Help/advice On Our 14 Year Old 8" Pleco And Tank Size...

[feag]

Thanks hope everyone thinks he looks ok, but im glad photos came out! ive learnt something new!!

Yay! You did it! And, he's magnificent. Great photos!

 

[redbug]

very nice looking pleco

 

[feag]

Well bit news: Charlie has eaten some of the raw courgette we put in, he didnt touch the blanched ne yesterday but he could just be getting used to seeing something new in the tank.

However, we took it out 12 hours after but its left the tank very cloudy with a somewhat green tinge ! we only did a water change the other day, maybe it will clear up? hope so..

Regarding our search for a 2nd hand tank, we are going to look at a trigon 190 (from the advert on aq.class) but also saw one which is a different shape and after measuring up, think we can fit in, it looks smaller but in fact holds more water, the Roma 200 which is a 3ft 3" tank (i know he ideally needs even bigger than this) but what do you guys think?

If we had to chose between the two tanks for Charlie, what one would you go for? wish we could get him housed in a 4ft tank really.

ta jane

very nice looking pleco

 

[feag]

Hi everyone,

We have now got a new tank for Charlie, our 8" plec.

We got a Juwel Rio 180 and shop was closing down & so got it at quite a good price and we have the gravel wash task to complete and then set the tank up.

Could you helpful people advise us, so we dont mess this up, after all this!

We know we have to wait until the water is clear & temperature is right before we can add him into the new tank, but do we just put in normal water from tap into tank or do we take some of his old (recently had 25% water change) water and put into new tank? & if so, how much, as we are concerned about his current tank conditions and water level and temperature.

Guy gave us some bacteria in a jam jar to add into the sponge filter area. That should help I think, we also have the other stuff you put in when you put new water in.

How long do we wait - 2 days or more? or just when water is clear & temperature is ok?

How do we catch hold of speedy charlie & get him across stress free and for him to aclimatise ok?


Thank you everyone hope you can help.
regards jane

ps: he loves his new diet of courgettes

 

[Curiosity101]

Sounds like you're setting the 180 up elsewhere? And so you don't need to strip his tank down to set it up? If so then I think it'd be a good idea to do a 25% water change each day for the next couple of days on his tank (that way you're getting the conditions in his tank similar to the tap water). Also make sure you put the 'bacteria' from the shop straight into his current tank... that way it's not going to die off... or well it might die off if you already have a fully cycled filter... but you don't need the bacteria anyways cause you can just move all the old filter media over when you move him.

Then set up the new tank as usual, get all the water up to temp, check all the equipment is working. Make sure to dechlor. And once the new tank is ready, either bag him up or put him in a large bowl/bucket and move him over to the new tank. If you've done a few water changes on his tank over the previous 2 days and have matched the temperatures on the two tanks then just do the normal acclimatisation for 'new' fish. Ie. add a bit of the new water to his container over 20minutes or so and then release. TBH it shouldn't be a problem for you to literally just carry him over in something and plonk him straight in... but it's not worth the risk really is it? lol.

Don't forget to move all the filter media over with him (like I said earlier) when you move him across so you don't have to worry about ammonia spikes and such.

 

[Bigdaddypuff]

I cannot wait till i get home to see this guy, i am currently at school so i cannot see pictures. Right now i am in search for a new tank for my 15"Pleco i am trying for a 85 GALLON tank. If you want to see a picture of him hes in my avitar ;-)

 

[bae1994]

watching with interest i bet he loves his new tank

 

[feag]

Sounds like you're setting the 180 up elsewhere? And so you don't need to strip his tank down to set it up? If so then I think it'd be a good idea to do a 25% water change each day for the next couple of days on his tank (that way you're getting the conditions in his tank similar to the tap water). Also make sure you put the 'bacteria' from the shop straight into his current tank... that way it's not going to die off... or well it might die off if you already have a fully cycled filter... but you don't need the bacteria anyways cause you can just move all the old filter media over when you move him.

Then set up the new tank as usual, get all the water up to temp, check all the equipment is working. Make sure to dechlor. And once the new tank is ready, either bag him up or put him in a large bowl/bucket and move him over to the new tank. If you've done a few water changes on his tank over the previous 2 days and have matched the temperatures on the two tanks then just do the normal acclimatisation for 'new' fish. Ie. add a bit of the new water to his container over 20minutes or so and then release. TBH it shouldn't be a problem for you to literally just carry him over in something and plonk him straight in... but it's not worth the risk really is it? lol.

Don't forget to move all the filter media over with him (like I said earlier) when you move him across so you don't have to worry about ammonia spikes and such.

Curiosity: thanks so much for detailed reply. We have a new filter with this tank, so when u say move the filter media over did you mean our old filter? We will do the stuff you say and all should be ok. The guy in the shop said to pour this bacteria liquid into the filter channel but you say put into tank he is in now? But surely its to help the new water and new tank? Sory just a little confused! Thanks for help.

 

[bae1994]

it will be a jar of mature water/sponge helpful but not enough so if you only use new media there wont be any bacteria in the sponge to eat the poo/(ammonia) so your best to put your old filter in the tank then slowly take some media out of your old filter over the next few months so the bacteria can transfer then take the old filter out or put the old filter sponges in the new filter with new sponges (as much as you can fit without squashing it too much) and just leave it in there

and exhale

 

[Curiosity101]

Well basically bacteria only colonise if you have an ammonia source. As it stand you have your plec in the small tank, and when you fill the new one it will have no ammonia source at all. Ie. bacteria will die.

As it stands your small tank should have enough bacteria in it for your pleco. So if you open up the old filter, grab all the sponges...ceramic rings etc and then squish them into the new filter as you move the plec over then you'll have moved all the bacteria with the fish.

No need for any extra bacteria as you already have all the ones you need.

 

[feag]

Hi thanks but we currently have an under gravel filter ! So any advice? So no filter media... Help!!!

 

[Curiosity101]

Well your filter media is your gravel. So good news is that you do have filter media. Bad news is that it's alot harder to move it across. However if you've got some old tights or something then I'd suggest grabbing the top layer of gravel and bagging it up in there. Then you can move that across as the same time as the plec. Try to fit some into the new filter and position the rest around the intake/outake of the new filter.

Unless it's an external filter? In which case one of the baskets will have plenty of room to put a good chunk of the gravel into. However you still might want to put it in some tights or something just so it'll be easier to remove later on once the new tanks filter is properly seeded.

 

[feag]

Thanks that's good idea. Just found some tights so will do that. Would it be worthputting the new sponges (and if so all of them?) Into his current tAnk? But they would obviously just float around? Hmmm?! Or would he nibble at them?
Just filled up new tank to test for leaks how long shld I leave it until I know its ok and take water out clean it and start?
Sorry so many questions!

 

[Curiosity101]

So long as you remember that your bacteria currently live in the gravel in his tank.

And match the water temp of his old tank and pref the water conditions of his old tank in the new tank.

Then you'll be fine

Cause you don't want him shocked by a change in temp, ph, dissolved solids etc.

And you don't then want to end up having to fully cycle the new filter as that'll be exposing him to ammonia/nitrites and will result in alot of water changes for you. But as you're going from an UGF to a power filter there isn't alot you can do other than try to move plenty of gravel across and get water flowing through the gravel from his old tank.

 

[feag]

Ah ok that's good. So taking some gravel from current tank now, putting in old pop sock to drain the bacteria from it through to new tank... But if I take some gravel from current tank it will stir up all the debris (is that ok until he goes in new one in few days/week?) will it matter if ugf plastic sheet is bit exposed?
Thanks