a few questions

[MyCatsDrool]

1. What is the best way to "catch" trumpet snails? I have a tank I want to move into a larger tank, and I do not want to move the substrate. However, the tank to be emptied has quite a large population of breeding trumpet snails in it, and I want to keep them. Last night, I put a few pieces of lettuce in the tank, hoping to catch some on the lettuce this morning, but none were on it. I did see many baby snails on the water surface, however. I netted them out into the larger tank, and hand picked the large ones I could see.
Is there another good way to get them up out of the gravel to where I can either capture them by hand or capture them by net?
2. I just purchased a 55 gallon aquarium. I populated it with decorations, filter media, and sand from a smaller tank. It will be stocked with the following:

2 angelfish
a black ghost knife fish
a clown plecostomus
3 dwarf gouramis
5 zebra danios
3 emerald coryadoras catfish
8 assorted mollies
2 paradise fish
1 flying fox
3 german blue ram cichlids
assorted plants and snails

Is that too many fish for a 55 gallon fish tank? I think I may remove the mollies. I would like to take them back to the pet store, as they are too prolific of breeders. However, I do feed the baby fish to my other fish, and it is one of the very few things my black ghost knife will eat.
3. How much filtration (gallons per hour) should I use on a 55 gallon fish tank? Currently, I have a tetra whisper filter that filters 60 gallons per hour. I have a few extra 20 gallon per hour filters around the house, unused. I was considering adding them to the tank. Is it possible to have too much filtration?
4. I have 4 18 watt flouresent lights and 1 20 watt flouresent light on my 55 gallon tank. Is this sufficient lighting to grow something like dwarf hairgrass or glosso or riccia? Would I need to change to a different substrate to do this? I am using pool filter sand.
5. How do I anchor down plants to keep them from being floated up by the fish?
6. How many inches of substrate should a tank have?

I am sorry for so many questions. Thank you for your help, in advance.

 

[Codefox]

1) I'm not sure the best way to catch MTS since they hide in the substrate.

2) Wow, that black ghost by itself can get to nearly 20" in length. That's way overstocked...I count close to 100" of fish in that tank.

3) That filter is entirely inadequate for that tank. For a power filter you want at least 250 - 300 GPH. You can't have too much filtration but you can definately have too little! I recommend a cannister instead if you want to do live plants so you can do CO2 if you want.

4) That should be enough for hairgrass but not glosso.

5) For stem plants you use lead weights. Otherwise just plant them in the substrate.

6) 4" should be ok

 

[MyCatsDrool]

Ok. I am going to make the stock look like this instead then.

2 angelfish
a black ghost knife fish
a clown plecostomus
3 dwarf gouramis
3 emerald coryadoras catfish
1 flying fox
3 german blue ram cichlids

Would this be ok for a 55 gallon?

Also, I was wrong on the filter. I apologize. It is actually 300 gallons per hour, a filter for 60-100 gallon aquariums.

 

[Codefox]

Someone correct me on this...I have little experience with BGK but I'd guess that the dwarf gouramis and GBRs would make a fine meal for a larger BGK.

 

[Cinder]

Yes, the BGK will very likely make a meal of the dwarf gouramis', blue rams and even the flying fox (if it's small and the BGK is bigger). I have also heard of BGK's taking out Cories. I think the biggest issue with the above tank is the BGK. They need a minimum 120 gln. tank - a 55 is not big enough. It sounds like you already have the BGK, IMO you should look for another home for it now if you can't upgrade your tank soon to the larger tank. If you find a new home for the BGK the rest of your fish should get along fine.
I'm assuming your Dwarf Gouramis are either three females or one male and two females. Two males can become very territorial and fight each other. However, in a 55 gln. you may be fortunate and they may pick opposite sides of the tank as their own territories and be Ok with each other. You should be prepared to remove one if they don't live happily with each other.

 

[Codefox]

If you really want a knife fish (and hopefully don't have that one yet) maybe you should look into finding a brown ghost. They only get about 8" and would be much better suited for your set up.

 

[MyCatsDrool]

Yes, I do have the black ghost already.
I'd sooner put him in the 55 alone than get rid of him. He is currently about 4 inches long, so I believe I have some time to purchase the 125 gallon tank you folks say he needs. I will keep him in the 55, pare down my stock considerably, and watch. If I see any problems, I will reconsider taking him to a fish shoppe or getting a larger tank for him. At the moment, he is in a 33 gallon and doing very well, living with dwarf gouramis and angel fish. He will be moving to the 55 gallon tank.
I do not see a reason at the moment to get rid of him or to not move him into the larger tank. However, I will keep in mind what has been said here and keep an eye on him.

I have the tank set up now, and it is housing the dwarf gouramis (2 females, one male, for those who were concerned), a flying fox, a clown pleco, two small angel fish, and three coryadorus catfish. it looks very empty, honestly. I do not see how putting even a four inch fish that will grow to 20 inches will be a problem as the tank will be more than twice his length if he reaches a full 20 inches. How long does it take for a black ghost to reach full length? If I have more than six months, then I can re-house him in a larger tank then.

Despite what appears to be the consensus, I believe he has a better chance here in my 55 gallon than he would in the 5 gallon tank at the fish shoppe or with an owner who has no fish knowledge at all. Not to say I have a lot, but I have at least an understanding of how to care for them. I did quite a bit of reading before purchasing him, and did not find anything stating he would be incompatible with the gouramis, or the rams, and that 55 gallons would suffice.
My sources for this information included drs. foster & smith, badmans tropical fish, aqualand pets, monga bay, gnsaquarium and a few others. All these resources are available online. I also read a book in the library about them stating that 55 gallons was a fair size for the fish (Focus on Aquarium Fish, by Geoff Rogers, Nick Fletcher).
I decided against the remaining fish per your suggestions. However, this one, I must decline to agree, until such time I see it being a problem.

With the black ghost, I have the following inches of fish in the tank stock:

dwarf gourami (3 * 4 inches = 12 inches)
flying fox (1 * 4 inches = 4 inches)
clown pleco (1 * 6 inches = 6 inches)
2 angelfish (2 * 5 inches = 10 inches)
3 coryadorus catfish (3 * 3 inches = 9 inches)
Black ghost knife (1 * 4 inches = 4 inches...growth to 20 inches)

Total currently: 47 inches
Full growth: 71 inches

That is if I do not get yet another aquarium in the next 6 months, which is likely I will, as in 6 years, I have gone from a single betta bowl to 4 fish tanks, progressively larger and larger.

Thanks for the help!

As for using lead to weigh down plants, would this not be toxic to the fish?

 

[Codefox]

Actually most of your sources most likely say to keep the BGK with large, peaceful fish that it can't swallow but won't harrass the BGK. A full size BGK is really big...its a fish that's nearly 2 feet long! With the exception of the angels & pleco (both are great tankmates for the BGK) all you're going to have with the other fish is an expensive meal for your BGK.

The 55 is probably the absolute minimum you can keep a BGK in. But think about it. BGK can get 20" long. A 55 gal tank is 13" wide. Sure its long enough but a 65 or 75 gal tank would be much better since those are 18" wide. A 120 is 24"...more than enough room. A 4" BGK will be fine for now though in a 55...I doubt he'll outgrow it very soon.

Using lead is fine They sell the weights at the LFS...though my shop just gives them to me.

 

[MyCatsDrool]

I am sure I have time to consider a larger tank. For now, however, I think my stock in the 55 is fine. In fact, as I stated before, it looks empty.
If my black ghost grows to 20 inches, I will be proud, and blessed. And I will certainly graduate him to a larger tank as a big boy gift.

 

[Codefox]

Well, if you keep him in an overstocked 55 gallon, you would have to be blessed for him to reach 20"

 

[MyCatsDrool]

Is 47 inches currently overstocked? will my 55 be overstocked for 6 months until I can get a larger tank for him?

For some reason, that made me feel ostrasized, as if I am not trying to do right by my fish.

 

[JustOneMore20]

2 angelfish
a black ghost knife fish
a clown plecostomus
3 dwarf gouramis
3 emerald coryadoras catfish
1 flying fox
3 german blue ram cichlids

I'm not going to comment on the BGK because I don't know anything about them other than they get big...but I'm not sure proper tankmates. I think its usually best to keep them with fish they can't eat.

There is someone on this site that has a BGK in a community tank, but I can't remember who or what fish they have.

Anyways...on to the other fish in your stocking....

The cories would be much happier in a bigger group. In a 55g you have room for atleast 6. I would have a minimum of 6.
If you are going to get 3 dwarf gouramis, then make sure to get 1 male and 2 females. Females can be really hard to find because they are not as colorful.

I think that if you get the gouramis, angels, pleco, and flying fox (as long as it isn't too small) now, then they will all be fine with the BGK.

I would personally hold off on the cories until the BGK moves out. Most cories sold in LFS (i said most ) are rather small....around 1 inch and I think they would be too small to be kept with the BGK. Then you could add the cories and maybe a school of tetras when the BGK moves out. I would also wait on the rams, as they can be quite small at the LFS and would be fair game with the BGK.

 

[rkilling1]

1) I'm not sure the best way to catch MTS since they hide in the substrate.

2) Wow, that black ghost by itself can get to nearly 20" in length. That's way overstocked...I count close to 100" of fish in that tank.

3) That filter is entirely inadequate for that tank. For a power filter you want at least 250 - 300 GPH. You can't have too much filtration but you can definately have too little! I recommend a cannister instead if you want to do live plants so you can do CO2 if you want.

4) That should be enough for hairgrass but not glosso.

5) For stem plants you use lead weights. Otherwise just plant them in the substrate.

6) 4" should be ok

2) BGK's get big, but take years to get there. look at Hara's BGK, I believe it is 6 years old and is only 12" long. (still to big for a 55 though)

3) Agreed

4) Agreed

5) do not use lead. lead is not good for your fish.

6) 3 - 4" but it depents on the person.

 

[hc8719]

as a BGK owner, i'll comment on this one. BGKs usually stay at 12" in captivity. and they are very, very timid as youngsters, infact my gouramis push mine away from food. the most aggressive things my BGK has done was push an upside down catfish from where she wanted to go, and nudge a balloon molly who was eating to many bloodworms, and the molly didnt even stop until 3 nudges.

im highly doubtful that any BGK under 10" could eat a cory, and im doubtful that any BGK under 20" could eat a gourami.

everyone makes BGKs out to be this badass fish, when they arent aggressive, they only eat what can fit in their mouth, just like how any other fish will eat anything that fits in their mouth.

the 55 gallon will be ok with the BGK for a few years, and i wouldnt be surprised if a 75g was all you needed in the long run.

what are you feeding the BGK?, they need a high protein diet to stay healthy, they love frozen bloodworms, and brineshrimp

EDIT: i have a BGK in a community tank, but i think trotty, hanahj, and hara do too, infact trotty has 2 i think. check out my info to see what i keep with my BGK

it might be wise to remove the angels, as with only 2, they might bully each other, plus the bio-load can add up as it does with mine, and i end up changing the water 1-2 times a week

 

[MyCatsDrool]

I am feeding the fish in question bloodworms, baby fish, brine shrimp and sinking pellets. Occasionally I will throw in a small shrimp that I get in frozen packs.
I already change water weekly. I do not work, so having to change water more often is not a problem.
Thank you for the encouragement. Mine is also quite timid.

 

[hc8719]

keep us updated...

 

[Thebluyak]

you might have already gotten this answer as I skimmed through the replys
To catch MTS all you have to do is wait till the lights go out and in about an hour they will be all over your tank : ) you can scoop them up with yuor hand or in a net.

 

[evercl92]

as a BGK owner, i'll comment on this one. BGKs usually stay at 12" in captivity. and they are very, very timid as youngsters...

im highly doubtful that any BGK under 10" could eat a cory...

everyone makes BGKs out to be this badass fish, when they arent aggressive, they only eat what can fit in their mouth, just like how any other fish will eat anything that fits in their mouth.

the 55 gallon will be ok with the BGK for a few years, and i wouldnt be surprised if a 75g was all you needed in the long run.

I would have to agree totally. My BGK is 5-6 inches currently, and you can check my profile to see what I have stocked with him.
He's by no means a killer fish. I even have all the danios I started out with. If anything is gonna be a snack, it would be them, seeing how small they are. I have a feeling he's behind some of the missing ghost shrimp though. I can't say I've even seen him be agressive toward my other fish.

I taught mine to be quite friendly with me, he comes to the surface to feed from my hand daily. If I do any tank maintenance, he's right there, checking out what's going on.

He'll be fine in a 55 for a while. I was reading on another forum that someone had one that was 16inches, but that was after 8 years. Mine eventual concern is the width of a 55gal "only" being 13 inches. You've got plenty of time.