The Quest for Aquatic Life - at Home!
So 20 or more years *clears throat* have passed and I was reading a few pages here at Squidoo about fish and aquariums. I got the fish bug. I have decided to go for it! So here is my journey from my decision until I get the finished aquarium complete with fish. You will witness my every step on this venture. Exciting yes? Oh come on, surely you find this a little interesting? Or at least, if you are thinking about doing this yourself, learn from my mistakes. Ha!
Fishy Table of Contents
- What gave me the itch?
- The Freshwater versus Saltwater debate
- My First Fish Related Book!
- My Fish Journal
- What Fish Should I Get?
- What's Inside?
- Inside My Fish Tank
- What in your tank? What's on your wish list?
- Recommended Reading
- What are the Costs?
- Aquarium Kit
- Another Must Have Book
- Do You Already Have an Aquarium?
- Popular Fish Magazines
- Live Fish and Plants
- Fish Links!
- Who is WhippetTalk?
- Aquarium Items being Auctioned
- Fish Supplies Online
- If You Enjoyed This Lens
- Fish Feedback!
What gave me the itch?
These are a few links that started me thinking about doing the fish thing. I found myself going back to these pages and wishing I could come home to a peaceful and beautiful tank full of fish.
- Making Every Freshwater Aquarium: The Best Freshwater Aquarium Ever
- Every freshwater aquarium can be the best freshwater aquarium ever. All a person needs to know is how to make it into the best freshwater aquarium ever. I am going to fill this page full of all the advice and tips to make any aquarium into the best freshwater aquarium ever.
- Keeping and Breeding Fancy Tail Guppies
- The Fancy Guppy (Poecilia Reticulata) is one of the most popular fresh water fish and the most popular live bearing fish in the hobby. They can be found in a wide range of ornamental shapes and color varieties. Guppies are low maintenance and fun to keep. The bright colors can add a spark of beauty
- Neon Tetra: The Coolest Tetra Ever
- The neon tetra reigns today as the most popular of all freshwater aquarium fish. Neon tetras continue to add beauty to many home aquariums. They display brilliant red and blue coloration and are very easy to keep. Neon tetras are the coolest tetra ever!
- All About Algae Eaters
- Welcome to the ultimate algae eater lens! Whether you're a pleco fanatic, an owner of 'janitor fish,' or have never heard of plecostomus before, this is the page for you.Here you can learn about: pleco care, types of plecos, and why plecos are the most beautiful fishes in the world!
- FishGeeks - Tropical & Aquarium Fish Supersite
- FishGeeks offers information on Tropical Fish, Marine Fish, Aquarium Fish, Pond Fish, Aquatic Plants and other aquarium animals.
- Otocinclus Catfish
- Because Otos are catfish, people believe they can be tossed into their tanks like other catfish and they don't need to do anything special. This is wrong. Without proper research into tankmates, food and water conditions you have a very high chance of killing your otos in the first week of ownership
The Freshwater versus Saltwater debate
Which is better?
Photo information
Some people have told me that Saltwater is easier to maintain than freshwater. That it's a common misconception that saltwater tanks are complicated and difficult. What's your take?
Are Freshwater or Saltwater Aquariums easier for beginners?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byFreshwater is the best way for beginners to start with.
ByRoy says:
Freshwater is certainly easier to start with, but with care and attention Saltwater is achievable. Cost of mistakes with Saltwater is generally higher.
Posted September 25, 2008
LaraineRose says:
I've had very little experience with aquariums but I've noticed that the pet store here have fresh water in theirs. My cat would love to have a fresh supply of fish on hand. lol I know, I know .. lids, mesh, cat proofed.
Posted September 13, 2008
ElizabethJeanAllen says:
Freshwater. They are easier to take care of and its not as expensive.
Posted August 03, 2008
Maria says:
Freshwater aquarium are definetively easier. Even some exprienced freshwater aquarists don't feel like they're ready to set up a salwater tank because of its level of care.
Posted July 16, 2008
Eclectic_Muse says:
Start fresh then go salt. Saltwater tanks are harder to bring back once they go south.
Posted July 07, 2008
clefty says:
most beginners will likely gravitate to freshwater aquariums because they are less of a hassle, and there is a better learning curve. I have been breeding freshwater fish for years (mostly guppies and bettas) and I'm not sure if I would feel comfortable with a saltwater tank yet. Also, FW tanks can be smaller without too much added work compared to small SW tanks :)
Posted July 05, 2008
WebGazelle says:
Freshwater tanks require less upkeep an dare less expensive. You can also go smaller on tank size with freshwater. If you are just getting started with your first tank you should go with a freshwater tank.
Posted July 04, 2008
mulberry says:
I was never successful with fish, but I would definitely go fresh water first.
Posted June 23, 2008
Saltwater is not as complicated as you think.
OceanViewCustoms says:
Saltwater is so much easier and I am going to take a few seconds to explain why so everyone listen up and pay attention we are going to have a quick biology class. In the fresh water home base eco system such as a 100 gallon fish tank contains bacteria, none of which effectively eliminate waste. So in everyday terms the poop sits on top of your rocky bottom. Ewwww clean up can be smelly and gross. Ah yes and now we have the saltwater tank. Much more efficient when cleaning itself hence the term tank cycle. Things like scavenger animals which range more widely with salt and the use of live rock can help with the biology and keep the tank clean for MONTHS. I currently keep many saltwater tanks, one of which I have not done a water change in almost six months. That’s right you read correctly I only add top off with RO/DI and the tank looks beautiful. The saltwater stores pray on people who are scared and think that its more expensive and difficult and when you buy a fish and it dies you should chock it up to "oh that’s saltwater". NO NO NO the store owner only wanted to sell you a fish that was quickly dyeing in his store that he thought would have a nicer death in your tank rather than in his tanks in front of possible on looking customers. Please do not be fooled by these people or these misconceptions. I am a small business owner in the saltwater industry and everything I do is try and break people of being scared and show them the beautiful possibilities that they could be missing, not to mention when I tell you about the stores selling crap for twice the price I speak from experience. I have had just about every fish, coral and plant salt or fresh and one time or another and feel that since I have started working with salt that i have been happier and spent less time and energy keeping my tanks. I would like to leave you with one last comment. Saltwater is not more expensive fresh, you just need to be a smarter shopper. It’s ok to not know where to buy things cheap but trusting a retail shop owner is not always the smartest choice either. If anyone ever has any questions feel free to email the owner of this site or me at oceanviewcustoms@aol.com
Posted June 14, 2009
Jake says:
Salt water is very easy.Just start out with your live sand and coral for like one month.Then add in your cope pods.And bamb...Thats it very easy.I have had my tank up for like one year and have not lost one fish.Everything is growing and looks very beautiful.Try its very fun
Posted November 17, 2008
MusicMadness says:
I had freshwater tanks from the time I was about 10 till just a few years ago. I've been thinking about starting one again, and would really love a saltwater one. I've heard, once you get the proper salt balance they're pretty easy to maintain.
Posted September 10, 2008
StartPoint says:
Saltwater is very easy, but rather expensive with tanks,filtration and lighting. Just like all tanks the tricks in the water. Keeping it clean. I found that with Saltwater, using a refugium with biological(no chemicals) filtration is the ticket. Fresh requires chemicals to keep the water balanced. If I were a fish I know I wouldn't want to breath chemicals.
Posted July 02, 2008
My First Fish Related Book!
But not my last.
Freshwater Aquariums For Dummies (For Dummies (Pets))
Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 12/10/2009)
My Fish Journal
We have fish!
June 16, 2008
I have decided I want to start with a 10 gallon aquarium. I have not decided yet on a filtration system. I do know I want neon tetras and fancy tailed guppies in my tank and an algae eater. I'm still not 100% sold on whether or not to get live plants as I think I will be too worried on keeping the fish alive, let alone the plants. My hope is that if things go well with the 10 gallon, eventually I can move up to a 20 gallon and use the 10 gallon as a hospital or quarrantine tank.
I have been told that I should consider a salt water tank instead of freshwater. But I am going with freshwater because it's what I know or remember and don't want to experiment with expensive fish.
June 20, 2008
I think I am going to change my tactic a little bit. Instead of 10 gallons, I think I will go with a 20 gallon tank. While doing research I found that the larger the tank, the less chance of huge and sudden fluctuations in water issues. Plus the fish will have a little more room to roam and be happy. I also learned from someone who has fish that neon tetras are not as hardy as they used to be. That these days, with overbreeding and such, they have become more suceptible to illness. So I may look at Cardinal Tetras or even Danios. Also, I will be using a fishless cycle when I get my tank. Now to get my stuff!
June 23, 2008
Boy am I confused. A friend in the fish business is now giving away a 30 gallon tank with stand. While I was 100% sure about freshwater and a 10 or 20 gallon, now I am looking at something that scares the heck outta me. This person insists that Saltwater is easier to keep clean and maintain than a freshwater. And yet, I am scared to death to even consider a saltwater set-up. I am almost ready to just give-up my whole aquarium idea. Free is good, but I'm not sure I am up to that kind of commitment! I have joined a fish forum called FishGeeks and will ask the question there on what experienced fishkeepers think about my situation.
July 11, 2008
I ordered all the supplies I needed online earlier this week. I'm still waiting for them to arrive. The delivery is scheduled to arrive July 14th, a Monday. Bummer because I wanted to get it all set up over the weekend. I'll be taking photos of the empty tank and stand and the when I have the tank filled with the water, substrate, plants and filters. I'll be cycling my tank so fish won't arrive for a few more weeks. We are slowly but surely getting there!
July 16, 2008
Here's my empty 30 gallon with stand. You can see my substrate in bags on the floor. Still waiting for my filters to arrive so I can't get started yet on cycling the tank. Hopefully today though. I'll post a photo of the tank once I get it set up and filled.
July 21, 2008 - We have fish!
Well all my stuff came on July 18th so I set up my filters and put water in the tank! It was very exciting. I went out on Sunday to an Aquarium Store and spoke with a sales rep there about my set-up. He recommended that I get 5 Zebra Danios to start my tank cycling. I know, I know, I was adamant about a fishless cycle. But it's so difficult looking at an empty tank. So I put in my danios yesterday and so far, they are still alive! I am using R/O water and pH is 7.0. Photos to come!
July 24, 2008
Here it is! My tank filled, decorated (though sparsely) and with 5 zebra danios. Look closely and you might see a few. I am waiting for the tank to cycle a few weeks before adding live plants. So far the fish are doing fine.
July 30, 2008
Well this is the boring part of setting up a new tank. I am in week two of cycling. My five fish are doing great. I have grown to be quite fond of them. The come right up to the surface when I feed them. When I test the water they nibble at my fingers and test tube! I call them baby trouts because they remind me of trout. But they love to chase each other around and school and sometimes they are all doing their own thing. It's a lot of fun to watch them. But I am very anxious to start adding more fish soon.
August 14, 2008
Last week I added two red platys and two swordfish. Right now the tank has finally shown signs of ammonia build up. It's at 0.5 ppm. There are no Nitrites or Nitrates when I test. I have been doing 20% water changes for 3 days now with no change in ammonia. I may need to take out even more water. I am worried because my one platy is staying on the bottom a lot. I wonder how long it takes before the Nitrites start to show up and Ammonia will drop?
August 26, 2008
Well I am still making water changes but starting today, I am noticing that the Nitrite reading are finally showing up! So I think the cycle is underway. Last Friday I added a bunch of live plants to the tank. I hope they live. They don't look to good. I added a substrate made for plants. The fish have been rooting around causing the plants to float up! Very annoying. One Platy doesn't look good. He stopped eating about 2 weeks ago and just hides and doesn't move around much. I'm worried about him.
August 28, 2008
Well the red platy died today. He just wouldn't eat. Everyone else in the tank is doing great. In fact, I added one Dwarf Gourami and 4 Juli Cory cats. Let's hope they do okay.
August 30, 2008 - The missing fish
Well I lost a Juli Cory Cat last night. I counted all four around 5 p.m. and then by 7 p.m. only three! I looked everywhere. I moved the driftwood and plants around and he's not there. He must have jumped out? I didn't know Cory Cats would jump out like that. I've heard that swordfish will jump, but not the catfish. I have to assume that he jumped out and the dog ate him. So today, I am going to the fish store and getting a replacement. Two fish in as many days gone. This is getting depressing.
Update: The missing Cory has been found. He just showed up. I have no idea where he was hiding. I thought I looked everywhere to find him, removing plants and driftwood. He's a good hider! LOL
September 23, 2008 - Cannibalism!
In two days I have lost two fish. One Bumble Bee Platy and one Mickey Mouse Platy. Someone in the tank is killing and eating them. In the morning they were fine and when I got home from work, a skeleton in the bottom of the tank. Yikes! Who is the culprit? Anyone have any ideas? Could it be the Dwarf Gourami? Oh and that Mystery Snail is eating all my Elodea and Water Sprite plants! Gotta get rid of him.
Update:I just got home from work and there are two little baby platy fish hiding in the plants. I have a feeling they will get eaten, but let's hope not. They are just too cute!
September 27, 2008
I traded in my red painted platy because he was chasing around the other fish and made one jump out of the tank. I think he's the one that killed the two fish. I also traded in my blue Mystery Snail. I think it was an Apple Snail because it ate all my Elodea. In return I got a Bristlenose Pleco and another Bumble Bee platy to replace one that was murdered!
What Fish Should I Get?
What Fish? A Buyer's Guide to Tropical Fish: Essential Information to Help You Choose the Right Fish for Your Tropical Freshwater Aquarium (What Pet? Books)
Amazon Price: $12.74 (as of 12/10/2009)
Prospective tropical aquarium hobbyists will find vital information on many fish varieties-cichlids, swordtails, and many others. Readers will find tips on species identification, feeding, behavior, approximate and purchase prices. Quick-check data requirements are given regarding aquarium size, water temperature, food, compatibility with other fish, and much more. This title is one in Barron's new series of pet buyer's guides, all of them filled with practical information and approximately 250 vivid color illustrations.
What's Inside?
See what fish I currently have
5 Zebra Danios
2 Green Swordfish - 1 male, 1 female
5 Platys - 1 blue male mickey mouse platy, 1 red female mickey mouse platy, 1 male blue, purple & orange varietus platy, 2 female blue platys
4 Juli Cory Cats
1 Dwarf Gourami
2 Bumble Bee Platys (1 male & one female)
1 Farowella (suckermouth catfish - cool looking fish)
1 Bristlenose Pleco
Inside My Fish Tank
Left: Bumble Bee Platy
Right: Dwarf Gourami
Left: Blue/Yellow Variatus Platy
Right: Zebra Danios
Bristlenose Pleco (dwarf)
Farlowella Acus:
What in your tank? What's on your wish list?
List what you currently have, if you have a tank, and then what you would love to have someday!
Let's go fishing!
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byI currently have the following fish:
ByRoy says:
I don't have any fish since my incorrectly supported tank burst whilst setting up. 40 gallons of salt water on the floor does not work well!
Posted September 25, 2008
WhippetTalk says:
5 Zebra Danios
2 Green Swordfish - 1 male, 1 female
6 Platys - 1 red male painted platy, 1 blue male mickey mouse platy, 1 red female mickey mouse platy, 1 red female wagtail platy, 2 bumble bee platys.
4 Juli Cory Cats
1 Dwarf Gourami
1 Farowella
Posted September 17, 2008
I would like to have these fish someday:
WhippetTalk says:
I would like to have someday when I get a bigger tank:
Discus
Bosemani Rainbow Fish
Polka Dog Pleco
Posted September 17, 2008
Recommended Reading
for Beginners
Dr. Axelrod's Mini-Atlas of Freshwater Aquarium Fishes (Dr. Axelrod's Atlas of Freshwater Aquarium Fishes)
Amazon Price: $32.97 (as of 12/10/2009)
Avg. Customer Rating: 
What are the Costs?
What I have spent so far.
In case you are wondering what it would cost to start your own first aquarium, I am going to list what my expenses have been throughout my project.Book: Freshwater Aquariums for Dummies - $14.95.
Book: Dr. Axelrod's Mini-Atlas of Freshwater Aquarium Fishes - $23.73.
Book: Freshwater Aquarium Problem Solver - $9.95
Flourescent Strip Light: 36" $50.99
Glass Canopy: 36" - $21.99
(2)AquaClear 150 Power Filters: $25.49 each - $50.98
Water Conditioner: Removes Chlorine from tap water - $3.90
Bio Conditioner: Starts the Nitrogen Cycle (fishless) - $5.59
Water Test Kit: $19.54
Gravel Vacuum: $6.37
Thermometer: Sticks to glass - $1.36
Aquarium Background: $9.99
Substrate: Natural Gravel 50lbs - $31.98
Algae Scraper: $2.39
Driftwood Decor: $6.89
Total = $260.60
Aquarium Kit
Another Must Have Book
Freshwater Aquarium Problem Solver (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
Amazon Price: $10.21 (as of 12/10/2009)
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Fish Links!
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About this photo
If you have a fish related site you think would be helpful, please share with us. Note that your link will only appear after I have reviewed and approved it. So spammers, please don't waste your time.
Betta Breeders Canada
Breeding bettas doesn't have to be difficult. Bet more...1 point
The Krib (Aquaria and Tropical Fish)
Archived usenet discussions by aquarists as well a more...0 points
Aquarium Advice - Aquarium & Reef Forum
An aquarium forum community where aquarium hobbyis more...0 points
Open Directory - Recreation: Pets: Fish and Aquaria: Freshwater
DMOZ's list of quality aquarium sites.0 points
Who is WhippetTalk?
My Lensography
Want to learn more about me and see other interesting lenses (sites) I have created? Visit my lensography and find out.WhippetTalk Lensography - Diary of a Giant Squid Wannabe
Aquarium Items being Auctioned
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Fish Supplies Online
1000s of discount aquarium supplies, live fish, and expert advice at ThatFishPlace.com
I have purchased my fish supplies at Drs. Foster and Smith because I am very familiar with the site as I often buy dog related products from them. I shopped around other online pet supply stores and DFS has the best selection and the best prices. The items listed here are what I purchased for my first aquarium. These items are based on a 30 gallon system.
If You Enjoyed This Lens
Visit My Lens on the Farlowella Catfish
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Farlowella Catfish
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"What's new?" I asked my local fish shop keeper. "Oh, I just got in some really nice Farlowellas!" She replied. She lifted up a fake plant and unceremoniously shook it until the little stick-like catfish abandoned their hiding place. Well I had to...
Fish Feedback!
About this photo
Please help me if you can and want to. If you are knowledgeable about fishkeeping and have some pointers to share, please do. Any recommendations of books, products, fish, food, etc? Or maybe you just want to cheer me on? Please do! Help me keep my fish alive!
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- CoolFoto CoolFoto Dec 13, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
- Great lens. 5* and we would love to have you join us at Tropical Fish group www.squidoo.com/groups/tropicalfish .
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- A_RovingReporter A_RovingReporter Oct 18, 2008 @ 9:33 pm
- Great information here for the aquarium fish enthusiast. 5*
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- Ener-G Ener-G Oct 5, 2008 @ 4:47 pm
- Loved this lens! I remember my parents bringing home an aquarium and all those fish (salt water? Fresh? Who knew?) like guppies and neon tretas. Now we only have the occasional goldfish. Hey! Why don't people add goldfish to aquariums? (Or maybe they do?)
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Reply
- ByRoy ByRoy Sep 25, 2008 @ 7:53 am
- Great lens. I had fish tanks in the past, but lost interest when a large saltwater tank burst. This was due to the stand (supplied with the tank) not supporting it correctly. Woke up in the morning to water throughout the living room. Maybe one day I will have time to get another one.
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- Jewelsofawe Jewelsofawe Sep 24, 2008 @ 6:14 pm
- I've always thought about getting an aquarium, but have not. I am also a pisces
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