Help

[Clairel]

I was just wondering, as i am very new to all of this, i have had my tank set up about 6 weeks, and have 20 fish in there, they are very small, apart from 2 gourami, 1 small silver shark, and 2 angel fish....and 2 Clown Loach, How many fish would you recommend i keep? Although i dont want to add anymore just yet, it looks very empty Lol....

Claire x

 

[yvez9]

you should actually remove the clown loaches, sivler shark and angels. they all get too big for a 20 gallon tank.

 

[WILDER]

You are well overstocked now, clown loaches grow big so need a 90gal tank, bala sharks also named silver sharks need to be in groups need a 120gal tank, angel fish need at least a 30gal tank, so i wouldn't add anymore, up grade or ask the lfs to take the one's back that have been mentioned.

 

[Clairel]

Thanx guys...wow...the information i have been given about my 90 litre tank so far, from the aquarium shop is that they are fine for this size....I have seen many more clown loaches maybe 20 in some shops with a much smaller tank than mine....maybe i got the gallon wrong? I know its 90 litres....

Claire xx

 

[Bloo]

Yikes Claire you are very very overstocked I'm afraid

What fish exactly (and how many of each) do you currently have in your tank ?

 

[Mo_loves_fish]

do not add any more you over stocked as is just by curosity what else do u have in there?

 

[emma12321]

Your tank may be fine for a month or two but the fish mentioned get far too big, silver sharks can get 14 inches long and should be ingroups of 3+ Clown loach grow 12 inches long and should be in groups of 3+ Most places that sell fish actually know sod all about fish. Google your individual fish and find out the adult sizes then either upgrade to a much bigger tank or return some of your fish. As a rough guide you should aim to have 1 gallon per inch of adult size fish (that is not to say you can keep a lone 12 inch clown loach in a 12 gallon tank. People selling fish will tell you they'll be fine because they know you will a) overstock and the fish will die then you will spend more money replacing them B) if they somehow manage to survive they will grow huge and then you will buy another bigger tank spending more money. The shops are only in it for the money.

Emma

 

[Clairel]

Thanx everyone.... I have only found 1 great aquarium centre out of the 3 that i visit, and they seem to be really knowlegable, the other places are full of teenagers..(No offence) but whenever i ask them questions, they just kinda stare at me Lol My Silver Shark is only a baby i think, as it is only about 2 inch long, and my clown fish one is around the same 2 inch long, and the other i would say about 3 inches long, so what i will have to do is get another tank, as these grow, as i dont think i could part with them now

Thanx for your help guys

Claire xx

 

[Bloo]

Claire, your two small silver sharks do not by any chance look like this do they ?

which grow into

See planet Catfish for more info on the Iridecent Shark or Pangasius Catfish.

Clown Loaches should generally be kept (even though they are slow growers) in tanks for 75 gallons upwards.

You (and your fish) are probably far better off if you rehome the sharks and clown loaches.

There are many other different (lovely) kinds of loaches you can get instead.

Sorry don't mean to put a downer on a new tank, but in the long run the health of those fish will be more secure in a larger tank

 

[Clairel]

Hi thanx...

No my Silver Shark does NOT look like that...hehe....I can hear what your all saying, but my tank is a hexagon, is very deep, and my fish (even my loaches and shark) are all very tiny, about 2 inches, and i wont get rid of them, so i will have to move them into a bigger tank..when they grow thats fine..

Thanx Claire x

 

[dwarfgourami]

You need to be prepared to upgrade sooner rather than later, as the fish will need plenty of swimming room in order to develop properly. Bala sharks in particular can get very skittish and nervous if conditions aren't right- and did someone tell you that they are shoaling fish, so should be kept with others of their species?

It can be very misleading when you see lots of fish in a small tank at the lfs- but remember they can get away with it because the fish are only in transit there. They hope to sell them within a few days- your hope should be to keep the fish happy for the rest of their natural lives. That is also why they can get away with housing fish that don't really get along together- they hope to sell them before they have time to get aggressive. You need to offer the fish a lot more in terms of suitable living conditions.
The other thing about lfs is they have MASSIVE filtration systems which your fish tank won't have, so they can crowd fish in on a scale that would poison your tank within a matter of hours.
A lot of lfs employees do not realise the difference between what they see in the shop and what will happen once the fish is sold, so their information can be unintentionally misleading.

Hi thanx...

No my Silver Shark does NOT look like that...hehe....I can hear what your all saying, but my tank is a hexagon, is very deep, and my fish (even my loaches and shark) are all very tiny, about 2 inches, and i wont get rid of them, so i will have to move them into a bigger tank..when they grow thats fine..

Thanx Claire x

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[fatboybaby]

i sympathise with you clairel, its a mistake i think every new fish owner makes!!

i too got a small silver shark and within a year he has grown quite a lot and i can definitely see he needs to be rehomed from my 100 litre tank very very soon.

i am going to take him and my other mistakes back to the lfs to sell them to someone who has the proper room for them.

you might need to do the same!

 

[Clairel]

It is very sad..... They should tell you all of this when you buy these fish, i did actually buy 2, but one died .

I think i would rather buy a bigger tank, i have the room for one, but i just thought i would start off with 90 litres...

I had some problems with my water yesterday, i had ammonia in there, i have treated it straight away with Prime and Cycle, and did a partial water change of 25%, and the fish looked much happier, but today when i got up, my dwarf gold gourami (f) has died, she wasnt even ill, i cant understand it at all.....

I do have a poorly Mollie, but shes still hanging in there, and i have medicine for her....

I hope this hasnt affected the rest of my fish, as they told me it wouldnt... Its a bacterial treatment for her...

Claire x

 

[Bloo]

Claire I think your fish are severely stressed. Putting so many fish in a new uncycled tank is bound to result in numerous deaths I'm afraid Though your tank might be 90 litres and though your fish might only be small, you have a hex tank they are some of them more awkward tanks to have and allow very little surface area - in comparison to a longer & lower tank of the same fluid capacity.

When dosing medicines, remember not to ever mix any meds unless it clearly says you can. If it doesn't say anything about "being safe to mix", assume it isn't.
Try to use as few chemicals and additives as possible - apart from dechlorinator.
Do regular and daily small water changes and hope for the best.

Just remember it's not your "fault" - you only went on the advice you took in good faith from the "experts". But it's great that you came looking for some more information and help. Good luck !

 

[bunjiweb]

Its good to see you are prepared to get a larger tank. The absolute minimum size you want to go for is probably a 4ft x 15 x 18" tank. Any smaller than this would be very harsh on the fish.
Ideally you would probably want it slightly bigger, whatever size you can fit. Just remember that after purchase the fishes welfare is down to you, and however bad your fish shop has been you should do all you can to make sure these fish do well.

Ben