Child’s first fish(es)
Discussion
SeeFive said:
Crossflow Kid said:
Ok, so bit of emergency shopping and we’re in business.
Have set the stat to 25c to begin with, leaving it to warm up over night.
When I mentioned to the girl in a well known pet chain, she was ambivalent, commenting that Platties can cope in cold or warm.
Guess we know different now
Seriously, don’t do this. This is too big a change over too short a time. Have set the stat to 25c to begin with, leaving it to warm up over night.
When I mentioned to the girl in a well known pet chain, she was ambivalent, commenting that Platties can cope in cold or warm.
Guess we know different now
These particular fish have already done the SAS selection of fish keeping don’t forget.
This morning, they’re back to what I’d consider normal. Will keep an eye on the temp.
So here we are 24Hrs in to having a heated aquarium and there’s been a quantum leap.
All three are active and exploring all corners of the tank and, crucially, CFKJnr is both amazed and has new-found interest. Sat with her for around half an hour just watching them.
It’s like TV but without the adverts ;-)
Thanks for all the advice and patience.
I was hours away from chucking in the towel. Three lucky fish.
All three are active and exploring all corners of the tank and, crucially, CFKJnr is both amazed and has new-found interest. Sat with her for around half an hour just watching them.
It’s like TV but without the adverts ;-)
Thanks for all the advice and patience.
I was hours away from chucking in the towel. Three lucky fish.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 31st October 19:38
Crossflow Kid said:
So here we are 24Hrs in to having a heated aquarium and there’s been a quantum leap.
All three are active and exploring all corners of the tank and, crucially, CFKJnr is both amazed and has new-found interest. Sat with her for around half and hour just watching them.
It’s like TV but without the adverts ;-)
Thanks for all the advice and patience.
I was hours away from chucking in the towel. Three lucky fish.
Fantastic.All three are active and exploring all corners of the tank and, crucially, CFKJnr is both amazed and has new-found interest. Sat with her for around half and hour just watching them.
It’s like TV but without the adverts ;-)
Thanks for all the advice and patience.
I was hours away from chucking in the towel. Three lucky fish.
But be warned. A bit of success and you'll suddenly find yourself looking at a 4ft reef tank or thinking you could build a koi pond in the garden. Or both
Great news. Keep an eye on the shrimps too with the recent change.
Fish keeping is habitual. I have been involved in it from 50 years ago with my dad, to when I had kids and setting up from goldfish won at the fair, through freshwater troops and a bloody great reef tank. That was fun building that, about 2000 quid of tank supporting 2 green chromis (or about 10 quid) of fish for a while until I was confident enough of the bio to start stocking properly.
Now down to a nano tank of shrimps, a slightly larger community tank and a pond. I don’t count the sea full of fish at the bottom of the garden as mine!
Good luck and I hope it becomes less stressful for you and your nipper.
Fish keeping is habitual. I have been involved in it from 50 years ago with my dad, to when I had kids and setting up from goldfish won at the fair, through freshwater troops and a bloody great reef tank. That was fun building that, about 2000 quid of tank supporting 2 green chromis (or about 10 quid) of fish for a while until I was confident enough of the bio to start stocking properly.
Now down to a nano tank of shrimps, a slightly larger community tank and a pond. I don’t count the sea full of fish at the bottom of the garden as mine!
Good luck and I hope it becomes less stressful for you and your nipper.
Felt I had to give a further update....
Fish going from strength to strength.
Knocked the thermostat down a bit and am increasing it gradually as advised. Currently sitting at 22c with the water starting to feel not exactly warm but definitely no longer cold.
Much more active, and their colouring looks much more vivid since warming up.
Shame we lost a distinct blue one early on. Wondering if it’s worth replacing or is four/five too many in a ten gallon tank?
Fish going from strength to strength.
Knocked the thermostat down a bit and am increasing it gradually as advised. Currently sitting at 22c with the water starting to feel not exactly warm but definitely no longer cold.
Much more active, and their colouring looks much more vivid since warming up.
Shame we lost a distinct blue one early on. Wondering if it’s worth replacing or is four/five too many in a ten gallon tank?
Crossflow Kid said:
Felt I had to give a further update....
Fish going from strength to strength.
Knocked the thermostat down a bit and am increasing it gradually as advised. Currently sitting at 22c with the water starting to feel not exactly warm but definitely no longer cold.
Much more active, and their colouring looks much more vivid since warming up.
Shame we lost a distinct blue one early on. Wondering if it’s worth replacing or is four/five too many in a ten gallon tank?
After all the aggro,allow the tank some stabilisation time......Fish going from strength to strength.
Knocked the thermostat down a bit and am increasing it gradually as advised. Currently sitting at 22c with the water starting to feel not exactly warm but definitely no longer cold.
Much more active, and their colouring looks much more vivid since warming up.
Shame we lost a distinct blue one early on. Wondering if it’s worth replacing or is four/five too many in a ten gallon tank?
Couple of weeks without any issues, then consider adding stock, although I wouldnt go mad.
Crossflow Kid said:
Turn7 said:
After all the aggro,allow the tank some stabilisation time......
Couple of weeks without any issues, then consider adding stock, although I wouldnt go mad.
Agreed. Wasn’t going to do anything for a few weeks.Couple of weeks without any issues, then consider adding stock, although I wouldnt go mad.
I have a similar volume Fluval Edge 46litre tank, been up and running for about 5 years now. I have the filter it came with plus another to hit dead spots and provide backup.
General rule of thumb is one inch of fish per 4 litres of water. So I could (theoretically) have about 12” of fish according to that. I push that way too hard with many small fish but they seem healthy and water conditions are always good.
Current stock is: 5 purple harlequins, 5 rummynoses, 1 remaining dwarf cory and 1 remaining cardinal (see later) 2 Amano shrimps and have added 2 ottos this weekend - first new fish for quite a while.
I did originally have 6 cardinals and 3 corys but after 4+ years they are succumbing to old age, so the rummynoses and ottos replaced them. Did have a few guppies and shortly after a million more which the LFS kindly took. Anything that lays eggs or breeds in that tank now gets eaten, apart from snails it seems - yes, real plants and moss balls were a fantastic idea - not. If only it was big enough for some hungry clown loaches!
I do weekly 20% balanced temperature water changes and keep on top of filter flow rates as I am aware I am overstocked, but it would look a bit bland with just a few fish in so worth the effort. I try never to clean both filters at the same time.
I did use remineralised RO when I lived on a 40ppm nitrate out of the tap supply but don’t now. The tank was started on tetra safe start as I always do these days, is lightly planted, stable and most occupants are healthy long term residents. Only issue I ever had (as mentioned earlier) was a filter impeller failure while on holiday and no failover filter back in the early days. Grim!
I also have a 15 litre nano tank running cooler which originally had 5 cherry shrimps in and has exploded into Its own nation state with no fish to eat the little ones as they emerge. Pain in the bum cleaning filters as there are always a few tiny ones in there to be rescued by sucking on a bit of air line. My LFS takes some juveniles from me every now and again in exchange for a little discount on purchases, which as I didn’t ask is kind of him.
Anyway, to the point at last. I can’t see why you shouldn’t add more stock gradually over time if you are willing to continue with your maintenance routine, but as others have said, wait for some stability and increase numbers slowly with an eye on water quality as the bacteria builds to support their waste. Be aware of suggested shoal sizes of varieties when choosing fish. It is also good practice to enlist some help with a cleanup crew in the tank as part of your stock. Remember though, it is “help” and not a substitute for good maintenance
Am in reading that right?
You’ve got sixteen fish in the 45litre version of our tank?
Seems we’ve got a fair bit of spare capacity in that case.
Regards assistance with cleaning, there are three (out of an original five) cherry shrimps skulking around like sanitation ninjas. We did have a couple of snails too but they succumbed to the cold.
You’ve got sixteen fish in the 45litre version of our tank?
Seems we’ve got a fair bit of spare capacity in that case.
Regards assistance with cleaning, there are three (out of an original five) cherry shrimps skulking around like sanitation ninjas. We did have a couple of snails too but they succumbed to the cold.
Crossflow Kid said:
Am in reading that right?
You’ve got sixteen fish in the 45litre version of our tank?
Seems we’ve got a fair bit of spare capacity in that case.
Regards assistance with cleaning, there are three (out of an original five) cherry shrimps skulking around like sanitation ninjas. We did have a couple of snails too but they succumbed to the cold.
A single platy or molly will be the same volume/weight/waste as perhaps 5-6 little tiddlers. You’ve got sixteen fish in the 45litre version of our tank?
Seems we’ve got a fair bit of spare capacity in that case.
Regards assistance with cleaning, there are three (out of an original five) cherry shrimps skulking around like sanitation ninjas. We did have a couple of snails too but they succumbed to the cold.
Hence why my 190l tank, with filter rated for 500l, has only four fancy goldfish!
My little flex has a betta fighting fish, half a dozen little Celestial Pearl Danios (stunning little fish, that always looks crap in shop tanks, but colour up superb), 3 little otocinclus and some huge amano shrimp. That needs 30% water changes twice a week, or I notice it!
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