first aquarium
 

"NetMax" wrote in message
. ..
"Chris Arnold" wrote in message
om...
NetMax wrote in message
...
Sounds like you have given this a lot of thought already. Some
random
comments interspersed.

Thanks, I have been doing some reading, and I appreciate your help.

"Chris Arnold" wrote in message
.com...
I have gotten a ten gallon aquarium for free...I have cleaned it
and
snip

are there any other small plecos that feed on algea?

Commonly called the bushynose or bristlenose pleco, these characters only
get to a maximum of about 4.5" long, though 3" is a more typical size.
Quite possibly still too large for a 10g though.

snip

I also love clown loaches, but they are a bit too large for this tank,
perhaps a trio of clown loaches and a couple snails? feeding mosquito
larvea
part of the year and flake the rest of it?

Another social and comical bottom-feeder is the Pygmy corydoras. They
are sized for a 10g. In terms of colour and simialr activity, 3 or 4
Kuhli loaches would be entertaining and they don't mind cooler waters.

It's only when you see a full grown Clown loach, that you can really
appreciate it's space requirements. Putting any in a 10g would be quite
temporary (less than 5 months?).

I see 2 problems with alternating flakes and larvae twice a year. The
first is that while the larvae is a very rich & healthy source of
protein, it will be a somewhat narrow source of nutrition which would not
suit all fish (especially for 6 months of the year). In the wild they
supplement their diet on a wider variety of foods. Many fish need more
veggies in their diet. I would continue the flake food throughout the
year and use the larvae as treats.

The 2nd problem is the risk factor associated with wild harvested live
foods from natural waterways. Contagions (typically more parasites than
anything else) can have a field day in the small confines of an aquarium,
on fish which have very little natural immunity to our local bugs. With
an aquarium's high fish-water ratio, the fish have very little time to
develop any immunity before the parasites reach a reproductive stage.
It's a risk which varies according to your source of water. If nothing
else, you will also be introducing a variety of water beetles and bugs
which add to the entertainment (and some will point out, the risk). As
they say, ymmv ;~)
--
www.NetMax.tk



The Zebra Pleco is an expensive little feller as well.. I don't think I
could forcast a very long life for such a critter in 10g.. The Zebra is a
Carnavoire..Feeding him a diet of vegi's is not going to help him grow nor
will it help his health greatly.. Eventually the Pleco will hunt down the
guppies and feast on them, then who's next.. I like the Zebra pleco's, but
I myself don't think I have enough room for him in a 55g tank.. Like Netmax
suggested, a varied food diet would be equally important for most of the
said fish. ( The Betta is a Carn too ). Welcome to fish keeping and if you
get more and more intrested in the hobby, the larger tanks and books will
follow..

Tim