What size tank to get - compatibility, etc. Newbie!
- Thread starter bostonboxer
- Start date
Well welcome!
First I like the resin stacked thingy It looks nice. If you have Pet Supplies Plus (they have the green and yellow sign) I would check them out for plants and dry items, there are always 30% coupons in the Sunday paper, and they will give you a 50% off one for getting their discount card.
Whats your plan? What are you going to put in your tank?
Are you cycling? How?
I read your stocking ideas. If you like cichlids they are actually very easy to keep, the only down side is that you pretty much need to restrict what you are keeping to cichlids only. Now since there are thousands of types of cichlids that isn't really "limiting" you. But you can't like throw plattys in your cichlid aquarium.
Bottom feeders like plecos do ok with cichlids. Play with Aquadvisor, and Kudos for asking for help before buying 100.00 worth of fish that we would tell you to return lol
First I like the resin stacked thingy It looks nice. If you have Pet Supplies Plus (they have the green and yellow sign) I would check them out for plants and dry items, there are always 30% coupons in the Sunday paper, and they will give you a 50% off one for getting their discount card.
Whats your plan? What are you going to put in your tank?
Are you cycling? How?
I read your stocking ideas. If you like cichlids they are actually very easy to keep, the only down side is that you pretty much need to restrict what you are keeping to cichlids only. Now since there are thousands of types of cichlids that isn't really "limiting" you. But you can't like throw plattys in your cichlid aquarium.
Bottom feeders like plecos do ok with cichlids. Play with Aquadvisor, and Kudos for asking for help before buying 100.00 worth of fish that we would tell you to return lol
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I'm doing the fish food method of cycling.
We don't have a Pet Supplies Plus.
I have TOTALLY fallen in love with the Khuli Loaches. I definitely would love to have a few of them - but my tank isn't really set up for them. It says they like to hide, and have a planted tank. Can I add fake plants, or do they have to be real for them? I also read somewhere that they like an "established" tank, so I won't be able to get them for a few months.
The two things I know I want for sure are Glofish & the Khuli Loaches. Any other ideas out there? I like Cherry Barbs, but I think from what I read they won't work in my tank. I like colorful stuff mostly! I'm also considering a few Zebra Danios.
We don't have a Pet Supplies Plus.
I have TOTALLY fallen in love with the Khuli Loaches. I definitely would love to have a few of them - but my tank isn't really set up for them. It says they like to hide, and have a planted tank. Can I add fake plants, or do they have to be real for them? I also read somewhere that they like an "established" tank, so I won't be able to get them for a few months.
The two things I know I want for sure are Glofish & the Khuli Loaches. Any other ideas out there? I like Cherry Barbs, but I think from what I read they won't work in my tank. I like colorful stuff mostly! I'm also considering a few Zebra Danios.
Kuhli loaches will disappear in your substrate and you'll never see them again. I'm not talking about burying themselves. I'm talking about the color making them camoflaged. IMO, take a look at the Gold Dojo Loach in your stocking selection instead. They're larger and will stand out more against your background.
Glofish will be okay with your substrate color. Black or Party are the two top colors for them.
Glofish will be okay with your substrate color. Black or Party are the two top colors for them.
Most fish will appreciate any decor that offers them places to hide, explore, establish territory, etc. Real plants are ideal, but fake is better than nothing! If you do add fake plants, make sure they don't have rough edges - kuhis have soft skin.
Honey gouramis would look lovely with glofish and kuhlis . . .
Honey gouramis would look lovely with glofish and kuhlis . . .
That makes me regret the black gravel. I really wanted red, but they only had tiny 1 lb bags of the red. I did top off the black with red, but I can see what you mean about not seeing them. I will take a look at the Gold Dojo. I really like the banded Khuli, but not wanting to change the gravel at the moment!
Pfft. Real plants shouldn't be a challenge if you pick ones that are suited to your lighting. Even low-tech tanks can have live plants that add little to your overall maintenance time and cost but lots to the enjoyment - for you and the critters! If you are planning on keeping fish alive, surely you can have confidence that you can keep a plant alive??? 
yeah the only reason I would go fake plants is if you get plant killing fish. I do fake because cichlids (african or south american) are destructive... They for instance pick the air lines out of the power heads.... Every couple days i have to reattach, they dig enormous holes in the gravel too. It's fun to watch fish carry gravel around the tank and re-do the gravel but this is less fun if you have plants because well that is plant murder behavior.
that being said don't get anything real specific at the moment, get good fish that will do well with any direction you chose to go.
Plattys are a great starter fish. Remember to research anything you would like to buy before you buy it, and don't buy a fish that gets huge with plans to upgrade your tank in the future. It never works out
Plattys are a great starter fish. Remember to research anything you would like to buy before you buy it, and don't buy a fish that gets huge with plans to upgrade your tank in the future. It never works out
Java ferns are real hardy, I once had one make it through courses of ich treatment while living with super destructive cichlids...
No one has mentioned this yet, but if/when you buy plants make sure to clean them really really good before putting them in your tank, check all of the nooks and crannies for snails.
I promise you you do not want the small snails that are sometimes found on plants. Even when you buy "snail free" they tend to have stragglers.
No one has mentioned this yet, but if/when you buy plants make sure to clean them really really good before putting them in your tank, check all of the nooks and crannies for snails.
I promise you you do not want the small snails that are sometimes found on plants. Even when you buy "snail free" they tend to have stragglers.
I got my water tested today by the LFS. Everything was fine - except hardness was high. Hardness was 150. Nitrites were 0, Nitrates were low (Cannot remember number now), Ammonia is 0, pH is still 7.
Forgot to mention - I checked out the fish while I was there. They had two little banded Khulis - I still love them, and may get them anyway. They also had Red Wag Platy & Mickey Mouse Platy. They are both cute.
About the banded Khuli's - my friend said she had the Gold Dojo Loach and it jumped out of the tank and she found it several hours later. She said loaches are escape artists - is this true of the Kuhli as well? I have a hood, but there is a space between where the filter is and where the hood is.
Went to the big box store to look around. They know nothing! They asked if I needed help - told them I was still cycling. They acted like I was nuts, and the fish would be fine as long as the tank had been set up for at least 24 hours. They also had a dead frog in with the fish. poor frog!
Forgot to mention - I checked out the fish while I was there. They had two little banded Khulis - I still love them, and may get them anyway. They also had Red Wag Platy & Mickey Mouse Platy. They are both cute.
About the banded Khuli's - my friend said she had the Gold Dojo Loach and it jumped out of the tank and she found it several hours later. She said loaches are escape artists - is this true of the Kuhli as well? I have a hood, but there is a space between where the filter is and where the hood is.
Went to the big box store to look around. They know nothing! They asked if I needed help - told them I was still cycling. They acted like I was nuts, and the fish would be fine as long as the tank had been set up for at least 24 hours. They also had a dead frog in with the fish
. poor frog!
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I keep finding conflicting information on the fish I like! Ten websites say ten different things. It's so confusing. I'm waiting on the Khuli's until my tank is set up for a few months.
I still need to figure out the plant thing once I get my paycheck next week.
Glofish - do I NEED 6? Would it be okay to just have 3 (one of each color), or must there be 6? I really like them..but I Was also reading that they don't live very long (6 mos - 1 year?) - anyone ever experienced this?
I still need to figure out the plant thing once I get my paycheck next week.
Glofish - do I NEED 6? Would it be okay to just have 3 (one of each color), or must there be 6? I really like them..but I Was also reading that they don't live very long (6 mos - 1 year?) - anyone ever experienced this?
Amen to that!
Haha, Kuhli loaches definitely live up to the escape artist reputation. All exits will have to be blocked off. Also, kuhli's are way cute! Good choice, but make sure you get a big school (5+) and make sure they have plenty of hiding spots - having more places to hide actually makes them more likely to spend time in the open where you can see them *twirlysmi
I don't know about how long glofish live, but three would probably be okay, although 5 to 6 would be happier. Schooling fish love to have lots of friends!
Haha, Kuhli loaches definitely live up to the escape artist reputation. All exits will have to be blocked off. Also, kuhli's are way cute! Good choice, but make sure you get a big school (5+) and make sure they have plenty of hiding spots - having more places to hide actually makes them more likely to spend time in the open where you can see them *twirlysmi
I don't know about how long glofish live, but three would probably be okay, although 5 to 6 would be happier. Schooling fish love to have lots of friends!