Got Some Fish..lost Some Fish

[zukimoo]

Ok I got a 55 gallon tank set-up in the wall, added the cycle liquid and let it stand for 2 weeks. Then I got a cold and the doc gave me some codeine to help with my caugh. Well this stuff made me stupid and I wouldn't have trusted myself at driving a bicycle. One night last week I went out and was feeling stupid and compulsive and bought some fish without really thinking and now I'm not sure these fish will mix.

Got 2 oscars, 4 incondescents sharks, 3 clown loaches.

The oscars like to eat...they will go to the top of the tank whenever you are close and seem to be doing fine.

Two of the sharks I found dead in the tank and one was playing dead for a while. Just sat there upside down and then all of a sudden was going around the tank.

The clown loaches are no where to be seen. I looked at the whole tank and for a few seconds last night there was one going around. As I was writing this one of the clowns came out. I turned the light off on the tank and when I turned it back on it zoomed right into a rock piece.

what would you add to the tank for fish? Do I need to do something else to the tank to get this right. The local pet store has no clue about nothing other than putting fish in a bag and taking your money.

 

[Gatorbait]

I hate to tell you this but everything you have is too big for a 55g tank.

The minimum size tank for an Oscar is 75g and that's a minimum for just 1 with nothing else in there with it. They get 16" long.


Did you mean Iridescent Shark? I've never heard of incondescent sharks before so can't comment on that but iridescent sharks get 3 feet long, I believe. I've never had one but what I thought I had heard before.

Clown loaches get a foot long.

 

[paul_219]

GUess they are dead because your tank is overstocked. 1 oscar needs a 75 gal tank because it a messy fish. And i agree with Gatorbait.

 

[vinylman]

Also, some shops seem to think 'Cycle' is some sort of miracle liquid. ''Put it in a tank and two weeks later you can put your fish in''. Throwing a few flakes of food in the (fishless) tank will have much the same effect and be much cheaper, too.

 

[Zeoth]

Do by incondescent you mean black body and red Tail

 

[Fate2006]

ID sharks get to 3ft, however he's got 1 left and it'll take that guy well over 2 years to reach 1 foot, they grow very slowly.... Also clown loaches usually get to only 7" in any aquarium, they also grow only about an inch a year so he's fine with the loaches, oh and don't worry about not seeing them, they do hide alot... Oscars I agree with, except they usually are seen around 12" not 16", although it is heard of that they will get to this size. Get rid of the oscars and ID shark, the clown loaches are fine right now...

 

[Gatorbait]

ID sharks get to 3ft, however he's got 1 left and it'll take that guy well over 2 years to reach 1 foot, they grow very slowly.... Also clown loaches usually get to only 7" in any aquarium, they also grow only about an inch a year so he's fine with the loaches, oh and don't worry about not seeing them, they do hide alot... Oscars I agree with, except they usually are seen around 12" not 16", although it is heard of that they will get to this size. Get rid of the oscars and ID shark, the clown loaches are fine right now...

Male Oscars get to 14" easily and 16" is not unheard of. Females are the ones who don't get as large and why people say Oscars don't normally get that big. It's not only about the size as to why you need larger tanks... They are messy and most of their food ends up in the tank, you also need very heavy filtration.

Thanks for the update on the growth rate on the shark. Never having one before I didn't know how long it took.

 

[LisaLQ]

Can tell you now that clown loaches in the right sized tank dont grow at 1" a year. Mine went from 2" to 5-7" in the matter of 4, 5 months max?

To the original poster - you need to return the fish I'm afraid, and get some fish that will suit your tank

Or.....you have a really good excuse to go out and get a whopping great big new tank (I'd still return the shark(s) though as they will get to roughly 4ft).

 

[Miss Wiggle]

while it's true that the fish are too big for the tank we've all seen the sizes all 3 of these fish commonly get sold at, just a couple of inches. I strongly doubt they've died from overstocking as for these fish as juvi's it won't be causing a problem. That's not to say you can/should keep them or that there won't be problems soon but I doubt that's the problem now.

however leaving the tank for 2 weeks will do absolutely nothing to cycle the tank, have a read of this topic which should tell you why you've lost fish.

 

[zukimoo]

I'm going to do some more reading and try to get the info that I need to better understand. As for overstocked.....maybe when they get bigger but right now I've got maybe 14" s of fish and I'm sure that is not too much. Now keeping all those fish in that tank until they grow to be big will be an issue. I'm looking for a big (over 100g range) tank for the basement and will make sure that when they grow to move them accordingly.

The sharks are ID sharks but I was not aware that they could grow to that big. I got a friend to come over and check the water and he told me that everything looks good. He's worked with fish for years. He loves that tank in the wall. I'm color blind so the water tests are hard to see.


what would you suggest to add with the clowns?

 

[zukimoo]

Well I like the oscars and I'm going to keep one....the girlfriend has confiscated my tank and is trying to find a home for the second oscar and the sharks. We are going to move the Clowns to another tank temporarily and I'm now looking for a bigger tank for the basement. I've finally found a shop in town that cares and will help me with what to put in there and what to do. This time I'm going to take my time and get the right fish the first time.

I'm going to try to find something in the 100g range and see what I can do there. I know the 55 is small for an Oscar and will watch for when it gets bigger to make sure that I move it accordingly. I've got to figure out how to post some pics to show my tank.

 

[Amunet]

Well at least you're trying to find homes for the other fish and will move the oscar to a larger tank when the time comes.
I've never had an oscar before, but every single thread I've read where someone has one.. it's always mentioned how large of a waste producer they are... so a bit more frequent water changes might do your tank good for now