New Established Fluval Edge, Overstocked?

[DaisyMay]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to tropical fish keeping, I'm about to take on a year old Fluval Edge belonging to a friend with the fish in it, currently there are 12 neon tetras, a betta, two guppies and a sucker, think it's a pearl sucker, anyway she says they are all happy and healthy but isn't it a little crowded? Will they be okay left as they are or will I have problems later? Wondering if I need another tank already! Thanks.

 

[SchottayB]

I'd have Neons + Betta or Neons + Guppy. Depends what the Betta is like towards the Neons .

Not a clue about the sucker and how big it will grow though, someone else might be able to help. I haven't kept Bettas either, but hear they do best in a tank to themselfs.

 

[mattbleasby]

The Edge isnt really good idea for a beta simply because it doesn't have much surface water area and beta's like too gulp at the top.

So id just lower the water a smidge but then that ruins the effect of the tank.

 

[KittyKat]

It's a bit on the crowded side, I'd give the Betta or guppies a pass and the sucker too (can you ID it? is it a pleco? or a Cory? or an Oto? or an algae eater?). Most fish which can be called "sucker" grow much too large for a tank that size, so it probably has to go regardless of what it is.

To be honest, the tank is overstocked in terms of fish numbers too.. but I don't think you want to be getting rid of fish, do you? If you add plants to the tank and do 20-50% weekly water changes, with warm and dechlorinated water, then you should be ok. The neon numbers are good, given that they are schooling fish, but apart from that, there is no way to get the numbers down except for getting rid of the Betta and/or guppies.

 

[DaisyMay]

Thanks for the replies, yeah I have to take all the fish, so I'm thinking of either finding a home for a few or failing that buying them another tank. I will make sure the water level is lower than the glass for the sake of the Betta. I think the sucker is a pleco from photos, and is quite big already. So the neons are fine, but I should ideally find somewhere new for the sucker and guppies? I would like to keep the Betta if possible as he is beautiful and is my favorite, so would it be best to just keep him and the neons? There are no live plants in there at the moment, which type would you suggest?

Thanks guys, this forum is great!

 

[KittyKat]

If it's a pleco, it definitely has to go! I think without the pleco and guppies, it would be quite a nice set-up.. overstocked, but that can work in the long term with good maintenance.

Look up undemanding (labelled "easy") plants on tropica.com.. I think Java moss, a small anubias and maybe something else short would go well. The fish will be "happier" with the plants

 

[fluttermoth]

It is overstocked, but, as it's well matured, if you get rid of the guppies and the 'sucker' (I can't think of anything wih a sucker mouth that's suitable for an Edge) and just keep the betta and the neons, you'll probably be ok; do at least 50% water changes weekly; lets face it, that's really no trouble with an Edge, is it?

My son's Edge ha a couple of cryptocoryne plantlets, and two bits of bogwood; one with a tiny cutting of {i]Anubias nana[/i] on it and the other covered in xmas moss.

I don't know how good the Edge lights are for plants though; I'm fully expecting to have to rotate the plants into other tanks with better flow and light for a few months before they go back in the Edge for a few weeks.