pufferfishnz Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 Ive finally got a tank! after about 2 months of looking!!! but i still havent decided what fish to have. Ive thought about malawi cichlids, discus, and everything in between, but i cant decide! So input from all you fishy people would be great! Before i really do tear my hair out! But i do have some requirements (fussy arent i?!) * Bright coloured fish * Reasonably easy to look after (or something im not going to kill by accident 1 day) * Perferably tropical * Breed/s that i can mix with other breed/s (although i am open to just a species tank, providing they are brightly coloured!) The tank i have is approx 80 litres. Measurements: 60cm long x 45cm deep x 30cm wide Can anyone suggest a fish or few? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 Do you want a planted tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pufferfishnz Posted September 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 yeah i think id prefer a planted tank. you can make them look quite amazing with all the green + other colours with the light shining through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishkeepa Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 Harlequin Rasboras? Definitely my favourite small fish in a planted tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 Rams, Cardinal or Rummy nose tetras....Cory's, and maybe some fancy plecs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 Then that removes the Malawis from the possibilites 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pufferfishnz Posted September 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 yes i suppose it does. i was going to have some neons in the tank reguardless (unless they really didnt match the main "attraction") but maybe it looks like thats all i might be able to have.... or maybe i could pop some leopard danios in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 You could have a group of corys, a pair of rams and a school of neons, and maybe some danios? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pufferfishnz Posted September 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 can i have neons, danios and a few different types of fancy plecos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 i would think that would be alright. in my 54L tank i have 2 Bristlenose 4 Whiptails 4cory 10 Black widow tetras 2 rams 2 kuhlie loaches 2 dwarf loaches and 7guppies. It is a bit overstocked but they have been in there for ages and are still doing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 can i have neons, danios and a few different types of fancy plecos? Yup.. the plecos will live happily with practicaly anything (within reason) and wont bother the smaller fish. Just be aware how BIG some of the plecos get. They are still OK with small fish, but can outgrow your tank quickly. Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pufferfishnz Posted September 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 true, i am planning to get a larger tank, but i had to have this smaller one for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pufferfishnz Posted September 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 Do you want a planted tank? if i decide that i dont want a planted tank, i could go for malawis then? they have mainly rocks and substrate dont they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 if i decide that i dont want a planted tank, i could go for malawis then? they have mainly rocks and substrate dont they? Yes.. but that will pretty much limit your choice of fish to other Rift Lake cichlids. They will eat most other community fish, and prefer different water conditions. No problem if you do decide to go that way, but it is one or the other. You dont HAVE to plant your tank, I dont have plants in mine because I have big blundering plecos that would eat or bulldoze them. Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 2, 2007 Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 Oh...sooo much to learn...and what little I did know, forgot!!!!! Cichlids and plants are a no no????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted September 2, 2007 Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 Cichlids and plants are a no no?? Depends what Cichlids. The African Rift Valley species love plants, and gets hours of entertainment by tearing them into small bits. :lol: Angelfish, rams and kribensis (and other more peaceful species) should be OK in a planted tank Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pufferfishnz Posted September 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 so something like the electric yellow would just have a blast shreading the plants into tiny little bits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pufferfishnz Posted September 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 ive been thinking about this ALL day (not good being at work!) but its driving me mental. I dont want to be stuck to just 1 breed of fish (so unfortunately that rules out malawis, even though they are pretty). As i said earlier i thought of putting neons, danios (pearl and leopard), and pleco. But could i get a couple of gourami (perferably Helostoma temminkii) in there as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookie Posted September 2, 2007 Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 Helostoma temminkii (kissing gourami) grow quite large , but are very entertaining fish with there kissing behaviour And also do a reasonable job of cleaning algae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted September 2, 2007 Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 If you go with a cichlid tank, it's not restricting you to one species, it's just one type. There are lots of different cichlids that you can keep together, they are all as ornery as each other, so can co-exist happily. As for the gourami, I wouldn't go with the kissing gourami, they will get pretty big for your tank. A couple of the dwarf species might be better, and wont 'accidently' swallow any of your neons Also get a bristlenose pleco for the same reason, the common, goldspot and sailfins WILL grow big. Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pufferfishnz Posted September 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 dwarf gourami come in different colours aye? ive looked up some pics on the net and they seem to come in different colours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pufferfishnz Posted September 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 so if i go with the neons, danios, pleco & gouramis....what are the best plants to have with them, or does it not really matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_r Posted September 2, 2007 Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 the dwarf gouramis are great, i have some in my tank of about 80 litres, i have some neons and a few bristlenoses and a common pleco, lots of plants, a real neat male fighter. As well as a few killies waiting for their new tanks to be built. I would start off with your favourite fish that can fit in the tank and built around it with compatible tank mates and plants etc. and whatever you do dont add a whole bunch of fish at once. Just remember if you see a fish you like and its not compatible, its not hard to get another tank.....or 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pufferfishnz Posted September 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 haha yes thats so true. im trying my hardest not to do that! and i remember the golden rule. not tooooooo many fish at a time. slowly but surely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_r Posted September 2, 2007 Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 What i did was start with just the tank and all relevant accessories then get a few bristlenoses and plants. then when i went to tauranga which i do quite often id look in at the fish shops and just get a few of whatever caught my eye. Trademe and the for sale section here are great for browsing, the only problem is finding fish close enough to Whakatane :evil: Although the fish shops are usually my last option, the fish are generally stupidly overpriced and the people selling them generally know very little about the fish. Id much rather buy off breeders as they always do you a very good deal and most of the time will throw in a little extra of this or that for free, and wil gladly spend the time explaining the breeding process and the fishes neccesities etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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