Freshwater Fish Suggestions from Fish Enthusiasts

[Buttsmacker]

Just restarted my aquarium after all the fish died. Had three jelly beans (blood parrots) before, and once again they got sick. Had the aquarium for 8 years, and can't seem to keep it going. If it isn't the ammonia, it's the pH or infections.. the fish seem ok for a month or two, and then randomly get sick... i think the longest they've gone without being sick is about 3-4 months.

Bought new 29 gal aquarium, using three layers of plant substrate (including refugium mud, small gravel designed for plants, top layer of small gravel). Hoping the plants will help establish the balance... going for an ecosystem this time. Have a full spectrum foliage light in the top... got plants that need medium to low light levels. Got an in-tank filter (whisper) for 20-50gal aquariums. Um, no undergravel filter this time. Powerhead w/ air intake... heater... etc. Use the aquarium salt, Proper pH powder (which seems to work well), stress zyme, stress coat, etc. Using bottled water (re-filled reverse osmosis from Earthfare and deer park when needed at last min).

1) Anyone have suggestions for good bacteria supplements? I'm using my friend's old filter to get it started, but I want to know what KINDS (specific names) of bacteria that actually enable the nitrogen cycle. Leaving the aquarium up for a few weeks with no fish to get the cycle going strong.

2) Anyone have suggestions for stores to purchase fish - reputable places in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC and/or online. I'd rather buy the fish that haven't been tortured. Esp the blood parrot fish (jelly beans).. they dye them, and I'd like to find some that aren't dipped in acid to add color.

3) Just got a UV sterilizer for the power head... they're supposed to eliminate the harmful bacteria, fungus, protozoans, single-celled algae (had that too before), etc. Any thoughts?

4) Looking to stick with South American Cichlids...def the jelly beans, maybe some tiger barbs to give the beaners something to chase... Anyone ever heard of the freshwater Spotted Green Pufferfish from India? Looks like temperament will match, pH, etc... Not sure about it yet. Any other suggestions?
Pufferfish

5) Any miscellaneous ideas?

About three years ago i set up an aquarium for my bf's baby turtle... put a few fish in there and literally just threw it together... they're all still alive, and we've never tested the water. I guess we just got lucky.. maybe the turtle sh!t balances it out!

Thanks a lot guys.

 

[spaceman]

damn i thought this was a fishing thread

 

[Raduque]

Hah, put some turtles int he new tank.

I have a pure freshwater tank, no salt at all. I don't do pH testing, and I just used tap water with some dechlorinater treatment. I do water changes monthly (20%, so about two to three gallons of a 20g tank) and change the filter medium every two months. One thing I highly recommend is a biowheel filter. With one of those (or another style of out of tank filter like a canister or something) you can mess with pretty much anything in-tank and still have an undisturbed biological filter. My tank's water stopped smelling stagnant once I put in the Biowheel too. Also, with a Whisper, the biofilter grows on the cartridge itself, and when you have to replace that, you could end up having to cycle the tank again.

I've got 5 tiger barbs, 3 red barbs (the iridescent ones) and 2 blue (color not species) gouramis(sp?) and a chocolate plecostamus and they're all going strong and have been for about 6 months now.

 

[Buttsmacker]

The salt is standard in fresh water... actually prevents disease, increases slime coat, etc. In any fresh water pond you find, there's some salt... just not the same concentration as the ocean

 

[dug777]

I love my Silver (Bala) Sharks

Don't bother pH testing, rarely change the water, and they're flourishing...

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: Buttsmacker
Just restarted my aquarium after all the fish died. Had three jelly beans (blood parrots) before, and once again they got sick. Had the aquarium for 8 years, and can't seem to keep it going. If it isn't the ammonia, it's the pH or infections.. the fish seem ok for a month or two, and then randomly get sick... i think the longest they've gone without being sick is about 3-4 months.

Bought new 29 gal aquarium, using three layers of plant substrate (including refugium mud, small gravel designed for plants, top layer of small gravel). Hoping the plants will help establish the balance... going for an ecosystem this time. Have a full spectrum foliage light in the top... got plants that need medium to low light levels. Got an in-tank filter (whisper) for 20-50gal aquariums. Um, no undergravel filter this time. Powerhead w/ air intake... heater... etc. Use the aquarium salt, Proper pH powder (which seems to work well), stress zyme, stress coat, etc. Using bottled water (re-filled reverse osmosis from Earthfare and deer park when needed at last min).

1) Anyone have suggestions for good bacteria supplements? I'm using my friend's old filter to get it started, but I want to know what KINDS (specific names) of bacteria that actually enable the nitrogen cycle. Leaving the aquarium up for a few weeks with no fish to get the cycle going strong.

2) Anyone have suggestions for stores to purchase fish - reputable places in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC and/or online. I'd rather buy the fish that haven't been tortured. Esp the blood parrot fish (jelly beans).. they dye them, and I'd like to find some that aren't dipped in acid to add color.

3) Just got a UV sterilizer for the power head... they're supposed to eliminate the harmful bacteria, fungus, protozoans, single-celled algae (had that too before), etc. Any thoughts?

4) Looking to stick with South American Cichlids...def the jelly beans, maybe some tiger barbs to give the beaners something to chase... Anyone ever heard of the freshwater Spotted Green Pufferfish from India? Looks like temperament will match, pH, etc... Not sure about it yet. Any other suggestions?
Pufferfish

5) Any miscellaneous ideas?

About three years ago i set up an aquarium for my bf's baby turtle... put a few fish in there and literally just threw it together... they're all still alive, and we've never tested the water. I guess we just got lucky.. maybe the turtle sh!t balances it out!

Thanks a lot guys.

Im no expert but it looks like you are on the right track.

1. adequate filtration is all you need. I suggest one of those hanging magnum filters, of if you really wanna be sure, use a bio-wheel filter. a single powerhead is not enough.

2. cant help ya there, live in hawaii and dont have any of those stores here.

3. those are great! or so ive heard. never needed to use one though. i keep heavily planted tanks so have never really had a need for it. theres also other ways of controlling algae, mainly by controlling the light and how much you feed your fish. but if you dont wanna worry about these factors, then the uv should be good to you.

4. dunno

5. if you have trouble maintaining the water quality, go bigger! more water means smaller changes in water quality if something goes wrong. in small tanks, the large swings in water quality can easily cause your fish to unexpectedly get sick and die.

 

[JEDI]

some guy in atot started his own website about RTP area.

ask him

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: dug777
I love my Silver (Bala) Sharks

Don't bother pH testing, rarely change the water, and they're flourishing...

I don't have a tank anymore, but I really enjoyed bala sharks too.

Probably the most fun fish I ever had were rosy barbs. They were constantly chasing each other, and they would eat anything (bugs, worms, grubs, etc.)

I also liked pink kissing gouramis - they probably had the most personality of any fish I ever had.