I Need Some Guidance

[PosingOwl]

Hey all,

I need some assurance that my fish are capable to live a happy life in my 60 liter tank (until wife lets me get a bigger one).

I have 6 guppies(i think they are but not a hundred percent), 2 Orange Swordtails, 2 Clown Loaches, and 2 Bristlenose Suckerfish....

I will put a pic up in morning or tomorrow night of my aquarium. I also know that the Clown Loaches that I have, I shouldnt really have. The owner of the LFS here told me and my wife that they were good fish for us to have.... We believed him when he said our tank was big enough.... He also seems like a really stupid individual, because alot of the things he told us, is not what i have been reading on here and language is also a factor. Long story short we will not be dealing with him anymore.

I admit that I rushed into this and should have done research first.... I didnt let the tank cycle first, and I am scared that the fish will die, but they are all acting fine and eating.... The only thing is that the Clown Loaches are always hiding and rarely come out. From what I read they are not suppose to be in a 60 liter but a much larger one. Tomorrow we are going to a well recommended fish store in Nurnberg, maybe they will take them off my hands so they can be happy. I will also be buying a water testing kit. I need suggestions please about what to do.... Sorry for this long post.... Also we have live plants in the aquarium but forgot what kind and some decor that the fish can swim and hide in.

 

[Jammiedodger]

Unfortunately, you're right to think there are a few issues with your stocking Ideally the pair of clowns need to go soon, as they can reach a potential 30cms and would dominate the tank if they didn't die from stress. I'd also take out 1 bristlenose, these little guys will put strain on your filter from excessive waste which means copious amounts of water changes.

None of these are pressing issues, they can wait if you got a large tank ASAP and began cycling it immediately.

It's simply then a matter of picking replacement fish... Of which you should have a good selection, just try to avoid things like tiger barbs.. nice looking; but will have your guppy's tails in shreds in the blink of an eye.

 

[PosingOwl]

I dont know if I will be able to get rid of a bristlenose, wife wants them, one is small and the other is only a baby (we were not even charged for him at the LFS....

I do know that I will talk with them tomorrow at the store in Nurnberg about the clown loaches, hopefully they will take them, or maybe I have to sell them in an ad or something.... wife said she wants some more guppies and some other small fish with red glowing eyes? Do you have any suggestions about what we should get....

Also wife just suggested that we might be able to give to the zoo here, I know they have some freshwater aquariums, would that be a good idea?

 

[PosingOwl]

I am going to miss the Clown Loaches, they are my daughters and mine favorites.... The more I read about them the more I am intrigued but I also know that I cant handle them yet in a small tank....

Hopefully about 6 months from now I will have a bigger tank....

 

[dbanner]

Iv found bristlenoses do well on their own. When I had 2 in my 110 litre 1 killed the other . They were both young, around 3 - 4 inches in size

Get a nice sand on the bottom, re home the sucker fish and replace with 6+ corys much better to watch (mine dive into the sand) and nowhere near as messy

 

[dwarfgourami]

I reckon you can just about keep one bristlenose in a 60 if you have good filtration and are meticulous about water changes; heavy planting helps too. I wouldn't do two bristlies though: the waste problem is doubled, you are quite likely to get territorial issues, if they are male and female there really isn't room for them to breed and two males could get quite nasty in that confined space. I have two males in a 240 l and tbh I wouldn't go any smaller, that is just enough space for the less dominant to find a quiet spot to eat without being hassled.

I would also not be keen on swordtails in such a small tank: they are very active fish that need the space to swim. Platies would be a better choice.

 

[OldMan47]

As long as you move out the clown loaches, the rest of your fish will work in a small tank. I have never seen a clown loach bigger than 15 cm but it could happen I suppose. Being rather stocky fish, that makes for a huge biological load. The BNP will be fine in a tank that size. I have 6 BNPs in a 3 foot long, rather tall show tank that mostly has endlers and a lonely betta in it. The only issue I have with the plecos is that I have 2 males who each want a breeding territory and the tank is not big enough for 2 pleco territories. With only 2 fish, you either have 2 males, but with no females there is no real conflict, 2 females, which is never a conflict, or one of each, again no territory conflict. If you want both plecos, keep them.

 

[PosingOwl]

Sorry for not answering quicker (got a nice little back payment and went shopping)....

Unfortunately I am still trying to find a good home for the Clown Loaches, they might be a little hard to get rid of. I did go to Ahlona Aquarium in Nurnberg (really nice store and very professional, i think a family runs it) and the guy said that i do need to get a bigger tank for them but I needed to get a bigger tank in the near future.... Either way they have to go....

I am not sure what gender my plecos are. How can you tell?

In my next aquarium i would love to have sand. Is it possible to remove the gravel and put sand in there or would i have to take everything out and start from the beginning?

Thanks for your answers everyone, i will have this down sooner or later