Are smaller tanks harder to keep?

[callisto9]

Then you have the makings for a good shrimp tank with those plants. Anubias, java fern, moss balls and if you can .. java moss.

Shrimp like RCS are relatively easy to keep and would readily breed. The beauty is that in a 6 gal you cab start with as little as 10 and let them increase their colony over several months. They'd have to breed a few times over before they become too numerous ... Then sell them to members or a trusted LFS.

Don't feel like dealing with breeding ... Then get Amano shrimp ... The larvae require saltwater to develop otherwise they die even though they hatch in freshwater.

Or do 6 RCS and a few Amano if you want to breed some shrimp.

I don't know if I'm ready for shrimp. I kinda want swimming fish at this point... but I will definitely take this into consideration. Thank you!

Can I do shrimp with a mystery snail? I have one and he's getting quite large.

 

[GodFan]

I don't know if I'm ready for shrimp. I kinda want swimming fish at this point... but I will definitely take this into consideration. Thank you!

Can I do shrimp with a mystery snail? I have one and he's getting quite large.

Mystery snails are dirty too but they wont hurt a thing. If your interested in other fish check out: ember tetras, chilli rasboras, celestial pearl danios, pygmy cories, green neon tetra, endlers livebearer (males only), and their are others I just dont remember the names....

 

[callisto9]

Thank you so much! I've looked at some of those and really like them.

 

[jcolon]

I don't know if I'm ready for shrimp. I kinda want swimming fish at this point... but I will definitely take this into consideration. Thank you!

Can I do shrimp with a mystery snail? I have one and he's getting quite large.

The beauty is you can start with Amano or ghost shrimp along with some of the Nano fish mentioned. Ghost are less expensive than Amano so that would be the way to start. Plus, they'd eat any left over food the fish don't eat.

 

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

I can't believe I didn't think of endlers they are actually small guppies and very colorful.

 

[GodFan]

Yep but they will pester other fish or each other so be sure to get enough to spread their attention (they try to mate with EVERYTHING). Be careful if you get ghosties. Some will eat small fish.I LOVE nano tanks so no problem

 

[creic38]

Yes, endlers are awesome. I keep them myself. BUT, they breed like mad an will overwhelm your tank in a month. Of you go that route, just get a few males. And as for chili rasboras, or any micro rasboras, they need a pretty low ph. Research this guys before you jump into them.

 

[callisto9]

Thank you all so much for the fish recommendations. After all this, I am looking at upgrading my tank to a 20 or 29 gallon. I have a very small spot in the bedroom that would work. Has to be 25" wide or less.

I am so fascinated by this whole aquarium thing...

Guppies are doing well tonight. I know they aren't long for this world, but I do love watching them.

 

[Wiggles24]

Endlers r cool! They foo breed like crazy though but I have found them to be much more peaceful than guppies if u r going to do endlers u could do s small colony, that's what I have they have s tank to themselves n they just do their own thing

 

[Jess1ca]

You could also look at something like shrimp or even a dwarf crawfish. Here's a pic of mine

How cute!!!

 

[callisto9]

I can wait to hit the LFS this weekend... I just want to browse...

 

[emerald76]

My guppies have never given me much trouble, they are good little fishies lol
Though I must admit the combination of a snail, guppies, and cories produces NASTY water changes. Like, coffee colored

 

[callisto9]

My guppies have never given me much trouble, they are good little fishies lol
Though I must admit the combination of a snail, guppies, and cories produces NASTY water changes. Like, coffee colored

These are big chain guppies and I've had five deaths in less than a month.

Water quality is decent though. I vac the substrate about once a week and take out about a gallon of water.

 

[GodFan]

These are big chain guppies and I've had five deaths in less than a month.

Water quality is decent though. I vac the substrate about once a week and take out about a gallon of water.

If you keep the guppies then you should up your water changes to 50%.

 

[BlaseMrNiceguy]

If u have live plants you really shouldn't be vacuuming the gravel just try to pick up any waste you see sitting on the surface.

 

[Tomaso]

Of course you can keep 3 male guppies in a 6gallon tank without them getting stressed thats nonsense. It's the number and size of fish that determines what you can have in it. Also if you do a couple of water changes each week there won't be a build up of ammonia, nitrites or nitrates. Of course the bigger the tank the better but don't think you can't have your guppies in that tank you can.

 

[callisto9]

If u have live plants you really shouldn't be vacuuming the gravel just try to pick up any waste you see sitting on the surface.

Oh. That I didn't know. I just run this cheapo plastic thing about an inch above the substrate to get any crud. Is that OK?

 

[callisto9]

Of course you can keep 3 male guppies in a 6gallon tank without them getting stressed thats nonsense. It's the number and size of fish that determines what you can have in it. Also if you do a couple of water changes each week there won't be a build up of ammonia, nitrites or nitrates. Of course the bigger the tank the better but don't think you can't have your guppies in that tank you can.

Thank you for your advice.

This has been a hard process for me. I've only been keeping fish for a few months and it's been very difficult for me to make sense of a lot of things. Everything I read, I also read the opposite. It seems much of fish keeping is open to interpretation and personal experience. However, for a new person like myself, it's been frustrating to know how to do things right.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

This has been a hard process for me. I've only been keeping fish for a few months and it's been very difficult for me to make sense of a lot of things. ••Everything I read, I also read the opposite.•• It seems much of fish keeping is open to interpretation and personal experience. However, for a new person like myself, it's been frustrating to know how to do things right.

Good point. Some practices in aquarium keeping actually are opposite. Take nitrates. In nearly all types of aquariums you want them to be as close to zero as possible. In planted tanks we often have to ADD nitrates into the tank, sometimes daily, to make sure they stay well above zero.

Then we have cichlids. If you have African's you generally want hard water with calcium based gravel and stone to keep the pH high. If you have South American's you want a substrate that will either be neutral or even lower the hardness and pH of the water, as well as driftwood to do the same.

Even with the same tanks, different life forms dictate what steps the aquarist must take to find success. Lights, filtration, substrate, decorations, additives... all of these things should be determined by the animals and plants we intend to house. When you see conflicting opinions, try to see if it comes from a person who keeps something that you aren't actually looking to keep yourself, be it shrimp, difficult plants or anything else.

 

[callisto9]

Yes, it's been very hard to get broad advice when everyone's tank is so specific. I guess that's why people always want to know tank, ferts, plants, size, water params, etc. when asking a question. Even so, it's still tough. I've read over and over that guppies are hearty, but there are just as many people who have problem after problem with them. Some say always put salt in guppy tanks, some say only when sick. Snails can handle some salt...no salt in a tank with snails.

Keeping birds is easier.