babsrocks
New Member
I currently have 3 tanks set up. 1 is a 55 gal freshwater tank that I have cycled with 4 platies (cycled it about 6 months ago, just never added more fish), a 15 gal brackish tank that I am using as a quarantine tank at the moment for my 2 bumble bee gobys and a 5 gal fresh water tank quarantining my new red-tailed black shark and 2 swordtails. I had planned on keeping the gobies in the 15 gal brackish and finding them some tankmates and moving the shark and swordtails to the 55 gal fresh. They are done with quarantine now.
But that all changed today... I have just put on hold 3 puffers at LFS, they should be ready in about a week. I wasn't expecting to get puffers just yet, but when I went down to buy bloodworms and java moss for the gobies, there they were, 3 beautiful little puffers! I've ALWAYS wanted puffer and now feel ready to take on the demands of raising these amazing fish. I might be ready, but their home isn't ready yet.....
So here's my question. My new fish that are in quarantine are now ready to be moved. I figure with the puffers on the way I should change my 55 to brackish so they will have more room and change the 15 to fresh. So my conundrum is who goes in what tank? Can the gobies go with the puffers? I've read in a few places that the puffers seem to leave the bumble bee gobies alone (may be due to their coloring). So this is what I was thinking:
15 gal freshwater:
4 Platies
2 swordtails
1 red-tailed black shark (though he's going to get too big for the 15 in time, I had originally planned on him going into the 55 gal)
Would that be over crowded? and what to do with the shark?
55 gal brackish:
2 figure 8's
1 GSP
2 Bumble Bee Gobies
(can/should I add anything else?)
Also, I have proper filtration for the 55 for brackish, I'd just need to swap out the substrate. So once I change the substrate and add the salt, how long before I can add the fish? I have the 5 gal tank set up for the fresh water fish. So I could keep the fresh guys in there while I quarantine the puffers (in the 55 if it's ready), keeping the gobies in the 15gal brackish tank until the puffers are finished with quarantine, then convert the 15 to fresh to give everyone else their permanent home. I know the 5 gal will be overcrowded with the 4 platies, 2 swords and shark, but for temporary they should be ok, the shark doesn't seem to be aggressive toward the swords.
Hopefully that wasn't confusing.... I think I confused myself. Lol
Anyway, biggest questions are gobies with the puffers and proper way to convert fresh water tank to brackish...... And of course what to do with the shark.
Thank you in advance for your help. I've been a member of this board for a long time (since '04), but stopped keeping fish after my precious Balloon Pink Kissing Gourami "Bubbles" died (he's my avatar). But now I am back to keeping fish and hopefully the great members of this forum can help me once again.
But that all changed today... I have just put on hold 3 puffers at LFS, they should be ready in about a week. I wasn't expecting to get puffers just yet, but when I went down to buy bloodworms and java moss for the gobies, there they were, 3 beautiful little puffers! I've ALWAYS wanted puffer and now feel ready to take on the demands of raising these amazing fish. I might be ready, but their home isn't ready yet.....
So here's my question. My new fish that are in quarantine are now ready to be moved. I figure with the puffers on the way I should change my 55 to brackish so they will have more room and change the 15 to fresh. So my conundrum is who goes in what tank? Can the gobies go with the puffers? I've read in a few places that the puffers seem to leave the bumble bee gobies alone (may be due to their coloring). So this is what I was thinking:
15 gal freshwater:
4 Platies
2 swordtails
1 red-tailed black shark (though he's going to get too big for the 15 in time, I had originally planned on him going into the 55 gal)
Would that be over crowded? and what to do with the shark?
55 gal brackish:
2 figure 8's
1 GSP
2 Bumble Bee Gobies
(can/should I add anything else?)
Also, I have proper filtration for the 55 for brackish, I'd just need to swap out the substrate. So once I change the substrate and add the salt, how long before I can add the fish? I have the 5 gal tank set up for the fresh water fish. So I could keep the fresh guys in there while I quarantine the puffers (in the 55 if it's ready), keeping the gobies in the 15gal brackish tank until the puffers are finished with quarantine, then convert the 15 to fresh to give everyone else their permanent home. I know the 5 gal will be overcrowded with the 4 platies, 2 swords and shark, but for temporary they should be ok, the shark doesn't seem to be aggressive toward the swords.
Hopefully that wasn't confusing.... I think I confused myself. Lol
Anyway, biggest questions are gobies with the puffers and proper way to convert fresh water tank to brackish...... And of course what to do with the shark.
Thank you in advance for your help. I've been a member of this board for a long time (since '04), but stopped keeping fish after my precious Balloon Pink Kissing Gourami "Bubbles" died (he's my avatar). But now I am back to keeping fish and hopefully the great members of this forum can help me once again.
