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Viewed: 308 -- Replies: 13 | ||||||||
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| Posted | Need Stylistic help |
| 21-11-2007 12:53 by DKLS |
I have recently been given an ex dentists tower tank. I have upraded the lights filter and heater cycled the water and am now stuck.
I really want Cichlids preferably African. Either 1 or 2 species. Now my fiancee is a designer, and ever so slightly fish phobic, so I need some fish that fit the living rooms colour scheme (and dont have big shiny scales!!!!!). So picking colours from the curtains, I need 1 or two species that are either red, yellow or orange. Leulupi are the obvious ones, any other recommendations? |
| 21-11-2007 13:25 by D.R. |
DKLS are you for real?
That's a first, choosing the fish to match the curtains 
There are loads of yellow, reds and orange fish to choose from, Bear in mind that the tower tanks have very low surface area to volume ratio, is it hexagonal? This will mean a low stocking density, so be selective, be objective to the handful of individuals you pick |
| 21-11-2007 13:55 by Woz |
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| 21-11-2007 14:16 by telboy |
i agree with dr,these tanks arent very suitable for fish really,in fact theyre a pain in the back side to keep clean! what size/shape is it? also what filtration have ya got, also water volume? id stear clear of malawi as ya need to keep params quite good ie ph hardness softness etc if ya gonna use it id stick some vallensia[tall grass like plants]in it with some small shoaling fish maybe neons or summat similar |
| 22-11-2007 08:07 by DKLS |
D.R totally for real, If I am going to get the tank in the living room "it must not clash with the current colour scheme" Fiance isnt that much of a dragon just needs working on, she didnt like the 42" Plasma I wanted as that looked chavvy, but approved of the projector with a 9ft screen 
The tank is Hexi, and holds about 270 litres, powered by a Eheim Thermofilter. I realised that a fairly low stocking density is applicable, thats one of the reasons why I only wanted 1 or 2 species. I do want africans, as I have tried other species and to be honest they are just not as entertaining. |
| 22-11-2007 12:44 by D.R. |
What do you mean by entertaining?
Swimming motion? interesting to look at? novelty factor? If you want cichlids, stay away from Africans, a 6ft tower tank isnt ideal. Turn it on its side and they would do better, but that not an option. What about some Parrot fish, they even come dyed in any colour these days. Not totally agreed with dyed fish but the Parrots do have a novelty factor and will swim vertically up and down, come to greet you at feeding times. fancy goldfish can look stunning but then, the 6ft depth would cause some swim bladder problems. You'll laugh when I suggest my next group of orange/red to yellow fish. Jumbo platies, yep thats right, no other fish swims like them. Constantly up and down the sides of the glass,, so always active, they are available in 2-3" specimens so never too big for the tank. Plus they will peck away at the algae, an albino ancistrus as well, they are yellow and wont clash with the curtains
Picture the scene when you are selecting the fish in the LFS. I can just see the look on the the shop assistants face when you say 'no not that one, it will clash with the curtains':o |
| 22-11-2007 12:49 by keith t |
If you take a bit of the curtain material into the fish shop with you, you will be able to select your fish just right by holding it up against each fish tank. The shop owners wont mind people do it all the time |
| 22-11-2007 12:57 by D.R. |
Just out of interest, with her indoors (Your fiance) being a designer. Correct me if I am wrong, but dont the designer types rip everything out and re-style every couple of years??? Does that mean your fish colour scheme will have to change, next time She is doing it the wrong way round, she should be choosing the fish first and styling the room around them  |
| 26-11-2007 08:48 by DKLS |
To answer a few of the points.
Entertaining fish, this means I find the territorial behaviour of cichlids fascinating. Keith T you are bang on, I even have a small peice of curtain material in the glovebox, so I can see if a colour will work. The missus has rubbed off on me. And we dont tend to change schemes every couple of years, we just buy another house!!! |
| 26-11-2007 10:28 by Alan |
That fascinating behaviour is exactly the reason why they will not work in a tower.
go for tetras and other small tetras that are peacful and not teritorial. |
| 26-11-2007 12:28 by keith t |
I was being sarcastic |
| 27-11-2007 08:17 by DKLS |
Well I made my life much easier as I'm not prepared to comprimise style wise and opt for tetras or stick a 6ft tank in my living room, so I flogged the lot last night, and ordered a fish tank DVD from amazon, lifes too short for water changes. |
| 27-11-2007 08:48 by Big Rob |
in that case make sure u use clean/fresh electric on a daily basis .every 2 weeks someone will knock on your door and tell u their leccy is better than yours it might be but stick to what your dvd is used to |
| 03-12-2007 12:31 by D.R. |
So did you make much money from the tank? 
Think you did the right thing, you say.... you wouldnt compromise on style, that's fair enough each to their own I guess. First and foremost, is that you do not compromise on the welfare of the fish. So on the fish DVD are they all yellow fish? what if a blue fish comes into view will you edit that bit out for style reasons? Must have been very big windows in that curtain shop (pardon the pun), Did they see you coming a mile off? |
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