Upgrading . your opinions needed.

[Ky'smommy]

i have 3 tanks, a 80g discus tank, a 10g red tail shark and guppy tank and a 1.5g betta tank.

i plan on upgrading all my tanks one day. not to concerened with the discus tank right now.
but i would liketo get a 20 plus gallon tank to combine all my guppies. shark and betta. my kitchen counter is over run with tanks.
what size would your recommend so i could have one tank instead of two.

keep in mind i also plan on trying to breed my discus. so i will have to buy a breeding/ hospital/qt tank. which i plan on being at least a 29 gallon. for that.
i will probably store that tank in my room .
i want to store the other tank i havent decided what size. but i plan on keeping it in the dining room or my basement when its done being built.
but i have no counter space.
and my shark is mad cause he has no room.
what would you do?

 

[GlitcH]

The way I decide on size is I measure up the space I am gonna put the tank in then I get the biggest tank I can fit in that space

 

[Ky'smommy]

oh well i dont want a big tank just for some sharks and guppies and a betta.
i plan on making a huge discus tank tho. fully planted all natural. white sand/subtrate. its gonna be a amazing.
i just mean so i dont have to get rid of my fish. just to get something figured out for a little more room.
and so i dont have eto take care of two small tanks. but a somewhat bigger onee.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

well first...IMO a red tailed shark and a betta should NEVER be put together. The betta is a pretty slow fish, with all those fins, and the redtailed shark is a very active, fast moving fish. The shark will most likely either kill the betta, or harrass it a LOT. Those fins can be very tempting to him. I had one in a 40. wish i had never put it in there. he was fine for the first month, while he was still only an inch...after that tho, he tore apart the whole tank (fish i mean) I had tiger barbs, which he bit out eyes (but they lived!) and he would chase around even the kuhlie loaches and marbled hatchets. Some people have luck w/them, but i'd say you wouldnt w/those fish, unless it was at least a 70 plus...which would look really weird w/those fish now i think aobut it lol.

also, the same goes for the guppies. Aparently, since you already have the shark and guppies together, the shark hasnt hurt them, but when you put them w/the betta, i'd think the betta would go after them.

also, the redtail shouldnt be kept in a 20 gallon let alone a 10...way too crowded imo, and experience. I'd say 50 gallons at least...now that i've had one in a 40 to see what they're like.

but again, this is all just my opinion

hope this helps

 

[Ky'smommy]

well i can keep the betta out but i want more room for my shark
but im not gonna have a guppy and shark and betta tank.
i want a big tank and i think the shark and the guppies get along well.

well the shark has been in ten and all is well.
he didnt grow for the first year or at all until we moved and came to get him a month later and he was huge and still growing then we realized they can grow really big.
so that was the whole plan all along was to buy a bigger tank for him. cause we love him. lol
we ended up with our discus tank cause we were waiting forever.
so now after 2 months of spending 100's of dollars on the discus we can afford to spend a few hundred on our shark,
so probably by the end of the month we should have the tank cycled and ready to go for them.
im not sure they can grow to 4 inches cant they? or more not sure but i know its about four.
and he is about 2 inches long right now.
quite big since we bought him

 

[sir_dudeguy]

ya, i'd definately say keep the betta out. And even tho the shark is only 2 inches, you cant really go by the inches of fish per gallon rule w/them imo. They're too active and require a long area to swim...dont really need hight as they stay at bottom mostly. Also, i'd think that if you have a few hundred to spend, you could get way bigger than 20. I'd shoot for at least 55. Check local classifieds, and check craigslist.org. click the city closest to you, and go to the pets section and look through there.

and as far as how big they can get...its anywhere from 4-6(ish) Mine was a little more than 6 when i finally decided that i'd had enough deaths of other fish caused by him, which took a remarkably short time too, once he was grown.
and make sure you have lots of plants and hiding spaces, as that will control aggression somewhat.

 

[Ky'smommy]

yah i want to get a big tank. i just need alot of room.
our basement isnt finished so i want to wait until i have that done.
end of summer.
but i dont think ihave that long.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

but i dont think ihave that long

till what? the fish start going after eachother? If the shark and the guppies are ok right now, they shold be ok till end of summer, but they'd need to be moved as soon as you get that all set up. One way to jump start your cycle in the other tank would be to put some of the media from this tank into that one. Or i suppose you could also use some from your discus tank too.

 

[Ky'smommy]

yah.
i was just thinking maybe a 30 gallon. but if it will be better then iwill just go for it.
or just get the tank or something and hopefully it will fit on the counter until i get a stand. i dont think they have deals with stands or anything.
i will look soon tho.
and hopefully be able to get it by the end of the month.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

most tanks i see for sale ARE combos, with the stand and all. so my guess is you'll find something.

 

[Ky'smommy]

yah for 1000 bucks.
you can get a set up for like 1000 dollars

but 200 dollars for a tank and equipment.
but no stand. and they are charging like 2 or more for a stand.
we have crappy pet stores and everything is way overpriced
im not kidding.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Look in the classifieds in your local paper. Most people sell tanks and stands, for less than pet stores. Just make sure the tank hasn't been in somebody's basement or garage for 3 years, empty (would worry about the seals then). I got a 55g tank and stand for $125. Thats a good deal considering I spent about $300 on my first 55g...tank and stand only from a pet store.

Also checkout that craigslist.com. You may find a deal.

If the shark and guppies are ok now...they can wait a little longer. I agree with sir_dude guy...try to get around a 55g...atleast a 40g though. Sharks are very territorial and when it gets bigger, it may torture the guppies. I would get the biggest tank you can afford.

This is about the time when people do "Spring cleaning" (or maybe a little after that), so there are probably alot of tanks in the paper. I have seen alot more in the paper now...than there was during winter.

 

[DeFeKt]

have 3 tanks, a 80g discus tank, a 10g red tail shark and guppy tank and a 1.5g betta tank.

2 teir 80 gallon setup
You already have one for your discus tank and the bottom tank could be divided to account for the rest of your fish if need be, that way your looking after minimum 2 tanks, and it only takes up the space of 1

Matthew

 

[sir_dudeguy]

you can get a set up for like 1000 dollars

i didnt mean in the stores...i regret buying my first tank in the store...400 for the whole setup..40 gallon w/eheim 2233 and ebo jager 150W heater. Also came w/gravel, but still...you can get that same setup from classifieds for half or less than half that price "allready set up with fish and everything." I just bought a tank from someone on a classified ad...i just sold the fish, therefore getting some of my money back (they also had discus, but i didnt want them...this was for my salt setup and i'm sure they wouldnt do well in ther lol.)

It was a 55...came w/tank, stand, fluval 304, 2 ebo jager 200W heaters, over 100 bucks worth of ornaments (which i just sold today)...umm lets see, what else was there...oh yea, 2 powerheads, and undergravel filter which i dont use, fish food, automatic feeder, a WHOLE bunch of carbon for the filter (easily over 2 years supply!) a diy python hose, and other various airlines, pumps, and other small stuff... probably all over that 1000 dollar mark that the store would sell for
BUT i got it for 200. Granted he tried to sell for 250 and i talked him down, but still. If you got the money tho, i'd rather buy from stores, just cause i like buying new stuff.

i cant stress enough how much money you'll save on the local classifieds and craigslist.com. also theres another one just like it thats called backpage.com...same basic thing.

has anyone here tried either of those? i think they're both great.

 

[Ky'smommy]

i do look. none actually where ilive.
but i have to look else where.
i got my 80g for like 300 dollars and i could have had everything. minus fish.
but i took the tank, filter, lights, heater. stand. wanted to do it my way.
but im still looking havent decided on what yet.
but thanks for your help.
and i like bigger tanks. its just alot more work to do water changes.
all is good..