Hello

[Babakapusta]

I have been keeping fish since 1997. I'm experienced with some fish and a newbie with others. It is fun to always keep learning.

I am enjoying reading the posts on this website.

I have a 125 gallon tank with 3 very large Tin Foil Barbs that are 13 years old and over a foot long. I have an ornate birchir in the tank that is probably 10 or so inches long. He is very secretive and as soon as I look in his direction he is gone. He is probably one of my newer fishes and is only 11 years old.

I have a clown loach, and an upside down catfish, and 2 striped botias in the tank.

I used to have a tire track eel in there but he died a few years ago.

I am setting up a new tank with a Peacock eel. It is too small to put in the big tank yet. I'm sure one of the barbs would eat it. I also have a Red Lizard fish which is about 2" long and a bristle nose barb.

I am thinking about getting either a school of rosy lined barbs which would be moved to the large tank when they get bigger or a school of glofish.

I would like to know some bottom dwellers that are diurnal since many of my fish only come out at night. I know cories are but I'd like to be able to have something to chose from.

 

[Cactuspixie]

Hi! That tank sounds amazing!! Can you post pics of your barbs? I've never seen them more than 8" or so. What are their personalities like? What do they eat? Sorry... so many questions lol.

What type of tank are you thinking of setting the new one up as? Can't wait to follow 8)

 

[Babakapusta]

My tank was amazing until my husband got sick, and then I got sick and I let it go. I have a terrible algae problem and I'd hate to show it off like this. That is why I shut down all my tanks except the big one.

Now we are both better and I'm tackling the problem so, as soon as I can see through the glass I'll post some pictures.

The Barbs are gorgeous. I'm surprised they haven't gotten their breeding colors because they usually do after a series of big water changes, and they have been getting them for the last 4 weeks.

When in breeding condition the black is black, the red redder, the silver shinier and their is a gold wash over them when the light hits in a special way.

It is hard to talk about personalities. They are a schooling fish and they work together like the Borg. They do have arguments at times but they consist of the fish swimming next to each other and doing something with their tails. When I looked up the behavior it said that they were causing pressure along the others lateral line which is unpleasant.

They are old but they still run to the other side of the tank when I clean. They aren't the brightest fish on the block but they aren't the dimmest either. In my measurment I included the tail. If you don't include the tail they are about 8 inches long. Their bodies cover my hand from vent to nose. My hand is 7 1/2" long and they are bigger than that. I've never held a ruler to them. They don't stand still long enough, they are in constant motion at least when I'm in the room.

 

[Cactuspixie]

My tank was amazing until my husband got sick, and then I got sick and I let it go. I have a terrible algae problem and I'd hate to show it off like this. That is why I shut down all my tanks except the big one.

Now we are both better and I'm tackling the problem so, as soon as I can see through the glass I'll post some pictures.

The Barbs are gorgeous. I'm surprised they haven't gotten their breeding colors because they usually do after a series of big water changes, and they have been getting them for the last 4 weeks.

When in breeding condition the black is black, the red redder, the silver shinier and their is a gold wash over them when the light hits in a special way.

It is hard to talk about personalities. They are a schooling fish and they work together like the Borg. They do have arguments at times but they consist of the fish swimming next to each other and doing something with their tails. When I looked up the behavior it said that they were causing pressure along the others lateral line which is unpleasant.

They are old but they still run to the other side of the tank when I clean. They aren't the brightest fish on the block but they aren't the dimmest either. In my measurment I included the tail. If you don't include the tail they are about 8 inches long. Their bodies cover my hand from vent to nose. My hand is 7 1/2" long and they are bigger than that. I've never held a ruler to them. They don't stand still long enough, they are in constant motion at least when I'm in the room.

Wow, I can't wait to see! Go get the algae scrubber!
Hehe- I can't even measure my plecos when they are on the front glass. They wait for me to get the measuring tape, get close to the glass, then wooshka! Gone. Happens every time when my fish see the camera too.

 

[Babakapusta]

My tank is way beyond an algae scraper.In fact I could probably win an algae growing contest. The sides and back are completely covered not only in green algae, but it is growing over some kind of red algae that doesn't scrape off even with a razor blade. I've managed to keep the upper half of the front clear of algae. It is a deep tank and like I said I can barely reach the bottom of the glass even with the extra long scraper. I can't hardly reach the back at all.

I read something about trying hydrogen peroxide and I tried some on the side and it has turned the red algae pink. I'm hoping that I will be able to get it off. Wish me luck.

 

[Cactuspixie]

My tank is way beyond an algae scraper.In fact I could probably win an algae growing contest. The sides and back are completely covered not only in green algae, but it is growing over some kind of red algae that doesn't scrape off even with a razor blade. I've managed to keep the upper half of the front clear of algae. It is a deep tank and like I said I can barely reach the bottom of the glass even with the extra long scraper. I can't hardly reach the back at all.

I read something about trying hydrogen peroxide and I tried some on the side and it has turned the red algae pink. I'm hoping that I will be able to get it off. Wish me luck.

Oh, it sounds like a nightmare! Make sure you take pics for yourself, so you can see the transformation
Just remember to keep up with the water changes with all that algae dying!

 

[Babakapusta]

That's one of the reasons it's gotten this far. I had to wait until I was well enough to know I could do the water changes. At least algae doesn't hurt the fish. They seem very happy with it.

 

[Cactuspixie]

That's one of the reasons it's gotten this far. I had to wait until I was well enough to know I could do the water changes. At least algae doesn't hurt the fish. They seem very happy with it.

Yeah, algae is yummy when its growing lovely and lush! 8)
Just not good for the tank parameters when its dying off en masse

Do you do water changes with a hose? I have a garden hose attached to my gravel vac so the tank water gets pumped straight out outside to the garden bed or drain. Then I bought a cheap attachment from the hardware store so I could attach a drinking water grade hose to my kitchen tap for refilling.
I couldn't manage any other way- my back struggles with the gravel vacuuming. Darn those tall tanks! I have one that is 70cm high and two that are 60cm. I bought a step ladder but its still a pain
Next tank will be custom made, and no more than 50cm high. (I mostly have bottom dwellers anyway)
I'd love a large fish one day- perhaps a cichlid so I won't have to keep a school. But the dynamics of a school are so cool

 

[Babakapusta]

Yes, I do use a garden hose. I don't like cichlids. I like schools and eels. I want to set up a tank of weather loaches and goldies but everyone here says you need a huge tank for them and I don't have a huge tank, so I guess I will have to change my ideas and look for something else.

I read about cherry shrimp and saw some at the pet store. I might try them.

 

[molliwopp]

Yes, I do use a garden hose. I don't like cichlids. I like schools and eels. I want to set up a tank of weather loaches and goldies but everyone here says you need a huge tank for them and I don't have a huge tank, so I guess I will have to change my ideas and look for something else.

I read about cherry shrimp and saw some at the pet store. I might try them.

Well cherry shrimp would definitely not be a good idea without regular water changes. Cherrys hate nitrates as do most shrimp and without strict water changes they will die very quickly.

Seeing as your algea problem is obviously nitrate related with the absence of fresh water(i.e water changes) your nitrates will have just grown and grown. I would be interested in your nitrate ppm.

If and when you get round to cleaning the tank i strongly suggest you Dont change all the water at once or you could have some fishy deaths.

 

[Cactuspixie]

Well cherry shrimp would definitely not be a good idea without regular water changes. Cherrys hate nitrates as do most shrimp and without strict water changes they will die very quickly.

Seeing as your algea problem is obviously nitrate related with the absence of fresh water(i.e water changes) your nitrates will have just grown and grown. I would be interested in your nitrate ppm.

If and when you get round to cleaning the tank i strongly suggest you Dont change all the water at once or you could have some fishy deaths.

Aww, it probably wasn't meant that way, but gee that came off harsh
OP didn't purposely neglect the tank and has already begun setting it to rights.
OP- wouldn't your tinfoils eat cherry shrimp??

 

[Cactuspixie]

They do have arguments at times but they consist of the fish swimming next to each other and doing something with their tails. When I looked up the behavior it said that they were causing pressure along the others lateral line which is unpleasant.

I wonder if that's what my mature Congo tetras are doing! They have a little chase and then , facing the same way, one presses and shimmies against the other. I thought it might have been misdirected mating behaviour, but I upped the number of females and it hasn't altered the behaviour.

 

[Babakapusta]

Oh, I'm going slow. I started with a 25% water change about 4 weeks ago. 50% the next week and 75% the last two. The fish seem well. They have never acted like they were ill at all. There hasn't been a fish die in my tank in over 6 years. It has been very stable in occupancy.

I couldn't put shrimp in this tank they would be eaten very quickly. So I mispoke about fish dying in my tank. I buy feeder fish and they get eaten very quickly. If I buy 100 feeder guppies, usually Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving even the birchir comes out and feasts on them. They don't last 10 minutes.

My fish also love crickets.