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November 15, 2015 4:26 PM Subscribe
What are the best fish for a widescreen 13 gallon aquarium?
The aquarium I am looking at is Aqueon's 13 LED Widescreen.
I would like not to have to buy an aquarium stand, so the size of the aquarium is limited by a bookcase cabinet that presently holds a bookcase and books that collectively weigh about 100 lb. I hope to remove the upper bookcase which is not fastened to the lower cabinet, and use the lower cabinet as a stand for the aquarium. The lower cabinet is sufficiently wide and deep.
After hours of looking at "aquarium porn" (think "house/apartment porn" rather than the sexual kind) on Youtube, with large, charismatic tropical freshwater fish in huge tanks, I have resigned myself to keeping small fish (2 inches long or less) in a micro aquarium. I am getting past the "oh, cute!" phase and want to focus on fish suitable for a small aquarium and a beginner. E.g., guppies, bettas, zebra danios.
I am planning to take it slow: after set-up, cycling for several weeks, then add the hardiest fish and let cycle again before each newcomer. I hope that the first fish will become permanent residents, so I don't want to use goldfish, which tend to grow too large in any case.
I am looking at lists of fish for nano aquariums, as here:
Nano fish for small aquariums
2 specific questions: (a) Has anyone used a widescreen aquarium and is it in any way inclined to tip over? The Aqueon model is 24.25"L x 8.375"W x 16.625"H.
(b) What fish do not mind having slightly less room to swim on the z axis (back to front)? I still plan to create hiding places for them.
The aquarium I am looking at is Aqueon's 13 LED Widescreen.
I would like not to have to buy an aquarium stand, so the size of the aquarium is limited by a bookcase cabinet that presently holds a bookcase and books that collectively weigh about 100 lb. I hope to remove the upper bookcase which is not fastened to the lower cabinet, and use the lower cabinet as a stand for the aquarium. The lower cabinet is sufficiently wide and deep.
After hours of looking at "aquarium porn" (think "house/apartment porn" rather than the sexual kind) on Youtube, with large, charismatic tropical freshwater fish in huge tanks, I have resigned myself to keeping small fish (2 inches long or less) in a micro aquarium. I am getting past the "oh, cute!" phase and want to focus on fish suitable for a small aquarium and a beginner. E.g., guppies, bettas, zebra danios.
I am planning to take it slow: after set-up, cycling for several weeks, then add the hardiest fish and let cycle again before each newcomer. I hope that the first fish will become permanent residents, so I don't want to use goldfish, which tend to grow too large in any case.
I am looking at lists of fish for nano aquariums, as here:
Nano fish for small aquariums
2 specific questions: (a) Has anyone used a widescreen aquarium and is it in any way inclined to tip over? The Aqueon model is 24.25"L x 8.375"W x 16.625"H.
(b) What fish do not mind having slightly less room to swim on the z axis (back to front)? I still plan to create hiding places for them.
I'd start with cardinal/neon tetras, black skirt tetras or danios. Hardy, very easy to keep.
posted by gnutron at 6:11 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by gnutron at 6:11 PM on November 15, 2015
I have a tank of exactly that size; it's been established for about 6 years now. The fish I've been keeping are (mostly):
Tetras - rummy-nose tetras, neons, penguins, copper harlequins (very attractive fish, recommended). I would happily have a tank just for tetra varieties.
Dwarf golden barbs. Shiny and pretty, and not as aggressive as many of the larger barbs.
Corydoras - there are hundreds of types, some of them 'dwarf'. My other favourite kind of fish - they help to clean up the bottom of the tank by picking up uneaten food, and they are very placid.
My experience with zebras and other danios is that they can be a bit boisterous/agressive when fully-grown. Their high level of activity really suits a larger tank.
If you want to keep any kind of guppy, especially Endlers, just buy males. Don't be tempted to breed them unless you want the job of having to re-home hundreds of little guppies. Personally, I no longer have time for guppies of any kind.
Whatever fish you choose, if they're not a solitary species, make sure you have a few of them (3-5 minimum).
If you're only having small, non-agressive fish, then how about some red cherry shrimps? Inexpensive little algae-eaters, and great fun to watch. They do best in a planted aquarium where there are places for their young to hide. Easy to keep, though.
Final thought: if I was setting up a new tank (actually I am - just bought a 30 gallon tank) I'd probably do some 'aquascaping' before introducing fish. Well-tended natural greenery is lovely, and for many people the fish are a secondary thing. A piece of bogwood or some rocks with java moss or java fern growing on them gives a much more natural feel to a tank, although you do need to think about lighting and nutrients somewhat.
posted by pipeski at 5:49 AM on November 16, 2015
Tetras - rummy-nose tetras, neons, penguins, copper harlequins (very attractive fish, recommended). I would happily have a tank just for tetra varieties.
Dwarf golden barbs. Shiny and pretty, and not as aggressive as many of the larger barbs.
Corydoras - there are hundreds of types, some of them 'dwarf'. My other favourite kind of fish - they help to clean up the bottom of the tank by picking up uneaten food, and they are very placid.
My experience with zebras and other danios is that they can be a bit boisterous/agressive when fully-grown. Their high level of activity really suits a larger tank.
If you want to keep any kind of guppy, especially Endlers, just buy males. Don't be tempted to breed them unless you want the job of having to re-home hundreds of little guppies. Personally, I no longer have time for guppies of any kind.
Whatever fish you choose, if they're not a solitary species, make sure you have a few of them (3-5 minimum).
If you're only having small, non-agressive fish, then how about some red cherry shrimps? Inexpensive little algae-eaters, and great fun to watch. They do best in a planted aquarium where there are places for their young to hide. Easy to keep, though.
Final thought: if I was setting up a new tank (actually I am - just bought a 30 gallon tank) I'd probably do some 'aquascaping' before introducing fish. Well-tended natural greenery is lovely, and for many people the fish are a secondary thing. A piece of bogwood or some rocks with java moss or java fern growing on them gives a much more natural feel to a tank, although you do need to think about lighting and nutrients somewhat.
posted by pipeski at 5:49 AM on November 16, 2015
If you were getting a smaller tank (shorter, anyhow) I would suggest African dwarf frogs. Very cute, low-maintenance, but they must be able to get up to the surface to breathe, so deep tanks aren't a great idea.
Fishwise, I would suggest panda corydoras (adorable), cardinal tetras, golden white clouds, or a pair of dwarf gouramis.
I would also anchor the bookcase to the wall, since it'll be holding 130 lbs of water.
posted by Nyx at 9:46 AM on November 16, 2015
Fishwise, I would suggest panda corydoras (adorable), cardinal tetras, golden white clouds, or a pair of dwarf gouramis.
I would also anchor the bookcase to the wall, since it'll be holding 130 lbs of water.
posted by Nyx at 9:46 AM on November 16, 2015
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Bettas, Baddis, pygmy sunfish, need more turning room.
Pea puffers are really hard to keep.
This aquarium should not be tippy....
posted by LittleMy at 5:43 PM on November 15, 2015