New In Mate Causing Trouble

[fatmrak315]

that interesting stupid fish shop.all there red tailed black sharks are really rainbow sharks, i will live. (note to self don't tell other half).

ok so things to do on tank.

1. silk plants
2. 6 more rosy barb
3. remember to re home angel if i don't get my dream tank.
4. build giant rock cave right side of tank
5. second filter (just in case my breaks that way fish don't die while waiting for new one).

is there anything else. and how much of an area should i leave for open swimming. so there only little silk plants. in that area. and is there anything i can do tonight that won't cost any pennys, because i have no money to pay day.

and thank you for all the help so far.

 

[fatmrak315]

just rearranged my tank and added a couple of things, for hiding holes. minus not being enough plant cover what you think.

the rocks in the picture have been vinegar tested and no bubbles and i left them in there for like three hours, just to be safe. these brick are used when building bridges that have legs that go in the water if you know what i mean.

 

[KittyKat]

0. get rid of the shark

1. silk plants
2. 6 more rosy barb
3. remember to re home angel if i don't get my dream tank.
4. build giant rock cave right side of tank
5. second filter (just in case my breaks that way fish don't die while waiting for new one)

Try to get an external filter as a second, I recommend Eheim's Classic range.

That looks better now. When you get more plants, try to make sure all of them reach from the bottom to the surface of the water, and place those at the back.

You can improve how the tank looks by adding a plain, black background to it.

 

[fatmrak315]

sadly can't get rid of shark, my partner been wanting one for ages. things have got better since the move around, still some chasing but nowhere near as bad.

i have just put an order in for a fluval u4, cost me £32 and that include extra filter media. and yes i think external would be better just don't have those kind of penny's, £32 broke my bank.

i wish i did not kill all live plants that come into my flat, coz i would love a planted tank. my current light tube is Phillips tl-d 36w 840, which i am guessing no good for plants, coz it not a proper aquatic tube, if am wrong please tell me.

do you have a website suggestion for black backing.

 

[KittyKat]

You are still likely to have problems with that shark in the long term, and they will only get worse with time.

i have just put an order in for a fluval u4, cost me £32 and that include extra filter media. and yes i think external would be better just don't have those kind of penny's, £32 broke my bank.

It might be worth looking at second hand equipment next time.. I do buy used stuff quite often and never had a problem with it

i wish i did not kill all live plants that come into my flat, coz i would love a planted tank. my current light tube is Phillips tl-d 36w 840, which i am guessing no good for plants, coz it not a proper aquatic tube, if am wrong please tell me.

You are wrong There's little or no difference between "aquarium" tubes and unbranded tubes: the differences are between, for example, tri-phosphor, halophosphate and multi-phosphor tubes. Like you, I use the tri-phosphor tubes, I prefer the 865 colour though. You have about 0.2 wpg, which is *very* low, but I think you can still grow Java moss.. maybe worth trying Anubias as well, but I'm not sure how that would survive.

do you have a website suggestion for black backing.

I recommend your LFS, the shipping is usually quite high on it.. otherwise: http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110649641249 (you'll need to cut it to the right height)

 

[ProjectMayhem]

I've only read the top few posts so sorry if I repeat something. If the rainbow shark isn't actually attacking it sounds like he is only being territorial which is to be expected from any species with shark in its name. I have a 200 Litre tank in my garage with several neon's and mollies in this I have quite a big Hypostomus plecostomus which chases the other fish away from the bottom of the tank. This doesn't affect my other fish because he doesn't attack he just chases them around. I don't see it being a problem for your fish at all in the new set up because they get chased about in the wild anyway and it won't follow them into the plants.

There is the chance however as the rainbow shark grows it may begin attacking your fish, it's only then it will become a problem for you.

 

[KittyKat]

I don't see it being a problem for your fish at all in the new set up because they get chased about in the wild anyway and it won't follow them into the plants.

It is a problem, because it is stressing the fish. There are two differences between this aquarium and the wild:
* these fish are *never* found together in the wild, because they are from different continents
* in the wild, there is space to get *far* away, in the aquarium there is not

 

[ProjectMayhem]

I don't see it being a problem for your fish at all in the new set up because they get chased about in the wild anyway and it won't follow them into the plants.

It is a problem, because it is stressing the fish. There are two differences between this aquarium and the wild:
* these fish are *never* found together in the wild, because they are from different continents
* in the wild, there is space to get *far* away, in the aquarium there is not

Granted, but they are saying this isn't happening all the time it's happening every so often since the change to the tank. They have somewhere to hide now, more room to swim and he's barely chasing them.

 

[KittyKat]

Granted, but they are saying this isn't happening all the time it's happening every so often since the change to the tank. They have somewhere to hide now, more room to swim and he's barely chasing them.

Granted, that it is not constant, but we are talking about a species which is known to be aggressive and only becomes more so with age, and another which is known to be shy and a wuss, only becoming more so with aggression. Both species live on the same (bottom) area of the aquarium, and there's no question of competition as one will get the crap beaten out of it by the other, every time. The stress of not being able to claim a territory can even kill cichlids like keyholes. It does remain to be seen if the improvements, and future additions of plants and dithers, will be enough...

 

[fatmrak315]

i have just fed them and after a couple of minutes the rainbow shark went nuts and started to chase every fish in the tank. it took half and hour for him to stop this. i am worried that he stressing my other fish out. so i am guessing there only two options for my partner tonight it his shark but my aquarium.

1. find new home for shark

2. rethink stocking round shark, what fish will do great with this rainbow shark.

 

[ProjectMayhem]

i have just fed them and after a couple of minutes the rainbow shark went nuts and started to chase every fish in the tank. it took half and hour for him to stop this. i am worried that he stressing my other fish out. so i am guessing there only two options for my partner tonight it his shark but my aquarium.

1. find new home for shark

2. rethink stocking round shark, what fish will do great with this rainbow shark.

Thats normal though, any food in what he deems his territory he will defend, but if he does it everytime you feed them you'll have to seperate them because your other fish won't eat and obviously that will kill them

 

[Harlequins]

Personally i would take the shark back to the lfs or re-home it,at this rate your once placid tank is going to become very stressed out through the sharks natural behaviour...

 

[fatmrak315]

my partner let me tank him back. sadly miss, but hopefully my tank will be back to normal in a couple of hours.

 

[KittyKat]

It should be.. but you should still think about getting the barb numbers up and the foliage.