First tank in years!!

I have introduced myself on the forum. thanx for having me!! Now to introduce one of my tanks and its inmates. This tank has been running for a 6 months now and seems to be doing well. I used water from an older tank as well as the gravel and filter bags. So I sought of skipped the cycle? had fish in it after a week. The first gys to go in was a Pleco and a few tetra species. I have not really had any problems so far. Have not lost any fish yet :smile1:

The tank is due for a water change this weekend and a re-scape with black rocks I got at the local dam today and maybe some real plants. I also want to add a sponge filter to the current over head filtration system.

Specs (no names)

2 x 150w Heaters
1 x power head to top filtration
2 x something or other flourecsents
Very simple

I know that I might be over stocked. But things are going well.

Fish list

1 x Hi Fin Leopard Pleco
1 x Featherfin Catfish
1 x Botia almorhae
2 x Botia striata
4 x X-ray tetra
5 x Neon tetra
8 x Black neon
4 x rummy nose tetra
2 x Yellow Angels
1 x Gold Gourami

Here are the pics! Allot of pro fish keepers here... so a bit nervous.



From reading allot of previous threads I am sure that I will get some good info from you guys!!

 

I am making this prediction :blink1:.
You're gonna get an earful.:fight:

 

Ag no!! caaaact out from my first post ush: Lol!! Thanx for the warning DewaldC.

 

Get it over with right at the start

As somebody that has a rather overstocked guppy tank, you're definitely not getting an earful from me. Personally, my opinion is that as long as the fish are fine, you're OK. I might get kakked out for that one as well, but obviously within reason... As long as you're water quality is good, who am I to judge :wondering:

 

Hey dude. Nice tank. Hate to be the sour apple here. And I'm not craping you out. You have 3 species in that tank that don't mix well with the others. Angels, synodontis and the Pleco.

The Angels will get big enough and start picking off your Neons. The Pleco will get too big for your tank and the Synodontis will also pick on your small fish at night and get over 10cm.

I don't think you are overstocked. Just underestimated.

Take it as constructive critisism. We all go through that daily. That's how we learn. :tongue:

 

Of course, all that was referring to overstocking - Both the pleco and featherfin catfish will get waaaayyyyy too big for your tank...

 

I have to agree with @SloMo.00. here. Try not to take it personally when you get criticism here - For the most part, people here try to help

On a sidenote - @SloMo.00. Dude - Do you have any idea how difficult it is to mention you?

 

Ha ha. @KillerBunny. Yeah so I have heard. :bigsmile:

 

as far as i am aware.. a sponge filter is ok but wont be an improvement on your in hood trickle filter. dont waste your time with the sponge, if you want to upgrade your filtration then get a canister filter. and yes you have made the mistake like soooo many people about buying fish that fit in your tank now but soon that will not be the case.

now.... you have a good excuse to get a MUCH bigger tank and leave the current one as is. welcome to MTS there is no other way in the future than selling or giving your bigger species away with your current setup.

on a sidenote, i really like that large flat rock you have in there. it just look sood

 

If you really want a pleco that stays small go for the clown pleco,. And yes @SloMo.00. Chose the most mention friendly

 

I don't even bother trying to mention Slo... I just know he reads EVERY LAST DETAIL there is on this forum... so he will eventually find it.

I'm actually rather attracted to this tank. The scape is very interesting, and nice to see something different... and different that works! It even took me a second and third look to realize the plants were fake!

I'm going to go against the norm here... Firstly you haven't indicated how many litres the tank is, or I may have read over it a few times without taking it in. Basically what has been said it correct... you not "technically" overstocked... you just have fish that are incompatible, and will outgrow that tank extremely fast. I'm also not a big fan of pleco's either... I find it amazing how a fish can cr@p out more than it takes in, and still grow.

Anyway... here are my suggestions/ideas that I'll throw at you:
* Take all your big fish back to the LPS for a store credit.
* Use the store credit to increase the numbers of your tetra's... they look so much more impressive in numbers
* get 2 or 3 easy to grow aquatic plants. Maybe one tall one at the back left, and 2 smaller ones for the front.
* Change the background to black or a dark blue. I sometimes find these picture backgrounds to distract from the actual scape. Having said that, you have managed to keep the theme incorporate very well.
* Oh... and I'm going to say keep the angels. (Sorry guys). BUT not more than 2. The experts will tell you that you need a minimum of 60litres per angel, and that the angels will eat off your smaller fish. I've got 5 Angels that I have had in my tank from a R2 coin size, and they don't touch my neons. They didn't even eat my Endler guppies that I threw in there. My logic says that if the fish grew up together with the smaller fish, they may not see it as food.

On the nice side, you will have Angels as your main focal fish, and a few dither fish swimming around to give the tank that added character.

 

Another good option would be an Ancistrus (Or Bristlenose Pleco) - These guys are awesome. Banjo cats also stay small, but I've heard that they are very nocturnal so you don't really see them.

I agree 100% with this. Tetras just look so much better in big schools.

 

Ha ha @Zoom, I will find it hey... I agree with the plants. This will also then help for shelter if the Angels do start Nipping at them. Also agree with the background. Pictured backgrounds work when they don't take the focus away from the scape. That is why I like the 3D backgrounds. They form part of the scape. Just have to get myself so far as to try it.:weird:

@KillerBunny, Jip the Bristlenose is awesome. I was also against any Plecs ever again. Now have a Ancistrus and a Clown. Will soon have one more of each. But I must agree with @Zoom here. Plecs eat less than what they waste. Absolutely mind blowing how they still grow.

@Ryno,I blame you for the Plecs I have.... This Rubber arm.. Eish:rofl:

Look at this...
@SloMo.00. @SloMo.00. @SloMo.00. @SloMo.00.

:eviltongue:

 

Thanx people! All these fish have been in the same tank for roughly five months. The newest one the Gourami has been in there for two weeks now. I had two in there but the bigger one would chase and nip the smaller one, so I took it out and put it in a different tank with other out casts. I do realize that the Pleco and cat will eventually out grow the tank. But they are bye far my favorite fish and I will just have to get a bigger tank when I convince the wife :noworry:

The pair of Angels that I have are a mating pair that I got from a friend that also had them in community tank. They dont bother the other fish at all.

I am not sure how many litres the tank is. I guess its about 120l. I will take into consideration what Zoom has suggested.

This is a great forum!!

Thanx!!

 

Thank goodness i have past the MTS ........ not ....... just upgraded to a 8ft 1000L ..........going bigger is always better , you don't have to convince your wife .. it is easier to say oops sorry than ask for permission hahaha !

 

Ooops sorry! worked for a while. But then our back yard filled up with hot houses and shade houses for the orchids. But I do have a little 2square meter stoep area I am thinking of using for the tanks. Not much space but it should do for a while

 

a man needs his "SPOT" where no comments are allowed and where he do as he please. He he. And in this Hobby also the Lady's if the men in their lives don't agree.
:flute:

 

Update on tank! I did a water change last weekend, and also a minor rescape.



I was going to get a few plants at the lfs, but then thought I would first make sure I have the right lighting. 2 x 20w T8,s (Blue coral) What you guys think? Also what would I be able to grow. Im thinking long grasses and Java moss with the fake plants already in the tank. I will take out the red fakie in the middle thou. I cant get Java moss here in Worcester.

Also! It was recommended that I replace the Cat and the Pleco. Have not done that yet. What I need to know is would they be able to thrive in a 1000 x 400 x 400 tank? That is all I have at the moment.

Cheers!!

 

@bradleyflynn - If the lights are blue actinic lights they are for marine setups to help coral grow I think. The guys will let you know about suitable lights and cheapest ways to go about it.