Anyone keep an Aquarium???

[johnny]

I am starting an aquarium after being out of the hobby for thirty years.
I have noticed a few changes in aquaria (where have all the undergravel filters gone???)

I have brought a cheap six foot tank and I am looking at filling it with freshwater friendlies.

So just wondering if anyone keeps fish and what kinds do you keep ect,,,

 

[Ed Walsh]

African Cichlids

Look into African Cichlids. They are really neat fish with lots of character. I had a 40 gallon tank with about 10 to 12 fish on average for about ten years. (Until the tank sprung a leak) But you will probably want only Cichlids if you go that route because of their aggressive nature, PH (about 8.5±) and temperature requirements. If kept well they will breed. They are territorial and like lots of hiding places. I used flat limestone rocks to build hiding places and to keep the PH up. There’s lots of info on the web about them. I also had one Plecostomus that grew to about 15 inches. He was fun too.

Ed

 

[jwithnell]

We've had as many as four tanks going in our house. Cichlids make a lovely specialty tank but be prepared for aggression and for a need for large spaces. (Most need at least 75 gallons.)

If you're looking for "friendlies" the live-bearers are fun. We have "Mickey Mouse" platies of all sizes and ages. Cardinal tetras make a lovely schooling fish. (Their close cousins the neons can be harder to keep as they like a tank temperature that differs from most community fish.) Some house-keeping fish are helpful and can be quite entertaining. A pleco (the bristle-nose stays smaller) and a few cory cat fish are standards for us. I love khulie loaches, but they've become hard to find here. The botia loaches are interesting, but be sure of what you're getting -- some species can get quite large and most are at minimum somewhat aggressive.

The internet can be your new best friend as a fish keeper -- if you see something interesting in a fish store, check the fish online to verify its care and compatibility. You can hear a lot of nonsense in a fish store, so beware.