Hi There

[mellow yellow]

hi there, i'm daniel and i have recently acquired this little 41 litre tank from my auntie and uncle. i have kept tropical fish before but had to give them up after a month or so because of a house move.

my mum also has a little tank and has advised me on a few bits and bobs.

i'm a bit of a forum addict and find them very useful for advice so i thought i'd sign up and introduce myself.

i'm looking to change to gravel at the bottom and get a few more features along with some more fish.

i'm not an expert so don't know what fish i have at the moment so i will get some pics up and maybe you can tell me what i have and what would go well with them.

the tank

2 tetras i think and there is also 2 of these tiger striped fish

1 of these red

this little one got trapped in the gravel, perhaps i need a finer gravel with smaller gaps inbetween?

managed to save him though, he's swimming around now, just hope he survives... neon tetra??

think this little madam is pregnant? same as the red one but orange, is she up the duff? any advice on what do do?

also got a bloody great sucker fish, a good 6-7 inches long but he hides a lot and is hard to photograph. i'm worried he's a bit big for the tank???

let me know what you think of my modest little set up.

 

[Blubble37]

the trapped one is a neon tetra. the stripy fish is a tiger barb. The red one is a platy.

The other small ones look like other tetra species.

Could the sucker one be a pleco?

 

[SchottayB]

I think the sucker will out grow the tank that he lives in so you might need to think of re-homing him. Maybe someone else can vouch for this though.

The traped fish was a Neon Tetra yes, do you have just one of those? They do much better in a group of 7+.

The red fish is a Platty, not sure about being pregnant though.

The other is a Tiger Barb, also do better in groups I think.


Welcome to the forums ... you will find good tips, advice and help here !

 

[Blubble37]

myself, i would get black gravel. i dont know about the shape.

If i were you i would get this lot for the little things.

http/www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquarium-supplies/aquariums/fluval/elite-and-marina-fun-aquariums/elite-style-95-glass-aquarium-tropical-set-80x30x40cm-high-95l.html?ref=googlebase

Has everything they need and comes with a VERY good filter a heater an ornament and a bulb.

I should know because i have one!

I use peashingle for the gravel as it has plenty of space in it for water flow, fry and other living things and my fish cant suck it up.

you might also want to get more than one platy as they can get lonely.

How many of the tetras have you got and also can we have a picture of the other tetra sized fish please.

And the sucker if he isnt hiding.

 

[mellow yellow]

its a set up i have been given, my auntie lost interest in it due to illness and new i was on the lookout for a tank so offered it to me, there are only 3 tetras 1 neon and 2 others. 2 tiger barb, 2 mollys and a big sucker, plec i've been told, i would imagine the tetras have been from larger shoals which have died off.

i am going to see about re homing the plec, changing the gravel, adding some plants and some more fish.

i will try to get a better pic of the plec but its always hiding away

 

[Blubble37]

i would get at least 4 more tetras as even with other species it will pine away

 

[mellow yellow]

thanks blubble,

the plec is getting picked up on weds and taken to its new (much larger) home.

I will be replacing it with 2 or 3 ottos and some more tetras.

I will also be having a little redesign of the inside of the tank over the next few weeks so no doubt i'll be asking a lot more questions

 

[colleen0309]

Good morning and welcome! Nice to know the pleco is going to a bigger home.

 

[mellow yellow]

lost a platty tonight and the other one doesnt look very well. he's just hiding under the bridge.

when the plec goes tomorrow i'll only be left with 2 tiger barbs and 3 tetras.

think i need to start from scratch and make sure all the levels are right and build the tank up to how i want it slowly...

i want to change the gravel to something less course, get a white pebble bubble tube cover, some long plants for the back, some large white pebbles for the front, some moss balls, then i would like to get 3 ottos, maybe some shrimp? some endlers and maybe a betta? and maybe also some tetras? how would these work together?

i just want to gain some experience with this tank then move onto something a bit (well alot) bigger

 

[This Old Spouse]

What did you do to the tank to prepare it? What kind of filter does it have? Did you clean everything out of the filter? (Hopefully not.) The more you can tell us about what your setup is the better we can help.

Glad you joined our forum!

 

[Blubble37]

looks like he has an airator powered undergravel

 

[mellow yellow]

What did you do to the tank to prepare it? What kind of filter does it have? Did you clean everything out of the filter? (Hopefully not.) The more you can tell us about what your setup is the better we can help.

Glad you joined our forum!

this is gonna sound bad now...

I got it home from my aunties, bearing in mind it was very dirty, i put the fish in a bowl with water from the tank, took out ALL the water, gravel, scenery from the tank and rinsed it all clean, scrubbed as much of the green gunk away from inside the tank, rinsed out the bubble tube and filter and put it all back together, got the water up to temp and put the fish back in!!!! this was all on instructions given by the previous owner??? a also added some sort of chlorine drops (sp) and something to keep the water clean.

looks like he has an airator powered undergravel

i'm not sure on the filter, how would i be able to tell? it is built into the bottom of the tank? it is a donut shape and the bubble tube twists into it. there is a donut shaped sponge and some black media in it.

would i be better off doing a fishless cycle and staring again with the redesign of the inside? i just want to do things properly

thanks for your help guys

 

[Blubble37]

those black bits are carbon.

You have just initiated a fish in cycle, be prepared to do 90% water changes every day and teat the water daily.

Or you could ask your lfs very kindly and they might be able to take them in while you do a fish out cycle.

Those drops are to make the tapwater safe for the little monsters as chlorinated tapwater kills them

Good luck

Blubble 37

 

[mellow yellow]

hmmmm perhaps i should give them up with the plec tonight and do a fishless cycle? i could always get them back? or maybe they would be better off in another home until i know what i'm doing.

don't want anymore casualties.

in the mean time i'll have a read up on a fish in cycle....

 

[This Old Spouse]

+1 best idea yet.