i think that i would add a fish first. first, to help build the bacteria needed to break down the ammonia and nitrates created by everything that will live in the tank (eventually). secondly, shrimp need a well established tank, by that i mean with little to no fluctuations in parameters. with a fish first ... that will give YOU time to learn how to keep everything where they need to be and the tank a little extra time to stabilize.
__________________ Bobby
"I FORMERLY glued animals to rocks" NO TANK RIGHT NOW, but you never know when I might throw one together !! I have everything I need but the time!!
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I agree with Bobby. You just spent all that time and effort building up those bacterial colonys, now you need something in there to feed them. Namely fish pee
Take a look around the web or the LFS and let us know what strikes your fancy, and we'll try to help you pick one that will be good for your tank, and as a "first" fish.
They just don't generate the volume of waste a fish does. Plus, Bobby is correct that shrimp and other inverts are more sensitive to the fluctuations common to newer tanks.
I think a clown is a great choice. If you're planning on keeping a pair, you may want to consider adding them both at the same time, as it can sometimes be hard to introduce a second clown.
i agree with Pearson, a clown would be an excellent "first" fish, and a pair would be even better. if you are looking for fish that we do not see everyday ... i suggest Picasso Clowns. if you can spend the money for them they are worth it, IMO.
__________________ Bobby
"I FORMERLY glued animals to rocks" NO TANK RIGHT NOW, but you never know when I might throw one together !! I have everything I need but the time!!
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well the boyfriend bought me a shrimp...its okay tho hes doing great..he molted for the first time.. and the water levels are doing fine.. he also bought me some ocean water for my 10% water change im doing every week. we are going to wait for a week to get the clowns .. i think he should be okay for now..he is going all over the placce and when i come close to the tank he always pops his head out its cute..
__________________ Do Small Things with Great Love
a peppermint shrimp hes all over the place..we had a care last night though..the heater went.. so i had to rush to buy another one .. that kinda sucked but.. hes doing well
__________________ Do Small Things with Great Love
most heaters suck, so keep an eye on it. Just because you set it at 78, doesn't mean it will shut off at 78. I would highly recommend you buy digital thermometer to verify that the temp dial is correct. I have used a Coralife one (about $7) for many years with no issue. It reads accurate to the probe built into my controller.
a peppermint shrimp hes all over the place..we had a care last night though..the heater went.. so i had to rush to buy another one .. that kinda sucked but.. hes doing well
Jerseygirl0398, there are numerous amounts of manufacturers that produce all types of Heaters for Aquarium in general. Some are constructed of glass, other of plastic and even titanium. I personally prefer the Marineland Visi-Therm Stealth Aquarium Heater. They are constructed of a Non-shatterproof Plastic covering and are accurate to within 1 Degree of of the desired set temperature. Also they are quite reasonably priced. You are definitely going to pay moe at your Local Pet Store for this heater but since your in a pinch go and support your Local Pet Store.
I would recommend that you purchase a Heater from your Local Pet Store in order to get your water temperature back into an acceptable range. Then I recommend purchasing a secondary Heater if your budget will allow you to and you have adequate space to mount it within your Aquarium. This will allow you to have a Heating setup that will split the workload between the two Heaters allowing each Heater to work less. Also in the unfortunate event that one Heater fails you will not be in the situation you are in currently.
Also as Poppin_fresh stated definitely invest in a Temperature Gauge or Thermometer. I also have the Coralife Thermometer as well and they are definitely affordable and reliable. I personally run two of these in different locations of the Aquarium so I can get a average temperature range of the entire Aquarium as oppossed to the temperature in one spot which can be effected by waterflow and other various temperature conditions.
__________________ My marriage is perfect! My job is great! But why are my tank parameters all out of whack???
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