Fish ideas?

[JKfish]

Okay, my friend is doing a project on childhood obesity and healthy living, so she's working at the local boys and girls club. One of her ideas is giving them a small aquaponics system, the systems are actually one of the main focuses of my dad's business, so we can donate one.

We're thinking that a 10 gallon would be easy for kids to work with and convient size wise for a place to put indoors. I need ideas for community fish that are pretty, can swim in splashing water (it'll be on a timer so the water goes 15 minutes ever hour) can stand some minor swings in temperature and chemistry of water. For the first few weeks, the system will be working out kinks as the plants grow and start removing ammonia from the water. I think the kids would like colorful fish that are easy to feed and keep alive.

The possible fish I've thought of so far are: guppies, maybe cories, ghost shrimps (later on), or platies.

If you all have more ideas, please help.

[dramaqueen]

I would rule out cories because they are sensitive to their water conditions.

[Jupiter]

Yeah, shrimp and cories may be hard to keep if the water params. change...

I think guppies would be a good way to go. They're pretty hardy and colourful.

[JKfish]

mkay, guppies. What about guppies and platies? Would they be able to interbreed? How well do the two species do with potential overcrowding as they breed?

[bloo97]

Can you do saltwater or just freshies?

[JKfish]

Just fresh water. Besides, salt water wouldn't have much to put inside a 10 gallon.

Oh, and if you want to know how aquaponics works, here's a simplified idea:

tank on bottom, plant bed on top (full of slate that went through a heating process leaving it like lava rock). Fishies are in the tank, and a pump sucks up the water and poo and waters the top. The plants grow and eat the ammonia as the water drains back down to the tank cleaner. Eventually a cycle forms. It's a win-win organic situation. The fish get clean water, and plants get food. Feed the fish, the fish feed the plants, the plants feed you, and if the fish are the right kind, the fish can feed you as well. (obviously the guppies and possibly platies will NOT be eaten) :)

[Jupiter]

Lol! Guppies with a serving of vegetables...

That is a really cool system though. I'd never heard of it before.

As for interbreeding...I think platies and swordtails can breed together, but I don't think any other live-bearers can. But get males! My dad keeps plaites and guppies in a 20 gallon tank...yeah...they're even worse than rabbits! he has to constantly give some away so they won't overcrowd too much.

[JKfish]

Yeah, this system is realtively new, and still not that well heard of.

I'll definately get only boys.

Now one more question, half the reason I need them is because they're a source of ammonia for the plants (and because they're pretty :D), so I'll sort of need to overstock, though not too badly. Would about 20 -30 guppies and or platies be horrible in a 10 gallon? The reason I ask is because from what I've read some people have guppies and just let them breed and breed until its just about bursting with fish...

[CrankyFish84]

I read on this forum for livebearers, that ALL livebearers can breed with other livebearers...Cool huh?
And also that, unless there are NO hiding places for fry (no live plants or anything)...Some WILL survive.
Heck, I had a 10G with 6 danios, moved them, then put a betta in it...After a week, I noticed a small
BABY DANIO on the top! He somehow avoided the betta AND adult danios AND my water siphon! lol tough little guy!
You could get a little fry tank thingy that hang in the main tank so most run into it to hide from the adults...they aren't too much money & then you could sell or give away the babies...or feed them
to someone who has a betta. LoL the betta would love it.

[CrankyFish84]

This is a good website for info & healthy fish.... Freshwater Fish: Freshwater Tropical Fish Species for Tropical Fish Tanks :)