blueyes Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 How did everyone with community tanks decide which fish to put together, I mean other than the whole compatibilty thing....whats the best method for choosing fish..... did you choose a main "feature" fish and work around that, how do you decide what looks good together...... do you take into consideration the dwelling area of the fish...... I'm so confused lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-town... Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Generally if Im starting a new tank I look for fish I like do my research and then purchase them. Everyone has different opinions about fish and how they look. take brichardi cichlids for example not very colourful but very unique body and finnage. I like them others think they are boring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Hmmm, well I've been researching all day lol, figuring out who is compatible, where everyone swims in the tank and whats the best number of each fish to have..... I think I have only managed to confuse myself..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 What I tend to do, is go with fish from one area of the world. Also, I like to have a few feature fish, some dither fish, and usually catfish. I find more of a lesser variety is nicer as it looks more natural and doesn't look as full and confusing. If you want, what I like to do is put in a few fish you wont see to often. That way there is always something to look out for in your tank! :lol: My main point though, is less variety, more of the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Yeah, that is what I am kinda thinking. My new tank is around 4 foot, what I want to do is move my clown loaches over there with the BN's and probably the corys...... the new fish I am thinking of getting is a nice big shoal of Tiger Barbs say about 8-10 which I think will look good making use of the length of the tank.....but can't decide if I want to add anything else at that level as I will have the 3 mainly bottom dwellers... I think what I will probably do is leave it at that for now and see how they look, I can always add more fish later, easier to add them than remove them hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 How did everyone with community tanks decide which fish to put together, I mean other than the whole compatibilty thing....whats the best method for choosing fish Choose what you like the looks of, no point spending all this money to put the crappy ugly fish other douchebags like. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Choose what you like the looks of, no point spending all this money to put the crud ugly fish other douchebags like. :lol: Lol, yeah....I like the sound of that reasoning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisP Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 heres a tank with the fish that you have atm (not sure about cories) ofcourse this tank is much bigger, but might give you some idea. PS, Val in that tank is illegal. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Eenie, meenie, miney, mo.... Seriously, though, when I first started out it was as Ira said 'Ooohh... that's nice' only to find that it is incompatible with either it's new tank mates or the setup, so you set up another tank for it and then buy it some allegedly compatible tank mates, but they chase eachother around and one gets tattered, so you set up another tank, and... you get the picture... Now I am more fussy - I research the fish and try and set up a biotope tank for it. Mind you I still have three tanks with guppies in that have plants from all over the place that I do not have the heart to get rid of... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 heres a tank with the fish that you have atm (not sure about cories) ofcourse this tank is much bigger, but might give you some idea. PS, Val in that tank is illegal. :lol: Where's the tank hehe And yeah, such a bummer about the Val, though I think I will still go with twisted variety anyway, it looks kinda cool... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malevolentsparkle Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 In the past ive done one of two things: 1. choose one or two feature fish and then pick other fish that fit with those fish or 2. choose fish all from one biotope. you don't need to be super crazy about it, eg south american river, african lake, asian pool. etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Bonus is both the Tigers and the Clowns are from the same Biotope..... SE Asia.....which looks really nice, so I might go with that as a guideline for plants etc...... yay, starting this thread actually helped thanks everyone :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 This site is good for info on biotopes: http://fish.mongabay.com/biotope.htm#So ... an%20River Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 This site is good for info on biotopes: http://fish.mongabay.com/biotope.htm#So ... an%20River Way cool, thanks Zev, I also found a site that shows a good layout and has a list of plants...obviously some of them won't be available here but I recognise most of the names and they are available in NZ, this is pretty exciting.......can anyone tell me with the Crypts I have read about them "melting" if they are moved too much, so am I better to wait until I have the tank set up before i buy any of them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Some crypts melt when shifted from tank to tank, others don't seem to care. There seems to be no particular ones that do it more than others, most will grow leaves back after a bit of a melt. May pay to wait until you have most stuff sorted. I can send you some little affinis if you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Some crypts melt when shifted from tank to tank, others don't seem to care. There seems to be no particular ones that do it more than others, most will grow leaves back after a bit of a melt. May pay to wait until you have most stuff sorted. I can send you some little affinis if you want. Really? That would be cool, how much do you want for it? It looks like it would be perfect for what I want to do...... man I feel like a kid going to a circus....such a novice though getting excited about it I guess with all you old hands on here lol Just watching my 2 BN boys fighting over a piece of cucumber...... I put 2 pieces in so they had one each but no they both want the same piece :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Some crypts melt when shifted from tank to tank, others don't seem to care. There seems to be no particular ones that do it more than others, most will grow leaves back after a bit of a melt. May pay to wait until you have most stuff sorted. I can send you some little affinis if you want. My affinis is the most delicate crypt I've had. I bought some more of it from trademe and even though I planted it gently it still melted... shame as it was looking really great when I bought it :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Did it come back again, Neon? I can give some to Wok this weekend to take up to you both. It is the most severely mistreated crypt I own, get thrown unceremoniously from thank to tank, different temps and water parameters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 I promise to take the best care possible of it....hopefully I can make it thrive (cross fingers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Now I just have to get Wok over to my place. Hmm... methinks food would be a good bribe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Lol, food always makes for a good enticement I find....... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Posted October 18, 2010 Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Did it come back again, Neon? I can give some to Wok this weekend to take up to you both. It is the most severely mistreated crypt I own, get thrown unceremoniously from thank to tank, different temps and water parameters. Yeah it's coming back again, thanks Zev Knowing me, I'll disrupt its roots again with my endless attempts to get the scape looking right :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2010 So it's decided!!!!!! (unless I change my mind) but I don't think I will...... I am going with a SE Asian Biotope..... inhabitants will be..... the CL's, 8-10 Tiger Barbs and I am thinking some Siamese Algae Eaters, whats a good number of these? Eventually I may add some Pearl Dannio's if we have those here...... I have printed out a good biotope plan which has a list of plants that I need too, most of which I can see are readily available so yay....this is so cool....bonus with the tank being long and shallow....the Tiger Barbs come from shallow Asian rivers, so perfect for them........ So just before I get too excited, does anyone see any problem with the stoccking list (apart from the fact that the CL's of course will eventually outgrow this tank) I hope I can pull this off well...... :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-obstacle Posted October 19, 2010 Report Share Posted October 19, 2010 I am thinking some Siamese Algae Eaters, whats a good number of these? :bounce: I've had one on his own for a few months and he was a pain in the a*se to the tetra and really skittish. I put a new SAE in the tank on Friday and he's settled right down and the 2 of them now cruise around together keeping each other company and if they have a go at something it's usually each other. So the advice from me is "at least 2" helpful eh? Otherwise it sounds like a rad tank. I'd love to see it finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyes Posted October 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2010 I'll make sure and post pics when its done..... I'm only up to the "got an awesome colour to paint the back of the tank" stage hehe......hopefully will paint it tonight....... Can anyone tell me if this light looks any good: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =325390327 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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