Any fishkeepers here? Saltwater or freshwater

[Silock]

I'm looking at starting up a saltwater tank. Is there a good fish store in the KC area without driving out to Lawrence?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Well much obliged, Lumpy.

I'll graciously concede that freshwater crown to you, though (or htismaqe w/ the late run). I know a fair amount about cichlids and that's about it. Everything else I just kinda chuck in there and hope they live.

When you have to cross your fingers and pray that your $100 Clown Tang starts eating in the 10 or so days it's going to have before it starves to death (and invariably it won't), you develop something of a callous attitude about the loss of a .99 cent molly. So I've not done nearly the homework I should on community fish.

And the plants are way above my head.

I've got two mollies left in my FW tank - they were born in the tank before I was wise to how much of a nuisance livebearers are. And of course, because I don't really care much for them, they're as healthy as an fish you'll ever see.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I've found that I really enjoy the shell dwellers; they're fairly small Tanganyikans that breed like rabbits.

My next large tank is gonna be Mbuna cichlids. I just haven't been able to talk my wife into it yet since I have 2 tanks and a large koi pond already.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Here's what I'd suggest - Rainbows.

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/rainbowfish/

They're extremely colorful, like cichlids. They' significantly more docile, though. They'll school better than Cichlids (who mostly just form territories and go to war). They seem to be much more in line with what your wife is looking for. If you're looking for a planed tank, these are unquestionably the way to go. I've had decent luck with them in the past, before I let my freshwater tank go to seed.

I second this suggestion. I was looking to go Boesemani Rainbow before I got into the Colombians...

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I've got two mollies left in my FW tank - they were born in the tank before I was wise to how much of a nuisance livebearers are. And of course, because I don't really care much for them, they're as healthy as an fish you'll ever see.

I had some tank-born cichilds that were freakin' indestructible.

I never figured out what was paired with what, but they were pretty obviously some form of pseudotropheus. The damn things were all the same orange color, even though I didn't have any red zebras in the tank.

It was kinda neat watching 'em because you could start to figure out which ones had a chance to survive. Every now and then you'd see one motoring about in the open water and you knew it was dead to rights. Then you'd see this tiny little orange dot stick its head out from under a rock then dart right under as soon as it saw you. You knew that one had kinda figured out that every other living thing in that tank would eat it so it had to lay low for a bit.

the mouthbrooders are kinda cool, until you end up with a tank full of orange mutt cichlids.

Originally Posted by htismaqe

My next large tank is gonna be Mbuna cichlids. I just haven't been able to talk my wife into it yet since I have 2 tanks and a large koi pond already.

I'm gonna flip back. My community tank sucks, I'm bored to death of it. I think I'm just going to drain it altogether and pitch the gravel (black and white gravel I've had since 2002). I'm going to go with fine sand as the substrate and either make a Tanganyika/Rainbow tank or just go back to the Mbunas. In either event, I've learned a lot more about rockscaping since I set up my saltwater tank, so I'm going to go pretty heavy on rock to make it work a little better.

It will take the better part of a weekend and the tank's in my office, so it will probably have to wait until after the holidays...at which time I will probably decide that it's not worth the effort again and just get a blue-jaw trigger for the reef...

[Rausch]

I had 50 gal with puffers back in high school. Lasted about 4 years and then everything died.

Only about 2 years ago did I find out from a mom-n-pop that most puffers put out a poison that kills everything when they die.

Shame. I had figure 8's, spotted, had one about 1 & 1/2 inches around and about 3 long (fresh water) and some black mollies.

First one died and erased the tank.

Still enjoyed them more than any other fresh/brackish fish...

[DJ's left nut]

I threw a figure 8 puffer out the window of Centennial Hall at Truman and into the ventilation fan below my window several years ago.

That little bastard was wrecking everything he could get near and I'd had enough of that. So I netted him and chucked him out the window. He one-hopped off the laundry facility roof and into the fan.

It was in more early, far more impetuous days of owning a fish tank; my original 42 gal hex (which I still want to set up as a seahorse tank one of these days; perfect shape for it).

Not one of my better moments.

[Cave Johnson]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Here's what I'd suggest - Rainbows.

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/rainbowfish/

They're extremely colorful, like cichlids. They' significantly more docile, though. They'll school better than Cichlids (who mostly just form territories and go to war). They seem to be much more in line with what your wife is looking for. If you're looking for a planed tank, these are unquestionably the way to go. I've had decent luck with them in the past, before I let my freshwater tank go to seed.

Excellent suggestion. Assuming your pH is pretty neutral, I'd pair them with some cool catfish, like these Synodontis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synodontis_multipunctata

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I'm gonna flip back. My community tank sucks, I'm bored to death of it. I think I'm just going to drain it altogether and pitch the gravel (black and white gravel I've had since 2002). I'm going to go with fine sand as the substrate and either make a Tanganyika/Rainbow tank or just go back to the Mbunas. In either event, I've learned a lot more about rockscaping since I set up my saltwater tank, so I'm going to go pretty heavy on rock to make it work a little better.

That's where I'm going next.

My planted tank is black substrate (black Seachem Flourite) and with the wood, plants, and everything it's very "warm" on the color spectrum.

My next tank I'm gonna do Mbuna cichlids with rockscapes instead of driftwood/pants and white sand or small grain substrate. Since I won't have any plants needing 6500K full daylight, I want do like a 50/50 lighting setup (10000K/actinic ) similar to what you'd use with saltwater/reef and get a bluish "cool" color spectrum to contrast with the tank I already have.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Pittsie

Excellent suggestion. Assuming your pH is pretty neutral, I'd pair them with some cool catfish, like these Synodontis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synodontis_multipunctata

The upside downers are very cool. I have 2.

[Lumpy]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Well much obliged, Lumpy.

I'll graciously concede that freshwater crown to you, though (or htismaqe w/ the late run)...

I was going to say you're too kind, but then I read this post...

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I threw a figure 8 puffer out the window of Centennial Hall at Truman and into the ventilation fan below my window several years ago.

That little bastard was wrecking everything he could get near and I'd had enough of that. So I netted him and chucked him out the window. He one-hopped off the laundry facility roof and into the fan.

It was in more early, far more impetuous days of owning a fish tank; my original 42 gal hex (which I still want to set up as a seahorse tank one of these days; perfect shape for it).

Not one of my better moments.

JFC!!!!

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

The upside downers are very cool. I have 2.

I had a synodontis decorus I lost in the great tank disaster (we don't talk about the great tank disaster..) as well as a couple of cool lace cats. They got along great with the cichlids and they're a lot of fun.

The most interesting part about them was their reaction to water changes. Anytime I did a heavy water change, they were 100x more active than they were in bad water. They were essentially the caged canary of my fish tank. When they were looking sluggish and not coming out much, I knew it was time for a water change.

[Cave Johnson]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I'm gonna flip back. My community tank sucks, I'm bored to death of it. I think I'm just going to drain it altogether and pitch the gravel (black and white gravel I've had since 2002). I'm going to go with fine sand as the substrate and either make a Tanganyika/Rainbow tank or just go back to the Mbunas. In either event, I've learned a lot more about rockscaping since I set up my saltwater tank, so I'm going to go pretty heavy on rock to make it work a little better.

Tang tanks are way cool. Assuming you rock it up, there's usually little aggression. Julis, altolamps, shell dwellers, etc all work well.

[RockChalk]

Not sure if any of you fishkeepers have an octopus in your tank, but I thought this was a good article on the intelligence of octopi. Just thought I'd share (long read)

http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.p...s/article/6474

[Lumpy]

Hey, Silock. Just checking in to see you if you found a fish tank yet?

[Iowanian]

Thanks to you assholes sparking my curiosity and a friend who was moving and giving me a 10 gallon tank, supplies and 5 fish, I've got a fish tank bubbling next to my desk right now, making me have to piss.

The kids love it so far. I hope it's not too big of a pain in the ass.

Also, it came with a big ass plattydaddypus or some goofy looking black algae sucker that hangs on the side like a hobo with a sign. It's too big and needs a new home so I can put some shiny little bastards in it.

I am going to drop a couple of deer antlers in it. You'll Swim around that and you'll like it, Nemo.


another aquaintence is trying to sell me a 30 gallon setup already for a hundo, but I'm not sure I'm that dedicated yet.

[Lumpy]

Um, you're welcome?