Purchased A Biorb

[G7EG]

Hey everyone,

I have just purchased a Biorb from Ebay and have just collected it, I used to have a tropical tank and a marine tank but due to having a baby on the way soon I have decided to get this and have a few goldfish etc.

Anyway, I have a few questions if someone can help me as I have never done this route before.

1) Do I add stones, gravel or sand?
2) Can I use just normal tap water?
3) Do I need to add water safe?
4) Do I need to do any kind of cycle before I add the goldfish?

Thanks guys I appreciate your help

 

[bae1994]

hi mate well heres a few things

1. goldfish arnt suetable for biorbs as even the biggest is too small as all goldfish simply get too big for them

2.yes you do need to do a cycle preferably a fishless one

3. if your using the stock undergravel air filter i believe it needs to be gravel

4 normal tap water is fine but a declorinator needs to be added

hope that helps

 

[G7EG]

Ok thanks mate, I will ask at my LFS to see what they have. I didn't realise that you have to still add something to the water each time?

My tank is pretty big to be honest (bigger than I thought) when I say goldfish I mean something that looks like a goldfish, it might not actually be a goldfish but pretty similiar.

 

[Curiosity101]

As bae said really.

I mean I personally don't like biorbs for any fish. Too small a surface area for gas exchange and not a good shape for swimming in.
Plus I don't like how it distorts the image of the fish.

Having said all that, if you do want to go ahead with it as a coldwater/sub tropical tank then depending on the temperature of your house there are quite a few fish that would be 1000's of times more suitable than goldfish.

Woah there. Don't just go to the lfs and see what they have. Not without having considered exactly what is suitable for your set-up.

And not without deciding how you will cycle the tank!

 

[G7EG]

I appreciate it isn't the best tank but when you have come from a decent size marine tank not alot beats it to be honest. That said when you have the option of a Biorb or no tank then there isn't an option lol

Anything is better than nothing (untill we have had the baby and I go back to a big marine tank at somepoint)

Thanks guys, I haven't a clue on what type of fish yet though, any ideas?

 

[Curiosity101]

Perhaps some white cloud mountain minnows and a male paradise fish?

That would probably be what I'd do with it in your situation.

But definitely decide on a cycling method before buying anything.
I personally would recommend fishless just cause it's some much less hassle. Not water changes etc during the cycling process, just add your ammonia and test the stats (in short).

 

[Honeythorn]

I appreciate it isn't the best tank but when you have come from a decent size marine tank not alot beats it to be honest. That said when you have the option of a Biorb or no tank then there isn't an option lol

Anything is better than nothing (untill we have had the baby and I go back to a big marine tank at somepoint)

Thanks guys, I haven't a clue on what type of fish yet though, any ideas?

Having a coldwater tank won't make it any easier to keep since coldwater fish require exactly the same care as basic tropicals, just at a different temperature. Your choices of species for that tank is also pretty limited for coldwater . White cloud maountain minnows are about your only option and even that depends on what size Biorb you have, as they are schooling fish and need more space than you might think.

I would say keep the heater for it and stay tropical. You will have a few more choices that way.

If you have the larger Biorb, and like the look of goldfish , I would suggest a group of 5 gold barbs. They have a reasonably similar shape to common goldfish, have the gold colouration but don't grow too large for a large Biorb . I would have no more than 5 though in order for tehm all to have swimming space , and no other tankmates to keep the space free and the waste low, and thus an easier to maintain tank.

If you have the midsized 30 L Biorb, then really it's only big enough for some tiny rasboros, or a single betta .

In all cases I would suggest lowering the water level and not filling it to the brim as depicted on the packaging. Doing so will shrink your water surface area to a tiny size which won't give good oxygen, and also since the filter is a UG type, the water will be fairly still which is also not good for oxygenation . Fine for the betta if you have one as they like slow waters , but not so great if you have other species.

I appreciate it isn't the best tank but when you have come from a decent size marine tank not alot beats it to be honest. That said when you have the option of a Biorb or no tank then there isn't an option lol

Anything is better than nothing (untill we have had the baby and I go back to a big marine tank at somepoint)

Thanks guys, I haven't a clue on what type of fish yet though, any ideas?

Having a coldwater tank won't make it any easier to keep since coldwater fish require exactly the same care as basic tropicals, just at a different temperature. Your choices of species for that tank is also pretty limited for coldwater . White cloud maountain minnows are about your only option and even that depends on what size Biorb you have, as they are schooling fish and need more space than you might think.

I would say keep the heater for it and stay tropical. You will have a few more choices that way.

If you have the larger Biorb, and like the look of goldfish , I would suggest a group of 5 gold barbs. They have a reasonably similar shape to common goldfish, have the gold colouration but don't grow too large for a big Biorb . I would have no more than 5 though in order for tehm all to have swimming space , and no other tankmates to keep the space free and the waste low, and thus an easier to maintain tank.

If you have the midsized 30 L Biorb, then really it's only big enough for some tiny rasboros, or a single betta .

In all cases I would suggest lowering the water level and not filling it to the brim as depicted on the packaging. Doing so will shrink your water surface area to a tiny size which won't give good oxygen, and also since the filter is a UG type, the water will be fairly still which is also not good for oxygenation . Fine for the betta if you have one as they like slow waters , but not so great if you have other species.

 

[Curiosity101]

That's a point actually, I presumed it was a 60l biorb due to the fact that you wanted to put goldfish in it.

If it's the 30l (or even 15l) then my suggestions don't apply.

 

[Honeythorn]

No idea why that post went wonky

 

[OohFeeshy]

Gold barbs? Too big for the 60l. Even my 60l rectangular wasn't really big enough.

 

[Curiosity101]

They are a better option in comparison to goldfish but I do agree with you oohfeeshy. After having kept them and seen how chunky and large they get I definitely wouldn't keep them in anything less that 120l. Lovely fish though, they shoal really nicely.

 

[Assaye]

Pets At home sell something called "variatus platys" which are (apparently) a cold-water adapted and bred version of regular platys. They are yellow with orange tails and kinda pretty. Definitely something to consider if you have a small tank like a Biorb and want something similar to a goldfish that won't outgrow the tank.

Worth asking around a bit about them first. I'm not convinced that they are true coldwater fish. However, the others are right - tropical isn't any more complicated than cold. You still need to keep an eye on ammonia, nitrites and nitrates and do all your water changes and such. They're still fish, after-all.

 

[kelly528]

They must carry heaters made for BiOrbs somewhere?

Another coldwater fish that does VERY well in smaller tanks is the mosquitofish. There are two types, the one that's coldwater is heterandia formosa I believe? Very cool little guys... not to brightly colored but they are a small livebearer and if you start with a trip you could have a small colony. They don't reproduce quite as quickly nor do they have huge batches or babies as I understand.

Paradise fish are another really nice one. I believe the pygmy sunfish is coldwater as well?

If you aren't averted to feeding live or frozen I would look into killies, if I'm not mistaken many of them do well at lower temperatures?

A member by the name of jennybugs set hers up for a betta... you'll need to lower the water level to increase the surface area but she pulled it off and it looks great! Of course you'll need a heater for a betta though.