Fish newbie LOL

[cope]

well, I am 47 and got a wild hair after seeing something on TV... guy had a big tank and I thought I wanted one...So I up and went and bought 2 tanks.. one 60 gall bow front corner tank and a 46 gall rectangle tank..... I just rinse the gravel and put all my stuff in it.. I add the chemical bacteria and the water conditioner... I have a RENA xp2 filter (very quiet..NICE) real nice stands.. I am gonna let it run for about 2-3 days and then go get some fish.... any thing you guys can throw on me or point me it the correct direction for this forum.. I would greatly appreciate.... I am looking forward to getting my fish..   fresh water   kinda wanted salt water, but thought I would try this first...    like how many fish should I start with..anyone have a formula for fish verses tank size... I really would like to have some cool fish..not sure on the size..prob small... but colorfull ... are the bug eyed gold fish a bad choice? ?I saw some today that looked cool.... but how would they fair with other fish.?    I know nothing about this whole fish business.... so I am at your mercy.... thanks and I look forward to sharing my experience..... and by the way, I am a custom painter and own and operate a sign shop in the houston area..... you can see bunch of my work over at airbrush.com    same name COPE    just so you guys kinda know what I do... thanks   Cope.

[Knee-u-bee]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

Welcome!! I'm kinda new to this also. I had some of the same questions a couple weeks ago.

Might want to cycle the tanks first before you go buy expensive fish. There is alot of articles about how to cycle the tank. Start there first.



Off topic now: I went to airbrush.com and searched for your name i couldn't find anything. Are you around the Houston area? I need some air brush work. I want to paint my canopy for my R/C helicopter. I'm pretty good at drawing so i was thinking i can give it a try @ airbrushing.

Nevermind, i found some of your work.

[semper]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

cope,

where are you located?

Shop?

and welcome to the box

[fishlady]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

welcome to the box cope....what you put in your tanks is strictly personal...you should take a minute to see what type of fish you want to go with....i suggest you reasearch some on google maybe....i have an african cichlid tank....a german blue ram tank....and an angel tank....and as of today i have a juvinile colony of red chimba tropheous .....so it's really just a matter of preference....the local fish stores have alot of variety to offer too.....i suggest mike's tropical fish ....he's a straight shooter and offers some very nice fish....i'm sure that alot on here might offer you advice too.....it just depends on what type of fish you might want to start with...but whatever you decide...good luck in them....

and again welcome to the box........

[semper]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

if you decide to do saltwater

i can help you with that

dont be intimidated

i have 4 saltwater tanks up and running along with 4 freshwater

[cope]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

I am in  laporte.....Coupland Signs..... outmain business is signs... but I do a lot of airbrushing and custom graphics for cars & bikes.... I was telling a buddy ofmine...Like I don't have enuff to do with the business... I have to go and make more work by getting the aquariums..... I am sure I will kill a few fish before I get the hang of it..... but I hope not too many...

[armthehomeless]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

Research fish compatability. Think about your overall goal for each tank. Find out what sort of fish can go together. This is most people's downfall when first starting out with fish. I know it was mine at least...

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. There are many experienced hobbyists on this site. I'm sure some of them would love to share their experiences with you.

[CichlidFan]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

Howdy, and welcome, take your time and ask all the questions you want, we'll try to be there for you.

CF

[MJY6087]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

hi

some good starter fish would be guppies, common cichlids,

bad ones would include angel fish, some otos, some cichlids, tetras

[justdoit]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

Hello Cope.      Glad you jioned us.   Reseach some of the great info here on the site as well as pics of others tanks so you can get some ideas.   Very exciting but patience here at this point of the game will save alot of frustration, time & bucks.   Lots of good people to answer questions for you.   Virginia

[djmatthewblack]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

Hey man, welcome to HFB.  I couldn't find any of your work on airbrush.com, but interested in that stuff.  I think fish keepers really excel if they have an artistic touch.

I personally think the bug eyed gold fish are creepy but if you like em, go for it.  The big difference is goldfish prefer cooler water than tropical fish.  You won't need a heater for their tank but you shouldn't keep tropicals with them cause they like warm water.

The other general combination rule is don't mix chilids with other not chilid tropicals.  I did start with guppies but killed alot of them.  I had problems with disease, fungus, internal parasites and terrian that killed them.  But guppies are mostly inexpensive tropicals and I learned lots about the hobby and what to do when I had complications.  They are great starter fish but don't get discouraged if a few of them don't survive long.

I don't think you can enter the hobby without making a few mistakes and a few fish dying on you.  Luckily you have support from here (which have always been wonderful to me in crisis times).  

Marine fish require water that is filtered by reverse osmosis or deionization (your bottled water from Ozarka is filtered this way).  It is more expensive not to mention the fish and the corals themselves being more expensive than freshwater fish and plants.   People recommend starting in freshwater, although once you start you may loose you ambitions to go marine.  Marine are more sensitive to minor changes in water chemistry and temperature.  To be honest I don't know much about marine, most of this people around here are freshwater experts but don't get me wrong, there are marine experts as well (just not myself).

If you keep the water clean and do your water changes at least bi-weekly (more or less) you should excel with the hobby.  Everyone has their own experience.  

I liked going to my local fish store (LFS) and buying fish there and buying fish that personally suited me.  A LFS can guide you well, but ultimately it is your decision on what to care for and how well you want to care for them.  

Welcome to the forum and the people here are smart and willing to help, but ultimately it is you who will decide how your fish live.  I think fish are like any other pet, if you care, then you should be okay.

[Zulaab]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

Welcome to the box :)  If you are going to cycle your tank fishless you are going to want to find a way to get some ammonia into the tank first.  Cycling your tank is not just about getting your filters up and running, its developing the good bacteria that will convert ammonia into nitrites and then then another bacteria will convert your nitrites into Nitrates.   You are doing the right thing of first learning and researching and we here on the box will be more than happy to give you as many pointers and suggestions you will ever need (almost).. we are a great gang of people here all willing to help.

My suggestion would be first to figure out what you want to put in your tank, wait a week before adding them after starting your tank, add only a few fish or if you want to keep several different kinds of fish, add one group 7 days after starting your tank, then the second group 7 days later, and then the third group 7 more days later.  This will allow the bacteria you need to grow in size without overwhelming them.  Do a 25% water change, using double dosing of your water treatment chemicals to treat the 25% coming back into your tank, each week the day before you want to add more fish.  After three weeks your tank will have fish and be in good order.  Do NOT vacuum your gravel in the first three to four weeks, this is where most of your bacteria will start living before they slowly gain hold of your filter which is where you want the majority of them to live, later in life..

Goldfish if you want to keep them will have to go in as your third group, as they are messy fish and will produce A LOT of waste products and if your tank is no up to it you will have problems.

Please ask as many questions we have answers or at least get you going as best as possible.
Sorry for the long post
Again welcome to the box :)

[cope]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

Man, what a warm welcome.... thanks for all the great info and comments.... I am just learning about the cycling stuff... never knew about the bacteria and nitrates and all that stuff..... that is prob why many years ago (25 or so) a tank I aquired failed ...... that is prob why I never pursued the hobby..... But hopefully now, I can make a go at it.. thanks again... Cope.... and for those who have shown interest in the airbrush stuff... you can do a search for COPE on that site... I am not here to promote that site in any way....It is a great site and I am a active member.. but I am here for the fish..... If someone needs advise on airbrush or anything I do, I will will happy and willing to help..... I just do not want people to get the wrong idea as to why I joined here...... I am about the fish here...... thanks again..  Look forward to creating great friends here....... check you guys later...

[fishlady]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

cope...don't sweat the small stuff.....we're here to help ya out with whatever you need helping with....we know why your here.....so let's get that tank cycled and fishies in it for you......what say?....it's all good.....
we'll help you get your little communitee going strong....
did you decide what fishies you might want to try?....if you have some in mind that might help your set up as well....we'd be able to advise you somewhat better on the environment that you need to get up and running....there are some on here that can lend a hand too at giving you some seeded materials to help with the cycling process.....so just relax and enjoy it all.....

[cope]

Re: Fish newbie LOL

Not real sure on the kinda of fish.... there was no pre thought involved.. kinda spur of the moment... I went to petsmart.. and of coarse the guy is talking in a fish language I have not learned.. tropicals, agressives, schools.... and so on... I would like to have a small variety...... I was thinking maybe like 5 or 6 of each type  and maybe 3 types... the types I have no clue... of coarse I want them to get along... I want tropical.. maybe not so much the gold fish now... since I have been informed they are kinda messy fish... waste wise.... what I would like is for someone to say... I have a tank with 6 "a" fish and 4 "b" fish and one huge "c' fish and a frog... but don't get the frog because he may drown... maybe a fish that is shy and some that are overly friendly.. maybe some blue fish and some stripped fish... I was just overwhelmed looking at all those tanks full of fish. I do not know where to start.... I may just go and say.. give me this and that .. and now I have a disaster on my hands because they hate each other... here is what I told the guy who helped me on the tank... you have a open check book.. tell me what I need and I will buy it... so I got 2 tanks, stands, nice pumps filters, plants.. kinda if it was his tanks... so what I am saying on the fish.. is if it was your tank, how would you stock it... based on you guys knowledge... experience and such... like I stated.. I have no clue.. but I do know I want some fish..LOL   as I grow with this, I may experiment, I am sure I will.... I am thinking right now to get like 6 fish I could sacrifice for the good of the cycle... not wanting to kill them, but if it happened I would not be out a lot of money..... starter fish.....