New aquarium

[PenPen1983]

Hi there,

I just started with my new fish tank and i have a couple questions....

.1. I bought my tank as a kit and it came with fish food but in pelet form, now all my fish are small (i have a few painted tetras, blue paradise, small angel fish, a few guppies and a sucker)... now my question is will they be able to eat the pelets or should go by flakes?

.2. My heater makes a weird buzzing noise when ever the light flickers, should it make that noise and should it even be flickering?

.3. All my fish have at least one more of the same kind execpt my blue paradise, should i get it an other one or is it fine on it's own?

and the last one... how many fish can i keep in my 20galon tank?

...thanks for all the help, sorry about all the questions...

Pen^2

 

[Angel Lady]

how long have you had your tank set up for if it isnt cycled your are going to have some problems you will lose your fish if your are not very careful the ammonia goes up real high from the fish waste and nitrites goes up high to that takes oxgen from your fish you should have got some hardy fish or do a fishless cycle on your tank. You should buy you some testing kits for ammonia and ph and nitrites and nitrates if they are small flakes they should have flake food.

 

[MamaPish]

well, did you set the tank up and add the fish right away?
or did you the cycle the tank before adding fish?
If it isn't cycled...you may be going to start experiencing some problems....
I don't know a lot....but I do know that......found out the hard way!

I have had mine setup for 9 weeks got cheap hardy fish so the tank could cycle,when I thought it had cycled I got my angels (6sm 6 adult)....well that is when the trouble started....they got sick...I lost 3 of the small ones...the adults got very sick, I had to treat them with 2 rounds of antibiotics, costing about $50.....and now it is happening again....I guess when I vacuumed my tank...I re-started the cycle, & now I am going through what they call a "mini cycle"
anyway....
How big are your angels right now?.....it is recommended to have only two angels in a twenty gal.....without a lot of other fish.

Your "sucker fish" depending what kind it is.....but if it is a plecostomus.....most can get very big...like about 18" long.

I do know angels love to nip at guppies tails...

I hope I haven't freaked you out, just keep a look out for abnormal signs.

 

[PenPen1983]

if they are small flakes they should have flake food.

that's what i figured, but i wanted to make sure first... thanks for your help

 

[PenPen1983]

* How big are your angels right now?.....it is recommended to have only two angels in a twenty gal.....without a lot of other fish. I do know angels love to nip at guppies tails... *

i've had a small tank befor, no problems, it's just been a while... hehe
my angels are not verry big, i wanted to get the larger ones right away but the guy said to stick to the smalls one and let them grow in the tank (i should of thought of that lol) and i don't want more than 2 hehe i don't like them that much, my sister wanted them there oh and so far no nipping at my guppies, they actually stay away from them haha

last tank i had i just added my fish right away and they were fine, this time i waited a bit to let the water settle and such so i don't think i should have any problems there, my one big concern is that my new pump is acting up and i don't want it to die on me after having my fish for just a week.... i'm all ready attached to them hehe i count them every night lol sad i know....

as for my sucker fish, i have no clue what kind it is... the guy at the store told me but i forget... all i know is that he's not suppose to get too big, he made sure i had one that stayed fairly small...

well thanks for your help! and i'm gonna work on getting a pic of my fishies that i love so much and post it somewhere else

 

[Angel Lady]

what color is your sucker fish if he is like a broenish black with a few white spots on him he is a pleco and they do in deed get very large i have had one for six months and he is already 7 inches and he is still growing everyday I think they are the coolest fish all they do is hide during the day and work all nite cleaning the tank.