endrasgarden

Hi guys,

I'm new to the hobby and new to the forum. I've been reading fishlore regularly as I have been researching my tank. I initially wanted to do oscars, but when I figured out I would need at least a 55g for one oscar, I started looking at other options. I live on the second floor of a really old building. I plan to buy a place in less than five years, and I will be upgrading to a 75+ tank.

For now, I've got a 37g tank (it's the same footprint as a 29 but taller). I set it up yesterday, and it is still cycling. Today I added two swordtails as a source of ammonia for the nitrogen cycle. I'm not overly concerned with their well being. Matter of fact, they may end up as feeders depending on the fish I get.

What would be a good setup for this tank? I have a couple of ideas. Maybe some experts can give me some advice. The only thing I don't want is a boring old tetra community tank. I want some fish with a little aggression. I also think it would be cool to watch cichlids raise some kids.


I've included a couple of pics:








1. Angels and Dwarf Gouramis

2-4 angels

2-4 dwarf gouramis

1-2 plecos


2. Red Bellied Piranhas

3-4 baby (quarter size) RB piranhas

3. Convicts, Firemouths, or Blue Acaras, severums

2-4 of any of the above cichlids
1 pleco

4. 1 big ol' cichlid
1 jack dempsey, green/red terror, jaguar

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.



Thanks,
-C

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!! and your tank looks great..but, im having a hard time giving advice when you arent concerned about the fish you have...so I wish you well anyhoo and I hope the swordtails survive!

endrasgarden

well don't get me wrong, I don't wish any harm on the little guys. I will take great care of them for as long as they're in the tank, but I'm not going to go without some fish I would really like to raise because I cycled my tank with two little swordtails...

I'll tell you what. Give me some advice and you have my solemn oath that if I decide to get some more aggressive fish, I will move these guys to a smaller tank on their own (to breed as feeders), or I will find a better home for them elsewhere. Boy scouts honor.

Shawnie

how about doing a fishless cycle with some ammonia or fish food? why put an animal through all that?

endrasgarden

the guys at the two different fish stores told me to do it that way... I mentioned fishless cycling and they scoffed. I'm new so I went with their advice...

Shawnie

ahh ok...well that explains alot...fishstores want to make money im sorry I jumped on you!! but they were wrong...at this point if you dont return them to do a fishless cycle, you have to wait for an ammonia reading then do a daily water change with some water conditioner like prime to neutralize the chemicals in your water..then when you have an ammonia and nitrite reading of 0 and a nitrate under 20, you will be cycled..which takes weeks with fish...unless you can get some tetra safestart or bio spira which will instantly cycle a tank...goodluck and sorry again

endrasgarden

Ok so what do I do? Return the fish and then what? Put food in the aquarium and wait weeks for nitrobacter to grow a colony?

Shawnie

read this link and it will tell you all you ever need to know about starting any fish tank...and again, im very sorry for jumping the gun and your tank really does look great...

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

endrasgarden

ok well I have one more question. I'm a science major with a lot of bio classes under my belt (including microbio). When I set the tank up yesterday, I poured in prescribed amount of cycle, cranked the heater up to about 88 F and let it run. I let it run all night and day at that temp, and when I got home from work the water was slightly cloudy with a bit of odor. I have smelled about a billion inoculated plates and it does have sort of a bacterial smell. Is it possible that I already have nitrobacter growing in my tank? I washed all the gravel and plants and whatnot prior to setting up the tank.

btw I turned it down several hours prior to inserting the swordtails...

Lucy

Nice tank and welcome to Fish Lore.


I agree with Shawnie. Why do people sell fish who don't care about their well being?

I'd advise to take them back and not put them through the stress, strain and possible death of cycling.

Do a fish less cycle, but I would advise using pure ammonia, fish food can get really messy, I just found that out.
It's a lot easier too, you don't have to change any water.
If you cycle with fish, you're going to have to do daily resting and water changes.

Here's a good thread on fish less cycling using ammonia:

Ammonia instructions for a fishless cycle

Now you can really research your fish choices. If you don't like looking at an empty tank, cover it and read a book...or Fish Lore

Good luck.

Shawnie

congrats on your bio classes!! nothing like a great education but im wondering, did the fish store tell you to use cycle also? cycle doesnt have the bacteria to sustain a good culture for a good cycle...you must add cycle to a tank at least once a week for the life of the tank to keep that beneficial bacateria going...so id stop using cycle unless you plan on using it forever...I think the cloudyness could be from a bacteria bloom from a new tank sydrome and deffinately turn the heat down to about 78 for your swords...those gotta be strong lil buggers to be alive still...if you read that link I showed you or the one lucy gave you, it will help alot....goodluck!

endrasgarden

ok so i need to make some changes in the way I'm cycling the tank. gotcha.

So is anybody going to lend any advice on the initial question in this post? or are you guys going to leave me to the advice of the local fish stores?

Lucy

Some one who knows more about stocking will be along to give you plenty of ideas.