 be better?

Not sure I could have a shrimp in there :blush2: I would be scared of getting it out when cleaning! lol

Sand would look cool actually, do I have to use real plants as it says on this other website that you can use either robust or artificial? Though I think real would look much better.

Can't believe all my items are coming to £30 online when the pet shop was charging around £15 for the pump alone! 

With regards to the sand, a 5kg bag is £5.95 online, is that ample? I have no idea with measurements! hehe


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

Me again.  lol 

I have found some Tiger Barbs online for £1.75 each.

I have read they need to be kept in 5-6's to prevent them being aggressive. Will my tank be ok for that? It is saying the maximum sizes are 2". Do you think it would be overcrowded?

Once they do become adults, I am considering getting a new tank, it is more for cost and convenience that I am using my current one. 

Is it a good idea buying online?


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Real plants do look much better  There are some fake you can buy that look good but the algae does stick to them and you notice it and you will have to scrub them once in a while as I found! Does not matter that I do a 25% water change a week, my plastic plants just attract algae! Lol

Personally I would stay away from the sticker type of thermometer.. I have had alot of odd readings from them!  I bought a submersible digital one off ebay for a couple of quid and it is much more accurate.... sticker was reading 28F and the digital said 25.8!

x


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

Ah right, thanks for the tip, I did see one that suckers to the glass in the water for not much more so I will get that. 

Just worked out my tank volume, quite shocking really! 44 litres and 11.33 gallons. That won't be enough for 5 Tiger Barbs would it? 

Would they fight if I got just 3?

Had my heart set on them but a corner tank won't be suitable for them as they are active.

Any suggestions? I want fish that stand out and I thought Tigers were perfect.


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

What about neon tetra's? They stand out quite a bit?

I have platys in my tank and they are bright colours, I have loads of green plants, natural colour gravel and my platys are orange and yellow. They stand out really well against the green.

In my new tank, I have a plain dark blue background and will be putting lots of plants in there  Will be having neons and platys.

x


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

Are they the tiny things? I like them but was scared of mixing them with other fish, especially Tiger Barbs! 

What other fish can be put with Neon's then?

I am getting rather fish obsessed at the moment!

I read you have to leave the tank empty for 6 weeks before putting them in, is that right? I don't want to have to wait that long!


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Not a very good pic but here's mine










You should get water test kit from the pet shop, I left my tank for 2 weeks and tested it and all the levels were fine. You don't want to add fish before the tank is ok though, as they could just die.

I also have a bulldog/rubbernose plec in my tank, he won't get bigger than 6".

You could have guppies, mollies, platys..

x


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

Ah they are nice! 

Can't wait to get set up then I can get my pics up!


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

This is mad, why on earth do they make small tanks when you can't put fish in!? 

Every fish I have clicked on needs at least 20 gallons or about 40" of tank, even the dwarf ones! I am nowhere near! :cursing:


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

ILoveMyPug said:


> I read you have to leave the tank empty for 6 weeks before putting them in, is that right? I don't want to have to wait that long!


You will need to cycle the tank before getting any fish, which yes, could take up to 6 weeks. It is absolutely vital that you do this though!  
During those weeks you add a source of ammonia to the water on a regular basis to encourage the growth of good bacteria that, once the tank is ready and fish are added, will help get rid of the waste that the fish produce. Here's a link that explains it a bit better: Frequently asked questions on fishless cycling | Practical Fishkeeping magazine
And as PoisonGirl said, you'll need to get yourself a test kit so you can see when the tank is ready for fish 

While I don't think your tank is big enough for tiger barbs (as they are quite active fish), don't lose hope! There are plenty of other species that you could have 

Guppies are nice and very brightly coloured, if you're looking for something that stands out.
Most types of tetras would be suitable, and there are tons of different types to choose from!
Or if you didn't want a shoal of fish you could go for a male betta (siamese fighting fish). 
You can only keep one of these coz, well, they fight  But they are really stunning-looking fish.


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

Thank you! My gosh, never done 6 weeks before, would it really need it for a tank that size or would it kind of regulate sooner?

I have found some dwarf puffers, which require 5 gallons each so that would be perfect but I was hoping to mix them with those tiny see through things (sorry  ) - they are like tichy neons. Unless they are neons what I am talking about. 

Can't think what they are called but if anyone knows, that would be great. What are dwarf puffers like? What sexes should I get? Not wanting to breed, would 2 females be better than 2 males?


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Just to give you an idea of what they look like:

A variety of tetras - Tetras - AquaticLifeDirect.co.uk

Bettas - Siamese fighting fish, Betta, Betta splendens, Family: Osphronemidae, Subfamily: Macropodinae

Guppies - Tim's Tropical Fish Gallery - closed to new uploads. - Guppy guys - Powered by PhotoPost


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

It won't necessarily take 6 weeks to cycle, but its impossible to predict 

I think PoisonGirl said on the other page that her tank cycled in 2 weeks, and I cycled my 35 litre tank in 3 weeks... but I've heard of other people who've taken 7 or 8 weeks too! Unfortunately all you can do is cross your fingers and be patient! 

I don't really know anything about dwarf puffers, other than I've heard that they are very aggressive, so probably not a good idea to put anything else in with them! 
Oh, and I think 2 males would probably fight...


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

Thank you!

I have managed to get a pic of my tank to give you a better idea of what I am dealing with. 

Pity every fish I pick is a violent sod! Best get looking again!

Pets at Home said their tropicals range from 70p to £20! Wonder what the 70p ones are! lol

Is there no way I could get 2 kissing gouramis in there?! Really hope so...


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Hmm.. I'm not sure how much they need. I had 2 dwarf gouramis in my 2ft tank how big are the kissing ones? I have a feeling they might need more room..

That tank is about the same size as my old tank. I had 6 neons and some tall plants it looked really nice 

x


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## Katie&Cody (Dec 4, 2008)

TBH looking at your tank I would go with neon's (Maybe 4/6) and Guppies (4/6) This is what my mum has, they get one well, are easy to maintain and look very preety... it will also be what I will be having as soon as I get my new tank set up for the goldies to move over into  x


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

ILoveMyPug said:


> Pity every fish I pick is a violent sod!


Lol! 

The 70p fish are most probably tetras as they are small, fairly common fish and therefore tend to be cheaper (or so it seems in my lfs's). For example, just today I got a shoal of 6 glowlight tetras for my 35 litre (which has been empty for awhile) for under £5... 

_Edited to add:_ After a bit of googling it seems that kissing gouramis can grow from 8-12 inches and need at least a 3 foot tank... so I reckon thats another one to cross off your list!

_Edited again coz I keep forgetting things:_ I don't know how you've been working out the literage of your tank, but as it's a corner tank the calculations are different than for a 'normal', rectangular tank. You may have already taken that into account (in which case ignore me!), but just incase you haven't, you may find this site helpful: http://www.adelaideaquariums.com.au/faqs/articles/calccnr.html


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

Thank you very much! 

Looks like Tetra's are the fish of the day hehe. They are sweet.

Have been speaking to my mum (I have been driving everyone mad), she thought maybe dwarf gouramis, and also suggested a Zebra Pleco, maybe one of those and 2 dwarf gouramis?? How much space do Tetras need? Guppies are good too, will check them out.

I am having sand in the bottom with 2 or 3 real plants.


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

magpie said:


> _Edited again coz I keep forgetting things:_ I don't know how you've been working out the literage of your tank, but as it's a corner tank the calculations are different than for a 'normal', rectangular tank. You may have already taken that into account (in which case ignore me!), but just incase you haven't, you may find this site helpful: Adelaide Aquariums Area & Volume calculator: curved corner


Ooh just noticed this, that is great. Will have to re-measure when I get home.

I have found a great aquatics place near me who specialise in tropical and marine fish and they like to get unusual ones in, can't wait to have a nosy! I am going to go tomorrow!


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

29 bloody litres it is, that is pathetic! 

My only option really now IMO is Neon Tetras. How many can I get in there? Would like a good amount, they are stunning, and so cheap!

Are there any other compatible fish I could squeeze in there?

It really doesn't look that small to me but it must be.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Oh crumbs! That's a bit smaller than we thought, isn't it? 

Still, neon tetras aren't your only option - black neons, green neons and ember tetras are all as small or smaller than standard neons.
Then there's microrasboras, like galaxy rasboras, or endlers livebearers which are very brightly coloured little things 
Or there's still the option of a male betta?...

If you go for one of the small shoaling fish though, I think the most you could get away with is a shoal of 6 - I don't think the size of the tank would support any more than that.


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

How about Moonlight Gouramis? They are so serelely beautiful! I've recently thought about having tropical fish for the first time, just to have them.
Or would they not work? I know noooothing about feesh....


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Moonlight gouramis would need a much, much larger tank unfortunately.
They are very pretty though!


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

Thank you for the help!

How about a male Betta, about 8 Neon's (they are only tiny aren't they? and maybe a Guppy? Is that too much?


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

I think a guppy on it's own would not last very long. I have only ever kept guppies in groups of at least 4. They always swam about together.
When we were going to move I didn't replace any fish that died of age. I had had my tank up for a couple of years and over the time had many guppies and some tetras. When I was down to my last guppy he looked depressed. They also look better in groups.

I don't know about a betta with other fish.. not really sure what they can live with.. Not guppies anyway.

x


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

How about I get 4 Guppies, about 7 Neons and 1 or 2 small suckers? Can you get catfish that stay small?


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## Guest (Sep 24, 2009)

Assuming that the tank is only 29 litres then most catfish won't be suitable, even the smallest L no. plecs (including Zebras) require a minimum of 60 litres. Still _Corydoras pygmaeus_ might be worth looking into.

There are quite a few species that can be mixed with Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), small tetras, certain barbs (i.e cherries and pentazonas), small rasboras and danios can be mixed. Fish with long fins (i.e guppies) and other anabantoids should be avoided.


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## ILoveMyPug (Sep 4, 2009)

I have worked my tank out at 6-7g, is that right for 29L?

Thanks for the recommendations - are all these fish suited to aquarium sand because I have ordered some? What would be the best combination if it was you choosing and also what amount of each would be suitable? DEFINATELY like the Pentazona's. Maybe a combination of 1 Betta, some Pentazona's and a few Neon's....would the Betta eat the little men?

My equipment has been shipped so hopefully I can get set up by weekend. :thumbup1:

I am off to the aquatic centre tonight for a good old nosy!


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2009)

Either it's me or the tank seems to be getting smaller and smaller, however if I'm correct the tank should have a volume of 44 litres before displacement. 

A six gallon tank isn't exactly very big, I would just go with a single Betta and a small group of Ember tetras (Hyphessobrycon amandae) or Microrasboras. I only really mentioned Pentazonas as suitable tankmates for Bettas for future reference. The smallest Barbs ideally need a 15 gallon tank.


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