Hey guys, I'm just after some quick advice, I have kept tropical fish before and have a small tank now with various tetras etc. I am currently planning to plant my existing tank with some java moss and a few easy species of plant.

Anyway....my dad is retired and he has cancer plus some other medical issues which means a lot of the time he isn't well enough to leave the house and understandably he gets very bored and frustrated as he used to be very active. He really likes fish and so me and my OH were thinking of getting him a small, maybe 2ft tropical set-up for his birthday in a few months time. I think it will give him something to do but at the same time I don't want it to be hard for him to look after. I know he would love a tropical set-up but when we have talked about he is worried that it will be too hard for him to maintain.

Soooo.....can anyone suggest some hardy easy to keep species to start him off with, not so bothered about plants as we can get him some realistic looking fake ones....

Any help would be great, cheers

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Kate

2.2.2 - Eublepharis macularius0.1.0 - Sceloporus malachiticus 1.1.0 - Varanus acanthurus brachyurus0.0.1 - Tiliqua gigas evanescens 0.4.0 - Felis catus 1.0.0 - Fat, old goldfish
Lots of tropical fish...

i would set the tank up using under gravel filters as you dont clean these all you do is now and again wizz around with a gravel cleaner. for hardy fish i would go with the followin

• guppies
• platys
• mollies
• corries
• bristlnoses
• maybe if he likes them a pair of honey gouramis

these are hardy fish but pretty at the same time, the bristlnoses also dont get big and will keep his glass clean as they eat algea.

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I personally wouldnt use an under gravel filter and wouldnt use fake plants, all plants are easy to maintain and not only look better but will help absorb bad nutrients in the water.
There are tons of different tetras that are available but I find if you buy something too common you get bored of them too quickly so maybe get Endler Guppies or rainbow fish or some small plecs like Bulldog plecs or Gold Nuggets.

If your dad wants to go down the planted route avoid big fish as they will bash the plants and avoid planted eaters, Silver dollars and Tin Foil barbs...

Good luck

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Thanks guys! A mate who is into his fish told me to stick to a normal filter, a fluval 1 should be ok for this size shouldn't it??

If all goes well with my java moss and 'easy' plants I'll get them for him too. A couple of my mates are into their planted aquaria and have the CO2 kerfuffle that I don't understand so I want to avoid any delicate plant species.

I was thinking of some dwarf corys, some tetras perhaps lemon ones as I have found them to be hardy. Are there any smaller species of loach that would be suitable??

Cheers again

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Kate

2.2.2 - Eublepharis macularius0.1.0 - Sceloporus malachiticus 1.1.0 - Varanus acanthurus brachyurus0.0.1 - Tiliqua gigas evanescens 0.4.0 - Felis catus 1.0.0 - Fat, old goldfish
Lots of tropical fish...

don't get a fluval. Not the most reliable filter in the world. If you can get an Eheim Aquaball, or a Rena Filstar IV2. Both good quality filter, reliable and aren't too expensive

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1.1 leos, 1.1 fat tails, 0.2 Beardies, 1 Whites, 2.0 Cresties, 4.1 Cats, Fish: 4.4 P. Dovii, 5.5.6 Peacock Bass (5 sp), 1.1 C 'Cobra', 1.1 festae, 1.1 green terror, 1.1 nics, 1.1 C. Marmorata, 1.1 C. Johani, 1.1 C. 'Strigata', 1.1 C. 'red tapojas'; 1.1 P. Friedrichsthalli, 1.1 Mots, 1.1 managuense, 1.1 H. Bocourti, 1.1 H. Pearsi, 1.1 H. Carpinte, 1.1 H. Cynoguttatum, 1.1 V. Argentea, 1.1 V. Zonatus, 1.1 N. Salvini, 2.2 Grammodes, 3.4 Hoplarchus Pssiticus, 2.2 Trimacs, 3.4 haitiensis, 1.1 tetracanthus, 3.2 Red tiger mots, 14 Uaru (2 sp) 1.1 Umbies, 2 Arapaima, 3 Red tail catfish, 1.1 P. Leopoldii, 1.1 P. Motoro, 3 Silver Arowana, Var. polypterus, var. Channa sp, M. wyckii, 3 siamese tigers, 2 jelly catfish, 1 Golden dorado
Member number 1717

Cheers mike! One of my mates works in an aquatics centre so I'll see if he can get it trade I have asked him about this too but I wanted some other opinions too, always the best way I think!

Thanks

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Kate

2.2.2 - Eublepharis macularius0.1.0 - Sceloporus malachiticus 1.1.0 - Varanus acanthurus brachyurus0.0.1 - Tiliqua gigas evanescens 0.4.0 - Felis catus 1.0.0 - Fat, old goldfish
Lots of tropical fish...

well would disagree one the undergravels but not the point of the thread

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What are the pros and cons of undergravels and normal ones?? I was going for sand as a substrate, but if undergravels seem better suited for him then I can just change, no problems

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Kate

2.2.2 - Eublepharis macularius0.1.0 - Sceloporus malachiticus 1.1.0 - Varanus acanthurus brachyurus0.0.1 - Tiliqua gigas evanescens 0.4.0 - Felis catus 1.0.0 - Fat, old goldfish
Lots of tropical fish...

1: easy to install no moving parts to break or go wrong
2: invisble-no horrible looking blosck taking up room in filter- also with livebearers UGF will not suck babie fish up
3: quickest of the filters to get a good microbial life- so better for your fish
4: cheap to buy and never break and ned replacing
5: versatile- you can add powerheads and other things to boost them
6: very easy to clean one a month (with the tank your thinking about) a quick clean with a gravel clean and your done.

cons

1: can cause a problem with live plants ( i got about this by using small terracotta pots to plant them in and my plants grow brill)

2: when they do need a full clean (i have yet to do one on any of my tanks and they have been set up years) they are awfull

3: the amount of gravel you need in a tank (3" plus) for UGF to work properly

4: there the fave hiding place for fish like Clown, Kuhli Loaches, Gobies, Blennies, but there come out when hungry!

5: urm cant think of anything else but i am sure someone will point some out.

i ahve nothing against over filters, i use external filters myself on two of my tanks, but i just love UGF for ease, and a tropical fish shop keeper( one of them proper old types) used UGF in all his tanks i wont get better quality water anywhere, and of course with it been a shop it had high stocking numbers.

its totally up to you of course.
Clare

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Thanks for that Clare, always good to know the pros and cons of things. I'll have a think about it, his birthday isn't til June and I have to convince my mother first, for some weird reason she hates aquariums but is totally find with the 3x1 with Jeremy (large very old goldfish)....weird....

Thanks

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Kate

2.2.2 - Eublepharis macularius0.1.0 - Sceloporus malachiticus 1.1.0 - Varanus acanthurus brachyurus0.0.1 - Tiliqua gigas evanescens 0.4.0 - Felis catus 1.0.0 - Fat, old goldfish
Lots of tropical fish...