New member

[Totter760]

Hey all! New member here. Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Heather. My husband and I just recently upgraded from our 20gal freshwater tank to a 50 gal. So happy! I could never get all the levels right on the 20gal. So far our 50 gal is doing pretty good. We just finished cycling the tank and the levels look pretty good don't you think?

 

[Mrc8858]

Welcome to AA looks good to me what's your plans on stocking?

 

[angelvelez87]

I cant recognize any specific number on the nitrates reading but i think they are not high!! So i think it looks pretty good!! Welcome and good luck with your tank!! Post more pics!!

 

[Totter760]

Welcome to AA looks good to me what's your plans on stocking?

Well we have
2 lace cats
3 frogs
2 loaches (clown/yoyo)
2 algae eaters (one small albino) no sure the type
1 albino cat
1 sword tail fish
1 German ram
1 African leaf fish
1 graumi (sp?)
1 yellow ciclid
1 bala shark
Not sure if we stocked right. But so far they all seem to be doing well together. Whenever we went to purchase fish we told them what we had and if it was ok to add the ones we purchased. Would love any advice. Do you think we are over stocked? It's a 50gal.

 

[Mrc8858]

There is a lot of bad mismatching aggression wise and some fish that need larger tanks the bala shark gets very large and needs schools as do the clown loaches

 

[Totter760]

I cant recognize any specific number on the nitrates reading but i think they are not high!! So i think it looks pretty good!! Welcome and good luck with your tank!! Post more pics!!

It's was pretty close it looked close to a 10. Thanks so much!

 

[Totter760]

There is a lot of bad mismatching aggression wise and some fish that need larger tanks the balance shark gets very large and needs schools as do the clown loaches

That's what I thought my husband came home with the yellow ciclid. And I asked him if the guy said that he would be ok and he said that the guy told him that he would be fine if the tank had lots of places to hide and if the tank was large enough. Do you think if I got one more clown loach it would be ok?

 

[Mrc8858]

The cichlid will need a species only tank (atleast lake specific) so I think you should return him and the balas. The clown loaches are best in groups of 3-6 but can grow to a foot

Edit* also I'm not sure about the cats but many grow very large and can become very aggressive try going to liveaquaria.com and research your current stock

 

[Totter760]

The cichlid will need a species only tank (atleast lake specific) so I think you should return him and the balas. The clown loaches are best in groups of 3-6 but can grow to a foot

Edit* also I'm not sure about the cats but many grow very large and can become very aggressive try going to liveaquaria.com and research your current stock

Thanks so much! Will do!

 

[Borderlesscott]

You have a mix of African and South American Cichlids, the Yellow is probably a electric yellow from Africa and the Ram is from South America both are not compatible due to the Ph range. African like ph far higher than what americans can take, at present your Ph is a bit high for the Ram it really needs around 6.5 - some bogwood would sort that out, but then it would probably kill the Yellow. I also agree with what the others have said ref the Bala and Clowns - I have 3 clowns in my 63 gallon I'm currently trying to rehome as they have to got to big, love them to - but they grow massive - check the pic, you really need a monster tank to keep and they prefer to be kept in groups.
Don't stress we all make the same mistakes at the start.

 

[Totter760]

You have a mix of African and South American Cichlids, the Yellow is probably a electric yellow from Africa and the Ram is from South America both are not compatible due to the Ph range. African like ph far higher than what americans can take, at present your Ph is a bit high for the Ram it really needs around 6.5 - some bogwood would sort that out, but then it would probably kill the Yellow. I also agree with what the others have said ref the Bala and Clowns - I have 3 clowns in my 63 gallon I'm currently trying to rehome as they have to got to big, love them to - but they grow massive - check the pic, you really need a monster tank to keep and they prefer to be kept in groups.
Don't stress we all make the same mistakes at the start.

Thanks so much! All advise is deeply appreciated! So much to learn. But also so much fun!