coolkidthatlike
Aquarium Advice Activist
ok, then i am set. My new set up for my 20 gal tank will be 6 tiger barbs and 1 red fin shark. thanks for your help. any other advice for this setup?
goldfish, how big???
- Thread starter coolkidthatlike
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d9hp
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think you should hold off on any more fish, but sounds good.
coolkidthatlike
Aquarium Advice Activist
well, i am going to buy a 20 gallon for my goldfish first. Then, once i get enough money for another 20 galllon,will buy one for the tropical. i
d9hp
Aquarium Advice Addict
O Ok, sounds ok
coolkidthatlike
Aquarium Advice Activist
cool, hey man thanks for all the help, you have helped me on a bunch of posts.
d9hp
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hey, thats what I am here for, just like everyone else. How do you like that red tail, I was thinking of getting one for my cousins tank
coolkidthatlike
Aquarium Advice Activist
well actually i havent got one yet. But they are a really neat fish, and i reccomend that you do get one. be sure to get only one though. I heard that if you get two they will fight. thanks a lot!
d9hp
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ok, I am gonna go to the pet shop in her town and suprise her. I am gonna be responsible and test her water first.
coolkidthatlike
Aquarium Advice Activist
that is a good idea. good luck!
*nods and agrees with Barney and d9hp*
Water changes are critical. I've a 29 gallon with a pleco, 3 angels and 2 loaches. I do 10% water changes/gravel vacuuming 3 times a week! When you deal with messy fish (like my plec...the poo machine LOL or goldfish) you HAVE to get rid of the waste. Keep in mind, anything that goes INTO a tank does NOT leave unless YOU take it out.
Keeping them in a small tank WILL stunt them. Prob is, as was mentioned, you will deform them. I guess what happens is the body size doesn't change as fast as the organs. So the fish die younger and don't live out there expected life span (which on gold fish can be 20+ years if treated properly! Check this out: http://www.goldfishinfo.com/goldlife.htm . You can see how big they get and how long they can live. If you want to read more about goldfish, click the link at the bottom of that page that will return you to the main page of the website).
To be honest, I would prob put 2 of the goldfish in the big tank, and keep one in the 10. I'd also suggest looking into some small bottom feeders/algae eaters as well, BUT, they would have to handle low temps, as goldfish are NOT tropical fish and don't do as well at tropical fish temps (like I wouldn't recommend a pleco cause they come from rivers in South America and live in warmer temps).
Of course, the final decision on what to do is all yours, but it sounds to me like you want to do right by your fish
Thumbs up to ya
Water changes are critical. I've a 29 gallon with a pleco, 3 angels and 2 loaches. I do 10% water changes/gravel vacuuming 3 times a week! When you deal with messy fish (like my plec...the poo machine LOL or goldfish) you HAVE to get rid of the waste. Keep in mind, anything that goes INTO a tank does NOT leave unless YOU take it out.
Keeping them in a small tank WILL stunt them. Prob is, as was mentioned, you will deform them. I guess what happens is the body size doesn't change as fast as the organs. So the fish die younger and don't live out there expected life span (which on gold fish can be 20+ years if treated properly! Check this out: http://www.goldfishinfo.com/goldlife.htm . You can see how big they get and how long they can live. If you want to read more about goldfish, click the link at the bottom of that page that will return you to the main page of the website).
To be honest, I would prob put 2 of the goldfish in the big tank, and keep one in the 10. I'd also suggest looking into some small bottom feeders/algae eaters as well, BUT, they would have to handle low temps, as goldfish are NOT tropical fish and don't do as well at tropical fish temps (like I wouldn't recommend a pleco cause they come from rivers in South America and live in warmer temps).
Of course, the final decision on what to do is all yours, but it sounds to me like you want to do right by your fish
Thumbs up to yad9hp
Aquarium Advice Addict
GREAT IDEA!
coolkidthatlike
Aquarium Advice Activist
yes, i do have a plecostumas, but he is doing fine. I have the tanks at 74-76 degrees F, and he is great (i have had him since my goldfish tank has been established (several months). I am probably put all three of them in the 20 gallon. They seem to all be friends. I am gonna use the 10 gal as a quarunteen tank. And eventually get a red fin shark to go with my barbs and put them in a 20 gal. thanks for all you guys help
d9hp
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well a QT tank is always a good idea.
coolkidthatlike
Aquarium Advice Activist
sure, a lot more useful than throwing it away...
Major thumbs up on deciding to have a QT tank. You won't be sorry; and it can literally be a lifesaver.
I always QT my new fish for 2-3 weeks before I put them into my main tank. You never know what nasties have been floating around the lfs tanks, and its MUCH easier to treat 1 or 2 fish in bare bottom 10 gallon then trying to treat a larger, cycled full of fish tank! Besides taking a chance on killing your good bacteria with antibiotics, you don't have to use as much medication in a smaller tank. When I got my clown loaches, I got 3. Within 2 days one was dead. We still don't know what killed him, although my guess is one of the other loaches spiked him in the eye with its spines. And when I brought the dead one back to the store, all their loaches were COVERED in ich! My 2 survivors actually did very well and never got ich, but I can't imagine what it would have been like if the one died IN my main tank, or if my main tank got ich.
Do keep a sharp eye on that goldfish tank if you decide to put all of them in there. Its going to need a lot of work to keep things healthy for the fish. And yeah, plecs can survive in lower temps; they do better in higher temps and some moving water tho as thats the environment they came from. Oh! And I almost forgot to ask. What SORT of plec do you have? If its a common plec (as opposed to a bristlenose) did the LFS bother to tell you how big they get?! Mine didn't and my plec went from an inch and a half to 8 inches long in a YEAR. They can grow upwards of 24 inches long. Eek. Is why I'm getting a 55 gallon this summer; even then, I'll prob have to get an even bigger tank somewhere along the line to accomodate it *sigh*
I always QT my new fish for 2-3 weeks before I put them into my main tank. You never know what nasties have been floating around the lfs tanks, and its MUCH easier to treat 1 or 2 fish in bare bottom 10 gallon then trying to treat a larger, cycled full of fish tank! Besides taking a chance on killing your good bacteria with antibiotics, you don't have to use as much medication in a smaller tank. When I got my clown loaches, I got 3. Within 2 days one was dead. We still don't know what killed him, although my guess is one of the other loaches spiked him in the eye with its spines. And when I brought the dead one back to the store, all their loaches were COVERED in ich! My 2 survivors actually did very well and never got ich, but I can't imagine what it would have been like if the one died IN my main tank, or if my main tank got ich.
Do keep a sharp eye on that goldfish tank if you decide to put all of them in there. Its going to need a lot of work to keep things healthy for the fish. And yeah, plecs can survive in lower temps; they do better in higher temps and some moving water tho as thats the environment they came from. Oh! And I almost forgot to ask. What SORT of plec do you have? If its a common plec (as opposed to a bristlenose) did the LFS bother to tell you how big they get?! Mine didn't and my plec went from an inch and a half to 8 inches long in a YEAR. They can grow upwards of 24 inches long. Eek. Is why I'm getting a 55 gallon this summer; even then, I'll prob have to get an even bigger tank somewhere along the line to accomodate it *sigh*
coolkidthatlike
Aquarium Advice Activist
well, you will all be happy to hear that today i bought a 20 gallon tank for my goldfish. They look like they are doing great. I also bought a Penguin Bio-wheel because i have heard many good things about them. Man it was a job hauling the 20 gallon onto my dresser. oh, and less you are deeply attached to your pleco, you can also sell him back to your lfs (they pay you for a large pleco where i live). That way no need to buy a 55 gal. Well any thoughts?
LOL I'd never return my plec less there was some sort of emergency requiring me to get rid of ALL my fish.
I figure it this way. I didn't do my research before getting him and just went by the lfs recommendation (learned MY lesson eh?). But I did buy him, and he's now MY responsibility. So I will do whatever it takes to keep him happy n healthy for the next 10-20 years (yep. they can live that long. found THAT out too after I got him).
I also have a bio-wheel on my main tank. I like the idea of having a separate place for the bacteria to thrive on, especially since I've discovered the filter that goes with the system clogs REALLY quickly, and I need to clean/change them pretty often. At least I don't have to worry about losing most of my bacterial colonies when I do.
I figure it this way. I didn't do my research before getting him and just went by the lfs recommendation (learned MY lesson eh?). But I did buy him, and he's now MY responsibility. So I will do whatever it takes to keep him happy n healthy for the next 10-20 years (yep. they can live that long. found THAT out too after I got him).
I also have a bio-wheel on my main tank. I like the idea of having a separate place for the bacteria to thrive on, especially since I've discovered the filter that goes with the system clogs REALLY quickly, and I need to clean/change them pretty often. At least I don't have to worry about losing most of my bacterial colonies when I do.
coolkidthatlike
Aquarium Advice Activist
umm... do they cut down on all the crap that buids up on the bottom of your tank too?
Cut down? LOL More like add; plecs, otos and goldfish are the pooping kings of the fish tank.
They ARE bottom feeders; they will eat leftover foodstuff that the other fish miss, and most plecs are algae eaters. I have had my latest tank running for 3 months now; I have YET to see any algae on the tank; flip side is I have to feed my plec algae wafers since he obviously doesn't get enough from the tank itself. They won't eat poo tho; pretty much nothing does (except maybe snails? not sure, but even then what goes in must come out, and they add their own donations to the bottom of the tank). Is why I gravel vac my tank 2-3 times a week. You're in for the same with goldfish AND plecs!
They ARE bottom feeders; they will eat leftover foodstuff that the other fish miss, and most plecs are algae eaters. I have had my latest tank running for 3 months now; I have YET to see any algae on the tank; flip side is I have to feed my plec algae wafers since he obviously doesn't get enough from the tank itself. They won't eat poo tho; pretty much nothing does (except maybe snails? not sure, but even then what goes in must come out, and they add their own donations to the bottom of the tank). Is why I gravel vac my tank 2-3 times a week. You're in for the same with goldfish AND plecs!
coolkidthatlike
Aquarium Advice Activist
i am talkin about the bio-wheel
