getting started

fish_4_all

I would say add some gravel, the ornament, and as much as you can if you really want to speed up the cycle. It is only temporary so the small castle would only be in there for seeding purposes and then removed. I do think it should be removed as soon as the tank is established or around 2 week into it as it won't serve much purpose after that. If you can, take an actual piece of the filter floss or media from the established tanks filter and place it directly in the filter for the new tank. You could place a sponge filter or a piece of filter floss in the old filter or in the gravel so it can become cultured with some bacteria and then put that in the new tank also. Lots of options and the more you get in there from an eatablished tank the better. If your LFS will do it, get some from them also.

As for fish, neons would be cool and fun to watch, glolite tetras, (especially the albinos ) and some bottom feeders like cories would do well. I have seen a fish but I haven't been back to the LFS to find out what it is that feeds on the surface, almost looks like a Guppy with a turned up mouth but is a really cool fish. Hopefully someone will tell you what it is as I have yet to find it online. Cories like to play in caves and such and a few pieces of driftwood or bogwood would be a nice addition for them. Skunk botia loaches or other smaller loaches are a possible choice also but I wouldn't recommend them with cories or other bottom dwelling hiding fish. Mystery snails would be ok and you can keep them from reproducing by either keeping one or removing the eggs that they lay above the waterline. Might be something for a school project to take the eggs to school and let them hatch. Will try to find that fish unless someone beats me to it.

Lots of options, if you are unsure about a fish, just run it by us in here and we will help.

Lupin

Definitely not the Skunk Loach(Botia morleti). They are very aggressive loaches and are terrible bullies. I used to have them and they are quite nippy. My lfs also has them and they were nipping the poor Boesemann's rainbowfish.

Loaches are fine with all bottom dwellers with the exception of predatory and large catfishes. However, I'll make exceptions with some loaches like the Botia morleti as they are a nuisance to almost all fish. Cories are fine along with doradids.

Pls avoid the Botia morleti and Botia modesta at all costs. Both are very aggressive. Avoid the Clown Loach(Chromobotia macracantha). Not aggressive but their size is something to consider. Clowns can reach 16 inches in a few years and need company. 28 gallons is far too small. Two clowns will need 55 gallons alone but I would not recommend keeping only two.

HTH
Blue

fish_4_all

That's odd, I have never had a problem with theloaches battling with anything but my cories. They are in a community tank with swords and a Common Pleco and no fin nipping in there. The large female even shares a cave with the pleco.

Guess I got lucky. But take the advice, they are not a fish to mess with if they are that aggressive.

Lupin

Are your loaches the Botia morleti? I had them and they are troublesome.
My clowns and yoyos already ripped several plants last July. You lucky git.

crazie.eddie

Skunk loaches (Botia morleti) are mean, so I can understand them being troublesome.

tinymitymo, I'm sure your kids will be happy, but are you sure it will be their tank? ;)

tinymitymo

come on now - how many 9 & 11 year olds can be fully responsible for their own tanks. Of course it will be mine and my hubbies too.

I will guide them into fish choices though as this will be a great learning experience for them. My older son is fixated on oceans, marine biology and that type of thing. Any time he can choose his own topic for a research project it has to do with fish or the ocean. When he was 8 in 3rd grade he did one on the different layers of the ocean and the fish that lived there and in 5th grade he did an extensive project on the history of the equipment used for submarine exploration. His dream is to work at a place like Woods Hole.

They understand that they have to wait for the fish and go slowly. We took water samples into the lfs for several weeks before we bought our own kits. Tonight I let my 9 year old do the tests on the two little tanks (one is fine but the other needs a few water changes to get the nitrites down).

Is it time yet? LOL

Lupin

Nope.:) Until you have zero ammonia and nitrites in a few days(without detectable levels that is) and nitrates lower than 40, you can't buy fish yet.:)

crazie.eddie

Hey, don't be surprised. I'm sure there are allot of chidren around that age that are very responsible fish keepers. Flatcam1 is a member here, along with other forums and he is only 12.

weaselnoze

ok its something like pantrax. i cant think of it but it starts w/ a P and ends with an X. i saw them being sold as yellow 'pantrax' or whatever that word is...

Lupin

Panchax.:)