Easiest fish to keep

[desley]

Hi all,

I am a relatively new fish keeper. About 1 year and had livebearers (guppies, platties with fry).

My question is Which fish are easiest to keep ...

Due to an old injury which has now been reinjured I cannot do maintanence to my tank as before. It looks like it will be a long term injury so I need to readjust ... and hopefully find the best fish for my situation.

I have a 80L (20 US gallon) tank with heater set at 27 degrees with a trickle filter and a pump with airstone attached for aeration.

My current fish have started to detoriate with some dying off due to my inability to do the fortnightly changes. It seems to be mainly female guppies that died first and now some of my platties are looking a little unwell. I have just had 25% of the water changed (with the declorination) after cleaning out the filter last week. I tend to get the water change done by someone else once a month at best.

I thought goldfish .. but after reading the 'goldfish' forum they have more waste and I would only be able to keep 2 fish in my tank.

Hopefully you will all not tell me to get rid of my fish as I find them very relaxing and I would like to keep the tank but do not want to put any fish into complete misery for my enjoyment.

What fish do you all recommend that could cope with lower maintanence (say monthly 25% water changes), warmer climate (average 30 degrees summer, lowest min 12 degrees winter) .. with heater for 80 L tank with trickle filter.

Thanks
Desley

 

[Griz]

I'm wondering if you invested in a Python if that might help you in keeping up with the tank maintainence. No heavy lifting required, perhaps it is a solution for you. I've never used one myself but I hear nothing but excellent reviews about this producxt.

 

[a1wonder]

I'd really up the water changes to at least every seond week with such a small aquarium is really shouldn't be that much extra work and your fish would be alot happier and healthier.

In my experience a small school of white skirts (6 or so) are faily hard and can deal with water temperature drops as long as you have a heater in the tank durning the winter and they don't seem to mind flexuations in the summer. In my area it easily reaches 42 degrees C to as low as -38 degrees C but the heater I have keeps it a constant temperature. To reduce flex. in the summer move the tank directly away from a window as the glass acts to magnify the temperature of the water in the tank. Unless you have lobster I wouldn't think it would be to good of a thing.

Cheers

 

[desley]

Hi and thanks for the 2 responses so far.

I am trying to find the python and only found a couple who will send to Australia on ebay. If anyone else knows about the python can they let me know if you can use it just to clean out the gravel as I only want to siphon out the water as our water has chlorine and i cant just add it back in before adding the dechlorinator.

Also, do you have any trouble starting it to siphon out. The website is good but my siphon now is fairly trouble free to start .. its more the carrying of the bucket .. and when I tried adding a long tube to it the flow was almost not existent. Also afraid of sucking out fry but maybe I will have to get past that if I do opt for the python.

Also, before I add anymore fish to my tank I am seeing how my platties and guppies go. If I can get one of these pythons then I can just keep up with them without adding any new fish. They will breed up again as I find my local pet stores all have low quality fish (most have sick looking fish) and I dont want to add any problems into my tank (that are not already there)

On close observation one of my platties seem to have a fairly long white stringy poop hanging .. is this worms I have salt in the tank and added some melafix cause one of my guppies has torn his fin.

Thanks
Desley

 

[MisterCee]

With the Python you will not need to use a bucket at all. You attach one end to the pipe thread on a standard water faucet by unscrewing the aerator on the faucet. By opening a small drain valve on the faucet end of the Python and turning on your water, suction is automatically created, allowing you to siphon out your tank. You can gravel vac or simply just suck water. You just need to be careful no inquisitive fish swim in through the open vac end if you do not have it in the gravel. There is a shut off valve on the vac end as well, so you can stop/start the siphon action at any time.

For refilling, turn off the siphon valve, adjust your water temp from the faucet to that of your tank (by feel is accurate enough), close the drain valve on the faucet side, move to your tank and open up the siphon valve a crack, the water will begin to flow.

I have both chlorine and chloramines in my tap water and was initially concerned about refilling with straight tap water. After reading posts on other forums, most people that use the Python just add the dechlor after filling up the tank. To be safer I pour in a bit of dechlorinator about midway through the refill and a bit more when done.

I have rheumatoid arthritis and really got tired of lugging buckets of water. The Python can't be beat, in my opinion. I can do a 25% water change and refill in my 55 gal in about 15 minutes.

 

[desley]

Hi Mistercee,

Thanks so much for your advice.

I have actually decided to get the python but I am having problems finding them in Australia.

I have contacted Mops in Canada to see if they will ship out here .. but if anyone knows of a place that will ship to Australia please let me know.

I think this will solve all my problems .. and happy to hear you can still have your hobby as I hope I can continue with it too.

Thanks again !!
Desley

 

[DannyBoy17]

I could buy one at Big Als for ya, if you pay for it and the shipping

PM if interested, or email Dan.Robbins27@gmail.com

DB

 

[Vip]

I will tell you now that cichlids are the most easy fish out there to keep they are one of the most hardy of all fish and come in a massive range of colors. I do my water changes once a month and i just chuck in cold tap water and thats all i dont add nothing and all my fish are strong and healthy, it might be somthing you want to look into.

 

[desley]

hi again

I will keep trying with my platties if I can get one of these pythons. If not maybe chichlids are the way to go. Are they expensive fish? Are they big. My tank is only 80L (22 US gallons).

Also on the offer of sending one by dannyboy .. thanks for the offer.

I'm waiting on mops and I also contacted a seller off ebay but if I cannot get anyone I might need you !!!

How would i pay you (paypal ??).

How much are they are Big Al's ?

Thanks again

 

[Angry_Platy]

Where in aus do you live?

If you live near me i would be more than happy to help with the tank

You will need a larger tank
for most cichlids. Also, if your tank is planted you can get away with less water changes.

I have some US sites
bookmarked that will ship to aus....i will let you know what i come up with

 

[Angry_Platy]

To stop fry being sucked into my python i use a rubberband to secure a piece of flysceen on the intake tube. No fry can get sucked up this way

 

[desley]

I live in brisbane (northside) ... but I don't think i would go a bigger tank .. but thanks so much for the offer of helping with c ichlids. I love my platties (guppies too but they are getting too hard to keep) .. so I would like to try and stay with them.

If you can find the websites that offer shipping to australia that would be fantastic.

Thanks also for the other feedback on the flyscreen idea for my fry. I was a bit worried about that happening. They seem to want to chase the tube whilst the gravel is being cleaned.