Returning To Tropical Fish . . .

[LostInTheArk]

Hi everybody,

As of friday I shall be the owner of a Fluval Roma 90 and the brand new stand (they are only just coming into our local aquatics shop). My parents used to keep fish when I was a little girl. I've wanted fish again for a long time and now finally after finishing university I have decided to set up a tank myself. I've just been reading up about kissing gourami and I don't remember ours ever getting that big I don't feel that our tank will probably be big enough for two (they look so lonely as one) there was that out the window. So then was looking at angelfish and read that they eat guppies I was going to have angelfish and guppies, so now it will probably be guppies first then maybe angelfish later on when the tank is more established and angelfish friendly. Have neon tetras really gotten that hard to look after ? They always used to be really good starter fish infact at 11 they were the first fish into a new tank and the last ones to go out of it. I never had any problems and I've read in lots of places they are difficult to look after.

Am I really that far out of touch with fish ? Going to spend lots of time in the newbie section reading through there as a Kid we weren't taught such things as cycles etc. If anyone has any pointers or top threads to check out I will be much appreciative.

Thanks in advance
LostInTheArk

 

[blesser13]

Hello


If im not wrong your tank is about 90L. Is your tank established? or you need to go through a cycling process?

 

[colleen0309]

Good morning and welcome! After you are finished reading up on cycling ect... you will probably have lots of questions. Feel free to ask. We are here to help.

 

[fluttermoth]

Welcome to the forum, LostInTheArk.

Times have changed a lot; I'm from 'the old days' too!

I think there were more nitrifying bacteria in the water supply then, that's why we didn't need to cycle and could stock with a small amount of fish straight way. Now our water is (almost) sterile; that's why we have to cycle to get those bacteria growing.

We didn't have the research on stunting and hormones; that's why our fish didn't grow as big as they should have

It seems more complicated now, but it;'s not that hard, and you'll be very happy how many more species of fish you can keep and how much better looking (and healthier!) your tank will be

I should warn you that your tank isn't big enough for angels, which cna grow to a foot tall, so you migh want to look at a alrger tank if your heart's set on having them; I've got mine in a 48x15x18 (the 18" is the height) and that's the smallest I would want to see angels in.

 

[LostInTheArk]

Hi everyone thanks for the replies,

To be honest it was my mum that wanted angelfish and she would never have another tank of her own. (she is convinced I'm going to get bored of the fish but I never wanted to stop having them in the first place so I've been wanting fish again for 10 years already I don't think I'm going to give up now). So no angelfish wasn't really what I had in mind to begin with I wanted something smaller and more hardier as my first solo tank.

I don't have the tank yet I'm waiting for the guy at the aquatics place to ring to say they have them back in stock but yes it will be about 90L. I also need to wait for the stands to come back in also as we were going to have the last of the old stock but of course when he rang up the other customer they said they had wanted it after all (you can bet it won't get sold after all now) but I think I'm happier with the new style. Unfortunately I don't we have the space for a much bigger thank unless I take over the sideboard which will cause problems as it is in direct sunlight of a morning, which I know due to english weather isn't that often but the past couple of days have proved it would be. Obviously with angels now growing so big I wouldn't want to cause them any harm or cruelty but may be one day I will able to either get those or the kissing gourami I had wanted.

I'm going to carry on reading through the help threads then make a new topic to ask my questions just incase they have already been answered and I haven't read that far ahead yet.

Thank you again for all your help already and a lovely warm welcome,

LostInTheArk

 

[XeroTolerance]

to the forums.

 

[LostInTheArk]

Well I got my fluval Roma 90 set up. It's a bit murky and I have already had to buy a new thermometer for it since the original got broken. I shall add a pic later !!!

 

[LostInTheArk]

Adding a pic of my tank hope it's going in correctly

LostInTheArk