God I Am Itching To Put Fish In

[westonsupermanc]

I finally have my 5ft tank set up and running and am holding off putting any fish is as the water is still a bit cloudy. I have put new sand in and tap safe and filter start and desperately need to get my larger fish in there as they have outgrown the 128 litre tank. The large fish I need to rehouse are as follows Scats x2  Mono Featherfin Catfish Pictus Catfish and Bala Sharks x2. The 2 Pangasius I am sending back after watching a horrible video on you tube don't want to see them massive. Any ideas on which one of those would be the hardiest to try first as the smaller tank is very cramped. Much as I am tempted though I will not risk any of their lives unnecessarily.

 

[Ch4rlie]

I'd be patient although thought using filter media from the 128 tank would be quicker in cycling your larger tank?

Think should only take maybe a week max to cycle new tank with cycled media.

 

[techen]

Putting a small amount of media into your new tanks filter, You should be able to stock right away, However only a small amount of fish.

 

[RSVBiffer]

If you move all the filter media from your existing setup to the new tank then you can transfer all the fish from your smaller tank straight away. The media in the smaller tank is supporting the bioload of the fish in there and that won't be increasing as long as you are not adding any new fish. Obviously, if you are leaving some of the fish in the smaller tank (I.e.they aren't moving to the larger tank) then this is not an option.

 

[ShinySideUp]

So long as you don't increase the fish load and you change all your filter material from your old tank to the new one there is no reason why you shouldn't move the whole lot at once. The filter media is not concerned with the amount of water in tank only about the amount of ammonia your fish produce.
 
Having re-read your post I'm now not sure whether or not you are moving all your fish to the new tank in which case some filter media will have to stay in the old tank if there are some fish remaining. But again, if all the fish are being moved, then move all your media and all your fish, all at once.

 

[westonsupermanc]

Thanks for the advice what I am thinking of doing is just moving the larger fish into the big tank and allow them to grow so that would be 2 Scats a mono a Featherfin Catfish a Pictus Catfish a Yoyo Loach and 2 Bala Sharks but I understand patience is a virtue. Yes I will be leaving clown loaches and several other fish in the smaller tank. What if I replaced the media in the smaller tank with a new sponge and media box and just drop the established media into the top of the large filter in the large tank would that work. I mean why do they sell replacement media and sponges if you are never to use them. When I clean the filter in the smaller tank every fortnight the water is black and I mean black so it is either a very efficient filter or maybe I am overfeeding them.

If I just add say 2 fish a week for the first 6 weeks I hope not to lose any but testing the water last night it is not quite ready yet. Long term I will add 3 clown loaches 2 more yoyo loaches an elephant nose and an angel fish as they outgrow the smaller tanks. The 2 pangasius I will be taking back because I do not want to see them eat smaller fish when they are bigger. My girlfriend thinks I think more of the fish than her lol

 

[ShinySideUp]

Thanks for the advice what I am thinking of doing is just moving the larger fish into the big tank and allow them to grow so that would be 2 Scats a mono a Featherfin Catfish a Pictus Catfish a Yoyo Loach and 2 Bala Sharks but I understand patience is a virtue. Yes I will be leaving clown loaches and several other fish in the smaller tank. What if I replaced the media in the smaller tank with a new sponge and media box and just drop the established media into the top of the large filter in the large tank would that work. I mean why do they sell replacement media and sponges if you are never to use them. When I clean the filter in the smaller tank every fortnight the water is black and I mean black so it is either a very efficient filter or maybe I am overfeeding them.

 
Please, as a Clown loach fanatic, I urge you to move your Clown loaches to the larger tank. Unless they are very small, a 128 litre tank is nowhere near big enough. I have learned by experience that by the time it is decided that Clown loaches are big enough to go into a larger tank it is already too late and they have already been harmed by being unable to fulfil their true potential.
 
In answer to the above question yes, that does work but ensure that the water goes through the established media first so that bacteria will be moved into the new stuff.

 

[westonsupermanc]

Thanks don't worry I love my 3 clown loaches  they are only about 2 inches at the moment as soon as they get to 4 inches I will add them to the larger tank is that ok?

 

[Gruntle]

I'm new at this so I don't know, but could you put all the media from the small tank into the big tank's filter and move all the fish, then when you're sure the new media in the small tank is cycled, move some back?
Or wait a few weeks and move the media from the old filter back into the old filter, and then move the fish? I would assume the media an the new filter will colonise bacteria fairly quickly.
 
Is it more stressful on the fish to move them twice; or have them either overcrowded or in a potentially uncycled tank?

 

[westonsupermanc]

The filter in the large tank is too big for the smaller tank but would have room if I took out the media container from the smaller tank and put a new one in that may work

 

[ShinySideUp]

Thanks don't worry I love my 3 clown loaches  they are only about 2 inches at the moment as soon as they get to 4 inches I will add them to the larger tank is that ok?

 
I wouldn't wait for four inches. They are about ripe to be moved now although I am assuming you are using the fish measurement protocol of fish-length not including the tail fin?

 

[westonsupermanc]

Correct I would love to try them in the tank first but don't think the tank is ready yet. Will try the old media from the 128l tank for a bit then add them but would hate to lose them to new tank syndrome. They are so cute together

 

[ShinySideUp]

Correct I would love to try them in the tank first but don't think the tank is ready yet. Will try the old media from the 128l tank for a bit then add them but would hate to lose them to new tank syndrome. They are so cute together

 
I agree. Establish the new tank then pop in the stripey beasties, they will love you for it.

 

[westonsupermanc]

Decided to try the 2 bala sharks first in the tank if I can catch them. they are about 5 inches at the moment.

 

[Doomchibi]

The monos and scats need brackish water to thrive and if they are no longer babies but are still in freshwater, they will have very weak immune systems and will have a much shorter lifespan. Also both argenteus and sebae monos are schooling fish and should be in odd numbered groups, 5 or 7 preferably, sebae more importantly because they are not as docile. Keeping only 2 monos will cause them to constantly pick on eachother and stress them out since they can't find any other appropriate fish to school with. I am glad to hear you are upgrading tanks, but you really should consider moving these fish to another tank with a higher salinity if at all possible. They should be in marine conditions at their adult sizes, starting in freshwater and having their salinity raised as they grow. Sorry if the idea messes up plans you had but since these seem to be grown fish, the sooner a change the better when it comes to keeping them healthy. Good luck!
 
Edit... I see you also have Bumblebee Gobies. Are these Brachygobius xanthozona or Brachygobius nunus? The first can handle freshwater and the second really needs brackish water as well. The second has broken black stripes compared to the first which has perfectly solid ones.