Any suggestions? -- stocking 14 gal

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

FXF

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Feb 26, 2011
Messages
2
Hey AA Team,
New here and this is my first post. Started to maintain an aquarium [6 months ago] and wanted some clarifications/suggestions.
My fish tank details are as follows:
-TANK: 14.2 gallons / 54 liters tank [freshwater]
-ELECTRICAL: 10 watts tube light, 50 watts heater and 18 watts liquid filter
-DECORATION: base of pebbles, 2 plastic plants, a ceramic hut and bridge
-FISH: 2 angle, 6 silver dollar, 2 catfish, 1 sucker, 1 guppy and 2 tetra
-FOOD: flakes, twice daily.

So my questions are:
-Is the stocked right? Or too much?
-Can I place a shrimp/lobster [small] in the tank? More to maintain cleanliness in the tank than eye appeal.
-I do a partial water change [10%] once a week. Is it sufficient? Once a month I ensure to pump out the base of the tank too, while doing the PWC.
-The silver dollars seem to be nipping each other [a few] I know that they are semi aggressive, but seldom seen them fight amongst themselves. Reason to be alarmed?
-Had placed live plants in the tank, but they were shredded with an hour, thanks to the silver dollars. Can I place a few lucky bamboos in the tank?
-Every time I clean my tank, the sucker dies. I only use a sponge [dedicated for tank] to clean the inside of the tank. This is my 6th sucker in the tank!
-The inside of the tank [glass] gets this thin film. The LFS suggested placing a sucker. However, not seen much of a difference. What’s the best way to get this cleaned?
-I have attached a picture of the tank. If any of the placements is incorrect, any suggestions please do let me know. Seriously, got so much more information in detail out here than from my LFS.
 

Attachments

  • fxf.jpg
    fxf.jpg
    254.5 KB · Views: 89
  • fxf2.jpg
    fxf2.jpg
    254.1 KB · Views: 92
  • fxf3.jpg
    fxf3.jpg
    231.5 KB · Views: 82
The angelfish, silver dollars, and sucker fish will get too big for your size tank. The guppies should be fine. What kind of catfish do you have? Tetras also like to be in schools of about 6. You can probably add some shrimp, but probably not a lobster. I would recommend rehoming the angelfish, silver dollars, and suckerfish though.
 
Hey AA Team,
New here and this is my first post. Started to maintain an aquarium [6 months ago] and wanted some clarifications/suggestions.
My fish tank details are as follows:
-TANK: 14.2 gallons / 54 liters tank [freshwater]
-ELECTRICAL: 10 watts tube light, 50 watts heater and 18 watts liquid filter
-DECORATION: base of pebbles, 2 plastic plants, a ceramic hut and bridge
-FISH: 2 angle, 6 silver dollar, 2 catfish, 1 sucker, 1 guppy and 2 tetra
-FOOD: flakes, twice daily.

So my questions are:
1. Is the stocked right? Or too much?
2. Can I place a shrimp/lobster [small] in the tank? More to maintain cleanliness in the tank than eye appeal.
3. I do a partial water change [10%] once a week. Is it sufficient? Once a month I ensure to pump out the base of the tank too, while doing the PWC.
4. The silver dollars seem to be nipping each other [a few] I know that they are semi aggressive, but seldom seen them fight amongst themselves. Reason to be alarmed?
5. Had placed live plants in the tank, but they were shredded with an hour, thanks to the silver dollars. Can I place a few lucky bamboos in the tank?
6. Every time I clean my tank, the sucker dies. I only use a sponge [dedicated for tank] to clean the inside of the tank. This is my 6th sucker in the tank!
7. The inside of the tank [glass] gets this thin film. The LFS suggested placing a sucker. However, not seen much of a difference. What’s the best way to get this cleaned?
8. I have attached a picture of the tank. If any of the placements is incorrect, any suggestions please do let me know. Seriously, got so much more information in detail out here than from my LFS.


1. No, way too much. What kind of catfish? So far, only your Tetras and Guppys can stay in that take.

2. I'm not sure about lobsters and shrimp.

3. Did you cycle your tank? 10% water change is pretty small, do you have a test kit? Water changes are based on what your test kit says.

4. Yes it is cause for concern, they are crammed in a small tank. Even a single dollar requires a larger tank.

5. Not sure about bamboo.

6. Stop buying more fish :). You need to figure out your stocking issues. He isn't dying for no reason. Is the tank cycled?

7. You can scrape the glass clean with algae scrapers, or just google "How to solve algae".

8. DON'T TRUST THE LFS! Come here with your questions, most LFS don't give any sort of real information. The fact that he sold you all those fish in a 14G tank is already telling us that we're dealing with another nightmare LFS story :)


By the way, don't take anything people tell you personally. We are here just to give you advice, while sometimes it's blunt. If you listen to the great members of AA, you should be able to get your tank rocking in no time!
 
:welcome: to AA! :)
FXF said:
Hey AA Team,
New here and this is my first post. Started to maintain an aquarium [6 months ago] and wanted some clarifications/suggestions.
My fish tank details are as follows:
-TANK: 14.2 gallons / 54 liters tank [freshwater]
-ELECTRICAL: 10 watts tube light, 50 watts heater and 18 watts liquid filter
-DECORATION: base of pebbles, 2 plastic plants, a ceramic hut and bridge
-FISH: 2 angle, 6 silver dollar, 2 catfish, 1 sucker, 1 guppy and 2 tetra
-FOOD: flakes, twice daily.

So my questions are:
-Is the stocked right? Or too much?
-Can I place a shrimp/lobster [small] in the tank? More to maintain cleanliness in the tank than eye appeal.
-I do a partial water change [10%] once a week. Is it sufficient? Once a month I ensure to pump out the base of the tank too, while doing the PWC.
-The silver dollars seem to be nipping each other [a few] I know that they are semi aggressive, but seldom seen them fight amongst themselves. Reason to be alarmed?
-Had placed live plants in the tank, but they were shredded with an hour, thanks to the silver dollars. Can I place a few lucky bamboos in the tank?
-Every time I clean my tank, the sucker dies. I only use a sponge [dedicated for tank] to clean the inside of the tank. This is my 6th sucker in the tank!
-The inside of the tank [glass] gets this thin film. The LFS suggested placing a sucker. However, not seen much of a difference. What’s the best way to get this cleaned?
-I have attached a picture of the tank. If any of the placements is incorrect, any suggestions please do let me know. Seriously, got so much more information in detail out here than from my LFS.

Your angels, silver dollars, and sucker fish will eventually have to be re-homed. All of those fish get too big for your tank (around six inches by a foot for the angels, silver dollars six to eight inches, that common pleco two feet. No more fish.
No lobster, unless you wanted it to eat the fish. Shrimp and lobsters don't really "clean" your tank unless its amanos, which eat algae.
I would be doing 30-40% weekly. It's a small tank, toxins will build up quick, especially with a bio load from the pleco.
Your tank is too small, not enough room for them to stretch, they're mad and turnin on another.
Bamboo isn't fully aquatic and unless you can get it to grow out of the tank, it'll die.
That's weird. Do you have a test kit to test your water? Is it just the sponge itself you're using?
Do not listen to the LFS, they seem bad to me already selling you a fish that will eventually be two-foot and doesn't really eat algae that much.
 
I agree with the others wholeheartedly. You'll either need to return/rehome some fish very quickly or upgrade to much larger tank.

Also is the sponge filter the only filter you're using? You're going to need a lot more filtration than a sponge filter can provide for that size tank. The AquaClear filters are the best choice; just get one rated higher for your tank size (e.g. you could get an AC 50 or 70).

Also how new is this tank? Did you cycle it first or just set it up and add fish? Please read the link in my signature: new tank with fish. Unless the tank was properly cycled beforehand those fish are swimming in toxins. You should be doing 50% water changes daily and testing the water with a good test kit to keep ammonia and/or nitrite under .25 at all times until the tank establishes itself. The link in my signature 'what is cycling' will explain the nitrogen cycle and how important it is to the well-being of your fish.

Good luck.
 
Back
Top Bottom