Tank Mate Trouble

[luckyliam13]

hey guys im new to this but hey heres the problem

i have a 2.5x1x1.5 foot aquarium currently stocked with one tiger barb, one golden guarami, one red tailed shark and 5 bristle nosed catfish babies

i originally started with 10 tiger barbs to get the tank cycling once the tank was up and running i had seven left i went into the local fishstore and asked what tank mates would be suitable for tiger barbs they sugested a red tailed black shark i purchased the shark and brought him home. he has now killed off all but one of the tiger barbs i added the golden gaurami during the sharks killing spree he had a little tussle with the shark originally but they are now quite happy together however he tends to hide alot is this normall?? my remaining tiger barb is quite healthy however i think hes gone crazy he spends his time running up and down the glasss chasing his reflection. the red tailed shark still chases him relentlessly. i recently added the bristle noses because my bristle nose tank is chokas full of babies and to combat algue. i guess thats my current situation and i was looking for more fish to put in my tank but i am to worried that theyll get killed by my shark any suggestions about tankmates or fixing the guaramies hiding problems?

t.y heaps

p.s soz for the bad spelling

 

[Big_eyes]

Get rid of the shark then

 

[hamfist]

Get rid of the shark then

Agreed. Sounds pretty straightforward really. RTBS get to be aggressive oiks as they grow up. It won't get any better. Might even get worse.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Luckyliam13, please check the details I have added and correct if necessary. Entering the "juvenile sizes" rather than adult size will give you a better current picture, but bare in mind that older fish are bigger and produce more toxic waste...

http/www.aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php?AquTankName=luckyliam13&AquListBoxTank=Choose&AquTankLength=30&AquTankDepth=12&AquTankHeight=18&AquListBoxFilter=Choose&AquTextFilterRate=N%2FA&AquListBoxFilter2=Choose&AquTextFilterRate2=N%2FA+&FormSubmit=Update&AquFilterString=&AquListBoxChooser=Bristlenose+Pleco+%28Ancistrus+sp.%29&AquTextBoxQuantity=&AquTextBoxRemoveQuantity=&AlreadySelected=200909300232%3A1%3A0%3A%2C200909300186%3A1%3A0%3A%2C200910271802%3A1%3A0%3A%2C200909300033%3A5%3A1.1811023622%3A&FilterMode=Display+all+species&AqTempUnit=C&AqVolUnit=gUS&AqLengthUnit=cm&AqSortType=cname&FilterQuantity=2&AqJuvMode=0&AqSpeciesWindowSize=long&AqSearchMode=simple

 

[luckyliam13]

Get rid of the shark then

Agreed. Sounds pretty straightforward really. RTBS get to be aggressive oiks as they grow up. It won't get any better. Might even get worse.
[/quote

i have a 1 foot tank would the shark survive in their ty for speedy replies

 

[BethK]

They grow up to 6", so a 1 foot tank won't last it very long. If you are not willing to rehome your RTBS, then try adding more hiding places for him. They like to scavenge and hide out,might make him slightly less aggressive.

 

[mattlee]

the tank isnt big enough for a RTBS and maybe a bit small for an adult golden gourami.... also tiger barbs need to be in bigger groups so they keep their aggressive nature between themselves and dont bully or fin nip other species in the tank. as you are probably aware bristlenose plecs are massive poo machines so when they get a bit bigger they will have a massive effect on the bioload of the filter, i would keep just 1 or 2 at a push in a tank that size. adding fish to combat algae problems wont rid the tank of it as it will just keep coming back again and again, you really need to find the cause of the algae problem and try to prevent it.

what algae are you getting?

is the tank in direct sunlight?

how much do you feed and how often?

is there much water circulation in the tank?

what filtration do you have?

how often do you clean the substrate and change the water?

answering these questions may help us to find the cause of the algae

 

[luckyliam13]

hey thanks for the tips im quite fond of my RTBS so ill give the hidey holes idea a try and yes i am aware of the bristle noses being poop machines i have a breeding pair and they are very messy and high maintance. and thats a realy neat site btw you had all my fish in a one foot tank as for the algue problem i have a 2 foot tank beside my main tank which holds my breeding bristle noses and its totally algue free so its definatly not sunlight as for feeding just sparingly twice a day, the tank circulates very well if not better than the bristle nose tank as for the maintance its usually once a fortnight the algue is a brownish colour and developes every where so yer dont really no wat causes that.

ty for all ur help so far

 

[arobinson1984]

Agree with mattlee,

The tank isnt big enough for a RTBS, not because of its size, but because of its agressive nature. They need at least a 55 gal tank to minimise aggression to an acceptable level. A RTBS will claim large areas of the tank as its own territory therefore attacking fish whilst defending this area, in a small tank there isnt much space left after the RTBS has taken over most of it hence the increased aggression.

If you dont rehome the shark now you will inevitably experience more deaths to other fish, either by the RTBS physically attacking or by harrassing other fish to death.
As a RTBS matures, the aggression increases.


Andy

 

[luckyliam13]

so my RTBS will eventuall turn on my gaurami and bristle nose once its finished of my tiger barb

 

[Jenste]

yes, that is what everyone has been trying to tell you - your tank is not suitable at all for the shark. it is much much too small.

if you care about your fish's health, happiness, and well being rather than just the fact that "you like" the shark, you will return/rehome it immediately.

 

[mattlee]

hey thanks for the tips im quite fond of my RTBS so ill give the hidey holes idea a try and yes i am aware of the bristle noses being poop machines i have a breeding pair and they are very messy and high maintance. and thats a realy neat site btw you had all my fish in a one foot tank as for the algue problem i have a 2 foot tank beside my main tank which holds my breeding bristle noses and its totally algue free so its definatly not sunlight as for feeding just sparingly twice a day, the tank circulates very well if not better than the bristle nose tank as for the maintance its usually once a fortnight the algue is a brownish colour and developes every where so yer dont really no wat causes that.

ty for all ur help so far

if you are getting brownish algae in the tank its more than likely diatoms, caused by ammonia by overfeeding or in a newly cycled tank. even trace amounts of ammonia can cause this to appear.

 

[luckyliam13]

hey thanks for the tips im quite fond of my RTBS so ill give the hidey holes idea a try and yes i am aware of the bristle noses being poop machines i have a breeding pair and they are very messy and high maintance. and thats a realy neat site btw you had all my fish in a one foot tank as for the algue problem i have a 2 foot tank beside my main tank which holds my breeding bristle noses and its totally algue free so its definatly not sunlight as for feeding just sparingly twice a day, the tank circulates very well if not better than the bristle nose tank as for the maintance its usually once a fortnight the algue is a brownish colour and developes every where so yer dont really no wat causes that.

ty for all ur help so far

if you are getting brownish algae in the tank its more than likely diatoms, caused by ammonia by overfeeding or in a newly cycled tank. even trace amounts of ammonia can cause this to appear.

 

[luckyliam13]

hey guys thanx for all the help ive bean looking into re homing my RTBS AND lonely tiger barb soz about my stubbornness i just like my fish as for the algue i dont think its over feeding but ill watch more closely to c if food isnt being eaten ty for all ur advice and speedy replies

kind regards liam

 

[Jenste]

sounds like a great plan
so, now you will only have the gourami? have you started to think of a stocking list of how you want your tank? ( we LOVE helping with stocking lists!)