Because kids like Glofish...

[Inheritthefish]

and my husband's nickname is "Dad Says Yes!," I inherited a new hobby. This often happens in our house, but seldom with such enjoyable results. Turns out that I LOVE it. We've had a 20 gallon tank with 3 skirted tetra glofish for about a year. Recently, a friend rehomed the last of her fish, a lone cory, with us. After a bit of research into them, I changed out my substrate from gravel to sand, redecorated with rocks and spider wood, and prepared to get the cory schoolmates. Here's where I went wrong-- our local fish store told me I could keep up to 30 fish provided they were small. I took home five corys, three glo skirted tetra and seven danios. Everyone acclimated without incident, but it's clear that we're drastically overstocked. The glofish have all staked out territories and the danios stay in a tight little group. I've been closely monitoring the H2O parameters, and have had the ammonia levels rise to .25 twice in a week, so I've been doing 20% changes almost daily. So far, no one has been nippy, but I need to upgrade asap.
I don't have a huge footprint that a new tank could occupy. I used the calculator, and I think that I can get away with upgrading to 36-40 gallon tank. Am I right, given the activity levels and normal habits of the fish we have? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
I'm so glad to join you all!
Jill

 

[FishGuest5123]

Welcome, Jill! Glad to have you join our community! I think a 40 will be fine. Make sure they are all compatible to the same temperature and water conditions, i.e., do they prefer hard water or soft water? Is your water hard or soft? Sounds like you have a good bit of knowledge already.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Welcome to the forum!

It sounds like you know your stuff. That’s good to do research before getting fish.

 

[Retired Viking]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I would do larger water changes if possible. 1 large change at 40% is actually better than 2 small at 20% a week. Live floating plants like anacharis and water sprite will also help keep the ammonia level down because they will absorb it as food.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I would do larger water changes if possible. 1 large change at 40% is actually better than 2 small at 20% a week. Live floating plants like anacharis and water sprite will also help keep the ammonia level down because they will absorb it as food.

I believe you misread, my friend. She’s doing 20% daily right now, not weekly. I do agree with Retired Viking King though that large water changes are more beneficial. I do about 70% once a week.

 

[Retired Viking]

I believe you misread, my friend. She’s doing 20% daily right now, not weekly. I do agree with Retired Viking King though that large water changes are more beneficial. I do about 70% once a week.

I just woke up from a nap,

 

[FishGuest5123]

I just woke up from a nap,

Completely understand.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Lol, yes. What @Deanasue said is what I was going to say.

 

[Back in the fold]

I ran across some info lately that claimed Glo-Fish are patented and it's against the law to breed them. Is that true ? Also, apparently there are now Glo-Fish Bettas ! Is that true ? Where is all this Island of Dr. Moreau stuff going to end ?

 

[Retired Viking]

Yes there are glo--fish Bettas, yes they are patented, if you breed them to sell you would be violating patent laws.

 

[Back in the fold]

Yes there are glo--fish Bettas, yes they are patented, if you breed them to sell you would be violating patent laws.

Thanks man. That's two questions answered but I still want to know where all this mad scientist stuff is going.

 

[Retired Viking]

Thanks man. That's two questions answered but I still want to know where all this mad scientist stuff is going.

It really does make you wonder, I wish that they would try and improve the lives of the fish making them better able to withstand being in aquariums by making them stronger and healthier.

 

[Essjay]

The mad scientists invented glo danios for a specific purpose not to keep as pets, but the aquarium trade decided they would be able to sell them as people would buy such colourful fish, so big business got in on the act. It probably never occurred to the scientists that anyone would want to keep them in an aquarium; big businesses are the ones to blame for being greedy and creating more and more glo species just to make money.

 

[Colin_T]

I ran across some info lately that claimed Glo-Fish are patented and it's against the law to breed them. Is that true ? Also, apparently there are now Glo-Fish Bettas ! Is that true ? Where is all this Island of Dr. Moreau stuff going to end ?

Yes they have been patented.

Unless you signed a contract/ agreement when you bought the fish, or you were told/ informed that you aren't allowed to breed them, there is nothing to worry about and you can breed them all you want.

Yes there are Glo-fish Bettas.

It won't end. The company knows how to manipulate the genes in fish and will do it for every species they can, as long as there is money in it. The only way to stop it is to stop buying their products.

 

[Inheritthefish]

Welcome, Jill! Glad to have you join our community! I think a 40 will be fine. Make sure they are all compatible to the same temperature and water conditions, i.e., do they prefer hard water or soft water? Is your water hard or soft? Sounds like you have a good bit of knowledge already.

Thanks! We have pretty soft water. If I knew what I was doing I wouldn't have come home with 15 more fish!