sharn Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Hey all, i have to do a presentation to a local school about the general running of tanks etc (they are setting one up and need to know a few bits). Will be going over setups and what fish they can have etc. Just wondering if anyone has any ideas for things that can make it more interesting/ fun for the kids. Will be suggesting the usual community mix with glass cats, BN, siamese fighter, platys/swords etc (bright or interesting fish) but if anyone can think of anything else kids might like that would be neat. Was thinking a simple african community might be nice for them if the tank is big enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 I think you deffinetly have to have some sort of livebearer in there so they can see the babies grow up over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayci Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Arowana and feeder mice. :evil: NO!!! Only joking. 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesejawa Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Add kribs, It would be very interseting watching cichlids raise their babies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Hi If yoou/they do decide to go for a siamese fighter I'm happy to send a male (and a couple of females if they want) free of charge down to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesejawa Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 it would be a bit risky trying multipule fighters wouldnt it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 A single male with a couple of girls is fine, of late I've had a single male and female in a tank with a few plants and no problems at all. They do make nice community fish but guppies/angels and barbs do tend to nip at the males tails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 kribs are a good idea! its cool watching the parents take them around the tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 Livebearers are usually good. What age are the kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camnbron Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 Irrespective of age, cover the basics. Explain the requirement to cycle the tank before the fish go in and the tests required. Talk about pH and temperature. And if possible leave some books/information with them Maybe talk about fish from different areas - Africa, asia and south america The teacher should be able to use that kind of stuff in the units for the year and kids are like sponges so will suck up heaps (and hopefully get into the hobby too) Stock wise, I'd say keep it simple, platys, neons, a bristlenose. The more bulletproof the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 true, simple and hardy. My husband used to have a tank with my angels in it in the science department. It went well until someone decided to put the cork off a chemical bottle into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel1708 Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 I think a pair of swordtails would be good - really easy livebearer to keep and usually hardier then platues and guppies. Kuhli loaches would be good for the kids to watch also and unusual? Plus a GBA or two would be interesting and pretty to look at. Wish I had a fish tank in my classroom when I was a kid - Lucky! Mel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted March 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Great ideas thanks guys! The hard part is putting the cycling deal into words that are easy for the kids to grasp so ill have to find a nice diagram of the cycle thats easy to understand (anyone know any good ones?) Will probably end up going with a simple basic community with most, if not all of the fish suggested above but still show them pix of different biotope setups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimebag Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 usually a beginners aquarium guide book will have a good picture sharn, theres at least one book at the pap library with a good one in it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Try here - disregard the nasty tiled blue background! http://puffernet.tripod.com/nitrogencycle.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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