I am Jonathan. It has been a long time since I stopped caring for fresh water aquatic fishes. I started way back when I was still in elementary school, around the 5th grade. It came as a curiousity. The first fish I ever cared for was a tiny common goldfish. I didn't have an aquarium yet, so I made use of an old styrofoam case, which I covered with plastic book cover. A few days later, 2 mickey mouse platies were added to the collection. And with the support of my dad who decided to build our own aquarium using old broken table glass, he asked me to buy additional fishes, some aquarium pebbles, and air pump. I bought 2 bottom dwelling plecos, which looked really cool! But, with the aquarium being so big, and very few fishes, I had to buy more fish! Which I did.
There was this local aquatic home-based vendor near our school, whom we called "Manong Eto", who was selling tropical aquatic fishes. We visited him from time to time, and everytime we did, we always had a fish or two with us on our way out.
I bought bought Mollies (black and silver), swordtails, and guppies. I also bought a black-moore goldfish. It's a black goldfish with bulging eyes!
For me, it was just for entertainment. Watching thise fishes when I arrive from school was always so relaxing! But then, my live bearers started to give birth! So I needed to make more room. I asked my dad to make a smaller aquarium for some the fries, and I made a wooden box with plastic cover for the others.
For first timers, it would be wise to start with Live Bearers:
1) Guppies
2) Mollies
3) Platies
1) Guppies come in a variety of colors. The most common are the Mosaic guppies (the ones with red/yellow/orange tails). Guppies are good for your aquarium, since they add color and move around. They tend to swim near the water level, perhaps looking for food.
Breeding guppies is easy. Just put a male and female together, and they will do the rest! They are like "hamsters of the fish world." Just make sure to separate the fries once they give birth. It's fine to leave them there if you have plants or other aquarium decorations where the fries could hide. Keeping different types of guppies may lead them to breed different strains. If you want to keep a specific strain, you may want to keep them in a separate aquarium.
Mosaic Guppy
2) Mollies are also quite interesting! The common ones are the Black Molly, and the Silver Molly. Other varieties include the Marble Molly, Spotted Molly (result of breeding black n silver mollies), Gold Dust, Chocolate Molly, 24k Molly (result of breesing spotted, gold dust, and chocolate mollies), Balloon Molly, and so much more! Other varieties come with Lyre Tails, and Sail Fins.
Just like guppies, breeding mollies is easy. placing a male and a female together will work the magic. Just make sure to separate the fries once they are born.
Silver Molly
Black Molly
3) Platies are very pretty fishes which come in different types as well. The common ones are the Sword Tails, Mickey Mouse Platy, and the Blue Moon Platy.
Sword Tails usually come in striking red, with a distinguishable sword-like tail fin. Other varieties of Sword Tails are Green Sword Tail, Black Sword Tail, Kohaku Sword Tails, and many more!
Sword Tail
Mickey Mouse Platies are probably tshe most unique, since they have a distinguishing mark of the famous mouse near their tail fin! One of my favorite fishes!
Mickey Mouse Platy
The Blue Moon Platy is a dark bodied colored platy (bluish green, to bluish black), with their mouth and tail being light yellow to dark orange in color.
Blue Moon Platy
Breeding Platies is pretty much the same as the Guppies and Mollies. Just put them together, and they'll do the rest!
It would be nice to have aquarium plants. This helps in keeping your water cool, and fresh. It also helps in providing them food. And hides small fries from predators.
Coming up with different types of fish variety actually really depends on the fish keeper. He might want to keep a certain type, or he may want to come up with newer strains.
I just started caring for fishes once again, and I only have a few of them for now. They are a mix of Guppies and Mollies, no Platies yet. I currently have a makeshift box with plastic cover for them. I also have some plants to keep them cool, since I don't have an air pump yet.
Mixed Guppies and Mollies
Molly Fries - 3 days old!
Take note, these types of fishes can survive even without an air pump. As long as you have a space big enough, and some plants to provide them air and oxygen, they will be fine!
I feed them atleast twice per day. Just a pinch or two, once in the morning before I go to work, and once in the afternoon when I return from work.
I feed them small sized pellets (red and green color), and wheat germ for the fries. I will try to find some live food like daphnia, or bloodworms when I have time.
All I can say is, Fish Keeping is really a fun hobby! Keep in touch as we talk about different types of fishes in my next blog.
Have a nice day!
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