# Little sis wants fish....



## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

Like the title says, my little sis wants fish. She is 12, and she has a tendency to forget things, or do things half way. She is also messy. I am afraid that if she gets fish, she will fall down on her job (taking care of the fish) and I will end up doing it. What do I say to show her all the responsibilities and money she has to spend for fish keeping? Is there a good website I can show her?


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

The best way to teach her is to show her. Let her watch you tending to your tanks, take her with you when you go fish shopping and let her see what has to be bought and the prices. Don't scare her away from it but educate her. Let her help you with your tanks a few times so she gets hands on experience with it. If she likes it and shows that she is serious about it, then start her off with a few easy fish and a simple set up. If she loses interest or doesn't want to do things properly, then explain it to your parents and let them have a talk with her about it.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Do it simple and cheap. A 5 gallon tank with a betta, an internal filter (electric or air-powered) and a lid. Maybe a heater if the room gets cold (some people keep their rooms 78, they don't need heater). She may get the bug and get serious into fish or she may lose interest and then you can put the betta in with other fish and have a QT/hospital tank ready. 

A lot of the equpment sellers have launced sites for beginners, tetra, jungle, etc. But I haven't evaluated them.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

Yeah, we share the same room, so I will be able to tell the treatment her fish is getting. Maybe her looking at my fish has convinced her that she needs to be like big sis and get fish too... I will have her try a 5 gallon. She was convinced she wanted a koi... until I told her how big they got, and the size tank that they would need wouldn't fit on her desk...


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Lots of people keep bettas in unfiltered bowls, but it gets really bad for the fish when water changes are neglected. A bigger, filtered tank is so much less work. You might find a 10g for the same $ as a 5 and its only few inches bigger on each side. In a bedroom, I'd go with a intenal, power filter just because its quieter than the blub, blub of an air-powered filter or the waterfall of a hang-on-back. But some peolpe like the water fall noise, it helps them sleep.


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## paavn (Jan 15, 2009)

emc7 said:


> Lots of people keep bettas in unfiltered bowls, but it gets really bad for the fish when water changes are neglected. A bigger, filtered tank is so much less work. You might find a 10g for the same $ as a 5 and its only few inches bigger on each side. In a bedroom, I'd go with a intenal, power filter just because its quieter than the blub, blub of an air-powered filter or the waterfall of a hang-on-back. But some peolpe like the water fall noise, it helps them sleep.


i looked all over for a 5 gallon that was cheaper than a 10 and couldn't find one in stores, only online. - had to get one to rescue some cory's that were in danger of getting flushed down the toilet

and the waterfall sound and sleep i have to agree, i leave my door open so i can hear the water fall from my 29 gallon HOB - lets me know its running as well too. last time the power went out thats how i knew it was out


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## hvc801 (Mar 18, 2008)

IMHO, I would get her one of those 10 gallon starter tank kits, where everything comes in the box... I mean everything, its not even a lot fo money. 

Then as for fish, get a couple of fancy goldfish. They look pretty to the eye, and they're durable fish, they're also inexpensive and easy to replace.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

Thats fine for me, but she was thinking angelfish. I know you have to have a tall tank for angels, but do 10Gs come in a tall variety?


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## hvc801 (Mar 18, 2008)

Dragonbeards said:


> Thats fine for me, but she was thinking angelfish. I know you have to have a tall tank for angels, but do 10Gs come in a tall variety?


Its not likely you'll find a tall 10g. If thats the case, go for a tall 30gal.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

OK. I'll have to see what her, mom and dad work out. I think a 10g starter kit with a betta in it would be perfect, but it is what she wants, not me.


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## lovejonesx (Feb 5, 2008)

Dragonbeards said:


> Thats fine for me, but she was thinking angelfish. I know you have to have a tall tank for angels, but do 10Gs come in a tall variety?



Quite honestly if I were goingto start any young new hobbyist out with a fish, the LAST ONE I'd get is an angel!! Angels are too costly & quite difficult to keep for experienced hobbyist, much less a beginner. I'd say start her off w/ guppies or the less expensive fish & spend the extra money on a lil larger tank so that some of her mistakes ( in case she makes them or forgets or half does something) might be forgiven due to the amount of water.

Nooooo not angels! :fish:


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Only one angel (not a veil-tail) in a 29 (30") tank with maybe some cories. But L is right that aren't good for a new tank or a new fishkeeper. They are very personable but sensitive to water quality. And there are still some mystery disease(s) going around killing angels even when you do everything right. A pair of dwarf cichlids in a 10 might be a better choice. Latacara sp. or Tanganyikan shell dwellers are cool. Maybe a single Bolivian Ram (though those are also sensitive to water quality).


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

> 10Gs come in a tall variety


 There is a 30 gallon tank with the footprint of a 10, but IMO is too small. The 30 gallon tank with the footprint of a 15 gallon tank (12"x24") is better. Only get goldfish if you have a pond lined up to take them in a year or twio.


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## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

emc7 said:


> Only one angel (not a veil-tail) in a 29 (30") tank with maybe some cories. But L is right that aren't good for a new tank or a new fishkeeper. They are very personable but sensitive to water quality. And there are still some mystery disease(s) going around killing angels even when you do everything right. A pair of dwarf cichlids in a 10 might be a better choice. Latacara sp. or Tanganyikan shell dwellers are cool. Maybe a single Bolivian Ram (though those are also sensitive to water quality).


I really agre with what emc has to say on the angels, I am in my 10th year of fish keeping, and I am just now about to try Angels, I will cycle my tank probably 2weeks to 6weeks (extra) before I add my angels, and spend endless hours ofmy lifeless life reasearching them lol. I lie the pair of cichlids idea in a 10 gallong tank. Go for the Latacara sp. would be my opinion


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

angelfish are quite easy to keep.they are pretty hardy and will do well in almost all parts of the US.they have no "special" dietary requirements such as live foods.flake,pellet and frozen are fine.and they like their temps around 80 degrees or so.i would suggest a 29 gallon tank or maybe the 30 extra tall as they would allow for the development of good finnage.the only angel that i would say is for the advanced aquarist is the Pterophyllum Altum.
here are a couple of pics of one of my old angel tanks..a heavily populated 75 gallon..


























they take some time and effort;the same as any other pet.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

OK, thanks guys. I'll let her know all this. I think a 30g would be too big for her desk (that's where she wants the tank) and a little to expensive for her budget. A 10g with a Betta, or maybe some tetras should work fine I would think. I have to take her to a few pet stores, let her see the fish, and let her know what would and wouldn't work in a 10g.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Dragonbeards said:


> OK, thanks guys. I'll let her know all this. I think a 30g would be too big for her desk (that's where she wants the tank) and a little to expensive for her budget. A 10g with a Betta, or maybe some tetras should work fine I would think. I have to take her to a few pet stores, let her see the fish, and let her know what would and wouldn't work in a 10g.


Why not just get her a 10G with a small school (6-8) of Black Skirt, Neon, Cardinal, X-Ray, or Glowlight Tetras. Then you could throw in a BN Pleco since they max out at 5" and that's all you would need.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

Ghost Knife said:


> Why not just get her a 10G with a small school (6-8) of Black Skirt, Neon, Cardinal, X-Ray, or Glowlight Tetras. Then you could throw in a BN Pleco since they max out at 5" and that's all you would need.


Sounds perfect. I'll show her that idea. Shes sick right now with a kidney infection, so maybe showing her pics of fish she can get will cheer her up. It cheers me up. I may buy her a few as a get well present.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

Don't forget to cycle her new tank before you put the fish in. If you have an extra filter cartridge in your tank, you could drop it into hers for a few days to help speed things up a bit.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

For what its worth, there are serious fishkeeper that are 12 years old. When I was that age I fed the fish daily, caught and bagged fish for sale, and changed water in my parent's many tanks. 

Bigger tanks are actually more stable and easier to care for. But it sounds like you are pressed for space.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

Yea, we share a room, and it isnt all that big, so we have to use desk space. My tank takes up my whole desk, so I have to use the kitchen table. I dont want Amanda to have to use the table too. (much rather she be in our room, at her desk)


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## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

Ghost Knife said:


> Why not just get her a 10G with a small school (6-8) of Black Skirt, Neon, Cardinal, X-Ray, or Glowlight Tetras. Then you could throw in a BN Pleco since they max out at 5" and that's all you would need.


Lol, random i know, but I may actually do that with my 10 gallon tank. How hard would the BN Pleco be to find?


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

itwuzhere said:


> Lol, random i know, but I may actually do that with my 10 gallon tank. How hard would the BN Pleco be to find?


Petsmart and Petco generally carry BN Plecos.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

A new revelation. She wants a freshwater puffer. How difficult are the dwarf puffers to take care of? How many can she put in a 10g?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

bushynose plecos should be easy to find...i have a couple of hundred of them myself.contact some of the LFS's and ask.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

DPs aren't too hard, 3 to a 10 gallon, plenty of places to hide and maybe some otos with them. Sadly they're not the best first setup due to the live or frozen food requirements


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

btw, you'd need to learn to determine sex as in a 10 gallon you require 1 male to 2 females DPs


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

lohachata said:


> bushynose plecos should be easy to find


My local PS actually discontinued BN's so i am forced to get rubber lip plecos. But other than that, you should be able to find them anywhere. you might be able to put a kuhlii loach in as well. 

Hope this helps


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## redpaulhus (Jan 18, 2005)

StripesAndFins said:


> My local PS actually discontinued BN's so i am forced to get rubber lip plecos.


Which store ?
(I know alot of the local store owners and hadn't see any "discontinue" BN's - so I gotta go tease em if I know them) :mrgreen:
I can get you BN's that are locally (Mass) bred - either brown or albino - and reasonably cheap, if you're still interested.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

StripesAndFins said:


> you might be able to put a kuhlii loach in as well.


Kuhlii loach huh? I like those, but I'm not sure sis is a fan of them. I'll have to ask. She didn't seem to like plecos though, for some reason, she liked catfish. Is there catfish that can coexist with tetras (specifically, black neon tetras)?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Cories do fine with tetra, but for a small tank, pygmy cories would be best and they can be hard to find.


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## Dragonbeards (Dec 14, 2008)

OK. So small tank = Pygmy Cories = hard to find. Maybe I'll be able to find some kind of pleco she likes, although I think the main reason she doesn't like them is because they are nocturnal and she wants to be able to see them during the day.


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