Mixed Tank Mates

[MotoAce51]

So I have a weird mixed tank to a 3 year old helping pick out fish. I am expanding our setupagain and looking for ideas to add.

First some background. We were at a memorial day parade and one person gave away tiny goldfish instead of candy. So that started the addiction. We went right out and bought a1 gal tank from Walmart. My loved the new fish but she kept asking where "fishy momma" was. So we went to a store and tried to let her pick a new fish. We ended up with a feathery blue fancy beta. Got home and put it in the tank. Now we expect the issue to be resolved. Daughter decides have fishy and fishy daddy. We still need a fishy momma. Great! Now we go to another store and try again. We settled on a pink Glofish. At this point all of the fish are small but it's getting cramped in the 1 gal. We then needed to move across the country so planned to buy a 10 gal when we arrived at our new home.

We moved and got our new tank. We decided the tank was a little empty and added 2 more Glofish. Since then we have had fish come and go. We have had a Chinese age eater, and fiddler crab. The crab ate the age eater so he got moved to his own tank. I then had a couple Amano Shrimp. The tank was running great. We added 2 fancy snails. Still good. One day a shrimp and a snail were gone. Casualties happen ok. A couple days later another shrimp is gone and my wife walks in on the goldfish eating the other snail (big snail). I upset, it happens. I then bought a dwarf lobster. It was my favorite tank creature. A month later it vanished. No trace left behind. I don't know if it escaped or if the goldfish got it to. So I let the invertibrate group a while.

Now we are in a 20gal tank. We still have the goldfish, and 3 glofish. Our Betta died due to a disease (something that caused it's belly to get huge, and eventually die. I can't remember the name) We replaced it with a basic betta this time. Other than that we have another Chinese Alge Eater, and dwarf Pleco. I recently bought a 55gal tank but haven't set it up yet due to moving again. In anticipation of the large tank I finally added the blue lobster I have always wanted. The tank is running great. The fish don't bother the lobster, and he doesn't bother them. It's A little weird when fish hang out in his log with him but they don't bother eachother. But now I am getting the itch for something new. What might be unique and safe to add? How about barbs? I looked at Dragon Gobes but they seem too agressive. I was searching found this site so I figured I might just ask. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Wow... interesting history...

Research, research, research.

That's all I can add.

 

[michellev512]

Goldfish need cold water. Bettas need warm water. That's just the beginning of your issues...

You need to research or your just going to keep having unhealthy fish...

 

[serena00]

First off, you started with a tank the size of a jail cell and I'm assuming an uncycled tank. Due to stress I'm sure your fish have not been happy.

Research is the key.

Here's some issues I see.... Goldfish need cold waster... All those other fish need warm... Crabs have claws that could hurt your fish... Bettas can be kept in community but potentially mean... Chinese algae eater gets up to 11 inches and will eat all your fish, even suck off their slime coat.

You're putting these fish into danger and I would recommend getting rid of either the goldfish or ALL the other fish. Choose cold or warm... CAE has to go. No exceptions in this tank size.

Please research before adding more.


36g semi-aggressive
20g community
10g betta, nano fish, shrimp
3g betta

 

[TMRC Exotics]

First off, you started with a tank the size of a jail cell and I'm assuming an uncycled tank. Due to stress I'm sure your fish have not been happy.

Research is the key.

Here's some issues I see.... Goldfish need cold waster... All those other fish need warm... Crabs have claws that could hurt your fish... Bettas can be kept in community but potentially mean... Chinese algae eater gets up to 11 inches and will eat all your fish, even suck off their slime coat.

You're putting these fish into danger and I would recommend getting rid of either the goldfish or ALL the other fish. Choose cold or warm... CAE has to go. No exceptions in this tank size.

Please research before adding more.


36g semi-aggressive
20g community
10g betta, nano fish, shrimp
3g betta

Agree completely.

 

[Anders247]

Now we are in a 20gal tank. We still have the goldfish, and 3 glofish. Our Betta died due to a disease (something that caused it's belly to get huge, and eventually die. I can't remember the name) We replaced it with a basic betta this time. Other than that we have another Chinese Alge Eater, and dwarf Pleco. I recently bought a 55gal tank but haven't set it up yet due to moving again. In anticipation of the large tank I finally added the blue lobster I have always wanted. The tank is running great. The fish don't bother the lobster, and he doesn't bother them. It's A little weird when fish hang out in his log with him but they don't bother each other. But now I am getting the itch for something new. What might be unique and safe to add? How about barbs? I looked at Dragon Gobes but they seem too aggressive. I was searching found this site so I figured I might just ask. Any ideas? Thanks

I won't address the issues you had already, as that isn't the issue now.
Depending on the goldfish type, it will likely get too large for that size tank.
Bettas are best off by themselves.
CAEs will suck the slime coat off fishes, weakening their immune system and killing them. What is the species of pleco?

In time, the lobster will hunt your fish. Mine ate 15 different fish.....

Dragon gobies need brackish water.

As for barbs, it depends what type. They need to be in groups of 6+ whichever species you get, but some are smaller than others.

 

[MotoAce51]

First, I have a filter, but it is only good up until 25gal. That is a big part of why I haven't hooked up the 55gal tank yet. As for the fish, I have no problem getting rid of the gold fish. My daughter on the other hand is a different story. To her its a part of the family. That is the only reason it is still around. As for the Alge eater, I am surprised it will get so big. For the few months we have had it, it hasn't grown much. It is maybe the size of a half dollar. Its by far the smallest in the tank. And it has never come near another fish. It sticks mostly to the bottom or on the structures in the tank. I try to research everything but I admit I trusted our aquarium store a bit when buying stuff. They deal 95% with fish and aquariums unlike larger chain stores so I believed most of what they told me.

I am not sure how my tank is too small if its a 20gal and you even specify 20gal as a community tank size. And then I have a 55gal that is in the process of being set up. I don't see why you think size is an issue.

As for the lobster, he was a splurge I have wanted for about 8yrs so I finally pulled the trigger. If he eats the fish, so be it. But so far for a month, I haven't even seen them acknowledge each other. The lobster has gone through a molt, the fish have not even shown any signs of being nipped at. Seems different from anything I have ever read about these animals.

 

[serena00]

Yes, my community tank is 20g. But it has fish that stay under 3 inches.... You have goldfish in it that get huge. Tank size depends on the type of fish you have.

Some fish poop a lot, some are messy eaters, some get huge. CAE stay pretty nice until they get big. And yes this is from experience.

I understand the issues with your kid being upset about the fish but what matters is the health of the fish. They are pets.


36g semi-aggressive
20g community
10g betta, nano fish, shrimp
3g betta

 

[sinibotia]

I am not sure how my tank is too small if its a 20gal and you even specify 20gal as a community tank size. And then I have a 55gal that is in the process of being set up. I don't see why you think size is an issue.

Your 20 gallon is too small because it's got several fish that can get over 6 inches. A 20 gallon should never have a fish that gets bigger than 6 inches. Even 4 inch fish are pushing it. A 20 gallon community tank is where all of the fish are small enough to fit comfortably in the tank and where all of the fish are compatible in water needs and temperament. In your case, you have multiple fish that get too large, multiple fish that have incompatible water requirements, and multiple fish that will cause each other direct harm.

As for the lobster, he was a splurge I have wanted for about 8yrs so I finally pulled the trigger. If he eats the fish, so be it. But so far for a month, I haven't even seen them acknowledge each other. The lobster has gone through a molt, the fish have not even shown any signs of being nipped at. Seems different from anything I have ever read about these animals.

Believe me, your lobster is almost certainly not going to ignore your fish forever. And you can't just keep these fish together and shrug "oh well" if one gets eaten. You wouldn't trap a large aggressive dog in a cage with a small cat. It's cruel. In general, what you are doing is somewhat cruel, even if you may not realize it. Each of these fish have needs which you need to take care of. I mean no offense, but you need to keep in mind that you are in charge of several living things and you have to take care of them right.

You really shouldn't add anything new, because your tank isn't safe to add anything new, and because you should meet the needs of the fish you already have before you get anything else.

 

[serena00]

Your 20 gallon is too small because it's got several fish that can get over 6 inches. A 20 gallon should never have a fish that gets bigger than 6 inches. Even 4 inch fish are pushing it. A 20 gallon community tank is where all of the fish are small enough to fit comfortably in the tank and where all of the fish are compatible in water needs and temperament. In your case, you have multiple fish that get too large, multiple fish that have incompatible water requirements, and multiple fish that will cause each other direct harm.









Believe me, your lobster is almost certainly not going to ignore your fish forever. And you can't just keep these fish together and shrug "oh well" if one gets eaten. You wouldn't trap a large aggressive dog in a cage with a small cat. It's cruel. In general, what you are doing is somewhat cruel, even if you may not realize it. Each of these fish have needs which you need to take care of. I mean no offense, but you need to keep in mind that you are in charge of several living things and you have to take care of them right.

YES AMEN


36g semi-aggressive
20g community
10g betta, nano fish, shrimp
3g betta

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Agree with the last three posters, if you aren't going to give your fish a good home then give them up.

 

[FishieKeeper429]

Agreed with everyone. Don't be cruel.

Please don't kill any more fish.


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[TMRC Exotics]

To elaborate a little more... first step is separating the gold fish from the rest. I may have missed it but does the tank have a heater and what's the temp? You could still keep the goldfish if your daughter is attached, just not with warm water species.

The CAE needs to go immediately, if its not really growing then it could be stunted, either way I would get rid of it before problems arise.

If you can begin setting up your 55 you will have more flexibility on what you put in it.

Overall we have been quick to criticise you without offering many solutions so I would encourage the posters here to aim more for solutions than being critical, we've all made mistakes.

 

[michellev512]

Agreed....

If you are attached to the blue lobster the 20 gallon could be his home (alone)....

You could have 3 goldfish (with proper maintenance) in your 55 gallon. These are cold water fish who are very messy and need large pwc often...

The rest of the fish should be returned

 

[Toad]

^this depends on the type of goldfish, if it's a fancy then that would work, if it's a common then it really should be kept in a pond...