Stressed, fed-up and paranoid - HELP

[Cheese Specialist]

**LONG POST ALERT**

Hello,

I am so stressed! I have just wrote a really long post and then lost it by accident before I posted it. So, I have to write it all over again.

I am getting paranoid and stressed generally about my tanks and specifically their residents. I am worried about their long-term development. Some of the fish I have were got by accident, when I was not looking to get more fish (albino kribs, finleyi and limas). There's some that I wouldn't have bought if I had known their behaviour/size like the barbs and kissing gourami and there are some that simply came with the second hand tank that I perhaps would not have chosen myself.

I get like this sometimes, usually when I am stressed generally.

I am going to put as much info as I can about them and their homes so you can give me your information and advice...

Tank 1:

Coldwater: 37UK/45US gallons - 48"x12"x18"
Filter: Fluval 4+
Substrate: Gravel
Plants: fake and a real 'lucky' bamboo structure
Other decor: Plant pots, mopani wood

Fish:

8 Peppered Cories: small, 1"
5 Common Goldfish: 2x3.5", 3x2.5"
2 Comets: 2"
2 Bent Golden Orfes: 3" (including bend)
2 Hillstream Loaches Beaufortia kweichowensis: 2"
2 Chinese Hillstream Loaches Gastromyzon sp.: 1x1.5", 1x2"
2 Weather Loaches: 1x6", 1x4"

Parameters (as tested on March 28th):

Ph: 7.4
Amonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 8


Tank 2:

Tropical: 71UK/84US - 60"x18"x18"
Filter: 2 Eheim Ecco 2233
Airpump: 4" stone
Substrate: sand
Plants: 2 large red tiger lillies, large java fern on bogwood and small java fern on mopani, lots of java moss on wood and caves
Other decor: lots of plant pot and vase caves and lots of wood

Fish:

5 Siamese Flying Foxes: 2.5"
4 Angel Fish: 1=3"x4", 1=2.5"x3.5" & 2=2"x3" (lxh)
4 Clown Loaches: 1=4", 3=2"
4 Kuhli Loaches: 2.5"
4 X-Ray Tetra: 1"
3 Penguin Tetra: 1=2", 2=1"
3 Mollies: 2" (one is a sailfin)
2 Cardinal Tetra: 2"
2 Upside-down Catfish: 1=4", 1=2"
2 Glass Catfish: 2"
2 Albino Kribensis: 1=3", 1=3.5" (female and male respectively)
2 Chromidotilapia Finleyi Cichlids: 1=3", 1=4" (female and male respectively)
1 Silver Hatchetfish: 2"
1 Boesmani Rainbowfish: 3"
1 Farlowella: 6"
1 Rainbow Shark: 3"
1 Kissing Gourami: 2.5"
1 Golden Gourami: 3"
1 L134 Plec: 2.5"
1 L052 Plec: 4"

Parameters (as tested on March 28th):

Ph: 7.2
Amonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 8


Tank 3:

Tropical: 16UK/19US - 26"x12"x14"
Filter: Fluval Biolife as part of the tropiquarium 68
Substrate: gravel
Plants: Various green live plants, 6 in total
Other decor: slabs to form structure and plant pot in a 'hill' of gravel

Fish:

6 Barbs (2 Tiger, 2 Green, 1 Rosy, 1 Albino): 2"
4 Otos: 1.5"
2 Kribensis: 2" (male and aggressive female)
2 Blue Limas: 1"
2 Albino Cories: 1.5"
2 Bronze Cories: 1.5"

Parameters (as tested on March 28th):

Ph: 7.3
Amonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 30

Maintenence:

Coldwater - 20% weekly water change, may start doing a mid-week one. Clean filter about every 2 weeks. Light gravel clean weekly with w/c.

Big Tropical - 20% weekly water change. Use gravel cleaner to get plec poo from under wood. Clean 1 filter monthly, alternating between the 2.

Small Tropical - 20% weekly water change, will start mid-week changes due to nitrAte level. Clean filter every 2 weeks. Light gravel clean weekly with w/c.

Feeding:

I feed every other day with flakes, catfish pellets, plec tablets (for weather loaches and cories also) and an algae wafer in the big tropical.

I feed lettuce/cucumber to the large tank about every 10 days and frozen bloodworm to tropical tanks once a week.

Final Questions:

I want to know what you think of my set-ups and any ideas of moving the fish around to make the most of what I have.

I would like to give away the larger goldfish to someone who has a pond but I have not found anyone yet. Until then they are ok in my tank but I am not sure how long they will be ok for.

I am worried about the female krib in the smaller tank and she is a right nasty piece of work and is always chasing the other fish around.

I am also worried about the potential size of the finleyi cichlids and whether they will continue to be ok in the tank they are in. I have not been able to find out much information about them and no-oe lese seems to have any. They have settled in well and have an area which they live, they are fine to the other fish with the exception of the rainbowfish who they chase away from their spot.

I will not give any of the fish back to the pet shop, especially the goldfish as they will simply sell them to someone else who does not have the requirements for them.


Possibilities:

I could get another tank that could be no larger than 30"x15", possibly another of the same in time.

I am not sure what this would be in gallons. *has a look*

Presuming it's 18" high and I could get one that size, it would be 30UK/35US gallons. I maybe could get 2 depending on whether I need them and if I could afford them.

I also have a 8.5UK/10US gallon tank which I have though of putting the female krib into, but I don't know about this being a permanent solution.


My fish are all pretty ok at the moment but I have found some fungus in the biggest tank and I saw some scratching by the cories in the coldwater but I don't know why yet.

Please tell me what you think and let me know whether you think my situation is workable and if so, how long for.

Thanks in advance and sorry for taking up so much of your time,

Dana.

Edit: edited size of smallest tank

 

[CFC]

There isnt anything that jumps out and screams to be changed, the stocking is within safe limits and the fish arent seriously incompatable.
The only person who can really decide which fish you want to keep and which fish you return (if any) is you. Watch the fish closely for a few weeks before making any decisions, there is nothing worse than having to buy your own fish back because you made a wrong decision, take it from me

 

[aberdeen aquarist]

Coldwater: 37UK/45US gallons - 48"x12"x18"
Filter: Fluval 4+
Substrate: Gravel
Plants: fake and a real 'lucky' bamboo structure
Other decor: Plant pots, mopani wood

8 Peppered Cories: small, 1"
5 Common Goldfish: 2x3.5", 3x2.5"
2 Comets: 2"
2 Bent Golden Orfes: 3" (including bend)
2 Hillstream Loaches Beaufortia kweichowensis: 2"
2 Chinese Hillstream Loaches Gastromyzon sp.: 1x1.5", 1x2"
2 Weather Loaches: 1x6", 1x4"

Parameters (as tested on March 28th):

Ph: 7.4
Amonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 8


Tank 2:

Tropical: 71UK/84US - 60"x18"x18"
Filter: 2 Eheim Ecco 2233
Airpump: 4" stone
Substrate: sand
Plants: 2 large red tiger lillies, large java fern on bogwood and small java fern on mopani, lots of java moss on wood and caves
Other decor: lots of plant pot and vase caves and lots of wood

Fish:

5 Siamese Flying Foxes: 2.5"
4 Angel Fish: 1=3"x4", 1=2.5"x3.5" & 2=2"x3" (lxh)
4 Clown Loaches: 1=4", 3=2"
4 Kuhli Loaches: 2.5"
4 X-Ray Tetra: 1"
3 Penguin Tetra: 1=2", 2=1"
3 Mollies: 2" (one is a sailfin)
2 Cardinal Tetra: 2"
2 Upside-down Catfish: 1=4", 1=2"
2 Glass Catfish: 2"
2 Albino Kribensis: 1=3", 1=3.5" (female and male respectively)
2 Chromidotilapia Finleyi Cichlids: 1=3", 1=4" (female and male respectively)
1 Silver Hatchetfish: 2"
1 Boesmani Rainbowfish: 3"
1 Farlowella: 6"
1 Rainbow Shark: 3"
1 Kissing Gourami: 2.5"
1 Golden Gourami: 3"
1 L134 Plec: 2.5"
1 L052 Plec: 4"

Parameters (as tested on March 28th):

Ph: 7.2
Amonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 8


Tank 3:

Tropical: 16UK/19US - 26"x12"x14"
Filter: Fluval Biolife as part of the tropiquarium 68
Substrate: gravel
Plants: Various green live plants, 6 in total
Other decor: slabs to form structure and plant pot in a 'hill' of gravel

Fish:

6 Barbs (2 Tiger, 2 Green, 1 Rosy, 1 Albino): 2"
4 Otos: 1.5"
2 Kribensis: 2" (male and aggressive female)
2 Blue Limas: 1"
2 Albino Cories: 1.5"
2 Bronze Cories: 1.5"

Parameters (as tested on March 28th):

Ph: 7.3
Amonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 30

Maintenence:

Coldwater - 20% weekly water change, may start doing a mid-week one. Clean filter about every 2 weeks. Light gravel clean weekly with w/c.

Big Tropical - 20% weekly water change. Use gravel cleaner to get plec poo from under wood. Clean 1 filter monthly, alternating between the 2.

Small Tropical - 20% weekly water change, will start mid-week changes due to nitrAte level. Clean filter every 2 weeks. Light gravel clean weekly with w/c.

Feeding:

I feed every other day with flakes, catfish pellets, plec tablets (for weather loaches and cories also) and an algae wafer in the big tropical.

I feed lettuce/cucumber to the large tank about every 10 days and frozen bloodworm to tropical tanks once a week.

Final Questions:

I want to know what you think of my set-ups and any ideas of moving the fish around to make the most of what I have.

I would like to give away the larger goldfish to someone who has a pond but I have not found anyone yet. Until then they are ok in my tank but I am not sure how long they will be ok for.

I am worried about the female krib in the smaller tank and she is a right nasty piece of work and is always chasing the other fish around.

I am also worried about the potential size of the finleyi cichlids and whether they will continue to be ok in the tank they are in. I have not been able to find out much information about them and no-oe lese seems to have any. They have settled in well and have an area which they live, they are fine to the other fish with the exception of the rainbowfish who they chase away from their spot.

I will not give any of the fish back to the pet shop, especially the goldfish as they will simply sell them to someone else who does not have the requirements for them.


Possibilities:

I could get another tank that could be no larger than 30"x15", possibly another of the same in time.

I am not sure what this would be in gallons. *has a look*

Presuming it's 18" high and I could get one that size, it would be 30UK/35US gallons. I maybe could get 2 depending on whether I need them and if I could afford them.

I also have a 8.5UK/10US gallon tank which I have though of putting the female krib into, but I don't know about this being a permanent solution.


My fish are all pretty ok at the moment but I have found some fungus in the biggest tank and I saw some scratching by the cories in the coldwater but I don't know why yet.

Please tell me what you think and let me know whether you think my situation is workable and if so, how long for.

Thanks in advance and sorry for taking up so much of your time,

Dana.

Edit: edited size of smallest tank

firstly, don't get too stressed out about your tanks, its supposed to be a relaxing hobby!!!! (sit down, relax, a few deep breaths should help!!!)

i didn't know peppered corys could survive in coldwater temperatures, what temp is your tank at?

in your big trop tank, the only thing i'd be worried about is the chromidotilapia finleyi cichlids. i have never heard of them before so can't be sure, but i was told that all fish with tilapia in their name get BIG.

in your samll trop tank, the female krib is nasty because she see's the whole tank as her territory, isn't she the one whos original partner died? try moving her out of the tank when you do your next water change (along with the rest of your fish) and move the decor around a bit, that may help calm her down.

all in all, you are doing a good job keeping your tanks, fungus can be cured with meds, and the cories flicking maybe just be them having an itch, but it is worth keeping an eye on.

HTH
AA

 

[Cheese Specialist]

firstly, don't get too stressed out about your tanks, its supposed to be a relaxing hobby!!!! (sit down, relax, a few deep breaths should help!!!)

i didn't know peppered corys could survive in coldwater temperatures, what temp is your tank at?

in your big trop tank, the only thing i'd be worried about is the chromidotilapia finleyi cichlids. i have never heard of them before so can't be sure, but i was told that all fish with tilapia in their name get BIG.

in your samll trop tank, the female krib is nasty because she see's the whole tank as her territory, isn't she the one whos original partner died? try moving her out of the tank when you do your next water change (along with the rest of your fish) and move the decor around a bit, that may help calm her down.

all in all, you are doing a good job keeping your tanks, fungus can be cured with meds, and the cories flicking maybe just be them having an itch, but it is worth keeping an eye on.

HTH
AA

Peppered cories are better in cooler water according to Planet Catfish and a few others. They like 64F-77F or something similar (I can't get into Planet Catfish to check at the min).

The tank is 71F at the moment.

I don't really know anything about the finleyis, but I think they were reclassified recently to 'Benitochromis nigrodorsalis' but no-one seemed to recognise that name.

Yes, it is that krib but the male that died wasnt her partner as such as they were not a pair and were only together a short time. I will do like you suggested though. I might even change it to sand at the same time. Thing is, she was the last to go in.

There isnt anything that jumps out and screams to be changed, the stocking is within safe limits and the fish arent seriously incompatable.
The only person who can really decide which fish you want to keep and which fish you return (if any) is you. Watch the fish closely for a few weeks before making any decisions, there is nothing worse than having to buy your own fish back because you made a wrong decision, take it from me

Cheers for the advise CFC, I am trying to get other opinions before I decide anything. I don't want to give any away if I can help it and have them happy and healthy.

 

[nightlife20]

heh u wanna count urself lucky, goin into a more personal depth my doctor wishish to put me on prozac because of my mood swings.. and im not kidding... i said no so she reluctantly perscribed me vitb's... i think they might help me more than gettin addicted to prozac

 

[Cian McLiam]

I cant see any probelms either.

Maybe its just me, (perhaps I look particularly evil when I worry and stress the fish to death) but I find that worrying less actually makes life much easier. If I spot the first signs of disease or stress, I change 20% water, up the temp a degree or two and let them to it, if its worse in two days, I think about medicating.

I used to worry perpetually, I would run for the meds at the first sign of stress convinced I knew what was wrong, I changedmy mind half way or if the fish got edgy and try a different med.

Now, I just take it easy, if its going to kill themin a day or two, meds just make things worse, so taking your time is critical. Basically I think that people who dont worry have more success with fish, just be determined in the maintenance and let them look after themselves.

K

 

[Cheese Specialist]

So the general concensus is that the tanks are ok? I got some info on the finleyi cichlids from someone on another forum and was told that they grow to 4.5" and are a bit territorial, especially with their won species.

I was incouraged to breed them as they have 'interesting' breeding habits which sounds very cool if I could free the space for them.

Thanks for the replies, I am feeling a lot more level headed today! I think I will still get a tank for the bedroom of 30"x15"x12" as my boyfriend has allowed it because of how stressed I was Not going to pass the chance up and I have even found a tank.

I was thinking about putting the albino kribs in there with some 'target' fish to see if they would breed.

 

[kribs mate]

i read your post like you asked me to

i still think all your tanks are hideously overstocked..
to say it isnt is just wrong and people who read this thread will think this is acceptable unless something is said..
Sorry its just plain cruel.

 

[William]

If her fish are healthy and fine, which they are then there is no problem. She does regular water changes and the nitrates are some of the lowest you'll find in a fish tank.

Why drag up old topics, kribs mate, sounds to me like you just are trolling. I hope I don't have to warn you again. Topic closed.