Bought a fish aquarium yesterday

[hardrock]

46 gal diamond shaped for the corner. Beautiful tank and stand finished in oak. Got all the filters, heater, lights, hood etc.

So far all I have done is fill it and taking a water sample in today to have it tested before I buy fish. I am doing freshwater. I made the stupid mistake of buying a neutral colored rock and let's just say that with the oak finish it is less than what I hoped for. I'll probably get some bright colored gravel to sprimkle around the top to give it more color.

I have a couple of questions.

Fish- I am leaning to Jack Dempseys and oscars and othe mid agressive fish. I want fish that get big and look cool. Along with some crabs, lobsters maybe. I want a lot of variety. Maybe some sort of sharks or eels?


Decor- I am looking at ships, planes, castles, and rock formations. As far as plants I'm kinda torn between fake and live.

I haven't had a aquarium since I was about 13 so I am a little lost.

I want something that's vibrant, beautiful, and relatively low maintenance.


Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Arabian]

Get some Yellow Tangs and colorful fish... they are beatiful however keep the PH right or they will all be floating upright...... good luck

 

[swole]

if only dunk was around to talk fish with you

 

[binö]

get some walleye fingerlings so you can harvest your own fish to eat
good protein

 

[swole]

get some walleye fingerlings so you can harvest your own fish to eat
good protein

really? do you eat them small or when they grow?

 

[binö]

really? do you eat them small or when they grow?

lol you gotta let them mature
takes a few years...

 

[puddlemonkey]

Don't go too aggressive, I started out with about 16 fish a few years back, I have 4 now.

 

[walliwalibus]

Oscars are cool, but they get big man, and actually can jump out even with the lid. Happened to my brother. He had two 55 gal. tanks. Get one of the scum suckers for the sides of your tank too, i forget the name because it sounds funny and i just forgot. Watch the Oscars, they do eat little fish. I'll ask my bro today what that scum sucker was called and post it. Also get a rock cleaner that hooks up to your wet vac. I know they make em. As for live plant and fake...... really i think live plants end up taking up too much space after time, and you want less work with it, I would go artificial. Watch temp for a few days so you can really dial it in (temp and PH) before getting the fish. As for decorations, man there are a million, get what you like. I suggest getting a couple of rocks and staggering them so a little cave is there. Always a good effect.

 

[walliwalibus]

I forgot, don't throw your fish of a cliff.... people here don't like that. Plus your tank is too small to grow a sizable walleye to eat. LOL on that.

 

[puddlemonkey]

Get one of the scum suckers for the sides of your tank too, i forget the name because it sounds funny and i just forgot.

Plecostomus

 

[walliwalibus]

Thanks Puddlemonkey +k for you

 

[silverstar1025]

If you got saltwater you know you got into an expensive hobby right? RUN!!! Seriously my hubby is big into it and it is not cheap. He recently upgraded to a 300gal tank. Sometimes I want to shoot him because he is always buying stuff for the tank. Fish are real hard to keep. We never have luck with them. Check your water perameters often. Oh and if your fish get sick with ich and have white dots on them give them some garlic.

 

[hardrock]

If you got saltwater you know you got into an expensive hobby right? RUN!!! Seriously my hubby is big into it and it is not cheap. He recently upgraded to a 300gal tank. Sometimes I want to shoot him because he is always buying stuff for the tank. Fish are real hard to keep. We never have luck with them. Check your water perameters often. Oh and if your fish get sick with ich and have white dots on them give them some garlic.

Nope. Freshwater. I'd love to have a 150+ gal in the future for saltwater tho.