Advice Please!

[thereverendturtle]

You're welcome! And welcome to the site.

 

[angelalala]

So I found the algae eater a great new home today, took out all my old gravel and replaced it with sand. I decided to do white on the bottom with black on top. I swirled it to make a marble effect. My water is still pretty cloudy. I fed my fish because they seemed hungry and now I'm noticing that most of the fish seem like they're gasping for air! Is this normal after putting aquarium sand in? I've never seen them move thier lips so fast... I'm kinda worried.

 

[thereverendturtle]

Imagine it as being in a smokey room. The particles are making it harder on them to breathe. A big water change and cleaning the filter will help.

 

[moochy13]

just do some big water changes. removing the gravel will have disturbed a lot of poo and uneaten food. big big water changes.

 

[angelalala]

I just did a 20% water change last night. The fish all are back to normal... if anything they seem more playful. How much more should I change? And how often should I change it? I've only had the tank for a few weeks and its a 50 gallon. Sorry for all the newbie questions.

 

[thereverendturtle]

10-20% a week or 30-40% every other week. If your tank looks clear you're good. If not do another 10% each day until clear. Ask all the questions you need.

 

[Tizer]

It totally depends how fast your nitrates rise as its those that we reduce with water changes. So test it after a week and see what you got.

Me, i change 50% every weekend.

 

[Aqua Tom]

It totally depends how fast your nitrates rise as its those that we reduce with water changes. So test it after a week and see what you got.

Me, i change 50% every weekend.

Same. 50% w/c each weekend, usualy Sunday.


Tom

 

[angelalala]

Jeeze its just one problem after the next.. my rosy barb has been harassing my tiger barb really bad again. I just did a 30% water change and put in aquarium salt and some stuff that makes the ammonia go down. The fighting started getting pretty intense so I caught the rosy and put her in a suction cup container with holes in it (a clear one found in the shower accesory section). I've put her in this before when she was harassing the tiger last week and it was too late at night to go to my lfs. I don't have a seperate tank so I figured this would make due for now to at least let my tiger relax for a little bit. The tiger barb is still contantly gasping and kinda swimming in place close to the bottom of the aquarium. He might still be stressed from all the comotion of catching my rosy barb. I'm kinda thinking about taking her to the lfs tomorrow to see if they want my rosy. Seems to be causing a lot of stress and I can't watch my tiger get picked to death. My tiger is bigger and should be sticking up for himself.... what could be wrong? My water tests are all normal?

 

[Tizer]

thats the problem when you pick single fish out thinking "oooh thats nice!" and only buy one of them, not realising they are schooling fish that like the company of their own kind. When you keep fish like this, they develop odd tendancies, which range from agression to depression. maybe now your water is better, its time to look at your stocking?

3 Tiger barbs in a tank that size is just pitiful too.

 

[Gidge]

thats the problem when you pick single fish out thinking "oooh thats nice!" and only buy one of them, not realising they are schooling fish that like the company of their own kind. When you keep fish like this, they develop odd tendancies, which range from agression to depression. maybe now your water is better, its time to look at your stocking?

3 Tiger barbs in a tank that size is just pitiful too.

^^ Agreed. If your water is better, it's time to up the numbers of your schools.
Personally I would go with 8-10 Tigers and 8-10 Rosy's. Certainly helps spread the agression.

If you're really worried about your Rosy barb being nasty, take him back and replace him when you buy more. You may just have a real nasty fish. Every fish is different.
That's what I would consider anyway. Someone may correct me

 

[thereverendturtle]

thats the problem when you pick single fish out thinking "oooh thats nice!" and only buy one of them, not realising they are schooling fish that like the company of their own kind. When you keep fish like this, they develop odd tendancies, which range from agression to depression. maybe now your water is better, its time to look at your stocking?

3 Tiger barbs in a tank that size is just pitiful too.

^^ Agreed. If your water is better, it's time to up the numbers of your schools.
Personally I would go with 8-10 Tigers and 8-10 Rosy's. Certainly helps spread the agression.

If you're really worried about your Rosy barb being nasty, take him back and replace him when you buy more. You may just have a real nasty fish. Every fish is different.
That's what I would consider anyway. Someone may correct me

+1

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Jumping on this thread rather late, but Rosy Barbs are unsiutable tankmates for everything else, they are sub-tropical and should be kept at 18-20C for most of the year with a peak of no more than 22C. Keeping them at the high end of this range or even higher will put them in a permanent state of hyperactivity and shorten their lives considerably, this could explain why yours are being aggressive. They belong in a temperate tank with fish such as Peppered Corydoras; Redline Torpedo Barbs; Zebra Danios; WCMM etc.

http/www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Puntius&species=conchonius&id=181

By rehoming the whole group, you could then increase the Tiger Barb numbers.

 

[angelalala]

Jumping on this thread rather late, but Rosy Barbs are unsiutable tankmates for everything else, they are sub-tropical and should be kept at 18-20C for most of the year with a peak of no more than 22C. Keeping them at the high end of this range or even higher will put them in a permanent state of hyperactivity and shorten their lives considerably, this could explain why yours are being aggressive. They belong in a temperate tank with fish such as Peppered Corydoras; Redline Torpedo Barbs; Zebra Danios; WCMM etc.

http/www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Puntius&species=conchonius&id=181

By rehoming the whole group, you could then increase the Tiger Barb numbers.

All my long finned rosy barbs have been getting along great... they swim with the other fish and don't bother any of my fish... not even their own kind. I planned on getting more rosy barbs and tiger barbs now that my huge algae eater is gone. I really liked my other rosys. Would it be wrong to take the mean rosy back and then buy more long finned rosys? Or should I get rid of all the rosys in general =/ ? I feel like if I give them back, they'll just end up in another tank with the same temperature.. my plan was to have 7 rosys, 7 tigers, 6 loaches, 1 three spot gourami, and an algae eater that stays small.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

3-Spot Gourami and Angelicous Loaches needs at least 24C, that is too high for Rosy Barbs. The key to having a community that all fish will reach something close to their expected lifespan is to find tankmates that have 24C at the low end or very close to the low end of their needs eg. Snakeskin Barbs (Puntius rhomboocellatus).