First fishy friends

[PheonixKingZ]

I would really not get any more stock until you get the new tank setup and all that.

You can add the sponge filter straight over and have an “instant cycle“, assuming the other tank is fully cycled.

“GloDanios” need a lot of room to swim, as they are essentially the same species as zebra danios. Is that a 20g long? Or a 20g high? Looks like a high to me, which will not work for danios.

 

[FishFinatic77]

I agree with PK. Adding more fish right now is definitely not a good idea. I would return the danios since they won't do well, even in your bigger tank. You might be able to keep the otos for now, just keep in mind that they need to be in a group of at least 6.
You can just move your sponge filter to cycle the new tank. If you want, you could also add some beneficial bacteria to prevent an ammonia spike.

 

[Tegz]

I would really not get any more stock until you get the new tank setup and all that.

You can add the sponge filter straight over and have an “instant cycle“, assuming the other tank is fully cycled.

“GloDanios” need a lot of room to swim, as they are essentially the same species as zebra danios. Is that a 20g long? Or a 20g high? Looks like a high to me, which will not work for danios.

For sure I wasn't planning on getting the danios but they were given to me as the lfs had no room for them and I felt bad for them, will try to rehome them asap.

My current tank is fully cycled as far as I know for the last week or 2 it has shown 0 ammonia, nitrite and about 10 nitrate with ph staying steady at about 7.5.

It is a 20 high well spotted.

Honestly I wasn't planning on adding more fish at this point until the new tank was set up properly but i'm a sucker for catfish it seems. I will get some more ottos when the new tank is ready, its super murky right now, I don't think I rinsed the sand enough, I've added seachem clarity since there are no fish in it.

Can I also move over the matrix I have in my current tank? I bought a filter media bag hoping I could do this too?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Yes, you can move the filter media from the cycled tank to the uncycled tank. I recommend wanting to at least 2 hours before adding fish.

Try to work out that stocking as well.

 

[Tegz]

Hi there

I tried to return the danios but they wouldnt take them as they have no room to keep them.

I have reached out on some of our local facebook groups to see if anyone would be willing to look after them.

In the meantime they seem okay and are schooling with my tetras.

I shot myself in the foot and didnt rinse the sand enough in the new tank. So I've drained it rinsed all the gravel again replanted everything and we are back in business.

I'm attempting to scrape a tree out of some spider wood and Java moss.

Could I try some carpeting plants or would the corys just dig them up?

 

[mbsqw1d]

Hi there

I tried to return the danios but they wouldnt take them as they have no room to keep them.

I have reached out on some of our local facebook groups to see if anyone would be willing to look after them.

In the meantime they seem okay and are schooling with my tetras.

I shot myself in the foot and didnt rinse the sand enough in the new tank. So I've drained it rinsed all the gravel again replanted everything and we are back in business.

I'm attempting to scrape a tree out of some spider wood and Java moss.

Could I try some carpeting plants or would the corys just dig them up? View attachment 115622

I think you'll struggle with plants with a substrate of that depth. Closer to 3 inches is ideal. Cories dont manage to dig up plants to be honest so long as theyre buried deep enough...

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I would do 2 inches minimum, 3 is better.

 

[AilyNC]

New tank.looks good, once you've more plants growing it'll really comfy together. Well done on upgrading to a bigger tank.

 

[Tegz]

New tank.looks good, once you've more plants growing it'll really comfy together. Well done on upgrading to a bigger tank.

Thank you, that's what i'm hoping for, I'll move over the current plants and driftwood next week with the fish and it should look alot better.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

You might be able to keep the otos for now, just keep in mind that they need to be in a group of at least 6.

I will get some more ottos when the new tank is ready, its super murky right now, I don't think I rinsed the sand enough,

Otocinclus are definitely happier in larger groups of six or more, but they're also delicate fish that are prone to starving to death in new tanks, so please hold off on getting any more until your new tank has been established for at least three months. Do try to get your otocinclus eating supplemental foods too, like algae wafers and blanched veggies. Cucumber, courgette, and spinach and lettuce are known to be favourites for most. six otos will have no problem cleaning all the algae from a 20 gallon tank, so it's important that they're willing and able to take extra food. Don't assume algae in the tank means they have food either, since they don't eat problem algae like hair and brush algae, only soft green algae. Better to keep the two well fed, than to add another four and have them all starve. Look for round tummies when they're suckered to the glass. If their bellies are flat or curved inwards, then they're starving.

 

[Tegz]

Otocinclus are definitely happier in larger groups of six or more, but they're also delicate fish that are prone to starving to death in new tanks, so please hold off on getting any more until your new tank has been established for at least three months. Do try to get your otocinclus eating supplemental foods too, like algae wafers and blanched veggies. Cucumber, courgette, and spinach and lettuce are known to be favourites for most. six otos will have no problem cleaning all the algae from a 20 gallon tank, so it's important that they're willing and able to take extra food. Don't assume algae in the tank means they have food either, since they don't eat problem algae like hair and brush algae, only soft green algae. Better to keep the two well fed, than to add another four and have them all starve. Look for round tummies when they're suckered to the glass. If their bellies are flat or curved inwards, then they're starving.

Thanks for the heads up, I do feed them wafers, and I'm trying to get them to start eating some veggies. I didn't bring them in as a cleaner if that's what you mean.

To me they look pretty healthy they were very skinny when I got them and they are plumping up nicely

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Thanks for the heads up, I do feed them wafers, and I'm trying to get them to start eating some veggies. I didn't bring them in as a cleaner if that's what you mean.

To me they look pretty healthy they were very skinny when I got them and they are plumping up nicelyView attachment 115700View attachment 115701

Not accusing you of getting them as a cleaner fish, just giving you a heads up on the kind of care they need, and why it's better to wait until your tank has been up and running for three months or so before getting more.

Sadly they often are thin and frail when you first get them, they're all wild-caught, and they go through hell being caught, stored, shipped, then held in clean store tanks. The mortality rate is very high.

Yours look good, the second photo is a nicely fed, round oto tummy I was suggesting starting yours on supplemental food now since six are likely to get through most or all of the tank algae, so your two can show the new ones that extra food you put in is food - being wild caught, not all recognise that algae wafers are food right away.

Having said that, my school has five in a right now in a 15 gallon, and are still managing fine on just the tank algae, rarely touching anything extra I give them. I was just trying to warn you about the common issues with otos, given how delicate they can be.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

You gotta love an oto!

 

[Tegz]

Not accusing you of getting them as a cleaner fish, just giving you a heads up on the kind of care they need, and why it's better to wait until your tank has been up and running for three months or so before getting more.

Sadly they often are thin and frail when you first get them, they're all wild-caught, and they go through hell being caught, stored, shipped, then held in clean store tanks. The mortality rate is very high.

Yours look good, the second photo is a nicely fed, round oto tummy I was suggesting starting yours on supplemental food now since six are likely to get through most or all of the tank algae, so your two can show the new ones that extra food you put in is food - being wild caught, not all recognise that algae wafers are food right away.

Having said that, my school has five in a right now in a 15 gallon, and are still managing fine on just the tank algae, rarely touching anything extra I give them. I was just trying to warn you about the common issues with otos, given how delicate they can be.

I get that and I do appreciate it. I'm sorry if I seem a little snappy it's just I've put a ton of work into getting this far and its the first hobby I've gotten into where for every person willing to help there are five with nothing but negative things to say. I get that my tank is small and not ideal for the amount of fish needed for each species but they are healthy and my tank is stable. I monitor water everyday without fail and even with all the fish in there I have zero ammonia, nitrite or nitrate.

Appologies for my rant. Now that that's over.

The ottos are great though, they've really settled in well and what's surprised me is how confident they are they don't flinch for anything and if they aren't chilling somewhere they are swimming about with either the tetras or the corys.

They have done an amazing job of clearing the algae in the places I couldn't get to and apart from the bubbles floating around the water is so clear that it looks like there is nothing in the tank.

You're ottos are stunning btw.

And again I'm sorry for my rant it wasn't directed towards you.

 

[goldfish_is_orange]

Thanks for the heads up, I do feed them wafers, and I'm trying to get them to start eating some veggies. I didn't bring them in as a cleaner if that's what you mean.

To me they look pretty healthy they were very skinny when I got them and they are plumping up nicelyView attachment 115700View attachment 115701

hello cuties