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80% => The Nevillew General Discussion Forum => Topic started by: Arriba on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:29:54



Title: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:29:54
Took the plunge and bought a complete set up on e-bay.
i'm not totally new to fish keeping as i have had a goldfish tank a few years ago.But aint kept tropicals.
Any of you keep fish?got any tips?
currently have it up and running but without fish or plants yet.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Don Rogers Shop on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:33:13
Make sure you walk them daily.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:35:15
You'll need to cycle the tank before you add fish. The easiest way to do it is get a couple (i.e. only two) of hardy fish and leave them on their own for a few weeks. Danios are usually good for this. Some people don't approve of this method though because it effectively poisons the fish.

What kind of filtration system are you running?


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:40:04
it's an elite stingray 15 which goes in the tank.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Peter Venkman on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:41:15
You'll need to cycle the tank before you add fish.

Fish AND exercise?  for that reason I'm out!


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: THE FLASH on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:41:39
Add Ammo Lock and then let the tank go natural for a week before fish.

Zebra Dannios are excellent as Sam says as they are very hardy.

DO NOT ADD ALL THE FISH AT ONCE. Bit by bit is best.

I miss fish keeping...


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: LucienSanchez on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:41:50
Bennett knows loads about this, I'm sure he'll have some decent advice...


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:50:24
i've done a bit of research about cycling and taking time etc.currently all i have done is get the pump and heater up and running, and put the bog wood in.
it's a 60 litre tank and i want easy to keep fish.
aint bought any accesories yet or plants.i want plants that wont die and will continue to grow,could any of you reccomend which is best?
also what water additives are essential,etc...


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:51:34
it's an elite stingray 15 which goes in the tank.

Good stuff. Just wanted to check whether you were using a power filter or an under gravel system. With a power filter it's easier to keep plants (depending on what substrate you're using).

I wish I'd never used large gravel because it's a bastard to keep clean. I keep meaning to drain the tank and replace it with fine gravel/sand.



Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:55:12
gravel is around 2-5 ml.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:55:54
i've done a bit of research about cycling and taking time etc.currently all i have done is get the pump and heater up and running, and put the bog wood in.
it's a 60 litre tank and i want easy to keep fish.
aint bought any accesories yet or plants.i want plants that wont die and will continue to grow,could any of you reccomend which is best?
also what water additives are essential,etc...

Is the bog wood new or re-used? If new, did you soak it first?

Java ferns & moss and anubias are generally the easiest to keep.

I don't use any additives. Just a pH balance for when I do water changes.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Friday, November 5, 2010, 10:57:47
all second hand,samdy.
bog wood has been used but i gave it a good rinse.also took the filter apart and cleaned all the parts-sponges, etc.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Peter Venkman on Friday, November 5, 2010, 11:08:35
I miss fish keeping...

So now you just sell them after keeping them while they are dead ;)


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: THE FLASH on Friday, November 5, 2010, 11:27:16
Come on down ...........the price is wrong!


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Friday, November 5, 2010, 12:38:40
all second hand,samdy.
bog wood has been used but i gave it a good rinse.also took the filter apart and cleaned all the parts-sponges, etc.

All good stuff, apart from cleaning the sponges :) If the setup was complete when you bought it then the sponges would've been well matured and you could've used them to cut down your cycling time.

My advice would be to make sure you do regular water and filter changes. I do them every other week which is slight overkill but it keeps the tank clean and healthy. I like to alternate between changing the water and changing the filter (i.e. one week I'll do just the water, the next week I'll do just the filter) but that's just personal preference so as the changes aren't too harsh on the fish.

Most filters have two sponges in them, only change them one at a time so that you've always got a matured filter in.

Clean any algae at the same time you do water changes. As you're using large gravel it's probably best to do your water changes using a gravel cleaner so you can clean all the crap out of the tank at the same time. Always let any debris settle before switching the filter back on.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Friday, November 5, 2010, 12:51:47
cheers samdy.
just bought some replacement filters-carbon and sponges as for a new set up i thought best to start from scratch.they are now in.mixed in some fine sandy gravel into the coarser stuff too.got some stress coat and some stress zyme which i will add after the tank has settled a bit.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Friday, November 5, 2010, 12:54:58
No need to add carbon filters unless you've got discoloured water. They should only be used for a week at a time to help clear the water.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Friday, November 5, 2010, 12:56:57
No need to add carbon filters unless you've got discoloured water. They should only be used for a week at a time to help clear the water.

eh? they go in the same filter as the sponges(just in a different part) and according to the instructions need changing every 2 months ditto the sponges


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Friday, November 5, 2010, 13:16:58
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/carbon.htm


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Friday, November 5, 2010, 16:43:27
cheers.that article is kinda contradictory and has confused me a bit.
i dunno if i need it or not?


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Reg Smeeton on Friday, November 5, 2010, 16:43:29
 http://thetownend.com/index.php/topic,23772.0.html

 That's over 3 years now, that we've been waiting for the definitive Bennett take on matters piscatorial....


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: suttonred on Friday, November 5, 2010, 17:21:35
Add Ammo Lock and then let the tank go natural for a week before fish.

Zebra Dannios are excellent as Sam says as they are very hardy.

DO NOT ADD ALL THE FISH AT ONCE. Bit by bit is best.


Yep danios are very sturdy. I once bought a tank home from the office, it had an inch of mud and a bit of water. Left it in the shed for 3 months, went to clean it and found a Leopard Danio in it still alive, all be it a bit thin. Lived for another year or so after that when I put it in with my others, and outlived most of those.

I miss fish keeping...


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bennett on Friday, November 5, 2010, 18:54:02
I agree with Samdy

but i wouldn't cycle with fish. get some food pellets and let them go off in the tank, and add the cycling bacteria. the ammonia from the rotting foody stuff will be eaten by the bacteria, then you add a bit more a few days later and continue adding the magical bacteria/cycle potion and boom, you've got a cycled tank without hurting any guppies.

that said you could just use goldfish, fuck me i hate them


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bennett on Friday, November 5, 2010, 18:55:42
actually thinking about it my parents are getting a bit (a lot) fucked off i've got loads of my stuff at theirs, does anyone want any more lighting units or an external filter or some co2 cannisters and diffusers? (basically does anyone want to go into aquascaping?)

i've outed myself


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Friday, November 5, 2010, 18:58:15
My step dad might have it, Bennett. I'll ask him this weekend and let you know.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Fred Elliot on Friday, November 5, 2010, 21:53:44
that said you could just use goldfish, fuck me i hate them

dont diss the goldfish man !

or you will have me to answer to

 :D


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: stfcinbmth on Friday, November 5, 2010, 22:14:54
Nor me, I've got gold fish in my water butt


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Nomoreheroes on Friday, November 5, 2010, 22:15:52
We had tropical fish for a bit - Pain in the arse to keep clean.

We had some Chinese Algae Eaters, but one got a bit vicious and stopped the other from feeding properly. It also sucked the scales off some of the other fish.

We kept Neon Tetra, Black Fin Tetra and some orange things with big tails - Forgotten what they were.

Don't forget to fill with 1 inch of fish per gallon.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: leefer on Friday, November 5, 2010, 22:17:58
Goldfish can only remember the last 15 seconds.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: leefer on Friday, November 5, 2010, 22:18:36
Goldfish can only remember the last 15 seconds.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: THE FLASH on Saturday, November 6, 2010, 13:52:34
I had a shoal of Black Neons and another of Cardinals.....looked fucking ace!


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: axs on Saturday, November 6, 2010, 14:58:52
still got cardinals and a dwarf gourami along with some of bennetts old prawns.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Saturday, November 6, 2010, 15:01:14
tank has settled down nicely.looking good.gonna put some plants in tomorrow and leave it for a few days before adding the first fish to it.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Saturday, November 6, 2010, 18:10:08
If you want any Mollies arriba (or anyone else for that matter) I've got a load I want to get rid of. The fuckers keep having babies and my tank's getting a bit too full.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: stfcinbmth on Saturday, November 6, 2010, 18:40:23
Goldfish can only remember the last 15 seconds.

Not true. They know when I tap on the side of the butt, it's lunch time. Trained goldfish


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bennett on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 19:39:36
We had some Chinese Algae Eaters, but one got a bit vicious and stopped the other from feeding properly. It also sucked the scales off some of the other fish.

they get massive, get some otto's (otocinclus) and you're golden. and imagine they're all called ricky


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 19:56:18
plants now added.amazon sword, 2 java ferns,a moss ball and some java moss which i've attached to the bog wood.(thanks samdy for the advice)
very helpful woman in world of water who was full of good advice helped me with the purchases.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 19:59:37
they get massive, get some otto's (otocinclus) and you're golden. and imagine they're all called ricky

I've got a Leopard Cory which does an equally good job.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 20:01:43
very helpful woman in world of water who was full of good advice helped me with the purchases.

They're good in there. I also use Maidenhead Aquatics.

Made the mistake of buying some fish from Pets At Home before and they were dead within weeks. I only go in there for accessories now as they're generally cheaper than other places.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bogus Dave on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 20:36:49
Genuine question, what enjoyment is there to get out of keeping fish. Not having a dig, I know sod all about what it consists other than the contents of this thread, but it does seem a lot of work for little reward.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: oxford_fan on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 20:53:07
Fish tanks look pretty cool, if they made a self-cleaning one which didn't make a noise then I would get one for my bedroom maybe.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bennett on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 21:48:53
I've got a Leopard Cory which does an equally good job.

Cory's are bottom filtering fish though aren't they? do you mean a pleco?


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 21:51:57
No, it is a Cory. I got it to keep the substrate nice and clean.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bennett on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 21:57:29
that's what i thought, it just didn't follow from algae eaters n all that

did you see if your dad wanted any of my kit?


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 21:58:19
what set ups do you fellas have then?


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 22:11:41
did you see if your dad wanted any of my kit?

I'm going round tomorrow night so I'll ask him then.

what set ups do you fellas have then?

Just a two foot tank at the mo. The missus won't let me have anything bigger because we haven't got the space.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Nomoreheroes on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 23:17:19
they get massive, get some otto's (otocinclus) and you're golden. and imagine they're all called ricky
Thats precisely what happened and what we did in the end. We gave the algae eaters back to the shop - Couldn't face 'disposing' of them ourselves! They become like part of the family, don't they. The Otto's were much better tank cleaners anyway!

Got rid of the lot when we left the US. Wife was quite pleased as she got fed up with hoovering out the tank every 10 days.

It was really relaxing just watching the fish slowly swimming around the tank - A real stress reliever!


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Fred Elliot on Sunday, November 7, 2010, 23:21:41
what set ups do you fellas have then?

I got a goldfish bowl

Dave died but Wanda is still going strong


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bennett on Monday, November 8, 2010, 07:57:38
i did have a 55gallon tank (5 by 2 by 2 foot, i think) but moving to a flat meant i got shot of it.
i still want a tank but priorities n all that. sob


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: herthab on Monday, November 8, 2010, 10:15:09
My mate's got some huge goldfish. You never see them though.

Apparently they're koi.......


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bennett on Monday, November 8, 2010, 21:20:39
how dare you belittle this thread!


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Saturday, November 13, 2010, 09:41:32
yesterday added 6 white cloud minnows to the tank after testing the water.
all good so far....


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Sunday, November 14, 2010, 09:41:16
lost 2 of the buggers last night.they got stuck behind the filter and have gone to the big fish tank in the sky.(i hope god as better filters than me)


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bogus Dave on Sunday, November 14, 2010, 23:14:20
Maybe they were trying to get a stone lodged in the fan to make the water go cloudy so that they'd be taken out when you cleaned the tank and then they'd swim into the ocean to find the youngest ones father


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bennett on Monday, November 15, 2010, 07:54:36
lost 2 of the buggers last night.they got stuck behind the filter and have gone to the big fish tank in the sky.(i hope god as better filters than me)
i've got an external filter you can have for free if you want mate?


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Monday, November 15, 2010, 09:55:10
i've got an external filter you can have for free if you want mate?

cheers for the offer.i'll see how things go and may well take you up on it.still earlydays so will persisit with what i have for now.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 12:02:46
they get massive, get some otto's (otocinclus) and you're golden. and imagine they're all called ricky

put 3 of those in at the weekend.cool fish.dunno what i'm gonna add next?


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 08:46:18
Does anyone know of anywhere in or around Swindon that will rehome fish?

My Mollies are taking over my tank and I need shot of them.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 08:51:02
i'd take a couple off you, but my odessa's would nip them i think.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: THE FLASH on Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 10:44:06
Does anyone know of anywhere in or around Swindon that will rehome fish?

My Mollies are taking over my tank and I need shot of them.

Coate


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Wednesday, December 8, 2010, 21:12:26
This is getting a bit ridiculous...


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: leefer on Wednesday, December 8, 2010, 21:19:52
The only good fish is a dead one.....preferably in fresh batter and tartar sauce.


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: nochee on Wednesday, December 8, 2010, 21:23:14
The only good fish is a dead one.....preferably in fresh batter and tartar sauce.

BBQ Baracuda, now thats what im talking about!


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Nomoreheroes on Thursday, December 9, 2010, 08:24:45
This is getting a bit ridiculous...
Have you got a jedi fish? Thats a hell of a light sabre for a fish!


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: THE FLASH on Monday, December 13, 2010, 16:44:46
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/complete-aquarium-set-54l-at-aldi-t/825854


wanna start up!!!?


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Monday, December 13, 2010, 17:07:45
i'm already planning on getting a bigger tank.
mrs has ok'd it too  :clap:


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: leefer on Monday, December 13, 2010, 19:09:40
i'm already planning on getting a bigger tank.
mrs has ok'd it too  :clap:

A Sherman maybe... ::)


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Samdy Gray on Monday, December 13, 2010, 19:28:29
i'm already planning on getting a bigger tank.
mrs has ok'd it too  :clap:

You haven't had your current one for five minutes!



Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Arriba on Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 17:21:05
i should have bought bigger in the first place.
will probably flog mine on when i get a new one.there are some cracking deals on e-bay


Title: Re: Tropical fish
Post by: Bennett on Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 20:44:27
there's never any point in buying a brand new one, they depreciate ridiculously!