Fish Tank Set Up

[Luke SWA]

Please view my tank on youtube type luke19695 and youll find it tiger barbs and black ruby barbs
I would like help on the current arrangment and what i could buy (with prices) im not very imaginative so its been difficult to set up a tank based around south east asian rivers or tiger barbs natural habitat
Please reply been bothering me for ages!!

 

[Tizer]

That tank is way too small for that many fish and indeed those species. They wont use the cave you have in there, so thats just wasted space and the bubbles did my head in. You should really have a look through the journals section on here to see what people have created, get some ideas. But firstly you should really be looking for a bigger tank.

 

[Jinty McGinty]

That catfish is too big for the tank too!!!!!

 

[Tizer]

wow, i didnt spot him, poor little git.

 

[Luke SWA]

Hes been in the tank for ages im kind of attatched to it i couldnt give him away no matter what anyone says but you guys didnt answer what the actual post is about

 

[ZoddyZod]

Hes been in the tank for ages im kind of attatched to it i couldnt give him away no matter what anyone says

what if I were to say keeping a fish that size in a tank that small, also with no natural over to hide under.....is a bit cruel. Would that change your mind?

I could not possibly recommend anything else in the tank, as your plec (think it's a common) means it's way overstocked already.

 

[Overload]

They did answer your original point, but its not the answer you want.

In order to get your set up right.

Step one - Get a bigger tank

 

[Luke SWA]

I would love a bigger tank but im 16 looking for a job with no money coming in and i also live with my parents to top it off that tank is the maximum size i could have
Iv been looking at other peoples tanks and id love the idea of a natural looking tank with plently of plants at the bottom like a moss carpet or something like that but do i need a special substrate underneath the gravel cause i only have gravel and how much would it cost to like have a moss carpet or something similar at the front
And if so what do i ask for in the pet shop thanks

 

[ZoddyZod]

I would love a bigger tank but im 16 looking for a job with no money coming in and i also live with my parents to top it off that tank is the maximum size i could have
Iv been looking at other peoples tanks and id love the idea of a natural looking tank with plently of plants at the bottom like a moss carpet or something like that but do i need a special substrate underneath the gravel cause i only have gravel and how much would it cost to like have a moss carpet or something similar at the front
And if so what do i ask for in the pet shop thanks

you don't have to get a bigger tank, but you really must look to rehome your plec. Ask if your fish shop will take him for you.

Frnakly if you try to plant anything in that tank, the plec will uproot it before it has the chance to root properly anyway.

 

[Luke SWA]

Honestly with just the barbs i think ive hit the limit but ive seen tanks way more overstocked
Ive never had any problems with the plec

 

[Overload]

You dont need special substrate, argos play sand is a very common choice from growing plants.

But as everyone is saying your current fish are just not suitable for that tank, look at it this way. would you keep a kitten in a shoe box?

 

[Mowbz]

If a tank looks overstocked, its probably becuase there is a giant external sorting out their waste. Thats common, but a common plec in a tank that small just isnt fair.

 

[Jinty McGinty]

Hes been in the tank for ages im kind of attatched to it i couldnt give him away no matter what anyone says but you guys didnt answer what the actual post is about

You can't buy anything more for your tank because the tank is overstocked and badly overstocked to the point you are being cruel! If you insist on keeping the catfish then take out all the other fish and give them back to a fish shop or sell/give them away on gumtree.

He needs somewhere to hide!!! It's cruel that he hasn't got a hidey hole. You don't want that do you?? A pile of rocks in an arch is what he needs.

I appreciate you are only 16, but you have to do something to try and better the tank for the fish.

 

[Luke SWA]

Ill look around im off to a pet shop tommorrow anyway but since ive had a fish tank for years ive always had a plec with no problems but this one is definately the biggest And he does use his cave

 

[ZoddyZod]

Honestly with just the barbs i think ive hit the limit but ive seen tanks way more overstocked
Ive never had any problems with the plec

sorry, but you don't seem to be listening. Your plec is currently too big for that tank and will get MUCH larger. Nobody here is going to advise you to put anything else in that tank until it is removed.

I apologise that this is not what you want to hear, and appreciate that you have become attached to the fish......but it really is the only correct course of action.

Also, yes - other people do stock their tanks WAY too much, but it doesn't mean it is the right thing to be doing.