Fishkeeping anyone ??

  • Thread starter Thread starter BigJamesGTI
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BigJamesGTI

BigJamesGTI

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Hi GTP'ers.

Cast your vote !!!

I have recently re-started with keeping tropical fish, I have 5 neon tetras, a plec and 2 khuli loaches (these are like black/brown striped worms !!!)

So do you keep fish ? If so do you belong to a forum ?

I have recently joined www.fishowners.com which is a very small but friendly site with loads of advice and tips etc....
 
I have a really cool television entertainment center piece of furnature that, unfortunately, my television does not fit inside of :/ So I'm planning to put a rather large aquarium in its place (in place of the television). But I need to do research first. I've never had fish, and I've been lectured already about how much work it can require.
 
Thats the thing LM, people lecture you on hwo much work it is, but if you get the right stuff and make the right preparations its not that hard at all !!!
Would you get tropical fish if you did ? (or coldwater or even marine ?)
You should check out the site, it has lots of good advice for a beginner in keeping fish.
 
My brother used to keep tropical fish, but it WAS a lot of work and the fish are very sensitive. Plus the equipment was kind of expensive. Now he keeps a goldfish and a lizard. Myself I don't care to invest much money in fish, because unless you spend a lot for tropical ones it isn't worth it; it's not that relaxing to watch goldfish swim. In fact, it's quite pathetic.
 
Yeah, I was thinking of getting some humongous tank to fill a TV cabinate, but I'm not so enthusiastic about that anymore. Too much work, and I've already got too much going on in my life.
 
I'd love to tell you about the $1000's of dollars my wife has invested in our fish tanks.

We've nearly 130 gallons of Saltwater in the place, in three different tanks. The current project is raising the baby clownfish our pair spawned.

There are currently 3 clownfish living in one anemone that we have.

If you really want to talk about fish tanks, one of our friends has a few tanks. His wifes tank is 155 gallons, and it's plumbed into the basement. The plumbing holds 30+ gallons. The sump is 260 gallons, and tied into that is his 780 gallon tank in the finished basement. Behind that is the 125 gallon where he "grows" his live rock.

I'm sorry, but when it comes to reinforcing your floor to support your fish tank, it's a bit overboard.

My wife spends most of her time on-line at Boston Reefers, and reeffreaks.com

As enjoyable and as beautiful as the tanks are, its way too much work.

For an interesting time, check out www.nano-reef.com

AO
 
I have a large Marine tank with mostly living coral but there are a few Nemo's still left. I have a boxer shrimp and loads of fireworms. I'll have to get some photos up soon.

Good to hear there are some fellow fish lovers here on GTP. 👍
 
I used to have a fish tank long time ago.
Only fish I can remember the names of are.. Rainbow Shark (think thats what its called) and bottom feeders (doubt thats what they are actually called). Cant remember what else I had.
 
Mista Bob
I used to have a fish tank long time ago.
Only fish I can remember the names of are.. Rainbow Shark (think thats what its called) and bottom feeders (doubt thats what they are actually called). Cant remember what else I had.
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My khuli loaches are bottom feeders, its the right name for a fish that eats the uneaten food and waste off the substrate in the tank.

loudmusic
At this point I'm starting to think it's more beneficial to just live near a nice acquarium (:
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After reading about der alta's fish info, I think I'd think the same !!!

My tank is only 22 gallons so very very small in terms of the tanks der mentioned !!! Its a huge amount more work to keep marine fish than tropical. I think I'd go for the weirdest tropicals I could get but not marine, not yet anyway !!!
 
Keep in mind, that my wife loves this hobby, and I like keeping her happy.

Much like anything else in life, money invested = better enjoyment. We have people stop by and the are absolutely amazed at how beautiful the tanks are. Of course, the tanks take a lot of work. I'll post up a pic soon that shows how nice they are. Give me a bit of time to wind up the camera and edit up the pics.

IF you've got the time and the desire, you'll enjoy the saltwater tank more than the Fresh. Because every little piece of the Saltwater is alive.

AO
 
It is true Der that salt is much more rewarding the fresh.
I might try the salt route when I get the cellar finished, at the moment the only fish ideas I have is to transfer the fish in my 2 foot tank to a 4 foot one and add more, then keep pirhanas in the 2 foot one !!! We'll see what happens though !

I'd love to see some pics of the salt tank - I'll try to get some of my pics up here.

 
Small aquarium with couple of goldfish would be cool for me. I used to love those things and they were easy to care for, even when I was just a kid.
 
Some comedian on Just For Laughs commented that goldfish are the only pets where it's actually cheaper to let it die and buy a new one than to feed and care for the one you have.
 
You're probably right Anderton, it takes up lots of time too when you have a sick fish, couple that with the cost of buying the treatment, it becomes very expensive and time-taking (if thats a word?)

The thing is most of the treatment does more harm than good - theres usually always a way round piling in loads of chemicals to the tank.
 
Well, tis about time I got around to posting the images up.

This one is the 46 gallon bowfront tank.
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This one is the 40 gallon bowfront tank. It has about 2 gallons in the plumbing, and another 15 in the sump and refugium.
DA_40G.JPG


The tank in the bedroom is a 10 gallon tank. It is has a few small rocks and only a bit of coral. It's where we are raising the baby clown fish. No pictures of that one.

The images don't really do the tanks justice.

AO
 
Looks very nice Der. Here is one of my black widow tetras, theres a neon in the background as well.
 

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I am preparing to setup a fish only marine tank and I was wondering if anyone had experience with this.

I have a 55 gallon tank with a canister filter and am planning on either a dogface or porcupine puffer. I would prefer porcupine. After he gets settled I am hoping to add a picasso (huma-huma) trigger.

I have lots of experience with fresh water and brackish fish, including puffers, and this is my first foray into the marine tank.

My main question right now is, do I need to have an undergravel filter? I am asking because with the puffer I know they prefer sand over crushed coral because of their soft bellies, but I don't know if you can do an undergravel filter with sand. I would prefer the extra filtration. So, if anyone knows whether I can use the filter with sand or if the puffer will be fine with the crushed coral please let me know.

Thanks
 
Me and some friends have had lots of tropical fish, always dreamt of having marine fish, but too much of a mission ... and expensive !

I've had 45cm tanks, and 90cm tanks.

In the 90cm I had some Malawi Cichlids only, those were the bomb ...

And in the small one I had angels (which bred !), pearl gurami's (spelling ?), and the obvious guppies, live bearers etc. that bred like rabbits ...

Not so much of a mission, as long as your water ph is cool, and temp is cool, most fish survive a year or two I'd say ...

I would like to get a tank again, just not space in my place at the moment.
 
kragbees
Me and some friends have had lots of tropical fish, always dreamt of having marine fish, but too much of a mission ... and expensive !
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That's why mine is on the budget plan. I put a little money aside every now and then and buy the next piece once I have enough saved up. That and asking for things at Christmases and birthdays and it is a slow labor of love., It has been two years and I expect to begin cycling by Christmas. Of course if these hurricanes don't stop I won't be able to get my puffer or trigger at a decent price for years. So I may have a three fish school of yellow tail damsels for a while.
 
I have a 37 gallon tank with 5 redfin tetras, 3 strawberry tetras, 3 blueberry tetras, 4 serpae tetras, and a golden apple snail. And I love it.

I'll probably post up some pics later.
 
DRIFTN
I have a goldfish... im not even sure if its still alive.
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The best way to tell is if it is floating belly up or on its side. This is bad in 99.9% of the fish out there.

Or you can do what my wife does to her beta, tap on the glass and see if it gets scared. :ouch:

I'm pretty sure you aren't being serious, but if you are may I recommend the little elctronic aquariums I see at gas stations and novelty stores. No food or tank cleaning, just replace the batteries every now and then and you have a happy little active tank.
 
Duck7892
Here it is:


Sorry for the blurry picture. :indiff: Hope you still get the picture though.

Duck7892
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It's blurry but I could make it out. Looks like a nice setup. I am happy to see that you have avoided the cheesy decorations. Nothing annoys me more than seeing someone's aquarium with things like Start Trek ships or all neon colored corals and not a single plant.

Looks good. Once I get my tank set up I will post pics, but like I said it may be Christmas before my cycle fish go in. I have to create my own cave systems large enough for a puffer to hide in but with small enough holes for the damsels to duck into and avoid being eaten.
 

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