ready for more fish???

[wenig]

I have been reading this forum since Sep 04. Love all the advice and now need some myself.
Tank (55 gal Birthday present) was setup first week of October. The ammonia is 0 and now there is brown algae growing. The tank had 3 crawfish that did not make it through the whole cycle :?
They were cool and maybe next spring we will catch some more.
The tank also has my dd betta and my ds 2 comet goldfish. I know funny combination, but after initially telling the goldies who is boss, they get along very well and all seem happy. Now here is my ? I would like some more fish maybe tetra. I like schooling fish, but I have no idea which go with the betta AND the goldies.
Oh yeah I inherited a 20 gal tank with a big (9-10 inch) algae eater. Would it be a good idea for the 55 gal to put him in and eat all the algae. Any help or suggestion would really help. I loved aquariums all my life, but it was never a option until now ( married with kids )

55 gal
1 betta (bluie luie)
2 comet
fake plant and rocks from around the river

 

[Dragonchild85]

Okay, here is my $0.02, bear in mind that you may want to hear from some of the experts first.

I would not go with anything that has frilly tails, like guppies...the betta may attack them mistaking them as a smaller male betta. My betta never bothered my neons, aside from occasionally zooming through the school.

I would also put the pleco in the 55 gallon (more room), and then you have a 20 gallon to put the betta and goldfish in if you have any problems.

Just an FYI, goldfish are generally termed "dirty fish", and most will probably suggest not putting any fw fish with them. again, just my $0.02

 

[ttopmustanggt88]

dont the gold fish and betta need different water parameters?? like temp for one?

 

[hisc1ay]

I would agree. Stick the plec in the 55, put the goldies in the 20, and get a bunch of (the same type of) schooling fish for the 55. Then spend some time looking for cool fish that you want. You could also have some pretty cool aquascape in the 55. Lots of room to play with.

-j

 

[wenig]

Thank you for the quick replys. Putting the betta and the goldies together came out of necessity. My daughter got the betta as a present in July and my son won the goldies at the fair . Last year my daughters betta died, because of to many temp. fluctuation in the winter(60-70 F within the day and night) I wasn't going to let this happened this year and ask for a LITTLE aquarium for the betta as a present. Then My sons goldies became quiet big in their little goldfish bowl (what a torture). Now they are all happy in the "Hilton" of fish tanks. The temp is 72-74F . So , I should put the goldies in the 20 and leave the betta in the 55 plusput in the algae eater and some nice schooling fish? Any other ideas ? Shrimp? I am so happy to have a nice cycled tank, that I am afraid to introduce anythin(illness) to the big tank.

 

[Feynman]

If you're concerned about temperature, why not get a heater to make it a comfortable 76 or whatever you want it to be?

I'd move the goldfish out of the FW tank and get some good tropical fish IMO. Goldfish produce more waste then other fish I guess. I hear its about 1 goldfish per 10 gallons, and 20 out of 55 gallons seems to me like a big sacrifice for some goldfish. I bet a blue lobster would go well in your tank if you liked the crawdad's.

 

[TomK2]

I once put a little crab in my 15 gal tropical tank, a month later fish started disappearing. One night I saw the little bugger grab a fish and drag it behind a plant. I intervened, but it was obvious what was happening to the fish. Wouldnt any of the crustaceans do this, including a blue lobster?

Tom

 

[wenig]

Feynman.......I am not concerned with the temperature anymore. The 55 gal has a heater and filter. the 72/74 is just a compromise between betta and goldie. The betta was in a betta bowl without a heater before I got the 55 gal. Now it is a constant temp for him, even if it isn't 80F. I need to learn so much more, but I absolutely fell in love with this aquarium. But then when the goldies are in the 20 gal ...that is it!!! 2 goldies 10 gal each. That seems like a waste too. It is not as easy as it looks 8O

 

[Feynman]

When I was little I had a 10 gal with, oh, maybe 5 goldfish in it. They were small though, I grew them from feeder goldfish. Goldfish are so hardy that they can probably do ok in less then 1 per 10 gal, especially with regular water changes, but no other fish would like to be in there with them.

Tom, I too have heard many stories about crab/lobster eating fish and it is true that they will if they can catch them. Still, I've seen lobsters in tanks with guppies before at my LFS. In a 55 gallon tank it might be hard for the lobster to get anything, especially fast schooling fish.

 

[FishLover14]

I still would not reccomend putting any fish with a crab or lobster.

Dan