Tropical Fish?

[neil cooney 10,416]

When we started the tank I got 20 tetras and they died within a week of two.

I've read since that they need a well matured filter and are not suitable for a new filter.

[budharley 945]

The reason behind the advise of putting neon tetras in is it starts your cycle in the tank . They where cheap to replace if they died and your tank filter started to mature a lot faster than a fish less cycle.

[Mister Gain 1,764]

When we started the tank I got 20 tetras and they died within a week of two.

I've read since that they need a well matured filter and are not suitable for a new filter.

 

Thanks for reply, was just curious. I haven't had a tank now for about 17 years, got rid of them when we moved

[paulf 820]

neon tetras are so inbred that they are genetically weak so are not the type they once were ..

I wouldn't use any fish for cycling a tank ,use ammonia and get a good testing kit API are about the best ..

what size is your boys tank it will determine the fish you can keep .?

[Wales1234 5,490]

Had one in my bedroom for years had guppies neons and platys loved in had loads fry in the aswell my sucking fishing was a bloody monster !! Haha

[paulf 820]

got a marine setup now very expensive to setup but worth it I think.

[BIGLURKS 874]

got a marine setup now very expensive to setup but worth it I think.

can be very expensive my Unty has one a big Red Sea max thing she had over 2000 worth of fish in it and got some salt from a pet supplier in town within days she lost the whole lot in 2 days due too the salt being contaminated

[paulf 820]

I know what you mean biglurks mine is the aquareef 400 ltr bigger than I thought lol

seen on another forum some rare fish in the hobby going for 5 grand :icon_eek: sold within minutes of going for sale .

[Phil Win 79]

My sons tank is 35 gallons, its a 140 litters.

Edited August 20, 2014 by Phil Win

[albert64 1,882]

when I had mine an old boy told me to put some cheap goldfish in it to mature the filters

for a few weeks, it must of worked I never lost any tropicals

[RubyTex 1,957]

I'm on the look out for a bigger tank just now. I have a 90 litre with about 10 guppies and 5 tiger barbs. The tigers are definitely fin nippers and have grown like wildfire. They're about the size of a 50p piece now hence needing a bigger tank. I want about 250 litres + but they don't seem to be cheap!

 

I would definitely recommend a small shoal of corydora. They must be the same type though and not mixed. E.g peppered mixed in with panda and albinos. They only seem to shoal with their own specific colour.

 

Are you going down the live planted route? Ball ache lol.

[beast 1,884]

When we started the tank I got 20 tetras and they died within a week of two.

I've read since that they need a well matured filter and are not suitable for a new filter.

 

sounds to me as though you overloaded the tank too early, i would have started with 3-4, then added another 3-4 each week or two. just my opinion!

 

there are lots of pretty shoaling fish which will make a lovely show, i always liked a dozen or so harlequins for example, but after a few years of keeping a community tank i got into breeding cichlids and kilifish, the kilifish especially were quite a challenge. ended up with about 10 tanks of various sizes, running at different temps and letting some of them dry out to mimic african dry seasons to stimulate breeding etc and etc. fascinating hobby (admit that i got rather carried away!!) and will bring lots of pleasure for a small amount of work. good luck

[stabba 10,745]

Daughter has a nice little set up. Had it for 5 years plus now. My favourites are the clown loaches and the kissing guramies. Can sit and watch them for hours. Also has live plants and not had any problems to date.

[Taggy123 59]

Never had any myself but the discus fish would be what I would go for now if I set up again, they are crackers. Dont know how easy or hard they are to keep. A beutiful fish tho.

[gnasher16 30,056]

Never had any myself but the discus fish would be what I would go for now if I set up again, they are crackers. Dont know how easy or hard they are to keep. A beutiful fish tho.

 

Kept them for a long time its got easier over the years but the old saying about keeping a tank of water with fish in rather than keeping fish in a tank of water is absolutely true !

 

As for Neons/Cardinals....cycling a tank is just about all they are good for these days......some fish over the years have just gone so low in quality,few are worse than todays Neons though.