Katchan
Fish Addict
1st, please pardon my noobieness and not always knowing correct names/spelling
I recently (nearly 3 weeks) purchased a 2nd hand tank for my 3 1/2 yr old christmas present (he had been asking for near 6 months so we hoped it would work well (it has everyone loves but my 2 1/2 yr old has trouble keeping things - hands, toys etc.- out of it). The seller told me the tank is roughly six months old, cycling well and was stocked from a larger tank which has now been dedicated to discus fish. The fish in at the time were
1 white cloud tetra
5 neons
1 red tailed black shark (2 1/2" long)
1 angel fish with wondefully long fins(2" long 3"+ high) (seems placid, not interested in the white clouds and neons)
1 orange/gold sword tail
1 khuli loach
1 bristle nosed catfish
1 small white (albino?) catfish
2 small/low plants
tank is about 70 liters (18 US Gallons?) water changed fortnightly (20liters). It's of the newer curved variety. After resetting it up when we got home, the shark set himself a territory of the back left corner of the tank being very aggressive about it, and aggressive in general to the swordtail. After 2 days (and the information we had pre and post purchase)we decided to get the single white cloud some friends (3 new ones, this resulted in him being more active and swimming with the new tetra's)
about a 3 or 4 days later bristlenosed catfish kills stoopid self by swimming into filter intake and getting stuck
2 weeks after purchase sword tail looking VERY unhappy doesnt do much sits in corner looking glum/sick , dies 2 days later.
Chhristmas eve consult LFS, dedicated to fish only and seems quite successful so we consulted salesman for advice on rounding out the tank said a few more should be okay and reccommended what not to get (mainly stressed no tiger barbs) so we got 4 male guppies with pretty tales, 1 small silver shark, 1 gourami (lovely blue/green stripes silver/white belly) and three plants (all same type, tall fern like things).
so current stock is
4 white cloud tetra (keep to top)
5 neons (mostly bottom)
1 red tailed black shark (3+" long) (2/3 time left botom rest swims about happy)
1 angel fish with wondefully long fins(2" long 3"+ high) (mid to top)
1 khuli loach (hides mostly)
1 bristle nosed catfish (3 1/2"+ long) (bottom mostly)
4 male guppies with pretty tales (mid to top)
1 small silver shark (mid tank)
1 gourami (lovely blue/green stripes silver/white belly) (keeps top)
2 small/low plants
2 tall plants (please consult my 2 1/2 yr old as to why its not three )
all now seems VERY harmoneous in there, all seem happy
here's my questions
1. Is this over stocked?
2. Some of the information I found said that gourami's should be pairs or more. Is this right? Should I get another?
3 With the Bristle Nose dead should I replace with another? I dont think the red tail shark, loach and small white catfish are keeping up with the job. Should I repleace it? and if so with what? (catfish, other fish, snail etc)
Thanks in advance
Katchan
I recently (nearly 3 weeks) purchased a 2nd hand tank for my 3 1/2 yr old christmas present (he had been asking for near 6 months so we hoped it would work well (it has everyone loves but my 2 1/2 yr old has trouble keeping things - hands, toys etc.- out of it). The seller told me the tank is roughly six months old, cycling well and was stocked from a larger tank which has now been dedicated to discus fish. The fish in at the time were
1 white cloud tetra
5 neons
1 red tailed black shark (2 1/2" long)
1 angel fish with wondefully long fins(2" long 3"+ high) (seems placid, not interested in the white clouds and neons)
1 orange/gold sword tail
1 khuli loach
1 bristle nosed catfish
1 small white (albino?) catfish
2 small/low plants
tank is about 70 liters (18 US Gallons?) water changed fortnightly (20liters). It's of the newer curved variety. After resetting it up when we got home, the shark set himself a territory of the back left corner of the tank being very aggressive about it, and aggressive in general to the swordtail. After 2 days (and the information we had pre and post purchase)we decided to get the single white cloud some friends (3 new ones, this resulted in him being more active and swimming with the new tetra's)
about a 3 or 4 days later bristlenosed catfish kills stoopid self by swimming into filter intake and getting stuck
2 weeks after purchase sword tail looking VERY unhappy doesnt do much sits in corner looking glum/sick , dies 2 days later.
Chhristmas eve consult LFS, dedicated to fish only and seems quite successful so we consulted salesman for advice on rounding out the tank said a few more should be okay and reccommended what not to get (mainly stressed no tiger barbs) so we got 4 male guppies with pretty tales, 1 small silver shark, 1 gourami (lovely blue/green stripes silver/white belly) and three plants (all same type, tall fern like things).
so current stock is
4 white cloud tetra (keep to top)
5 neons (mostly bottom)
1 red tailed black shark (3+" long) (2/3 time left botom rest swims about happy)
1 angel fish with wondefully long fins(2" long 3"+ high) (mid to top)
1 khuli loach (hides mostly)
1 bristle nosed catfish (3 1/2"+ long) (bottom mostly)
4 male guppies with pretty tales (mid to top)
1 small silver shark (mid tank)
1 gourami (lovely blue/green stripes silver/white belly) (keeps top)
2 small/low plants
2 tall plants (please consult my 2 1/2 yr old as to why its not three )
all now seems VERY harmoneous in there, all seem happy
here's my questions
1. Is this over stocked?
2. Some of the information I found said that gourami's should be pairs or more. Is this right? Should I get another?
3 With the Bristle Nose dead should I replace with another? I dont think the red tail shark, loach and small white catfish are keeping up with the job. Should I repleace it? and if so with what? (catfish, other fish, snail etc)
Thanks in advance
Katchan