First Fish!!!

[Jones2w]

hey all...

just got my first six fish to start of my new tank...I had the tank with filter and heater running for about a week with live plants all my levels were good to go so I decided to add some fish...I went kinda cheap to start...

added

4 Tiger Barbs
2 Red Tail Platy

waiting about a week to add more

Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks

 

[bra_van_drakh]

i'd add some more tigers, up to 6 or 8.. .anyhow, how big's ur tank ???

 

[zao]

Yeah how big is your tank? I would like to know.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Be careful with what you add in with the Tiger Barbs. They aren't compatible with everything. I know people recommended Angelfish in your other thread, but do not keep them with Tiger Barbs.

Keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels, as it doesn't seem like you cycled your tank long enough (especially if you weren't adding an ammonia source). In a week or so, it should be safe to add in a few more Tiger Barbs if your ammonia and nitrites are still 0.

 

[Jones2w]

My tank is 55Gal...yeah I have been noticing the Tiger Barbs nipping a little bit at the platys...Is this anything to worry about?

 

[bra_van_drakh]

later on if they're short of food then they'll really nip on your platies, not just nipping i guess, when ur platies are tired enough, then they'll scavenge them for sure. ..i did keep 10 of them in a 20 gal 4 years ago, and ended up only with 4, since they're also ruthless canibals... so just dont ever forget to feed them^^

 

[zao]

Yeah tiger barbs are fin pikers. So yeah dont keep them with fish that have longer fins like angel fish, betas, I know there are some others I jst cant think of them. I also heard that if you get more then 5. The agression on fin picking is lowered.

 

[Zagz]

Don't add any more fish until your tank cycles. It takes several weeks to cycle a tank. Keep a close eye on your parameters and do water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite down as close to 0ppm as possible.

 

[Jones2w]

how often should I do water changes in my first couple weeks???and how much??? I was told 25%?

 

[Zagz]

It will depend on your parameters. Once the tank is cycled, people range 25-50% per week. I do 50% a week on all my tanks. If your ammonia or nitrite rise above .5ppm you will need to do a water change right away. While cycling with fish you will no doubt have to do more water changes than normal. Make sure you use dechlorinator for each water change.

 

[Jones2w]

Quick Question...

When you are cycling with fish...is it common for some of the fish to die ???

 

[WaterPond]

Short answer yes, its just way to stressful for them. Some will die if you are not doing water changes faithfully. You really should have done a fishless cycle.

Besides, cycling without fish is so easy, you need an ammonia source, you add like a peice of raw shrimp to the tank, it rots, proiduces ammonia, you sit back while your tank cycles, you test params, if they are good, you do a water change then add fish.

When you add fish right off the bat you have to do lots of water changes, lots of testing of the water... its just not worth it.

 

[Jones2w]

My tiger barbs are really starting to peck the platy's...will this kill them??? I really donlt mind if they do die, as long as it's of nature causes (food chain)...

 

[Marconis]

Tiger barbs are aggressive, as others have said.

 

[Jones2w]

the platys have started to hang out at the top of the tank...not really moving...I guess thats the way nature works lol

 

[plecoperson]

It's not "natural" for platies and tiger barbs to be in a confined space together. If the platies are not too far gone, perhaps you can return them, or the barbs, to the shop. You don't want to start fishkeeping with having two fish get picked to death, right?

I'd post some water parameters up here, too-see if your tank has even started to cycle.

 

[Zagz]

The platies might be hanging out at the top of the tank due to ammonia issues. Test your parameters and post them and go from there.

 

[WaterPond]

Making aquariums look natural is where the natural part ends

Platies are from south america, tiger barbs are from asia... nothing natural there

Wild platies live in large river systems where they can escape when need be... 55gallon doesnt qualify as a large river system

Sorry, but i really think you should have taken the advice given to you before you bought fish.

Not very responsible to fishkeeping to say you don't care if a fish dies... JMHO