Need Help And Advise On Running Tropical Tank

[Markodood]

Hi there all, i have just signed up today especially to ask fellow fish lovers some advise on keeping a healthy happy tank.i am not sure if this is how i am supposed to do it so apologies in advance if i am not doing this correctly. here goes...
i have a tank just under 3ft x 1.5ft high x 1ft deep. i have had this tank running now for over a year and have never claimed to be an expert. infact every time i see anyother tank, i think that looks nicer than mine. i filled the tank with new plants which made mine look stunning which only lasted a couple of weeks. i noticed a build up of algae on the glass and all the fake plants and ornemants have started to grow a "black hairy" type fungus. the gravel always seems to be an off orange colour and i am getting down about it. i have a Fluval 3+ internal filter which has also got the "hair" look. i again see other types of external filter, which i have no clue how they operate that look like they are more discreet and work better. i have the lights on the tank perhaps 5 hours a day on a timer and feed the fish once a day. the fish are roughly as follows. 1 x Angel, 1 x Red Tail shark, 1 x Siemese, 1 x Clown loach perhaps a dozen neons, 2 x albino corrys and 2 normal corrys 3 x male guppies. 3 x ghost cats.
any help, critism, ,guidence would be much appreciated honestly.

Many thanks guys and girls.

Mark

 

[star4]

Hi Mark and welcome, firstly I wouldnt worry thinking everyone elses tanks look better than yours, I do it all the time Plants: what sort of plants did you put in, i am not great on aquatic plants, I have bought loads and usually am pretty good at killing them, so I have stuck with Java fern (grows on wood) pretty hard to kill too. Black hair algae, pain in the tank! harmless to the fish, just unsightly and unfortunately a more natural way to combat it is with plants as they take out the nuitriants that the algae feeds on. External filters are a doddle to use, I am not sure how powerful the fluval 3 is off the top of my head but its always best to use the biggest internal filter possible, if you dont have an external. Fish wise, the red tailed shark. how big is he at the moment, they can get very aggressive, mine ate cardinals and tiger barbs but now lives with much bigger cichlids and he is still a bully, you may need to re-think the shark, also the clown loach will grow too big for your tank and (I believe) they prefer to be kept in groups, never had clown loach myself (yet). Hope my input helps.

 

[Markodood]

Hi Mark and welcome, firstly I wouldnt worry thinking everyone elses tanks look better than yours, I do it all the time Plants: what sort of plants did you put in, i am not great on aquatic plants, I have bought loads and usually am pretty good at killing them, so I have stuck with Java fern (grows on wood) pretty hard to kill too. Black hair algae, pain in the tank! harmless to the fish, just unsightly and unfortunately a more natural way to combat it is with plants as they take out the nuitriants that the algae feeds on. External filters are a doddle to use, I am not sure how powerful the fluval 3 is off the top of my head but its always best to use the biggest internal filter possible, if you dont have an external. Fish wise, the red tailed shark. how big is he at the moment, they can get very aggressive, mine ate cardinals and tiger barbs but now lives with much bigger cichlids and he is still a bully, you may need to re-think the shark, also the clown loach will grow too big for your tank and (I believe) they prefer to be kept in groups, never had clown loach myself (yet). Hope my input helps.

 

[Markodood]

brilliant. my first fish friend. the wife thinks this is hilarious. i probably should turn my name to plant killer!i thought it was my plec that was destroying them so i took him backto the shop. he was getting pretty big. i have had these fish for around 2 years now. i bought a new tank while the misses back was turned last year and moved the fish.we have had the red tail since he was tiny and so far the only thing i found which he doesn't agree with are yellow sucking loaches. he took an instant dislike to them so i took them back. we had 2 clown loaches but one sadly passed on. i like the idea of the java moss. will give that a try.. i just dont understand the hairy stuff. i had loads of plants and it went mental. i thought the plants were the cause of it. or not having the plec.
thanks for your time in replying.

 

[star4]

Hey no probs fishy friend Hair algae is one of the only algae young plecs dont really eat, (unless there is one that specifically likes it), plecs are not really just algae eaters they do need other foods and tend to create more mess than they "tidy up" I should know I have one that's nearly 18" and he can make a mess. With the shark it truely depends on the fish, from what I have read the females are supposedly more calm than the male but as they are virtually impossible to sex this I beleive is really hearsay. Java moss or Java fern is pretty easy with regard to plants. Try a thread in the plants section someone there would be better able to advice my fellow plant killer

 

[Markodood]

back again good buddy. i have purchased some java upon recommendation.. i await to see the reults
another question though is i am thinking of getting the external filter. everyone tells me they are better than internals and i have been offered an EHEIM 2213 but with no media. what is media and is it costly? i am to make the guy an offer for this but not a clue what is resonable etc. i was going to do some researc but i dont think you can beat asking people who are in the know!!

 

[spectrum]

Yeah the Java Fern should do well, Its probably harder to kill than it is to grow.

 

[Scott MacAdam]

First off WELCOME to the Forums!

This site has helped me with tons of random issues and I'm sure it will do the same for you.

I have had the black hair algae before and what I needed to do was basically remove and scrub down everything in my tank.... Especially the fish.... (just kidding)

As for your current tank set-up, TYPICALLY clown loaches and RTBS(red tail black shark) live in groups (4 or more) and to be honest they will get too big for the tank you have now. This is not to say that these things never work out but i'd keep a close eye on that RTBS especially with your betta (or Siamese) in there. For reference a RTBS will grow about 6 inches long and the Clown loach will grow about a foot. The Neons/guppys/corries/ghost cats are all fine but again, once that RTBS gets bigger they may start disappearing if you catch my drift...

This being said, you seem to have quite a bit of fish in that tank but as you mentioned you have it for 2 years. I'd keep an eye on your chemical balance, but it seems you must have things worked out as is.

if you have any questions on what i've said post them here and i'll get back to you asap.

~Scott MacAdam

 

[Markodood]

cheers my man. yes i think your right on the amount of fish in there and its hard to stop adding but i think the tank has reached its limit. if only the wife would let me get another tank
so you think another clown and rtbs to keep them company? just dont want to overload the dam thing. the clown is around 2" and the shark around 4" then angel is the most swift grower. ahd it since it was a 50p size and now its up to tennios ball standard.
so would people recomend live plants or plastic the future? the plastic have "the hair" god dam it but live plants and me just dont get on. i love them they die on me. its a visious cirle

 

[CrystalClear16]

I can only answer your question on the clown loach since I only really have experience here.

As has been said, clowns like to be in groups of at least 4-5. But as your tank is quite busy your clown may be ok, keep and eye on him. Clowns are very playful and so if he is out and about then that suggests he is perfectly happy, but if he is hiding a lot then it would be a good idea for him to have some company.

Clowns also need very good water quality, so make sure you test your water reguarly etc etc. They will be the first to show signs of bad water and are quite susceptible to ich (whitespot).

BUT clown loaches do grow a lot, to around 10" in fact. So your clown WILL outgrow the tank in time, but he is ok for the moment. Make sure you move him when he gets too big though.

 

[ellena]

back again good buddy. i have purchased some java upon recommendation.. i await to see the reults
another question though is i am thinking of getting the external filter. everyone tells me they are better than internals and i have been offered an EHEIM 2213 but with no media. what is media and is it costly? i am to make the guy an offer for this but not a clue what is resonable etc. i was going to do some researc but i dont think you can beat asking people who are in the know!!

Media is the sponge/bioballs/floss etc inside the filter which is where beneficial bacteria live and process your fish waste.
Looking at your filter compared to the eheim, yours is rated at about half the tank size. So, it would be a good upgrade and free up some space in the tank.
V.IMPORTANT If you do buy the eheim, you must put the media from your filter into it. Then fill up the space with new media, sponges etc. This is because the bacteris that are currently keeping your fish alive are on your media. Transfer that across and you shouls be able to get the new filter running with no detriment to the fish.
Do you have test kits for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?
The eheim looks to be about £50 new with media, so I think £25 would be a fair offer. He can only say no

 

[star4]

Hello again, good on the Java fern, so long as you dont bury it in the gravel its pretty hard to kill. It will grow in the gravel so long as you dont bury the green stalk bit (sorry dont know the technical term for it) grows best attached to wood and will spread itself around the tank, sometimes a leaf will fall off the main plant and sometimes there are new plants attatched to the leaf, these will float around till they find somewhere else to settle.

Filter media is fairly cheep, lots to fit the eheim filters on ebay, but as someone else has already said you can use the media from your internal filter, but you can run both together if you wanted till the external filter media matures, plus you get extra filtration running 2 filters, if you have the plug space (my major problem that one lol)

What ever you do, do not buy another red tailed black shark to go with yours, they do not mix and one will kill the other they should only be kept singularly in the tank, also do not add any other "shark" with RTBS they are extreemly volatile towards any fish shaped like them, bala shark, rainbow/red finned shark, flying fox etc are all a no no with a RTBS.

 

[Markodood]

All these freinds i have superb! so to recap i shouldn't get another shark even though they are better in groups. my shark and clown loach have the same hideout which they share. i have a large piece of like drilled marble and they both hang round the bottom of that. i have made the offer on filter so hopefully will get a result on that so you can be sure to have me back on here asking how to put the thing in place .
the tester kits are one thing i dont have. ervery time i do a third water change i add some Prime and some PH 7.5 for the guppies. (p.s. please excuse my typing. i am not as stupid as i sound i like to think i can type but the results dont show it... spell checker is my saviour).

 

[star4]

Yes mate, clown loach are better in groups, bala sharks are better in groups but they do grow huge, but a red tailed shark leave on their own. Water changes sound ok to me, liquid test kits are better than the paper ones, I usually only test my water after a filter clean out to make sure everything is ok or if there seems to be a problem with a fish looking ill.

 

[Markodood]

holy s''t batman man i have just looked at your profile Star4 (hope you didn;t mind ). you live in a petshop!! a 400lt Cichlid tank. they are beautiful fish. i am told they can only be kept together but did you say you had a RTBS in there?