ot but do's anyone keep fish

I always used to visit the local tropical fish shop when I was hungover... could spend ages monging out in front of the tanks.

Something I'm qualified to post about

nice rana's! for a second I thought you'd got some pug-ugly pacu's for a second!

They're in fine fettle, what do you feed them on?

don't you just love the fact plecostomus are sold on the pretense of cleaning your tank but make more mess than just about anything else?


what dimensions are those tanks by the way? I'm currently running a 4x2.5x1.5 rena housing an oscar, jack dempsey & a green terror.. and I really need a catfish to hoover up some algae, but there's more than enough poo in the tank as it is!

Looks like your running internals only? I was consdering fitting in undergravel on mine aswell as the external for extra cleanlyness but never got round to it..

There's also a great technique using old pvc pipes and a pwoerhead if you'd like to know more

*FISH GEEK OVER*

Not much of a trick with the PVC pipes, just make a square out of them the size of your tank base, then either make small slits in the corners/sides or buy some small elbows to direct the water across the top of the gravlebed towards your filter intake. gently blows debris over gravel and into filter intake

really handy for messy eaters!

keeping fish = easy peasy.

I used to work for an aquarist suppliers, his biggest speach was basically

"The only reason this trade is profitable is because there is some mystique about keeping fish, people seem to think its difficult"

Its really easy, you just need to do some reading on which fish play happily together, and buy the biggest tank possible. (larger tanks are easier to keep and maintain because the water chemistry is easier to keep balanced)

I only started keeping fish when I started working at the aquarist suppliers about 4/5 years ago I started with some of the harder fish and from that day I've never lost a fish due to ill health

plus I'm a right retard so if I can keep em anyone can!

and don't take everythign everybody says as gospel!

harware wise what mickeytacker has said is exactly right.

but fish wise, everyone has an opinion and its usually only applicable to their fish.

there's this bloody stupid rule of x ammount of fish cm's per litre of water which is absolutely effing curse word.

imagine 10 1cm fish, they don't make anywhere near as much mess as a sinlge 10cm fish.

Also treatments can be deadly. shops always sell you treatments, they CAN lower your fishes immune systems making them in the long term more inclined to disease and subsequently shortened lifespans.

Also, if you are consdering this read up on the fish you plan on getting! mickeytacker has a lovely sized pair of tanks, and they are obviously stocked to ensure a fully grown fish will be comfortable.

the ammount of times I've seen people buy oscars or silver dollars against the advice they were given and within a matter of months bring back a nearly adult fish that has gone from 2inches to nearly 12inches really disgusts me.

not to put you off or anything! but theres enough bad keepers about as it is.

I've kept fish for about 10 years.

Problem is the wife hates the look of fish tanks?
But she did want a window seat in the lounge.....





Lots of stuff hidden in the back:

Custom 80 Gallon tank.
Eheim 2324 Pro 2 external thermofilter.
Eheim 2213 Classic external filter (with inline back-up PTC heater).
TMC Vecton UV steriliser.
Automatic dawn - noon - dusk lighting.

Don't keep a lot of fish, as I like them to have a lot of room - makes for a much happier/healthier tank.

10 Glass catfish - 3-4 years old now and never lost one.
3 Pakistani loaches - again about 4 years old.
1 Freshwater shrimp - think he's at least 2-3 now.
8-10 Khuli loaches - very difficult to count as they dive in the sand alot.

They get fed on Bloodworm and Brine shrimp every other day.

Tank is very stable (easy with a big tank and few fish), never had any disease and the only fish I've lost have been jumpers (Khulis are very inquisitive).

Tank does look empty in the photo's as all my fish only come out of their caves when the main lights fade into the dusk lighting - gets quite busy then.

Thanks fella, glad you like it.

Fairly simple to do as well.
It's all made from 18mm MDF and some 2x3 timber.
A few coats of varnish has kept it perfect for 4 years.

The base is 2 pieces of MDF glued and screwed together, which the tank sits on. The front is screwed to the base and a simple batten frame supports this and the lid. The frame is screwed to the wall in a couple of places.

Took a weekend or so to make it.

The tank is a Clearseal, but a custom size.
Just ordered it through my local fish store.

The lid hinges up about 8" for feeding etc and slides off for maintenance.

Only downside I'd say was it's a bit vunerable at this height.
So probably not a good idea with toddlers or mad dogs.

I'm loving this setup . and have a bay window seat too .
heres my current 2. don't laugh limited space so I thought till now .

lounge

home office were I'm currently seated. has grown on alot since this was taken. and the planting is more like the lounge tank now.

Ive got a mate who kept piranhas for a while, occasionally fed them live goldfish, which was a sight to behold, they just let it swim about for a little bit, then one bite to slow them and its a frenzy of bites for a couple of seconds then its all over. Vicious things lol