Hello :)

Didge007 · Apr 30, 2011

Hi guys! Just thought I'd introduce myself. I hope I'm doing this properly as I never received an email to tell me my registration was accepted

So I'm sort of a newbie with fish! I've always had a tank set up but I was never a very good fish keeper until one day it dawned on me - my tank looked feral! So I got motivated, did loads of research & I'm on my way to becoming a pro (or atleast I hope I'm on the right track).
I currently have my 2ft/68L tropical tank which is situated in my bedroom & I have just started up a 2.5ft/84L tank which is currently doing a bio-cycle for a week & a half before I stock it. They are only small tanks I know, unfortunately still living at home with parentals so they have to stay small.

Current stock of 2ft:
(yes it's overstocked hence the new tank!)
Small angel
Coral dwarf gourami
Two rosy barbs (which I'm finding a new home for)
Pictus catfish
Black ghost knife fish
Albino Cory
Two neons (there was more...)

You will have to excuse the poor selection & compatibility - lfs I used to go to even let me put a cichlid in there knowing what stock I already had! I've found a new lfs who are much more knowledgable & helpful who are helping me decide who needs to be shifted & what fish I can put in my tanks. I've also learnt a lot through reading forums like this! So I'm a little embarrassed to actually admit what I've put together in my tank >.< Any helpful suggestions let me know

*EDIT*: I should probably just add my tank has been running well for 12mnths or more now. Also, I as I mentioned it's overstocked and I'm addressing that issue. However, I find it interesting that I've never had disease in my tank

Thoughts?

KittyKat · May 1, 2011

It doesn't sound like you really are cycling your filter: please read about fish-less cycling in the beginner's resource centre. Your best option is probably to move everything out of your current tank into the new tank (including filter, water, substrate, decor, fish) in one go and run old and new filters in parallel for 4-6 weeks. Another option is to move all filter media from old filter into the new one (and move all water, substrate, decor and fish at the same time).

A 2.5 ft tank is still no where near enough for the fish you have, if they are to grow to their full size, also some of them will eat others once they get big enough. I suggest that you research all the fish you have again, then decide what to do. As as starting place: the angel, pictus cat and knife fish are too large for the tanks you have; rosy bars, Corys and neons are all schooling fish so should be kept in a group of 6+.

Edit: no, it is not surprising that your fish have never had disease. I usually only treat my tanks as a precautionary measure when the cichlids fight and take chunks out of each other for no reason. Even when I had 30+ tanks, I still treated for actual disease maybe once per year or so.

Didge007 · May 1, 2011

I'm not putting all the fish into the 2.5ft, I'm basically spreading them out. And yes I know some of my fish need bigger tanks, unfortunately I was not told this when I bought them (I've had them a while now, they aren't new). It's very difficult to get rid of fish in my area as well as I live in a rural area - I have a friend who is taking my rosey barbs for me because I'm sick of them mauling any angels I have

I was talking to the fella at the trusted LFS (not the shamy one who let me buy a BGK and put it in a little tank) and he's told me to shift the Angel, Gourami and pictus into the bigger tank (BGK would get too stressed). I will then have my smaller tank for smaller fish and I will obviously have to address the issue of the smaller fish needing to be in groups....*sigh* I swear my massive stuff up will get fixed :sad:

I did have more neons and corys but alas they've been eaten as you can guess.

Any suggestions for stocking the 2.5 Kitty Kat?

EDIT: I also just wanted to query your comment that I'm not doing the fishless cycle properly? I read the article like you suggested (and it's a very well written article, so thumbs up to the creator :good:

), however I'm a little confused because I've a) never done this, b) never had it suggested to me and c) have never heard of anyone I know doing it. Again, the fella at the LFS told me to do what I'm doing. The filter was actually given too me along with the tank and heater from a friend so it has been used before if it's any help? Also on rainwater so not sure if that helps? Should I still look into it?