Which fish

[motsy]

Hiya all you knowledeable people

I have managed to get a days holiday on Wednesday and so am off to the local fishy place to buy some fish , but I have NO idea what to get!

I have been reading all the profile pages on here, but the problem is I like them all - I also like the look of GD's shell fish, Mary's hatchetfish, indi's plecs..........................and so it goes on

I want some fish that are colourful, will get on together, dont want babies all the time, dont want specific conditions and are easy to keep alive.

I would really, really appreciate some ideas please so I can go and get some decent fish, as well as some idrea of how many fish of each type I could get given the size of my tak (200 litres)

Thanks everyone

[GeordieDave]

Well Motsy the time is nearly upon us.

It depends what you like really. Whats your PH and hardness of water as this is always important in selecting your fish.

if you dont want babies avoid mollies/guppys as these breed like well....guppys lol

Shell dwelling fish require a high PH and very hard water.

[Mary]

Well the sky's the limit but I would suggest you start off with easy-care fish until you're feeling more confident. Chances are that even with the best of care, you will have some mortalities in the initial months.

Also, a lot of species e.g. Rams, Otos, Neon Tetras to name but a few are quite sensitive to water chemistry and should only be added to tanks that have been running smoothly for 6+ months.

Therefore, the nicest mix would be some sort of shoaling species such as Cherry Barbs or Harlequin Tetras. A few larger fish such as Platies, Guppies or Swordtails - all are livebearers so make sure you just buy single sex or you will be overrun with babies! - and some bottom dwellers such as loaches, cories and/or plecs.

With 200L you have a good choice for some of the larger species also such as Pearl Gouramis, Angelfish or Rainbowfish. The main thing would be to ensure you have a good mix of fish re: temperament, feeding requirements etc.

If I were you, I'd go to the LFS and write down the names of a few species that you like the look of and then either check on here or do some research into their compatibility and suitability for your tank.

[Diana]

Well, as someone who has stuck with the normal community fish set up and not ventured into the realms of the more 'exciting' species, I agree with Mary.

I have a mix of cherry barbs, harlequins and emerald eye rasboras, neon tetras, corys and bn's -oh, and a single platty that has survived from the very first lot of fish I bought. They are all active in the tank and so there is always something to look at, and are fairly undemanding.

Fish I would avoid getting again - any of the livebeareres. Mollies, guppies and plattys are a pain I think. They are more likely to die than the species mentioned above, you have to be careful to not get a male/female mix or you end up with loads of babies and have the worry of the females getting harassed, and ther plattys must be one of the narkiest breeds known to man - almost

[GeordieDave]

Im one of those people who dont stick to the standard fish...

Only deaths I suffered is an Otto and zebra danios..

However as mentioned above some suffer if the water parameters are incorrect.

Wed morning go to the LFS or before if you can have a look aaround see what you like then come back in get the info then go back in the afternoon and spend ur readies!!!

[Mary]

Well you're lucky to have access to an LFS that seems to stock unusual species, GD. I haven't seen any of your more interesting species (killies, cichlids) in the ones around here.

[Diana]

same here Mary, my local shops tend to stick to the more normal community types too.

[GeordieDave]

thats a shame what if you ask em to see if they can get you.......fill the space with a named fishie?

maybe get em posted?

all i can suggest

[munchycarrot]

Have you looked at Trimar

They only charge £10 for overnight deliverytoo. The prices seem good, only £4 for a pair of Kribs!! Well cheap

Do you have a Maidenhead Aquatics near to you, check the link

[alison]

Will say this motsy steer clear of dwarf gourami they just keep dying

[Mary]

Will say this motsy steer clear of dwarf gourami they just keep dying

Yep. It's a shame. Lovely looking fish but both of mine died within six months.

Honey Gouramis are smaller but seem to have better longevity. Pearl Gouramis are much larger but equally pretty.

[munchycarrot]

Motsy... did you got to the LFS on wednesday?

[GeordieDave]

Depending what ur water stats are - get rainbows lovely colourfull fish. However some require hard and some require soft water.