While the girlfriend is on vacation...

[Waltmark]

Hey everybody,

My girlfriend went on vacation with her family. I've always wanted a fish tank and now I'm going to buy one while she's away. I love fish tanks and I've always wanted to get into the hobby. So I've been doing research the last few days and I have until Monady (when she gets back) to buy this thing and fill it with water.

I know, I know, you're not supposed to put fish in it for a couple of days, I won't. I figure if i can get the tank home, set up, and at least have water in there It will be much harder for her to get rid of it.

38-39 gallon tank, real nice looking black stand to match the other furniture...

Wish me luck everybody! Here's to a fun-filled career in Aquariums!


PS: Hello, this is my introduction

 

[BettaFishMommy]

Welcome home to AC!! you'll find tons of helpful info here and we all love lending a hand to those new to the hobby. pretty soon though..... you're gonna be afflicted by a condition known as MTS...... heheheee........ lol.

2 days is not enough time before adding fish. i highly suggest you read the stickied thread about fishless cycling before doing anything else.

 

[Waltmark]

Oh, I won't be adding fish that quick. I'm just saying I have two days before she comes home...so 1 day to at least get water in the tank ha!

Anyway, 28-29 gallon tank. I was thinking of doing cichlids.... any suggestions on a few different ones that can play nice together and a max amount of fish?

I was also thinking rocks and live plants, but i'm reading plants and cichlids arn't friends?

 

[Denj]

Welcome to the hobby & good luck with your covert op lol!!

Ahhh the good ole' girl friend/spouse versus the aquarium dilema...if only mermaids were real then it would be a none issue. But alas, mermaids are not real so you're left with option A.) get a girl friend that is already into aquaria, option B.) convert your current girl friend into an avid (or at least tolerant) aquarist or option C.) sneak in the set up while she is out of town (which is what you are doing) LOL!!

Man it sucks that you have to go about it so surreptitiously because it can still back fire (big argument can ensue & you end up having to get rid of your set up anyway) but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do. But at least you got the right idea about getting a real nice stand that matches the existing furniture, that should help to ease up her aversion to aquariums a bit.

I had a similar issue with an ex-GF, I didn't sneak in my set up though. I just kept leaning on her until I broke her down lol. I also went out of my way to point out real nice set ups that we'd see when we went out to restaurants, bars, homes etc; & eventually she gave in. But just to make sure it stuck I let her pick some of the fish to stock the tank with. That way I got her involved & she felt like she had a vested interest in my hobby which eventually became our hobby.

My tactic worked so well that eventually it was HER (not me) that started pushing for a second tank :lol2:

Good luck & never retreat, never surrender!! lol

 

[Denj]

Oh, I won't be adding fish that quick. I'm just saying I have two days before she comes home...so 1 day to at least get water in the tank ha!

Anyway, 28-29 gallon tank. I was thinking of doing cichlids.... any suggestions on a few different ones that can play nice together and a max amount of fish?

I was also thinking rocks and live plants, but i'm reading plants and cichlids arn't friends?

A pair (or 3 tops, 1 male 2 female) of Drawf cichlids would be fine in a 29g tank. You could keep them in a community tank with other community fish (like tetras or corydoras, just suggestions) as well. Maybe some Ram cichlids, apistos, or shellies would work for you (depending on what's available near your).

Cichlids are generally carnivorous (not herbivorous), so they won't eat your plants. The only problem with some cichlids & plants is that some cichlids are proficient diggers, they dig up your substrate, rearrange pebbles/rocks & so they can uproot any rooted plants in your aquarium. This would mostly be an issue with shellies & not that much of an issue with rams & apistos. But if you wanted to keep shellies with plants you could always choose plants that don't require rooting into the substrate like rhizomes e.g. java ferns, anubias, etc.

 

[Rbishop]

Welcome to AC!

 

[Waltmark]

Thanks for the welcome everybody! I plan on getting said tank tomorrow evening. I LOVEEEEE the idea of letting her pick out some of the fish. Great idea.

Thanks for the suggestions on cichlids too! I actually think the tank I am looking at is 38 gallon. That probably gives me a little more room. 36 inches across, 19 up or back etc.

I'll post a picture when its here.

 

[Haydn24]

Welcome!! For your first tank... I would go with some dwarf cichlids.. Maybe kribensis? And when they breed (pretty quickly if you have a pair) then your gf can watch the little babies and may be interested! Lol! Anyway, keep researching and ask questions. We are here to help

 

[Lillyan]

Welcome!
It's funny how people buy pets they've always wanted when family is away. I bought a 90g tank and raised 7 tiny backyard Tree frogs when my family went to Poland for three months! They were so much fun to have, but so much money for their crickets!

 

[Denj]

Thanks for the welcome everybody! I plan on getting said tank tomorrow evening. I LOVEEEEE the idea of letting her pick out some of the fish. Great idea.

Thanks for the suggestions on cichlids too! I actually think the tank I am looking at is 38 gallon. That probably gives me a little more room. 36 inches across, 19 up or back etc.

I'll post a picture when its here.

I'm glad you liked the idea of letting her pick out some fish. That alone isn't guaranteed to win her over BUT it can't hurt either so good luck with it .

As for the suggestions on fish, you've got a bit of time that needs to elapse before you can start adding fish to your tank. All the post thus far have made good suggestions BUT use this time to do research on those suggestions (Google, Google, & then Google some more).

Don't just research the fish you think you'd want, try researching some of the more popular fish in the hobby as well. That way you'll gain a better perspective of what species are & AREN'T compatible with each other & their basic requirements for food & water parameters. It'll help make things easier for you & your GF once you do start stocking your new tank.