~ Hey ~ this is good news! My mom has now talked about getting a 55 gallon for the living room so i am sure i will be posting questions about what type of fish to get! If it is okay could you guys give me a list of tropical fish that we could keep multiples of becuase we want a lot but not too many!

Thanks!
Give me the name and then i will go and go0gle it and then i will see if they are something that she would like!

Thanks! I am so excited! We do not want:

platies
moliies

we want something other!

Thanks!
She was wanting some fish that looked kind of like nemo but without having to do salt water becuase we can not afford it! I will make sure that she gets a test kit to along with it so i can use it as well!

Anything else i should have her get with the tank and then i would be aloud to use it too becuase i am for sure going to be the one to take care of the tank!

We need some type of fish to help keep the rocks and things clean as we will do gravel vacs but in between those!

Thanks and sorry for the long post!

wow, glad to hear it dean!!

i'll let everyone else suggest fish

you know you'll need a filter. may i suggest the aqua clear 70. they're relatively inexpensive for a power filter, and give the added benefit of replacing carbon or other bio filter media without disturbing your cycle. the 70 can actually do 300 gph, but that will be good if you happen to overstock ur tank.

you'll need a heater. depending on the temp of your house, you'll probably want a 250-300w heater.

and remember to take your time with this, don't add all the fish at once. remember about cycling and all that. check back here a lot, and we'll all be happy to help ya every step of the way to get it just right.

congrats again, can't wait til y'all get the new tank and get it up and running! keep us posted.

no problem! I think we are going to get the kit from like petco becuase it has the tank filter heater and stand and light

so i think is what we are going to do!

anything else we should get- we are most likely not going to do it right away but you never know!

Thanks!

wow thats really cool!!

oooh fun! you could have some cories for the bottom (like your pink catfish) maybe a nice plec http://www.aquascape.co.uk/bristlenose_plec.jpg .. a shoal of something like neons http://img225.exs.cx/img225/3290/neontetra6mc.jpg...maybe a pair of gouramis.. http://www.theaquarians.net/FishPhotos/gourami_gold.jpg
you can get loads of different types (dont buy giant gouramis!!) ..im not sure of their compatability though.. Sandy will know

Edit: links.. hang on i'll fix them

several types of schools of tetras with one or two types of fish for show fish in the tank.
Make sure that the type of pleco you buy is a bristlenose, they stay much smaller, some petstores don't have any idea of what type they are. The common plecos get huge and overtake your tank.

Also remember some fish, like neons need a well established tank and can't be added until about 3-6 months after cycling is finished.

go0gle different types of tetras and see which ones you like
Harlequin Rasboros are neat, orange and black diamond in the middle, I love them myself and have some in my tropical tank.

For sure get some cories, there are different types like spotted, pandas and probably a few more I can't think of right now.

You will need fake plants, real plants in a 55 will cost for correct lighting, maybe you can go real plants later on. Silk plants look real.

Ornaments and small clay pots for hiding spots are always a good idea, just incase you have a type of fish that likes to hide and they look good in a tank.

African Dwarf Frogs are neat, mine find flakes that end up on bottom of tank, but when you first get them you have to feed them every day some frozen bloodworms. They are neat to watch. I had 3, lost one for unknown reason.

Wow can't wait for you to have it set up and pics. Just remember to add fish slowly. If you are not too sure how much at a time just ask before going to buy any.

How are you going to cycle the tank. I use long finned zebra danios, and they are neat looking fish. Remember most tropicals group together so get at least 6 of each, if not more.

When you have an idea of the stocking of fish give us the list and we can help you out if they are compatible and if you have enough of one kind. And most important we will be able to tell you which ones to add first, the most hardiest to the most delicate added last.

After you get the tank get a BIG thank you card for your mom, with lots of hugs and kissed in it. She would love that. Congratulations and remember we will be here to help you every step of the way if needed.

Maybe try to talk your mom into getting a Python cleaner so it would be alot faster to change water and clean your gravel faster. You can vaccuum gravel and take out water that is needed and then with Python you can fill it up. That way you will not put off changing all the water out of such a large tank. I have a 55 gallon and still trying to get a Python cleaner, killing my back with pails of water.

thanks we are not getting it right away but she just said that we are getting one so i am excited!

Hey Dean,Another good idea,is to actually go to the Pet Store and look over the tanks in person to see what catches your eye-then write the fish name down and come home and research it's needs,what they're compatible with,etc.Sometimes it's hard to figure out what you want if you're not seeing them in person,first hand.
Staying away from Common Pleco's is a good idea,because of the size that they grow,,I'm sure that you can come up with something.along with NOT buying any kind of Sharks.I have recently seen an abundance of different types of sharks really low priced,and they all tend to have special needs,some like to school,and most will outgrow a 55 gal. tank. Finding a Little Nemo,non salt may be hard,but if you spend some time really thinking about ,I'm sure that you can come up with something. My one LFS has a huge tank full of different types of Cichlids(who also have specific requirements) that are beautiful because of their yellows/blues,and other color's. That tank almost looks saltwater like because of it. The key once again is to do alot of research before you buy,and to make sure that you have all that you need to start an aquarium up right.There's nothing worse than losing fish right after you buy them.

It might be awhile before you get the tank but I researched on my GSP for almost a yr until I bought one. It is best to be prepared and be sure of what you are planning for the tank. The more prepared you are the better and maybe your mom can have some say of what type of tetras she likes. She might surprise you and come home with the tank way sooner than you think. So start looking in petstores and researching.

thanks devs, i was just coming back here to add my part about no sharks. i saw them on sale at the new petco that just opened out here. always makes me sad to think about the tanks they'll be going into. irridescents and balas are a huge no-no for most home aquaria, but try getting a pet store to tell you that.

cichlids can be kinda tough if you don't know what you're doing with water quality and the gradual changing of such when necessary. very colorful tho, but a test kit is a prerequisite there for sure.

hey, you know what you could do to keep busy until you and your mom get the new tank. start keeping track of what kind of fish you like by making a folder on your computer and keeping pictures and notes and websites of different fish that you find out about on here. you could even show your mom which ones you like and see which ones she likes too. i'll even get ya started. here's a link to some characins (the family of tropical fish including tetras, barbs, and even pihrana) and some catfish (cories, plecos) to browse around and read about.

thanks! I will keep looking for some good deals on tanks plus i am watching on www.craigslist.com for some of the tanks that they might post as well as freecycle!

Thanks! I am going to start keeping a folder!

If I were you I would cycle the tank fishlessly so no fish are harmed or stressed, and you don't run the extra risk of introducing disease before you even get totally set up. I can give you a link if you want.

I don't like tank "kits" very much. You usually end up with lower quality filter and not so good lights. I'd much rather mix and match so I can get exactly what I want. If you get a tank set up second hand, make sure you see it running in person before you hand them the money.

yea dean, i'd really give strong thought to fishless cycling when it comes time. personally i can't stand knowing a fish of mine is going through it, whether they're supposed to be hardy or not. i've fishless cycled every tank i've ever had except for jen's betta. it takes a little longer, but i think it's a little easier on you and your fish. you can forgo the daily water testing and such frequent water changes for only doing each at key times during the cycle.

okay thanks! could you please give me the link!

THanks!

Here yah go: http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/FishlessCycle.html

The ammonia you will need should be clear, with no scent, soaps, surfactants etc. If you shake it, it should not foam. If you can not find this (I couldn't) then there is another way. Add a pinch of cheap-o fish flakes (as much as you'd feed the fish you are planning to put in there) in there and feed "imaginary fish". Do a 25% waterchange once a week, just as you would with real fish. This way differs from the liquid ammonia way because fish food can cause a lot of phosphates which can mess with your kH and pH if not removed at the end of the week. Do a 100% water change when you are done before you add the fish.

EDIT: Oh, you NEED a test kit. You won't know when your cycle is done and its safe to buy fish unless you are monitering the nitrogen cycle with tests for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

thanks i will let my mom read through it and then i will see what she says!

Thanks!

there's also some products out like Cycle that can add the beneficial bacteria right to your aquarium. there's different opinions about whether those work at all or are a waste of money, so i'll add mine. i couldn't find the amonia either, so i used cycle and the 'feeding' method, and i was pleased with the quick results.

[edit] it is an added expense though, so you may want to skip it this time.

a tip.. when you 'feed' the tank with flakes, its best to hang them in a net or something so they dont float about the tank and get stuck places and go yucky.

thanks i never thought about that!

THanks!

just want to make sure you know she means to cycle your new tank, and not to try and feed your fish in a net or anything

lol ya thats it!

glad youre getting a new tank Dean, as other have said,make sure you research thoroughly, and i would avoid 'kits'

okay thanks and yes i did know that she meant to cycle my tank!

lol, sorry dean. i figured you did know what she meant but when you said that you hadn't thought of that before i just pictured ya trying to catch all your fish in a green fishnet and feeding them in that i've got way too active an imagination here

and yea, the kits are less expensive, but they usually are also slightly inadequate. if you piecemeal it, you could maybe get a less strong light (since you might not do live plants) and get a slightly stronger filter, for instance. and some of the kits come with like water conditioner or something like that, where you may want to pick your own.

yeah! I am going to keep looking for her!

We do not know yet! We might have it in a year or so!

If you have a filter that runs off of a cartridge, it might be easiest to put the flakes in front of the cartridge

okay thanks i will keep all this in mind, for a fact i might just print this whole post when ever we are done!

Thansk!