I'm new to the whole fish keeping hobby and have learned a lot from all the helpful information posted on this site and a few others.
I started by picking up a used 40 gal tank down in Long Beach CA, after just stopping in to check out the store. I'd been wanting to get a tank for a while but the timing was never right. The excuse was that the tank would hold fish for the cats to watch. The first few fish to go in that tank were a few mollies and danios along with some cheep feeder goldfish to round out the tank. Soon after I learned how much waste the goldfish produce when most of those fish died. A lot of research later and several purchases (filtration, master test kit, gravel vac, water conditioner, etc.) and I was ready to be a responsible fishkeeper and get some nicer fish. Btw the offending goldfish were put in a bucket for the cats to play with and flushed after they'd had thier fun.
Into that tank went 2 sun catfish and 3 bala sharks, a few weeks later a 2" Tiger Oscar was added, another week and a common pleco went in. Of the original fish only one of the giant danios survived and is still swimming to this day.
Now I knew from the start what I really wanted was a huge tank, but since my wife and I are only leasing the house we live in, that's not a possibility yet... the original plan for such a tank was to do a native themed tank with several bass species including stripped bass, channel, blue and flathead catfish, but to do that right I'd need something in the several thousand gallon range. I may still try to do that some day down the road but it's doubtful.
Somehow and I'm still not sure exactly, I convinced my darling wife to let me get a bigger tank. After much research on the web and searching of craig's list I was able to find a deal on a new 180 gal tank and unfinished laguna pine stand. After much work staining and sealing the stand I finally got the tank inside and ready for fish. All the fish from the 40 gal were transferred to the new bigger tank and all was well.
Soon after that I wanted something a little more exotic in the tank and started researching different species for possible additions to the tank.
After reading a lot of fish profiles and looking at a lot of picture galleries I set my sites on attaining a pair of Jaguar Cichlids (in no small part to seeing pictures of AquaMojo's fish). After calling around to somewhat local fish shops I found a shop that had some. I'd read it's best to get 5-6 juveniles to try and get a pair but the shop only had 3 and one was kind of beat up so I only managed to get 2. I'm hoping I'll luck out and end up with a pair, but I'm not holding my breath on that. I've tried comparing them to available pics to see if I can sex them myself or get pictures to post and get the experts advice, however they don't seem to want their pictures taken and they're usually keeping their coloration fairly dark. Hopefully they get comfortable soon and I can get some decent pictures to post.
Future plans one I'm able to buy a hose will be a much larger tank or two and a indoor amazon themed pond.
I started by picking up a used 40 gal tank down in Long Beach CA, after just stopping in to check out the store. I'd been wanting to get a tank for a while but the timing was never right. The excuse was that the tank would hold fish for the cats to watch. The first few fish to go in that tank were a few mollies and danios along with some cheep feeder goldfish to round out the tank. Soon after I learned how much waste the goldfish produce when most of those fish died. A lot of research later and several purchases (filtration, master test kit, gravel vac, water conditioner, etc.) and I was ready to be a responsible fishkeeper and get some nicer fish. Btw the offending goldfish were put in a bucket for the cats to play with and flushed after they'd had thier fun.
Into that tank went 2 sun catfish and 3 bala sharks, a few weeks later a 2" Tiger Oscar was added, another week and a common pleco went in. Of the original fish only one of the giant danios survived and is still swimming to this day.
Now I knew from the start what I really wanted was a huge tank, but since my wife and I are only leasing the house we live in, that's not a possibility yet... the original plan for such a tank was to do a native themed tank with several bass species including stripped bass, channel, blue and flathead catfish, but to do that right I'd need something in the several thousand gallon range. I may still try to do that some day down the road but it's doubtful.
Somehow and I'm still not sure exactly, I convinced my darling wife to let me get a bigger tank. After much research on the web and searching of craig's list I was able to find a deal on a new 180 gal tank and unfinished laguna pine stand. After much work staining and sealing the stand I finally got the tank inside and ready for fish. All the fish from the 40 gal were transferred to the new bigger tank and all was well.
Soon after that I wanted something a little more exotic in the tank and started researching different species for possible additions to the tank.
After reading a lot of fish profiles and looking at a lot of picture galleries I set my sites on attaining a pair of Jaguar Cichlids (in no small part to seeing pictures of AquaMojo's fish). After calling around to somewhat local fish shops I found a shop that had some. I'd read it's best to get 5-6 juveniles to try and get a pair but the shop only had 3 and one was kind of beat up so I only managed to get 2. I'm hoping I'll luck out and end up with a pair, but I'm not holding my breath on that. I've tried comparing them to available pics to see if I can sex them myself or get pictures to post and get the experts advice, however they don't seem to want their pictures taken and they're usually keeping their coloration fairly dark. Hopefully they get comfortable soon and I can get some decent pictures to post.
Future plans one I'm able to buy a hose will be a much larger tank or two and a indoor amazon themed pond.
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