New tank advice

[Sleepinglemon]

I'd like to get DS a small fish tank for Christmas. I'd really appreciate a recommendation for a small tank with filter and what kind/how many fish we should keep in it? I was thinking Tetra? And what kind of maintenance will be required?

There is the misconception that a small tank would be great for beginners, but actually the smaller the volume, the trickier it is to keep healthy!

Do lots of reading on proper fish care. A good starter size is actually 60-100 litres. Most kids tanks or small tanks are under 30 litres. For a school of Neon Tetras you really need at least 60 litres to give them the swimming space they really require.

It can also take a month or two for the bacterial colony in the filter media to establish to properly support fish. Keeping fish isn't about keeping fish, it's about keeping water. Keep the water healthy and the fish will thrive!

Read up on the Nitrogen Cycle, fishless cycling and new tank syndrome.

Properly done and DS will love it! But rush it and you'll be explaining the big pond in the sky to DS sooner than you would want to!

Have a read on here
www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/

@bunnygeek.. i'm not the op but i hope you read this as it's excellent advice you give. I have kept large aquariums with my Dad and now DS is interested in stating an aquarium. We have little space so am thinking 60l Biorb. They come with everything but the heater. I know we can put 15 fish in so a school of tetras, platys, poss an Angel or two. We used to keep cichlids and i loved the mouth brooding. I miss those days with my dad. Would love to keep cichlids now but what would be the min tank size required i wonder?

@BooseysMom if you're after a new tank, go for regular rectangular shaped tanks and NOT the Orbs, they have poor stocking options and poor filtration.

Angelfish would need at least 150-200 litres and would eat smaller Tetras ;)

@BooseysMom I have a 200litre now and have four African Dwarf Butterfly Cichlids. They're funny little things!

@bunnygeek.. that shows how much i know! It was about 30 years ago that my Dad had tropical and i got interested then. I loved the cichlids the best. Thanks for the advice. The corner we want to use for a tank would only fit a cylindrical type tank or orb so it's difficult