Will this work?

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jameswc

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Sep 3, 2006
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Hello. I am 14yrs old and would like to start a freshwater aquarium. Would this set-up work?

Aquarium would be the 12 gallon:
Eclipse 12 Gallon Acrylic Aquarium System
(Simply because it comes with almost everything needed and is large enough for my liking)

Fish:
I really have no idea what kind of fish would be good. I would like social, colorful, fish. Preferably out in the daytime. Fish I thought might work:
2 Siamese Algae Eaters
1 Freshwater Clam
5 Ghost Shrimp
12 Neon Tetra
and some Guppies...

Would that work?
 

plah831

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Apr 29, 2006
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SAE's are great fish, but they too large for a 12 gal (6 inches long). Other than that, your stocking plans look pretty good, at least you're not going to put an Oscar in there. :D If you get 12 neons, you might not have room for guppies, though.

I've never had FW clams, but I hear they're hard to keep. They die easily?
 

fishcatch22

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Jun 13, 2006
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they are actually qutie easy to keep, long as you feed them. they do stink like hell when they die, though. lose the SAEs and the gups or the neons, and you'll be good to go.
 

Dangerdoll

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Aug 27, 2002
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yeap, I wouod count out the algae eaters too... if you want an efficient algae eater group, 3 otto's would work. I would limit the neons to between 5 and 10 though and completely cut out the clam all together. They are a lot of work and when they die in the tank, as most do, it's often noticed way too late and after they've disrupted your water levels, reaking all sorts of malhavoc. I would stay away from the guppys too unless you get a couple of the same sex, otherwise the breeding will be out of control very quickly. Have you given thought to a planted tank?
 

jameswc

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Sep 3, 2006
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Thank you all so very much for your suggestions! I thought the clam would help will keeping the tank clean some. Also, I was thinking of a coral type tank (if that is what you mean by planted tank) but was unsure of how to do one. Also, any other suggestions for small, colorfull fish?

---------Underline=Not good idea
2 Siamese Algae Eaters
1 Freshwater Clam

5 Ghost Shrimp
8 Neon Tetra
3 Guppies... (same sex)
 
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plah831

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No, coral are marine. She just means live aquatic plants. I'd personally hold off on those until you get the fish thing figured out. Otherwise, they can be more complicated than fish, as plants need CO2, light, fertilizers, substrate to really do well. If you have trouble keeping plants alive, they will rot and pollute your tank by causing ammonia. Even anacharis, which can do well without much special, will drop leaves.

I have planted tanks and LOOOVE my live plants. But it took me a year of lots of algae before I got the plants figured out and my tanks balanced. I think there's plenty of time for live plants in the future :) That's just me personally, though.

No offense, DD. You know I have nothing but the warmest feelings for you! :D
 
Last edited:

Dangerdoll

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plah831 said:
No offense, DD. You know I have nothing but the warmest feelings for you! :D
no offense taken, plah ;) call it posting late at night ;)
I wasn't exactly suggesting the plants right off, my apologies for putting that thought forth, I was just thinking about the guppies and planted tanks. If James were to buy 3 females and they were kept at the LFS with males, chance are, those females may be pregnant and if they are let to give birth in the tank, the fry would immediately go for the live plant cover, naturally... And having the smaller tanks is a lot of fun IMO, my smaller ones always did better with live plants but as plah suggests, these should wait until you get the hang of your tank and things have balanced out.
 
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