Stocking advice - Leopard Danios

[JasonCooper]

Hi, new to this and need some advice.

Basically are Leopard Danios fin nippers?

Got a new 180 litre tank set-up, cycled with all indicators and test showing normal chemistry (well within the acceptable tolerances), not planted (plastic/silk plants with numerous hiding places).

Setting up for a peaceful community tank (interested in activity and colour). Got 3 Mountain Minnows and 3 Leopard Danios initally on advice from the store. Since got 4 Sunset Plattys and 4 Red Plattys.

On talking to 3 different stores I have been told conflicting advice and on searching on the net also get the same conflicting advice about Leopard Danios being fin nippers and not to mix with Guppies. Help!

Thanks and sorry for the essay.

 

[librarygirl]

Not 100% sure but you have a prety good size tank, the danios might be ok with the others. Just observe them. And make sure they are all getting enough to eat as the danios are fast and may take food from the others.

So how did you cycle the tank? How long has it been set up? If you just set it up and added fish then sorry to say it isn't properly cycled and I wouldn't add any more fish until it is. What are "acceptable tolerances" of tests? What test kit are you using? In a cycled tank ammonia and nitrite should be 0 with some nitrate.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium-186089.html

 

[HN1]

Welcome to AA Jason! Basically, no they aren't really fin nippers. The answers to Librarygirl's questions and details of your setup will help.

 

[JasonCooper]

So how did you cycle the tank? How long has it been set up? If you just set it up and added fish then sorry to say it isn't properly cycled and I wouldn't add any more fish until it is. What are "acceptable tolerances" of tests? What test kit are you using? In a cycled tank ammonia and nitrite should be 0 with some nitrate.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium-186089.html

Set the tank up with no fish for twelve days with water in and filters running using Tetra SafeStart to get a initial level of bacteria. Tested water to check if acceptable as advised by the shop and added six fish (3 Leopard Danios, 3 Minnows) and left for two weeks testing the water every two days, did a 20% water change (Using Tetra AquaSafe) and then added an additional eight fish (4 Sunset Plattys, 4 Red Plattys). Each time I added fish I also added a 10ml dose of SafeStart for a bacteria boost as advised by the shop.

NH3/4 between 0 - 0.25 mg/l (at the low end by the colour)
NO3 - 0 mg/l
NO2 - 1 mg/l
GH - between 4-8
KH - between 3-6
pH - between 6.8 - 7.2 (at the high end by the colour)
CL2 - 0 mg/l

Tetra 6-1 test strips and API Ammonia test kit. So readings could be slightly out due to matching the colours on the chart.

Woke up this morning to find one of the Danios was inside the filter housing and suggestions to stop this happening?

 

[CthulhuSpawn]

I actually have three leopard danios in with my fancy guppies, and they seem to get along... They are the long finned variety, and do pretty well with guppies, though I would worry about a school of danios and a betta...

 

[librarygirl]

Set the tank up with no fish for twelve days with water in and filters running using Tetra SafeStart to get a initial level of bacteria. Tested water to check if acceptable as advised by the shop and added six fish (3 Leopard Danios, 3 Minnows) and left for two weeks testing the water every two days, did a 20% water change (Using Tetra AquaSafe) and then added an additional eight fish (4 Sunset Plattys, 4 Red Plattys). Each time I added fish I also added a 10ml dose of SafeStart for a bacteria boost as advised by the shop.

NH3/4 between 0 - 0.25 mg/l (at the low end by the colour)
NO3 - 0 mg/l
NO2 - 1 mg/l
GH - between 4-8
KH - between 3-6
pH - between 6.8 - 7.2 (at the high end by the colour)
CL2 - 0 mg/l

Tetra 6-1 test strips and API Ammonia test kit. So readings could be slightly out due to matching the colours on the chart.

Woke up this morning to find one of the Danios was inside the filter housing and suggestions to stop this happening?

Ok so you're cycling with fish. Not cycling the tank properly (and listening to the pet shop lol but it's ok, we've all been there) -- letting the tank run without an ammonia source won't cycle it---, adding too many fish too fast and too few water changes (the bacteria stuff is hit and miss and in this case I think it missed) are causing some issues. Your nitrite at 1 is very high for fish and also showing some ammonia; both are toxic to fish so you'll need to do some water changes ASAP to get that down (don't forget dechlorinator). It'll take 2-3, 50-70% water changes to get nitrite down to a safer level (<.25 is ideal). I would trash the strips, they aren't accurate (most pet shops use the same so their numbers are often not reliable either). Stick with the API liquid kit.

No more fish until the tank fully cycles. Healthy fish don't get sucked up into the filter; the fish are probably suffering from ammonia and/or nitrite poisoning. Water changes, water changes, water changes.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium-186089.html

 

[Luananeko]

I've kept Zebra Danios (which are a different color morph of Leopard Danios) with long finned fish (swords and bettas) with no issues, but I haven't tried them with guppies yet. As long as they're well fed and have a proper school (6+ of same species) then you should have fairly few fin nipping issues. Obviously you won't be 100% sure until you try it, as fish personalities vary, but chances are decent that they'll get along just fine.

As librarygirl said though, definitely hold off on getting fish (don't even worry about fleshing out your danio school) until you finish your cycle. The more uncomfortable the fish are the higher their chances of getting nippy.

 

[siva]

They should be fine with the guppies. Just get their school size up to atleast 6-7. I've never had an issue with a school of any type of danio kept with fish like guppies, bettas, and angels. If you only keep a few of them that nipping behavior is more likely though.

 

[JasonCooper]

Ok so you're cycling with fish. Not cycling the tank properly (and listening to the pet shop lol but it's ok, we've all been there) -- letting the tank run without an ammonia source won't cycle it---, adding too many fish too fast and too few water changes (the bacteria stuff is hit and miss and in this case I think it missed) are causing some issues. Your nitrite at 1 is very high for fish and also showing some ammonia; both are toxic to fish so you'll need to do some water changes ASAP to get that down (don't forget dechlorinator). It'll take 2-3, 50-70% water changes to get nitrite down to a safer level (<.25 is ideal). I would trash the strips, they aren't accurate (most pet shops use the same so their numbers are often not reliable either). Stick with the API liquid kit.

No more fish until the tank fully cycles. Healthy fish don't get sucked up into the filter; the fish are probably suffering from ammonia and/or nitrite poisoning. Water changes, water changes, water changes.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium-186089.html

Just realised I quoted the NO2 and NO3 the wrong may round it should have been :-
NH3/4 between 0.25 - 0.50 mg/l (at the low end by the colour)
NO3 - 1 mg/l
NO2 - 0 mg/l
GH - between 4-8
KH - between 3-6
pH - between 6.8 - 7.2 (at the high end by the colour)
CL2 - 0 mg/l

I have done two 30% water changes and am planning another one tonight (not got enough containers to do a bigger one at the moment), but the other thing I noticed was the ammonia had gone up slightly, is this normal as the bacteria increase to cope with it?

Test strips due to be binned on arrival of new api liquid test kit.

The Danio issue in the filter happened again but I have noticed that several fish try to swim against the current up the outlet pipe, can you get a cover/mesh to cover the outlet pipe?

 

[siva]

You may experience a mini cycle as you add fish, which is normal. Just keep an eye on your parameters and water change when need be. If your not using Prime as your dechlorinator I recommend it, since it will make the remaining ammo and nitrite after a water change harmless to the fish for atleast 24 hours.

What kind of filter are you using? You should be able to put some pantyhose or a nylon bag around it to stop the fish.

 

[bettaowner]

I had bad luck with leopard danios. They were fast and rude fish that stole food from the tetras. It was only when I really watched the tank did I notice that I had a problem.