New Tank Set Up

[joshuaedgington]

hi, ive just joined here, looking for advice on my new tank set up


i recently have set up a tropical tank. 45 litres, 50cm x 30 x 30
it has a heater, light, good internal filter aqua -el model 1 plus, 5 live plants an ornament and gravel

i wanted to set up a good community tank with a variety of species, with some interesting, unusual or more fancy fish as well as some more standard ones.

i have been slowly introducing some fish

i currently have two tetras one is neon, is an ember breed . i've heard these need to schoal? but ive also heard most tetras will do that with other tetra breeds.


a female swordtail, which i've read is fine by itself

and a glass catfish, which i am a bit worried as i've read it also likes to shoal.

i would soon like to introduce some other fish, but im not sure what is sutable exactly, and how many

i'm a bit unsure of whether this is all suitable currently
species i am interested in are fighting fish, one male. i know this has to put in last.
i also like golden apple snails, crabs, angelfish but i know some of these, particularly the angelfish arent suitable for a tank my size. i know 45 litres is considered small, is there anything i can do to help the tank? as an upgrade is out of the question. would more plants or a second filter help?
any suggestions of fish would be fantastic, particularly ones that i can mix to create a varied tank. and any advice on my current ones.


any advice would be extremely helpful!! thanks alot, hope for replies!
josh

 

[Gilli]

Is your tank cycled cos you haven't mentioned that it is? If not then you are going to have to do plenty of water changes until it is to keep those fish alive! Neons do not fare well in imature tanks and will probably die. Read up on this article

Cycling and how to avoid New Tank Syndrome

Even if it is cycled you will have to add the new fish a few at a time over a number of weeks to allow the bacteria to grow and deal with the new bio load or you will get a spike in your water stats. you have not mentioned your ammonia/nitrite or nitrate stats? Have you tested your water? All fishkeepers need to have a liquid test kit and keep an eye on water stats so that at the first sign of a problem it can be corrected before it gets out of hand.

All neons need to schoal and should not be kept in groups of less than 6 or they will be stressed and stress leads to their immune system failing and then they become open to disease. They also will be of more benefit when kept in grooups as they will be bolder and behave more naturally rather than hiding away.

 

[joshuaedgington]

hi I bought the tank, and the man sold me the tank and it had to kind of bacterias to add in
he said set up the tank and put one in, then you can buy some fish 5 days later add them then add the other bacteria. i waited 11 days before adding fish, then added the second bacteria, so i am unsure? but when i bouth the neon they siad it's fine in a new tank?

Is your tank cycled cos you haven't mentioned that it is? If not then you are going to have to do plenty of water changes until it is to keep those fish alive! Neons do not fare well in imature tanks and will probably die. Read up on this article

Cycling and how to avoid New Tank Syndrome

even if it is cycled you will have to add the new fish a few at a time over a number of weeks to allow the bacteria to grow and deal with the new bio load or you will get a spike in your water stats.

All neons need to schoal and should not be kept in groups of less than 6 or they will be stressed and stress leads to their immune system failing and then they become open to disease.

sorry, i only replied to the first half of the message
when i bought the tank, i asked what water testers i need to buy, as i wasnt 100% sure. he said that after i add the first fish, a few weeks later go back they will test my water for me then for the first time, sell me the right tester kits and then i can add more fish

as for schoaling, is it wrong what i have read that tetras if not with their own bredd will schoal with other tetra breeds? i really was looking to set up a tank with a variety of species, can you help here? have i started wrong? brutal honesty is fine! thanks very much

josh

 

[Carlovel1]

hi, ive just joined here, looking for advice on my new tank set up


i recently have set up a tropical tank. 45 litres, 50cm x 30 x 30
it has a heater, light, good internal filter aqua -el model 1 plus, 5 live plants an ornament and gravel

i wanted to set up a good community tank with a variety of species, with some interesting, unusual or more fancy fish as well as some more standard ones.

i have been slowly introducing some fish

i currently have two tetras one is neon, is an ember breed . i've heard these need to schoal? but ive also heard most tetras will do that with other tetra breeds.


a female swordtail, which i've read is fine by itself

and a glass catfish, which i am a bit worried as i've read it also likes to shoal.

i would soon like to introduce some other fish, but im not sure what is sutable exactly, and how many

i'm a bit unsure of whether this is all suitable currently
species i am interested in are fighting fish, one male. i know this has to put in last.
i also like golden apple snails, crabs, angelfish but i know some of these, particularly the angelfish arent suitable for a tank my size. i know 45 litres is considered small, is there anything i can do to help the tank? as an upgrade is out of the question. would more plants or a second filter help?
any suggestions of fish would be fantastic, particularly ones that i can mix to create a varied tank. and any advice on my current ones.


any advice would be extremely helpful!! thanks alot, hope for replies!
josh

I'm very worried about the Glass Catfish in your tank!

1. The tank is way too small, this species should be in a 100+ litre tank.
2. Glass Catfish need to be in groups of 4+ , a single fish will die earlier than it should as it won't eat alone.
3. This fish only eats live food upon introduction, flake may be eaten around 1 year after introduction. If you are not feeding it live food , it will starve.
4. Glass Catfish are very hard to keep alive , as they are notoriously sensitive to bad water conditons which arent up to scratch. People who have these fish in well established (ie. the tank has been running more than a year) tanks have found they usually die within a week off adding , so in a new aquarium like yours, I wouldn't be surprised if they die in a few days.

The best you can do is return the fish immediately so you dont lose your money , or give it away to someone with a genuinely adequate tank. And next time , research on fish before you purchase as you could be committing an error.
Try a website like THIS ONE
I wish you and your catfish all the best!

 

[joshuaedgington]

right yes as i've said i was concerned about having the glass catfish...
i have done A HUGE AMOUNT of research both on the internet and talking to people at hugely respectable aquatic shops and have not been told about the glass catfish. it does seem fine, and yes i have established now that i need to feed it live food, although it is eating the flakes. my only concern was that i should ahve a few of them

any suggestions on the other fish or what else i can stock in the tank etc?

 

[joshuaedgington]

i couldnt find anything on that link about glass catfish.
but now i am really worried
im worried about every fish in my tank

can someone please please help??

i wanted to set up a community tank with a variety of different fish and possibly invertabry too.
what is now my best bet to d? any suggestions on stocking or re stocking int he future?

 

[Carlovel1]

How about you change your Glass Catfish for a more appropriate shoal of Glass Bloodfin Tetra

 

[joshuaedgington]

hmm, i wasnt really looking for schoaling fish, but by mistake bought three different kinds. the only fish in there that is appropiate for what i first wanted is the swordtail.

i really want a community tank with a variety of different fish. it's only 45 litres though.
i dont mind getting a few more neons for them to shoal, but say i (reluctantly as i love it) took the glass catfish back, what other non schoaling fish could i introduce? taking the size into account? i love angelfish, but know i cant have one in this size tank. i also love fighting fish but im sure i cant have one. any other similar fish appropiate for my tank. i'd prefer quantity and variety over size, thank you!

 

[Carlovel1]

Try Dwarf Gouramis

 

[joshuaedgington]

but what would i have to take out? what fish in there already can i have without shoaling? is there any way around? could i have just one of what you said? and what else could i add in? i really have got to such a worry stage that i need to be told all this!
thanks

 

[Carlovel1]

Basically try doing this:
Remove Glass Catfish
Buy 3 more Neon Tetra and 3 more Ember Tetra
Keep the Swordtail
Buy a single fish like a Dwarf Gourami but its up to you.

Dwarf Gouramis dont need to be in groups, a single one will be fine

 

[waterdrop]

Hi Joshua and welcome to TFF!

I see you are off and running on stocking plan issues and this is fine, many members here will be able to offer good advice and suggestions about your stocking, so keep going with it.

Meanwhile though (and I know it may feel like we are keeping at it a bit more than you want) its important for us to fully understand your tank water chemistry situation. The information you've given so far may mean that your tank water chemistry is just fine, or it may be that you are in a typical "Fish-In Cycling (process or situation)" or it could even be a bit worse.

The only way can find these things out reliably is via the results from a good test kit. Most of us like and use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit or the Nutrafin Mini-Master Test Kit (or there are others, both better and worse.) It doesn't usually work out to have a shop measure the water parameters as there is a lot of room for the shop personnel to get it wrong or just report the results differently than we would. Often beginners also come home with "paper strip" tests, which also don't work out.

Let us know more exactly how long water has been in the tank and when fish were introduced and how long things have been going overall. These water topics will be good to be discussing at the same time as the discussion of your stocking issues.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[joshuaedgington]

okay thanks for your advice on the water testing, which i will buy a kit and test it myself

but the real problem is the stocking...which is more for future reference and i know i have to stock it slowly i just want to know this for stocking the rest of the tank in the near future

see i want a varied community tank. i will keep the neon definately and add a few more for it to shoal. the glass catfish is my favourite, but this is the only time ive been told i shouldnt have it. i will keep the sword too as its fine by itself. but can i keep the other tetra without schoaling it? and the glass? and what else could i add in the future? i like bettas and angels but know i cant have these. any alternatives?

 

[Carlovel1]

If your desperate to keep the Glass catfish, open a new thread on the catfish part of the forum asking what people think of Glass Catfish in 45 litre tanks. Hopefully that will help you make your mind up
I dont advise keeping the other Tetra alone with none of its species.

 

[waterdrop]

Both the neons and the embers will need about six minimum. WD