New owner (almost)

My wife is wanting to get a south american cichlid from PetCo. They
are like $5.99 for the small ones.

We have never owned a fish, so we're trying to research as much as we
can online. Does anyone have any good recommendations for tank
decorations, size, gravel, additives, websites to order from, etc?

We have a 20 gallon tank and just purchased a pump/filter and vacuum.
We're planning on only having one cichlid for a long time, but if we
get another we will get a bigger tank. We're also planning on putting
an Algae eater in there with him of the same size. We figured we
might find all the other stuff online cheaper. Any good sites that
are cheap anyone can recommend?

Thanks!

"Russ" wrote in message
om...
My wife is wanting to get a south american cichlid from PetCo. They
are like $5.99 for the small ones.

We have never owned a fish, so we're trying to research as much as we
can online. Does anyone have any good recommendations for tank
decorations, size, gravel, additives, websites to order from, etc?

We have a 20 gallon tank and just purchased a pump/filter and vacuum.
We're planning on only having one cichlid for a long time, but if we
get another we will get a bigger tank. We're also planning on putting
an Algae eater in there with him of the same size. We figured we
might find all the other stuff online cheaper. Any good sites that
are cheap anyone can recommend?

Thanks!

If you have your heart set on the cichlid you saw at PetCo, I'd find out
it's Latin name and do as much research on it as possible. This being your
first tank, along with the research, you want to check out some of the
African Riverine species. A pair of Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher) or
Anomalochromis thomasi make excellent starter fish. They're not as sensitive
to the nitrate cycle as some other fish and can endure changes in pH better
than many fish.
Check out Dr Foster's and Smith's online, Petco online, Big Al's online for
equipment. For fish, it'll depend on the species you settle with.
Prior to deciding on any variety of fish, I'd get your water tested for pH
and general hardness. It's much easier to match the fish to your water
rather than mess with water quality.
Check out the articles at my site,
http://www.amateurcichlids.com/index.php as well as some of the species
profiles. Many are African cichlids but there's some others mixed in there.
You can also post questions at http://www.fishaholics.org and usually get
some quick responses.
Amateur

"Russ" wrote in message
om...
My wife is wanting to get a south american cichlid from PetCo. They
are like $5.99 for the small ones.

We have never owned a fish, so we're trying to research as much as we
can online. Does anyone have any good recommendations for tank
decorations, size, gravel, additives, websites to order from, etc?

We have a 20 gallon tank and just purchased a pump/filter and vacuum.
We're planning on only having one cichlid for a long time, but if we
get another we will get a bigger tank. We're also planning on putting
an Algae eater in there with him of the same size. We figured we
might find all the other stuff online cheaper. Any good sites that
are cheap anyone can recommend?

Thanks!


Some people are very intense about everything they do. I sometimes envy
them. I've had fish for over 40 years, and usually just picked them out, and
plopped them in the tank! Everything I learned was by asking questions, and
making mistakes.

--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories

"jk" wrote in message
.. .

"Russ" wrote in message
om...
My wife is wanting to get a south american cichlid from PetCo. They
are like $5.99 for the small ones.

We have never owned a fish, so we're trying to research as much as we
can online. Does anyone have any good recommendations for tank
decorations, size, gravel, additives, websites to order from, etc?

We have a 20 gallon tank and just purchased a pump/filter and vacuum.
We're planning on only having one cichlid for a long time, but if we
get another we will get a bigger tank. We're also planning on putting
an Algae eater in there with him of the same size. We figured we
might find all the other stuff online cheaper. Any good sites that
are cheap anyone can recommend?

Thanks!


Some people are very intense about everything they do. I sometimes envy
them. I've had fish for over 40 years, and usually just picked them out,
and
plopped them in the tank! Everything I learned was by asking questions,
and
making mistakes.

--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories


I feel like I'm doing something wrong when I here about how High Intensity
people do things. There is always someone who does it just like the experts
suggest. But, I get some comfort out of the fact that my blood pressure is
lower. Also, I seem to learn much more by making my own mistakes, than by
being told how to do things the right way. I guess it's not the same for
everyone.

Joe

Hi, I'm new to the group, and have been in the hobby for about a year.

I have learned that the most important thing is to research the species
you wish to keep. Mistakes happen, of course, and you can learn from
them, but behind each of those mistakes, a living creature gets killed
or irreparably(sp) damaged...so for me, I feel that I owe it to the
animals to minimize the possibility of hurting them, and that means
learning as much as I can before committing to take care of them.

I did a tank when I was starting out, and I was very impulsive (and
stupid). Check this out: I actually put a Koi, a 4" comet goldfish,
three or four other goldfish, two african cichlids (a yellow lab and a
livingstoni), two plecos, and a juvenile Oscar in a 55 gallon tank. I
used store-bought distilled water because I thought that was "better"
than treating tap water since it was "pure". Absolutely idiotic. Knowing
nothing about water chemistry, I didn't keep the buffering capacity high
enough to absorb pH swings, and when I went on a 2-day hunting trip, the
tank had crashed, and everything was dead or dying. The only fish to
survive was the Oscar which I still have today(his growth was stunted,
though, I'm certain).

My point is, I learned a lot from that blunder, but if I had spent just
a day or two on the net or in the library researching those fish,
getting the test kits, etc., I could have saved 7 animals from dying
from a toxic, burning, ammonia-and-nitrate death cocktail.

Please note, I am not preaching(certainly not qualified to), I am just
speaking from *my* point of view, which is my own, and is only a perfect
fit for me and how I approach things.

-- Kerry Thomas
-- Please remove .NOSPAM from my email to reply.


Joe Crowder wrote:
"jk" wrote in message
.. .

"Russ" wrote in message
.com...

My wife is wanting to get a south american cichlid from PetCo. They
are like $5.99 for the small ones.

We have never owned a fish, so we're trying to research as much as we
can online. Does anyone have any good recommendations for tank
decorations, size, gravel, additives, websites to order from, etc?

We have a 20 gallon tank and just purchased a pump/filter and vacuum.
We're planning on only having one cichlid for a long time, but if we
get another we will get a bigger tank. We're also planning on putting
an Algae eater in there with him of the same size. We figured we
might find all the other stuff online cheaper. Any good sites that
are cheap anyone can recommend?

Thanks!


Some people are very intense about everything they do. I sometimes envy
them. I've had fish for over 40 years, and usually just picked them out,

and

plopped them in the tank! Everything I learned was by asking questions,

and

making mistakes.

--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories



I feel like I'm doing something wrong when I here about how High Intensity
people do things. There is always someone who does it just like the experts
suggest. But, I get some comfort out of the fact that my blood pressure is
lower. Also, I seem to learn much more by making my own mistakes, than by
being told how to do things the right way. I guess it's not the same for
everyone.

Joe

Hi, I replied to Joe earlier, but never directly to your post.

If that *small* South American cichlid is an Oscar (astronotus
ocellatus), it will grow to become a *huge* South American cichlid. It
is not uncommon for those critters to get to 14".grin I would get a
minimum of a 75 gallon for one oscar. Use rocks to provide ledges and
hiding places.

I keep my oscars at:
ph 7.0
Carbonate hardness 4-5dKH
General hardness 5-6 dGH
Temp 78-80 deg F

These params really worked out well, because I also have a community
tank that is also South American Amazon. So, when I make my Oscar water,
I am also making water for the other tank.

However...my water (North Texas) is horribly hard and alkaline. Were
talking 270ppm dissolved solids, and pH 8.5 out of the tap. Every
morning, I half-expect to see gravel pouring out of the tap. I have to
use a Reverse Osmosis/ DeIonization (RO/DI) unit to strip everything out
of the water, then build it back again.

With chemicals, I try to use just enough to get the job done well, but
no more than that. I have had great success with the Kent Marine line of
products.

I feed my O's a varied dient of Hikari cichlid staple pellets, Tetra
JumboMin food sticks, and FishGumDrops BeefHeart. At 8in each, I give
them one beefheart chunk each.

As with any fish, feed no more than they will eat in a few minutes. Keep
your lids secure, these babies *will* jump. Get a good, really good
filter. Oscars are horribly messy. Literally half of what they eat
washes out of their gills. What comes in those aquarium packages will
probably not be sufficient. You'll want to turn that tank over 8-12
times per hour if you're using hang-on power filters, so if you have a
55 gal tank, I would get two 330gph power filters. Yeah. They're *that*
messy. Also, since they're so messy, the bio-cycle in your tank really
gets going, producing a good bit of nitrate. Be prepared to do a 15-25%
water change weekly.

Hop on http://www.theoscarpot.com. Great folks there.

I think you should be okay with a plecostomus, especially if they grow
up together. I might buy the pleco a good bit bigger than the Oscar,
because the oscar will grow much faster, and might be tempted to snack
on (or attack) the pleco.

If I can throw one thing out, please, Please, PLEASE don't cycle your
tank with live fish. The ammonia and nitrite spikes can be deadly and
crippling to them. It would be like airing out someone's new apartment
with raw sewage and nerve gas. I would use household ammonia. I've used
Wal-Mart Sam's Choice brand(purple label) with great success. I cycled a
55g sal****er tank in 3 wks with 2 tsp of that ammonia per day, along
with 2 tsp of stress-zyme every few days.

Gawd... I've written a novel. Please note, I am speaking from my own
experience and learning, which is...well...my own, and is only a perfect
fit for me.

Best of luck to you.

-- Kerry Thomas
-- Please remove .NOSPAM from my email to reply.


Russ wrote:
My wife is wanting to get a south american cichlid from PetCo. They
are like $5.99 for the small ones.

We have never owned a fish, so we're trying to research as much as we
can online. Does anyone have any good recommendations for tank
decorations, size, gravel, additives, websites to order from, etc?

We have a 20 gallon tank and just purchased a pump/filter and vacuum.
We're planning on only having one cichlid for a long time, but if we
get another we will get a bigger tank. We're also planning on putting
an Algae eater in there with him of the same size. We figured we
might find all the other stuff online cheaper. Any good sites that
are cheap anyone can recommend?

Thanks!

Wise people learn from thier mistakes
wiser people also learn from the mistakes of others
there's some great suggestions for what you could do with a 20 gallon long
at http://www.cichlid-forum.com/article...cutter_20g.php
there's other suggestions at
http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/cichlidrecipe/crp22.htm
no doubt there's tons of other suggestions elsewhere.
Something to help you decide what fish to get would be to get your tapwater
tested. how easy is life when the fish you own suit the water that comes
right outta the faucet without having to mess around with it too much.