How many people on here have fish tanks?

[jsfinn]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

Carphunter, not only are saltware tanks a TON of work and a lot of money, but the wall behind the tank will likely need to be painted often. As the water evaporates it leaves salt deposits on the walls around it.<br /><br />The fish are beautiful, but I think they are too much trouble.

 

[Toad2001]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

I live in Vancouver, just North of Seatle.<br />Same climate-Rainy winters.<br /><br />Average Monthly temps (Celsius Fahrenheit) <br />January 5 42 <br />February 7 44 <br />March 10 50 <br />April 14 58 <br />May 18 65 <br />June 21 69 <br />July 23 74 <br />August 23 74 <br />September 18 65 <br />October 14 58 <br />November 9 48 <br />December 6 43

 

[jsfinn]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

18rabbit,<br /><br />I had to get a permit for mine. Just filled out some paperwork and sent it in to F&G and a few weeks later, I got my papers. <br /><br />I got them because I wanted to try something new. They cost too much to feed though and watching them eat has lost its novelty. They arn't that pretty and don't swim around much. I wouldn't really reccomend anyone gets them to anyone. The last one I have is a little over 2 years old so I don't think it'll be much more before he's swimming in the big tank in the sky and then it's back to low maint. fish that eat flake.

 

[lund17]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

For the tropicals Plechostimus(sp) is a voracious wall sucker. Danger is starving him when he gets big. Real wood in the water helps and you may have to actually add algae tabs for him to chew. All water environments are balanced by nitrifying bacteria (hence bio-filters) that change nitrates from fish waste into nitrites that plants use. These bacteria thrive in dark slow moving water with plenty of surface area to cling to i.e bio balls or even cut up sections of small diameter corrugated pipe. You can create this environment in a pond or aquarium by having stacked stone or coarse gravel as a home and by having plenty of oxygenating plants like anacharis or cabomba to consume the nitrrites. Algae thrive on nitrates. I would start a pond with simple comet goldfish which are cheap and if overcowded a little to slow growth will develop beautiful tails and fins. Koi are expensive and will eat every plant in the pond requiring heavy mechanical, bio, and even ultra-violet(read costly) filtration to keep the water clear enough to see them. Awell balanced pond will also produce an abundance of babies if the comets are about 4" or longer and a 60 -70 percent water change is done in the spring.<br /><br />Formerly "Surf and Turf Landscape Designs" but it took too much of summer and fishing/boating weather!!

 

[roscoe]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

Yeah, in my boat. <br />One livewell, and one minnow bucket.

 

[JB]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

Got three. Two of about 1/4 acre each and one about 2 acres.<br /><br />Only the big one has fish in it. Channel cat to about 8lb and green sunfish. Oh, lots of fathead minnows, too.

 

[jimchere]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

Hey Toad,<br />Its really neat how the currents work in the pacific, with your water temps in Vancouver nicer than southern California much of the time.<br />The most beautiful day at sea I had ever seen was about 180nm off of Vancouver. The water depth was over 300 fathoms, and it was so calm that there wasn't even a ripple on the ocean. It was calmer than I've ever seen the calmest inland lake, and the water is almost crystal clear. That night the photo-plankton lit up the sea with every little disturbance made by the hull passing through the water. You ever see it like that out there often? That was back in '89.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

Originally posted by JB:<br />Got three. Two of about 1/4 acre each and one about 2 acres.<br /><br />Only the big one has fish in it. Channel cat to about 8lb and green sunfish. Oh, lots of fathead minnows, too.

Yea I was gona say, I have a 2 acre one with all kinds of stuff in it.

 

[pjc]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

I set up a simple 10 gallon job for my daughter b4 son was born. Intention was to use tank for edu. purpose. One being exposing our daughter to the fact that Gods creatures pass on. Worked very well so to speak.<br /><br />Had easy care tropicals at the time. <br /><br />Son was born. He decided to adjust heater unkown to Lovely Bride and I. Cooked tropicals.<br /><br />Tank is now inhabited buy three goldfish, one generic catfish and a new $8 snail. <br /><br />We all enjoy this tank.

 

[Toad2001]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

jimchere,<br /><br />Sounds like you had an enjoyable trip.<br />I've been in calm conditions, and you are right about the waters here being warmer than in California. <br />What type of boat were you in? I assume you were on a cruise?

 

[JasonJ]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

I just have a little 10 gallon with some fish in it that I can't remember what they are. I clean it, feed them, and change the filter from time to time. I don't have the patience for the bigger tanks, I already have to much on my plate. They are nice to have though, very relaxing....

 

[eurolarva]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

Stay away from the marine tanks (Salt). Marine tanks require daily cleaning and very consistant temps along with keeping specific gravity ( Salt content around 1.20) consistant. You need a heavy duty rubber maid garbage pail with an areator and a heater to pre mix water for water changes. Salt fish get sick easy and because of this you need an isolation tank to treat these fish. I once had a dragon wrasse get sick and killed the whole tank. I lost over 500 dollars in fish. They sure are neat and pretty but it is like throwing money away. Tropicals are your best bet. 35 gallon tank with a couple of cheap fish until the nitrification process is done and then load it down with fish. A good alternative to a plycostomus is a chinese algee eater. Get a couple of these and the glass will stay clean

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

only have a small 20 gal now. had 2 african chiclids<br />and 1 jack dempsey. the chiclids constantly<br />harassed jack and they finally killed him about<br />a week ago.

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

Yea MY, my Africans may be smaller than my South Americans were, but wow are they aggressive. In my last tank I had (untill I moved accross the country) I had Oscars that were 12-13 inches, a Jack Demsey about 5-6 inches, a Red Devil 5 inches, a shovel nose catfish at about 12 inches and a bunch of convicts. My africans are only about 2-3 inches right now but I do think they would hold up against allthem other brutes just fine.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

u got that M&R! in a 55gal I had a big oscar and<br />a big red devil, both about 7" long. had one<br />african that was only maybe 3-4", but he ruled<br />the tank. him and the oscar used to square off<br />and lock lips all the time, was funny to watch

 

[18rabbit]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

Jsfinn – it is unlikely California F&G will allow any predator species into the state. Someone transplanted pike into Davis Reservoir and they can’t get rid of it. The pike kill the native fishes and breeds like bunnies. They are scared $#!+less that critter will get out and take over the whole state.<br /><br />We have both white and green sturgeon in the Delta. They don’t belong here either. They were brought in by European sports fishing interested over 100-years ago. It can grow to be huge and eats anything, too. I know some divers that will not dive the delta because of their fear of sturgeons. I suspect they’re really Democrats looking for a subsidy.<br /><br />You can buy little 3-inch sturgeons in the fish stores. They’re a cool looking fish. Mildly entertaining the idea of tossing one or two into the pond. The filter will be big enough to create the water circulation it/they need.

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

18rabbit, By pike do you mean northern pike or pike cichleds?

 

[18rabbit]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

By pike do you mean northern pike or pike cichleds?

Northern.<br /><br />

Its really neat how the currents work in the pacific, with your water temps in Vancouver nicer than southern California much of the time.

The nutrient rich water goes down deep near Alaska, slowly flows south and upwells just south of San Francisco Bay near a location called Ano Nuevo. Once at the surface, the cold water continues to flows south along the coast to an area mid-state called Point Conception, where it bumps into the costal current coming up from the south, turns off shore and comes back up. Somewhere way up north it turns back toward shore and comes down the coast where it meets up with the Ano Nuevo upwelling and continues in a circular motion.<br /><br />The Equatorial Current flows from South America to Asia, splits above and below and returns are the Northern and Southern Equatorial Currents. The northern EC smacks into land at Mexico and splits, partly returning to the Equatorial Current and partly coming up the coast to Point Conception in California. Most of the Equatorial Current water spends its life flowing back and forth along the equator, closest to the sun. depending on the season/tilt of the planet, it will be warmest either at the Asian end of the Americas end of the current.<br /><br />On it’s way up the coast, part of the water from the northern EC gets caught by the ‘hook’ that is the tip of Baja California (for those that attended public school, Baja California is part of Mexico, not part of the U.S.) and flows into the Sea of Cortez where it continues to warm. This is some of the warmest ocean water on the planet. In late August/mid-Sept it can be 92F.

 

[roscoe]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

California F&G is picking and choosing its battles based on political pressure from special interest groups, as are officials in most states.<br /><br />They were releasing non native species into the wild just 4 years ago(turkeys), along with countless others species in their "experiments".<br /><br />BTW, CA has hundreds of non natives already. Plants, fish, crustaceans, birds, mammals.<br /><br />They seem to be all worried about the pike, but what about the bullheads, bluegills, large and smallmouth bass, crabs, carp, green sunfish, pumpkinseed, redear, golden shiner, white crappie, black crappie, redeyed bass, spotted bass, smelt, brown trout, yellow perch, american shad, just to name a few.<br /><br />Talk about closing the barn door a little too late.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: How many people on here have fish tanks?

You can enjoy an aquarium without the fuss and expense. Caution: It’s addicting!:<br /><br /> http://www.popcap.com/gamepopup.php?theGame=insaniquarium <br /><br />If you don’t feed the fish, they will die. If you feed them, they grow and then breed. As they grow, they poop out coins. You need to collect the coins to buy the food to grow the fish…it’s a never-ending cycle…and then the fun starts.