First time fish owner?

Question

I'm lookin into buying some fishies tomorrow, the Neon Tetra ones. I'm thinkin about buyin 5 & puttin in a 5.5 gal. tank. found at PetSmart.

http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441813898&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030056&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1181879293917&itemNo=21&In=Fish&N=2030056&Ne=2



I really don't know what i should buy and after i set the tank up what do i do? Thanks. i'm soo brainless about fish.

Answer 1

You can buy a 10 gallon tank for about the same price as a 5.5 gallon. It would be much better for the fish to have a larger volume of water. Easier to maintain and keep healthy.

Do not buy the fish the same day that you buy the aquarium! Especially if you are thinking of neons. They are very delicate fish and need almost perfect water conditions. Heater and filter are a must.

When a tank is first set up, you need to have hardy, strong fish that can withstand poor water quality. Zebra danios are a perfect fish for cycling a tank. Neons will die with the first ammonia spike which is inevitable during the cycling process that every new tank must go through.

Set the tank up with heater, filter and gravel. Dechlorinate the water with a good water conditioner and let it set for a day to make sure everything is in proper working order.

Day 2, go to the store and buy 3 or 4 zebra danios and a small bottle of "Cycle." It is beneficial bacteria in a bottle that will speed up the initial cycling of the tank. You cannot overdose with Cycle, so don't worry that you are putting too much in the tank.

The zebras will supply fishie waste that will decay into ammonia that will kick start the nitrogen cycle (cycling). The bacteria will feast on this and turn it into nitrites. Then another bacteria will come along and turn the nitrites into nitrates. Plants use nitrates as food (algea is a plant, don't let the tank have too much light or you will have an algae bloom).

All three of these chemicals are toxic to your fish and will each increase separately to killer levels as the tank cycles. The bacteria will multiply to help bring them down to manageable levels.

During this cycling, you should be doing 30% water changes every third day to control the ammonia and nitrites. After the first two weeks, you can slow down the water changes to once a week which will maintain your tank at a healthy water quality. Partial water changes are a fact of life for aquarists and are something that must be done every week to 10 days for the rest of your aquatic career. (I do 25 tanks every week and tanks with babies get partial changes every 4th day).

During the two to three weeks that your tank is cycling, it will become cloudy (whitish), this is a normal part of the nitrogen cycle and will go away on its' own.

When the tank is cycled completely, then go to the store and get your neons. Be sure to take at least an hour to acclimate them to the tank by opening the bag, rolling the top down so there is a ring of air trapped in the plastic and float it in the tank. Every 15 minutes for at least an hour and a half (remember, neons are very delicate) put 1/2 cup of your tank water into the bag to get them used to your water conditions.

When you are done acclimating them, net them out of the bag (do not put fish store water into your tank) and release them into your tank. Pour the water in the bag down the drain. There are too many possibilities for parasites and disease in that water from too many fish being crowded into the tanks at the store.

Neons like to hide in plants, so get some bushy plants for them to hide in and swim around. The zebras will love the plants too. They will be fine living with the neons.

Email me if you have more questions, I will be glad to help if I can.
8

Answer 2

those are cute kits but they don't have lights. with neons especially you want a light to make the colors show. you can get a light but it think they are around 10 bucks in the store --

http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441809012&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030061&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1181880011795&itemNo=5&In=Fish&N=2030061&Ne=2

wow thats a long link.

if you have the space you can get a regular ten gallon aquarium with a light for less.


tetras are good starter fish -- everyone likes the colors and stuff -- but they will only school if there is a reason like a bigger fish. you can put a betta in a 10 gallon with some plants and your tetras and have a great little set up. when winter comes you will need to buy a heater but thats about it.

to start a tank if you buy a starter kit most come with everything you need but the gravel and decorations. usually you get samples of water conditoner and food and stuff like that.

Answer 3

For some reason, it's not listed on their site, but I purchased a 10 gallon kit from petsmart for not much more than that.

It includes: tank, heater, hood with light, hanging back filtration system with filter cartridge, (much like a whisper filtration system) which is much better than the air stone/pump combo they include in the small tanks.

It also came with starter food, water conditioner, and a stick on thermometer. It was 45 or 49 dollars, but you can keep more fish, and by the time you buy the heater that is needed for neons, or any tropical fish, that will make it the same price as the 10. They do have a kit for 29.00, but it doesn't have a heater.

It is a very good tank, manufactured by AllGlass, carried under the Topfin name. I highly recommend it, very easy to set up, and very easy to maintain.

It's a cute tank, but I would definitely get a 10 gallon kit. Much more practical, I learned the hard way. lol I have a couple of the smaller ones, and water problems can rise very quickly in them, due to the small filter system. Your fish will love the extra room, as well. =]


Hope this helps!

Answer 4

The first thing you should do is to research. You should not put in all the fish at the same time or they might get ammonia spike and die. Before you put any fish in at all, leave the tank and plants there for a day or two. Remember to put in a filter and light, with an air space and cover so that the fish can breathe. If the fish start gasping at the top, it means that they have oxygen deficiency and you have overstocked the tank. The neon tetras (Paracheirodon innesi, in case you wanted to know)are beautiful in large shoals. You may also want to get some algae eaters(e.g. plecos) or corydoras to "vacuum" the bottom and clean it. Check the ph level of the aquarium and make sure that fish can live comfortably in it. Do not put large fish with the neons as they are quite small and angelfish would happily gobble them up. Causes of sickness are usually stress or bad water conditions- keep on the lookout for symptoms such as rubbing their bodies against rocks or spots and unusual behaviour.

Answer 5

For about $10 more you can get a 10 gallon kit from petsmart and there's a lot more you can do with a 10 gallon. If you have the space for it, you may want to consider it. Also, looking at that tank, it doesn't include a heater, which neons need, or a light, so the 10 gallon kit may be cheaper.

The first thing when setting up a tank is to figure out what you want in it. 5 neons in a 5.5 gallon tank would be a little tight (they like some swimming room) but do-able. You'll need to get gravel and decorations that you like. I think the silk plants look nice and neons need hiding places. You will also need dechlorinator. I recommend "Prime" made by SeaChem. Tropical flakes are fine for feeding neons. As I said before, you'll need a heater for neons. It would also be wise to invest in test kits for ammonia and nitrite.

I recommend getting your aquarium set up and waiting to get fish. Neons are sensitive fish and most likely will not survive the cycle so fishless cycling is a good idea: http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php

Once your tank has cycled, it will be ready for your fish.

Answer 6

I have had wonderful luck with tetras. Most importantly you would set up your tank with the rocks, decorations, aerator, etc. and let it run for at least 3 weeks before you put any fish in it. Never use distilled water! It's easiest to use tap water and the reason you have to let it cycle for so long is to be sure all of the chlorine is out of it. I have heard it clears out within 24 hours but it is safest to let everything cycle longer. If you have any further questions I would ask at your local pet store. I believe 5 might be too many for such a small tank.

Answer 7

Go get the tank, but not the fish yet! Please take the time to read the links I'm putting at the bottom of the page. I promise you and your fish will be so glad you did! The first is a few pages long, but well worth the read. It covers such things as placement of the tank, fish population, cycling the tank and various other basic topics. The second link covers a way to make your tank fish safe without a hassle and with no risk to your fish. After reading these if you have any questions about them, feel free to email me.

Hope these help and welcome to the hobby!

MM

Answer 8

Your first assertion is punctiliously fake. some fish can "communicate" or bark, like the saltwater set off fish. they have staggering suggestions and recognition skills. some fish and inverts even have extremely magnificent subject fixing skills. Many fish, even the common goldfish, are trainable to do a little neat tricks (look at hyperlinks to the R2 fish college for some examples). Fish inhabit numerous the earth, and are particularly magnificent in evolutionary regards. we are able to learn plenty approximately existence, evolution, and the planet from fish! i might in no way evaluate a fish uninteresting. in certainty, extra human beings make fish keeping a heavy accountability activity, quite than basically a puppy, as fish are so magnificent and engaging. they're between the main problematic pets to maintain besides. I for one love a project, and to consistently learn. Edit: fish and occasional-cost? LOL, my canine and cats are low-priced, fish are costly, complicated, and stressful, yet quite worth it!

Answer 9

You can get a really nice 10 gallon at Petsmart for $29. I would not waste money on that small a tank, it is not realistic to keep fish alive in it, even small ones, cause they like to swim.

Answer 10

You need water conditioner(aqua safe), heater( neon tetras are tropical fish and require heat), filter for your tank size, net and food. Also wouldn't put any more fish than the neon tetras or you will overcrowd your tank! Good luck!