Fish Experts

[TNT]

I am looking for the fish expoerts on Jabbas world. I have some questions about Convict Cichlids and Red Bellies. I will wait to see them post until i ask the questions.

[ZfrkS62]

666fast is the JW Fish guy. I dunno when he'll be around though

[666fast]

666fast is the JW Fish guy. I dunno when he'll be around though

I'm here! You might wanna send a PM to fishfrek about the thread as well (incase he doesn't see it) Like I said in the other thread, I'm sure he knows farmore than I do.

By Red Bellies, I assume you mean Piranhas. I've already said what I think of them, I found them pretty boring. Before you do anything, look up your local and state laws, Piranhas are illegal in many states. Also, just because the state doesn't say it's illegal, doesn't mean that local laws agree. Make sure to check both. Easiest way would be to finda fish shop and give them a call.

Convict Cichlids I have plenty of experience with. Tough little shits! They are very very territorial, especially when breeding and really are best off in a tank of their own. They'll go up against fish much larger than themselves to protect their territory and eggs.

[ZfrkS62]

Yeah, but i figured you'd be here before he was. I don't remember the last time i saw a post by him.

[TNT]

Well i am more of wondering how long a convict cichlid could live in a 10 gallon tank? I have the budget for a 10 gallon tank but i really want to get a convict or a red belly piranha. the store near me had them pretty cheap but i am not sure i can handle to weight of a big tank or the money for one. But yes i am looking on getting one or so convicts but if i get a red belly then i will more then likely three of them. But the convicts are really peaking my interest right now.


EDIT:
I have done some more searching and what about a paradise fish in a 10 gallon tank? (19"W x 9.5"D x 18"H) they get to around 3.5-4 inches i believe. I am looking to have to buy one tank. and right now that 10 gallon is all that is in my budget, it comes with all i need to get it running. So what fish could stay living in a 10 gallon tank? what is the max size for 10 gallons?

[666fast]

Before you run out and buy a tank, take a look in your local newspapers classifieds. People are always getting rid of tanks cheaply in them.
A 10 gallon tank really is quite small, but with some planning, they can be wicked cool. Especially if you are into planted tanks.
A 10 gallon tank actually holds maybe 7 or 8 gallons once all the gravel, decorations and filter tubes etc... displace water. Larger tank are easier to keep stable than smaller ones since any change in water chemistry takes longer to have an effect.


A 10 gallon would work for 1 Convict. If you want to keep more than one, I would go for at least a 30 gallon tank.

As far as Red bellies go, I wouldn't even attempt keeping one in a 10 gallon, once fully matured, they'll be around a foot long. If you want to keep at least 3, you'll need a 55 gallon tank minimum. The more space the better though.

You could keep Paradise fish in a 10gal tank. You could probably keep 2 without a single problem as long as you keep the tank clean. Make sure not to get two males if you decide to keep them. They'll fight constantly.

There really isn't any standard for how many fish you can put in a tank. You could stick 100 tiny tetras in a 10 gallon and with a constant supply of fresh, clean water, they would be fine. Most people tend to stick with 1gal to each inch of fish. So, with a 10 gallon, about 7 or 8 inches of fish would be good.

There are a lot of fish to choose from, here is a small list off the top of my head:

Corydora Catfish. neat little guys with whiskers, they are entertaining to watch as well.
Killifish. There are a few species that stay around the 2" mark and they are very pretty fish with incredibly bright colors.
Dwarf Puffers. Make sure to get a freshwater one and not a brackish species. These guys are pretty cool, get to be about 2" and have a ton of personality. Thy look like Helicopters buzzing around.
There are a ton of Dwarf cichlids and gourami's to choose from as well.

Take some time and head down to a fish shop and look around. Most places have little cards to say what th fish is along with it's max size. Write it down and go home to read what their requirements are.

A 10gal tank is small, but there are tons of small fish to choose from. I do recommend saving for awhile and getting a larger tank if it's possible though. A 55gal kit runs about $200 (I bought my first 55 gallon from a newspaper classified for $30) I think i spent maybe $30 to build my own stand for i as well.

Keeping fish is cooler than most people would think, if your new found hobby gets it's fangs in you, beware! It'll get expensive and no tank will ever be big enough. (A guy on another foum I visit built a 50,000gal tank!!!!!)

[TNT]

Well i am thinking of going with the last fish i have had, a betta, and breeding them for competition. ( http://www.ibcbettas.com/ ) But my question is if i buy a pair ( www.aquabid.com ) would i be able to keep them in the same 10 gallon tank? I know the male would pick on and possibly kill the female but i hear if there is cover they will be ok and breed pretty quickly, or am i wrong about that?



EDIT: also i saw a food ffrom TopFin that you put in the tank and it feeds the fish for up to a week? has anyone every heard of this working?

[666fast]

Male Battas will beat up the females when breeding, they just get territorial when protecting the eggs. You do need to provide cover. You'll also need somthing for them to build their nests. They make bubble nests in plants (and many other things) that float on top of the water.
Best thing you could do is wait for them to build the nest and lay their eggs and remove the female. All you would need is another tank (a 10gal is about $10) and a sponge filter. Total cost shouldn't be much for the second tank and simple filter.

As for the food, I've seen them but I've never used them. I assume it does work, but if you are going to breed them for Competition (no small feat!) you'll be much better off feeding them foods you've made yourself. There are plenty of recipes out there.
Food is more important than just keeping the fish from starving. Proper foods will not only keep it healthy and prevent disease, but will also enhance color and posture/shape.

Show quality Bbettas are amazing to see, I especially love the double tails! Th ginats are pretty interesting as well, though I don't recall ever having seen one in person.

[ZfrkS62]

From what i gather though, they are all but impossible to breed. You have to keep a constant eye on them otherwise the male may end up eating the eggs instead of transferring them to the bubble nest.

I've also heard the female is just as likely to fuck up the male if she's not ready to mate.

Then once the fry hatch, you have to seperate them at the right time too. So this isn't the hobby for you if you don't have time to keep a constant eye on them.

[TNT]

well the breeding and show competition is just a possibility. I may not have to breed them i need to read the rules. But i am def. going to get a male and put him in a 10 gallon be himself for the time being. But i don't know if i should pay more for one of the ones off online, they look healthier and better colors then the ones in the LFS. I mean its not much more but you can get some nice color combos. like this one \/\/
http://i4.ebayimg.com/01/i/07/fc/a0/78_1.JPG

but the reason i ask about that food is b/c when i go home for a week i wouldn't have to take it home with me. which would mean i can still head home and see my parents and go on vaction :) I mean i guess i could just get them they are like 3 bucks for 6 of them. :bah: But i wouldn't feed my betta that as a staple food. just a every now and then. but they are known for being picky eaters :| so i don't know if i would be able to just "switch" to that for vaction time.

Should i get a Petco/PetSmart/LFS betta or mail order one?

Would a topmount filter move the water to much for a betta?
this is the filter that comes with the tank \/\/
http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/products/detail/large/i/inP0/inP029522large_edcb.jpg

Could i put a sucker fish (cleaner) in there with my betta?

Should i put in natural wood and pots and bricks or fake store bought?




Thanks so much for the help guys
:clap:

[666fast]

If you want a quality fish, get one from a reputable breeder. It'll cost a bit more, but the odds are it'll be much healthier. If you have a good LFS, you could try them. I would never buy one from a Petco or any other large chain store. They put profits ahead of the care of the fish. Since most of what they sell is very common and cheap.
It's easier (and cheaper) to not take care of them and let them die if they don't sell. I find the Betta bowls that Bettas are sold in disgusting. People would never allow that to be done to just about any other animal, but it's ok for fish apparently.
So, if you can afford it, buy one from a breeder. It's a win win situation, better looking, better colors and most likely much more healthy. Shippihn fish has a few requirements. Some places will only send them airport to airport, some will send right to your door. Just about all places offer some kind of gaurantee incase they show up dead. Also, a lot of places won't ship fish in the winter. It'll get too cold and kill the hish.
Ultimately, it's your money. So you'll have to make the decision for yourself.

Since the filter comes with the tank, it probably doesn't have a huge turnover rate. So I wouldn't worry about the flow causing problems for the Betta. I'm sure it'll be fine. If it does look like it's causing the fish problems, try moving decorations under the return line, it should help calm down the current it'll create. Don't totally eliminate it though, it causes surface agitation which creates oxygen. Of course, fish need oxygen. heh

You can keep a cleaner fish with a Betta. Just choose carefully. Most "cleaner fish" are Pleco's. And not all of them are algea eaters. Some are strict carnivores. If you keep live plants, some species will tear them apart.
Also, some common Pleco's get massive. As in 2 feet long massive. Go to a LFS and ask if they have a true Siamese Algea Eater. Do your best to make sure it is a SAE as there is a Chinese something or another (Flying Fox I think i's called) that looks identical and won't touch algea.
If you can't find one, just find a common pleco that doesn't like to dine on other fish. Once it starts getting a bit to big, trade it in at the LFS for store credit and get a smaller one.
Don't let the "cleaner fish" be the only way to clean your tank. It can't replace what you have to do. I've had a few Pleco's and other algea eaters. They do their job well, but not well enough IMO. You'll have to scrape the sides of the tank everynow and then. Since it's small tank, it'll only take a few minutes. Take the 2 minutes to do it before changing the water.

As for the decorations, you can stick anything you want in there so long as it isn't harmfull to the fish, or capable of changing the waters chemistry. Some types of rock can alter PH and such.
Wood is definately a great addition, it's pleasing to the eye and depending on what kind of cleaner fish you get, will provide a good place for algea to grow for it to eat. You culd go find your own wood, but you'll need to soak it in water. This takes months! It takes a very long time for it to become waterlogged and stay at the bottom of the tank. Plus, wood that hasn't already been soaked (like you would find in a LFS) will leak tannins into the water. It's harmless, but it'll turn the water into a murky yellow/brown color. Plus, if the wood has any pesticides in it, it could wreak havoc in the tank.
I'd just get it from a LFS if I were you. It's somwhat expensive, but worth it once you realize the work involved when collecting it yourself. the stuff you get from a LFS might also float a bit (tie it down with a rock if you have to, just use really small fishing line) and it might also turn the water that yellowish brown color. It eventually will go away with regular water changes.
You can use clay pots with no problems. I used them in my cichlid tanks numerous times. I used to get slightly bigger ones and hit them with a hammer. It looks a bit more natural than a big pot just sitting in the tank.

Rocks, use what you want really. I've used rocks I've pulled out of rivers numerous times without problems. That doesn't mean it wouldn't create problems for you though. They should be soaked like wood for a damn long time as you never know what kind of pesticides or chemicals they may have been exposed too. If you decide to collect your own, make sure to at least soak them in hot water and give them a good brushing with a steel wool pad or somthing.
Otherwise, just buy them. I have, but only when there was something that really caught my eye. Like a wierd shape or color. My main problem with store bought rocks is they tend to be expensive. Seriously, $40 for a rock, eff that noise.

You'll definately want to add some type of plant, live or fake. It makes the tank look much better but it isn't neccessary. I once had a tank with no decorations and no gravel, just water and fish.
If you do a bit of searching, there are a lot of low light, easy to care fo plants that should grow easily without much attention from you. That said, some people just have no luck whatsoever with live plants. A friend of mine failed each and everytime, I on the other hand didn't really have any trouble. No idea why, it just happens LOL

A lot of places are selling ultra realistic silk plants that are easily mistaken for the real thing, you could give those a look if you don't want to go for real plants. You could also use the regular plastic ones that everyone has used at one point or another. It really doesn't make a difference, it's up to you and your wallet.
Whichever yo shoose to use, make sure to give them a wash before putting them in the tank. Some hot water and vigorous rubbing will be enough.

Does the kit you ar elooking at come with a test kit? If not you'll want to get one.

[TNT]

the kit is a Top Fin 10 gallon with filter, heater, conditioner, light and hood, and everything to get it running. I don't think there is a test kit. but i would buy a continuous testing PH meter, and then some other test strips. But yeah i def. think i will be getting one from ebay/kuhnbetta.com/aquabid.com. i just need to find one i want. But thanks for the info on the decor, i don't think i have any container that i could let them soak for that long lol.

But i will def. keep you all updated. my only thing i have to figure out now is when i should buy it before or after my trip in a few weeks? But i want to get one if i like the color combo and i see it online. but i don't know if it will be ok with the one kind of food and be itself for a week?