So I Went To Check Out My Father's Tanks...............

[Ruskull]

So I brought my son to Grandpa's house to check out his fish tanks. When I spoke to him on the phone he said he had a whole bunch of fish, some were Tetras, some were Catfish, etc. That's all he knew.

First he has what was an already established 10 gallon nicely planted tank with river rock. That tank included (2) Peppered Corys and a Betta that eventually died. He bought a new filter cartridge and threw away the old one which killed all his good bacteria.

I brought some donated media & my trusty test kit with me. The 10 gallon tank looks great but it's highly overstocked with 23 total fish, that I could count anyway:

(2) Peppered Corys
(1) Albino Cory
(1) Pictus Catfish
(1) Albino Bristlenose Pleco
(4) Neon Tetras
(2) Serpae Tetras
(2) Red Eye Tetras
(1) Black Skirt Tetra
(1) Black Phantom Tetra
(2) Comet Goldfish
(4) Albino Long Finned Zebra Danios
(2) Minnows, silver with a black horizontal stripe

He had the Black Skirt Tetra in a 29 gallon tank with sand substrate. I told him to move the Serpae, Phantom & the Minnow looking fish to the larger tank. He also agreed to give my son the (4) Neons to add to his since those fish are so fragile and Zach's tank is already cycled. He says he'll put the Comet Goldfish in the pond when they get too big. Not real sure if that's a good or bad idea.

My question is, did I do the right thing in having him move the semi-aggressive, larger Tetras to the larger tank? I told him to wait to see how those fish do & then to increase the numbers of each slowly as the donated filter bacteria kick in.

His ammonia & nitrite were both at .25ppm in both tanks and his pH was very low at 6, although the pH could actually be lower since it was at the bottom of the chart. I didn't bother checking the nitrate since he was clearly in the middle of a fish in cycle and the water was just changed recently.

Another question: How would you divide up the fish between the 2 tanks? Returning or re-homing isn't really an option in this case as he's a bit of a stubborn old timer if you know what I mean.

 

[Ruskull]

Bump!

 

[Ruskull]

Bump!

 

[lilfishie]

if he's adamant about keeping the goldies inside for now i'd remove everything else as there tropical, the higher temp will be damaging the goldfish

 

[pablothebetta]

How long have the goldies been in there? It's likely they've already suffered from stunted growth if they've been in there a while, so it would be difficult to say when they get 'too big'. They should really be in a pond or a huge tank as they can grow over a foot long. I would move them asap personally

 

[Ruskull]

I'll push for him to take the Comets back. He probably got them from PetCo and he's had all these fish less around 1 week and a half.

What about the other fish? Danios and Minnows need a long tank right? How are they with Serpaes, Phantoms and Black Skirts? I know the Corries would love the sand in the larger tank but would they be picked on? What if any fish should stay in the 10 gallon?

Does anybody know anything about Pictus Catfish?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Does anybody know anything about Pictus Catfish?

Pimelodus pictus need a long tank of 4 of 5 foot, very active, quite social... Will consider anything small as "live lunch" when actively hunting for food during the night.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I'd rehome or return the pictus, as the 29g isn't really big enough for it. I would think all the tetras could go in the big tank with the cory. Just make sure to provide some sort of cover for the cory and the pleco. Even a piece of driftwood in an arch is ideal for cory, and one of the diet staples for the pleco. I have a few pieces of driftwood in my tanks and it's where the cory hang out most of the day, at least until feeding time, when they're all over the place. You could probably safely keep the danios in the 10g. The minnows actually sound like crappie minnows used as bait for fishing. They'd be happy in a pond with the goldfish, and if that won't go over, then in the 10g.

All those fish except the goldfish and pictus (which you're going to rehome or return, right??) should be in groups of at least 6, otherwise they get nippy and unhappy.

EDIT: Good idea to take the neons home with you to an established tank.

 

[Ruskull]

Does anybody know anything about Pictus Catfish?

Pimelodus pictus need a long tank of 4 of 5 foot, very active, quite social... Will consider anything small as "live lunch" when actively hunting for food during the night.

Thanks. Would it be okay temporarily with those Serpaes, Phantoms & Skirts? How about the Corys?

 

[Ruskull]

I'd rehome or return the pictus, as the 29g isn't really big enough for it. I would think all the tetras could go in the big tank with the cory. Just make sure to provide some sort of cover for the cory and the pleco. Even a piece of driftwood in an arch is ideal for cory, and one of the diet staples for the pleco. I have a few pieces of driftwood in my tanks and it's where the cory hang out most of the day, at least until feeding time, when they're all over the place. You could probably safely keep the danios in the 10g. The minnows actually sound like crappie minnows used as bait for fishing. They'd be happy in a pond with the goldfish, and if that won't go over, then in the 10g.

All those fish except the goldfish and pictus (which you're going to rehome or return, right??) should be in groups of at least 6, otherwise they get nippy and unhappy.

EDIT: Good idea to take the neons home with you to an established tank.

He's not going to rehome the Pictus, it's his favorite fish. He plans to get a bigger tank eventually, like a 55 to 75 gallon, & hopefully I can help him cycle it properly. Right now he's a little less than 3 inches long & I guess he'll have to go in the 29 gallon. I'll tell him to move the Corys to that tank too.

I'll see if I can convince him to put the Comets in the pond sooner rather than later.

What about the Bristlenose? I'll make sure he adds a big piece of driftwood too.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I'm sorry, but I just cringe hearing about people with small tanks and soon-to-be too-big fish housed in them with the thought that a bigger tank is on the way. Especially with the swimming buffet it has right there. But undoubtedly your dad won't give it up, so try to make sure there's plenty of cover for everybody. The BN should be fine if it has the driftwood, as with the cory. They like to have cover, as I mentioned before.

The goldfish are a whole other type of fish with much different needs than all your others.

Just noticing your tank in your sig, btw. There are green and white variegated plants on the front right that are NOT aquatic. Best to pot them and put them on the windowsill.

 

[Ruskull]

I'm sorry, but I just cringe hearing about people with small tanks and soon-to-be too-big fish housed in them with the thought that a bigger tank is on the way. Especially with the swimming buffet it has right there. But undoubtedly your dad won't give it up, so try to make sure there's plenty of cover for everybody. The BN should be fine if it has the driftwood, as with the cory. They like to have cover, as I mentioned before.

The goldfish are a whole other type of fish with much different needs than all your others.

Just noticing your tank in your sig, btw. There are green and white variegated plants on the front right that are NOT aquatic. Best to pot them and put them on the windowsill.

That's an old pic in my sig., I've removed all the Ribbon/Bamboo plants from that tank.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Oh, good! Doesn't it suck that we can't use those? They make such a striking scene when they're in there. I'd rather see it in my tank than on my windowsill.

 

[Ruskull]

Oh, good! Doesn't it suck that we can't use those? They make such a striking scene when they're in there. I'd rather see it in my tank than on my windowsill.

Yeah, the worst part is that I bought about $30 worth of them before I figured it out

So I waited til each one wilted and turned translucent before I took them out. They are now completely gone from the 36 gallon bowfront. I still have a large Argentine Sword, which I believe is also semi-aquatic, but that one is growing well and I'll keep it in there until it starts to die. The last Ribbon plant I have is still in my new 20 gallon setup and it's doing well. I already have a nice big Anubias mounted in Mopani root soaking in the 10 gallon tank. That Anubias & Mopani was in my sonm's 20 gallon but it turned the water very brown, very quickly.

.............and thanks for reminding me that I need to change my signature picture!

 

[This Old Spouse]

I think your Amazon sword should be okay. I have a few of those and they're doing well. Had them for a long time.

The mopani is just realeasing tannins which is no harm to your fish. Generally best to soak it for a while before putting it the tank to lessen the amount, but now you know that! I still have a big chunk of driftwood in my 55g that colors the water, but it leads to a very natural looking tank so I don't mind.

Yes, do put up a new photo of your tank! I'd love to see it.