would like tips for beginner
- Thread starter Rainb0wz
- Start date
I would get just the one Dwarf Gourami and 4 Bronze, Peppered, or Panda Corys. Each Dwarf Gourami is different but active fish like Neons could scare a lone Dwarf Gourami so it hides and stops eating.
One last question 
: Is sand or Gravel better for a dwarf gourami, 3-4 cory catfish (peppered or panda) and real plants (I was thinking about having anubias ans corkscrew val)?
I always had gravel in my tanks but I was wondering if sand wouldn't be prettier and better for the plants.
: Is sand or Gravel better for a dwarf gourami, 3-4 cory catfish (peppered or panda) and real plants (I was thinking about having anubias ans corkscrew val)? I always had gravel in my tanks but I was wondering if sand wouldn't be prettier and better for the plants.
the gourami really wont care, because they dont really go anywhere near the bottom to often. as for the corydoras (i would go with pandas since your tank is small), as long as the gravel is smooth they should be fine. you dont need sand, but then again you cant have gravel that is a sharp and point as broken glass.
Corys would be best with soft gravel or sand so to avoid doing damage to their barbels.Rainb0wz said:One last question
I always had gravel in my tanks but I was wondering if sand wouldn't be prettier and better for the plants.
thank you all very much. Now I just have to wait until I have enough money. I'm sure I'll have other questions until then, lol. I'm a bit "scared" though, I love having fish but I am always worrying because I want the fish to be happy and I don't know if what I do is the best from time to time.
Now that I think about it... I still have a question, lol. It's about plants. I never had real plants before and I want to have some. What kind of plants would you recommend for my futur tank that are not to hard to care for.
and I don't know if what I do is the best from time to time. Now that I think about it... I still have a question, lol. It's about plants. I never had real plants before and I want to have some. What kind of plants would you recommend for my futur tank that are not to hard to care for.
dorris
Replicator of Amazon streams
Get the biggest tank you can and dont crowd it. Smaller tanks are harder to keep the water chemistry good. Let it settle for at least a week, more if you can and add the fish slowly, one species at a time per week I think is safe. Change 20-25% of the water every week, twice a week if u can, for the first month or 2. By doing all this you should hopefully b able to keep all the ammonia and crap down and keep your fish healthy.
If you buy a new filter I have a tip: fill a bucket with water and run the filter in the bucket for a few hours. I have placed brand new filters in tanks before and it can contaminate the water with plastic or something and kill the fish.
If you know someone else with an established freshwater tropical tank ask if you can wring their filter medium out into your new filter(after the bucket). This will help introduce the good bacteria needed to keep the chemical balance right. Also see if you can take a bucket of their filthy water to put into your tank, this will also help out a lot. As long as their water is good and their fish are healthy. Best if they have a planted tank too I think.
Plants are tricky, but the two plants you want should b fine, Anubias and corkscrew val. I have found in smaller tanks it is best to have one or two species only. This way you can get away with not using co2 or anything too extreme. I do recommend using some form of liquid fertiliser in this instance, it will help dramaticaly. Weekly or daily doses. Probably weekly for easy maintenance and to avoid algae. If you do get algae growth slow down the fertiliser and turn the light on for less hours. Put your light on a timer also to give the plants a normal days light every day.
That is about as basic as you can get for a decent small planted tank. My g/f has one like this and it is fine, her plants grow and her fish are happy. I think it is 20G. She has a few platies, couple of cory's, couple of khulis and a betta.
Good luck with it.
If you buy a new filter I have a tip: fill a bucket with water and run the filter in the bucket for a few hours. I have placed brand new filters in tanks before and it can contaminate the water with plastic or something and kill the fish.
If you know someone else with an established freshwater tropical tank ask if you can wring their filter medium out into your new filter(after the bucket). This will help introduce the good bacteria needed to keep the chemical balance right. Also see if you can take a bucket of their filthy water to put into your tank, this will also help out a lot. As long as their water is good and their fish are healthy. Best if they have a planted tank too I think.
Plants are tricky, but the two plants you want should b fine, Anubias and corkscrew val. I have found in smaller tanks it is best to have one or two species only. This way you can get away with not using co2 or anything too extreme. I do recommend using some form of liquid fertiliser in this instance, it will help dramaticaly. Weekly or daily doses. Probably weekly for easy maintenance and to avoid algae. If you do get algae growth slow down the fertiliser and turn the light on for less hours. Put your light on a timer also to give the plants a normal days light every day.
That is about as basic as you can get for a decent small planted tank. My g/f has one like this and it is fine, her plants grow and her fish are happy. I think it is 20G. She has a few platies, couple of cory's, couple of khulis and a betta.
Good luck with it.
