Our First Fish

[Haynes'ey]

The weekend saw us go off and purchase our first Tropical Fish:

5 x Serpae Tetras
6 x Black Widow Tetras
6 x Male Platys
2 x Female Platys
4 x Male Guppies
6 x Female Guppies

We plan on having a Pl#co from our neighbour this weekend and maybe a
Chinese Algae Eater.

The tank is 40 gallon running with 2 Fluval 4 plus filters.

What do you think of our choices so far and will we have room for anymore
fish in a while?

They've been in there since the weekend and so far no problems (touch wood)
and a lovely bunch to watch at feeding time they go crazy, but you Guys
already know this!
--
Haynes'ey.

[Velvet]

Haynes'ey wrote:

> The weekend saw us go off and purchase our first Tropical Fish:
>
> 5 x Serpae Tetras
> 6 x Black Widow Tetras
> 6 x Male Platys
> 2 x Female Platys
> 4 x Male Guppies
> 6 x Female Guppies
>
> We plan on having a Pl#co from our neighbour this weekend and maybe a
> Chinese Algae Eater.
>
> The tank is 40 gallon running with 2 Fluval 4 plus filters.
>
> What do you think of our choices so far and will we have room for anymore
> fish in a while?
>
> They've been in there since the weekend and so far no problems (touch wood)
> and a lovely bunch to watch at feeding time they go crazy, but you Guys
> already know this!

Might have missed prior posts, but you *have* already cycled the tank
without fish, I take it?

If not, that's a lot (even for a 40gal, I think) to put in an uncycled
tank, and you should either take some back to the LFS till it's done
cycling, or prepare yourself for a very rocky ride and potentially lots
of deaths :-(

--


Velvet

[Velvet]

Velvet wrote:

> Haynes'ey wrote:
>
>> The weekend saw us go off and purchase our first Tropical Fish:
>>
>> 5 x Serpae Tetras
>> 6 x Black Widow Tetras
>> 6 x Male Platys
>> 2 x Female Platys
>> 4 x Male Guppies
>> 6 x Female Guppies
>>
>> We plan on having a Pl#co from our neighbour this weekend and maybe a
>> Chinese Algae Eater.
>>
>> The tank is 40 gallon running with 2 Fluval 4 plus filters.
>>
>> What do you think of our choices so far and will we have room for anymore
>> fish in a while?
>>
>> They've been in there since the weekend and so far no problems (touch
>> wood)
>> and a lovely bunch to watch at feeding time they go crazy, but you Guys
>> already know this!
>
>
> Might have missed prior posts, but you *have* already cycled the tank
> without fish, I take it?
>
> If not, that's a lot (even for a 40gal, I think) to put in an uncycled
> tank, and you should either take some back to the LFS till it's done
> cycling, or prepare yourself for a very rocky ride and potentially lots
> of deaths :-(
>

Actually, having read back, I see you're cycling it by adding in fish
food. Did the ammonia levels drop to near 0 before you added the fish?

Be prepared for another spike anyway even if they did, so keep an eye on
the levels and do water changes to keep it tolerable for the fish if it
spikes back up.

--


Velvet

[Haynes'ey]

"Velvet" > wrote in message
...
> Velvet wrote:
>
> > Haynes'ey wrote:
> >
> >> The weekend saw us go off and purchase our first Tropical Fish:
> >>
> >> 5 x Serpae Tetras
> >> 6 x Black Widow Tetras
> >> 6 x Male Platys
> >> 2 x Female Platys
> >> 4 x Male Guppies
> >> 6 x Female Guppies
> >>
> >> We plan on having a Pl#co from our neighbour this weekend and maybe a
> >> Chinese Algae Eater.
> >>
> >> The tank is 40 gallon running with 2 Fluval 4 plus filters.
> >>
> >> What do you think of our choices so far and will we have room for
anymore
> >> fish in a while?
> >>
> >> They've been in there since the weekend and so far no problems (touch
> >> wood)
> >> and a lovely bunch to watch at feeding time they go crazy, but you Guys
> >> already know this!
> >
> >
> > Might have missed prior posts, but you *have* already cycled the tank
> > without fish, I take it?
> >
> > If not, that's a lot (even for a 40gal, I think) to put in an uncycled
> > tank, and you should either take some back to the LFS till it's done
> > cycling, or prepare yourself for a very rocky ride and potentially lots
> > of deaths :-(
> >
>
> Actually, having read back, I see you're cycling it by adding in fish
> food. Did the ammonia levels drop to near 0 before you added the fish?
>
> Be prepared for another spike anyway even if they did, so keep an eye on
> the levels and do water changes to keep it tolerable for the fish if it
> spikes back up.
>
> --
>
>
> Velvet

Thanks Velvet, yes with peoples advice on here I cycled the tank for 5 weeks
actually had 2 ammonia spikes for some reason aswell as the nitrite levels
going high.

At the moment I am checking the water every other day and so far all is
well, there is a smell there now that wasn't about until yesterday but what
it is I don't know.

All the fish seem happy, but this is early days for all of us; oh and about
3 weeks ago on advice from here I added 50litres of water from my neighbours
established tank.

BTW are you saying that we are now filled to the brim with fish because I
had in mind that we could add some more

Haynes'ey.

[Peggy Butterworth]

From my (limited) past experience, I think you're going to find
yourself with more fish than you know what to do with... the Platys and
Guppies will provide you with a multitude of fry in very short order.

Peggy

Haynes'ey wrote:

>>>>The weekend saw us go off and purchase our first Tropical Fish:
>>>>
>>>>5 x Serpae Tetras
>>>>6 x Black Widow Tetras
>>>>6 x Male Platys
>>>>2 x Female Platys
>>>>4 x Male Guppies
>>>>6 x Female Guppies
~~~
> BTW are you saying that we are now filled to the brim with fish because I
> had in mind that we could add some more

[JazzyB]

I think that as a general rule of thumb one usually keeps 1 male livebearer
(platy, molly, guppy, etc.) to 2 females. Generally male livebearers are
constantly harassing the females to breed and the 1:2 ratio helps with
distributing the stress. That said, with that many platys and guppies you
will soon be overrun with fish. Your current load seems quite high but if
you are providing extra filtration, live plants, etc. you may be able to get
away with it. Livebearers for some unknown reason to me, produce lots of
waste. Frequent water changes and gravel vacuuming will be in order. Best
of luck.

"Peggy Butterworth" > wrote in message
...
> From my (limited) past experience, I think you're going to find
> yourself with more fish than you know what to do with... the Platys and
> Guppies will provide you with a multitude of fry in very short order.
>
> Peggy
>
> Haynes'ey wrote:
>
> >>>>The weekend saw us go off and purchase our first Tropical Fish:
> >>>>
> >>>>5 x Serpae Tetras
> >>>>6 x Black Widow Tetras
> >>>>6 x Male Platys
> >>>>2 x Female Platys
> >>>>4 x Male Guppies
> >>>>6 x Female Guppies
> ~~~
> > BTW are you saying that we are now filled to the brim with fish because
I
> > had in mind that we could add some more
>

[Haynes'ey]

--
Haynes'ey.
"JazzyB" > wrote in message
...
> I think that as a general rule of thumb one usually keeps 1 male
livebearer
> (platy, molly, guppy, etc.) to 2 females. Generally male livebearers are
> constantly harassing the females to breed and the 1:2 ratio helps with
> distributing the stress. That said, with that many platys and guppies you
> will soon be overrun with fish. Your current load seems quite high but if
> you are providing extra filtration, live plants, etc. you may be able to
get
> away with it. Livebearers for some unknown reason to me, produce lots of
> waste. Frequent water changes and gravel vacuuming will be in order.
Best
> of luck.
>
> "Peggy Butterworth" > wrote in message
> ...
> > From my (limited) past experience, I think you're going to find
> > yourself with more fish than you know what to do with... the Platys and
> > Guppies will provide you with a multitude of fry in very short order.
> >
> > Peggy

I thought that by keeping this as a community tank that the fry probably
would not survive and be eaten by the other fish at the very young stage?

I was going to breed further down the road.

[Dr Engelbert Buxbaum]

Haynes'ey wrote:

> 5 x Serpae Tetras
> 6 x Black Widow Tetras
> 6 x Male Platys
> 2 x Female Platys
> 4 x Male Guppies
> 6 x Female Guppies
>
> We plan on having a Pl#co from our neighbour this weekend and maybe a
> Chinese Algae Eater.
>
> The tank is 40 gallon running with 2 Fluval 4 plus filters.

Bioload is a bit high. Make sure you have plenty of live plants in the
tank, to remove some of the fish waste. You may also consider using an
air stone during the night, when the plants do not produce oxygen.

[Haynes'ey]

--
Haynes'ey.
"Dr Engelbert Buxbaum" > wrote in message
...
> Haynes'ey wrote:
>
> > 5 x Serpae Tetras
> > 6 x Black Widow Tetras
> > 6 x Male Platys
> > 2 x Female Platys
> > 4 x Male Guppies
> > 6 x Female Guppies
> >
> > We plan on having a Pl#co from our neighbour this weekend and maybe a
> > Chinese Algae Eater.
> >
> > The tank is 40 gallon running with 2 Fluval 4 plus filters.
>
> Bioload is a bit high. Make sure you have plenty of live plants in the
> tank, to remove some of the fish waste. You may also consider using an
> air stone during the night, when the plants do not produce oxygen.

I have an airstone in the tank as I could not get to grips with agitation
from the Fluvals, also which plants would you recommend to go with my setup
and fish please?