New Freshwater Tank

[browniebuck]

piranhas are one of the most BORING fish in the trade....unless they are eating, they are hiding out where you can't even see them. I had one in my 55 in my classroom and traded him in and started an african cichlid tank...TONS of color and TONS of activity, along with TONS of character...you would need to get about 6-8 smaller ones so that they wouldn't pick on each other too much, but if you have enough hiding places that they can each stake claim to a territory, you should be fine.
I have flagstone (flat landscaping type rock) in my tank with a sand bottom (play sand). At my maximum, I had 24 cichlids and 2 upside down catfish. They steadied out at 18-20 (hard to count them...they are very active) cichlids and one upside down cat.

 

[pezenfuego]

Originally Posted by Noah's Nemo
http:///forum/post/3224191
They are actually cousins in a sense,and pacus do grow faster and get alot bigger.They are traditionally known as plant eaters and not too aggressive.I do not doubt you had one and it turned meat eater,but maybe you did have a red belly piranha

I know many times people would buy a pacu thinking they got a piranha. Pez those must be piranhas your friend has
Oh yeah? Both are red bellied and similar in appearance. It is interesting how different they are in behavior. As you can tell I have a lot of research to do lol.

 

[noah's nemo]

Originally Posted by browniebuck
http:///forum/post/3224192
piranhas are one of the most BORING fish in the trade....unless they are eating, they are hiding out where you can't even see them. I had one in my 55 in my classroom and traded him in and started an african cichlid tank...TONS of color and TONS of activity, along with TONS of character...you would need to get about 6-8 smaller ones so that they wouldn't pick on each other too much, but if you have enough hiding places that they can each stake claim to a territory, you should be fine.
I have flagstone (flat landscaping type rock) in my tank with a sand bottom (play sand). At my maximum, I had 24 cichlids and 2 upside down catfish. They steadied out at 18-20 (hard to count them...they are very active) cichlids and one upside down cat.
Red bellies yes.Blacks be careful,mine will chase my finger chomping at the glass in hopes to get a bite.There are tons of youtubes of them doing it...

 

[browniebuck]

you're right...I should have prefaced that mine were red belly. I started with 3 and wound up with one...which happened to be the runt of the three...had some sort of Napoleon complex I think...but, did I mention that he was BORING!!! I mean, rather watch the grass grow, rather watch paint dry, rather watch a movie with Rosie O'Donnel, rather listen to a 3 hour speech by a politician boring!!!

 

[noah's nemo]

Reds can be very skittish and boring,unless in a large school in a large system,thats why i got my black one instead.
Oh, pez how about getting some of those black and red tailed sharks or a bala shark those are cool.

 

[pezenfuego]

Originally Posted by Noah's Nemo
http:///forum/post/3224203
Reds can be very skittish and boring,unless in a large school in a large system,thats why i got my black one instead.
Oh, pez how about getting some of those black and red tailed sharks or a bala shark those are cool.
Bala sharks grow to ten inches. Characins are not sharks lol. The idea of a freshwater shark makes me laugh.
I'll have to research red-tails but those are definitely something I will consider. Thanks

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by PEZenfuego
http:///forum/post/3224206
Bala sharks grow to ten inches. Characins are not sharks lol. The idea of a freshwater shark makes me laugh.
I'll have to research red-tails but those are definitely something I will consider. Thanks
HEY...I have a Bala shark....I had 2...One was like 9" and so skiddish it jumped out one day....(yes I have lids) I was there, but I think it had a heart attack or something...it died the next day
The one I still have is now 7"

 

[pezenfuego]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3224208
HEY...I have a Bala shark....I had 2...One was like 9" and so skiddish it jumped out one day....(yes I have lids) I was there, but I think it had a heart attack or something...it died the next day
The one I still have is now 7"

I have nothing against the fish, I just hate when fish stores give their animals false or weird names just to sell more.
EX: Inverted Gorilla

[hr]
Coral

 

[fishtaco]

I just re-did my 15 gallon nano I have set-up as a planted freshwater tank and put in emerald eye rasboras, kuhli loaches and sparkling gouramis. I decided it would be cool to go with a Asian fish theme. Two of my local fish stores are stocking some very cool raspboras and I will probably get three or four of the neon ones that look similiar to a neon tetra but with darker and more intense colors.
Fishtaco

 

[pezenfuego]

I got everything cleaned this weekend and got another white stand from e/bay. Next week I'm going to add some black sand and rock. I'll be able to get water in it by Sunday (I hope). My water is slightly acidic so I am hoping that the sand will buffer it. I have some fake plants and plan to add some real ones. I am still lost as far as choosing fish goes lol. I NEED to plan out what I'm going to get beforehand. At least I have a thread full of ideas. Thanks for all of the suggestions guys.

 

[browniebuck]

with the black sand...African cichlids will look even brighter!!!

 

[bang guy]

I just recently started a freshwater tank. I did a lot of research about inhabitants before I started.
My first fish were Celestial Pearl Danios and Red Cherry Shrimp.

 

[bang guy]

I've recently added a Gold Nugget Plecostomus and some Otocinclus.

 

[stdreb27]

If I was going to do a FW planted 55 gallon, I'd do one of 2 thing. Either I'd make it a local tank, and go fishing and stick a couple of perch some minnows, crayfish etc in there.
Or I'd go huge community. With smaller fish.
We had some dwarf puffers (or figure 8's I don't remember) and they weren't that aggressive.

 

[beaslbob]

Yes you can setup a sump/refugium for FW just like for marine tanks. And for the same reasons. Hide filters, protect plants from fish and so on.
You may want to consider "my" methods.
1) use a substrate of 1" peat moss ($10/bale), 1" play sand ($3/50 pounds), 1" pro choice select red (or aquarium gravel). Each layer added, wetted to top, leveled then tank cleaned and next layer added.
2) add 10-15 bunches of anacharis, 10-15 vals, 10 small potted plants and an amazon sword or two. (for 29g use about half that for a 10g)
3) then fill the tank with water over a dish.
4) wait on week.
5) add a male platty
6) wait on week with no food being added
7) add 2 female platys and start feeding 1 flake per day.
in 6 months you will have a tank full of platys, no algae, thriving plants, and a declining snail population.
In my tanks I use no circulation or mechanical filters, no water changes, straight untreated tap water.
I have also done this with neon tetras and many other fish. With the add one, don't feed, then stock up the tank type of method.
The peat moss seems to keep KH and Gh in check, the plants prevent ammonia and nitrIte spikes during the cycle, and prevent algae from getting a foot hold.
If things get cloudy I just kill the lights and stop adding food until the water clears which is usually in 3 days or so.
just my .02

 

[pezenfuego]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/3224932
I've recently added a Gold Nugget Plecostomus and some Otocinclus.

Otos are awesome. I am planning on getting those unless they conflict with other inhabitants I decide on. Gold Nuggets used to be my favorite fish actually (when I was 12). I could never get one because they grew too large and were quite expensive.
In any case, that is one fish that I've always wanted. Well that and the silver arowana haha.