Argh Decisions

[CandyCoated100]

Well im getting a new big tall aquarium and im going mad trying to figure out what to do with it atm i have a small Angelfish (which is enough because im no fan of predatory fish) and a (Big fat) Red tail black shark that are gonna be going in it. So im trying to figure out what other fish i could have, Thats when the problems start because the shark will dominate the bottom of the tank and the angelfish the middle, I really dont want small shoaling fish because i already have a tank with Danios,Neons,Harliguins,Cherrybarbs,Stupid molly fry and a Betta oh and im not a big fan of Catfish,Plecos... Anyone have any ideas?!!

 

[fatheadminnow]

to TFF!

First thing is first; have you cycled your tank yet? If so, could you please let us know how you did so?

Again,

-FHM

 

[Wills]

What are the dimensions of the tank? And the capacity its easier for us to suggest if we know what they are going into

 

[CandyCoated100]

Well i aint got it yet should be this week tho, To cycle it im gonna be useing one of the filters (i have 2) and half of the water from my other tank.. aint adding any fish for awhile as im just trying to figure out what would be suitable atm oh and im not sure about the dimensions but going by the size (It was my aunts) i THINK its proberly about 30-40 gallons

 

[fatheadminnow]

That method of cycling is known as a fish-in cycle, in which is not really recommended to do because it puts the fish in harms way. Instead, what we recommend here on the forum on how to do cycle a tank is what is called as a fishless cycle. Where you cycle a tank without fish, hence, fishless.

Have a read here about how to do a fishless cycle. Also, a fishless cycle is way easier than a fish-in. Where as a fish-in you will beed to change roughly 75% of the water twice a day.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

-FHM

 

[mini_matt]

he just said hes not adding fish yet!!!!!!!!! fishless!

 

[GAB99]

hiya

what about hatchet fish for the top? and then add another angel and get like 6 marble hatchets and i think youll be ok. i dont know about the shark though, if they like to eat things then i would go with 6 silver hatchets.



and yes she did say she wasnt adding fish. :stupid: jkjk

what else will you be putting in there?

oh yeah.

 

[fatheadminnow]

he just said hes not adding fish yet!!!!!!!!! fishless!

From reading what she said, and taking in her number of posts, I highly doubt she knows about fishless. Also, there is absolutely no need to add some tank water from her other tank to his new tank, so this could be what she thinks is "cycling."

This is why I said what I did. There is no need to get into arguments over this. Also, if she adds some filter media from her other tank to his new one without adding and ammonia or fish then he is going to loose some, or all, of the bacteria in that mature filter media.

This is also another reason why I said that about fishless cycling. A fishless cycle is WAY better than a fish-in cycle, so just reassuring that she should do a fishless cycle, even if she already knows about it, is IMO all the reason necessary to say what I said.

-FHM

 

[GAB99]

HE is a SHE

but you do have a point.

wouldnt it be ok to take one of the more "expendable" fish from your other tank to keep th bacteria alive in the new one? then when you get your fish put it back in the old tank?

btw how do you post pics?

 

[fatheadminnow]

HE is a SHE

but you do have a point.

wouldnt it be ok to take one of the more "expendable" fish from your other tank to keep th bacteria alive in the new one? then when you get your fish put it back in the old tank?

btw how do you post pics?

I caught that right after I posted!

If she were to add one fish, then the bacteria, if there was a lot in the mature filter media, would die off because there would not be enough ammonia being produced to keep all the bacteria alive.

She would be better off adding the mature filter media to her new tank, then go and do a fishless cycle from there. This wold ensure the maximum bacteria needed to support the full stocking of her new tank.

-FHM

 

[GAB99]

or could she put everything in one the day the tank comes in?

like

set the tank up
put the filter
buy the fish she wants
put them in the water
tah dah!

 

[fatheadminnow]

or could she put everything in one the day the tank comes in?

like

set the tank up
put the filter
buy the fish she wants
put them in the water
tah dah!

If she did this, then she would run the risk of an ammonia and/or nitrite spike. Why? Because the mature filter media may not contain enough bacteria to safely handle a full stocking of fish for her new tank. That is why a fishless cycle is so beneficial to us; when a fishless completes the person can safely add all the fish to his or her tank because during a fishless cycle, the amount of ammonia added will colonizes enough bacteria to do so.

-FHM

 

[GAB99]

ok......what if she only adds 1/2? (wow this is all i can come up with? come on mojo, you know you lost why cant you admit it? fishless is better than the crap your spewing!) uhh...

 

[fatheadminnow]

ok......what if she only adds 1/2? (wow this is all i can come up with? come on mojo, you know you lost why cant you admit it? fishless is better than the crap your spewing!) uhh...

There is just no safe way to go about it. If you add fish, the potential of an ammonia and/or nitrite spike is going to be greater than that of a completed fishless cycle.

-FHM

 

[meguro]

This thread got off topic rather quickly...

Well i aint got it yet should be this week tho, To cycle it im gonna be useing one of the filters (i have 2) and half of the water from my other tank.. aint adding any fish for awhile as im just trying to figure out what would be suitable atm oh and im not sure about the dimensions but going by the size (It was my aunts) i THINK its proberly about 30-40 gallons

Sounds to me like she has two filters running on a stocked tank. That means she could do this:

set up the new tank
put in one of her old tank filters
depending on size of the filter add half or less of the fish she wants in the new tank (within a few hours of adding the filter)

Now to the actual topic about stocking. Depending on the actual dimensions of the tank, perhaps a school of dwarf neon rainbowfish would make a nice addition (about 5; 2m 3f). And if you go with a sand substrate (and again if the dimensions permit) an eartheater cichlid.

I also suggest not adding the angelfish and rtbs to the tank immediately, even though you'll need to add something to keep the filter bacteria going. As they would be likely to establish territories and not take kindly to any new fish you plan to add. So add them last. This means you'll need to have some idea of what to put into the tank before you move the filter over, otherwise you will have to cycle it again.

Also, you said you didn't particularly like catfish (corydoras presumably?) and plecs. Is there a similar dislike for loaches? Otherwise they could be an option too.