Author Topic: Hello, New to this (Read 21624 times) 45 replies

jesnon · « **Reply #20 on:** July 10, 2013, 10:51:25 AM »

Quote from: Sue on July 10, 2013, 10:28:37 AM

When you get to your new place, you take charge of arranging the furniture. That way you can make sure you have a space for a big tank

Hehe good plan Sue! I suspect I'll be doing the majority of things like that anyway since I'll be job seeking for a little while (fingers crossed hopefully not too long!)

New fish · « **Reply #21 on:** October 06, 2013, 10:28:29 AM »

Ok. I have just picked up a second hand 126 ltr tank and stand for free, it comes with a heater, filter and old gravel.

The heater works and am about to check the filter, its a bit neglected any advice on cleaning the tank/ filter would be appreciated. Elbow grease is a given,

do I throw the gravel? or can it be recycled at all?

Thanks

Paul

Sue · « **Reply #22 on:** October 06, 2013, 04:24:39 PM »

I'd throw away the gravel if the tank was a bit neglected. There could be all sorts in there and gravel isn't very expensive unless you go for something exotic.

Depending on what the media looks like, I'd probably throw that away too. The filter casing can be scruubed clean.

As for the tank itself, if it has limescale (white encrustation) clean that with vinegar or lemon juice but be careful to avoid getting any on the corner sealant. The rinse very thoroughly. If that doesn't work, try a razor blade (they make them for decorating) trying not to scratch the glass.
If you want to sterilise it, use bleach. But the kind that doesn't have perfume or detergent in - look at supermarket basic range bleach. Or use babies' bottle sterilising liquid (Wilkinson's own brand is quite reasonably priced). Then rinse very thoroughly and soak in water overdosed with dechlorinator. Bleach is just a source of chlorine.

Did you set up the small tank? If you did, you could steal up to a third of the media from that to kick start the cycle on the big one.

New fish · « **Reply #23 on:** October 06, 2013, 04:28:30 PM »

I did set up the tank, but I have just done a water change, so I'll leave it and just let nature do the rest....

Thanks for the tip on the gravel...

New fish · « **Reply #24 on:** October 07, 2013, 10:38:04 PM »

How many fish can I keep in a 120ltr tank?

I am thinking of having the following in any numbers...

Pearl Gourami
honey Gourami
Black Ruby Barbs or Tiger barbs
Harlequin Rasbora orChilli Rasbora
Zebra Loaches
Black Phanton Tetras

Sue · « **Reply #25 on:** October 08, 2013, 08:22:31 AM »

First I'd check your tapwater conditions (pH and hardness) and find out whether the fish on your list would be happy in it. The fish profiles on here and the website seriously fish can help with that.

Unless your tank is long rather than tall, give the pearl gouramis a miss. My 125 litre is just 80cm long so I can't keep fish the size of pearls.
Honeys would be fine, I have them. This species can be kept as a m/f pair, unlike other gouramis.
Barbs - I don't know much about black rubies, but tigers can be a problem with fish like gouramis (their feelers tend to get bitten off). They need to be kept in larger shoals than usual to keep the agression withing the shoal.
Rasboras - both would be fine but it depends on how big you want your fish. If you view the tank from across the room you wouldn't see the chilis as they are tiny. Both are peaceful species; chilis tend to come out more in bigger numbers. Note that some shops will label other fish as chilis - I've seen Boraras briggitae (chilis), B merah and B urupthalmoides (sparrow rasboras) all labelled as chilis, but then they do look very similar and have the same requirements.
Zebra loaches need a tank with a footprint of 120 x 30cm. I know the profile on here says 75 cm long, but this site does tend to be a bit conservative. I would rather go with seriously fish. If you can afford them, the dwarf chain loach would fit.
Black phantoms - again I have no experience of these fish.

I would run your stocklist through the community creator if you haven't already. But stop at 80% of what it says you can have; it is rather over-generous.

New fish · « **Reply #26 on:** October 08, 2013, 11:03:01 PM »

Thanks Sue,
After more research I hope that this may be a better community

2 Dwarf Gourami
6 Celestial Danios
6 Black Phantom Tertras
6 Gold Barbs
1 or 2 catfish

Sue · « **Reply #27 on:** October 09, 2013, 09:43:56 AM »

Gold barbs need the water a bit cooler than the other fish, you'd need to keep the tank at the temp where the various prefered ranges overlap. How about cherry barbs instead? Though they may not be the colour you want.

What do you mean by catfish? You would should be OK with a bristlenose plec, just one in a tank your size. But if you mean corydoras of some species, you need a shoal of six or more of the same species.

Otherwise, fine

New fish · « **Reply #28 on:** October 09, 2013, 08:41:09 PM »

Ty I will have a look at the cherrys...

george · « **Reply #29 on:** October 10, 2013, 04:31:19 PM »

its a shame about the dwarf gouramis as they have there own kind of disease as i said is a shame because they are colourful but with them having there own kind of disease it put me off them so i also got honey gouarmis you will like them they are nice, same with neons i wont be getting any of them again because of there own kind of disease, but obviously its up to you if you want the dwarf gouramis, i would imagine they could get better with medicine if any symptoms appeared

New fish · « **Reply #30 on:** October 12, 2013, 05:43:01 PM »

If you read up there are a lot of healthy Dwarf Gouramis as well, I think by us having them in our tanks we are helping keep them alive.. IMO

Sue · « **Reply #31 on:** October 12, 2013, 07:21:47 PM »

It is true about the dwarf gouramis. Always choose from a tank that had no unhealthy looking specimens.
There are some who reckon every dwarf gourami imported form the Far East is already infected by the time it arrives. I wouldn't go that far, but there are a lot of reports of dwarf gouramis being fine for two or three months then going downhill quickly with the symptoms of dwarf gourami iridovirus.

george · « **Reply #32 on:** October 12, 2013, 07:43:37 PM »

Quote from: New fish on October 12, 2013, 05:43:01 PM

If you read up there are a lot of healthy Dwarf Gouramis as well, I think by us having them in our tanks we are helping keep them alive.. IMO

ye i agree people should keep them as its harsh if noone buys them as much, but they are just not for me

New fish · « **Reply #33 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:13:50 PM »

I have an old Fluval 3 plus filter, it has a strong flow is this too much for my tank?

Sue · « **Reply #34 on:** October 15, 2013, 08:41:39 AM »

So long as the fish don't look as though they are in a whirlpool, it should be OK.

Is this for the 120 litre tank?

Looking at the Fluval 3 plus manual, it says it has an output of 700 litres per hour and is suitable for tanks up to 130 litres. It is maybe on the edge of not being quite powerful enough for 120 litres. According to the manual the 3+ also has a waterflow adjuster which moves from + to - . That looks like it is a slider switch on the ledge at the top of the main body of the filter just below the outflow nozzle. That should reduce the flow. Have you tried it and found it is still too strong?

New fish · « **Reply #35 on:** October 15, 2013, 10:48:02 PM »

I have set it to the lowest setting the Phantoms seem happy swimming everywhere now as I have also angled it across the tank..

TY Sue

New fish · « **Reply #36 on:** October 16, 2013, 10:31:00 PM »

One of my new fish (only have 6 at mo) has one bulging eye, I have been back to where it came from, all the fish in the tank it came out of at the shop seem ok, should I be worried?

Thanks

Resa · « **Reply #37 on:** October 17, 2013, 12:24:14 AM »

Hi New Fish,

I'm sorry you have got a problem with one of your fish. It sounds as though it may be a condition called 'popeye'. My betta recently developed just such an eye. It can be caused by many things; injury, such as scraping on a piece of rock or by bacterial infection or problem with your water parameters, for example, high ammonia or nitrates or nitrites.
Another thought strikes me, that you mention in a previous post that the filter you are using has quite a strong flow, possibly that has a bearing on things.

Anyway, I would google popeye in fish, and see if the pictures look anything like what your little fishy has developed. If so, have a read up and decide what you think is the most likely cause in your case.
I am certainly no expert, but I'm sure Sue will reply in the morning, with some good advice

I just thought if you were still up and about you might be reassured by some suggestions....good luck!

Sue · « **Reply #38 on:** October 17, 2013, 12:07:38 PM »

When it is just one fish with just one eye affected, the cause is most likely damage or water conditions. Both eyes, and possibly also with dropsy, is more likely to be infection. Since they are new, it is possible the eye was damaged when they were netted in the shop tank.

For injury, water changes, lots of them. For most damage to fish, lots of clean water is the first thing to try, and it usually works.

And for water conditions, again water changes. Can I just check - did you do a fishless cycle on this tank? What are your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings?

Only medicate if things get a lot worse. The trouble with medicating is trying to work out which medication you should be using. With something like popeye there can be several types of infection which could be responsible.

New fish · « **Reply #39 on:** October 17, 2013, 05:53:11 PM »

I was going to do a fishless cycle but my original tanks was leaking so I ended up putting the fish is the big tank..

Thanks, water change city then..

Hello, New To This

Hello, New To This

Author Topic: Hello, New to this (Read 21624 times) 45 replies

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