Aquarium advice

[Acidmouse]

Any aquarium tropical fish owners/hobbyists?

Thinking of getting a fluval edge 46 or 23litre one, they seem to look very cool and I can keep them out of the reach of the cat and kids.

What tropical fish are suitable for smaller aquariums? or should I go freshwater?

or perhaps a different tank, bearing in mind I am novice.

[AndrewT]

The only advice I've ever heard is not to tap on the glass.

[JK]

Most tropical fish are OK in most size tanks. Avoid silver sharks and probably discus and you'll be OK as they get massive. Neons and guppies are standard, but they breed like wildfire so make sure to keep on top of it!

IMO, freshwater are boring unless you have koi etc, which means a pond.

I used to work in a ornamental fish shop for a bit btw, so if you need any advice lemmie know. If I don't know my dads the absolute man on all things like this so will be able to find out!

[Nakor]

Am no expert but have had one of each.

Tropical harder to set up, balance of water, temp etc but easier to maintain.
If freshwater gets light it will green up, will need cleaning more often.

Filter is the key to ease - better your filter less work you will do.

Japanese fighting fish, well, fight.  If they have nothing to fight they kill themselves by trying to fight themselves.
Sharks eat other fish.

If its small (and tropical) it will try to produce young and everything else will eat the young or eggs.
Snails are cool.
Angel fish get disease and die or cost a fortune to treat - but are worth it.
1 Barb will nip other fish's fins which causes disease, they behave in groups.
Small tetra shoals are easy to cope with, big tetras eat small ones.

I loved my fresh tank, had Tench, roach, eels/loaches, goldfish - goldfish poo lots and make your tank dirty.
Eels/loaches will try and escape and your wife might find it curled up on the floor every now and again and scream.

Only buy cheap fish until you are up and running, you will lose some.
Be controlled on feeding, don't overfeed.

Enjoy

[TheChipPrince]

Hey Acid, I have a 23l fluval nicely set up in our kitchen, had it for about 8 months, lost 3/4 fish over that tank but its nicely balanced now.

I have in there:

5 tetras, 3 guppys, 2 leopard catfish and 2 golden apple snails.  10 fish in here is about the max I would say.

Quick water change which takes 15minutes every week, through clean about once every 5/6 weeks.

No maintenance costs really, just the tap water solution which makes the water change safe.  The water does evaporate if you have the bulbs on a lot.

Got a free heater with mine from here on the Wirral, saves you £25 odd.  http://www.waterworlddirect.com/Aquarium-Section/Aquariums/Fluval-EDGE-Aquariums/Fluval-EDGE-Limited-Edition-White

My little boy loves ours, hope that helps.

[Acidmouse]

thanks alot! some cool advice..

basically tonight a friend of my sisters in harrogate is giving me her setup tropical tank only 48 litre with all the stuff setup and 5 fish lol..so going to collect on saturday and taking a bucket, least i wont need to cycle the water and filter before getting fish. I will post photos on here so people can let me know what the fish are lol..

my ideal tank would have tiny tiny fish, few small snails and mainly live plants..

[Rod Paradise]

thanks alot! some cool advice..

basically tonight a friend of my sisters in harrogate is giving me her setup tropical tank only 48 litre with all the stuff setup and 5 fish lol..so going to collect on saturday and taking a bucket, least i wont need to cycle the water and filter before getting fish. I will post photos on here so people can let me know what the fish are lol..

my ideal tank would have tiny tiny fish, few small snails and mainly live plants..

Think tanks for mainly plants are called Dutch Aquariums - maybe worth a google.

[shedboymuff]

I had 7 tanks at 1 point, love them, problem is my mrs don't, both me and the wee man itching to get a set up and some cichlids but she just wont have it!!

[Acidmouse]

this be good!

[SirPerceval]

I currently only have 1 300litre tank but have kept fish for 25 years with upto 5 tanks at a time.

Lots of really bad advice in this thread so far. PM any questions you have.

For the record, I have also bred rare fish that others at the time hadn't. I currently keep Mbuna from Lake Malawi but have experience of a wide range of species.

[Acidmouse]

lol women rung saying she cracked it trying to get it apart etc...erm

guess i keep an eye out for one cheap on gumtree or ebay