Fish recommendations
- Thread starter Ingrid
- Start date
What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?
What is the GH (general hardness) and pH of your water supply. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).
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Go to your local pet shop and make a list of fish and plants you like. Post it here along with the pH, GH and tank info, and we can advise on what will go together.
What is the GH (general hardness) and pH of your water supply. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).
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Go to your local pet shop and make a list of fish and plants you like. Post it here along with the pH, GH and tank info, and we can advise on what will go together.
Most of the websites these days list "beginner's fish" - and provide a group of fish that work across a broad Ph spectrum and water hardness - they are just considered "easy" plus you don't usually have to worry about whether or not the groups will get along together in the same tank.
Since many of these fish live a very long time - unless you plan on getting more tanks - you may want to pick a particular species you want to specialize in or if you want to have as broad a variety as possible. I started with Cherry Barbs, Zebra Danio's and Harlequin Rasbora's and some CoryCats (too fun to exclude from any tank) but these were all in a smaller tank than yours. Now I pretty much buy only Gourami's with a few extra fish for algae control and "cuteness" LOL. My daughter only likes guppies because they have all the fancy tails and such without killing each other (she originally was a betta owner) She doesn't want to breed so she only buy's males.
Once your tank is fully cycled you'd do best by adding only a few fish at a time since you'll slowly adjust to heavier and heavier tank change requirements - rather than buying all at once and risking the whole lot. The problem is, if you buy fish online like I do (being highly dissatisfied with the fish in the stores- there are probably only 3 or 4 gourami's in the whole city) it's far more economical to ship 10 fish, rather than 3 so you have to make that call. $40-$50 for overnight shipping isn't uncommon - especially if they put the fish in coolers and add cold or heat packs.
Since many of these fish live a very long time - unless you plan on getting more tanks - you may want to pick a particular species you want to specialize in or if you want to have as broad a variety as possible. I started with Cherry Barbs, Zebra Danio's and Harlequin Rasbora's and some CoryCats (too fun to exclude from any tank) but these were all in a smaller tank than yours. Now I pretty much buy only Gourami's with a few extra fish for algae control and "cuteness" LOL. My daughter only likes guppies because they have all the fancy tails and such without killing each other (she originally was a betta owner) She doesn't want to breed so she only buy's males.
Once your tank is fully cycled you'd do best by adding only a few fish at a time since you'll slowly adjust to heavier and heavier tank change requirements - rather than buying all at once and risking the whole lot. The problem is, if you buy fish online like I do (being highly dissatisfied with the fish in the stores- there are probably only 3 or 4 gourami's in the whole city) it's far more economical to ship 10 fish, rather than 3 so you have to make that call. $40-$50 for overnight shipping isn't uncommon - especially if they put the fish in coolers and add cold or heat packs.
I like guppies ,tetras , plattys and aminoe shrimps
Our ph is around 7.2 and our water hardness is around normal
Our tank dimensions are height 61 cm width 51cm and depth 36cm
Can you post the actual hardness (GH)? There is no "normal" as different fish require somewhat different water hardness. Your fish species for example include fish preferring softer water (tetras) but also fish that must have harder water (platies, guppies, shrimp maybe).
Guppies and platies come from hard water with a GH around 200ppm and a pH above 7.0.
Most tetras come from soft water with a GH below 150ppm and a pH below 7.0.
Unfortunately saying your water hardness is around normal, could mean absolutely anything. I live in Western Australia and our GH is less than 50ppm but our pH is above 8.0. On the other side of the country people have a GH over 400ppm and a pH above 9.0.
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Are those tank dimensions correct (61cm high x 51cm long x 36cm wide)?
It seems like an unusually tall weird shaped tank.
Most tetras come from soft water with a GH below 150ppm and a pH below 7.0.
Unfortunately saying your water hardness is around normal, could mean absolutely anything. I live in Western Australia and our GH is less than 50ppm but our pH is above 8.0. On the other side of the country people have a GH over 400ppm and a pH above 9.0.
If you can contact your water company (via website or telephone) and find out exact numbers for your GH, it will help. If they can't give you numbers, then take a sample of your tap water to the pet shop and get them to test it. Also find out what the GH is measured in (eg: ppm or dGH)?
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Are those tank dimensions correct (61cm high x 51cm long x 36cm wide)?
It seems like an unusually tall weird shaped tank.
I like guppies ,tetras , plattys and aminoe shrimps
Our ph is around 7.2 and our water hardness is around normal
Our tank dimensions are height 61 cm width 51cm and depth 36cm
75ppm
OK, as GH of 75 ppm (equates to 4 dGH, the other common unit in the hobby) is very soft water. This means no ivebearers (guppies, platies, also mollies, swordtails and Endlers) as they must have harder water as Colin earlier noted. There are some other similar species, but with very soft water you have a large option from the South American fish (tetras, hatchetfish, pencilfish, cory catfish and other loricariids, dwarf cichlids) and SE Asia (most of the rasboras, gourami, etc.).
The tank size will factor in, and like Colin I am confused by these:
The length is the longest side of the tank end to end, the width is the shorter sides front to back, and the height is the vertical from the top to the bottom of the tank.
Am I correct in assuming the length is the 61 cm, the width front to back is 51cm, and the vertical height is 36 cm?
The tank size will factor in, and like Colin I am confused by these:
The length is the longest side of the tank end to end, the width is the shorter sides front to back, and the height is the vertical from the top to the bottom of the tank.
Am I correct in assuming the length is the 61 cm, the width front to back is 51cm, and the vertical height is 36 cm?
Yes thank for your help
Now that we have that cleared up, this 60 liter (15 gallon) is a small space from the fish's perspective, so you want to be looking at small-sized species from the soft water fish species. The "nano" type fish are ideal, as you can have more of them so the tank has more interest.
Jan, you always mention your Zebra Danio. I knew you loved them.
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