tropical fish questions

I saw some tropical fish at my local Meijer (think Super K-Mart) last week and thought it'd be cool to have some, since I don't really have the (financial or time) committments for a furry pet.

What are some good types of fish to buy that aren't too expensive? Also, in terms of aquariums, what's a good one to get started with? I'd probably only get 2-3-4 fish, so I don't need anything huge. Cost IS a factor, I'd like to keep it as cheap as possible, but I also want a cool looking fish tank!

 

[FoBoT]

don't go less than 10 gallon, but if you have space for a 20 gallon tank , that would be better

tiger barbs are fun, you could put 5-7 into a 10 gallon tank
they are active and fun to watch

tiger barbs need a heated tank, so you have to have a heater

if you want to go really cheap, you can eliminate the heater and go with just 1 goldfish, goldfish can live in an unheated tank

 

[wnied]

If you want a community tank, think Tetras. Theyre colorful, plentiful and usually have the same PH requirements. Corydoras catfish are great bottom dwellers that are docile and have a wide range of color to them. I also agree with Fobot, go for a 20 gallon tank as a starter, since it wont be as influenced by the surrounding elements as smaller tanks would be.

~wnied~

 

What about this kit? The 10-20 gallon tanks are a bit over my price range (I'm looking to spend under $75 for the kit itself). I know it's not a 10-gallon tank, but is it cruel to keep like 3 or four small fish in a tank like that? There is a PetCo near my house, so I can ask the people there too.

 

[FoBoT]

the rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gallon of water

so a 10 gallon could hold 5 2 inch fish, or 4 2.5 inch fish , etc

the link goes to a 25 gal for $170 ?

get a bare tank , a 10 gallon should be $8 or $9 . mail order the filter and heater/food

 

[Reel]

Try finding a bigger tank at a garage sale. I bet you could find a decent 10 or 20 gallon tank at a garage sale for much less than in a store. Then, just be careful to check that it holds water. If you are mechanically inclined, you can put one together yourself or repair one. Basically, the price you pay for a tank in a store will be way overpriced.

 

[KydLynx]

Originally posted by: ReelC00L
Try finding a bigger tank at a garage sale. I bet you could find a decent 10 or 20 gallon tank at a garage sale for much less than in a store. Then, just be careful to check that it holds water. If you are mechanically inclined, you can put one together yourself or repair one. Basically, the price you pay for a tank in a store will be way overpriced.

the man is right. I just sold my extra 30 gallon tank with gravel, filter and lamp for $45. *shrug*

 

[OulOat]

Guppies or mollies are the easiest tropical fishes to take care of, and they come is a variety of colors. Guppies are pretty small too, so you can get a whole bunch. Just remember, brownish ones = female, colorful ones = male.