Attalus, that song was MUCH better than the real State Song of Texas. ;)

I know a song by the Arrogant Worms (a Canadian Comedy Band) called "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate," which is vaguely about Canada, Sir Goulem, but I'm not sure if it counts.

Well if you are looking for easy maintenance, it's not just the hardiness of the fish you have to consider, but also the water conditions the fish needs to live. You need to first know what your PH and water hardness is at your home, the water that comes out of your tap. Usually if you go to a pet store that is nearby your home, their water is the same as your home, not incase you use well water at your home. So not so hard to find out.

If you have a high PH, you most likely also have high water hardness (which is what I have). Only so many tropical fish can live with those high PH/Hardness conditions. Cichlids are the best choice, they come in many shapes, sizes and colors, and have personalities and are fun to watch. If your PH is medium (in the 7.5 to 7.8 range) then you have lots more things you can choose from! Guppies, little sharks, little corydoras catfish, silver dollars, mollys, red neons (not the cool blue ones), goldfish..). Those cool tiny neons you see at pet stores require a very LOW PH, 5.0!

You CAN buy chemicals that you can add to any aquarium to make the PH and water hardness higher or lower, but it can be a pain as it is an extra step you have to take when changing the water in the tank for cleaning purposes.

Hope that helps a little anyways. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Shouldn't a person fill their fishtank with distilled water, and then add the proper chemicals? Is that the ideal way of doing it?

I have to admit, I really don't know much about fish, though I do enjoy watching them.

What kind of conditions do you need for crabs? My uncle has some tiny ones in his aquarium with his clownfish, and they're my favorite.

You don't need to get distilled water Ilander, at least not for freshwater fish. I myself buy a lot of bottled water in gallon containers (to drink myself), and when I'm finished with them I keep the container. I have 10 of them, and I use them when I change the tank water. Fill them up with tap water at home, then put drops in each to take out the chlorine, chloramines, etc. The PH here is perfect for my African Catfish. Not sure what the PH or hardness would be in distilled water?

And no idea re crabs, they are for salt water tanks which I don't have. Salt water tanks are very expensive and tough to maintain, oh and did I mention expensive LOL? Salt water tanks though are the coolest, and the most colorful and interesting with all the different species of ocean fish you can put in it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thankyou lady Z, getting fish that can use the local water is a good idea, I don't want the kids having to bother with chemicals too much. I shall ask the local pet shop :D

Sir Goulum I think on my Eric Clapton unplugged (MTV) album there is a song called Alberta. Attalus thanks for that, my first digital watch had the 'yellow rose of Texas' as its alarm tune though I never knew the words :D

Pure water, which is what distilled water is supposed to be, has a completely neutral PH. It, then, should be 7.0 if pure. Incidentally, acidity and basic(ness?) is all relative to water being the standard in the center, neither an acid or a base.

Saltwater tanks are really expensive...that's why my uncle only has two clownfish, six or seven crabs, and a piece of coral at the moment. They're still fun to watch, though!

Just fill the tank with beer, throw in some fish, and enjoy the ride. :D

I kinda figured that distilled water would not be of a high PH, but it'd be great for a lot of tropical "community" tanks. Just not mine LOL, my tank is PH high and water Hard, like WellHard LOL [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

Quote:

Incidentally, acidity and basic(ness?) is all relative to water being the standard in the center, neither an acid or a base.

Don't understand what you are saying there.

Quote:

Saltwater tanks are really expensive...that's why my uncle only has two clownfish, six or seven crabs, and a piece of coral at the moment. They're still fun to watch, though!

Oh clown fish and corals make beautiful tanks and are very fun to watch. If I could afford a saltwater tank, I'd definitely have first thing coral and a clown fish. [img]smile.gif[/img] Have you ever seen one of those cow fish or whatever they are? They are saltwater fish, look basically like an overcooked hunk of meat floating with eyes?

[ 05-06-2005, 09:43 PM: Message edited by: ladyzekke ]

This?
http://www.divegallery.com/cowfish.jpg

No, I've never seen 'em before, but they sure are funny looking!

What I meant with that acid/base comment was that acids are called acids because of what they do when mixed with water. Bases are called bases because of what they do with water.

Mix water with water, and nothing happens, which makes water the true neutral of the PH scale...and since it runs from 1 to 14, 7 is the exact middle.

Sorry for the confusion...I talk a bit on the technical side a lot of the time :(

---and beyond that, I seem to have made some grammatical errors in that last post too :( :(

[ 05-06-2005, 09:55 PM: Message edited by: Ilander ]