How many fish?

[bccromer]

I currently have a 29g tank with 3 tiger barbs, 3 bala sharks (small), 2 silver dollars, 2 clown loaches, and 4 algae eaters (they are very small, but I can't remember what they are called....it starts with a ot...I am new to all of this). Within the next few weeks I am going to get a 55g tank to put my sharks and silver dollars in. I plan to leave the tiger barbs, clown loaches, and algae eaters i the 29g tank. I want to add more tiger barbs to that tank, but am wondering how many I can add. Since I have 3 tiger barbs, I was thinking of adding 3 albino (or whatever the white looking ones are called), and 3 green so that way there are atleast 3 of each color. Is this too much? Also in my 55g tank I want to end up with 5 bala's and 5 silver dollars, along with 2 dojo loaches, and probably about 8 of the small algae eaters. Let me know what you guys think about these setups. I have been wondering if that will be too much in each tank. Thanks for the help.

Brad

 

[JoKeR]

Well I think If ur going to put the 5 silvers and 5 balas, then I think u should reconsider putting 5 of each fish,WHY?,

Well look at the stats if 5 balas and 5 silvers are Over crowd right there.

Silver Dollars- 8 inches
Balas- 12 inches!!!

alright now multply that times five, Thats 120 inches right there only, and u say ur going to put more OTTOS in there I think u should stick with only 3 silver dollars and maybe take back the BALAS, and in there u have room for a school of corys and ottos, Maby even some Cardinals.

In conclusion ur Tank is going to be EXTREMLY overcrowded if u keep the fish now. Note the sizes on top maybe not the size of ur fish but they will grow that size in evuantual time

 

[bccromer]

I was just saying 5 each because that seemed like a good number. How many of each of those should you have for them to feel comfortable. I don't mean in a tank together, just in general. If I were to keep the silver dollars and go with 3, could I not go with some rainbow sharks that don't get as big or even the dwarf gourami?

Brad

 

[drobbins27]

Stay with the number of sharks you have now, then you can add a couple of SD's and some others...I would recommend traidng in your balas tho, they get very large (i know its hard, i love my guy too)

 

[ryan]

The Balas and Silver Dollars will need a much larger tank, Silver Dollars about 75g for a shoal like that to live happily and IMO 180g to house the Balas for live, they reach over a foot long and like the SDs need alot of swimming room.

 

[bccromer]

Ok so if I get rid of the balas, what is a good number of SDs to go with. Should I go 5 or 6? Also then if I do that I will probably just keep the one 55g tank instead of keeping my barbs in a seperate tank so it is in the room that all of them can be seen in the house and not tucked away somewhere. Could I go with 5 SDs and 3 tiger barbs, 3 green barbs, and 3 albino (or whatever they are called)? Or would you guys just recommend getting maybe 2 more tiger barbs and leave them be. Is there any other kind of fish that I can put in the tank or is that enough. Should I not try and get several of each kind and just do one or two of each? I like seeing a school of them, so I'm not real big of just one of each. Just let me know if 9 barbs and 5 SDs, along with my 2 clown loaches is enough. In a 55g tank would I need more than 2 clown loaches to keep the bottom clean good? Thanks.

Brad

 

[drobbins27]

Ok so if I get rid of the balas, what is a good number of SDs to go with. Should I go 5 or 6?

5 SD's is the one of the magic numbers, perfect! (Magic school numbers being 5,7,9

 

[drobbins27]

One more thing...Make sure all the SD's are the same size (approx.) or the smaller ones will not follow the herd and hide all the time...this means eventual malnutrition which leads to disease which leads to death...I would know

 

[bccromer]

5 SD's it will be then. Would 9 tiger barbs be too much to go in the tank with them? I will get them all the same size. If I have to I will buy the bigger size at the store so they will match what I already have. What is something else that I could put with these? I will have my clown loaches and algae eaters, but is there anything else that I could group with them? And should I keep my balas and just put them in the tank for now until I get rid of them, or is it vital that I get rid of them right now before establishingi the 55g tank?

Brad

 

[drobbins27]

9 Tigers sounds perfect! I would make sure you have good filtration though, thats a fairly large amount of waste. Why soo many Algae eaters? Watch your Clowns too they get BIG

 

[bccromer]

Well guys I may have had a change of heart. I went by Petsmart today and looked at the cichlids. I never have really paid that much attention to them before, but there are some really neat looking ones out there. How hard is it to keep a tank of them? Also many of them seemed to be agressive. Can you put say 10-12 of the smaller (4-6") ones in a 55g tank? Also what is a good bottom feeder that they won't pick on? Still don't know which way I will go yet. But found out today that I may like another option.

Brad

 

[modernhamlet]

With regard to Petsmart, one peice of advice...

Never buy cichlids from a tank that says "Assorted African Cichlids".

Good luck with your new idea!

 

[bccromer]

They actually had every single tank labeled. I was very surprised. Didn't have anything to write with so couldn't put down the ones I liked. I will be heading back after work tomorrow and can post more on what I am interested in so you guys can tell me if it will work or not.

Brad

 

[bccromer]

Ok one more new idea, and I think this is what will really happen. I am going to get probably a 75g and a 55g. Here is what I want to do and you guys tell me which I should do in what. I want to make one a cichlid tank, the put balas, sds, barbs, and clown loaches in the other. My questions is which should I do in what. Also should I stay clear of the balas and just get a few more sds to make up for the extra space?

Brad

 

[Morrgan]

The clown loaches need a big tank (from the way they swim around all the time, I'd be tempted to say they should have a 6 foot tank at least). Also, clown loaches are shoaling fish and must be kept in a group of at least 3. So in my opinion, you should get one or two more of them, and put them and the rest of the fish you mentioned in the 75g and the cichlids in the 55g (depending on what species of cichlids you want, of course).

The bala sharks need a lot of space. I wouldn't put adult bala sharks in anything smaller than a 9 foot tank, and I'm not exaggerating. They're really not suited for "regular" tanks.