Fish Tanks - Who Has One ?

[patrick jane]

I had a fish tank once. I rented a room in my house to a HS buddy and he was a fish lover. Soon after moving in, he acquired a 55 gallon fish tank and stand, then he got two Oscars, one was albino They grew really fast and I quickly learned to enjoy watching the fish, really relaxing. I learned more about tanks and fish, but I'm not close to being really knowledgeable although, I bought a cichlid of my own, a Jack Dempsey. I loved that little fish. Dave bought his fish as babies, so I got a baby Dempsey. He didn't grow as fast but he held his own, often taking an aggressive stance (fish take stances), he got to be about 4 inches, some time later the guy moved out and took his tank.


I scrounged up a 10 gallon tank but not a properly fitting lid. Long story short, there was an opening just big enough for Jack to fit through and he jumped out while i was at work. I was devastated. So, i may get a 30 gallon tank in a year or so and another Dempsey.


My interest in starting a Fish Tank thread is to get feedback and learn about other kinds of fish. I am also interested in any fish stories anyone has to share.

Jack Dempsey
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[Ktoyou]

I had about a dozen once. One was 180 gallon and one was a 180 gallon, one was a 90 gallon. All the rest were smaller 55 gallon and some 30 gallon. Yes I bred Cichlids: Texas, Red Devils, Green Terrors, Fire Mouth, and the ones you had.

You should have a 'had a fish tank' poll question.

 

[Lon]

CurrentlyView attachment 24009
And the frog likes to sit on top:
View attachment 24011

 

[patrick jane]

CurrentlyView attachment 24009
And the frog likes to sit on top:
View attachment 24011

Thanks a lot Lon for the pics, very inspiring. Is that one tank you have ? What kinds of fish and/or frogs ? I didn't know you could have a frog in a fish tank !!

 

[patrick jane]

I had about a dozen once. One was 180 gallon and one was a 180 gallon, one was a 90 gallon. All the rest were smaller 55 gallon and some 30 gallon. Yes I bred Cichlids: Texas, Red Devils, Green Terrors, Fire Mouth, and the ones you had.

You should have a 'had a fish tank' poll question.

I put a poll on here, of sorts

 

[Ktoyou]

Salt water is another way to go.

 

[patrick jane]

Salt water is another way to go.

Those are the most beautiful, but high maintenance and everything is more expensive.

 

[Lon]

Thanks a lot Lon for the pics, very inspiring. Is that one tank you have ? What kinds of fish and/or frogs ? I didn't know you could have a frog in a fish tank !!

The tank is small (10 Gallon) but it is very well set up with a biofilter (1gallon) and aerator bar. Neons and African dwarf frogs (they live mostly on the bottom of the tank but swim to the top (air breathers), they need to be dropper fed but it isn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. Live plants also. The fish have to be smaller and nonaggressive with frogs

 

[Ktoyou]

I put a poll on here, of sorts

I do not have any now. The 90 gallon one was plastic and given to me. I had to repair it. Then after a few years, it broke lose and all the water and fish came out on the floor; my husband was not pleased!

Once my kids were older, I began to sell them off.

With those big talks, one needs to use jets, as bubble tubes will not put enough oxygen in the tank for big fish.

 

[patrick jane]

View attachment 24012

 

[patrick jane]

I do not have any now. The 90 gallon one was plastic and given to me. I had to repair it. Then after a gew years, it broke lose and all the water and fish came out on the floor; my husband was not pleased!

Once my kids were older, I began to sell them off.

With those big talks, one needs to use jets, as bubble tubes will not put enough oxygen in the tank for big fish.

Sounds like you were pretty advanced with the big size tanks and all. I will stay small and just a few fish, probably all cichlids and a proclostamus for the algea. I want low maintenance and less fish poop

 

[patrick jane]

If I could have a small back yard pond that would be interesting.

 

[Ktoyou]

Those are the most beautiful, but high maintenance and everything is more expensive.

Yes, never had them, a fish breeder friend of mine had a few.

 

[Lon]

Sounds like you were pretty advanced with the big size tanks and all. I will stay small and just a few fish, probably all cichlids and a proclostamus for the algea. I want low maintenance and less fish poop

Any more, if you are willing to drop a few dollars, they have completely automated systems. If you use a biofilter, which is a pump tank with about 7 filters but maintains equilibrium, you hardly have to touch the tank. It is pretty amazing, even with a salt water tank as far as I've been told (can't speak from experience about that - it is more expensive).

 

[Ktoyou]

Sounds like you were pretty advanced with the big size tanks and all. I will stay small and just a few fish, probably all cichlids and a proclostamus for the algea. I want low maintenance and less fish poop

You got it, that's the way to do it. Ask Lon, if you go big you need one of those big round filters that sit in the ground to keep it clean. Red devils are the meanest fish. they will head butt you if you put your hand in the tank. They also will kill proclostamus, if the move off they side of the tank. Mean fish!

Bass are also mean fish.

 

[patrick jane]

The tank is small (10 Gallon) but it is very well set up with a biofilter (1gallon) and aerator bar. Neons and African dwarf frogs (they live mostly on the bottom of the tank but swim to the top (air breathers), they need to be dropper fed but it isn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. Live plants also. The fish have to be smaller and nonaggressive with frogs

Very interesting, it might be even more fun with tiny frogs, how long do they generally live ? I guess they don't jump out at feeding time ?

 

[Ktoyou]

Oscars will get very big fast if you feed then river minnows. You need a big tank and clean minnows. trout food is the best staple. For the big set-up, you need to use round gravel, small and medium size, not that colored plastic coated rock.

 

[Lon]

if you go big you need one of those big round filters that sit in the ground to keep it clean.

Yep, I have one on my 10 gallon The computer system on a friend's tank tells him PH/acidity, temperature change. I'm thinking one day they will even chemically correct it for you.

 

[Ktoyou]

Yep, I have one on my 10 gallon The computer system on a friend's tank tells him PH/acidity, temperature change. I'm thinking one day they will even chemically correct it for you.

Pretty fancy! I had mine before most persons had computers. My fish were sold all over the county.

 

[patrick jane]

Pretty fancy! I had mine before most persons had computers. My fish were sold all over the county.

You ARE the Fish Princess !!! - You bred and sold fish too ?