Time to ease the biolad?

[Satsumas]

I have aquired 2 tanks now and it seem's like a good opportunity to move some fish from my other heavily stocked tank. The heavily stocked tank in question is maintained with 2 PWC everyweek: one 30% midweek and a 15% on weekends. The fish are all fine but i just think i could be doing them a favour by moving some fish over to my new tank once it's all ready to go? I run a XP2 on it which helps a great deal.
The fish are (see sig) and i was thinking about moving my female BN pleco accross? as big waste producers i should move one pleco in theory. She is also bigger than the clown at 4 inches and would benefit more from a bigger tank.
I don't really want to move any other fish accross, although those yoyo's would be better in the 20gal long.

My stocking plans for the 20gal long are: 6-8 rummy nose tetra, 2 bolivian rams, 2 bamboo shrimp and 4-6 panda corys.

Would it be better as... 6-8 rummy nose tetra, 2 bolivian rams, 3 yoyo loach (from other tank) and 1 BN pleco (also from other tank)?

If i go with the latter then my stock list for my established tank would be: 4 black neons, 3 danios, 1 clown pleco. Which should give me room for 3 panda corys or maybe some dwarf chain loach.

I now do think the latter sounds better.

TIA

 

[coldmachineUK]

If your fish seem to be doing ok where they are now, then it might be more stressful moving them than leaving them put. I think your stock is ok: my only teeny tiny thought is that you have a lot of bottom-level fish in your established tank (3 yoyo and 2 plecs), and you might be best splitting these up respectively (yoyo in one tank and plecs in the other).

Although the long would be better for your yoyo you may find it'd be easier to move the plecs across (in terms of the logistics and also stress to fish) and leave your botia where they are.
In the 20G establoshed, I wouldn't really opt for any more bottom feeding fish: 3 botia is a good sized number in total. If you moved the two plecs to the 20G long you might want to add a trio of panda cories or something though since there'd be room though.

It's only being picky though really.

So potential stock would be:

20G established: 4 black neons, 3 danio, 3 yoyo
20G long: 1 BN plec, 1 clown plec, 3 panda cory + your selection of mid to top levels.

 

[Satsumas]

hmm, I really want to stock lightly with this new tank but it got me thinking and i think the yoyo's would really benefit with the extra room.

2 plecs in a 20gal is pushing it so i really think i should move one.

With the panda corys... there smaller than the loaches and my biggest yoyo especially deserves a longer tank. My loaches are my favourite fish (i don't like saying that but it's true ) so i do want them to have an upgrade, all be it a small one but they'd prefer it.

With a new tank the best thing about it is that its NEW and you can have different fish and plants etc.. so part of me wants to leave the yoyo's where they are. They are settled in the established tank and it would be stressfull to move them. I know that if i did move them they would hide for at least a day or two and i don't like to see them like that, also they are a real pain to catch!

 

[Zagz]

As long as the tank is cycled and you acclimate the fish from one tank to the other, they can be moved with no problem. I have moved yoyo's with no trouble, well catching them was a bit of trouble. They will be slightly stressed but they bounce back rather quickly. If you feel they would be happier with more room, then go for it.

As far as the pleco's are concerned, 2 in a 20 is too much, I agree.

 

[Satsumas]

I kind of wish i hadn't thought of the idea now!

I do honestly do think that it is the right thing to do by moving the yoyo's though. I would much rather see them buzzing around in a 3 foot tank. The 'darts' of pace that they often do and chases will last longer i think. Also the first 2 i put in there have been in there for 2 years now.

If i do move the yoyo's accross then what shall i do with the plec's?
I'm unsure of wether to move one or both. I plan to heavily plant the 20gal long so if any tank has to have a larger bioload it should be that one. I really would like a group of cories though and if i move both plecs accross and yoyo's then i think i will get 3 pandas
My stock list would only be 3 danios and 4 black neons then! so 3/4 panda's should be fine shouldn't they?

Thanks for the replies.

 

[coldmachineUK]

If you had a large plec (one of the phantoms, common, etc.) as one of your two then yes, I'd be concerned about bioload. But a clown plec and a BN plec are not going to be large enough to make it impossible to keep them together if you keep up with regular pwcs as you already suggest you do, and with the filtration you say you have (the rena xp). I really wouldn't be concerned about that. Gravel vac regularly and keep up with pwcs and they'll be fine in one 20 together. Max size of 4-5" each I believe.
I think it's worth separating them both from your yoyos though. Yes, yoyos can be caught without any problems, but it'll be more hassle for you to catch the three of these guys than the two plecs. If you want the space for them, then just make sure to set aside a net that has larger spaces in the fabric (to avoid damaging the fish in transit if they decide to poke out their spines), and an hour or two

You'd be better keeping cories with the plecs than with the yoyos. Yoyos are active, so are cories, plecs are less so. So, you might as well have an active bottom dwelling group in each of your tanks. If you do decide to move only one plec, then I'd put the cories in with that. I still believe that 3 yoyos + a plec is 'worse' (comparatively) than 2 plecs if you're worried about bioload (which, as I say, I really wouldn't be based on your routine and filtration).

 

[Satsumas]

My BN is 4 inches and the clown is about 2.5/3 inches but having two 4 inch plecs i think would be problematic or at least put pressure on the biolad. The bottom would be covered in dirt and would need thorough vaccuming. I put a leaf of lettuce in the tank last night and this morning the leaf has been thinned somewhat and there is poop everywhere! The BN is the offender and i think i will move her as she poops the most!
Also the food is an issue with the clown rarely getting a look in, in close proximety the BN will shoo the clown away, most probably due to the small confindment.

Panda corys are more sensitive i hear so with 2 plecs contributing to the biolad then this will surely be a problem? The bottom willl need precise vaccuming as the barbels can become infected i've read.

Catching yoyo's is a real problem! I've had to catch mine twice before and they really don't like it. I'm not sure if the catching process will make the end product worthwhile. :?

 

[coldmachineUK]

Well, my suggestion was based on the logic of you having successfully kept the two plecs and the 3 yoyos together in your established 20G so far.
I've seen 3 flash plecs + a blue phantom + a whiptail + a 12" gibby + a gold nugget + a king tiger all kept together successfully in a 55G before and the mess was minimal with regular cleaning (btw these fish have now been moved to a 6' plec breeding setup).
If you feel more comfortable separating them, go with that Whichever is less stressful!

 

[Satsumas]

That's true, i've kept them successfully so far, so i suppose why change it?

But... The opportunity has come to make it a little easier on the biolad and gain some more space by moving some fish. I do think i'll move the BN accross.