What fish can I get?

[Andy Sager]

Would my danios rip the tails of the guppies or should they be fine?

Keep them well fed and it should be no issues. Most fish rip each other because either they are hungry or protecting a territory or vying for breeding dominance. Your Danios aren't territorial and do not breed with Guppies so the only other choice is that they are hungry. So don't let them get hungry.

 

[fishkeeper123]

I think my final plan is going to be:
• 15 leopard danios
• 2 kribensis
• 2 Bristlenose plecos( maybe just one)
• 2 panda garras(if there’s a problem I might rehome one or get more of them)
I think I’ll add one Bristlenose pleco currently and then add one in around 6 months or maybe not add another what do you think I should? For the kribensis how can I make sure I pick a male and female. Are there any clear things I will be able to see so I don’t get 2 males or females? If my tank isn’t overstocked I might consider adding guppies in the future but I think i would wait around a year. Thanks for the help Andy you have really helped so I get some good fish that will work together in an aquarium.

 

[Andy Sager]

I think my final plan is going to be:
• 15 leopard danios
• 2 kribensis
• 2 Bristlenose plecos( maybe just one)
• 2 panda garras(if there’s a problem I might rehome one or get more of them)
I think I’ll add one Bristlenose pleco currently and then add one in around 6 months or maybe not add another what do you think I should? For the kribensis how can I make sure I pick a male and female. Are there any clear things I will be able to see so I don’t get 2 males or females? If my tank isn’t overstocked I might consider adding guppies in the future but I think i would wait around a year. Thanks for the help Andy you have really helped so I get some good fish that will work together in an aquarium.

Here's a pic to help with sexing Kribs ( Male is on top, female on bottom.)

You just want to make sure you get a larger male than the female to make sure you don't get a second immature female.

 

[fishkeeper123]

I have had to change my aquarium plans, my family have decided against me having a tank any bigger that 3ft long, therefore I’m getting a 160l tank( which is 3ft long). I have decided that I’m going to not add anymore danios, and maybe not get anymore garras and rehome one of them, instead I’m looking to get some swordtails. I’m hoping to get maybe 4-6(1 male? ) and have them breed but will look after the numbers so it’s not overcrowded, will the danios eat the young swordtails. Would I be able to add a dwarf cichlid( either a single kribensis or single Bolivian ram or will it be overstocked?

 

[Andy Sager]

I have had to change my aquarium plans, my family have decided against me having a tank any bigger that 3ft long, therefore I’m getting a 160l tank( which is 3ft long). I have decided that I’m going to not add anymore danios, and maybe not get anymore garras and rehome one of them, instead I’m looking to get some swordtails. I’m hoping to get maybe 4-6(1 male? ) and have them breed but will look after the numbers so it’s not overcrowded, will the danios eat the young swordtails. Would I be able to add a dwarf cichlid( either a single kribensis or single Bolivian ram or will it be overstocked?

The danios will probably be too small to eat swordtail fry but if the fry are small enough and the danios are full adult size, there's a chance.
As for the cichlids you've chosen, they are not really the best for swordtail water. Swordtails should be in alkaline water and the cichlids you are asking about should be in more acidic water. I'd skip the cichlids all together. Consider male Sailfin Mollies ( not the balloon ones) , a Female Betta or two or a paradise fish as your fry eaters because if you don't provide a lot of hiding grass for the fry, the swordtails themselves will eat the fry.

 

[fishkeeper123]

Would a female betta work with the other fish im planning on getting? Also they seem really hard to get as all the bettas I see are massive tailed bettas( males). What numbers should I get for the swordtails, I don’t mind keeping a few of the young but don’t want it to be to overstocked?

 

[Andy Sager]

Would a female betta work with the other fish im planning on getting? Also they seem really hard to get as all the bettas I see are massive tailed bettas( males). What numbers should I get for the swordtails, I don’t mind keeping a few of the young but don’t want it to be to overstocked?

The domesticated Bettas can live in almost any water so a female is fine. As for the swordtails, I'd get 1 male and the rest females whether you get a total of 4 or 6. Males can fight for breeding rights and that can be a problem in a smaller tank like a 3 footer.
I thought of another fish to consider, the Forktail Blue-Eye Rainbowfish (Pseudomugil furcatus). They stay small, eat fry and look good in a small school.

 

[fishkeeper123]

How many rainbows should I get if I don’t get a betta?

 

[Andy Sager]

How many rainbows should I get if I don’t get a betta?

6-8. Remember to get only 2 or 3 males to 4-6 females or all males if they are sexable.

 

[fishkeeper123]

I have just bought a 160l tank it’s 1m by 45 high and 40 long. I’m getting a BN and maybe other fish today not sure. I am going to move the garras and danios to the new tank any advice on how to move them? The tank is second hand and recently been used so not going to need to cycle it. I might also buy so biofilm but what food should I get for the garras and are there any particular favourites people have found BN like?( flake/pellet food)

 

[Aiken Drum]

How recent was it in use? If more than an hour or 2 dry it will need to cycle again.

 

[Andy Sager]

I have just bought a 160l tank it’s 1m by 45 high and 40 long. I’m getting a BN and maybe other fish today not sure. I am going to move the garras and danios to the new tank any advice on how to move them? The tank is second hand and recently been used so not going to need to cycle it. I might also buy so biofilm but what food should I get for the garras and are there any particular favourites people have found BN like?( flake/pellet food)

First off, as Aiken stated, if the tank was dry for more than 2 days, everything on the glass would be dead so of no value. Also, even with a tank that was functioning when purchased, I would not leave any algae or film on the glass before using it as you don't know what pathogens may be on the film or in the algae. As for not needing to cycle the tank, if you move everything from your old tank to the new tank then just add to that, the tank should already be cycled because you are moving the established microbes in the filter and on the substrate and decorations, etc. so you wouldn't be starting from scratch. If your filter is too small for the new tank, let it just run along with the new filter for a few weeks for the new filter to get it's own colony of microbes going. They will always go towards areas with higher oxygenation.
As for what food to get for the pleco, ask the shop what they are feeding their plecos and get that. If possible, ask them to feed the plecos so you can see the fish are actually eating the product.

 

[fishkeeper123]

First off, as Aiken stated, if the tank was dry for more than 2 days, everything on the glass would be dead so of no value. Also, even with a tank that was functioning when purchased, I would not leave any algae or film on the glass before using it as you don't know what pathogens may be on the film or in the algae. As for not needing to cycle the tank, if you move everything from your old tank to the new tank then just add to that, the tank should already be cycled because you are moving the established microbes in the filter and on the substrate and decorations, etc. so you wouldn't be starting from scratch. If your filter is too small for the new tank, let it just run along with the new filter for a few weeks for the new filter to get it's own colony of microbes going. They will always go towards areas with higher oxygenation.
As for what food to get for the pleco, ask the shop what they are feeding their plecos and get that. If possible, ask them to feed the plecos so you can see the fish are actually eating the product.

Ok so I have just bought a Bristlenose pleco and a pair of Bolivian rams. They are in quarantine in my old tank. With the same filter. The danios are pretty hardy so should they be fine. Also the filter for the new tank is Aquatropic which I have to add a new filter media every 3 months will that be a problem.

 

[fishkeeper123]

First off, as Aiken stated, if the tank was dry for more than 2 days, everything on the glass would be dead so of no value. Also, even with a tank that was functioning when purchased, I would not leave any algae or film on the glass before using it as you don't know what pathogens may be on the film or in the algae. As for not needing to cycle the tank, if you move everything from your old tank to the new tank then just add to that, the tank should already be cycled because you are moving the established microbes in the filter and on the substrate and decorations, etc. so you wouldn't be starting from scratch. If your filter is too small for the new tank, let it just run along with the new filter for a few weeks for the new filter to get it's own colony of microbes going. They will always go towards areas with higher oxygenation.
As for what food to get for the pleco, ask the shop what they are feeding their plecos and get that. If possible, ask them to feed the plecos so you can see the fish are actually eating the product.

I cleaned the tank and also got the plecos some sinking pellets which I’ll give to the garras. It’s a new substrate and decorations in the new tank but I have already put the garras and danios in the old tank. I guess there isn’t much I can do but hope that it’s okay. I also added bio boost hopefully that helps.

 

[Andy Sager]

Ok so I have just bought a Bristlenose pleco and a pair of Bolivian rams. They are in quarantine in my old tank. With the same filter. The danios are pretty hardy so should they be fine. Also the filter for the new tank is Aquatropic which I have to add a new filter media every 3 months will that be a problem.

I would not be changing the filter material every 3 months but instead, just rinse off the cartridge so that water can flow through it. When the cartridge gets to the point where it is falling apart, add a new cartridge but leave the odd one in for a couple of weeks so that the new cartridge can develop a bacteria bed.

 

[Andy Sager]

I cleaned the tank and also got the plecos some sinking pellets which I’ll give to the garras. It’s a new substrate and decorations in the new tank but I have already put the garras and danios in the old tank. I guess there isn’t much I can do but hope that it’s okay. I also added bio boost hopefully that helps.

Time will tell. Make sure you have a good multi test kit.

 

[fishkeeper123]

Time will tell. Make sure you have a good multi test kit.

Yeah I did the same when I started but that might have just been luck I use the aqua care master test kit. How long should I wait before adding the rams and Bristlenose to the bigger tank?

 

[fishkeeper123]

I would not be changing the filter material every 3 months but instead, just rinse off the cartridge so that water can flow through it. When the cartridge gets to the point where it is falling apart, add a new cartridge but leave the odd one in for a couple of weeks so that the new cartridge can develop a bacteria bed.

I’ll do that then I just re read it and it says every month! But will follow what you said.

 

[fishkeeper123]

Here’s a photo of the 2 rams and the bristlenose and thanks for the help Aiken and Andy and Merry Christmas!

 

[Andy Sager]

I’ll do that then I just re read it and it says every month! But will follow what you said.

That's the sale's pitch to get you to buy more cartridges. Any carbon or charcoal in the cartridge has an average lifespan of about a month. Truth is, if you do routine water changes, the water should stay clean enough that carbon/charcoal is not necessary. The nitrifying microbes will be more in the floss of the cartridge, the inside of the filter box and on the pieces of carbon so the only thing I would clean to brand new would be the impeller, impeller shaft and impeller pocket ( where the impeller sits) so that there is no reduction in water flow

As for how long to keep the fish in quarantine, Rams , being bottom fish, are very susceptible to having internal worms so I would keep the fish in quarantine for at least 4-6 weeks provided there are no signs of disease or parasites during that time BUT, the time frame after that will depend on where in the cycle the new tank is. Unless the tank is fully cycled by then, I would leave the fish in the old tank. I'd also ask the shop if they used any dewormers on the fish.

And finally, Merry Christmas to you too.