Allow Myself To Introduce... Myself.

[vwdank]

Hello My name is Simon(Hank).
 
Ok where to start. Well... I attended Juilliard... I'm a graduate of the Harvard business school. I travel quite extensively. I lived through the Black Plague and had a pretty good time during that. I've seen the EXORCIST ABOUT A HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN TIMES, AND IT KEEPS GETTING FUNNIER EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEE IT.
 
I am what you call an experienced beginner. Lets just say I have a 9 year old Spotted Raphael Catfish and 6 year old Oscar that i have not killed.
 
I have a 55 gal Tank housing my oscar and same aged common pleco and of coarse Mr. Rafael.
 

 

 
I just introduced LED Lights and I am falling in love. I also got a new all glass top and just working on creating the best environment for these guys as I am sure after reading this forum discovering i'm the worst fish parent.
 
I also have my original 29 gal tank back up and running after catching my third wind. 9 years ago i started out with cichlids which i love for color and beauty but hate their aggressiveness. Having my pets kill each other and having my faith in humanity destroyed with guilt setting in for being, again the worst fish parent, destroy my drive to keep going.
 
wait where was I; oh yea i got my 29 gal going again. This time i decided only nice fish no aggressors. some neon blue tetras, silver tip tetras a congo tetra and turquoise blue, oh yea a pleco. I got the congos and turquoise after seeing the LFS main tank but did not realize they were using LED lighting. One wrong bulb down the road and see 55 gal comment above; i have my GLO(something) back in waiting on my 29gal LED light order to come in. While i am waiting for new light I was becoming unhappy with my set up and collection of fish. I also was unimpressed with the LFS in my area and decided to go the next state over(over the bridge) and see what they had to offer which was an old school pet/fish store that reminded me of my childhood day. I also was able to comfortably have deep conversations with the owner unlike the big city stores and the only LFS available in the area.
 
I was on the hunt for another spotted or striped Raphael catfish when i discovered the most beautiful, child like and colorful fish i ever seen. Electric Blue Rams they were, much more pricey then I wanted to spend that day but alas i was headed back home with my first EBR. After four days and a lot of reading I was headed back to the LFS to find Desi his Lucille.
 

 

 
Anyway I can not get enough information in becoming an expert on fish parenting and came here to just do that!
 
Sincerely yours Hank aka vwdank(not simon that was a bad joke)
 
 

 

[Jeremy180]

Hello, and welcome to the forums.
If I were you, I'd seriously consider saving for an upgrade for your 55 gallon tank.
125 gallons would be closer to what you would need long-term for these fish, but 180 gallons would be better if you have the money/space.
Please don't take this the wrong way, I just want you and your fish to be happy.

 

[Blough]

Welcome to the forum. I believe the main concern is the pleco, what kind of pleco is it? If it is a common pleco I agree with Jeremy, because they need very large tanks. If it isn't, I've heard that some kinds of pleco don't get as big, but I've never had one or seriously looked into one so I don't know. I keep my common pleco in a 120 gallon aquarium, and he's  probably 8-10 inches, and still growing. Good luck!

 

[Jeremy180]

Actually, I was in a hurry this morning and misread the maximum size of the spotted raphael cat as being 18 inches, instead of six.
Still, I would say 55 gallons is not bige enough for all three fish as adults.
I would recommend at least 75 gallons, and that would be with double or better filtration.
125 gallons would really be a better final tank size for these three IMHO.

 

[vwdank]

Hello, and welcome to the forums.
If I were you, I'd seriously consider saving for an upgrade for your 55 gallon tank.
125 gallons would be closer to what you would need long-term for these fish, but 180 gallons would be better if you have the money/space.
Please don't take this the wrong way, I just want you and your fish to be happy.

 
Thanks for the Welcome and not at all taken the wrong way. I appreciate constructive criticism. I'm already on the look out for a bigger tank as i do know it's needed. I just can't afford to drop retail price now for tanks that size so I'm just hunting for good deals right now.
 
One quick question I have if you can answer. This tank uses under gravel with power head filters attached; is it wrong to add a power filter outside the tank along with the under gravel?
 

Welcome to the forum. I believe the main concern is the pleco, what kind of pleco is it? If it is a common pleco I agree with Jeremy, because they need very large tanks. If it isn't, I've heard that some kinds of pleco don't get as big, but I've never had one or seriously looked into one so I don't know. I keep my common pleco in a 120 gallon aquarium, and he's  probably 8-10 inches, and still growing. Good luck!

 Yes it's a common Pleco  thanks for the welcome