# I got my fish tank!



## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

I am so excited because I bought a 55 gallon fish aquarium! It was such a good deal because it came with the tank, stand, canopy, decor, filter, pump, everything but gravel and fish! Its a customer built tank and everything is worth $1000 and I got it for $75! The guy said he was selling it because he was wanting to upgrade to a 250 gallon.


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## Guest (Jul 6, 2012)

Congratulations!


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Congrats! Get that thing up and running now!


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

So Whats the plan for this tank?


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

I got to wait till I move out to get a big tank  
Congrats though. I hope that it will hold many happy fish


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

Thank-you everyone! 
Here are the fish that I am thinking about for this tank. Tell me what you think.

2 pictus catfish
5 tourquoise rainbow fish
5 bunois aries tetra
1 opaline gourmi
1 red tailed black shark
5 tiger barbs

What fish do you put in first? Or is it all at once?


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## Coolfish (Apr 30, 2012)

No you don't add them all at once.


Recommended water change schedule: 35% per week.


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

Coolfish said:


> No you don't add them all at once.
> 
> 
> Recommended water change schedule: 35% per week.


I was told that aquadivsor was not accurate but how do I add them then?


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Just add a few fish at a time so you have time to cycle the tank, otherwise you will have a lot of dead fish. And I'm not a fan of that site


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

OK, thanks for letting me know. So do you think the fish that I listed was good?


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

I don't have any exsperiance with them besides the barbs. And they are vary nippy I would always see them biting my other fish and I'd always see the ripped fins from them. I know the shark you listed can be a jumper as well.


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

Ok, is there any fish you reccomend besides the tiger barb?


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

I was thinking about getting also some bleeding heart tetras.


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## Coolfish (Apr 30, 2012)

If I had a tank that size I would get some cichlids. The barbs will fin nip not good.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

I'm going to agree with coolfish, if your looking for color that amazingly pops cichlids are the way to go. In fact some of my non aquatic friends ask if my cichlids are saltwater because of there bright colors and awesome patterns. I can't ever see giving up my cichlid tank. Yea they cost a bit more but it really is worth it. I'm still amazed at how smart they are. 

I tap the glass with all 4 fingers and they all run out to greet me at that spot of the glass. Iv got them to do this because every feeding I tap the glass like that to let them know I'm there. So anyways they all run out to me now, also I put my hand fully in the water every feeding as well. Reason I do that is because they all fallow my finger as well now when I run it down the glass. Truly are beautiful smart fish.


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## Coolfish (Apr 30, 2012)

I wonder what cichlid I can keep in a 29g. I like the red or orange zebra cichlids.


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

I agree, cichlids are amazing fish. I just dont want them right now. I know I will not get barbs for sure and instead, bleeding heart tetras.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

That may work for you, iv never had great luck keeping tetras. Since iv removed them from my community tank I see my fish doing so much better. I had a all tetra community tank that the fish were constantly getting ich all the time even with good water conditions. 

You can find small cichlids for about 5$ cichlids that are about 2 inches go for like 10$ each.


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

Ok, thanks Cory1990! If the teras dont work for me (I hope not) I will seriously consider getting cichlids. 

What fish food should I get for my fish? The tetras, opaline gourmi, tourqoise rainbowfish eat just normal flakes right?

And for the bottom feeders. 
The pictus catfish and the red tailed black shark will eat the shrimp pellets and algea waffers right?


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

You should go to lohachata for fish food. I got one kind from him the plecocaine and all my fish eat it like crazy. My cichlids,guppies,old tetras,angelfish,pleco,plattys all eat it. He sells it 5$ a pound witch lasts forever! All together for a pound of fish food plus shipping cost me $10 and I have enough to last at least 6 months. For the price of a 1oz bottle you get so much more from him. Also I have a ton of fish and multiple tanks so for you it will last a lot longer then me. He's in the sponsors part on the forum.


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

Ok, when do you feed the fish, is right before bed alright?


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

I feed my fish 6x a week around 5pm you can feed yours whenever you want.


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## IAoddball (Jun 19, 2012)

Ok, I gotta put my .02 in now. Take it for a grain of salt, but i have never had a problem with my tiger barbs. Mine stay in their own little school and don't mess with the other fish at all. Maybe I got lucky, Idk. As far as the catfish, I used to have pictus, although very cool, they HAVE to be in a school of atleast 3, or they don't last too long. Red Tail Sharks are ok, but do get pretty aggressive as they get bigger, and will nip at everything. 

As far as feeding, I feed mine in the morning with pellets/tablets, then bloodworms and beef heart at night. That's just my schedule. Recommended you feed atleast twice a day to start, then cut it down a bit as they grow. But hey, congrats on the tank, Morla! Gotta see pics for sure


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

2x a day seems like a bit much. Do you at least skip a day? And my barbs just loved to nip everyone's fins. I love them but I wont put them in a community tank ever again they really are great looking fish. If I ever do barbs again I'll be doing only barb tank.


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## IAoddball (Jun 19, 2012)

2x's a day isn't much with a big Bichir, 2 big Angelfish, 4 barbs and 2 mollies. I don't do a whole lot, just a pinch or 2 in the morning, and a bit at night. If i don't throw beef heart in, my Bichir goes frantic looking for it


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

I guess for much bigger fish that will be ok. But still you should skip a day of feeding to let the fish clean the tank and digest.


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## IAoddball (Jun 19, 2012)

Sunday usually is the day I forget to, just from errands and etc.


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

Man, I never thought it would be such a hard decision of what fish to get. I was thinking about getting 3-4 pictus catfish instead of 2 pictus catfish and a red tailed shark. I asked everyone in my family of what there opinion is and they all said that they thought I should get the 2 pictus catfish and one red tailed shark to add more verity. 

Ok, I have more questions. How long do you cycle the tank before addng any fish?
And once its cycled, what fish do you add first? I know now that you add a couple fish at a time not all at once. Should I probably add the more peaceful fish first, then the more aggresive kind?


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## jlpropst00 (Jun 12, 2011)

I just have to recommend Rummy-Nose Tetra. They are my absolute favorite. One cool thing is that when they are stressed they lose the color in their noses so its like a warning things might be off in your tank. 
Your right, add the more aggressive fish last. That way they haven't already established their territory when the other fish come in.


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

Aw! I want to get Rummy-Nose Tetras! They dont have then at petsmart I dont think and thats where I am getting my fish at!


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## Fish chick (Feb 18, 2012)

They sell them at my favorite LFS! THeyre soooo cute!


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

Yes they are!


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## IAoddball (Jun 19, 2012)

Maybe even consider a clown loach or 2. They add character to any tank as well


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## morla (Jun 23, 2012)

Clown loaches would outgrow my tank though dont you think?


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