Starter Plant Question

[sharkweek178]

To be honest, I hadn’t really thought about it.

I would say I’m more interested in the fish, but are there any benefits to shrimp and snails

Yes. They break down things like algae and dead plant matter.
I think pest snails are actually a good bellwether. If you have a lot of them then you are doing something wrong, like overfeeding.

 

[Essjay]

They are an interesting addition to a fish tank, and many people have one or other or both.

The reason I asked is plants. Those plants grown in the far east are usually treated with insect or snail killing chemicals, and both shrimps and snails in a tank are affected. Should you intend shrimps/snails it is safer to buy plants guaranteed shrimp and snail safe - plants grown in the EU. There are on-line shops which sell shrimp/snail safe plants, and some 'real' shops sell EU grown plants. On-line shops usually have a better selection of plants than 'real' shops.

 

[777james777]

They are an interesting addition to a fish tank, and many people have one or other or both.

The reason I asked is plants. Those plants grown in the far east are usually treated with insect or snail killing chemicals, and both shrimps and snails in a tank are affected. Should you intend shrimps/snails it is safer to buy plants guaranteed shrimp and snail safe - plants grown in the EU. There are on-line shops which sell shrimp/snail safe plants, and some 'real' shops sell EU grown plants. On-line shops usually have a better selection of plants than 'real' shops.

Interesting and good to know, there definitely weren’t on the top of my list of things I wanted.
I think I would prefer the shrimps over the snails.
I guess I will have think about that one just before I get the plants!

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Amano shrimps are the ones you're looking for, they eat all the dead bits of plant matter, left over fish food, algae etc. Nerite snails are popular in the hobby but they lay these stubborn little white eggs that stick like cement on absolutely everything but they won't hatch in freshwater so although that's a bonus they're just a pain in the butt cleaning them off

 

[777james777]

Amano shrimps are the ones you're looking for, they eat all the dead bits of plant matter, left over fish food, algae etc. Nerite snails are popular in the hobby but they lay these stubborn little white eggs that stick like cement on absolutely everything but they won't hatch in freshwater so although that's a bonus they're just a pain in the butt cleaning them off

I think I’m more drawn to the shrimps than the snails so I will probably give them a go! Iv got my mind set on 10 neon tetras, I also like angle fish, bettas

I’m I right in thinking that bettas are best alone ?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I think I’m more drawn to the shrimps than the snails so I will probably give them a go! Iv got my mind set on 10 neon tetras, I also like angle fish, bettas

I’m I right in thinking that bettas are best alone ?

Bettas in my opinion are absolutely solitary fish, at least for a beginner.

As mentioned somewhere in one of your threads, knowing the GH of your water out the tap will determine what kind of fish you can have. You can log on yo your water providers website, type in your postcode and it should give you a report. You're looking for hardness levels in German degrees

 

[sharkweek178]

If one is buying live plants, it's pretty difficult to avoid getting pest snails without a strict months long quarantine for each plant.

 

[777james777]

If one is buying live plants, it's pretty difficult to avoid getting pest snails without a strict months long quarantine for each plant.

How do you mean ?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

How do you mean ?

'Pest' snails ie pond and bladder snails can travel in with plants, they're super tiny so you'd never notice until its too late. You can quarantine them, meaning having another tank set up (doesn't need to be cycled if you're only holding plants in it) for a few weeks to avoid getting these snails into your main tank....but I never bother with plants. I really don't care about a few snails, they do a good job and if you're good with not over feeding your fish they won't overpopulate

 

[sharkweek178]

'Pest' snails ie pond and bladder snails can travel in with plants, they're super tiny so you'd never notice until its too late. You can quarantine them, meaning having another tank set up (doesn't need to be cycled if you're only holding plants in it) for a few weeks to avoid getting these snails into your main tank....but I never bother with plants. I really don't care about a few snails, they do a good job and if you're good with not over feeding your fish they won't overpopulate

Yeah. And doing a bleach or hydrogen peroxide dip might kill pathogens. But it doesn't kill snail eggs.

 

[Essjay]

I took the liberty of looking at the postcode of a Warrington high street bank's postcode on United Utilities and it said their water was something like 2.2 dH hardness - very soft water, very suitable for fish like neon tetras.

However the tank is too small for angelfish I'm afraid. They need a large tank with a water depth at least 45 cm or their fins would be sticking out of the water.
I agree with CaptainBarnicles about the betta. Some fish with nip a betta's fins to shreds. Other bettas will be aggressive towards any fish in the same tnak.

 

[Essjay]

Pest snails are not a problem if the fish are not overfed. I have both pond/tadpole/bladder snails (same snails different names) and the tiny ramshorns in both my tanks and they have not taken over as I do not overfeed the fish. Mammals like us use most of our food to maintain our body temperature. Fish are cold blooded and get their temperature from the water so they don't need a lot of food like we do.

 

[777james777]

I took the liberty of looking at the postcode of a Warrington high street bank's postcode on United Utilities and it said their water was something like 2.2 dH hardness - very soft water, very suitable for fish like neon tetras.

However the tank is too small for angelfish I'm afraid. They need a large tank with a water depth at least 45 cm or their fins would be sticking out of the water.
I agree with CaptainBarnicles about the betta. Some fish with nip a betta's fins to shreds. Other bettas will be aggressive towards any fish in the same tnak.

Interesting on the water, if my water is properly cycled is it best to add all the new fish at once or a few at a time? I’m looking forward to the test kit and getting my water levels correct.
Iv just googled angle fish and they are about 4cm in hight ? Do they grow huge or am I missing something ?

 

[sharkweek178]

Interesting on the water, if my water is properly cycled is it best to add all the new fish at once or a few at a time? I’m looking forward to the test kit and getting my water levels correct.
Iv just googled angle fish and they are about 4cm in hight ? Do they grow huge or am I missing something ?

They grow much bigger. 15 cm long and 20 cm tall.

 

[Wills]

Interesting on the water, if my water is properly cycled is it best to add all the new fish at once or a few at a time? I’m looking forward to the test kit and getting my water levels correct.
Iv just googled angle fish and they are about 4cm in hight ? Do they grow huge or am I missing something ?

Angels get about 20-22cm tall as adults, you might be buying 4cm in height as juveniles but they will grow