Keeping Fish

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You shouldn't leave fish in the bags for more than an hour or so, they will suffocate. How many fish, as few as you are adding should be fine, just add another squirt of bacteria as you fire up the filter, the cloudiness is from the bacteria not suspended matter it's normal and will dissipate.

Bettas need a warmer tank 80-90 so a heater is necessary or your fish will be sluggish and prone to diseases. I would also add some aquarium salts, they are good for reducing stress and can also be used to treat things like ick. Follow the direction amounts, they are not necessarily but a cheap addition.

 

[Shellybean02]

I'll get the salts - if they are okay for nerite snails
I'll get a filter, heater and some extras
I'll get the fish
I'll set up everything and add the fish today, and that'll be okay?

 

[Bunnylady]

A couple of pics of our "rescue" goldfish in their 20 long. The plants are plastic, of course - much as I prefer the real thing, I had to work with what I have. The water from the "redneck pond" had a lot of dissolved tannins in it; partial water changes have lightened things up, but the water in the tank is still a bit yellow. Sorry the pics are so blurry; I had to take them in night mode because the tank is in a low-light location.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'll get the salts - if they are okay for nerite snails
I'll get a filter, heater and some extras
I'll get the fish
I'll set up everything and add the fish today, and that'll be okay?

Sorry, no salts, forgot about your snail, otherwise sound good.

 

[chickmomma03]

I had african cichlids for YEARS, until my son decided he was going to start putting his arms, toys, etc in the tank and it became too dangerous to have (long story short, he has autism). I had to part with the ones I had. Until recently, I bought african cichlids and a plechy. He's almost 13yo now and just watches them thankfully (he named the tank "the fish center live", as well as picked out names for most of the fish, boundaries/rules have been set too). I plan on setting up a breeder tank for any babies, but haven't gotten that far yet (I have a 10gl and a stand waiting). I'll have to set up a small "sick" tank too I guess just in case.

I am SO happy to have fish again though!! I have MISSED my fishies (they're my babies just like all the other critters here)!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Glad you were able to get back into the hobby, it is fun and relaxing, I bet your son enjoys watching them, I haven't kept any ciclids except for angels, I like my goldfish.

 

[chickmomma03]

Quote: It's VERY relaxing, and it's great for anxiety/panic! My son and I sit and watch them together (which is also a great bonding time)! He likes to narrate what each one is doing, and acts out a "fish center live" show lol, it's quite entertaining!!

I had goldfish for a while, but the tanks (imo) are not fun to maintain. Cichlids are actually pretty easy to maintain as long as you know what you need to do! I had a jack dempsey before the cichlids, and I miss him. We've been talking about setting up a jack dempsey tank at some point. The only "downside" is you can't put much in with dempseys (I have yet to find anything safe, despite associates at stores telling me "this is safe")!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would enjoy your sons stories, I think I'm guilty of doing that occasionally, the key to goldfish keeping is lots of room 5-10 gallons per fish after an inch long, and 80-90% water changes every 7-10 days, that's how I keep them anyways. I have heard an Oscar can hold his own with a Dempsey, both big rambunctious fish though.

 

[chickmomma03]

Oh, and for now, this is my starter tank, to get things kick started. It's only a 29gl right now. Eventually I'll have a nicer setup. I have a 100gl in the attic I plan to set up at some point (I need to buy certain supplies that are pricey though before it can be set up, plus I have to decide if it's going to be an in wall tank (with appropriate supports) or not, which takes a lot of planning and $$, a 55gl I'd like to set up (which also needs some pricey parts, and a stand, but I think I'll be building the stand), and then I have a 10gl that I need to work on setting up (which I have all supplies for). For now, it's just the 29gl. I want to get my "feet wet" again before doing a bunch of other things. Plus, I have a dog (Biscuit), a gecko (my son's brother got her for christmas for my son, her name is Charlotte), and then the chickens (10 pullets and a cockerel). Might not be the "greatest" picture since I took in daylight (get better results at night it seems), but this is my baby right here!

 

[chickmomma03]

Quote: True on the Oscars, but (imo) they aren't exactly the prettiest when they grow up. My neighbor had them, and they looked, well, not so great. Maybe that's just how his fish were? I don't know, not much experience with Oscars myself because I never really was attracted to them when fish shopping.