Any tropical fish lovers for advice?

[stats007]

My girlfriend is looking at getting some tropical fish - 10 - 15 tetras / guppies / mollys etc. She wants a Bio Orb but I'm not convinced and have suggested this instead. Has anyone used a Bio Orb? What are the cycling rates like etc? Any advice appreciated as I haven't had fish for years!

 

[lotusmark2]

I would totally agree with your choice, the orbs just dont have enough water to create a good stable environment in my opinion.
the less water you have the more the waste from the fish will effect the environment.

 

[miro]

My girlfriend is looking at getting some tropical fish - 10 - 15 tetras / guppies / mollys etc. She wants a Bio Orb but I'm not convinced and have suggested this instead. Has anyone used a Bio Orb? What are the cycling rates like etc? Any advice appreciated as I haven't had fish for years!

Don't use any auto-dispensing air-perfuming machines around the fish. My friend had those machines at home to cleanse the smoking scent and it made the fish swim backstroke.

 

[GRAV888]

I would go for your choice and not the orb.
All my fish ( barring the 2 parrot fish) have been bred by me.
If you want some fancy guppies, you are welcome to some.
Whatever you do, set up your tank and leave it running for a week BEFORE adding any fish.
When you start adding the fish, introduce them slowly, ie. no more than 10 at a time.
You could do worse than adding a couple of sucking loach to aid the cleaning process, but stay away from plecos, as they will grow very big.

 

[ralphsanders]

Hi I had a bio orb with goldfish (I know they arnt tropical) the tank was fine the only problem was keeping it clean, I guess cos its plastic, plus tropical fish like rocks etc to hide in and the bio orb cos its round and the circulator is in the centre does not give this.

It looks good but its now empty and in the sheed and we have a "propper" tank now.

 

[Mambo]

I've got the Orb and although it looks nice I would much rather have a normal tank...

 

[miro]

I've got the Orb and although it looks nice I would much rather have a normal tank...

Funny ...... the orb looks just like a bowl.

 

[Rose Chap]

I know better than to pass comment on another chap's girlfriend's orbs.

 

[Mambo]

I know better than to pass comment on another chap's girlfriend's orbs.

 

[Silvertank]

I agree with what everyone has said. For a while Orbs were believed to be cruel, until Practical Fishkeeping (that's PFK to all those said muppets out there - me included ) did an artcile on them to dispel the myths, however they recommended very light stocking levels.

I've never kept the tiny fish you are talking about, but I was surprised to hear you can chuck 10 in at a time. Personally I'd leave it longer than a week, although you could add some filter quick start stuff to get the filter started. IMO 4 weeks is about right - but then either test the water yourself, or take a sample to your local fish shop who will normally test it for free (or for a couple of quid)

My advice would always go for the biggest tank possible. This serves two purposes, firstly as lotusmark2 said, the more water you have the more stable the water conditions can be. Secondly, once the bug has got her, she'll want more fish and a bigger tank .

This forum is great - cars and fish tanks. What ever next!

 

[miro]

I know better than to pass comment on another chap's girlfriend's orbs.

You mean the life domes ? How long before someone in South America sees an image of Jesus in the rockbed after the Angel Fish causes a disruption to the natural random pattern .... then you won't be able to find these things for love or money.

 

[stats007]

Cheers all. Will see if I can convince her to get a bigger tank. I also recommended a coolie loach or some other bottom feeders for the reasons mentioned.

 

[neilrr]

Loads of advice here - http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=idx

 

[stats007]

I have a few forum links but always good to get advice from people you 'know'.

 

[glojo]

All my fish ( barring the 2 parrot fish) have been bred by me.

I'm trying to get my head around this one!! Where's 'Kinky' when you need him?? It must be some fish tank.

John the inquisitive

 

[Silvertank]

Cheers all. Will see if I can convince her to get a bigger tank. I also recommended a coolie loach or some other bottom feeders for the reasons mentioned.

Bottom feeders are great for eating scraps of food, but they won't touch waste and rotten food, so you'll still have to clean the tank too.

I used to have an Oscar who wouldn't 'sh1t' in view of anyone. After eating he would swim up and down and generally look concerned. It took a few days for us to realise he was just shy. So we left the room and peaked through the crack in the door. He would wait until we were out of the room and then do his business by the inlet to the filter, then come flying out and carry on as normal. He was the same fish that loved to play football with a ping-pong ball and get most annoyed when the other fish didn't want to know. I named him Jonathon, after Jonathon Livingston Seagull from the book by Richard Bach..........how I miss that fish.

John, I take it from your last message that you aren't partial to a little bit of fish with your 'chips' then?

 

[glojo]

John, I take it from your last message that you aren't partial to a little bit of fish with your 'chips' then?

Biting my lip and just having a 'giggling moment'

John

 

[stats007]

Well I think she's seen the light! Though not happy at having to wait to move before buying a bigger tank!

 

[Spinal]

Hmmm, I blame you lot for making me want to get some more fish! The last one I had was a teensie goldfish that I won and ended up keeping for years...

Now, I love HUGE tanks, but I saw this...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7772662160
That might be an option to have alot of water when "ground-space" is limited...

Personally, I'm undecided between one of those and a 4-foot rectangle... stats... we will want to see some pics of you fish when you get them!

Michele

 

[stats007]

I'm not a fan of column tanks - the larger fish don't get much space to swim in and there's obviously no gravel space for bottom feeders etc.