Maintenance Fish?

6 posts

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


Dharmie
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:40 pm

Maintenance Fish?

by Dharmie

I recently bought a 29 gallon tank, and a friend is going to give me some of the fish he has bred to get me started. 4-6 Ruby Red Cichlids and 4-6 Eureka cichlids. What types of sucker fish or snails do i need to put in there along with those guys to keep the tank clean? Also, are there any types of fish i SHOUDLNT include in my tank?


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

"Need Help with High Ammonia" (see that thread in this section first). Befor eyou do anymore deciding on further fish, you need to read that thread.

Beings it is a new tank, you have way too many fish as it is 10-12 fish in a 29 gallon means death. You need to cycle the tank for 4-6 weeks with only 2 fish like zebra danios and tetras.

Please please read that thread all the way through...then ask us in your thread what you should do.

I hope I helped.


Ruckopardo
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 6:16 am

by Ruckopardo

For your cleaning crew, otocinclus do a great job. They are small and enjoy living in a group. A few would be a great addition to that size tank. Cichlids typically get very large and would outgrow your tank very quickly, plus they would require a lot of extra work to keep the tank clean enough for them. You might try looking into

-cardinal tetras
-corydora catfish
-ghost shrimp
-zebra danios

Good luck!


natalie265
Site Admin
 
Posts: 746
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm

by natalie265

There is a prevenalent myth that the aquarist MUST have a cleaning crew in his tank. Some critters may help by nibbling on algae or by scavanging food that falls to the bottom of the tank, but this is not the same as CLEANING the tank. Cleaning the tank is YOUR responsibility. I can't tell you how many times i've had people look at the tank in my office and say, "you need one of those sucker fish!" (pleco i assume?). The water is pristine, but they think that every tank needs one. In fact, many pleco species grow very big and produce a lot of waste and do very little in terms of "keeping the tank clean".

As Yasher has already pointed out though, you need to read up on cycling your tank first. In fact, i think you should read up on "fishless cycles", which are a lot less stressful on the fish.

Best of luck on your new tank!


bennyphan
 
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:38 am

by bennyphan

yes, as everyone has already wrote, please read up on how to control you ammonia levels. 10-12 Cichlid might work in a 29 gal tank if they are fairly small, but as they get bigger you will definitely need at least a 55 gal tank. Not only that but with that amount of fish and the size of your tank, your nitrate level is going to sky rocket, and snails, suckers fishes or bottom dweller fish is not going to help lower the level. You will need to buy either one large filter or two medium size filters running in your tank. Other wise you will need to do frequent water changes...

Congrats on the new tank!


mro2you2
 
Posts: 625
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:37 pm

by mro2you2

Tell your friend no thank you and settle for some tetras, danios, angel fish, mollies etc.

Maintenance Fish?

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