Advice Required!

[RossyBoy]

Hey guys just need some opinions really...

I currently just have a small 50L tank with a coldwater setup and a few fancy goldfish + plecs.

In July i'll be moving appartments and I am looking to purchase a tank i've seen in a local store which is about 180litres.

The question is do i transfer the coldwater setup to the big tank and just stock it a little more or do i have the new tank as tropical???

I've never had tropical fish but the choice of stock is so much bigger than that of freshwater setups! My only concern is that the fish i currently have will become too big for the tank they're in now? Can fancy goldfish live in tropical temps?

 

[melosu58]

Moved to FW forum because of the goldfish question.

 

[Zagz]

How many goldfish? Your current tank is too small for either plecos or goldfish. 180 litres will do for 3 goldfish and no plecos. Goldfish should have 20 gals the first goldfish and 10 gals each additional fish. So to answer your question, depending on how many goldfish you have you should transfer them to the new tank or take them to the lfs and get tropical fish instead.

No goldfish can't live happily in tropical temps.

 

[RossyBoy]

right thankyou. I was kinda thinking about taking them back? Think they'd do some sort of swap?

What do you think I could keep in my small tank... Say i chose to have the new tank as coldwater and transfer the fish over? What tropical fish would be most suitable for a small 50L setup?

 

[Zagz]

Most lfs's will work out a trade. For the 50L tank you could do a small school of tetras. Some cherry shrimp if you like them. There are a lot of choices out there that stay small. Guppies (but the breed readily), rasboras which are very pretty.

 

[RossyBoy]

ah right cool, thanks for your advice.

I've been told tropical fish can be hard to look after at times, especially in big setups as slight changes in the water can cause big problems?

So on that note i was thinking perhaps cold water for the large tank which would provide more space for the fancy goldfish and then some small tropical fish in the 50L setup. How many tetras/other shoal fish is ideal for 50L?

 

[Zagz]

FWIW, the bigger the tank, the easier it is to keep stable. A larger tropical tank will have less swings of parameters than larger ones. It will depend on the type of tetras you choose as to the amount you can have, small tetras like neons or cardinals 10-15, larger tetras like serpaes 6-10 IMO. A general rule of thumb to use as a guideline is 1" of adult fish per gallon, this can be variated on depending on filtration and water change maintenance. Most of my tanks are somewhat overstocked but have heavy filtration and I do 50% pwc each tank per week.

 

[RossyBoy]

right ok then, currently i have 3 fancy goldfish in a 50L cube shape tank with 2 very tiny little plecs which are apparantly actually "The Chinese Hillstream Loach, Pseudogastromyzon myersi"

Now i do realise this is overstocked, however the tank has 50% pwc a week, and 2 filters in there besides an air pump. And to be fair the fish seem fine and water very rarily is dirty or unhealthy.

How long could these fish live in such a setup? I really want to set up the big tank as tropical but still want to keep these coldwater species!

 

[verucaproduce]

I do a 50% pwc once a week and my tank has 2 filters as well. My tank isn't overstocked though.

I don't feel as though water changes can be substituted for giving the fish the proper tank size that they require to thrive. I would either try to swap out your fish at the store (or give them back if they don't allow trades) or get another tank asap.

Also, I believe that hillstream loaches have specific needs that need to be addressed. I am not sure, but maybe someone can tell you if the current you are providing is adequate.

Best of luck!