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What fish should I get for my aquarium as a beginner?

  • I just came back from visiting Sam's Pet & Aquarium in Marine Parade Central to take a look at some fish as I really want to start a small fish aquarium. It is a packed shop and there are a huge variety of colourful fish to choose from so I took a long time to look at all of them. I talked to the sales guy quite a bit and I asked him what was the best choice for a beginner like me was something like a green neon tetra or possibly goldfish. I don't exactly want green neon tetras because in my opinion they are too small and fast and they zip around the aquarium like mad men which makes me quite dizzy haha!! I made my decision and I want to make sure it's ideal for a beginner like me, so please tell me if I have made the right choices... My dad suggests getting a biggish $35 fish tank that we found in the store. I think its like 10 gallon. I wish to get a few oranda goldfish (like around 1-2) for the start. Then eventually, I am thinking of adding more fish.. the sales guy said perhaps a black moor goldfish and 1-2 sucker fish. And a customer who overheard our convo suggested minnows and tetra fish (although, I think the goldfish could eat the tetra fish as they are tiny)? I dont know. As I don't think more fish would fit, do these fish go well together? Im really unsure as I've read that some fish are faster than others and they may not go well as when the food is put in the tank, the fast fish come up and eat it all while the slow fish don't get their share. Can someone also explain to me about breeding, how often to clean the tank and how long the different types of fish that I have listed, live for. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

  • Answer:

    I would recommend neon tetras thats what i started out with, and i have had mine for four years now. I would also recommend lantern eye tetras they are medium size and appear to have an orangey eyelid or eyebrow. And lastly i would recommend a typical guppy they come a variety of colors and will make your tank look very bright and happy. One fish i would not recommend is anytype of molly they are beautiful, and tempting, but they reproduce fast they can lay up to 600 eggs at a time and i dont know what you would do with 600 tiny fish. Keep in mind that owning a fish tank isnt easy algae grows fast and after establishing your tank for about a month you may want to get a cat fish and/ or algae eater. To keep cleaning to a minimum. Lasty i know some of my friends have made this mistake but you MUST use distilled water. The clorhine in tap water is safe for humans but will kill all of your fish. Ask the sales person what you should do to ensure good establishment in your tank. Good luck and happy fishing!

Belltowe... at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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Minnows and tetras are tropical they need a heater and goldfish don't so you cant mix. If you want goldfish you need at least a 20 gallon good filtration if you have that you can get.two If you want tetras and such you can get a 10 gallon set that has everything. Included

Chris

If you are getting a 10 gallon don't go for goldfish. Here's a good article on beginners in this hobby: http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Beginning_Fishkeeping Here's a good article on your 10 gallon: http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/10_Gallon Make SURE YOU READ UP ON CYCLING: http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/The_Nitrogen_Cycle

jogi

There are lots of good beginner fish, but a 10 gallon tank has it's limits. a baby goldfish will outgrow a 10 in 6 months and you will need a 20 or its own wastes and stress from lack of room will kill it. A goldfish is not an option in a 10 gallon tank if you want it to live to be an adult. There are lots of Tetras, Danios, and rasboras that aren't lightning quick. If you google "Images of Tetras," and click on the caption, you will se at least 50 kinds, and can pickwhat you like. A 10 gallon tank can hold 8-10 Tetras, Rasboras, or Danios depending on the inidividual species size. You could also keep about 6 Tiger Barbs, Rosy, or Cherry Barbs. You can cut these down to 3 and have 3 Cory Catfish, or 5 barbs and a Bristelnose plecostomus to clean up. You can also have a Bristlenose with Tetras and Rasboras:t takes up the room of 2 of the fish. Same as a Siamese Algae Eater. One of the other alternatives are all live bearers- Guppies, platys, Mollies and Swordtasils, about 6 fish in all except and all guppy tank canhave 10. The other good alternative is a pair of Rams. these small cichlids are intelligent and may breed in a 10 gallon. You could keep a Bristlenose with a pair of Rams. Make sure you cycle your tank before adding fish so you have good bacteria to ward off nitrite and ammonia toxin buildup. the refernce below will be helpful. Just google "cycling an aquarium," and you'll get dozens of informative articles on how to establish good water chemistry

Robert

The people there gave you horrible info. Goldfish get 6-12inch. One fancy needs 30 gallon additional needs 10 gallon and you want 2 oranda that's 40 gallon with double the filterarion. Then you want to Add more a black Moore will need a extra 10 gallon so that's 50 gallon then sucker fish that's and extra 10 gallon so 60 gallon is the tank size you need not a 10 gallon. Commen and comet goldfish need 100 gallon. Also they live 20 years+. also goldfish are coldwater tetras are tropical so no go on that minnows would be ok. Also you need double the filterarion and cycle the tank for 6-8weeks. And water conditioner. Remember the fish at petstores are usually babys you have to look how big they will be when adults also do alot of reserch on them. Also tetras need to be in a 20 gallon doesmatter how small they are it matters how active they are too. And bristlenose Pleco gets 6inch and will outgrow a 10 gallon in no time. Do your reserch before buying or you can end up with a big mess.

Dawn

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