A Few Qs From A Newbie.

[Leanne_Chii]

Hey just a few quick questions. I'll try to be brief but give as much info too.

How can I make sure in a comm tank of Tetra's (about 7) and a male Betta plus a few Ottos are getting their fair share. I've tried to match my tank to have top, middle and bottom feeders. But I'm worried the quick Tetra's will gobble everything up before the Betta get's anything. How can I feed everyone and make sure everyone get's their fair share and no one is left hungry?

2ndly. Otto food. I know they eat Algae. Are Algae wafers ok for them and how many and how often? I've seen people using those Cat fish tablets, like little dried blocks of food they drop into the bottom of the tank. Are these suitable? Again how often and how many?

Thanks

NB I don't have these fish yet.. This is purely research before I stock my tank.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Hey just a few quick questions. I'll try to be brief but give as much info too.

How can I make sure in a comm tank of Tetra's (about 7) and a male Betta plus a few Ottos are getting their fair share. I've tried to match my tank to have top, middle and bottom feeders. But I'm worried the quick Tetra's will gobble everything up before the Betta get's anything. How can I feed everyone and make sure everyone get's their fair share and no one is left hungry?

2ndly. Otto food. I know they eat Algae. Are Algae wafers ok for them and how many and how often? I've seen people using those Cat fish tablets, like little dried blocks of food they drop into the bottom of the tank. Are these suitable? Again how often and how many?

Thanks

NB I don't have these fish yet.. This is purely research before I stock my tank.

Hi Leanne. I have 8 Goldfinch Tetra, pretty fast moving greedy little fella's, and although i don't have a Betta i find it alot easier to distract them away from my Dwarf Gourami by adding crushed up flake food. My Gourami then has a quiet time at a JBL Nova Tabs/bigger flaked food/food pellets.
I have had Otto's now for about 4 weeks and the only things i see them eating is the algae and veg i put in for them. From what i have read, they live mostly on even microscopics algaes, but slighlty boiled courgettes and cucumber work well also. Weigh it down and leave overnight, remembering to remove once they are done (they're a sucker when it comes to external inlets )

Terry.

 

[Leanne_Chii]

Thanks Terry. I just have the horrid fear that the slower moving fish will get nothing while the faster moving tetras will have everything!

Another little Q. Am I ok putting the Tetras in first, the the ottos then the Betta last? I know Betta's should always go in last because of teritorial issues but I've never heard of Ottos being territorial. Could I put Tetras and Ottos in the same tank at the same time or would this be pushing it?

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Thanks Terry. I just have the horrid fear that the slower moving fish will get nothing while the faster moving tetras will have everything!

Another little Q. Am I ok putting the Tetras in first, the the ottos then the Betta last? I know Betta's should always go in last because of teritorial issues but I've never heard of Ottos being territorial. Could I put Tetras and Ottos in the same tank at the same time or would this be pushing it?

I guess it all depends on what type of Tetra and what the size of your tank and filter is really. Otto's are pretty mellow little guys, they get themselves into ALL types of small areas.

Terry.

 

[Leanne_Chii]

Tank is 60ltrs and filter is a fluval plus 3 internal filter. Tank will have live plants and I've used some mature filter media donated kindly to me. It's been up and running for about 36 hours hours now.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Tank is 60ltrs and filter is a fluval plus 3 internal filter. Tank will have live plants and I've used some mature filter media donated kindly to me. It's been up and running for about 36 hours hours now.

Well maybe 6/7 Tetras of the Neon size would be suitable...or a larger number of something like Amber Tetra? (i have these, lovely deep 'sparkly' orange to them, almost 'Quality Street' wrapper ). My Goldfinch Tetra are 2 inches long, as are my Cardinal Tetra.

Terry.

PS- are you planning on doing a fishless cycle??

 

[Leanne_Chii]

I wont be adding any fish for a while yet. I'm not sure how long it takes with a filter from a tank that's already been established but I've heard it cuts the time it takes to cycle. I want my real plants in too because I've heard they help with Nitrite levels. I've added a tank additive that a friend recommended even though I don't think it really adds anything but it cant harm trying and have used tap safe so the chlorine doesn't kill my good bacteria.

We've decided on Neons I love their colouring and it's not too bright an exciting to alert the Betta. The other half likes the black neons but I prefer the normal neons

 

[nigsy]

I wont be adding any fish for a while yet. I'm not sure how long it takes with a filter from a tank that's already been established but I've heard it cuts the time it takes to cycle. I want my real plants in too because I've heard they help with Nitrite levels. I've added a tank additive that a friend recommended even though I don't think it really adds anything but it cant harm trying and have used tap safe so the chlorine doesn't kill my good bacteria.

We've decided on Neons I love their colouring and it's not too bright an exciting to alert the Betta. The other half likes the black neons but I prefer the normal neons

You need a source of Ammonia in your tank or the filter media bacteria will die!! If you've been running the tank for any length of time empty, then you may well find yourself having to do a mini cycle anyway. Get yourself a decent liquid test kit and post your water parameters. You should be able to get away with a small shoal of neons to get some bio-load into the tank.

 

[Leanne_Chii]

So is essence I can add a shoal of Neons now and there be next to no negative effects on the tank media or the fish? For my other tank, I used a filter sponge from my dads tank,used tap safe in the water, let it stand for 24 hours then added the fish. This was the way my dad told me to do it (he's kept fish for 25 years both freshwater and marine) and the goldies are doing very well. Since coming home from my lfs their colours have brightened and they are very alert and often try to school with one another. I love watching them "surf" the filter together I assume they are happy.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

It all depends how long the media that was given to you has been kept without any source of food, as it were.
I recently kept a handful of mature noodles alive in a 2L bottle with a small airstone, a regular change with warm de-chlorinated water and 3/4/5 drops of pure household ammonia.

If you have a test kit (liquid ones are always recommended), your donated media has been kept wet, warm and with some sort of source of Oxygen, and all within the past 48 hours then a small group of Neon Tetra may produce little enough bio-load for your filter media to control.

Obviously, the question should be asked how long it's been in your filter? And would your dad be prepared and be in a postion to donate more mature media in the future?

Terry.

 

[Akasha72]

don't put any oto's in until you see algae growth as they will have nothing to eat. I transferred my oto's from an established tank into a new tank recently and they all died despite trying to feed them courgette and other things to prevent hunger.

I'd recommend waiting a good few months before considering adding them