Starting a tropical fish aquarium

[OnMyWay]

2 hours ago, graham59 said:

buy a bigger tank . With aquariums, the bigger the better, as the environment becomes increasingly more stable, when correctly stocked, filtered, and lit.

Yes, I was going to mention that but my typing finger got tired.  30 L is very small.  If you enjoy the hobby you will buy something bigger.

I had around 10 tanks spread around the house when I was a teenager and worked at a shop part time.  I had a few marine tanks but I agree with what was said.  Don't buy marine fish unless they are captive bred.  There are a few captive bred species now and the list is growing.

I would like to have two tanks here and both would be 100+ gallons.  One would be African ciclids and the other might be Koi.

[graham59]

I think I'd fill mine with Tilapia ! 

(Too busy getting the house built at the moment, to get sidetracked into my usual hobbies )

[OnMyWay]

28 minutes ago, graham59 said:

Too busy getting the house built at the moment, to get sidetracked into my usual hobbies

Well, you must have designed a location for the big aquarium?

[graham59]

To be honest, with a naughty 3 year-old in the house, it will have to go in my new 'den'... otherwise I'd be as stressed as the poor fish. lol 

[Mike J]

On 7/1/2019 at 11:37 PM, OnMyWay said:

I would like to have two tanks here and both would be 100+ gallons.  One would be African ciclids and the other might be Koi.

I had an 80 gallon tank with Tiger Oscars, beautiful fish.  They grew to about 10 inches and would take food out of my hand (freeze dried tubifex worms).   Sometimes they would get my fingers and draw a little blood but not too bad.  For a treat I would feed them live guppies that I raised in a small tank.  Agree completely that a large tank is much more likely to remain stable than a smaller one.   I always enjoyed the smell of a "healthy" tank, similar to turning over soil in a healthy garden.

[OnMyWay]

12 minutes ago, Mike J said:

I had an 80 gallon tank with Tiger Oscars, beautiful fish. 

I had the same!  I bought a pair of Tigers that were supposedly a breeding pair but they never laid eggs, and they were in an 80 gal tank next to my bed.  I mostly fed them goldfish.

The only aquarium store in Olongapo is a nice, well kept shop.  They have a lot of Koi, African ciclids, and oscars.  Have you seen oscars recently?  They have new breeds with new patterns.

[Jollygoodfellow]

8 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

I bought a pair of Tigers

 

8 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

I mostly fed them goldfish.

I feed my Tigers meat since they are meat eaters. I doubt if  anyone would have enough goldfish to satisfy their hunger.