Im getting some new fish for the first time ever

Question
QUESTION: I'm getting 2 new fish and i don't know what kind but anyway, I don't know what to put in there like kind of rocks or features like castles and what size tank is the average size.I am also stuck on where to buy the right fish food

ANSWER: Hi Alisha;

To know what you need I have to know some details;

What kind of fish do you think you might be getting? Different types of fish like different types of decorations. Food choice depends on what type of fish you decide on too.

Also;
What size tank is it?
What kind of filtration?
Does it have a heater?

Let me know and we can go from there...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi again i haven't bought the fish tank yet but what size would I buy if I got 2 Mollies  and can U get them in Tasmania [Mollies ] do U need filtration and do U need a heater and how often do U clean and feed their tanks?also what do U feed Mollies

Answer
Hi Alisha;

Mollies do best when there are at least two females per male. This is because male mollies are eager to breed constantly so they chase the females all day long and it gives the females a break if there is more than one female. Mollies grow to be about 4 inches or larger so they need a 20 gallon tank. They also give birth to live babies so you need the space and may need extra room for babies too. Each female can give birth to 10 to 50 babies per litter about every 6 to 8 weeks.

Mollies like a water temperature of anywhere between 65f to 82f. I don't know what the weather is like where you live or how warm you keep your house so you will have to determine your need for a heater based on your room temperature. If your room temperature stays above 65f all the time, all year round, you don't need a heater because the tank water will just be about what the room temperature is.

Mollies need a filter too. A "power filter" that hangs on the back is efficient to use and the easiest to clean. It should stay on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Mollies can eat a basic flake food for tropical fish. Feed them once a day whatever they can eat from all areas of the tank in 5 minutes or less. However, Mollies need more fiber than the dried flake diets provide though, so they need vegetables 3 times a week or more. You can provide it by giving them some of the same types of vegetables people eat at least 3 times a week. When I kept mollies I fed mine cooked shredded carrots, cooked peeled peas, cooked green beans, raw romaine lettuce, raw parsley, raw cucumber slices, raw carrot top greens, and spirulina algae. They can nibble on it for several hours at a time because it doesn't foul the water like dried foods do. Each fish only needs a piece about the size of a coffee bean. Just rinse whatever veggies you choose and drop it into the tank three times a week. Offer different ones every week to give them variety and different nutrients all the time.

All aquariums need a weekly 25% water change and gravel vacuuming. At first, yours may need it more often though because it will be in the break-in period. Toxins will rise during break-in that could kill your fish if it isn't managed. Here is a link to my page about it so you know what to do;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

I really don't know what's available in Tanzania, I've never been there. You'll have to check out your local fish and pet stores if you have them.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins