[tinymitymo]

Hi all
I have bought my kids a 28 g bowfront aquarium for the holidays. We currently have a 1.5g with a betta a snail and plastic plants and a 2g with a betta, 2 snails, 2 mosquito fish and a few strands of live gooseweed. The gooseweed, mosquito fish and 3 snails were all started as a school project by my 9 year old. After it sat in it's little 2 liter soda bottle ecosystem in my kitchen window for two months we upgraded to the 2g (and bought the 2 bettas then). Both kids are still really into the fish so we told them we would get a bigger aquarium for Christmas (the 9 year old thinks it will be a 5 gallon - I expect a couple of very excited kids when they see how big a one we got).
I think I want to leave the two baby tanks alone and start fresh with the big one. I know it needs to cycle and I think I can swish the filter from the 2g (Eclipse) into it to help start it. I have water testing reagents for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
I'd like some advice on stocking. I think I'd like a couple of low maintenance live plants and my son really likes the look of the neon tetras. I guess I'll need to get one or two small bottom feeders in there.
Will we be able to have other fish besides a small school of neons and something to eat algae/fish poop?
Thanks for any help in advance

 

[Lupin]

Hi and welcome aboard.:wave:

Did you mean those fish you are asking like the neons will be for the 28 gallons? If so, of course, you can have other fish.
Surface
Danios are good options to occupy the surface. They are also quite hardy and are nout fuzzy with various water conditions.
Middle
Aside from a shoal of neons(6 or more is recommended in number), you can try diamond tetras, lemon tetras, harlequin rasboras and hengeli rasboras. I wouldn't buy neons at the moment until your tank matures to 6 months as neons are not really very hardy. Lemon tetras will be a good start along with diamond tetras.
Bottom
Bristlenose are good options. Get only one as they can be mildly territorial against each other. Otos are also good at consuming algae though I wouldn't get them until your tank reaches 6months of maturity. Otos can be quite sensitive to water conditions.

No fish can really eat detritus which I expect has been said by most people who are quite ignorant of what the fish really needs.:blueworry: I have heard of people here that common plecs eat poo but this is wrong. They need food as other fish do. Ghost shrimps and Malayan Trumpet Snails are good at eating detritus though I must warn you that MTS are a pain to remove but still, they are the best options as the way they dig into the bottom, it helps prevent the appearance of anaerobic spots which can release toxins thereby killing your fish.

What is your filter? You'll need heater to maintain the constant temperature as temperature changes often have dire consequences to the fish.

As for plants, javan ferns, javan moss and anubias are recommended. They require low light so they are good options.

Cycling
What method of cycling will you use? If you use cycling with fish, danios will be the best choice you can have when cycling. As mentioned previously, they are quite hardy and will survive the cycling process unlike most other fish.

HTH
Blue

 

[trreherd]

a great bottom feeding fish that only reaches 2 inches is the corrry catfish they are schooling.(i have one and its my favorite fish)
i know your kid would love glass catfish. they are not bottom feeders but they still have the wiskers but the kids would love them cause you can see rite through them!
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=2519&N=0
I think some neons and a some glass cats and some corry cats and maybe a pleco(bottom dweller) would be great.
another great fish your kid would love are guppies, get some males and female and they will mate in your tank and your kids would love to wathch the baby fish.
just remember to not to buy any large fish or fish that will become large(the kids will prolly want to get a big fish) and follow the rule of thum of about 1 inch of fish per gallon of water in the tank. although in my 5 gallon tank i have about 7 iches of fish but i do a lot of maintanes.
i found one of the best ways to ensure a healthey tank inviornment is to do weekly gravel vacs/water changes. My tank was always cloudy but when i started gravel vacing the water cleared.
browse that website i showed you for some ideas for your new tank.
In my tank i have anarchis plant it is a good looking plant but it will need to be trimmed from time to time.

 

[tinymitymo]

I know it is kinder to do a fishless cycle but I know we will all be impatient. I have a little castle ornament thingy in the two gallon. If I move this into the 28 g and swish the filter from the 2g in the water of the 28g will that seed enough bacteria over to start with a few small Danios after a few days of just a pinch of fish food? I know I need to add the fish slowly so that the bacteria grow enough to handle the extra ammonia generated.
I think the betta in the two gallon has been squeezing into the castle and tearing his fins a little. I will get a new ornament for that tank that has a bit bigger opening for him.
As far as the filter and heater and stuff. I got a Topfin aquarium that had a bunch of that stuff included. Right now it is hiding over at the neighbors house so that it can magically appear Christmas morning so I'm not sure what all is in the box. We will set up the stand and just put the empty tank on it for the surprise in the morning as I know it doesn't have any gravel or other substrate included and that will need to be first in.

Boy oh boy - is it Christmas yet?

 

[Lupin]

Nice post, Trreherd. I forgot about cories.:mrgreen:

 

[Lupin]

I know it is kinder to do a fishless cycle but I know we will all be impatient. I have a little castle ornament thingy in the two gallon. If I move this into the 28 g and swish the filter from the 2g in the water of the 28g will that seed enough bacteria over to start with a few small Danios after a few days of just a pinch of fish food? I know I need to add the fish slowly so that the bacteria grow enough to handle the extra ammonia generated.

Should be ok although you may try getting your lfs' filter media. How long has your 2g tank been running? If it has been running for a short time and may not have cycled, your lfs' filter media would be your best option. Oh,I wouldn't use ornaments like castles if I were you. They're just unnatural.:mrgreen: Some bogwood and plants will make your tank loonk more natural. Fake bogwood is fine as it looks natural too. Be aware real bogwood tend to leach out tannins so the water may become yellowish. Not harmful at all and neons and cories will definitely love that kind of environment.

Boy oh boy - is it Christmas yet?

Less than a week yet.:shake: I'm so impatient.:sob: :quiet:

 

[tinymitymo]

the 2g has been up and running for about 5-6 weeks but I moved the gravel, fish, snails and plants over from the soda bottle ecosystem that was set up in September.

I like the natural look too but my 9 year old wanted the castle for his fish and since it is his tank we let him pick.

 

[Lupin]

the 2g has been up and running for about 5-6 weeks but I moved the gravel, fish, snails and plants over from the soda bottle ecosystem that was set up in September.

Ok. You can go to that. What filter were you using? Filtration should be sufficient for a 28 gallons tank.

 

[trreherd]

I was going to tell you to take a rubermaid bin fill it up with water,fish,gravel and hook up your filter, start cycling your filter and your gravel in it with some fish and then set is all up christmas morning but i just remembered your kids are yung so how would you explain santa leaving a pre seeded filter and gravel with the tank lol
Ya i would say you should take some filter media from you old tank and put it in the new filter and put some hardy fish in and wait two weeks.

 

[Lupin]

I was going to tell you to take a rubermaid bin fill it up with water,fish,gravel and hook up your filter, start cycling your filter and your gravel in it with some fish and then set is all up christmas morning but i just remembered your kids are yung so how would you explain santa leaving a pre seeded filter and gravel with the tank lol

:bluelaugh: :bluelaugh:
Hide it in the basement?:mrgreen:

 

[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 :wink: ) 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]

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.

Definitely not the skunk loach(Botia morleti).:blink: 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.:sob:

Loaches are fine with all bottom dwellers with the exception of predatory and large catfishes.:wink2: 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]

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.

Are your loaches the Botia morleti?:shock2: I had them and they are troublesome.:shake:
My clowns and yoyos already ripped several plants last July.:sob: You lucky git.:sob:

 

[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]

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

:mrgreen:
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.
:mrgreen:
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]

Is it time yet? LOL

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]

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

:mrgreen:
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.
:mrgreen:

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]

Will try to find that fish unless someone beats me to it.

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]

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...

Panchax.