pictures of my tank

[quintessential]

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU AINT LISTENING.

NEXT TIME YOU GO TO THE SHOP BUY SOME BOOKS AND READ.


GET MORE KNOWLEDGE FIRST

 

[Cheese Specialist]

loates, eh?

I am sure I remember you... didn't you want a silly number of massive coldwater fish in an 8ft tank which actually turned out to be much smaller?

I remember you didn't listen to anyone's advice then.

Anyways...

You bought 2 clown loaches this morning? Is that a good idea considering they'll have to be rehomed at some point? I agree you can keep them for a while btw. IMO people overreact about clown loaches. They grow very, very slowly especially after they hit 4" and 8" is more common than the beastly 12" that people seem fond of quoting. People have plenty of time to upgrade.

You talk a fair bit about algae. What kind of algae is it? Perhaps you should look at tackling the root of the problem rather than relying on fish to fix it.

Too much/little light, direct sunlight, overfeeding and overstocking are all common causes. Adding lots of live plants will help as they outcompete algae for nutrients and use amonia, nitrIte and nitrAte to grow.

HTH

yes i remerber u that clever one...

no if u read what i have posted i am getting rid of my clown loachs..
the algea is green , only have a little bit on back on glass everywhere else is ok.............

i love it our u lot slat my tank but out of all the people with tanks i know i have the least fish...

Ok, although it doesn't really read like that:

just from my local fish shop, i cvan get somemore if u want..
got got two clown loachs this morning

Got back form LFS, got 2 clown loaches I read. Sorry about that.

Anyways, a little alage in a tank is normal and healthy and I didn't really see anyone slating your tank in this thread just trying to help. I haven't seen you tank myself but remember it looking good is not the same as it being balanced and healthy.

Also, you have no idea how many fish I have.

Looking at the list up the top, minus the clowns, I am wondering why you are getting rid of your bristlenoses? A 4ft tank is plenty big for 2 of them IMO as long as you keep the water changes regular.

I see you have cardinals, you might want to get some more of them. They are quite nervous and sensitive and could do with a bigger group.

Them being alive and healthy is a good indication that your tank is doing well.

HTH

(and hey DD )

 

[loates123]

right off to trip to shop thanks for advice so far, i am listening just like all new starters think i know better than the pros, which is not true at all

taking back 2 brittle noses as i am told they make to much dirt

taking back 2 clown loachs can i hell catch the last one in the tank, will he be ok in there, all should i still try to catch him

taking back the very large shrimp , you never see it and when u do its so ugly...


getting more cardinals(5) and 2 more neons..
getting two more otos and 3 more female betas

is they any think else i should add or not add please hurry i am going in 20 mins.. also what other fish are good at eating algea i do not have much at the moment infact very very little but dont want a problem in the the coming mths...

my aim colourfull tank with fish that do not make to much mess....due to me having white sand

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Otos will eat your algae, no problem.

You'll need to get the other clown loach. They don't do well on their own, they need to be in a group of 3+. Try getting 2 nets and using on to chase him into the other, or chase him into the bag.

 

[loates123]

thanks he is hiding under the rock and its to heavy to move...

also will 4 otos be ok, or should i add a another algea eating fish,,, also do females betas make much mess...


any other tips would be great, i need a few fish that stay in the upper half of the tank which have good colour

 

[loates123]

Siamese Algae Eater would this fish be a good buy, or do they make to much mess...as i am getting rid of both brittle noses when i go out soon

dont want to overstock my tank

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Maybe get more ottos or you could keep a bristlenose (I'd favour that option) but make sure you feed them lettuce, cucumber and/or algae tablets.

Top colourful fish... hmmmm... perhaps a kind of rainbow fish (there's loads but I think all are good sizes and friendly enough). Get about 4 of them and they'll add plenty of colour and movement.

 

[loates123]

Siamese Algae Eater over bristlenose
so you would go with a brslenose then mate, just worryong about mess etc..

sorry last question b4 i go

 

[Erised]

Can I advice looking for some more plants as well when you're in the shop? You can't overstock on plants, and most fish (specially your ottos, cardinals and plec) will Love having more plants. Try getting some big/broad leaf once (amazon sword for example) ... it will also make your tank look a lot fuller

--Edit--

Don't know what Cheese would go for, but I'd go for the siamese algae eater rather than bristlenose plec. In my experience just as good in cleaning algae, but less messy. I've got 3 of them right now, and they love being together ... not sure if they Have to be kept in a group though, get someone else's opinion on that

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Siamese Algae Eater over bristlenose
so you would go with a brslenose then mate, just worryong about mess etc..

sorry last question b4 i go

Bristle noses are fine. Your tank is well big enough for one. They don't get big. Sure they make a bit of mess but it's easily hoovered up. I don't really understand why you are getting rid.

You'd have to get about 4 SAE (making sure they are not Chinese ), they like to be in groups, and I think this would take too much from the otos.

I personally would keep one of the bristle noses though. But they might want a big of wood should you spy a nice bit.

 

[loates123]

Of course, the one plant you didn't want is probably flourishing. Algae plagues most new tanks, although it does usually come into balance and a little can look attractive. You can try changing the length of time the lights are on, but of course this will also affect your other plants. Your best weapon in the fight against algae is a Bristlenose catfish (Ancistrus sp., usually temmincki). Even a small bristlenose will leave tracks on the murky glass within hours, and usually have it all clean and shiny in days. They can't deal with brush algae or blanketweed, but the green film that obscures your front glass will be speedily eliminated. They are cute fish too, and usually visible somewhere in the tank working away at their cleaning duties. Growing to around four inches long, most communities will have room for one of these gentle and hardworking fish. Do not, however, be tempted to invest in a 'Siamese Algae Eater', whatever it says in the shop. Gyrinocheilus aymonieri is an unpleasant fish that eats very little algae, but is more than delighted to rasp away on its tank mates as it grows to a full size of up to ten inches. 'Plecs', as used as a shop name, encompasses a range of related fishes. Although these are usually gentle, some have been known to turn nasty, and grow to a very large size, sometimes well over a foot.



saw that on another board

anyway just returned from shop

the plants they had were not what i wanted so did not bother..
they had no Siamese Algae Eaters only flying foxes so did not bother

so i got 5 cardinals
2 ghost shrimps
3 femalesflighters
2 otos
1 very small brittle nose catfish

so in my tank now i have

5 females flighters
1 brittle nose catfish
4 otos
2 black stripe neons
9 cardinals
3 ghost shrimps
5 corys
1 red tailed shark
and 1 clown loach which is inpossible to catch , and reckon i wont catch for a long time, as he goes under the very heavy rock and covers himself in sand....


what do u think of my set up, all advice welcome, i dont want to over stock and have loads of mess

 

[black angel]

what about quarantine? nobody mentioned that.

anyway, i dont know about anyone else but i learnt a heck of a lot from this thread.

 

[cuba408]

You should throw in 5 Jack Dempseys around 3 inches each.

 

[FishEnthusiast]

I am no expert on stocking, so the only suggestion I have is neons are schoaling fish, you need to add at least 4 more IMO to keep the black neons happy. I don't know what your luck with oto's is. I love them for algae, especially brown algae, but darn it, they die for no reason. I started with 6 and I am down to 2. I am going to buy more later.

Watch for agression with the female bettas. There isn't a lot of cover in your tank, and adding new girls to an established heirarchy results in a bunch of agression until they establish a new heirarchy. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

Someone suggested you get rainbows. I have some and I love them. I have both Boesmani Rainbows and Dwarf Neon Rainbows. The Boesmani grow to about 4" each and the Dwarfs about 2". If you have the room, I would get some of those.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

You should throw in 5 Jack Dempseys around 3 inches each.

DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS IDIOT