Five Gallon: empty QT/breeding tank

Thirty Gallon: one gourami, one angel

Forty Gallon: one angel, two german blue rams, six bronze cories, seven pristella tetras, three rummynose tetras, two gold honey gouramis

Fifty Five Gallon: one salfin pleco, one shibukin, one fancy gold shibukin, two comets, one common

People don't often talk about it, but I think it's a good idea to run a chem panel on the fish store's water, then compare it to your own.  You might be surprised.  The fish you're thinking about buying could be doing great at the store, but they could get sick in your tank even though your water is closer to their correct type, just because of the sudden change in water quality.  (Note:  I'm not talking about cycling issues: ammonia, nitrites, nitrates.  I'm talking about pH and hardness.) 

I'm happy to recommend a great book, The Complete Aquarium, by Peter Scott.  It's kind of expensive but you may be able to find it at the library or a used copy on Amazon.  This book illustrates very specific biotopes from all over the world, showing you exactly what they look like in the wild, and the fishes that live there.  Examples:  Amazon rain forest stream, Southeast Asia backwater, Central American rocky lake, Papua New Guinea sandy river, West African floodplain swamp, etc., etc.  It's not really a beginner's book but you'd still find tons of useful info, and this is probably the type of guide you're looking for to set up a "genuine replica" tank.  The book shows finished tanks for all the different ecosystems and the pics are really excellent.  There's also a section on marine and brackish.

I am a firm beliver that fish need substrate, plants,Dw, Rocks (not all together sometimes) but the main issue should be for any aquarist is to try and give your fish the BEST that you can and this is very important in how we scape our tanks. The facts are that it is our responsability to acheive a healthy and happy enviroment for all our fish because WE own them!

I have been breeding fish on and off for the past 20yrs and I yes I did at one time breed in a clean tank (zero substrate) and had high yeilds however I also was allowing un healthy fish be sold into the market via wholesalers, I say unhealthy and this is because the fish I was breeding such as Discus and L's where breed in such a clinical environment that if /when they where subjected to most other aquariums they had a higher mortality rate as there imune systems had not been fully developed due to IMO enough healthy & nastey common bactiria as I was more concerend to get 100% success rate instead of allowing nature kull out the less robust.

So about 10yrs ago I changed all my breeding set ups to having substrate and also plants/DW/rocks etc to suite the fish's natural habitat (as much as possible). The result of this I started off with my discus only having a 20-40% survival rate however after the healthy discus grew I agan breed from them and so on until my success rate is back up to 80-90+ survival rate of fry and this means that when I sell any of my fish they are healthier and I have not had a fish sold come back to me.

If every breeder focused more on there fishes health/comfort FIRST this industry would have better quality fish by far.

Just 1 more thing if people kept a dog/cat/ horse in the conditions that sadly 50% (or more) fish are kept they would be arrested and people would be in a up roar. If you wish to buy/keep a fish than make sure it is to the fishes advantage first and you will always be happier and so will your fish.

Sorry for the rant but I can be a tad passionate about all fish.

Cheers

Johno

Teach a man to keep fish and his wife will forever hate you.

Proud member of QLDAF.com.au

120 gallon (clown Loaches and strays)

60 gallon Planted, (tetras, cories, otos)

50 gallon brackish, (mollies, violet goby)

29 gallon brackish, (GSP)

7.9 gallon Fluval Flora, (betta)