The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

On the advice of Lil B and Frimpy McFrimp, I went to petsmart and bought a small aquarium, maybe a gallon and a half or two gallons.  It came with the light, aerator, and filter.  I also got gravel and a fake plastic plant.  I wanna buy a small little ornament thingy that the fish can hide under...

The chick at the store told me I had to set it up and let it run for a day or so before I put any fishies in it.  I can't fit more than three small fish in there, but that's good enough for my "learning how to not kill my fish" experiment.

So, I turn to the TDMMC experts once again.

What do I do with this thing once its got water in it?

Get a couple of betas and have a hell in the cell match.

HA!  I thought about that.  I have always heard they fight alot, but I have wondered what they actually do to each other.  I think it could be good fun entertainment!

TTIWWP.

It's TTIWWOP

Bettas do fine in aquariums with communities. I have one in my tank.

A small tank with no heater, your options are limited. Bettas, goldfish, and guppies do fine without a heater. As long as you use a dechlorinator, you can put goldfish or bettas in it today.

Put the fish bag in the water for about 20 minutes, then take the fish out of the bag and put it into the water. Dont put the store's water into your tank.

I dont know how a betta would do with goldfish. I've never had a goldfish. I'd ask the chick at the store.

Oh, I'm not really looking to get Betta's, I will just get some nice, small fish, colorful, but cheap.  I don't want goldfish, too cliche.

And Dave, I will post pics as soon as I get it running.

Here's an idea...

If you're rich (or not money smart) get the expensive fish right off the bat.  If something goes wrong you can always replace them since money is no object.

If you're not rich, take a practice run with goldfish for a month or two and then donate them to your neighborhood daycare, neighbor's kid/fish pond, etc.

Without is one word.

What are the other five words?

This Thread Is Worthless WithOut Pictures

I don't understand the point of this...  I'm not rich, but there are other "cheap" fish that aren't goldfish.  I just want something different...

You don't need a heater with a tank that small,the light will serve as your heater.
You can put tetras,and most small community fish in the tank.they aren't going to get very big,but you'll get the idea.Congrats,on your purchase...

Good luck Brian.  Keeping fish isn't rocket science, so you should be okay.  I've had a tank since I was 10 or so, and despite my somewhat spotty record of care, I've found that most fish are pretty hardy and can survive a little abuse.  Fresh water is much more forgiving than salt water. 

Right now I have 2 tanks.  A 55 long and a 35 hex.  I keep local (Texas) fish in them, mainly a native US ciclid called a Rio Grand, but I also keep different bream and bass.  The Rios are great fish, but you can only keep a breeding pair, or a single fish.  They get pretty big and are very aggressive. 

Your in a great place for collecting unusual fish if you get a bigger tank later on.  S. Florida has lots of exotics.  Most likely, you could catch oscars and cichlids.  They also have peacock bass which are very cool and would make an interesting aquarium fish.  If you eventually go salt water, then the skies the limit.  With your boat, you can get lots of fish just by free diving with a snorkel on some of the local inshore reefs and rock piles.

Yes I know but the acronym has always been TTIWWOP, with the O

You know, that's interesting, I never really thought about catching fish for the aquarium.  I've heard horror stories about saltwater tanks, though, I don't think I have the discipline to maintain it.  I might consider running out back with my fishin' rod, though, and pulling a bream or two out of the lake for the tank!

(not this little tank, of course....)

Big Mistake.  getting  fish is the biggest pain in the ass ever. 
You will see.  It won't be long until u are flushing those fuckers down the toilet.

And that's precisely why I'm doing this.  I wanna make sure it works out before I spend $500 on a "big" tank...

Did you decide on fish yet?

Not yet.  I am thinking guppies - i didn't know the male guppies were so cool-looking.  Maybe Tetras or swordtails, and a chinese algae eater.  I can't get more than 3 medium sized fish or 4 guppies in my little ass tank.

Careful with the chinese algae eaters. You should be fine with smaller fish now, but when you do get the larger tank and larger fish, they have been known to attack.

I'm jealous as hell about that...I pay any where from $20 - $200 for my Marine fish.The good news,I'm looking into 200 +gallon tanks.

Here's a fish tank forum filled with experts. I joined, but havent posted yet. I'm going to in the next day or two if I cant take care of my recent algae outbreak.

http://freshwater-aquarium-fish.com/phpBB2/index.php?sid=c51a111f1db44527e1de4c3f68b88249

do you guys know anything about live plants?  are they as thenthitive as the fish are, or can i just pick a little one and toss it in the tank?

thenthitive

if I had a clue what that ment,I could help you better...

I had live plants back in the day of my freshwater,I liked Water sprite.Yes,you pretty much put them in and let them go.(Pretty much) You need a really good light.I wouldn't really suggest it in that tiny fish bowl.I feel you should worry about keeping the fish alive first.... :D

read it and pronounce it, just as its spelled...

I only thought about a plant cause someone told me it'd help the fish.  I am not thinking about going to buy a underwater jungle

Depending on who you talk to,yes plants are good for the fish.

Plants arent good or bad for them, but they supply algae. And snails.

OK, I finally got this bad boy set up. 

With pics!

:)

No fish yet, but prolly gonna go get a few guppies, since they're small enough, or two medium sized (no bigger than 2.5") fish.

(I took the pic with the phone, so the color kinda sucks, but you get the point...)

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Nice,that will work....

FYI...You've got a an undergravel filter....So when you clean your tank don't overly scrub your gravel...

You could put 5-7 guppies in one of them. I've got one that I used for my betta, but I put him in with the rest of my fish. I used it once when I had a grouami that needed an attitude adjustment. He killed 2 other grouamis. After 3 days in "jail" I put him back in the tank, and he was fine.

I'm having a problem with bubbles...  The tank has a 1" thick layer of foam on the surface.  What did I do wrong?

How much water conditioner did you put in it?

I agree with Frimp,Or do you have a valve on your airline,or pump?
You may need to adjust down the air just a tad.

no valve...  the pump came with the tank.  I probably put in too much conditioner.  It was a packet good for 5 gallons and I put in maybe a little less than half.  Will this die down over time?  Or do I have to drain it and try again?

With no fish in the tank...try turning off the pump for a little while,while the head of foam dies down...then turn the pump back on.If it happens again..You may need to change out a little bit of the water.

I changed out about 20% of the water...  The foam is gone.  I'm going to let this run overnight, and see how it looks in the morning... 

Thanks, guys...

A quick note,since you've not gotten your fish yet...There is times a fish will look fine at the store,he'll swim fine at home in the tank,but a couple of days later he'll die.It doesn't mean that you've anything wrong. It's just something that happens,Now if you buy 3 and 2 die,you may want to check the wayter quality.

I bought a new fish Friday morning,It was dead this morning,I kind of assmued it wasn't ging to last very long,It didn't eat the first day and a half it was in the tank...The stress of Moving it from tank to tank,new enviroment Etc,Etc

OK, well my tank is still foamy...

but i tested the water for pH, nitrate and amonia and everything tests fine.

So I'm going to get some fish today.  Prolly come back with three male guppies.  I don't want babies in this little ass tank.

thoughts?

Are you on a well?

It should be ok...pick up a small air valve..you can probably get on for less than a dollar...adjust the air flow down just a tad....


I see you dove right in if you bought test kits....It's probably a little much for that small of a tank...That tank is so small you could test it everyday,and get a different reading....

i just borrowed a friend's test kit.  I'll check the store for an air valve.  You think if I just turn down the air flow, it'll be OK?

It should if it's foamy.....It maybe a little too much air for the airstone...

Is there a head of foam on top of the water?

It should be ok...you're going to be quite a few water changes...because right now,you don't have anything in the tank...making it dirty,hurting the water quality....

When the fish are in there,you're feeding them,and they are shitting...The water quality is deteriating....

yeah, there's a head of foam.  if I stick my finger in it, it will go away locally, but it'll eventually come back.

Update -

Three Neon Tetras, Moe, Larry, and Curly, have taken inhabitance in the tank.  They're still geting used to their new home.

Ok...Houston...We have fish...the Tank is inhabited....(And the crowd goes wild !.Haaaaaaaaaaaa....)
Your offically have a fish tank.... :D

go for a swim in it.

Not to be a gravedigger, but I wanted to post this picture.  I got two new fish today - a guppy and another Tetra.  The small one on the bottom is the oldest one.

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Brian, when you get a bigger fish tank, I'd recommend going straight to the 55 gallon+. I recently got a 10 gallon tank. The PH, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, etc are all right, but I'm having problems keeping fish alive in it. This is my first smaller tank, and I now know why they say its easier to maintain a larger tank than a smaller tank. I got the 10 gallon as to eventually get a small reef rock with clown fish and anemones. But, since I've decided to just make my 55 gallon a salt water tank once I get a 150 gallon tank in a few months.

Saltwater...minimum 30 gallon tank....I hate to even treat fish in a 10 gallon tank....