Update On My Tank.

18 posts • Page 1 of 2

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


MayhemMonkey
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:15 am

Update On My Tank.

by MayhemMonkey

A few weeks back i came on here asking about adding driftwood and live plants to my new tank setup, and thanks to the advice and help of you guys it is finally up and running. It's a 29 gallon with a hunk of driftwood, wisteria, java fern, a huge amazon sword, and some type of cryptocoryne. Also due to me being naive and the stupidity of the employees at Petco i purchased mondo grass. I thought it looked nice and they said it wasn't a tough plant to grow so i bought it, after i got home and placed it in my tank i went online to read up on what i had bought. Many of the sites said mondo grass is not fully an aquatic plant and rots most of the time, so when i go up to the 'That Fish Place' to purchase my other fish i'm going to buy something that looks similar and just take the mondo grass out. So that's one of my questions. Do you guys know of anything that has the grassy look, but is pretty easy to keep alive? Also there's one other thing I want to ask you guys. I started out with two lyre tail guppies as tester fish and after a week i purchased 2 ballon mollies and 7 glowlight tetras. The tetras after only one day are thriving in the tank and seem to already be getting ready to breed, this may just be their normal behavior though. But both mollies rarely leave the top of the tank and the one seems to have cotton mouth. After i treat that and if they don't die i'd like to add my final fish. Here's my goal.

- 10 GlowLight Tetras
- 2 Ballon Mollies
- 2 Lyre Tail Guppies
- 2 Angelfish
- 4 Cories
- 3-4 Cherry Red Shrimp

I was wondering if this is too much or if something won't get along. I'd like to hear your opinions and sorry this is such a long post. I'll also try to post a pic of the tank later tonight.


Alasse
 
Posts: 993
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
Location: QLD Australia

by Alasse

The angels will eat many of those fish once they get bigger


LUVMUFF9326
 
Posts: 119
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:00 am

by LUVMUFF9326

yes angles are agressive also keep in mind the size of fish your getting as they reach adult hood.rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gallon of water. too many fish in a 29g tank can stress them out n cause problems.but i definitely would NOT put angles in the tank.also......if u put alot of decor in tank that takes away from the size of tank.say your tank is filled 33% decor n gravle your putting 20 gallons of water there 4 u wouldnt want more then 20 inches of fish. im sure people will argue with that but for me id rather have fewer happy fish then more stressed fish....in my opinion ...good luck n keep us posted as your tank progresses


dream2reef
 
Posts: 521
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:19 am

by dream2reef

You guys beat me to it. I was gonna say angels as well. It really all depends, imo, your fish. They all really have their personalities and territories and whatnot. If you have plenty of hiding places and caves generally ok but you really never know until you try. I have a male betta in with all my fish and he's doing just great and gets along with everyone. You just never really know until you know. Keep em fed and that helps a lot also. I agree with the decor taking up water space therefore causing you to readjust your inch per gal. equation. Congrats on the new setup it's such a fun hobby!


dream2reef
 
Posts: 521
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:19 am

by dream2reef

Also, when you start adding fish do it slowly. Check your water before you add. This will help with stress and keeping your tank cycled so you get no spikes in ammonium and nitrites whatnot. I've slowly added 11 neons (best if in 12-15 schools) 5 harlequin rasboras, 4 bosmani rainbows, 1 large danio, 1 male betta and 1 common algae eater. No spikes no uncycled tank no sick fish no unhappy or scared fish. Some of the fish I let sit in a beer mug for hours and hours, constantly adding more and more tank water to it and no lights. Not sure if I read that or just did it but it worked out very well angels are cheap enough to play a lil.


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

by yasherkoach

Dwarf Grass:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... catid=2136

Micro Sword:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pcatid=805

those are two types of grass that may help you get started.

Petsmart/Petco are poor judgements when it comes to pets especially fish. Get a good book by Peter Hiscock or do what you have by asking us for advice.

don't overload the tank too much or else you will overwhelm the bacteria that is growing and your tank will continuously go into mini cycles for a long time or it will take a while for it to cycle plus it may kill off your fish in the process (for most fish are unable to handle drastic fluctuations while cycling - reason one should keep to the hardy fish, tetras, danios, guppies - like you have)

And it is true, like the other person stated, once you get compatible fish, you are about 50% on the way to an established tank, the other half of the equation is water changing and water testing (and respodning appropriately to such tests).

So take your time, slowly add fish, and you will find, the hobby most pleasurable.


MayhemMonkey
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:15 am

by MayhemMonkey

Update As of Last Night - The molly with cottonmouth died, but now the other molly has come out of hiding and is doing well along with the guppies and glowlights.

About three years ago when i had the tank set up there were two angels and around six neons in the tank together. The angels never tried to take a bite out of the little guys, i guess maybe it was just that they were docile. What i was concerned about this time though was the angels maybe trying to eat the shrimp. But i guess as reef said, it depends on their individual personalities. I've seen 20 gallon tanks with angels in them and i always thought the fish grew to whatever the tank would allow. But you guys don't think i should get a pair of angels? Even if i buy them as babies? Because I don't want to get fish and then have them be unhappy or die. If you guys think there absolutely no way for me to get angels, do you have any other ideas for a center piece fish?

And thanks koach for the plant suggestions. I really like both of them and the store i'm going to carries both plants, so i guess i'll decide when i see them in person.

Here's a pic of my tank, sorry for the blurriness it was taken with my phone. And most of the plants are still babies so there still growing.
377a0-Fish Tank.jpg


LUVMUFF9326
 
Posts: 119
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:00 am

by LUVMUFF9326

i personaly wouldnt go with angles. my community tanks center fish turned out to be my dojo "weather" loaches.1 is near 10" n 2 are bout 6" but they grow slowly, my big 1 is about 4yrs old n my friends n family love them 4 the way they look n swim and as a bonus they will eat uneaten food from floor.by far my fav. fish ever.sorry 4 so many pics bit im a PROUD POPPA...... lol
f05ed-101_0551.JPG
cd82c-101_0550.JPG
2469a-101_0556.JPG
ebf05-101_0558.JPG


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

by natalie265

The notion that fish only grow as big as their tank is a myth. I agree with the others that 30 gallons is a bit small for angels. Not that it isn't doable. I think you could keep a pair of angels quite successfully in a 30 gallon. I wouldn't do it myself because i don't think it's fair to keep fish in a tank that is "just big enough".


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

by yasherkoach

the trick to most fish compatibility as for as semi-aggressive fish and peaceful fish are two things: schools and territory.

If there are 2 angels and a school of 8 to 12 other fish (say, peaceful), the two angels will not pick on the fish; the other part of the equation is, angels need plenty open space to swim (adult size is uaully around 6 inches); angels are most happy in a well planted tank.

So if we tank that formula, so to speak, and look at the tank you have: it is a 29 gallon freshwater, in consideration of the picture you have supplied, personally, I would refrain from getting angels right now (if you do, be sure they are are about 1 inch as babies, and in time, switch them out into another larger tank with its own species or related species (that is, a species tank)).

In other words, the plants you have are too sparse, and a 29 gallon with 8-12 school of fish plus 6 inch angels (2), you may be asking for trouble. And as far as shrimp is concerned, it's best not introduce shrimp unless you are willing to get the following shrimp (but this shrimp is too big for a 29 gallon):

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... catid=2797

and I agree with natalie...the bigger the aquarium is, the better and not only for more inhabitants but it is easier in case of a chemical mistake etc for there is more area for less trouble (that is, in a 10 gallon tank, in case of territory, there is no place to hide, whereas with a 55 gallon plus tank, there is; and if disease breaks out, there is more watewr column to absorb the bad bacteria).

so in the end, unless you have a 55 gallon tank; if I were you, refrain from getting angels, and just go for all peaceful fish.

hope this helps...let us know how you decide

Update On My Tank.

18 posts • Page 1 of 2

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