scott16 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 im getting a big fresh water tropical (since marine is to expensive lol )tank for my mums birthday for her and im just wondering what sort of fish people think i should put in i think bigger ones would be better but not sure also how should i go about cycling this tank thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 google setting up a new tank or tank cycling etc... It will tell you lots. How much experience have you or your mother had with fish? If not much then start off with the more hardy species of fish. Also definitely get all the equipments you will need including test kits, they are very important, don't just assume everything is ok. Very important to add fish slowly to the tank, so the bacteria in the filter will have enough time to grow without an overload which will cause an ammonia spike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott16 Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 she had fish when she was in ausy and had a tank here but all fish died recently because there was something on the bag the new fish came in so i want to get her a bigger tank for her birthday and she can use the old tank as a quarintine tank so this doesnt happen again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/where- ... t6979.html follow that link to a thread that has a link to another site that will tell you how to cycle the tank... confusing enough?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott16 Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 confusing enough?? just a little lol but thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindy500 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 hundreds of tetras Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Hundreds of demasoni lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott16 Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 neons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindy500 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 big mix of neons glowlights black neons rummy noses ect, that would be cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott16 Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 maybe but dont think so would like big fish tho i think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slightly Blue Dalmation Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 discus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 With a five foot tank it does open up a lot of options with larger community type fish. You can keep things like Bala sharks or tinfoil barbs. Gourmai, rainbowfish, larger tetras etc. Bottom dwellers like clown loachs and a pleco. All are fairly common and hardy fish, sold in most pet shops, but really need the bigger size tank. Keep away from the neon and guppy size fish if you go with the bigger ones. They are fairly peacefull, but they grow big enough to 'accidently' swallow a neon. :-? Cycling is just the same as any other tank. Actually it's generally easier because you start out with a couple of small fish in a HUGE tank. A good way to jumpstart the cycle is to run the new filter in one of your existing tanks for a few weeks to establish some bacteria, then add it and the first fish together. Then just monitor the water conditions for a couple of weeks. With luck you wont even measure an ammonia spike. If it's all good add a few more fish each week over the next 6 weeks. Just be remember that the fish I suggested might only be 3-5cm babys from the shop, but could grow to 20-30cm, so stock the tank with that in mind. You DONT want 10 or 20 adult Bala sharks, even in a 5ft tank, and one Sailfin Pleco is plenty for most tanks Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 If you wanted to go for something a bit more exciting and colourful with a bit of personality you could try some of the larger africans.. Giraffes, dolphins and comp's commonly get to 15-20cm's (goto butterfly creek ), most other africans max out at 15 cm's with some haps getting larger.. Or go for frontosa.. But thats big money and your tank isn't big enough for a grown colony (takes years for them to get that big..) Really depends the colours you want, how much you have to spend, if you want it planted, what types of fish you have access too etc etc etc.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I've spent the last few weeks on my new 1.5m tank and have decided on blue & gold rams, cardinal tetras, discus, corys and a couple of bristlenose. You could go something similar with angels and neons to help keep the costs down. I think a tank this size needs something big in it as well as schooling fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott16 Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 cool thanks everyone i might go to pet store and see what he has and what looks good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naz_Nomad Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Ignore everyone else, get Keyhole Cichlids and Harlequin Rasboras. I am always right, so trust me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naz_Nomad Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Woops - double post. Blame the slow as hell work computer! :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 South american biotope with big rocks and driftwood, uarus, angelfish, plecos, etc would be cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 South american biotope with big rocks and driftwood, uarus, angelfish, plecos, etc would be cool! Im with David on this one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Some geophagus would go nicely in that theme too. oh, and a black arowana in my ideal world..... [actually stingrays and megalodoras irwini if we're talking about dream tanks...] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott16 Posted January 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 yeah i think a silver arowana would be going in later on so fish need to be ok wit dat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Your 5ft tank is not big enough for an silver once it grows up a bit.. Unless it is like 3ft wide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott16 Posted January 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 oh ok maybe not one of them then lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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