Second fish tank

[galeogirl]

I bought my daughter an aquarium last Christmas because she wanted fish. She has some platies and a few zebra danio. She's been a champ about caring for them and we now have had two successful generations of platies and it looks like we're about to start having danio fry as well.

She's been more than hinting that she'd like another, larger tank this Christmas. So, second-tier fish suggestions? I know inverts, reptiles, and amphibians, but don't know all that much about fish. I was thinking 100-gallon tank. She currently has a 30-gallon.

 

[Kirsten]

Perhaps try your hand at saltwater? I hear it's the initial setup that is tricky but maintenance not so bad. I always loved angel fish but they are more aggressive and need to be only angel tanks, usually. I really like the look of natural planted aquariums where the focus is on the aquascape and the inhabitants are more a secondary feature with fewer fishes. 100 gal is a lot to work with;maybe a aquatic turtle setup with fishes in the water part below?

Anyway...your 'in love' mood rating explains your glow in your avatar

 

[zonbonzovi]

I second the aquatic turtles- at 100 gallons you could have an awesome setup with a fair amount of land when it comes time for some lovin'. They are very active & rewarding creatures & forgiving with keeper error. I don't know about the fish in conjuntion, though. The only thing my pair haven't eaten is the large pleco that cleans up after them.

 

[Toirtis]

Unless you specifically are already wanting turtles, think long and hard about them...they may be cool, but require some serious resources and their enclosures are seldom attractive.

On the other hand, a paludarium encompassing both terrestrial and aquatic habitat, housing some fish, small amphibians, and tropical plants could be really nice.

Or, an aquarium with some more attractive fish, like cardinal tetras, rummynose tetras, rams, corydoras sterbai, etc...or even some larger fish, like discus.

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

I cannot emphasize enough how awesome native fishes can be! A 100 gallon can surely hold a few sunfish(they're often compared to cichlids) and maybe a bullhead catfish or two. Or you can get a bunch of small fish, like darters or dace. Heck, you can get a grass or redfin pickerel for a 100 gallon.

ust be sure to check your laws beforehand.

 

[galeogirl]

She's really into her fish so, while I love turtles and have 20+ years experience with reptiles and amphibians, this tank won't be about what I like.

I have issues with saltwater because I don't feel like it's good for the environment and, even without that factor, I think the maintenance and set-up might be too much for a 7 year-old.

I'm not sure what our regulations are like for local species, though a tank like that does sound interesting, as does another community tank with some different species than what she already has.

I've had cichlids recommended to me and there are a lot of pretty and interesting choices there. I know that my daughter likes catfish a lot, but I need to do more reading about the different species.

 

[H. laoticus]

I don't support the turtle thing, but I really like freshwater aquarium setups-especially planted tanks!

Saltwater tanks are also a good step up from freshwater and is much more pricey as well.

I say go with a planted tank and get live plants in there!
The most fun I had wasn't so much the fish, but setting up the right substrate for the plants to thrive in, picking the right plants, selecting the (driftwood) decor, and standing back to check out how sweet it all looked
Im sure you and your daughter would enjoy a project like that

It might just turn out looking something like this:
http://img517.imageshack.us/i/fts1smalllh7.jpg/
http://aquadaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/growing-plants-on-bogwood.jpg
My favorite:
http://www.aquascapingworld.com/gallery/images/850/1_Riverbank_Ryuboku_aquascape_.jpg

and cory catfish are awesome

 

[galeogirl]

Her current tank is planted with Dracaena sp. and a peacock fern. The fish really seem to like them.

 

[H. laoticus]

Her current tank is planted with Dracaena sp. and a peacock fern. The fish really seem to like them.

sweet, I really like the look of java moss on driftwood. It's even better when the water current sways them back and forth, a very soothing effect.

 

[galeogirl]

Those pics are gorgeous. I really like the heavily planted tanks, those are nice.

 

[bugmankeith]

You could get a 10-20 gallon and pick out a male betta of any color.

 

[Toirtis]

A paludarium could turn out like this:

...potentially something like small, pretty frogs for the top, small, colourful fish for the bottom...lots of live plants...ferns, orchids, etc.

 

[Bazzgazm]

my favorite fish ever growing up were my oscars.
as common as they were they were like waterbound puppies. very curious, right to the top when you walk in.. big enough and with the variations out there.. cheap for a beautiful looking fish.

If something meaner be the tastes.. i also housed a pike cichlid of some sort that turned out to be the meanest fish i'd ever seen, but he could snap goldfish in half.

 

[Lorgakor]

Honestly, if the tank is for your daughter, then your daughter should choose what goes in it. She'll be much more excited about it. You can ask us, but we're all going to give you OUR ideas, and it won't be hers.
Take her around to some fish stores and see what she likes. Then research her choices to see if any of them will work for the tank you have in mind and go from there. Or get a few books and let her pick from them. I'm sure you'll be able to set up a nice community for her with her choices.

I wouldn't recommend saltwater at this stage, it is very expensive and I found it to be really messy with all the salt crustiness.

 

[Rex Libris]

Quite.

With the space for 100 gallons you have a lot of options. Does she want lots of tiny fish? A handful of middlin' sized ones? One or two big ones? Does she want live plants? Owner interactive fish?

Also budget issues. If you stock it as a specimen tank (I'd put a Jaguar cichlid in a 100 gallon if I had one) it will be a lot cheaper than stocking it with little tiny fish, even if the large fish you choose is a pricey species.

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

Honestly, if the tank is for your daughter, then your daughter should choose what goes in it. She'll be much more excited about it. You can ask us, but we're all going to give you OUR ideas, and it won't be hers.
Take her around to some fish stores and see what she likes. Then research her choices to see if any of them will work for the tank you have in mind and go from there. Or get a few books and let her pick from them. I'm sure you'll be able to set up a nice community for her with her choices.

I wouldn't recommend saltwater at this stage, it is very expensive and I found it to be really messy with all the salt crustiness.

Be sure to show her the various types of sunfish and bullhead catfish online....they're almost never available at pet stores.

 

[galeogirl]

Oh, I know that it's mostly her choice, but, not being a fish person, I've been trying to educate myself with books and such so that I can help her make informed decisions. She's still young enough that she may need some guidance.

"Baby, I like electric eels, too, but the answer is still 'no'."

Seeing other people's set-ups has been inspiring and suggestions give me fish to look up with her, etc.