NationStates Jolt Archive

What fish are good for a beginner interested in indoor freshwater aquariums? I'm thinking tetras, cichlids, siamese algae eater, and pearl gouramis. MAybe some swordtail fish. Anybody got any recommendations?

Tiger barbs are pretty good at Not Dying. Which is a good thing, because I unknowingly bought my first ones while my aquarium was cycling.

Also, how big an aquarium do you have? Because you're talking about a lot of fish there...

Gouramis of any variety.

They survive in fairly bad water, because they are also able to gulp air at the surface.

bass and trout are good for any occasions

I mainly do saltwater but from my old freshwater days I remember that tetras (sp?) do good for beginners. A note about allge eaters make sure you wait a little bit to introduce them (not too long) but there should be something for him to eat when he gets there, ie not a day after putting water in the tank.

I mainly do saltwater but from my old freshwater days I remember that tetras (sp?) do good for beginners. A note about allge eaters make sure you wait a little bit to introduce them (not too long) but there should be something for him to eat when he gets there, ie not a day after putting water in the tank.

An addition to this: DO NOT just leave bottom feeders and algae eaters to eat what gets left on the bottom of the tank or grows on it. They probably can survive on that, but you're likely starving them. Get some sinking algae pellets.

Yeah, well my dads going to buy a 180 litre, 101 x 50 x 41 cm tank. He used to keep fish pretty well, so now he's introducing me to the world. He's told me to avoid angelfish and discus.

The tank looks like this (http://www.juwel-aquarium.de/en/rio.htm) by the way.

Thanks for everyones help.

Yeah, well my dads going to buy a 180 litre, 101 x 50 x 41 cm tank. He used to keep fish pretty well, so now he's introducing me to the world. He's told me to avoid angelfish and discus.

The tank looks like this (http://www.juwel-aquarium.de/en/rio.htm) by the way.

Thanks for everyones help.

Oh, nice. I wish I had a big tank like that.

Also, I just remembered about tiger barbs... you probably shouldn't get them if you have long-finned fish. They are likely to nip the fins, possibly unto death. Depending on the personality of the barbs, they may also nip other fish. They are apparently safest in groups of... no less than three? Four? And no more than seven, or so. I had three barbs originally, and eventually six, which has over the course of several years dropped to one (my poor fishies. :( ). I've never had a problem with fin nipping as far as I can tell.

But yeah, so barbs, while quite hardy and attractive, might not make good community fish.

Cherry barbs are meant to be peaceful. Also I'm thinking loaches. Do you know anything about butterfly fish?

Cherry barbs are meant to be peaceful. Also I'm thinking loaches. Do you know anything about butterfly fish?

Never had experience with Cherry barbs. They're a lot more streamlined than tiger barbs. Still pretty, though.

Loaches I've had. Though only the Kuhli type, which seem to be easy enough to take care of, though you might not see them often. I'm not even positive that I still have a loach. I haven't seen the little guy for awhile, and I can't see under the log he used to squeeze under anymore...

EDIT: Though reading about other people's experience with Kuhli loaches, I'm not sure if this is normal behaviour.

Butterfly fish, I've also never owned.

Could you recommend any sites on fish?

Could you recommend any sites on fish?

The one you linked to is the main one that I've used to look up fish. Otherwise I just search for info on particular types of fish.

You've used Juwel for fish info? I thought they only did aquariums. Do you know anything about SERA or Aqua-One?

wait, do NOT get cichlids with small/community fish...
they'll kill them, the larger cichlids are particularly vicious
(unless, of course, you're talking about angelfish; those are generally pretty calm and harmless)

btw...
there's nothing wrong with angelfish...
discus are too fragile to keep in a beginner's tank...
however, angels will survive practically anything. They're not only hardy, but they can be really beautiful as well.=)

btw...
there's nothing wrong with angelfish...
discus are too fragile to keep in a beginner's tank...
however, angels will survive practically anything. They're not only hardy, but they can be really beautiful as well.=)
According to my father angelfish are really vicious and look smug the day after they've eaten a few fish.

interest?

For fresh water fish...

I'd go with the alligator Gar. It gets kinda big, though.

http://faculty.evansville.edu/ck6/bstud/hugegar.html

For fresh water fish...

I'd go with the alligator Gar. It gets kinda big, though.

http://faculty.evansville.edu/ck6/bstud/hugegar.html

The words beginner and 180l tank come to mind. Including i'm in UK

You've used Juwel for fish info? I thought they only did aquariums. Do you know anything about SERA or Aqua-One?

Wait, you mean I didn't get a link to cherry barbs? Wow! My memory is horrid!

Well, in that case: here's (http://www.aquahobby.com) a good site.

And can't say that I know anything about SERA or Aqua-One.

I like betta fish but you have to be careful about what fish you put them in with because they will attack other bettas and most other colorful fish unless you get females. They live a long time and are also pretty good at not dying if they make it through the first week. Plus, they are so colorful and fun to watch.

I used to keep a crawfish in the bottom of my freshwater tank along with a siamese fighting fish and some fish who's species I forget back when I was a kid.

http://i6.tinypic.com/1262v5v.jpg
If you go ahead and catch one they're kind of a neat addition to a freshwater tank. They will occasionally nip at fish when they swim too close though.