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steveo

mine to stay the same please
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
7,545
Ive got a nice Koi pond in the garden but fancied having a tank indoors. I know absolutely nothing about fish but understand there are freshwater types or marine salt water types.

I have a spot where the tank would go, approx 5 foot long, 1 foot wide and up to 4 foot high.

Any fish experts with any advice?
 
Ive got a nice Koi pond in the garden but fancied having a tank indoors. I know absolutely nothing about fish but understand there are freshwater types or marine salt water types.

I have a spot where the tank would go, approx 5 foot long, 1 foot wide and up to 4 foot high.

Any fish experts with any advice?

i use to have topical fish when i was younger and infact looking to get a tank again soon.

best bet for any advise is either the internet or go speak to the guys/girls down at swollows.

but i wouldnt buy the tank from there as a bit pricey check out pets at home for the tank
 
Just don't make the same mistake SBH did... :p

Surely he's our resident expert, isn't he? ;)

We also used to have an aquarium with tropical fish when I was younger, I know marine fish are growing in popularity since Nemo came on the scene. There used to be a pretty good place in Basildon on the walkway from Eastgate down to where Toys R Us is, not sure if it's still there. I think Pets at Home also do tropical fish.
 
Surely he's our resident expert, isn't he? ;)

We also used to have an aquarium with tropical fish when I was younger, I know marine fish are growing in popularity since Nemo came on the scene. There used to be a pretty good place in Basildon on the walkway from Eastgate down to where Toys R Us is, not sure if it's still there. I think Pets at Home also do tropical fish.

Think it's still there. They have coldwater, tropical and marine fish and a decent range of aquariums. Haven't been there for about a year though.
 
I keep tropicals and marine fish. If you are starting out then can i recommend tropicals as marine fish are really hard work, you have to do water chages every week and they are much more expensive and can die at the drop of a hat if their conditions arent perfect.
For tropicals i would agree that you go and have a look round Swallow nurseries in Rayleigh, but if you find that tank you like dont buy it from there as they are really quite expensive. I suggest that you look online as you will be able to get a much better deal. Start with some hardy fish like Guppies, Mollies, Neon/Cardinal Tetras and Swordtails etc. once you get the hang of keeping these then perhaps move on to the more complex tropicals.
 
Think it's still there. They have coldwater, tropical and marine fish and a decent range of aquariums. Haven't been there for about a year though.

Fishy Friends - It is still there - Go in there and talk to Kevin about tropical setups. Reasonable prices on tanks and stuff. Problem with ordering tanks on line is that if there is a problem difficult to return.
 
Just keep your eye on the little blighters during the winter months...

Someone borrowed mine for a few weeks once, though I'm glad they gave them back!
 
Just keep your eye on the little blighters during the winter months...

Someone borrowed mine for a few weeks once, though I'm glad they gave them back!


I think it's a little harder for ones in tanks to simulate hibernation and they certainly aren't under threat from various of the immigrant population for food!
 
I know it sounds a little dull, but you can never do too much research before setting up your first aquarium. So many people spend a fortune on expensive kit that they could have got for a fraction of the cost. Then through lack of knowing the basics inadvertantly torture and kill their first 50 or so fish before giving up and tearing the whole thing down...

Magazines like Practical Fishkeeping seem to run a beginners guide every couple of months or so. Books are another good source, but be careful of some 'older' guides that may offer completely out of date advice - fishkeeping's moved on a hell of a lot and there may be far better solutions around these days. There are several decent guides and forums on the net, but do be cautious of any internet 'facts' - as we know, any idiot can post any rubbish and pass it off as fact...
 
I know it sounds a little dull, but you can never do too much research before setting up your first aquarium. So many people spend a fortune on expensive kit that they could have got for a fraction of the cost. Then through lack of knowing the basics inadvertantly torture and kill their first 50 or so fish before giving up and tearing the whole thing down...

I did that with my pond and am now on the fifth version which is exactly spot on but it took a lot of time, wrong equipment and money to get it right.

At first glance I do prefer the marine fish but as already pointed out, they are apparently harder to keep than tropical.
 
I did that with my pond and am now on the fifth version which is exactly spot on but it took a lot of time, wrong equipment and money to get it right.

At first glance I do prefer the marine fish but as already pointed out, they are apparently harder to keep than tropical.

I would say that keeping most of the common freshwater tropical beasts is probably more forgiving than marines rather than marines being harder. Some marine species are really easy to keep, and it depends how complex you want your set-up to be as to how difficult you will make it for yourself. Marine set-ups will generally work out far more expensive than freshwater, so I reckon cost would be the limiting factor in deciding which way to go...
 
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