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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Newbie

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26 Sep 2011 15:51 - 26 Sep 2011 16:04 #1 by pole drift (Joseph Fahy)
Hey Guys,

Joe is my name. Im a total newbie in keeping tropical fish, only really kept goldfish before now.

Iv always been interested in fish but it took me till yesterday to go and buy a tank.

Its a 54L tank, comes with a heater and filter.

Im hoping to have a few Guppies, a Pleco and a Siamese fighting fish.

I look forward to getting as much help as im gonna need.

Cheers,

Joe

PS dont mind the username, its my username on other forums and dont wanna change it.
Last edit: 26 Sep 2011 16:04 by pole drift (Joseph Fahy).

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26 Sep 2011 16:19 #2 by ceech (Desmond Gaynor)
Replied by ceech (Desmond Gaynor) on topic Re: Newbie
Welcome joe.
Do you know about cycling your tank ?
Google cycling tank or have a look here on the forum for information.
Just shout if ya have questions :-) enjoy the new tank.

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26 Sep 2011 16:22 - 26 Sep 2011 16:23 #3 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
welcome and enjoy the forum there is good basics in the beginners section that will steer you right, look through it first the most common start up problems will have been dealt with there, nice fish you have chosen as starters but avoid the plec they can get to 24" long way too big for your tank, go for some ancistrus (bristlenoses by their common name) they will be fine in your size of tank, and maybe a few cory's
anyway enjoy, and remember the ONLY stupid question is the one you DONT ask, we where all beginners once and all of us probably have made the same mistakes you will make, but persevere and its a great hobby

Seamus

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

currently 25 tanks, and breeding is the aim of everything i keep
location:Limerick
Last edit: 26 Sep 2011 16:23 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie). Reason: e&oe

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26 Sep 2011 16:27 #4 by dyco619 (steve carmody)
Replied by dyco619 (steve carmody) on topic Re: Newbie
welcome to the forum.
all the best..

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26 Sep 2011 16:52 #5 by pole drift (Joseph Fahy)
Replied by pole drift (Joseph Fahy) on topic Re: Newbie

Welcome joe.
Do you know about cycling your tank ?
Google cycling tank or have a look here on the forum for information.
Just shout if ya have questions :-) enjoy the new tank.


When you say cycling the system, do you mean that i need to have the filter and heater running for a few days so the tank will build up the correct level of bacteria before i can introduce any fish into the tank??

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26 Sep 2011 20:35 #6 by ceech (Desmond Gaynor)
Replied by ceech (Desmond Gaynor) on topic Re: Newbie
Yes i do but it will take more than a few days to get you tank cycled.
You can cycle the tank with fish or without.
It can take from 4 to 6 eeks to cycle a tank and even then some say it takes months to get it fully done.

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26 Sep 2011 20:56 - 26 Sep 2011 20:56 #7 by Valerie (Valerie)
Replied by Valerie (Valerie) on topic Re: Newbie
Hi Joe and Welcome to the forum.

For some information, you can read this article .

This thread might be of help explaining the cycling of a tank too.

Wishing you the very best of luck in getting your tank up and running (it sounds complicated but, be reassured, it's easy) If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask.

The one rule in fish keeping which I find is the most important is : patience. Don't rush it and soon enough, you'll be looking for another/bigger tank ! :lol:

Valerie :)
Last edit: 26 Sep 2011 20:56 by Valerie (Valerie).

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26 Sep 2011 22:08 #8 by pole drift (Joseph Fahy)
Replied by pole drift (Joseph Fahy) on topic Re: Newbie
Cheers Valerie, ill give it a read.

Here's a pic of the tank, not very impressive at the moment as iv no fish :(

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26 Sep 2011 22:21 #9 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re: Newbie
Welcome Joe.


The only way forward is sideways !

Kev.

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26 Sep 2011 22:58 #10 by pole drift (Joseph Fahy)
Replied by pole drift (Joseph Fahy) on topic Re: Newbie

Welcome Joe.


The only way forward is sideways !

Kev.


Ha ha who's this??

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26 Sep 2011 23:07 #11 by Ieva star (Ieva Fogta)
Replied by Ieva star (Ieva Fogta) on topic Re: Newbie
welcome along Joe this is the place to be Regards Johney the last post was our Kev great reply

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26 Sep 2011 23:19 #12 by mickdeja (Mick Whelan)
Replied by mickdeja (Mick Whelan) on topic Re: Newbie
welcome aboard. :side:

Follow me up to Carlow

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26 Sep 2011 23:29 #13 by pole drift (Joseph Fahy)
Replied by pole drift (Joseph Fahy) on topic Re: Newbie

welcome along Joe this is the place to be Regards Johney the last post was our Kev great reply


I know his name is Kev, The only way forward is sideways is my signature on Driftireland and a couple of other sites so I'm wondering is he on any of them sites

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27 Sep 2011 00:01 #14 by des (des)
Replied by des (des) on topic Re: Newbie
welcome to the Forum Joe









Des

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27 Sep 2011 09:11 #15 by lawrenceog (Lawrence O Gorman)
Welcome Joe

It is worth being patient with the cycling, There are a lot of very expierienced guys and gals on here to give some great advice so dont be afraid to ask ;)

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27 Sep 2011 13:50 - 27 Sep 2011 13:52 #16 by christyg (Chris Geraghty)
Welcome along and good luck. It's not a good idea to keep guppies with a siamese fighter, the fighter will see the flowing fins of the guppy as a threat
Last edit: 27 Sep 2011 13:52 by christyg (Chris Geraghty). Reason: typo

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28 Sep 2011 11:59 #17 by pole drift (Joseph Fahy)
Replied by pole drift (Joseph Fahy) on topic Re: Newbie

Welcome along and good luck. It's not a good idea to keep guppies with a siamese fighter, the fighter will see the flowing fins of the guppy as a threat


Really? The guy in the shop said they should be ok.

If I got a shark would it attack the other fish??

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28 Sep 2011 14:26 #18 by ger310 (Ger .)
Replied by ger310 (Ger .) on topic Re: Newbie
Welcome to the forum Joe,
The Betta is probably not the best fish to start off with,as beautiful as they are,sometimes they are more trouble than there worth(and they are not cheap)...just my experience is no matter how compatible you read a betta and 'another' fish is,with there flowing and very colourful fins,the temptation for a nibble is always there so think hard before you purchase!!

As for sharks,your tank is way too small to consider them so maybe look at 1/2 gourami's and maybe 3 green cory's with 6/8 guppies!!

Just make sure whatever fish you decide on,to introduce gradually

all the best joe

ger

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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28 Sep 2011 14:52 #19 by bull (keith madden)
Replied by bull (keith madden) on topic Re: Newbie
Welcome aboard mate.

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28 Sep 2011 15:11 #20 by christyg (Chris Geraghty)
Two male fighters in the same tank will fight to the death, they are extremely territorial. Any fish with large or flowing fins can be perceived by a male fighter as another fighter and he will act accordingly. A female fighter would be ok with guppies but I would'nt keep a male, they're better kept on their own. :)

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28 Sep 2011 16:03 #21 by pole drift (Joseph Fahy)
Replied by pole drift (Joseph Fahy) on topic Re: Newbie

Two male fighters in the same tank will fight to the death, they are extremely territorial. Any fish with large or flowing fins can be perceived by a male fighter as another fighter and he will act accordingly. A female fighter would be ok with guppies but I would'nt keep a male, they're better kept on their own. :)


Iv read that the males fight to the death :( Could I get one of those breeding nets that stay at the top of the tank and keep him in there?? Ill check all this before i buy my fish tomorrow. Im really excited about getting them tomorrow :D

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28 Sep 2011 17:00 #22 by smitas5 (Marius Smitas)
Replied by smitas5 (Marius Smitas) on topic Re: Newbie
try barbus, dwarf gourami, tetras, bristlenose pleco (seen bart selling them in SELL section)

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29 Sep 2011 00:51 #23 by ger310 (Ger .)
Replied by ger310 (Ger .) on topic Re: Newbie
alright joe,i was just reading your earlier posts and noticed your only a few days into the cycling of your tank.....if your going to the pet shop tomorrow(today) to buy fish,dont forget to bring a water sample from your tank for them to test.....if its ok then happy days,they should recommend a 'few' fish for you to take home!!

The word 'patience' was mentioned earlier,try it joe for a few weeks and you should be grand!!

ger

What do you call a three legged Donkey?

A Wonkey....duh ha :)

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