I think i want to get some pet fish. i was just at the store and the salt water fish look really cool. just thought i would ask just in case anyone had some good advice.
anyone have any pet fish?
- Thread starter nmcgrawj
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manystangs
Member
I had a Salt Water Tank when I was a kid and it was harder to keep the water correct (salinity). I killed alot of Sea Horses and I don't remember them being cheap. I was very young though. Good luck!
Michael
Michael
Scott_95GT
New Member
RedStallion43
Member
I love fish, I have a saltwater tank, freshwater tank, and a pond, and I am currently workin at Petco in the fish department, until i can find a better job. What do you need to know? Saltwater is hard to take care of, if ur a lazy its not for you, u gotta keep up with water changes and such if you want to keep the nice "things"
Black95GTS
Active Member
I've had the same betta (siamese fighting fish) for over a year. He's got a 3 gallon tank all to himself. Super easy to take care, feed him once a day and change the tank water once a month.
Even though he's red and not DeWalt yellow, I named him Kensey after Matt Kenseth. Yeah, I like NASCAR.
Adam
Even though he's red and not DeWalt yellow, I named him Kensey after Matt Kenseth. Yeah, I like NASCAR.
Adam
WhiteStallionGT
Member
Fish are awesome. I once had a 10 year old goldfish, lived in the same 20 gal tank all of it's life. My dad bought like 20 of them when I was 6 or so. Eight from the original 20 lived up to 8 years. I brought in a stupid carnival fish one day and most of them died. 
I'd love to see pics of everyone's fish and fish tanks!!!
I'd love to see pics of everyone's fish and fish tanks!!!
Well i just got back from this store that a lady at meijers directed me to. The owner was really nice and helpful, i definately want to get involved.
Im trying to decide how big of tank and what shape i want. I like the hexagon shaped tanks and also looked at the regular rectangle tanks. The rectangle "bow" tank also caught my eye but i didnt get any prices.
This guy does all the work for the university, local doctors, and a lot of the Detroit Lions tanks. He had a picture of Herman Moore's setup. So he knows his stuff.
What tanks do you guys have? How elaborate are they?
This is almost as bad as stangs...gets addicting REALLY quick
Im trying to decide how big of tank and what shape i want. I like the hexagon shaped tanks and also looked at the regular rectangle tanks. The rectangle "bow" tank also caught my eye but i didnt get any prices.
This guy does all the work for the university, local doctors, and a lot of the Detroit Lions tanks. He had a picture of Herman Moore's setup. So he knows his stuff.
What tanks do you guys have? How elaborate are they?
This is almost as bad as stangs...gets addicting REALLY quick
Nik_95Cobra
Founding Member
I kept 8 or so African Cichlids for quite a while til I broke up with my gf and didn't want to take the tank back (too much trouble). If you're not ready for a salt water setup, I highly suggest african cichlids. They're the most colorful of the freshwater fish, and they're mighty agressive and fun to watch. It was always fun to have them eat out of my hand and feel their teeth bite me when I fed em. If Interested, I suggest you check out www.cichlid-forum.com 
Nik_95Cobra said:I kept 8 or so African Cichlids for quite a while til I broke up with my gf and didn't want to take the tank back (too much trouble). If you're not ready for a salt water setup, I highly suggest african cichlids. They're the most colorful of the freshwater fish, and they're mighty agressive and fun to watch. It was always fun to have them eat out of my hand and feel their teeth bite me when I fed em. If Interested, I suggest you check out www.cichlid-forum.com
How big of a tank was it? Im leaning towards this 35gal. hexagon.
Nik_95Cobra
Founding Member
Mine was a 55 Gal long tank. They were juvies so the size was ok at that point. Some fish prefer long tanks and others tall. Just make sure you investigate the habitats and such of the fish you stock so that they're happy and you don't get an ich (fish disease) or some other outbreak which can take out a tank. Sometimes you might buy say an albino catfish which pet stores like to sell @ about 3 inches, and they wind up being 3-4 feet long. For a 35 gallon tank I'd reccomend some non agressive community fish.
Nik_95Cobra said:
I was also looking at a 50gal breeder tank, rectangle shape, but the hexagon shape would fit better in my apartment. And im only 20, so i can always grow into bigger, more elaborate tanks.
1105
I AM the random post master...bow down
I have a 10g salt water tank in my room. They aren't that hard to keep up, but hard to get started which turns a lot of people off. Seriously the only thing you have to do with a salt tank is water changes every so often and feed them. But all of the fish and corals for salt water are a lot more expencive, along with the lighting and water pumps.... But the tanks always look nicer.
Heres an old pic of my tank... I have a tomato clown, coral beauty angel fish, rock anenome, and some corals
Bought this little guy when he was about 2" wide, now he's at least 5" wide
Heres an old pic of my tank... I have a tomato clown, coral beauty angel fish, rock anenome, and some corals
Bought this little guy when he was about 2" wide, now he's at least 5" wide
Nik_95Cobra
Founding Member
- Jul 17, 2001
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We spend gobs of money on a Salt tank, supplies, pH testers, Salinity, Nitrate, Nitrite, and all that b.s., $80- $100 fish, yaddy yada, and that was the hardest thing to keep going evar! We ended up starting over a year later with freshies, put water in the tank, put the fish in the tank, and just let them chill, no work at all.
Freshies for your first tank, Salt is too hard to handle until you gain the responsibility, time, effort, and patience. Nitrate/Nitrite alone is
Here are the pics.
Salt Water:
Fresh Water:
Freshies for your first tank, Salt is too hard to handle until you gain the responsibility, time, effort, and patience. Nitrate/Nitrite alone is
Here are the pics.
Salt Water:
Fresh Water:
RedStallion43
Member
Awesome fish guys, its so cool, i never thought anyone would be into fish especially saltwater on this forum. Ill take pics of my tank tomorow. Since all the fishies went to sleep now. Its a 75 Gallon Bow Front, or Half cylinder as mine is called since it is really bowed.
Heres my pond:
Heres my pond:
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bill302
Active Member
the larger the tank the easier it is to take care of. i would not buy anything smaller than a 55 gal. i have a 55 gal had it for 9 yrs. i have 1 oscar 8 in long, 1 jack dempsey 8 in long, 1 pacu 6 in long, and 1 convict Cichlid.
Nik_95Cobra
Founding Member
RedStallion43
Member
Yea for a saltwater if your a beginner I always reccomend getting a 30 gallon or more tank so its easier to take care of the water chemistry. Hey nik, those green terrors are bad ass we sell them at the store, however one kind of fish I prolly know the least about is cichlids, is it true that the south american cichlids are the least agressive and some can be put into community tanks with caution? Also I hear that it is not reccomended to mix south american and african cichlids is this due only to their different water chemistry needs? Im always trying to learn more about fish
Nik_95Cobra
Founding Member
RedStallion43 said:
Yeah man African (tanginikan, and malawis) and the south american ones all take different ph levels and such. The South American ones grow pretty big, up to 10-12". There's Calmer and more agressive ones from each chichlid species, but it really depends on the tank size, layout (hiding places), and male/female ratios. My Bumblebee ruled my tank...Ate every pleco (sucker fish) I tried to use lol. Last time I saw the tank it had matured some and ate all but 2 of the 8 or so fish I had. WWW.Cichlid-Forum.com has way more info on the diff kinds than I know.
The discus (south american angel fish looking one) is pretty calm, and they south american dwarfs, rams and such are pretty calm and work well in a community tank.Similar threads
