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FAQs on Freshwater Livestocking 4 Related Articles: Freshwater
Livestock by Neale Monks, Freshwater
Livestock Selection by Bob Fenner,
Acclimation of New Freshwater Livestock by Bob Fenner,
Fishes, Amphibians,
Turtles,
Related FAQs: FW
Livestock 1, FW
Livestock 2, FW Livestock 3,
Freshwater
Livestock Selection, Community Tank
Livestocking,
Know what you're buying, its habits, temperament...
before purchasing. Butis butis here... a Sleeper... till it's hungry!
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How should I sort my fish? - 06/29/08
I have recently inherited 2 - 10 gal. aquariums and some fish, but I am
a novice. There are 7 guppies, 3 black tetras, 5 serpae tetras, 2 hatchet
fish and 2 apple snails in one tank, and a Pleco, 2 dwarf Gouramis, 3
platies, 2 swords, 3 Rasboras, and 4 mollies in the other. Is this the best
way to group them? Should I get certain species of fish to help keep the
tank clean? If so, what kind?
Thank you for your time,
Laura
<Hello Laura. Probably the single best thing you could do is buy/borrow an
aquarium book. All the species you're keeping are "common" species, but they
each have very specific needs/characters. Black Tetras (which I assume are
Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) and Serpae Tetras (Hyphessobrycon eques) are both
"fin nippers", meaning they tend to attack slow moving fish or fish with
long fish. Mixing them with Guppies for example, or Apple Snails, would be a
very dangerous idea! I'd keep those two species alone in their own tank, or
possibly with the Plec, assuming it is a small species. An adult Plec of the
common species (Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus) gets to 45 cm/18" in length,
and won't even FIT in a 10 gallon tank, let alone be able to live in one! It
will need, minimum, a 200 litre/55 gallon system. In fact all your fish
would do better in a 75 litre/20 gallon tank or bigger. Personally, if this
was me, and I have a couple of 10-gallon tanks to populate, I wouldn't keep
ANY of the species you've got, except maybe the Apple Snails. The Swordtails
need a big, long tank because they are semi-aggressive, open water fish that
need swimming space. Mollies are similar, but potentially get even bigger
(some species to 15 cm/6"!) and need very hard, very basic water of perfect
water quality as well. I'd argue -- strongly -- they really need to be kept
in brackish water, not a freshwater tank. Platies are a bit less demanding
than Swordtails, but all the livebearers (Swordtails, Platies, Guppies, and
Mollies) need hard, basic water. By contrast, your Rasboras and Hatchetfish
will need soft/acid water in the long term. While this is also the ideal for
Serpae and Black tetras, those two species are so nasty I wouldn't mix them
with anything as gentle as Rasboras or Hatchets. Dwarf Gouramis are frankly
hopeless fish that I don't waste my time on. But you have them now, and
presumably they don't have Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus or they wouldn't have
lasted this long! Anyway, healthy specimens (which are damned rare!) are
nice fish, but a bit slow and stupid, and easily nipped by Tetras, so don't
mix them with anything nippy. Fancy Guppies are even more slow and even more
stupid, and also get nipped. Fancy Guppies are best kept in their own
quarters. Now, as for "cleaner fish" -- that's you, my friend. No fish,
REPEAT, NO FISH, keeps your tank clean. All of them make the tank dirtier.
Statements to the contrary are only EVER made by retailers trying to SELL
you a catfish or loach. Filtration and water changes (and perhaps the odd
wipe of the glass and stir of the gravel) is the way to clean a tank. Do
start at WWM by going to these two sections, reading through the first boxes
on each one for info aimed at beginners:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwsetupindex.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlivestkindex.htm
I hope this helps. Cheers, Neale.>
Several Questions regarding Discuss/
Quasi-Amazon tank and more... Not ready for anytime "aquarist", reading
6/25/08
Several years ago I started a 30 U.S. Gallon tank with a Discus,
<... needs more room than this... and Symphysodon are social animals>
a Pleco, 2 Rainbows,
<... unsuitable water quality wise>
3 Kerri Tetras and 3 Bloodfin Tetras. All was well for about 1 1/2 years
until I moved apartments and transferred those fish into a 55 Gallon tank.
It soon developed a bad case of Blue-Green Algae. Not realizing what it was,
I tried to limit the amount of light, which caused most of the plants to die
as they became covered in the green slime, and my discus and Pleco both
became sick and died.
<Bunk!>
After finally identifying the algae and killing it with amoxicillin.
<...>
I began buying some new plants (mostly swords) and bought an Angel and
another Pleco. After a few months, I bought two new Discus, which were very
skittish for about 3 weeks, then started bullying the angel (even though it
was roughly the same size)
<Not a good mix... and you'd know this had you followed our directions and
read before writing...>
for a couple weeks until they all settled into a pattern of coexistence. I
also added 3 purple passion Danios, and at some point mysteriously lost one
Kerri tetra and one bloodfin tetra.
Last month, one of my discus got hole-in-head disease while I was away, and
by the time I got home, he was gasping for his last breath. Even though the
other discuss appeared healthy, i treated the tank with a hole-in-head
medication
<...>
as a precaution since I worried that the other discuss might get it too.
After a few days, the tank appeared normal again, but I noticed that the
remaining discuss suddenly became very skittish again. Though he used to eat
very aggressively, this stopped and he rarely seemed interested in food.
Then, last week we had a sudden heat wave, breaking all previous records and
making the tank rapidly rise to 90*F (from its normal 84*). The discuss did
not look healthy (very dark coloration) and stopped eating. I tried to
increase water changes to maintain lower temps, but discuss died rather
suddenly. All other fish remain healthy.
<... please, stop>
Tank conditions are 84*F, PH of 6.5, KH of 150, GH of 25. I perform weekly
30% water changes, using Deionized water
<Fish, plants won't live just in this...>
since I have had phosphate problems in the past. Tank has two filters, 1
Penguin 350 and 1 Penguin 200. Lighting is compact fluorescent and equals
about 3.6 watts per gallon. Current plants include 2 Amazon Swords, 2
Brazilian Swords, 3 Vallisneria, 4 Rotala Indica, 2 Anubias congensis, and
several Sagittaria subulata (which are all doing significantly better now
that I've stopped making them live in black water since the death of the
discuss) Current fish include 1 Angel, 1 Pleco, 2 Rainbows, 2 Kerri Tetras,
2 Bloodfin Tetras, and 3 Purple Passion Danios.
I've cured the blue-green algae and when not on vacation I can cure the
hole-in-head, but I'm still rather frustrated, especially since I lost the
last one to an unknown cause. (I suspect the sudden heat spike led to
increased stress, which didn't help right after he became skittish and began
eating less, but I'm not sure exactly what that was about, so I'm a bit
confused, any ideas or general thoughts?)
<... that you should read>
So now that you have the past 4 years of my tank's history, here are my
questions. I'm thinking about adding two Blue Rams to the tank, a couple
more Kerri or bloodfin tetras, and possibly a couple pencil fish. Would
adding the Blue Rams prevent me from getting another one or two discuss in
the future?
<... Forget Symphysodon... you're not sophisticated, nor disciplined enough
to care for them. Really>
Speaking of discuss, I'd like to find ways of improving my chances of
keeping them for more than 1 or 2 years in the future. Would getting a
Diatom Filter or UV sterilizer be helpful in this regard?
<... no>
I've been pretty lucky when it comes to Ick or other diseases ever since I
stopped getting fish from Petco many years ago, but perhaps these items
would make the water better in between my weekly water changes?
<... try another "hobby">
Water changes during the week are not usually possible because I work very
long hours, so increasing frequency is difficult, which is why I'm looking
to other possibilities.
<Again...>
Lastly, I'm curious whether any inverts would be able to live in this setup.
It appears as though Amano or Atyopsis shrimp might be able to handle the
temp and ph, but I'm not sure if they would be bothered by the Angel, Pleco,
or potential future discuss or blue rams. Thoughts?
<...>
Thanks in advance for all of your help and advice. I've read a lot of your
other articles and found them very helpful.
- Mike
<... Mike, go to the library, read on the Net... stop killing the life in
your care. Getting along in the universe by stumbling, reading, reacting
after you've caused yourself, your livestock troubles... is the reverse
route to go. Bob Fenner>
Re: Several Questions regarding Discuss/
Quasi-Amazon tank and more... PLEASE! Read before writing us... or you'll get
"... and your uncle smells of elderberries...". 6/25/08
I must say that I am a bit bewildered and disappointed in the "advice" I
just received in response to my questions. I own several fish tanks, reptiles,
and amphibians that have never had any problems, but have lost 3 Discus and 1
Pleco over the past 4+ years all in the same tank, so I was looking for some
advice. Instead, I was told that I am not sophisticated enough to care for fish,
told to just "stop", and chastised for previous mistakes (including some which
remain in open debate on your and other online forums, such as housing discuss
and angels together, which my LFS said was fine if watched closely and provided
with hiding places).
<Some of your writing (the bits on plants esp.) shows careful examination...>
Everything I've read lists soft water with a ph of 6.5 for these fish.
<Not Melanotaeniids...>
The 84*F temp was for the discuss,
<Please... Discus... not discuss...>
and have been told that the angels and tetras can adjust to this fine. Since
I've had no problems with them now for a couple years at these levels, I'm not
sure why you've said that the fish will all die in my water. Explanations would
be more useful than curt responses.
<... agreed, but... this is a two way expressway... We ask for folks to search
the site before writing us... there are tens of thousands of "you" per day...
only a handful of "us" here... for free>
I realize the Rainbows are completely out of place and should have died ages
ago, but I've had them for over 4 years and can't move them to any of my other
tanks because they would be more out of place there (African Cichlid and
Brackish tanks).
<So... perhaps another tank?>
Anyway, I was hoping for a bit of advice, which usually comes in the form of
reasoned and articulate explanations. Instead, I'm told to "stop" to "read" and
to "find a new hobby" (even though I've only lost 4 fish in 4 years while caring
for roughly 50 total). I thought you guys tried to help people?
Disappointed,
- Mike
<We do. Do keep reading. B>
Re: Several Questions
regarding Discus/ Quasi-Amazon tank and more 6/27/08
I have done extensive reading on your site, and received answers
to most of my questions that way. Still I have a couple questions
since deciding not to follow your advice to "stop" and "find a
different hobby".
<Mmm, I would not do this>
I will consider starting another tank so that I can move the 2
Rainbows, and 3 Purple Passion Danios into cooler conditions.
<Ah, good>
Water temp is now at 82F, with PH of 6.5, and the water is soft
(hardness around 6), though it looks like I previously (and
accidentally) gave you a rather "hard" number for my general
hardness. From what I've read, blue rams are compatible with my tank
and would not prevent future additions of a pair of Discus. I am
left with two specific questions that I hope you can answer.
<I'll try>
1: Will two Blue rams (*Microgeophagus ramirezi)* be bothered by
either my Angel (roughly 5 inches) or the common (snow king) Pleco
(roughly 7 inches)?
<Likely not too much... there are always individual differences...
and the more crowded, the greater likelihood of agonistic troubles,
but...>
2: Will angel and/ or Pleco eat any potential shrimp (*Palaemon
pantanal, **Atyopsis moluccensis, or **Caridina japonica)?
<Perhaps... I give you good odds though>
*3: Since death of Discus, I have stopped adding peat/ black water
extract, making plants much happier and better at fighting off black
brush algae.
Would Blue Rams benefit from the black water or should I continue to
not bother?
<Mmm, with the water quality measures you've given, I would skip>
Tank has 2 rocks, 2 large pieces of driftwood (28"),
<Very nice!>
3 medium pieces of wood (12"), and 3 small pieces (8") for hiding,
along with previously mentioned selection of plants.
I understand that you receive many questions and have limited time
to answer each request, but I would appreciate some guidance related
to these 3 remaining questions. Thank you
- Mike
<Thank you for sharing Mike. BobF>
|
FW fish Compatibility 6/11/08
Hello. I just purchased a 156g tank for my fishes; 2 2-spot Gouramis, 2
angel pictus catfishes and 2 blood parrot fishes and I would like to
know what other fishes I could put with them. Thanks a bunch! Jo Anne
<The list is long indeed... of major groups of fishes that are relatively
available, get along with what you currently have, span the range of water
quality... FW Angels, other medium sized Gouramis, many Rainbowfishes, some
small to med. characoids, medium sized barbs, Danios, Rasboras... many other
useful catfishes... Best to go through fish books, websites of size, making a
prospective "want list"... seek further input to hone this down, visiting
stores... Bob Fenner>
29 Gallon Stocking, FW, comm.
5/13/08
Ok I will be upgrading a 10 gallon tank in a few days to a 29 gallon.
<Ah! Some upgrade!>
I will be using some of the water and filter pad from the 10 gallon to hurry
along the 29 gallon cycle.
<Good>
Anyway, currently in the 10 gallon there are 2 dwarf gouramis (paired), 2 male
guppies, and 5 female platies
What else would go great with these fish in a 29 gallon aquarium?
<Perhaps some Corydoras sp. catfish... some small danios, rasboras...>
I do not want anymore platies separated the males from the females they breed
way too quickly lol. And I do not want any Neon Tetras (I already have a 45
gallon tank devoted to those)
<Many choices are available... I'd be scanning books, the Net, your fish stores
for ideas, possibilities... Bob Fenner>
Fish Stock Question, Loaches and Eels and
Butterflies, oh my! Reading, FW hardness, CAE, stkg. period
4/24/08
Greetings crew!
<Alex>
I am not sure if you received my last e-mail, so I thought I would try again.
<Thanks... I don't recall seeing this, and I put most all away>
If you did, I apologize for any typo's or grammatical errors it contained, as I
sent it via cell phone from my LFS >^..^<
So, here it goes. I currently have a 5ft long 120 gallon tank with 2 250W
Stealth heaters, 2 Emperor 400 filters, 100lbs of fine gravel, a handful of live
plants (Anubias, Amazon Sword, and some green Myrio), some Mopani wood and a
number of hiding places, both PVC and decoration. The tank has been running for
about three months now, and my water seems to have cycled well. Ammonia 0,
Nitrite 0, Nitrate about 20 or so, and PH at 7.6, with hardness the only thing I
am unsure of (should I make myself sure?).
<Mmm, not likely necessary... let's continue...>
I started out treating my water with Prime, but my LFS recommended Neutral
Regulator to soften things up and bring my ph closer to 7.
<Mmmm>
May I ask your advice on this?
<Again, not really an issue in the vast majority of circumstances, livestock
assortments>
from reading, 7.6 seems a hair on the high side for my stock selection, but not
too sure. Should I possibly add more Mopani or other fish safe wood? Also, are
my two emperors fine, or should I start looking for something more? from what I
have read, you can never have too MUCH filtration!
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwhardness.htm
and the linked files above. Some excellent, succinct points made by NealeM>
As far as my stock goes, my current residents include 2 Flying Foxes (both young
and can separate as needed, have a second tank), 1 Rainbow Shark, my survivor
Firewag Platy (long story), 3 Yoyo Loaches and a Chinese Algae Eater (I think).
<I would "ditch" the Gyrinocheilus... issues gone over... on WWM>
May I please have your advice on my shopping list for the future, as well as a
recommended time frame to keep from shocking my bioload?
<Sure>
6 Clown Loaches, as I find myself turning into a loach fiend 7 more Yoyo Loaches
to make 10 total, for the same reason as above 1 Fire Eel, I love the way these
guys look and don't see too many problems, how do they like current?
<Mmm, not so important... but this fish gets very large...>
2 African Butterfly Fish, some top fish that just look awesome. I have a glass
top, and the tank is next to my stairwell. ooh, butterflies in the tank! current
will be kept low in the tank if I can manage it right...
<Needs live food...>
12 Tiger Barbs... or not... heard they don't do well with the butterflies, but
are otherwise a good addition to the clowns. I like the way they look, but donut
want to loose any appendages off other fish!
<Are fine>
5 Rainbow Sharks, read they do well solo or in groups?
<Fight quite a bit in close confines... will a bit here in time>
It wont break my heart to omit them though.
Any further selections you would recommend? I am leaning away from the Tiger
Barbs due to their potential pestering of the butterflies, but I would like some
mid level action or some other "Dither Fish".
<Good idea... many choices... I'd look into Rainbows, mid-size Danios....
Characins>
Thanks for the awesome support and I am looking forward to seeing more good
things in the future!
-Alex
<You'd do well to follow directions and search, read on WWM before writing us.
Start now. Bob Fenner>
Fish stock question... from ayer,
still not reading, FW 4/25/08
Greetings crew!
I have read through your q@a's a few times and i love what I have read
so far. What I am requesting is more of a yea nay as to what my current
idea is for stocking, as well as a good timeline for the additions so I
don't overload. My equipment is as follows:
120H gallon (60w x 18d x 30h), 2x emperor 400's, 100lbs fine gravel
substrate, and 2x 250w heaters. Anything else you need I may have
forgotten?
<Mmmm...>
My stock currently includes 1 rainbow shark, 2 flying foxes (young and
can relocate one as needed), and 3 yoyo loaches, with some random live
plants. What i wish to add is as follows:
7 more yoyo's
6 clown loaches
2 African butterfly fish (slightly worried about fin nipping?)
1 fire eel
<I answered this ayer... this Mastacembelid will grow too large... Read
re these species on WWM...>
Was thinking about 12 tiger barbs but I understand they WILL nip the
butterflies fins... Any ideas for a suitable replacement for these guys
that wont get eaten, or should i just forget them?
<See WWM re... other fish groups...>
My "prize" fish that i would like to maintain are the loaches, the eel
and the butterflies.
<The Spiny Eel will eventually (a few years likely) have to be
transferred out...>
Ps, my tank water is currently 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20 nitrate. Ph is a
lil high at 7.6 but I am treating with neutral balancer
<... I would not. As stated yesterday... Please don't re-send the same
simple questions w/o following directions, searching, reading before
writing us... and worse, writing back w/o having read where you were
referred to>
to bring it down a tad, don't have a GH tester as of yet but i suspect
tap is just as bad as my ph.
<The species you list are fine with such a pH... is more beneficial to
be a bit alkaline... READ>
Tank has also been in operation for a little over three months. Any
advice on keeping this a happy and healthy tank would be appreciated!
Newly addicted loach fan,
-Alex
<And reading fan I hope. BobF> |
Starting a soft water tank,
need help on choosing inhabitants, order of addition 4/15/08
I am working with my wife to set up a soft water tank. It is a 55 gallon
tank. I am mixing RO/DI water with dechlorinated tap water. There are plenty of
artificial plants as well as driftwood and some rocks. The centerpiece will be
dwarf rams. We also plan to have some Cory cats and a schooling fish.
<Hmm... be careful: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi require warmer water than most
Corydoras species, and warmer water than many tetras appreciate. If you keep
these other fish at the required 28-30 degrees C, they will be stressed and
potentially experience a much shorter lifespan. Among the Corydoras, Corydoras
sterbai is the only common species that does *really* well in warm water
aquaria, and is routinely kept with Discus. Do also remember Mikrogeophagus have
been reported to bite the eyes from Corydoras catfish; they are not a
recommended combination. My experience of Corydoras is that they are absolutely
hopeless at learning about territories, and this makes them difficult to keep
with territorial cichlids.>
We are trying to decide on what schooling fish to keep . . . Neons, cardinals,
or zebra Danios. Reading over the site, it looks like the Neons prefer cooler
water than the rams, and carry the risk of neon tetra disease. How significant
is that risk?
<Danios and Neons definitely need cooler water than Rams; around 20 C is ideal
for Danios, and around 22 C for Neons. So neither is a viable option. Cardinals
do well as 28 C, so make the ideal choice. Another good choice would be the
Lambchop Rasbora Trigonostigma espei (as opposed to the cooler water Harlequin
Rasbora Trigonostigma heteromorpha). Finally, consider the Marbled Hatchetfish
Carnegiella strigata, which also enjoys quite warm water.>
On the other hand, reading about cardinals, it seems they tend to be difficult
to get acclimated, but they are hardy once successfully introduced. Is that a
correct impression? If so, what are your suggestions for successful acclimation?
I believe the article on your site recommends a drip acclimation. Is that
recommended?
<Cardinals are generally hardier than Neons once acclimated, and a thousand
times easier to keep than the terribly poor quality Rams on the market these
days. So I'd worry more about the Rams than the Cardinals! In any case, if you
are adjusting fish from maintenance in hard water aquaria (e.g., at the shop) to
soft water in your home aquarium, then yes, a drip method acclimating the fish
across an hour or so would work. Even better would be keeping the tank medium
hard, neutral pH while you stock it, and then soften it across a week or two
using water changes once you're done. A month or so as a medium hard water
aquarium would do your fish no harm, especially if the temperature and water
quality are optimal.>
If the cardinals and tetras are too likely to perish, we will probably go with
the zebra Danios instead.
<Not a good choice at all; Danios come from fast, cool water environments.>
What do you recommend for stocking? I was thinking 8 Corys, 12 schooling fish, 6
rams. Could we or should we add more of the schooling fish or Cory cats? Are odd
numbers or even numbers preferable for any of the fish we plan to keep?
<Numbers sound fine. Corydoras and most schooling fish behave themselves
impeccably once decent numbers are kept, so don't worry too much about odd/even
numbers. As for the Rams, do try and keep more females than males, but failing
that, don't overcrowd and ensure everyone has their own hiding place.>
Finally, is there a preferred order of addition? I was considering schooling
fish, followed by the Cory cats, with the rams added last (after I know I can
maintain the water at the appropriate conditions).
<Sounds fine.>
Thanks in advance for the help.
Rick
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: starting a soft water
tank, need help on choosing inhabitants, order of addition 4/17/08
Thank you for your response. We have plenty to think about.
<You're welcome.>
I have some more questions, now related to water quality, not stocking.
<Okay.>
As mentioned, I am using a mixture of RO/DI water and tap water. The blend has a
hardness of 6 KH, but the pH is above 7.6 (the upper limit of my low-range test
kit). What is the best way to lower the pH? Should I use a buffer? Should I
consider peat? I am targeting a pH of 6.5.
<6 degrees KH is fairly hard water; don't try messing about with pH unless you
can lower the carbonate hardness. I simply cannot make this clearer: your job is
NOT to change the pH, but to stabilise it, and instead you should use more
softened water and less tap water until the carbonate hardness drops to around
3-4 degrees KH. At that point, the pH should be around 7, and you can safely use
peat to lower the pH by adding organic acids, and then a pH buffer to
"stabilise" the pH between water changes.>
Today, I am going to see what the parameters of the LFS water are, and will
adjust accordingly. However, for my final parameters, if I stock with the Rams,
Corys, and Cardinals, are pH 6.5 and 6 KH hardness good?
<The carbonate hardness is still to high for what you're after.>
Also, you mentioned the difficulty in finding quality rams. Any suggestions on
where/how to get good stock, other than being looking carefully before I
purchase them?
<Mikrogeophagus ramirezi simply isn't worth buying retail. These cichlids need
very warm (28-30 C) for their health to remain solid. Specifically, their immune
system weakens as temperature drops. So in the standard issue retail aquarium
around 25 C, they are "chilled" and pick up every disease going around. Some
bacterial infections and protozoan infections (such as Hexamita) may be latent
and not causing any harm for weeks or months after the fish catches them. But
sooner or later, the fish sickens and dies. Here in the UK, there are mail order
companies specialising in dwarf cichlids. These maintain wild-caught
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi in the warm, soft water they need, ensuring very high
quality stock. I'd suggest locating a similar outfit in your corner of the
world. Failing that, a local breeder is another option; your local fish club may
be able to put you in touch with the relevant person. The attrition rate of
mass-produced Mikrogeophagus ramirezi is simply so high I find it difficult to
recommend them. They are a total and utter waste of money. You might (wisely!)
opt for another dwarf cichlid such as Apistogramma spp., many of which thrive in
similar conditions but don't need so much warmth. Apistogramma spp. therefore
"travel" better than Mikrogeophagus, and assuming they're in reasonable
condition when you get them, can be quarantined and fattened up without too much
fuss. Cheers, Neale.>
|
Tank Troubles, Mixed tropical
and Goldfish sys. 4/9/08
I am an experienced saltwater fishkeeper and I have set up a freshwater tank
at my place of employment. It is a 55 Gallon with an oversized BioWheel filter
and carbon media, it is only about two months old. I sped the cycling process
along with "used gravel and filter media" from my LFS.
<Very good.>
The water tests at 0ppm for ammonia, nitrite, chlorine, about 15ppm for
nitrates. I have an African Clawed Frog that I hand feed ReptoMin pellets and a
dojo loach that eats a sinking shrimp pellet everyday.
<Fine, but do vary the diet and use (wet) frozen foods like bloodworms as well,
or even live foods or chopped seafood. Plain dried food seems to cause problems
with constipation, and in any case most animals get bored with it.>
Finally I have 3 fantail goldfish approx 3" each, I feed fresh blanched spinach
and zucchini as well as sinking goldfish pellets every other day. I feed
sparingly, I am a big fan of fit fish.
<Great!>
Anyway the crux of my issue, I have had a few fish deaths which I find strange.
I had one goldfish pass, he grew weak and unresponsive until his death. My boss
added two guppies and three platies ( against my better advice) and one of the
guppies and two of the platies have passed away. They acclimate fine they seem
healthy and active, and eating. Then I will find them dead within the next
couple of days.
<When a random selection of fish die within a short period, it's almost always
an environmental issue. So check temperature, pH, nitrite at once. Fish have
varying demands in terms of temperature, and outside their preferred range
quickly develop immune system, dietary problems. The pH will give you a quick
handle on whether water chemistry is stable, and the nitrite will tell you about
the filtration system.>
No apparent disease is at work, there is no outward sign of it anyway, the
goldfish and the guppy and platies all appear healthy. Is there some water
parameter that I am not taking into account?
<Not sure. Which parameters have you considered thus far?>
I realize that guppies and platies are tropical fish but can't they also
acclimate to subtropical temperatures?
<Not as such, no. While it is true that one Platy species, the Variatus Platy
fish Xiphophorus variatus is a subtropical fish, the fancy Platies sold are
hybrids that require completely tropical conditions. Guppies are tropical fish,
period.>
The temperature of the tank is a steady 67 degrees F.
<Too low.>
Please let me know if there is something I am missing or if a certain number of
fish deaths is normal...I haven't lost any of my SW fish in many months, and
years. So I am a bit perplexed. Thanks so much in advance.
<Cheers, Neale.>
|
Re: 55gal FW Re-stock
question 4/7/08
Thanks Neale!
I do keep an eye on the Serpaes. So far they've been relatively "good" little
fish. The Danios are all happy chasing themselves around and seem
oblivious to their neighbors, and the red lines mainly play with themselves in
the plants we have. The fun starts when the loaches start to "play" and
try to include the Serpae group, which then scatter with a "What the" moment.
Only two Serpaes had survived from the original group, and have been ok thus far
since adding 3 more. Just want to make sure the schools are all at a decent size
for everyone's social well being. Course, ID on tetras is relying on our own
research as the LFS in the area aren't always the best in that regard.
Rachel
<Hello Rachel. All sounds fine. There are some look-alike fish that are
sometimes sold as Serpae tetras, and they are less trouble. In any event,
Serpaes are worst towards slow moving fish like Gouramis and angelfish, and
that's my objection to them as community fish. They are lively and colourful
though, so in the right system can be fun little fish. I'd certainly up the
numbers on all these tetras though. Often we don't realise that in the wild
these tetras are living in groups of dozens even hundreds of specimens. I've
kept, for example, groups of twenty cardinal tetras and the difference in their
behaviour is remarkable. They move as a single unit and look very much more
dramatic than otherwise. Loaches are gregarious, and I once visited a fishkeeper
who had 50 Clown Loaches in a single tank. Let me tell you these were amazingly
happy fish! Really a sight to see. Cheers, Neale.>
55gal FW Re-stock question
4/6/08
Hi WWM crew!
I'm back again with another question. This time it's for our 55 gal freshwater
tank. Current stock is as follows:
6 Zebra Danios (Danio rerio)
5 Serpae tetras (Hyphessobrycon serpae)
<Horrible fin nippers, so will be interesting to see how you make out with these
little terrors.>
4 Red-line tetras (Hyphessobrycon amapaensis - not 100% positive I've ID-ed
these guys right)
3 Yoyo loaches (Botia almorhae - love these guys!)
1 Pleco (we have no idea which species, working on that one)
<Unless sold deliberately as a Bristlenose Plec, then most likely one of the
GIANT Pterygoplichthys species.>
Tank has been up and running for 5 months now (I'd uh, have param.s for you but
testing kit ran out and haven't made it to the store yet this week), and I'd
like to bring up the numbers of the Serpae and Red-lines if possible (a few of
our red-lines ended up as "midnight" snacks for our 3 Sciades seemanni during
their short visit in January while their brackish tank finished cycling up). I
always get lost on exactly how much room per fish in mixed company.
<In a 55 gallon tank, schools of ten or more specimens of all these fish, save
the Plec and the loaches, would be entirely in order and actually sensible.
Loaches best in groups of 5+, Plecs almost always solitary.>
I'm looking to add 3-5 more Serpae, and 4 more Red-lines if there's room still
without over-loading our tank. Filtration is currently a Whisper HOB with
bio-sponge inserts and those lovely carbon pouches. Yes, I know totally
worthless here, but it's what came with the tank and the husband likes it so --
yeah, have to pick my battles carefully on this, working on getting switched
over to a canister filter system this summer hopefully.
<Cool. Nothing to stop you having BOTH filters. Dedicate one to
chemical/biological filtration, and the other to mechanical/biological. I've
routinely kept tanks with more than one filter, and it gives you a cushion in
case one fails or needs maintenance.>
Think that should do it for this round, will sign off before I start
rambling for no good reason. =)
Thank you!
Rachel
<Hope this helps, Neale.>
|
Stocking & quarantine 03/26/2008
Hi there,
I do have a few questions and hoping you have the answers. I have a 55 gal. tank
with an AquaClear "70" filter system. Right now I have 15 fish
5 zebra Danios
1 gold Gourami
3 swordtails (1 male -2 female)
6 Australian rainbows (3 male -3 female)
I want to add more fish and wonder if adding 3 more female swords and 3 more
female rainbows would be all right for now. I want more color in my tank and
thinking of a different species of rainbows. Any other suggestions would be
appreciated.
<With schooling fish, adding more of the same species INVARIABLY improves the
aesthetics. A common mistake beginners make is to take a couple of these, a
couple of those, and a couple of the others. Different shapes and different
colours. Throw them into the tank. Result: a jumble. None of the fish behave
properly. They don't school together. So instead of a synchronized group of ten
Neons playing follow the leader (when they look fab) you get five Neons hanging
about all over the place looking nervous. So, before adding NEW species, think
about adding MORE of the same. Adding more Danios should be a no-brainer. A
dozen would have hardly any effect on the capacity of your tank, while the
resulting social cohesion will dramatically increase their value in terms of
entertainment. Adding more Swordtails would be another good move because the
more specimens, the less aggressive the males will become.>
My next question concerns the quarantining of fish. I guess I've been very lucky
in that I've never done this before but the more I read the more I think I
should be doing this especially if I get a sick fish and not know it until it's
too late.
<Quarantining is indeed valuable.>
I am a bit confused as to the set-up: bare bottom, diffused lighting, heater,
thermometer and sponge filtering. It's the sponge filtering I'm not sure of. How
do I get this sponge seeded and
what kind of sponge is it? What kind of filtering is needed and does the sponge
filter go into this system? Where and what is the sump on my AquaClear filter?
<You basically set up a smaller version of your regular freshwater tank. Don't
fuss about lights, the sort of filter, decorations, etc. I'd recommend grabbing
some filter media from your existing tank and stuffing that into the air-powered
box filter or small internal electric filter of your choice. Instant cycling! If
the tank needs to be empty for more than a few days, don't forget to add some
"food" for the bacteria in the form of a pinch of flake every 2-3 days.>
One other thing-what does dip/bath mean?
<Not particularly important for freshwater, so don't worry about it.>
Thank you very much for any assistance you can give me.
<Cheers, Neale.>
Population Questions; FW;
Stocking Issues (Platies and Danios) 3/22/08
I currently have 11 Mickey mouse platies, two peppered Corys, and one zebra
Danio living in my 20 gallon tank. I was wondering if that was too many fish.
<<Well it depends on the dimensions of said twenty gallon (is this a long
variety or the standard or even worse the tall variation?) Also what type of
filtration are you using, how many times per hour is the volume of the tank
turned over? Last what is your maintenance (water change regime) and what are
your chemical parameters? I would say based on the number of platies alone you
are overstocked, Poeciliid Fishes (livebearers) are relatively messy (waste
production) fish and when you consider the adult size of the platies and their
eager mating behaviors, this a temporary arrangement at best. As far as the
Corys, please ensure that they are receiving the proper nutrition and not
getting lost in the sea of platies.>>
Also, how important is it for Danios to live in schools?
<<Here is a quote from one of Bobs articles; - 1) Number: Remember that most
of these fishes are schooling species; they only feel at ease and act naturally
when housed in a large enough system in groups. Three individuals is an absolute
minimum, with larger, odd numbers being better. Having said or quoted that, you
are in no position to add fish to your system at the moment.>>
I've read that they should be in groups of three or more, but since I don't have
a quarantine tank and am worried about population, I haven't added any more.
<<Yes for the time being, I would begin thinning out the platy population, as
well as implementing some aggressive water changing to keep the dissolved
organics in check for the time being.>>
Thanks, Lori
<<Welcome, - Adam J.>>
Your suggestion... Reading,
re FW fish sel. 03/20/08
We currently have a 20 gallon tank that has the following fish...
2 Neon Tetras
2 Bloodfin Tetras
<Small tetras are better off in larger numbered shoals>
1 Male Guppy
3 Female Guppies
1 Bala Shark
<Needs much more room>
1 Redtail Shark
<Too often becomes problematical behaviorally... See WWM re this minnow
sharks...>
1 Cory Cat
1 Rasbora
<Another schooling species...>
1 Female Lyretail Molly (pregnant)
1 Male Lyretail Molly
1 Female Red Wag Platy
1 Male Red Wag Platy
We bought a 10 gallon tank & it is currently cycling. When the time comes, which
fish would you suggest that we move to the 10 gallon tank.
Thank you for your help.
Melissa
<Read re the fish species listed above period... I'd be moving the
softer/acidic, more tropical species OR the harder/alkaline cooler water ones...
and trading in the sharks... READ, don't write. Bob Fenner>
Upgrading Tank/Adding more
schooling/shoaling fish, FW 03/18/08
Hello WetWebMedia Team!
I've been reading your site off-and-on for a few years now, but recently have
been reading the FAQs daily (as well as other documents on your site) in
preparation. I have been recently upgrading my aquascape as my old 20-gal tank
sprung a small leak - it lasted 20 years and thankfully wasn't seriously
harmful, but enough to warrant upgrading. Now I've got a 47-gallon freshwater
"column" tank that I've recently set up with some of the water and filter from
the previous tank, as well a number of new plants (I've been aiming for a more
natural tank this time around, and it's looking gorgeous so far, the plants are
already sprouting new leaves). I recently moved the entire fish community to my
new tank and I'm going to wait until things settle down before adding more fish
(at least another month or so, I'm keeping an eye on all the chemical levels
which are within safe ranges and no casualties so far, fingers crossed), but I
wanted to ask you for some advice. Of the fish I have in my tank, which ones
would you recommend that I add more of so that they are less-stressed? I am
aware that I have a number of grouping fish, and would just like to hear your
thoughts.
3 Golden Barbs
<Too few, likely to become nippy or aggressive.>
2 Pineapple Swordtails (They were labeled Platys in the store but I can't find
"pineapple platy" online, they look like swordtails)
<Regardless, the males are very aggressive, so if you want zero hassle always
keep one male to at least two females. I'd recommend only a single male per
aquarium. People ignore this advice all the time, but then e-mail us with
stories of one male Platy/Guppy/Swordtail/Molly beating seven bells out of the
other males in the tank. Your move.>
2 Zebra Danios (probably my oldest, these guys are hardy!)
<Need 4 more, at least.>
3 Galaxy Danios
<Groups of 6; in any case these need subtropical conditions, so aren't
compatible with fish that need warmer than 24 C, for example Cardinals. Also
need hard, alkaline water, so you can't keep them with Cardinal tetras, for
example, which have a short lifespan in hard water.>
4 Cardinal Tetras
<Need to be kept in big groups to stop being shy and actually develop full
colours; I'd recommend at least a dozen.>
1 Fancy Guppy (Male, I believe)
<Incompatible with Cardinals; totally different water chemistry and also prone
to nipping.>
4 Lyretail Guppies
<Ditto.>
3 Ghost Shrimp
<Fine.>
1 Green Rocket Shrimp
<Fine.>
1 Zebra Nerite Snail
<Fine.>
I guess the other question is this - when I do get more fish of the same species
to fill-out the schools/shoals, will introducing the same fish to the tank allow
them to school together, or will they school in separate "packs"?
<Will coalesce into single schools.>
Or would it be recommended to add similar, but not identical, livestock (such as
Cherry Barbs, or Cherry Shrimp)?
<nope.>
Thank you very much for your time!
<Not a problem. For what it's worth, I'd probably sit down and think about which
way you want to develop this tank. You have a bunch of species with different
water chemistry/temperature requirements, and so at least some of these fish not
be at their best. Decide what you want to concentrate on, and optimise the
conditions. A subtropical/cool-tropical tank around 22-24C would be great for
Danios and shrimps, and you could easily add barbs and loaches, and then
stabilise the water chemistry around the neutral to slightly alkaline level.>
Sincerely,
Jason
<Cheers, Neale.>
|
Minor stocking question, FW
3/17/08
Crew:
With thanks for all the info your site has provided:
I have a minor stocking question. In one room, I have a 30 gallon FW tank set up
last fall to combine an overstocked 10gal and a 20 gal. It houses mostly tetras
and Corys with a few
' left-over' individuals that I had no place else to keep. (No disrespect to the
fish intended, they have been here for several years.)
<OK.>
In another room, I have a new 29gallon currently inhabited only by 4 young
keyhole cichlids (about 1 inch each) introduced as soon as nitrites were at 0 -
about 3 weeks ago.
<Nice fish.>
They are doing well. My intent was to move three green swordtails from the 30g
to this one, (see question re water chemistry below) to add some upside-down
cats and possibly another pair of dwarf cichlids and a banjo cat (wish list, but
probably not a good idea) as soon as possible.
<Skip the Banjo Cats; they're difficult to keep in standard community tanks and
often starve to death. They need a soft sand substrate (they are burrowers) and
only feed at night (so lose out in competition with more aggressive feeders,
including Synodontis. By all means keep with tetras and Rasboras in a tank
without other nocturnal fish.>
The swords are almost impossible to catch without dismantling the entire tank. I
have tried a few ploys (feeding first as a distraction, etc.) but they are
faster than I am.
<Yes, Swordtails are high-performance fish, and that's why I object to keeping
them in small tanks.>
An alternative would be to move a 'left-over' Koi angel who currently dominates
the 30 gal. He hasn't harmed anyone, not even the Glowlight tetras but he is
rigid about who can go where or eat what and he basically tells me when feeding
time has arrived (or at least tries to).
<Normal Angelfish behaviour. They tend to dominate community aquaria.>
So it occurred to me to buy 2 young angels, put them in with the keyholes and,
after a day or two, move this guy over. Your site advises that if one is to keep
more than one angel in the same tank, it is necessary to introduce them all at
the same time.
<Correct.>
Would it make a difference if I put the new ones into the tank first and then
moved this one? He is definitely easier to catch than the swords.
<He'd likely attack any new angels, regardless of the permutations or
calculations. Possibly if you dumped five adults his own size he'd be fine, but
don't bank on it.>
If I did this, would there still be room for the cats and another pair of dwarf
cichlids at the bottom?
<In 30 US gallons? No.>
Both tanks are planted with varying arrangements of bogwood/driftwood, rocks,
petrified wood, sand substrate, tapwater (I have separate questions re water
chemistry which I will get around to asking below), but there are more rocks,
fewer plants in the 29g. They both have HOB filters plus mature sponge filters,
get 50% WC per week, Prime-treated.
I realize that 3 angels might be a bit of crowding and suspect that adding these
would send the tank into recycling. I treat with Prime and could do almost daily
water changes on the one tank for the next week or two if that would be
sufficient.
I'm not even sure that moving the swordtails was a good idea anyway. We are
talking about fish of incompatible water chemistry which is why I mentioned the
question earlier. As I say, I use tapwater (hard though it is). I have always
been assured at local stores that they keep all FW stock in the local water,
that tank-raised fish are accustomed to it regardless of what their wild cousins
may have preferred - so, not to worry.
Anyway, by playing with tests and mixing small amounts of water, I have
determined that I could lower over-all pH to the mid 7's (currently 8.6
or more - hard to be sure I've read the colour chart accurately) without
lowering carbonate hardness below 120 (not sure of units, this was determined
with Hagen drop tests). Would it be advisable to do this - slowly, of course -
in either tank considering that most of these fish have been living in this
water all their lives?
Other inhabitants of the 30 gal.:
5 serpae tetras - over 3 years old
4 Glowlight tetras - over 2 years
2 Rummynoses - 'left-overs' - not sure of age
6 Corys - pandas - vintage varies
2 Farlowella - adults - not sure how old but they are quite
active and compete with the Corys for food at bottom (I drop pellet food here)
1 moonlight Gourami - 'left-over' - not young
1 blue strawberry platy Variatus - 'left-over' - male, several years old
3 green swordtails being discussed
1 Koi angel being discussed
1 Pleco - about 6 inches or so who lives under a big piece of Mopani wood. Yes,
I may have to rehabit him in time but he has been here for several years in a
smaller tank when he was smaller than now, the sponge filter addition is helping
keep the water clean. Without the 2nd filter, this one needed 2 WC per week. He
is rapidly devouring all of my Hygrophila but I'm still postponing doing
anything else with him.
Anyway, he seems healthy and content for now. The Farlowella try to fight with
him over boiled greens if I drop some into the tank but he tolerates even them.
Anyway, if you have any thoughts on how I could best rationalize these two tanks
(water and fish) before the keyholes think they own that one without making any
damaging errors, it would be appreciated.
Totally unrelated question: there was some suggestion on one of your faq's (if I
didn't misunderstand) that the depth of the substrate could influence the size
the fish attain. By what mechanism?
<No idea. I wouldn't agree with this conclusion at all.>
Rosemarie
<Your tanks are pretty well filled already. I wouldn't go about adding more
livestock just yet. Thin the stick you have, buy another tank. Your move.
Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Minor stocking question
3/17/08
Thanks, Neale:
I appreciate what you say. Another or bigger tank may come later.
<Good.>
Meanwhile, the keyhole cichlid tank (4 babies) requires some thought. I don't
want to wait until they have grown and decided to take the whole place over.
<Angel would likely ignore the Keyholes if the tank has LOTS of plants and
hiding places... but there's just no guarantees. They're temperamental fish once
they've decided to take over. Like almost any other cichlid, they're
territorial. Keyholes might be ignored... but then again, they might not.>
Would the swords (I would like to free them from the domination of the angel) be
better there in that they could have the whole top to themselves? Would they be
less oppressed in their movements or am I just sending them to more of the same?
<Are we talking about moving them from a 10 tom a 29 gallon tank? If so, yes,
that's better. I wouldn't expect Angels to cause serious harm to Swordtails.>
I could catch them but it would require an afternoon of dismantling the tank and
don't want to do it if not to their advantage in the end.
<Surely not that hard. Use two nets: drive the fish with one net towards another
net. If you must, half empty the water from the tank.>
If not, do you have other suggestions re tank mates for the keyholes.
<Midwater dither fish (Danios, Rasboras) plus Corydoras are the classic combos
for small South American cichlids.>
Would lowering pH be useful to these fish at this point - more comfortable once
done?
<Only if you lower the hardness too. By itself, pH isn't that important. Too
many inexperienced aquarists concentrate on pH without understand that general
hardness and carbonate hardness are what matter. So if you're saying you're
going to lower the general hardness to 10 dH and the carbonate hardness to 5 KH
then sure, that's great for Angels and Keyholes (though unacceptable for
Swordtails). If you're asking me about dumping some "pH down" chemicals into the
water, then no, don't do this because you likely don't understand about water
chemistry yet and should read up on the subject before you stress your fish with
random pH changes. Have a start here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwsoftness.htm
Cheers, Neale.>
|
Overwhelmed by
choices/numbers, Re: FW lvstk. sel. 3/6/08
Hi Crew, I have been doing much research for my new 20 gallon tank and I
have picked some fish I think will do well together some of which Neale had
suggested). I would just like to get some confirmation on compatibility and
numbers, if that is ok. I have a twenty gallon tall tank I am in the process of
cycling, so I really am still in the research stage. It has aquarium gravel in
the bottom along with a waterfall ornament with hidey hole in it and also a
hollow log with several holes in it for hiding in. I also have a small terra
cotta pot in it on its side. There are various plastic and silk plants roughly
8) Still plenty of swimming room in the center. It has a Top Fin power filter of
which I am not too sure I like. No Bio wheel or anything, just a cartridge.
Will this filter suffice?
<Mmm, you may want to add something more here... perhaps an inside power
filter... for redundancy, when you clean one, don't do the other... to retain
biological conversion capacity>
I would like to put in 2 Dwarf or Blue Gourami's
<Mmm, not the Dwarfs... see WWM re>
3 Platies and 4 leopard Cory cats (Corydoras julii). I think according to the 1
inch rule this would about do it. I have read these fish will be compatible
together, but honestly everything you read has so many suggestion of "this OR
that" with several different groupings it is very overwhelming. I would just
appreciate another opinion on my proposed tank stock and I certainly do not want
to overstock. Thanks so much ahead of time, I appreciate all of the good
information on your site and could read for hours-Aaahh if only life would let
me. I have not been able as of yet to find here or pretty much anywhere else
"lists" of suggested beginner tanks, to include breed number and introduction
order. Something like this would be fabulous for beginners to choose a grouping
from to start them in the hobby. As we learn and grow we could branch out from
there. If you do know of any kind of resource such as this could you please let
me know? I do apologize if I have over looked it on your own website-I have used
the search feature extensively to no avail:-(
Regards!
Debbie
<The Trichogaster/Blue Gouramis and Corydoras will do very well here,
together... and you might want to add something more for color, excitement...
Perhaps some Xiphophorus helleri/Swords... there is room, compatibility behavior
and water-quality wise... Bob Fenner>
Oddball tankmates... GSP,
brackish, Danios... What? 2/27/08
Hello,
I have a green puffer, Sailfin molly, and a small Danio in a 7 gallon bowed out
tank.
<Please tell me this is a joke. PLEASE!>
The green puffer is still a baby and will be moved to a larger tank when he
starts to get bigger (about a year or so from what I've heard).
<Not just a larger tank (at least 120 l/30 gal) but also a brackish water one
maintained around SG 1.010.>
The Danio kept harassing the puffer until I decided to section him off for about
a week.
<Doesn't work this way. Danios aren't smart enough to learn you're cross with
them. All the Danio knows is that he is a schooling fish that spends his life
scrabbling with his school-mates to establish a position in the pecking order.
Kept by himself he is bored out of his mind because all his natural behaviours
are being frustrated. This is not on the table for discussion: Danios are
schooling fish that need to be kept in groups of at least 6 specimens and in
tanks at least 60 cm/2' long so they have room for swimming. Anything else is
animal cruelty, willful or otherwise.>
When I released him, he seemed to want to school with the puffer instead. He
doesn't bother the molly, and if he does, the molly can handle it.
<Again, Mollies are not suitable for a 7 gallon tank. Even a tank three times
that size would be borderline.>
I dumped some freshwater salt into the tank to get rid of the ich because the
general cure did very little.
<"Dumping" salt isn't the way forward here. Have you asked why the fish are
getting Ick?>
I also have been treating with Melafix to help with the ich repair the puffer's
fin damage from when I first bought him at Wal-Mart.
<Long term, outside of brackish water, this pufferfish will not stay healthy.>
Is it odd that the Danio wants to school with the puffer?
<Absolutely typical when Danios are kept incorrectly.>
Also, I heard that mollies can handle marine like conditions. So when I start to
increase the salinity, will the molly be ok?
<Both the Molly and the Pufferfish will do perfectly well in brackish or even
marine conditions. I'd aim for SG 1.005 while they are young, and once the
Puffer is upwards of 8-10 cm, gradually raise the specific gravity over the next
few weeks to SG 1.010. Obviously the Danio cannot be kept in such conditions.>
It appears that my tank is a bit small considering the fish I have,
<Never a truer word spoken!>
until I get a bigger tank, if the water parameters don't stay within a healthy
range, can I add more oxygen and a stronger filter, on top of making more water
changes until I can get a new tank?
<Good money after bad. There is no way you can redeem this aquarium, it is
simply too small.>
(I already have a bubble stone and a pretty powerful filter meant for a 5 to 10
gallon tank).
<Neither here nor there.>
The puffer starting swimming around frantically and swimming near the surface
when I fed him some flakes this morning.
<Flakes are not the right food for this fish. Long term you will cause
constipation and overgrown teeth. Lots of articles here at WWM about puffers:
read them!>
I tried burping him, but no air came out (he bit me the first time though), he
seems to have recovered, but I'm not sure what made him do that in the first
place.
<Does happen. Try to avoid though, because sometimes puffers swallow air, cannot
expel it, and eventually float so long their gills dry out and the fish dies.>
I found something that works if you don't have a net. Small bubble wrap can be
used to "section off" the tank to watch a fish more closely. I think all of the
reflections in it chill out the fish.
<Fish don't "chill". They are either happy or terrified. Not much in between. A
fish confronted by thousands of reflections of itself is unlikely to be happy.>
It worked wonders when I rubbed the stomach of the puffer, he didn't bite this
time.
<Very good. Anyway, I'm sure you are very fond of these fish and I can sense you
want to do the best for them, which is great. But right now you are not even
close to having a balanced, viable aquarium. Green Spotted Puffers are not
reliable community fish, and often end up being kept alone. The Molly is
potentially viable in a community with the Danio, though I usually recommend
Mollies be kept in slight salty water, and ideally a brackish water aquarium.
Danios must be kept in tanks that are long (I'd honestly recommend a 20 gallon
tank) and in groups of 6 or more. Do sit down and read about these fish, and
then plan your fishkeeping accordingly. Cheers, Neale.>
Marine
Aquarium Qs, set-up... conv. from FW -02/24/08
Hello,
I have just one main question.
I am interested in starting a new tank. I would like to have at least
30gal. I am interested in the percula clown fish, and cardinal fish in a
fish with live rock and eventually adding an anemone after I get the
basics down.
<If you want to keep an anemone, I'd suggest a larger tank (at least
55g).>
I was wondering if you could give me some set-up advice as well as the
types of equipment you would recommend. Also do you know of any aquarium
kits that would be good for a first timers.
<These are all good questions to ask your LFS and other local aquarists.
It's also good to read about these things on your own (make use of the
search tools -get a good book or two). A lot of it is personal
preference.>
I have two freshwater aquariums I have had them since September and are
running fine and think that it is time to upgrade to a salt water.
<Upgrade? Salt water aquariums aren't necessarily "better" than
freshwater ones. Again, it's a matter of personal preference. I've seen
some professionally set up planted freshwater aquariums that could put
the average home marine aquarium to shame.>
My fresh waters are a 29H with three goldfish 1 fancy tail and 2 feeders
that I put in to cycle the tank, two Cory cats, 1 red tail shark that
the 5 from the 10gallon they were picking and his fins were torn to
pieces and a plecomus. My other is a 10 gal with 5 red tail sharks 2
tiger barbs and plecomus.
<Ugh, it seems you have a lot to learn still about even freshwater
aquarium keeping.>
Thank-you for your advice and time
<Sure, but please do be prudent and read as much about marine aquarium
keeping as you can before starting one.>
Brett
<Best,
Sara M.>
Freshwater Tank Qs, lvstk. sel.,
cycling... -02/24/08
"My fresh waters are a 29H with three goldfish 1 fancy tail and 2
feeders that I put in to cycle the tank, two Cory cats, 1 red tail shark
that the 5 from the 10gallon they were picking and his fins were torn to
pieces and a plecomus. My other is a 10 gal with 5 red tail sharks 2
tiger barbs and plecomus.
<Ugh, it seems you have a lot to learn still about even freshwater
aquarium keeping.>
Thank-you for your advice and time
<Sure, but please do be prudent and read as much about marine aquarium
keeping as you can before starting one.>
Brett
<Best,
Sara M.>"
hi I was just wonder if you could elaborate on you answer to having a
lot to learn about freshwater aquariums?
<<1) you used 2 "feeders" to cycle a 29g tank--not the best way to do
things for a lot of reasons.
2) You have 4 "red tail sharks" and 2 tiger barbs in a 10g tank?! Unless
you like watching fish slowly kill each other, this is a stocking
nightmare. Tiger barbs are fiercely aggressive fish. The red tail sharks
get to be up to 6in long and even ONE of these would need a lot more
room than 10g.
These are the two biggest reasons I think you have a lot to learn about
freshwater aquarium keeping. But I don't mean to pick on you. Certainly,
these are mistakes a lot of people make. However, if you're not the type
of person who likes to do much of your own homework and reading, these
kinds of mistakes will cost you even more in marine aquarium keeping.>>
and all of my LFS are lame I have to drive at least 1 hr to an 1 1/2 hrs
to get to one that has any variety of any live plants or any one who has
any knowledge. My 10 gallon and occupants was recommended by my LFS
<<Oh, I can easily believe that. Unfortunately, many LFSs give a lot of
bad advice when it comes to livestock selection. They're better for
knowledge about dry goods (IMO). Fortunately, for knowledge on livestock
and livestock selection, there are a lot of other good resources...
books, websites, etc. Again, best to research before you buy, before you
even set up the tank. Here's one place to start:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm>>
thanks again
<<De nada,
Sara M.>>
Freshwater Tank Qs -02/24/08
thank you very much. with your advice I better slow down and do a lot of
research before I start which I plan to do starting with your site.
<awesome>
I have been reading it all day and it is very informative thank all of
you for your time and patience. could you give me any other web sites
that sell marine kits that you would recommend thank you again and I
will have to do something about my tank right now I agree I didn't do
enough research before I bought but I will do my homework on the marine
setup seeing how the price is so much more
<Yes, considering marine aquarium livestock run about (at least) 10x the
cost of freshwater, this is a wise plan. As for marine "kits," even
though it's far away, I would still start with a "local" aquarium/pet
store. It's nice to be able to see these things in person before you buy
them. For anything you can't find in the store, I'd recommend Salty
Critter (but only because I'm familiar with them-- there are likely many
other such LFSs with a corresponding online store).
Good luck and happy reading :-)
Sara M.> |
Old Tank, FW stkg.
-02/20/08
Good afternoon to whoever answers. And all of you actually.
I have a ten gallon tank that has been stored. I would like to bring it into use
again and have two questions.
How do I do the recycling? I kept the old filter material and the water filter
but have washed the stones and tank ( no bleach). Do I start it like a new tank
or would it be ok to use the old filter material?
<You can certainly deep clean sponge and ceramic media (hot water, lots of
squeezing and rinsing!). There's not much point re-using chemical media (carbon,
zeolite) or filter floss.>
I would like to have more than one fish (greedy) and would like to know if there
is such a fish for a ten gallon tank. Or should I just make a Betta very happy?
<Either. In the February issue of TFH I have a WHOLE article about stocking 10
gallon tanks, so try and grab a copy of that if you can. It's not in shops
anymore, but you might find your local public library or fish club has a copy.
Failing that, let me give you some general advice: almost all the standard
community tropicals need more than 10 gallons to do well. What you want are
small (ideally 2.5 cm/1" or less) fish that are neither very active nor very
territorial. Ideal choices include Neons, dwarf mosquitofish, pygmy Corydoras,
Kuhli loaches, Cherry shrimps, and Nerite snails. Most everything else,
including guppies, barbs, cichlids, etc. are all too active and/or aggressive
for such a small tank.>
Thanks so much. Linda
<Hope this helps, Neale.>
New Freshwater Tank, lvstk.
sel. 2/19/08
Greetings, Crew,
I have a 180 (acrylic) tank with overflows and sump, that I have set up as a FW
tank. It has just finished cycling, and has a couple of 10-year-old Plecos and 4
small (5 year-old) clown loaches. I would like some mid and upper tank fish.
Especially, I would like fish that wouldn't nip at or pester the loaches.
<Really not too difficult. There are a few nippy fish to avoid: Gymnocorymbus
ternetzi, Hyphessobrycon serpae and its relatives, Puntius tetrazona, to name
the most egregious fin-nippers. But most Danios, tetras, barbs, Rasboras,
Rainbowfish would all work well.>
I read about giant Danios and rainbow fish on your site; both sound fine.
<Indeed. Giant Danios (Devario aequipinnatus) are hyperactive and in a large
group (say, 10 or more) put on a superb show. They are predators though, so be
careful if you decide to add anything smaller than they are later on. Giant
Danios also prefer slightly cool conditions: 22-24C ideally, and no more than
26C, and even then with strong water currents to ensure good circulation of
oxygen. Kept too warm they simply "burn out". Rainbowfish are excellent
all-around fish for medium to large sized community tanks. They will do well
even in quite warm water up to about 27 or 28C, though closer to 25C suits the
Australian species best, while the New Guinean species might do well a little
warmer. Again, they look their best in largish groups, when the males will
display to one another. An important tip: make sure you get equal numbers of
males and females -- though females are sometimes less colourful in some
species, the males won't get their best colours without them. Also, do remember
Australian Rainbowfish are often drab when young, and only get their best
colours when a year or two old. Most species live quite a long time, 5+ years,
so can be excellent value. I happen to like the warm water species Melanotaenia
boesemanni from New Guinea.>
Would a school of rainbow fish be OK with the loaches?
<Yes.>
Could I mix the Danios and rainbow fish?
<Yes, if each was in a decent sized group and the Rainbows had some shady areas
to hide in: Giant Danios can be boisterous.>
Any other suggestions for fish that might complement what I already have/am
planning for?
<In really big tanks, you have the option of keeping a really big school of
fish, and I suspect you'll find that the best way to create a visually stunning
view. Twenty mature Melanotaenia boesemanni would be an unbelievable sight. So do
think carefully about the balance between lots of different species versus
larger numbers of just one or two.>
Thanks for your help and for a great resource.
Water here is moderately hard. I keep tank at about 80F.
<Water would suit either fish, but perhaps slightly too warm for Giant Danios.>
tom
<Cheers, Neale.>
Tank Diversity... I'll say!
And a partridge in a pear tree?! 2/18/08
Hello and thanks in advance.
<Hail.>
I've jumped in feet first here and I feel slightly overwhelmed. I am trying to
be as conscientious as possible and want to offer the best environment possible
for the animals I've chosen to support.
<For the love of God, please tell me this is research *prior* to purchase.
Obviously these animals won't get along. One is big and aggressive, one is soft
and easily damaged, and the other is a land animal that drowns when it falls
into deep water. No chance whatsoever of these animals coexisting in an
vivarium.>
I have a new 29 gallon tank with a very young Red-Eared slider turtle, a Fire
Belly Toad, a Hermit Crab (species unknown to me).
<Oh dear.>
I have the tank divided into three distinct "zones"; I have a tall pumice stone
which offers a place to climb and explore and where I deposit the food for all
of the animals. In the middle I have a 2-2 1/2 inch deep area intended for
swimming. And finally I have a raised, dry, sandy area for the turtle to bask
and for the crab to
burrow/bask. I've also planted a few small aquatic plants throughout each
"zone".
<Water area too shallow for the Terrapin, but fatally deep for the Hermit Crab.>
I have a new UVB light and a new infrared light which keeps the humidity and
temperature within nominal limits and I regularly test in each of the three
respective areas. I have a new 140 gph filter and a heater in the swimming area.
I am using decomposed granite and aquarium gravel as substrate in the wet areas
and washed play sand in the raised "beach" area.
<Hermit Crabs need moss or coir (Coconut fibre) to burrow into when resting.
Sand doesn't hold moisture so well. In any case, the crab can't be kept in this
enclosure.>
I have been reading as much as I can about the animals and believe that I have
provided an ample environment for each of them. While I understand that a new
environment and new "roommates" can be intimidating, how do I ensure a good
quality of life for the inhabitants?
<By keeping each in a tailor-made environment specific to their needs. Firebelly
Toads for example need relatively cool water less than 24C, but this is too cold
for Terrapins. Conversely, while Terrapins appreciate a gravel substrate for
resting on while basking, Toads can swallow gravel and die, and should NEVER be
kept in enclosures with gravel. They need bare glass or pebbles in the water
side of their tank, and damp moss 5 or 6 cm deep over the gravel on the land
side of the system. Again, terrapins are hugely polluting animals that dump a
lot of ammonia in the water; toads are highly sensitive to ammonia, developing
the amphibian equivalent of Finrot, known as "Red Leg".>
I've never seen a tank divided like this and believe there is no reason why it
can't be successful.
<Many, many reasons. Too numerous to list here, but even a quick read of the
literature on each species should make these immediately obvious.>
Please give as much detailed information as you can afford.
~ Joel
<Separate these animals into their own systems, or else return two of them and
specialise on just the one. There is no way these animals can be kept together.
Cheers, Neale.>
Newbie to freshwater seeking
some help. Stkg. mostly, maint. 2-9-08
Hello there,
<Hello, Merritt here today>
Thank you for such a helpful and precise website. I've spent a long time reading
through some very useful and informative information that doesn't seem to be
found elsewhere on the web.
I'm new to the world of freshwater fish keeping so please bear with me; I have
three questions to put to your experts. After cycling our tank for three weeks
(which was a painfully long wait when I was so keen to start buying fish!) we
finally had the right conditions to stock our 54litre (10 UK gallon) freshwater
tank. It's fitted with a filter, light, heater, and some plants. We've started
off with 2 sunset platys and three male guppies. We hope to add a further
selection of fish over the next few weeks as long as water conditions permit it.
We've been testing the water daily with kits, (today's readings showed ammonia
at 0, Nitrite at 0 and Nitrates at 20ppm) the fish seem happy and healthy and
things are coming along nicely. Hopefully by next weekend we can get some more
fish added. However, I have some concerns over our platys. We were lead to
believe they were both female, and from what I can see (them both having fan
shaped fins at their bases) they are indeed the same sex, but we've been finding
fry in the tan; four or five over the last two days and we're confused as to how
this has happened given they're both female and supposedly kept in an all female
tank at the store? Currently we're not sure what to do with the fry as we
weren't expecting to have ANY babies! How long could our platys be giving birth
for? Is there any way of knowing?
<You might indeed have two females, but it is possible that they could have
gotten pregnant at the store. It is known that some families of live bearers are
able to store sperm for later use, and your platys could be utilizing it now.
Your platys are already done with the birthing process due to it only taking a
day or two for all the fry to be born, and most likely some fry were eaten soon
after birth by the other fish. If they are utilizing the sperm storage they
should stop giving birth when the sperm storage runs out but that could take
awhile. Some sperm storage only lasts for one complete ovulation/cycle, just
keep an eye out for any babies and call your LFS and see if they would accept
the fry for free. I had a similar problem with guppies and my LFS took them for
me.>
My second question(s) relates to stocking. We initially had set out hopes of
adding the following to our tank: Two dwarf gouramis and a shoal of 6 harlequin
rasboras to the tank also. Along with our 2 platys and 3 guppies, will this be
adequate stocking for our 10g tank? And how long should I wait after maintaining
correct water parameters should I consider adding them?
<You will be over stocking your tank with the addition of all these fish. You
should only add the harlequins or just the gouramis.>
And thirdly, I found a snail in my tank today. A tiny one but a snail none the
less. I thought I'd removed all the snail eggs from the plants when we got them
but clearly not. Is it worth attempting an anti-snail product yet or should I
wait and see if it becomes a big problem first? I'm unsure as to whether snails
are helpful or not to an aquarium but while the tank is still new I don't want
to add another biological load to the tank.
< I personally love snails because they keep the algae down in my tank without
the use of an algae eater or chemicals that could potentially harm my fish. I
would doubt that a snail would increase any of the bio-load in the tank, keep it
and if the population gets to large you can purchase some anti-snail product if
you really don't want any.>
Thank you so much for reading and for any information/advice you can give. :-)
<Hope I helped!>
Sarah
xx
<Merritt A.>
|
Discus not eating... poor mix... no
data re water quality or reading 02/07/08
Hi there, I am Dan and I have a few questions. First off, I really
like your website. It is very informative.
Anyway, I recently bought a neon blue discus which is in a 40 gallon
tank with a Firemouth, Pleco, tetras, tiger barbs, and a puffer.
<Uhh... trouble with this mix>
Everyone gets along great.
<No>
There is no aggression and they seem perfectly healthy.
<The key word here, "seem">
However, my discus is not eating. I just got him 2 days ago and he is
not eating.
<Oh! Two days is not much time to settle in...>
I tried feeding him bloodworms, flakes, and pellets, none which he
seemed interested in. What could be wrong?
<Likely the company... though water quality could definitely be an
issue...>
He seems healthy and doesn't have any signs of illnesses except for not
eating. The tank is fully cycled and I do 50 percent water changes
weekly.
<Mmm... this is more water changed... please see WWM re frequent partial
water changes>
Do discuses NEED other discuses or will they be fine alone?
<Are social animals>
I really only wanted one because I don't have much room and discus are
really expensive! So what do you think the problem may be? None of the
fishes seem to be bullying him and nitrite, nitrate, ammonia are all
fine. Is he just getting settled in? If so, how long will it take for
him to fully get used to the tank and start eating? Please help.
Thanks,
Daniel
<Please read on WWM re the species you list. Obviously you have not.
Symphysodon require higher temperature, perhaps softer, more acidic
water than some of your other livestock. The mix you list can't be made
to work... Bob Fenner>
http://wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm 02/07/08
Sorry, I sent the message by accident, I have one more question.
Will my discus starve? Will he know he needs to eat? Or will he go on a
hunger strike and not eat? Also, how do I make my water softer, and can
you give me some species of cichlids that need hard water so I wont keep
them together? Last, is there a way to test the ph without keep on
buying test strips? Thanks again WetWebMedia. Sorry for the late
message.
Thanks again,
Dan
<All of this is posted. Please learn to/use the indices, search tool, as
we instruct folks to before writing us. B>
Re: discus not eating
2/8/08
Sorry to bother you Mr.. Fenner, but wanted to know why my tank is a
bad mix. Also what should I do?. Thanks again,
Dan
<Hi Daniel. The problem with your selection of fish is that you picked
species you like, rather than ones that get along together. Just like
you can't keep cats, dogs, and mice all cooped up in one cage, you can't
expect a random selection of fish to automatically get along. Just
because they're all on sale in the shop doesn't mean they're all
suitable for the one aquarium. So let's take this step by step. A
40-gallon tank is a nice size, but it isn't huge. It's perfect for a
school of Tiger Barbs, for example. But Tiger Barbs need to be kept in
groups of six (at least) or they become aggressive towards other fish.
Not always, but often enough for them to have a "bad" reputation among
experienced hobbyists. They're also fin-nippers. This means that
sometimes (not always) they bite the fins of other fish, maybe for food,
maybe because they're bored. In either case, you wouldn't mix them with
slow moving fish. Which brings us to the Firemouth. The Firemouth
cichlid is a big, slow moving fish with long fins. It is a sitting
target for Tiger Barbs, literally a moving buffer they can nibble on
whenever they want. Firemouth cichlids also have very specific water
chemistry requirements: they need moderately to very hard water with a
basic pH; 10-15 degrees dH and pH 7.5 is about right for them. But
Discus want the complete opposite. They want water that is quite soft
and slightly acidic. There's not really any overlap between what these
two fish need, so if you make one of them happy, you'll make the other
sick. Moreover, there's a big difference in temperament. Discus are shy,
sociable fish that do best in big tanks that allow them to swim about in
groups of half a dozen. Firemouth cichlids, on the other hand, are
territorial and somewhat aggressive once mature. Again, this is a
disaster waiting to happen. As for the Neons, Neons want quite cool
water, around 22-25C, and when kept too warm don't live for very long.
They simply burn out. Discus, on the other hand, want the reverse: they
need water around 28C, and if kept any colder get sick very easily
because their digestive and immune systems aren't working properly. So
any temperature warm enough for the Discus will be dangerously hot for
the Neons. Now, saying you have a "pufferfish" covers a lot of ground.
The most common species sold in the hobby are the Green Spotted Puffer
(actually two different species) and the Figure-8 Puffer. Both of these
are brackish water fish, and do not do well in freshwater aquaria. By
the time you'd added enough marine salt mix to the tank to keep these
puffers healthy, you'd have killed most of the rest of your fish. So
again, there's no overlap here between what these different fishes need.
So what you basically have is a bunch of fish that can't be kept
together. They're all lovely fish in their way, and excellent additions
to tanks set up for their needs, but put together -- they're a disaster!
So what can you do? The simplest solution is usually to ask your
retailer if you can return the fish and change them for some others.
Some stores will do this. Some stores will even take back fish they
didn't sell you, giving your a certain amount of credit against new
fishes. Now, once you've done that -- don't buy any fish! Visit a
library or bookstore and find a nice aquarium book with lots of fishes.
Read up on what different fishes need. For example, if you wanted to
keep the Firemouth cichlid, you could keep it alongside Platies or
Swordtails, for example, which thrive in the same hard water conditions.
Australian Rainbowfish would be good, too. If you like the Tiger Barbs
best, then good companions for these are other fast-moving fish.
Loaches, Glassfish, Bleeding Heart Tetras, and Rainbowfish would work
well with them. Avoid anything slow with long fins. So no gouramis,
Angelfish, etc. There's really no magic to this, it's simply a case of
sitting down with a book and reading up on water chemistry and social
behaviour. If all else fails, send us an e-mail and say "Hi Guys, I saw
this fish X and want to know if it'll go with my existing fish Y." We'll
give you an honest Yea or Nay, and of you go! Simple as that. Good luck,
Neale.> <<Thank you for this Neale! RMF>>
Re: discus not eating
2/8/08
Thank you.
Dan
<No probs. Now, just read some more and try and fix the mess you made.
Your poor old fishes are rather depending on you! Neale.> |
A double check before I do
it... FW lvstkg. 01/22/2008
Hi Crew!
<Shana>
I want to thank you so much for the help you gave me when I started this deal
and for your wonderful website. I have scoured the pages and think I have a
pretty good plan, but I really want to double check with you before I do it. (I
have returned so many fish to the store I'm afraid they will start locking the
doors when they see me coming! lol).
<Ok!>
I have a 29 gal., bio filtered, heated tank that has been cycling with 2 fish
for about 5 weeks (after I got all of the other fish returned and lost my eel).
The two fish are an Angel and a Betta, but the fish store wouldn't take the
Angel back because we weren't having an aggression problem at the time....... we
are now, so the Angel is on his way back too. It isn't serious aggression yet,
they mainly just dart at each other, no nipping yet. They tend to stay on
opposite sides of the tank and the Betta has some floating foliage to get in.
I've given them a few time outs which helps for a bit, but I can see we might
have a problem in the future. The tank centers around the Betta........ if they
don't get along with him, they aren't staying, lol.
<Good>
So, the tank seems to be doing pretty good. I have done partial water changes 2x
a week and 3 massive water changes (80-85%) 3 times, the last time being
tonight. I can't give you good numbers right now because of that water change. I
tested it a few days ago and the ammonia was at .05. All other measurements on
the test strip were in the "safe" range (I know you probably hate test strips,
<Not hate... just know that they're not particularly accurate>
but those are all I have). Temp. is at 82 degrees. I had it at 80, but the angel
was hugging the heater, so I turned it up a bit.
So, to the plan: I want to get some Corys, but am unsure as to how many.
<Posted...>
I have seen everything from 3 to 6 to start...... for a 29 gal tank and for them
to be happy, how many do you recommend?
<About this number>
I've also seen that gravel is not the best for them, but that is what I have.
Will they do ok with it?
<Likely so>
I also wanted to get some balloon mollies again. I've read they don't really
need a shoal, so how many of those would be a good number?
<... I'd be reading re: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollies.htm>
Lastly, my Betta doesn't seem super aggressive, he does flare and charge at the
angel once in awhile, but spends more time running than chasing. He didn't
bother any of the other breeds of fish when we had them in there, including the
fancy guppies. I really liked those little fish, but would it be better to fore
go those just in case?
<See WWM re Betta compatibility...>
Lastly, let's say: 1 Betta, 6 Corys, 4 mollies...............
<I'd sub something else here...>
is there room in there for platies?
<Like these>
(I would rather have the guppies than the platies, but we do what we can). Those
are also a good Betta tank mate, right?
<Likely so>
If so, how many?
<Posted... a few more females than males...>
I have quite the credit available at ye olde fish store, especially if I return
the angel. Oh! And all of the fish I buy (if sexing is possible) will be male. I
know they are more aggressive naturally, but I don't want breeding and they are
the more aesthetically appealing, IMO. I haven't read anywhere that this is a
problem with these particular fish, but thought I better add it just in case.
I'm being stubborn....... I refuse to buy another aquarium for the Betta; but I
refuse to give him up because the tank was bought specifically to have a Betta
in; but it is really stupid to have a tank that size for one fish. LOL. So,
whether he requires them or not, he is getting room mates! :D
<Okay>
Thank you guys for all of your help and patience. You are an island in the storm
for some of us!
Shana
<Mmm, better ways to cycle tanks than with livestock present... all posted on
WWM... Be chatting, reading. Bob Fenner>
FW Livestocking 1/20/08
Hello. I have a stocking question. I have a 45 gallon tank with 5 albino
Buenos Aires, I also have a Firemouth cichlid, 1 blood parrot, 1 Bristlenose
Pleco, 1 clown loach, 2 balloon mollies and 1 jewel cichlid. Is this
overcrowded?
<Yes, and a bad mix of fish anyway. Mollies do best in hard, alkaline water,
preferably with salt added. Clown loaches are sociable and are very unhappy when
kept alone. Plus they get to enormous sizes eventually -- at least 20 cm, and
potentially up to 30 cm. Jewel cichlids are adaptable enough, but Firemouths are
classic Central Americans that need hard, alkaline water and a soft substrate of
sand. Tetras, on the other hand, want neutral to slightly acidic conditions. Do
please read books about what fish need BEFORE buying them.>
I wanted to get an electric blue johanni, would this be okay?
<No.>
Also is it true they are extremely aggressive?
<Yes.>
Will it be dangerous even if I keep it with fishes over 4 inches long?
<Yes.>
Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.
<Happy to help, Neale.>
sorry, I meant a clown Pleco not a clown loach. Would it still be overstocked?
<Clown Plecs (Panaque maccus) are fairly small; maximum size around 10 cm/4". So
they're ideal for a 45 gallon system. Cheers, Neale.>
I will also be moving my mollies to my other ten
gallon tank. Is it possible to put my danios, platies, and mollies in the same
ten gallon tank?
<Mollies and Platies get along very well, the Platies appreciating hard water
and tolerating slightly saline conditions well. Danios would not be my first
choice for tankmates because they are not salt tolerant, and the odds are good
with Mollies that sooner or later you'll have to deal with Fungus or Finrot,
both of which just aren't a problem when Mollies are kept in brackish water.
Ideal tankmates for Mollies include Guppies, Limia spp., Glassfish, and other
salt-tolerant fish.>
Also, how do I make my water harder?
<Read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oquality.htm
>
Will my ten gallon be overcrowded then?
<Mollies cannot be kept in a 10 gallon tank. They are [a] too sensitive to
nitrate; and [b] too big when fully grown; and [c] the males especially pester
the females and harass other Males. To a lesser extent I'd argue Platies are
fish for 20 gallon, not 10 gallon, tanks. I have an article in February's
edition of TFH magazine all about stocking 10 gallon tanks. Please read this to
understand the limits to 10 gallon tanks and what your options are.>
I will be putting 5 platies, 2 balloon mollies, and 5 danios into it.
<The Danios are categorically a no-no. Danios are hyperactive, open water fish
that do not do well in 10 gallon tanks (for example: the dominant male will
batter all the other fish in the school to death). No-one in their right mind
puts anything as big or as fast-moving as a Danio into a 10-gallon tank. A
'long' 20 gallon is the minimum. For a 10 gallon tank, you want non-aggressive,
inactive fish such as Neons and Kuhli loaches. Hope this helps, Neale.>
Re: FW Livestocking
01/21/2008
Sorry to bother you once more Neale. But, would my tank still be overstocked
because I have a clown Pleco instead of a clown loach? Thanks again.
Cheers (haha), David
<Your tank has, if I recall correctly, 5 albino Buenos Aires, 1 Firemouth
cichlid, 1 blood parrot, 1 Bristlenose Pleco, 2 balloon mollies, 1 jewel
cichlid, and now 1 Clown Plec (Panaque maccus). In terms of simple bio-load,
this is basically fine in a 45 gallon tank. My worries here are [a] behaviour
and [b] water chemistry. Jewel cichlids can be very aggressive, and neither the
Firemouth nor the Blood Parrot are robust enough to survive in a tank with an
aggressive Jewel. In particular, the Blood Parrot is a hopeless mutant (from the
cichlid behaviour point of view) and may go looking for fights but can't
possibly handle itself well once it gets into a fight. Firemouth cichlids aren't
particularly aggressive, and their highly modified jaws (evolved for sifting
sand, which is how they feed) are easily dislocated when other cichlids fight
with them. So none of these cichlids would be on my list of fish to live in this
one tank. As for water chemistry, you have a mix of fish than need soft water
(Tetras, Clown Plec), fish that need hard water (Firemouth, Blood Parrot), and
fish that need brackish water (Mollies). In other words: while your community
may work, I can see several potential problems in the long term, so would
definitely advice careful observation as well as further reading. Cheers,
Neale.>
FW stkg. and good maint. advice 1/18/08
Greetings Sultans of the surf,
<Hello!>
First off thank you for such an amazing library of knowledge! I have some
questions that I have searched for on your site and various others. I sincerely
hope I have not overlooked their answers. Well here it goes. I have recently
bought a 25 gallon long aquarium with stand, filter and some fish.
<Sounds good. But do remember 25 gallons isn't a huge volume of water (esp. US
Gallons!) so be careful choosing fish.>
First for the fish. The tank is inappropriately stocked with one large ( maybe 7
inches!) African cichlid, one rather large tiger barb ( owner said he had a
school but the rest were eaten, how sad to leave that one barb in there) and one
small Pleco.
<Apart from the Barb, entirely unsuitable for this tank.>
All are and were healthy in behavior, very active always hungry. I have given
the cichlid to a local fish store but they wouldn't accept the tiger barb or
Pleco. He said they are too inexpensive and because of their injuries (fins are
almost complete gone) are too prone to disease and thus a risk to his livestock.
<Who is eating who? The Tiger Barb? Or the Cichlid?>
What do I do with these two? the Pleco gets way too huge for this tank and the
barb worries me because he is massively aggressive towards the Pleco ( separated
for now with breeding net) thus would be aggressive towards new tank mates
unless I had a barb tank which doesn't excite me.
<Your best bet is to find a Fish Forum online, visit the "For Sale" section, and
ask for takers. You could also look for a local fish club. Do also look for
other fish shops. Obviously you'll need to heal the fins on these fish a bit
first.>
I want to turn this tank into a community tank. My last fish was a Fahaka puffer
in a 110 gallon ( had him for 7.5 years, water changes galore) that would rarely
let my hand in the tank none the less a tank mate.
<Pretty typical of this species. Not my favourite fish, though I admit they do
have personality. A psychotic thug personality, but personality none the less.>
So the thought of one species for this tank kinda bores me.
<Me too.>
Secondly the stock plan I have going so far I fear is overcrowded/incompatible
at least from a water chemistry stand. Here it is...
1x Siamese algae eater, Crossocheilus siamensis
<Nice, though redundant with the Nerite snails. A bit hyperactive in a small
tank, and possibly territorial.>
3x Swartz's Cory cat, Corydoras schwartzi
<Double the number and you're laughing.>
2x (M+F) Golden lyre tail Panchax killifish, Aphyosemion australe
<Fine.>
2x Betta (F), Betta splendens
<Probably not with the Killifish; I fear a little nipping and/or chasing.>
1x Flame dwarf Gourami, Colisa lalia
<Total waste of space: avoid. Too sickly.>
3x Olive Nerite snail Nerite Sp.
<Good, provided you get the true freshwater sort, not the brackish water ones.>
Feel free to add, subtract and multiple! I was going to shoot for a Chao Phraya
river tank but it seems like that area is mainly catfish per fishbase.org.
<Looking at species lists can be misleading; there may be dozens of species of
catfish, but in terms of numbers and mass, I'm sure things like cyprinids
(barbs, etc.) are far more important.>
Unless you know of native Chao Phraya fish that I can add. If not can you
suggest a schooling small fish. I was worried Danios would prefer much cooler
temps and that Rasboras and tetras would fin nip or be fin nipped.
<Correct; Rasboras and Danios essentially come from different habitats. What the
Danios want is fast flowing, neutral water with moderate temperature. Rasboras
come from more blackwater streams. Your Bettas and Killies inhabit still waters,
largely.>
My selection is limited to 25 gallon, I now live in an apartment that allows big
dogs but small aquariums! Now for the filter section of my question. The tank
came with only an under gravel filter.
<Nothing wrong with a properly maintained UG filter. Limits the range of plants
though.>
I took nearly all the water and kept the filter submerged. other then a brief
nitrite hiccup the conditions are now zero other then 40ppm nitrate which I
suspect were from few water changes, improper water supply, overfeeding, under
vacuuming, overstocking and the UGF. For the time being I have added a small
power filter with a mechanical sponge, Kent nitrate sponge absorber and
bio-wheels. I don't remember the exact gallons it is rated for because it is old
but it is obviously way too small and must go asap. I want to use an Eheim 2229
with the wet/dry feature but I am worried that the bio area is in the first
compartment. If that is true wouldn't just become a mechanical/bio with emphasis
on the mechanical? Canister is the only suitable type of filter as it must be
quiet and be viewable from front and back.
<I'm not familiar with this particular filter, but I'd trust Eheim filters to do
the job well.>
Any other suggestions? Also when I add a new filter and remove the UGF should I
just take the whole thing out and cycle or perhaps break it and remove it
periodically to leave as much bacteria in the water as possible?
<I'd break down the entire tank and cycle it from scratch. That'll give you more
options in terms of substrate choice.>
I do plan to add plants later on after the filter changes are made, cycling is
totally complete and I buy the proper lights. Fish will be added also after
cycling is done and slowly.
<Sounds good.>
Just a few statements I have learned over the years and have read on WWM a
thousand times ( if I may) to any new hobbyist. Nanocubes are hard, expensive
and not for the beginners no matter what anyone says.
<Pretty much.>
Hagen's "Cycle" does not substitute for a natural cycle.
<No it doesn't. But there are other products that do. But I simply grab some
filter media from an established tank, and off you go: instant cycling.>
Tried to start a cycle for my friend's tank using this, nitrites were off the
scale for a month ( only 1 small comet, 20 gallon tank, whisper 400 filter) at
least followed by massive nitrate problems. Last but not least a good water
change schedule is cheaper and more effective then any additive or cool new
gadget you can buy. Thank you all for your time!
<Happy to help.>
Ed ( recent transfer to Colorado, love those mountains)
<Cheers, Neale.>
Freshwater Newbie!
1/12/08
Hello All,
<Hello Tom!>
Please be patient with me as I am just getting into the relaxing (at times)
world of freshwater tanks. I went and bought new 60Gal with a
cascade 1000 filter. The tank looks beautiful with some fake plants, speckled
gravel and lots of hiding places (pottery and rocks). I'm ready
for fish! Unlike most, I am taking my time in the selection because I want to
make sure no fish are sacrificed and my family can enjoy this
experience. Here is what I have narrowed my fish selection down to:
<Ok...>
First Group:
(1) Chocolate Cichlid
(1) Jurupari
(1) Green Severum
<Fine in terms of behaviour, but these are BIG fish, and a 60 US gallon tank
will feel very crowded. While they might live in this space, they could just as
easily end up fighting or suffering from problems such as hole-in-the-head
thanks to high nitrate levels. Satanoperca jurupari gets to about 18 cm,
Hypselecara temporalis to about 20 cm, and Heros severus about the same. A 60 US
gallon tank is really better suited to cichlids in the 10-15 cm size scale.>
Second Group:
(1) Iridescent or albino shark (catfish)
(1) Clown Loach
(1) Upside down catfish
<Pangasius hypophthalmus reaches a maximum length of 130 cm, which is obviously
way too big for your tank. Clown loaches are sociable and easily reach 20 cm if
adequately cared for, and nearer 30 cm is well cared for. In other words, you
really need a tank suitable for 5-6 Clowns, which is more than 60 US gallons
will accommodate. So again, not a great choice. Yes, I know people keep single
Clown loaches -- but trust me, those loaches are UNHAPPY, and SHY, and NERVOUS.
If you want to enjoy these fish, and let these fish enjoy their lives, you need
a group of them. Synodontis nigriventris is an ideal size for your aquarium.
Maximum size is about 8 cm, and they are sociable too, and in schools become
great fun. I have some in the tank next to me, and they scoot about chasing one
another and generally putting on a good show. A superb aquarium fish.>
Third Group:
(1) Red Oscar
(1) Tiger Oscar
(2) Pleco
<A mated pair of Oscars will be happy enough in a tank this size... but two
random Oscars dumped in a tank this small (or really any size short of a public
aquarium) can end up fighting once they mature. Oscars are, of course,
impossible to sex as juveniles and practically impossible to sex even as adults.
Do remember these varieties are all the same species. As for the Plec, yes, most
Plecs wil |
