Whats Wrong With My Feather Fin Catfish?

[AstonN24vantage]

its not really how many fish, its a combination of size and quanity, however if anyone ever tells you the 1 gallon per inch of adult fish, it doesn't really make sense. (would you put a 28 inch long fish in a 28 gallon tank?) anyway, you probably have ammonia or the fish are becoming territorial and beating each other up, or a nasty combination of the two. rehome fish, do a lot of water changes, ect.

 

[fluttermoth]

WEll, as a rough rule of thumb, 1" (adult size, not the size they are now) of fish per gallon; but this only works for small fish like tetras. Any fish that grows to more than 3 or 4" needs more...but you're looking at roughly having 28" of fish.

Your fish (I've taken out the ones that have passed away...);

1 swordtail (2")
1 neon tetra (1")
2 cherry barbs (2x 2.5)
2 dwarf gourami (2x 2.5")
1 glowlight tetra (1.5")
6 balloon red eye tetras (6x 3")
1 silver dollar (8")
1 pleco (well, he will be 20" or more, lets just say 10" for the moment)
2 chinese algae eaters (2x11")
about 8 corydoras (8x3")

= 96.2"

... however if anyone ever tells you the 1 gallon per inch of adult fish, it doesn't really make sense. (would you put a 28 inch long fish in a 28 gallon tank?) ...

No, you're right, it doesn't make total sense; but as a very rough guide for smaller fish, it works not too badly...

Better than having no clue at all, I think, anyway...feel free to disagree

 

[AstonN24vantage]

but it would make some sense if you had a bunch of fish...
like daniels case where its overstocked like crazy

 

[kizno1]

I agree with the others you definitely need to rehome some fish
I would go for a stocking like
1 swordtail
2 dwarf gourami
7 balloon red eye tetras
8 corydoras
Then choose 2 types of shoaling fish out of the glowlight tetra, cherry barb or neon tetra and up both groups to 6.

 

[fluttermoth]

but it would make some sense if you had a bunch of fish...
like daniels case where its overstocked like crazy

Well, exactly; it will at least give Daniel somewhere to start!

 

[daniel_2kaii9]

lost a dwarf gourami

i always lose the bigish fish i have in my tank

and my father said that i am not over stocked and hes had fish for 30+ years

 

[WILDER]

We can only offer advice, it's up to you if you take it.
Your tank is overstocked.
It's best to understock a tank than overstock it.
Double fileration is a good ideal aswell.

 

[fluttermoth]

lost a dwarf gourami

i always lose the bigish fish i have in my tank

and my father said that i am not over stocked and hes had fish for 30+ years

It could be that the bigger fish are more sensitve than the smaller ones. Dwarf Gouramis are well known for being a sensitive little fish.

I'm afraid fishkeeping has changed a lot from the 'old days.' It may also be that your father manages to get away with things by a combination of luck or experience that you can't.

The fact that you're losing so many fish indicates that something is very wrong, and we're all agreed here that your stocking levels are to blame.

If you don't want to take our advice, and would rather listen to your father, then that is, of course, your right; it's your tank, and entirely up to you.

 

[daniel_2kaii9]

why i've lost so meny fish is from 4 rosy barbs nipping the fishes tails and fins

now i got

1 swordtail
1 cherry barb
5 balloon red eye tetras
2 chinese algae eaters
1 silver dollar
1 pleco
and a few corydoras

 

[Tropical sunset]

Sorry couldn't help reading and i know i'm not as experienced as some of these others but after you rehome some of your fish...if you still want a pleco i'd recomend a brittlenosed one...they clean the tank and at the same time grow to only 4-8inches (small) i happen to own two...Sorry to hear about your fish but the others are RIGHT do what they say immediatly or risk loosing ALL of your fish, i almost did the first time i got my tank and this started to happen, but as i checked water and did water changes i managed to save 3 out of 5 of my fish

 

[fluttermoth]

why i've lost so meny fish is from 4 rosy barbs nipping the fishes tails and fins

now i got

1 swordtail
1 cherry barb
5 balloon red eye tetras
2 chinese algae eaters
1 silver dollar
1 pleco
and a few corydoras

I honestly don't think you would have lost that many fish just from being fin nipped by your barbs, I really don't...not to mention the fact that lots of those fish died after you'd put the rosy barbs in the breeding trap (have you re-homed those, btw? please tell me they're not still in there...)

You are getting nearer to a sensible stocking level now anyway, but the plec, the algae eaters and the silver dollar need re-homing; they're just going to get too big for your tank; the silver dollar can get to 8" and needs to be an a shoal of it's own kind for a start.

 

[daniel_2kaii9]

i know thay get big but im starting to have my own money now so im gunna save up and hopefully my mother and father will let me get a 5 or 6 ft tank for bigger fish

& no one around me has fish tanks to rehome the fish

and yeah i know the silver dollars need to be in schools but thay only had 2 there that were about 2 inches & one died couse his fins and tail were nipped

 

[mattlee]

you seem convinced that your fish have and are passing away through fin nipping.... nipping will cause stress to the recipient fish but i doubt it would kill this many this quick. as the others have said your tank is way over stocked and the fish need more space and better water quality.
have you tested the water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate at all? if not then i suggest you get a test kit and do the test or take some water to the lfs and get them to do it. my guess along with everyone elses is that your tank isnt cycled or if it is then its got high ammonia readings due to the high stocking. how often and how much water do you change?

 

[fluttermoth]

Ah, well, best of luck with your mum and dad then

 

[daniel_2kaii9]

my tanks been up and running for a few months well since last christmas & we have never tested the water

i cleaned the tank about 1 r 2 days ago and doing it again tomorrow

but i just really dont get how its overstocked tbh