Souxsi Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Greetings! Nice to see a place for info and such. I'm from Arizona, so it's been kind of rough figuring out what is available. I'm a long time reptile geek, but we don't have room for a big leezard enclosure and no snakes allowed! SO fish are the answer! I have a 95liter tall tank, one of the Sunsun ones off trade-me. It's planted and has been running for around 4 months. The plants seem to be doing fine and the water is clear, so this weekend Ill be getting my first fish. The question is what should I get? Eventually I would like an angelfish.. I was thinking of a small school of tetra to start with but I read angels eat tetras sooo what should I get? Any suggestions for a warm freshwater tank noob? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 you can go ahead and get angels right away if you wish, theyre pretty hardy little guys. they will eat fish they can fit in their mouths like neons and other younger/smaller tetras but thats normally only once theyre adults. not all angels eat tetras though, only 1 out of 4 i had ate my neons (just bit their heads or tummies and left the body ). cardinals would be a better choice as they grow larger but they are more expensive (round 8-9 each!), rummies are also pretty. there are also larger tetras that grow to around 5-7cm, things like bleeding heart tetras etc. theres sooo many out there it can be difficult to choose :lol: and welcome aboard, i wish we were able to get snakes over here, i wouldnt mind a ball python or something like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Hi and welcome Hope you manage to enjoy the hobby even it it is snakeless Cheers Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Hi Souxsi, You username is familiar. I am sure I have seen it somewhere else 8) Get the angels. Don't forget the tank will have to cycle properly (sitting with just water and plants in it for 4 weeks does not mean it has cycled) so don't go adding lots at once. My angels are with rummy nose tetras and other small tetras with no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souxsi Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Thanks for the greetings and advice! In that case, I will start out with the angels right away (oh im soso excited)! I have read they do better as a single or in a school, so should I just get one angel and a bottom feeder? I have read a lot but even the books seem to all give different advice. I'd rather follow experience over pubication at this point. The name Souxsi is a bastardization of Siouxsie from Siouxsie and the Banshees. I used it on IRC from a loooong time ago and just kept it as a nick online Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 If angels have grown up together they are usually all right. A bottom feeder or 2 would be good. I recommend Ancistrus sp. (bristlenosed catfish) or a trio of corydoras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljtan55 Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Hey Souxsi! Welcome to the forums! One of my workmates is wanting to give away one of her angel males, its not getting along with the other one she had... don't supposed you'd be interested would you? I can find out more if you'd like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souxsi Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Sounds win/win to me, if he'd like to! Talk to him about it and get back to me If not that's fine, I was going to head to Jensens to pick one out this weekend. I still need to grab food and water conditioner as well anyway. And Caryl those bristlenoses are really cute, I think we'd decided one of them as well. We have driftwood, but i'll pick up the pellet type chips as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljtan55 Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Yup will do, will ask her tomorrow which part of Auckland are ya? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souxsi Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 CBD, bottom of Queen st and thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 I believe Hollywood fish farm normally has quite a lot of angels for sale and reasonably cheap too. Welcome to the forums Join people in the chatroom after 9pm as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Hi You'll get lots of help here, no doubt about that So, this is your first fish tank? I am TERRIFIED of ssssnnnnakes *shivers*. Have fun & happy fishy keeping, Caper And oh, you do that you'll probably end up with a case of MTS :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souxsi Posted August 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 It's my first community tank, yes. I've kept a few fish before, but nothing like this. I had small tanks in the states, mostly betas, which I did successfully breed (they were easy as). Also I've kept a couple of adorable dwarf puffers (Tetraodon travancoricus) which had way more personality then a tiny little fish would be expected to have. About snakes, really they are great! I can understand peoples initial fear of them, but honestly they are mostly timid creatures, and if well handled they rarely ever bite. Depends on species of course, I kept mainly ball(royal) pythons. They are constrictors and nothing was so cool as feeding them My favorite lizards were Pagona vitticeps, or bearded dragons. One of them, Nero, was like my best mate. I could go anywhere with him and he'd just stay up on my shoulder, even while I drove. He never once bit anyone (well he would bite if I wore red nailpolish cause he thougth it was strawberries, his favorite food but would stop as soon as he could tell it wasn't lol). Eventually I will get another dragon, but we just don't have the space in this apt. I'm excited to try fishkeeping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 (well he would bite if I wore red nailpolish cause he thougth it was strawberries, his favorite food but would stop as soon as he could tell it wasn't :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted August 21, 2006 Report Share Posted August 21, 2006 I've always wanted an Albino python.... such a cool yellow on them.... sigh.... Oh, and welcome!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmchick Posted August 21, 2006 Report Share Posted August 21, 2006 Souxsi Once your tank is done you are welcome to a couple of bristlenose babies from my tank if you can catch them :lol: At last count I have about 30 1-1.5cm bubs with another batch due any day and no more room. I am out in west auckland if you fancy a drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souxsi Posted August 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2006 Thank you so much! We have picked up a BN and an angel from the LFS this last weekend. They are settling in fine, tho the BN is extremely shy!! If I had any room for more I would take you up on it, those little guys are the cutest things ever. Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustcooktea Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Welcome along! I'm glad to hear that your new fish are settling in well. I love bristlenose too! MCT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seahorsemad Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 Hi Souxsi Just got back from Arizona and visited one of the reptile shops that contain huge snakes in them. Not too sure on the big boa's, but found the Igunas and lizards very cute. Good luck with the fish keeping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxglove Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 Hi Souxsi, welcome! what part of Arizona are you from? I had a fantastic time touring there last Jan/Feb - and yeah reptiles are awesome! Whenever I'm out of Nz I go to the petshops and see/handle the snakes - just because I can... Didn't like the big spiders though... Cheers, Foxglove Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souxsi Posted August 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 Greetings!! I am from Tucson, lived there 12 years. Albuquerque NM before that. It was quite common to see rattlesnakes sunning themselves in the morning. I was a tomboy kinda, and preferred horned toads and tarantulas to nailpolish for the most part :lol: Big hairy spiders aren't that scary if you grow up with them. The ones north of Mexico don't even bite at all, and they are really fascinating to watch. There's some really beautfiful ones too like the asian bird eating ones (those DO bite!) which are black which gorgeous violet-blue bits on their legs. Iquanas are really cool, and very common in pet stores in the states cause they are easy to breed. It's kind of sad tho, the males get nasty as breeding age adults, and people don't listen when you tell them he'll get 6 feet at least, and tail whip the snot out of you. females are pretty docile, but really just making sure they have adaquate housing (they require a LOT of space, and high up too, being arboreal, or tree dwelling) and plenty of roughage to munch on is what they need. I've been in touch with some of the reptile peeps here in NZ since this thread was started, and as soon as I get some space I'll start keeping some of the fascinating little geckos you have here. They are amazing little guys!!! So fascinating, and there is a real need for captive breeding here with their varying endangered status Those of you interested in them check this out: http://www.reptiles.org.nz/gallery.htmThe cool thing about them is they only require a patch of backyard really! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustcooktea Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 Thanks for that link! Very interesting. I didn't know the herp society had a site up and running. MCT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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