Comments On Stock Please

[waggie]

Hi all

I've just been given a 240l tank including fish, from my sister who due to seperating from her partner can no longer maintain. I've got it all set up and it is fully cycled, as it was when I got it. I've spent a few days watching the fish and there seems to be alot of squabbling going on amongst its inhabbitants. I would be grateful if someone could review the stocking and tell me what the problem may be and what should go. The stocking is as follows:

2 x Blood parott fish
10xZebra Danio
2 x Paradise fish
2 x Young Firemouth
2 x Bolivian Rams
6 x young angelfish
1 x Common pleco
3 x Female guppies

The only problem I know about is the paradise fish, however they tend to keep opposite sides of the tank and rarely come into contact. The firemouths and rams tend to fight and chase each other about, the angels try and have the odd nip at the guppies and the parotts try and nip everything
Anyways, any advice on making this a more peaceful tank would be appreciated!

Waggie

 

[indigoj]

Rehome the common plec, at least 4 angels and at least 1 other pair of cichlids, preferably the parrots, I'd also rehome another pair too. Rehome the paradise fish as they prefer cooler water and just personal preference but I'd rehome the guppies and get a school of cories or zebra loaches.

 

[craig855s]

id lose the blood parrots and the firemouths.How big is the common plec (rehome him once he goes above a comfotable size)

And in their place id add some corys

 

[River Dog]

Firemouths are Central American and do need different water conditions to your Rams and will eventually eat your guppies. Personally I'd lose them, the common plec, the danios and blood parrots. I would grow the Angels on and see if you get a pair from them. I know absolutely nothing about Paradise fish, so can't help with that one.

 

[waggie]

id lose the blood parrots and the firemouths.How big is the common plec (rehome him once he goes above a comfotable size)

And in their place id add some corys

Rehoming the plec and firemouths shouldn't be a problem, however from what I've just read about the blood parrots, it seems I may struggle there!

BTW the pleco is about 8" long at the moment. How much bigger is he likely to get and how fast do they grow?

Waggie

 

[coldcazzie]

BTW the pleco is about 8" long at the moment. How much bigger is he likely to get and how fast do they grow?

Waggie

They can get up to 24" long - so he definitely needs rehoming! If you get a bonded pair of angels then the male of the pair will start getting v aggressive so if you keep them then rehome the other 4 at that point. Haven't a clue about everything else, but it definitely sounds like many of the bigger fish need to go.

 

[MHunt]

Hi all

I've just been given a 240l tank including fish, from my sister who due to seperating from her partner can no longer maintain. I've got it all set up and it is fully cycled, as it was when I got it. I've spent a few days watching the fish and there seems to be alot of squabbling going on amongst its inhabbitants. I would be grateful if someone could review the stocking and tell me what the problem may be and what should go. The stocking is as follows:

2 x Blood parott fish
10xZebra Danio
2 x Paradise fish
2 x Young Firemouth
2 x Bolivian Rams
6 x young angelfish
1 x Common pleco
3 x Female guppies

The only problem I know about is the paradise fish, however they tend to keep opposite sides of the tank and rarely come into contact. The firemouths and rams tend to fight and chase each other about, the angels try and have the odd nip at the guppies and the parotts try and nip everything
Anyways, any advice on making this a more peaceful tank would be appreciated!

Waggie

You have alot of large territorial fish in that tank so you're always going to have squabbling, I get that all the time with my angels but they never stay mad at each other for long. Basically the guppies and possibly the danios if they ever stay still long enough are likely to be eaten by the larger cichlids, mainly the firemouths and parrots, but the angels may have a go when they get big enough. And the pleco is going to outgrow your tank eventually. What filter have you got on the tank, as there are lots of messy fish in there, not to mention the pleco, you may find it's not quite adequate.

Personally I'd decide which of the larger cichlids you want to keep, and rehouse the others. I'm not going to suggest which, see which you like, but overall water requirements and compatibility may come in here. From what I've read the paradise fish are similar in temperament and care to dwarf gouramis which are mainly peaceful, but they're more hardy than dwarfs and generally can make nice community fish so you may be ok there. And yes the common pleco may outgrow you tank, so be prepared to rehouse it too. If you do make space with some rehousing how about some congo tetras, they're stunning fish in my opinion and do well in a large community

 

[waggie]

Hi all

I've just been given a 240l tank including fish, from my sister who due to seperating from her partner can no longer maintain. I've got it all set up and it is fully cycled, as it was when I got it. I've spent a few days watching the fish and there seems to be alot of squabbling going on amongst its inhabbitants. I would be grateful if someone could review the stocking and tell me what the problem may be and what should go. The stocking is as follows:

2 x Blood parott fish
10xZebra Danio
2 x Paradise fish
2 x Young Firemouth
2 x Bolivian Rams
6 x young angelfish
1 x Common pleco
3 x Female guppies

The only problem I know about is the paradise fish, however they tend to keep opposite sides of the tank and rarely come into contact. The firemouths and rams tend to fight and chase each other about, the angels try and have the odd nip at the guppies and the parotts try and nip everything
Anyways, any advice on making this a more peaceful tank would be appreciated!

Waggie

You have alot of large territorial fish in that tank so you're always going to have squabbling, I get that all the time with my angels but they never stay mad at each other for long. Basically the guppies and possibly the danios if they ever stay still long enough are likely to be eaten by the larger cichlids, mainly the firemouths and parrots, but the angels may have a go when they get big enough. And the pleco is going to outgrow your tank eventually. What filter have you got on the tank, as there are lots of messy fish in there, not to mention the pleco, you may find it's not quite adequate.

Personally I'd decide which of the larger cichlids you want to keep, and rehouse the others. I'm not going to suggest which, see which you like, but overall water requirements and compatibility may come in here. From what I've read the paradise fish are similar in temperament and care to dwarf gouramis which are mainly peaceful, but they're more hardy than dwarfs and generally can make nice community fish so you may be ok there. And yes the common pleco may outgrow you tank, so be prepared to rehouse it too. If you do make space with some rehousing how about some congo tetras, they're stunning fish in my opinion and do well in a large community

Hi MHunt

The filter is a Fluval 403 external canister filter.

To be honest I could see as soon as I got this lot that I was going to have problems! I have already moved the guppies to another 60 litre tank, as all 3 seemed terrified and were huddled together in the top corner of the tank. Unfortunately that tank has around 15 male endlers in and they are severely harrasing the guppies. I'm going to go round some LFS's on Saturday and see if I can get my hands on a cheap little tank for them. I'll also ask if they can take the parrots and the plec of my hands for now.

I was thinking of maybe getting another 100l tank for the guppies and firemouths. I figured by the time the firemouths are big enough to chow down on the guppies they would probably be long gone anyway, as I seem to have terrible luck keeping guppies alive! So what else would go with these and Would doing all this solve my problems do you think?

 

[MHunt]

Hi all

I've just been given a 240l tank including fish, from my sister who due to seperating from her partner can no longer maintain. I've got it all set up and it is fully cycled, as it was when I got it. I've spent a few days watching the fish and there seems to be alot of squabbling going on amongst its inhabbitants. I would be grateful if someone could review the stocking and tell me what the problem may be and what should go. The stocking is as follows:

2 x Blood parott fish
10xZebra Danio
2 x Paradise fish
2 x Young Firemouth
2 x Bolivian Rams
6 x young angelfish
1 x Common pleco
3 x Female guppies

The only problem I know about is the paradise fish, however they tend to keep opposite sides of the tank and rarely come into contact. The firemouths and rams tend to fight and chase each other about, the angels try and have the odd nip at the guppies and the parotts try and nip everything
Anyways, any advice on making this a more peaceful tank would be appreciated!

Waggie

You have alot of large territorial fish in that tank so you're always going to have squabbling, I get that all the time with my angels but they never stay mad at each other for long. Basically the guppies and possibly the danios if they ever stay still long enough are likely to be eaten by the larger cichlids, mainly the firemouths and parrots, but the angels may have a go when they get big enough. And the pleco is going to outgrow your tank eventually. What filter have you got on the tank, as there are lots of messy fish in there, not to mention the pleco, you may find it's not quite adequate.

Personally I'd decide which of the larger cichlids you want to keep, and rehouse the others. I'm not going to suggest which, see which you like, but overall water requirements and compatibility may come in here. From what I've read the paradise fish are similar in temperament and care to dwarf gouramis which are mainly peaceful, but they're more hardy than dwarfs and generally can make nice community fish so you may be ok there. And yes the common pleco may outgrow you tank, so be prepared to rehouse it too. If you do make space with some rehousing how about some congo tetras, they're stunning fish in my opinion and do well in a large community

Hi MHunt

The filter is a Fluval 403 external canister filter.

To be honest I could see as soon as I got this lot that I was going to have problems! I have already moved the guppies to another 60 litre tank, as all 3 seemed terrified and were huddled together in the top corner of the tank. Unfortunately that tank has around 15 male endlers in and they are severely harrasing the guppies. I'm going to go round some LFS's on Saturday and see if I can get my hands on a cheap little tank for them. I'll also ask if they can take the parrots and the plec of my hands for now.

I was thinking of maybe getting another 100l tank for the guppies and firemouths. I figured by the time the firemouths are big enough to chow down on the guppies they would probably be long gone anyway, as I seem to have terrible luck keeping guppies alive! So what else would go with these and Would doing all this solve my problems do you think?

You may find the bolivian rams and the guppies go better together in the smaller 100l tank with a few peaceful tetras and keep the more boistrous fish for the 240 litre. the zebra danio's are probably too fast to be caught in the other tank so they may be ok. The angels are going to get territorial, but in the space and if the tank's got enough cover, plants decoration etc you may find they can keep themselves to themselves. The firemouths need more space so are better in the 240l too. How about some cory's or loaches in the larger tank. They're happily inhabit the bottom of the tank and not bother or be bothered by the cichlids, or if you do like plecs, Bristlenoses are great and stay small so you could probably keep three or four in a tank your size, just add plenty of caves for them.