Hi Everyone

[tommy25]

Hey everyone

My name is Tom. My girlfriend and I got our first tank last summer having had no experience with fish at all.

Got a 85ltr tank with a few decorations and few plants and a few fish:
2 x plecostomus (Getting a little big now, 3-4" length! )
2 x clown loaches
5 x tiger barbs
3 x neon tetra's
4 x pencil's
5 x zebra's

I think we are at the point of an overcrowded tank, seemed fine when all the fish were quite small but they have all grown and maintenance is starting to become a slight issue. Twice weekly water changes and filter pads need cleaning once a week to maintain water parameters. Do you think that is due to quite a lot of fish in quite a small tank? Or could it be due to over feeding?

Got a 18" air wall at the weekend which seems to be helping a lot, fish generally seem more active etc.

Anyway will no doubt be posting again soon as we are moving house soon and going to need some advice (Dreading it at the moment)

Thanks in advance

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, your problems are caused by overstocking as your fish have grown.

The plecs and the clown loach grow to easily a foot long and so aren't suitable for your tank and really need to be rehomed (unless you have space for something like a 6x2x2').

 

[andy_gtfc]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Fishy friend2]

Hello and welcome to the forum, It sounds as FM already has addressed your problems. Good luck

 

[XeroTolerance]

to the forums!

 

[tommy25]

Yes, your problems are caused by overstocking as your fish have grown.

The plecs and the clown loach grow to easily a foot long and so aren't suitable for your tank and really need to be rehomed (unless you have space for something like a 6x2x2').

Thanks for the advice, when you say rehomed do you mean they could go into another tank on there own that is a similar size to the current tank? (Am thinking get another tank in another room) Or like you say I suppose the other option is to go with a bigger tank in general, we probably have space for around 4x2x2. If we keep up with maintenance and carry on changing water twice per week etc do you think they would be alright for another few months etc..?

Cheers

 

[fluttermoth]

Another tank of the same size won't do, I'm afraid; they do need something bigger ASAP.

Weeks rather than months as, even though both plecs and clown loach are quite slow growing, a 85l tank just isn't roomy enough for them to be able to grow properly.

Something like a 4'x15"x18" would see you through the next few months/a year.