kaystar

so much help here and your all lovely people

Im going to pop out in a minute to our local pets at home and see if they have a Tetra Safe Start, can i add any fish after using this? or just Tetra?

I been writing down all the fish you think i should get and i love the betta ones now lol, you did say to add some other small fish too with them, what ones are good companions? Dwarf Pufers? I read they need 5g each as they are terratorial, are they only with other dwarf puffers or with other fish too? The Glo danios are lovely looking fish but i wouldnt know where to get them from, our pets at hoem doesnt sell them

kaystar

Ok first off they dont have Tetra Safe Start but they are on ebay, are they ok to get?

Also writen down the names of most of the small fish they have

• Balloon Molly
• Beckfurdi Pencil
• Flame Tetra
• Black Widow Tetra
• Penguin Tetra
• Lemon Tetra
• X-ray Tetra
• Silve Tip Tetra
• Glowlight Tetra
• neon tetra Red Eye Tetra
• Rummy Nose Tetra
• Head and Tail Light Tetra
• Female Guppy
• Male Guppy
• Black/White Molly
• Zebra/leapard Danio
• Glowlight Danio
• Gold Danio
• Dalmation Molly
• Swordtail
• Golden barb
• Tiger/Green Tiger barb
• Cherry Barb
• Albino/Bronze Cories
• Bettas

The lady said that Bettas dont really get alone with other Bettas or other fish that look like them (mollys and male guppys). So any suggestions out of these fish that are good together and can live in my tank I wouldnt say no to a betta but i do like mollys and. Do mollys ad guppys get along ok?

capekate

Hello Kayster,
Its so frustrating to find after bringing home a tank, that its just not big enough for the fish you want. Your tank is tall and not long like some US 6.6 bookshelf tanks are, which makes your actually swimming area seem smaller. I would IMO go with a Betta, whether female or male, and decorate the tank really pretty.
I noticed in your photos that you do not have a filter yet? Behind the tall plants is that the heater? You really do need a filter for your tank if you dont have one already.
Best of luck, you have a lot of great advice for you in this thread.. and yes, if you do find the TSS, that you add it to the tank at the same time as your fish.

kimb

Hi Kaystar, I will let others weigh in on which fish would be o.k...with tank size I know there will be a few you cannot have. Bettas really should be solitary fish, they often do not play well with others. As far as the Safestart, personally I would be careful about ebay. I know it has a short shelf life, so you would need to know an expiry date, and shipping I would worry about temperatures. Either way, once again, the tank must be cycled (even more important with one that size, as a simple error can cause the water to go out of whack) I am not familiar with the tetra family. Albino corys stay fairly small but I have a bronze that is well over 2". I think anything in the Danio family is hardy, but again you are probably looking at a small number. Do your research and I am sure others will have suggestions. Look at the other methods of fishless cycling and see what you think. Once again good luck

kaystar

Im still looking into the fish to get but FYI i went to a larger Garden Centre where they do loads fish and got some Tetra Safe Start They had a much wider range of fish there too so i think we will go there and get them.

Yep the heater is behind the plants and the filter is there too

ABCDemily

I'd either go with a trio of guppys MAX or a single betta, They love human attention and are very caring towards their owner. He recognises me and always says hello.

I'd go with those if all else fails personally...

kaystar

Another question!

We have added some API Stress Coat and Stress Zyme to the water in the tank yesterday. We have now bought some Tetra Safe Start and would like to use this before adding some fish tomorrow.

Should we empty the tank, refill and add only the Tetra Safe Start, or can we simply add it to the current water with the 2 API products?

Thanks!

bolivianbaby

Empty the tank, refill it adding dechlorinator to the water tonight and then add the Tetra Safe Start when you add the fish

Shawnie

I would empty it and start fresh with TSS...the stress zyme will throw the TSS off as far as cycling because its a bacteria that will not self sustain and will interfere with the live bacteria that TSS contains.....you can use water dechlorinator then 24 hours later, add your tss and fish ...

bolivianbaby lol

ABCDemily

Empty the tank and refill using AquaSafe conditioner, it's reccommended as it won't stop the TSS from working.

Whilst acclimating the fish, add the TSS and then onc ethey've finished, net the fish from the bag and add them to the tank.

What have you decided on?

kaystar

Just got home from work, and going to start emptying the tank, then pop and get the fish, hoping to get 2 guppys and 2 mollys, would also like a dwarf puffer i read they dont get along with other puffers but do they with other fish, if they dont i wont get one of them.

ABCDemily

Mollies can get huge, and they probably won't appreciate being in a tank so small unfortunately. Either go with a betta, a single dwarf puffer fish or a trio of male guppies.

kaystar

Ohh dont want big fishys ok 3 male guppies it is would otts get along ok with guppies? say 2 guppies 2 ottos? I read ottos are quite nice natured

ABCDemily

Otto's are lovley fish, but you have to have algae in the tank for them to survive well. I'd put in the two males, and add the ottos a lot later for their own good

Good luck!

kaystar

we have just finished emptying the old water out and added the new water. Is it essential to add dechlorinator? Or can we just go and get the fishys now and add them with the TSS?

ABCDemily

You HAVE to have the dechlorinator. It removes all of the nasty chemicals like chloramine and heavy metals ions like copper, iron, magnesium etc. If you don't the fish will suffer from poisioning from these chemicals.

kaystar

Ok and then pop the fish in 24 hours later?

ABCDemily

Yup, the water can age this way and it works it way through there nice n good.

kaystar

Ok just got back from pets at home and put in the dechlorinator

I would just like to thank everyone for all their help and putting up with the repeated questions from a newbie

Shawnie

did you get fish also? its a great site for all kinds of help for newbies to old hands...we all learn everyday from some amazing members..im glad you are getting your answers

kaystar

Nope going to get 3 guppies tomorrow, so at 5.15 tomorrow GMT we will have 3 new members of the family cant wait to name them

ABCDemily

Guppies are gorgeous fish, good choice!

kaystar

When we got the dechlorinator we had a look at them, there is so many to chose from, i loved a black and silver one my bf likes a yellow and light blue one and we noy sure on the other one maybe a leopard tailed one

ABCDemily

Personally, I like the solid colour ones, leopard prints can sometimes be prone to the use of in-breeding, making them a little more fragile unfortunatly.

kaystar

Ohh ok i will thaty away from the leopard one and proberly get a solid colour one thanks for all the help

ABCDemily

Yaay! And I hope you keep using fishlore! It's a brilliant site and it's brilliant for meeting new people

Shawnie

I adore the leopards ...I have a few of them and they are just amazing under the lights......they have been fine for many years for me...but each fish in the guppy world, have mostly been inbred and its a chance you take with any of them..unless you find a pure guppy breeder, its not something you can always get away from no matter what colors you get...I would get what you like and just keep them happy and enjoy them

kaystar

Thanks for all the help and advice Such a lovely forums you have here i wont be leaving any time soon

I will take some piccys of them tomorrow when i get the home and settled in

kaystar

Hello, just got home with 3 beautiful male guppys they are in the bag in the tank at the moment how long do we need to leave them in it before allowing them into the tank?