# What Fish Should I Get?



## mose (Oct 12, 2009)

yeah i'm torn between a flowerhorn and an oscar for my new 50. what do you all think? the FH would be about 4'', the oscar would start off a bit bigger.

or any other suggestions would be fine too. no more piranhas though, something different.

p.s. craigslist FTW, just got the new 50 gal for $45. that's less than one dollar per gallon!


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Neither will work for life....
if you have an upgradeable tank to move them too....I'm partial to FH...O's have a load of personality and is certainly a neat fish to own as well....


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## mose (Oct 12, 2009)

i know but the tank will work for the duration of my lease.


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

mose said:


> i know but the tank will work for the duration of my lease.


Then what happens.....Bigger tank or fish is gotten rid of?


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## mose (Oct 12, 2009)

no found a gem 50 gal on craigslist for 45$!!!! couldn't pass up the opportunity, and i've been wanting a second tank anyway. my other tank houses 6 cute 3''-4'' RBPs

just bought a new aquaclear 70 for it, $54 lol.

anyway i just placed an order for a red tiger oscar, 4-6 inches long. going to start the tank cycling tonight.

will be picking the oscar up friday


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## mose (Oct 12, 2009)

tank is up and running! chemicals added, a little salt for good measure, filter on, heater on. now we wait.


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

Throw a suicide fish or a chunk of shrimp in the tank and some established media so the cycle gets going asap.

I'll take your word for it on the upgrade, but just this one time.
















I'm looking forward to pics!


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## mose (Oct 12, 2009)

good call. what's a good, cheap suicide fish? cheap is emphasized, since it will be a suicide fish and all....

would 5-10 1''-2'' feeders from petco work? they're 13 cents each.


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

The cheapest route is just throw a chunk of shrimp, fish, or even hamburger in the tank lol. Then you also don't have to worry about disease. Those feeders will work though. It will just take them a bit longer to get the ammo levels up compared to the meat chunk, I would guess.


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## mose (Oct 12, 2009)

meat chunk it is.

how long should i leave it for?


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

I would personally leave it in until right before the oscar shows up. When the oscar shows up do a massive water change, like 70-80%, to get the params back in line.


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## mose (Oct 12, 2009)

aww that's going to suck.


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

lol y? don't you have a python?


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## mose (Oct 12, 2009)

no just 6 piranhas in another tank.

why do you think i have a python?

and even if i had a python, an 80% water change would still suck.


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

then do two 50's if that makes you feel better! lol

All your really trying to do is get the ammo back under 1-2ppm if it even gets that high. It might not even get that high, if the establish media takes real well.


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## MR.FREEZ (Jan 26, 2004)

if your going fishless cycle method i would have used pure ammonia if you had access to it. for your tank why not look for a few female covicts or firemouths, they stay small enough for that


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

Or Texas Cichlid. That would be tight for one, but it should work if you're up to doing some water changes.


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## mose (Oct 12, 2009)

i never cycled my P tank (yes i know had i known then what i know now, etc. etc.) and they were fine.

i think the meat will do enough.


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

The meat thing and fish less cycling basically do the same thing, except the meat is easier, and as far as I know neither God nor man has ever made a meat with a surfactant in it.


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## MR.FREEZ (Jan 26, 2004)

your fish may seem fine and they could be but there might be damage to their gills and what not. i did the same thing when i first got a tank many many moons ago haha.

i still just dont like the sound of using meat for your ammonia source, i would think fungus or parisites might start growing somewere in the tank or something


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## mose (Oct 12, 2009)

well it will only be a few days, and it was a small piece (2 piranha meals) worth of frozen tilapia. i plan on doing an 80% change w/ gravel vac tomorrow night in anticipation for the arrival of my new oscar.


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