First Fish Thoughts

M

MarkInNC

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Jun 16, 2009
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Hampstead NC
I may be jumping ahead but I have been thinking of the type of fish to start in my new tank. The tank is my first and has not begun a cycle yet, hopfully it will begin soon. We have a Petsmart and a Pets Plus in town and I have been to each to take a look at their fish and begin thinking. [BTW-the two stores are much differant, several floaters at one, none at the other, water clairity, fish activity all much differant at one.]

I believe I am going to try several varieties of "community" fish as they appear easier to be sucsessful with. I guess everyone enjoys the colorful ones and i have been looking at several. I had looked at Platies, Mollies, and Swordtails at the store. Then I looked on-line at several places and in particular a firm out in Utah that sounds good. They have several types of Mollies and several types each of Platies, Swordtails, and many others. Some of the fish I see on line are more interesting than those I have seen at the store.

I am thinking of 4 to 6 fish each of 3-4 types. This would mean I would have 12 to 24 1.5 adult fish after they mature. I have a 45 gallon tank.

Thoughts?

thanks,

Mark
 
I would get what appeals to you most. Also, watch your mix of males to females. It is also nice, IMO, to get one or two larger center piece fish along with some group of cory for activity on the bottom.
 
There are hundreds of species available in the trade. In my opinion, what you are asking for, has me confused because to be honest, I am not sure where to start first. Many fish are very easy to keep. If I were you, look for the more interesting groups of fish, not just livebearers. Gouramis, bettas, minnows, barbs, danios, tetras, cichlids, plecos, synodontis and many others are quite fascinating and many of them are quite easy to begin with.

You could try a bristlenose pleco or Rineloricaria parva and a school of 8 corydoras along with 15-20 cardinal tetras, 2 pearl gouramis and over 15 golden pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi). All fish mentioned, in my experience, are very easy to keep.
 
MarkInNC said:
...I had looked at Platies, Mollies, and Swordtails at the store...

I am thinking of 4 to 6 fish each of 3-4 types. This would mean I would have 12 to 24 1.5 adult fish after they mature. I have a 45 gallon tank.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I think, you'll have another 40-60 of those fish(babies) roaming around the tank with in two weeks.

Those fish are the next best thing to guppys, for having fry.

I'm not real sure about the Platy and Molly males. But the Sword males can't stand each other.

You'll want to cover the tank real good. The Swords freak out on anything.
When the lights go out. They instantly go stright up, jumping out of the water. And end up on the floor.
 
swordtails get around 2 inches

IMO platies/mollies and swords are fine its all personal preference.

I'd actually skip the mollies and do platies & swords maybe a few dwarf gouramis or Cherry Barbs or Danios of sort. Then finish that tank up with about 5 cory cats and a bushnose pleco.

Again IMO its up to you but thats my 2 cents
 
i think you should get one betta fish and put them with angel fish or loaches or gourami or snails tigerbarb swordfish and panda catfish they are a good comination
 
fares said:
i think you should get one betta fish and put them with angel fish or loaches or gourami or snails tigerbarb swordfish and panda catfish they are a good comination
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Bettas are NOT compatible with gouramies, angelfish, or tiger barbs, and IME, not swordtails either. You could get a single angelfish, gourami, or betta as a centerpiece with platies, tetras, or pencilfish, or any other schooling fish like cherry barbs.
 
I suggest a pair of each just breed sample (mollys - sailfin, bubble bellys, lyretail, plain black), a platy pair (sunset, standard, etc.), swords (red, green, mix) & a nice pair of guppies with the larger flared/lyretail type tails (I prefer the old name snake skins - they look metallic colors).
 
I'm in the same situation Mark. I'm very new and cycling my first tanks (two because me and my gf have different ideas)
we both seem to like neon tetras and angelfish (angelfish seem to have a lot of different pattern typs and a salty looking body shape)
in a random search we've found that you can find colorful Plecos as well. though they don't seem to have any of the colorful ones at our Local Fish Stores so we might have to get them online.
We also seem to like blue german rams (I saw a post saying that they go well with tetra neons) but they always have close up pics and it's hard to tell but they always look like salt water tanks. maybe someone else caln gelp out with this?
 
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