Desperate newbee

[ejaramillo01]

Finally a picture

Here is the picture of our tank. Finally, the picture includes the 2 new red gouramies!!!!

 

[ejaramillo01]

Question gouramies

Our 2 red Gouramies started to fight all day, mainly one is the bully. Do you think that is because the lack of territories definition in my tank? (see picture).
I was told that the Gouramies are community, friendly, Do I need tobadd another 2 gouramies to reduce the bullying?

Thanks for your opinions

 

[Cococalm]

Hey, good to hear the cycle went good. I am surprised though that the LPS would recommend a Clown Loach to you as a beginner. They are amazing fish but very finiky. I would have certainly recommended Yoyo Loaches or Skunk Loaches instead, smaller and less particular. I would also add an Angel, as they can get aggressive alone. The shark is easy, but can also get big @ +- 4 inches. As for the SAE .... personally, I would avoid. You would be better off getting Otocinclus ( more effective ). The SAE are fine when young, but after they are useless as cleaners and are aggressive to boot. A better fish similar to the SAE would be the Crossocheilus oblongatus - Siamese Flying Fox. Together with the Otocinclus, by far the best algae eaters you can get. The Flying fox can also be kept solitary. Corys are a must in my opinion also. You have mostly bottom and a few middle water fish. Consider maybe some Hatchets and Danios for some lively fun and activity. Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[BigJim]

It's Chinese algae eaters that you want to avoid. They get big and aggressive and usually prefer slime coat to algae. Siamese algae eaters are excellent algae eaters and are one of the few fish that will touch BBA. The only real knocks against SAEs that I know of are that they get too big for small aquariums and they're easily confused with the flying fox, which doesn't clean up algae as well as a true SAE. Your tank could handle a si

I got one Angel fish, 4 rasbora tetras, 1 clown loach, 1 small catch fish, and 1 small red fin shark albino.

What kind of catfish do you have? Some species, like cories, otos, and glass cats are suitable for your tank. Others like redtails and channels get several feet long and are suitable for only the largest aquariums. It makes a difference.

Are they rasboras or tetras? It's important to know the species of your fish. It can be crucial to caring for your fish properly.

The angel and the gouramis may not get along. Those fish can sport major attitudes, as you've found out. It's a family thing. Angels are cichlids and gouramis are related to bettas. You can try using plants to break up sight lines in the tank, but you may have to separate the fish.

How are your water parameters holding up? You've got a significant bioload in the tank and it sounds like it's getting a bit crowded. If you're set on adding an SAE, only add one. Proceed with caution if you're planning to add more fish.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Thanks

Thanks BigJim, I did not see your original reply.

You right, I do have a rummy-nose tetras (not rasboras). They initially were faded in the colors, but now they all got a nice, deep red color in the nose and a little line in the body. The cat fish, you alright again, It is not a cat fish, Is a Bronze Cory, He is not doing well, somebody bite on his dorsal fin, and looks sad, maybe not enough place to hide or need some friends?

The water is keeping with ph = 7.2 , 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, and around 20 Nitrates. I'm planing to do a 30% PWC this Saturday (1 week). Temperature is a 82 degress, and the water hardnes is kind of high is around 150, I'm planing to use tap water treated with Prime for the PWC.

So my total fish in the tank are:
1 Angel
2 Red Gourami
4 Rummy-nose tetras
1 Bronze Cory
1 Albino red fin shark
1 Siamese algae eater

That is all. !!

So do you think that my bio-load is at the limit?

 

[BigJim]

Your water parameters look good. I'd actually consider lowering the tank temperature a bit. I keep my tanks in the 72-74 degree range. Cooler water holds more oxygen. If anything, it'll help cut down on the power bill. If you want to lower the tank temp, do it in small steps every few days over the next two weeks to keep the fish from stressing.

Cories are a type of catfish. You're right about him needing friends. Cories are schooling fish and do best in groups of six or more. If you're running a big canister filter, you should be able to add some more cories. I don't think I'd add any more fish though.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Understood

Thanks because is always good to talk with real people, who has been there before us, and can share experiences. Because I learned (the bad way some months ago in my first experience with this hobby) that the LFS guys are not "truly" interested in the best for your tank, or some just work there, don't know and don't even have a tank in their homes
I will follow the advice !!!

Keep you posted

 

[ejaramillo01]

New questions

I added some plants (ornaments, plastic), trying to reduce the attitude of one of the Gouramies. I will keep an eye in the next days.

Before I introduced the ornaments to the tank I washed it with tap water, and then I rinsed it thoroughly with Destilated water, as always, I do have a question:
Are The artificial plants good for the tank?, I mean, they don't have chemicals or bleed substances with the time correct?

I would like in the future to plant in the tank some real plants, but I'm not ready yet, I would like to become real familiar with the maintenance of the fish, and maybe later ( at least 6 months) think about live plants.

Thanks for your answers

 

[BigJim]

Artificial plants are a good thing. They provide cover for the fish and some visual appeal for the fish keeper. Fake plants that are sold specifically for aquariums won't leach anything into the water. The worst I've experienced is they break apart over time as light degrades the plastic. Fake plants that aren't sold specifically for aquariums are a toss-up. Some can be safe, but you have to be careful.

I switched to live plants about a year ago and I'd never go back to artificials. Live plants add another challenge to keeping an aquarium.

 

[dkpate]

Don't lower the temp with the angel in there, they prefer 82*, but then again the cory prefers 72-74*, so it's up to you.
Did you say you had 2 male gouramis? If so, IMO, the tank is not big enough for the two of them, and the only way you might be able to lessen the aggression is to get a female, but you usually can't find those in the store.

 

[ejaramillo01]

IMO

Thanks for the advice, Do you know if the corys can live at 80 or 82?

Yes I believe that both are males, what does it mean IMO?

 

[uscamaro]

"In My Opinion"

 

[dkpate]

I think they can live at those temps, but their life span will be shortened, that's just what I have heard though, not learned from experience. I keep my corys at 74*.
When people put on the letters to mean something, you can usually put your cursor over the top of the letters, and it will tell you what they mean. Try it; pwc imo

 

[ejaramillo01]

Ohhhh!!!!

Thanks Darby and uscamaro

Now I know how the read some of these abreviates.

I will keep you posted about the Corys , I'm now at 80 degrees, I'm not going lower than 80

I will trybto add the Corys this weekend

 

[ejaramillo01]

Picture

This picture is a small token of appreciation to all the great people in this forums that helped us to re-start our tank (after a horrible and frustrating first experience). Means a lot to my son and myself.
By the way, with the added ornaments the gouramies are fighting just a little (during feeding time), no more fights during the rest of the day.

Thanks to all

 

[ejaramillo01]

Ups !!!Bad news

Just an update, the tank is doing good, I did a PWC, aprox 30%, 7 days after we added the fish. The readings were good even before the PWC. 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites and around 20 to 30 Nitrates.
After the water change readings are better Nitrates drop around 5 to 10. Ph is holding between 7.2 to 7.4. Tmeperature is now at 80 degrees.

The bad news is that the Gouramie who was constantly bully by his mate, died this afternoon . This is strange to me, this morning ate, not normal but ate some.

The rest of the fish look good, good apetite, good colors, etc. The Angel is a little shy and loves to be between the rocks and ornaments , normally in the bottom, but he always come up and hungry once somebody get close to the tank.

Do you think that the Gourami died because the stress? Did not looked niped, his fins were good. What do you guys think?

Thanks

 

[dkpate]

He might have died from stress. Imagine getting chased by a murderer every day, you would get stressed too LOL.
I lost 3 gouramis for no reason, and then I lost my last one because he had some sort of dormant parasite for a year, and it didn't show up until after we moved, because he was stressed.

 

[ejaramillo01]

One year after!!!

One year after!!, ha that was hard to detect!!
I got you about the chase by a murder, you right!!!


I hope the rest will be fine.

Thanks for your reply?

 

[dkpate]

I hope the other one will be fine too. I have heard of alot of people having problems with dwarf gouramis lately.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Angel fish

Hi Darby.
So far so good. The only issue is that my Angel fish look to shy, but also I noticed that the top fin looks like damaged, like if another fish maybe bite on it. But I don't see any other fish giving hard time to the Angel.

His appetite is good, is eating normal, it just always behind the ornaments, etc.

What do you think?