Advice Needed On Community Tank!

[larajade]

I've previously posted a bit about this but I just wanted a main answer on this subject - is my tank set up okay? I have had to change it a little over the past few weeks due to some of the fish being aggressive and bad advice from pet store owners...


Right, I currently have...

10 x Neon Tetras
1 x Plec
5 x Guppies
2 x Dwarf Gouramis
2 x Bloodfin Tetras
2 x Clown Loaches

and today I introduced 2 female bettas

(i think that's everything!)


I have noticed that my bloodfin tetras chase the other fish (read online about them nipping fins) and I'm concerned as one of my guppies was near the filter today and I had to get rid of it, it was completely lifeless! Another guppy has had it's tail nipped quite a lot too..


Basically, the question is -

Are these fish okay together as a community?
& do the bloodfin tetras need to go? or are they ok?
& what about the 2 female bettas, should they be fine?


Sorry for the overload of information there but I am concerned at the moment, especially with losing the guppy this morning.



thank you.

 

[Mr._Fishy]

How big is the tank? What species of gouramis do you have? Clown loaches are schoolers and need huge tanks. Depending on the species of pleco, it may need a fairly decent size tank. I don't know too much about community fish in general though, so you'll have to wait for someone else to come along to answer your other questions.

Ryan

 

[5teady_2012]

What size is your tank?

Just to add about the tetras....

Bloodfin Tetras are best kept in schools of 6 or more.

They swim mainly in the upper and middle water layers and are highly sociable fishes, mixing well with other types of tetra and tropical fish in general, so are therefore ideally suited (like many other Tetras) to a community tank. Although, like most tetras, they will tend to nip at the fins of fish with long, wavy fins such as an angelfish or guppy.

An extremely hardy tropical fish well suited to beginners, bloodfin tetras can also be kept in cold-water tanks, providing the temperature does not drop below room temperature. They thrive quite happily in temperatures ranging from 64 - 83 degrees Fahrenheit.

Turning on and off aquarium lights tends to blind these fish and cause them to dart around frantically, but they will settle down shortly after.

 

[larajade]

What size is your tank?

Just to add about the tetras....

Bloodfin Tetras are best kept in schools of 6 or more.

They swim mainly in the upper and middle water layers and are highly sociable fishes, mixing well with other types of tetra and tropical fish in general, so are therefore ideally suited (like many other Tetras) to a community tank. Although, like most tetras, they will tend to nip at the fins of fish with long, wavy fins such as an angelfish or guppy.

An extremely hardy tropical fish well suited to beginners, bloodfin tetras can also be kept in cold-water tanks, providing the temperature does not drop below room temperature. They thrive quite happily in temperatures ranging from 64 - 83 degrees Fahrenheit.

Turning on and off aquarium lights tends to blind these fish and cause them to dart around frantically, but they will settle down shortly after.

I posted this previously on another board so it might be easier for me to paste :]


"I don't know the gallons as my boyfriend sorted that out when he had to put the watersafe in, but I have this from the book..

all in CM

Length - 61
Width - 31
Height - 46


I was told about the clown loaches but he said he's never seen one grow that big, and I realised i'd be getting a bigger tank when they'd have grown quite a bit. I plan to get one when i finish uni in two years, my living room is far too small for a bigger tank right now..



so what would your advice be on the bloodfin tetras? i have a feeling these are the fish that are nipping at my guppies.

How big is the tank? What species of gouramis do you have? Clown loaches are schoolers and need huge tanks. Depending on the species of pleco, it may need a fairly decent size tank. I don't know too much about community fish in general though, so you'll have to wait for someone else to come along to answer your other questions.

Ryan

thanks for the reply!

they are dwarf gouramis.

 

[5teady_2012]

thanks for the reply!

I posted this previously on another board so it might be easier for me to paste :]


"I don't know the gallons as my boyfriend sorted that out when he had to put the watersafe in, but I have this from the book..

all in CM

Length - 61
Width - 31
Height - 46


I was told about the clown loaches but he said he's never seen one grow that big, and I realised i'd be getting a bigger tank when they'd have grown quite a bit. I plan to get one when i finish uni in two years, my living room is far too small for a bigger tank right now..



so what would your advice be on the bloodfin tetras? i have a feeling these are the fish that are nipping at my guppies.
.

87 liters - 23 gallons (US) is the tanks capacity

I think it will be them that are nipping at the guppies, and also may start to nip your bettas as well..

If you keep up with regular tank maintainance and have a good filter tehn I personally dont think your overstocked, but maybe someone else could give thier views..

 

[arsnit]

I think it will be them that are nipping at the guppies, and also may start to nip your bettas as well..

So two female bettas are ok together in a tank?

 

[5teady_2012]

I think it will be them that are nipping at the guppies, and also may start to nip your bettas as well..

So two female bettas are ok together in a tank?

I hope so lol cos i got 4 together in mine

Yes the female bettas will be ok together.

 

[larajade]

thanks for the reply!

I posted this previously on another board so it might be easier for me to paste :]


"I don't know the gallons as my boyfriend sorted that out when he had to put the watersafe in, but I have this from the book..

all in CM

Length - 61
Width - 31
Height - 46


I was told about the clown loaches but he said he's never seen one grow that big, and I realised i'd be getting a bigger tank when they'd have grown quite a bit. I plan to get one when i finish uni in two years, my living room is far too small for a bigger tank right now..



so what would your advice be on the bloodfin tetras? i have a feeling these are the fish that are nipping at my guppies.
.

87 liters - 23 gallons (US) is the tanks capacity

I think it will be them that are nipping at the guppies, and also may start to nip your bettas as well..

If you keep up with regular tank maintainance and have a good filter tehn I personally dont think your overstocked, but maybe someone else could give thier views..

good news, so i know it's them that are nipping, I will take them back asap tomorrow.
So do you know if the bettas will get on with everything else in the tank?

 

[finmama]

I would keep a close eye on the bettas and gouramis. They have been known to fight with bettas, especially male gouramis. But if the gouramis are female too less likely of that happening.
They may be fine, just keep an eye out and have a small tank ready for the Betta(s) just incase.

 

[larajade]

thank you!
one more thing - does any of you have a great job of trying to catch the fish to quarantine etc? I spent at least an hour today chasing one around the tank!

 

[5teady_2012]

thank you!
one more thing - does any of you have a great job of trying to catch the fish to quarantine etc? I spent at least an hour today chasing one around the tank!

If any of my fish are hard to catch, i try to get them at feeding times when i put food in and they surface to feed.. other than that, i sometime use 2 nets to steer it where i want it..

if its a big pain in the butt then i strip the tank to get it lol, takes longer but easier to catch lol