A Fish Change???

[Idealconcepts]

Hello Everybodies,
I am looking at removing a few fish I have and replacing them with a puffer or two. I have a 130Gal FW tank. It has been up and running for about 2 months now. The ammonia is at 0, Nitrites are at 0, PH is on the high side approximately 7.6-7.8 and it has been at these levels for about 5-6 weeks. I finally purchased a nitrate kit and checked it last week at it was at I believe 12.5 mg (I don't remember the unit used for measuring nitrates) I do water changes and vacum the gravel every two weeks and typically check the stats on the tank once or twice a week. I took the tank over for my aunt in uncle who also gave me their 2 6 inch common cat fish, and a large angel fish (will be selling to a LFS, it is currently in a 17Gal by it self). I added 2 4 inch tiger oscars, a 5 inch common Pleco, 2 1.5 inch convicts, 2 1 inch green terrors, 2 1.5 inch Jack da, and 3 2inch tinfoil barbs. I would like to sell back the 3 tinfoil barbs and replace them with possible 2 puffers that will grow to approximately 3-6 inches. From the research I have done, puffers are pretty aggressive and wanted to hear peoples experience and recommendations on this trade out for the tinfoil barbs and trade in fo 2 puffers. Also I have not decided on what puffer to go with so any recommendations would be appreciated. iamb also looking to add a rainbow arrowanna in 3-4 months in order to get the green terrors and convicts large enough so the arrowana can get it into its mouth. Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions, and also I forgot to mention but I am running 2 rena xp3's with ceramic rings so I don't think I will have a problem with the bio load.

 

[ferret]

Some recently spoke about puffers and african cichlids. I'm gonna say the same thing here, although you're talking SA cichlids. I do not believe the puffers will survive. Most of the listed cichlids, excluding the convict which grows to 6 inches, grow to over 12 inches.

The tinfoil barbs are great dither fish for what you've got set up. I would leave this setup completely alone, and buy a new tank if you want puffers. This tank is maxed out bioload wise, perhaps heavily overstocked even. Just sit back and wait for all those bad boys to grow up.

 

[Idealconcepts]

Once again thanks for the advice ferret. Can you clarify what a dither fish is, from what I have read in other threads they are fish that aren't as shy as the other fish and help to get the other fish to more active and less shy? Is that a round about definition of dither fish?

 

[ferret]

Fairly. They're fish that will swim around freely and aren't 'aggressive' (lol, Tinfoils are somewhat aggressive to my knowledge). The fact that they are swimming happily in the open helps other fish feel more secure. Also, in a tank such as yours, they provide more targets for aggressive. Tinfoil barbs should be fairly hardy, so they'll be able to take a little punishment, therefore lessening the overall aggression each individual fish is subject too.

Keep an eye on those oscars. They're probably the least aggressive cichlid you have, but will have the fastest growth rate. So if they get big enough they might pick off a smaller fish that hasn't grown as fast.

 

[tkos]

Don't arowanas get massive?

 

[ferret]

Don't arowanas get massive?

I missed this the first time I read his post.. Same thing as I stated about Puffers.. leave him out. I think you got a fairly awesome SA Cichlid tank. Keep it cool.

 

[Idealconcepts]

Thanks for the info, I am actually going to take a look at a 400gal tank in about half an hour. They are selling it with the equipment for $300, it has been sitting in their garage empty since Aug. My gf wants to buy the tank and get a shark. I'm going to check it out before we decide. I have no experience with salt water except seen it in the LFS and getting a mouthful at the beach, but I think salt water that size is gonna be very expensive. My gf said they told her to use silicone on the inside of the tank does that usually mean it leaks, is leaking, or what? Or is that something that should be done if a tank is left empty for a period of time.

 

[Idealconcepts]

The 300 Gal tank turned out to be a approximately 120-130 tank with a few cracks at the bottom. So no new tank for me.

 

[ferret]

That sucks. 400 gallon for $300 would have been such an awesome deal.