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New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

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  • New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

    Hi everyone,
    I'm new to this forum, but not super new to fish keeping.  My husband and I have had freshwater tanks on and off over the years and we now have saltwater and a pond.  

    My question is this, we've just recently (this week) set up a 10 gallon for my 6 year old son.  It is cycling now with some plants and water from my pond to jump start the bacteria.  The pond is a small preform with some very healthy goldfish in it.  The water in it is crystal clear and the parameters are excellent.  Though as is typical for Houston, very high pH (we tend to run about 8.0).  We've set the tank with a gravel bottom, heater, and a Tetra HOB either 30 or 40 (it's what we had lying around).  

    So now we come to the big question.  What fish are we going to stock?  My son and myself both really like guppies, but I showed him some pictures of Endler's Livebearers last night and he really liked those.  The advantages to both are their small size (allowing more to be stocked) and their general toughness.  We've had guppies before and they've always done well for us (well, until the whole can of fish food went in - but that was when he was 5 and didn't understand <VBG>).  He talked about wanting goldfish, but I explained about how big they get and that they need a lot of room, so I think I've convinced him that he'll have to be happy with the goldfish in the pond.  

    All suggestions are welcome.  Just keep in mind that this will be a child's tank (with mom doing most of the maintenance).  

    Also, if we decide to go with Endler's, where do I find them here in town?

    Thanks,
    Liane

  • #2
    Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

    I vaguely remember my childhood, (no snickering from anyone!) and my Dad was a Guppy guy.  So, needless to say the tank in my room had Guppys and I really enjoyed them.  They do have nice colors and good personalities for fish, meaning not trying to kill everything in the tank.  I'll just bet someone here has some Endlers or know where you can find some.

    It's good to see folks introducing their children to fish keeping.

    Nancy
    Reasoning with some people is like trying to nail jello to a wall...

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    • #3
      Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

      Well we have a little bit of everything at our house, not just fish.  We have dogs, a cat, rats, mice, lizards, frogs and fish.  In other words, it's a zoo.  

      That doesn't include my 3 boys (ages 13, 11 and 6) and my DH.  

      Oh, I almost forgot, that doesn't include the kiddie pool outback that is currently serving as a tadpole nursery.  These are treefrog tadpoles and I must have close to 2000 of the little darlings.  Anybody want some?  I'm up on the north side (249 and Louetta).  The tadpoles were rescued from a rapidly disappearing puddle at the local elementary school.  I have no idea what variety or varieties I might have, but a good guess is either the common green treefrogs or grey treefrogs.  

      Liane

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      • #4
        Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

        There are several stores that have Endlers on a regular basis. Fish Ranch on 59 near Bellaire is the one the comes to my mind first. I am sure there are other stores that carry them from time to time... I would just call first. There is a pretty thorough listing of LFS here:

        HoustonFishBox is an online community dedicated to bringing together people and their fish in Houston, Southeast Texas, and beyond.


        Best of luck to you.
        Scarecrow : I haven't got a brain... only straw.
        Dorothy : How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?
        Scarecrow: I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?
        Dorothy: Yes, I guess you're right.

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        • #5
          Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

          There were allot of endlers at the last HAS auction. I think they all ended up in LA though. LOL I am willing to bet your son would have blast there if he likes fish!!
          Smokin_Cache
          Planning a new 150+ tank. Any suggestions?
          Lets see what the imagination fruits.
          Check out my last tank

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          • #6
            Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

            I remember my first (5g) aquarium.  I would go the the LFS on Saturdays and by the baby livebearors for a nickle each.  
            I had platties, mollies, guppies and swortails and snails and a few strands of val.

            Personally I think gouramiesssss is the easiest and perhaps a corie dorie or 2

            I currently have a school of 20+ endlers and a surplus of mollies.   If you would like I can bring you some at the next HLA meeting.
            'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
            He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

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            • #7
              Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

              PhishPhreek, I'd love to take you up on your offer, but I will be in College Station on Saturday at a Dog Agility trial.  Any other time, I'd send my husband, but he'll be with me and my kids.  

              It doesn't help that we're way up on the northwest side of town.  We do go down to Fish Ranch on occasion for Saltwater stuff, so maybe we'll make a combined trip for both.  

              Just a matter of finding the time to make it happen.

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              • #8
                Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

                Dog agility?? Do you do it? I'm gonna do a class here in CS with my dog later this summer or in the fall. I'm very excited about it, and I hope she likes it enough to get us both into it!

                My favorite fish for a 10 gallon is swordtails. I really think the pineapple variety is pretty.

                Ellen

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                • #9
                  Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

                  Mustang Sally lives on the NW side of town and  Keith Arnold is in Brian. Why don't you talk to them?

                  max

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                  • #10
                    Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

                    So...I think the consensus is to get livebearers?    I think they'd be great for your son.

                    How are the tadpoles doing? I know NOTHING about treefrogs, but I think I'll go have a look around and see about them, sounds interesting!! What are you going to do when they become frogs??
                    "Millennium hand and shrimp!"

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                    • #11
                      Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

                      That's the best part. Pull back the curtains and leave the light on at night. They love mosquitos. They get really fat and are fun to watch from the inside. If you keep fish outside in totes you will always have a good supply of tadpoles. They love to sing when it is about to rain. The males like to get inside a pipe to project their voice to attract the females.

                      max

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                      • #12
                        Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

                        The tadpoles I have are doing great.  They are currently residing in a kiddie pool in my backyard with floating plants and submerged plants for cover.  They are fed algae wafers 2x a day and absolutely inhale those.  

                        Most of them have a body size between 1/8 and 3/16 of an inch and then probably another 1/4 inch of tail.  I've had them now for a week and all seem to be growing well and I haven't had any mortality that I know of.  

                        I have been told that there are five species of treefrog native to the Houston area and five species of chorus frogs as well.  The two most common are the Common Green Tree Frog (Hyla Cinerea) and the Grey Treefrog (Hyla versicolor).  There are also Squirrel treefrogs which I can find pretty regularly around my house.  

                        Frogs and toads are indicator species - bascially early warning systems as to the health of the environment around us.  They are also great insect control critters (and fun to listen to as well - though there are times they can get quite loud).  

                        My goal is really just to raise them to adults and allow them to spread wherever they choose.  The puddles they were pulled from are dry now, so they wouldn't have had a chance had they been left there.  

                        Enough rambling for this morning....
                        Liane

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                        • #13
                          Re: New 10 gallon for my 6 yr. old - suggestions on fish?

                          Wow, neat! Thanks for the info! Keep us updated, I'd love to hear what they turn out like!  
                          "Millennium hand and shrimp!"

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