I just bought a basic aquarium setup from Petland. It was the same one they had at our Wal-Mart but just a bit cheaper at about 30 bucks.
My question is....how many fish can I have in the tank? Do I need a heater? And is it really all I need in the box?
I also do not want to do much work with this so should I have went smaller?
2007-12-08 18:28:40 · 6 answers · asked by mnminoh 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
the tank is a ten gallon tank. Your basic start up kit from petland. same ones they have on display at wal marts.
2007-12-08 18:49:49 · update #1
I think the general rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gallon of water if you get tropical fish. If you keep goldfish, you don't need a heater. If you keep tropical fish, you'll need a heater. The larger the aquarium, the easier it is to take care of it.
2007-12-08 18:50:19 · answer #1 · answered by Wunderbar! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's great that you're asking these questions BEFORE you get going with this! Too many beginning fishkeepers buy their tank and fish the same day, go home and set up and toss the fish in and then wonder why all the fish die a week later.
First, with aquariums, generally, bigger is actually better. The more water you have, the easier it is for a beginner to keep the water conditions stable. If you have a lightly stocked 30 gallon tank, once it's cycled, you may only have to do water changes every other week, or even once a month.
But I'm guessing you got a ten gallon. That's actually pretty small as tanks go. You're going to have to be very diligent to keep your water conditions stable.
And yes, you will probably need a heater unless you choose to keep cooler water fish.
Your first step with this new aquarium is to learn about cycling your tank. What happens with aquariums is that for the first month or so, water conditions are all over the place. Visit the first site I'm linking to below to learn all about fishless cycling - it's the most human way to do it. It'll take you about four weeks to get your tank and its water just right for your fish.
In the meantime you can learn about the different species of fish from the second site I'm linking to. Choose fish that all like the same water conditions, and that will live happily together in a community.
As for how many, the general rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gallon of water. That's ADULT size, by the way, so don't stick ten baby goldfish in there - those little guys can grow bigger than a foot! (Goldfish aren't a great choice for a ten gallon anyway - they tend to put out a lot of waste.)
These two sites are just awesome. Both have discussion forums where you can get lots of help, and articles and profiles of fish and plants for aquariums.
Hope all this helps!
2007-12-09 03:00:58 · answer #2 · answered by L H 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a general rule, you should have 1" of (length)of fish per gallon of water.
Depending of what type of fish you buy you might need a heater. If you get goldfish you shouldn't need a heater. Tropical fish need a range from 72-78. It depends on the species.
Actually a bigger tank is easier to keep maintained than a smaller one.
Check out the site below for all sorts of help.
2007-12-09 03:09:12 · answer #3 · answered by Rudy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You didn't say what size the tank is just the price. But I would get a heated for sure ans a thermometer to check the temperature. How may fish depends on the size of the tank and the size of the fish you buy.
2007-12-09 02:45:02 · answer #4 · answered by Sunny 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A 10g tank can hold up to 12 fish.Yes, you will need a heater,preferably a 50w (no preset heater - get a manual heater). The 10g kit contains everything you need minus the gravel and decorations and aeration kits.
2007-12-09 03:02:07 · answer #5 · answered by NCConfederate13 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
the heater depends on the fish you are getting.
2007-12-09 02:53:57 · answer #6 · answered by racm_86 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋