complete newb:) advice/tips/preachings??

[djnzlab]

HI,
I have kept south american cichlids for years, I ve found the Gold and green sevrons very easy to keep. I feed only Japanese Koi food it meets their protein requirements and enhances color and dosen't foul up your filtration. The species thrive on Vegatarian Diet, High protein or meat eaters tend to produce large amounts of waste that fouls tank filters rather quickly.

The white fish are gold sevrons, the orange are a hybrid rather expensive parrot fish a cross between sevrons and reddevils (a very grumpy meat eater).
Your filitration is the secret to keeping fish, You need as much as you can afford my large tanks have canister and reef systems that remove 100 % of the nitrates and urea from the water .
Another trick is to add small amounts of marine salt and I use a cup of crushed coral to 100 gal tank added to the gravel this buffers the water to 7.2 and you never have to worry about PH shock that can occur thru normal every day freshwater changes due to bacteria metabolism
WOrks for me hehe
My chiclids are over four years old now. they do get rather large and grumpy around 5-6 years old that mateing thing, I usally take them back and buy several new babies and raise the group together.

Doug

[Shane Tesser]

Those look in fantastic shape djnzlab!!! Thanks for sharing

[Youkai]

I have one suggestion that hasn't been made already. (I was late to this thread too...lol)

What you might find will work the best is to pick one fish you like the absolute best. Aquascape and pick any possible tank mates based on that choice. It helps to narrow things down. Like say, If you can have plants or not, what sizes/kinds of fish you can add, etc.

Shane, I do not appeciate being spoken to as a child, had my first tank before you were born, Discus in brackish have always done better for me, YES BRACKISH. You may disagree with me as you like, but do not degrade me, I have found more and more of the things that drove me from KS appearing here because to site has grown soooooooo much. But bro, don't dis me, I'll drop here like anywhere else that clicks want to rule. I hope this is my mis-interpertation but....

[XxRachxX]

i like that idea youkai
...... did actually post these earlier...but ill post em again.....if you look a few posts back on the first pages.....theres a little list of fish i wouldnt mind

i think would like a combination of a peaceful-ish community tank (not too peacful mind....it would get boring after a while....i need some action!) but i still want it to quite active....
maybe a few bigger sized fish and some groups of "shoaling" fish??
were going to look at some shops tommorow to see whats available...

[Youkai]

Hmmm...you might like rainbows then, and I think you mentioned them! You might also like hoplosternum (sp) catfish.We had some big ones at work that I got to take pellets from my hand. I think most commonly sold species are around 5-6". (someone correct me if I'm wrong.)
But anyway...check out the shops, and tell us if you find anything that you really like.

[Duncan]

I don't usually jump into many debates but this is the first time in 30 years of keeping fish that I've ever heard of discus being kept in brackish conditions. I guess I was wondering what Reverendsterlin considers brackish? I worked retail in a fish store for 7 years a few decades ago and some customers used to call a tank brackish if they added a tablespoon of salt per gallon to their aquariums (not a big deal, but definitely not brackish). How much salt is being added? Brackish to me was always water with a specific gravity around 1.010 or so, but maybe Reverendsterlin has a different idea of what brackish is? I do know of discus that were kept (and even bred) in fairly alkaline conditions in relativelely hard water but discus are found in very different conditions in nature. I have always advocated approximating the conditions any animal would find in its natural setting, I've never heard of discus entering brackish water in nature, so why keep them in those conditions in an aquarium? Discus traditionally come from conditions where the water is soft, of a low pH and temps are above 80F. Isn't it better to recommend conditions that the greatest number of people have succeeded with? Besides, what is your definition of success? Discus can live a decade or so in certain circumstances ... is anything less acceptable? Keeping fish is often as much art as science and if Reverendsterlin has success in a particular way, that's great. But most people would not be successful keeping discus in a brackish water aquarium and so it would be irresponsible to not give that counterpoint. Anyway, just my personal viewpoint,
Duncan
By the way, Odessa barbs are great, colorful fish (the males anyway), really hardy too, they always make a super starter fish!

[ETET]

Like everyone said - got you favorite fish and get the tank cycle. Another thing I like to add is that -other than research the water requirement of the fish you like, also check the water your are going to use, e.g. tap water, filtered water..etc. If the water chemistry of your water has a big discrepancy of the fish you like, you may have to adjust the water before you cycle and put the fish in. Another thing you can do by asking the seller of the fish about what water condition they use, then you compare the water chemistry of your tank. If the difference is very small, the fish shouldn't be stressed.

XxRachxX you mentioned about group of shoaling fish, always try not to add too many fish in one time. Because there is a risk of overload your cycled system; it may take a while to build up a community of fish and a good biological system. Practically, regularly water chemistry tests to determine waste and final converted products within normal range and time is important.


ETET

[sSNAKESs.com]

Rev....why are you fighting with me of all ppl. I think the confusion is exactly what Duncan pointed out. Alot of ppl do think they keep what they consider brackish when it isnt. And if you read any book on the subject a specific gravity of 1.010 is the norm for most brackish fish. Discus come from extremely soft waters, ph as low as 5.5, and as Duncan mentioned any animal should be kept in as close to perfect conditions as they are originally found. Now, i cannot think of anyplace near water that contains salt where the ph would come out with such an acidic ph? If you have kept them and they managed to live in brackish, thats great. But if you talk about stress, breeding, and general well being of a species such as these...im sorry but i would never advocate mixing salt in with them. If not for any other reason, Discus have one of the most sensitive slime/mucous coats of any fish. During breeding in harder water this same slime coat is often damaged and alot of the eggs never hatch. Now thats with hard water. So my question is what would salt do? I have probably 20 books on discus. From authors like Jack Wattely and Bernd Degen. I have kept wild heckels and many many of the hybrids on the market. I looked over almost all of my books today and cannot find one that suggests having any traces of salt. All suggest for the well being of the animal that the ph be acidic, with salt..this is impossible. As for your age..what does that have to do with anything other than your going to die before me..lol. Don't take stuff so seriously Rev, sheesh, i thought you got confused between two very different fish....hope this makes more sense..time to go and clean the cage i house the gaboon and corns snakes together in

Sorry, Jeff forgot to log out..this is Shane

my apology, I really hate finals week and the stupidty I get saddled with during it. MY APOLOGIES TO EVERYONE.

Saltwater fish prefer an alkaline pH of 8.0 or above. Freshwater fish thrive at the neutral to acid end of the spectrum between 5.5 and 7.5. pH is not static

Saltwater fish prefer an alkaline pH of 8.0 or above. Freshwater fish thrive at the neutral to acid end of the spectrum between 5.5 and 7.5. pH is not static most folks would keep discus in lower pH range like 6.5 -6.8 but to me this is what I consider brackish my mistake if it does not agree with you http://freshaquarium.about.com/libra.../aa040300a.htm

I give up, I'm an idiot so nite all. Shane, I'm sorry for being a dic#

using brackish for soft is a stupid mistake

[corr]

Rach, have a look at Harlequin Rasboras. I don't think they've been suggested yet.