Something's Fishy !!

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by lashbear

We've got a fishtank !!

It's only a little 14 Litre (3.7 gallon) tank.

We're getting it all set up - it'll be freshwater, we can heat it if needs be, but what fish should we get ?

I'm thinking a couple of guppies and 5 neon tetras. ?

We can't wait to bring our babies home. What would you suggest (we like colour and shiny when it comes to fish)

A 3.7 gallon tank is tiny. The general rule of thumb for how many fish in a tank is usually an inch of fish per gallon of water in the tank. Neon tetras are small but they can grow to be an inch to an inch and a quarter. Guppies can grow to an inch and a half.

Like CP said, the first group of fish may die. So, I'd start off with some tester fish. You can get some from an aquarium store that stock feeder fish. I'd get one of those to start off your aquarium.

But before you put your primo fish in, you need to make sure your aquarium is cycled. You need to build up nitrate levels in your tank. These nitrates will get rid of ammonia in your tank that build from fish waste. So, I'd get an ammonia, nitrite and nitrate testers. The best are the test strips. When your ammonia levels get high, do partial water changes. After awhile, the ammonia levels will drop and nitrite levels will raise. Continue with water changes. (Make sure to replace only a 1/4 of the water or so.) Then after about 3-4 weeks, nitrites will drop and your nitrate levels will go up. Nitrate gets rid of ammonia which is good. After that, you're set to slowly stock your tank. Don't stock too fast or the ammonia levels will spike. Once the amount of fish you want is in the tank, just do 1/4 water changes every 2 weeks or so.

Smaller tanks are harder to get the levels right. But it is possible.

So:
1. Start with a tester fish.
2. Check ammonia levels. When the levels are high, replace 1/4 of the water.
3. After Nitrites build up, continue the water changes.
4. When nitrates appear, stock tank slowly.
5. Do regular 1/4 water changes.
6. Stock tank slowly.
7. Check for ammonia spikes.
8. 1/4 water changes every 2 weeks or so.


Also, get your fish from a aquarium store that stock healthy fish. If there are a lot of dead fish in the tanks in the store you are in, that's a bad sign. I've had better luck with independently owned pet stores.

If you have more questions, post them here or PM me.

........

Also, most importantly: Don't name your fish until you know that they won't die on you anytime soon. You don't want to name one of your prized fish Kylie and get all attached to only have her die on you in a couple of days. Save the heartbreak and name them later.