New

[Fisherman0]

I am going to buy a 98 litre tank and get a filter/heater/light ect and was just wondering what would be some good tropical fish to start of with? Also, is the fishless cycle the best way to set up my tank? Any help would be appreciated...

 

[pkppv]

Fishless cycle can be frustrating, but definitely much better for the health of your fish. I'd start with some tetras, those are easy and quite interesting. I like serpae's myself

 

[laura120381]

hi there and welcome to the forum,

yes i would say that a fishless cycle is the best way to go. you will find loads of info in the beginners section. your tank is a decent size and therefore you have a huge amount of choice concerning the fish you can get. do you have any ideas of what you would quite like to have? post some ideas up here and we can advise you on whether or not they will be suitable.

L

 

[communitytank75]

I am going to buy a 98 litre tank and get a filter/heater/light ect and was just wondering what would be some good tropical fish to start of with? Also, is the fishless cycle the best way to set up my tank? Any help would be appreciated...

2 ways you can do

1. Borrow a friend's filter to circulate in your tank ( which your friend's filter has beneficial bactderias inthe tank ) , so it will quicken up the process

2. The way I do when I set up a new tank is..I get the live bacteria,( sometimes its called start-up? or so ), BUT I WOULD MAKE SURE TO BUY ONE OF THESSE ON THEIR SHIPPMENT DAY, so you know they are fresh...

then dump it in with right amt of doses, and fill up the water, and you will see it starts to cycle, then wait about an hour or so, then do your thing


usually like platies, or gldfish, or even cheap minnows, are a good cheap way to see hows the water, or buy the test kit...

 

[laura120381]

+1

great advice about the filter

 

[mike455555]

+2 =D

and also how are you going to set it up. if your wanting to grow plants in there as well you should look into different types of lighting.

tetra's arint as hardy as the live breeders.

 

[Fisherman0]

I have looked at a lot of the different types of tetras and I like Neons and Glow light tetras and love Serpaes! You need to keep these in shoals of 6+, is that right? What would be something interesting that would be okay to keep with those. I think I will look into the fishless cycle a little more and look at what I need to buy to do so... Would the borrowed filter need to be from another tropical tank or could it be from a coldwater tank? Thanks for all the replies

 

[laura120381]

hi again,

yes you are right. tetras should be kept in groups of 6+. if you are fishless cycling you will have plenty time to decide!! try and think of fish for each level of the tank (top, middle, bottom). sometimes that helps to narrow things down a bit. i personally like schooling fish like the tetras you mentioned and am also particularly keen on corys. they are very cute and entertaining. you could look at a centrepiece fish like gourami or go for another group of something like barbs or rasboras. totally up to you.

let us know what you decide on!

L

 

[Fisherman0]

I think I may go for

6x Neon Tetras
6x Glow Light Tetras
6x Serpae Tetras

Then a centrepiece fish for now... Would that be okay for a 98 litre tank?

Is having live plants in the tank recommended or doesn't it matter? Thanks

 

[laura120381]

yeah that sounds ok. there is a lot of debate about the live plants...i personally prefer them in my opinion they create a more natural environment and help with oxygenation etc. remember to make sure your water parameters are perfect before you add any of the tetras. tetras are not normally the first fish to be added to a tank ( unless, like yourself, they are to be the only fish in the tank!) as they are not as hardy as other fish (eg livebearers) when it comes to water quality.

L

 

[Fisherman0]

Okay, thanks for your help. I will update when I get my tank and equipment

 

[laura120381]

not a problem. look forward to your update.

L

 

[Fisherman0]

Is it better to use sand in my tank or is it purely down to the person?

 

[the_lock_man]

Is it better to use sand in my tank or is it purely down to the person?

Mainly personal preference, but if you're going to keep fish that like to root around in a soft substrate, such as corydoras catfish, then it's strongly recommended.

 

[colleen0309]

Good luck with your set up! And good morning and welcome to the forum!