Hi Everyone

I’m new to this so please be gentle

I used to keep goldfish (mainly blackmoors) many moons ago, but after spending years with nowhere to put a tank, I've got a home and I’ve now decided to take the plunge into tropical fish. So I need some help!

I’ve decided to go for either a Juwel Trigon 190, or a Rio 240. And I’d like to have a community of small fish with hopefully some shrimp to add variety.

So here are my first queries,
1. The Juwel tanks come with a filter/heater. Are these any good, or would I be better off buying the tank and hardware separately?
2. What fish would you recommend, bearing in mind I’ve decided that large shoals of small fish are what I’m after.
3. And will they live happily with the shrimp?
4. And is the shop I’m planning on getting all this from any good? (It’s a big place in Oxford, so rather than getting in trouble for advertising them, I’ll let you put 2 & 2 together)

I’ll be asking me lsf for advice as well, but there are some very knowledgeable people here so I’d like your views too.
I was originally going to go for a marine set up, but after doing my homework; I think I’ll leave it for now.

Hello Digitalis and welcome

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The heaters are fine, if its just as you say small tropical fish your after then the filters will be fine too as long as you dont overstock although some people like externals so you can get rid of the black box but thats personal taste.Many people will also tell you they prefer to customise there own tank and so buy all the bits seperatly, again this is down to personal preference theres no right or wrong really

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So many to choose from have a look at the aquazoo link sticky in the general section and see what takes your fancy, zebra or lepard danios are always a good starter fish you also have lots of tetras barbs etc etc its what you like really, best to choose some fish u like and if ur not sure post back here and we can let you know if they will be ok together.

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Depends what fish you choose.

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Ive heard good things

Have fun.

Hi There Digitalis, Welcome to the forum,

I've kept,bred,sold,bought & had Tropical fish fer over 40 years & in all that time I've never ever liked buying a "Ready Made" set up ...........

I always prefer to "go unique" & set up things the way I WANT THEM ...... when you've got your set up I bet you'll see something or someone will suggest something that you'll wanna try & you won't be able to do it coz of your "pre-arranged" Filter/stat/hood ect

Just get the bare bones & have a play.........you'll end up with a Unique set up that you can adapt TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL NEEDS ...I've got Fluid bed filters & Pond UVC's on my tank that I would never have bin able to install if I'd have gone down the Ready made route !!!!

might be worth looking at some other posts in the tropical section to see how others have got on with setting up new tanks as well - might give you some more ideas

Thanks for help so far people

I will probably go for the juwel set up. Speaking to the people in the shop and searching around here and other sites, they seem to be good deal, and not that restrictive for future upgrades. And i think it'll be the 240Rio one.

Contents wise...
I reckon some largeish shoals of neon and cardinal tetras, and some zebra danios, lots of plastic plants as well as some small catfish (will these find the shrimp tasty?). Will these all be happy together and has anyone got any other recomendations for different species to look at and/or stocking levels

I'll hopefully be getting the tank this week, but it'll have to wait a while, as i havent finished the house it destined for yet

Have fun and let us know how you get on ok

Hello again

Your fish sound fine so far..heres a link to read which many members have found useful when setting up their tanks, are you a beginner to fishkeeping or have you kept before?

http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles ... hless-cycling-article.htm

As far as stocking levels go a rough guide is one inch of fish per gallon of water, if you go for the rio240 this is roughly 50 odd gallons so queit a few fish seeing as your going for the smaller types.. this must be build up slowly though so not to overload the filter, for ideas on other fish to keep you could always check out other peples profiles and see if anything takes your fancy or just take a walk around a few fish shops its a good idea to takes a notepad with you so you can jot down anything that catches your eye then get home and do some research to see if its compatible with your tank... its not always wise to take the sales persons word as gospel

Hi there,
I have only been keeping tropical fish for nearly a year. I found this site and it's brilliant with so many people with various amounts of experience - lovely people too
I initially went for a 10 gallon tank - to start off with that is
My first fish to go in that was a shoal (6) of neon tetra's, very hardy little fish if I may say so! I then went for Black Widow tetras - also six. I now have a Juwel 180 - which I must admit is a brilliant tank. In that I have 2 synodontis eupterus, 1 rainbow shark (alfie!)
3 bronze corydoras, 2 albino corydoras, 3 denison barbs (torpedo barbs), 4 flying fox, 6 tiger barbs, 4 albino barbs, dwarf gourami (one male/one female) 5 neon tetras, 6 black widow tetras and 2 clown loaches which I bought today to attack my snails
All seem to live happy enough - the shark chases the flying foxes and the tiger barbs (sometimes) and the two syno's chase each other (sometimes) all amusing to watch but as far as I can see - nothing harmful in it.
Incidentally, I have heard that NEON tetras are more hardy than CARDINAL tetras? I'm sure I read it somewhere
We have so much fun - my hubby thinks I'm NUTS - I call my fish 'MY BABIES' he!he!
Good luck with whatever you decide and let us know.

Visited said shop today, And we're now the proud owner of a Juwel 180 vision! I hadn't considered the vision tanks, but the wife liked those ones with curved front the best, so who am i to argue? Actually, she wasnt really sold on the idea of getting an aquarium, until today when she saw all the amazing fish swimming around, I had to drag her of of there in the end lol!

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I used to keep Goldfish in an aquarium Euryale, but this will be my first tropical set-up. Thanks to this site and the few books i've read, hopefully i can give my fishy friends a good home. Dont worry, the tank will be properly cycled. Actually i've got a few questions about that, but i've still got lots of threads to read yet.

Biggest decision to be made at the moment is what colour gravel to go for??

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What excellent taste you have...... http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/modules/ ... 05668ecde99360b55033ba6a4
But seriously they are a good tank im sure you will be pleased

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I always prefer a natural colour or even sand myself but to each there own... we had a member on here yesterday offering a free bag of flouresent pink gravel if your interested