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Recommend some freshwater fish.

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Lifer
I was able to pick up a free 30-gallon aquarium with a very nice looking stand on craigslist earlier this week, and I have finally scrubbed the thing good enough so it's clean. I added new gravel and filled the thing up tonight, so it's basically almost ready to go after a couple of more days of filtering and temp-management.

Any recommendations of some freshwater fish that you guys like? I'm not quite sure what to get yet, although I would typically like something that stands out a bit from the norm (i.e. absolutely NO goldfish 🙂). I'm hoping to keep fish costs atleast under $10 per fish, but will only start out with a couple to make sure I'm remembering how to do everything properly. It's been a few years since I've last owned an aquarium.

Thanks.
 
Is this your first tank? If so, I suggest you get Zebra Danios. They are damn easy to take care of until your get your feet wet.
 
Guppies are cool. However, we found out the hard way that they eat their own young. Which could also be a bonus, depending on your point of view. 😛
 
Do you want them all to peacefully coexist (unlike some of the suggestions above...)?

My personal favorites are African Rift Lake cichlids. The colors are great, but they will beat each other silly at times. They are very hardy though.

If you want full-on personality with a bit of a brain, get an Oscar. BUT putting anything else it with it (1, not 2 or 3 or more) would be a mistake for the most part. It will recognize you, do anything to get your attention and can be trained to eat out of your hand.

If you want something peaceful, a couple of angel fish, a plecostomus (I cannot spell that tonight ...), some zebra danios, and a single male betta. You can add any of the tetras, but tiger barbs are fin nippers, so leave them out. Also do not get a chinese algae eater. Some of the loaches are way cool, but clowns can be a little sensitive and need some of their own to hang with.
 
when i was in junior high, i caught a small bass and put him in there.. He loved chicken and steak.

its also fun to watch them eat 30+ feeder fish in a day....soooo fat



LOL at the beta fish. Would be funny to put one of them up against my old bass
 
Get 4-5 baby red-belly piranhas (p. nattereri) for ~$8/each at any local pet store and look for a 75gal to move them into in about 3-4 months.

THEN, you can buy every other suggestion in this thread and watch the fun.
 
Originally posted by: Playmaker
Get 4-5 baby red-belly piranhas (p. nattereri) for ~$8/each at any local pet store and look for a 75gal to move them into in about 3-4 months.

THEN, you can buy every other suggestion in this thread and watch the fun.
Click to expand...

Sorry, he's in Kentucky. Piranhas are against the law here. 🙁

kd
 
I second the cichlid. Either get a few small African cichlids. OR get a few South American cichlids, such as a few kribenis.
 
Fish are for the very unique. My advice: Sell the tank for a profit and run!

Perch and brim are pretty good with a little salt and lemon pepper in bacon grease.
 
First, what did you 'scrub' the tank with? If you used any kind of hard cleaner, throw the tank in the trash. If you used soap, it's going to need some work to get it all out, even if you think you've done so.

As far as adding fish, the tank will need to be cycled first to get the biological filter going. If you throw in a bunch of fish at once, or start off with fish that aren't hardy, they'll die from the ammonia. Use zebra danios. Maybe 5-6 for a 30 gallon.
You can also cycle the tank without fish using food or ammonia, but it's a little more work. Or you can use some gravel from someone else's established tank. Last, there's some cycle additive you can buy but I don't know a lot about it. Turn up the temperature to about 80 to cycle it quicker. You'll have to monitor it to see when it's cycled, or just wait 1-1.5 months or so. And then only add a couple fish at a time. The store may take your danios back when your done, and credit them toward buying new fish.
You need to read all you can about the nitrification cycle, and what to test for when your cycling the tank so you'll know what stage it's at and when you can add fish, unless you just wait awhile.
A rule of thumb is 1" of fish per gallon, or you'll likely overload the tank.

I posted a few tips here.

To be really successful, plan on doing a bunch of reading.
 
Originally posted by: Xyclone
Beta! They're fighter fishes = awesome.
Click to expand...

Betas in a big tank are hillarious. They look like Charo when they swim from one side to the other. They have to be the most inefficient swimers in the fish world. Tons of fin action and very little actual progress.

Pan fried trout is still my favorite fresh water fish though.
 
Originally posted by: Slickone
First, what did you 'scrub' the tank with? If you used any kind of hard cleaner, throw the tank in the trash. If you used soap, it's going to need some work to get it all out, even if you think you've done so.

As far as adding fish, the tank will need to be cycled first to get the biological filter going. If you throw in a bunch of fish at once, or start off with fish that aren't hardy, they'll die from the ammonia. Use zebra danios. Maybe 5-6 for a 30 gallon.
You can also cycle the tank without fish using food or ammonia, but it's a little more work. Or you can use some gravel from someone else's established tank. Last, there's some cycle additive you can buy but I don't know a lot about it. Turn up the temperature to about 80 to cycle it quicker. You'll have to monitor it to see when it's cycled, or just wait 1-1.5 months or so. And then only add a couple fish at a time. The store may take your danios back when your done, and credit them toward buying new fish.
You need to read all you can about the nitrification cycle, and what to test for when your cycling the tank so you'll know what stage it's at and when you can add fish, unless you just wait awhile.
A rule of thumb is 1" of fish per gallon, or you'll likely overload the tank.

I posted a few tips here.

To be really successful, plan on doing a bunch of reading.
Click to expand...

QFT. Do your research and do not rush things. Getting the tank set up correctly is usually the most diffcult thing to do if you have never done it before.

Flushing dead fish every day while fun at first can be a chore. 🙂

 
Originally posted by: Playmaker
Get 4-5 baby red-belly piranhas (p. nattereri) for ~$8/each at any local pet store and look for a 75gal to move them into in about 3-4 months.

THEN, you can buy every other suggestion in this thread and watch the fun.
Click to expand...

I like that idea!

Just pour a :beer: and enjoy.
 
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