sick-lid boy

Just got a brand new little 12 gl. nano tank... NOW... what to do with it? A mini SW set-up which I'd really love to have? Get a few dwarf puffers which I've kinda wanted for a while? Or switch my fish from my 15 gallon to the new tank and use the old 15 gallon for fry and/or a hospital and probably need more than my other choices?


I'm REALLY leaning towards the mini saltwater tank. What do you think?

COBettaCouple

i have a great idea!!! mail it to us. :P

i like the dwarf puffers idea.. that's what i'd do.

Stradius011

Congrats. It's your choice what you want to put in your aquarium.

sick-lid boy

With the Dwarf Puffers, I could have the tank cycled and ready for the fish in almost no time. I have an extra little portable filter that's rated for 10 gl. tank in my 55 gallon tank for just such an occasion. Plus I have extra gravel and rocks just sitting around... And D.P.s are such cool little guys!

But on the other hand... it's a really cool looking tank with moonlights and whatnot and would look awesome as a mini reef set-up. Plus, since I've never had any saltwater tanks or anything it would be a new and different challenge...

Also, my wife hasn't seen the new tank yet nor does she know about it. She's gonna flip her wig when she sees it. Getting all the live rock and everything for a saltwater set-up would definitely send her into a triple backspin with a half gainer ... and I love fighting with her about spending money on fish. Keeps the relationship fresh, you know...

Decisions, decisions...

Stradius011

COBettaCouple

SW would be cool, but i'd say get 30g+ for that so you can have more options and the slightly higher margin for error.. and enter your wife in a diving competition, she sounds really talented.

Amorinthe

casting my vote for the puffers. besides my betta - I can't think of a cooler fish!!

Jendayi

We have a 12g AquaPod tank which we use for a reef tank. We've had it for just over three months and it is really a fun project to work on. The little reef eco system is fascinating to watch. It cycles very fast with live rock and live sand. We were cycled had our clean up crew going at about 3 weeks, and our first coral at 4 weeks.

That's my vote!

sick-lid boy

Well, after a bit of research, I think I'm just going to go with the Dwarf Puffers. As much as I would love a mini-saltwater set-up, I just don't see that many SW fish that would be able to live in a tank that small... I'll probably just wait until I get a bigger tank for my Oscar, and then use the 55 gallon tank that he's in now for a salt water tank.

Also, I just got an email from the guy who sold me my Discus tank and most of my Discus fish saying he has WAY too many Discus right now and said he'd give me a great deal on some Discus if I wanted a few more. He sent me this picture and I thought it was kinda funny. Looks like he has more fish than he has water...


So if I went with DPs in my 12 gallon, it would cost me next to nothing to set it up and I could probably swing a pair of those Red Melons (the orange and white guys).

atmmachine816

That is a tough decision but I'm thinking discus need a bigger tank than 12 gallons and that they won't get along well with the dp's.

sick-lid boy

LOL!! I know that!! I'm talking about getting the Discus for my 80 gallon Discus tank. The Dwarf Puffers would be the only ones in the 12 gallon.

I just got the 12 gallon tank from Fed Ex about an hour ago. It looks great... it has an integrated filter which I suppose is okay. I'd kinda rather have a choice of filter, you know.. but hopefully the built-in filter will be good.

COBettaCouple

cool.. but i think you need more water in there.. :P

atmmachine816

O ok

Nice tank, don't forget to check the kelvin of the lights they gave you, usually cubes are for SW

Stradius011

Gah! Another discus picture! kinda makes me want discus(s) so bad...

sick-lid boy

Well, I went with the dwarf puffer set-up. I'm using a little Duetto 50 filter to cycle it with (in addition to the built in filter). Got the tank set up and running at about 1:00pm and added a few bloodworms. By 8:00pm my ammonia reading was already at 2.0. So we'll see how it goes from here. If the ammonia doesn't start dropping by tomorrow, I'm gonna stick some filter fiber from another tank in there as well. The puffers they have at my LFS are Indian Dwarf Puffers http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=971. Hopefully I'll be getting three of those guys within the next few days.

You should get some!! They're great fish. And they're not all that difficult to keep as they're made out to be. Warm, clean water is about it. I think Discus have become a lot more hardy than they used to be. Like I mentioned before, I find Neon Tetras to be harder to keep than Discus.

sick-lid boy

I added some filter fiber from my 55 tank around 12:00pm today... by 6:00pm the nitrate reading was around 160. I took out the filter media from the 55 and changed half the water. Tomorrow I will test again and see what it's like. Here's what the tanks looking like...

COBettaCouple

whoa.. looking sweet!

Callum The Cat

capekate

Hi Sick lid boy.,..
WOW love the photo of the discus tank! I have three discus, and saw another one yesterday, a lemon striped one that I want to add to the discus tank! Ive followed your posts on discus and would love to be able to discuss their care with you, since having discus is new to me.
I LOVE your lil 12 gal tank! and the set up looks really nice.. your Dwarf puffers will be really happy in there! ~ kate

Jendayi

It looks great! Your aquascaping is very nice... Can't wait to see the little puffers!

sick-lid boy

Yeah. I like that photo too . Looks like the guy has a Discus invasion... He's a cool guy. When he sold me my tank and first eight discus he gave me a few pointers on keeping discus. When I went to his pad to pick up my tank, all he had were pigeon bloods (he was breeding them), but it looks like he expanded quite a bit. I'm seriously considering a pair of those Red Melons... But yeah, I'd be glad to hear any questions or thoughts on keeping discus. I'm far from an expert, but maybe we can learn together. Love my discus!!

And thanks all for the comments on my 12 gallon. I'm really loving this tank so far and there's not even any fish in it yet..

COBettaCouple

yea, that's a good amount of discus there.. they are a fish that i'm considering for the 30g tall that we got yesterday.

i wonder if a dwarf puffer or 2 would get along with discus.. the puffers are going to love their new home.