# Stock for classroom tank?



## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

So, I'm a freshman in High school. We get extra credit if we want to buy and care for an animal. Well there's already mice, and a chameleon, charanchella, and there are a few fish tanks. Only one currently has fish.

I offered to buy some fishies and care for them! What would be some good choices, and not just one identical fish type.

It is a 15 gallon, however he has other tanks, so if I wanted we could set up a bigger one, but it'd have to cycle.... Meh.

There are plastic plants, stone like gravel, hob filter, no room or light but the classroom is lit. 

He has water conditioner, however he seems to lack some knowledge about fish... Like he just adds water, no water changes! But I could do water changes if I want. I'm not sure if he changes the filter cartriage... Ill buy the food.

The tank filter and all have been running for like a month now, so it's probably ok, no fish in it currently. Should I do a water change before putting the new fish in as well?


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## TheJakeM (May 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum.

You probably don't need to do a change if there haven't been fish in it. I would do small cheap fish like guppies, and only a few. Soon, though, you'll have plenty of babies and maybe you'll get extra credit for that. Remember to do weekly water changes and the like.


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

TheJakeM said:


> Welcome to the forum.
> 
> You probably don't need to do a change if there haven't been fish in it. I would do small cheap fish like guppies, and only a few. Soon, though, you'll have plenty of babies and maybe you'll get extra credit for that. Remember to do weekly water changes and the like.
> 
> ...


I'm not new actually... Lol. I've have guppies before, but they took over my tank! ahh! Haha, anything else?

I have a 20 gallon and a 29 gallon.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I would do the water change, a big one, maybe 100%. Just because you don't know what has been in or near that water. I'm thinking a annual anti- bug or mold spray down that no one worried about because there were no fish or off-the-scale nitrates because it was fed with no fish. 

Take your time and research appropriate fish, maybe ask a local fish club for help and/or fish An endangered fish like a goodied from a threatened habitat might be good to breed. Or do a "biotope" of fish from the same part of the world and decorate the tank to match the habitat. rasboras and loaches from asia or tetra and cories from south america. In a 15, you'll need small fish to have any number and variety. Do enough research to earn some extra credit and maybe get a few papers out of it.

Bigger tanks are not any harder to cycle than small ones, just stock them slowly. Only thing is more water to move. I think weekly wcs are the way to go. Maybe you can get out of gym or some other stupid period.


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## TheJakeM (May 11, 2013)

Oh, sorry v-paw, I didn't even look at your name.


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

What about 
5 guppies
3 Cory cats
3 plattys
Are the water conditions e sameish? Would it be better to get all males, or is it ok if they breed?


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## TheJakeM (May 11, 2013)

It depends on what type of cories, I would go with a smaller type. All of those choices are pretty hardy fish. Also, and don't quote me on this, but I believe that the livebearers like hard water. You also have to expect and be ready for babies, guppies, platies, and hybrids.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

cories are more soft water fish than the livebearers. I don't like to mix livebearers, but many people do. I just expect that one or the other kind will get picked on. In this case I'm sure the plates would eat the guppy fry. Breeding fish can "crash" a tank by getting overpopulated. I find I have to thin my livebearer tanks several times a year. Let them breed, and you'll have to figure out what to do with the fry. 

I'd probably do endler's and maybe an apple snail.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Barbs. Get barbs. They're foolproof.


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

TheOldSalt said:


> Barbs. Get barbs. They're foolproof.


Hmmm... Ill research those, never had one.

I wouldn't save the babies, but ill try and get all males to avaoid it since it may bother some students if they eat the fry?

Ok actually correct cats need sand, huh?

What about 

5 male guppies
3 male plattys
2 shrimp (any ideas on which type of shrimp?)


Also anyone head of the rainbow fish? Are they good?

The water in these parts is pretty hard


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

rainbowfish are cool minnow-like fish from australia and New Guinea. They are colorful and constantly moving. But the little ones may need live food and clean water and the big ones need a 4' tank. Heterotilapia Multispinosa, the rainbow cichlid, is very pretty little cichlid that you could have 1 of with other fish or just a pair and nothing else.


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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

red belly piranha.... if the teacher gives you bad marks you can feed him/her to your fish hehehehe


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## fishyfriend1706 (Jan 11, 2013)

You should get blackskirts, those things are immortal! Mine have been through some tough times, and they are still healthy and swimming


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

I would go with the smaller fish, with 2-3 small groups. 

In a 15 you could go with 3 cherry barbs 1 male, 2 female- they will most likely not breed, but if they do then cool 
3 Scissor Raspborras 
4 neon tetras.

You would need to keep on top of your water changes, but that is a doable list. Bigger tank= can go with bigger groups


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

Obsidian said:


> I would go with the smaller fish, with 2-3 small groups.
> 
> In a 15 you could go with 3 cherry barbs 1 male, 2 female- they will most likely not breed, but if they do then cool
> 3 Scissor Raspborras
> ...


One a week? 10%


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

water changes................30-40% weekly...each and every week.....


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

I would go 20%, it is just barely on the heavy side of stocking. It's really not on that side big enough to make much of a difference, but 20% would have you covered 

You could easily go with heavier water changes however I believe you have a good filter? If you are getting 10X turnover or more then 20% should cut it. 

Definitely make sure you are doing them weekly, no skipping. Otherwise you will have the unfortunate experience of teaching the kids about the negative side of a cycle, and possibly the loss of fish.


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

lohachata said:


> water changes................30-40% weekly...each and every week.....


Err... I don't even do my tanks that much. Maybe I would if I had a python or something. 

The teacher said that he usually just adds water when it evaporates. Not even changes! Of course ill do at least some changes. Maybe ill buy myself a python and use the gravel vac for the class.

Ok, I don't want super needy fish for the classroom, since I can't give perfect care. The fish the class had before, and even currently has is fine.

Filter is HOB... Don't know on quality, but it's running!  probably good.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

time to start i would think....i used to do 30%+ water changes on over 25 tanks using 5 gallon buckets..and i never had a python until baout 10 years ago...i just used a garden hose.....


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

lohachata said:


> time to start i would think....i used to do 30%+ water changes on over 25 tanks using 5 gallon buckets..and i never had a python until baout 10 years ago...i just used a garden hose.....


I do about 20-25% and they all seem fine and good. I don't use a garden hose, I actually fill up a 5 gallon bucket and go to the toilet for the dirty water and fill it halfway with tap and haul it back to the tank. It's super time consuming. And scatters the decor everywhere. My teacher would defenatly think I was crazy for doing all that. He looked at me weird when I said I wanted to do a water change before I put the fish in!


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

Ok, so lighting stock I guess, that looks good. 


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Not changing the water and just adding water can create a working ecosystem, the problem is that it's easy to tip that in the wrong direction as it will not deal with change very well.


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

Obsidian said:


> Not changing the water and just adding water can create a working ecosystem, the problem is that it's easy to tip that in the wrong direction as it will not deal with change very well.


That's actually pretty interesting. Why don't more people do that? And doesn't all the waste stay in that way?


I decided to get it started, tomorrow I'm buying a mystery snail, I have one. What do I feed it while there aren't any fish? And more fish ideas?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

What a lot of people do not realize is that as water evaporates there is much that is left behind.some of that is not what you want in with your fish..as some of these things build up they reach a point where a very small increase will kill everything in the tank..doing larger more often water keeps the levels down to a where they are safe..
another thing is that as fish give off what is referred to as a "growth inhibiting hormone"..
their bodies have receptors that read the levels in the water.a level is reached where the receptors tell the body that there is not enough room to grow so they stop growing.
by doing lots of water changes the hormone is diluted so much that it fools the receptors and they think there is plenty of room so the fish keep growing..that is why it is possible to get a fish to grow to a fairly large size in a smaller tank..and ; the more and larger water changes you do the faster the fish will grow...many discus breeders do 100% water changes every day..it brings the fry to a marketable size in a much shorter time..
but this is your project...do what you think is best to suit you...


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

lohachata said:


> What a lot of people do not realize is that as water evaporates there is much that is left behind.some of that is not what you want in with your fish..as some of these things build up they reach a point where a very small increase will kill everything in the tank..doing larger more often water keeps the levels down to a where they are safe..
> another thing is that as fish give off what is referred to as a "growth inhibiting hormone"..
> their bodies have receptors that read the levels in the water.a level is reached where the receptors tell the body that there is not enough room to grow so they stop growing.
> by doing lots of water changes the hormone is diluted so much that it fools the receptors and they think there is plenty of room so the fish keep growing..that is why it is possible to get a fish to grow to a fairly large size in a smaller tank..and ; the more and larger water changes you do the faster the fish will grow...many discus breeders do 100% water changes every day..it brings the fry to a marketable size in a much shorter time..
> but this is your project...do what you think is best to suit you...


Mhmm... Another thing is, would a water change to this tank do anything drastic? Since its not used to it yet?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

a water change to the tank as it sits will not have any adverse effects at all...i would say to go ahead and do a change..


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

lohachata said:


> a water change to the tank as it sits will not have any adverse effects at all...i would say to go ahead and do a change..


Does it have to be while it sits? What about after I add fish?


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

Ok, so ,getting the mystery snail today. And I just remembered, I've had glofish before, that can be my schooling part, right? The problem is mine were always a little sensitive  but that'd be cool when we review genetics! Can guppies live well with them? Or what else can? Or are they a bad idea?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

goldfish get pretty big...up to 16 or so inches.they also need a greater amount of filtration as they produce a lot of waste.they are cold water fish..no heater..even in winter if you keep them inside.guppies and goldfish do not mix..guppies need a heater.
goldfish are not sensitive ; they are very hardy fish...but they are the most abused fish.
and the majority of the abuse is found in the U.S...

i also suggest something like barbs...


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2013)

lohachata said:


> goldfish get pretty big...up to 16 or so inches.they also need a greater amount of filtration as they produce a lot of waste.they are cold water fish..no heater..even in winter if you keep them inside.guppies and goldfish do not mix..guppies need a heater.
> goldfish are not sensitive ; they are very hardy fish...but they are the most abused fish.
> and the majority of the abuse is found in the U.S...
> 
> i also suggest something like barbs...


LMAO right now because once again lohachata misread the post above him.

Lohachata: v-paw was saying GLOFISH not GOLDFISH. There is a significant difference between the two.

Another thing lohachata, you crack me up, I love your sense of humor on this forum!


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

hey...i come by it honestly...i have always been a little dyslexic so i often read things wrong...lol...ok..."GLOFISH" are cool....(i coulda swore it said goldfish....)
besides...i am easily cornfused..
well , i am glad i can make somebody laugh..


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2013)

That is okay lohachata. We all read things wrong sometimes. Yeah I love your sense of humor, it makes me laugh.


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

lohachata said:


> goldfish get pretty big...up to 16 or so inches.they also need a greater amount of filtration as they produce a lot of waste.they are cold water fish..no heater..even in winter if you keep them inside.guppies and goldfish do not mix..guppies need a heater.
> goldfish are not sensitive ; they are very hardy fish...but they are the most abused fish.
> and the majority of the abuse is found in the U.S...
> 
> i also suggest something like barbs...


Hahahahahaha  I know. I have 2 goldfish as well  on a much bigger tank, and will be giving them to a pond in a year or two ;( but yes! What everyone else said, ahahahahana.


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

Alright, today I got a mystery snail, and 3 platy's.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Platies are good. Not mean like swortails, not fragile like guppies, not demanding like mollies. Very good choice. ( second only to Barbs LOL)


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

TheOldSalt said:


> Platies are good. Not mean like swortails, not fragile like guppies, not demanding like mollies. Very good choice. ( second only to Barbs LOL)


XD well I was planning to get 2 guppies as well  what kind of barb would you suggest? And what about shrimp?


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

Also, while starring at the fish today in class, I saw that they weren't acting like mine at all! They were super easily frightened, swam quickly behind a rock if someone was moving near them. Also one of the, is almost always in the middle of the tank, another one is always hiding, only came out to feed, and the third is out sometimes and hides the others. And when they are out, they aren't swimming happily, they swim extremely slow, almost not moving. Same with these other fish in the classroom in another tank. Is it because they don't have a light? Maybe the water is too hard for them? Any ideas for the slow swimming?


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## P.senegalus (Aug 18, 2011)

Platies do good in hard water. They probably need time to adjust to the new tank. Heterandria formosa is another cool small fish that would do good in a small tank.


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

So I feed them once a day, when I have class... Is that ok? And what happens durring the weekend? Or break?


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## P.senegalus (Aug 18, 2011)

They should be ok with no food over the weekend and short breaks, except for summer break.


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## v-paw (Feb 17, 2013)

P.senegalus said:


> They should be ok with no food over the weekend and short breaks, except for summer break.


What about like a week? I mean for my personal fish I always buy those weekend feeders if I'm gone. Or the 10 day block.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

most fish can go 2-3 weeks without eating...i never did like the feeder blocks..


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