Do I want an aquarium?

Matute · Post by **Matute** » 13 May 2010, 16:57

I am not really an Aquarist but I do enjoy seeing other peoples' fishes at their places. The main reason for me not having fish is that it seems all too complicated: water skimmers, pumps, oxigenizers, water temperature... in terms of simplicity a cat would be ideal, only that a cat doesn't provide the soothing relaxation an aquarium does. So I guess I'm here to let you convince me to take the frist step and get an aquarium of my own instead of anoying friends and relatives by sitting in their living rooms all day and emptying their refrigerators!

Now to the specifics: are cat fish too big for a +/- 30 to 40 gln tank? is it FW or SW? Any specilaized equipment?

For some reason I tend to like Catfish, though i have never seen one in someones' tank. Please let me know, me being a newbie, if I should start with another easier to handle species.

Also, any idea where I can start looking for equipment and prices online?

Thanks!

Suckermouth · Post by **Suckermouth** » 13 May 2010, 18:18

- Water skimmers --> Not necessary, this is marine
- Pumps (and air pumps, powerheads) --> Depends on what you want to do, although air pumps are handy
- Oxygenizers --> Not necessary
- Heater (water temperature) --> If you're keeping tropical fish, although most people do.

Catfish are a very diverse group of fish, actually, with over 2000 species. There is a huge variety of different kinds, some big, some small, most of them freshwater, but some of them saltwater. There are herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, as well as parasites (that of course are not in the aquarium trade) and wood eaters (which ARE in the aquarium trade). If there's one thing you can say generally about all catfish, it is that you can't generalize all catfish.

They do not need specialized equipment above that of the normal fish. That said, you will want a filter that is appropriately sized for the tank you will have; most filters say what tank size they are appropriate for on the box. You will likely want an air pump; though not necessary, I believe that the benefits outweigh their costs. [Side note: A battery-powered air pump can also be handy for when the power goes out and you need to keep water moving; there are some air pumps that are specifically designed to switch to battery power when a power outage occurs.] If you are keeping a tropical catfish (unfortunately, very few coldwater catfish are available in the aquarium market), you will need an appropriately sized heater. Again, the box will let you know. On top of this equipment, you will also need test kits to monitor water conditions and dechlorinator to allow you to take out the chlorine in your tapwater so it is safe for fish.

Many catfish are small enough for a 30-40 gallon tank. Some good choices include a school of almost any species of , a South American bumblebee catfish , a banjo catfish ie. , or a school of glass catfish ; these are very common fish that you can find almost anywhere. There are also many less common catfish that will work in a 30-40 gallon tank, but these common fish are also hardier and more available, making them good choices for a beginner. Keep in mind, though, that the vast majority of catfish are nocturnal. Corydoras and glass catfish are nice because they are diurnal, though.

My recommendation is to read a book on starting an aquarium so you can learn some of the basics. Your local library should have several books, some which will include basic information on common (and not so common) catfish species.

Some stores that you can look online for are Petco, Dr. Foster and Smith, and ThatFishPlace.

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 13 May 2010, 18:34

Do you want an aquarium? I think the question refers to the complexity, and amount of time, of keeping fishes.

A tank basically needs te be heated - good apparatuses are for sale - fixable to a certain temp. The water has to be moving - again, good apparatus are for sale, most of them suffice, unless you want something special (not needed). However, there is junk among them.
Then, you will need some lights on the tank, which can be switched on and off with a timer

I think, after the initial newness, that is the first 3 months, a moderate tank - that is 200 - 500 liters, approx 50 to 120 gallons, will require 1 to 2 hours a week - approx, half that time for water changes.

I would not go much smaller than this 200 L, as small tanks are much less stable - for a starter not exactly better

Now it's back to you: do you intend, and are you able, to spend this time to the tank?

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 13 May 2010, 21:39

As discussed, there are lots of catfish. Not all catfish look like the native catfish of north America. In Florida, you can find some fish from the South American part of the world in your local rivers and lakes. These are mostly escapees from breeders for the aquatic trade, but some may also be released by ignorant aquarists.

So, your typical North American catfish would be one of the genus.

Some fish that are commonly available for sale in the aquarium trade is is somewhat similar. However, they can be a bit sensitive, so make sure that your tank is well established - 6 months or is probably a good plan. Best kept in a group of 5 or so, in a larger tank - 55 gal or bigger would be ideal. There are other fish that are more or less similar to these, some that are easy to keep, others that are more difficult.

Beyond that, there are several "not looking like North American native catfish". I'll try to explain the most common ones:

- there are hundreds of different species that are slightly different, but overall relatively easy to keep, not very expensive, and social - you want to have a group of about 5 or more of these. They range between about 1.5" and 2.5" with a few exceptions that are slightly larger or smaller. It's hard to go wrong with these - they are all smallish size, friendly to each other and nearly all are easy to look after.

- "Plecos" or "suckermouth catfish". There are about 700 different species that we know of right now - there are probably some more to be found in rivers in South America. Ranges from about an inch to a few feet in size, and prices from a couple of dollars to several hundred or thousands. A well stocked fish-shop will have a handful of species in stock, and specialists that cater for those who look for more exotic species may have several dozen different species. Make sure you know what you are buying, as some are wholly unsuitable for smaller tanks than several hundred gallons.

- "Squeaker catfish". These are from Africa, and again, it's a large group. Some are available in almost any shop, others require lots of money and contacts in the right places to get hold of. is a small variety that also have the interesting feature of spending part of their waking life upside down. This is a group where you definitely should know what you are buying: not only are there species that can be difficult to keep with other fish (or more of their own), but there are also "factory produced fakes" - hybrid species that are produced by injecting fish with hormones and then crossing two different species, making a crossbred "new species".

This is just a few of the most common groups of catfish you find in shops.

--
Mats

Matute · Post by **Matute** » 20 May 2010, 19:40

Thanks for your replies!

I have friends that have catfish and i particuarly like them a lot, problem being, if my informant is not wrong, is that they are not as resilient as Cichlids. i also understand that some types of cichlids can't live with catfish.

I understand that with SW I would have to get chemicals to put in it, is this true? or will it depend on something like overstocking or understocking or other to make the water more liveable?

I've visited petco and from i've seen on the web there prices are overall higher and do not have knowledgeable staff, I have not gone to a local aquarium store lately, but for what I recall unless they want to get rid of something their prices ara also higher, they do have fish though...

Any recomendations on online stores? I've visited: drsfosters&smith.com, fishpetlove.com, marinedepot.com, bigalsonline.com... comparing prices of say filters (which seems to be a must) I found that fispetlove.com has the cheapest:

http://fishpetlove.com/index.php?main_p ... ts_id=5775

Is this a good brand? I aslo would like to buy everything from only one place. Of course i will follow most recommendations since you guys are rocket scientist compared to me..

... but i'll get there!

I also probably will need more and more sophisticated stuff... so I'll be back!!!!!

Thanks again!

Suckermouth · Post by **Suckermouth** » 20 May 2010, 20:00

As I noted before, it is impossible to generalize catfishes. There are catfishes that are just as resilient, if not more resilient, than cichlids. Common plecs come to mind, although they are inappropriate for most aquaria due to their eventual adult size. These fish can live through quite poor conditions and survive out of water for up to 30 hours if kept wet. Many catfishes are quite resilient enough as long as you keep up normal maintenance.

With SW, you have to put salt in the tank at least. If you're using tap water, you need to dechlorinate, but many saltwater keepers use RO water and simply add stuff to it. Sea salt purchased from aquarium fish stores will have all the minerals you will need if you are only keeping fish. If you want to keep corals and other such things you may need to add additional calcium regularly to allow growth of their skeletons. Not unsurprisingly, keeping a coral tank (reef tank) is more complex than that of keeping a fish only tank in saltwater. If you want saltwater catfish, you have far fewer choices. The vast majority of catfishes are freshwater, and there is little interest in the aquarium trade for brackish/saltwater species past and . These fish are rather large and would require a sizeable aquarium over 100 gallons.

I have never used the Rio brand of filters, but I have also never seen them. I use mostly the Marineland Penguin/Emperor filters and the Aquaclear filters. One of the most important factors of filter choice is its flow rate (usually given in gallons per hour or liters per hour). This determines how quickly it circulate the water in your tank through the filter. How high you need it depends on the fish, but for most fish you can use the recommended capacity for the filter (the filter you linked to, for example, should be good for a tank up to 20 gallons).

L number Banana · Post by **L number Banana** » 31 May 2010, 05:36

Oh goody, a new addict in the making

This page is a good place to get the basics http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworl ... ing+Basics

Many of us keep smaller tanks and there's a few ways to get your water quality right - smaller tanks aren't as easy to keep stable as larger tanks. But since you have friends with tanks, you can give your tank a jump start. Find one of your friends that have a fresh water tank - not saltwater - and after you have the conditioned tapwater in the tank and the filters going, get a cup of filter gunk from one of your friends tanks. Sounds gross and will look gross but get them to squeeze some of the stuff in the filter into a cup and run home and put it into your water. That used filter water goo contains the good bacteria that you need to keep your water stable. It will 'dirty' the tank water temporarily and the filter will suck it all in and help you to start your own colony of good bacteria. Shortens the 'cycling time' considerably.

Next step is to get a nitrite tester. Many good ones are out there but the strips don't seem to be as reliable. I use one that takes a measure of tank water and you use the recommended number of droplets of solution and watch to see the colour it changes to. Match the colour to the chart of the box and voila, you know your fish are safe. You will find that you use this test kit quite a bit at first.

There's also other test kits including nitrate, ammonia and a whole other group that many plant people use but I think the nitraite one is the most important.

I like the weird looking cats like , they're long and very skinny so don't produce as much waste as a fish of similar length but bigger body. Not the most active fish but cool. Daytime and nighttime viewing.

I also love the little champion algae eaters like . Very active and stay small. Daytime and nighttime viewing.

A little bigger but very active and build bubble nests when conditions are right are the . Very boisterous especially at feeding time and can splash water vigorously - keep a lid on the tank.

Cutest little pleco-style fish is the clown pleco, , need to have wood to nibble on but once it is comfortable, it will cruise around in the daytime. Looks like a muppet when it eats cucumbers, likes to watch you when you mess around in the tank.
I think all these fish are available at most stores in your area. Not too exotic or pricey.

Just my two cents but don't hesitate to read up on the articles that members have written here -
http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworld/#Catfishology

Welcome to the addiction.

DJ-don · Post by **DJ-don** » 02 Jun 2010, 13:59

First of all,
this hobby may seem had but it is very easy once you get use to it!!

L number Banana wrote:Oh goody, a new addict in the making
This page is a good place to get the basics http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworl ... ing+Basics

Many of us keep smaller tanks and there's a few ways to get your water quality right - smaller tanks aren't as easy to keep stable as larger tanks. But since you have friends with tanks, you can give your tank a jump start. Find one of your friends that have a fresh water tank - not saltwater - and after you have the conditioned tapwater in the tank and the filters going, get a cup of filter gunk from one of your friends tanks. Sounds gross and will look gross but get them to squeeze some of the stuff in the filter into a cup and run home and put it into your water. That used filter water goo contains the good bacteria that you need to keep your water stable. It will 'dirty' the tank water temporarily and the filter will suck it all in and help you to start your own colony of good bacteria. Shortens the 'cycling time' considerably.

Next step is to get a nitrite tester. Many good ones are out there but the strips don't seem to be as reliable. I use one that takes a measure of tank water and you use the recommended number of droplets of solution and watch to see the colour it changes to. Match the colour to the chart of the box and voila, you know your fish are safe. You will find that you use this test kit quite a bit at first.

There's also other test kits including nitrate, ammonia and a whole other group that many plant people use but I think the nitraite one is the most important.

This really explains the building blocks of what you need to know to keep fish.

what i usually do, when i setup a new tank, is that i add the gravel i want, fill the tank up, and add a filter and leave the filter running for 2 weeks minimum. Heater is optional (do not add any fish for the 2 weeks)

After the 2 week period, i slowly add cheap ammonia/nitrite strong fish like guppies (these are good fish to start off) [i wouldn't get catfish, generally they are not too cheap]. you should add about 1-3 depending on tank size every week or so
feed them normally. give as much as they can eat in 2-3 minutes
also every week i change the water. just a few days before i add more fish
test the water for nitrite and ammonia. i would say adding 7-9 fish would be maximum.
keep testing the water every now and again for nitrites.
after 3 weeks, if your ammonia is absolute zero, and nitrites is around below 15ppm then i would say its safe to add what fish you want, BUT at a slow rate
to me thats a long time of cycling. this how i cycle my tanks and all my catfish have been very fine
a lot of people even cycle a tank for 3 months!!
some people do it shorter than me

cycling a tank all varies to a person's patience.

because your a beginner, i would say a 60 litre-100 litre tank is a good starting point.

but bigger tanks can easily sustained more than a small tank

All in all, it may seem complicated but it is very easy hobby!
If you have an problems starting your tank, I find that this site gives you the best information you can get!!

i even ask questions about cichlids and such to here because this site has professional fish keepers as members

or if you need quick help, just call your friends up for some help. im sure they would give you advice!

Matute · Post by **Matute** » 02 Jun 2010, 18:06

Thanks 'Banana' for the 'goo tip' seems interesting....

Will a 40 gln tank hold some 3 or 4 catfish comfortably? I understand there are FW and SW catfish, i rather go with FW because it seems tobe less complex for starters...

I know of Penecsot and TruVu brands, do you know of any other? And I will also need to get a stand..

i woild like to buy everything new for starters, I just feel more comfortable doing so. Can you point me to an online retialier where i can get everything I would eventually need? these are tha ones i know of:

foster&smithaquatics.com
bigalsonline.com
thatpetplace.com
fishpetlove.com
fishtanksdriect.com
americanaquariumproducts.com

Any favorites?

Thanks again for your help!

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 02 Jun 2010, 20:56

I personally prefer the service and help from a "walk-in-shop" to an "online store". I know several people here buy from various online sources, but there is a huge benefit in going to the shop and talking to the staff. Sure, sometimes they are spotty oiks, one step up from McDonalds newbies, but often they have an interest in keeping fish, and know at least something about what they are selling. Online, you are pretty much on your own.

A 40 gal tank can hold anything from none to a couple of dozen catfish - depends on what species of catfish you wish to keep. Since you haven't really told us what you actually want to keep, it's impossible to say how many fish you can keep in that tank. But it's a good beginner size in that it's not a small tank, which helps with all sorts of things - you have more choice in what you can keep, and it stays more stable in water chemistry.

There are only a few saltwater catfish - and they are pretty rare in the trade. The most common one that requires salt water when it grows up, but is a freshwater species when young (they move into the see as they mature): - there are another couple of dozen species, but they are not available in shops that sell for aquarists, except for the true marine species of (which is also toxic, so careful handling is necessary).

Anything else that is a catfish that you find in shops is 99.99% sure to be a freshwater species.

--
Mats

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 03 Jun 2010, 02:05

I get most of my hardware from these three:
foster&smith.com
petsolutions.com
thatfishplace.com
I go with whoever has the best price or may be a sole source.
I would not buy fish from any of them unless I had no other choice. Some do offer longer guarantees on their fish and sometimes free or low cost shipping but their prices are high enough to offer
I don't have any generalized on-line fish dealer can recommend.
I tend to prefer the rare or specialized species and have found smaller on-line dealers who also specialize.

Dave Rinaldo · Post by **Dave Rinaldo** » 03 Jun 2010, 02:43

MatsP wrote:I personally prefer the service and help from a "walk-in-shop" to an "online store".
Mats

Please support your local "mom and pop" fish store!!!

Suckermouth · Post by **Suckermouth** » 03 Jun 2010, 03:42

Dave Rinaldo wrote:Please support your local "mom and pop" fish store!!!

I agree with this, because I personally prefer seeing fish in person when I buy fish, and so purchasing equipment from such stores is my way of supporting local fish stores.

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 03 Jun 2010, 08:08

The great thing about a local store is that they have all the spare parts you don't need to have yourself

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 04 Jun 2010, 17:00

Although I agree will all the above advice about supporting your local fish shops there are some like me who live in a smaller community with only one shop and they do not vary much in the fish inventory they keep in stock so for some one like me who has interests in rarer fish more difficult to find then the only way to buy them is from sellers located all over the country. I tried to order 16 Silver hatchet Fish from them for a change but after 3 months they still hadn't brought them in. Shops around my area buy fish from me but the shop in town does not. Mine is a rather unique set of circumstances, The LFS and I were once direct competitors many years ago. Despite my attempts to give them more of my business they don't reciprocate so anymore I buy nearly everything from other sources for less money off the internet.
The daughter who is in charge of buying fish doesn't know fish well enough to understand the species of fish I am referring to when I mention L134 or L333. They can't keep Discus, the other main group of fish I raise, healthy long enough to sell them. Yet a shop located only 35 miles away in an area of two major State Universities sells many of my plecos and Discus. Those in the know are willing to travel the 35 to 100 miles to shops in other cities to buy truly different and interesting fish and I sell many of my fish and especially Discus to those shops.
I related this story as an example why supporting your local fish shop is not always possible, practical or even desirable. In larger cities, there will be greater choices. While I still lived in Seattle I rarely bought fish on line except Killiefish which I bought from fellow members of the American Killiefish Association. Killies do not do well in fish shop conditions.
I never received any advice from a fish shop that warranted paying much higher prices for supplies. Anything vital I keep spares in stock and act as my own self-sufficient fish shop.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 04 Jun 2010, 18:43

apistomaster wrote:I never received any advice from a fish shop that warranted paying much higher prices for supplies. Anything vital I keep spares in stock and act as my own self-sufficient fish shop.

I agree with all of what you say [and whilst I don't know EXACTLY where you live, I have been to Eastern Washington State, and I know it's not exactly the most populated area...], Larry, but the quoted bit I have to suggest that part of that is because:
1) you had your own shop, which means that you probably have already learned at least as much as most shops do know.
2) you have, through your contacts, access to a great deal of knowledge.

The circumstances for someone who is just starting out in the hobby. Ok, so we can always answer questions here, and when shopping online there is obviously no reason to decide then and there what to do.

--
Mats

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 05 Jun 2010, 00:24

Much of what you said was true Mats, except I already know more than I seem to learn anymore. That is said half joking and half not. For a variety of reasons I can or have to be independent of any local shop. There are only 32 people per square mile in the County I live in and 44 people per sq mile in the adjacent county on the Idaho side of the border. First time ever looked it up. No wonder I like it here.
I'm definitely the most knowledgeable fish guy in these two "twin cities".
It is just a big enough community to have a Costco and WalMart Super Store. One proprietor owned pet shop and one Petco but they service a very large geographical area. You know you are in a rural area when distances are given in hours instead of miles/kilometers.
This is generally a very rural area so fish shops are relatively few and far between until you find yourself in Spokane, WA and then there are a couple of places where there are some very knowledgeable people at maybe a couple shops who can provide good advice.

In any given metropolitan area only some of the shops regularly provide good advice and for serious beginners, it always takes some time to learn whom to trust for useful and reliable information which is not unduly tinged by any motivations connected to a commission on their sales. This is a true statement regardless of which hobby is relevant to the discussion. I strongly recommend asking around to see if there is a local aquarium society. These organizations can both directly help any beginner and also inform one of which shops provide enough good advice to support with your patronage.
Even if you never join all welcome visitors and one visit will give you the short list of the best shops in your area. I think this is very constructive advice. Hopefully enough to make up for my goofing around above.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 05 Jun 2010, 08:30

Larry, that is indeed good advice.

I looked up the UK population on the Wiki, and Eden in Cumbria has 24 people per square kilometer - since there is 2.5km2 per sqmi, that makes close to 60 / sqmi. Where I live, in Waverly Borough, there are 344 people per square kilometer - something like 900 per sqmi - 30 times higher than where you live... ;)

--
Mats

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 05 Jun 2010, 15:56

Mats,

I know you visited Seattle, my home for 28 years but I came from here and returned in retirement.
What you saw between Seattle, WA and Portland, OR, is what I ran away from. If you crossed the State of WA then you do know how most of it is empty space. Good fly fishing and high population densities rarely equal great fly fishing.
It is very hard to tell which hobby, fly fishing or breeding tropical fish has the greatest hold on me. I miss the big fish shops in the metropolitan Seattle area but being nearly surrounded by wilderness has it's own rewards. I do often wish I had more direct contact with other serious fish hobbyists but being alone on a wild trout river is irresistible to me.

Belonging to an aquarium society in a large city is a great asset.
I belong to national groups like the American Killiefish Association(AKA) and sometimes the American Cichlid Association(ACA), but even in large cities, Killiefish hobbyists are few and far between. They never do well as commercial tropical fish so they are only rarely seen in any shop. I only keep S.A. Dwarf Cichlids and Discus and the ACA doesn't spend much time on these particular Cichlids.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 05 Jun 2010, 17:56

Technically, I haven't crossed all of Washington, but I have been through some of it, and a reunion of my remote US relatives was near (I think) Newport, WA - I cycled into the state of Idaho. And I've been to the Seattle area and travelled through Spokane on the way to two different family reunion meetings, so yes, I'm well aware of the emptiness of that side of the state, absolutely.

--
Mats

Matute · Post by **Matute** » 10 Jun 2010, 14:31

I like to support the small local business, after all, aren't they the backbone of america? or is it the large all powerfull and meida controlling corporations?

But there are also small busniesses on the internet fishpetlove.com is one of them. i called in to see if they had kits to get me started, I called other places and they had there own preset ones, but Fred, the owner said that he could put something together for me, he is waiting to get new aquariums, so I've decided to wait until he gets them to give him the chance to get my business. By the way In browising fishpetlove's www i found this:

http://fishpetlove.com/FishPetLove-Jingle

They're trying hard!

So remember, in this era Mom n Pops have gone WWW.

I will however get fish locally, since I can't imagine the poor fishes traveling in coach.... first class for my fishes! I'll pick them up from the local shop in my Lambo, or probably my Porsche. Well they'll probably not even notice... and i probably shouldn't be day dreaming neither..

Since i need a tank to start, any brands you could recommend?

Thanks again!

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 10 Jun 2010, 21:28

Hi matute,

You made a really good point about how many http://www.com are small 'mom and pop" small businesses and not all are large companies. It is actually among the smaller fish businesses that you often find specialty fish which are rarely seen in even the largest and best stocked local fish shops. If the fish you are looking for are what they sell you do not need to worry much about the fish being shipped. Most ship well when properly packaged and it can be a fun way to acquire fish. Especially if these small businesses are the only places who have a particular species you want. I have kept and bred Killiefish for more than 4 decades and we Killiefish breeders pioneered the shipping of pairs or eggs to each other through the mail.
We mostly only mailed them from April through October to avoid the colder months but they travel well enough to use priority mail which is cheap and the fish take 3 days to arrive.
We have become more and more connected like a large city as far as the fish keeping hobby is concerned so it matters less and less where you live and where you buy your fish and supplies from.

There are only a few aquarium manufacturers and all are good. The main and most important decision you must make is the size and shape of aquarium you want and can afford. I strongly advise against buying tall narrow aquariums. The best example of a popular but very poor aquarium to avoid is a 55 gal tank only 48 X 12 X 20 high inches.
The best aquariums will have a higher surface area area /volume, For example of an aquarium with an excellent surface area/volume is a 40 gal breeder, 36 X 18 X 16 High inches.
Surface area of the 55 gal = 576 sq in.
Surface area of the 40 gal = 648 sq in

The amount of surface area is what really determines how many fish can be kept. All oxygen come through the surface area exposed to the air and the excess carbon dioxide leaves through the surface area exposed to the air. You have to consider the trade offs between style and functionality.

The other decision is whether to buy a glass or plexiglass aquarium.
Glass is cheaper and does not scratch as easily as plexiglas but plexiglass aquariums are much lighter; something you appreciate most when you have to move a large size aquarium.

L number Banana · Post by **L number Banana** » 11 Jun 2010, 03:45

Matute wrote:

Thanks 'Banana' for the 'goo tip' seems interesting....

Will a 40 gln tank hold some 3 or 4 catfish comfortably? I understand there are FW and SW catfish, i rather go with FW because it seems tobe less complex for starters...

I know of Penecsot and TruVu brands, do you know of any other? And I will also need to get a stand..

The stand, I forgot to mention the stand!

All good advice about shopping ideas from the regulars - they've all helped me m-a-n-y times. The main online people I've dealt with is http://www.mops.ca but I don't know where they deliver to. Just nice patient people that had no problems answering my newbie questions. My town is pretty small so the shops here don't always have what I need. Our 'Mom and Pop' store is terrific though and I always check them first.

As mentioned earlier lots of different catfish would be suitable for your 40 gallon. If you see something you like, just look it up here and read about it habits and habitat. Some catfish tend to make a lot of waste - like those that eat wood, the ever adorable little while others are 'long' catfish but skinny as a twig () so don't make much waste at all. LOTS to choose from even in the more available varieties. Also keep in mind that many catfish like to hang in schools and show their best traits that way, corydoras are way better as a little school than they are brooding alone. They also tend to breed pretty easily so that adds another very cool aspect. (not all of them! Some of them rarely breed in captivity, so getting one to do so would be pretty fantastic)
The fish you buy may dictate the substrate (gravel/sand etc) that you need. Lots of catfish like to dig or bury so you need a certain type of sand if you like those types of fish.

The stand. Please keep in mind how heavy water is and get a good stand or make a good stand from something else. You know the expression, 'It's all fun and games until the glass breaks' ?

I've seen many sagging fish tank shelves that are meant for something lighter like encyclopedias.... I use 'antique' tables. Strong but somewhat boring and not expensive so water damage to the surface would not be an issue. The kind that are made from solid hardwood and are built so that all of the weight is spread out to the legs, not the surface alone. Keep in mind that there may be a bit of splashing from time to time so the area around it shouldn't have fancy electronics or things like that. No books, no extension cords, remote controls,,,,(experience speaking...

)

There's also been discussions here about the wall socket that you will need to plug in your goodies. Get a GFI plug as a wall socket or use something like it that will instantly cut the power if something happens. Your local DIY store will be able to fill you in on what to use to fit your situation. Many of the stand alone GFI (Ground fault interrupter) plugs look just like a power bar but cut power faster than a regular power bar. An electric catfish will demo this for you too but start slow with nicer fish. Richard B could tell you all about that...didn't sound fun to me at all and they have no power interrupters.

How's the process going anyway? Did you find anything that catches your fancy fish-wise?
I'm all excited for you!

Matute · Post by **Matute** » 21 Jun 2010, 17:58

OK. I was waiting for fishpetlove.com to get the new aquariums in. Here they are:

http://fishpetlove.com/Aquariums-and-Stands

I've decided to buy everything from them... or him, Fred is the owner/operator and very eager to please.

By the way he asked me what i thought of downloadable browser bars, they don't bother me.... what do you think?

Also, any subscription magazine you can recommend?

Thanks!

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 21 Jun 2010, 20:45

Downloadable browser bars? Couldn't care less. To me, it would help a lot of the tank section was sorted by volume, rather than in "text order", so the smallest (or largest) tanks are listed first, rather than the 55 g tanks being found on the bottom of page 2, between the 500g and 75g tanks.

Practical Fishkeeping is a magazine I like - it's possibly a bit expensive in the US, as it's printed here in England.

--
Mats

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