Fish compatability recommendations

[Mannyfish]

Hi, I have a 64 litre (17 US gallon) tank, it has been running for about 3 weeks. All water tests are fine and fish seem healthy.

I currently have:

1 male betta
1 red tailed shark
1 swordtail
1 platy
1 angelfish
1 clown loach
5 guppies
5 cardinal tetras

I know this is to many fish for my size of tank, I have bought a 200 litre (53 US galon) tank and will be ready for fish in a few weeks once it has been cycled. I also know such a mix of fish isn't the best idea, I should have done some more research instead of listening to the pet shop dude.

I plan on fully planting the new tank, with lots of plants and hiding areas.

All of my fish get on great except the angelfish and my betta, the angel keeps chasing and nipping at the betta. If needed I will keep both tanks running and keep them separate but I would like to try and keep them together, please note they have lived together for 2 weeks and haven't had any injuries that I can see. When I start adding fish from from old tank to new, what would be best to put in first? To hopefully prevent any territory fighting.

Any other comments and tips is appreciated. Thanks

 

[Byron]

Welcome to TFF.

You are correct in that you have some very serious issues with this mix of species, and first let me say that while it may generally appear to be OK this is certain to change. The fact that too many different-behaviour fish are forced into this small a space (to the fish programmed to live in natural expanses any aquarium is restricting but small tanks much more so) means they are not able to exercise their natural inherent behaviours and this is causing harm to the fish. There are no external signs of this, but the fish are being detrimentally affected and this is weakening them at the very least. It can also cause very sudden and strong aggression down the road when the fish sort of "go berserk." Some of these must be removed ASAP, and the larger tank is not going to help these individuals so returning them to the store or another aquarist is really your only option for these I will mention now.

Male betta are not community fish, and should always be on their own; a small tank like a 5g is fine, or leave him in the present 17g when you get the larger, which hopefully will be very, very soon to resolve the following problems.

Red Tail Shark...this is not a good community fish. It needs at minimum a 4-foot (120 cm) length tank, and no other substrate fish like itself (the clown loach is a serious threat). It also frequently takes an aggressive dislike to some upper fish, especially those with stripes (the angelfish for example is almost certain to be a target when these are together in the larger tank). At five inches, this is not a small fish.

As for the clown loach, this is a shoaling fish that must have a group of at least five, but as it grows to somewhere between 8 and 12 inches this means at least a six-foot length tank. Loaches are highly social fish, and the absence of a group is having very serious negative impact on this fish's health. Please return this fish, there is no way you can keep it healthy otherwise.

The angelfish can manage in the larger tank; this is also a shoaling species, meaning they live together in smallish groups, but there is no space for that even in thee larger tank, so this angelfish will have to be on its own. Not something I recommend, but unless you return it you have no other option.

As for the other smaller fish, they can work in the larger tank but first we need to know your water parameters for your source water. Hardness (GH) is critical to fish, and the pH is also important. The GH and pH of your tap water is what you need to know, check the website of your municipal water authority or contact them. We cannot be suggesting fish until we know the water will be what they require. Livebearers (swordtail, platy, guppies) are moderately hard or harder water, while cardinal tetras are soft water.

Feel free to ask questions; all of us are here to help.

Byron.

 

[Firecracker]

Did you put the beta in before the angle fish or after

 

[Firecracker]

I have
1 beta
2 minnows
2 torpedo fish
2 rosy barbs
1 Red tailed black shark
3 sword tails
2 bomani rainbow fish
1 angle fish
In a 260 litre tank an they all live fine especially my red tailed black shark and my beta and my angle fish
There is no interaction between my angle fish and my beta and my shark lives in the submarine and barrel.
There is no sign of aggression
.

 

[Mannyfish]

Thanks for your reply, I'm disappointed the people at the pet store misinformed me but it's my own fault for not doing enough research. I will contact them and see if I can give back some of them.

My water straight from the tap is around 7ph all the time and is soft.

If I kept both tanks running, what fish should I keep in each one to avoid conflict and stress? And which poor guys would have to be re-homed all together? I would like to keep as many as I can from what I already have, but also want them to have the best life possible. I get the new tank delivered in a couple days and will get it running as soon as possible.

I appreciate your help

 

[Mannyfish]

The angel and betta were put in at the same time

 

[Byron]

Thanks for your reply, I'm disappointed the people at the pet store misinformed me but it's my own fault for not doing enough research. I will contact them and see if I can give back some of them.

My water straight from the tap is around 7ph all the time and is soft.

If I kept both tanks running, what fish should I keep in each one to avoid conflict and stress? And which poor guys would have to be re-homed all together? I would like to keep as many as I can from what I already have, but also want them to have the best life possible. I get the new tank delivered in a couple days and will get it running as soon as possible.

I appreciate your help

I think I answered some of this previously, but that's OK. The fish that will not work in either tank are the clown loach and the red tail shark, so these need to be re-homed (store or another aquarist).

If the water is soft, the swordtail and platy and guppies would be best returned as these require moderately hard water. The other named fish are soft water species. However, I would like to confirm the water parameters...can you get the number and unit of measurement for the GH (general or total hardness)? While there, the carbonate hardness (KH or Alkalinity) is also helpful.

The Betta needs to be on his own as explained previously. The other fish will be OK in the larger tank, with more of the cardinals (they are shoaling fish and the more the better). The angelfish as I said previously is technically a shoaling fish, but one alone can sometimes work unless it decides to get nasty with other fish. I would, simply because I do not like to see fish in anything other than the most natural setting we can provide for that fish.

 

[Byron]

I have
1 beta
2 minnows
2 torpedo fish
2 rosy barbs
1 Red tailed black shark
3 sword tails
2 bomani rainbow fish
1 angle fish
In a 260 litre tank an they all live fine especially my red tailed black shark and my beta and my angle fish
There is no interaction between my angle fish and my beta and my shark lives in the submarine and barrel.
There is no sign of aggression
.

As you have posted in this thread, I will offer some advice. First, welcome to TFF.

You have serious issues here, and others waiting to occur. The shoaling fish (all barbs, minnows, rainbowfish) must have a group of their own species or they will absolutely not be in the best health. Read the green citation in my signature; shoaling fish "expect" to be in groups, and this is programmed into their DNA.

Angelfish and Betta will undoubtedly be stressed by active swimming fish (barbs, minnows). The Betta is not a community fish. I explained all this previously.

As for no sign of aggression, there will bee aggression you cannot see. Fish react to chemicals they release, and these can be just as stressful. The blue citation in my signature refers to this.