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would it be ok to have:
2 lace gouramis
8 pandas
8 rummy nose tetras
8 cardinal tetras
because the cardinals are only 3cm? Would that be overstocked?

Thankyou so much!

Labrakitty

Ops! and 1 Bolivian ram!

Last edited by labrakitty at 14-Dec-2004 17:37

bolivians arnt all that colorfull to begin with but they do have some. its prolly dull because its in a fish store. more often then not a little TLC ( tender lovin' care ) will bring out colors of fish from the store. they are stressed from a long trip in the back of a truck and then thrown into crowded tanks.

You are probobly right~

My final choice is:
2 lace gouramis
2 bolivian rams
6 panda corys
6 cardianl tetras
6 rummy nose tetras
Ph:6.8-7.0
Gh:8dGH
temp:24-26

Will this be ok? Lots of colour, lots of activity! I will feed them mornal flakes, algae flakes, frozen brine shrimp, and maybe live brine shrimp or black worms for a treat once a month, I will feed the corys and bolivian rams: shrimp pellets, algae wafers, and normal wafers, as well as the frozen and live food. Is that good?

Thankyou so much for all your help! You have led me to success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Labrakitty

Yeah, that sounds fine.

Best of Luck with your new tank





Last edited by PJ at 15-Dec-2004 15:09

Thankyou very much!

Labrakitty

P.S. You can still post messages and ideas becuase I am not buying the fish till the 21 of January. I have ordered the tank though. And got the filter already.

The tank sounds great. I dont think we should post anymore ideas or you'll get stuck again!

PS Regency is in Croydon

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Ok, good idea.

Tahnks to everybody that helped. My final choice:
2 lace oguramis
2 bolivian rams
6 panda corys
6 cardinals
6 rummy nose

Bye!!!

Labrakitty
P.S. Tahnks for telling me where regency is. To far away for me.

Last edited by labrakitty at 15-Dec-2004 15:45

It's been fun watching you go through the process of selecting a community tank. You mentioned soon getting your tank and then getting your fish on 1/21/05. In addition to learning about fish compatibility, I hope that you have put in some time learning about cycling a tank and how to add fish in. I've only been a hobbyist for a couple of years and am no expert but I do know that you should not put all of those fish into a new tank at once. First the tank needs to be cycled (quicker with Bio Spira or use the traditional, several-months fishless cycle process). Whichever way, you should start by introducing your most hardy fish (I don't know if you have super hardy fish in your groups but perhaps the Lace Gouramis) and every few weeks add another type. I think your Rams and Cardinals should be your last entries as I think they are the most tender to water problems. Good luck.

Thanks fo telling me, I already have a 10 gallon tank with fish, I have been running the filter for the big tank in the tank hoping to get a little bit of bacteria to help with the cycle. I think the rummy nose are actually the most delicate apart from the cardinals. And the pandas are also quite delicate. I am going to try and do a fihsless cycle, by buying and adding pure ammonia fromt he supermarket or somewhere. So I do not kill any fish.

Tahnks for the tip,

Labrakitty

Thankyou everybody, I have thought about maybe just 1 lace gourami and instead a pair of blue rams as well as the pair of Bolivian rams. Are they extremely hard to keep? Would it be to hard for the tank? Would they fight with the Bolivians or would the tank be to boisterous? What are your thoughts on Blue rams(german rams)?

Thanks!

Labrakitty

ya that would be fine, no reason to mess with water chemistry. some people do it because they have an itch to scratch. its really not a must. best to keep it as simple as possible so its not a chore later. much easier to feed the fish and water change once a week then it is to deal with this chemicle this parameter. leaves more time to sit back and enjoy it.

The more fish an employee sells, the better he/she looks to their boss, and the higher chance of them (the employee) getting a raise/promotion. At least, that's the way I see things. I've been told too many incorrect things by lfs workers, so I tend not to believe what they say. It isn't a good thing, but I really don't know what I can do about it.

I'm sorry if I sounded harsh, but I'm just trying to get my message through.

EDIT: By the way, I wasn't being sarcastic or obnoxious. I know that nobody is trying to be malicious, too. I am just trying (rather firmly) to get across. At least I'm not blowing up in frustration and impatience.

Last edited by sirbooks at 23-Dec-2004 18:39

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

[font color="#C00000"]

Remember, I am in Australia and you are in America. Different countries have different opinions. You should respect other countries opinions not just say 'they are trying to sell you more'

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What the heck does that have to do with anything:%), you should also respect Sirbooks opinion in that case.


What books has been saying i agree with. Everything from the cory schools to LFS employees.






Last edited by PJ at 22-Dec-2004 23:14

And by the way, my tank is 28 UK gallons, 126 litres, about 34 US gallons.

Thanks for all your help.

Labrakitty

My final decision is:
2 lace gouramis
2 bolivian ram
6 panda corys
6 cardinal tetras
6 rummy nose tetras

Labrakitty

He only breeds tropical fish! He doesn't sell marine fish, because he thinks it is cruel

First off there are tank breed clowns tangs etc etc. Second i said fw stingray. I didnt saw squat about marine stingray or marine anything so i dont know who brought that up. There are species off fw stingrays you know. Teacups etc etc. Very hard to breed and extremely expensive. ANd i agree tropical is a general term. i would use fw(freshwater) for future reference.


fish1

While that method of catching marine fish is widespread, it isn't the only one used. There are an increasing number of collectors who use responsible and fish-safe methods such as regular old catching-fish-with-a-net. They are being trained and encouraged in this direction by knowlegeable fish experts. Not all marine fish are caught using the cruel method mentioned in the above post.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

First, marines can be tropical - "tropical" just means "warm water." Secondly, FW stingrays are just that - FW, freshwater.

Plus, cyanide is only one way marines are caught, and it's usually pretty localized (ie spray it right at the fish, or into crevices). It's not a great idea certainly but there's no need to boycott all SW fish because of it - there are fish certified as cyanide-free and of course caprive-bred fish. If he doesn't know about those I'd question his knowledge on other fishy subjects.

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!

He only breeds tropical fish! He doesn't sell marine fish, because he thinks it is cruel. DO YOU KNOW HOW THEY CATCH MARINE FISH? They go out on a boat and spray some chemical into the ocean with make s all the fihs and live rock and coral float a the top so they can catch them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW CRUEL IS THAT??????????

And i will garentee he hasnt breed even close to every type of fish. Ask him if hes breed stingray fw stingray! If he has then mabe im wrong highly doubt he has though

AND HE ALSO SAID THE FIHS DON'T NEED SPECIAL ACCLIMATIZING!

bingo!! "special" acclimatzation as you were saying is the best way to acclimate fish. LImites the stress of changes in water parameters to almost o imo the only stress in when you have to scoop em up in a net. Espacially for sensative or expensive fish. You dont just want to chuck your 3000$$ arowana in your tank. The drip method is the safest and best way after qting to help fish with acclimating. And frankly i dont care if you "pet store employe" cories heck i dont care if he can breed anything it doesnt mean crap. A good employe would have told you about the drip methold and believe me there hard to come by. And he probably doesnt know as much as books.

I'm not at all trying to boss you around. Like you said, I'm just giving my opinion. Several other times in this thread, I have recommended that you get a second opinion from someone else, have I not? If I have doubts about whether what I've said is correct, I usually let people know. Either way, you absolutely don't know if I'm right or not. You don't know if I'm giving you correct info. I could be maliciously lying to you, so that your fish all die. You don't know me, so you can't tell if I'm lying or not. I'm glad that you realize that.

As for fish stores, what I said is (sadly) often true. Store workers are either trying to sell more fish, unknowlegeable, or really learned and nice. Unfortunately, the latter kinds of workers are hard to find. It's great if your local fish store(s) are super smart when it comes to fish. Really though, I've never been to a super good lfs. For example, a worker at the store which sold me my longnosed cories told me that they reach six inches. In reality, they only get to two, maybe two and a half. See?

I really don't think you should drag nationality into this, though. If you take away borders, flags, cultures, and religion, people all over the world are pretty much the same. I'd appreciate it if you didn't accuse me (pretty much) of not respecting the opinions of Australians.

I stand by what I said about the fish, though. I am just trying to help.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

He wasn't trying to sell me stuff, he didn't even stock Julii corys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So why would he tell me that?????????? I could tell he wasn't lying. My LFS are nice, they don't lie to help sell MORE FISH!!!!!!!! THEY TRY TO HELP ME!!!!!and anyway, that is your opinion, how do I know you are right??? This guy that I spoke to has bred nearly every type of fihs! He bred peppermint catfish! I think he has more experience than you. and he only sells top quality fish. He said it would be fine and not overstocked. If the cichlids pick at the corys they will flair their armor out and the cihclids won't go near them again. AND HE ALSO SAID THE FIHS DON'T NEED SPECIAL ACCLIMATIZING! It is acclimatization not acclimation.

It is my tank, I appreciate your help, but I am allowed to get other opinions too. Remember, I am in Australia and you are in America. Different countries have different opinions. You should respect other countries opinions not just say 'they are trying to sell you more'

Hope you take this seriously.

Labrakitty

Not again! I never trust what someone from a fish store says, until I get a second opinion that confirms it. They will often say anything they can just to sell fish, and that is probably what this guy is trying to do with you. Look at it this way: If you go with what he says, that is two more cichlids, and two more cories that he sells. Unfortunately for you (and the fish), what he said is wrong. At least, I disagree with the guy. Adding more cichlids would overstock your tank, and I stand firm in saying that cories will only shoal w/ different species if they are stressed or not kept in large enough groups. Four of each is not a large enough group. I still say that six panda cories would be best.

Also, I've never heard of a Corydoras catfish "flaring" its armor at another fish. Cories are non-confrontational (most kinds), and do not participate in fights or skirmishes. Plus, cories can't flare anything. Their armor and spines help protect them from attacks, but they can't fight back.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I went to another aquarium today and the guy said I could have 2 pairs of cichlids and bump the corys number up to 8. He said the corys don't mind what type of cory and they will school together. Adn he also said the cichlids wo't annoy the corys and if htey do the corys wiht flair their armor at them.
So I am going with:
2 lace gouramis
2 bolivian rams
2 african butterfly cichlids
4 panda corydoras
4 julii corysdoras
6 cardinal tetras
6 rummy nose tetras
Thsi is my final choice!

Thankyou for all your wonderful help!

Labrakitty

Yeah. . .

tahnks very much!
So it is gonna be:
2 lace gouramis
1 bolivian ram
1 german ram
6 panda corys
6 cardinal tetras
6 rummy nose tetras
Ph: about 7.0
GH: about 8
temp:about 26

thankyou for all your help.

Labrakitty

To be honest, I wouldn't mess with the pH in that tank. All of the fish on your list will probably be fine in a tank with basic water. My South American fish tank (the one I described) has a pH of around 8.0. Altering the pH would do more harm than good. As long as it is stable, your fish should be okay.

The amount of time you acclimate your fish will depend on the species. For the German ram and rummies, give them at least, say, two hours. It sounds like a long time, but your fish will be better off that way. I'm not really 100% sure on this acclimating thing though, so you should check with another member first.

If the water in your quarantine tank and the main tank is the same, then they shouldn't need any more acclimation. Still though, it is best to double-check.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Yes, definitely, my tank is going to be heavily planted. So :
2 lace gouramis
1 bolvian ram
1 blue ram
6 corys
6 cardinal
6 rummy nose
So this would be ok?

Thanks!

LABRAKITTY

Yeah, that would probably work. Keep in mind though, German (blue) rams can be delicate. They should be acclimated in the same way as the rummynose tetras, or they may not survive the transition from store to home. Otherwise, they are very nice fish. I have one myself.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Can you tell me how to acclimatize them properly? what tank mates does your ram have? How big is your tank? So this would be ok if I acclimatize them properly?
2 lace gouramis
1 bolvian ram
1 german ram
6 panda corys
6 cardinal tetras
6 rummy nose tetras
Keep in mind that I am quarantining all the fish I get.

Thanks for your help!

Labrakitty

I don't know hwat happened there?

Labrakitty

It is like someone (John Stone, I believe) explained on your rummynose thread. Drip acclimation (where water from your tank slowly drips from a bit of tubing into the bag w/ fish) is the best way to acclimate sensitive fish.

My tankmates are pretty similar to some of the fish in your tank: I've got the ram, 5 Corydoras septentrionalis, 6 Corydoras habrosus, 7 lemon tetras, 6 cardinal tetras, and one bristlenose catfish. They are all peaceful tankmates, and all like the same kind of water (soft and acidic) as the ram. My tank is a 29 gallon, by the way.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Should I keep the tank a bit acidic?
Tahnks for replying so quickly!

How long should you drip water in the bag with the fish in it for? Shoudl I do htis when adding to the quarantine tank and when I add it to the main tank?

Thankyou so much!

Labrakitty

I have HARD water ehre in San Diego, and yet my cardinals have spawned on at least two separate occassions, producing viable fry. You should have no problem.

-jumps in-
Leave the PH alone whatever it is. unless its really high like 8.0+ there is no reason to alter it. i have 7.6 PH in my south american tank. GH is a different story kinda. Egg layers ( like blue rams ) require softer water because the egg "shell" for lack of a better word, hardens to fast to be furtilised in harder water. ( lets say some egg layers im not sure about all ) this only matters if your trying to breed them and get good results. aside from that try to stick to fish within reason of your natural tap range. if you got 5.0ph coming out your tap and stable in a tank dont go get a fish they wants 8.5ph and think hes gona be happy. you can go outside the boundries just keep it within reason. GH/KH is mostly for the eggs, most juvie fish will acclimate to it for the most part as logn as you keep it within reason like i said.

To be honest, I really don't know. A few months back, I made the mistake of buying test strips instead of a test kit. The strips aren't very accurate at all, so I can only guess.

Either way though, your fish will appreciate soft water, with a GH of about 12 (someone correct me if I'm wrong). I don't know if you should bother changing it though, like with the pH. Your fish should be happy in a moderate level GH, as long as it remains stable.

I really wish someone else would reply to this thread and back up or correct whatever I've said. Labrakitty, you really should get a second opinion.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I don't know what hardness my tap water is because I add something to harden it. They are like blue tiny crystals. In my Live Bearer tank the GH is normally about 12-13 but it use to be about8-9 all the time. I made it harder for the guppies. I think it will be 8-9. I am not intending to get more than 1 geramn ram and only 1 bolivian too. So then I will not have breeding. Will 8-9 dGH be ok?

Thanks so much!

Labrakitty