Fish Recommendations ?

[Larry Blanchard]

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 16:36:13 -0500, Robert C. wrote:


>
> I want to make my aquarium have some live plants to help with with the
> nitrogen cycle; which species would you recommend?
>

Go to www.aquariumplants.con and look at "low-light" plants unless you
want to spend beaucoup bucks on 2-3 watts per gallon.

> As to fish, a 20 gallon will not house too many fish, so I want some
> colourful fish which do not require large schooling populations; what
> breeds do you recommend and that are compatible with each other?
>

A well-planted 20 gallon can hold 25 inches of small (<3") fish. If it's
a "long", rather than a "high", maybe even more. This assumes no
overfeeding and regular water changes.

There are a hundred ways to go, but how about 5-6 panda cories, 6-8
platies or mollies, an a pair of small anglefish to eat the fry.

Or the cories plus 5 dwarf neon rainbows.

Good luck.

[Robert C.]

I'm just getting into the world of aquarium hobby. I have purchased a 20
gallon tank, a Fluval 204, a heater, and gravel. I will be starting the tank
during the Christmas holidays since I will be able to monitor the tank for
proper cycling. I have read about "fishless cycling", but I am not quite
sure about just how much ammonia I should add: is 1 teaspoon (5ml) per day
enough? About ammonia, is regular supermarket ammonia good enough?

I want to make my aquarium have some live plants to help with with the
nitrogen cycle; which species would you recommend?

As to fish, a 20 gallon will not house too many fish, so I want some
colourful fish which do not require large schooling populations; what breeds
do you recommend and that are compatible with each other?

Any other recommendationd for a beginner aquarist?

Thanks,

~Robert C.

[Gill Passman]

Robert C. wrote:
> I'm just getting into the world of aquarium hobby. I have purchased a 20
> gallon tank, a Fluval 204, a heater, and gravel. I will be starting the tank
> during the Christmas holidays since I will be able to monitor the tank for
> proper cycling. I have read about "fishless cycling", but I am not quite
> sure about just how much ammonia I should add: is 1 teaspoon (5ml) per day
> enough? About ammonia, is regular supermarket ammonia good enough?
>
> I want to make my aquarium have some live plants to help with with the
> nitrogen cycle; which species would you recommend?
>
> As to fish, a 20 gallon will not house too many fish, so I want some
> colourful fish which do not require large schooling populations; what breeds
> do you recommend and that are compatible with each other?
>
> Any other recommendationd for a beginner aquarist?
>
> Thanks,
>
> ~Robert C.
>
>
I can't really answer you on the fishless cycling but there are others
on this newsgroup that have tried this. I cycled my original two tanks
with fish but very, very slowly...a couple of fish, monitor, correct if
nec, wait two weeks, a few more, monitor, correct if nec, wait two
weeks more - it was fine. Now, I seed my tanks from my established tanks
but still do the add fish slowly, monitor, correct if nec, wait two
weeks more....and so on....

I find that live plants are great in keeping up the natural balance
within a tank (although you have to keep on top of any dead plant
matter) - they will suck up the nitrates and I believe, I read
somewhere, help with ammonia and nitrites. I am not happy having a tank
without live plants but that might just be me....

In terms of fish, the list is endless. You have to bear in mind that
sometimes even small fish demand a lot more space. The one inch per gall
rule is good when starting out but please research your fish first...for
example you couldn't keep a Dutch ram cichlid in a one gall tank there
is just not enough space even though they only grow to around 1 inch or
1.5 max....some fish require certain conditions and cannot cope with
going straight into a new tank - IME (and I've read and been advised)
Neon Tetras do not do well as starter fish....and Clown Loaches are a
definite no...

Your options are endless but to give you a couple of examples.

I have a 15 UK gall tank which houses:-

2 Dwarf Blue Gouramis
1 Dutch Ram (was 3 but they can be delicate and sensitive to not having
the exact water conditions - and mine are not best suited to them)
5 Rummy Nose Tetras
4 Juhlii Cories

Could probably squeeze more in but I'm happy for now - this tank has a
Fluval 2 Plus

In the past this tank has housed Mollies, Glowlight Tetras, Rams, a
Betta, Pearl Gouramis (they outgrew it so neccesitated the purchase of a
30 gall tank), Harlequin Rasboras, Cherry Barbs (not all at the same
time I hasten to add)....

I have a 7.5 UK gall tank which houses:-

4 Peacock Gobies (difficult to come by and very placid so maybe not
right for a first tank)
5 Panda Cories (extremely active and very entertaining)

This tank has a Fluval 2 plus - I think

In fact the number of fish that you can add are endless but the
important thing is to remember that you need to research - the dinky
fish in your LFS are quite often Juveniles that can grow into monsters...

I like the fact that you have gone for an external - gives far better
performance IMO than the internals but a little harder to maintain. I
run externals on my larger tanks (30 gall upwards) but down to the fact
that the smaller tanks don't have cabinets as such or anywhere to hide
their filters I run internals on these but over filtrate according to
the manufacturer's recommendations....

You've started the hobby right by asking questions :-) I'm sure that you
will have a wonderful experience...but keep posting - we will try to
answer anything you need to know...

also try checking out the following sites that contain lots of great info:-

http://faq.thekrib.com/

or http://www.netmax.tk/ (one of our regular's who gives out great info
and advice)....

Also google on any fish that you fancy - there is a wealth of info out
there....

Gill

[Koi-lo]

"Robert C." > wrote in message
. ..
> I'm just getting into the world of aquarium hobby. I have purchased a 20
> gallon tank, a Fluval 204, a heater, and gravel. I will be starting the
> tank during the Christmas holidays since I will be able to monitor the
> tank for proper cycling. I have read about "fishless cycling", but I am
> not quite sure about just how much ammonia I should add: is 1 teaspoon
> (5ml) per day enough? About ammonia, is regular supermarket ammonia good
> enough?

## Yes. Make sure it has no additives such as soaps or added aromas.
Nitrites can kill as well.

> I want to make my aquarium have some live plants to help with with the
> nitrogen cycle; which species would you recommend?

## Hornwart, vals and water lettuce if the water is alkaline. Water sprite
and Java Fern if acid. Check to see what thrives in aquariums in your area.
Ask around. Join a local aquarium club if you have one in your area.

> As to fish, a 20 gallon will not house too many fish, so I want some
> colourful fish which do not require large schooling populations; what
> breeds do you recommend and that are compatible with each other?

## First test your water for hardness and alkalinity. Avoid delicate fish
that need soft acid water or vice versa if there are extremes.

> Any other recommendationd for a beginner aquarist?

## There are hundreds of good websites for new Aquarists. Also check out
aquarium books for beginners. They usually make suggestions as to what fish
get along with others in a community situation, cover the nitrogen cycle, PH
etc.

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[fish lover]

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 05:06:57 -0800, Larry Blanchard
> wrote:
I like the idea of dwarf neon rainbows. They are coloful and easy to
maintain. It may not be the cheap option. Dwarf neon rainbows cost
about $20 a pair where I live. You are looking at over $60 of fish
right there. For a newbie, that may be a costly start.
>On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 16:36:13 -0500, Robert C. wrote:
>
>
>>
>> I want to make my aquarium have some live plants to help with with the
>> nitrogen cycle; which species would you recommend?
>>
>
>Go to www.aquariumplants.con and look at "low-light" plants unless you
>want to spend beaucoup bucks on 2-3 watts per gallon.
>
>> As to fish, a 20 gallon will not house too many fish, so I want some
>> colourful fish which do not require large schooling populations; what
>> breeds do you recommend and that are compatible with each other?
>>
>
>A well-planted 20 gallon can hold 25 inches of small (<3") fish. If it's
>a "long", rather than a "high", maybe even more. This assumes no
>overfeeding and regular water changes.
>
>There are a hundred ways to go, but how about 5-6 panda cories, 6-8
>platies or mollies, an a pair of small anglefish to eat the fry.
>
>Or the cories plus 5 dwarf neon rainbows.
>
>Good luck.

[NetMax]

"Robert C." > wrote in message
. ..
> I'm just getting into the world of aquarium hobby. I have purchased a
> 20 gallon tank, a Fluval 204, a heater, and gravel. I will be starting
> the tank during the Christmas holidays since I will be able to monitor
> the tank for proper cycling. I have read about "fishless cycling", but
> I am not quite sure about just how much ammonia I should add: is 1
> teaspoon (5ml) per day enough? About ammonia, is regular supermarket
> ammonia good enough?

If you google the archives, you might find the formula, though there is
some variation according to the concentration the manufacturer used. You
can also do this empirically by adding a teaspoon and measuring the level
the following day. You would like to have it between 4 and 8ppm. Once
you reach that level, just leave it alone. Daily feedings are not really
required and has been reported to cause problems.

Supermarket ammonia is usually fine. It should say pure and not list any
agents to make suds. I use Amex from Wal-Mart I think.

> I want to make my aquarium have some live plants to help with with the
> nitrogen cycle; which species would you recommend?

Ideally, you want to experiment with varieties which you find pleasing,
and go with what grows. Some plants will find your water too hard, soft,
alkaline or perhaps too dark, so experimentation can work well. Visit
your local aquarium society and see if you can get a collection of
sprigs. You can order variety packages from some on-line plant suppliers
too.

> As to fish, a 20 gallon will not house too many fish, so I want some
> colourful fish which do not require large schooling populations; what
> breeds do you recommend and that are compatible with each other?

Determine your water parameters to ensure they are not at some extreme,
and then post with the names of fish which you find attractive. We can
narrow your choices, and give you some mixing suggestions, but at the
moment, your question is too broad, like asking what kind of a car should
I buy, without knowing what you like in cars ;~).

fwiw, you will probably be looking at a community tank of smaller fish
(tetras, danios etc), corys, a gourami of some type, maybe a few
livebearers, small non-aggressive cichlids, a couple of Otos etc etc, but
some are more delicate than others, so you'll want to start with the
least expensive and most hardy. Alternately, you could set up a species
tank of just Tiger barbs (green, regular, albino, blushing etc) and get
lots of color and action out of that. There are several 100 other
combinations available.

> Any other recommendationd for a beginner aquarist?

Usual stuff, read & ask questions. Much easier to research first & make
less mistakes, than get caught in a beginner's whirlpool of death
(ammonia spike, nitrite spike, fish get Ich, fungus and/or bacteria,
medicine kills good bacteria so you get a spike again, fish die from
combination of medicine, diseases and toxic water).

> Thanks,
>
> ~Robert C.

Thanks for asking, and there are lots of experienced and helpful people
here to help you.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Empty]

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 22:17:58 +0000, Gill Passman wrote:

>
> I find that live plants are great in keeping up the natural balance
> within a tank (although you have to keep on top of any dead plant
> matter) - they will suck up the nitrates and I believe, I read
> somewhere, help with ammonia and nitrites. I am not happy having a tank
> without live plants but that might just be me....

Plants need nitrogen to grow. They will get it from the easiest source
available. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate all have nitrogen. Ammonia is
easiest for a plant to eat, followed by nitrite, followed by nitrate. Many
people that have heavily planted tanks with low fish loads never cycle at
all in fact, and some high light CO2 injected plant tanks have to add
nitrate for fertilizer. I have to do this in my 55.

~Empty

[Larry Blanchard]

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 21:06:05 -0500, fish lover wrote:

> I like the idea of dwarf neon rainbows. They are coloful and easy to
> maintain. It may not be the cheap option. Dwarf neon rainbows cost about
> $20 a pair where I live. You are looking at over $60 of fish right there.
> For a newbie, that may be a costly start.
>
Well, they're not 99 cents, but I have seen them, at a LFS, for $5.95.
That'd be $30 for 5.

BTW, to the original poster. Five rainbows should be 3 males and two
females. No, I haven't got it bckwards. If the males outnumber the
females, they'll spend a lot of time "displaying" to each other, which is
not only great to watch, it gives the females a little rest.

[Tynk]

Robert C. wrote:
> I'm just getting into the world of aquarium hobby. I have purchased a 20
> gallon tank, a Fluval 204, a heater, and gravel. I will be starting the tank
> during the Christmas holidays since I will be able to monitor the tank for
> proper cycling. I have read about "fishless cycling", but I am not quite
> sure about just how much ammonia I should add: is 1 teaspoon (5ml) per day
> enough? About ammonia, is regular supermarket ammonia good enough?
>
> I want to make my aquarium have some live plants to help with with the
> nitrogen cycle; which species would you recommend?
>
> As to fish, a 20 gallon will not house too many fish, so I want some
> colourful fish which do not require large schooling populations; what breeds
> do you recommend and that are compatible with each other?
>
> Any other recommendationd for a beginner aquarist?
>
> Thanks,
>
> ~Robert C.
If you can find a product called Bio Spira, get it.
It will cycle the tank in 24 hours.
It's the only bacteria starter out there that has the correct bacteria
in it.
PetLand chains usually sell it, and some other local shops do too. It
needs to be kept in the frige and isn't always available at local shops
because of this.
I've used this product several times and I assure you it does do what
it claims. The other bacteria starter products do NOT. StressZyme,
Cycle, Bio Zyme, etc all have the wrong bacteria in it.
Of course if you have any other tanks in the house that you could seed
with, that would be perfect too.
Don't try and seed a tank with gravel from a pet shop. Bad idea.

[NetMax]

"Tynk" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Robert C. wrote:
>> I'm just getting into the world of aquarium hobby. I have purchased a
>> 20
>> gallon tank, a Fluval 204, a heater, and gravel. I will be starting
>> the tank
>> during the Christmas holidays since I will be able to monitor the tank
>> for
>> proper cycling. I have read about "fishless cycling", but I am not
>> quite
>> sure about just how much ammonia I should add: is 1 teaspoon (5ml) per
>> day
>> enough? About ammonia, is regular supermarket ammonia good enough?
>>
>> I want to make my aquarium have some live plants to help with with the
>> nitrogen cycle; which species would you recommend?
>>
>> As to fish, a 20 gallon will not house too many fish, so I want some
>> colourful fish which do not require large schooling populations; what
>> breeds
>> do you recommend and that are compatible with each other?
>>
>> Any other recommendationd for a beginner aquarist?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> ~Robert C.
> If you can find a product called Bio Spira, get it.
> It will cycle the tank in 24 hours.
> It's the only bacteria starter out there that has the correct bacteria
> in it.
> PetLand chains usually sell it, and some other local shops do too. It
> needs to be kept in the frige and isn't always available at local shops
> because of this.
> I've used this product several times and I assure you it does do what
> it claims. The other bacteria starter products do NOT. StressZyme,
> Cycle, Bio Zyme, etc all have the wrong bacteria in it.
> Of course if you have any other tanks in the house that you could seed
> with, that would be perfect too.
> Don't try and seed a tank with gravel from a pet shop. Bad idea.


Hey, good point Tynk, I didn't think to mention Biospira as I only
answered the question. Fishless 'chemistry' is fun, but not necessarily
what you want to do over the holidays ;~).
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Tynk]

Larry Blanchard wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 21:06:05 -0500, fish lover wrote:
>
> > I like the idea of dwarf neon rainbows. They are coloful and easy to
> > maintain. It may not be the cheap option. Dwarf neon rainbows cost about
> > $20 a pair where I live. You are looking at over $60 of fish right there.
> > For a newbie, that may be a costly start.
> >
> Well, they're not 99 cents, but I have seen them, at a LFS, for $5.95.
> That'd be $30 for 5.
>
> BTW, to the original poster. Five rainbows should be 3 males and two
> females. No, I haven't got it bckwards. If the males outnumber the
> females, they'll spend a lot of time "displaying" to each other, which is
> not only great to watch, it gives the females a little rest.
> BTW, to the original poster. Five rainbows should be 3 males and two
> females. No, I haven't got it bckwards. If the males outnumber the
> females, they'll spend a lot of time "displaying" to each other, which is
> not only great to watch, it gives the females a little rest.

That's too cute. lol
The boys would rather show off to the boys than have a good time with
the girlies. = )~