fish tank recommendations?

[binny]

DH has always wanted a fish tank so the kids and I are going to get him one for his Birthday next week.

I know that I want a tropical tank and at least a 20 gallon one. Due to kitty issues it has to have a lid too LOL


Does anyone have tips or recommendations for me? I have never had more than a little one with little neons in it so this is new to me as well.

One more thing, would it be really odd to have this thing in the dining room?

 

[Crankyshank]

DH has really gotten into fish tanks so I'll definitely be able to help. I know there's a few other enthusiasts here on the DIS so you should get lots of info.

Do you want to go with fresh water or salt water? Fresh water is more basic and easy but the salt water fish are much prettier (but very difficult and expensive).

About the dining room - not odd at all. We have 1 in our living room and 2 in our computer room.

 

[cardaway]

Ours in the dining room.

We have a fresh water tank. My only hints would be to get the kind you want (fresh vs. salt) and get a glass tank. Most tanks come with lids, no problem there. Also make sure if you get more than one kind of fish that they will get along. Nothing worse than finding one at the bottom after he has been beaten and eaten. There are lots of sites they go into which fish play best with others.

 

[binny]

LOL that just struck me as funny. Fish that play well with others


Thanks!

I dont have any idea which is better, salt or fresh? I just know that I dont want a goldfish only tank. I got that far yesterday. LOL


I would love as much info as I can get!


Ok good so the dining room is not weird. Whew! I have a blank wall in there and think that would be really nice.
I think I will just get the tank set up for him and then get him a GC so he can choose his own fish

 

[yeartolate]

If you have not had fish before, remember it is mandatory to set up the tank several days BEFORE you get the fish. A pet store that will allow you to leave the shop with fish and a new tank is not a reputable one.

We had ours in the dining room.

The best thing we ever did for our fish was to buy a Python Tank Cleaner. It essentially vacuums the gravel and does the required water exchanges effortlessly and without a mess.

 

[Crankyshank]

Do you want a tank that's more of a show piece and a true hobby, or something that's just for fun. It's kind of hard to give you more specific information without knowing what way you're leaning. I will tell you that salt water is more rewarding but requires a lot more patience, money, and upkeep. It's more of an investment (and the smallest you should go is 55gallons)

Since you're not real sure I would first recommend heading to a local pet store and see what catches your eye. My fresh water tank is fun for me but a lot of fish enthusiasts (including DH) consider it boring. The fish aren't pretty but it was quite inexpensive to set up a 20 gallon tank and throw in some community fish. I like watching them - I just got an albino frog yesterday and I have a good time watching them.

cardaway is absolutely right about researching before you put fish together. I have 2 saltwater tanks because we can't put the puffer fish and the green wolf eel with the reef tank because they would eat the corals and the other fish. My fresh water tank is community fish because if I put a cichlid in there (like an angel fish) it would attack the other fish.

If I had to do my freshwater tank over I would put cichlids in (you might want a 30 gallon for that). They're more interesting than the community fish but still less work than a salt tank. It's amazing how fish actually have personalities and will interact with you (at least the salties do).

Just a warning- if you get a tank this weekend, it will be at least a week before you can put fish in and even then you'd want something cheap and hardy that you don't care if it dies. It takes 4-6wks for the initial cycle where the appropriate bacteria levels are in place to start putting fish in.

 

[binny]

oh I just figured out that I will have room in the living room once I move out the old couch so I can put it there

That will be better that way we can actually enjoy them. We dont really use the formal dining room much.

 

[LukenDC]

Aquariums are gorgeous, but they are also A LOT of work. They require maintenance at least once a week, often more depending upon the type of fish you have, the rate of algae growth, bacteria levels, etc. Try to avoid any direct sunlight hitting your tank, otherwise you will develop a serious problem with algae.

Crankyshank, be careful with the albino frog. I had two of them and they were a lot of fun to watch. But as they grew, they started preying upon the fish. The little neon tetras in particular were a favorite snack and I would often see the tail of one protruding from a frog's mouth.

I love aquariums, but will not have one again unless I can pay someone to maintain it for me. I'm too busy to deal with the upkeep that they require.

 

[Crankyshank]

Crankyshank, be careful with the albino frog. I had two of them and they were a lot of fun to watch. But as they grew, they started preying upon the fish. The little neon tetras in particular were a favorite snack and I would often see the tail of one protruding from a frog's mouth.

Good to know My fish are bigger than he is now but my favorite fish are my cories- wouldn't want anything to happen to them. When he gets bigger I plan on moving him upstairs to a tank of his very own. (that is if he survives - I've not been successful with frogs so far).

 

[binny]

its more of a fun thing for us. I dont think he needs another hobby LOL


I'm not buying the fish for him, thats why Im going to give him a gift certificate, so he can pick them out later.

Thanks for the ideas I look forward to reading more!

 

[Crankyshank]

Definitely steer him away from the salt water then. Trust me - every week DH has something else he needs to buy for the tank and none of it is cheap (fortunately a lot of it can be bought on ebay or craigslist).

There's some great online resources. DH uses reefcentral.com a lot. Petsmart.com has some nice start up info
http://www.petsmart.com/global/arti...>cnt_id=10134198673332987&bmUID=1150386802503

I would get him a 29 gallon tank and stand. Small enough to be reasonably priced but big enough to give him some variety and room for the fish. General rule is 1inch full sized fish per gallon but depending on what fish he gets, a lot of them need more territory.
He's going to need a variety of fish - no matter which way he goes. He'll need algae eaters (at least one) and bottom dwellers in order to maintain proper balance (algae eaters eat algae and also they and the bottom feeders clean the gravel and eat the food that falls down).

 

[yeartolate]

Aquariums are gorgeous, but they are also A LOT of work. They require maintenance at least once a week, often more depending upon the type of fish you have, the rate of algae growth, bacteria levels, etc. Try to avoid any direct sunlight hitting your tank, otherwise you will develop a serious problem with algae.



I love aquariums, but will not have one again unless I can pay someone to maintain it for me. I'm too busy to deal with the upkeep that they require.

This is exactly why the PYTHON was so great.

 

[cardaway]

I would get him a 29 gallon tank and stand. Small enough to be reasonably priced but big enough to give him some variety and room for the fish. General rule is 1inch full sized fish per gallon but depending on what fish he gets, a lot of them need more territory.
He's going to need a variety of fish - no matter which way he goes. He'll need algae eaters (at least one) and bottom dwellers in order to maintain proper balance (algae eaters eat algae and also they and the bottom feeders clean the gravel and eat the food that falls down).

I agree with everything above and would add two things.

Be sure to subtract the volume of the things you add (rocks, fake coral pieces, plants, etc...) from the volume of the tank when figuring on the fish you can get. Also ask or research how much the fish will grow.

As others have said, it's best to have the tank set up for days before hand and then get fish. Given that I think it's a great idea to get the tank, the of the extra decoration you like, and the water treatment stuff now leaving the rest for after you know you want to go further.

 

[cardaway]

Just a note abut the Python. There are many models available, many much cheaper, and most just call them tank vacuums.

We like to use a bucket for the old water and the new water so we can keep the old stuff and mix the new stuff including bringing to temp. The old stuff is great for puting on plants and parts of the lawn that could use a little fish waste to perk it up.

 

[almacdonald]

I find that the bigger the tank is, the easier it is to maintain.

When you buy your aquarium, check and see what is included. A lid or hood and light are included with most boxed aquariums. If you want to grow live plants, choose an aquarium with a fluorescent bulb. Some things I can think of that might not be included are:
-gravel
-heater
-filter & media
-thermometer
-plants
-dechlorinator
-food (wait til he chooses fish to see what kind you need)
-Fish net, for the inevitable fatalities and to take the fishies out of their plastic bags when you get them home
-Siphon for cleaning
-clean buckets for filling/water changes

If at all possible, purchase a stand to go with it, something designed to support aquariums. Those suckers are heavy when they're filled with water and most standard furniture isn't designed to hold that kind of weight. The stand can be the most expensive part too unfortunately.

Like another poster has already suggested, you will have to set up the aquarium and let it reach the correct temperature (about 78°F for most tropical fish) and allow the water to circulate for a few days before you add any fish. Your first fish purchase should be limited to 1 or 2 inexpensive fish. Allow these fish to eat and poop and get the bacterial cycle going before you add anymore expensive fish. Lots of people make the mistake of buying an algae eater when they first set up their tank. A brand new tank doesn't have algae in it so you would have to feed the algae eater pellets in order for it to survive. A good choice for "starter fish" are danios or platys or something like that.

My cat LOVES to watch his kitty TV (ie: aquarium) Luckily he hasn't figured out how to get the fish out yet!

Hope you can get some help out of all this!

 

[cardaway]

I left off taking a sample of the treated water with you so they can check it before adding fish.

You also want to let the fish get used to the water before dumping them in. We keep them in the bag and place it on top of the water in the tank for 15 minutes. Then mix in water from the tank into the bag (50/50 if possible) and set it on top gain for another 15 minutes. And then finallyrfree them from the bag and add them to the tank.

Chances are you will get all these directions again from the person in the store but you never know.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Binny...here is how you start.

First you go and research the fish you want and number. You will need to match fish up because some fish just don't play well with others.
Then you decide on tank size based on what you want. Fish number is decided on tank size.

My brother is into fish and it is not a cheap hobby. It is also time consuming.
We had a tank and it is just not my cup of tea. Love the fish, hate the cleaning.

 

[binny]

thanks guys

I found a start up kit at Petsmart but they dont have it online. It was a 29 gallon tank and all the accesories for under $100.


Im going to print out all of your responses and give them to him when I give the tank.