Suggestions please

[frillyfins]

Hello Loves,
I've cycled my gorgeous tank (just as instructed on this very forum) since Santa delivered it.
Now I'm wondering what cute little fishies you could suggest that I keep in there? I'd like to have some medium ones and some little ones (those black phantom tetras are sooooo cute!).
It is 125 litres but I think I'll have about 100 litres with my very special the interior design features.
I know I have to go slowly slowly so not to harm the little dears, but I'd love some help to decide some easy fish to look after and how many I can build up to.
I'm so excited, I can hardly wait!!!!!
:luxlove:

[Demi ^_^]

Well I personally LOVE fancy guppy's ^_^ Black Ghost Nifes are interesting and plecos (That clean the tank!) I, myself, have lots of trouble deciding on fish, so I bid you goodluck, lol!

Betta's are easy to care for, although Males don't seem to like many fishy friends, but I have seen many females adjust and thrive in community tanks, just make sure to watch whatever fishes you choose, to make sure no scuffles arise :~P

Hope you find the fish/es of your choice!

[Siamese Fighter 1]

the first thing to have if you wana keep tropical fish is a heater.if you have one you should have real plants or fake for the fish to hide and sleep on.drift wood and rocks work great as center ornament it gives the tank a different look.the first fish you should get are algea eaters so the tank will be clean and ready for the rest of the stock.

[Harls]

Well I personally LOVE fancy guppy's ^_^ Black Ghost Nifes are interesting and plecos (That clean the tank!) I, myself, have lots of trouble deciding on fish, so I bid you goodluck, lol!

Betta's are easy to care for, although Males don't seem to like many fishy friends, but I have seen many females adjust and thrive in community tanks, just make sure to watch whatever fishes you choose, to make sure no scuffles arise :~P

Hope you find the fish/es of your choice!
you only have 1 fish :P!!!!

[Demi ^_^]

you only have 1 fish :P!!!!

LOL, I meant how they look! And anyway, you KNOW I'm getting a big tank and am currently deciding which fish to get (So many to choose from!) Also, remember I come over your house lots, so I see your fishy's all the time!

[frillyfins]

I'd like to keep tropical fish so I have a heater. They are so colourful and pretty. A community tank with different kinds of fish to look at. I love watching their different little activities. How many fish do you think that I could get for my sized tank? If they are a mixture up to 5cm in size when all grown up.

[shockshockshad]

Usually you want 1 inch of fish per gallon. A good way to figure what you want is by where the fish inhabit. You want an equal mixture of schooling fish, solitary fish, and bottom feeders. You have a 28 gallon right? Okay. Now, with that size tank, pick some sort of schooling fish, whether it be tetras, rasboras, or danios. Have 6-8 of those. Then pick some sort of center piece fish- swordtails, gouramis, female betta, etc. Have 1 of the betta or gourami, or 1 male swordtail and 2 female swordtail. Then for a bottom feeder. Maybe 1 bristlenose pleco (NOT common pleco- they get 2 feet long), or 6 corydoras catfish. I personally like the corydoras. Just don't impulse buy- that means you like a fish you see in the store, and buy it without researching it first.

BTW This type of setup with these types of fish is called a community tank. Thats where all of the fish live in harmony and none are very aggressive.

[SkarloeysMom]

Cory catfish are great in a little school of 5 or more. In the tetra world, of course there are neons and cardinals that are quite bright and beautiful but also the rummynose tetras and the head and tailight tetras are quite interesting and pretty. I am a big fan of Harlequin Rasboras. They are really striking and fairly hardy little guys.

My best suggestion for you go to a LFS and make a list of the fish that you like the look of, you may want to get the rap from the LFS person, then bring the list home and research the fish yourself to see if your choices are compatible in a community and then if you have more questions about specific fish or you've decided on a stock list, etc. post and you'll get responses that will help you make a decision. Deciding on which fish to get is a really important part of starting a tank because hopefully these guys will be with you for quite a while and you want to be happy with the choice you make and them to be happy together too.

[gm72]

Usually you want 1 inch of fish per gallon.

Please don't even mention this "rule". It provides a rough estimate, but ONLY for small fish. An 18" oscar is nowhere near the same as 18 1" neon tetras regardless of the tank size.

Shock, the reason I mention this here is because a lot of newcomers to the hobby read these posts and see this "rule" mentioned all too often. It can lead to a lot of disasters for newbies.

Otherwise, yes, great response, Shock.

[frillyfins]

Thank you all sooooo much, Friends. This really is a nice community of fishlovers! I'll head down to my LFS and see what treasures I can find.
FF

[frillyfins]

Demi, you are soooo right. So many to choose from!! I think I'll get 3 black phantom tetras, 3 gold skirt tetras - I've decided on these numbers because they all like their little territories.
Some of those cute bronze corydoras. Would 2 be okay? My friend Wasklywabbit has 2 and they seem happy to play with each other. Do you think that 6 would be too many in my gorgeous 60 x 60 x 35 tank?
And then I can't decide between a pearl gourami and the swordtails. They are both so lovely. I have heard that gouramis don't go well with other fish because can be naughty bullies in their territories. Swordtails are lovely swimmy fish..... oh I just don't know what to do!
Don't worry, I'll add them all slowly over a few months with the cutsie corys first!

[SkarloeysMom]

6 corys would make a really nice little school to start out with. I don't know much about the tetras. Maybe someone else can comment more specifically on the numbers you are considering. And if I had to choose between Gourami and swordtails I think I'd go with the swordtails just because I've heard that Gouramis can be a little difficult in a newer tank.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Demi, you are soooo right. So many to choose from!! I think I'll get 3 black phantom tetras, 3 gold skirt tetras - I've decided on these numbers because they all like their little territories.
Some of those cute bronze corydoras. Would 2 be okay? My friend Wasklywabbit has 2 and they seem happy to play with each other. Do you think that 6 would be too many in my gorgeous 60 x 60 x 35 tank?
And then I can't decide between a pearl gourami and the swordtails. They are both so lovely. I have heard that gouramis don't go well with other fish because can be naughty bullies in their territories. Swordtails are lovely swimmy fish..... oh I just don't know what to do!
Don't worry, I'll add them all slowly over a few months with the cutsie corys first!
Yo should get at least 5 of each schooling fish, including the tetras and corys. They will be much happier in groups. Is this your fist tank? If it is, I would go with swordtails instea of gouramis. You could add some hatchet fish for the top layer of the tank, too.

[gm72]

Corys are not generally good fish with which to cycle. Fishless cycle all the way.