Im seriously considering a Tropical Fish tank in the very near future ( although still doing my homework )

are there any species that are to be recommended for a newbie?

I would like to be able to go and select the equipment that I need rather than buy online, but dont really know where to go for it ( did go into the aqaua shop in teynham, next to Lost World...LW are fab, but the young lad in the fish shop didnt seem that bothered, and his attitude annoyed me )

can anyone recommend a good shop in Kent?

__________________

lol sorry i dont know any shops down there.

But as for newbie fish, neons/guppies/dwarf gourami's/platies/mollies. They are all pretty standard to be honest. You could get neons and glowlights in nice shoals, male and female guppies in the right ratio's. I guess as long as you do your homework properly and dedicate the time to maintaining the tanks and such then you can have any fish you want really within reason. Just a case of how confident you are.

If you dont feel you can maintain a trickier, less hardy type of fih, then save your money, go for something cheaper, a little hardier (for example dont go and buy oscar's for 15quid/ea if you dont feel your 100% capable, go get 10 neons for 8quid or whatever they're at)

Matt

Interesting- i haven't been to that shop in a while, but they have a good reputation. Maybe new staff? Anyway, for good basic information plus interesting 'specialist' articles, you might find it worth checking out the magazine 'Practical Fishkeeping', monthly, available in Smith's etc. They tend to run 'beginner's features' a lot as well practical care tips.

ark aquatics in maidstone also there store in charthams good...ask for simon in maidstone he should sort you out

jo

__________________
Boa's

1.1 Hogg isles

0.3 Commons

1.0 pastel hypo

Royal's

0.1 Normal

0.1 Spider

Fluffie's

2.0 Cats

2.7.?? Mice

http://www.livingreefaquatics.co.uk/Default.aspx

This shops good, they are a bit overpriced on some things, but its not a bad shop, and its possible to kick the owner in the danglies, we got sand sifting snails and hermies thrown in free with our corels, and they're not cheap themselves

__________________
0.1.0 Pain in the butt mutt Bull terrier - 1.1.0 Belgian Hares - 0.0.2 Tortoises
1.1.0 Blue tongued skinks - 2.0.0 Horned lizards - 1.1.0 Bearded Dragons - 0.1.0 Crocodile skink - 1.2.0 Leopard geckos - 1.1.0 Percivals legless skinks
1.2.0 Coastal Carpet pythons - 0.0.3 Corn snakes - 1.2.0 Common boas + babies - 0.1.0 Columbian Rainbow boa - 1.0.0 Speckled king snake - 0.0.1 Amazon Tree boa - 1.1.3 Hognoses - 0.0.1 Gopher snake
0.0.6 Praying mantids - 0.0.3 Scorpions - 1.1.0 Whip scorpions - 0.0.1 Vinagaroon - 0.0.2 Giant centipedes - 8 species of roach - couple hundred Tarantulas.
Normal rats - Hairless rats - Fancy mice - Hairless mice - Striped grass mice - Egyptian Spiny mice - Harvest mice
Marine aquarium - Tropical aquarium

you could try

the little fish shop in teynham ( not a bad place to start )

but if you drive the best place I know is bybrook barn ashford very helpful

there is also a small but good pet shop in sheerness

also ark pets and aquatice many about ( very good if you know what you want )

Here are two that I use:

Aylesford Aquatics, 365 London Road, Aylesford, Maidstone, Kent, ME20 7QA
Aylesford Aquatics - - these people really do care about their customers, two weeks ago a red sea max tank I purchased from them in January 2008 cracked for no reason, Wayne the owner, immediately got it involved as he thought that even though the tank was out of warranty that for this to happen was not reasonable and has sorted it out and a replacement tank is now in my lounge Fantastic service and good advice from there guys - defiatenly recommend them.


Waterlands, Dillywood Lane, Higham, Rochester, Kent, ME3 7NT - website: Welcome to Waterlands

Ruth

Pets at home, i can talk your ears off
Shop around for tanks tho, ebay is sometimes good, also preloved and adtrader, i wouldnt advise presious pets in sheerness.

So far as beginner fish, it totally depends what you like, danios are easy, as are glowlights, black neons and platies, honey gourami, if you want to stay small. if your going for anything under 100 litres, prob best to steer clear of clown loaches, angels, sharks, eels, common plecs.

The best thing you can do is research, see what kind of fish you like then see how best to accomadate, and research each species of fish you like the look of.

__________________