Help!!! I'm new to fish tanks and cichlids.

[Sabrina]

Hi, everyone! I'm in need of a little bit of help. My wonderful neighbor had to move and couldn't take her fish tank with her and has giving it to me and my family. The only fish that we've ever owned were bettas. We know nothing when it comes to fish tanks.

The tank is a 50gal. It has two water filters. One on top of the tank and one under the tank. There are two parrot fish, one large one and one small one. Also there are two other fish in the tank, I think they are oscar fish. One is fairly large and the other is about 2" small.

My kids want to add more fish to the tank. Is that even possible? I've read that these are aggressive fish and I am afraid if I add more that they will kill the new fish. I have ordered more rocks for the tank and fish. The tank just seems bare and boring. We would like to liven things up a bit.

Please help this first timer.
Thanks
Sabrina

 

[mikem691]

Looks like jack Dempseys

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[ImACoolguy]

You have a canister filter on bottom and what looks like an HOB(Hang on back) filter on top.

Agree with Mike it's definitely dempseys and then the parrot fish. You are pretty stocked as it. Jack Dempsey get 10 inches long and (correct me) blood parrots get pretty close to that as well.

This tank is obviously established but did you get a test kit with it? These test pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. It's important you have a kit to test your tank with.


Caleb

 

[Sabrina]

You have a canister filter on bottom and what looks like an HOB(Hang on back) filter on top.

Agree with Mike it's definitely dempseys and then the parrot fish. You are pretty stocked as it. Jack Dempsey get 10 inches long and (correct me) blood parrots get pretty close to that as well.

This tank is obviously established but did you get a test kit with it? These test pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. It's important you have a kit to test your tank with.


Caleb

Yes there is a test kit (an ammonia kit) and other various bottles under the cabinet. I'm sad now that we can't add any more fish. These fish pretty much hide all day, well with the exception of that large orange fish. LOL Anything else I should know about these fish?

 

[ImACoolguy]

You can see if an LFS will take them, then get the fish you want in it within reason. Plenty of fish can go in a tank that size.

Edit: what's the names of the bottles?


Caleb

 

[Sabrina]

You can see if an LFS will take them, then get the fish you want in it within reason. Plenty of fish can go in a tank that size.

Edit: what's the names of the bottles?


Caleb

Great idea! I'll need to find a LFS and see if they will take them. I'm only aware of petco/petsmart and walmart that have fish but since we've never had a tank we weren't looking for one.

These are the bottles
Aquasafe- dechlorinates and conditions
Fluval -water conditioner
Fluval- biological cleaner
Topfin -Bacteria supplement
Marineland -algae eliminator
APi nh3/nh4 test kit. (just did this test and it was yellow so 0ppm).

Thanks
Sabrina

 

[ImACoolguy]

Great idea! I'll need to find a LFS and see if they will take them. I'm only aware of petco/petsmart and walmart that have fish but since we've never had a tank we weren't looking for one.

These are the bottles
Aquasafe- dechlorinates and conditions
Fluval -water conditioner
Fluval- biological cleaner
Topfin -Bacteria supplement
Marineland -algae eliminator
APi nh3/nh4 test kit. (just did this test and it was yellow so 0ppm).

Thanks
Sabrina

It's good to have a locally owned store and they often go unnoticed of you are not looking.

0ppm ammonia is great that's where it needs to stay.

The only bottle you really need out of that the water conditioner.


Caleb

 

[Sabrina]

It's good to have a locally owned store and they often go unnoticed of you are not looking.

0ppm ammonia is great that's where it needs to stay.

The only bottle you really need out of that the water conditioner.


Caleb

awesome! I've got lots of reading and learning to do. Thanks for the help!

 

[Freakgecko91]

The smallest one is a jewel cichlid and definitely needs to be moved, judging by how shredded his fins are


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[mikem691]

The smallest one is a jewel cichlid and definitely needs to be moved, judging by how shredded his fins are


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That's what I thought but hard to tell on my phone.

 

[Sabrina]

The smallest one is a jewel cichlid and definitely needs to be moved, judging by how shredded his fins are


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It was really hard to get a picture of the little guy. He stays hidden 90% of the time, only coming out for food. He looked fine to me but I know nothing! What size tank can this little guy live in (not like I have one but will find something)?

I did find one LFS but it opens at midnight and it's an hour away. I don't understand that one at all. I guess if I have to I'll sell the fish on craigslist.

Thanks again

 

[Freakgecko91]

It was really hard to get a picture of the little guy. He stays hidden 90% of the time, only coming out for food. He looked fine to me but I know nothing! What size tank can this little guy live in (not like I have one but will find something)?



I did find one LFS but it opens at midnight and it's an hour away. I don't understand that one at all. I guess if I have to I'll sell the fish on craigslist.



Thanks again

He has a major tear in the dorsal fin it appears, and his tail fin doesn't look so hot. He's probably getting beat up on by the Dempsey


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[mikem691]

It was really hard to get a picture of the little guy. He stays hidden 90% of the time, only coming out for food. He looked fine to me but I know nothing! What size tank can this little guy live in (not like I have one but will find something)?

I did find one LFS but it opens at midnight and it's an hour away. I don't understand that one at all. I guess if I have to I'll sell the fish on craigslist.

Thanks again

They can reach about 5" and I believe the min tank size for a pair is 30 Gallons 36x12" footprint.

 

[Sabrina]

He has a major tear in the dorsal fin it appears, and his tail fin doesn't look so hot. He's probably getting beat up on by the Dempsey


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The dorsal fin is the one on top? I see a split there. But the tail looks intact to me. So what size tank should I put him in? The Dempsey seems pretty chill. It's the parrot fish that is a butt to everyone. She's always chasing the smaller fish and he tries to hide from her.

 

[Sabrina]

They can reach about 5" and I believe the min tank size for a pair is 30 Gallons 36x12" footprint.

This is not fairing well for me. I only wanted one tank and now I'm up to two. LOL oye!

 

[Freakgecko91]

I'd say you could get away with a single jewel and a small group of dithers (schooling fish to bring a shy fish out into the open) in a 20 gallon long


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